The role of federal agencies in fighting digital crime Essay

The role of federal agencies in fighting digital crime - Essay Example These agencies have to be up to date about all the digital networking so that they can help protect the common people, businesses and governments from getting cheated or played by digital criminals. They know that it is the requirement to keep their strategies in dealing with this threat more innovative so that this problem can be handled appropriately. Mostly the security agencies that work under the government are more influential in countering digital crimes because they have more financial support and thus are more technologically advanced. Political assistance also plays a vital role in increasing their significance. High priority is given to prevent digital crime and efforts are being made to spot crimes before they occur. There are various agencies that are working to prevent this problem. One of these agencies is the Secret Service. This agency is responsible for the prevention of three digital crimes, which are financial institutional frauds that include savings, loans and banks, the access devised frauds that include credit cards, personal identification numbers and passwords, and last but not the least digital crimes conducted on the national level. Another agency that works to prevent digital crime is the Department of Justice. This department takes care of the investigations related to computer hacking, electronic privacy laws and various other digital crimes. It basically takes care of all the legal implications of digital crimes. The department of Homeland Security agency is the combination of two agencies: U.S Customs Service and Immigration and naturalization, and the digital crime that is investigated here with highest level of priority is the child exploitation case (Wiles, 2007, p.90). Federal Bureau of Investigation is one of the largest criminal investigating agencies in the United States and in digital crimes it handles the hacking, fraud via the internet, sending of illegal material across the state borders etc. It works with the

Research and Development of Anti-Retroviral Drugs Essay Example for Free

Research and Development of Anti-Retroviral Drugs Essay ‘Discuss the reasons why the research and development of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) has impacted differently on people suffering from HIV/AIDS in developed and developing world’ HIV/AIDS still does not have a know cure, but has a treatment that slows down the affects of HIV/AIDS which is called ARV (anti-retroviral drug) The ARV drug is a very â€Å"exclusive† drug because as it is very expensive, around $400 a month if not more depending on which stage you are in, and that is a huge dilemma because many people cannot afford to pay that amount of money so they are not able to receive the treatment. If people in the first world countries cannot receive the drug, how do people in the third world receive the drug? In third world countries the drugs are given to them for free, but on the 47% gets the full treatment. The drugs are given to them by of the drug company itself of other companies that buy the ARVs from the company and send it to the place where it is needed, for example Africa. Africa is the location where the most HIV/AIDS cases are, and is also the one getting the least amount of treatment. The reason for this is because the ARV drug company wants to get their money back for all the research they put in, so giving the ARVs for free would become a great loss economically for them. The first aspect of this issue is the social part. Infrastructure is a big problem because as buildings coast a lot to construct they are not able to put up many, and you must also have trained people able to work there, which are hard to find in Africa. There are very few amount of places where you can go get tested but they have a limited amount of treatments and supplies. This is a huge problem because if people go to get better they have to wait or not get better at all due to the lack of resources. I would solve this issue by having not many small structures but several big structures so the supplies have a greater chance to arrive and more money is used wiser and more efficiently. Another social aspect of this problem is the education. In Africa the education is something that not everyon e gets, so they are not aware about how they get the disease, how they can prevent it or what are  the affects. A reason for why in Africa they do not receive the education is because there are a very few amount of teachers, and the teachers that they have may also be contaminated and are not able to execute their job correctly. HIV/AIDS affects everyone in their community because the disease spreads fast in their case (the people in Africa). This is due to their sexual behavior. Their culture does not have monogamy or a custom of only one sexual partner, but they have many different sexual partners, and that is why HIV/AIDS spreads so quickly in Africa. They also do not use protection because it is not available to most people and so chances are higher to get HIV/AIDS. Another cultural aspect is that there is a lot of prejudice against testing. Many people do not want to get tested for HIV/AIDS because one, they are scared the test might come back positive, second if it does result positive how will they tell their family/friends and thirdly how will they get the treatment they need to get. If the people get tested and do want to not tell anyone, because of various reasons, and as a result the problem amplifies and does not get solved. Another problem for the cultural aspect is get the people to take responsibility and try to change. Of coarse it is easier to ignore the problem and pretend it is not there, but that would not be helping the matter, it would be making it worse. How to solve these problems would be, in my opinion, have protection available to them, encourage testing, reassure the people that there will be a treatment for them, make them understand the severity of this issue and that if we do not take action it may get a lot worse, have session/groups for them to talk about their worries, experience ect. However before doing this we must solve the bigger problem, how do we give them the treatment for free. Another aspect of the issue is the ethical/moral part. The richer countries to some extent have an obligation to help the poorer countries, but the third world countries should not relay or take advantage because also the richer countries have their own problems to solve. For insists America is going though a very tough crisis but at the same time they are helping the less fortunate get better. The poorer countries should also take action and do something to help themselves, because they should be putting the money where it really needs to go to, the people. This leads us to another aspect of the issue, the political portion. Politics have caused a lot of mayhems in the world because they sometimes do not have they  priorities sorted out. For example in Africa instead of investing their money in this issue of HIV/AIDS and the treatments, they have decided to invest their money on weapons and in their natural recourses such as oil. It is very hard to run a third world country but it should not be an excuse. To solve these concerns although it is a difficult task but one way to solve them, in my opinion, is to have people from the first world talk and discuss about what they can do together (with the people of the third world) instead of just have the first world do everything on their own. The last aspect of this issue is the economic part. Africa is already a poor continent, having a poor economy is not helping either. They do not have enough money to circulate and this stops Africa growing, having sick people also stops the economy from growing because it is another matter they have to face. Child labor increases due to the fact that the adults are sick and are unable to work and the poor people have no way in getting better because there aren’t enough doctors. In conclusion a way to resolve the problem in the distribution of the ARVs is to have several multi-national pharmaceutical companies sponsor the ARVs, so other independent companies do not have to buy the drug and then distribute them, but by sponsoring the drug, the ARV drug company directly gives the drug to the third world countries without loosing it’s money. The multi-national pharmaceutical companies get advertisement and so they also gaining not loosing their money. As you can see this is a win, win situation. The main issue here is that the ARV drug company does not want to loose the money that they put in research so they make the drug excessively high-priced because to produce the drug is a coast next to nothing. Once the people receive the treatment, they should help educate not only the affected people but also the people that haven’t been affected yet. I believe by doing this, the transmission of the HIV/AIDS with decrease significantly and things will start to get better. I do believe that this problem is solvable.

Sickle Cell Anemia: A Curse and a Blessing :: Disease Health Sickness Essays Papers

Sickle Cell Anemia: A Curse and a Blessing Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease found right here in America, but in low levels compared to some areas of the world. The rate for this disease is around five times greater in certain places in Africa. That is because the potentially fatal disease Sickle Cell Anemia can also work as a sort of vaccination for another disease called malaria. First the mechanics of Sickle Cell Anemia will be discussed, then its possible benefits. Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited condition. One gene for Sickle Cell Anemia must be inherited from each parent in order to have the disease. A person who receives a gene for Sickle Cell Anemia from one parent and a normal gene from the other has a condition called sickle cell trait. Sickle cell trait produces no symptoms or problems for most people. Sickle Cell Anemia can neither be contracted nor passed on to another person. The severity of sickle cell disease varies greatly. Some people with sickle cell disease lead lives that are nearly normal. Others are less fortunate, and can suffer from a variety of conditions. Sickle Cell Anemia is caused by a change in the chemical composition of the protein hemoglobin which is responsible for delivering oxygen throughout our bodies. Normal hemoglobin is found as a round shape, and is composed of four proteins – two alpha chains and two beta chains. The change that causes Sickle Cell Anemia occurs when an amino acid called valine is substituted for glutamic acid in both of the beta chains. This change in the composure of hemoglobin causes the shape to change when under certain conditions. Two of these conditions are low oxygen and dehydration. The hemoglobin of a person with Sickle Cell Anemia then becomes elongated and curved, hence the name sickle cell. When this happens many problems can occur, primarily blood clotting which leads to a lack of oxygen in body tissues. Other negative affects of Sickle Cell Anemia are a weakened heart because it is constantly overworked. Also, bone marrow is affected and bones become softer than usual. Whi le there is no cure for Sickle Cell Anemia there is treatment. The primary goal is to reduce the frequency of the Sickle Cell Anemia crisis episodes and maintain enough red blood cells to keep body tissues healthy. Sickle Cell Anemia: A Curse and a Blessing :: Disease Health Sickness Essays Papers Sickle Cell Anemia: A Curse and a Blessing Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease found right here in America, but in low levels compared to some areas of the world. The rate for this disease is around five times greater in certain places in Africa. That is because the potentially fatal disease Sickle Cell Anemia can also work as a sort of vaccination for another disease called malaria. First the mechanics of Sickle Cell Anemia will be discussed, then its possible benefits. Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited condition. One gene for Sickle Cell Anemia must be inherited from each parent in order to have the disease. A person who receives a gene for Sickle Cell Anemia from one parent and a normal gene from the other has a condition called sickle cell trait. Sickle cell trait produces no symptoms or problems for most people. Sickle Cell Anemia can neither be contracted nor passed on to another person. The severity of sickle cell disease varies greatly. Some people with sickle cell disease lead lives that are nearly normal. Others are less fortunate, and can suffer from a variety of conditions. Sickle Cell Anemia is caused by a change in the chemical composition of the protein hemoglobin which is responsible for delivering oxygen throughout our bodies. Normal hemoglobin is found as a round shape, and is composed of four proteins – two alpha chains and two beta chains. The change that causes Sickle Cell Anemia occurs when an amino acid called valine is substituted for glutamic acid in both of the beta chains. This change in the composure of hemoglobin causes the shape to change when under certain conditions. Two of these conditions are low oxygen and dehydration. The hemoglobin of a person with Sickle Cell Anemia then becomes elongated and curved, hence the name sickle cell. When this happens many problems can occur, primarily blood clotting which leads to a lack of oxygen in body tissues. Other negative affects of Sickle Cell Anemia are a weakened heart because it is constantly overworked. Also, bone marrow is affected and bones become softer than usual. Whi le there is no cure for Sickle Cell Anemia there is treatment. The primary goal is to reduce the frequency of the Sickle Cell Anemia crisis episodes and maintain enough red blood cells to keep body tissues healthy.

Brutality of Slavery Essay

In history, slavery has been a large problem in The United States and has caused many issues. We know slavery as history, while people like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs knew slavery as their lives. Frederick Douglass was a man who was born and raised as a slave, he never knew his mother and watched many terrifying things as a child. Another known slave was Harriet Jacobs; she was a slave who was abused in many ways. Both of these slaves lived through hardship and turbulence growing up. Most people could not even fathom the pain and suffering these two slaves endured. They were considered to be chattel slaves. Chattel is a type of slavery. According to Dictionary. com chattel is â€Å"any article of tangible property other than land, buildings, and other things annexed to land. † Slaveholders feel as though their slaves have no rights and they are their own property. Most slaves during this time were chattel slaves and were treated very poorly by there slaveholders. In his essay on brutality toward slaves, Frederick Douglass shares some of the horrors that were his reality. As a slave himself, he understands from first-hand experience how badly slaves were treated. He mentions emotional and physical abuse he received from his slaveholder. He talked about how the slaves were not allowed to know how old they were or information that might expose them to more about their families. Douglass mentioned the fact that slaveholders would whip the slaves until bloody while making other slaves watch. Slaveholders would shoot and kill their slaves if they did not follow orders, Douglass acknowledges. Slaveholders would keep all personal information from their slaves. The fact that a slave would not have the right to know how old they are would create emotional hardship and eliminate an important sense of self. Some slaveholders would not allow the slave to know anything about his or her mother or father. They would give the slaves very little information so they could not investigate further. Douglass was one of the slaves who barely knew his own mother. The most he ever saw her was just a few times at night while he was sleeping. She would take the long trip to see him after a long day in the fields, but she would have to be back before morning came the next day. Only being able to see one’s mother three or four times in a person’s life, and not being able to know anymore information about one’s life, would be considered abuse in many ways. Whipping a slave was a very normal action in this time. Slaves, whether they ‘deserved’ it or not, could be whipped for many reasons. Douglass mentions many times when his slaveholder would whip his own aunt. Douglass said, â€Å"I have often been awakened at the dawn of day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her naked back till she was literally covered with blood. † His slaveholder took great pleasure in whipping and torturing his slaves. It is heartbreaking knowing that it was considered socially and morally okay to commit such brutalities. Douglass talks about a time when a slave named Demby was shot and killed in front of an entire plantation of slaves. The slaveholder told Demby to come to him, but Demby refused, so the slaveholder took out his gun and shot him. A thrill of horror flashed through every soul upon the plantation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Douglass. The slaveholder said that he killed him because he was â€Å"unmanageable. † He also said that Demby was setting a bad example for the other slaves and if he did not take care of the problem, the other slaves would follow. Women played a vital role in slavery, the pain and suffering they had to endure was terrible. Women had to bear hardship in many different ways such as sexual abuse, chattel type slavery, and the relationship between the slaveholder, his wife and the slave. All of these rigorous situations are forced upon an African American woman creating emotional and physical abuse. While reading Incidences in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, one could notice a constant theme in the slaveholder’s ideology toward the slave. As brought up earlier, most slaves were chattel slaves, meaning that their slaveholders treated them as if they were property and with no respect. Jacobs says, â€Å"He told me I was his property; that I must be subject to his will in all things. † (Jacobs pg. 2). Obviously, Mr.  Flint treated Jacobs as if he had zero respect for her. Jacobs mid teen years is when her life as a slave girl escalated. Mr. Flint, her slaveholder had absolutely no respect for the fact that she was an innocent young girl. â€Å"My master began to whisper foul words in my ear. Young as I was, I could not remain ignorant of their import. † (Jacobs pg. 1). These actions were not uncommon in slaveholder/slave relationships because of the sense of ownership. The wife of the slaveholder and her relationship to the female slave, in this case being Jacobs, could be detrimental. Not only the relationship between the wife and the female slave is important in history, but it also creates a struggle between the African American female and the slaveholder. The wife could be considered psychotic because of the jealously placed in a relationship such as theirs. Jacobs mentioned thatâ€Å"†¦she spent many a sleepless night to watch over me. Sometimes I woke up, and found her bending over me. † Most people, whether in the same relationship as them or not would think that is weird and would have psychotic tendencies. Insidences in the Life of a Slave Girl and Both narratives written by Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs were tools in the abolition of slavery. The narratives gave African Americans a voice. They brought international attention to the issues and brutality of slavery. This basically put pressure on the United States to address the issue. Also, the ideology of slavery is based on the belief that blacks are inferior to whites. When sociologists first began trying to explain inferiority, a big argument was that there was no African literature. These narratives really showed the eloquence of African people.

Finance and Banking Essay

â€Å"Identify an experience in which you failed to communicate a message.† As mentioned in the communication process, communication has only succeeded when the information given by the sender has been received and understood by the recipient. If the recipient has not understood the information, then this may not necessarily be the recipient’s fault. Typically, ineffective communications can be attributed to one of three things: 1. A poor message;  * The message was too short; * The message was too long; * The message was ambiguous 2. Poor transmission; * That the message is being delivered in a wrong format that the recipient both does not expect and understands; * That the message is being delivered when the recipient does not need it, and where the recipient will not expect to find it. 3. Poor reception;  * A lack of awareness; * Obstructionism; * A lack of understanding; A striking example where I failed to communicate a message was my first day as an ‘A’-Level biology teacher at a certain private college. I was lost and found myself tutoring a form 4 class instead of a form 6 class. Some of the teaching staff read, â€Å"Human monocytes were cultured for 24 h in serum-free AIM-V medium, followed by 24-h maturation by polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (polyI:C). Short term cultured, polyI:C-maturated DC, far more than immature DC, showed typical mature DC markers and high allogeneic stimulatory capacity and had high autologous stimulatory capacity in an influenza model system using peptide-pulsed DC. Electroporation of mRNA as an Ag-loading strategy in these cells was optimized using mRNA encoding the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Monocytes electroporated with EGFP mRNA, followed by short term, serum-free differentiation to mature DC, had a phenotype of DC, and all showed positive EGFP fluorescence. Influenza matrix protein mRNA-electroporated monocytes cultured serum-free and maturated with polyI:C showed high stimulatory capacity in autologous T cell activation experiments†. The text content was technically correct, but it was presented to the wrong audience, there was every chance that the students would not understand it. Such an example is a clear cut illustration of failure to communicate a message. â€Å"Investigate and discuss the possible forms of noise that can interfere with the communication process†. Communication noise refers to obstructions on effective communication that influence the interpretation of conveyed messages. While often looked over, communication noise can have a profound impact both on our perception of interactions with others and our analysis of our own communication proficiency. Forms of communication noise include psychological noise, physical noise, physiological and semantic noise. As postulated by (F. Teague, 2010), Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood hence all these forms of noise subtly, yet greatly influence our communication with others and are vitally important to anyone’s skills as a competent communicator. Psychological noise Psychological noise refers to qualities in us that affect how we communicate and interpret others. For instance, if you are preoccupied with a problem, you may be inattentive at a team meeting. Likewise, prejudice and defensive feelings can interfere with communication. Psychological noise results from preconceived notions we bring to conversations, such as racial stereotypes, reputations, biases, and assumptions. When we come into a conversation with ideas about what the other person is going to say and why, we can easily become blinded to their original message. Most of the time psychological noise is impossible to free ourselves from, and we must simply strive to recognize that it exists and take those distractions into account when we converse with others. Physical noise Physical noise is any external or environmental stimulus that distracts us from receiving the intended message sent by a communicator (Rothwell, 2011). Examples of physical noise include: others talking in the background, background music, overly dim or bright lights, spam and pop-up adverts, extreme temperatures, crowded conditions, a startling noise and acknowledging someone outside of the conversation. Semantic noise This is noise caused by the sender, that is, the encoder. This type of noise occurs when grammar or technical language is used that the receiver (the decoder) cannot understand, or cannot understand clearly. Semantic noise exists when words themselves are not mutually understood. Authors sometimes create semantic noise by using jargon or unnecessarily technical language. Physiological noise Physiological noise is distraction caused by hunger, fatigue, headaches, medication, and other factors that affect how we feel and think.

Parts of a Thesis

Parts of a Thesis Parts of a Thesis Parts of a Thesis While writing parts of a thesis - be wary of questions. Rhetorical questions are often used in writing, but are much less common in theses, where an argument should be clearly stated, not hinted at by means of rhetorical questions. Sometimes, for stylistic purposes, you might choose to pose a question to engage the reader's interest. However, thesis examiners will usually expect you to give your own answer to raised question rather than leave it hanging for others to research. Use gender-neutral, dispassionate language. Avoid terms such as 'he' unless you are talking about a specific person. Such terms can usually easily be replaced with gender-neutral language, e.g. 'the manager', 'the researcher'. Similarly, demeaning and dismissive language should be avoided. For example, be careful of criticizing previous researchers in a dismissive or personal way. If your English thesis writing appears to be sexist or arrogant, you may alienate your thesis examiner. Worst of all, your examiner may be a friend of or even the author of work you criticized while writing a thesis.   They are unlikely to look sympathetically on criticism which does not appear to be well founded and objective. This does not mean that you should avoid pointing out gaps in previous literature or failings of previous studies in the course of your academic thesis writing. Master thesis must be well-written and properly formatted. While writing a thesis, always use the spell-check and grammar-check functions. Spelling and grammar checks are not substitutes for careful editing, but will rapidly identify many problems in your writing. Your instinctive last action before you print any document to give to your supervisor should always be a spell check. Failure to detect and remove misspelled words is a direct indicator is your inadequate attention to thesis writing. Thesis Ideas Your thesis editing should happen both on the screen and on the paper. offers you an opportunity to order professional thesis writing help.   We are able to assist you with all parts of a thesis writing.   In addition, you are welcome to request regular updates and communicate with the assigned writer directly. Our writers are exceptionally educated and have many years of thesis writing experience.   There is no assignment we cannot handle!   You may contact us at any time to learn more about writing services and prices.   We are open for communication and we are ready to write thesis on any topic!

Free Essays on Sonic Case Study

Executive Summary Beginning with one restaurant, Sonic has become the largest drive-in chain in the United States. While they are smaller than their competitors, they are still leading in sales growth, customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. Sonic restaurants saturate the southern U.S. This gives them the opportunity to expand to other area. However, Sonic is reluctant due to the colder climates and their basis as a drive-in restaurant. Sonic should look at adding or combining capabilities to it’s restaurants to increase competitiveness and make it easier for them to expand into other areas without limiting themselves. Situational Analysis In 1953, Troy Smith, the founder of SONIC and World War II veteran, was living in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Troy dreamed of owning his own restaurant business. In fact, he had already tried twice. Troy first owned a small diner called the Cottage Cafà ©. The income he received was barely enough to make a living for himself and his family. Troy sold the Cottage Cafà © and bought a bigger restaurant. His next business, the Panful of Chicken, was so successful that he tried opening more. Unfortunately, fried chicken didn't do well in early 1950s Oklahoma and Troy closed his Panful of Chicken restaurant. Troy then owned a steak house that had a root beer stand attached. This root beer stand, called The Top Hat proved more profitable and eventually outlasted the steak house. While traveling to Louisiana, Troy saw some homemade intercom speakers in use at a local hamburger stand. He contacted the innovator in Louisiana and asked him to make an intercom for the Top Hat. He then hired some local electronics wizards to install the system. He then added a canopy for cars to park under and servers to deliver the food right to customers’ cars. During the first week after the intercom was installed, the Top Hat took in $1750. With his new partner, Charlie Pa... Free Essays on Sonic Case Study Free Essays on Sonic Case Study Executive Summary Beginning with one restaurant, Sonic has become the largest drive-in chain in the United States. While they are smaller than their competitors, they are still leading in sales growth, customer loyalty and customer satisfaction. Sonic restaurants saturate the southern U.S. This gives them the opportunity to expand to other area. However, Sonic is reluctant due to the colder climates and their basis as a drive-in restaurant. Sonic should look at adding or combining capabilities to it’s restaurants to increase competitiveness and make it easier for them to expand into other areas without limiting themselves. Situational Analysis In 1953, Troy Smith, the founder of SONIC and World War II veteran, was living in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Troy dreamed of owning his own restaurant business. In fact, he had already tried twice. Troy first owned a small diner called the Cottage Cafà ©. The income he received was barely enough to make a living for himself and his family. Troy sold the Cottage Cafà © and bought a bigger restaurant. His next business, the Panful of Chicken, was so successful that he tried opening more. Unfortunately, fried chicken didn't do well in early 1950s Oklahoma and Troy closed his Panful of Chicken restaurant. Troy then owned a steak house that had a root beer stand attached. This root beer stand, called The Top Hat proved more profitable and eventually outlasted the steak house. While traveling to Louisiana, Troy saw some homemade intercom speakers in use at a local hamburger stand. He contacted the innovator in Louisiana and asked him to make an intercom for the Top Hat. He then hired some local electronics wizards to install the system. He then added a canopy for cars to park under and servers to deliver the food right to customers’ cars. During the first week after the intercom was installed, the Top Hat took in $1750. With his new partner, Charlie Pa...

Rebuild your hiring process into a successful one with 5 easy steps

Rebuild your hiring process into a successful one with 5 easy steps If you work in HR, you know how important it is to place real value on the hiring process- but does the company you work for feel the same way?Although it can be argued that nothing is more important to the short- and long-term viability of an organization than ensuring that the teams who work towards its success contain the best and the brightest candidates available, the truth is that some companies don’t take the hiring process as seriously as they should, and have a poor hiring process that reflects this thinking.Having a strong and well-defined hiring culture can really take your business to the next level and help propel it past the competition in your industry. It stokes the flames of motivation and innovation- key determinants of success that truly separate those businesses just looking to hang on from those looking to leap ahead of the pack. Conversely, if your company fails to commit to taking its hiring practices seriously, it can make it difficult to attract top-ti er individuals in today’s candidate-driven job market, where seemingly infinite opportunity is outpacing available talent, and those with the background and skill sets to disrupt the status quo and drive real change have plenty of options to choose from when looking for their next job or project.An article by the International Franchise Association (IFA) highlights the importance of having a well-defined hiring process for your company: â€Å"Every new employee will either contribute positively to customer satisfaction, growth and profitability, or contrastingly have a negative impact on the business. By adopting a structured and comprehensive hiring process, you’re taking the first step in positioning your business for success by attracting the right talent. The type of talent that will help build the company culture, drive sales and ultimately position the company as a leader in the industry.†So, it seems abundantly clear that having a well-defined hiring proc ess is a crucial element of any company- but how can you tell where your company ranks? As an HR professional, there are some key indicators you can use to determine if your company is taking its hiring culture and practices seriously (or not).hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});How were you hired?A key performance indicator you can use is the process you encountered when you were a candidate for your current position. Even if it was years ago, this information can help you establish a baseline regarding how your company is faring when it comes to hiring. Was the experience streamlined, polished, and completely effective at answering your questions, addressing your needs and concerns, keeping you updated during the process, and capturing your interest in joining the team? Were there clear areas for improvement? Do those areas still need improvement?How does your company treat HR overall?Does your company place a real value and importance on cultivatin g a top-tier HR department that’s made up of seasoned and well-trained staff who fully understand the company’s mission and culture? Are they prepared to support and bolster the company’s goals with each new position they’re tasked with filling? Take stock of your department and its position in the organization, which will help you determine if your company has a strong hiring culture, or if there’s room for improvement.Do you have a set process in place?Is your company’s hiring process structured for success? According to the IFA, the following steps are essential for a comprehensive hiring process for each open position:Define, create, and identify the role to be filled.Source, market, and promote your open position and receive applicants.Select, evaluate candidates for the position and company culture.Verify, follow up with ideal candidates to confirm the skills and information they’ve represented.Of course these are basic steps an d a lot of nuance goes into each hire, but if your company is falling down when it comes to any of these broad strokes, it may be an indication that your hiring culture can use some work.If you’ve read this far and are starting to feel as if your company’s hiring process and culture can use some real work, don’t despair. There is plenty you can do as an HR professional to help make lasting and positive changes in your organization.Improve recruitment efficiency.Make sure your company is taking full advantage of available professional tools to support the hiring process. This includes checklists for organizational efficiency when screening candidates, preparing for interviews, and aggregating candidate data; taking advantage of well-designed and well-maintained email templates for a wide ranges of tasks, from basic correspondence to scheduling interviews and sending feedback, and more; and using helpful recruiting software for tracking candidates through the hiri ng pipeline and analyzing data.Enhance the candidate experience.As an HR professional, you’re often the first point of contact for a candidate regarding your company, and are instrumental in effectively forming their first impressions. Do your best to ensure that each candidate’s experience during the hiring process is positive, regardless of whether or not they’re hired (because word spreads). Make sure the careers page on your company’s website is well-maintained and your application process is seamless and candidate-friendly, and keep all candidates in the loop and well-informed with friendly updates during the decision-making process. Candidates are people, and possibly even potential customers of your business and brand, so be respectful, helpful, and genuine with every one of them- as in most aspects of life, the Golden Rule applies here, too.Evaluate candidates more effectively.This one’s mainly designed to streamline the internal hiring pro cess, but it’s important to keep HR staff satisfied and engaged with their work in order for them to do their jobs effectively. Make sure that your evaluation process for each position is accurately capturing crucial data to assess the potential effectiveness and value of each candidate. Some key methods for obtaining useful candidate metrics include portfolio and work sample reviews, having candidates complete thoughtfully designed standardized tests, and structuring interviews for maximum impact and hiring efficiency. All HR personnel should be trained properly to evaluate candidates at all levels and positions- if they’re not, this is a worthy investment in time and resources for your company to make.Boost candidate sourcing.Help boost the effectiveness of your HR department, and in turn stimulate your company’s hiring process and culture by implementing effective candidate sourcing strategies. Take advantage of social media to build your company’s bra nd and keep followers and potential candidates informed about job openings, make sure your company is represented at key industry events and associations, develop an effective company referral program, invest in helpful sourcing tools to find qualified candidates quickly, and build and maintain an active candidate pipeline for current and future job openings.Attract top talent with top ads.This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many companies run ineffective and sometimes downright confusing ads when seeking candidates for open positions- and you’d better believe that candidates notice poor ads, which factor into first impressions and can serve to pollute your organization’s hiring culture. Make sure your company is utilizing engaging and clearly crafted ads that include all key relevant details about the position, as well as candidate requirements and â€Å"nice-to-haves,† and make sure your company’s brand is well represented.Us e the advice and strategies presented here to help you figure out how strong your company’s hiring culture is right now. Take an honest look at the way you operate, and then determine how to make any needed improvements to your organization’s hiring practices and processes. Good luck!

HR Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HR - Research Paper Example Daily functions include such things as providing advice to various levels of management and employees regarding company policies and procedures. Also included is acting as a liaison between employees and management (Human Resources Generalist Duties and Responsibilities 1). This is an area large in scope, and relies on the Generalist to be able to retain and recall information quickly and accurately. Since problems and questions are not often exactly duplicated, it requires ability to handle new situations based on similar issues that occurred in the past. A Human Resources Generalist performs other functions on a weekly basis. Examples of these items could be assisting with payroll processing and answering payroll related inquiries from employees or managers. Also, gathering unemployment paperwork for use in unemployment benefits hearings is another function often performed weekly depending on the size of the company (1). Other functions are performed on a monthly basis by the HR Generalist. Examples include assisting in providing counsel to employees with regards worker’s compensation, short-term disability, FMLA, and other employee leave issues. Maintaining company bulletin board postings for internal job openings, along with required legal and compliance issue postings is also critical. Recruitment strategies often need slightly revised on a monthly or semi-monthly basis. Too, monthly audits of HR files including I-9 forms are needed (1). Finally, some issues are performed yearly. Such items as these could be participation in job fairs; revisions and improvements in job descriptions; advising managers and employees on yearly employee benefit options; and holding benefits meetings and training (2). There are several areas that I would have strong interest in performing as an HR Generalist. A first such issue would be working as a liaison

British Construction and Property Industries Assignment

British Construction and Property Industries - Assignment Example The property industry is a vital component of a successful economy, and an important route by which a Government can achieve the delivery of many of its cherished policies such as: entrepreneurial success, urban regeneration, social inclusion, environmental improvement and savings and pensions reform. This paper discusses the economic organisation of the British construction and property industries and the government macro economic policy. British construction and property industries are is being faced with demands to make rapid changes due to changes in procurement strategies, government-led reform initiatives and heightened fields of international competition. These changes are aimed at helping tackle any problems arising from the reforms and to forecast the levels of project success, while attempting to solve problems related to predominance of personal capitalism which imply weak organisational capabilities. The concept of mutual objectives demand that each team thinks while focusing on the immediate objectives, through the process, to the end objectives. Improved efficiency can for example be thought of in terms of cooperation, fast construction can be achieved by avoiding hold ups, critical path programs must be ensured for timely completions, while shared risks are sensibly agreed on. Cost reduction measures include continuous improvement strategies and reasonable profits are achieved through sound forecast and progress prediction. To minimize legal costs, the parties must implement sound dispute resolution procedures and a sense of good public relations can be achieved by being proactive. A prior agreement on the sharing of profits must be in place to facilitate any related procedures. Quality assurance and total quality management offer ways of ensuring a reliable product quality, which is enhanced by the reliable flow of design information and any related cooperation. The basic idea in improving the construction industry is implied therefore as offering tendering on the basis of scrutinized long term affiliations based on clear measurement of prior performance-"benchmarking and quantified measures" and sustained quality and efficiency improvements. 1 A Task Force headed by Sir Egan believes that the way forward to achieving the ambition of a modern construction industry lies in commitment. They believe that: "Commitment from major clients to fulfil their responsibility to lead the implementation of our agenda for dramatically improving the efficiency and quality of construction Commitment from the construction industry to work with major clients to deliver the significant performance improvements that are possible, and offer these to the occasional and inexperienced clients Commitment from Government to create and sustain

Differences Of Gender Communication Research Paper

Differences Of Gender Communication - Research Paper Example However, women get credit not only for being active listeners but also for responding to anything that they need to say; this is due to the fact that they react in a positive manner to this as compared to men. Women demonstrate attentiveness by means of verbal and non-verbal signs while men tend to avoid these cues that keep on appearing from time to time. The majority of men fail in listening to every single word in a dialogue; when speaking to a man, it is probable for a man to be a dynamic listener, yet when the conversation comes to an end, the same man may ask the name of the person. Considering that the person talking had clearly mentioned his name in the beginning of their conversation. It is even possible for the man to ask once again for the name of the speaker in the conversation; this is a clear indication that this man had been a discriminatory listener, so he forgot the name of the person speaking. Apparently, this happens to be the main distinction between men and women . The second subject at hand happens to be verbal communication; research shows that while men tend to seek status in a conversation, women, on the other hand, seek acceptance. While men tend to speak about their careers, their achievements, and their future, women tend to discuss issues that have a direct or indirect relation to men. Men have a tendency of telling more stories and jokes as compared to women, considering that telling jokes to happen to be a masculine way of negotiating a status. ... However, women get credit not only for being active listeners but also for responding to anything that they need to say; this is due to the fact that they react in a positive manner to this as compared to men. Women demonstrate attentiveness by means of verbal and non-verbal signs while men tend to avoid these cues that keep on appearing from time to time. The majority of men fail in listening to every single word in a dialogue (Crawford, 1995); for instance, when speaking to a man, it is probable for a man to be a dynamic listener, yet when the conversation comes to an end, the same man may ask the name of the person. This is remarkable, considering that the person talking had clearly mentioned his name in the beginning of their conversation. It is even possible for the man to ask once again for the name of the speaker in the conversation; this is a clear indication that this man had been a discriminatory listener, so he forgot the name of the person speaking (Crawford, 1995). Appar ently, this happens to be the main distinction between men and women. The second subject at hand happens to be verbal communication; research shows that while men tend to seek status in a conversation, women, on the other hand, seek acceptance (Barret & Davidson, 2006). This statement is obviously true when a man engages in a conversation with a woman; while men tend to speak about their careers, their achievements, and their future, women tend to discuss issues that have a direct or indirect relation to men. Men have a tendency of telling more stories and jokes as compared to women, considering that telling jokes happens to be a masculine way of negotiating a status. In most of those stories told by men, they almost always turn out to be heroes; conversely,

Doing Business in China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Doing Business in China - Research Paper Example There is more than 1 billion population in China; one sixth of the world’s population lives in China itself (Colson, 2013). More than 56 ethnic groups are recognized in China and 90 percent of the population is Hans Chinese but the group also consists of other ethnic groups like Zhuang, Yi Miao, Uighar Manchu and Dhong (Colson, 2013). Like any other countries culture the cultural values of China has altered slightly due to the impact of globalization (Ward, Entrkin & Pearson, 2002).During the Chinese Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China the orthodox Chinese Confucianism was heavily criticized on several grounds. After the Cultural Revolution there was a slight alteration in the Chinese value system and even culture dominated cities like Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong witnessed considerable amount of changes (Yau, 2007). The Chinese culture is largely influenced by the social interactions and interpersonal relationships between the individuals in the so ciety. The Chinese language is spoken by more than 85 percent of the population and is considered as one of the toughest language of the world. The language is also called Putonghua and is also claimed as the country’s national and official language (Kane, 2006). ... China: Individual or Collectivist? It is observed that the Chinese society is a highly collectivist culture where the interest of the team are given more importance than the priority of the individual. It is not necessary that in a family oriented business there would be preferential treatment towards the family members. The workers would prefer working on a holiday or a public holiday to meet the deadlines of the work. The commitment towards the organization is high than the employee interest and goals (Duel, 2012).The relationships of employees within the group are warm and cooperative while the relationship with other groups is hostile and cold. The Chinese employees believe in cooperating with each other for delivery of excellent performance (Pang, Roberts & Sutton, 1998). For example the MG6 was the first automobile designed by Shanghai Automotive Corporation in UK. The success of the car was totally contributed to the effective teamwork between the Chinese employees. If a weste rn organization wishes to collaborate with the Chinese department then they should lay emphasis on communicating the ideas and process to the Chinese employees with patience and clarity for successful performance (Xiaoming, 2011). China: High or Low Power Distance? The power distance lays emphasis on the impact of the influence of the culture within a society or an organization (SagePub, 2006). It is observed that the individuals working in the society and the employees working in the organization are not treated as equal. The Chinese Society maintains a rank system and follows the hierarchy stringently. The Chinese society believes that the inequalities prevalent in the society are

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project - Essay Example Antibiotics use in United States meats is prevalent and this has raised serious health concerns (WGBH Educational Foundation para 1). There is a prevalent about the way the country’s meat is raised today, particularly in regard to the frequent use of antibiotics to keep livestock disease-free in feedlots. Also, antibiotics use in United States meats is used to help livestock grow faster. In order to understand this issue, this paper will investigate the issue and provide analysis of the situation. A federal study by the Federal and Drug Administration in February, 2013 found out that over half of samples of pork chops, ground beef, and ground turkey tested positive for anti-biotic-resistant bacteria strains and therefore adding to the fears that heavy use of antibiotics in livestock is leading to superbugs. The FDA tested 480 samples of these products all collected from United States supermarkets in 2011. These findings confirmed the recent discoveries about antibiotic use in livestock (Valentine para 3). The meat industry in the United States consumes about 80 percent of antibiotics used in the country. This amount is over four times of the amount of antibiotics used by sick Americans. ... The use of antibiotics in livestock is getting out of hands as more and more antibiotics is used in poultry and meat production. It is estimated that about 30 million pounds of antibiotics were sold for poultry and meat production in 2011, compared to about 8 million pounds sold for human use. The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) reported in the Retail Meat Annual Report that antibiotic-resistance bacteria were found in some 39% of chicken, 55% of ground beef, and 69% of pork chops (Christensen para 2). It has also been found out that antibiotics are fed to sick animals and this is completely appropriate. However, antibiotics are put in their feed and water in order to help them compensate for unhygienic conditions and to grow faster (Christensen para 7). This situation is of great health concern because the non-judicious use for feed efficiency and growth promotion poses great public health risks. Antibiotics use in livestock is critically important for tr eatment, control, and prevention of diseases in livestock and not for other purposes. As such, medically important microbial drugs should only be restricted to situations necessary for ensuring animal health and should only be used under supervision of veterinary professionals. It is clear that available and credible data that antibiotic use in the meat industry is on the increase and has hugely overtaken the usage by humans for medical purposes. While it is important to keep livestock healthy, it is more important to ensure humans are healthy. However, it is of grave concern that the meat industry is churning out meat products that are

Doing Business in China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Doing Business in China - Research Paper Example There is more than 1 billion population in China; one sixth of the world’s population lives in China itself (Colson, 2013). More than 56 ethnic groups are recognized in China and 90 percent of the population is Hans Chinese but the group also consists of other ethnic groups like Zhuang, Yi Miao, Uighar Manchu and Dhong (Colson, 2013). Like any other countries culture the cultural values of China has altered slightly due to the impact of globalization (Ward, Entrkin & Pearson, 2002).During the Chinese Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China the orthodox Chinese Confucianism was heavily criticized on several grounds. After the Cultural Revolution there was a slight alteration in the Chinese value system and even culture dominated cities like Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong witnessed considerable amount of changes (Yau, 2007). The Chinese culture is largely influenced by the social interactions and interpersonal relationships between the individuals in the so ciety. The Chinese language is spoken by more than 85 percent of the population and is considered as one of the toughest language of the world. The language is also called Putonghua and is also claimed as the country’s national and official language (Kane, 2006). ... China: Individual or Collectivist? It is observed that the Chinese society is a highly collectivist culture where the interest of the team are given more importance than the priority of the individual. It is not necessary that in a family oriented business there would be preferential treatment towards the family members. The workers would prefer working on a holiday or a public holiday to meet the deadlines of the work. The commitment towards the organization is high than the employee interest and goals (Duel, 2012).The relationships of employees within the group are warm and cooperative while the relationship with other groups is hostile and cold. The Chinese employees believe in cooperating with each other for delivery of excellent performance (Pang, Roberts & Sutton, 1998). For example the MG6 was the first automobile designed by Shanghai Automotive Corporation in UK. The success of the car was totally contributed to the effective teamwork between the Chinese employees. If a weste rn organization wishes to collaborate with the Chinese department then they should lay emphasis on communicating the ideas and process to the Chinese employees with patience and clarity for successful performance (Xiaoming, 2011). China: High or Low Power Distance? The power distance lays emphasis on the impact of the influence of the culture within a society or an organization (SagePub, 2006). It is observed that the individuals working in the society and the employees working in the organization are not treated as equal. The Chinese Society maintains a rank system and follows the hierarchy stringently. The Chinese society believes that the inequalities prevalent in the society are

A bill of rights is essential to protect citizens from their Essay

A bill of rights is essential to protect citizens from their government. Discuss - Essay Example Recent developments in the Philippines have put this Southeast Asian country in the news and have garnered the attention of the international community once more. This involves the spate of killings of activists and journalists by unknown elements alleged to be connected with the military. (Amnesty International, 2005, p. 202) According to the non-government organization KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights) (2006), there have been 607 documented killings from January 2001 to May 30, 2006. Amnesty International, the European Union and the Catholic Church have each spoken out against the government to condemn these acts of politically-motivated state-sponsored executions. This paper will examine whether or not a bill of rights, standing alone, is enough to protect the people from the excesses of government and it will use the current Philippine problem of extra-judicial killings as background. It will argue that the defense of sovereignty -- and, as a corollary to that, internal security -- is not enough to justify the use of state-sponsored repression. The phenomenon of state-sponsored oppression is by no means unique to the Philippines. It has in fact been extensively researched and discussed all over the world. Says Mitchell and McCormick (1988, p. 476) Governments organize police forces and armies to protect their citizens, build schools and hospitals to educate and care for them, and provide financial assistance for the old and unemployed. But governments also kill, torture and imprison their citizens. This dark side of government knows no geographic, economic, ideological or political boundary. Such killings and torture demonstrate grave violations of political rights and liberties. It has been opined that political rights and liberties are of paramount importance because of their impact on other rights, such as social and economic rights (Bollen, 1986, p. 567). The universal condemnation of

Internet, or computers is a new necessity Essay Example for Free

Internet, or computers is a new necessity Essay This paper asserts that the Internet is not a luxury anymore in everyday life, hence it is has become a new necessity and that the Internet today benefits many aspects of life physically, economically and socially. This paper will prove these assertions with evidence and counterarguments by overcoming by at least one argument that may forwarded against. Starting with physical reason, it is argued by some that Internet is should only be used by those in the office and those who have the luxury of time and money. Computers which are means to access the Internet are needed only if one has money is the justification of some. This may have been the result a survey conducted for the Americans (Pew Research Center, 2006) where the respondents were all rich and therefore they can afford to have computers that would eventually lead them to have a continuous access in the Internet. If one ask a group of people who have no money, will they then answer the same thing or will they answer that they also need the internet only that they cannot afford? This paper believes the second argument that the lack of money in the meantime is equivalent to absence of need. This is argument may be the result the of movement to give one laptop for each child by a non government organization despite the utter lack of money of every child to have the access to the internet. The hidden reason is the indispensability of having to be linked to the world to benefit from the knowledge economy. The lack of money should not be therefore a reason recognize that the need is not there. To further support this counter argument is the belief that a hungry man who cannot afford to eat does not mean that he or she does not need the food the food anymore. What the hungry do is to find the means in order to have that food. For economic reason, it is argued by some that access to the Internet via computers should only be accessed by those who have financial transactions via the network. The internet is supposed to facilitate business communications among those who are into it like the banks. The said argument misses the point of having to have access in the Internet. Who else will not need the banking industry this time? If one belongs to a third world country and waits for a cash remittance from a first world country, does he or she not know that the money will have to pass through the Internet that links the banks around the world. In case the remitter and the expected recipient will encounter a problem with the remittance, will they not require the use of the Internet to facilitate the communication? If this happened before, they can talk via phone but this time a cheaper mode is available. They can chat in the Internet and they can solve their problem from there. That point of this counter argument is that business entities use the Internet, the public will have to follow using the same because that is demanded by the need of the times. It may be explained that the banking industry are interlinked around the world, hence to say that they are not interlinked is shortsightedness. Investors from richer countries of the world are pouring their investments in poorer countries too with the expectation of the developing the market. What will this rich investor’s do is to employ people from these poor countries and the moment these workers have financial capacity, they will immediately become members of the financial community that lives on computers and the Internet. With communications to have become cheaper, the Internet has employed many which afforded people to better educate them selves. Because of the Internet, people can now study online and can transact online. Shall not the better education and better communication caused by the Internet then? For social reason, Hertlein and Sendak (n. d. ) also argued that increasingly a part of everyday life, the Internet allows users to develop online interpersonal relationships and this resulted to breach of relationships and trust and commitment of previously existing assumed romantic relationships. They thus argued for Internet infidelity resulting from these breaches. They also noted that fact that as the Internet has the ability to affect the structure, timing, and rhythm of relationships, it also inherently affects the manner in which a couple defines intimacy in a way that couples who once felt that they were close and connected may now struggle with a new set of rules and codes of conduct that are ambiguous and upon which they may not agree under the present level of technology using the Internet. Seeing the effect of such change on interpersonal relationships, they saw the effect of a â€Å"compromised intimacy and a devaluing of the primary relationship, potentially cascading into other significant problems. † (Hertlein and Sendak, n. d. ). It may be counter-argued however that what may have been termed as internet infidelity may infer that as an increased freedom to communicate and express oneself because freedom allows so. It cannot be argued that the Internet cause infidelity because it is the human person who made the choice to communicate for more freely to other people. To justify their points, Hertlein, and Sendak said that the paradoxical nature of online relationships has been noted by many where they illustrated cases of people engaged in online relationships that can choose to present a detached attachment. They explained that Internet allows for immediacy of communication and interaction while maintaining anonymity thus allowing transmittal of confessional self-disclosure. This, the authors found causes â€Å"elements of a disembodied corporeality, easily abandoned high investment and strictly private proclamations of the union. † (Hertlein and Sendak,n.d. ) Again this appears to be short sighted interpretation of the use of the Interne since it is still the human person who will make a choice and not the Internet. It may be argued that people make choices not the Internet. As further evidence against the use of the Internet, Hertlein, and Sendak found flirting in use of the Internet, masturbations committed online (Hertlein and Sendak , n. d). They cited Maheu and Subotnik who found flirtation leads to erotic satisfaction â€Å"as there is a mental ability to disassociate the online sex with anything having to do with a person’s real life. † (M Mahu R Subotnik, 9) They also cited research estimates that about 20% of Internet users while online to have engaged in some sexual activity (Cooper, Scherer, Mathy, 2001). On a balancing note, as counterargument against the use of the Internet, Hertlein, and Sendak (n. d. ) cited that benefits from the use of the Internet such as the shift to better intellectual and emotional relationships of individuals due to individuals’ greater appreciation for online relationships. They cited a study, where participants reported greater levels of satisfaction with their online relationships than with their face-to-face relationships (Underwood, H B Findlay, 127-140). They also noted greater freedom to express feelings that could not be done in non-virtual relationships specially the for men. Before one knows it one is confession all sorts of things in the Internet and it is good for people psychologically. Good relationships may be produced in the net because of more freedom to express oneself or the result of an incontrovertible marketing of the self. In ace-to-face communication, one who engages in a relationship must in many aspects expose one’s identity to be potentially judged and the self cannot escape the agony of embarrassment. But in the Internet one can do many things like disguising in many names but with the eventual benefit of self discovery and more psychologically matured to face the world. Thus, Hertlein, and Sendak found that Internet users shape personal demographic information to be in better compliance with what they assume to be others’ version of the ideal mate that in so doing, a person may better come to understand how one’s own being can change. With the anonymity therefore afforded on the Internet that enhances one’s ability to promote any chosen identity, experimentation with different identities has become familiar commonly understood and practices by many in the Internet. What is the effect of all this is the social construction of self as highlighted and elevated? (Hertlein and Sendak, n. d). This paper has proven that the use of the computer or the Internet has become a necessity physically, economically and socially. The arguments forwarded against were overcome by contrary evidence. The physical reason that only in the office have need of the internet has almost made everybody not able almost able to live without the computer or the Internet because it is those who have the resources who make the world running by forcing almost every to see the benefits of the technology. One cannot refuse money passing through the high technology banking using the Internet. One will have to be eventually become part of the banking system of the international communication promoted by the Internet. The economic reasons are obvious. Who does not want cheaper cost of communication and faster way of service? Who would not want to see what is happening in the world when one will have the money to buy even a gadget to have access in the Internet? What would have caused the non-governmental organization to dream for one laptop for each child despite the financial incapacity to acquire one? Should we not rather conclude that there is a strong belief that they the acquisition of knowledge of more knowledge the faster way that will cause intellectual and economic prosperity of these children? There is also enough ground to overcome the argument that that increasingly a part of everyday life, the Internet has allowed the online interpersonal relationships that resulted to breach of relationships and trust and commitment of previously which were romantic relationships before. That the Internet has the ability to affect the structure, timing, and rhythm of relationships, to have affected the couple definition of intimacy in a way that couples who once felt that they were close and connected may now struggle with a new set of rules and codes of conduct that are ambiguous are just sighs of enlightened path for more freedom to intimacy in other forms. It was explained that what may have been termed as internet infidelity is actually a failure to appreciate and adjust to changing reality that people have become more socially adjustable indeed because of the technology. It was thus observed that people engaged in online relationships that can have a detached attachment, immediacy of communication and interaction while maintaining anonymity which transmittal of confessional self-disclosure. The finding by authors of more socially adjusted beings mere pointed to the need to have the technology these days where people could now have parties and occasions even if these people are apart from each other. The argument against by using on line or Internet infidelity is a shortsighted interpretation of the use of the technology as it is basic to understand that it is still the human person who will make a choice and not the Internet. The finding also that online activities resulted to flirtation leading to erotic satisfaction given the mental ability to disassociate the online sex with anything having to do with a person’s real life is just a revelation that man has been doing the same thing in secret with or without the Internet. The Internet was invented to serve mankind and since necessity is the mother of all inventions, one could not but accept the fact the invention has become a necessity. The ever increasing growth of the industry are living proofs Internet is to remain in the lives of many people because not only that the advantages of far outweighs the disadvantages of having the same but the technology come into being because of the need to survive. Economically speaking technology increased production and productivity although population continuously grows. Works Cited:Cooper, Scherer, Mathy, Overcoming †¦over a 5-year Period’, Journal of Personality Social Psychology 84(2): 352–64, 2001 D Greenfield, Virtual Addiction. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, 1999. Hertlein and Sendak, Love â€Å"Bytes†: Internet Infidelity and the Meaning of Intimacy in Computer-Mediated Relationships, n. d. , www document} URL http://www. inter-disciplinary. net/ptb/persons/pil/pil1/hertleinsendak%20paper. pdf, Accessed July 14,2007 M Mahu R Subotnik, Infidelity on the Internet. Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks, Inc. , 2001, p. 9. Nie, N. Sociability, Interpersonal Relations, and the InternetReconciling Conflicting Findings, 2001, Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 45, No. 3, 420-435 (2001)2001 SAGE Publications, {www document} URL , Pew Research Center Luxury or Necessity? Things We Can’t Live Without: The List Has Grown in the Past Decade December 14, 2006, {www document} URL, http://pewresearch. org/pubs/323/luxury-or-necessity, Accessed July 14,2007 Underwood, H B Findlay, Internet Relationships and Their Impact on Primary Relationship, Behavior Change, 21/2, 2004, pp. 127-140.

Democracy And Freedom | Azerbaijan

Democracy And Freedom | Azerbaijan To begin this paper, I will define what Democracy is and what Freedom is. In this paper, I will illustrate and evaluate the most challengeable inconveniences that Azerbaijan faces, now more present than ever. Then, I will explain why is Freedom and Democracy are hard to obtain in Azerbaijan and what has been done so far to change the existing authoritarian government. Democracy can be defined as a theory, in which the supreme power is established by the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a method of representation. In political theory, democracy depicts a small number of affiliated forms of government and a political philosophy. Democracy comprises two principles- equality and freedom. These principles are portrayed by all citizens being equal before the law, and having equal approach to power where all citizens are promised certain legitimized freedom and liberty, which are mostly protected by a constitution.[1] Freedom can be classified into two concepts: positive freedom and negative freedom. Positive freedom is freedom to do something rather than freedom from interfering. Negative freedom is a content of options that are open for a person or people in general; it is a matter of X being free to be Z. [2] In Azerbaijan, there are varieties of political parties representing diverse ideological and policy stages. In this sense, Azerbaijan has achieved one basic feature of pluralistic democratic politics.[3] Political parties in my country, mostly weak and small, and do not play a main role in national political life. A number of influences lead to this weakness. Azerbaijan is a presidential republic, and the constitutional determination of the presidency has been reinforced by the powerful political persona as I. Aliyev. Politics in general remains highly personalized, with few-high-profile individuals dominating the area. The personalizations of politics have gone further in my country, where Aliyev supporters and pro-government press from a sycophants refrain to praise the president. In this context, the pro-government parties tent to become vehicles for mobilizing support for the president in parliament, while other parties often serve the same purpose for leading opposition politici ans, readily splitting and adjusting to keep up with the regular disputes and divisions that take on a more or less personal level between their leaders. In Azerbaijan, up to date, there are more than 36 political parties: Pro-government parties (like New Azerbaijan Party) have poorly defined ideological or policy profiles advance the careers of stalwarts. It is hard to maintain a powerful doctrine in any key positive improvement towards to democracy and freedom in Azerbaijan. The corrupted police state is well set up between all ranks of society that it looks unbreakable.[6] People are used to perceiving elections and oppose within themselves. This is the idea of the civil proposal with deep scepticism and a sense of desperation. Those who talk about or try to act in favour of transformation are devastating their lives chasing the freedom. For example, Equality Party stated in May 2005, in Azerbaijan national radio, that Ehtiram Jalilov- deputy head of Azerbaijans National Democratic Party became the second opposition activist to die in unexplained circumstances during the upcoming presidential elections. In July 2009, Freedom House published results of research that calculated countrys political rights, civil Liberties, and status. Freedom House argues that with the population of 8,700,000, the score of Political Rights Score is six, Civil Liberties is five and the Status is said to be Not Free. In an Overview, Freedom House declares following, President Ilham Aliyev and the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party further marginalized the political opposition and other institutions of democratic accountability in 2008. The governments fierce suppression of media freedom was integral to Aliyevs victory in a controlled presidential election in October.[7] For example, while Azerbaijans constitution promising freedom of speech; the authorities absolutely bound press freedom in reality. Novruzali Mamedov, editor of the newspaper Talyshi Sado had been in state custody since February 2007, initially on a trumped-up charge of resisting arrest, which was then changed to a treason charge, who died in p rison on august 2009.[8] Azerbaijans authorities primarily do not limit educational freedom. However, my elder brother had practiced political pressure in State University of Azerbaijan. That pressure included reported threats to lower my brothers grades when he contributed in opposing political activity. Another example is that my father was disregarded as a teacher in college because of his membership in opposition parties. The government limits freedom of the legislature, especially for opposition parties. Azerbaijans government commands key judicial commissions and there is no indication that the court system is capable of bringing the government to book when it behaves unconstitutionally, or securing citizens rights against arbitrary government action. Although Azerbaijani legislators have approved several laws to enhance freedom of information, the law of the Azerbaijan Republic grants legislative ground for an independent judiciary, in practice judges do not role independently of the executive branch.[9] The judiciary is corrupt, inefficient, and obedient. Incidental arrests and detention are very common, particularly for members of the political opposition. Prisoners are often restrained for long periods before trial, and their access to lawyers is constrained. My military commander Gadir Musayev was victim of Azerbaijans corrupt systems. He was arrested during presidential elections and denied de fend by legal lawyer. As he claims, prison conditions were extreme; with many prisoners suffering from overcrowding and insufficient medical care, he was not given adequate medical care in prison. Azerbaijani authorities refused to allow independent medical treatment offered by a European Union delegation that visited Mamedov in prison in June.Musayev was one of the few lucky political prisoners who were liberated from prison with help of International Human Rights Organization. Corrupt leaders that bound the equality of opportunity control major parts of the economy. As I mentioned earlier, followers of the political opposition face job loss, exile, and dismissal. Public norms and poor economic conditions in Azerbaijan restrict womens professional roles. Domestic violence in Azerbaijan is a crisis; moreover, there are no laws to stop spousal abuse. Women can go to court for violence, but poor social values restrict them from doing it. According to Amnesty International, Azerbaijan is among eight authoritarian countries on the territory of the former USSR.[10] To give a clear view what is authoritarian means I will clarify the authoritarianism. Authoritarianism is a political doctrine supporting the principle of absolute rule: dictatorship, totalitarianism and absolutism. Authoritarianism indicates any political system that concentrates authority in the hands of a leader or small elite. Authoritarian leaders often exercise power arbitrarily and without consideration to existing organizations of law. The freedom to formulate opposition political leagues is either limited or nonexistent in authoritarian regimes.[11] In Azerbaijan, National society institutions weakened, while presidential powers were exceedingly reinforced in 2008. Many themes are off-limits to journalists, who generally practice self-censorship to prevent the dangerous consequences.[12] These include national security issues, excessively powerful or personal attacks on the president, and specific declarations about corruption and criminal businesses activities. At the minimum four journalists, jailed for their professional activity, remain in Azerbaijani prisons. The government disciplines widespread control over electronic media and silences all alternative voices. The authorities stopped broadcasts of BBC on local frequencies from January 1st. The move essentially guarantees a monopoly for state-controlled media and prevents any independent news broadcasts from reaching the Azeri people.[13] Corruption is one of the main problems obstructing democratic growths in Azerbaijan. Efforts to improve the situation on a legislative level fail at the application phase, as the state agencies authorized to conduct anti corruption activity are believed to be among the most corrupt agencies in the country. However, the countrys government reinforced its rule by elevating a prohibition from a third term presidency, which may lead to the life long presidency of Ilham Aliyev. The situation with freedom is estimated to stay poor as the government continues to silence judgmental voices in the country and disregard the international communitys calls for reformations.[14] Government of Azerbaijan wants us to welcome those who are constrained to act by their unlawful rules in order to endure teachers, farmers, law enforcement officers, entry and middle level civil employees, striving businessmen those many souls captured in the net of corruption are as considerably responsible as the very leadership that runs the system. They wish that everyone would suffer enough blame to be helpless of feeling and extracting legitimate moral crime at their outrageous actions. The hidden part of their skilful indoctrination machine works day and night to install into the community the guilty verdict. Nevertheless, the larceny, tyranny, praise, moral putrefaction, mistrust and skepticism are the products of their own deliberate actions, not some certain providence or ancient devastation.

Shakespeares Othello - The Downfall of Othello and Cassio Essay

The Downfall of Othello and Cassio In Shakespeare's Othello, the characters of Othello and Cassio greatly contribute to their own downfalls. Iago sets up a treacherous trap and they fall into it. Both are innocent characters, guilty only of being too trusting of Iago. Othello and Cassio elicit sympathy from the readers. However, our sympathy for them wanes at times, because they are so gullible. Yet, it is always restored. Iago longs to hurt Othello. He is Othello's footsoldier, an ancient, his right-hand man, and long-time friend. Iago was enraged when Othello did not promote him to lieutenant, choosing instead the handsome, young, affluent, Cassio. Iago felt that he was more entitled to the position than Cassio. Cassio was a brillant strategist, but had very little experience on the battlefield. Iago, on the other hand, had an abundance of battle experience and felt that he was passed over only for appearances' sake. This idea may very well be true. Othello needed someone who would make him look better in the eyes of important state officials and people of high standing in the community. The Moor was a black man, a fact that is often referred to in the play and which also causes Othello much insecurity. He saw his race as a drawback and something that could prevent him from gaining further success. So Michael Cassio was the perfect "face" to bring along to state functions; the perfect white face. He was a very presentable, educated, good-looking man from a middle-class background. To get back at the Moor, Iago decides to poison his mind against his wife and against Michael Cassio, by conjuring up images of an illicit sexual affair between the two. In Sha... ... by no means the tragic hero, he is definitely not Othello's villain. Iago chooses Cassio as his prey because he is the one that benefitted from Othello's overlooking of Iago. Who better to bring down? Cassio gained the position that Iago wanted, felt entitled to. Cassio was also everything that Iago was not. Cassio came from a financially comfortable background, Iago did not. Cassipo received a good education, Iago did not. Cassio's promotion to the lieutenancy was the straw that broke the camel's back. The flaws of Othello and Cassio, naivete and gullibility, led to their downfalls. Both characters were innocent of villiany, but guilty of choosing to put their trust in the wrong person. Had they attempted to communicate with the people they should have, Othello with Desdemona, and Cassio with Othello, Othello would not have been a Shakespearean tragedy.

Tall Buildings

The aspiration to construct tall buildings is not something new. They have always been used to demonstrate control and wealth. In the world of tall buildings, the design and construction and life safety are the most important aspects of offering a fictional building. The life safety of the occupant of buildings is very essential as today most tenants are worried more and more about how safe the building is? Issues such as unplanned fire, earthquakes, floods and terrorist attacks are major concerns. Such disasters have proved to cost millions of economic, financial and human loss.These disasters tend to have enormous effect on the construction industry; and professionals such as architects, fire engineers, structural engineers, insurers and emergency workers from all over the world were called to discuss the issue and find solutions. Their have been several procedures derived in order to attain security against fire It is not possible to attain the required level of safety by followin g one procedure. Thus several procedures if performed together prove to be helpful in attaining certain results against fire.Most of the fascinating tall buildings and there integrated systems that have reached a level of safety during several events such as the world trade centre1 and 2, the emirates tower in Dubai and many others. â€Å"Understanding the role, limitations and interface between systems is fundamental to system selection. Complementing to systems side of building design is the operating feature or human interface that supplements these sophisticated systems† (Craighead, 2003). To sustain the level of safety and quality it is necessary that security systems are designed with exceptional attention at the time when the design of the building is designed.Then there is the maintenance to keep fire security up to date and in working conditions these systems are to be checked and tested from time to time on regular basis. This paper will offer a review and descripti on of all of these aspects linked to high rise buildings. This study has been researched and developed in order to find requirements concerning fire safety in tall buildings, along with determining the relation between good designs and improving safety of tall buildings and occupants.Aims and ObjectivesAims:The aim of this paper is to provide an understanding of how a better informed design of tall buildings can address fire safety requirements. In particular, it seeks to identify how fire can affect the safety of a tall building and its occupants, It also examine the existing and emerging design solutions and legislation to address the problems and threats of fire safety in tall buildings. According to The New Civil Engineer, â€Å"The WTC disaster has caused us all to think hard about the best actions to take to make tall buildings safer,† (Forest and Wainwright 2002).To improve the overall safety of tall buildings, this research will view a specific aspect of fire emergenc y in more depth. This aspect is related with the comparison of using stairs and elevators in case of an emergency.Objectives:The main objectives or topics of this paper that I have evaluated briefly and thoroughly as per requirement are as following:1. Introduce fire behaviour in tall buildings and how it spreads.2. Outline the consequences for human lives and physical resources.3. Discuss how poor design of tall buildings has caused fire.4. Examine how good design like a balanced approach in using stairs and elevators with respect to the number of floors is useful in minimizing losses during fires.5. Synthesise the main points and outline the recommendations for the design of tall buildings.Hence after evaluating and analysing the sub topics mentioned above in an organized manner it can be expected that we would achieve the desired aims. To thoroughly evaluate the every objective we need to conduct proper research and use appropriate methods to achieve the desired results.Research MethodologyA number of sources have been used to compile this paper. The lists of references are outlined at the end of this paper. In main approaches were selected for this study, which includes:1) Collection of secondary data about history, evolution, development of the design and safety issues in tall buildings and identify how they relate to each other. This included the analysis of books, journals, internet sources and other relevant publications. In addition, codes, standards and regulations which have impacted on fire safety in buildings were also reviewed.2) Analysis of a case study illustrating examples of high rise buildings relating to their success and failure during a fire. This also entailed the examination of design solutions to fire safety.Chapter #2: Literature ReviewThis chapter focuses on the analysis of existing literature on the good designs in relation to tall building. The chapter even revolves around fire behaviour and means of escape in case of fire from tal l buildings. This chapter begins with the importance of tall buildings and what kind of threats pose these magnificent structure, the chapter moves on further with the concepts of good and bad design.At the end of the chapter some legislations and laws are discussed. Tall Buildings Defining a building as being tall and magnificent can be done through the number of floors it has by general people. Then there are terms used that include ‘skyscraper’ and ‘high rise’ these terms are generally used to describe tall building therefore I researched to understand these terms and found meanings that were equally vague:â€Å"Very tall modern building, usually in a city† (Cambridge International Dictionary of English, 2003).â€Å"A very tall building with many storeys† (Word Net, 2003).â€Å"A tall modern building with a lot of floors† (Cambridge International Dictionary of English, 2003).After focusing on dictionaries I spend some time researchin g from books, Skyscrapers have fascinated mankind since the start of civilization.It is not possible to define them by using specific terms linked just to the height or to the number of floors. â€Å"The height of a building is a matter of a person’s or community’s circumstance and their consequent perception† as Stafford-Smith said. Therefore, no definition of tall building can be generally applied.However, the structural engineers define a tall building â€Å"as one that, because of its height, is affected by lateral forces due to wind or earthquake to the extent that the forces play an important role in their structural design† as Stafford-Smith said. (Tall Building Structures: Analysis and Design) Advantages of Tall Buildings Tall buildings are designed to supply the requirements of an intended occupancy such as residential, commercial or both together. They are not the only way to attain high density but they can in situations such as small areas of a city where land is limited.Moreover, tall buildings are usually situated or placed near the public transport nodes which reduce the necessity for car use. many people agree that they are advantageous . They can as well take part in a positive part in the design of the city centre by marking places of public, commercial or cultural importance. Also, Refurbishing and reusing the actual unoccupied space can allow the positive flow-on effects of regeneration to be spread more all over the city centre, and as long as they are well designed and located, they can be a positive way to develop in urban areas. (Construction Technology for Tall Buildings)In the early stages of planning a building, the whole design team has to agree on one form of structure to satisfy all the requirements considering the safety and fictional matters. Thus buildings not only help in developments and give accommodation to a huge number of people it gives employment opportunities during the construction of the b uilding. (Tall Building Structures: Analysis and Design) Disadvantages of Tall Buildings With advantages tall buildings have many disadvantages, the disadvantages include the existence of too many occupied floors on top of each other means a big concentration of occupants, personal and business property.Which result in a huge possible fuel weight of the building? The disadvantages that it has to face in case of accidental fire is the likelihood of a great uncontrolled fire rising presents danger in tall buildings as it is a vertical structure. There will be delays in reaching the area to provide assistance for example if there will be a fire in the upper floor of the tall building it will be difficult to reach that floor and provide help.In a case of fire, it is difficult for all the occupants to leave the building by using lifts, staircases and emergency exits at once. The access of the fire department can be limited from both outside and inside the building. High rise buildings ha ve natural forces that affect on the fire and smoke movements such as wind which increase the stack effect due to the height of the building, this stack effect can move a large amount of uncontrolled heat or smoke through the building.Problems Faced By Buildings under FireThe construction of tall buildings is much more important than before, as design safety is becoming paramount to avoid the unacceptable loss of lives and the collapse of buildings. Therefore, the construction of tall buildings needs a better approach, combining better design and technological solutions. These solutions should be designed to avoid the collapse of tall buildings, when the supports for one floor of the building fail, causing the failure of the lower floors.To address this issue, recent studies suggest that tall buildings should include a ‘collapse’ floor every 10 storeys, this floor will be able to carry the weight of the floors on top. Modern buildings are at risk to fire because of the steel structural material that looses half its strength at 6000C, which can be easily reached when a building burns. To prevent this, we need to design strong and non-brittle buildings in order to absorb the shock without fracturing the structure of the building. . (Construction Technology for Tall Buildings)Design Plan and Safety Precautions for Fire SafetyThere are many fire life safety systems and equipments that can be used in order to make sure that the building is safe to use and that occupants can be evacuated safely and quickly, and that the right measures are taking at the right time. In order to understand what is required for a typical high rise building it is advised to review the laws, codes and regulations. The construction of skyscrapers necessitates more detailed planning to prevent errors from occurring in the lifecycle of it.Since September 11th 2001 in New York, design teams are more conscious about the health and safety of the community. Buildings are growing tal ler to supply the demand for more space. It is evident that stairs provided in tall buildings as a means of escape are not sufficient. Consequently, there is a need for alternative means of escape from tall buildings in case of a fire. Architects and engineers must provide better solutions when designing tall buildings, as recent event such as 9/11 revealed that existing safety measures are inadequate.For instance, major consideration should be given to how long it takes to get everyone out of a building on case of a fire, taking in consideration that the public cannot, in general, use lifts. . (Construction Technology for Tall Buildings) The planning of tall buildings is an essential procedure, particularly where the environment has old historic buildings. The process become so difficult in this case, and its not just to do with height, it is more to do with the difficulty of integration between the two different types.Consequently, it is important to ensure that the building will have a nice effect on the environment and produce a relaxing surrounding. (Tall Building Structures: Analysis and Design) Tall buildings are difficult to build, not just for the safety issues, but also the required services such as elevators, plumbing, wiring, stairs, air-conditioning ducts. In addition to greater beams and columns, buildings require more elevators than short buildings. So, the construction of tall buildings makes business sense but necessitates huge architectural and engineering efforts.(Tall Building Structures: Analysis and Design) The design and construction of future high-rise towers requires wide knowledge of good architectural principles; strong floor plates; Complex structural life-safety and building systems that have to be followed correctly. Key to this is through a well planned and better informed design process. According to the Triz journal Toru Nakagawa Staircases must be designed and built not just to be suitable, comfortable, and securely guarded fo r daily use, but also secure as emergency escaping ways in situations such as fire.They should be designed in a way to prevent the chimney effects as well as flame, smoke, and toxic gases when fire occurs. Moreover, the staircase should be a kind of ‘Internal Staircase' and of a ‘Separated' type of ‘Internal Staircase’; to avoid the rising of fire and to keep it as an escaping. In addition, the windows of the staircase should be opened widely in case of fire; these windows can be used as the entrance for rescuing activities. These windows should open remotely at the control centre of the tall building.According to the Ingenta connect by J. Y. Richard Liew â€Å"Design codes for fire safety in buildings can be either a prescriptive type or performance-based type. It is recognized that performance-based codes provide greater advantages over the prescriptive codes which allow designers to use the fire engineering methods to assess the fire safety of the struct ure. However, as the assessment of the whole structure performance is not easy, most codes currently used are still prescriptive codes or a combination of prescriptive codes and performance-based codes.The key feature for implementing the performance-based fire design codes is the assessment of the fire resistance of the structure†. (Liew, 2004) According to Will Pank, Maunsell Ltd Herbert Girardet, Urban Futures Greg Cox, Oscar Faber Ltd in practice, The Corporation of London,† Individual tall buildings are analysed in relation to their design to develop a rationale for fire engineering. The proposed fire solutions or requirements of the intent of the regulations. The main consideration is:The adequacy of means to prevent fire.Early fire warning by an automatic detection and warning system.The standard of means of escape.Provision of smoke control.Control of the rate of growth of a fire.The adequacy of the structure to resist the effects of a fire.The degree of fire con tainment.Fire separation between buildings or parts of buildings.The standard of active measures for fire extinguishment or control.Facilities to assist the fire service.Availability of powers to require staff training in fire safety and fire routines such as registration or licensing procedures.Evacuation ProcessWhen the raising of a fire alarm is occurred, the main entrance should receive the elevators according to the European evacuation plans. During an emergency, only stairs should be allowed for the evacuation purpose. Furthermore, the stairs may not be an efficient way of evacuation, especially for elderly and disabled persons. In this regard, three phases can be created from the time of an emergency until an area of safety is reached by all the people. In this regard, recognition time, reaction time, and egress time are the abovementioned three phases of an emergency.When the building has not been egress by the people, the time has been referred as the pre-movement time. The signs of danger influence the length of this period. In addition, type of the building, as well as, alarms are some other factors that influence the pre-movement time of an emergency. For instance, long pre-movement time might be observed during the night time in an apartment building. Three times longer, as compared with the actual movement time has been considered for the determination of pre-movement time according to a number of studies.After the recognition time, awareness of the emergency is attained by the occupants. Before the giving of fire alarms, one of the most critical parts of the emergency has been considered the recognition time. Information about the situation, as well as, source of the emergency is required by the people during the reaction time. The reaction time is often affected by the training for emergencies. Until the area of safety has not been reached by everyone, people move out of the building during the actual movement phase of an emergency.Determinatio n of the egress time has been concentrated by the evacuation studies due to the availability of its theoretical estimates. In this regard, figure 2 has illustrated the building filling, as well as, evacuation times with relation to the different up-peak handling capacities. For instance, thirty-three minutes was the building filling time, as the up-peak handling capacity was fifteen percent. At this stage, nineteen to twenty-two minutes was the average egress time. (Siikonen and Hakonen, 2003)