Autobiography :: Autobiography Personal Narrative

Part 1: Family Background I was raised by both my parents while growing up. My parents barely finished high school and never went to college so they were not the type of parents who pushed college careers nor did they have any sort of college fund set aside for us. They always helped with homework but never pushed us to do better. Now that they see my accomplishments from attending college they are very proud of me and supportive for me to finish. My mom even went back to college after seeing me and my sister do it, and she got an accounting degree at the age of 40. My parents came from poor families and not many college graduates. We often had no spending money or even good running vehicles but they always gave us love and we were happy with all of the small things we had. My parents used the permissive parenting style, at least for me and my sister; they never really used any type of punishments. They would tell us we were grounded from something but the next day we would be doing the things we wer e grounded from. We were always nurtured and my parents were easy to talk to. My dad taught us many things from riding a bike to driving a car; he never gave up on us and always gave words of wisdom. There were times when were yelled at and even spanked a few times, but the good times always overcame those bad. I have 3 sisters and 1 brother who are all younger than me. Being the oldest of 5 children had its good and bad occasions. Since I was the oldest I always was given first option on things like movies, where to eat and who got to play with what toys. I was also faced with a lot of responsibility being the oldest, I was expected to watch the other kids a lot to make sure they did not get hurt. Some days I felt more like a mother than a child but they looked up to me and listened to me so I felt good. To this day I still look after them and make sure they are doing the right things and doing well in school. I think that the "birth order" material is pretty close to des cribing all of us. Autobiography :: Autobiography Personal Narrative Part 1: Family Background I was raised by both my parents while growing up. My parents barely finished high school and never went to college so they were not the type of parents who pushed college careers nor did they have any sort of college fund set aside for us. They always helped with homework but never pushed us to do better. Now that they see my accomplishments from attending college they are very proud of me and supportive for me to finish. My mom even went back to college after seeing me and my sister do it, and she got an accounting degree at the age of 40. My parents came from poor families and not many college graduates. We often had no spending money or even good running vehicles but they always gave us love and we were happy with all of the small things we had. My parents used the permissive parenting style, at least for me and my sister; they never really used any type of punishments. They would tell us we were grounded from something but the next day we would be doing the things we wer e grounded from. We were always nurtured and my parents were easy to talk to. My dad taught us many things from riding a bike to driving a car; he never gave up on us and always gave words of wisdom. There were times when were yelled at and even spanked a few times, but the good times always overcame those bad. I have 3 sisters and 1 brother who are all younger than me. Being the oldest of 5 children had its good and bad occasions. Since I was the oldest I always was given first option on things like movies, where to eat and who got to play with what toys. I was also faced with a lot of responsibility being the oldest, I was expected to watch the other kids a lot to make sure they did not get hurt. Some days I felt more like a mother than a child but they looked up to me and listened to me so I felt good. To this day I still look after them and make sure they are doing the right things and doing well in school. I think that the "birth order" material is pretty close to des cribing all of us.

Black Plague of London 1665

The Great Plague in London of 1665 Although people proposed a variety of causes for the great plague in London of 1665, the effects of the plague were certainly catastrophic. Europe experienced many outbreaks of plague prior to the year of 1665. Unfortunately, no one was quite sure what exactly caused the plague, which devastated each person who was affected. The effects of the plague on society wreaked havoc on victims both socially and physically. Consequently, Londoners were forced to try many drastic measures to prevent the spread of disease.Nevertheless, the great plague left the city of London greatly damaged. Even though different causes for the plague were mentioned, the most relevant and logical cause of plague was derived from London’s filthiness. Charles J. Shields writes: Although 17th-century Londoners were familiar with the plague’s symptoms, they had no idea what caused it. One pattern they noted, however, was that it went hand in hand with filthiness. Lo ndon was an ancient human habitation, dating from the days when the Roman army had built its outside walls.Without means to provide sanitation for all its inhabitants, the city evolved into a breeding ground for epidemics. (13) Dirtiness often accompanies congested areas, and London was undoubtedly no exception. According to Britannica, â€Å"the greatest devastation remained in the city’s outskirts, at Stepney, Shoreditch, Clerkenwell, Cripplegate, and Westminster, quarters where the poor were densely crowded† (Britannica 447). In seventeenth-century London, people who lived in poverty were believed to be at a high risk for contagion (Hays 124).Residents of London deposited their rubble outside of their homes so that the rain could wash the trash away (Shields 13-14). Consequently, the filth throughout London’s neighborhoods attracted many rats, which carried plague-ridden fleas (Trueman). Because rats lived near garbage, the rodents also resided closely to hum ans, particularly the poor. Nonetheless, when the rats died, the fleas found new human hosts. When fleas that were infected with the disease broke human skin, the microorganism, Yersinia pestis, attacked the lymphatic system, causing enlargement of lymph glands.Therefore, the protuberances were symptomatic of plague (Appleby 162-163). Meanwhile, many Londoners still believed that there could be another cause for the plague’s recurrence. Some people believed that plague was caused by natural factors, but others believed that plague was obtained through an occult element. The English were led to believe that plague was a â€Å"manifestation of divine providence and power, as a product of an environmental miasma, and as an infectious contagion that moved from one person to another† (Hays 124).Residents of London expected a penalty for their corrupt actions as a result of religious persecution, killing of a king, and the absurdness of government. In 1657, just eight years before the last plague, Clergyman Thomas Reeves handed out flyers warning that plague would be the Londoners’ consequence for immoral conduct (Shields 24-25). In fact, those who believed in supernatural causes of the disease sought counsel from a deity through prayer, omens, and charms (Hays 124). As a result of the plague, the community of London suffered both physically and socially.Immediately upon contracting the infection, one would have an array of flu-like symptoms, such as chills, queasiness, and regurgitation. In addition, sufferers developed signs of apprehensiveness and occasionally derangement (Shields 12). Another symptom of plague was the pungent stench of the victim’s breath. Some people carried flowers with them to act as a perfume to hide the bitter smell (Trueman). Andrew B. Appleby stated that the plague could be in bubonic or pneumonic form. The pneumonic form was transferred through sneezing and coughing around others.The pneumonic plague originate d from the bubonic plague because victims sometimes acquired pneumonia along with the bubonic form. The pneumonic plague was occasional in England. The symptoms included the coughing of blood (163). Furthermore, the affliction took a tremendous toll on the overall health of each victim by causing dark round marks around the groin, armpits, and neck. Also, the petechiae, or black spots, arose in other areas of the body (Hays 124-125). Unfortunately, these blemishes often turned into infected pus-filled welts.The last stage of sufferer’s disease occurred as the boils appeared. Of course death was inevitable, but the longevity of the plague’s victims was a mystery because each person’s reaction to the disease was different. For instance, after developing the ailment, some people would die within hours, and others would live as long as a few days. Entire families were destroyed by this annihilating illness (Shields 12). Equally important, the societal effects of pla gue were immense. In 1665, 68,596 casualties were recorded (Britannica 447).Consequently, the cadavers were covered with shrouds and placed in a mass grave because the sudden rise in deaths caused there to be a greater demand for coffins, yet a shorter supply. Not only did people lose loved ones, but they also had difficulty carrying out traditional funerals because the exposed corpses raised the risk of contagion. Although limiting guests at funerals went against society’s customs, Londoners needed to stay clear of the disease as much as possible (Hays 127). Gathering the dead was a difficult task to complete for the bearers.Bearers had to fetch bodies infested with the deadly plague, along with the bearers of the carts. The dead carts were used mainly for large parishes. The carts would grind while being pushed down the street, and the bearers would ring a bell while continually yelling for residents to release the corpses to the cart. Sadly, family of the dead had to witne ss their loved ones being towed away with the loss of dignity and respect for the deceased (Shields 48). London hired â€Å"nurses†, who lacked proper training and experience, to check on diseased victims. If sufferers could afford sustenance, these â€Å"nurses† would bring them food, too (Trueman).Society suffered through many hard times during the plague’s reign. Because of the plague’s atrocious impact on London, residents decided to take matters into their own hands. Since the plague escalated rapidly, the rich people of London left the city for the safe countryside. The poor had no resources to escape the plague’s wrath. In fact, soldiers were hired by London’s council to supervise the outskirts of the parish where the poor resided. No one was allowed outside the boundaries unless he had a document from his parish leader stating that he could leave (Trueman).On account of all the wealthy that left London to escape disease, the impact m ade by plague was mainly on the destitute (Hays 128). Because the disease was taking hold of the population so quickly, the Lord Chamberlain chose to close down the theatres in London. The roads outside of the city were congested with the traffic of people seeking refuge. The city of London was in complete chaos (Shields 31-32). Realizing that the plague was taking over London, the English government mobilized a new system of methods to battle the disease. When the plague hit, London was still following outdated rules from the plague of 1578.To begin the new set of rules for cleaning London, the government demanded that the garbage on the streets and the obstacles in the ditches were to be removed promptly. On the contrary, authorities believed that smoking tobacco and lighting fires to release smoke was profitable for the environment of the plague. Also, the Privy Council requested the slaying of stray animals, such as dogs and pigs. These animals were thought to carry the plague ( Hays 122-123, 127). In addition to the exile of the wealthy and the rise of cleaning standards, London also attempted to prevent the spread of plague by isolation.Accordingly, any family that had at least one member tainted by the disease was confined to their own home for over a month. As a caution to others, a red cross was painted on the door to display the infection of the family inside the house; however, only â€Å"nurses† were permitted to enter the plagued home (Trueman). Because of the forced seclusion from the outside world, many trapped plague victims rebelled against the authorities. For instance, neighbors helped to release the captive by removing the cross from the door of the victim’s house.The government endorsed severe penalties toward those who disobeyed the rules laid out for them to follow. Inevitably, the policy of solitude for the afflicted came to an end when the amount of homes that needed to be secluded became too great and the people who regul ated the guidelines were at a shortage; however, parishes did try to aid the imprisoned victims by raising taxes to provide food (Hays 125-127). Although isolation seemed like a feasible plan to the English government at the time of the plague’s existence, people naturally rebelled against being held hostage in their own home, even if food was provided for them.In conclusion, the great plague caused a tremendous uproar in the lives of the ones who lived in London in 1665. Even though numerous causes were offered to explain the root of the plague’s frequency, the most reasonable explanation of the disease’s occurrence was through the spread of contagion by fleas. As a result of the affliction of plague, society suffered great damage in a physical and civil aspect. Although no one was sure what caused the plague in London, many measures were taken to help prevent the expansion of the pestilence. After all, the plague of 1665 was the last of the plagues to claim Lo ndon.

Economics of computing Essay

Foreign In the study of Lucy A. Tedd (1991-2000), it describes how the changing economics of computing resulted in staff at Reading University Library wishing to move away from a system shared between various libraries to an integrated library management system under local control. According to Robson (2001), usability is a key requirement for users, says Elisabeth Robson, Product manager for Online Computer Library Center. The catalogue has become a way to pull together different resources, including commercial resources and web links. Management systems also tolerate circulation, as well as check in/check out and enable libraries to acquire materials and track where they are. Local As said by Lou (1986), a review on the computer application in 223 libraries in Metro Manila. The study revealed that they prioritize the three library functions to be computerized as cataloging, indexing, and circulation. Though, the plans for automation for the libraries cannot be implemented due to financial failure of the libraries, and the need of funds from the government. Regardless of this negative aspect, the libraries are not turning their backs unto the automation of their libraries. According to Agena (2008) made a study about the collection usage of the students of the Jose Rizal University in a period of three years using the quantitative and qualitative approach. The goal of the study is to assess the usefulness of the faculty of students to their library and it been revealed that it is generally important for them to go to the library for their academic needs.

Banking Industry Analysis

Banking Industry Analysis Essay Graham MavarMgmt. 415 Sec 6Industry Analysis: BankingThe banking industry has come under increasing pessimism of late because of rising short and long-term interest rates. The banking industrys market capitalization made a substantial decline. Most investors are concerned with whether the industry can sustain continued profitability as a result of these factors. Banks have responded in recent years to these problems by diversifying away from interest sensitive products and services. But interest rates are the fundamental aspect of any financial services. Therefore, I believe the financial services industry will be deeply affected by rising interest rates. Banks have experienced good business factors over the past two years. Interest rates were low, credit quality was good, and inflation was low. These factors are usually predictive of the types of earnings banks should report. But good times cant continue because interest rate hikes cause reduced lending activity, damaged credit quality, and reduced values of bond portfolios. Porters Five Forces Analysis:1. Rivalry among competing sellers:The banking industry is continuing to restructure and position itself for our changing economy as a result, many mega-mergers have occurred in recent years. Citicorp and Travelers Insurance agreed to merge in April 1998 at a value of $70 billion. Bank of A merica and Nations Bank also agreed to merge shortly afterwards which became the largest bank in the United States. Bank mergers are usually consummated as a cost-cutting measure but also to compete with non-bank providers of financial services. Bank rivalries are very strong, and as weve seen many of the largest banks are merging to increase their power. In fact, Charlotte, NC is practically owned by Bank of America and First Union. 2. Potential entry of new competitors:There is virtually no chance of a new entrant significantly affecting the major banks market share. The only place that new entrants may have a chance in the industry is through Internet banking, because of its low cost. 3. Firms offering substitute products:This is not really an issue within the banking industry, because there arent really any legal alternatives, except buying a safe and borrowing from a loan shark4. Competitive pressures stemming from supplier and buyer bargaining power:I grouped these two categories together because in the banking industry the buyers are the suppliers and vice versa, so I might as well just discuss the situation as a whole. Interest rates are the single most important aspect of bank profitability they are the bargaining power. Most bank profits are derived from net interest income. This is interest income received on loans minus interest expense for borrowed funds. Interest rates determine the amount of money a bank can earn. Another measure is a banks net interest margin which is a banks net interest income divided by its average earning assets. This is a common measure of a banks ability to squeeze profits from its loans. When interest rates fall, they have a positive effect on a bank. First, net interest margin can expand. Second, the value of a banks fixed rate of investment portfolio is enhanced by declining rates, since a bond with a higher stated interest rate becomes more valuable as prevailing rates drop. Third, falling rates lower the cost of credit, which stimulates loan demand and reduces delinquency rates. Opportunities: 1. Because of the increasing amount of technology Internet banking will begin to replace traditional banking, thus cutting personnel costs. 2. Incorporating investment banking into the banking industry, as some major companies are doing, lets the bank increase profits and promote economic growth while improving company image. Threats:1. An increase in interest rates causing a decline in bank activity. READ: In Cold Blood: Death Penalty Essay2. A collapse of the Fed leading to bank failures, a repeat of the crash of 1929. 3. A decline in the US economy leading to a fall in the value of the dollar, thus causing an instable economy. From there the US banking system would be less secure in terms of dollar values that many people would move their money overseas into a more stable economic situation. Similar to the situation in many South American countries. (a little far-fetched, but possible)Key Success Factors:? Capability to use the internet for banking, investing, and general e-commerce? Size of company, name recognition, innovative local marketing? Best rates (loans, checking, savings, etc.)? The capability to have the fastest and simplest banking through design, innovation, and locationBusiness Reports

East European and Russian Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

East European and Russian Foreign Policy - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in recent years the relations between EU and Russia have been more baffling than we could possibly imagine. Europe has lost its strategic loadstar. Having absorbed 27 countries, Europe is in the state of a dilemma regarding expansion or regarding the issue of dealing with Russia. Russia too realized that its renewed government style was not in a very happy term or relationship with EU which it did not expect and so the relations after EU Enlargement have been more or less a confusing state of affairs. After the formation of European Union, things have changed drastically for the people and governments near them. Russia is no exception. We all know that Soviet bloc was split in 1991 and soviet era republics became independent. Not to mention the fact that some countries which have the Russian flair in its growth and development have suddenly become free and have joined EU. These East European Countries have led to core formation of Euro pean Union. Thus it was soon understood that Russia has lost some of its key allies in the process and that it finds itself in isolation both in terms of geographic and political platforms. Another fact is that these East European countries have displeasure with what the Soviet Union has treated them.   The ideologies were different and there was resentment in these countries over the rule of Soviet Union. Also, the eastern bloc was not too happy with the way military section was withdrawn from those places. Factually speaking as the times moved the ideological differences grew so high that though they had same set of language and culture, they were in fact poles part in government If we talk about relations with Europe then we can say there were issues which actually have affected the relationship between them. The enlargement of NATO, the wars in the Balkan region and more importantly the agenda of the EU were the main issues. Apart from these the internal issues of Russia have become a significant factor of relations between them. In this paper we look at the issue of Russia and EU relations and we will be considering some core issues like EU enlargement and relationship levels among them by considering the security, human rights, political and economic factors which affect both of them May 2004 was historic month of the European Union History when as many as 10 countries joined EU and this included 3 of previous Soviet bloc nations and similarly in 2007 two eastern European nations joined the league, thus the major part of Europe with the exception Russia was part of the league and this was main issue among their relations. The reason for a low relation level with Russia was the different ideologies of the states. Post 1990’s soviet transition government has different perception levels when compared the ideology followed by EU. One thing we need to understand is that EU is Russia’s main partner when it comes to trade and commerce and so let’s look at the impact of this enlargement in terms of economic perspectives of both the countries.We know that Russia is a country, where the contribution of production to the domestic market is fairly high. At the same time, in some EU member states production output directed to domestic market is shrinking drastically. Apparently, these countries chose to be export-driven economies and are successfully trying to integrate into international division of labor by penetrating new markets with competitive goods and concurrently ceding domestic markets to more competitive foreign products. Undoubtedly, they are more dependent on the world economy than Russia.If we look at the economic consequences of the result on enlargement of EU with respect to the relations of EU-Russia we can say that it has two sides of the coin, one which talks from Russian point of view and other form European view. Analysts of Russian view focused on negative implications from custom tariff hikes for separate commodities. They talked about problems associated with goods movement through the newly joined

Micro Regionalism and Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Micro Regionalism and Globalization - Essay Example The various lobbies like South-South cooperation, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries or OPEC, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SAARC etc. are important economic and political motivated organizations that give impetus to micro regionalism. The new scale of economy and the leverage gained through regional cooperation goes a long way in establishing the global presence of small states while ensuring their unique identity (Breslin & Hook, 2002). Globalization, on the other hand, is primarily motivated by the political ideology and economic interests to exploit opportunities across the wider geographical area. It is backed by technology and migration of people across the globe. It has opened new job opportunities across the globe and facilitated the greater inflow of capital to the poor countries. But it has also brought into sharp focus of the hegemony of the rich and the powerful nations like America who exploit sm all regional states for their vested interests. Hence, one can state that socio-economic forces of micro regionalism are stronger than that of globalization mainly because micro-regional dynamics provide the states with greater leverage to exploit their resources and promote regional development for higher bargaining power, especially with the West. OPEC is the prime example of micro regionalism that has established its global entity with the strong influence on the price and trading of petroleum products.

H.W Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

H.W - Essay Example This car was carrying around 125,000 litres of propane gas that had begun to escape through the leaks. The intention of the railroad employees was to convey the contents of the tank car to the storage tanks of the Williams Energy Company. In order to correct the leaks in the valves, one of the employees struck at the valve with a wrench. This proved to be the beginning of the catastrophe as the sparks that flew as a result of the friction between the two ignited a flame. Since propane is highly inflammable, the resultant flame quickly grew into a large fire. The forked fire grew to heights as large as seventy to eighty feet. By this time, the leaks had expanded to both vertical as well as horizontal directions. This led to further difficulties in the confinement of the perimeter of the fire. With an expansion in the amount of pressure that had been building up in the railroad car, there was an explosion that was felt by everyone who was within a radius of a little over eight kilometr es. The immediate impact was felt by the firefighters who were stationed near the site of the explosion. Including those who died later of burns, eleven deaths of firefighters have been recorded till date (â€Å"The Disaster Story,† 2011). Before a BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) incident occurs, the fire grows to dangerous heights. The real hazard however, lies in the explosion that is caused by a sharp rise in pressure in whatever contains the fuel. During a BLEVE incident, the firefighters are faced with the twin-problem of quelling the fire and not allowing pressure to build up within the container. Needless to say, the damages that are caused to life and property in such a situation also arise from the above-mentioned twin sources. The part of the incident that could have been avoided, however, was the casualties that were caused by the large number of spectators. Many people gathered to watch the fire,