Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Sonnet 30 Essay - 1213 Words

â€Å"But the while I think on thee (dear friend) all losses are restored, and sorrows end† (lines 15-16). This is an excerpt from the master himself, William Shakespeare, in â€Å"Sonnet 30† also known as â€Å"When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought†. As with all of his works, this sonnet requires a lot of interpretation due to the Old English to be able to understand anything in it. â€Å"Sonnet 30† is written in iambic pentameter with a rhyme scheme of â€Å"abab/cdcd/efef/gg†. The sonnet is a lyrical poem because it is uses first person, which signifies that there is a signal speaker. The meaning itself is simple; though after a good bit of decrypting; the speaker is looking back is recollecting all the things that have happened to him or her, but more†¦show more content†¦Alliteration is present here with the repetition of the consonant sound â€Å"S† in â€Å"sessions† â€Å"sweet† â€Å"silent†. In a ddition, this line shows the use of court or legal jargon with â€Å"sessions† which refers to the sitting of a court and â€Å"silent thought† is an almost literal translation of just thinking within your own head or remembering the past. The remainder of the first quatrain sets up an entire scene of how and what causes the speaker to start to recollect. â€Å"I summon up remembrance of things past† (2) quite simply means in modern English, â€Å"I remember the things that happened in the past†. Nothing is note-worthy here except it continues to draw out the mood’s focal point. In line three, the mood starts to gain significance when the speaker turns and talks about lamenting for failing to achieve all they had ever wanted in life. This immediately switches the neutral mood into one that is more bitterly somber. The speaker develops this more with â€Å"And with old woes new wails my dear times waste† (4) which straightforwardly is saying that the speaker feels sorrow because he wasted his best times away. This could be interpreted as wasting away the best years of your life. This line also has a lot of alliteration, this time of the consonant â€Å"W† sound inShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Sonnet 301181 Words   |  5 PagesIn â€Å"Sonnet 30’’, William Shakespeare introduces the audience to a sad state of mind, extreme abstract metaphors ,and the use of very strong mechanical features ,which opens an intake on ageing love for his audience to imagine the memories of love, all regrets ,and pain that soon evaporates. â€Å"Sonnet 30’’ closely repeats â€Å"Sonnet 29’s† theme that the memories of youth are priceless and it also uses the same structure in Shakespeare’s other sonnets. The quatrains focuses on the emotions of pain withRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Sonnet 30960 Words   |  4 Pageshis sonnets. Shakespeare s Sonnets clarify the value of human relationships by showing that friendship can end one’s own sadness, that love should be commemorated, and that marriage between true minds is loyal and consistent. â€Å"But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, / All losses are restored and sorrows end.† In Sonnet 30, a past friendship between two mates ends one’s own sadness and selfish sorrows. The speaker’s thoughts and feelings shift greatly throughout Sonnet 30. As theRead MoreEssay about Shakespeares Sonnet 30 and Tennysons In Memoriam1302 Words   |  6 PagesLoss has been experienced over centuries and many poets have written on the subject. William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30 and Alfred Lord Tennyson’s In Memoriam are two poems from different eras that express the idea of loss. Both were written after the loss of a close male friend, and both are only one poem from a series of poems. Shakespeare lived in England where he was born in 1564 and died in 1616 and Tennyson also lived in England where he was born in 1809 and died in 1892, the poems being writtenRead MoreSonnet 301873 Words   |  8 PagesSimilarly, in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Sonnet 30,† the poet conveys that one can find solace from grief and emotional turmoil through companionship, contrasting the reminiscent tone of the first quatrain, the crumbling stoicism of the second quatrain , the emotional intensity of the third quatrain, and the couplet’s reference to a â€Å"dear friend.† Similar to Elsa’s solitary mourning of her parents, the speaker’s initially innocuous recollections of the past in the first quatrain of â€Å"Sonnet 30† intensify into unresolvedRead MoreSonnet 30 Analysis934 Words   |  4 PagesMisleading Love Although love can be kind and beautiful, it can cause some people to become blind and follow their hearts rather than think with their mind. â€Å"Sonnet 30† by Edmund Spenser dramatizes the conflict of a man’s burning desire to be with a woman who has no interest in him. Edmund Spenser uses the metaphorical comparisons of dramatically opposites, fire and ice. The man is fire, who is obsessed for this ice cold hearted woman, which returns nothing. The poem explains why this man can’tRead MoreThe Lotus by Toru Dutt1493 Words   |  6 Pagespoems have an Indian theme and an Indian background. The poem, The Lotus is a sonnet in the Petrarchan type. Toru Dutts mastery over the sonnet form is proved in this poem. The sonnet is divided into two divisions, the Octave and the Sestet. The octave consists of eight lines and the sestet consists of six lines. A sonnet deals with a single idea, the octave proposing and the sestet resolving. Within 14 lines of the sonnet, To ru Dutt raises a problem in the Octave and resolves it in the sestet. InRead MoreLiterture Final Exam Notes1143 Words   |  5 Pages1st Semester Exam Review Questions English 4 SELECTIONS FOR TESTING 1. Beowulf 2. â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† 3. Canterbury Tales â€Å"Prologue† 4. â€Å"The Pardoner’s Tale† from CT 5. Sonnets 6. Elements of Style author’s names Terms (know by definition, characteristics or example). 1. Kenning: two-word poetic renamings of people, places, and things such as the kenning whales’ home for the sea ex from Beowulf: â€Å"I have come so farRead More‘Sonnet XIX: When I Consider How my Light is Spent by John Milton1033 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Milton’s ‘Sonnet XIX: When I Consider How my Light is Spent’, uses the literary techniques of metaphorical representations, irony and satire to convey it’s themes of religion, specifically concerning the use of ones God given talents, and the issue of disability upon and individuals religion to an audience in a political climate enduring through a drastic state of change in structure and values in a cultural revolution that valued a persons by their measure such as a poet through their authorialRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Elizabethan Era3177 Words   |  13 Pagesloved in return. Shakespeare’s worldview and the society he resided in become illuminated throughout his work, especially in his sonnets. His work reflects the importance of love and friendship as well as his disagreement with time and the Elizabethan Era’s views. William Shakespeare lived his life and wrote his works during the Elizabethan Era. His writing in his sonnets often differed with the Elizabethan worldview. For example, the Elizabethan society believed in a strong hierarchal system. HoweverRead More A Comparison of Romantic Love in Shakespeares Sonnets As You Like It2069 Words   |  9 PagesShakespeares Sonnets Romantic Love in As You Like It      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeares comedy As You Like It is clearly a pastoral comedy with a country setting, a theme revolving around love and a story which consists of a series of accidental meetings between characters and a resolution involving transformations of characters and divine intervention.   The comedy involves the traditional literary device of moving urban characters into the country where they have to deal with life in a different manner

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Women In The Progressive Era - 1515 Words

The Progressive Era showed how women advanced politically, socially, and economically. As women progressed in the political landscape through women’s suffrage, earning the right to vote pushed society to view women through a new lens. New societal norms were reached for women and allowed for women to be portrayed closer to equals to men, and higher socioeconomic status were attainable for women. An important aspect to women advancement is there quest for equality socially. Many sexist stereotypes still often existed and plagued women from living as equals to men. Although times were changing with women showing that they were capable of handling the work responsibilities left behind by men during war time. Additionally with the emergence†¦show more content†¦This view was very conflicting to those of the Progressive era. During this time period, suffragist were working very hard to get those past stereotypes thrown out the window. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Author of â €Å"The Yellow Paper† and feminist activist, also wrote about her struggle with mental illness. She was directly affected by these misunderstood diagnosing of mental illness that differed from male to female. Gilman herself wrote and studied about this inequality in many of her life works. She was intrigued in why women were so socially criticized, in Ann Jane’s The Charlotte Perkins Gilman Reader, she wrote about Gilman’s ideas on this topic, â€Å"Gilman believed that women’s subordination started with the expropriation by men of the agricultural surplus women produced, limiting women’s full expression and autonomy and therefore dehumanizing them†¦ men appropriated women’s work and by forcing them to depend economically on male authority, demeaned them† Gilman s testimonies were taking very seriously because of her undeniable wit but later because of her shocking literature. Gilman is also known for her intellectual work in Wo men and Economics that was published in 1892. She was ahead of her time and seemed to foreseen what was to come with women’s advancement during the progressive era. Because of the 19th Amendment that allowed women the right to vote, Women started to gain legitimacy in the eyes of society. There was no law that made them lesser of aShow MoreRelatedWomen During The Progressive Era987 Words   |  4 PagesWoman in the progressive era What is a woman’s role? Is it to be a housewife and take care of her husband and children? Or is it much more then that. Between the years 1897- 1917 the progressive era came of age. This era not only created rapid economic growth but also created a voice for woman. As woman began to have a voice they were ready to use it and make a change that would affect American history forever. The progressive era was an era of change. The great depression had just ended andRead MoreWomen During the Progressive Era2268 Words   |  10 PagesUnit II: Women during the Progressive Era Kenedra Coney HIS 204 Professor Owens May 29, 2011 Unit II: Women in the Progressive Era During the decades between 1890s and 1920s there was a new age of reform there was so much reform activity that historians called this era the Progressive Era. During this time there were millions of Americans that were organized in association to many solutions to industrialization, urbanization, and immigration problems that brought about a new social reform orderRead More Women in the Progressive Era Essay2115 Words   |  9 PagesAmerican women emerged as a major force for social reform. Millions joined civic organizations and extended their roles from domestic duties to concerns about their communities and environments. These years, between 1890 and 1920, were a time of many social changes that later became known as the Progressive Era. In this time era, millions of Americans organized associations to come up with solutions to the many problems that society was facing, and many of these problems were staring American women rightRead MoreEssay on Womens Role in the Progressive Era612 Words   |  3 PagesBefore the Progressive Era women found themselves in traditional roles raising the family and keeping the families moral compass pointing in the proper manner. Many of them never considered life outside of them home, as this was how they were raised. In the advent of the beginning years of the Progressive Era with many of the largest companies controlling the largest chunks of America’s financial interests these same women were looking outside. By this I mean, the very important job they had raisingRead MoreThe Progressive Era Of Women s Rights Essay1402 Words   |  6 PagesLooking back on the Progressive Era, we see many women activists and their roles in the fight for women’s rights. With the arrival of a new century also came many changes. Society was adjusting to industrialization, urbanization, a growing and powerful economy, and, of course, immigration. As a result of these changes, many people became fearful that traditional values would change as well. Progressive Reform in America began in the late nineteenth century, and an expanding job market as well asRead MoreThe Progressive Era Of Women s Labor Law Essay1312 Words   |  6 PagesThe progressive era was the start of bringing structure in working women’s labor law. The progressive era came into place because of women’s working conditions. Women were eligible to work during the progress era; however women’s argument was based on the unfair labor hours and low wages. While women wanted a change they also wanted to fulfill their motherhood duties which were not fulfilled because of long working hours. Not only Progressive era reforms considered women workers condition they alsoRead MoreBlack Feminism : An Era Of Progressive Activism For Women1436 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States has observed an era of progressive activism for women. But, feminism is by its nature a complex notion and one can’t fully appreciate its effective ness forgetting the aspect of ethnic discriminations in the country (Collin, p.p 47). Race matters exist in diverse places and at unusual times under extensively unreliable circumstances. It is different from white feminism as they have managed to attain their own freedom in a different way. This was because Black women were hardly seen as an activeRead MoreWomen in the Progressive Era: Relentless Pursuit of Liberty and Equality1683 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God. The exacerbation of issues that plagued America for centuries combined with the disturbing realities of urban and factory life gave birth to the Progressive Movement—a movement composed of a diverse coalition that sought to improve modern industrial society and American democracy. This period spawned many ardent American activists. Social critics such as Upton Sinclair, Jacob Riis, and Jane Adams advocated for wide-reaching social reform. Others targetedRead MoreLessons Learnt From the Great Depression and Progressive Era1386 Words   |  6 PagesLessons from the Great Depression Progressive Era Lessons from the Great Depression Progressive Era The Progressive Era in American history began slightly before the turn of the 20th century and continued into the second decade of the 20th century, ending around the beginning of World War I. The Great Depression of 20th century American occurred in 1929 and the more intense short-term effects lasted up and through World War II. The paper will scrutinize specific events of this period providingRead MoreThe Progressive Era Of America1297 Words   |  6 PagesThe Progressive Era was a period that changed America greatly due to political reforms and social activism. This era brought forth many changes in America and almost all Americans were involved in this movement somehow. This period began in the late 1800s and lasted until the mid-1900s. The Progressive Era was one of the biggest movements in America. The main point of this movement was to purify the government. Several historians have wrote excerpts on their perspective of the Progressive Era. George

Monday, December 9, 2019

Internet Security of Information and Products

Question: Discuss about theInternet Security of Information and Products. Answer: Introduction The internet has contributed immensely to the evolution of the patterns of carrying out business practices, acquiring various information and entertainment as well as communication with people across the globe. However, it has become subject to hacking and crime which has led to massive loss of information, compromised security systems as well as unauthorized use of peoples ideas about products and business strategies (Matsuura 2008). The healthcare sector, technology companies, financial services firms and the government make the list of top targets of cyber-attacks. Breaches that result from cyber-attacks have continuously made large negative economic impacts on businesses and the society as a whole. It, therefore, calls for the establishment and development of new and useful models that capture the competitive the behavior of sellers and buyers in modern market place together with investment in cyber security. Internet Security Approaches Many theories have been established to discuss the issue of application of internet security to valuable information and products for various organizations in the world. Game theory model provides a framework for the investigation of the different people and businesses organizations that compete for exceptional business opportunities while taking into consideration, their level of cyber security investments so as to eliminate or minimize financial losses from cyber-attacks (Hubaux 2013). By-products, we talk about manufactured, commercial as well as the digital products. Buyers use the internet to participate in economic transactions, some of which could involve the use of debit and credit cards. Sellers aim at maximizing their profits while investing in cyber security and competing amongst themselves. Network security is highly beneficial to sellers in sustaining financial damages due to cyber-attacks which may, in turn, lead to the loss of sellers reputation, identity and opportuni ty costs. The engineers approach to security narrows down to providing the best possible internet security through the use of more specialized software, encryption, advanced data integrity checks and revised technical standards (Shetty 2009). It offers a suggestion that the aforementioned technical standards and innovations are the key elements to be considered in this approach. The homeland security view on cyber security is geared towards doing away with all illegal domestic as well as foreign activities that pose a danger to vital national interests, and that breaches the security state of private individuals and firms in the country. It further suggests that the best way to achieve security is through national borders and government intervention. The market-based approach looks at the whole issue in the context of creating efficient economic procedures or mechanisms that are controlled by the market participants themselves, by aligning different security interests through market signaling and prices. The key elements to be given priority are the costs involved, benefits up for grabs alongside the flexibility the decentralized decision-making processes. The costs of arriving at higher levels of security will increase as the challenges associated with technology become continuously complicated as time goes by (Tatsumi 2009). Organizations have the ultimate duty of complying with two critical factors about information security namely: Accepting the idea of information technology (IT) security entirely by showing clearly both internally and externally that they have installed policies, procedures, checks and balances which are aimed at the protection of information assets. It may be a legal, regulatory or certification requirement which is needed to shield the reputation and instill confidence in both employees and customers. Putting in practice the concept of information asset protection. This method ensures there is confidentiality and maintain business competitiveness. References Anderson, R, Moore, T. (2006). The Economics of Information Security. Science, 314(5799), pp. 610-613. Hauksen, K. (2006). Returns to Information Security: The Effect of Alternative Information Security Breach Functions on Optimal Investment and Sensitivity to Vulnerability. Information Systems Frontiers, 8(5). pp. 338-349. Manshei, M.H. , Alpcan, T. Basar, T. Hubaux, J.P. (2013). Game theory meets networks network security and privacy. ACM Computing Surveys, 45(3), 25:1-25:34, June. Nagurney, A. (2015). A Multiproduct Network Economic Model of Cybercrime in Financial Services. Service science, 7(1) pp. 70-81.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Big Five Personality Traits Essay Example

The Big Five Personality Traits Essay Reaction Paper #1 The â€Å"Big Five† Personality Traits Throughout our lives, we, as humans, encounter others that we may either have an immediate connection with, must discover more about the individual to determine the relevant connection, or simply, we just cannot manage to maintain a cordial relationship. What determines whether or not we can get along with someone else is defined by an individual’s personality. A personality is an array of â€Å"psychological† characteristics that makes each person unique, in their own way. Upon analyzing my own personality, I believe that my overall character is one that understands, can relate, and focuses on the big picture both in my personal life and in the work environment. Therefore, in analyzing personalities in the work environment, I reference the â€Å"big five† personality traits to determine whether or not I do or do not agree with other individuals in the workplace. The first of the â€Å"big five† personality traits is â€Å"agreeableness. † I comprehend this attribute as an individual’s knack to get along with others. While it is great to agree with people just as much as it is not so favorable to typically disagree, it really needs to be balanced. In the work environment, agreeing with people does, for the most part mean that he / she tends to be accommodating. Yet, people can take that for granted. In my eyes, that is viewed as a weakness. While this trait is being analyzed in the work environment, we have to remember that the employees are also humans, and what happens in the work environment usually happens in one’s personal life. We will write a custom essay sample on The Big Five Personality Traits specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Big Five Personality Traits specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Big Five Personality Traits specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Always agreeing can also mean that the individual is submissive, and may do this at a time where assertiveness or conflict is necessary. Having the â€Å"agreeableness† trait must come along with analytical skills, so if and when there is an organizational decision that needs to be made, deciding â€Å"not† to agree may have to be the option for the benefit of the business. The next trait relevant to organizations is â€Å"conscientiousness. † This personality can have a large range or small range of objectives that he or she focuses on. An experience that I can reference back to where I dealt with a co-worker that was on the lower side of the conscientiousness spectrum was when she and I were compiling a list together to fulfill tasks that needed to be completed for a showroom install we were working on. She had too many goals that needed to be obtained at one time, which meant that, with a deadline, some goals were not going to be adequately fulfilled. As a result, this made some of our presentations appear incomplete. The best resolution would have been to tailor the list, focusing only on key priorities, and worrying about the fillers later. I tend to believe that someone that only focuses on a few goals at one time not only shows that they are organized, but their organization allows for their co-workers to feel less stress and not under pressure, even with a deadline set. The third â€Å"big five† is â€Å"negative emotionality. † This trait I view as a â€Å"personal life interference† trait. It is defined as the moodiness and lack of confidence â€Å"trait. It is understandable that everyone, at some point in time, becomes stressed during work, yet, â€Å"why† he or she is stressed and â€Å"how† he or she deals with it, are the key factors. An individual that becomes stressed about a report that has been assigned to him or her with an unrealistic deadline is relative to the work environment. Being able to remain poise and reassuring one’s self that the deadline can be made are personas of an employee that has â€Å"less negative emotionality. On the contrary, if the employee begins to lash out at others and continuously believes that the report will not be completed on time, the employee is has â€Å"more negative emotionality. † Understanding this trait very well because of my position I have with a variety of deadlines, having â€Å"less negative emotionality† is the best for the individual and for the company. The fourth characteristic is â€Å"extraversion. † Classified as an individual’s ease of being in relationships, this is probably the most important of all the â€Å"big fives. My reasoning for this assumption is that in business, everything is about relationships. With no relationships, business does not exist. Businesses need relationships within the firm, employees amongst employees, and outside the firm, employees with customers, and the business with its vendors. While the level of t he â€Å"extraversion† trait, meaning how â€Å"comfortable† one becomes in relationship, should be taken into consideration, relationships must happen in order for a business to be successful. The last of the â€Å"big five† is â€Å"openness. â€Å"Openness† is defined as the ability to foster new concepts and to adapt as a result of this new information. It is very important to be more open in the work environment. For instance, with advancement in technology, it helps a company become more efficient and cut down on costs to increase profits. Individuals who are not willing or â€Å"open† to do so can hinder growth, which in essence, will slow the success of the company. Personalities come in all shapes and sizes and â€Å"moods. † However, when it comes to the work environment, the most important are the â€Å"big five. With agreeableness, individuals need to analyze the situation before â€Å"agreeing. † Having more conscientio usness allows individuals to focus on few goals in order to be more result oriented. Having low negative emotionality leads to a less stressful being and work environment. Having an extraversion trait is essential because relationships allow businesses to exist. The openness trait will help the company reduce costs and remain competitive. By analyzing your own personality in the work environment, an individual can understand how best he or she can contribute for the betterment of the company.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

About the Social Security Death Master File

About the Social Security Death Master File One of the federal governments most effective weapons against financial fraud, identity theft and now terrorism is a massive database of dead people grimly known as the Death Master File. Produced and maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and distributed by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), the Death Master File is a massive computer database containing more than 85 million records of deaths, reported to Social Security, from 1936 to present. How Crooks Use Dead People Assuming the identity of a dead person has long been a favorite ploy of criminals. Everyday, living bad people use the names of dead people to  apply for credit cards, file for income tax refunds, try to buy guns, and any number of other fraudulent criminal activities. Sometimes they get away with it. More often, however, they are foiled by the Social Security Death Master file. State and federal government agencies, financial institutions, law enforcement, credit reporting and monitoring organizations, medical researchers and other industries access the Social Security Death Master file in an effort to prevent fraud and since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks comply with the USA Patriot Act. By methodically comparing applications for bank accounts, credit cards, mortgage loans, gun purchases, and other applications against the Death Master File, the financial community, insurance companies, security firms and state and local governments are better able to identify and prevent all forms of  identity fraud. Fighting Terrorism Part of the USA Patriot Act requires government agencies, banks, schools, credit card companies, gun dealers, and many other businesses, to make an  effort to verify the identity of customers. They must also maintaining records of the information they used in verifying customers identity. Those businesses may now access an online search application or maintain a raw data version of the file. The online service is updated weekly and the weekly and monthly updates are offered electronically via web applications, thus reducing handling and production time. Other Uses for the Death Master File Medical researchers, hospitals, oncology programs all need to track former patients and study subjects. Investigative firms use the data to identify persons, or the death of persons, in the course of their investigations. Pension funds, insurance organizations, Federal, State and Local governments and others responsible for payments to recipients/retirees all need to know if they might be sending checks to deceased persons. Individuals may search for loved ones, or work toward growing their family trees. Professional and amateur genealogists can search for missing links. What Information is on the Death Master File? With records of over 85 million deaths reported to SSA, the Death Master file includes some or all of the following information on each decedent: social security number, name, date of birth, date of death, state or country of residence (2/88 and prior), ZIP code of last residence, and ZIP code of lump sum payment. Since Social Security does not have the death records of all persons, the absence of a particular person from the Death Master file is not absolute proof that the person is alive, notes the Social Security Administration.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Formation of the Delian League in Ancient History

Formation of the Delian League in Ancient History Several Ionian cities joined together in the Delian League  for mutual protection against the Persians. They placed Athens at the head (as hegemon) because of her naval supremacy. This free confederation (symmachia) of autonomous cities, founded in 478 B.C., consisted of representatives, an admiral, and treasurers appointed by Athens. It was called the Delian League because its treasury was located at  Delos. History Formed in 478 B.C., the Delian League was an alliance of mainly coastal and Aegean city-states against Persia at a time when Greece feared Persia might attack again. Its goal was to make Persia pay and to free the Greeks under Persian dominion. The league morphed into the Athenian Empire that opposed the Spartan allies in the Peloponnesian War. After the Persian Wars, which included Xerxes invasion by land at the Battle of Thermopylae (the setting for the graphic novel-based movie ), the various Hellenic poleis (city-states) divided into opposing sides ranged around Athens and Sparta, and fought the Peloponnesian War. This enervating war was a major turning point in Greek history since in the following century, the city-states were no longer strong enough to stand up to the Macedonians under Philip and his son Alexander the Great. These Macedonians adopted one of the aims of the Delian League: to make Persia pay. Strength is what the poleis had been seeking when they turned to Athens to form the Delian League. Mutual Protection Following Hellenic victory at the Battle of Salamis, during the Persian Wars, Ionian cities joined together in the Delian League for mutual protection. The league was meant to be offensive as well as defensive: to have the same friends and enemies (typical terms for an alliance formed for this dual purpose [Larsen]), with secession forbidden. The member poleis placed Athens at the head (hegemon) because of her naval supremacy. Many of the Greek cities were annoyed with the tyrannical behavior of the Spartan commander Pausanias, who had been leader of the Greeks during the Persian War. Thucydides Book 1.96 on the formation of the Delian League 96. When the Athenians had thus gotten the command by the confederates own accord for the hatred they bare to Pausanias, they then set down an order which cities should contribute money for this war against the barbarians, and which galleys. For they pretended to repair the injuries they had suffered by laying waste the territories of the king. [2] And then first came up amongst the Athenians the office of treasurers of Greece, who were receivers of the tribute, for so they called this money contributed. And the first tribute that was taxed came to four hundred and sixty talents. The treasury was at Delos, and their meetings were kept there in the temple. Members of the Delian League In The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War (1989), author-historian Donald Kagan says the members included about 20 members from the Greek islands, 36 Ionian city-states, 35 from the Hellespont, 24 from around Caria, and 33 from around Thrace, making it primarily an organization of the Aegean islands and coast. This free confederation (symmachia) of autonomous cities, consisted of representatives, an admiral, and financial officers/treasurers (hellenotamiai) appointed by Athens. It was called the Delian League because its treasury was located at Delos. An Athenian leader, Aristides, initially assessed the allies in the Delian League 460 talents, probably annually [Rhodes] (there is some question about the amount and people assessed [Larsen]), to be paid to the treasury, either in cash or warships (triremes). This assessment is referred to as phoros that which is brought or tribute. 23.5 Hence it was Aristeides who assessed the tributes of the allied states on the first occasion, two years after the naval battle of Salamis, in the archonship of Timosthenes, and who administered the oaths to the Ionians when they swore to have the same enemies and friends, ratifying their oaths by letting the lumps of iron sink to the bottom out at sea. - Aristotle Ath. Pol. 23.5 Athenian Supremacy For 10 years, the Delian League fought to rid Thrace and the Aegean of Persian strongholds and piracy. Athens, which continued to demand financial contributions or ships from its allies, even when fighting was no longer necessary, became more and more powerful as her allies became poorer and weaker. In 454, the treasury was moved to Athens. Animosity developed, but Athens would not permit the formerly free cities to secede. The enemies of Pericles were crying out how that the commonwealth of Athens had lost its reputation and was ill-spoken of abroad for removing the common treasure of the Greeks from the isle of Delos into their own custody; and how that their fairest excuse for so doing, namely, that they took it away for fear the barbarians should seize it, and on purpose to secure it in a safe place, this Pericles had made unavailable, and how that Greece cannot but resent it as an insufferable affront, and consider herself to be tyrannized over openly, when she sees the treasure, which was contributed by her upon a necessity for the war, wantonly lavished out by us upon our city, to gild her all over, and to adorn and set her forth, as it were some vain woman, hung round with precious stones and figures and temples, which cost a world of money. Pericles, on the other hand, informed the people, that they were in no way obliged to give any account of those moneys to their allies, so long as they maintained their defense, and kept off the barbarians from attacking them. - Plutarchs Life of Pericles The Peace of Callias, in 449, between Athens and Persia, put an end to the rationale for the Delian League, since there should have been peace, but Athens by then had a taste for power and the Persians started supporting the Spartans to Athens detriment [Flower]. End of the Delian League The Delian League was broken up when Sparta captured Athens in 404. This was a terrible time for many in Athens. The victors razed the great walls linking the city to her harbor city of Piraeus; Athens lose her colonies, and most of her navy, and then submitted to the reign of the Thirty Tyrants. An Athenian league was later revived in 378-7 to protect against Spartan aggression and survived until Philip II of Macedons victory at Chaeronea (in Boeotia, where Plutarch would later be born). Terms to Know hegemonia leadership.Hellenic Greek.Hellenotamiai treasurers, Athenian financial officers.Peloponnesian League modern term for the military alliance of the Lacedaemonians and their allies.symmachia a treaty where the signers agree to fight for one another. Sources Starr, Chester G. A History of the Ancient World. Oxford University Press, 1991.Kagan, Donald. The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War. Cornell University Press, 2013.Holden, Hubert Ashton, Plutarchs Life of Perciles, Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 1895.Lewis, David Malcolm. The Cambridge Ancient History Volume 5: The Fifth Century BC., Boardman, John, Davies, J.K., Ostwald, M., Cambridge University Press, 1992.Larsen, J. A. O. â€Å"The Constitution and Original Purpose of the Delian League.† Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. 51, 1940, p. 175.Sabin, Philip, International Relations in Greece, the Hellenistic World and the Rise of Rome, Hall, Jonathan M., Van Wees, Hans, Whitby, Michael, Cambridge University Press, 2007.Flower, Michael A. From Simonides to Isocrates: The Fifth-Century Origins of Fourth-Century Panhellenism, Classical Antiquity, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Apr. 2000), pp. 65-101.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Examine the development and implementation of corporate strategy in a Essay

Examine the development and implementation of corporate strategy in a regulated and competitive environment - Essay Example Its YouTube services were completely blocked in China besides other services such as Picasa, blogger etc were altered to suit the regulatory environment of the country. (LaFRANIERE, 2010) Though China has emerged as one of the leading economies with the world due to its openness of trade however, it still is a central economy. The resources are virtually under the control of government and due to ideological foundations of the country, Chinese government maintains strong control over internet, media and other channels of communication. The regulatory environment of the country therefore, sometimes, compels even firms like Google to comply with its regulations in order to operate in the region. Google has also been subject to the anti-trust laws because of its monopoly over the search engine market. EU and US governments are vigorously perusing this issue to decide the fate of Google in its primary segment of the market i.e. search engine services. This paper will discuss the developm ent and implementation of corporate strategy which Google has adapted in regulated environment of China. It will also detailed out the linkages between the competition as well as regulation while at the same time discussing the same within the perspective of Porter analysis (five forces), Sun Tzu principles, organizational structure, industry segmentation structure, competition and value chain analysis. Competitive and Regulatory Environment of Google in China Google initially started as a search engine service offering internet searching services to the users without charging them anything. Initially, it competed against the search engine services of Yahoo Inc however, due to its superior design and technology; it soon surpassed all other search engine services and became the leading service provider in the world. Over the period of time, Google has diversified itself and started to offer other services like Google Maps, online video sharing service with the name of YouTube, social networking services with the name of Orkut besides offering other paid and free services. Google’s competitive strategy has remained focused on the growth achieved through constant acquisition of new and promising businesses. Over the period of time, Google has not only grew organically but it has also been able to make some strategic acquisitions which added variety to its services besides offering it an opportunity to compete on many fronts. Google is now also planning to launch its own operating system for PCs whereas its operating system for touch screen mobile phones and tablet PCs has already hit the market. In this segment of the market, Google is facing competition from Apple as well as Microsoft with both the companies having their own operating system for mobile platforms. Despite such diversification, Google still remains the most dominating player in the search engine services and has developed a virtual monopoly over this market. Google’s primary market w as US at the start of its services however, due to expansion of its services across the globe and very nature of internet services, Google has been subjected to different regulatory environments. In a competitive environment where competition is multi-faceted, it is critical for Google to comply with the regulatory requirements while at the same time, ensuring that it remains competitive against its major competitors. (Crofts, 2009) Since external environment affects an

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Family History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Family History - Essay Example I contacted our local church first to look for my Baptism details. There it was. The church had records of my Baptism before 18 years along with my parents name and grandparent’s name. Digging deeper, I found out my parents got married in the same Church where I was baptised, five years before my birth. Their marriage registration details gave me the name and address of my grandparents Jacob Schoff and Linda Schoff. My mother was the daughter of Claude Bourgeois and Michele Bourgeois. With the address I collected from the church I visited Pennsylvania where my father’s grand parents lived long ago. Getting in touch with the area Church, I was able to get the records of my grandfathers Baptism as a child, way back in 1922. I could also get details about their marriage and my great grandfather’s family. My father John Schoff was a business consultant who married my mother Ebenezer Bourgeois. My grandfather Jacob Schoff was a lawyer in New York. His father John Scho ff born in 1880 migrated from Pennsylvania to New York as he was a physician. Jacob Schoff, his father had eight children including 5 sons and 3 daughters. He was born and bought up in the Pennsylvanian plantations and lived as a farmer most part of his life. He took part in the American Civil War too. Two of his descendants still live in the plantation. They have a full record of family history starting from the very first ancestor who came to America from Germany way back in 1702. Jacob Schoff’s father Andreas Schoff who lived during the Californian Gold rush is said to be a writer and adventurer. It is said he stuck luck in the gold rush and bought the plantation in Pennsylvania with that money. The family lived in the plantations for three generations until my great grandfather John Schoff moved to New York. Andreas Schoff’s great grandfather migrated from Germany to England in search of a better future in the 17th century. He came to America in 1709 (Schoff Coat o f Arms and Name History, 2000). He moved to various places and finally settled in Virginia. His grand children fought for the Independence of America during the 1776 war. His descendants are called under various names like Schoff, Schaeffer and Schafer. I was quite proud to know that my family has such a long history and had contributed its share in every major event of this nation from the Independence struggle to the Civil war. Early day journals maintained by our great ancestor Andreas Schoff written in German, states how a handful of German’s were treated indifferently by the dominant French and British colonists. I have heard stories from my grandfather on how he was scrutinized for being a German descendant during the Second World War. My grandfather was not able to go higher in profession because of this discrimination. However, we live in better times now. Thanks to the endless efforts of generations of our family members who strived hard to give us an economically sa fe future in this century. My Mother’s History Exploring my mother’s side of family history, I found she is a mixture of Irish and French nationals who settled in the United States centuries back. Peter Bourgeois my mother’s great ancestor settled in Nova Scotia in 1761. Bourgeois were a class held in high esteem next to the Nobles in France (Bourgeois Family Crest and Name History, 2000). They came here to serve in the French army and settled in the US soil. His family slowly

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Endocrine Gland and Adrenaline Essay Example for Free

Endocrine Gland and Adrenaline Essay Adrenaline is a hormone that is produced in the adrenal medulla, which is in the inner adrenal gland. This gland sits atop the kidney. When put under stress this gland is stimulated by the nervous system and releases adrenaline into the blood stream. The release of adrenaline is a three step process. First, the hypothalamus produces hormones that stimulate the pituitary gland. Next, the pituitary gland then produces corticotropin hormones which are hormones that stimulate the adrenal glands that eventually produce adrenaline. In 1895, George Oliver and Edward Schafer discovered that that when the secretions of adrenal glands were extracted and injected into an experimental animal, they could raise blood pressure. The purification of this principle became a matter of interest, and in 1897, John Abel and Albert Crawford thought that they had succeeded when they purified a crystalline principle they named epinephrine. Adrenaline is used for many different purposes. It is used to control hemorrhages in surgery and to treat asthma and other allergies. According to the MSDS, excessive digestion of adrenaline is fatal. It can also be very irritant to eyes and can be absorbed through skin. Adrenaline can also be used to prevent cardiac arrest. Adrenaline can also be found in some nasal sprays to open up nasal passages. This has a short term effect. Adrenaline is helpful to survive in dangerous situations. If you were pinned down by a boulder, adrenaline would kick in and would help you to move the boulder off of you. This process is natural and you can find your way out of unhappy states. When you are put into a dangerous situation like that, your heart rate is elevated and your blood pressure is elevated. Adrenaline redirects blood to large muscle groups so that you are given more strength and stamina to get out of the dangerous situation.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels :: Swift Gulliver Satire Essays

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift’s, Gulliver’s Travels satirically relates bodily functions and physical attributes to social issues during England’s powerful rule of Europe. Throughout the story we find many relations between bodily features and British and European society. Swift uses this tone of mockery to explain to his reader the importance of many different topics during this time of European rule. Swift feels that the body and their functions relate to political as well as the ration of a society. Swift’s fascination with the body comes from its unproblematic undertone which gives his audience recognizable parallelism to many issues such as political change and scientific innovation. Gulliver’s first adventure takes place in Lilliput. Gulliver swims to a foreign shore after his boat and rowboat capsize due to a fierce storm. Washed upon the shore, Gulliver finds himself tied to the grass surrounded by little bodied people called the Lilliputians. The Lilliputians stood no more than six inches high. During this time Swift recognized that England was also a kind of six inch being that had great influence in Europe. Swift wrote Gulliver’s Travel’s during a time when Europe was the worlds most dominant and influential force. England, despite its small size, had the potential to defeat any nation that might try to conquer them. Swift relates this phenomenon to the small stature of the Lilliputians. They stood a mere six inches high but had the power to siege the mammoth Gulliver. The capability of a nation consisting of miniature people, who are able to capture someone ten-times their size can be seen as reinforcing the capability of a small natio n, such as England, becoming and remaining a great power. Even though this is true, Swift entices a condescending tone to Gulliver’s portrayal of the small Lilliputians, who easily fit into the hands of Gulliver, yet still manage to threaten his life. Even though the Lilliputians are piteously small in Gulliver’s eyes, they do not see themselves the same way. To themselves, the Lilliputians feel they are normal and Gulliver remains the outlandish giant. The unexpected infringement of giant Gulliver into the Lilliputians well-developed society reminds the European society, that size and strength are always relative, and there is no way for Europe to be certain that a Gulliver-like giant, might not arrive and conquer them at any moment. This encounter, between Gulliver and the Lilliputians would put Europe’s confidence in its power in jeopardy.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

English Traffic Light Curious Incident Essay

Mark Haddon uses Christopher’s explanation of his confusion to create sympathy for Christopher throughout the book. Christopher is a 15 year old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. Christopher is extremely intelligent when it comes to maths and science. However, in the common cases of communicating normally, he struggles. He rejects being touched, and when he has absorbed too much information, he can’t handle it; he crouches on the floor and groans. His life is not a normal one; he goes to a special school, has no one he talks to who is of the same age, follows a strict timetable and lives alone with his father. This thing that Haddon has included creates endless sympathy for Christopher. In Chapter 29, Christopher reveals and justifies why he hates metaphors. He thinks that metaphors ‘should be called a lie because a pig is not like a day and people do not have skeletons in their cupboards. ’ This is an example of how Christopher doesn’t think like other people. This makes you have sympathy for him because he doesn’t understand that metaphors are used for; making things more interesting, to make more sense of things by finding similarities. In addition, Christopher’s tone, narrative voice, also contributes to the sympathy for Christopher. The very easy and comprehensible language uses makes you understand how he thinks; ‘And then it started to rain and I got wet and I started shivering because I was cold. And then it was 11:32 p. m. and I heard voices of people walking along the street. ’ After each chapter in the book, which go up in prime numbers, with parts of the actual story, Christopher tends to babble on about memories, calculations and ideas, which sometimes can be slightly boring. Nonetheless; they show how Christopher thinks. This makes you feel sympathy for him because he clearly finds it difficult to focus on one thing; ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles is my favourite book. ’ And it shows that he can only understand maths and science because that’s mainly what he always talks about. Furthermore, the way Christopher expresses his love for his father is different from the usual hug; ‘He held up his right hand and spread his fingers out in a fan. I held up my left hand and spread my fingers out I a fan and we made our fingers and thumbs touch each other. We do this because sometimes Father wants to give me a hug, but I do not like hugging people, so we do this instead, and it means that he loves me. ’ This makes you feel sympathy for him because he can’t spread simple signs and messages to communicate love to people in the same way you’d expect or would find normal. Moreover, he has a strict routine timetable which is unlike others; (pg 192) To add to it, he finds it hard to distinguish between a smiling face and a crying one. (pg2)

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Discussion questions Essay

Do you think Kappmeyer should sign the proposal, and why? What pushed USS to stay with conventional technology? My recommendation based on analysis of the case and understanding the basic nature of disruptive technologies, and their impact on the general industry is that Kappmeyer should not sign the proposal. The main reason for that is USS is tying itself to an existing, but dying business model and technology. While this plan may make sense in the short-term, it does not have long-term sustainability. The market has already indicated that it is changing, adapting to minimills, and this trend would likely continue. As minimill technology becomes more sophisticated, their quality and other disadvantages would reduce and they would start competing with integrated manufacturing even in the high-end markets. Unfortunately for USS, there is no silver bullet. Since USS is already invested in the market, they will have to go through a difficult, and expensive, change, or they will end up perishing as the industry changes around them. USS current decided to stay with conventional continuous casting technology simply because they were looking at the shorter-term future, and was not willing to take the financial hit and risk associated with a new disruptive technology. Additionally, they were tying themselves to the requirements of the current customers, and ignoring potentially new users for the future. Did USS team get the right answer to the wrong question? What if, rather than whether USS should install CSP in Mon Valley, Kappmeyer has asked whether USS should invest in or participate in this technology? Would you have answered that question differently than you did when the problem was framed as Mon Valley issue? †¢ What should USS’s next technological move be? Should USS take another â€Å"long shot† to leapfrog ahead of Nucor? Or should it â€Å"get on the ground† neck-to-neck with Nucor, employing a viable commercial technology as soon as possible incrementally improving CSP? Readings †¢ Christensen (1995). Disruptive technologies: Catching the wave, HBR

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Articles of Confederation DBQ 2 essays

Articles of Confederation DBQ 2 essays The statement t h a t the Confederation provided the United States with an effective form of government during the Critical Period in American history is false. Although i t had one major accomplishment,the settling of the Northwest territory,the Confederation could not effectively deal with foreign policy,domestic policy,and enforce decisions. By citing examples during the Critical Period and by using several historical documents,this essay will show the ineffectiveness Secondly, the Spanish also refused to respect the American states while they bound by this loose confederation. During the period in American history, Spain closed off the mouth of the mississippi (sic) to the Americans and refused to budge or compromise on this matter. John Jays speech to Congress on the negotiations with Spains Don Diego de Gardoqui shows that the Spanish refused to allow the Us to navigate the mississippi (sic). It also illustrates Spains lack of respect for American negotiators because this Treaty was never signed. As Gardoqui alluded to in Jays speech, the states were too divided on issues in the west to sign the treaty. As a result, the vote needed was never acquired to ratify the treaty. The Articles were a laughing stock to the As a result of inability to effectively negotiate foreign policy,maintain and establish domestic policy,and enforce decisions,the central government under the Articles of confederation did not provide America with an effective government between 1781 and 1789. The documents and events of the period illustrate this ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

A Definition of Speech Community in Sociolinguistics

A Definition of Speech Community in Sociolinguistics Speech community is a term in sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology used to describe a group of people who share the same language,  speech  characteristics, and ways of interpreting communication. Speech communities may be large regions like an urban area with a common, distinct accent (think of Boston with its dropped rs) or small units like families and friends (think of a nickname for a sibling). They help people define themselves as individuals and community members and identify (or misidentify) others. Speech and Identity The concept of speech as a means of identifying with a community first emerged in 1960s  academia alongside other new fields of research like ethnic and gender studies. Linguists like John Gumperz pioneered research in how personal interaction can influence ways of speaking and interpreting, while Noam Chomsky studied how people interpret language and derive meaning from what they see and hear. Types of Communities Speech communities can be large or small, although linguists dont agree on how theyre defined. Some, like linguist  Muriel Saville-Troike, argue that its logical to assume that a shared language like English, which is spoken throughout the world, is a speech community.  But she differentiates between hard-shelled communities, which tend to be insular and intimate, like a family or religious sect, and soft-shelled communities where there is a lot of interaction. But other linguists say a common language is too vague to be considered a true speech community. The linguistic anthropologist  Zdenek Salzmann describes it this way: [P]eople who speak the same language are not always members of the same  speech community. On the one hand, speakers of South Asian English in India and Pakistan share a language with citizens of the U.S., but the respective varieties of English and the rules for speaking them are sufficiently distinct to assign the two populations to different speech communities... Instead, Salzman and others say, speech communities should be more narrowly defined based on characteristics such as pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and manner of speaking. Study and Research The concept of speech community plays a role in a number of social science, namely sociology, anthropology, linguists, even psychology. People who study issues of migration and ethnic identity use social community theory to study things like how immigrants assimilate into larger societies, for instance. Academics who focus on racial, ethnic, sexual​ or gender issues apply social community theory when they study issues of personal identity and politics. It also plays a role in data collection. By being aware of how communities are defined, researchers can adjust their subject pools in order to obtain representative sample populations. Sources Morgan,  Marcyliena H. What Are Speech Communities? Cambridge University Press, 2014.Salzmann,  Zdenek. Language, Culture, and Society: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology. Westview, 2004Saville-Troike, Muriel. The Ethnography of Communication: An Introduction, 3rd ed. Blackwell, 2003.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Power Tactics and Sources of Power Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Power Tactics and Sources of Power - Assignment Example Charles was trained to take over from the father since childhood, and he portrayed traits of a great Chief Executive. The training through life involved strict and sometimes harsh treatment from his father that hardened him. Their mother, Mary somewhat protected Bill and David, who were twins. David was athletic and competitive and grew up to be the perfect business partner for Charles. Bill, on the other hand, was the jealous type, always picking fights with David since childhood and often losing. He grew up to be a threat to Charles’s peace, taking Koch industries through strenuous legal proceedings. The brothers owned percentages of Koch industries, each with his shares (Schulman, 2014). Both Charles and Bill Koch had power in Koch Industries. Charles’ sources of power included reward power whereby he was handed the mantle of CEO by his father having been trained since childhood. The father had earlier lost hope in his eldest son Frederick, who was mostly involved in art and theater. Charles also had legitimate power in Koch Industries being the legal CEO. Therefore, he was in charge of many key decisions made within the company and also directed management of funds regardless of how happy or angry others would be with the cash distribution. Charles was well educated in terms of business and market and therefore had expert power which saw him, together with the help of other business partners, grow Koch Industries. Bill’s sources of power included the coercive power that he gained by threatening Charles to make Koch Industries public if he did not meet his demands. These threats were tabled to Charles in writing and got him shaken for some time. Bill always wanted liquidity of assets so that he could benefit from the riches he only had in paper. He even tried to convince Frederick, who had lesser shares in the company to join his course. Bill also had legitimate power in that he owned slightly over twenty

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Albert Hourani and Ibn Khaldoun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Albert Hourani and Ibn Khaldoun - Essay Example Hourani, in his book, presents his political views while he traces the emergence of Islam, which was born into a pagan area influenced by Christianity and Judaism, where the great powers exercised no direct control that is a breeding ground in both the political and religious. A new political order, headed by a new elite, following the Arab tribes of Mecca, went up between the two empires. The precise role that Mohammed has played in these events is uncertain because the history of his time was reconstituted in writing nearly a century after his death. These biographies tell of events concerning his life, his revelation and his action may not have been fabricated. Muhammad began to communicate his message, announcing the end of the world, the arrival of Reckoning, asking to submit to the Will of Allah, the Arabic word for the God of monotheism. His relations with other tribes deteriorated so quickly that he left Mecca for Medina in the Hijra, the Hijra, which marks the beginning of t he Muslim era. In Medina, Muhammad gathered an increased number of supporters and fought to Quraysh. For Ibn Khaldoun, morality matters in the relationship between the individual and the state to the extent that any resolutions or acts taken by the ruler should be evaluated by the moral principles of the society. As one of the great political thinkers and anthropologists, he was greatly affected by the Islamic traditions that values morality above one’s own interests.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Kodak marketing 26-28' Digital photo frames Essay

Kodak marketing 26-28' Digital photo frames - Essay Example The tools employed will be the SWOT analysis, Pestels analysis and the five forces model. The analysis will lead to the discovery of marketing problems which will be solved using finding a new target market and proper positioning in that market. The paper will conclude with a market research plan to evaluate the success of the new market. This will be done for the 20-26 inch digital photo frames. Company background EastMan Kodak is a company which started in Newyork in the year 1880. The company presented the first camera in the hands of consumers in the year 1888 with the slogan "you press the button, we do the rest". Therefore the main aim of the company was to make photography as convenient as a pencil. (Kodak) The company was largely successful in doing so and developed different products for different market segments. The company currently operates in four segments which are photography, commercial imaging, health imaging and components. Its expertise lies in both types of imagi ng: traditional and digital, and it provides products, services and solutions for its customers in these arenas. Kodak tries to outperform its competitors in both digital technology and traditional forms of photography and realizes the threat which development of digital imaging presents to manufacturers and developers of 35mm. Thus its ultimate goal should be to become a market leader in digital imaging as it was in film based photography previously and to present such products in traditional imaging which are better than traditional products. The success of Eastman Kodak was due to an amalgamation of its inventive and marketing genius and more efforts like this are needed to regenerate this photography icon. The marketing expertise which made Kodak a household name was its catchy slogan along with the differential product mix which the company offered. By the end of the twentieth century Kodak had developed markets in France, Germany, Mexico, Brazil and the United Kingdom and its products were marketed by subsidiary companies in more than 150 countries. Kodak had virtually no competitors from its inception till the arrival of Fuji which was followed by Polaroid. The advent of new competitors coupled with the fact that the photographic film was becoming a less popular way of photography led to the company facing problems. By 2005, the company's share price had fallen considerably and the demand for its cameras and film rolls had also decreased considerably. The analog businesses were sliding irreversibly and Kodak tried becoming the digital forerunner. It closed its paper and printing plants, laid off jobs and went on a $3 billion shopping spree to gain technological expertise and resources for new product developments. (Eastman Kodak post 3Q profit) With the development of new products and the advent of new technology, new markets will have to be found and the products are to be rightfully targeted to those markets. Since the introduction of digital photo fr ames, the need for printing and processing a digital photo has been reduced as the image can be directly views. The proposed product is new as it is very large in size thus replacing the frames displayed in family houses. Audit Pest analysis Political environment The photography and imaging market faces a few challenges in the legal arena namely patent infringement issues and privacy issues. With high research budget and development it is very much possible that Kodak might use some other company's technology or its new technology might be used by its competitors leading to patent

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Role of Derivatives on Financial Products

Role of Derivatives on Financial Products Title: Derivatives are now a well established part of every financial institutions financially engineered products. Discuss, in depth, the role that derivatives are playing in financial products/portfolios and the risks that they remove (and create) Introduction Past three decades have witnessed an expansion in global trade and continuing technological developments. This has resulted in an increase in market volatility and enlargement of business and financial risks and has led to an increase in demand for risk management products. The types of risks faced by corporations today have not changed; rather, they have become more complex and interrelated. The increase in demand for risk management products and the complexity of risks is reflected in the growth of spectrum of financial contracts called derivatives. Derivatives are now a well established part of every financial institution’s financially engineered products. Derivatives have become an integral part of the financial markets because they can serve several economic functions. Though there has been an incredible growth in the derivative market, there has also been an increase in reports of major losses associated with derivative products. For example, derivatives led to a collapse of Barings Bank (the Queen of England’s primary bank), bankruptcy of Orange County California and also had a role in the fall of Enron. All this has resulted in a great deal of confusion about effectiveness of derivatives in risk management. What are Derivatives? Derivatives are complex instruments that have become increasingly important to the overall risk profile and profitability of organisations throughout the world. Broadly defined, derivatives are contracts that primarily derive their value from the performance of underlying assets. Derivatives contracts are entered into throughout the world on organised exchanges and through over-the-counter (OTC) arrangements. Types of Derivatives Derivatives come in various shapes and forms such as futures1, forwards2, swaps3, options4, structured debt obligations and deposits, and various combinations thereof. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1Futures are contracts to buy or sell specific quantities of a commodity or financial instrument at a specified price at a specified time in the future. 2A forward contract obligates one party to buy the underlying at a fixed price at a certain future date from a counterparty, who is obligated to sell the underlying at that fixed price. (Source: Demystifying Financial derivatives, Rene A Stulz) 3A swap is a contract to exchange cash flows over a specific period. 4An option can be a call option or a put option. A call option on a stock gives its holder the right to buy a fixed number of shares at a given price by some future date, while a put option gives its holder the right to sell a fixed number of shares on the same terms. Benefits of Derivatives Derivatives are put to three key uses: Hedging by entering into derivatives transactions for offsetting existing risks. The existing risks could be an investment portfolio, price changes of a commodity or perhaps investments in a foreign country. Derivatives make it possible to hedge risks that otherwise would be not be possible to hedge. Speculating through hedge funds to generate profits with only a insignificant investment, essentially by putting money on the movement of an asset. Exploiting Arbitrage opportunities throughout the world markets. Thus, risk management is one of the primary purposes of derivatives. Role of Derivatives in Risk Management As indicated above, derivatives are important tools that can help organisations meet their specific risk-management objectives. Derivatives allow organisations to break up their risks and distribute them around the financial system through secondary markets. Thus, derivatives help organisations in risk management. Risk management is not about the removal of risk but is about its management. An organisation can manage its risks by selectively choosing those risks it is comfortable with and minimising those that it does not want. Through derivatives, risks from traditional instruments can be effectively unpackaged and managed independently. If managed properly derivatives can help businesses save costs and increase returns. In addition, derivatives make underlying markets more efficient. Derivative markets produce information which at time is the only reliable information available to base critical business decisions on. For example, reliable information about long-term interest rates can be obtained from swaps, because the swap market may be more liquid and more active than the bond market. Using Derivatives Many organisations use derivatives conservatively to counterbalance risks from fluctuating currency and interest rates. Individuals and firms use derivatives to achieve payoffs that they would not be able to achieve without derivatives, or could only achieve at greater cost. Derivatives are used by both financial and non-financial institutions and organisations. Financial organisations use derivatives both as risk management tools and also as a source of revenue. From a risk management perspective, derivatives allow financial institutions to identify, segregate and manage separately the market risks in financial instruments and commodities. Cautious use of derivatives provides managers with effective risk reducing opportunities through hedging. Derivatives may also be used to reduce financing costs and to increase the yield of certain assets. In addition, derivatives are a direct source of revenue through market-making functions, position taking and risk arbitrage to most of the financial organizations (source: http://www.bis.org/publ/bcbsc211.pdf). Derivatives are used by non-financial organisations for hedging and for minimising earnings volatility. For example, derivatives are used to hedgeinterest-rate risks. If the company strongly believes that interest rates will drop between now and a future date, it could purchase a futures contract. By doing so, the company is effectively locking in the future interest rate. Similarly, companies that depend heavily on raw-material inputs or commodities are sensitive, sometimes significantly, to the price change of the inputs. For example, most airlines use derivatives for hedging against crude-oil price. Some firms use derivatives to reduce tax liability and at times to speculate. Risks Associated with Derivatives Although derivatives are legitimate and valuable tools for hedging risks, like all financial instruments they create risks that must be managed. Warren Buffett, one of the worlds most wise investors, states that â€Å"derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction, carrying dangers that, while now latent, are potentially lethal.† (Source: Gabriel Kolko, Weapons of Mass Financial Destruction) On one hand derivatives neutralise risks while on the other hand they create risks. In fact there are certain risks inherent in derivatives. Derivatives can be dangerous if not managed properly. Numerous financial disasters such as Enron can be related to the mismanagement of derivatives. In the 1990s, Procter Gamble lost $157 million in a currency speculation involving dollars and German Marks, Gibson Greetings lost $20 million and Long-Term Capital Management, a hedge fund, lost $4 billion with currency and interest-rate derivatives (Source: Ludger Hentschel and Clifford W. Smith, Jr., Risks in Derivative Markets) . It is key to consider that it has not been the use of derivatives as a tool which has led to the downfall of these companies but the misuse of such instruments. The kinds of risks associated with derivatives are no different from those associated with traditional financial instruments, although they can be far more complex. Different derivatives have different risk profiles. For some derivatives though the risk may be limited, the profit potential may be unlimited. For example, the risk of loss with a derivative contract which grants a right to buy a particular asset at a particular price is limited to the amount paid to hold that right. However, profit potential is unlimited. On the other hand there are certain other derivatives that exhibit risk characteristics in which while potential gain is limited, the losses associated with the derivative is unlimited. For example, a derivative contract which grants the right to buy a particular asset at a particular price may have the associated potential profit limited to the amount received for giving that right, but because the asset has to be delivered to the counterparty at expiry of the contrac t, the potential loss may be unlimited. Most of the risk of derivatives is due to the complexity of the structure of the derivative instruments. Apart from the structure of the instrument itself, the source of a lot of the risk associated with derivative contracts arises from the fact that they are leveraged contracts. Derivative products are ‘leveraged’ because only a proportion of their total market exposure needs to be paid to open and maintain a position. Thus, the market exposure with derivative contracts can be several times the cash placed on deposit as margin for the trade, or paid in the form of a premium. Derivative contracts also have the ability to create artificial wealth and this creates additional risk. The artificial wealth skews the values of underlying assets considerably. Fundamentally, risks from derivatives originate with the customer and are a function of the timing and variability of cash flows. Types of Risks Associated with Derivatives In general, the risks associated with derivatives can be classified as credit risk, market risk, price risk, liquidity risk, operations risk, legal or compliance risk, foreign exchange rate risk, interest rate risk, and transaction risk. These categories are not mutually exclusive. Credit risk Derivatives are subject to credit risk or the risk to earnings or capital due to obligor’s failure to meet the terms of a contract. Credit risk arises from all activities that can only be accomplished on counterparty, issuer, or borrower’s performance. Credit risk in derivative products comes in the form of pre-settlement risk and settlement risk. Derivatives are exposed to pre-settlement credit risk or loss due to failure to pay on a contract during the life of a transaction by the counterparty. This credit risk exposure consists of both the replacement cost of the derivative transaction or its market value and an estimate of the future replacement cost of the derivative. Even out-of-the-money derivative contracts have potential pre-settlement credit risk. Derivatives are also subject to settlement risk or loss exposure arising when an organisation meets its obligation under a contract before the counterparty meets its obligation. Settlement risk generally exists for one to two days from the time an outgoing payment instruction can no longer be cancelled unilaterally until the time the final incoming payment is received and reconciled. This risk is due to the fact that it is almost impractical to arrange simultaneous payment and delivery in the ordinary course of business. In the case of international transactions settlement risk may arise because of time zone differences. This risk is usually greater than pre-settlement risk on any given transaction. Market risk Derivatives are also subject to market risk Market risk or risk due to unfavorable movements in the level or volatility of market prices. Market risk results from exposures to changes in the price of the underlying cash instrument and to changes in interest rates. Though market risk can be created or hedged by derivatives such as future or swap in a clear-cut manner, it is not so simple in the case of options. This is because the value of an option is also affected by other factors, including the volatility of the price of the underlying instrument and the passage of time. In addition, all trading activities are affected by market liquidity and by local or world political and economic events. Price Risk Price risk is an extension of the market risk. Price risk is the risk to earnings or capital arising from changes in the value of portfolios of financial instruments. The degree of price risk of derivatives depends on the price sensitivity of the derivative instrument and the time it takes to liquidate or offset the position. Price sensitivity is generally greater for instruments with leverage, longer maturities, or option features. Price Risk can result from adverse change in equity prices or commodity prices or basis risk. The exposure from an adverse change in equity prices can be either systematic or unsystematic risk. As equity markets can be more volatile than other financial markets equity derivatives can experience larger price fluctuations than other derivatives. Commodity derivatives usually expose an institution to higher levels of price risk because of the price volatility associated with uncertainties about supply and demand and the concentration of market participants in the underlying cash markets. Price risk may take the form of basis risk or the risk that the correlation between two prices may change. Liquidity risk All organisations involved in derivatives face liquidity risks. Liquidity risk is the risk to earnings or capital from an organisation’s inability to meet its obligations when they are due, without incurring unacceptable losses. This risk includes the inability to manage unplanned decreases or changes in funding sources. An organisation involved in derivatives faces two types of liquidity risk in its derivatives activities: one related to specific products or markets or market liquidity risk and the other related to the general funding of the institution’s derivatives activities or funding risk. Market Liquidity Risk Market liquidity risk is the risk that an organisation may not be able to exit or offset positions easily at a reasonable price at or near the previous market price because of inadequate market depth or because of disruptions in the marketplace. In dealer markets, market depth is indicated by the size of the bid/ask spread that the financial instrument provides. Similarly, market disruptions may be created by a sudden and extreme imbalance in the supply and demand for products. Market liquidity risk may also result from the difficulties faced by the organisation in accessing markets because of its own or counterparty’s real or perceived credit or reputation problems. In addition, this risk also involves the odds that large derivative transactions may have a significant effect on the transaction price. Funding Liquidity Risk Funding liquidity risk is the possibility that the organisation may be unable to meet funding requirements at a reasonable cost. Such funding requirements arise each day from cash flow mismatches in swap books, the exercise of options, and the implementation of dynamic hedging strategies. The rapid growth of derivatives in recent years has focused increasing attention on the cash flow impact of such instruments. Operations risk Like other financial instruments, derivatives are also subject to operations risk or risks due to deficiencies in information systems or internal controls. The risk is associated with human error, system failures and inadequate procedures and controls. In the case of certain derivatives, operations risk may get aggravated due to complexity of derivative transactions, payment structures and calculation of their values. . Legal or compliance risk Derivative transactions face risk to earnings or capital due to violations, or nonconformance with laws, rules, regulations, prescribed practices, or ethical standards. The risk also arises when the laws or rules governing certain derivative instruments may be ambiguous. Compliance risk exposes an organisation involved in derivatives to fines, civil money penalties, payment of damages, and the voiding of contracts. Besides, legal and compliance risk may adversely affect reputation, business opportunities and expansion potential of the organisation. Foreign Exchange Rates Risk Derivatives traded in the international markets are also exposed to risk of adverse changes in foreign exchange rates. Foreign exchange rates are very volatile. Foreign exchange risk is also known as translation risk. Foreign exchange rates risk in derivatives is the risk to earnings arising from movement of foreign exchange rates. This risk is a function of spot foreign exchange rates and domestic and foreign interest rates. It arises from holding foreign-currency-denominated derivatives such as structured notes, synthetic investments, structured deposits, and off-balance-sheet derivatives used to hedge accrual exposures. Interest Rate Risk Interest rate risk is the risk to earnings or capital arising from movements in interest rates. The magnitude of interest rate risk faced by derivatives from an adverse change in interest rates depends on the sensitivity of the derivative to changes in interest rates as well as the absolute change in interest rates. The evaluation of interest rate risk must consider the impact of complex illiquid hedging strategies or products, and also the potential impact on fee income that is sensitive to changes in interest rates. When trading is separately managed, this impact is on structural positions rather than trading portfolios. Financial organisations are exposed to interest rate risk through their structural balance sheet positions. Transaction risk Another risk associated with derivatives is transaction risk. In fact transaction risk exists in all products and services. Transaction risk is the risk to earnings or capital arising from problems with service or product delivery. This risk is a function of internal controls, information systems, employee integrity, and operating processes. Derivative activities can pose challenging operational risks because of their complexity and continual evolution. Thus, derivatives are subject to various technical risks. The problems surrounding the use of derivatives in recent years have primarily been due to difficulty in understanding these risks and thus using appropriate derivatives for risk management purposes. Derivative use is sometimes misunderstood because, depending on the terms of derivative it may be used to increase, modify, or decrease risk. In addition to the technical risks highlighted herein, there may also be a fundamental risk that the use of these products may be inconsistent with entity-wide objectives. Conclusion Derivatives will continue to be an important business tool for managing an organisation’s risk management. In fact the significance of derivatives is expected to increase with the development of new derivative products that refine and improve the ability to achieve risk management and other objectives. However, it is important that organisation’s using derivatives for risk management completely understand the nature and risks of derivatives. This requires effective control is critical to any well-managed derivative operation. References: Aristotle, Politics, trans. Benjamin Jowett, vol. 2, The Great Books of the Western World, ed. Robert Maynard Hutchins (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1952), book 1, chap. 11, p. 453. Bodie, Cane and Marcus (2005), Investments (6th Edition), McGraw Hill. Bodie, Cane and Marcus (2005), Investments (6th Edition), www. highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072861789/student_view0 [Accessed 30 December 2006] Corporate Use of Derivatives for Hedging http://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/04/122204.asp [Accessed 30 December 2006] Frank A. Sortino Stephen E. Satchell, Managing downside risk in financial markets: Theory, Practice and Implementation Gabriel Kolko, Weapons of Mass Financial Destruction, http://mondediplo.com/2006/10/02finance [Accessed 31 December 2006] Internal Control Issues in Derivatives Usage www.coso.org/publications/executive_summary_derivatives_usage.htm [Accessed 31 December, 2006] Kenneth A. Froot, David S. Scharfstein, and Jeremy C. Stein, A Framework for Risk Management, Harvard Business Review, November-December 1994, pp. 91-102. Ludger Hentschel and Clifford W. Smith, Jr., Risks in Derivative Markets, http://fic.wharton.upenn.edu/fic/papers/96/9624.pdf [Accessed 30 December 2006] Market Risk Derivatives, Hedge Funds Challenge Financial Regulators, http://www.ieca.net/news/story.cfm?id=13754 [Accessed 30 December 2006] Rene A Stulz, Demystifying Financial Derivatives, www.cornerstone.com/pdfs/Cornerstone_Research_Demystifying_Financial_Derivatives.pdf Risk Management Guidelines for Derivatives, http://www.bis.org/publ/bcbsc211.pdf [Accessed 31 December 2006] Thomas F. Siems, Financial Derivatives: Are New Regulations Warranted? Financial Industry Studies, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, August 1994, pp. 1-13. Thomas F. Siems, Derivatives: In the Wake of Disaster, Financial Industry Issues, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (1995): 2-3 Brief 191916Page 1 of 9

Friday, October 25, 2019

Gender-Neutral English Language Essays -- Papers

Gender-Neutral English Language The English language has evolved through history in a male-centered, patriarchal society. The male orientation of English carries two complementary implications: being male is normative and natural; and therefore, not being male is abnormal and unnatural. The shifting of our language from masculine to gender-neutral may be awkward at first, and our children may wonder what all the fuss was about. The English language is always changing and the future will hold a gender-neutral language. Throughout the history of the United States, men have been the dominant sex. Men have not only been the documenters of the English language, but also the creators. â€Å"Men, especially those with class and race privilege, remain the chief gatekeepers of language: the editors, publishers, rhetoricians, dictionary-makers, broadcasters, high-status educators†(Henley, 1983). The inequalities in the use of language are numerous. â€Å"The grammars of the seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries give evidence that indicates that most of the names in English are used for exclusive masculine reference (Kramarae, 1981). Some argue that language shapes the attitudes and beliefs of a society, â€Å"the language has worked with remarkable success in making it possible for man to perpetuate himself as master, to foster the illusion that women are dependent, and in fact, to subjugate women. Male dominance in language may not only reflect but also be involved in the perpetuation of cultural male dominance† (Caldie, 1981). However, some say that language is a reflection of the values of a society it would be simple to blame men for the bias in the English language. The word â€Å"man† was once interrupt... ...s of American, Inc. Graddol, D., Swann, J. (1989). Gender Voices. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Newberry House Publishers, Inc. Grudem, Wayne (1997, October 27). Do Inclusive Language Bibles Distort Scripture? Yes. Christianity Today. p. 27. Heatherington, Madelon E. (1980). How Language Works. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Winthrop Publishers, Inc. Henley, N., Kramarae, C., & Thorne, B. (1983). Language, Gender and Society. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Newbury House Publishers, Inc. Jacobson, Carolyn. (1995) Non-Sexist Language. [On-Line] Available: http://www.stetson.edu./departments/history/nongenderlang.html [1995] Kramarae, C. (1981). Women and Men Speaking. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Newbury House Publishers, Inc. Stackhouse, John G. Jr. (1999, November 15). The Battle for Inclusive Bible. Christianity Today, p.38. The Bible

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Digital Fortress Chapter 11

Spain. I sent David to Spain. The commander's words stung. â€Å"David's in Spain?† Susan was incredulous. â€Å"You sent him to Spain?† Her tone turned angry. â€Å"Why?† Strathmore looked dumbfounded. He was apparently not accustomed to being yelled at, even by his head cryptographer. He gave Susan a confused look. She was flexed like a mother tiger defending her cub. â€Å"Susan,† he said. â€Å"You spoke to him, didn't you? David did explain?† She was too shocked to speak. Spain? That's why David postponed our Stone Manor trip? â€Å"I sent a car for him this morning. He said he was going to call you before he left. I'm sorry. I thought-â€Å" â€Å"Why would you send David to Spain?† Strathmore paused and gave her an obvious look. â€Å"To get the other pass-key.† â€Å"What other pass-key?† â€Å"Tankado's copy.† Susan was lost. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Strathmore sighed. â€Å"Tankado surely would have had a copy of the pass-key on him when he died. I sure as hell didn't want it floating around the Seville morgue.† â€Å"So you sent David Becker?† Susan was beyond shock. Nothing was making sense. â€Å"David doesn't even work for you!† Strathmore looked startled. No one ever spoke to the deputy director of the NSA that way. â€Å"Susan,† he said, keeping his cool, â€Å"that's the point. I needed-â€Å" The tiger lashed out. â€Å"You've got twenty thousand employees at your command! What gives you the right to send my fiance?† â€Å"I needed a civilian courier, someone totally removed from government. If I went through regular channels and someone caught wind-â€Å" â€Å"And David Becker is the only civilian you know?† â€Å"No! David Becker is not the only civilian I know! But at six this morning, things were happening quickly! David speaks the language, he's smart, I trust him, and I thought I'd do him a favor!† â€Å"A favor?† Susan sputtered. â€Å"Sending him to Spain is a favor?† â€Å"Yes! I'm paying him ten thousand for one day's work. He'll pick up Tankado's belongings, and he'll fly home. That's a favor!† Susan fell silent. She understood. It was all about money. Her thoughts wheeled back five months to the night the president of Georgetown University had offered David a promotion to the language department chair. The president had warned him that his teaching hours would be cut back and that there would be increased paperwork, but there was also a substantial raise in salary. Susan had wanted to cry out David, don't do it! You'll be miserable. We have plenty of money-who cares which one of us earns it? But it was not her place. In the end, she stood by his decision to accept. As they fell asleep that night, Susan tried to be happy for him, but something inside kept telling her it would be a disaster. She'd been right-but she'd never counted on being so right. â€Å"You paid him ten thousand dollars?† she demanded. â€Å"That's a dirty trick!† Strathmore was fuming now. â€Å"Trick? It wasn't any goddamn trick! I didn't even tell him about the money. I asked him as a personal favor. He agreed to go.† â€Å"Of course he agreed! You're my boss! You're the deputy director of the NSA! He couldn't say no!† â€Å"You're right,† Strathmore snapped. â€Å"Which is why I called him. I didn't have the luxury of-â€Å" â€Å"Does the director know you sent a civilian?† â€Å"Susan,† Strathmore said, his patience obviously wearing thin, â€Å"the director is not involved. He knows nothing about this.† Susan stared at Strathmore in disbelief. It was as if she no longer knew the man she was talking to. He had sent her fiance-a teacher-on an NSA mission and then failed to notify the director about the biggest crisis in the history of the organization. â€Å"Leland Fontaine hasn't been notified?† Strathmore had reached the end of his rope. He exploded. â€Å"Susan, now listen here! I called you in here because I need an ally, not an inquiry! I've had one hell of morning. I downloaded Tankado's file last night and sat here by the output printer for hours praying TRANSLTR could break it. At dawn I swallowed my pride and dialed the director-and let me tell you, that was a conversation I was really looking forward to. Good morning, sir. I'm sorry to wake you. Why am I calling? I just found out TRANSLTR is obsolete. It's because of an algorithm my entire top-dollar Crypto team couldn't come close to writing!† Strathmore slammed his fist on the desk. Susan stood frozen. She didn't make a sound. In ten years, she had seen Strathmore lose his cool only a handful of times, and never once with her. Ten seconds later neither one of them had spoken. Finally Strathmore sat back down, and Susan could hear his breathing slowing to normal. When he finally spoke, his voice was eerily calm and controlled. â€Å"Unfortunately,† Strathmore said quietly, â€Å"it turns out the director is in South America meeting with the President of Colombia. Because there's absolutely nothing he could do from down there, I had two options-request he cut his meeting short and return, or handle this myself.† There was along silence. Strathmore finally looked up, and his tired eyes met Susan's. His expression softened immediately. â€Å"Susan, I'm sorry. I'm exhausted. This is a nightmare come true. I know you're upset about David. I didn't mean for you to find out this way. I thought you knew.† Susan felt a wave of guilt. â€Å"I overreacted. I'm sorry. David is a good choice.† Strathmore nodded absently. â€Å"He'll be back tonight.† Susan thought about everything the commander was going through-the pressure of overseeing TRANSLTR, the endless hours and meetings. It was rumored his wife of thirty years was leaving him. Then on top of it, there was Digital Fortress-the biggest intelligence threat in the history of the NSA, and the poor guy was flying solo. No wonder he looked about to crack. â€Å"Considering the circumstances,† Susan said, â€Å"I think you should probably call the director.† Strathmore shook his head, a bead of sweat dripping on his desk. â€Å"I'm not about to compromise the director's safety or risk a leak by contacting him about a major crisis he can do nothing about.† Susan knew he was right. Even in moments like these, Strathmore was clear-headed. â€Å"Have you considered calling the President?† Strathmore nodded. â€Å"Yes. I've decided against it.† Susan had figured as much. Senior NSA officials had the right to handle verifiable intelligence emergencies without executive knowledge. The NSA was the only U.S. intelligence organization that enjoyed total immunity from federal accountability of any sort. Strathmore often availed himself of this right; he preferred to work his magic in isolation. â€Å"Commander,† she argued, â€Å"this is too big to be handled alone. You've got to let somebody else in on it.† â€Å"Susan, the existence of Digital Fortress has major implications for the future of this organization. I have no intention of informing the President behind the director's back. We have a crisis, and I'm handling it.† He eyed her thoughtfully. â€Å"I am the deputy director of operations.† A weary smile crept across his face. â€Å"And besides, I'm not alone. I've got Susan Fletcher on my team.† In that instant, Susan realized what she respected so much about Trevor Strathmore. For ten years, through thick and thin, he had always led the way for her. Steadfast. Unwavering. It was his dedication that amazed her-his unshakable allegiance to his principles, his country, and his ideals. Come what may, Commander Trevor Strathmore was a guiding light in a world of impossible decisions. â€Å"You are on my team, aren't you?† he asked. Susan smiled. â€Å"Yes, sir, I am. One hundred percent.† â€Å"Good. Now can we get back to work?†