The Life of Selena Essay Example For Students

The Life of Selena Essay The Life of SelenaSelena was born in 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas. She was also raised and went to school in Lake Jackson, Texas. By the year 1975, Selena had begun to sing, and with the help of her father she formed her own band. They were called â€Å"Selena Y Los Dinos†. During that time of year, Selena Y Los Dinos made their first recording. Selena had no time for dating because of all of her tours. However, she fell in love with the guitarist from her band. His name is Christopher Perez. In 1992, Selena and Christopher got married. Selena became a very famous singer. In 1993, she held her first Mexican Press Conference in Monterrey Mexico. During the year 1993, she also had her own line of clothing and she opened her own clothing store by the name of â€Å"Selena etc. Boutique†. Selena became so famous that in the year 1994 she received a Double Platinum award for her album â€Å"Selena Live†, and she also received a Quadruple Platinum award for her album â⠂¬Å"Amor Prohibido†. â€Å"Amor Prohibido† reached the #1 song on the Billboard Latin Chart. Also in the year 1994, â€Å"Selena Live† won a Grammy for the Best Mexican-American Album. We will write a custom essay on The Life of Selena specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Selena had a record-braking crowd of more than 61,000 fans when she performed at the Houston Astrodome in the year 1995. During that year, she also recorded her crossover album â€Å"Dreaming of You†.After so much success in her life at such an early age, Selena was shot and killed by her own associate Yolanda Saldivar on March 31, 1995.

Forensic Linguistics Definition and Examples

Forensic Linguistics Definition and Examples The application of linguistic research and methods to the law, including evaluation of written evidence and the language of legislation. The term forensic linguistics was coined in 1968 by linguistics professor Jan Svartvik. Example: The pioneer of forensic linguistics is widely considered to be Roger Shuy, a retired Georgetown University professor and the author of such fundamental textbooks as [Creating] Language Crimes. The field’s more recent origins might be traced to an airplane flight in 1979, when Shuy found himself talking to the lawyer sitting next to him. By the end of the flight, Shuy had a recommendation as an expert witness in his first murder case. Since then, he’s been involved in numerous cases in which forensic analysis revealed how meaning had been distorted by the process of writing or recording. In recent years, following Shuy’s lead, a growing number of linguists have applied their techniques in regular criminal cases . . ..(Jack Hitt, Words on Trial. The New Yorker, July 23, 2012) Applications of Forensic Linguistics Applications of forensic linguistics include voice identification, interpretation of expressed meaning in laws and legal writings, analysis of discourse in legal settings, interpretation of intended meaning in oral and written statements (e.g., confessions), authorship identification, the language of the law (e.g., plain language), analysis of courtroom language used by trial participants (i.e., judges, lawyers, and witnesses), trademark law, and interpretation and translation when more than one language must be used in a legal context. (Gerald R. McMenamin, Forensic Linguistics: Advances in Forensic Stylistics. CRC Press, 2002)On some occasions the linguist is asked to provide investigative assistance or expert evidence for use in Court. Within the linguistics literature there has been considerable focus on the rules for admission of authorship identification evidence to criminal prosecutions, but the role of the linguist in providing evidence is broader than this. Much of the evide nce provided by linguists does not involve authorship identification, and the assistance a linguist may offer is not restricted to only providing evidence for criminal prosecution. Investigative linguists can be considered that portion of forensic linguistics which provides advice and opinions for investigative and evidential purposes. (Malcolm Coulhard, Tim Grant, and Krzystof Kredens, Forensic Linguistics. The SAGE Handbook of Sociolinguistics, ed. by Ruth Wodak, Barbara Johnstone, and Paul Kerswill. SAGE, 2011) Problems Facing Forensic Linguists [There are] certain problems facing an insider forensic linguist. Eight such problems are: 1. short time limits imposed by a law case, as opposed to the more familiar time limits enjoyed in everyday academic pursuits;2. an audience almost totally unfamiliar with our field;3. restrictions on what we can say and when we can say it;4. restrictions on what we can write;5. restrictions on how to write;6. the need to represent complex technical knowledge in ways that can be understood by people who know nothing of our field while maintaining our role as experts who have deep knowledge of these complex technical ideas;7. constant changes or jurisdictional differences in the field of law itself; and8. maintaining an objective, non-advocacy stance in a field in which advocacy is the major form of presentation. Since forensic linguists deal in probabilities, not certainties, it is all the more essential to further refine this field of study, experts say. â€Å"There have been cases where it was my impression that the evidence on which people were freed or convicted was iffy in one way or another,† says Edward Finegan, president of the International Association of Forensic Linguists. Vanderbilt law professor Edward Cheng, an expert on the reliability of forensic evidence, says that linguistic analysis is best used when only a handful of people could have written a given text. (David Zax, How Did Computers Uncover J.K. Rowling’s Pseudonym? Smithsonian, March 2014) Language as a Fingerprint What [Robert A. Leonard] thinks about of late is forensic linguistics, which he describes as the newest arrow in the quiver of law enforcement and lawyers.In a nutshell, just think of language as a fingerprint to be studied and analyzed, he enthuses. The point to be made here is that language can help you solve crimes and language can help you prevent crimes. There is a tremendous pent-up demand for this kind of training. This can be the difference between someone going to jail over a confession he didn’t actually write.His consultation on the murder of Charlene Hummert, a 48-year-old Pennsylvania woman who was strangled in 2004, helped put her killer in prison. Mr. Leonard determined, through the quirky punctuation in two letters of confession by a supposed stalker and a self-described serial killer, that the actual author was Ms. Hummert’s spouse. When I studied the writings and made the connection, it made the hair on my arms stand up. (Robin Finn, A Graduate of Sha Na Na, Now a Linguistics Professor. The New York Times, June 15, 2008) The linguistic fingerprint is a notion put forward by some scholars that each human being uses language differently, and that this difference between people can be observed just as easily and surely as a fingerprint. According to this view, the linguistic fingerprint is the collection of markers, which stamps a speaker/writer as unique. . . .[N]obody has yet demonstrated the existence of such a thing as a linguistic fingerprint: how then can people write about it in this unexamined, regurgitated way, as though it were a fact of forensic life?Perhaps it is this word forensic that is responsible. The very fact that it collocates so regularly with words like expert and science means that it cannot but raise expectations. In our minds we associate it with the ability to single out the perpetrator from the crowd to a high degree of precision, and so when we put forensic next to linguistics as in the title of this book we are effectively saying forensic linguistics is a genuine science jus t like forensic chemistry, forensic toxicology, and so on. Of course, insofar as a science is a field of endeavour in which we seek to obtain reliable, even predictable results, by the application of a methodology, then forensic linguistics is a science. However, we should avoid giving the impression that it can unfailingly - or even nearly unfailingly - provide precise identification about individuals from small samples of speech or text. (John Olsson, Forensic Source Linguistics: An Introduction to Language, Crime, and the Law. Continuum, 2004) Roger W. Shuy, Breaking Into Language and Law: The Trials of the Insider-Linguist. Round Table on Language and Linguistics: Linguistics, Language and the Professions, ed. by James E. Alatis, Heidi E. Hamilton, and Ai-Hui Tan. Georgetown University Press, 2002

How to Measure Precipitation

How to Measure Precipitation Average annual precipitation is a vital piece of climatic data - one that is recorded through a variety of methods. Precipitation (which is most commonly rainfall but also includes snow, hail, sleet, and other forms of liquid and frozen water falling to the ground) is measured in units over a given time period. The Measurement In the United States, precipitation is commonly represented in inches per 24-hour period. This means that if one inch of rain fell in a 24-hour period and, theoretically, water wasnt absorbed by the ground nor did it flow downhill, after the storm there would be a layer of one inch of water covering the ground. The low-tech method of measuring rainfall is to use a container with a flat bottom and straight sides (such as a cylindrical coffee can). While a coffee can will help you determine whether a storm dropped one or two inches of rain, its difficult to measure small or accurate amounts of precipitation. Rain Gauges Both amateur and professional weather observers use more sophisticated instruments, known as rain gauges and tipping buckets, to more precisely measure precipitation. Rain gauges often have wide openings at the top for rainfall. The rain falls and is funneled into a narrow tube, sometimes one-tenth the diameter of the top of the gauge. Since the tube is thinner than the top of the funnel, the units of measurement are further apart than they would be on a ruler and precise measuring to the one-hundredth (1/100 or .01) of an inch is possible. When less than .01 inch of rain falls, that amount is known as a trace of rain. A tipping bucket electronically records precipitation on a rotating drum or electronically. It has a funnel, like a simple rain gauge, but the funnel leads to two tiny buckets. The two buckets are balanced (somewhat like a see-saw) and each holds .01 inch of water. When one bucket fills, it tips down and is emptied while the other bucket fills with rain water. Each tip of the buckets causes the device to record an increase of .01 inch of rain. Annual Precipitation A 30-year average of annual precipitation is used to determine the average annual precipitation for a specific place.  Today, the amount of precipitation is monitored electronically and automatically by computer-controlled rain gauges at local weather and meteorological offices and remote sites around the world. Where Do You Collect the Sample? Wind, buildings, trees, topography, and other factors can modify the amount of precipitation that falls, so rainfall and snowfall tend to be measured away from obstructions.  If youre placing a rain gauge in your backyard, make sure that it is not obstructed so that rain can fall directly into the rain gauge. How Do You Convert Snowfall into Rainfall Amounts? Snowfall is measured in two ways. The first is a simple measurement of the snow on the ground with a stick marked with units of measurement (like a yardstick). The second measurement determines the equivalent amount of water in a unit of snow. To obtain this second measurement, the snow must be collected and melted into water. Generally, ten inches of snow produces one inch of water. However, it can take up to 30 inches of loose, fluffy snow or as little as two to four inches of wet, compact snow to produce an inch of water.

Complexities of the U.S. Financial System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Complexities of the U.S. Financial System - Essay Example One (1) Way the U.S. Financial Markets Impact Businesses. Financial markets provide funds for business units so that they can operate in a large scale. Funding needs are among the most significant for any business sufficed by the financial markets (Bhattacharya & Bonser-Neal, n.d.). Notably, business that intends to grow consistently seeks the assistance of the investors and the financial markets and acts as that potential investor in this context. Furthermore, the foreign companies that operate in the US market, also considers the financial markets, as one of the major source of funds (Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, n.d.). One (1) Way the U.S. Financial Markets Impact Individuals. Individuals also consider financial markets or financial institutions as a source of getting personal funds against particular interest rate. People rely heavily for their financial needs on the financial markets (Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, n.d.) Explain the Primary Role of the U.S. Federal Reserve and Their Effectiveness In Today’s Economic Environment. It has been comprehended that the US Federal Reserve is involved in conducting the activities relevant to the monetary policies of the country. It also works towards supervising as well as regulating the banks and financial institutions. Notably, the Federal Reserve also provides financial services directly to the US government. It is deemed to be quite effective in ensuring, the accomplishment of the financial goals of the nation (Federal Reserve, n.d.). Explain the Primary Role of the U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman and Their Effectiveness in Today’s Economic Environment. The chairman of the Federal Reserve, work towards supervising the regulatory bodies and the banking system of the FEDs. He/she also leads the open market committee of the FEDs within their respective department. The chairman

Handling Strategic Management for Global Operations Essay

Handling Strategic Management for Global Operations - Essay Example This is mainly due to the fact, that with the business of information distribution, a larger scale of customers is needed to support the said industry. Surely, with the traditional set up of business industries, a corporation's aim of reaching the most number of customers may not be that possible. But because of the emerging of virtual business and e-commerce, reaching a worldwide range of different customers had been possible for publishing companies in the present times. One of the examples of companies taking the said big step of development is the HarperCollins Publishers in UK. To learn how the said publishing company progressed so much with the step they took in business, it is very important to know how the company used to deal with their business before they accepted the challenge of changing their systematic approach on their chosen industry. HarperCollins Publishing Company has started only with the printing of pamphlets, hymnbooks, and other religious publications when Millworker William Collins has founded it in the year 1819-1824. The humble beginnings of the company took a great leap during the 1853. This was the time when most of the old publishing materials of the company had been upgraded to support larger amount of printing jobs which the company is already receiving. Years continue to change the different printing systems that the company uses. And every year, more and more books are published through HarperCollins Publishing Company. Yet, the big change had happened when the year 2001 came around. The technological innovations such as the internet paved way to the company's further expansion. The company launched its first ever e-book from a large publishing in UK. The lists of books, which the company displayed through the net, were subdivided into two main categories, which are the information books and the entertainment books. Indeed, one of the main consequences of the major improvement taken by the company had brought many customers closer to the company as well as bringing its stockholders closer to the world. Surely, the profit rate went up and the sales became considerably larger than the usual publication income they got before the innovative years came to the company's existence. But surely, there are still other certain big changes that have to be considered. Of course, attaining success from change is not an easy thing to pass. The Changes Being a part of a virtual organization is not an easy task for a "used to be" traditional organization. In fact, taking this step requires a lot of risks for a certain company. This is because there are a lot of adjustments that are involved when the cyber business is already taking place. Of course, the branches of HarperCollins around the world is still adopting several traditional principles both in business management and marketing. But because the company organization it has formulated for the e-world is set a part from the traditional ways of dealing with business, there had been a lot of adjustments specifically with the skills of the employees needed in operating the

There are no moral absolutes Essay Example for Free

There are no moral absolutes Essay Moral absolutism is the view that morale standards are unchanging and universal. On the opposite side of the spectrum there is a relativist approach. Relativists believe that moral claims are true or false depending on the moral standpoint. These opposing viewpoints can bring about great societal and political debates even in the modern days. Recent examples include the attempt to legalise euthanasia in the UK and the protest to get rid of abortion laws in the Republic of Ireland. Both of these situations are trying to legalise specific forms of murder. An absolutist in this situation will argue that all killing is wrong therefore current laws are right, whereas a relativist would look at specific standpoints, such as quality of life for euthanasia. In this essay I will attempt to explore both sides of the argument coming to my conclusion that relativism is a superior standpoint and that there are no moral absolutes. Some absolutist people disagree with the above statement about moral absolutes. This is because absolutism is a deontological argument which judges the morality of an action based on the actions appliance to rules. For Christians these rules might link back to the Ten Commandments. One of which is â€Å"thou shalt not murder†, this clearly and undeniably is an unbreakable law in the eyes of an absolutist. Another argument for their being moral absolute is that of a criticism to relativist acts. By Relativist thinking it is quite easy to come to the conclusion that slavery was a perfectly moral thing to do. To an absolutist, slavery did not become immoral when it was abolished, it was simply always immoral and being imposed by immoral governments. Per Contra the relativist approach has been backed by many a philosopher including the famous Empiricist, John Locke. Locke believed that absolutes were an abomination from his religious standpoint. He believed this because Absolutism subjected people to abide by absolute rules set by other people at some point. This goes against his belief that all people were created equal by God. By enforcing Absolutism we raise our rule imposing leaders to a God like Status of which no man should be. Furthermore this goes against the fist commandment that men should serve God alone; if we serve a ruler we can then not worship God. Another argument for Relativism is that absolutist moral standards, in some circumstances can lead onto extreme evils. The famous example that illustrates this is that of a crazed axe-murderer coming to your front door and asking you where your children are. Now a relativist could lie based on the circumstances thus saving his children whereas an absolutist must tell the murderer where the children are with full knowledge that they will be killed, thus allowing an even greater evil to be committed, they could even be called an accessory to the murder of their own children. Furthermore there cannot be moral absolutes as eventually they will contradict each other. For example, Jewish doctors in the Holocaust performed abortions to prevent women from being sent to the gas chambers. Two rules here are conflicting. One of which is that Doctors should not perform abortions and another that Doctors should try and save lives. Either way from an absolutist standpoint the doctor will be doing the wrong thing, but a relativist approach allows us to overlook this. On the other hand, there may have to be moral absolutes, because if everything is relativists then how do we decide what rules to abide by. If two tribes cross paths on a Sunday and one of which believes that a sacrifice should be made on Sunday whereas the other tribe does not, if the first tribe then sacrifices a member of the other tribe, it that then morally right or wrong. A relativist would say that it is right for the first tribe but wrong for the second. But how can society work based on right for me, wrong for you system without falling into moral conflict and chaos. Moreover, some relativist arguments when further analysed have absolutist roots, proving there are moral absolutes. For example, the Eskimo practice of leaving female infants out to die as so future male hunters could thrive appeared to be a significant disagreement between their moral systems and ours therefore seeming to deny the universal approach of Absolutism. But when dug deeper, given the hardships of the Eskimos to survive and limited resources for survival, keeping every child puts the whole family at risk. So there is actually a fundamental moral value of preserving life that we share with the Eskimos. The only difference being that they have to make choices based on what they value most (future hunters), these choices we do not have to face. This said the Eskimo example is also a benefactor the relativist approach of situation ethics. Joseph Fletcher, founder of situation ethics argued that in certain situations, absolutist principle have to be put to one side in order to do the right thing. He believed that absolutism didn’t lead to the best of most loving outcome, and the best thing to do may be to break a rule. Utilitarian also reject moral absolutes and focus more on consequences. They believe that the right action is the one that brings the most pleasure and the least pain. Sometimes this may admit Killing in order to save more lives. For Jeremy Bentham, there was no rule he would not break in order to bring about greater happiness. In short if there are no moral absolutes we are left with a Relativist state of mind. This is the belief that moral reasoning is a matter of taste and opinion and is subjective and relative to time and culture. Leading to conclusions such as the killing of Eskimo girls to be morally correct and the act of abortion by a World War 2 doctor also to be moral. Whereas if there are moral absolutes than the same moral rules are applicable all across the world and throughout history. These rules may be some form of innate knowledge or come from the divinity of God and do not change as opinion does. Meaning that if slavery comes back into fashion and is agreed upon to be good, it does not make it morale. In conclusion, I hold a relativist point of view because different cultures have to adapt to live in their surroundings. Extreme measures are often taken for survival which to us in western society would seem abhorrent; however it is for the greater good of future generations. I very much believe that ends justify the means therefore making me a Consequentialist even if rules such as absolutist murder have to be broken. Finally morale absolutes can also seem cruel, for example branding Euthanasia as murder makes people live their final days in unimaginable pain, whereas a relativist approach could give people a dignified end to their life, is that not moral.

Cuban Race Relations Essay -- Spanish Cuba Cuban Racial Essays

Cuban Race Relations I. Introduction- Retracing a History of Racial Scorn in Cuban Society: The study of race relations in contemporary Cuba indelibly requires an understanding of the dynamic history of race relations in this ethnically pervasive island of the Caribbean. Cuban society, due to its historical antecedents of European colonialism and American imperialism, has traditionally experienced anguished and even tumultuous race relations. Racial disharmony has plagued Cuban society ever since the advent of the Colonial institution of the plantation system. Thus, in order to acquire some understanding of Cuba’s dynamic race relations one must study and investigate the evolution of racial tensions and the quintessential impact that the revolution of 1959 had on Cuba’s social structure. II. The Impact of Spanish Colonialism in Cuba: Legitimizing Racial Schism- The specter of colonial repression, imposed by the institutions of slavery and the plantation system, has incessantly haunted Cuban society, culture, politics, and ideology. The legacies of slavery and the plantation system imposed a structural and systematic practice of racial discrimination against Afro-Cubans, which suppressed any ambition for the pursuit of liberty and equality. Despite Cuba’s abolition of slavery in 1886 and its winning of independence in 1902, Afro-Cubans remained destitute, marginalized, and in the periphery of political autonomy within Cuban society. Thus, the origins of Cuba’s disdainful race relations emerge during the Spanish colonial tenure in Cuba. The era of Spanish colonial rule in Cuba can be characterized by many institutions, such as slavery and the plantation system, which presupposed a notion of ra... ...n and Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. Revolutionary Change in Cuba. Ed. Carmelo Mesa-Lago. (University of Pittsburgh Press: New York.1971), 347. 11. .de la Fuente, Alejandro. "Race, National Discourse, and Politics in Cuba." (Latin American Perspectives v25 (1998) : p. 43-70.), 55. 12. .Amaro, Nelson and Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. Revolutionary Change in Cuba. Ed. Carmelo Mesa-Lago. (University of Pittsburgh Press: New York.1971), 348. 13. .de la Fuente, Alejandro. "Race, National Discourse, and Politics in Cuba." (Latin American Perspectives v25 (1998) : p. 43-70.), 55. 14. .Ibid 15. .Ibid 16. .Ibid 17. .Knight, Franklin. The Caribbean: the Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism. (Oxford University Press: New York. 1990), 307. 18. .Information taken from the "Afro Cuba Web Page:" http://www.afrocubaweb.com/afrocVoice.htm Cuban Race Relations Essay -- Spanish Cuba Cuban Racial Essays Cuban Race Relations I. Introduction- Retracing a History of Racial Scorn in Cuban Society: The study of race relations in contemporary Cuba indelibly requires an understanding of the dynamic history of race relations in this ethnically pervasive island of the Caribbean. Cuban society, due to its historical antecedents of European colonialism and American imperialism, has traditionally experienced anguished and even tumultuous race relations. Racial disharmony has plagued Cuban society ever since the advent of the Colonial institution of the plantation system. Thus, in order to acquire some understanding of Cuba’s dynamic race relations one must study and investigate the evolution of racial tensions and the quintessential impact that the revolution of 1959 had on Cuba’s social structure. II. The Impact of Spanish Colonialism in Cuba: Legitimizing Racial Schism- The specter of colonial repression, imposed by the institutions of slavery and the plantation system, has incessantly haunted Cuban society, culture, politics, and ideology. The legacies of slavery and the plantation system imposed a structural and systematic practice of racial discrimination against Afro-Cubans, which suppressed any ambition for the pursuit of liberty and equality. Despite Cuba’s abolition of slavery in 1886 and its winning of independence in 1902, Afro-Cubans remained destitute, marginalized, and in the periphery of political autonomy within Cuban society. Thus, the origins of Cuba’s disdainful race relations emerge during the Spanish colonial tenure in Cuba. The era of Spanish colonial rule in Cuba can be characterized by many institutions, such as slavery and the plantation system, which presupposed a notion of ra... ...n and Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. Revolutionary Change in Cuba. Ed. Carmelo Mesa-Lago. (University of Pittsburgh Press: New York.1971), 347. 11. .de la Fuente, Alejandro. "Race, National Discourse, and Politics in Cuba." (Latin American Perspectives v25 (1998) : p. 43-70.), 55. 12. .Amaro, Nelson and Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. Revolutionary Change in Cuba. Ed. Carmelo Mesa-Lago. (University of Pittsburgh Press: New York.1971), 348. 13. .de la Fuente, Alejandro. "Race, National Discourse, and Politics in Cuba." (Latin American Perspectives v25 (1998) : p. 43-70.), 55. 14. .Ibid 15. .Ibid 16. .Ibid 17. .Knight, Franklin. The Caribbean: the Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism. (Oxford University Press: New York. 1990), 307. 18. .Information taken from the "Afro Cuba Web Page:" http://www.afrocubaweb.com/afrocVoice.htm

Data Warehouse Case Study Essay

History of the CDR When the project began in 1995–96, the CDR, initially referred to as the â€Å"clinical research database,† was intended to support and enhance clinical research at the University of Virginia by providing clinicians, students, and researchers with direct, rapid access to retrospective clinical and administrative patient data. Re? ecting this intent, the system was funded by the School of Medicine and housed in the Academic Computing Health Sciences group, which is distinct from the medical center’s IT group. With considerable assistance and cooperation from data owners and stewards, legacy data from several different sources were loaded into a single relational database and periodically updated. Authorized users accessed the CDR through a standard Web browser and viewed or downloaded data to their personal computers for further analysis. Initially, emphasis was placed on getting the CDR running as quickly as possible and with a minimum of resources; consequently, extensive transformation of data to an enterprise data model was not performed. The CDR project team consists of 2. 5–3. 0 FTEs (full-time equivalents)— one developer, one developer-database administrator, and portions of analyst, clinician, and administrative FTEs. To date, the costs of developing and operating the CDR have been approximately $200,000 per year, underwritten by the School of Medicine. Over the course of the project, there have been signi? cant enhancements to the user interface, incorporation of additional data sources, and the development of an integrated data model. There has also been increasing interest in using the CDR to serve a broader audience than researchers and to support management and administrative functions—â€Å"to meet the challenge of providing a way for anyone with a need to know—at every level of the organization—access to accurate and timely data necessary to support effective decision making, clinical research, and process improvement. In the area of education, the CDR has become a core teaching resource for the Department of Health Evaluation Science’s master’s program and for the School of Nursing. Students use the CDR to understand and master informatics issues such as data capture, vocabularies, and coding, as well as to perform Case Study: A Data Warehouse for an Academic Medical Center 167 exploratory analyses of healthcare questions. Starting in Spring 2001, the CDR will also be introduced into the university’s undergraduate medical curriculum. System Description Following is a brief overview of the CDR application as it exists at the University of Virginia. System Architecture. The CDR is a relational data warehouse that resides on a Dell PowerEdge 1300 (Dual Intel 400MHz processors, 512MB RAM) running the Linux operating system and Sybase 11. 9. 1 relational database management system. For storage, the system uses a Dell Powervault 201S 236GB RAID Disk Array. As of October 2000, the database contained 23GB of information about 5. 4 million patient visits (16GB visit data, 7GB laboratory results). Data loading into Sybase is achieved using custom Practical Extraction and Report Language (Perl) programs. CDR Contents. The CDR currently draws data from four independent systems (see Table 1). In addition, a number of derived values (for example, number of days to next inpatient visit, number of times a diagnostic code is used in various settings) are computed to provide summary information for selected data elements. Data from each of these source systems are integrated into the CDR’s data model. In addition to the current contents listed in Table 1, users and the CDR project team have identi? ed additional data elements that might be incorporated Table 1. Contents of the CDR Type of Data Inpatient, outpatient visits Source of Data Shared Medical Systems Description Patient registration and demographic data, diagnoses, procedures, unit and census information, billing transactions, including medications, costs, charges, reimbursement, insurance information Physician billing transactions from inpatient and outpatient visits, diagnoses, and procedures Laboratory test results Available Dates Jul 1993–Jun 2000 Professional billing Laboratory results Cardiac surgery IDX billing system HL-7 messages from SunQuest Lab System Cardiac surgery outcomes data (de? ned by Society of Thoracic Surgeons Oct 1992–Jun 2000 Jan 1996–Jun 2000 Clinical details for thoracic surgery cases Jul 1993–Jun 2000 168 Einbinder, Scully, Pates, Schubart, Reynolds into the CDR, including microbiology results, discharge summaries (and other narrative data), outpatient prescribing information, order entry details, and tumor registry information. As of October 2000, we have just ? nished incorporating death registry data from the Virginia Department of Health into the CDR. These data will provide our users with direct access to more comprehensive mortality outcomes data than are contained in local information systems, which generally are restricted to an in-hospital death indicator. User Interface. The user interface runs in a standard Web browser and consists of a data dictionary, a collection of common gateway interface (CGI) programs implemented using the â€Å"C† programming language, and JavaScriptenabled HTML pages. Structured query language (SQL) statements are generated automatically in response to point-and-click actions by the user, enabling submission of ad hoc queries without prior knowledge of SQL. The SQL queries are sent to the CGI programs that query the database and return results in dynamically created HTML pages. The entire process is controlled by the contents of the data dictionary, which is used to format SQL results, set up HTML links for data drill-down, and provide on-line help. Data may be downloaded immediately into Microsoft Excel or another analysis tool on the user’s workstation. Query Formulation. Most CDR users use the Guided Query function to retrieve data. This process involves three steps: 1. De? ne a population of interest by setting conditions, for example, date ranges, diagnostic codes, physician identi? ers, service locations, and lab test codes or values. 2. Submit the query, specifying how much data the CDR should return (all matching data or a speci? ed number of rows). 3. After the CDR returns the population of interest, use the Report Menu to explore various attributes of the population on a case-by-case or group level. Custom reports can also be de? ned, and the results of any report can be downloaded into Microsoft Excel, Access, or other analysis tool. Generally, the query process requires several iterations to modify the population conditions or report options. In addition, â€Å"browsing† the data may help the user generate ideas for additional queries. We believe that it is helpful for end users to go through this query process themselves—to directly engage the data. However, many users, especially those with a pressing need for data for a meeting, report, or grant, prefer to use CDR team members as intermediaries or analysts. To date, we have attempted to meet this preference, but as query volume increases, our ability to provide data in a timely manner may fall off. Security. A steering committee of clinicians guided the initial development of the CDR and established policies for its utilization and access. Only authorized users may log onto the CDR. To protect con? dentiality, all patient and physician identifying information has been partitioned into a â€Å"secure† Case Study: A Data Warehouse for an Academic Medical Center 169 database. Translation from or to disguised identi? ers to or from actual identi? ers is possible but requires a written request and appropriate approval (for example, from a supervisor or the human investigations committee). All data transmitted from the database server to the user’s browser are encrypted using the secure Netscape Web server, and all accesses to the database are logged. In addition, CDR access is restricted to personal computers that are part of the â€Å"Virginia. edu† domain or that are authenticated by the university’s proxy server. Evaluation Understanding user needs is the basis for improving the CDR to enable users to retrieve the data independently and to increase usage of the CDR at our institution. Thus, assessing the value of the CDR—how well we meet our users’ needs and how we might increase our user base—has been an important activity that has helped guide planning for changes and enhancements and for allocation of our limited resources. Efforts to evaluate the CDR have included several approaches: †¢ Monitoring user population and usage patterns †¢ Administering a CDR user survey †¢ Tracking queries submitted to the CDR and performing follow-up telephone interviews Usage Statistics. Voluntary usage of an IS resource is an important measure of its value and of user satisfaction. 5 However, usage of a data warehouse is likely to be quite different than for other types of information resources, such as clinical information systems. A clinical system is likely to be used many times per day; a data warehouse may be used sporadically. Thus, although we monitor system usage as a measure of the CDR’s value, we believe that frequency of usage cannot be viewed in isolation in assessing the success of a data warehouse. Since the CDR went â€Å"live,† more than 300 individuals have requested and obtained logon IDs. As of September 30, 2000, 213 individuals had logged on and submitted at least one query. This number does not include usage by CDR project team members and does not re? ect analyses performed by team members for end users. Figure 1 shows the cumulative number of active users (those who submitted a query) and demonstrates a linear growth pattern.

Bus Appendix

If I was to open a business I would open a banquet hall. Where I live they are really famous and threes a lot of them. I would love to do this business because everybody has parties all the time and It would benefit myself and family members from It. Entrepreneurs As the entrepreneur I would have to come up with enough money to locate a place to buy I wouldn't want to rent because it would be more profit having my own space, Plus I have to buy tables and chairs as well.I would have to contract people that know how to cook and find places I can buy the food at a cheaper price. I would also have to find a place I can rent or buy my own linen for the tables and chair covers. Music is a must also or the own customer can provide that. Managers I would hire a manager that can help me stay in the banquet hall while I gather all of the above things. She would be booking parties and explaining prices and what Is Included In the package Employees The employees can help me set up tables as well as the linens and at the party they will also serve as waiters.The cooks will have all the food ready for the event, and I burglary. What behaviors and attitudes should be cultivated in your organization? I know that behaviors and attitudes will appear in the workplace especially when the event is happening. Hopefully my cooks will finish the food for like 250 people so I know they will be stressed out. My waiters will have to serve fast enough in order for everyone to eat so I know they will be frustrated that customers will be asking for this or that. I know that I will be nervous and stress out that everything comes out right.

Adult Development essays

Adult Development essays When people talk about psychological development, what most people think of are children, who have clear and obvious developmental points. A child's development corresponds to his or her physical growth. Thus we can look at an infant and not expect the child to be able to walk a balance beam or ride a bike. We can look at a four year old and know that most four year olds will not yet know how to read. We can look at ten year old and state with confidence that this child is not yet ready to learn to ride a car. When thinking about development in this way, it is easy to conceptualize development as essentially over by age 18, allowing for some sort of transition to the one final state called "adulthood." However, adulthood has stages just as childhood does, and the recognition of this fact can help adults as they face new challenges and learn new skills. Adults have to face the establishment of their lives as independent of their parents, building their own careers, marriage and family, the loss of loved ones, increasing likelihood of some kind of chronic illness or infirmity, retirement, and old age. Just as a child may encounter difficulties as he or she progresses toward adulthood, adults may encounter difficulties as they face each new stage in adult life. According to Lucas and Kuhner (1999), development is the process of creating meaning out of the events we experience. The meanings we develop are influenced and restricted by how we perceive those events, and so is subjective. Our perceptions will not exactly match those of others and we may perceive similar events in markedly different ways depending on a number of variables including our individual traits, our prior experiences, and how we perceived and interpreted those events. Thus over time, each person develops his or her own individual lens (Lucas and Kuhner, 1999) through which subsequent events wi...

Quotes From The Stranger by Albert Camus

Quotes From The Stranger by Albert Camus The Stranger is a famous novel by Albert Camus, who wrote about existential themes. The story is a first-person narrative, through the eyes of Meursault, an Algerian. Here are a few quotes from The Stranger, separated by chapter. Part 1, Chapter 1 Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I dont know. I got a telegram from the home: Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours. That doesnt mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday. It had been a long time since Id been out in the country, and I could feel how much Id enjoy going for a walk if it hadnt been for Maman. Part 1, Chapter 2 It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed. Part 1, Chapter 3 He asked if I thought she was cheating on him, and it seemed to me she was; if I thought she should be punished and what I would do in his place, and I said you cant ever be sure, but I understood his wanting to punish her. I got up. Raymond gave me a very firm handshake and said that men always understand each other. I left his room, closing the door behind me, and paused for a minute in the dark, on the landing. The house was quiet, and a breath of dark, dank air wafted p from deep in the stairwell. All I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears. I stood there, motionless. Part 1, Chapter 4 She was wearing a pair of my pajamas with the sleeves rolled up. When she laughed I wanted her again. A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didnt mean anything but that I didnt think so. She looked sad. But as we were fixing lunch, and for no apparent reason, she laughed in such a way that I kissed her. Part 1, Chapter 5 I would rather not have upset him, but I couldnt see any reason to change my life. Looking back on it, I wasnt unhappy. When I was a student, I had lots of ambitions like that. But when I had to give up my studies I learned very quickly that none of it really mattered. Part 1, Chapter 6 For the first time maybe, I really thought I was going to get married. Part 2, Chapter 2 At that time, I often thought that if I had had to live in the trunk of a dead tree, with nothing to do but look up at the sky flowing overhead, little by little I would have gotten used to it. Part 2, Chapter 3 For the first time in years, I had this stupid urge to cry, because I could feel how much all these people hated me. I had this stupid urge to cry, because I could feel how much all these people hated me. The spectators laughed. And my lawyer, rolling up one of his sleeves, said with finality, Here we have a perfect reflection of this entire trial: everything is true and nothing is true! They had before them the basest of crimes, a crime made worse than sordid by the fact that they were dealing with a monster, a man without morals. Part 2, Chapter 4 But all the long speeches, all the interminable days and hours that people had spent talking about my soul, had left me with the impression of a colorless swirling river that was making me dizzy. I was assailed by memories of a life that wasnt mine anymore, but one in which Id found the simplest and most lasting joys. He wanted to talk to me about God again, but I went up to him and made one last attempt to explain to him that I only had a little time left and I didnt want to waste it on God.

Assessing the potential impact of institutional investors on corporate Dissertation

Assessing the potential impact of institutional investors on corporate governance in China - Dissertation Example .................................................................... p.10 Literature review ..................................................................... p.10 Conclusions ..................................................................... p.31 References ..................................................................... p.37 ABSTRACT Examples are given pertaining to the development and present situation of Western institutional investors. Also under discussion is the practice of Western/Anglo institutional investors towards an increasing participation in the corporate governance in a proactive way. The methods and procedures of institutional investors participation in corporate governance is described, with American and British examples – and how these institutions pertain to China. Analysis is given describing the development of the corporate culture that leads to a more active role in governance, and how the assumptions thereof have evolved over time. Both the p ositive and the negative of institutional investors on corporate governance are described, with respect to a term corporate interests. Challenges relating to foreign investments in China are described in this context. The current status of investors and the losses they have suffered due to transitional effects in the Chinese economy are extrapolated based upon a shifting legal and financial landscape as China modernizes its economy. Recommendations to alleviate these concerns are proposed. INTRODUCTION The advent of high finance and its utilization in the operations of Incorporated business organizations created a situation many decades ago in which it was recognized that owners and shareholders need not always see eye to eye. The directors that oversee functional operations over day-to-day matters do not always have the same vested interests as the shareholding owners of the corporation. The interests of operational control may not match the objectives of other individuals interest ed in a slow and steady growth of assets and equity. But the considerable benefits of ownership by way of investment have been recognized for nearly the entirety of the 20th century, thus investors by necessity must gain certain rights and privileges. The role of these investors is an evolving understanding that balances the nuances of organizational agility against long-term growth. Theories of corporate governance must be developed to define the responsibilities of investors and the degree to which they can influence operations without stressing corporate resources beyond their ability to perform. (Davis, 2002) Possible examples might include the director/executive officer, who may have founded the business wanting to maintain control possibly for sentimental reasons – the business might have been in his family for many years. Or, the business might be a valuable source of jobs for a particular local community. But the investors that can help a business rise to the world st age might feel that their interests are best served through mergers or takeovers that permit a favorable return on investments based upon various stock options and projected share values. Certain individuals may perceive a loss of livelihood, and thus oppose measures that will increase the profits of those that have injected vast amounts of capital to make the business what it is. Arbitration and compromise are necessities. OVERVIEW Over three decades institutional investors have superseded private individual shareholders in the world's most important capital