An Analysis of Witi Ihimaera’s Whale Rider Essay

In Witi Ihimaera’s novel â€Å"Whale Rider† we follow Rawiri as he goes through his life watching the growth, incidents and magic of his niece Kahu. Kahu is destined to be the next chief of the Maori in Whangara, New Zealand, a tribe that has descended from the legendary â€Å"whale rider.† However, Kahu is, as Nanny Flowers says, â€Å"Hungry for [her grandfather’s] love,† (Ihimaera 34) and struggles to receive it because she is a girl. The author presents this story through Kahu’s Uncle Rawiri’s point of view, and this outside view of Kahu is brilliant because it creates tension between what the reader, author, Rawiri and Kahu are thinking and allows the reader to fill in the gaps themselves. The story would lack suspense and motivation if we knew Kahu’s thoughts and would lose all aspects of mystery. Whale Rider creates a distorted medium between reality and the character’s minds, which is what keeps the reader guessing, second-guessing and questioning all the way up until the moment of truth in the end. Ihimaera makes it the reader’s job to presume Kahu’s thoughts as opposed to actually providing them. Rawiri comes into play in that that he has had a special connection with Kahu since her birth, and being in a first-person perspective with Rawiri makes Rawiri like the reader in that they mutually want all of the answers. If the novel were from the point of view of Kahu, the main focus, the plot would lose all curiosity. It was thought provoking and interesting to see Kahu strive for her grandfather’s acceptance from before she could even walk. If Kahu narrated then we wouldn’t be able to experience her development from birth, and would lose all of her toddler years. Those years keep Kahu a â€Å"question† and make us, like Rawiri, unable to wait for her to come of age and either become the whale rider or not. Whale Rider carries itself primarily on motivation towards â€Å"the end†. For the readers it is for the book’s climax. For Rawiri, Nanny Flowers, and even Kahu herself, it is for the end of Kahu’s childhood and for the answers to be revealed. Ihimaera does a great job of manipulating the motivation of the reader and intertwining it with the motivation of the characters while also leaving a prism in the middle of reality and literature where some of the  gaps and missing pieces are left to be filled with the reader’s empathy, curiosity and imagination.

Discuss Hamlet’s attitude to death and the afterlife Essay

Hamlet a product of Shakespearean times has a different view on death, the afterlife and the divinity of the monarchy to any person today. Everyone in the Elizabethan and Jacobean era believed that there was an afterlife. Everyone believed in God, in witches, fairies and in ghosts. No one saw the dichotomy between their varied beliefs as we do today. Hamlet, as a result of the time in which he was raised, had a very complex attitude towards life and death. This was due to his religious beliefs and his basic morality. Although Hamlet has reasonably strong religious beliefs, he also lived life in the post- renaissance way. The Renaissance era said that there was, more to life than religion and although religion should not be discarded, other things should be considered. ‘Hamlet’ is a typical post-renaissance drama, with several plots interlacing frequently, to produce a complex composition giving meaning through contrast rather than unfolding each event in a single sequence. All the plots involve characters having to kill other characters for one reason or another. For example Claudius plots to kill Hamlet, and Hamlet plots to kill Claudius. It is through Hamlet’s turmoil about whether or not to kill Claudius that his views on religion and the supernatural appear. Although Hamlet wants to kill Claudius, he is prevented from doing so by his religious belief that God gives you life, therefore you have no right to take either your own life of that of another. This is also the reason why Hamlet cannot kill himself. When Hamlet sees Claudius trying to pray, he has a perfect opportunity to kill him but he does not, due once again to the contemporary beliefs about death and the afterlife. He believes that if he kills Claudius whilst he is praying his soul will go straight to Heaven even though he killed old Hamlet. Claudius’ prayers mean that he is in a state of perfect grace, with all his sins forgiven, so therefore, he will go to Heaven. Hamlet obviously does not want this. His father is forced to remain in purgatory and to suffer the misery of wandering the earth night after night because Claudius killed him while he was sleeping and unable to seek redemption. It is not surprising therefore, that Hamlet does not want his stepfather to have the happy ending his father never got. As John Russel Brown says: 1’Within ‘Hamlet’, Shakespeare has created a hero who is compelled instinctively to seek and exact revenge and yet lives in a world created by an all-seeing all powerful, and merciful God. ‘ When Hamlet kills Polonius, he sees himself as ‘Heavens scourge and minister’, as if his violent and instinctive reaction had been in accordance with Gods will. Such references together with various calls upon ‘God’ or ‘Heavenly powers’, remind an audience of secure moral judgements that call for repentance and mercy or for punishment. They mark the play as contemporary, not belonging to a pre-Christian Denmark, and ensure that Hamlet’s progress in revenge does not move him entirely from customary judgements even though he believes he could ‘drink hot blood’ and envisions evil spreading throughout the world. Therefore here Hamlet is showing that although he is a good Christian follower, he seeks revenge for the murder of his father. Laertes, another character to lose his father and his sister, who are both related to Hamlet in one way or another, deals with his feelings for seeking revenge in a very different way to Hamlet. Although at first Laertes believes that Claudius killed his father, his reaction to his father’s death differs greatly. Laertes does not care about morals very much: To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! ‘ He is prepared to go to Hell to get revenge for his father’s death. He then continues to say. ‘I dare damnation. To this point I stand. That both the worlds give to negligence, let come what comes; only I’ll be reveng’d, Most throughly for my father. Laertes is saying that he does not care what the consequences are, he will seek revenge even if he has to damn his soul to get it. Laertes decides that he will murder Hamlet, by poisoning the dagger he will be fighting him with. This, he knows, will definitely lead to Hamlets death. Laertes makes a decision and sticks with it, unlike Hamlet who is considered insane around the time he is thinking about killing Claudius. Hamlet is even considering taking his own life; therefore Laertes would appear to be the more stable of the two. However, much of Hamlet’s procrastination lies in the fact that he intellectualizes the moral issues involved in life and death, good and evil. Both characters end up with the same fate; death. Laertes behaves like a typical hero of a revenge tragedy, rushing headlong into revenge and his own death without pausing to weigh the consequences of his actions. When old Hamlet appears, Hamlet questions whether or not to believe it is his father. Hamlet is in a very emotional state, he is thinking of suicide due to his father’s death, and now he has appeared before him, it is little wonder that he is shaken up. Hamlet’s indecisiveness as to whether the ghost is really his father, is seen when he says ‘I’ll call thee Hamlet, King Father, royal Dane’, until he hears otherwise. He is wary because it was believed at the time that ghosts brought evil and were not good however, because the ghost so resembles his father and because Hamlet mourns him, he is prepared to believe that it is an honest ghost. The ghost confirms his identity, to Hamlet by saying ‘I am thy Father’s spirit, Doom’d for a certain term to walk the night, And for the day confin’d to fast in fires, Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature Are burn’t and purg’d away’. Once again, the audience learns something about Jacobean religious views and beliefs. Old Hamlet is telling us that due his being murdered so quickly, he did not have time to repent his sins, and therefore he is stuck in purgatory the place between Heaven and Hell until God forgives them. However Hamlet and Horatio are both men with high academic achievements, and both scholars, therefore it would be unlikely they would imagine such a thing. Both of them see the ghost on the battlement as do Barnado, Francisco and also Marcellus who sees its appearance as a sign that something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Although Gertrude never sees the Ghost, its validity and existence is proven by the fact that both Hamlet and Horatio have seen it. 2 The fact that Gertrude has an inability to see the Ghost might suggest the fact that she had nothing to do with the murder of old Hamlet or that she is too insensitive to see it – an idea born out by her insensitively speedy marriage to Claudius. This also appears to be the case in MACBETH another of Shakespeare’s plays, in the banquet scene, when the guilty Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo but no one else does. As a result of the information Hamlet receives from his father about his death, and his mother’s behavior, Hamlet feels that life in Denmark is worthless. He feels now with the death of his father, and the incestuous he feels relationship between his mother and Claudius, that his life is also meaningless and worthless thus he discusses committing suicide. ‘O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew’. He then describes how distraught he is that his father was only dead a month when his mother got married to Claudius, and how he must ‘hold his tongue’. In spite of this he cannot kill himself because God gave him his life, therefore he has no right to take it. ‘The Everlasting ‘has’ ‘fixed / His canon gainst self-slaughter’.

Confirmation: Early Christian Community Essay

For people in the Early Christian Community who wanted to commit themselves as followers of Christ they first needed to receive the sacraments of initiation. Initiation into the Church took place in a single ceremony, which normally unfolded during the Easter Vigil service. In the early church, the three Sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist—were celebrated in the same ceremony by adult converts. Although there was no clear emergence of Confirmation as a separate sacrament until after the third century, the elements of the Sacrament of Confirmation can be recognized in the Sacrament of Baptism in the early writing of the bible. After a long period of instruction that sometimes lasted as long as three years, each person was baptized, confirmed and also received the Eucharist. They were then brought before the Bishop where he laid his hands on each of their heads and prayed that they might receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and become responsible Christians living through Christ to fulfill his life long mission. At some point in the early Christian Community, the sacraments of initiation, baptism and confirmation, became primarily a sacrament for infants. Their baptism would allow them to become a member of the church and then confirmation would happen right after this, which was when the bishop would confirm or acknowledge this commitment. Eventually, however in the early 1900’s confirmation became a sacrament associated not with infants but with older youths. Where each child can consciously make the decision to strengthen the bond with god and accept the reasonability to the church and to others as well.

Environment and Economic Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environment and Economic Geography - Essay Example In the twenty first-century most of the national and international issues are governed by environmental challenges which require thorough understanding of the economics of environment. This century will be an era of many losses, remarkable changes and cosmologic differences, but it is conceivable that societies will successfully make the transition from goals of economic growth, as already experienced in the twentieth century, to the goals of maintaining and increasing suitable well being. The influence of the environment on economic geography was found neglected and remained untouched until Paul Krugman re-established the field by publishing his short monograph " Geography and Trade" in 1991. He showed how mathematical tools known from modern models of international trade theory can be used to explain the distribution of economic activity in geographical space. Aspects of environment on which we depend (most often soil, water and atmosphere) become damaged, polluted (poisoned) and depleted. Modern intensive agriculture changes the composition and ecology of soil and water systems, as well as affecting nitrogen and carbon cycle in the environment. The changing environmental phenomenon creates new vistas for developmental and constructive mechanisms on one side and restricts the human economic activity on another. Thereby the environmental carrying capacity is being influenced. The changes in the environmental parameters may be either beneficial or detrimental to the present and future ecological world and economic scenario, which can very well be categorized in two distinct forms. The planet earth which is unique for presence of life in our solar system is directly and indirectly getting influenced by the supremacy of the most evolutionary-creature called "Man" i.e. Homo sapiens and the equlibria that had existed since inception, are now getting imbalanced due to exploitative activities of human beings. Unrestricted use of fossil fuels, injudicious application of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, rampant deforestation, rapid industrialization, ever growing global population and radioactive warfare have many reasons for changing the wave length of this living earth from green to red in the visual spectrum. a) Carbon Dioxide Concentration and Global worming: The concentration of carbon dioxide is increasing at geometric progression primarily because of the dependency on the non-renewable form of bio-fuels as more than 80 percent of the global energy demand is met from this source and secondarily due to the exhalation of the animal kingdom. The effect of which is remarkable from the increase in the mean global temperature, which we designated as global worming. The increase in carbon dioxide concentration in one hand will definitely help in better photosynthesis resulting in increased assimilation but in other hand, increased concentration leads to acid rains, which restrict crop growth and severely affect the final yield. Instances of total extinction of established forests have also been observed due to acid rain. The emission of sulphur dioxide has also increased alarmingly in industrialized nations and particularly in North America and Europe. The result of which

Globalization and Internationalism After the Cold War Assignment

Globalization and Internationalism After the Cold War - Assignment Example Globalization has brought the world nation together since there is understanding of their differences. There is free open trade that ensures export and import of goods and services in all parts of the world (Lehmann, 45) After the end of the cold war there were many activities that were to foster international relations amongst the warring nations. The world super powers were the main protagonists in the internationalism agenda spearheaded by the United States. According to Lehmann78,The ideal of most internationalists after the cold war was to establish a world government through democratic globalization. There was formation of international organizations, such as European Union and United Nations, which were to oversee superior international relations governed by same rules. There was a lot of resistance from the nations that were not included in the organizations since they felt that they were discriminated. The leaders of these organizations were drawn from the super power nations, which made them have a lot of control over the entire globe (Lehmann,

Discussion Board (1) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion Board (1) - Essay Example As a network, what one entity does in regards to criminal justice will affect all. Considering these definitions, the American criminal justice system is best defined as a process because: 1) there are distinctions among entities in criminal justice infrastructure, 2) actions of one agency are not interdependent upon another and 3) cooperation among agencies eliminates identification as a non-system. The American criminal justice system works through a variety of avenues. How things are implemented specifically â€Å"varies from state to state, and the federal criminal justice system has its own rules, procedures, and terms to describe the stages of the proceedings† (Bennett, n.d.). Generally, however, things tend to follow a similar pattern. First, an individual reports a crime. This individual can be â€Å"families, neighborhood associations, business, industry, agriculture, educational institutions, the news media, or any other private sector entity† (â€Å"Criminal Justice†, n.d.). From here the law enforcement agency, (usually at a local level at this point), goes through its own procedures for determining if a suspect is guilty and needs to be arrested. If the suspect is arrested, â€Å"then law enforcement agencies present the complaint and information and about the accused to the prosecutor, who will decide if formal charges will be filed with the c ourt (pre-indictment events)† (â€Å"Criminal Justice†, n.d.). If charges aren’t dropped, the accused will undergo a bail hearing, which will determine if a suspect will be allowed to attain their freedom while on bond. Then there is the arraignment which â€Å"is the formal presentation of charges in open court and where a judge considers evidence the prosecutor presents to decide whether there is probable cause to support the charges against the defendant† (â€Å"Criminal Justice†, n.d.). Plea

Marketing distribution management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing distribution management - Essay Example For instance, even though Windows 7 was a perfectly competent operating system, Microsoft felt the need to come up with a superior variant in Windows 8 which provides users with a more interactive interface with more engaging features. Microsoft’s primary market segment is that of teenagers and young adults. Its new line of products include Windows phones and tablets, as well as the Xbox One, which are all products demanded by people belonging to these age groups. The need to constantly innovate to protect market share due to the continuous emergence of inventive products, such as Android smartphones and PlayStation 4, by competitors remains the company’s biggest challenge. The recent outlay of $405 million on the marketing of Windows tablets is testament to this fact (Warren). Microsoft has traditionally held a very mature and adult like persona in the minds of the public due its strong association with Windows operating systems. However, the company has recently undergone a rebranding process of transforming its logos and portfolio (The Globe and Mail). Its entry in the tablets market and its acquisition of Nokia’s cellphone division and subsequent marketing of ‘Lumia’ has showcased that it now wants to appeal to a younger audience and portray itself as ‘cool’. However, it faces stiff competition with the likes of Apple, Samsung and HTC having already occupied that position and possessing greater experience in these markets. The Globe and Mail. Microsoft Rebrands: First New Logo in 25 Years. 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/business-technology/microsoft-rebrands-first-new-logo-in-25-years/article4495185/ Warren, Tom. "Microsoft to Spend $405 Million on Windows Marketing, Aims for 16 Million Tablet Sales." The Verge, 1 Nov. 2013. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.

Zora Neale Hurston and James Langston Hughes Essay

Zora Neale Hurston and James Langston Hughes - Essay Example http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/manuscript/hurston/hurston.htm This site contains listings of available documents on Hurston's Correspondence, Manuscripts, Biographical and Critical Papers, Reference Material and Photographs, Medals and Tapes.Access to the documents require a registration with the Special Collections Access Serviceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zora_Neale_Hurston The Wikipedia page on Zora Neale Hurston contains extensive material on the author's background and career, politics, public obscurity and acclaim. "In 1925, shortly before entering Barnard, Hurston became one of the leaders of the literary renaissance happening in Harlem, producing the short-lived literary magazine Fire!! along with Langston Hughes and Wallace Thurman. This literary movement became the center of the Harlem Renaissance" (Wikipedia). The section on politics contains insightful material regarding Hurston's beliefs and convictions on libertarianism, religion, feminist individualism and segregation .http://www.zoranealehurston.com/ The official Zora Neale Hurston website by the Estate of Zora Neale Hurston and HarperCollins contains Hurston's biography and chronology among others. The site describes Hurston as "one of the pre-eminent writers of twentieth-century African-American literature". A link to http://www.zoranealehurston.ucf.edu/ provides a lengthy biography written by Anna Lillios.http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfmpage=Kaplan.html The Zora Neale Hurston page contains an interview with Carla Kaplan, editor of Zora Neale Hurston: Life in Letters. ... blic office, in 1855." The site contains direct quotes from Hughes' works which define his convictions, '"We younger Negro artists now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame."' '"I tried to write poems like the songs they sang on Seventh Street... (these songs) had the pulse beat of the people who keep on going."' http://myhero.com/poets/hughes.asp A page by Jeff Trussel containing Trussel's appreciation of Langston Hughes as a "fiercely poetic" Black American who "wanted his audience to taste the whole of the African-American experience". Trussel believes that "With the advent of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, the relatively genteel world of American poetry was shaken to its foundations. Strong black voices broke out all over the country. Of this remarkable creative outpouring, one voice rose among all of the rest. This was the voice of poet Langston Hughes." The link to http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/84mbk9qw9780252064746.html provides previews to Hughes' essays and a description of the work where Hughes "as a columnist for the famous African-American newspaper the Chicago Defender chronicled the hopes and despair of his people. For twenty years, he wrote forcefully about international race relations, Jim Crow, the South, white supremacy, imperialism and fascism, segrega tion in the armed forces, the Soviet Union and communism, and African-American art and culture. None of the racial hypocrisies of American life escaped his searing, ironic prose." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes The Wikipedia page on Langston Hughes contains lengthy material on the writer's life, career and political views. It includes interesting notes on Hughes' relationship with his father, '"I had been thinking about my father

Operation and Logistics Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operation and Logistics Management - Essay Example Hence, it brings value to the firms, in the form of profits by raising its productivity and the ratio of inputs to outputs (p.3); and to customers in improving the quality of products (Klassen 2005, p.1). As a transformation process, OM evolved from the production systems used during the Industrial Revolution known as craft production where highly-skilled artisans individually manufacture goods using simple tools to produce high-quality customised products (Finch 2004, p.7). During these times however, process management was not considered as an integral concept within production, such that individual workers were given free reign on their crafts, resulting to a slow and costly production process lacking uniform standards necessary for effective and efficient operations (Stevenson 2005, p.19). It was not until Taylor’s introduction of scientific management, that processes were given attention in business operations (p.19). Adopting Taylor’s proposal that there is â€Å"one best way† to accomplish tasks workers must follow, Ford developed the â€Å"assembly line† in manufacturing his T-Model, which introduced mass production and the concept of interchangeable parts, revolutionising the automotive industry and generating tremendous cost and time savings (Finch 2004, p.8). As Ford describes it, this new manufacturing process is â€Å"constrained only by the capabilities of the workforce and existing technology† (Chase, Aquilano & Jacobs 2006, p.16). While Ford’s production processes increased productivity and efficiency, it resulted to quality deficiencies, especially when compared to Japanese products that were superior to their US counterparts. This spawned the â€Å"quality revolution†, shifting OM to focus on designing production processes that improved quality, just as much as productivity and cost-efficiency (Stevenson 2005, p.21). Apart from the growing importance of production

Transport Security Administration (TSA) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Transport Security Administration (TSA) - Essay Example sm, the defense team could not afford to watch the devastating effects of such criminals taking destructive actions on innocent people and the American economy once again. The 2001 attack executed through hijacked aircrafts by the terrorists left over three thousand people dead, and thousands more with serious injuries, besides the destruction of billions of property in the crime event. The chain of events in the various states targeted such as New York, Pennsylvania and Washington DC, led to rethinking of the federal security. Working closely to the DHS, TSA was formed and has been controlling people’s movement into and out of the United States; more so, it has committed itself in strengthening the transport system and securing commerce activities for American’s safety for the last 13 years, and hopefully into the future (TSA, tsa.gov). Though it’s quite inclined on the aviation security, there has been increasing attention on the highways, subways and other ent ry and exit terminals used in transportation. Thesis: The appropriateness of the security measures and their effectiveness in ensuring security are debatable since the TSA began operation. Though the transportation system attacks and crimes have declined, issues of prejudice with respect to appearance, race, culture and other factors by TSA officers enforcing security at entry and exit points in the United States have been raised. This does not go unnoticed and would affect the United States movement to impact on tourism and its foreign relations. Since 2001, the USA federal government has invested heavily in security measures by the TSA, which has enabled oversight of security through its officers on the ground, their activities and supportive equipment, and the machinery they use. It is worth to appreciate the TSA operations for its adaptation to the rising security threats. While terrorists seek alternative ways to execute their operations, TSA has fastened its measures through deployed

FOUR TOP DOCUMENTARY FILM MAKERS FROM UK AND AMERICA Essay

FOUR TOP DOCUMENTARY FILM MAKERS FROM UK AND AMERICA - Essay Example This book introduces different ways by which documentary can be discussed. It has achieved this by introducing the limitations that are accompanied by documentary theorization. The knowledge of bias uses a confusing stress on documentary theory and training in 3 relatively different methods. First of all, it is presented as a problem to attaining the objectivity of explanation that has frequently been understood as a vital or difficult component of the documentary development. Nevertheless, acknowledgment of the biased as an unavoidable and inspiring element of documentary work reasonably than a problem to be controlled by harsh techniques and knowledge is now the leading attitude here (Renov, 2004). Secondly, bias is perceived as a thematic area in its own right, with the bias of the movie and program creators themselves in self illustration by means of pictures and voices. There is an innovative extensiveness to be distinguished here too, even though there is a remaining intelligence that lasting for too long on biased matters jeopardies a likely deviation from main documentary goals. A lesson in Documentary Movies is a new arbitrated scholarly journal dedicated to the past, philosophy, criticism and training of documentary film. This journal will allow a careful method to global documentary movie past, philosophy, criticism and training helping a vibrant and developing global community of documentary movie researchers (Nichols, 1992). The journal printed articles and evaluations, in English, from scholars all over the world in search of broadening the area of documentary movie grant. Some of the subjects recommended comprise; new methods to documentary past; new progresses in documentary concept and new knowledge in documentary movie. Global styles in documentary movie practice; Official invention in documentary movie

Gregorian Calender Essay Example for Free

Gregorian Calender Essay In everyday life, individuals function with a calendar. Calendars help organize daily events, special events, upcoming events, holidays, seasons, etc. Today in the United States the modern and common calendar that is used is known as the â€Å"Gregorian Calendar†. Previous to the Gregorian calendar, the â€Å"Julian Calendar† was used. Both calendars are similar in some ways as well as different in others, along with sharing some advantage and disadvantages to make one calendar more useful in today’s modern world. Gregorian Calendar The â€Å"Gregorian Calendar† is currently the most internationally accepted calendar, (TimeandDate, 2013). Other known names for the calendar can be known as â€Å"Western Calendar† and â€Å"Christian Calendar†. Pope Gregory XIII first introduced his findings of this new calendar in February of 1582, which the calendar was then named after him. The days of the calendar were put together strictly from a solar plan. The calendar has 365 days in the year that make up the 12 different months. Each of the 12 months is irregular in the number of days that each contain. Seven of the months hold 31 days, five of the other months have 30 days, and the month of February has the least amount of days being 28. Although the month of February composes of 28 days, every 4 years â€Å"Leap Year† occurs adding an extra day to the year making February have 29 days in the month. Every three months of the calendar the seasons change of the 20th day of the month. This calendar is the most constant and stable calendar at the moment. Julian Calendar Before the â€Å"Gregorian Calendar† was the â€Å"Julian Calendar† which also replaced the â€Å"Roman Calendar†. One of the reasons it has been known that the â€Å"Roman Calendar† was replaced was due to how complicated it was. Previous to the â€Å"Julian Calendar† the â€Å"Roman Calendar† was known to be complicated with how to figure when the seasons should begin and what days should be kept or added. To help fix the problem, Julius Caesar worked with an astronomer by the name of Sosigenes to put together a calendar based more on the Sun and Earth. This calendar became known as the â€Å"Julian Calendar† which is rather similar to the calendar that is accepted and used today. It has the commonly used 365 days of the year that are also divided into the 12 different months. Every four years, leap year occurred in one of the months just like it does in today’s calendar. Advantages and Disadvantages Between both calendars there are some advantages and disadvantages to how the calendars work. A disadvantage that others feel from the calendar is the days’ holidays may land on. Some holidays such as Christmas or Thanksgiving cannot be changed which can lead to them landing in the middle of the work week. Holidays falling on days like this can prevent individuals from making plans to be around loved ones due to work or school schedules. Another disadvantage is the irregular days of the month. Not every month has the same number of days and sometimes it can interfere with a budget or the cost of life. However, an advantage is the way the calendar is setup. Seasons are always every three months no matter what and the holidays never change. This type of stuff is always guaranteed and cannot be changed. Most Useful in Modern Society Both calendars are really close in similarity. In a way both calendars actually could be used in modern day society since individuals are so familiar with how both calendars work. However, since people are just more familiar with the term â€Å"Gregorian Calendar† and since this calendar is currently more up to date, the â€Å"Gregorian Calendar† would most likely be more useful in todays’ culture. Although there are many other types of calendars used in the world that can be compared to the â€Å"Gregorian Calendar†, this calendar has been found to be the most â€Å"internationally accepted civil calendar† of today, (TimeandDate, 2013).

The Dangers of Radiological Energy

The Dangers of Radiological Energy Lakyma Taylor Christian Fought Throughout history, scientific advancement in energy has enhanced civilization. As civilization grows, so does the increase in energy sources. Many of those advancements people rely on. Society enjoys the fruits of someone elses labor without knowing intricate details about how lethal some of these energy source can be. The Chernobyl incident emphasizes the dangers that the use of nuclear and radiological energy can have. The Chernobyl incident, caused irreversible change on the environment and its community. On April 26, 1986, rupture in a reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and caused an explosion. This explosion caused a fire and released large quantities of radioactive contamination into the atmosphere miles from the city Chernobyl. Because of the explosion, an uncontrolled fire began and lasted two weeks. This burn of radioactive material released more than one billion curies around the northern hemisphere. Per The Other Report on Chernobyl, Chernobyl was 200 times that of the combined releases from the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Fairlie). This fact shows the devastation that the people in this region were dealing with. This unhealthy dose of radiation exposure caused the displacement of many people. Many citizens were advised to evacuate. Many abandon their homes and fled to regions where radiation doses were high. Radiation being invisible, forced people unknowingly to migrate into these regions with high radioactivity. The countries initially exposed to radiation were Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine. This exposer increased the risk to the publics health in these neighboring countries.      Ã‚   This catastrophic event exposed numerous people to radiation. The capacity of exposed radiation was enormous, accident of 1986 released vast quantities of radioactive materials and significantly contaminated about 200,000 square kilometers of land (Mousseau). Acute radiation syndrome caused the death of over 30 Chernobyl plant workers and first responders a few days and weeks after initial exposure. Per the NRC and UNSCEAR More than 6,000 cases of thyroid cancer may eventually be linked to radiation exposure in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia (Lallanilla). Acute radiation is an illness that causes digestive problems to include, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. This exposure to radiation has complicating effects on the nervous system, heart, and lungs. Some studies show an increased in West Germany, Greece and Belarus of childhood leukemia from the Chernobyl incident. These children were likely exposed to high dose of radiation which can damage genes and chromosomes. Thyroid cancer is very rar e in children, this rapid increase was surely related to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. This transpired among the young adolescents at the time of the accident. Accordingly young children exposed lived in the areas of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine which were the most contaminated at the time. Many adults exposed also suffered from thyroid cancer to include leukemia. Leukemia has the highest radiation related relative risk of all cancers when exposed in early childhood. These developments are awful long lasting remnants of what this catastrophe did to people. Exposer to the agriculture and the environment due to radiation was apparent. A large percentage of the area was used for farming, the forest and bodies of water were also contaminated. The exclusion zone received the highest level of radiation. This is the area were plants and animals inhabited. Radioactive material remain in the soil, which contaminated the plants that grazing animals fed, then transferred to the milk and meat. This led to more exposure to people and restrictions on the consumption of food contaminated dealing with transportation and production related to the incident incident. This contamination caused adverse health reactions whichd caused people to become sick. Animals in the region have done well. The abandonment of the area allowed, the exclusion zone to become a thriving ecosystem. This abandonment allowed plants and animals to flourish without the influence of human disturbance. Animals such as beaver, moose, brown bear wolves and lynx have been successful a dapting in this environment. It has been difficult to determine how the animals respond directly from the radiation. Species richness and abundance of animals can be affected by numerous environmental factors other than radiation (Mousseau). Some research on wildlife reveal subtle changes, with no effects on longevity or reproduction. In many cases a lot more research is needed to determine how the effects of radiation have challenged many animals in this ecosystem. This exposure to radiation changed the lives of many. Many of these changes and challenges affected so many because of this horrific event. Extensive radioactive materials was released resulting in a radioactive cloud that spread over much of Europe. This radiation exposure transformed a community to include the people, animals and the environment in which they coexisted. The circumstances of this event made more aware of the contributing dangers that nuclear energy is capable of. The drastic change and dynamic of effects left unforgettable images for those who experienced it. Since this event compelling progress has happened in the developments of stricter safety and health guidelines relevant to issues regarding radiation protection. References   Ã‚   Fairlie, Ian PhD, UK. David Sumner, DPhil, UK. THE OTHER REPORT ON CHERNOBYL (TORCH). PHD Thesis. Berlin, Brà ¼ssel, London: Greens/EFA in the European Parliament, 2006. Document. Lallanilla, Marc. Chernobyl: Facts About the Nuclear Disaster . Live Science (2013): 1. . Mousseau, A.P Moller T.A. Species richness and abundance of forest birds in relation to radiation at Chernobyl. Biology letters (2007): 483-486. document.

An Analysis of Poetic Justice in Macbeth

An Analysis of Poetic Justice in Macbeth The play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare is a story about a man named Macbeth and his quest for power. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a brave and noble soldier, who is crowned as Thane of Cawdor by King Duncan. After becoming Thane of Cawdor he and Banquo come across three witches who give them each three predictions. The witches predict that Macbeth will become the Thane of Glamis, the thane of Cawdor and then King. At first these predictions mean nothing to Banquo and Macbeth, but then Macbeth starts thinking that if the witches were right about one prophecy, then it must be true that he will become King. This prophecy mixed with the influence of his wife, lead him to kill King Duncan. After Macbeth became King, Macduff and Banquo have suspicions that it was Macbeth who slayed Duncan. Macbeth kills Banquo and tries to kill Macduff to avoid being caught, unfortunately Macduff has already assembled an army to kill Macbeth. When the army reaches Macbeth, Macduff figh ts him and kills him. With Macbeth gone, Malcolm rightfully becomes King of Scotland. The conclusion of Macbeth contains a high degree of poetic justice because of the slaying of Macbeth, Macduff being the man to slay Macbeth, Malcolm becoming King of Scotland and Lady Macbeth committing suicide. In the beginning of the story we get a false impression of Macbeth, because we see him as a brave, loyal and trusted soldier. After he kills King Duncan, we see Macbeth as an evil, greedy and power-hungry. Macbeth continues his murderous ways when he kills Banquo and tries to kill Fleance so they couldnt be his successor as King. Then Macbeth kills Macduffs family, because he knows hat Macduff has a suspicion that he killed King Duncan. Macbeth is truly a murderer that has gotten away with everything he has done. Macbeth realizes that he has changed and cant go back: â€Å" I am in blood. Steppd in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go oer.† (3.4. 136-138). Poetic justice is established when Macbeth is slain, because he had killed many people, all of which were innocent and had done nothing wrong to Macbeth. He finally gets proper justice when Macduff kills him for his actions throughout the play. Macduff is the Thane of Fife and is one of the first people to suspect that Macbeth killed King Duncan. Macbeth is aware that Macduff suspects him as the murderer, so he sends out men to kill him. When Macbeths men get to Macduffs castle he is not there, but his family is and the men kill Macduffs family. Macduff learns that his family has been killed: â€Å" All my pretty ones? Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? What all my pretty chickens, and their dam at one fell swoop?† (4.3.216-218). This shows the love that Macduff had for his family and how sad he became when he knew he would never see them again. Poetic justice is established when Macduff slays Macbeth because he gets justice for what Macbeth did to his family by killing the man who made him lose his whole family which he cared for so much. Malcolm is the eldest son of king Duncan and the rightful heir to his throne. When King Duncan is killed, Malcolm was the next in line and should have became king, but instead he fled to England out of fear of being suspected as his fathers murderer. Since Malcolm and his younger brother Donalbain fled, there was no one to take the throne other than Macbeth. Poetic justice occurs when Malcolm becomes King of Scotland because he was supposed to be King since King Duncans death but instead Macbeth becomes king. Malcolm gets his poetic justice when he finally gets what he rightfully deserved since his father died. Lady Macbeth is the wife of Macbeth and is an influencing factor in Macbeths decision to kill King Duncan. Without her influence Macbeth may not have killed King Duncan. It was her influence that made her feel guilty, because she knew she was just as much a part of the murder as Macbeth was. This guilt leads her to start sleepwalking, where she attempts to wash blood off her hands during her sleep. Although the play never mentions why she committed suicide it is most likely that it was because she couldnt live with the guilt she felt. Poetic justice occurs when Lady Macbeth commits suicide because she was a big part of the murder of King Duncan and gets what she deserved when she kills herself because of her own guilt. She deserved to die because of what she did to influence Macbeth into killing King Duncan. In conclusion, the ending of the play Macbeth provides a high degree o Poetic Justice as a result of

The lost battle :: essays research papers

The Alamo   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  General Sam Houston is in charge of the Alamo but he needs time to get a army ready to fight Santa Anna. Houston trusts Jim Bowie and Travis but now Bowie is drunk so he leaves Travis in charge of the Alamo. Then Houston leaves with his army to get it ready to fight. Bowie wakes up from being drunk and they raise the flag. Bowie doesn’t think they can beat Santa Anna and his 7,000 troops. Travis gets word that Santa Anna and his men just crossed a river that is way closer than he had thought. Travis does not tell his troops because they have no hope. Davy Crockett arrives at the Alamo with his men and they dance and drink. Travis does not drink and he wants to give a speech to all of the men about how Texas has no rights. Crockett makes Emil pay a little boy a tip for caring a woman’s bags. Crockett wants her to leave if she wants. Emil and his men try to attack Crockett in the street and Crockett and Bowie beat them up and then they go and have a dr ink. The women told Crockett that there was gun powder in a church and then Crockett and Bowie and some of their men that were sober went to get it and they bring it back to the Alamo they find about 50 rifles and gunpowder. Crockett has Flaca write a letter in Spanish to himself. Travis asks Crockett to ask his men if they will fight and he asks them and they will stay and fight. Crockett has Flaca read the letter in front of everyone and says its from Santa Anna but then after they talk about it he tells them it was from him and that he wrote it. Crockett make Flaca leave to safety. The Mexicans come and tell them to leave but Travis wants to have a war. The Mexicans have a huge cannon so at night Crockett and Bowie sneak out with their men and blow it up by putting mud down the cannon. They are running back and the Mexicans are shooting at them but they all make it back ok. Travis says that they cant do that again. Bowie says he’s going to leave in the morning with his men but Crockett gets him drunk and then he changes his mind and says he’s going to stay and fight in the war.

The Politics of Representation: Social Work Lessons From the Advocacy

The Politics of Representation: Social Work Lessons From the Advocacy Planning Movement In urban planning's new political awareness, representation became a social responsibility issue. This new understanding of politics and social responsibility in urban planning may have brought boundary interaction between planners and other professions, such as social work†¦ Introduction In his 1995 article, Andrew Abbott explores his evolving conception of the social work profession. As we approach the new millennium, Abbott's conception becomes strikingly relevant. In brief review, Abbott's first notion posits that social work is a profession of interstitiality. In this context, social workers translate and mediate between collogues in highly technical professions and their own social work clients. Abbott refers to this relationship as a "social work of boundaries" (Abbott, 1995). As the boundaries between other professions change, the social work interstitiality changes as well - coined by Abbott "the boundaries of social work." Abbott writes; "the function of social work, like those of other professions, emerged from a continuous conflict and change" (Abbott, 1995, p. 552). As examples, Abbott related aspects of conflicts in which social work gained or lost "sub-fields" to neighboring professions. Abbott's third conception admits that both of his previous notions fail to address the origin of the modern social work profession. In his subsequent exploration of social work origins, Abbott suggests that other professions solidified before social work did, creating the boundaries from which social work emerged (Abbott, 1995). Abbott's three conceptions share the theme that social work does not stand alone as a professi... ...e and the Urban Crisis. New York: Pantheon Books. Piven, F. F. & Cloward, R. A. (1971). Regulating the Poor: Functions of Public Welfare. New York: Pantheon Books. Piven, F. F., Cloward, R. A. (1988). Why Americans Don't Vote. New York: Pantheon Books. Planners Network. (1999). What is planners network? Planners Network Online. http://www.plannersnetwork.org/. Planning 58 (3). (March 1992). APA News, 36-38. Reiner, J. S., Reimer, E., & Reiner, T. A. (1963). Client analysis and the planning of public programs. Journal of the American Institute of Planning 29 (4), 270-282. Wachs, M., ed. (1985). Ethics in Planning. New Brunswick, NJ: Center for Urban Policy. Webber, M. M. (1973). Comprehensive planning and social responsibility: Toward an AIP consensus on the profession's roles and purposes. Journal of the American Institute of Planning, 232-241.

The Detrimental Effects Acid Rain

With scientists and so-called â€Å"experts† on the environment disagreeing on so many issues, it is easy for the public to be lost in the fray of what is truth and what is media hype. Though the term â€Å"acid rain† has been present in our society since the early 1970†³s, many people are not exactly clear on what it is what causes it, and the detrimental effects acid rain has on our environment. More confusing than all of the facts and scientific theories surrounding acid rain is the development of a suitable solution to reduce air pollution, which in turn leads to acid rain. Many experts do not agree that acid rain has in fact been caused by man made pollution because of the fact that rain is naturally acidic. This widespread disagreement delayed international action to reduce pollution for some time. However, with the coming of the 1970†³s an awareness of acid rain spread, and with that awareness, possible solutions were proposed. These solutions involved making environmental changes on the international, industrial, and personal levels. Just how does acid rain form, and what consequences does it pose to our environment? There are numerous theories as to the cause of acid rain. However, the most prevalent is the theory that electric generating plants, heating plants, and other industrial plants have been emitting an excess amount of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic chemicals (VOC†s) into the atmosphere. Once these chemicals are in the air, they react with water to form acids and fall back to the earth as precipitation. People who believe acid rain is a natural phenomenon do so because of the fact that carbon dioxide in the air combines with water vapor and produces carbonic acid (Bolch 95). There are several environmental risks that come with acid rain. One of these is the acidification of lakes, resulting in the lakes† inability to sustain the aquatic life. In fact, Norway reported that 18,000 out of 85,000 of their lakes were acidified, and more than half of their fish population has disappeared (Brunee 23). Ground water can also become more acidic because of the way acid rain depletes the natural buffer system of the soil. Studies done in the early '70†³s indicate immense damage done to the forests, especially in Eastern Europe and in Germany. A sort of â€Å"tree disease† has been destroying a large percentage of the coniferous trees. The effect of acid rain on wildlife could include the contamination of the entire food chain by causing heavy metal accumulation in aquatic life. The effects that acid rain has on humans has not been effectively studied. However, scientists believe that occurrences of respiratory diseases such as asthma may be on the rise. Acid rain is also causing many historical buildings around the world to erode and decay at an increasingly higher rate. Since the early 1970†³s, many efforts have been made to reduce the air pollution that causes acid rain. The United States government passed the first Clean Air Act in 1972. This act established standards of air quality in order to protect public health. It also required states to submit plans for attainment of these standards. The second Clean Air Act passed in1990 took regulation of air pollutant emissions a step further. It called for a further reduction in car tailpipe emissions, as well as mandating the development of cleaner fuels to be used in metropolitan areas. It listed 189 specific toxic chemicals to be regulated as hazardous air pollutants, as well as establishing a new permitting program for stationary sites of industrial air pollution. These sources of air pollution were now required to have an EPA-issued operating permit that specified allowable emissions (Kraft 87). These governmental controls have effectively reduced air pollution in our country, but at what cost? Writer, Michael E. Kraft asks the question that burns in many of our minds. â€Å"How clean is clean enough? How safe is safe enough, considering available technology and costs? † Initiatives to help meet proposed air quality standards are extremely costly, and they impose substantial burdens on the state and local government. The level of spending on air pollution control in 1972 was $8 billion. By 1990 that figure has risen to $30 billion (Meiners 5). Many experts doubt that money was spent wisely by the government, and claim that the same amount of reduction in air pollution could have been attained using half of the money spent if the government was more efficient. Obviously the U. S. overnment has taken a stand against pollution, and has paid the extremely high financial costs. Many people are quick to point the environmental finger at less developed countries and ask why they are not going to such measures to reduce their own pollution. Like many other things, this too comes down to money. There is a drastic inequality among the rich and the poor nations. This has a large impact on the ability of those poorer countries to address environmental concerns. In 1991, the richest 20% of the nations received 85% of the world income, while the poorest 20% received only a mere 1. % (Sandler 20). In order to effectively solve any global problem, the nations who are most affected by the problem, and would benefit the most from a solution must take on an active role in the resolution of the problem. If these countries take an aggressive and public stand on fighting and reducing their own pollution, other countries will follow their lead (Sandler 148). A large group of nations are cooperating in order to solve a global problem; they form a sort of power, or clout that is effective in pressuring other nations to join the fight. Such cooperation and discussion between nations is crucial in olving an environmental problem like acid rain and air pollution because of the fact that one country†s pollution will often harm neighboring countries. If a couple of nations take a stand against pollution while the others sit idly and watch, what benefit will the efforts result in? The fact that the Earth†s population is increasing at a frighteningly high rate is no surprise to most of us. We have heard time and again about the inability of the earth to sustain such a high population. This constant increase in population is causing an extreme increase in energy needs, which is leading to more pollution. Some scientists claim that if the population increase does not stabilize, it will be almost impossible to effectively control and reduce pollution with our current technology and methods of controlling pollution (Sandler 21). Science and technology play an important role in the reduction of air pollution. When there is a better understanding of a problem it can be handled with a greater efficiency. Scientists claim that nitrogen oxide emissions can be lowered through improved efficiency and conservation, especially in residential and commercial uses. Installing low nitrogen oxide burners will reduce the nitrogen oxide emissions. Setting emission standards on vehicles can cut pollution from mobile sources. New vehicles can incorporate improved emissions technology. Sulfur emissions can be reduced through the use of low-sulfur coal and oil, as well as flue-gas desulfurization for power plants. The implementation and use of hydro electricity, solar power, tidal energy, geothermal energy, and wind power have all been proposed as possible solutions to the problem of air pollution. Reducing air pollution is a very complicated task because of the involvement and support it requires from foreign nations, and the industrial world. A much less recognized, but equally important level of involvement is that from the public. It is extremely easy for the public to point their fingers at big business and demand a change for the improvement of our environment, without properly examining their personal effect on the problem. Why is the public seemingly oblivious about the ways that they can help reduce this problem? It is possible that they have been confused by differing opinions, and left out of the process of implementing possible solutions, which has alienated. Consensus among scientists can speed agreement on how to respond to hazards† (Kraft 18). Though this consensus would be ideal, it is not often the case due to growing uncertainties about health and environmental effects. â€Å"A more promising alternative is to improve the way scientists conduct risk assessments and discuss them with the public and stakeholders. Credibility and trust are crucial ingredients in effective assessment and management of risks. Providing opportunities for thorough discussions of the issues at hand and consideration of public views will inspire confidence in any proposed action† (Kraft 18). While some people are simply unaware of the problem of air pollution by the public, others are simply lazy. An extreme dependence on modern conveniences has contributed to this. Driving cars to every possible destination, no matter how near, seems to be an epidemic in this country. Luckily, the cure is a simple one. Alternative forms of environmentally sound transportation are usually readily available to those who are willing to utilize them. Public transportation, car-pooling, bike riding, and walking are just a few ways to cut the pollution that the public sector is responsible for. If the government had not stepped in and taken a stand for the environment, pollution levels would undoubtedly be awful today. The industrial decision-makers are too often blind to the needs and concerns of the environment because of the financial burden that environmental protection entails. And while most of the air pollution does come from industrial sites, we all could and should do our own part to help resolve this problem. Sooner or later we have all got to realize that in order to save the environment from disaster, we are going to have to be willing to sacrifice some of the conveniences that we have become so accustomed to.

A Human Resources Management System (HRMS) Essay

A Human Resources Management System (HRMS) or Human Resources Information System (HRIS) refers to the systems and processes at the intersection between human resource management (HRM) and information technology. It merges HRM as a discipline and in particular its basic HR activities and processes with the information technology field, whereas the programming of data processing systems evolved into standardized routines and packages of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. On the whole, these ERP systems have their origin on software that integrates information from different applications into one universal database. The linkage of its financial and human resource modules through one database is the most important distinction to the individually and proprietary developed predecessors, which makes this software application both rigid and flexible. To reduce the manual workload of these administrative activities, organizations began to electronically automate many of these processes by introducing specialized human resource management systems. HR executives rely on internal or external IT professionals to develop and maintain an integrated HRMS. Before the client–server architecture evolved in the late 1980s, many HR automation processes were relegated to mainframe computers that could handle large amounts of data transactions. In consequence of the high capital investment necessary to buy or program proprietary software, these internally developed HRMS were limited to organizations that possessed a large amount of capital. The advent of client–server, application service provider, and software as a service (SaaS) or human resource management systems enabled increasingly higher administrative control of such systems. Currently human resource management systems encompass. According to www.oracle.com using an electronic or computerized Human Resource System has several benefits. First is, Automate Key Processes,leverage workflow and internet-based processes to speed and optimize recruitment, hiring, budgeting, compensation, termination, performance, skills, collective agreements, and more. Perform rules-based HR budget control. Second, Get a Single Source of Truth, to maintain global HR data in a single instance for better availability and accuracy of  information, with a global single repository of employee data. Third is, Manage Total Compensation, to attract and retain with the right combination of salary and benefits. Set limits and warnings. Control budgets by department, position, or role. Deploy absence and termination policies. Fourth is, Locate and Manage Talent Globally, to manage recruitment, hiring, and deployment on a global basis and address local country requirements at the same time. Manage address information, currency, data formats, banking details, and payment methods for any country. Conduct competency profiling and management. Lastly, Integrate Intelligence with HR Management,to integrate intelligence with HR management to align the workforce with corporate objectives. According to www.nefsis.com using cloud-based video conferencing helps human resources staff leverage state-of-the-art communications and online collaboration tools to advance the HR agenda. Now, online training, employee benefit meetings, and job candidate interviews can be conducted in private and group virtual conference rooms anytime, anywhere. Using Video Conferencing has many benefits, to cut travel expenses for job candidate interviews, to shorten the hiring process, especially for distributed businesses, to improve the reach of employee benefit meetings to those that missed in-person sessions and those traveling, working from home, or at remote offices, and lastly to create a better online platform for employee benefits, safety, and regulatory compliance training. 1.1 BACKGROUND Nowadays, there are a lot of manual systems being renovated to computerized one. Just like the Human Resource (HR) departments, many companies have evolved to a new computerized system, and also there are companies that still working on a manual based system. The function of Human Resource (HR) departments is generally administrative and common to all organizations. Organizations may have formalized selection, evaluation, and payroll processes. Efficient and effective management of â€Å"human capital† progressed to an increasingly imperative and complex process. The HR function consists of tracking existing employee data which traditionally includes personal histories, skills, capabilities, accomplishments and salary. Also the Human Resource (HR) department is in-charge of identifying the potential applicants (Applicant Hiring). Being a Human Resource (HR) department, it is humiliating that they do not have a permanent system or database that can store their employee or applicant’s information day by day. Sometimes, many companies encounter different problems related with the employee or applicant’s information. Using Ms Excel or Manual Filing is not advisable for storing or tracking employee or applicant’s data, using those kind of tracking or storing may cause of loss of file, unreliable data, time consuming, heavy manual workload, heavy human work force, and etc. on payroll, time and attendance, performance appraisal, benefits administration, HR information management system, recruiting/learning management, performance record, employee self-service, scheduling, absence management and analytics. The Human Resource (HR) department encourages the proponents to develop a system that will help or solve the existing problems regarding Human Resource (HR) department and also to decrease the human workforce. 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1.2 .1 What is the profile of the respondents in terms of? 1.2.1.1 Educational attainment 1.2.1.2 Position 1.2.1.3 Years of service 1.2.2 What is the existing system in terms of? 1.2.2.1 Processing of documents 1.2.2.2 Transmittal of information 1.2.2.3 Tracking of records 1.2.2.4 Evaluation criteria 1.2.2.5 Generation of reports 1.2.3 How effective the existing system in terms of? 1.2.3.1 Speed 1.2.3.2 Accuracy 1.2.3.3 Manageability 1.2.3.4 Functionality 1.2.3.5 Portability 1.2.4 Is there a significance difference of the perception of the respondents in terms of? 1.2.4.1 Information of system 1.2.4.2 Processing of documents 1.2.4.3 Transmittal of information 1.2.4.4 Tracking of records 1.2.4.5 Evaluation criteria 1.2.4.6 Generation of reports 1.2.5 What are the problems encountered of the existing system in terms of? 1.2.5.1 Processing of documents 1.2.5.2 Transmittal of information 1.2.5.3 Tracking of records 1.2.6 What is the system to be developed? 1.3 SYSTEM OBJECTIVES 1.3.1 General Objectives To enhance the ability of the human resource management to leverage and absorb new and emerging opportunities and challenges in the business horizons. 1.3.2 Specific Objectives To understand that the employees are also individual and have their own set of needs. To understand and define the overall objectives and goals of the organization, its mission as well as vision. To ensure proper availability of latest tools and methods for training the employees as required for their respective competencies. To select best workforce from the labor market by using the recruitment options like internal job portals, job websites, advertisements, employment agencies etc. To assign the right job to the right employee if the proper utilization of the talent is needed. 1.4 SIGINIFIANCE OF THE STUDY This research is considered important to provide insight into the various Human Resource Management practices needed to perform BPO sector in Philippines. This study intends to investigate the role of Human Resource Management associated with firm performance, namely profitability, growth and employee management. Also this research intends to scrutinize whether  business strategy and environmental uncertainty moderate the relationship between Human Resource Management Practices and Video Teleconferencing. Lastly, this study destines to further the previous research in HRM practices using the contingency approach. Relevant to the issues above, this study contemplates to generate a new framework for further research pertaining to Human Resource Management practices – Video Teleconferencing relationships. 1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS Employees Information Employee Personal Information Service History Dependants and Emergency Contacts Attendance Warnings/Grievances Company Property Employment Equity Pay and Benefits Pay History including bonuses and deductions Group Benefits Vacation and Leave Banking and Loans Training and Development Performance Reviews Education and Courses Skills Profile Awards and Recognition Health and Safety Incidents and Accidents Medical records Disability Applicant Hiring Initial Interview Versant Online Test Video Teleconferencing (final interview) Reports and Document Library Pre-designed Letters and Forms Over 50 Standard Reports Document Management Confidential document storage Mitigate your risk, have all your documentation ready Reminders Automated Reminders and Alerts View View Employee Summary View Pay History View Work History Security Group and User security Password protected Block out certain information areas by user LIMITATION The system will not focus in calculating the whole payroll but it will only do some parts or portions of it. The Video Teleconferencing will only have a capacity of 4 persons per conference. System will only be limited to two users: Admin and HR Managers 1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS Human Resources- s the set of individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector, or economy. â€Å"Human capital† is sometimes used synonymously with human resources, although human capital typically refers to a more narrow view (i.e., the knowledge the individuals embody and can contribute to an organization). Likewise, other terms sometimes used include â€Å"manpower†, â€Å"talent†, â€Å"labor†, or simply â€Å"people†. Human Resource Management – is the management of an organization’s workforce, or human  resources. It is responsible for the attraction, selection, training, assessment, and rewarding of employees, while also overseeing organizational leadership and culture and ensuring compliance with employment and labor laws. Teleconferencing – Job interviews by teleconference involve setting up a conference telephone call amongst the members of the selection committee and the job applicant who can hear but not see each other. This may be appropriate where the applicant and the selection committee are in geographically remote locations, video conferencing facilities are unavailable and the applicant is agreeable to the use of teleconferencing. Video Conferencing – Video conferencing is a combination of audio and video transmissions which allows people to communicate by way of an audio visual link (AVL). Each site or endpoint is equipped with screens, microphones and cameras which allowspeople in two or more locations to see and hear each other as if participating in a face-to-face conversation. Security – Control of access to a computer system’s resources, specially its data and operating system files. Versant – are computerized tests of spoken language available from Pearson PLC. Versant tests were the first fully automated tests of spoken language to use advanced speech processing technology (including speech recognition) to assess the spoken language skills of non-native speakers. Survey – is to gather information by individual samples so as to learn about the whole thing. Multiplexing – is a method by which multiple analogue message signals or digital data streams are combined into one signal over a shared medium. CHAPTER 2.0 PROJECT FRAMEWORK 2.1 Theoretical Framework Enhancing meaningful learning by integrating technology into instructional design is central to this project. The most influential theory associated with this process is the IOSR Journal of Computer Engineering (IOSR-JCE): HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM proposed by A.S.SyedNavaz, A.S.SyedFiaz, C.Prabhadevi, V.Sangeetha, S.Gopalakrishnan (Jan 2013). It is based on the theory that it merges HRM as a discipline and in particular its basic HR activities and processes with the information technology field, whereas the programming of data processing systems evolved into standardized routines and packages of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. 2.2 Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework is built on four theoretical perspectives and prior research in conceptual model of HRMS. It is based on, but different from, existing and international HRMS models. Competitive advantage and performance are commonly noted as the ultimate needs of the organization; this study focuses on the creation of the most requisite resources to realize these targets. 2.3 Project Paradigm This area explains the directions that the proponents should follow to accomplish the goals of the system, this will be a fine guide that will lead us to the aptness of the system. 2.4 Review of Related Literature This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies. It contains a review of books and studies on the subject matter conducted here and abroad and their relation to the present research. The researcher looked for a number of related foreign and local literatures that will help us in developing our proposed project. 2.4.1 Local Studies and Literature Human Resource Management (HRM) has shifted its function within organizations over the last few years. Its function has grown considerably and has shifted into a more strategic role rather than providing support for administrative paperwork. There has been a shift too, in terminology, with the term Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) becoming more common. Since the rapid development of technology, software developers are continuously creating new and sophisticated softwares that can help companies execute  day-by-day HR administrative tasks as well as enabling them to perform fast and effective recruitment process, performance management, compensation & benefit, etc. OPUS Management (April, 2010). Human Resource Information System: Enabling your Human Resources Information System to Support HR strategic roles, volume 13, pages 101-116. This 21st century, companies are committed to provide world-class products and services to meet customer requirements and satisfaction. This can be attached if companies could attract, employ and retain world-class people. Today, HR (Human Resource) departments continue to ensure that highly qualified employees / workers get the right job assignments, trainings, learning opportunities and maintain competency assessments to prepare them for a clear career path. There are even international trainings and seminars offered / given to employees as well as virtual transfer-of-technology from foreign expatriates to ensure efficiency and productivity. With the recent trends of companies vying for accreditation and certification from the ISO body, the HR’s active participate in the education of its employees/workers rests on its move to ensure that the company’s Quality Policy is a commitment of everyone in the organization so that they may strictly implement it through effective communication, review and improvement. Magsino, B.V. (August, 2010). Human Resource Management (HRM): Gaining a Competitive Advantage, pages 19-22. There are many purposes of Human Resource Information System in our environment, first is, HRIS helps us to manage all of the employees information, second, it conducts reporting and analysis of employees information, third, it contains company-related documents such as employee handbook, emergency evacuation procedures, and safety guidelines, fourth, it benefits administration including enrollment status changes, and personal information updating, fifth, it has a complete integration with payroll and other company financial software and accounting systems, lastly, it is also responsible for applicant tracking and resume management. By automating Human Resource practices, HRIS saves time and money, effectively reallocates work processes and thus provides competitive advantage and add strategic value to the organization. Pelones, M. (July 14, 2013). Human Resource Information System.Retrieved August 29, 2013, from http://www.slideshare.net/Pilmathe2001/module2-human-resource-information-system-24215973?from_search=23. HRM refers to the policies, practices and systems that influence employees’ behavior, attitudes and performance. Many Companies refer to HRM as â€Å"involving practices†. The strategy underlying these practices needs to be considered to minimize its influence on company performance. HRM practices include analyzing and designing work, determining human resource needs (HR Planning); attracting potential and qualified employees (Recruiting); choosing employees (Selection); teaching employees/workers how to perform their jobs and preparing them for future (Training & Development), rewarding employees (Compensation); evaluation their performance (Performance Management); and creating a positive work environment (Employee Relations). HRM Practices are strategic. Effective HRM has been found to enhance performance company performance by contributing to employees and customers’ satisfaction, innovation, productivity and development of a favorable reputation in the business community. The potential role of HRM on company performance has only recently recognized. Gayno, H.C. (2010). Processing a Turnaround, â€Å"Human Resource Management†, p.11. The Human Resources of the Philippines Aside from natural resources is one of the basis of economic development. Its people is the most important resource of any country. It is important to understand how people utilize and develop natural resources based on their character, diligence, and creativity. In fact, humans serve as the â€Å"driver† of the world since the direction of it depends on them. Julian (July 23, 2009). Human Resources of the Philippines. Retrieved September 06, 2013 from, http://www.slideshare.net/juilian/human-resources-of-the-philippines 2.4.2 Foreign Studies and Literature The complexities of the European environment differentiate much of Europe from the United States and also from much of East Asia. Moreover, there are apparent cross-national differences with respect to the impact of SHRM approaches on firm performance. Much of the empirical research demonstrating a positive connection between SHRM and firm performance has taken place in the United States (Wright & Boswell, 2002). Studies conducted in a variety of Asian countries also have shown HPWSs exerting a positive effect on firm performance (e.g., Bae& Lawler, 2000; Bae et al., 2003; Bjà ¶rkman& Fan, 2002;  Lee & Miller, 1999; Morishima, 1998). In contrast, research is less supportive of the effective transference of American-style SHRM approaches to European countries (Doeringer, Lorenz, &Terkla, 2003; Harzing&Sorge, 2003; Rodrà ­guez & Ventura, 2003). There are many factors that might explain why these techniques are not so effective in Europe, including political and cultural constraints, stronger unions, the regulatory environment, extensive use of works councils, and general resistance on the part of European management. Whatever the case, the apparently more limited efficacy of SHRM approaches in Europe provides one explanation as to why SHRM approaches seem less likely to be adopted there. Chen, S.J., Lawler, J., Bae, J. (2011). CONVERGENCE IN HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEMS: A COMPARISON OF LOCALLY OWNED AND MNC SUBSIDIARIES IN TAIWAN, page 238. To develop a software application that supports the application specific to the HR automation in an intranet specific to a company there by allowing the integration of all the employees pertaining to that organization. To keep track of all the other departments related to that organization such as marketing, development etc. To allow the HR of an organization to update the employee details when ever there is a change in the employee profile pertaining to that organization. The HR center is a powerful application designed to allow companiesto streamline their human resource tasks and manager their employees more efficiently, Employee and Company Information Employee Time, Attendence, and Leave Request HR Documentation Management (i.e. insurance forms, W-2’s etc.) The HR Center includes a comprehensive employee informationdatabase, work information, beneficiary information, and more for each employee. It comes standard with employee self-service access allowing employees to update their personal information, request time off or input their daily timesheet entries. It also has role –based access level control that is functionally based on whether a user is an employee, a manager, or an HR admistrators.  With HR center managers and HR admistrators can manage a track. Srikanth, T. (2012).Human Resource Management System. Retrieved August 29, 2013, from http://www.slideshare.net/chetanmbhimewal/3263270-humanresourcemanagementsystemshrms?from_search=8 The paper titled â€Å"HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM† is basically concerned withmanaging the Administrator of HUMAN RESOURCE Department in a company. A Human ResourceManagement System (HRMS), refers to the systems and processes at the intersection between human resource management (HRM) and information technology. It merges HRM as a discipline and in particular its basic HR activities and processes with the information technology field, whereas the programming of data processing systems evolved into standardized routines and packages of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. The main objective of this paper is to reduce the effort of Administrator to keep the daily events such as attendance, projects, works, appointments, etc.This paper deals with the process of identifying the employees, recording their attendance hourly and calculating their effective payable hours or days. This paper should maintain the records of each and every employee and their time spend in to company, which can be used for performance appraisal. Based on that transfer, removal, promotion can be done. A.S.SyedNavaz, A.S.SyedFiaz, C.Prabhadevi, V.Sangeetha, S.Gopalakrishnan (Jan 2013). IOSR Journal of Computer Engineering (IOSR-JCE): HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, volume 8, Issue 4, pages 62-77. For some years interviews for promotional custodial positions have been primarily conducted by video conferencing in order to reduce travel and recruitment time and costs. It is anticipated that more interviews for noncustodial jobs will be conducted by video conferencing as part of an ongoing CSNSW strategy to streamline recruitment activities and to have an outcome more quickly. In the main entry-level Correctional Officer and Probation and Parole Officer interviews, arising from campaign advertising, are conducted face-to-face. Based on the above considerations, the selection committee has the flexibility to utilise teleconferencing, video conferencing and face-to-face  interviews. Human Resources Division will confer with the selection committee convenor about the mode of interview. (November 2012). Human Resource: Job Interviews – Video conferencing and Teleconferencing –Policy and Guidelines, pages 1-4. (Electronic Data Processing) at the primary level, an organization may be interested in automating processing of routine information. It is an exercise of automating routine paperwork at the operational level. (Management Information System) in this phase focus is shifted from EDP level to MIS level with more inquiry and report generation flexibility. This is intended for middle level manager to control the operation, matching budget or projection. (Decision Support System) facilitates decisions at the higher level in the organization. At this stage HRIS is more interactive and capable of developing decision model on many strategic issues. It is important to mention that all these types of HRIS are equally important for an organization. Without EDP, i.e, the basic data storage of employees information and payrolls, MIS can not be developed. Because at MIS stage, middle level managers, duly retrieving information, try to enforce control at the operational level. Similarly, without EDP and MIS, DSS can not develop decision models, examining decision alternatives, as at the corporate level, inputs from EDP and MIS reinforce DSS with enhanced interactivity. Ojha, P.K (April 19, 2013). Human Resource Information System. Retrieved September 05, 2013, from http://www.slideshare.net/PranavKumarOjha/human-resource-information-system-19158875?from_search=10

Team Work Essay

What happened and why : Seagate is one of the largest digital content storage companies in the world and has business in about 15 countries around the world in Europe, Asia and the US ( ©2011 Seagate Technology LLC). To create the ultimate team-building experience, every year Seagate brings 250 high-performing employees to Queenstown, near Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand. This event tests all their physical and emotional boundaries of endurance (Max, 2006). This is a very popular program among Seagate employees and is known as â€Å"Eco Seagate†. The company spent a whopping sum of $9000 per person, and the goal of this exercise is to boost the employee morale, support office amity, and encourage teamwork (Max, 2006). Seagate’s CEO Watkins wanted participants to experience the intensity that distinguishes an informal group from a high performing team. He also wants to strengthen his company’s culture by reinforcing these norms and attitudes that encourage team work, perseverance and endurance. Why did I decide to write about this? I have been working for Seagate technology for about 10 years and have been witnessing this herculean effort of team building since 2001. I attended a scaled down version of Eco Seagate in early 2002, which was equally rigorous and challenging but gave me a new way of thinking about team dynamics. The current form of Eco Seagate is a week-long teambuilding program, which includes a 10-mile trek, 12-mile bike ride through mountain terrain, navigating about 3 miles in a kayak, rappelling down cliffs and more. The last day of the challenge combines these adventurous activities into one 25-mile (40 kilometers) race. On arrival in Queenstown, the 250 Seagate employees were divided into 50 teams of five people each; in most cases the team members had never met before and in some cases didn’t even speak the same language but were expected to work together to finish the Eco-challenge. This event, which some call a social experiment, is pet project of our CEO. Every year all 250 Eco Seagate participants learn a lifelong lesson about the importance of teamwork. He envisions Eco Seagate as a way to break down barriers, boost confidence and make company staffers’ better team players. â€Å"Some of you will learn about teamwork because you have a great team,† he says. Some of you will learn because your team is a disaster. † (Max, 2006). Were there outcomes positive or negative for the various parties in the situation? Certainly the outcome of this exercise is very positive for the company and Seagate’s staff. I would term this event as a mother of all team building exer cise ever executed by similar size company in the Silicon Valley. One must realize that this is an investment towards Social capital (McShane and Von Glinow, pp. 236). After this event Seagate not only achieves better team dynamics within their employees but would also get a stronger bonding between company and the employees. Mentoring and coaching, especially on an informal basis, help people build networks they need to work across corporate boundaries (Gratton & Erickson, 2007). I see one negative side of this elaborate team-building exercise. Two million dollar is a lot of money to be spent on a few individuals in a large company that has 45,000 employees worldwide. There are number of other ‘team building' programs that can achieve the same results if not better at a much lower cost. For me the main issue with this program is that you are going on a team building exercise without your immediate workgroup team. What would you do differently? Why? : As a manager, if I wanted to build a stronger team, I would take everyone in my team to such an exercise so that more cohesiveness and team skills development can be achieved across the board. Based on my own experience team building should be an ongoing process and programs of this kind only have a short-term impact. Rather than one massive/expensive exercise, I would suggest having more frequent low-cost programs that will help me to sustain my team over a long period of time. My learning related to this experience: Prior to going for Eco Seagate team building program, I had a feeling that I would work much better independently just like Scott commented. (Seagate Technology, 2007). My general feeling was that team work would be a burden to me and each person in the team would feel less responsible for contributing because others are present. Initially I suspected that people tend to slack off, or loaf, when they work in a group more than they do when working alone (McShane and Von Glinow, pp. 238). Later I concluded that I wouldn’t be able to complete that race by myself as the format of the race was very rigorous and everyone needs to perform multiple activities at the same time like treking, biking, navigating, map readings, searching for milestones and stretegic planning to overcome the obstacles faced during the race. I started this exercise with low levels of cohesiveness with other participants. That may be because we work in different locations and functional areas in Seagate, speaks different primary languages or we viewed the situation differently. Our five-person team size played a very important role to increase the cohesiveness in first four days of practice and familiarization phase (McShane & Von Glinow, pp. 242). Our diversity in knowledge and physical skills helped us to develop our team more effectively (McShane & Von Glinow, pp. 245). As a Manager I learned that I need to make sure that diversity is effectively managed in the team, because if it is not, it may lead to low cohesiveness. During four days of the acclimatization session we organized several informal team meetings and started with learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses. During practice sessions we challenged each other based on our weaknesses, which helped us to stretch ourselves beyond our normal physical capability. That was the first time I realized the power of Five â€Å"C† team member competency (McShane & Von Glinow, pp. 244). As part of our team building process we established several ground rules for the final day race and assigned team roles based on our strengths and willingness (McShane & Von Glinow, pp. 246-248). With the moral support of my team and several practice sessions of rock climbing and rappelling down the cliff, I could overcome my fear of heights and felt a little upbeat. When a group achieves noticeable and visible success, it contributes substantially to its feelings of cohesiveness and belongingness (McShane & Von Glinow, pp. 250). Since I know a few people who were coming from California, I expanded my network by leveraging them as brokers to â€Å"connect the separate team clusters† (Uzzi and Dunlap, pp. 56). Some of them actually became my social friends and one of them recently took me around for a quick sight-seeing tour of Amsterdam during my eight-hour layover at AMS Schiphol airport. Conclusion: Though we didn’t win the race, we successfully completed it about 50 minutes behind the first team that touched the finishing line. Overall experience was amazing and the skills that I learned at Eco Seagate are still contributing to my on-the-job effectiveness, including the ability to follow through on commitments to others, actively listen to team members, take responsibility for group successes or failures and give and accept the useful feedback that will help to improve the performance in next iteration. From the experiences at Eco Seagate, hopefully several Seagate managers are cultivated and now contributing effectively to form a high performing team by building trust within teams, sharing and communicating goals among team members, empowering team members, and encouraging them through positive expectations (McShane & Von Glinow, pp. 245-251). Works Cited *  ©2011 Seagate Technology LLC. (n. d. ). About Seagate. Retrieved from About Seagate: http://www. seagate. com/www/en-us/about/ * Gratton, L. , & Erickson, T. J. (2007). 8 Ways to Build Collaborative Teams. Harvard Business Review , 85 (11), 100-109. Max, S. (2006, April 3). Seagate's Morale-athon. Retrieved from Seagate's Morale-athon: http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/06_14/b3978085. htm * McShane, S. L. , & Von Glinow, M. A. (2010). Organizational Behavior: emerging knowledge and practice for the real world (5th ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. * Seagate Technology. (2007, Sept 26). Eco Seagate 2007: The Bloggers (1, 2, 3). Retrieved from Eco Seagate 2007: The Bloggers (1, 2, 3): http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=4Gp7AYuZJN0 * Uzzi, B. , & Dunlap, S. (December, 2005). How to build your network. Harvard Business Review .

High School Stabbing Incident Essay

Murrysville, Pennsylvania (CNN) — A teenage boy wielding two kitchen knives went on a stabbing rampage at his high school in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, early Wednesday, before being tackled by an assistant principal, authorities said. Twenty students and a security officer at Franklin Regional Senior High School were either stabbed or slashed in the attack, Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck told reporters. The accused attacker was been identified as 16-year-old Alex Hribal, according to a criminal complaint made public. Hribal, who was arraigned as an adult, faces four counts of attempted homicide, 21 counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a weapon on school grounds, the documents show. â€Å"I’m not sure he knows what he did, quite frankly,† Hribal’s attorney, Patrick Thomassey, said, adding he would file a motion to move the case to juvenile court. â€Å"†¦ We have to make sure that he understands the nature of the charges and what’s going on here. It’s important that he be examined by a psychiatrist and determined where he is mentally. † A doctor who treated six of the victims, primarily teens, said at first they did not know they had been stabbed. â€Å"They just felt pain and noticed they were bleeding,† Dr. Timothy VanFleet, chief of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, told CNN. â€Å"Almost all of them said they didn’t see anyone coming at them. It apparently was a crowded hallway and they were going about their business, and then just felt pain and started bleeding. † Hribal is accused of using two 8-inch stainless-steel knives in the attack, according to the complaint. He is being held without bail at the Westmoreland County Regional Youth Services Center. ‘Don’t know what I got going down’ The carnage began shortly before the start of classes, when an attacker began stabbing students in a crowded hallway and then went from classroom to classroom. Student Matt DeCesare was outside the school when he heard a fire alarm ring and then saw two students come out of the school covered in blood. Then he saw teachers running into the building and pulling â€Å"a couple of more students out,† he told CNN. The students had been stabbed. To stanch the bleeding, the teachers asked the students for their hoodies. â€Å"We all took our hoodies off and handed them to the teachers to use as tourniquets to stop the bleeding,† he said. Recordings of emergency calls released in the wake of the attack provide a soundtrack of sorts to the terror and chaos that played out inside the school. â€Å"I don’t know what I got going down at school here but I need some units here ASAP,† one officer can be heard saying. Minutes later in another call, another official, breathlessly, can be heard detailing casualties: â€Å"About 14 patients right now. † Then another call for help. â€Å"Be advised inside the school we have multiple stab victims,† one of the officers said. â€Å"So bring in EMS from wherever you can get them. ‘Saw the kid who was stabbing people’ Student Mia Meixner was standing at her locker. â€Å"I heard a big commotion like behind my back,† she told CNN. â€Å"And I turned around and I saw two kids on the ground. † She thought a fight had broken out, but then she saw blood. â€Å"I saw the kid who was stabbing people get up and run away,† she said. Then she saw a girl she knew standing by the cafeteria. â€Å"She was gushing blood down her arm. † Meixner dropped her books and went to help the girl. â€Å"I started hearing a stampede of students coming down from the other end of the hall, saying ‘Get out, we need to leave, go, there’s a kid with a knife. ‘ Then a teacher came over to me and the girl I was trying to help. And she said she would handle the girl and that I should run out. So then I just ran out of the school and tried to get out as soon as possible. † Meixner never heard the attacker utter a word. â€Å"He was very quiet. He just was kind of doing it,† she said. â€Å"And he had this, like, look on his face that he was just crazy and he was just running around just stabbing whoever was in his way. † She said she didn’t know the boy, but he had been in a lot of her classes. â€Å"He kept to himself a lot,† she said. â€Å"He didn’t have that many friends that I know of, but I also don’t know of him getting bullied that much. I actually never heard of him getting bullied. He just was kind of shy and didn’t talk to many people. † Hribal’s attorney described him as a â€Å"nice young man,† who has never been in trouble. â€Å"He’s not a loner. He works well with other kids,† he said. â€Å"†¦ He’s scared. He’s a young kid. He’s 16, looks like he’s 12. I mean, he’s a very young kid and he’s never been in trouble so this is all new to him. † Hribal’s family offered their condolences to everyone involved, Thomassey said. â€Å"They’re very upset. They did not foresee this at all,† he said. Stabbing shatters peace in quiet, upscale community Tackled by an assistant principal Assistant Principal Sam King is being credited with bringing the carnage to an end. King tackled the teen, Peck told reporters. A school resource officer was able to handcuff the suspect, Police Chief Thomas Seefeld said. The accused teen was being treated for injuries to his hands, the chief said. Police Officer William â€Å"Buzz† Yakshe, who also serves as a resource officer at the school, helped subdue the suspect, said Dan Stevens, the county deputy emergency management coordinator. Yakshe is â€Å"doing fine,† Stevens said. â€Å"He’s more upset than anything else over what happened, because these are his kids. † Students stabbed at Pennsylvania school A fire alarm that was pulled during the attack probably helped get more people out of the school during an evacuation order, Seefeld said. Students were running everywhere and there was â€Å"chaos and panic. † At one point, a female student applied pressure to the wounds of one of the male victims, possibly helping to save his life, said Dr. Mark Rubino, chief medical officer at Forbes Regional Hospital in nearby Monroeville, Pennsylvania, where seven teens were taken for treatment. The students who were hurt range in age from 14 to 17, Stevens said. All of the injuries are stabbing-related, such as lacerations or punctures, he said. ‘It doesn’t happen here’ The attack in Murrysville is the latest in a string of school violence that has occurred across the nation. But mass stabbings, such as the one at the high school, are rare. The attack has rattled the town, an upper-middle-class enclave with a population of about 20,000. A message on the Franklin Regional School District’s website said all of its elementary schools were closed after the incident, and â€Å"the middle school and high school students are secure. † Franklin Regional Senior High will be closed â€Å"over the next several days,† district school Superintendent Gennaro Piraino said. The district’s middle school and elementary schools will be open Thursday, and counseling will be available for the whole district, he said. Information on what led to the stabbings and the conditions of the injured are still unfolding. Bill Rehkopf, a KDKA radio host and Franklin Regional High School graduate, called the stabbing shocking. He said he kept thinking, â€Å"It doesn’t happen here, it can’t happen here. â€Å"