Friday, November 15, 2019

the revenge of islam :: essays research papers

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Enron security guards were stationed on the 19th and 20th floors of the company's building here Tuesday to prevent further shredding of documents, company lawyers said during a federal court hearing. Former executive Maureen Castaneda said Monday employees were shredding documents as late as January 14, in spite of the company's December bankruptcy filing that costs thousands of investors and employees their life savings. In the wake of the reports of continued shredding, Enron lawyers said the company allowed FBI agents in the building to interview employees and that guards had been posted round the clock to prevent more document destruction. Some 40 attorneys representing investors asked a judge to place federal marshals or an outside firm's security guards in the Enron building to prevent shredding. The lawyers also asked the judge to take possession of all documents relevant to the investigation into the collapse of the energy giant -- including boxes of shredded papers they said company executives ordered destroyed. It was also revealed in court that shredded documents were found in a wastebasket, which was turned over to authorities. It is not clear who conducted the search in which the papers were discovered. Packing materials become evidence MORE STORIES Shredding through history Ex-Enron exec: Shredding went on after probe began VIDEO/AUDIO †¢ Enron collapse hurts Houston charities †¢ Enron: A tale of two meetings MORE STORIES †¢ Ex-Enron exec: Shredding went on after probe began †¢ Lawyer who wrote document memo quizzed †¢ Terms set for sale of Enron's Indian plant †¢ Andersen blame game heats up EXTRA INFORMATION †¢ Guide to the fall of Enron †¢ Bush administration ties †¢ Chapter 11 timeline RESOURCES †¢ In-Depth: The end of Enron? †¢ Protect your 401(k) †¢ TIME.com: Inside the scandal †¢ In Focus: What happened? LEGAL RESOURCES Latest Legal News Law Library FindLaw Consumer Center Select a topicBankruptcyDiscriminationDivorceEstate PlanningLandlord-TenantPersonal InjuryTaxes Castaneda said she took boxes of shredded paper home with her to use as packing material. She later realized the significance of the refuse. She recalled e-mails telling employees how to handle financial documents. "One said our policy is not to destroy documents, given the threatening legal suits," she told CNN. "And that's what made me realize that I had more than just shreds." "It is an absolute smoking gun," said Castaneda's attorney, Paul Howes, referring to the shredded papers. Howes is with Milberg, Weiss, a San Diego-based firm that specializes in class action suits.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Philosophical Groundwork of a New and Innovative Teaching

The purpose of Montaigne's â€Å"Education of Children† is to lay down the philosophical groundwork for a new and innovative way of teaching children. The purpose of this new system is to foster the child's intellectual growth as opposed to filling the child's head with facts that he regurgitates, but does not understand. In Montaigne's words, the education should put a child â€Å"through its paces, making it taste things, choose them, and discern them by itself† (110). As well as encouraging intellectual growth, Montaigne also intends to promote wisdom, character and physical development as a way of education the entire person. Montaigne's assertion is that the purpose behind education should not be for the sole aim of the increase in knowledge, but â€Å"to have become better and wiser by it† (112). The overall effect of the education should be to produce an individual that is both wise and happy; according to Montaigne the two are irreconcilably bound, as â€Å"the surest sign of wisdom is constant cheerfulness† (119). The methods used to achieve Montaigne's ideal education are a mixture of the ability and talent of the tutor; the individual attention paid to a student and the well-rounded nature of the curriculum. Montaigne asserts that a pupil is only as good as the skill of his tutor. The ideal tutor in Montaigne's eyes would be one that is more wise than learned, having â€Å"a well made rather than a well filled head† (110). The tutor should not have the student repeat what is told to him, as the goal of the education is not to memorize, but rather to learn. The tutor should be a guide in order to offer the ideas of great authors to the student and then â€Å"let him know how to make them his own† (111). Furthermore, the tutor is only responsible for one student at a time and without interference from parents. Being alone with the student allows the tutor to truly become aquatinted with the student†s aptitudes and allows for the formulation of an individual and personal education for the one pupil. The actual subjects to be learned are divided by not only the discipline of study, but also the development of physical ability, moral fiber and interpersonal skills. The development of mind, body and spirit together leads to the transformation of a child to a well-rounded man. Montaigne believes in the training of the body as well as the mind, a typically Greek concept. The tutor, therefore, is responsible for physical training as â€Å"it is not enough to toughen his soul; we must also toughen his muscles† (113). The training of body serves a duel purpose, to ease the burdened mind by giving it something else to think about and by building up the pupil's body in order to fight off injury and disease. It is only after his body has been trained that the intellectual education can begin. Intellectually, Montaigne believes in beginning the students formal education with the sciences, in order to foster the understanding of the world's natural laws. The tutor should â€Å"explain to him the meaning of logic, physics, geometry, rhetoric and the science he chooses† as a way to give him â€Å"the marrow and the subject predigested† (118). This explanation of basic scientific principles gives the student the ability to understand and interpret the passages written by famous scientists given to him by the tutor. This assertion, that children should be allowed to recognize important information for themselves, is the cornerstone of Montaigne's theory of education. The other subjects to be studied should be literature and philosophy, and should be taught in the same manner as the sciences. Montaigne argues against the study of grammar and classical languages, such as Greek or Latin, as he believes these to be grounded in memorization as opposed to logical thought and reasoning. Montaigne asserts that the purpose of education is to produce â€Å"not a grammarian or a logician, but a gentleman† (125). However, despite the discourse on formal education, the actual intellectual instruction received is secondary to the child's overall development as a person. The next part of the child's education is argued by Montaigne to be the most important. The tutor should not only be an instructor on the matters of reason and logic, but also a moral force in the life of the student. The tutor's job is to instill strong virtues in the child while he is still young, â€Å"instructing him in the good precepts concerning valor, prowess, magnanimity, and temperance, and the security of fearing nothing† (120). The tutor is to teach the child moderation, civic responsibility, humility and a â€Å"honest curiosity to inquire into all things† (114). The goal of this instilling of virtues is to create an adult, â€Å"guided only by reason,† who is as capable of making wise decisions as well as being educated (114). The student, only after the competition of a great deal of education in academics and virtues, is taught a final lesson about interactions with others. At some point in the education the pupil is expected to interact with others and put his education to use. The student is expected to visit other countries in order to interact with a diverse array of people and cultures. Through these interactions the pupil will further his own education by rubbing and polishing his â€Å"brains with the contact with those of others† (112). The informal education through experience leads the student to gain a grasp of social situations and begin to understand the way society works. The ultimate goal in this is to have the student â€Å"put everything to use† by finding valuable education in all of those around him (114). Montaigne even goes so far as to assert that eventually â€Å"even the stupidity and weakness of others will be an education to him† (115). Overall, with the completion of the relationship between tutor and pupil the end result will be a reasoning, virtuous, educated and extremely wise individual who will be well equipped to deal with the world and who will be constantly bettering himself.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The Soldier X

In â€Å"Soldier X,† by Don Wulffson, lies a boy who was drafted into the German army at age 15. His birth name was Erik Brandt, but after his second battle in Russia, he switched his clothes with a Russian Soldier to stay alive. When he entered the enemy lines, he was known to others as Aleksandr Dukhanov, serial number K487944. Two Hundred Twentieth Armored Division. But, he hated being called that. So, Nikolai Mikhailovich, his friend (the injured man who lost both of his legs and was the patient right next to X), came up with a new name for him. X. He meets nurses named Tamara, Katrina, and Zoya. There was a mental patient, who pretended to be the hospital's only guard was named, Sergio. When the Germans attack the hospital's town, all the patients, doctors, and nurses try to escape to another field hospital. But, as the trucks left, Katrina was shot. X, Tamara, Zoya, and Sergio were knocked out of the truck. They ran. But, Zoya died along the way. Then, later on, Sergio was shot by a German. X and Tamara, continued on their journey, making friends and making enemies. The journey they take is their only way to find their freedoms. First, does war bring out the best in some people and the worst in others? Yes, war does bring out the best in people. When a bomb might've exploded a building, some people might run in and see if there is anybody still alive and help them. But, that doesn't mean war doesn't bring the worst in people either. People react to war in different ways. Some might react the right way and become better people then they were before. Or they might react in the wrong way and become a horrible person then they were before. When in war, soldiers might fight for the right thing and some might fight for the wrong thing. Some soldiers might fight for what they love. Their families and friends or the people who love them back. Or they fight for themselves. Not thinking of others in any way. Sometimes people could change for the better. Or sometimes people could change for the worse. In â€Å"Soldier X†, when Tamara and X were injured from escaping the hospital attack, they walked for days. They went up to a house and the father wouldn't help them, but their daughter gave bread and apples to them. Then when the got to a town Klatovy, Czechoslovakia, a car went by. They asked for help and the lady named, Elena Novak let them stay in her home until her hometown was attacked by the Russians and the Germans. She gave the food, water and a place to sleep. A quote to support my thinking is, â€Å"Tamara got to her feet. She was bone-thin, pale, and wheezing. ‘You're ill,† said the women in her sort of lilting German. I leaned forward, down to the open window. ‘Please help us,' I said. ‘We are so tired and hungry and we can't think straight anymore.' ‘Who are you?' ‘We are from a medical unit,' I answered. ‘I don't know where any of the others are. I think most of them are dead.' Little blue eyes in a big pink face looked us over. Gear shifted raggedly. ‘Well, we can't have you dead, too!' she said. ‘Come, come. Get in the car.' We got in.† (p.176-p.177) Even though there was a war going on around Elena Novak's home, she still gave others a home as well. Even though she didn't know X or Tamara, she still knew that it was the right thing to do. The right thing to do was help them. In the beginning of the book, after X and the other German soldiers were defeated by the Russians, Russian soldiers would go and stab either the dead or wounded of the enemy. Making sure that the Germans were dead. A quote from the book to support my thinking, â€Å"I heard someone pleading in German—then another shot. I belly-crawled a half meter and peered out. What I saw sickened me and terrified me. A Russian officer was methodically seeking out the German wounded and shooting them. A lumbering oaf of a foot soldier, using a bayonet, was dispatching other Germans. He seemed to be enjoying what he was doing. And many of those he was bayoneting looked already dead; he was just making sure.† (p. 74)When X was in the hospital, X met a blurring friend named Nikolai. Nikolai later lost both of his legs. He was like the father X never had. When X left the hospital, he left his father-figure behind. X also met two nurses who were his friends. Katrina and Zoya. They were the ones who let Tamara stay in their house. When they were killed, those were the pieces of Tamara that she could never forget. Sergio, the pretend guard of the hospital made it out of the Hospital attack but was killed by a German during their journey. Even though in his mind he was gone, he still had good intentions in helping X and Tamara survive. Elena, who gave them a place to call home for a few days was the person who really made the impact on their journey. If X and Tamara hadn't met Elena, they probably wouldn't have completed their journey to their freedoms. But, they also met a blurring enemy. Before they met Elena, they needed food and water. So, when they were in line.

Friday, November 8, 2019

U-Shaped Kitchen Layout Overview

U-Shaped Kitchen Layout Overview The U-shaped kitchen layout was developed based on decades of ergonomic research. Its useful and versatile, and while it can be adapted to any size kitchen, its most effective in larger spaces.   The configuration of U-shaped kitchens can vary according to the house size and the homeowners personal preference, but generally, youll find the cleaning zone (sink, dishwasher) on the external-facing wall, which sits in the lower curve or bottom of the U. The stove and oven typically will be located on one leg of the U, along with cabinets, drawers and other storage units. And usually,   youll find more cabinets, the refrigerator and other food storage areas like a pantry on the opposite wall.   Benefits of U-Shaped Kitchens A U-shaped kitchen typically has separate work zones for food prep, cooking, cleaning and in eat-in kitchens, a dining area.   Most U-shaped kitchens are configured with three adjacent walls, as opposed to other kitchen designs such as L-shaped or galley, which only use two walls. While both of these other designs have their pluses, ultimately a U-shaped kitchen provides the most counter space for work areas and storage of countertop appliances. A significant benefit of the U-shaped kitchen is the safety factor. The design doesnt allow for through traffic that might disrupt the work zones. Not only does this make the food prep and cooking process less chaotic, but it also helps prevent safety mishaps like spills. U-Shaped Kitchen Drawbacks While it has its advantages, the U-shaped kitchen does have its share of minuses, too. For the most part, its not efficient unless theres room in the center of the kitchen for an island. Without this feature, the two legs of the U may be too far apart to be practical.   And while its possible to have a U shape in a smaller kitchen, for it to be most efficient, the U-shaped kitchen needs to be at least 10 feet wide. Often in a U-shaped kitchen, the bottom corner cabinets can be difficult to access (although this may be remedied by using them to store items that are not frequently needed). U-Shaped Kitchen and Work Triangle Even when planning a U-shaped kitchen, however, most contractors or designers will recommend incorporating a kitchen work triangle. This design principle is based on the theory that placing the sink, refrigerator and cooktop or stove  in proximity to each other makes a kitchen most efficient. If the work areas are too far away from each other, the cook wastes steps while preparing a meal. If the  workspaces  are too close together, the kitchen winds up being too cramped.   While many designs still use the kitchen triangle, its become a bit outdated in the modern era. It was based on a model from the 1940s which presumed only one person prepared and cooked all the meals solo, but in modern  families,  this may not be the case. The  standard kitchen work triangle  is best placed along the base of the U unless a kitchen island is present. Then the island should house one of the three elements. If you place them too far away from each other, the theory goes, you waste a lot of steps while preparing a meal. If they are too close together, you end up with a cramped kitchen without adequate space to prepare and cook meals.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Journal Topics for Self Understanding

Journal Topics for Self Understanding The following journal topics all are geared to help students learn a little more about themselves as they grow in self-understanding. In addition to the topics listed below, associative writing, the writing of thoughts as fast as they come to mind without worrying about sentence structure or punctuation, may be particularly helpful when a student is troubled or experiencing writers block. When I need time for myself...If I could live anywhereI really miss...I never expected...An unusual day in my lifeFor my birthday Id like...The worst gift I ever got...I daydream most about...I really wish....Something few people realize about meI wish I werent so...One of my best points is...One of my most important goals is...I dream that one day...My hardest class isWhat makes me feel proud isIm glad Im alive whenSome little things I often forget to enjoyAssociative Writing: Associative writing, also called free writing, requires that the student writes his or her thoughts as fast as they come to mind with no attention to sentence structure or punctuation. The technique may be particularly helpful when a student is troubled or suffering from writers block. Although I like to teach students how and when to use associative writing, I prefer that they do it outside of class and not as an English assignment.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Summary of research article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary of research article - Essay Example There is dire need to investigate the widespread and misleading conceptions regarding the adolescent life. Talai has carried out a research along with Kelvin Barclay and Kathleen Foley at the Park Royal School and the Royal Haven School in Quebec. The research was meant to study the nature and significance of friendship in the life of an adolescent as it is in the Western culture. Amit-Talai has emphasized that the friendship’s nature in the life of an adolescent reflects in his/her friendship as an adult, which adds to its value. Amit-Talai asserts that various social and psychological factors that exist in the life of an adolescent influence the nature of friendship he/she enters into. It is quite common for the students to encounter a lot of changes when they are in the phase of secondary school. The onset of puberty inculcates drastic changes in the nature and attitude of both genders, on the physiological part. On the sociological part, adolescents assume much more respon sibilities in school and home and also, in the workplace occasionally. The adolescents also experience a shift in their relationships with their peers when they enter their puberty and gain the sense of sexuality. A vast majority of students feel a change in their learning tendency and the environment as well. Many families change their residence as the children move from childhood to adolescence. The change of location causes the adolescents to change their schools. However, it must be noted that the physiological and sociological changes brought about by the adolescence are not the only factors that play a decisive role in determining the structure of an adolescent friendship. After conducting the research, Amit-Talai found that the rules in both the Quebec secondary schools that were involved in the study were too strict to allow the students time to socialize in an informal manner in their private lives. Such a lack of time to promote intimate informal relationships in the life of an adolescent significantly declines his/her tendency to maintain a healthy friendship, though the lack of time does not completely eradicate the friendship at all. According to Paine (cited in Amit-Talai 235), friendship is a â€Å"dyadic, confidential and personal relationship†. There is a category of friends called as â€Å"just friends† that are indeed, the â€Å"â€Å"purest† form of friendships, voluntary and operating outside of any specific context, with no structural or cultural supports†. (Fischer 108 cited in Amit-Talai 235). However, the secondary students studied by Amit-Talai in her research express a blurred relationship of friendship in the sociological context. It is commonly thought of adolescents that their life is full of leisure as compared to that of the adults. Amit-Talai says that there is no doubt in the fact that many adolescents do not work and only study, yet the school and related activities like homework consume a major po rtion of their time. â€Å"Adolescents who are not at work do not necessarily have more â€Å"free time† as a result† (Amit-Talai 237). Amit-Talai has also noticed a manifold increase in the number of working students in the secondary schools in Quebec since early 1975. In order to entertain their social concerns, many secondary school students work along with their studies. Such social concerns include but are not limited to shopping, outing

Friday, November 1, 2019

Qatar Airways Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words - 1

Qatar Airways - Assignment Example Allocation of marketing budgets have been recommended. Marketing is no more a mere functional discipline but for most managers it now centers on identifying and satisfying customer requirements (Hooley, Piercy & Nicouland, 2009, p3). Recent challenges to marketing functions from sources as diverse as McKinsey Consultants make it imperative that marketing reflects new development and market opportunities. The effectiveness of marketing is ascertained based on how effectively a marketer is able to reach out to customers and fulfill customer needs and expectations better than competitors. Airlines too have been competing against each other through different marketing techniques. Qatar Airways, the flag carrier of the state of Qatar, headquartered in Doha-Qatar Airways Tower, was found on 22nd November, 1993 (Qatar Airways Fact Sheet, 2012). Qatar Airways is one of the few international airlines that are able to reach over 133 destinations worldwide like Africa, Middle East, South Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Far East and Oceania with a fleet exceeding 128 aircrafts (Qatar Airways, 2013). The airline operates a hub-and-spoke network linking over 100 international destinations from its base in Doha. Offering of First Class, Business Class and Economy Class services, supported with in-flight entertainment and superb first class service for all classes, have led Qatar Airways to be ranked as one of the few airlines in the world to achieve the 5-star rating. Qatar Airways has an internet booking engine but apart from that it now allows free download of mobile app on to any smart phone for greater convenience. This mobile app enables smart check-in for flights, fare finder, flight status information, global contact information and offers numerous payment options (Qatar Airways, 2013a). They offer the lowest fare finder facility