Thursday, October 31, 2019

Counter Terrorism in Iraq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 42

Counter Terrorism in Iraq - Essay Example Later in March 22nd, other three people were killed by suicide car bomber, who detonated the bomb at a checkpoint in Sayed Sadiq. That year only, there were 25 suicide bombings executed by 32 attackers. Approximately 151,000 to 600,000 or more Iraqis were killed in the first 3–4 years of conflict (Reese, 2009). Since then, terrorism has evolved and propagated over a decade up to date. This has compromised the national security of the country, with the instability paving the way for more terrorist recruitment and invasion. Most of these terrorist groups were formed to oppose the US forces that invaded their country on 20 March 2003. They were joined by the United Kingdom, several coalition associates, and the post-invasion Iraqi government. The US also had an objective of destroying Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. The dictatorship government was led by Saddam Hussein (Griffin 2004). There are several major terrorist groups, operating in Iraq, that pose a major national security to that nation, with the main one being Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (or Sham or Levant) or ISIS, led by Ibrahim Al-Badri, also known as Al-Baghdadi. They are centered in Syria and Iraq. It is a Wahhabi jihadist extremist militant group, mainly composed of Sunni Arabs from Iraq and Syria. As of March 2015, it has control over a region occupied by 10 million people in Iraq and Syria, and through trustworthy native groups, it has control over small areas of Libya, Nigeria and Afghanistan (Griffin 2004). On 29 June 2014, the group declared itself to be an international caliphate, where it entitles itself religious, political and military authority over all Muslims worldwide (Reese, 2009). The Asaib Ahl-Haq militia is yet another major terrorism group, operating on Iraq grounds.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Road Safety Essay Example for Free

Road Safety Essay Road incidents are a major problem in every society. Many lives are taken due to careless driving or misuse of public roads. Road incidents, also known as traffic collision, traffic accidents, motor vehicle collision, road traffic collision, wreck (USA) and car crash (Australia), can be defined as an unexpected and undesirable event , that occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian and other stationary obstruction. Road incidents are not only a rising concern in Fiji but also in every country in the whole world. Increase in the number of road incidents is a matter of concern in Fiji and also other countries in the world. Usually road incidents have very high impact on the people, that is, on the life, mind and family. People who are the victim of accidents normally regret for the rest of their lives because of the suffering they endure due to their carelessness in not following the simple road safety rules. Approximately hundred to two hundred people die each year due to road incidents. An escalation in the number of road incidents is not only a problem in Fiji but in every country in the whole world. Developed and leading countries like Australia and the United States of America also face the problem of road incidents and its impact on the people. In the recent years, the number has increased rapidly and many people are affected due to road incidents in one way or another. Many people lost their lives, family members or loved ones, suffer physical damage and damage to their properties due to not following the simple and easy road safety rules. Due to carelessness of people and failing to follow the road safety rules, this is turning out to be a great concern for Fiji Government and its time that action is taken. Many people are dying everyday. The Government and concerned authorities such as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and police, are showing their concern by organizing operations to monitor the drivers activities and holding awareness programs to educate people.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Study Key Drivers Of Organizational Talent Management Management Essay

Study Key Drivers Of Organizational Talent Management Management Essay Organizations recognize that they ought to have the best talent in order to thrive in the hypercompetitive and all the time more intricate global economy. Along with accepting the need to recruit, train and keep hold of talented people, organizations are conscious that they have to manage talent as a decisive resource to realize the best promising outcomes. Hardly any, organizations nowadays have an ample supply of talent. Gaps subsist at the top level, middle level and even at the lower rung. Talent is progressively more scant resource, so it must be managed to the fullest effect. The idea of managing talent is not novel. Five or six decades before, it was observed as a marginal accountability best transferred to the personnel department. At the moment talent management is considered as a critical organizational function that is taken so seriously. In The Conference Boards 2007 CEO Challenge study, CEOs rankings of the significance of finding Qualified managerial talent improved by 10 percentage points or more when compared to the identical research carried out just one year earlier . Research conducted in 2008 by DDI and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) established that 55 percent of executive level respondents said their firms performance was likely or very likely to suffer in the near future due to deficient leadership talent. This point of view was restated in one-on-one interviews with top executives, conducted as part of the same research study. This importance on talent management is unavoidable known that, on average, companies at present expend over one-third of their profits on employee wages and benefits. Your Organization can produce a new product and it is effortlessly imitated. Decrease your prices and competitors will chase. Go after a money-spinning market and someone is there right behind you, vigilant to stay away from making your preliminary mistakes. But imitating a high-quality, highly engaged human resources is practically impractica ble. The capability to successfully hire, retain, deploy, and engage talent-at all levels-is really the only true competitive lead an organization enjoys. TALENT MANAGEMENT DEFINED There is no lack of definitions for this phrase used by company leadership the world over. Talent management is a mission significant practice that guarantee organizations have the quantity and quality of human resources in position to congregate their present and future business priorities. The procedure covers all key facets of an employees life cycle: selection, training and development, succession planning and performance management. Significant components of a exceedingly efficient talent management process include: A lucid understanding of the organizations existing and future company tactics Recognition of the key gaps linking the talent in place and the talent requisite to make business success. A sound talent management plan intended to close the talent gaps. It is supposed to also be incorporated with strategic and business plans. Precise hiring and promotion choices. Association of individual and team objectives to corporate goals, and given that clear expectations and pointer to administer performance. Expansion of talent to boost performance in existing positions as well as willingness for evolution to the next level. A focal point not just on the talent strategy itself, but the rudiments obligatory for winning Implementation. Business impact and human resource success dimension during and after execution. Organizational Key drivers of Talent Management Workforce trends Workforce trends drive talent management strategies. Issue such as an ever more global and virtual workforce, diverse generations functioning together, longer life expectancies and an empowered workforce have eternally altered the workplace. Owing to demographic adjustments, the pool of employees is also progressively more variedfrom age, gender and ethnicity to lifestyles, relocation patterns and civilizing norms. Organizations are by now captivating benefit of these workplace trends. Talent management strategies also offer the skeleton for diversity and insertion. Proctor and Gamble, for instance, sense that recruiting the precise blend of employee is a chief part of talent management and it recruits several of its leaders as university recruits. Anticipated Skills Shortage Although not all organizations, industries and professions will face deficient in ability, companies are by now contending for talented employee. For instance, there will be sharp talent shortage in the areas like customer service, health care, computer hardware field etc. In addition, as eminent in the report of Future of the U.S. Labor Pool Survey conducted by SHRM in 2005, the expected loss of talented employees in the subsequent decade will differ by organization size, segment and industry. For example, big organizationsas compared with small and medium companiesare further alarmed about loss of talent from the retirement of the baby boom age band, and government organizations are further concerned on the subject of the loss of gifted talent than private companies. Measuring Business Impact Talent management metrics bond human capital investment to financial performance. Numerous companies have started to comprise talent management in their dashboards or scorecards. For instance, HSBC, a banking institution, exercises the Balanced Scorecard[TM], along with talent management in learning and growth. Scorecards present a clear line of prospect to organizational tactical goals by relating talent management to aims and assessment of employee performance. Measures may comprise issues like results of employee survey, attrition(e.g., talent pools) and the number of temporary employees. Superior Source of Value Creation The monetary value of our companies consistently depends upon the eminence of talent. In fact, the Brookings Institution established that in 1982, 62 percent of an average companys value was attributed to its physical assets (including equipment and facilities) and only 38 percent to intangible assets (patents, intellectual property, brand, and, most of all, people). By 2003, these percentages nearly tumbled with 80 percent of value attributable to intangible assets and 20 percent to tangible assets. Changing Employee expectations In Todays context, employee expectations are rapidly changing .This forces organizations to place a superior prominence on talent management strategies and practices. Todays Employees are: More and more fascinated in having challenging and meaningful work. More loyal to their profession than to the organization. Less cooperative to traditional structures and authority. More concerned about work-life balance. Geared up to take ownership of their careers and development. Reacting to these numerous challenges makes it tricky to capture both the hearts and minds of todays workforce. Relationship between better talent and better business performance More and more, firms seek to measure the return on their investment in talent. The outcome is a body of proof that paints a undeniable picture of the bang talent has on business performance. To Highlight Just a Few: A 2007 study from the Hackett Group established that firms that do extremely well at managing talent post earnings that are 15 percent superior to peers. For an average Fortune 500 company, such an enhancement in performance means hundreds of millions of dollars. A study from IBM found public companies that are more efficient at talent management had higher percentages of financial outperformers than groups of similar sized companies with less effective talent management. Conclusion To maintain stupendous business results in a global economy, companies will alter and reinvent their approaches to talent management. Successful talent management calls for strong participatory leadership, organizational buy-in, employee engagement and workplace scorecards with talent management metrics. Firms that master talent management will be well equipped for consistent long term growth in employee performance for years to come.

Friday, October 25, 2019

On Wartime and Postwar Commemoration :: essays research papers fc

Commemorating the actions of those who served in World War I took many forms in its attempt to ease the suffering and losses inflicted by the war. The creation of memorials served several purposes and with time, the meanings associated with them changed, as did the purposes with which they served. Support groups were formed to aid those in need whose lives became radically changed by the war, and in an effort to commemorate their service. Without aleving the pain completely, commemoration served to ease the tremendous burden of guilt, sorrow, and responsibility to those whose lives were now changed forever. World War I memorials generally fell into three separate categories based upon the time of their creation. The first type of memorials were those which were created in the years preceding 1918. These memorials scattered the landscape and were created and developed at the community level. The erection of commemorative memorials to the war served as a unifying symbol of the community spirit and as a centerpiece with which to rally around. They also served as a physical statement against those who may offer dissenting opinions as to the communities involvement in the war effort. The moral high ground was thus established in the symbolism of a united effort. They also served to support the community's brave young men who were off fighting gallantly for the security and preservation of it's ideals and in essence the community itself. Local memorials also served to inspire and motivate those who labored in industry dedicated to the war effort. It created a sense of purpose and a realization that what they were working for had a larger meaning and purpose. Local war memorials also served as rallying points for the enlistment of soldiers. The statuesque soldier brazenly dashing to war was accompanied with listings of locals who had enlisted. This inspired even greater enlistment while creating a public record of scorn to those who chose to ignore their "duty." As the war continued past a glorious moment and quick victory, the memorials took on more of a role of a museum. The collection of combat memorabilia increased. Photographs, books, and art describing the war continued. Descriptions of the weapons of war and the style of warfare that was taking place on the front lines was requested, however in order to preserve the dignity of the war, a good deal of censorship was practiced. Accounts of the brutality were circulating back to the homefront through letters and personal accounts of those who had returned. Government regulation of the memorials however, determined that in order to maintain support for the war and to quell opposition to the countries war efforts, the

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Biology Lab Essay

Introduction This week in Biology Lab we learned the effects of caffeine and nicotine on heart rate. Based on previous knowledge of caffeine and nicotine, I came up with the following hypothesis; The presence of nicotine will slow the heart rate of the worm and the presence of caffeine will speed the rate up. My hypothesis was based on what I seen in everyday life. A person who smokes a lot of cigarettes usually have a slower heart rate, whereas a person whom drinks a lot of caffeine sodas are hyper and have a faster heart beat. I think the effect of caffeine and nicotine will have the same effect on the species we are using in class, a freshwater blackworm. Materials & Methods To begin this lab we first had to build a viewing chamber to view our worms under the microscope. To make the viewing chamber we had to use about 12 wax like parafilm sheets on a slide. We made sure each of the sheets fit on the slide, and stacked them up to make sure that the worm could not get out. We used a heating plate to melt the parafilm sheets but we had to be careful not to let the slide get to hot because it would burn. Using a razor we had to cut out a trough. This is where the worm would sit in so we could view it under the microscope. Our teacher has prepared us with 3 different molarities of caffeine and 3 different molarities of nicotine. Using a dropper we had to put about 3 drops of caffeine or nicotine on the worm. A new worm is used for each different trial/molarity. At the end of each trial we had to record what happened to the worm and what we saw under the microscope. The old worm was to be disposed in a bowl with everyone else’s used worm. Results & Data The first picture above shows how the worm looked under the microscope with just water. Notice that the vessels are spaced apart allowing the blood to flow with ease. With the presence of caffeine the blood vessels of the worm relaxed or separated more allowing blood to flow causing the heart to beat faster. The final picture shows what was saw under the microscope when the worm had nicotine in it. The vessels are more closer together making it harder for the blood to flow. Decreased blood flow equals decreased heart rate. On a few attempts the worms died because at first I did not know that the worms lived on water, or because I would put to much of a solution into the viewing chamber than the worm could take. The higher the concentration the more drastic the results. The pictures shown are only for the lowest molarity of caffeine and nicotine used in this lab. Conclusion My hypothesis for this lab was correct. The effect of nicotine made the worm heart rate lower and the effect of caffeine made the heart rate speed up. Caffeine and nicotine effect worms and humans in the same way.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 10

September 4, 1864 Midnight. Too late to fall asleep, too early to be awake. A candle burns on my nightstand, the flickering shadows foreboding. I am haunted already. Will I ever forgive myself for not finding Rosalyn until it was too late? And why is she –the one I vowed to forget–still on my mind? My head is pounding. Cordelia is always at the door, offering drinks, lozenges, powdered herbs. I take them, like a recuperating child. Father and Damon glance at me when they think I'm asleep. Do they know of the nightmares? I thought marriage was a fate worse than death. I was wrong. I was wrong about so many things, too many things, and all I can do is pray for forgiveness and hope that somehow, somewhere, I can summon strength from the depths of my existence to step firmly onto the path of the right again. I will do it. I must. For Rosalyn. And for her. Now I will blow out the candle and hope for sleep–like that of the dead –to engulf me quickly†¦. â€Å"Stefan! Time to get up!† my father called, slamming my bedroom door. â€Å"What?† I struggled to sit, not sure what hour it was, or what day it was, or how much time had passed since Rosalyn's death. Day faded into night, and I could never really sleep, only doze into terrifying dreams. I wouldn't have eaten anything, except that Cordelia continued to come into my room with her concoctions, spoon-feeding them to me to ensure that they were eaten. She'd make fried chicken and okra and a thick mash of what she called sufferer stew which she said would , make me feel better. She'd left another one, a drink this time, on my nightstand. I drank it quickly. â€Å"Get ready. Alfred will help you prepare,† my father said. â€Å"Get ready for what?† I asked, swinging my legs onto the floor. I hobbled to the mirror. I had stubble over my chin, and my tawny hair stood up on all ends. My eyes were red, and my nightshirt was hanging off my shoulders. I looked awful. Father stood behind me, appraising my reflection. â€Å"Y ou'll pull yourself together. Today is Rosalyn's funeral, and it's important to me and the Cartwrights that we are there. We want to show everyone that we must band together against the evil that's scourging our town.† While Father prattled on about demons, I thought about facing the Cartwrights for the first time. I still felt horribly guilty. I couldn't help thinking that the attack wouldn't have happened if I'd been waiting for Rosalyn on the porch, instead of lingering in the study with Katherine. If I'd been outside, waiting for Rosalyn, I would have seen her walking from the fields in her pink dress. Maybe I could have faced death with her, too, and she wouldn't have had to confront that nightmarish animal alone. I may not have loved Rosalyn, but I couldn't forgive myself for not being there to save her. â€Å"Well, come on,† Father said impatiently as Alfred walked in, holding a white linen shirt and a double-breasted black suit. I blanched. It was the suit I'd have worn at my wedding–and the church where we were mourning Rosalyn was to have been the site of the ceremony establishing our union. Still, I managed to change into the suit, allowed Alfred to help me shave, since my hands allowed Alfred to help me shave, since my hands were so shaky, and emerged an hour later ready to do what I had to do. I kept my eyes down as I followed Father and Damon to the carriage. Father sat up front, next to Alfred, while Damon sat in the back with me. â€Å"How are you, brother?† Damon asked above the familiar clip-clop of Duke's and Jake's hooves down Willow Creek Road. â€Å"Not very well,† I said formally, a stiff lump in my throat. Damon put a hand on my shoulder. The magpies chattered, the bees buzzed, and the sun cast a golden glow on the trees. The entire coach smelled like ginger, and I felt my stomach heave. It was the smell of guilt over lusting after a woman who was never to be–could never be–my wife. â€Å"Your first death, the first one you witness, changes you,† Damon said finally, as the coach pulled up to the white clapboard church. The church bells were ringing, and every business in town was closed for the day. â€Å"But perhaps it can change you for the better.† â€Å"Maybe,† I said as I descended from the coach. But I didn't see how. We reached the door as Dr. Janes hobbled into the church, his cane in one hand and a flask of whiskey in another. Pearl and Anna were sitting together, and Jonathan Gilbert sat behind them, his elbows perched on the edge of Pearl's pew, just inches from her shoulder. Sheriff Forbes was in his usual place in the second pew, glaring at the cluster of rouged women from the tavern who had come to pay their respects. At the edge of their circle was Alice, the barmaid, cooling herself with a silk fan. Calvin Bailey, the organist, was playing an adaptation of Mozart's Requiem, but he seemed to hit a sour note every few chords. In the front pew, Mr. Cartwright stared straight ahead, while Mrs. Cartwright sobbed and occasionally blew her nose into a lace handkerchief. At the front of the church, a closed oak casket was covered with flowers. Wordlessly, I walked to the casket and knelt down in front of it. â€Å"I'm so sorry,† I whispered, touching the casket, which felt cold and hard. Unbidden, images of my betrothed popped up in my mind: Rosalyn giggling over her new puppy, giddily discussing flower combinations for our wedding, risking the wrath of her maid by planting a covert kiss on my cheek at the end of one visit. I moved my hands off the casket and put them together, as if in prayer. â€Å"I hope that you and Penny have found each other in Heaven.† I leaned down, letting my lips graze the casket. I wanted her to know, wherever she was, that I would have learned to love her. â€Å"Good-bye.† I turned to take my seat and stopped short. Right behind me was Katherine. She was wearing a dark-blue cotton dress that stood out in the sea a dark-blue cotton dress that stood out in the sea of black crepe that filled the pews. â€Å"I'm so sorry for your loss,† Katherine said, touching my arm. I flinched and drew my arm back. How dare she touch me so familiarly in public? Didn't she realize that if we hadn't been carrying on at the barbecue in the first place, the tragedy might never have happened? Concern registered in her dark eyes. â€Å"I know how hard this must be for you,† she said. â€Å"Please let me know if you need anything.† I immediately felt a wave of guilt for assuming she was doing anything other than showing sympathy. After all, her parents had died. She was just a young girl, reaching out to offer her support. She looked so sad that for one wild second, I was tempted to cross the aisle and comfort her. â€Å"Thank you,† I said instead, sucking in my stale breath and walking back to the pew. I slid next to Damon, who had his hands crossed piously over a Bible. I noticed his eyes flick up as Katherine briefly knelt down by the coffin. I followed his gaze, noticing the way several curls had escaped from beneath her hat and were curling around the ornate clasp on her blue necklace. A few minutes later, the Requiem ended, and Pastor Collins strode up to the pulpit. â€Å"We're here to celebrate a life cut far too short. There is evil among us, and we will mourn this death, but we will also draw strength from this death †¦,† he intoned. I covertly glanced across the aisle at Katherine. Her servant, Emily, was sitting next to her on one side and Pearl on the other. Katherine's hands were folded as if in prayer. She turned slightly, as if to look at me. I forced myself to look away before our eyes could meet. I would not dishonor Rosalyn by thinking of Katherine. I gazed up at the unfinished, steepled beams of the church. I'm sorry, I thought, sending the message upward and hoping that Rosalyn, wherever she was, heard it.