Critically evaluate Lord Hoffman's assessment of the appropriate Essay

Critically evaluate Lord Hoffman's assessment of the appropriate relationship between Parliamentary Sovereignty and principles of constitutional;ity in the UK t - Essay Example Therefore in the UK, the supremacy of Parliament often rises in conflict with the issue of constitutionality or the rights granted to individual citizens. This was elucidated by Lord Hoffman in 2000, when he pointed out the differences in the powers of the legislators, which were limited in other countries through the Constitution, but which was not the case in the UK, where Parliamentary Sovereignty subordinated the power of the judiciary that upholds the rights of individual citizens. In the United Kingdom, the three branches of Government are not granted equal powers. Parliament has been deputed as the supreme authority to make the laws of the land, through the principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty. Parliament comprises the King, The House of Lords and the House of Commons, who acting together jointly, enjoy undisputed power. In essence this means that Parliament is not subject to any limitations or checks and balances by the Courts. In fact the Courts have no power to overturn any of the laws laid down by Parliament or to declare them invalid. This has been amply stated by AV Dicey1 as follows; â€Å"In theory Parliament has total power.   It is sovereign.† In reference to the 1950 Commons Resolution attributing Parliamentary sovereignty, it has been suggested that they be viewed as â€Å"co-extensive with the scope of Article 9.†2 This addresses the need for Parliamentary Sovereignty to take into account the factors of rights of individuals an d human rights. However, this raises the issue of Constitutionality. Most Governments such as those in the United States are characterized by the distribution of power equally between the three branches of Government – the legislature, the executive and the Judiciary. In the event of an abuse of legislative power through an infringement upon individual rights of citizens, the Constitution imbues the Judiciary with the power to challenge the law. But this is not the case in the

Point of Service Plans Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Point of Service Plans - Article Example The health care sector has changed its insurance plans which used to be high but were being paid in large amounts by the employers to a â€Å"more cheaper, manageable and consolidated† plan where the patient (employee of the family member of the employee) receives medical care from one point and the physician acts as the point of service of the patient (Point of Service health plan). The new plan as explained in detail by the article reduces the health care costs but at the same time increases other costs like family deductibles, premiums and even the out-of-pocket expenses. All these expenses are almost fully paid by the employee and not the employer and hence increasing event he burden of health care further than it previously was before this new merger of Preferred Provider Organization plan (PPO) and Health Maintenance Organization plan (HMO) that brought about the birth of Point of Service plan (POS) was formulated and implemented. The latest statistics collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the United States of America show that the employer no longer fully caters for the health care plans of their full time employees. The statistics indicate that in 1998, over 86% of the employees participated in a medical insurance plan which catered for all their health problems. However, data collected in 2011 shows that only an average of 82% of the employees are involved in a medical plan. The plan the government employees were being offered and are still being offered is the Point of Service Plan. The decline in the health care plan has been pin-pointed to certain services like dental care, prescription drug coverage for outpatients and even in visual care. This is attributed to the fact that these services are costly and hence the employees cannot afford to pay for them. These services are also usually not provided in local health care centers and hence requires the

Positive and Negative Affective Outcomes

Positive and Negative Affective Outcomes Work stress is a significant problem in the industry. This article explains stress as demands of the job and a person inability to meet those demands. Stress can be both positive and negative. This research has examined the positive and negative effects of stress. For positive stress term Eustress is used and for negative stress the term distress is used. This is a study of one hundred and forty four employees from three New Zealand organizations about stressful work-related events, its effect on performance and moral of the employees. Unlike other studies this research has also focused on positive outcomes of the stress if stress is effectively coped. Cognitive appraisal scale(CAS) was used for primary appraisal. The job related effective wellbeing scale ( jaws ) was used to measure the relation of the employees with their job. Factors which were identified as coping strategies for stress were systematic problem solving, social support, positive reappraisal, self-controlling, confro nted coping, escape-avoidance, accepting responsibility, and distancing. With respect to our research from this article we can identify that stress can be both positive eustress and negative distress. From this research we can identify some variables like Organizational and situational variables such as managerial style and support, work control, organizational culture and employment stability are likely to impact on employees stress. Individual difference variables such as anxiety personality type and optimism/pessimism also affect how an employee takes stress. Article: Positive and Negative Affective Outcomes of Occupational Stress Much research over the last decade has emphasised the negative consequences of excessive work-related demands on an individuals physical and psychological health and wellbeing. While there is as yet no single agreed-upon definition of stress, the present research defines it as a relationship between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing and endangering his or her well-being (Lazarus Folkman, 1984, p19). Occupational stress arises from demands experienced in the working environment that affect how one functions at work or outside work. Past research has predominantly focused on the negative aspects of stress. This is not surprising given the documented impacts of stress on health, wellbeing and work-related performance. However the positive psychology movement proposes that, instead of focusing on human pathology, research attention should also be directed towards positive health, growth and wellbeing (Seligman Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). It has been argued that stress is a part of life and cannot be avoided, and that stress can result in beneficial outcomes as well as negative ones (Selye, 1973, 1974). If negotiated appropriately, stress can be energizing, stimulating and growth producing for the individual as abilities are extended and new accomplishments made (Quick, Nelson, Quick, 1990). There is increasing interest in the potential for positive outcomes from the stress process including stress-related growth and positive personal changes (Folkman Moskowitz, 2004; Somerfield McCrae, 2000). If a stressful situa tion is resolved successfully then positive, rather than negative, emotions may predominate but there is a need for further to identify the stress-related processes associated with positive and negative emotions (Folkman Moskowitz, 2004). Good health encompasses more than just avoiding disease: it also involves the attainment of positive wellness, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, social and physical (Nelson Simmons, 2003, p 98). Acknowledging the positive response to the stress process may impact on how stress in the workplace is managed. Distress and Eustress The term eustress was coined by Selye to denote the positive aspects of stress in contrast to distress representing the negative aspects (Selye, 1974). Other influential writers have also suggested that stress is not inherently maladaptive (Hart, 2003; Hart Cotton, 2002; Karasek, 1979; Lazarus, 1999; Lazarus Folkman, 1984; Tedeschi Calhoun, 2004). In the context of the workplace, stressful events can lead to perceptions of positive benefit (Campbell-Quick, Cooper, Nelson, Quick, Gavin, 2003; Nelson Simmons, 2003). However although many researchers have investigated distress, eustress has been neglected until recently. Eustress is defined as a positive psychological response to a stressor as indicated by the presence of positive psychological states. Distress (or stress in keeping with common terminology) is a negative psychological response to a stressor, as indicated by the presence of negative psychological states (Simmons Nelson, 2001). Simmons and Nelson (2001) found eustress and distress to be distinguishable by affective state. Hope, meaningfulness and positive affect were significant indicators of eustress (Nelson Simmons, 2003). Meaningfulness is the extent to which work appears to make sense emotionally and to be worth investing effort in. Hope is the belief that one has both the will and the way to succeed. State positive affect reflects a condition of pleasurable engagement, energy and enthusiasm. Eustress was also associated with task engagement or absorption (Campbell-Quick et al., 2003; Rose, 1987). Task engagement denotes being enthusiastically involved in and pleasurably occupied by the demands of the work at hand (Nelson Simmons, 2003, p 103). This is similar to the concept of flow (Campbell-Quick et al., 2003) in which people are so actively involved in the task that nothing else seems to matter (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). Distress on the other hand is indicated by negative work attitudes and psycholo gical states such as negative affect, anger, job alienation and frustration (Simmons, Nelson, Neal, 2001). Eustress is similar to the concept of morale defined as the energy, enthusiasm, team spirit and pride that employees experience as a result of their work (Hart Cotton, 2002, p. 102). Distress and eustress/ morale are not mutually exclusive: they can occur simultaneously in response to the same demand and are likely to result from different processes (Hart, 2003; Hart Cotton, 2002). The stress process There is at least some consensus that stress should be seen as a process or interaction between demands and the individuals ability to deal with them (Sulsky Smith, 2005). One conceptualization of this process is the cognitive-transactional model (Lazarus, 1966). The focus of this model is on individual and situational factors that interact with the appraisal of demands to produce outcomes (McGowan, 2004; Sulsky Smith, 2005). Antecedents to Eustress The transactional model considers stress to be a process involving appraisals of threat or challenge (primary appraisal), coping (secondary appraisal) and reappraisal. Primary appraisal involves a decision as to whether a demand (potential stressor) is both relevant and stressful in that it is seen to represent a potential threat to the individuals goals, beliefs or expectations (Lazarus, 1966; Lazarus, 1999). Demands can also be appraised as irrelevant or relevant but benign. A demand appraised as irrelevant or as benign (offering the chance to preserve or enhance wellbeing) does not initiate the stress process as there is no potential threat to overcome (Lazarus, 1999). If a demand is appraised as relevant and stressful then further appraisal takes place. Stressful appraisals include an appraisal of threat or loss, where the individual perceives the demand as exceeding the resources available to cope with it; but also of challenge, when resources are high relative to the demand and there is potential for mastery and personal growth (Lazarus Folkman, 1984). Threat and challenge appraisals represent distinct constructs and are associated with diff erent patterns of physiological arousal (Quigley, Barrett, Weinstein, 2002; Tomaka, 1993; Tomaka, Blascovich, Kibler, Ernst, 1997); subjective experience of strain and affect (Maier, Waldstein, Synowski, 2003), coping expectancies and performance (Boswell, OlsonBuchanan, LePine, 2004; Skinner Brewer, 2002). Threat and challenge appraisals represent distinct constructs and can occur simultaneously (Lazarus Folkman, 1984). Whether a challenge or threat was initially appraised, in order to reduce the demand some form of coping action is taken (Lazarus Folkman, 1984). Coping responses are influenced by initial appraisals. Challenge appraisals have been associated with more use of problem-focused coping (Bjorck Cohen, 1993; McCrae, 1984) while threat appraisals were linked to more emotion-focused coping (McCrae, 1984). While some coping research has linked emotion focussed coping with an increase in distress, the effectiveness of any particular coping strategy depends on its appropriateness (Folkman Moskowitz, 2004; Lazarus Folkman, 1984). Hypothesis 1: Challenge appraisals will be positively associated with task-focused coping. Hypothesis 2: Threat appraisals will be positively associated with emotion-focused coping. Research has predominantly focussed on negative outcomes and has only recently acknowledged that positive emotion can arise in stressful situations as a result of effective coping. Coping responses such as relaxation, direct action/task focussed coping and positive reappraisal can lead to the experience of increased positive affect while inappropriate or maladaptive coping responses may lead to negative affective reactions (Folkman Moskowitz, 2004). Eustress is not simply the result of a positive experience with positive events. It arises from effective negotiation of the stress process rather than a process of passive savouring (Simmons, Nelson, Quick, 2003). Hypothesis 3: Eustress will be positively associated with task-focused coping. Hypothesis 4: Distress will be positively associated with emotion-focused coping. Outcomes of Eustress Eustress has been shown to have a positive impact on subjective as well as objective performance (Skinner Brewer, 2002; Tomaka, 1993), possibly as a result of the increased motivation provided by task engagement. Hypothesis 5: Eustress will be positively associated with satisfaction with the outcomes of the stress process. Hypothesis 6: Distress will be negatively associated with satisfaction with the outcomes of the stress process. Over the long term eustress may result in positive changes in wellbeing, growth, flexibility, adaptability and performance (Quick et al., 1990), while distress may give rise to the stress outcomes commonly discussed in everyday language, for example the negative effects on physical and psychological wellbeing. Simmons and Nelson (2001) found that eustress was related to positive perceptions of health among nurses. Edwards and Cooper (1988), in a review of research on the effects of positive psychological states on health, found that positive psychological states produced an improvement in health both directly through physiological processes and indirectly by facilitating coping with stress (Edwards Cooper, 1988). Although long-term outcomes are beyond the scope of the present study, an increase in motivation, work performance and positive work-related affective states may also increase long-term job satisfaction. Method Three New Zealand organizations participated in the study. These were a public sector organization where fulltime administrative, clerical and management roles predominated; a retail business with part-time and full-time roles and a University department including fulltime teaching, research and administrative roles. Response rates for the three organizations were 52% (85 responses), 44% (26 responses) and 34% (33 responses) respectively. Participants were 74 males (51%) and 67 females (47%). Ages ranged from 18 (11%) less than 21 years, 50 (35%) between 21 and 36 years, 54 (38%) between 37 and 55 years, and 21 (25%) above 55 years in age. Three respondents did not indicate age or gender. The mean time respondents had spent within their current organization was six and a half years (SD = 7.32). There were significant differences between the three organizations only on tenure (F(2,132)= 15.62, p Measures Before answering the questions on appraisals and coping, participants were asked to identify one specific stressful event they had recently experienced at work and to answer the questions in relation to that event. Primary appraisals were assessed by the eight-item Cognitive Appraisal Scale (CAS; Skinner Brewer, 2002). Four questions each related to threat and challenge appraisals. Question two was reworded to relate to a work setting (grade changed to outcome) and all questions were given in the past tense to indicate an event that had already been encountered. Although the CAS assesses both frequency and intensity for each item, no difference in responses were found between frequency and intensity measures (Skinner Brewer, 2002) and so were replaced by a six-point scale where 1 = strongly disagree and 6 = strongly agree. Questionnaire (WCQ) assessed coping strategies used by participants to manage their stressor event (Folkman Lazarus, 1988). The measure assesses actual coping (as opposed to trait coping) by focussing on how the recently experienced event was negotiated. The 66 items of this scale assess eight forms of coping: planful problem solving, positive reappraisal, seeking social support, confrontive coping, escape-avoidance, distancing, self-controlling and accepting responsibility. Coping data were recoded into task-focused and emotion-focused coping as reported below. The Job Related Affective Wellbeing Scale (JAWS) was used to assess participants emotional reactions to their work (van Katwyk, Fox, Spector, Kelloway, 2000). Participants were asked to rate on a scale of 1 to 5 the degree to which they had experienced 30 different emotions over the past 30 days. As the scale focused on recent emotional experience, it tapped state affect and is a valid representative of immediate stress process responses. The emotional responses covered two dimensions: positive/negative affect and arousal. This provided four quadrants: negative affect/low arousal (e.g. My job made me feel bored), negative affect/high arousal (e.g. My job made me feel anxious), positive affect/low arousal (e.g. my job made me feel calm), and positive affect/high arousal (e.g. my job made me feel enthusiastic). Skinner and Brewer (2002) found an association between threat appraisal and negative active affect (e.g. anxiety) but not negative deactivated affect (e.g. boredom) and between challenge appraisals and positive-active affect (e.g. excitement) but not positive deactivated affect (e.g. calm). Emotions should be considered in terms of both valence and level of activation (Skinner Brewer, 2002). High-activation affective responses are consistent with the meaning of threat and challenge, or the need to act to avoid failure and its negative consequences on one hand or to achieve success and its benefits on the other. For the present research eustress was conceptualised as the positive affect/ high arousal quadrant and distress was conceptualised as the negative affect/ high arousal quadrant of the JAWS. The outcome measure for this study was a single item that asked respondents to rate their level of agreement with the statement I felt positive about the outcomes of the situation. Responses were coded so that 1 = strongly disagree and 6 = strongly agree. The limitations of this measure were recognised and addressed as far as possible during the data analysis. Performance and other outcome data were not available for this study. To correct for the unreliability of the single outcome indicator the error term was fixed at a specific value (Bollen, 1989). The fixed value was determined by multiplying the proportion of error variance (1 [rho]) of the indicator by, the variance of the indicator, where [rho] =.80. Statistical Analyses A two stage approach was adopted for the data analysis using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM; see Anderson Gerbing, 1988; Schumacker Lomax, 1996). Stage one involved the building of measurement models for each of the measures used in this study. The rationale for building measurement models is that it allows for the best indicators of a construct to be identified and thus provides evidence for validity of the measure. Given the current sample size it was decided that for the final structural model at least four items for each construct would be used. In essence, this not only increased the subject-variable ratio but also served to identify the most unidimensional set of items to specify a construct. Unidimensionality is an important aspect when exploring structural relationship between various constructs as clear unambiguous measures allow for better predictive validity (Anderson Gerbing, 1988; Schumacker Lomax, 1996). For the CAS a two factor model, challenge and threat, was tested with the final model being specified with the strongest loadings in each subscale. For the JAWS only two factors were tested, high-pleasure high-arousal, and low-pleasure high-arousal, again using the best indicators for these hypothesized constructs. For the WCQ a second order measurement model was tested with eight factors: planful problem solving (PPS), positive reappraisal (PR), seeking social support (SS) self-controlling (SC), confrontive coping (C), distancing (D), accepting responsibility (AR) and escape avoidance (EA). The four best fitting items were used to specify each factor (Anderson Gerbing, 1988). For the full structural model two higher-order factors (task-focused and emotion-focused coping) were specified using subscale scores as observed indicators. Task-focused coping strategies were planful problem solving, positive reappraisal, seeking social support and self-controlling. Emotion-focused coping strategies were confrontive coping, distancing, accepting responsibility and escape avoidance. Having identified the measurement models for each factor a structural model was specified using the hypotheses stated above (see Figure 1). [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Model Fit For all CFA and SEMs both absolute and incremental goodness-of-fit indexes were used. Absolute fit was assessed using the chi-square statistic. Incremental goodness-of-fit measures were the comparative fit index (CFI; Bentler, 1992), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) and the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA; Steiger Lind, 1980). The CFI and TLI indexes have coefficient values ranging from zero to 1.00, with values of .90 and higher being traditionally viewed as representing good fit (Bender, 1992). Fit values for the RMSEA suggest adequate fit where values fall between .08 and .10 and acceptable fit where RMSEAs are below .08 (Byrne, 2001; MacCallum, Browne, Sugawara, 1996); Hu and Bentler (1999) suggest that a RMSEA less than or equal to .06 indicates good model fit (Hu Bentler, 1999). Results The results for the measurement models are presented in Table 1. For the CAS the model fit was good and suggested a reasonable approximation to the data. The reliabilities were .78 and .72 for the challenge and the threat scales respectively. For the WCQ model fit was again reasonable. For each of the lower order factors the reliability estimates were: planful problem solving =.66, social support = .66, positive reappraisal = .79 self-controlling = .63, confrontive coping = .69; escape-avoidance = .77, accepting responsibility = .60, and distancing = .56. For the higher order factors, task-focused and emotion-focused coping, the reliability estimates were .74 and .65 respectively. Results for the JAWS again suggested that the specified two factors were reasonably approximated with reliability estimates of .90 for the positive affect high-arousal (eustress) and .81 for negative affect high-arousal (distress). Correlations, means and standard deviations are presented in Table 2. As expected, challenge appraisal was associated positively with task-focused coping, with eustress and with subjective performance. Although threat appraisal was positively associated with emotion-focused coping it was not associated with distress or subjective performance. Task-focused coping was associated with emotion-focused coping, suggesting that respondents who used more task-focused strategies also used more emotion-focused strategies. Emotion-focused coping was positively associated with distress and negatively associated with subjective performance. Eustress and distress were, respectively, positively and negatively associated with subjective performance. All results for the final structural model were standardized. For the final model the goodness-of-fit was reasonable ([chi square] = 734.1; df = 294: TLI =.92; CFI = .93; RMSEA = .10). All specified paths in the model were statistically significant and in the hypothesized direction (see Figure 1). Hypotheses 1 and 2, that challenge appraisals would be associated with task-focused coping and threat appraisals would be associated with emotion-focused coping, were supported. Hypotheses 3 and 4 that linked eustress and distress to task and emotion-focused coping respectively were also supported. With regard to subjective perceptions of performance in the stress situation, hypotheses 5 and 6 were supported. Eustress was positively associated and distress was negatively associated with subjective performance. Overall the results support the hypothesised model. Discussion The aim of this study was to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of the stress process and to include positive (eustress) and negative (distress) affective outcomes. The research showed support for the hypothesised structural model. The relationships between primary appraisal and coping support one of the key propositions of the cognitive-appraisal model of stress: the choice of coping strategy is affected by appraisals as to whether a demand represents a threat or a challenge. Previous research has found threat appraisals to be associated with greater use of emotion-focused coping (Lowe Bennett, 2003) and this was supported by the present study. Emotion-focused coping was in turn associated with distress and dissatisfaction with outcomes. Challenge appraisals were not related to emotion-focused coping but were related to greater use of task-focused coping strategies. The implications of these findings for stress management in organisations are considered below. As predicted, challenge appraisals were associated with eustress and perceptions that the stress processes had been effectively managed. The choice of coping strategies was also an important influence on affective outcomes: task-focused strategies which focused on addressing the demand were associated with eustress while emotion-focused strategies which failed to address the demand were associated with distress. This suggests that, as proposed by Lazarus and Folkman, when people face a demand it is not the demand in itself but the ways in which the demand is managed that impact upon outcomes. Implications for research The outcome measure in this study was limited to self-reported satisfaction with the outcome of the stress process. Further investigation should examine a broader range of outcomes including objective measures of performance and long term variables including physical and psychological health, both of which have been shown to be affected by work-related stressors. Further research is also needed to address several other issues including the precursors to threat and challenge appraisals and mediators of the stress process. A range of factors may affect primary and secondary appraisal processes. Individual difference variables such as anxiety (Skinner Brewer, 2002), personality (Penley Tomaka, 2002) and optimism/pessimism (Riolli Savicki, 2003) have been linked to differences in appraisals, coping and outcomes. Organisational and situational variables such as managerial style and support, work control, organizational culture and employment stability are also likely to impact upon the stress process. Further research into these factors is important to help build effective strategies for managing workplace demands. Implications for practice Work-related stress is a major problem with serious implications for health and wellbeing but managing it is far from straightforward. This may account for the documented ineffectiveness of stress management interventions(Beehr ODriscoll, 2002; Sulsky Smith, 2005). In managing the stressors at work, it is important to identify, assess and control stressors, but also to avoid removing the rewarding aspects of the job. Distress is not the inevitable consequence of occupational stressors: when demands are managed appropriately growth and positive change can occur as challenges are faced and overcome. Although distress has become a major concern, it is often not feasible to remove all stressors from work and this may not in fact be desirable. Recognition of the potential for positive outcomes of the stress process raises the possibility of identifying ways to increase the task-focused management of work-related demands to increase enjoyment, satisfaction and performance. The challenge lies with providing the tools required to increase the effective management of workplace demands. Any suggestion that cognitive-appraisal models of stress imply that stress is an individual problem, best addressed by teaching positive appraisal and coping, is flawed. Primary appraisal includes a subjective assessment of the balance between demands and resources. Increasing resources or reducing demands is more appropriate and more consistent with legal requirements than attempting to retrain individuals to appraise demands positively, and training in effective coping has been shown to have only limited impact(Folkman Lazarus, 1988). Coping strategies are rarely used singly, and no one strategy or combination of strategies is always effective. The ability to use a repertoire of coping strategies flexibly is important. One component of stress management could be to encourage the use of task-focused and flexible coping behaviour and to promote learning that can be generalised to new situations, but stress management begins with consideration of organisational issues. Leadership, pe er support, organisational culture and policies, work design and reporting arrangements are important as are job analysis, staff selection and training to enhance role clarity and the fit between the person and the work environment. Effective systems for motivation and performance management are essential.

Comparing Daisy Buchanan of The Great Gatsby and Brett of The Sun Also

Daisy Buchanan of The Great Gatsby and Brett Ashley of The Sun Also Rises      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Written right after the publication of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises is apparently influenced in many ways.   The most obvious of Fitzgerald's influence is manifested in Hemingway's portrayal of his heroine, Brett Ashley. Numerous critics have noted and discussed the similarities between Brett and Daisy Buchanan, and rightly so; but the two women also have fundamental differences. Compared to Daisy, Brett is a more rounded, complex character, and Hemingway has treated her with more sympathy than Fitzgerald has with Daisy. Some similarities between Brett Ashley and Daisy Buchanan include their physical beauty, their extravagant/ flamboyant lifestyle, and their unhappy marriages. However, their most important similarity is the destructive influence they have on their suitors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Daisy attracts Jay Gatsby with her beauty--not only her physical appearance, but also the entire carefree, comfortable, luxurious lifestyle: Gatsby was overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves, of the freshness of many clothes and of Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor (157). To Gatsby the rich life is temptingly desirable because it was equaled to Daisy herself. Her life far detached from the sweaty hard struggling seems to hold as much enchanted beauty as she holds for Gatsby. He falls in love with that beauty, and Daisy has become his one and only goal and dream in life. With this, Fitzgerald is putting the blame for Gatsby's fall--his indulgence in the wrong dream, and his wrong choice of means to achieve his end--on Daisy. But t... ... S. "Brett and Her Lovers." Brett Ashley. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991. 105-122. Martin, Wendy. "Brett Ashley as New Woman in The Sun Also Rises." New Essays on The Sun Also Rises. Ed. Linda Wagner-Martin. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987. 65-82. Works Consulted: Hemingway, Ernest. "The Unpublished Opening of The Sun Also Rises." (5-8). Fitzgerald, F. Scott. "Letter to Ernest Hemingway (June 1926)." (8). Whitlow, Roger. "Bitches and Other Simplistic Assumptions." (148-156). Cohen, Milton A. "Circe and Her Swine." (157-165). Bloom, Harold. Brett Ashley. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991. McCay, Mary A. "Fitzgerald's Women: Beyond Winter Dreams." (311-324). Fleischmann, Fritz, ed. American Novelists Revisited: Essays in Feminist Criticism. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1982.      

Hotel Management System Essay

The following subsections of the Software Requirements Specifications (SRS) document provide an overview of the entire SRS. 1.1 Purpose The Software Requirements Specification (SRS) will provide a detailed description of the requirements for the Hotel Management System (HMS). This SRS will allow for a complete understanding of what is to be expected of the HMS to be constructed. The clear understanding of the HMS and its’ functionality will allow for the correct software to be developed for the end user and will be used for the development of the future stages of the project. This SRS will provide the foundation for the project. From this SRS, the HMS can be designed, constructed, and finally tested. This SRS will be used by the software engineers constructing the HMS and the hotel end users. The software engineers will use the SRS to fully understand the expectations of this HMS to construct the appropriate software. The hotel end users will be able to use this SRS as a â€Å"test† to see if the software engineers will be constructing the system to their expectations. If it is not to their expectations the end users can specify how it is not to their liking and the software engineers will change the SRS to fit the end users’ needs. 1.2 Scope The software product to be produced is a Hotel Management System which will automate the major hotel operations. The first subsystem is a Reservation and Booking System to keep track of reservations and room availability. The second subsystem is the Tracking and Selling Food System that charges the current room. The third subsystem is a General Management Services and Automated Tasks System which generates reports to audit all hotel operations and allows modification of subsystem information. These three subsystems’ functionality will be described in detail in section 2-Overall Description. There are two en users for the HMS. The end users are the hotel staff (customer service representative) and hotel managers. Both user types can access the Reservation and Booking System and the Food Tracking and Selling System. The General Management System will be restricted to management users. The Hotel Management System’s objectives is to provide a system to manage a hotel that has increased in size to a total of 100 rooms. Without automation the management of the hotel has become an unwieldy task. The end users’ day-to-day jobs of managing a hotel will be simplified by a considerable amount through the automated system. The system will be able to handle many services to take care of all customers in a quick manner. The system should be user appropriate, easy to use, provide easy recovery of errors and have an overall end user high subjective satisfaction. 1.3 Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations. SRS – Software Requirements Specification HMS – Hotel Management System Subjective satisfaction – The overall satisfaction of the system End users – The people who will be actually using the system 1.4 Overview The SRS is organized into two main sections. The first is The Overall Description and the second is the Specific Requirements. The Overall Description will describe the requirements of the HMS from a general high level perspective. The Specific Requirements section will describe in detail the requirements of the system. 2 The Overall Description Describes the general factors that affect the product and its requirements. This section does not state specific requirements. Instead it provides a background for those requirements, which are defined in section 3, and makes them easier to understand. 2.1 Product Perspective The HMS is an independent stand–alone system. It is totally self contained. 2.1.1 Hardware Interfaces The HMS will be placed on PC’s throughout the hotel. 2.1.2 Software Interfaces All databases for the HMS will be configured using Oracle 8i. These databases include hotel rooms and customers information. These can be modified by the end users. The room database will include the room numbers and if they are vacant or occupied. The customers information database will contain all the information of the customer such as first name, last name, number of occupants, assigned room, default room rate(may be changed), phone number, whether or not the room is guaranteed, credit card number, confirmation number, automatic cancellation date, expected check in date and time, actual check in date and time, expected check out date and time, amount owed by customer, and abbreviated customer feedback. 2.2 Product Functions Reservation and Booking System Allows for typing in customer information Has a default room rate that is adjustable Includes a description field for the changed rate When a customer checks in, the room number will be changed to occupied in the database Ability to modify a reservation When no rooms are available and a customer would like to extend their reservation their information will be placed in a database and when there are rooms available the first customer on the list will have the room When a customer checks out the amount owed is displayed If the internal clock states that is a customer’s time to have checked out and customer has not checked out, adds an extra night to amount owed and provides a report Records that room is vacant Records payment Allows for space to write customer’s feedback Tracking and Selling Food System Tracks all meals purchased Charges the current room as necessary General Management Services and Automated Tasks System Reports generated to audit hotel occupancy, future occupancy, room revenue, and food revenue Exception reports listing exceptions to the normal cost Allows addition, deletion and modification of information on rooms and rates, menu items and prices, user profiles Creation of users and assigning passwords 2.3 User Characteristics Educational level of HMS computer software – Low Experience of HMS software – None Technical Expertise – Little 2.4 Apportioning of Requirements The audio and visual alerts will be deferred because of low importance at this time. 2.5 Assumptions and Dependencies – The system is not required to save generated reports. – Credit card payments are not included 3 Specific Requirements This section contains all the software requirements at a level of detail, that when combined with the system context diagram, use cases, and use case descriptions, is sufficient to enable designers to design a system to satisfy those requirements, and testers to test that the system satisfies those requirements. 3.1 External Interfaces The Hotel Management System will use the standard input/output devices for a personal computer. This includes the following: Keyboard Mouse Monitor Printer 3.1.1 User Interfaces The User Interface Screens are described in table 1. Table 1: Hotel Management User Interface Screens Screen Name Description Login Log into the system as a CSR or Manager Reservation Retrieve button, update/save reservation, cancel reservation, modify reservation, change reservation, adjust room rate, accept payment type/credit card Check-in Modify room stay (e.g., new credit card), check-in customer (with or without a reservation), adjust room rate, special requests, accept payment type/credit card Checkout Checkout customer, generate bill Hotel Payment Accept payment for room and food Room Service/Restaurant Create order, modify order, view order, cancel order, generate meal bill Customer Record Add or update customer records Administer Rooms Availability and rates Administer User Create, modify, and delete users; change password Administer Meals Create, modify, and delete meal items and prices Reports Select, view, save, and delete reports 3.1.2 Software Interfaces The system shall interface with an Oracle or Access database. 3.1.3 Hardware Interfaces The system shall run on a Microsoft Windows based system. 3.1.4 Communication Interfaces The system shall be a standalone product that does not require any communication interfaces. 3.2 Functional Requirements Functional requirements define the fundamental actions that system must perform. The functional requirements for the system are divided into three main categories, Reservation/Booking, Food, and Management. For further details, refer to the use cases. 1. Reservation/Booking 1.1. The system shall record reservations. 1.2. The system shall record the customer’s first name. 1.3. The system shall record the customer’s last name. 1.4. The system shall record the number of occupants. 1.5. The system shall record the room number. 1.6. The system shall display the default room rate. 1.6.1. The system shall allow the default room rate to be changed. 1.6.2. The system shall require a comment to be entered, describing the reason for changing the default room rate. 1.7. The system shall record the customer’s phone number. 1.8. The system shall display whether or not the room is guaranteed. 1.9. The system shall generate a unique confirmation number for each reservation. 1.10. The system shall automatically cancel non-guaranteed reservations if the customer has not provided their credit card number by 6:00 pm on the check-in date. 1.11. The system shall record the expected check-in date and time. 1.12. The system shall record the expected checkout date and time. 1.13. The system shall check-in customers. 1.14. The system shall allow reservations to be modified without having to reenter all the customer inforamtion. 1.15. The system shall checkout customers. 1.15.1. The system shall display the amount owed by the customer. 1.15.2. To retrieve customer information the last name or room number shall be used 1.15.3. The system shall record that the room is empty. 1.15.4. The system shall record the payment. 1.15.5. The system shall record the payment type. 1.16. The system shall charge the customer for an extra night if they checkout after 11:00 a.m. 1.17. The system shall mark guaranteed rooms as â€Å"must pay† after 6:00 pm on the check-in date. 1.18. The system shall record customer feedback. 2. Food 2.1. The system shall track all meals purchased in the hotel (restaurant and room service). 2.2. The system shall record payment and payment type for meals. 2.3. The system shall bill the current room if payment is not made at time of service. 2.4. The system shall accept reservations for the restaurant and room service. 3. Management 3.1. The system shall display the hotel occupancy for a specified period of time (days; including past, present, and future dates). 3.2. The system shall display projected occupancy for a period of time (days). 3.3. The system shall display room revenue for a specified period of time (days). 3.4. The system shall display food revenue for a specified period of time (days). 3.5. The system shall display an exception report, showing where default room and food prices have been overridden. 3.6. The system shall allow for the addition of information, regarding rooms, rates, menu items, prices, and user profiles. 3.7. The system shall allow for the deletion of information, regarding rooms, rates, menu items, prices, and user profiles. 3.8. The system shall allow for the modification of information, regarding rooms, rates, menu items, prices, and user profiles. 3.9. The system shall allow managers to assign user passwords. 3.3 Nonfunctional Requirements Functional requirements define the needs in terms of performance, logical database requirements, design constraints, standards compliance, reliability, availability, security, maintainability, and portability. 3.3.1 Performance Requirements Performance requirements define acceptable response times for system functionality. The load time for user interface screens shall take no longer than two seconds. The log in information shall be verified within five seconds. Queries shall return results within five seconds. 3.3.2 Logical Database Requirements The logical database requirements include the retention of the following data elements. This list is not a complete list and is designed as a starting point for development. Booking/Reservation System Customer first name Customer last name Customer address Customer phone number Number of occupants Assigned room Default room rate Rate description Guaranteed room (yes/no) Credit card number Confirmation number Automatic cancellation date Expected check-in date Expected check-in time Actual check-in date Actual check-in time Expected check-out date Expected check-out time Actual check-out date Actual check-out time Customer feedback Payment received (yes/no) Payment type Total Bill Food Services Meal Meal type Meal item Meal order Meal payment (Bill to room/Credit/Check/Cash) 3.3.3 Design Constraints The Hotel Management System shall be a stand-alone system running in a Windows environment. The system shall be developed using Java and an Access or Oracle database. 3.3.4 Standards Compliance There shall be consistency in variable names within the system. The graphical user interface shall have a consistent look and feel. 3.3.5 Reliability Specify the factors required to establish the required reliability of the software system at time of delivery. 3.3.6 Availability The system shall be available during normal hotel operating hours. 3.3.7 Security Customer Service Representatives and Managers will be able to log in to the Hotel Management System. Customer Service Representatives will have access to the Reservation/Booking and Food subsystems. Managers will have access to the Management subsystem as well as the Reservation/Booking and Food subsystems. Access to the various subsystems will be protected by a user log in screen that requires a user name and password. 3.3.8 Maintainability The Hotel Management System is being developed in Java. Java is an object oriented programming language and shall be easy to maintain. 3.3.9 Portability The Hotel Management System shall run in any Microsoft Windows environment that contains Java Runtime and the Microsoft Access database. 4 Change Management Process Changes to this document may be made after approval from the project manager and the client approval officer. 5 Document Approvals 5.1 Team One Approval ____________________________________ Sandra Busik/Reita Sikka Date 5.2 Team Two Approval ____________________________________ Lisa Ferrett Date 6 Supporting Information A system context diagram as well as use cases and use case descriptions have been developed in separate documents.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 54~55

54 Selling Tucker The Sky Priestess threw the straw hat across the room, then tore at the high-buttoned collar of the white dress. She was losing him. She hated that more than anything: losing control. She ripped the dress down the front and wrestled out of it. She stormed across the room, the dress still trailing from one foot, and pulled a bottle of vodka from the freezer. She poured herself a tumbler and drank half of it off while still holding the bottle, then refilled the glass while her temples throbbed with the cold. She carried the bottle and glass to a chair in front of the television, sat down, and turned it on. Nothing but static and snow. Sebastian was using the satellite dish. She threw the vodka bottle at the screen, but missed and it bounced off the case, taking a small chip out of the plastic. â€Å"Fuck!† She keyed the intercom next to her chair. â€Å"‘Bastian! Dammit!† â€Å"Yes, my sweet.† His voice was calm and oily. â€Å"What the fuck are you doing? I want to watch TV.† â€Å"I'm just finishing up, sweetheart.† â€Å"We need to talk.† She tossed back another slug of vodka. â€Å"Yes, we do. I'll be up in a moment.† â€Å"Bring some vodka from your house.† â€Å"As you wish.† Ten minutes later the Sorcerer walked into her bungalow, the picture of the patrician physician. He handed her the vodka and sat down across from her. â€Å"Pour me one, would you, darling?† Before she could catch herself, she'd gotten up and fetched him a glass from the kitchen. She handed it to him along with the bottle. â€Å"Your dress is torn, dear.† â€Å"No shit.† â€Å"I like the look,† the Sorcerer said, â€Å"although I'd have preferred to tear it off you myself.† â€Å"Not now. I think we have trouble.† The Sorcerer smiled. â€Å"We did, but as of tonight at midnight, our troubles are over. How was your walk this morning, by the way?† â€Å"I took Case to see the shark hunt. I thought it would keep him from getting island fever, something different to break the boredom.† â€Å"As opposed to fucking him.† She wasn't going to show any surprise, not after he'd laid a trap like that. â€Å"No, in addition to fucking him. It was a mistake.† â€Å"The shark hunt or the fucking?† She bristled, â€Å"The shark hunt. The fucking was fine. He saw the boy whose corneas we harvested.† â€Å"So.† â€Å"He freaked. I shouldn't have let him connect the people with the procedure.† â€Å"But I thought you could handle him.† He was enjoying this entirely too much for her taste. â€Å"Don't be smug, ‘Bastian. What are you going to do, lock him in the back room of the clinic? We need him.† â€Å"No, we don't. I've hired a new pilot. A Japanese.† â€Å"I thought we'd agreed that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It hasn't worked using Americans, has it? He starts tonight.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"You're going to go pick him up. The corporation assures me that he's the best, and he won't ask questions.† â€Å"I'm going to pick him up?† â€Å"We have a heart-lung order. You and Mr. Case need to deliver it.† â€Å"I can't do it, ‘Bastian. I can't do a performance and a heart-lung tonight. I'm too jangled.† â€Å"You don't have to do either, dear. We don't have to do the surgery. We'll make less money on it, but we only have to deliver the donor.† â€Å"But what about doing the choosing?† â€Å"You've done that already. You chose when you went to bed with our intrepid Mr. Case. The heart-lung donor is Tucker Case.† Tuck needed a drink. He looked around the bungalow, hoping that someone had left a stray bottle of vanilla extract or aftershave that might go well with a slice of mango. Mangoes he had, but anything containing ethyl alco-hol was not to be found. It would be hours before darkness could cover his escape to the drinking circle, where he intended to get gloriously hammered if he could look any of the Shark People in the eye and keep his stomach. Sorry, you guys. Just had to take the edge off of the guilt of blinding a child to get my own airplane. He tried to distract himself by reading, but the moral certainties of the literary spy guys only served to make him feel worse. Television was no help either. Some sort of Balinese shadow puppet show and Filipino news special on how swell it was to make American semiconductors for three bucks a day. He punched the remote to off and tossed it across the room. Frustration leaped out in a string of curses, followed by â€Å"All right, Mr. Ghost Pilot, where in the hell are you now?† And there was a knock on the door. â€Å"Kidding,† Tuck said. â€Å"I was kidding.† â€Å"Tucker, can I come in?† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"It's open.† It was always open. There was no lock on it. He looked away as she entered, afraid that, like the face of the Medusa, she might turn him to stone – or at least that part of him unaffected by conscience. She came up behind him and began kneading the muscles in his shoulders. He did not look back at her and still had no idea if she might be naked or wearing a clown suit. â€Å"You're upset. I understand. But it's not what you think.† â€Å"There's not a lot of room for misinterpretation.† â€Å"Isn't there? What if I told you that that boy was blind from birth. His corneas were healthy, but he was born with atrophied optic nerves.† â€Å"I feel much better, thanks. Kid wasn't using his eyes, so we ripped them out.† He felt her nails dig into his trapezius muscles. â€Å"Ripped out is hardly appropriate. It's a very delicate operation. And because we did it, another child is able to see. You seem to be missing that aspect of what we're doing here. Every time we deliver a kidney, we're saving a life.† She was right. He hadn't thought about that. â€Å"I just fly the plane,† he said. â€Å"And take the money. You could have this same job back in the States. You could be flying the organs of accident victims on Life Flight jets and accomplishing the same thing, except you wouldn't be making enough to pay the taxes on what you make here, right?† No, not exactly, he thought. Back in the States, he couldn't fly anything but a hang glider without his license. â€Å"I guess so,† he said. â€Å"But you could have told me what you were doing.† â€Å"And have you thinking about the little blind kid at five hundred miles per hour. I don't think so.† She bent over and kissed his earlobe lightly. â€Å"I'm not a monster, Tuck. I was a little girl once, with a mother and a father and a cat named Cupcake. I don't blind little kids.† Finally he turned in the chair to face her and was grateful to see that she was wearing one of her conservative Donna Reed dresses. â€Å"What happened to you, Beth? How in the hell do you get from ‘Here, Cupcake' to the Murdering Bitch Goddess of the Shark People?† He immediately regretted saying it. Not because it wasn't true, but because he'd given away the fact that he knew it was. He braced himself for the rage. She moved to the couch and sat down across from him. Then she curled into a ball, her face against the cushions, and covered her eyes. He said nothing. He just watched as her body quaked with silent sobs. He hoped this wasn't an act. He hoped that she was so offended that she would take his murder accusation for hyperbole. Five full minutes passed before she looked up. Her eyes were red and she'd managed to smear mascara across one cheek. â€Å"It's your fault,† she said. Tuck nodded and tried not to let a smile cross his lips. She was playing another part, and she didn't do the victim nearly as well as she did the seduction queen. He said, â€Å"I'm sorry, Beth. I was out of line.† She seemed surprised and broke character. Evidently, he'd stepped on her line, the one she'd been thinking of while pretending to cry. A second for composure and she was back at it. â€Å"It's your fault. I only wanted to have a friend, not a lover. All men are that way.† â€Å"Then you must not have gotten the newsletter: ‘Men Are Pigs.' Next issue is ‘Water Is Wet.' Don't miss it.† She fell out of character again. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"You might have been a victim once, but now that's just a distant memory you use to rationalize what you do now. You use men because you can. I can't figure out what happened in San Francisco, though. A woman who looks like you should have been able to find an easier way to fuck her way to a fortune. The doc must have been a cakewalk for you.† â€Å"And you weren't?† Tuck felt as if someone had injected him with a truth serum that was lighting up his mind, and not with revelations about Beth Curtis. The light was shining on him. â€Å"Yeah, I guess I was a cakewalk. So what? Did you think for a minute that you might try not to go to bed with me? â€Å"Other than when I found out that you'd almost torn your balls off, not for a minute.† She was gritting her teeth. â€Å"And how big a task do you think you took on? It's not like you were corrupting me or anything. I've been on the other end of the game for years. I know you, Beth. I am you.† â€Å"You don't know anything.† She was visibly trying not to scream, but Tuck could see the blood rising in her face. He pushed on. â€Å"Freud says I'm this way because I was never hugged as a child. What's your excuse?† â€Å"Don't be smug. I could have you right now if I wanted.† As if to prove her point, she placed her feet at either end of the coffee table and began to pull up her dress. She wore white stockings and nothing else underneath. â€Å"Not interested,† Tuck said. â€Å"Been there, done that.† â€Å"You're so transparent,† she said. She crawled over the table and did a languid cat stretch as she ran her hands up the inside of his thighs. By the time her hands got to his belt buckle, she was face-to-face with him, almost touching noses. Tuck could smell the alcohol on her breath. She flicked her tongue on his lips. He just looked in her eyes, as cold and blue as crystal, like his own. She wasn't fooling anyone, and in realizing that, Tuck realized that he also had never fooled anybody. Every Mary Jean lady, every bar bimbo, every secretary, flight attendant, or girl at the grocery store had seen him coming and let him come. Beth unzipped his pants and took him in her hand, her face still only a millimeter from his, their eyes locked. â€Å"Your armor seems to have a weak spot, tough guy.† â€Å"Nope,† Tuck said. She slid down to the floor and took him into her mouth. Tuck suppressed a gasp. He watched her head moving on him. To keep himself from touching her he grabbed the arms of the chair and the wicker creaked as if it was being punished. â€Å"That's a pretty convincing argument,† said the male voice. Tuck looked up to see Vincent sitting on the couch where Beth had been a minute ago. â€Å"Jesus!† Tuck said. Beth let out a muffled moan and dug her nails into his ass. â€Å"Wrong!† Vincent said. â€Å"But never play cards with that guy.† The flyer was smoking a cigarette, but Tuck couldn't smell it. â€Å"Oh, don't worry. She can't hear me. Can't see me either, not that she's looking or anything.† Tuck just shook his head and pushed up on the arms of the chair. Beth took his movement for enthusiasm and paused to look up at him. Tuck met her gaze with eyes the size of golf balls. She smiled, her lipstick a bit worse for the wear, a string of saliva trailed from her lips. â€Å"Just enjoy. You lost. Losers flourish here.† She licked her lips and returned to her task. â€Å"Dame makes a point,† Vincent said. â€Å"I give you three to one she brings you around to her way of thinking. Whatta ya say?† â€Å"No.† Tuck waved the flyer off and shut his eyes. â€Å"Oh, yes,† Beth said, as if speaking into the microphone. Vincent flicked his cigarette butt out the window. â€Å"I'm not distracting you, am I? I just dropped in to take up on the dame's side, as she is unable to speak for herself at present.† Tuck was experiencing the worst case of bed spins he'd ever had – in a chair. Sexual vertigo. â€Å"Of course,† Vincent continued, â€Å"this is kinda turning into a religious experience for you, ain't it? Go with what you know, right? You let her run the show, you got no decisions to make and no worries ever after. Not a worry in the world. You got my word on that. Although, if it was me, I'd check out her story just to be safe. Look in the doc's computer maybe.† Beth was working her mouth and hands like she was pumping water on an inner fire that was consuming her with each second that passed. Tuck heard his own breath rise to a pant and the wicker chair crackle and creak and skid on the wooden floor. He was helping her now, wanting her to quench that flame and that was all there was. â€Å"You think about it,† Vincent said. â€Å"You'll do the right thing. You owe me, remember.† He faded and disappeared. â€Å"What does that mean?† Tuck said, then he moaned, arched his back, and came so hard he thought he would pass out, but she kept on and on until he couldn't stand the intensity and had to push her away. She landed on the floor at his feet and looked up like an angry she-cat. â€Å"You're mine,† she said. She was still breathing hard and her dress was still up around her waist. â€Å"We're friends.† It came out like a command, but Tuck heard a note of desperation below the panting and the ire, and he felt a wrenching pain in his chest like nothing he'd ever felt before. â€Å"I know you, Beth. I am you,† he said. But not anymore, he thought. He said, â€Å"Yes, we're friends.† She smiled like a little girl who'd been given a pony for her birthday. â€Å"I knew it,† she said. She climbed to her feet and smoothed down her skirt, then bent and kissed him on the eyebrow. He tried to smile. She said, â€Å"I'll see you in a few hours. We're flying out at nine. I have to go see to Sebastian.† Tuck zipped up his pants. â€Å"And get ready for your performance?† he said. â€Å"No, this isn't a medical flight. Just supplies.† Tuck nodded. â€Å"Beth, was that little boy blind from birth?† â€Å"Of course,† she said, looking offended. She was more convincing as the Sky Priestess. â€Å"You go see to Sebastian,† Tuck said. After she had left, Tuck looked at the ceiling and said, â€Å"Vincent, just in case you're listening, I'm not buying your bullshit. If you want to help me, fine. But if not, stay out of my way.† 55 Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Computer Tuck went into the bathroom and washed his face, then combed his hair. He studied his face in the mirror, looking for that scary glint that he'd seen in Beth Curtis's eyes. He wasn't her. He wasn't as smart as she was, but he wasn't as crazy either. He cringed with the realization that he had spent most of his adult life being a jerk or a patsy and sometimes both simultan-eously. And it was no small irony to have had an epiphany during a blow job. Vincent, whatever he was, had been playing some kind of game from the beginning, mixing lies and truth, helping him only to get him into trouble. There was no grand bailout coming, and if he was going to find out what was really being planned for him, he had to get into the computer. The best time to sneak into the clinic was right now, in broad daylight. He hadn't seen any of the guards all day and Beth was â€Å"seeing to Sebastian.† If he got caught, he'd simply say he was trying to get the weather for to-night's flight. If the doc could e-mail and fax all over the world, then surely he would have access to weather services. It didn't matter; he didn't think he'd have a hard time convincing the doc that he was just being stupid. His entire life had set up the cover. He grabbed some paper and a pencil from the nightstand and stuffed them into his back pocket. While he was in there, he might as well see if he could pick up the coordinates for Okinawa. If he could sneak them into the nav computer on the Lear, he might just be able to get the military to force the jet down there. He didn't have a chance in hell of getting there on his own navigational skills. He stepped out on the lanai and gave a sidelong glance to the guards' quarters to make sure no one was just inside the door watching his bungalow. Satisfied, he walked to the clinic and tried the door. It was unlocked. He checked the compound again, saw nothing, and slipped into the clinic. He was immediately met by the sound of voices coming from the back room. Male voices, speaking Japanese. He tiptoed through the door that led into the operating room and opened it a crack. The door to the far side was open. He could see all the ninjas gathered around one of the hos-pital beds playing cards. It was visiting day for Stripe. He palmed the door shut and went to the computer. There had been a time when Tuck was so ignorant of computers that he thought a mouse pad was Disney's brand of sanitary napkin, but that was before he met Jake Skye. Jake had taught him how to access the weather maps, charts, and how to file his flight plans through the computer. In the process Tuck had also learned what Jake considered the most important computer skill, how to hack into someone else's stuff. The three CRTs were all on, two green over black and one color. Tuck focused on the color screen. It was friendlier and it was displaying a screen saver he recognized, a slide show of dolphins. He moved the mouse and the familiar Windows screen appeared. There was a cheer from the back room and Tuck nearly drove the mouse off the top of the desk. Must have been a good hand. He expected to see obscure medical programs, something he'd never figure out, but it looked like the doc used the same stuff everyone in the States did. Tuck clicked on the database icon and the program jumped to fill the screen. He opened a file menu; there were only two. One was named SUPPLIES, the other TT. Tissue types? He clicked it. The ENTER PASSWORD field opened. â€Å"Shit.† Jake had always told him that people used obvious passwords if you knew the people. Something they wouldn't forget. Put yourself in their place, you'll figure out their passwords, and don't eliminate the possibility that it may be written on a Post-it note stuck to the computer. Tuck looked for Post-it notes, then open the desk drawers and riffled through the papers for anything that looked like a password. He pushed out the chair and looked under the desk. Bingo! There were two long numbers written on tape on the bottom of the desk drawer. He pulled the paper and pencil from his pocket and copied them down, then entered the first one in the password field. was the response Tuck typed in the second number. Look for the obvious. Tuck typed SKY PRIESTESS. The guards were laughing in the other room. Tuck typed in VINCENT. DOCTOR. It would be something that the doc would be sitting here thinking about. It would be on his mind. Tuck typed BETH. BETHS TITS. Wait a minute. This was the doc thinking. He typed BETHS BREASTS. The file scrolled open, filling the screen with a list of names down the left side followed by rows and columns of letters and numbers. All of the names Tuck could see were native. Across the top were five columns that must be the tissue types and blood types, next to those, kidney, liver, heart, lung, cornea, and pancreas. Christ, it was an inventory sheet. And the heart, lung, liver, and pancreas categories convinced him once and for all that there was no benevolent intention behind the Curtises' plan. They were going to the meat market with the Shark People until the village was empty. Tuck typed in SEPIE in the FIND field. An X had been placed in all the organ categories except kidney. There he found an H and a date. H? Har-vested. The date was the day they harvested it. He typed in PARDEE, JEFFERSON. No â€Å"x's† in any of the columns, but two H's under heart and lungs. Of course the other organs weren't marked. They'd been donated to the sharks and were no longer available. There was nothing under SOMMERS, JAMES. That too made sense. How would they get the organs to Japan without a pilot. Tuck wished he'd gotten the little blind boy's name. He couldn't take the time to scroll though all three hundred or so names looking for missing corneas. He typed in CASE, TUCKER. There were H's marked under the heart and lung category. The harvest date was today. â€Å"You fuckers,† he said. There was a shuffling in the back room and he stood so quickly the chair rolled back and banged into a cabinet on the other side of the office. The database was still up on the screen. Tuck reached out and punched the button on the monitor. It clicked off as Mato came through the door. â€Å"What are you guys doing here?† Tuck said. Mato pulled up. He seemed confused. He was supposed to be doing the yelling. â€Å"We're flying tonight,† Tuck said. â€Å"Do you guys have the plane fueled up?† Mato shook his head. â€Å"Then get on it. I wondered where you were.† Mato just looked at him. â€Å"Go!† Tuck said. â€Å"Now!† Mato started to slink toward the door, obviously not comfortable with leaving Tuck in the clinic. Another guard came into the office and when Mato looked up, Tuck snatched his paper and pencil from the desk. He dropped the pencil and when he bent to pick it up, he hit the main power switch on the computer. The computer would reboot when turned on and the doctor would only know that it had been turned off. He'd never suspect that someone had been into the donor files. â€Å"Let's go, you guys.† Tuck pushed past Mato out the office door, shoving the paper in his pocket as he went. Tuck made quite a show of the preflight on the Lear, demanding three times that the guard with access to the key to the main power cutoff turn it on so he could check out the plane. The guard wasn't buying it. He walked away from Tuck snickering. Tuck checked under the instrument panel. Maybe there would be some obvious way to hot-wire the switch. He'd been lucky with the computer. The switch and all the wires leading into it were covered by a steel case. He couldn't get into it with a blowtorch, and frankly, he had no idea which wires did what. It probably wasn't even a simple switch, but a relay that lead to another switch. There'd be no way to wire around it. He left the hangar and went back to his bungalow. Unless he found some way to get off the island, he was going to be short a couple of lungs and a heart come midnight. Beth would have at least one guard on the plane with her, probably two, given the circumstances. And he had no doubt that she'd shoot him in the crotch and make him fly to Japan anyway. There had to be another way. Like a boat. Kimi's boat. Didn't these guys travel thousands of miles over the Pacific in canoes like that? What could the doc do? He'd been so careful about safeguarding the island that the guards didn't even have a boat to chase him with. Tuck put on his shorts and took his fins and mask to the bathroom. He knotted the ends of his trouser legs and started filling them with supplies. A shirt, a light jacket, some disinfectant, sunscreen, a short kitchen knife. He found a small jar of sugar in the kitchen, dumped the sugar into the sink, and filled the jar with matches and Band-Aids. When he was ready to seal it, he saw the slip of paper he'd written on in the office sticking from the pocket of the trousers and shoved it into the jar as an afterthought. He topped off the pants bag with a pair of sneakers, then pulled the webbed belt tight to cinch it all up. He could swim with the pants legs like water wings. The wet clothing would get heavy, but not until he hit the beach on the far side of the minefield. To Tuck's way of thinking, once he was past the minefield he was halfway there. Then all he had to do was convince the old cannibal to give him the canoe, enough food and water to get somewhere, and Kimi to navigate. Where in the hell would they go? Yap? Guam? One step at a time. First he had to get out of the compound. He checked the guards' positions. Leaning out the window, he could see three – no, four – at the hangar. He waited. He'd never tried to make the swim while it was still light. They'd be able to see him in the water from as far away as the runway. He just had to hope that they didn't look in that direction. The guards were rolling barrels into the hangar to hand-pump the jet fuel into the Lear. Two on each barrel, four out in the compound, bingo. One guy had to be in the hangar cranking the pump. And Stripe was in the clinic. Showtime! Tuck went into the bathroom, lifted the hatch, threw down the pants bag and his swimming stuff, and followed it through. He weighed sneaking against running, stealth against speed, and decided to go like a newborn turtle for the water. The only people who might see him were the Doc and Beth, and they were probably in the process of pushing the twin beds together and doing the Ozzie and Harriet double-skin sweat slap – or whatever sort of weird shit they did. He hoped it was painful. He broke into a dead run across the gravel, feeling the coral dig at his feet and the ferns whip at his ankles but keeping his focus on the beach. As he passed the clinic, he thought he saw some movement out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't turn. He was Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, and Edwin Moses (except he was white and slow), a single head turn could cause him to lose his stride and the race – and boy, does that beach seem farther when you're running than when you're sneaking. He almost tumbled when he hit the sand, but managed a controlled forward stumble that put him face-first in four inches of water. The baby turtle had made it to the water, but now he faced a whole new set of dangers at sea, not the least of which was trying to swim with a pair of stuffed khakis around his neck. He kicked a few feet out into the water, put on his fins and mask, and began the swim. He'd been furious from the moment he heard the pilot's voice in the clinic and he had fought the cloud of painkillers and the pressure in his head to get to him. Yamata watched the pilot stumble into the water before he tried shouting for the others. The shout came out little more than a grunt through his wired jaw, and his crushed sinuses allowed little sound to pass through his nose. His gun was in the guards' quarters, the others were at the hangar, and his hated enemy was escaping. He decided to go for his gun. The others might want to take the pilot alive.

Becoming a Successful Computer Programmer essays

Becoming a Successful Computer Programmer essays The career I choose to research is computer programming. Computer programmers write and maintain detailed instructions used to create software. These instructions, also called code, are made up of different languages that a computer can recognize. Because there are many language a programmer always needs to be able to learn new things. Computers have always been a hobby for me and satisfy many needs that I require in a career. In order to be a successful programmer, there are many skills you must possess. The most important skill is logic. Because of all the detail and explicit instructions required to program software a person must be able to think logically. In high school my strongest class was math. Math is my favorite subject because it deals with breaking things down and simplifying them. This is what programming is all about. Another quality I have that relates to programming is patients. About 80 percent of programmers work time spent debugging. Debugging is the process of finding all the errors in the code and fix them. This requires tons of patients because many of these errors are hard to seek out. Also, I love to solve problems. In high school, my computer science teacher would give us brain teasers, and I would sit up all night until I figured it out. A computer programmer must be able to receive a problem and find the most efficient way to solve it. The three qualities I looked at in choosing a career are salary, interesting work, and being able to see that my work has created something. People say that money isn't everything, but it certainly does help. In 1998 the median of annual earnings for a computer programmer was $47,550. Half of these people earned between $37,000 and $70,500 a year. These numbers are rising due to a growing demand for programmers. Working with computers is almost always fun and exciting for me. There is something about working with one of the greatest inventions of ...