The Female Power of Carmilla essays

The Female Power of Carmilla essays The Female Power of Carmilla The short story Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu must have been an extremely controversial piece when it was first published. The topics in Le Fanus tale were not ones that appeared very often in the literature of the period in which it was written, and even if some writers did dare to tackle similar topics they never made it as obvious as Le Fanu did in this very sexual vampire tale. The Victorian period, which is the period in which Carmilla was first published, was very sexually repressed and most, so called, erotic scenes that were present in novels and prose at that time were extremely subtle and almost never involved vivid descriptions of the female form. Most descriptions consisted of the face and the beauty of a womans neck or hands because that was really the only skin that women of that time would have exposed when out in public. Le Fanu did not adhere to that style though, instead he chose to push the envelope as far as he possibly could and free his readers, for aw hile anyways, from the sexual repression that society had forced on them. Also, by bringing to light certain topics like lesbianism, Le Fanu was able to toy with societies ideas of gender and the roles that the different sexes were thought to observe. He chose to change the image of the stereotypical woman, which appeared in most of the works of that time, and provide his female characters with more stability than the other writers of the Victorian period did. He also chose to detract a lot of the strength that usually accompanied the male characters in Victorian literature, deciding the men in his story would not always have absolute control over his female characters. This concept went against the belief of the time that women were always submissive to the masculinity of men. Instead of providing the men of his story with this strength he chose to instill these qualities in C...

Profile of Switzerland

Profile of Switzerland Population: 7,623,438 (July 2010 estimate) Capital: Bern Land Area: 15,937 square miles (41,277 sq km) Bordering Countries: Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Germany Highest Point: Dufourspitze at 15,203 feet (4,634 m) Lowest Point: Lake Maggiore at 639 feet (195 m) Switzerland is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is one of the richest countries in the world and it has consistently ranked high for its quality of life. Switzerland is known for its history of being neutral during wartimes. Switzerland is the home of many international organizations like the World Trade Organization but it is not a member of the European Union. History of Switzerland Switzerland was originally inhabited by the Helvetians and the area that makes up todays country became a part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century B.C.E. When the Roman Empire began to decline, Switzerland was invaded by several German tribes. In 800, Switzerland became a part of Charlemagnes Empire. Shortly thereafter control of the country was passed through the Holy Roman emperors. In the 13th century, new trade routes across the Alps opened and Switzerlands mountain valleys became important and were given some independence as cantons. In 1291, the Holy Roman Emperor died and according to the U.S. Department of State, the ruling families of several mountain communities signed a charter to keep peace and keep independent rule. From 1315 to 1388, Swiss Confederates were involved in several conflicts with the Habsburgs and their borders expanded. In 1499, the Swiss Confederates gained independence from the Holy Roman Empire. Following its independence and a defeat by the French and Venetians in 1515, Switzerland ended its policies of expansion. Throughout the 1600s, there were several European conflicts but the Swiss remained neutral. From 1797 to 1798, Napoleon annexed part of the Swiss Confederation and a centrally governed state was established. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna preserved the countrys status as a permanently armed neutral state. In 1848 a short civil war between Protestant and Catholic led to the formation of a Federal State modeled after the United States. A Swiss Constitution was then drafted and was amended in 1874 to ensure cantonal independence and democracy. In the 19th century, Switzerland underwent industrialization and it remained neutral during World War I. During World War II, Switzerland also remained neutral despite pressure from surrounding countries. After WWII, Switzerland began to grow its economy. It did not join the Council of Europe until 1963 and it is still not a part of the European Union. In 2002 it joined the United Nations. Government of Switzerland Today Switzerlands government is formally a confederation but it is more similar in structure to a federal republic. It has an executive branch with a chief of state, a head of government that is filled by the President, a bicameral Federal Assembly with the Council of States, and the National Council for its legislative branch. Switzerlands judicial branch is made up of a Federal Supreme Court. The country is divided into 26 cantons for local administration and each has a high degree of independence and each is equal in status. People of Switzerland Switzerland is unique in its demography because it is made up of three linguistic and cultural regions. These are German, French, and Italian. As a result, Switzerland is not a nation based on one ethnic identity; instead it is based on its common historical background and shared governmental values. The official languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Economics and Land Use in Switzerland Switzerland is one of the wealthiest nations in the world and it has a very strong market economy. Unemployment is low and its labor force is also very highly skilled. Agriculture makes up a small part of its economy and the main products include grains, fruit, vegetables, meat, and eggs. The largest industries in Switzerland are machinery, chemicals, banking, and insurance. In addition, expensive goods such as watches and precision instruments are also produced in Switzerland. Tourism is also a very large industry in the country due to its natural setting in the Alps. Geography and Climate of Switzerland Switzerland is located in Western Europe, to the east of France and to the north of Italy. It is known for its mountain landscapes and small mountain villages. The topography of Switzerland is varied but it is mainly mountainous with the Alps in the south and the Jura in the northwest. There is also a central plateau with rolling hills and plains and there are many large lakes throughout the country. Dufourspitze at 15,203 feet (4,634 m) is Switzerlands highest point but there are many other peaks that are at very high elevations as well- the Matterhorn near the town of Zermatt in Valais is the most famous. The climate of Switzerland is temperate but it varies with altitude. Most of the country has cold and rainy to snowy winters and cool to warm and sometimes humid summers. Bern, Switzerlands capital, has an average January low temperature of 25.3 degrees F (-3.7 degrees C) and an average July high of 74.3 degrees F (23.5 degrees C). References Central Intelligence Agency. (9 November 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - Switzerland. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sz.html Infoplease.com. (n.d.). Switzerland: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108012.html United States Department of State. (31 March 2010). Switzerland. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3431.htm Wikipedia.com. (16 November 2010). Switzerland - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland

Week 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Week 3 - Essay Example e employees who belongs to different backgrounds like nursing, biomedical science, epidemiology, medicine, physics, social science, healthcare management, information technology, patient risk and safety management, medical informatics, and other areas. Their mission is to help the patient treat them by providing highest standards of cost-effectiveness, quality and safety. To attain this they do research, provide education and engage in consultancy. It has been given a federal patient safety organization by department of Health and Human Services of U.S (Kongstvedt, 2012). In today’s world the quality improvement and risk management efforts in a healthcare organization are now falling behind patient safety and ways to deliver medical care more effectively and efficiently so as to ensure that the healthcare organization can deliver high quality and safe care of the patients. The American Society for Healthcare Risk Management have described that there is great importance in the evolution of quality improvement and risk management. They pointed out that information between the quality managers and risk managers are too rarely exchanged between them. Hence the collaboration between them is nonexistent and very minimal. In Past times, organization had legal department and chief operating officer handling the risk management. Chief medical director is concerned with looking after the patient safety issues. Because of organizational hierarchy overlap of quality functions and risk management is not possible between them and it does not allow any shari ng of data to occur between them. Risk management deals with examining a particular issue like increase in the number of emergency department claims. After analyzing a number of Emergency department claims, it might be seen that the cause of increase in claims is due to inadequate communication of instructions given to the patient at the time of discharge (Wolper, 2010). Again after evaluation of quality improvement it

Poll week 6 dis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Poll week 6 dis - Essay Example Key among the causes of global financial crisis was the credit crunch in which US investors lost confidence in the value of sub-prime mortgages that in turn led to a liquidity crisis. The step by the US Federal Bank to inject large sum of capital into financial markets also contributed to this global crisis (â€Å"Crash course,† 2013). The crisis widened by September 2008, when the stock markets across the globe crashed, by that, becoming highly volatile. The event of September 14, 2008, when the Lehman Brothers collapsed, profoundly contributed to global financial crisis. The decision by Federal Reserve Chairpersons to dismiss the build-up of the housing bubble until 2007 from 202, contributed to this crisis. They never took the initiate to control the housing bubble or regulate mortgage companies. The Wall Street Executives’ decision to ignore policies focusing on internal risk management and their aim to increase revenues in a short time led to the crisis. In addition, the decision by US Presidents to hire former Wall Street lobbyists to serve as government policy makers, led to bailing out of banks without any regard to moral hazard. The decision risked the future of the national economy and shifted the burden to taxpayers. Timeline: Key events in financial crisis. (2013, September 9). Retrieved February 12, 2015, from

Moral Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Moral Responsibility Essay ? Most people have natural desires such as getting higher social status; making more money; travelling all around the world; or collecting specific objects like cars, shoes, watches, dishes or stamps. Often this desire becomes a reason why people wake up in the morning, work hard, deal with all their troubles, or patiently save money. Eventually when the person achieves their desire, he/she feels great happiness, and it remains in their lives as a pleasant memory. However, sometimes people have conflicts between their wants and their moral responsibilities. What should human beings put first in their lives? Is there a method that helps human beings to find a balance among different values? My desire was to have designer bags. It started when I was a freshman in college. I had no knowledge about designer brands before I came to college because my parents have never put value on material things and have shown thrifty living is more meaningful than luxury living. I had had no issues with what my parents taught me, but starting in college I have struggled with my original values. My professor made fun of my clothing and accessories, which I bought at the supermarket, with obscure brand logos. She said if I wanted to be a good designer I had to be aware of fashion trends and style, and I also had to use those items. Moreover, the professor advised me that I should treat myself like a professional designer instead of a naive country girl, so I should take more care of my outfit. What she said it made sense to me but it hurt my self-esteem first. After that I started to look at people around me and I realized I had to change from head to toe. I asked my parents to buy new clothes, shoes and accessories, and not at the supermarket. So we went to a department store and I saw the new world at age 19. Everything looked fabulous and beautiful, but also very expensive, especially compared to what I used to wear and carry. That first shopping experience at the luxury department changed my entire value system. I used to give tithe and offering to church without thinking or counting. It was my duty as a Christian and I knew how the church would spend the money that I donate. The church I attended had a partnership with a local orphanage and a nursing home and I regularly went there to serve people with other church members. It was such a significant experience which taught me the spirit of sharing and happiness from contribution to people who are in need. Since my entire values changed, I started to calculate the money I spent for donation and to fulfill myself. I tried to find a few reasons why I did not have to donate. First of all, I worked hard to earn money; second of all, I would sacrifice my short-term wants to save money for a new designer bag. Thirdly, there are many people who are wealthier than I who would give more. A few months after, I had money to buy my first designer bag, so I went to the department store to buy my long-term goal. That bag made me feel happy and satisfied and I found myself showing off my pleasure to people around me.. I thought once I had a bag that I wanted to have it would be just enough, but soon after, I found a new bag that I hoped to have. This started my moral dilemma between satisfying my material greed and the spirit of sharing. I asked my parents to give me wise words about the situation that I faced. They said I should not stop donating money if I feel guilty from it, but I should stop donating money if not getting a bag made me unhappy. They also said I had to think about why I had a part-time drawing teaching job. I said that I worked because I wanted to build my career and to take financial responsibility for myself, so there was no problem with that. I pointed out the amount of fulfillment was greater and longer when I carried out my moral responsibility for orphan children and seniors who were in nursing homes. Therefore I decided to put my moral duty first, but I also made special savings for myself which could afford my personal desire for bags. It seemed the problem was solved but it is not fully solved yet. As my eyes become more sophisticated, my desires grow bigger and more expensive and it will not stop. The utilitarian philosopher, Peter Singer, emphasizes the scientific evidence on conditions of happiness, which shows that once human beings have enough to satisfy their basic needs, they cannot maximize their happiness anymore by gaining wealth. I do partly agree with his opinion because human beings need continuous stimulation, so they work and make progress in their daily lives. The New York Times Op-Ed columnist David Brooks believes that human beings need a reward as motivation in order to work harder and being productive, which means people are supposed to help each other but human beings have natural preference to put themselves as the highest priority, so self-satisfaction is more important than taking moral responsibilities. Although Brooks’ opinion makes sense to me according to my experience, I am not 100% sure which opinion is right and I should follow. In my mind the most important matter is what makes people happier and brings no regret, while finding a balance between self-satisfaction and looking after people who are in need with a true heart.

Oppresive Force Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Oppressive Forces† Amy Tan’s â€Å"Mother Tongue† and James Baldwin’s â€Å"If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?† discusses the power in language and how it is defined as a tool for communication but is used to shape people’s perception of others. Both Tan and Baldwin state that language is used as an oppressive force that doesn’t properly acknowledge minorities and the lack of proficiency in â€Å"standard† English doesn’t allow them to participate with society equally. Within Baldwin’s essay he makes it clear that the black community is not accepted because of the language in which they speak. It isn’t the fault of the language but the role in which society refuses to acknowledge their history. He states, â€Å"It is not the black child’s language that is despised. It is his experience.† (pg 534) He is arguing that the reason Black English is looked past as being a language is not because of what he or she is says but what he or she represents. Language is directly linked to culture, refusing a language directly dishonors its culture. Baldwin argues that no matter what people say, they are judged on the way they speak. He firmly states, â€Å"Language, incontestably, reveals the speaker.† (pg. 532) This further explains the fact that the Black community is seen as unequal because of this barrier in unacceptable tongue. The word black itself is negatively correlated throughout language. For example blacklist, black humor, black hole, black cat, blackmailed, and the black mark... Oppresive Force Essay -- essays research papers â€Å"Oppressive Forces† Amy Tan’s â€Å"Mother Tongue† and James Baldwin’s â€Å"If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?† discusses the power in language and how it is defined as a tool for communication but is used to shape people’s perception of others. Both Tan and Baldwin state that language is used as an oppressive force that doesn’t properly acknowledge minorities and the lack of proficiency in â€Å"standard† English doesn’t allow them to participate with society equally. Within Baldwin’s essay he makes it clear that the black community is not accepted because of the language in which they speak. It isn’t the fault of the language but the role in which society refuses to acknowledge their history. He states, â€Å"It is not the black child’s language that is despised. It is his experience.† (pg 534) He is arguing that the reason Black English is looked past as being a language is not because of what he or she is says but what he or she represents. Language is directly linked to culture, refusing a language directly dishonors its culture. Baldwin argues that no matter what people say, they are judged on the way they speak. He firmly states, â€Å"Language, incontestably, reveals the speaker.† (pg. 532) This further explains the fact that the Black community is seen as unequal because of this barrier in unacceptable tongue. The word black itself is negatively correlated throughout language. For example blacklist, black humor, black hole, black cat, blackmailed, and the black mark...

Our language our identity Essay

Identity can be perceived through language; is one of the many ideas that are illustrated throughout Gloria Anzaldua’s â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue†. The language you speak is a part of your culture, and your culture is what defines a person the most. Living in a country that is seen to be melting pot of many cultures and heritages, you are bound to encounter someone of another culture but that doesn’t mean we suppress their ability to represent who they are because of their lack of knowledge pertaining to the primary language used in this country. Immigrants use language to preserve their culture heritage and identity in a foreign land but fear of judgment, suppression and linguistic terrorism affect their ability to fit in and be who they are not only by Americans but also by their own people. Linguistic terrorism is a term used by Anzaldua herself to express her strong emotions on the suppression of her language by others. This term is used to describe an action of suppression by a majority group to a minority group because of their values, norms and even language. This occurs because one usually feels dominant and superior over the other. Anzaldua states in her essay that â€Å"Our language has been used against us by the dominant culture; we use our language differences against each other.† (136) Living in a diverse cultural country such as the United States, many immigrants feel the need to learn the appropriate English in order to communicate and fit in with society. Many aren’t able to completely emerge themselves into the American way of doing things without sacrificing a part of themselves through their cultural heritage and identity. Majority of them feel the need to learn English in order to get a job. Even then they are suppressed because they speak with very simple English with heavy accents. Once these immigrants start to feel comfortable with their English, they are often pushed off by their native tongue because of embarrassment and disrespect to their own language. There are times when groups that have tried so hard to fit in with the Americans are looked down upon by their own culture and society. Anzaldua says, â€Å"‘Pocho, cultural traitor, you’re speaking the oppressor’s language by speaking English, you’re ruining the Spanish language,’ I have been accused by various Latinos and Latinas† (133). This portrays how her own people have looked down upon her because the English she speaks now is evident through her Spanish, shaming the language as a whole in their eyes. Such things cause people to feel discouraged and fear being judged by their own culture. This fear of judgment causes people to have multiple consciences. Sociologists use the term double conscience, a term that coined by W.E.B. Du Bois, to explain such phenomena. It is a way of awareness of who you are and a very different awareness of what other people see you as in contrast to that. The way you act at home would be different in terms of your values, social norms and language. Once you leave your home and enter another society, those values, norms and even language change to those that are commonly believed and used in that newer society. Anzaldua notes that â€Å"My ‘home’ tongues are the languages I speak with my sister and brother, with my friends†¦ last five listed†¦ From school, the media and job situations†¦ standard and working class English. From Mamagrande Locha and from reading†¦standard Spanish and standard Mexican Spanish† (134). A double conscience or a multiple on can be used to explain Anzaldua’s reason for using different languages in different parts and areas of her daily life. She talks about how she picked up different languages from different places because it was important for her to fit in and communicate with them, changing her conscience along the way . Gloria Anzaldua is a strong activist when it comes to the connection between language and identity. In her essay â€Å"How to Tame a Wild Tongue† she outlines her strong emotional arguments about the ability for one to conform to a society by disposing their own language or identity. Your identity is determined by language, the language you speak is a part of your culture, and your culture is what defines a person because of their beliefs, norms and values. Even though there will always be Linguistic Terrorism and suppression, it is important to remember that your language is what makes you who you are and changing from one language to another is something you must do but that doesn’t mean you let that change your true language or your true identity. Work Cited Page Anzaldua, Gloria. â€Å" How to tame a wild tongue.† Fields of Reading: Motives for Writing ed. Nancy R. Comley, David Hamilton, Carl H. Klaus, Robert Scholes, Nancy Sommers, Jason Tougaw. Ninth ed. New York; Bedford/St. Martin, 2013. 131-141. Print

Influence Business Continuity Essay

Working for Riordan Mfg., we have been tasked with either overseeing the company’s initiative, or advising an initiative to implement a Business Continuity Plan (BCP). Although there are scores of ways to do this on this topic, which also includes the concepts of â€Å" Disaster Recovery Planning† and â€Å"Business Resumption Planning,† the reality is that we need to start somewhere. And it is best that we think of this as a process, with distinct phases that provide measureable outcomes. There are two sayings one is â€Å"Rome was not built in a day† and another one is â€Å"You have to eat an elephant one bite at a time† The BCP takes time to work and things will not happen overnight. Some businesses are satisfied with just doing a data backup and are not concerned about other ramifications of an unplanned disaster, which of course, is an irresponsible approach. Riordan Mfg, however, will use their BCP efforts on what matters most to them — planning and addressing how they would manage significant, yet more â€Å"realistic† disasters. Either way, they’ll want to consider the questions below and how they influence how they will go about doing the BCP exercise: How long can we be â€Å"down† before our business is affected in such a way that we may not be able to recover (and what does â€Å"down† mean to us) How much does it cost us to be down? How long of an outage can our customers/clients accept before they go elsewhere for services? How much business can we conduct if our computers are down, if our paper files are water soaked from a pipe that exploded in the wall, if access to our building is being denied for safety reasons, or if our operations manager or IT leader goes missing for an extended period of time for any reason? Are there any regulatory requirements from local or federal government that require us to have a plan like this, and how do we know if we are staying within those requirements? Before this plan can work Riordan has to put a team together to implement the plan should the need ever arise. Assessment and Feedback Riordan Manufacturing has come across some concerns and issues with the employees. Employee motivation and retention has become an issue within the company. Riordan’s human resources processes are prohibiting the empowerment of employees, delaying potential growth due to unbalanced profits, and a decrease in sales. The human resources department needs to address these concerns because if they do not address these current issues, the company will not be able to continue their business strategy. The issues preventing logical human capital management is lack of employee motivation, a high turnover rate in strategic areas, the pay levels are below industry standards, and there is a lack of structure in the performance review process throughout the company. Riordan Manufacturing can work these issues out by creating a coaching and feedback process, planning career development programs, and updating pay for performance reward systems. The forms of communication from the management to the employees will be by e-mail, meetings and newsletters. Meetings will be held weekly as needed and more often if warranted. The newsletter will be published once a month, and the e-mails will be sent as needed. If a problem occurs a meeting wil management, team leaders and employees will be held immediately. Riordan Manufacturing’s reward system is out dated and it is based on how long an employee has been with the company and cost of living rises as well as seniority and position. The reward system does not reflect the company’s current strategy. Riordan has the opportunity to evaluate the structure of their pay scale and have their pay scale to reflect the corporate vision. The greater the alignment, or fit, between the organization and the compensation system, the more effective the organization (Milkovich & Newman, 2004). Riordan acknowledged there was a large group of employees that were not performing at top level while conducting a review of performance data. In order for the company to exceed, human capital must perform at its highest capacities. Riordan has the opportunity to identify motivators in Assessment and Feedback Existing talent pools to increase productivity. Employees must be motivated if they are to perform, behaviors such as high task performance, job seeking, attendance, or cooperation with others (Dreher & Dougherty, 2001). Motivation Theories (expectancy and equity). As soon as something is seen to be going in the wrong direction the so called brakes would have to be applied. And since Riordan Manufacturing is a publicly-owned corporations they have the primary goal of maximizing shareholder wealth, strategic planning centers on the long-term growth in a company’s financial position. Also, Riordan Manufacturing must constantly keep abreast of local, state, federal, and international laws, since a simple legislative act could affect them in any number of ways. Another primary concern is that of competition. This also suggests that Riordan Manufacturing should construct much of its budget based upon its economic forecast. The research concludes that Riordan Manufacturing seems well-poised to continue its growth in the plastic injection molding industry, and appears to adhere to sound financial planning strategies, leaving little doubt that its shareholders are being appropriately represented. Once Riordan Manufacturing clears all of the hurdles and is on the road to making everyone money things will look good for them and all.

Reeking and Wreaking

Reeking and Wreaking Reeking and Wreaking Reeking and Wreaking By Maeve Maddox Here is a very small sampling taken from the web of the misuse of the verb reek: We had an extremely wet May and June this year in New York City which reeked havoc on many tomato gardens. SISTERS reeked havoc at Momma’s Christmas Dinner today Although this helped in some patients, it reeked havoc with others, resulting in law suits. that virus sure reeked havoc with your computer The deadly twister that reeked havoc in Tuscaloosa. Note that each error is an attempt to use the idiom to wreak havoc, meaning to cause destruction or devastation. It would be correct to say, A huge earthquake wreaked havoc on Japan, or A string of tornadoes wreaked havoc on Alabama. By itself, wreak means to give expression to; to vent. The word havoc, meaning devastation, derives from a French idiom, crier havoc, to cry (or shout) havoc!' The most familiar use of this word occurs in Antonys funeral speech in Julius Caesar: ANTONY: †¨Caesars spirit, ranging for revenge, †¨ With Ate by his side come hot from hell, †¨ Shall in these confines with a monarchs voice †¨Cry Havoc, and let slip the dogs of war; Shouting Havoc! was the signal to begin battle, the result of which would be destruction. The verb reek derives from two similarly pronounced words that were familiar in Old English times. One meant to emit smoke and the other meant to emit a strong smell. Today the verb reek may have either meaning: The reeking chimney annoyed the neighbors. After putting gas in the car my hands reeked of gasoline. The homes and clothing of smokers reek of burnt tobacco. His actions reek of self-love. Bottom line: Chimneys, cigars, and bad relationships reek. Hurricanes, earthquakes, ice storms, droughts, and war wreak destruction and devastation. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureEnglish Grammar 101: Verb MoodTypes of Plots

Learn About the Atlantic Island Territory of Bermuda

Learn About the Atlantic Island Territory of Bermuda Population: 67,837 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: HamiltonLand Area: 21 square miles (54 sq km)Coastline: 64 miles (103 km)Highest Point: Town Hill at 249 feet (76 m) Bermuda is an overseas self-governing territory of the United Kingdom. It is a very small island archipelago located in the northern Atlantic Ocean about 650 miles (1,050 km) off the coast of North Carolina in the United States. Bermuda is the oldest of the British overseas territories and according to the United States Department of State, its largest city, Saint George, is known as the oldest continuously inhabited English-Speaking settlement in the Western Hemisphere. The archipelago is also known for its prosperous economy, tourism and subtropical climate.History of BermudaBermuda was first discovered in 1503 by Juan de Bermudez, a Spanish explorer. The Spanish did not settle the islands, which were uninhabited, at that time because they were surrounded by dangerous coral reefs which made them difficult to reach.In 1609, a ship of British colonists landed on the islands after a shipwreck. They remained there for ten months and sent a variety of reports on the islands back to Engl and. In 1612, the king of England, King James, included what is present-day Bermuda in the Charter of the Virginia Company. Shortly thereafter, 60 British colonists arrived on the islands and founded Saint George.In 1620, Bermuda became a self-governing colony of England after representative government was introduced there. For the rest of the 17th century however, Bermuda was mainly considered an outpost because the islands were so isolated. During this time, its economy was centered on shipbuilding and the trading of salt.The slave trade also grew in Bermuda during the territorys early years but it was outlawed in 1807. By 1834, all slaves in Bermuda were freed. As a result, today, the majority of Bermudas population is descended from Africa.Bermudas first constitution was drafted in 1968 and since then there have been several movements for independence but the islands still remain a British territory today.Government of BermudaBecause Bermuda is a British territory, its governmental s tructure resembles that of British government. It has a parliamentary form of government that is considered a self-governing territory. Its executive branch is made up of a chief of state, Queen Elizabeth II, and a head of government. Bermudas legislative branch is a bicameral Parliament composed of the Senate and the House of Assembly. Its judicial branch is made up of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Magistrate Courts. Its legal system is also based on English laws and customs. Bermuda is divided into nine parishes (Devonshire, Hamilton, Paget, Pembroke, Saint Georges, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton and Warwick) and two municipalities (Hamilton and Saint George) for local administration.Economics and Land Use in BermudaAlthough small, Bermuda has a very strong economy and the third highest per capita income in the world. As a result, it has a high cost of living and high real estate prices. Bermudas economy is mainly based on financial services for international businesses, luxury tourism and the related services and very l ight manufacturing. Only 20% of Bermudas land is arable, so agriculture does not play a large role in its economy but some of the crops grown there include bananas, vegetables, citrus and flowers. Dairy products and honey are also produced in Bermuda.Geography and Climate of BermudaBermuda is an island archipelago located in the northern Atlantic Ocean. The closest large landmass to the islands is the United States, specifically, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It consists of seven main islands and hundreds of small islands and islets. The seven main islands of Bermuda are clustered together and are connected via bridges. This area is called the Island of Bermuda.Bermudas topography consists of low hills that are separated by depressions. These depressions are very fertile and they are where the majority of Bermudas agriculture takes place. The highest point on Bermuda is Town Hill at just 249 feet (76 m). The smaller islands of Bermuda are mainly coral islands (about 138 of them). Bermuda has no natura l rivers or freshwater lakes. The climate of Bermuda is considered subtropical and it is mild most of the year. It can be humid at times however and it receives abundant rainfall. Strong winds are common during Bermudas winters and it is prone to hurricanes from June to November because of its position in the Atlantic along the Gulf Stream. Because the islands of Bermuda are so small however, direct landfall of hurricanes is rare. Bermudas most damaging hurricane to date was the category 3 Hurricane Fabian which hit in September 2003. Most recently, in September 2010, Hurricane Igor moved toward the islands.More Facts about Bermuda The average cost of a home in Bermuda exceeded $1,000,000 by the mid-2000s. Bermudas main natural resource is limestone which is used for building. Bermudas official language is English.ReferencesCentral Intelligence Agency. (19 August 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - Bermuda. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bd.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Bermuda: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108106.html#axzz0zu00uqsbUnited States Department of State. (19 April 2010). Bermuda. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5375.htmWikipedia.com. (18 September 2010). Bermuda - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda

National Response Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

National Response Plan - Assignment Example as formed, 2005, Hurricane Katrina exposed a number of problems with the National Response Plan including two issues with the Catastrophic Incident Annex. The annex was purposely established to quicken government’s upbeat response to tragic incidents, and set protocols of pre-identifying and urgently deploying essential resources incase such an incident occurs. There are two issues that significantly contributed to the political decision to overlook the implementation of the entire National Response Plan, especially the Catastrophic Incident Annex. The first one was contravenes on the role of Catastrophic Incident Annex. For instance, there were questions on whether the annex had the capability of handling catastrophic incidences of higher magnitudes like hurricane strengthening. The second one was the power and authority assigned to the Catastrophic Incident Annex. The National Response Plan did not clearly draw to what extent the Catastrophic Incident Annex was to be involved in response acceleration. For example, it was not clear whether the Annex was in a position to authorize any legal activities in case of a catastrophic event. These arguments led the public to criticize the credibility of the Annex in responding to terrorist attacks (Jenkins, 2009). In conclusion, this paper gives a clear description of the issues that led to the National Response Plan not to be implemented regardless its comprehensiveness. In this case, the main focus is on the two issues that contributed to a decision not to execute the Catastrophic Incident Annex according to Hurricane