Emergency Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emergency Management - Essay Example It mainly manufactures cars and trucks, with famous brands like Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet and Opel etc. The company operates worldwide in 34 countries (General Motors, 2008a). According to the accounts from our employees, the tornado powerfully ravaged our Sport Utility Plant and torn off some metal shield from the Plant. But our employees have carefully hidden themselves in the protective basement that was built for this purpose. However, only one of our employees, a supply truck driver, was hospitalized and our Plant was shut down for weeks as a result of ruins left behind by the tornado. However, our employees also suffered massive loss of their personal property and materials as the tornado devastated their homes. In spite of our enviable Health and Safety Scheme, which includes using the best technologies in the world to ensure that our employees are safe in the face of any disasters, natural or artificial, it is necessary that a new crisis management plan should be set up. We already have an alarm system that quickly alerts our employees of any impending dangers. I would suggest that the following systems be implemented for optimal performance: Legal backing: We have approached the Governor of Oklahoma to assist us with a legal backing in form of a Tornado Relief Bill that would give tax credits and other financial assistance to GM employees that have lost their valuable property during the disaster (Allbusiness, 2003). I take the blame for not suggesting all these important facts before the disaster struck. I am sure that with these ideas I have given above, we would be able to prevent future great damage to our

Facial landmarking (mapping) on the FBI facial catalogue Literature review

Facial landmarking (mapping) on the FBI facial catalogue - Literature review Example Owing to the sub rosa nature of criminal activity, such measurements are often inaccurate, but indicative nonetheless. There are several sources used to gauge crime rate in a country, the first being the official crime statistics drawn from criminal records compiled by the police and law enforcement agencies. However, unlike health, employment and housing, police records are not exactly comprehensive and complete, as some offenses, especially victims under threat and experiencing humiliation (i.e. rape and abuse), are not reported. Thus, governments like that of the United States institute public surveys throughout the different states, along with collating hospital and insurance records to fill the gaps that official police records are afflicted by. Having both economic and social welfare in mind, international organizations like the United Nations (UN) and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) gather and compile crime statistics from different countries to publi sh worldwide crime indices. One such index was created by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2009) which features a statistical compilation of various violent crimes that occurred from 2003 to 2008, classified according to the continent and country where they occurred. According to the index, there has been a steady decline of at least 5 – 10% in violent crimes that occurred in the European regions, specifically those involving crimes against property. This decreasing trend in the crime rate can be explained by the widespread installation of surveillance cameras that occurred at the turn of the millennia. Today, surveillance cameras are set up in main throughways, business establishments as well as in households, waiting to record the criminal activities of unsuspecting wrongdoers and help bring them to justice. Facial Recognition Where available, surveillance cameras are invaluable to the police and law enforcement agencies as the video record narrows down their s uspect list to persons that closely resemble the perpetrator caught on camera. According to Enciso et al. (n.d), however, matching the 3D image of a person to 2D photographs in a database presents several problems because it involves the processes of visualization and analysis. The procedure is therefore prone to asymmetries and deviations from the norm. Additionally certain video surveillance equipment have poor contrast and resolution or they are mounted at an angle that distorts the face of the criminal. Adding insult to injury, criminals have learned to wear masks to hide their faces. All these hinder precise identification. The following sections discuss the methods, current and previous, used to identify criminals in 2D photograph databases as well as the technology required to automate 3D facial recognition. Identification Methods Anthropometry is the field of science that defines the physical measurements of a person (i.e. size, form, stature) for the purpose of studying hum an physical and functional variations. According to De Angelis et al. (2008), the identification of the living began in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Discovered in 1883 by Alphonse Bertillon and accordingly termed â€Å"Bertillonage†, anthropometric identification was based on the unchanging measurements and characteristics of human body parts. This scientific field therefore worked on the premise that if a database of measurements of specific parts of every individual was recorded, it would

Music Genres Role And Meaning Media Essay

Music Genres Role And Meaning Media Essay Today there many varieties of music known worldwide, from pop, classical, rock, jazz and RB, these are just a few examples of different types or genre of music that is found anywhere you go at all places. Music genre can be described as a type or form of music. But what makes these types of music different from each other? What makes them different from each other is that genres help categorize and organize the many different types of music. Music genres role is important in the world music because it gives a type of music a sense of identity, culture and purpose for us to know what types differentiate from one another. Because there are so many styles we must I.D. types or genres of music and categorize them so that we can identify which music is which. Music genre can help give music their sense of identity. It will help us know that when we are listening to music, we know what kind of music were listening to and also what is involved in the music. For example, say a person is listening to jazz music. How can one identify it in the genre of jazz music? The things that are more often than not in jazz music are swing patterns on the drums, unusual time signatures, saxophones and trumpet. With these common traits of jazz music, these will help a person identify that it is jazz music when they hear these things. With genre it categorizes jazzs identity with swing drum beats saxophones and trumpets and in a way it is also categorizing what kind of instruments are in a genre. Another example of identity and categorization is rock music. How can a person identify rock music? Well as most of us know rock music will mostly contain drums, electric guitar and bass and keyboards. Rock music is also typically played harder and faster than most music with distorted guitars and booming drums. This is the kind of identity that rock music has with the instruments, dynamics and tempo involved. These examples show how music genre can give different types of music a sense of identity, and categorize and organize it for people to know how to differentiate between the many styles of music from its identity. Genre also can give people who listen to music an identity. Genres create stereotypes which gives each type of music a sense of identity for people who listen to that certain music. In terms of emo or scream music, people who listen to this music are stereotyped has gothic or scene with dark clothing and appearances to crazy hair styles. With that the way that they dress can easily tell us what kind of music they are into and it is also a way of communicating with another person who listens to the same genre of music. They can identify each other as gothic or scene and then they can form a connection with that person. This doesnt mean that they listen purely to emo or screamo music as they could have a broader taste in music and they could listen to country music or classical music as well. But these kinds of stereotypes can give us a generalization of what kind of music people listen and it can help us connect with one another. Different types of music genres also can serve purposes. Certain kinds of music can serve a certain kind purpose that go in unison with its identity. For instance, dance music obviously serves its purpose for people to dance to it. Its rhythm beat and tempo is designed specifically for people to dance to, then its tempo is usually fast and upbeat so that it catches peoples ear for them to dance to. Classical music today now serves a purpose for people to relax to. Because of its soothing sounds of strings and a calmer rhythm, it can help people relax because it is easy on the ears. Love or sadder songs serve a purpose in expressing feelings and can also serve as a technique for someone to express themselves and tell about they truly think about. Many athletes listen to Rap or Rock music to pump themselves up so it can serve a purpose in that context. Many different types of music can serve all kinds of purposes just as the examples have shown. Culturally speaking, music genre plays a role in identifying music with culture. With music genre we can identify what music comes from where. With samba and salsa music we can classify it in the genre of Latin Music. So with that we can understand that samba and salsa music comes from the Latin culture because its genre is Latin music. This will then help people understand that this form of music originates in Latin countries and genre plays a role in which it gives music a geographical background. With the genre of classical music when people hear this music, they can pinpoint the era of where it came from. When we hear Mozart or Bach we can hear what the music was like back during those times, and it gives us a sense of what the culture was like. In those times they didnt call it classical music it was just their form of music. The same can apply for 50s 60s music with doo wop or 70s music with disco. When we listen to these types of genres of we can hear how the music was like in any era and gives a sense of culture of how the music was like in those time periods. Classical music has been used often in advertisements and commercials to help sell their product from their cultural origins. When people hear classical music, many people will think first class and sophistication because back in that time period, people who would attend music events at theaters were usually ones of the upper class. So when people hear that kind of music in any advertisement they can think to themselves that the company selling the product is a first class product better than the rest or even that the product shown in the ad is first class itself. Advertising is manipulating the stereotype that classical music is for people of the upper class by giving them the illusion that they are a high class sophisticated company and probably also try to challenge their customers Are you a first class sophisticated person? Then buy our product! For example many car companies such as BMW or Lexus use classical music in their television advertisements because they are known to be in the upper echelon class of cars. Because they are luxurious cars they want showcase classical music in their advertisements so that they can live up to their reputation as first class luxurious cars. I dont think it is unfair for classical music to be showcased in television advertisements; the reason being that it much different than any of the music that is out there today. If anyone were to listen to a rock or rap song in advertisement it doesnt really catch the ear as much as classical music because they are the genres of music we listen to daily. So if someone hears a classical music in an advertisement, it can really catch their attention and make them pay attention to that commercial. I think its a brilliant strategy to put classical music to a commercial to help sell a product because its kind of a communication tool to really get your customers attention. In addition to that I think classical composers will feel accomplished of the fact that their music is still being played today. They have created music that is original, different for our generation and generations to come and also their music is timeless because no matter what classical music will live on. So its fair for us to continue to live on their legacy. In conclusion music genre role and meaning deals with three aspects in identity, culture and purpose to help us differentiate between different music styles. Genre helps people identify what the music is and what is composed in the music from the instrumentation to the rhythm and beat and how it sounds. Genre plays a role in cultural identity in that it gives people an idea of what time period the music is from or from where its country of origin is. Different types of genre also serve a purpose in that many types of music can serve for a single purpose to enhance peoples lives such as dancing or relaxation. These are the reasons music genre play an important role in the world of music.

The Eight Themes that OHenry uses are: Essay example -- English Liter

The Eight Themes that O'Henry uses are: Beauty :Della is worried that Jim won't think she is beautiful with short hair, but Jim loves her for more than just her beautiful hair and how she looks. If you really love somebody, they are beautiful no matter how they look. Family :Jim and Della are husband and wife and they love each other. Jim's watch was given to him by his father and has been in his family for many years. Still, he sacrifices it out of love for Della. Giving :Della and Jim both feel that it is important to give nice gifts to each other to express their love. Identity :Della learns that Jim loves her for just for being herself, not because of her hair or the Christmas present she buys him. Wisdom :Della and Jim were wise because they were willing to make sacrifices to show their love for each other. Sacrifice :Both Della and Jim give up valuable possessions so they can buy Christmas gifts for each other Money :Della and Jim sell valuable things to get money to buy gifts for each other, because they are poor. Love :Because Jim and Della love each other, there is really no need to :prove their love by buying gifts for each other. Love is the greatest gift The Gift of the Magi :Special allowance for a period of translated fiction will probably have to be made in the history of the 20th century Russian literature, just as it had to be done for the Russian literature at the beginning of the 19th century, when work done for the Russian literature at the beginning of the 19th century, when work by a Russian author was a rarity. Perhaps this is not so much in the context of history of literature as in that of the history of the Russian reader and publisher, granted the possibility... ... relationships is stating that relationships are tough because even though Michael's wife told him she don't want him looking at other women he still does, but he knows that he have to sacrifice that to saved his marriage.They are similar because thier both about married couples, where one of the couples make a sacrifice to make the other happy such as Michael gives up looking at other women to make his wife happy in "The Girls in Their Summer Dresses". Della have hair cut to buy her husband a present in "The Gift of The Magi". Their different in the way their story lines are told and the way the problems are solved. I think in both stories it was good that couples made sacrifices because it shows what love is really about. O. Henry said "There are stories in everything. I've got some of my best yarns from park benches, lampposts, and newspaper stands."

A Character Study About An Enemy

  We all go through life meeting various people and learning how to handle the varying degrees of personality that are presented to us. Some of the people whom we understand and can identify with to a certain extent become our friends and acquaintances.While the others whom we cannot relate to or have a serious clash of personalities with become our enemies. The degree and extent of how we are enemy’s to a person will solely depend upon how we choose to handle our friction with that person.We can choose to ignore the person and try to avoid all contact with that person in order to avoid trouble. But, there are times in our lives when we simply cannot avoid those people or that person because the circle we move in is so small that we have no choice but to mingle and work with the person. This particular scenario is most evident during our growing up and maturing years in school.The school bully is the most typical enemy that an adolescent or teenager can have. An enemy can co me in any shape, form, size, and gender, so how we deal with that person depends upon the foundation of the relationship with that person.For starters, I have to point out that nobody ever sets out to meet people thinking of whom will be an enemy at the end of the day. A person sets out looking for friends and sometimes, it is those friends who eventually turn into an enemy.That is what happened to me and the person who has become my enemy. We actually grew up a few houses from each other and were friends during our early childhood. We spent our childhood as friends and playmates, even sleeping over when it was possible to do so. But one day, things changed between us. The parents of my friend divorced and my friend had a really hard time coping with the situation.Over time, I saw that my friend was slowly morphing into my enemy and I was helpless to do anything about it. The more I tried to help, the angrier the person got until it got to the point that I was told to back off any s tay out of this person’s personal business. After that, this person chose to go with some of the kids in the town who were deemed â€Å"the wrong crowd†. It was at this point where my friend turned into my enemy.Over time, our physical characteristics changed just   as this persons unexplained hatred towards me seemed to grow with every passing day. My enemy was now a person a full head taller than me, of a thinner build than I am, but with 4 times my body strength.I really did not understand what I had done wrong for this person to hate me so much that I had been turned into a virtual bully target every single day at school. The anger only seemed to reach a feverish pitch every time there was a parent-child activity in school where I participated on my parents nudging because it was a good social activity for all of us.The day after the activity was always the hardest part for me at school because this person seemed to be waiting with so much pent up anger that was just waiting to be released, usually upon me. I could not understand why this person was like this when we were so close before. It was only after careful analysis of the situation that I narrowed down the reason for the anger to envy and jealousy.This person had resented that my parents were not broken up and that we were still a happy family while theirs had fallen apart. The envy of having both parents there for me when I needed them was too much for this person to see so the only solution was to act upon the anger.I viewed the person as my enemy because of the hurt being inflicted upon me mentally, emotionally, and at times physically, while this person saw me as an enemy because I had what was now lost to him, a family unit.Such a problem was beyond my power to solve and so I had to accept the fact that my friend was gone and in his place was this person whom I no longer knew nor understood. Nothing was left of our original friendship, instead, what we had now was just bad bloo d and my hope that eventually, my enemy would once again be my friend.

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Thirty-Seven

Ethan had Chloe, was holding her tightly in his arms like a parody of a lover's embrace. Matt moaned deep in his throat and strained toward her, but he couldn't move, couldn't even open his mouth to shout. Chloe's large brown eyes were fixed on his, and they were fil ed with terror. As Ethan bent his head to her neck, Matt held her gaze and tried to send Chloe a comforting message with his eyes. It's okay, Chloe, he thought. Please, it won't hurt for long. Be strong. Chloe whimpered, frozen, her eyes on Matt's as if his steady gaze was the only thing keeping her from fal ing to pieces. Keeping his eyes on hers and his breathing slow, Matt tried to emanate calmness, tried to soothe Chloe, as his mind worked frantical y. Including Ethan, there were fifteen Vitales. Al of them vampires. The other Vitales were watching quietly from behind the altar, letting Ethan take the lead and sire the pledges. The bodies of four of the pledges lay at Ethan's feet now. They'd be out of the picture for several hours at least, their bodies going through the transition that would take them from corpses to vampires. Including Matt and Chloe, there were six pledges left. The longer Matt waited to fight back, the worse the odds would get. But what could Matt do? If only he could break this involuntary stil ness, if only he weren't a helpless prisoner. He tried again to move, this time focusing al his strength on lifting his right arm. His muscles tensed with effort, but after about thirty seconds of trying, he stopped in disgust. He was exhausting himself, and he wasn't moving an inch. Whatever held him was strong. But if he could figure out a way to get free, then he'd be able to grab a torch from the wal , maybe. Beneath his robe, his pocket knife weighed heavily in his pants pocket. Vampires burned. Cutting off their heads would kil them. If he could just hold the vampires off long enough to pul Chloe and whichever other pledges he could grab out of the room, then he could come back later with reinforcements and fight them with a chance at winning. But if he couldn't break this spel or compulsion that was holding him in place, any plan he came up with would be useless. Ethan raised his head from Chloe's neck, his long sharp teeth pul ing out of her throat, and licked gently at the red blood trickling from the wound in her neck. â€Å"I know, sweetheart,† he murmured, â€Å"but it's only for a moment. And then we'l live forever.† Chloe's eyes glazed over and fluttered shut, but she was stil breathing, stil alive. There was stil a chance for her. At Ethan's feet, Anna stirred and moaned. As Matt watched in horror, her eyes snapped open, and she looked up at Ethan, her expression confused but adoring. No! Matt thought. It's too soon! As if he had caught the thought, Ethan turned to Matt and winked. â€Å"The herbs in the mixture you al drank worked to thin your blood and speed up your metabolism,† he said, his voice as casual and friendly as if they were chatting in the cafeteria. â€Å"I wasn't sure if it would work, but it looks like it does. Makes the transition go a lot faster.† His smile widened. â€Å"I'm a biochem major, you know.† Ethan's mouth was smeared with blood, and Matt shuddered but couldn't look away from the golden eyes that held his. It's possible, Matt thought for the first time, that I might not survive this. His stomach rol ed with nausea. He real y didn't want to become a vampire. If the newly transformed pledges were waking up so soon, the already slim odds would quickly become impossible. New vampires, he remembered from Elena's transformation back in the winter, awoke vicious, unreasoning, hungry, and fanatical y committed to the vampire who had changed them. Ethan lowered his head to bite at Chloe's neck again, as Anna climbed to her feet with a fluid, inhuman grace. On the other side of the altar, Stuart was now beginning to stir, one long leg shifting restlessly against the dark wood of the floor. His throat burning with unvoiced sobs of frustration, Matt felt his last flame of hope begin to flicker and die. There was no escape. Suddenly, the door at the far end of the chamber burst inward, and Stefan swept in. Ethan looked up in surprise, but before he or the other vampires could move, Stefan flew across the chamber and ripped Chloe from Ethan's arms. She fel flat in front of the altar, blood running down her neck. Matt couldn't tel if she was stil breathing, stil clinging to life as a human, or not. Stefan grabbed Ethan by his long robe and slammed him against the wal . He shook the curly-haired vampire as easily as a dog might shake a rat. For a moment, the terrible fear that held Matt in its grip loosened. Stefan knew what was happening, Stefan had found him. Stefan would save them al . The other Vitales were racing toward Stefan now as he struggled with Ethan, their long robes flowing behind them as they smoothly came forward, moving as one. Stefan was without a doubt much stronger than any of them. He flung a black-clad female vampire – the one who had handed him the goblet, Matt thought – away from him easily, and she sailed across the chamber as if she was no heavier than a rag dol , landing in a crumpled heap against the opposite wal . Smiling viciously, Stefan tore at the throat of another with his teeth, and she fel to the ground and lay stil . But there were so many of them, and only one of Stefan. After just a few minutes of watching the fight, Matt could see that it was hopeless, and his heart sank. Stefan was much older, and much stronger, than any other vampire in the room, but together they outweighed him. The tide of the battle was turning, and they were overwhelming him through the sheer strength of their numbers. Ethan was free of him now, straightening his robes, and four of the Vitale vampires, working together, pinned Stefan's arms behind him. Anna, her eyes shining, snapped at him viciously. Ethan grabbed a torch from the wal behind him and eyed Stefan speculatively, absently licking at the blood on the back of his hand. â€Å"You had your chance, Stefan,† he said, smiling. Stefan stopped struggling and hung limp between the vampires holding his arms. â€Å"Wait,† he said, looking up at Ethan. â€Å"You wanted me to join you. You begged me to join you. Do you stil want me?† Ethan tilted his head thoughtful y, his golden eyes bright. â€Å"I do,† he said. â€Å"But what can you tel me that'l make me believe you want to join us?† Stefan licked his lips. â€Å"Let Matt go. If you let him leave safely, I'l stay in his place.† He paused. â€Å"On my honor.† â€Å"Done,† Ethan said immediately. He flicked his fingers in the air without taking his eyes from Stefan, and Matt staggered, suddenly released from the compulsion that had held him in place. Matt sucked in one long breath and then ran straight for the altar and Chloe. Maybe it wasn't too late. He could stil save her. â€Å"Stop.† Ethan's voice cracked commandingly across the room. Matt froze in place, once again unable to move. Ethan glared at him. â€Å"You do not help. You do not fight,† he said coldly. â€Å"You go.† Matt looked imploringly at Stefan. Surely he wasn't just supposed to leave, to abandon Chloe and Stefan and the others to the Vitale vampires. Stefan gazed back at him, his features rigid. â€Å"Sorry, Matt,† he said flatly. â€Å"The one thing I've learned over the years is that sometimes you have to surrender. The best thing you can do now is just leave. I'l be okay.† And then, jarringly intrusive and sudden in Matt's head was Stefan's voice. Damon, he said fiercely. Get Damon. Matt gulped and, as Ethan's compulsion released him once more, nodded slowly, trying to look defeated while stil signaling to Stefan with his eyes that his message had been received. He couldn't look at the other pledges. No matter how much he hurried, some or al of them would die before he returned. Maybe Stefan would be able to save some of them. Maybe. Maybe he would be able to save Chloe. His heart pounding with terror, his head spinning with fear, Matt ran for the exit and for help. He didn't look back.