Preparedness Homeland Security 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Preparedness Homeland Security 2 - Essay Example The New York subway system is governed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). It has 468 stations in its network. It has over 840 miles of track that service approximately 5.1 million passengers per week. In 2007, The New York subway system was ranked number 4 amongst the worlds transit system with a massive 1.563 billion riders per year. In 2009 subways cars were reported to travel 344.5 million miles per week with 8,279 miles per day being covered by 6,380 cars (Subways, p. 1). The subway system is massive and very vulnerable. A transportation system of this size is evidently significant to the operation of New York City on a day to day basis. This is an unfortunate acknowledgement that is apparent in terrorist attacks. Al-Qaeda associates openly plead guilty to plotting severe attacks on the Metropolitan subway system in 2009. The MTA: The MTA has had no reason in the past to afford special conditions on behalf of terrorism. The subway stations have had no need to sanction high end security to avoid bomb attacks. This ultimately makes an attack by suicide bombers an element of surprise. A surprise attack has the quality of being able to do massive amounts of damage with little resources. Being located underground is not a positive outlook when dealing with bomb threats. Bombs have the capacity to cause a massive collapse of the railway structures. Dependant on the type of explosive being used and where these explosives are located in the MTA system, there can be enough collateral damage to corrupt the entire underground network. The major issue that is presented with any public transportation is accessibility. Any local person can use the facilities at any given time. In the case of the New York underground railway terrorists are afforded a twenty-four hour gap to engage in any attack. They have access from any publicly available entrance during the process of each attack. They also have locations to choose from. This

How to Choose Perfect Ivory Wedding Shoes Essay Example for Free

How to Choose Perfect Ivory Wedding Shoes Essay Although wedding dresses are the most important part of the wedding, shoes always are also playing a vital role in your wedding dressing. A brilliant pair of ivory wedding shoes cannot only add beauty to the dress, but also improve the delicate taste. Beautiful bride should be perfection from head to toe, in addition to a superb wedding, beautiful makeup, flashing jewelry and charming smile. Key point: The best time to choose shoes is around 3pm to 6pm because feet will swell slightly at this time. If the selected size is not small, it is no problem to wear at any other time. You cannot just try it before the mirror, you should be sure to go back and forth a few steps and carefully feel stability of the shoe with the right size. Second point: About 2/3 of people are not as large as two feet. So just remember which foot is long or short and two feet should to be tried on. You cannot simply choose the sizes to buy shoes. You are sure to personally try on the shoes. ivory wedding shoes Third point: Foot will have expansion and contraction phenomenon with different seasons, so you can buy discounted shoes in winter. However, the exact size you try may be slightly smaller than the summer. Fourth point: Choose ivory wedding shoes according to the color of the wedding dress. Do not choose a quite different color between shoes and dress. It is better to choose a similar color, which is more coordinated. Fifth point: Before the wedding ceremony, youd better wear new wedding shoes for several times to adapt it in the case of feeling frayed at the ceremony. And you can prepare some band-aid in advance.

Risk Taking Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In our lives, it is important to exercise self-command. However, we should not be so concerned with the future that we stifle the present. The question becomes what balance should we strike between self-command and risks? What kinds of risks are acceptable or unacceptable? In this essay, we will use two examples of risks to show the distinction between the two and arrive at a conclusion as to the balance one should have between risk and self command. The first example we will use is of a person who spends his life savings on a lottery ticket and does not win the lottery. The second is of a person who spends his life savings on a hunch regarding a cure for AIDS, a hunch that is false. Before we make this distinction, however, it is necessary to define the terms acceptable and unacceptable risks. Acceptable and Unacceptable Risks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several ways in which one could define which risks are acceptable. One could say, for example, that the only acceptable risk is one for which the odds of success are greater than the odds of failure. Another definition of acceptable risk might be a risk that does not harm one's future. We might also say that the only acceptable risk is one where the aggregate happiness is increased, thus increasing the moral good of the risk, an idea which is based on John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism. Finally, we might define a morally good ris... Risk Taking Essay -- essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In our lives, it is important to exercise self-command. However, we should not be so concerned with the future that we stifle the present. The question becomes what balance should we strike between self-command and risks? What kinds of risks are acceptable or unacceptable? In this essay, we will use two examples of risks to show the distinction between the two and arrive at a conclusion as to the balance one should have between risk and self command. The first example we will use is of a person who spends his life savings on a lottery ticket and does not win the lottery. The second is of a person who spends his life savings on a hunch regarding a cure for AIDS, a hunch that is false. Before we make this distinction, however, it is necessary to define the terms acceptable and unacceptable risks. Acceptable and Unacceptable Risks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several ways in which one could define which risks are acceptable. One could say, for example, that the only acceptable risk is one for which the odds of success are greater than the odds of failure. Another definition of acceptable risk might be a risk that does not harm one's future. We might also say that the only acceptable risk is one where the aggregate happiness is increased, thus increasing the moral good of the risk, an idea which is based on John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism. Finally, we might define a morally good ris...

The Star Spangled Banner

English 101 November 21, 2012 The Star Spangled Banner The Star Spangled Banner is a very powerful and moving song that not only defines our country as a free and independent nation, but it also presents us with the struggles we went through to become who we are. The Star Spangled Banner originated as the poem â€Å"Defense of Fort McHenry† in 1814 by Frances Scott Key. The national anthem was not written during the American Revolution, contrary to popular belief. It was, in fact, written in the War of 1812. Although the poem has four unique stanzas, we normally only recognize the first one, and sometimes the second stanza as well.Our anthem, regardless of its patriotic values, is a great example of rich English literature that symbolizes our people even after 200 years. But, in reality, the song has a wide variety of meanings and interpretations deeply embedded in the historical significance it represents. The first line of the song reads, â€Å"O say can you see by the dawn ’s early light? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? † Translated in to today’s contemporary language, this means, â€Å"hey there, can you see by morning what was there before the sun set yesterday evening? Frances Scott Key introduces the topic of this song by grabbing the reader’s attention. This first line of the song makes readers wonder what Key is referring to, making them want to read the poem on further. When Key mention’s the â€Å"dawn’s early light† he is referring to an early morning; a new day and a new beginning. The â€Å"twilight’s last gleaming† suggests a very special time of day; right before the sun is setting and there is a tiny streak of light that appears in the sky. These two verses show a lot of symbolism.Once again, we must use the historical context of this poem to make meaning of the lyrics. The War of 1812 was a war fought by the British and Americans. Key was on a British ship when he wrote this poem, negotiating with the officers to release some of the American hostages. He was watching the battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore. The battle took place in the late evening, when the American flag was still up and flying. In these lines, Key is asking himself, â€Å"Will the flag still be up tomorrow morning? † The twilight’s last gleaming could represent hope.Key still has faith and trust in his country. Even in the midst of a bloodthirsty battle, Key hoped that he would see the American flag the next morning. He hoped he would see a sign of perseverance and strength instead of weak downfall. He wanted his country to reign through the peril it oversaw. If the American flag was still not up by â€Å"the dawn’s early light†, it would signify defeat the British. The second two lines of the Star Spangled Banner places emphasis on the American flag. Today, our flag is commonly referred to as the stars and stripes.Key not iced these two distinct features and decided to define the American flag by â€Å"the stars and stripes†. History has it that there were two flags that were flown over Fort McHenry, one of them being a â€Å"storm flag†. This was the flag that was flown during the rainy day and the â€Å"perilous night† and the flag that was described in the first part of The Star Spangled Banner. This line reflects the determination of the American army. The flag is a key symbol of our nation. Key cleverly used this patriotic symbol to show how persistent our soldiers were; they kept fighting through the sanguine fighting of the night.When Key woke up by morning, a new flag was hoisted up, apart from the storm flag that he saw the previous night. Fort McHenry was proudly flying its much larger â€Å"garrison flag†. This flag measured 30 ft. by 42 ft. , larger than a modern day school bus. Key believed this was the same flag that was flown the previous night, when the Bri tish had attacked. Regardless of whether it was the storm flag or not, the sight of the American flag flying over the fort after a gory battle gave hope and confidence to its citizens.It once again stated the power of America as a powerful independent nation. The flag indirectly told the world to never underestimate the potential of America. The third line of the poem is very awkwardly phrased and positioned, once again reflecting the time period Key wrote the poem. â€Å"O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming† is referring to the previous line. Ramparts are protective walls. In this context, Key is referring to the walls of Fort McHenry. He very cleverly uses the word â€Å"ramparts† to describe the walls.The ramparts were built in 1776 to protect the city of Baltimore in case the British tried to attack through the Chesapeake Bay. After the War of 1812 was brought to attention, a local committee raised over $400,000 to strengthen the walls t o protect the citizens in case of an unexpected British attack. The word rampart suggests that the citizens were able to watch the battle with a sense of security as the soldiers risked their lives for their country. It solidifies the expression of sacrifice. Over the whole scene, Key once again mentions the American flag â€Å"gallantly streaming†.This gives the notion that this concept of sacrifice is very much American. It is an American soldier’s duty to lay his life down for his country. The next few lines start to intensely invoke emotions from the reader: â€Å"And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there† During the battle of Fort McHenry, the British had more than 15 battle ships, each armed with heavy artillery and one armed with a rocket launcher. Through the night, as the rockets were fired in to the air, they illuminated the sky with a bloody red glow.That red glow showed th e British where the American flag was so they would know where to aim. But, here comes the notion of good that comes out of evil. While the British threw the bombs in the air to destroy the flag, they ended up illuminating the flag, giving hope to all the patriotic soldiers to keep fighting. The motive of the British was to destroy the American flag, according to the poem by Frances Scott Key. The American flag was the symbol of America. It was the identity of the United States of America, because it represented the journey of America.The alternating 13 red and white stripes showed represented the moments of bloodshed and light in America. The fifty stars represent each of the strong independent states. By placing the stars in the same box, it shows unity among the various states. By destroying the flag, the British are stripping away the identity of the Americans. The final line of the first stanza summarizes the whole message of the song: â€Å"Oh, say that Star – Spangled Banner yet wave? O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave! † This line clearly states that the flag of the United States represents liberty and independence for all.As long as the flag shall wave, it will mark America as â€Å"the land of the free and the home of the brave†. Throughout the song, Key expresses a hero journey; a journey through hell and back in to the light. This is the story of Fort McHenry. The Americans were plunged in to a world of blood and gore. But the outcome of the battle was very significant. The American flag became a physical representation of good over evil. It was the marking of the victory of America, once again. The battle was a memory of the importance of our â€Å"Star- Spangled Banner†.

Lakeside Case Exercise Template Essay

(a) Compute the financial ratios listed in Exhibit 3-2 for Lakeside for the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2011. Comment on any large fluctuations, unusual fluctuations, or lack of expected fluctuations. Also, give an overall conclusion as to the significance of the change in Lakeside’s liquidity, solvency, and profitability positions from 2010 to 2011. Use the following format. [Use Case3.xls for a spreadsheet to compute the ratios]. Ratio 2010 2011 Significance of Change Current 1.35 1.35 No significant fluctuation, indicating a stable liquidity position (based on this measure of liquidity) Average Days Inventory on Hand Average Days to Collect Receivables Debt-to-Total Assets Ratio Times Interest Earned Profit Margin Return on Assets Return on Equity Overall Conclusion: (b)Compare the year 2011 financial ratios computed for Lakeside above to the industry average ratios included in Exhibit 3-3. Comment on any large fluctuations, unusual fluctuations, or lack of expected fluctuations. Also, give an overall conclusion as to the significance of the difference between Lakeside’s liquidity, solvency, and profitability positions in 2011 and the industry average positions. Use the following format. Ratio Industry Ave. Lakeside 2011 Significance of Change Current 2.16 1.35 Lakeside is below the industry average. This may indicate short-term solvency problems Average Days Inventory on Hand Average Days to Collect Receivables Debt-to-Total Assets Ratio Times Interest Earned Profit Margin Return on Assets Return on Equity Overall Conclusion: (c)Scan each of the financial statements and the trial balances included in Exhibits 3-4 through 3-7. Comment on any unusual accounts, account balances, or large, unusual, or lack of expected fluctuations from the previous year. You should find at least 10 items. [Note: you may have more than one â€Å"finding† for each procedure]. Use the following format: Procedure Findings Significance Scan the trial balance. 1. A debit balance appears in the â€Å"Allowance for Doubtful Accounts† account. 2. 1. Bad accounts may be increasing or a debit entry may have been misposted. 2. Scan the income statement. Scan the balance sheet. Scan the statement of cash flows.