WineCoff Hotel Fire free essay sample

Would you stay in a hotel that advertises â€Å"absolutely fireproof†? The average person would say yes, most people think â€Å"It can’t get any safer than absolutely fireproof can it? † Well there was a problem December 7th 1946, when the Winecoff Hotel caught on fire. Opened in 1913 as the tallest building in Atlanta, Georgia. Built with a steel-framed structure making the owner think it was fireproof, but it wasn’t. History of the Winecoff Hotel, now known as the Ellis Hotel The steel-framed structure was built on a small lot, with about 4,386 feet per floor. Guest rooms extended from the third to the fifteenth floors, with around fifteen rooms on each floor. Corridors on guest floors were set up in an H-shape, with two elevators and upward flights of stairs opening into the cross halls, and opposing downward runs of stairs converging on a single landing from the legs of the H. We will write a custom essay sample on WineCoff Hotel Fire or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The stairway of non-combustible construction, was not enclosed with fire-resistant doors. In taller buildings multiple stairways were becoming common practices. Atlanta building code of 1911 permitted building lots of less than 5,000 square feet to have a single stairway. The steel structure of the building was protected by structural clay tile and concrete fireproofing. Interior partions of the building were made of hollow clay tile covered with plaster. Room doors were wood, with movable transom panels above each door for ventilation. The hotel room’s walls were finished with painted burlap fabric extending to the ceiling. Guest rooms were finished with as many as seven layers of wallpaper. The hotel did have a central fire alarm system, manually operated from the front desk, and a standpipe with hose racks at each floor, but there was no automatic sprinkler system. The fire’s point of origin was on the third floor west hallway, where a mattress and chair had supposly been temporarily placed in the corridor, close to the stairway to the fourth floor. One theory is that someone dropped a cigarette may have ignited the mattress or other combustibles in the corridor. The fire was first noticed around 3:15 a. m. By a bellboy who had gone to the fifth floor to help a guest, becoming trapped there. The first (and only) call to the fire department was made at 3:42 a. m. by the night manager. The manager attempted to warn guests by telephone about the fire, but the building fire alarm was not sounded. By the time the manager attempted to make phone calls to guests there was no escape possible from the upper floors in any case. The first engine and ladder companies arrived within thirty seconds of the call, by that time people were already jumping from windows. Fire department ladders could extend only part way up the building, but many guests were rescued in that manner. Ladders were placed horizontally across the alley from an adjoining building, allowing some rescues to be effective. Fire spread was hampered by the stair arrangement, while the stairs were not closed off by doors, the configuration placed ascending and descending runs around the corner from each other, keeping fire and hot gas from quickly ascending the stairs. Also, fire did not spread through the enclosed elevator shafts, laundry chutes, nor the mail chute. The fire fed on the burlap wallcoverings and ignited room doors. Doors and transoms were burned through on all but the fourteenth and fifteenth floors. Guests opened windows seeking fresh air and rescue, allowing fresh air to make the fire bigger. The fire investigation revealed that an open transom was closely associated with the ignition of a given guest room and its contents. Firefighters were hampered and in some cases injured, by falling bodies. Many guests tied bed sheets together and tried to descend. The Atlanta fire department mustered 385 firefighters, 22 engine companies and 11 ladder trucks, four of which were aerial ladder units at the Winecoff Hotel fire. A second alarm was sounded at 3:44 a. m. and a third at 3:49 a. m. with a general alarm (all available unites respond, including off duty personnel) at 4:02 a. m Mutual aid from surrounding departments brought a total of 49 pieces of equipment. Firefighters climbed adjoining buildings to fight the fire and rescue guests, including a 12-story building across the 10-foot wide alley, and a six-story building on the opposite side of the street. Of the 304 guests in the hotel, 119 died, 65 were injured, and 120 were rescued uninjured. The hotel’s originals owners lived in an apartment attached to the hotel, they also died in the fire. 32 of the deaths were among those who jumped, or fell while trying to descend ropes made of sheets tied together. Among the hotel guests were forty high school students on a state YMCA of Georgia sponsored trip to Atlanta, 30 of whom died. A national conference on fire prevention was called in 1947 at the calling of U. S. President Harry S. Truman in response to the La Salle and Winecoff fires. La Salle fire happened June 5, 1946 months earlier than the Winecoff fire. These fires highlighted the problems associated with unprotected stair openings, which provided paths for the spread of smoke and fire, preventing the use of the stairs for escape. The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Building Exit code of 1927 had already set forth principles requiring the use of multiple, protected means of egress, this was further revised to allow the code to be incorporated as law. The Winecoff fire led to the incorporation of research into flammability of building materials into code requirements and design standards. At this meeting, automatic fire alarm systems and automatic sprinkler systems were talked about. As seen in this paper the Winecoff Hotel was not â€Å"absolutely fireproof†, it’s sad these events have to happen so the NFPA can see the code changes we need. Events like these shouldn’t have to happen for the NFPA to see the results of what needs changed.

Wireless Articles 1 Essays

Wireless Articles 1 Essays Wireless Articles 1 Essay Wireless Articles 1 Essay There is no doubt that times have changed from the first time Alexander Graham Bell thought of inventing a telephone. Nowadays, telephones are not merely for voice calls because it has evolved to become one of the greatest communication tools in history with Internet, messaging, and music capabilities. More and more technological advances are being done in the telecommunication field every year.One of this advances is called 3G, which is â€Å"the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology that enables network operators to offer users a wider range of more advanced services while achieving greater network capacity through improved spectral efficiency.†[1] It was first launched in Japan in 2001 developed after 1G and 2G technologies to offer faster and better communication to consumers. Currently, even with the development of 4G technology, mobile phone companies like Apple, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson produce their phones with 3G capabilitie s since many of their consumers look for this service when choosing a phone. However, not all is positive with 3G. Concerns including the cost of licenses, cost of 3G mobile phones, lack of coverage, expense of the service and Internet fees, and high power usage are being debated by both providers and consumers.[2]The article does not include a specific author making it hard for the information to be trusted. Also, the fact that Wikipedia is an online group community that can be accessed by anyone and everyone decreases its reliability in terms of the information indicated. The same cannot be said with the topic, however, because 3G is known to be one of the best development in the mobile phone industry at this time. This is most helpful to businessmen and women who need the Internet access at any time of the day. This technology also affects those who have families and friends out of the country because communicating not just by voice calls can be done. Although 3G still has its ow n issues to deal with, it is still one of the best advancements in technology during this time.Wireless Articles 2Communication is an essential part of the everyday lives of humans. It is not only through voice communication or through hand-written or typed documents because there are just those data that are too large or too long to be typed, written, or spoken. Fortunately, the Internet has been made available to everyone, which makes the exchange of large data much easier. However, some people still find computers and the Internet too time-consuming, which is why wireless devices such as Bluetooth were developed.â€Å"Bluetooth (BT) wireless technology provides an easy way for a wide range of devices to communicate with each other and connect to the Internet without the need for wires, cables, and connectors.†[3] Not only is it used in mobile phones, but several devices including laptops and cars are also being installed with Bluetooth services. It was first developed in 1 994 by a team of researchers and at this time, it is known to â€Å"allow two Bluetooth-enabled devices within 10 to 100 meters range to share data†[4] without the need of wires or Internet connection. Because this technology works by sharing data, it is very important to know proper security measures to avoid transmission of data to the wrong party or receiving malicious and harmful content. To address this concern, the developers had consumers the option to display or hide their devices from other devices. There is also the feature of requiring a passcode for the two devices to connect first before sending the data. Still, there are those applications that are made to hack these devices and gather private and important information. Manufacturers also do not take much time in specifying addresses for their Bluetooth-enabled products, which makes it easier for hackers to determine the addresses. The article also states that consumers who have little knowledge about Bluetooth are at risk of having their devices hacked or acquiring viruses.There is no doubt that Bluetooth is a helpful tool when it comes to sharing information, especially when time is of concern. However, the author is right when he stated that people, consumers most notably, should remember that they should always research and try to secure their devices because there are numerous individuals who have negative intentions and abuse their power and knowledge in technology.Wireless Articles 3The Internet is one of the most important technological developments in mankinds history. It has paved way for more advanced communication, data exchange, and information access. Because of its great importance and use in peoples personal lives and the business world, more and more organizations offer the service through wireless connection.In 2007, Intel announced that it will â€Å"support WiMax and 802.11b/g/n on the same piece of silicon with the Montevina mobile platform, but will also offer a WiMa x-only card.†[5] Contrary to the current WiFi service, â€Å"WiMax can provide broadband wireless access up to 30 miles for fixed stations, and 3 to 10 miles for mobile stations.†[6] This improvement in the hardware from WiFi to WiMax by Intel will surely attract consumers and providers especially those who greatly use the Internet to work, study, or get in touch with their loved ones. Intel is trusted by consumers and although WiMax is only getting started in the field, one can anticipate the impact it will bring once the hardware is made available in the market.WiMax-enabled computers and other devices will make studying, working, or communicating a much easier task for those concerned. It also contributes to the history of technology and marks as an evidence that through technology, distance is of no issue. It even contributes to faster and more efficient working since it allows â€Å"download speeds of 2 to 4 Mbps.†[7] To evaluate, the article seems to be pro viding a good news to those who depend on mobility in terms of using their devices, as well as in terms of being able to function whenever and wherever it is needed.Wireless Article 4With the vast amount of developments in technology today, it is important to know the best and economical applications, software, and hardware that exist in the market. Knowledge of such things makes it easier what to buy and what service to use because it suits ones lifestyle and needs better. Not only will it provide a way to choose what is better but it also enhances a persons knowledge regarding technology.Because mobile phones are very much popular and in demand these days, companies make sure that they keep up with what the consumers need and want. They enable their products with different kinds of capabilities and services so that users do not have to look somewhere else. Two of the features that mobile phone companies provide are the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and CDMA (Code D ivision Multiple Access) network technologies. Both are excellent in providing what customers need, which is telecommunication capabilities, but they differ in terms of how the provide it. The GSM technology allows consumers to choose from a variety of mobile phones, use a SIM card from mobile network providers, and use a better international roaming service while CDMA technology makes its consumers buy an entire package from a service provider that contains the handset and the service.[8]In summary, both technologies are excellent in providing what the consumers need or else they would not be used by major network providers. A person just has to weigh what is more suitable for his lifestyle when choosing what kind of mobile phone service to avail. Flexibility is one of the major features of a GSM network while clarity and efficiency can be depended on with CDMA networks.Wireless Article 5With the numerous mobile phone manufacturers today, it cannot be helped that mobile phone servi ce providers are also increasing. There is no country that offers only one service provider, which makes it hard for consumers to choose what kind of service they want. Fortunately for most people who are not contented with one service provider or for those who need more than just one, there are companies that can unlock mobile phones and make it possible for a user to use multiple SIM cards in one mobile phone. Of course, one has to have a GSM enabled phone to be able to do this since CDMA phones are locked to a specific network.There are many reasons why an individual want to have his or her phone unlocked: one is wanting to change the current wireless provider in the United States and still keep the phone; two is changing a provider with a new phone but still want to keep the other provider; and three traveling outside the country without having to pay for higher international roaming fees.[9] Whatever the reason is, it always comes down to not having to choose a certain service provider simply because every available provider can be used. Several companies and individuals offer users a way to unlock their mobile phones either by proving a code or by using an application.Unlocking phones are useful for those who need it and for those who require it. However, it should still be remembered that there are numerous malicious individuals who can try to abuse this kind of flexibility. SIM cards, in most countries, are readily available and does not require a person to register and provide security information thus making it hard for them to be tracked down when they use their SIM cards for illegal acts because they can simply throw the cards away without anyone tracing it back to them.BibliographyBangeman, Eric. â€Å"WiMax Coming to Intel Laptops in 2008.† ARS Technica, April 16, 2007.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070416-wimax-coming-to-intel-laptops-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   in -2008.html (4 August 2008).Bialoglowy, Marek. â€Å"Bluetooth Security Review, Part 1.† Security Focus, April 25, 2005. securityfocus.com/infocus/1830 (4 August 2008).Hick, Matthew. â€Å"Cell Phone Unlocking – What Purpose Does It Have?† Articlebase, January   Ã‚  Ã‚   1, 2008. articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/cell-phone-unlocking-   what-purpose-does-it-have-294032.html (4 August 2008).Sharma, Mohit. â€Å"GSM vs. CDMA Mobile Technology.† Articlesbase, January 5, 2008.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/gsm-vs-cdma-mobile-  Ã‚   technology-400824.html (4 August 2008).Wikipedia. â€Å"3G.† Wikipedia, August 3, 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G (4 August   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2008).[1]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wikipedia, â€Å"3G,† August 3, 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G (4 August 2008).[2]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ibid.[3]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marek Bialoglowy, â€Å"Bluetooth Security Review, Part 1, † April 25, 2005. securityfocus.com/infocus/1830 (4 August 2008).[4]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ibid.[5]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eric Bangeman, â€Å"WiMax Coming to Intel Laptops in 2008,† April 16, 2007. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070416-wimax-coming-to-intel-laptops-in-2008.html (4 August 2008).[6]  Ã‚  Ã‚   WiMax.com, â€Å"What is WiMAX?† wimax.com/education (4 August 2008).[7]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eric Bangeman, â€Å"WiMax Coming to Intel Laptops in 2008,† April 16, 2007. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070416-wimax-coming-to-intel-laptops-in-2008.html (4 August 2008).[8]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mohit Sharma, â€Å"GSM vs. CDMA Mobile Technology,† January 5, 2008. articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/gsm-vs-cdma-mobile-technology-400824.html (4 August 2008).[9]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Matthew Hick, â€Å"Cell Phone Unlocking – What Purpose Does It Have?† January 1, 2008. articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/cell-phone-unlocking-what-purpose-does-it-have-294032.html (4 August 2008).

Terms for Time of the Day

Terms for Time of the Day Terms for Time of the Day Terms for Time of the Day By Mark Nichol Many terms, practical and poetic, refer to various periods in the day or to related figurative senses. Here is a selection, ranging from regular to rare. Dawn (from Old English dagian, â€Å"to become day†), a word for the beginning of the day, also figuratively describes beginnings in general, especially in the sense of renewal or second chances. Daybreak is a practical synonym. A poetic variant is aurora, from the Latin name for the Roman goddess of dawn; the adjectival form is auroral. (The word is related to the Latin term auster, meaning â€Å"south wind,† from which the name of Australia is derived; the similar name Austria, by contrast, stems from the Germanic cognate of east, though auster and east are related.) Aurora is usually associated with the aurora borealis and the lesser-known aurora australis, atmospheric phenomena occurring, respectively, in and near the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The name for Easter, derived from the name of a Germanic goddess, is associated with the brightness of dawn and is related to east. Matutinal (from Matuta, an earlier Roman goddess later identified with Aurora) is an adjective referring to the morning; matins, the canonical term for the morning hours, and matinee, referring to an early performance, are related terms. Twilight (from an Old English term probably meaning â€Å"half-light†) is the dim light of the early morning and late evening, as well as those times of the day, though the term almost invariably refers to the latter period. Figuratively, the word also refers to a vaguely defined intermediate state or a period of decline. Gloaming (from Old English glom, meaning â€Å"twilight† which, incidentally, is not related to gloom but is akin to glow, from glowan) declined in use in the eighteenth century except in certain dialects but is associated with Scotland and poetry because of its use by Scots poet Robert Burns and others. Crepuscular (from Latin crepusculum, meaning â€Å"twilight, dusk†) is an adjective that refers to the margins of the day, especially in the evening, and might be used, for example, to refer to animal behavior. (Crepuscule and its variant crepuscle are rare noun forms.) Dusk (from Old English dox, and related to dun and dust) is the late evening twilight (and, rarely, the beginning of morning twilight); its adjectival form, dusky, refers to darkness or obscurity. Terms for the beginning of the day other than dawn include sunrise and sunup, complemented by sunset and sundown; the archaic terms morn and eve survive as poetic alternatives to morning (from the Old English term morgen the phrase to morgenne is the precursor of tomorrow) and evening (from even, in the sense of â€Å"equilibrium†). Other terms for morning include cockcrow, from the customary early-morning call of the rooster, while eventide and evenfall are poetic synonyms for evening. Various terms derive from noon (ultimately from the Latin term nona hora, meaning â€Å"ninth hour,† though the sense shifted to â€Å"midday†): These include noontime, the poetic noontide, afternoon, and the rare forenoon. Diurnal (from the Latin word diurnalis, also the precursor of journal), refers to daytime or daytime activity; the antonym is nocturnal (from the Latin term nocturnus). 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of LanguageOne Fell Swoop30 Nautical Expressions

Assistive Technology Research Proposal Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assistive Technology Proposal - Research Paper Example or values within a targeted population while Quantitative research is mainly based on measurement of quantity or amount and is applicable on to phenomenon that can be expressed in quantitative form. (Kothari 2004) The research topic, â€Å"advantages and disadvantages of assistive technology†, seeks to find out opinions from the population therefore it qualifies to be a qualitative research rather than quantitative research. It engages the use interview schedules, closed questionnaires. These research interview instruments should be properly designed. (Denscombe1998) Before obtaining data it is necessary to come up with a sample size which should be the true reflection of the characteristic of the population targeted. Sampling is done to help save time, money among other resources. It is not easy to conduct research one by one to capture the entire population thus the necessity of sampling. (Kothari 2004) As noted earlier, qualitative research is concerned with qualitative phenomenon relating to or does involve quality. In order to obtain data the researcher will engage various techniques of; focus group interview, projective interview, and in depth interview. In depth interview is commonly used technique due to its effectiveness in collecting data in a given face to face research problem. During in depth interview the interviewer ask questions and the respondent answers, in this case the interviewer is considered student and the respondent is considered expert. (Denscombe1998) Researcher engage with the participant by posing questions one after the other in neutral manner to avoid leading answers. Interviewer pays attention to the responses given by the respondent and applying probing techniques where necessary to get more information. After the interview the data obtained shall be coded according to participant’s response to each question Focus group is mainly concerned with obtaining information that relates to community or sub group. Here two or more

Buddhism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Buddhism - Term Paper Example Some Archeologists discovered pottery comparable to the ones found in Turkmenistan. They uncovered remnants of a mud-brick monument along with a terrace and a columned hall, surrounded by thick walls. The people of Tillya-tepe were nomads. It was found that by the ways of their living and burial sites. The Tillya-tepe moved from the Black Sea to Mongolia and as they moved they adapted to the local traditions of the new areas but modified them to suit themselves. After reaching Bactria, the artist of Tillya-tepe were greatly influenced by the diversity of objects they found in the Silk Road (Museo). This can be seen in the art of their jewelry, weapons and adornments designs. Features of Pazyryk site The Pazyryk Kurgan is situated in the Altai Mountains of Southern Siberia. It is yielded with artifacts including the belongings of well preserved bodies and their clothing. This culture flourished between the 3rd and the 7th century BC in the area of Sacae and is famous for the burial mo unds. The burial mounds that were found by archeologists were explored in the year 1925 to 1949. Some ordinary graves only consisted of utensils and some had their famous Pazyryk Carpet mounded over them (Scott, Alekseev and Zaitseva). Some mounds even had objects like knives, daggers, mirrors and various bone articles. The embalmed bodies found under these mounds are still considered a world sensation (Altai Discovery Team). The people of the Pazyryk area held more respect for their horses than their people. The horses were viewed as functional objects and the people treated them more humanly than actual humans. Special outfits were designed for their horses. This site was defined by common geographical and ecological conditions. Hunting, fishing, gathering and horse breeding was the main part of the economy (Cosmo). The Kurgan Burials Nomadic tradition of burial is to bury the dead within a mound, as a mark of respect. The The female burials of the Scythian traditions consisted of objects of purely feminine nature to be buried along with. Weapons like bronze arrows and spearheads, pottery and jewelry were dominant in the burials of female (Guliaev). They were dressed with conical caps of gold. The burials of females were of principle nature in the kurgan traditions. In cases of males, they were encircled with a special ritual moat and in some cases funeral food was placed near the graves. Tillya-tepe lie in close margin to the Indo-Iranian tradition. Gold was of symbolic value in the burials. The burials as like many kurgan traditions went hastily at night without the knowledge of the people of neighboring cities (Schiltz). The grave was covered with a mound of objects like beautiful stone to even objects like daggers, bones and textiles. They found it important that the dead were buried under the traditions of their forefathers even though they didn’t have access to their ancestral burial grounds. The position was slightly elevated of the coffin. The manner of burial was hierarchical, with five females surrounding one solitary male. Their garments were sewn by a gold thread. Gold was pretty much abundant in this area as the entire gold of the deceased was buried with that individual. Male bodies were dressed in layers and layers of clothing. A kaftan coupled with a short jacket along with a pair of trousers. A four dagger sheath was wrapped around the thigh. A long sword, numerous daggers and knives and two bows were present too. These men were classified as warlords

Setting of Observation Essay Example for Free

Setting of Observation Essay A specific area in a large park. 2:10: Two (2) women stood beside a picnic table over which was covered with a blue plastic tablecloth. They put their purses beneath the table to the far right hand side leaning against the leg. One (1) woman placed rocks at each corner of the tablecloth so it would stay in place. She joked that the weather could be unpredictable. She asked the other woman if she thought they might need extra chairs. She called the woman by name (Susan; I later learned the other woman’s name was Nancy). Susan said that they could decide that later, depending on how many children showed up for the party, and if needed, she had extra chairs in back of the van. Susan went to the van, and returned within a minute carrying two plastic bags. In each bag were two litter bottles of No-name Cola. She placed them on the table, wiped dust from the plastic bottles with her hand. She said that she saw a television documentary that stated pop bottles were sources of germs. â€Å"Especially the small cans,† she explained. â€Å"You should always clean the entire top. † Nancy listened, but did not respond. Instead, she said she would go to her car and get the â€Å"other stuff†. She asked Susan if the cake would be all right left in her car, or if it would melt, because it was very warm outside. Susan said, â€Å"We should have brought a cooler. † After discussing this, they decided that since Nancy’s car was parked in the shade, it should be okay. Nancy went to her car, sat in the driver’s side and lit up a cigarette. She put the window down half way. Susan glanced over at Susan in her car, frowned, then sat down at the picnic table. There was a squirrel in a tree nearby, making noise. Susan looked at the squirrel and said, â€Å"Don’t have anything for you, little guy. † About eight minutes later, Nancy returned to the picnic table, holding a square, cardboard box in her arms. She put the box on the table and withdrew an unopened bag of whistle blowers, a bag of balloons, and cut pieces of string. She said she had grab bags in the box for later, as well as surprises, Styrofoam cups, paper towels, and Band-Aids if needed. 2: 24: Both women began to blow up eight balloons of various colors, and attach string to each one. There were still balloons left in the bag. Nancy said, â€Å"I think this is enough. † She laughed. Both women tied each balloon to nearby tree limbs. One balloon got away. Susan chased after it, then attached it to a tree. When this was completed, Nancy put the opened bag of balloons in her purse, closed it and put the purse back in place. Nancy said, â€Å"Krista should soon be here. † She looked at her watch. Susan said, â€Å"Hope she knows what park it is. † Susan assured Nancy that Krista had been to this park on a number of occasions. Susan withdrew a cell phone out of her sweater pocket, just as a silver van pulled in. Susan put the cell back in her pocket. Both women took a few steps forward toward the van. 2: 38: Six (6) children burst out of the van. All the children yelled â€Å"Surprise! † The children then ran toward the picnic table. There were five girls and one boy. One (1) child, a girl, who looked to be about eight years old, hugged Susan. She said, â€Å"I had a feeling about it. Where is my cake? † Susan said, â€Å"Oh, you’ll get it in a bit. Happy Birthday! I’m ordering some pizza first. † The child clapped her hands. Two other girls (2) came up to the Birthday girl, and the three (3) girls went to look at the balloons in the trees. The one boy sat at the picnic table. He said he didn’t like girl parties. Susan rubbed his head and laughed. She said that’s how it was to be a little brother. † The boy folded his arms and asked when the pizza would arrive. Susan and Nancy sat at the picnic table. Krista called the children together and said they would play a game. Nancy got up to help. Susan and the boy remained sitting at the picnic table. Susan took her cell phone out of her pocket, then stood up and walked a few feet away. Krista told the five (5) children that they would be playing a game. She said she would sing and then she would say freeze. She said that the child who was caught moving was out of the game. The game would continue until the last child remained. She said that the last child would get to pick out a prize from the box on the picnic table. Krista half hummed and sang, then yelled, â€Å"Freeze! † She pointed to one girl and said that she had moved. The girl said, â€Å"Au,† and stood away, still watching. This went on until the last girl was the winner. The winner went to the picnic table, and Susan moved the box close to her and told her to shut her eyes. The girl did so, and withdrew a small white bag with the words ‘Happy Birthday’ decorated on it. The girl ripped the bag open. The contents of the bag were a pencil and sharpener, a bag of candy, a small red yo-yo, a movie certificate. Nancy came over to the table, and explained that ‘Ashley’ had picked the wrong thing. â€Å"That’s the grab bags, not the prizes! † Ashley asked what the movie certificate was for. Susan said that she had hoped all the girls would go to a movie soon. The other four (4) girls saw what Ashley had and stood around her. â€Å"This is the surprises? † One girl asked. Susan explained that they were the grab bags and there was a mistake. She said they all would get one later. She then took the grab bags out of the box, took out a bag and instructed Ashley to put her hand in and pick something. She chose a Hannah Montana lanyard. She said, â€Å"Oh, I love Hannah Montana! † She showed it to the other girls. 2: 57: Krista asked if they wanted to play another game, a scavenger hunt. The girls all said yes. Krista said that the first person to find the items would be the winner, and that they should work in pairs, or threes. Krista said they were to find a pine cone, a feather, a pretty rock, and something unusual. She said that they had twenty minutes and the winner would be the team who found the most. She said that they were not to go far, and that in twenty minutes, she would holler out to them to come back. The boy decided he wanted to play, too, and the six children went into the woods. When they were gone for five minutes, three large pizzas arrived. Susan said that was a fast delivery. She paid the delivery person who was a young man, and gave him a five dollar tip. She thanked him, and he left, getting into a car. Nancy put out Styrofoam cups, and said to Susan that Krista should call the children back before the twenty minutes were up, so the pizza wouldn’t get cold. Krista shrugged. Susan said that the kids wouldn’t care if the pizza was warm, and that it wouldn’t get cold that fast. The three (3) women sat at the picnic table saying very little to each other. Then Nancy went to her car and lit another cigarette, while Nancy and Krista watched her. 3: 07: Nancy finished her cigarette, and said to Krista, â€Å"Just call the children now. They can continue their game after they eat. † Susan said that would be best. Krista got up from the picnic table and yelled for the children to come back now. She yelled, â€Å"Pizza’s here! † 3:09: Four (4) of the six children returned, some of them holding objects like a rock, a feather, sticks. They put their scavenger hunt treasures on the ground in separate gatherings, then went toward the pizza. Susan said they had to wait until the other children returned so they would all eat at the same time. 3:10: Krista said she would go into the woods to find the other two (2) children. Nancy poured pop into Styrofoam cups, and said they could have a drink while they waited. 3: 13: Krista came back with the two (2) children running ahead of her. The children dropped what they had collected and went toward the table. Susan said they would need more chairs. While Susan went toward her car, Nancy said that they had forgotten plates. She said they would have to eat off of paper towels. Observation No: 2 Specific store in a shopping mall: The store owner, Mrs. Peach, operates a boutique selling eclectic wares that include aromatherapy and other items designed for personal well-being. She also sells a small amount of clothes that have new age symbols on them. 11:05: Mrs. Peach put dust cleaner on a cloth, and wiped down her counter, which is made of wood. She then cleaned the sides of stands. She adjusted her sign near the entrance that said ‘50% off Today’. She looked at a few people walking by and smiled at them. A woman from the next store came up to the entrance, and began talking with Mrs. Peach. She kept folding and unfolding her arms as she spoke. She said, â€Å"Even for a Monday, you’d think there’d be more than this around. † Mrs. Peach said, â€Å"I know. With the holiday and all. † The woman then began to tell Mrs. Peach about her niece who was recently married. She described the wedding, said the cake was just beautiful. She said that she didn’t care for her niece’s husband, but that she would probably warm up to him in time. Mrs. Peach nodded. She kept looking beyond the woman. A man walked by, and the woman stopped talking. They both watched him go into the La Chateau store. 11:15: Two (2) customers, a man and a woman, came into Mrs. Peach’s store. The woman she’d been talking with went back into her store. Mrs. Peach greeted them with a smile. She said, â€Å"Can I help you find something today? † The woman said, â€Å"It smells nice in here. † Mrs. Peach said it was an oil that she puts into a tiny dish. She said she would like to burn oil, but the rules of the mall prevented her from doing that. The man didn’t say anything. He just stood beside the woman. The woman then asked Mrs. Peach if she sold vitamins. Mrs. Peach said that she didn’t, but she could recommend a naturalistic store across town. The customer asked the name of this store. Mrs. Peach told her, adding that it was next to a grocery store, and easy to find. 11:18: The customer said she would like to browse. Mrs. Peach said, â€Å" If you have any questions, let me know. † Then Mrs. Peach went to a clothing rack that held long gown dresses. One of the hangers was faced the opposite way from the others. Mrs. Peach fixed it so it would be presented correctly. Mrs. Peach went behind the cash counter and straightened some papers, and turned on a stereo. Soft new age music could be heard. She adjusted the volume, turning it down slightly. 11: 22 The woman customer stopped at the aromatherapy stand, and began smelling the bottled testers. She asked Mrs. Peach if the oils could be used as perfume. â€Å"No, they’re not diluted enough for that. It could bother your skin. We can make perfumes, however, even mix scents you like. † The customer said that she especially liked the mint smell. Mrs. Peach said she liked it, too. She said it was invigorating, and smelling it gave energy and cleared the mind. Mrs. Peach held up another bottled tester. She said, â€Å"You might like this one, too. It smells like nature. † The woman held it and read aloud the name of the oil which was called ‘A walk in the Forest. ’ She asked the man with her to smell it. She asked him if he liked it, and he said, â€Å"I guess it’s all right. † The customer gave the bottle back to Mrs. Peach who put it back beside the other testers. The customer picked up the mint smell again, and put it close to the man’s nose. â€Å"Do you like this one better? † she asked. He said that it was okay. Mrs. Peach chuckled and said that scents usually only appealed to women. The customer smelled three more scents. Mrs. Peach went to the counter, then returned with a bowl of coffee and said, â€Å"Smell the coffee between smelling the oils. It will help you not mix up the scents. † The customer smelled the coffee, then continued to smell the testers. After a few moments, the customer told Mrs. Peach that she’d like a bottle of the mint oil, and Mrs. Peach brought a sealed bottle it to the counter. The customer paid for the bottle. She said she didn’t need a bag as she would put it in her purse. Mrs. Peach said â€Å"Thanks for coming in. See you next time. † The customer left the store 11:40: The phone rang. Mrs. Peach answered it. She said, â€Å"Thanks for calling Sun and Moon, Laura speaking. † She said, â€Å"Yes, we do,† and â€Å"Anywhere from ten to twenty five dollars,† and â€Å"We close at six today. Look forward to seeing you. † Mrs. Peach put the phone back in its cradle, looked under the counter, then stood up again. 11:41: A woman walked into the store and went toward Mrs. Peach. Mrs. Peach said, â€Å"Not much business here today. Might pick up after lunch. † Mrs. Peach then told the woman that since there wasn’t much business, she could use the opportunity to straighten and clean the store. She said that had already done a little dusting. She pointed to the 50% sign, and asked if the woman could try to keep it straight, as it kept falling to one side. The woman said she would try. The woman said, â€Å"Can I go to the bathroom first? I’ll be quick. † Mrs. Peach said, â€Å"Sandy, your shift doesn’t even start until noon. † They both laughed. Sandy, an obvious store employee left the store, said hello to the woman in the next door and went toward the bathroom. 11: 43: Mrs. Peach took her purse from a shelf under the counter, and put it on the counter. She took out a tube of lipstick and put it on her lips. Using her thumb and forefinger, she wiped the edges of her mouth. She took out a little mirror and examined herself. A man came with a delivery for Mrs. Peach’s store. It was three (3) boxes. She told the man to put them beside the counter. The man did so. He asked Mrs. Peach to sign for the delivery, and she did. Then Mrs. Peach said than you, and the man left. Mrs. Peach tore off an envelope that was attached to one of the boxes. She put the envelope beside the cash register, then reached for a paper cutter knife. She used it to cut the tape off one box, then put it on the floor. She looked inside the box. She picked up a small square pillow that was embroidered with the word ‘Peace’. Mrs. Peach smelled it, then put it back in the box. Then she withdrew a bag that held colorful rocks. She put the bag on the counter. 11:48: Sandy, the employee woman came back from the bathroom. She said, â€Å"Oh, new stock. Great! † Mrs. Peach said, â€Å"We finally got our stones. † She instructed the woman to do her best to put out the stock. Then she took her sweater, put in on and said she was leaving, and that she was starving for lunch. She said, â€Å"Call if there’s a problem. Bye. † Observation 3 Classroom Setting: 1: 30: The French teacher, Miss Horne waited by the door for the next class of students to arrive. The hall was noisy. Children were laughing and talking loudly. They came into Miss Horne’s grade four class, some of them running. Miss Horne waited until all the children were inside, then stood at the front of the room. Most of the children settled down, but two (2) boys kept laughing and talking. Miss Horne said, â€Å"You two want extra work? † They smirked, but stopped their noise. She said she would give the class five minutes to be quiet before they began. 1:34: Miss Horne went to the board and said, â€Å"We’re going to review what we’ve been learning about the last few days. Can anyone remember what that is? † A girl put up her hand. Miss Horne nodded to her. â€Å"Names of animals,† the child said. â€Å"That’s right,† Miss Horne said. â€Å"Let’s see how much we remember. Turn your brains on. † The children laughed and some made a key turning action with their fingers on their heads. Miss Horne said, â€Å"Now then. You must answer in French. What kind of an animal goes, â€Å"Hiss, me-oww. † Several of the children yelled out, â€Å"La Chat! † Mrs. Horne told them that they had to put up their hands. Most of the children then put up their hands, but she didn’t choose any of those children who had called out. She picked a girl in the front row. The little girl said, â€Å"La Chat. † â€Å"Very good, Nakita,† said Miss Horne. She wrote the words ‘La Chat’ low on the board. A boy put up his hand. â€Å"Yes, Paul†, Miss Horne said. The boy said that his mom said they would be getting him a kitten. Mrs. Horne told the boy that was wonderful. Then she asked him, â€Å"Now can you tell me what animal you often find people walking in the park? † 1: 37: Paul said, â€Å"Cats? † The (2) two boys who had been causing trouble at the beginning of class laughed and gave each other a high five. Paul yelled, â€Å"Shut up! † It looked like he was about to cry. Miss Horne walked to where the two boys were sitting. She told them that they were being very rude, and very disrespectful to interrupt their class for other students who were interested in learning. She added that she would be sure to tell their homeroom teacher about how they had misbehaved. She asked the boys if there was anything they wanted to say to Paul. One boy said, â€Å"I’m sorry. † Miss Horne said he needed to say what he was sorry for. The boy said, â€Å"I’m sorry, Paul, for laughing at you. † Then she asked the other boy if he had anything to say, and he said he, too, was sorry for laughing at Paul. Miss Horne told one boy to sit in an empty seat on the other side of the room. Then she told a girl to switch seats with the other boy, so they would be separated. She told the entire class if there was any more foolishness, she would be calling parents. 1: 46: She went to Paul’s seat, and told him not to pay any attention to them. He said okay. She went back to the board, hesitated, then said, â€Å"Who would like to do the teacher a favor? † Lots of hands went up. She walked around the class for several moments, looking at the students closely, in a fun fashion. Then she went back to the board and said, â€Å"I don’t want any talking. Neil, come on up here. † He went near her, and she whispered in his ear. He drew a bird on the board. Miss Horne said, â€Å"What a great drawing. Boys and girls, who can tell me what this is in French? Several hands went up. She said, â€Å"What is it, Rayden? † He said, â€Å"oiseau†. Miss Horne said, â€Å"Real close. Want to try again? † Rayden thought about it, then said, â€Å"L’oiseau? † Miss Horne gave a little clap with her hand. â€Å"Great going, Rayden. † 1:51: There was a knock at the door. Miss Horne went toward it, then opened it. It was the secretary from the principal’s office. The secretary asked if she could talk to Miss Horne for a few minutes. They stepped outside the room, keeping the door open. They talked quietly. Ms. Horne stepped inside the class and said, â€Å"Miss Horne needs to take a phone call, and Mrs. Brown will stay here with you for a few minutes. Maybe she can read you a story. Mrs. Brown said, â€Å"Not a French one, I hope†. Miss Horne asked one of the children to pick out a book from the English shelf, and then the teacher left. Mrs. Brown sat down at a seat at the head of the room. Some of the children asked if they could come sit on the floor, because that’s what Miss Horne does. Mrs. Brown agreed, and all the students by her. The book was called, ‘Arthur Cluck’. She read to them, and they were very quiet and intrigued. 2:09: Miss Horne came back. She said it was okay if Mrs. Brown finished the book. She agreed, and Miss Horne went to her desk and sat down. 2:16: Mrs. Brown finished the book. â€Å"What do we tell Mrs. Brown, boys and girls? † They said in unison (Thank you, Mrs. Brown). â€Å"And thanks for watching the class,† Miss Horne added. Then she whispered, â€Å"I used the time to go to the bathroom, too. Thanks! † She turned to the class. â€Å"Looks like we didn’t get a whole lot done today. Let’s hope tomorrow will be better for us all. † Then she explained that they may as well do a little more of their review. She said, â€Å"What animal eats grass, weighs a lot and lives on a farm? † Someone said ‘horse’. She said that wasn’t it. Paul put up his hand and said, â€Å"An elephant. † Miss Horne said, â€Å"I guess it could be an elephant, but this animal goes, â€Å"Nayyy. † Paul chuckled and said, â€Å"a horse. † Miss Horne said she needed to hear it in French. Paul said, â€Å"That’s means un cheval. † She then asked the French names for other animals, including cow, pig, wolf, and goat. 2:27: Miss Horne said it was almost time to go back to their homeroom. She wanted them to clean up around their desk, and put their books away. † 2:29: Miss Horne said that she would walk the students back to their homeroom. She said, â€Å"Now use your hall voices, boys and girls. † They left together. Scenario 4: Inside a fitness center: 7: 21: Two(2) adult men, approximately 30 35, and a younger teenage boy, approximately 17, entered the gym. It was a fairly small gym. They began stretching their legs and arms, and talking among themselves. The youngest male said, â€Å"Dad, I don’t think I locked my locker. † His father told him that before they really got started, he should go and check, just in case. The boy agreed. He left. The father said to his friend, â€Å"Swear he’d forget his was, he’s so forgetful. God, kids today. † 7:22: The father sprayed the weight bench with a cleaner, one of many that were in the fitness center. He took a white towel, wiped down the bench, then put the cleaner and the white towel away (there was a bin for used towels and another for clean towels). 7: 23: They went toward the weights. The father suggested they do their usual routine. Then he lay on the bench, and his friend put a 130 pound weight in his grasp. He lifted the weight easily. He counted down from ten to one. Then he stopped and they talked for a few moments, and the other man took his turn at the weights. 7:33: The father’s son came back, and announced that he had indeed locked his locker. When the man did his weights, Shawn watched, then he also did three sets with a lower weight, while his father encouraged him. 7: 42: When Shawn finished, his father adjusted the weight bench so that it was on an incline. They each took their turns doing the weights this way. At one point, Shawn’s father’s friend said he was getting a cramp, and he said, â€Å"This is my last set for tonight. † He said he had to go to the bathroom. Shawn and his father sat on the bench. Shawn’s father told him about a story where a guy dropped the weight across his chest, and that he couldn’t get up, or barely move. He yelled out for someone to help him, and two (2) women each held an edge each. They lifted the weight, but then dropped it. The man’s ribs were broken and he could barely move. Shawn listened, his mouth opened. He said that he wasn’t sure he believed that. â€Å"You’re always making up stories, Dad. † A group of people, mostly women, went into a room. An instructor (1) came out and said, â€Å"Aerobics, last call. † Shawn said he thought they should go in, too. His father laughed and told him that he only wanted to go in because of the women, and part of getting fit was not letting anything distract you. Shawn rolled his eyes and said that he hoped there would never be a day when women didn’t distract him. Shawn watched the last woman go in, a slim woman about his age. He gave a low whistle only he and his dad could hear. 7: 54: Shawn’s father said that he wondered how his friend was doing. He said, â€Å"Maybe I should go check on Cal. † He told Shawn not to continue the weights until he came back. There were other men there who said they wanted to use that bench, and Shawn’s father said that was okay. Shawn said he would go and run on the treadmill until they returned. 7: 56: Shawn walked to the right where the treadmills were, along with stationary bikes and other equipment. Shawn walked around, and all treadmills were in use. He walked back to the weights, then returned again to the treadmills. 7: 58: A woman (1) noticed Shawn. She asked him if he was waiting for a treadmill. He said that he was. She said, â€Å"I’m almost finished. About five minutes more. Sign your name under mine. † Shawn said â€Å"Thank you,† then signed his name on a list on the wall. He walked around for a bit, then came back to wait. 8:02: The woman got off the treadmill, wiped it with a towel that was around her neck. She said, â€Å"It’s all yours,† and Shawn thanked her. He got on the treadmill, and adjusted it so he was at a fast walking pace. He did this for a few minutes, then increased the speed so he was jogging. 8:16: Shawn’s father and Cal came up to the treadmill. Shawn’s father said they couldn’t see him right away as he was the last one against the wall. Shawn asked Cal how he was doing, and Cal said, â€Å"Ah, it was nothing. Gas, I think. † Shawn slowed down the treadmill. He said, â€Å"Are we going to finish our sets? † Cal said yes, and Shawn stopped the treadmill pace and let it slow down. Then he got off, and sprayed it with cleaner and a white towel, then put the cleaning items away. 8:17: The three (3) went toward the weights, but the other men were still on the bench they were previously using. Cal said, â€Å"This isn’t our night. † He suggested they do lengths in the pool instead. The others agreed. But then Shawn said that he didn’t have his swimming trunks with him. The three of them laughed, shaking their heads. 8:20: Shawn said they should just go have a coffee somewhere. Cal said he was just going to go on home. They left the gym together.

Reward Management Essay -- Reward Systems RM

Reward Management (RM) has been defined as the distribution of monetary and non-monetary rewards to employees in an effort to align the interests of the employees, the organisation, and its shareholders (O’Neil, 1998). In addition O’Neil (1998) also suggests that a RM system can serve the purpose of attracting prospective job applicants, retaining valuable employees, motivating employees, ensuring legal requirements relating to direct and indirect rewards are not violated, assisting the company in achieving human resource and business objectives, and ultimately assisting the organisation in obtaining a competitive advantage. Various conflicts in the RM system can affect the benefits that can be obtained. It has been argued that performance management systems only provide superficial motivations and have little effect on underlying behaviours and attitudes. Although the RM system can have some limitations, there is strong argument for the benefits, and logic also deems it as a credible strategy to assist in improving employee performance. The implementation and application of RM within the subject organisation has provided many opportunities for increased performance. Limitations and inequities have been recognised in the system employed, mainly due to the lack of assessment and changes to the system in order to align it with organisational objectives. Reward Management Theory Reward management involves defining, facilitating, and encouraging performance. The positive effects a successful RM system can provide to employee performance and in turn organisational success and competitive advantage are clear. This appeal has driven many organisations to take up RM as part of their performance management stratagem. The RM system falls into the broader process of the performance management model within the organisation, as stated by Clark (as cited in Human Resource Management, 2000). This involves the continual process of setting performance objectives, measuring outcomes, providing feedback on the results, providing rewards which are linked to desired outcomes and finally evaluating and making amendments to objectives and activities of the system. When developing an effective RM procedure as part of organisational strategy many considerations must be addressed. O’Neil (1998) suggests the following key methods of linking pay to performance; ascerta... ...e â€Å" The reward system of the organisation guides the actions that generally have the greatest impact on the motivation and performance of individual employees†. Similarly, Wah (2000) argues that companies which treat their high-performing employees significantly better than those that don't are the best-performing companies around and they reside in the upper quartile of shareholder returns. In addition Lawler (as cited in, Readings In Contemporary Employment Relations, 1998) states that if all the psychological rewards are removed employees will grudgingly remain at work, however if all the financial rewards are removed they would most likely leave. As most of the literature suggests, employee performance is a vital element in organisational survival and success. The systems developed and applied to facilitate the management of employee performance are therefore major contributors to the overall success of performance management. To remain effective the RM process should not be isolated from other HRM functions, in addition the process must be dynamic and constantly aligned to organisational strategy. In these instances long term benefits for all stakeholders can be realised.