Food Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food Analysis - Essay Example Pollan identified this concern and explored it extensively in his script the omnivore’s dilemma. Based on the concepts noted by Pollan and other scholars would enable one analyze the production, handling of chicken, its effects and suitability in the society. Since the date of domestication, chicken has dominated people’s diet since it has a high nutrition value. Individuals also prefer chicken because of its less complicated rearing and preparation procedures. Consequently, chicken is customary food that is significant in the contemporary society (Michael 18). Industries can process chicken into various food supplements based on modern technologies. This has increased the popularity of this type of food. Studies indicate that the present chicken consumption rate is about 4kgs per head within a year, and estimates highlight that the rate is likely to increase in future. Furthermore, studies assert that more than 60% of world’s population consumes chicken (Neil & Clive 4). During earlier centuries, the society consumed chickens that came from local homes where they were reared using customary procedures and in small quantities. However, this is never the situation with the current society. These customary sources are unable to sustain high demands for chicken leading to the establishment of the alternative sources. Presently, the society entirely gets chickens from commercial industries specializing in chicken rearing. Individuals obtain chickens from chicken complexes that have hatcheries, processing units, and chicken farms. These plants rear chickens specifically for commercial purposes (Michael 26). In these commercial centers, chickens grow in secluded cages or houses with limited space for movements. Initially, in the hatchery, a selecting breed with rapid growth and weight gaining rates provide the eggs that are hatched to produce chicks (Michael 28). These chicks are reared in houses

Impact of Colonialism on the Middle East Term Paper

Impact of Colonialism on the Middle East - Term Paper Example However, their political allegiance was always with the country of origin. Other such examples include those of the people of: North America, Australia, New Zealand and Algeria. Imperialism is derived from Latin word Imperium which means to command. It is thus a way that one country exercises power over another, whether through settlement, sovereignty or indirect control, without significant settlement. Typical examples include Africa, American domination of Philippines and Puerto Rico. Colonialism in the Middle East: European colonial activity in Africa and Middle East reached the peak in the late 19th and early 20th century. The British became heavily involved in the affairs of Egypt and Sudan. The British annexed Aden in 1839. The British and the French built and operated the Suez Canal in 1869; Britain went to war with Iran in 1856 over night of way to India and China through Iran. Algeria fell under the French rule in 1830. The French invaded Morocco and occupied Tunisia in 1881 . Zanizibar became a British protectorate in 1890. Germany took over Daras Salaam, and French captured Senegal in 1890. Britain and Russia divided Iran into spheres of interest while Italy captured Libya in 1911. 2-EUROPIAN IMPERIALISM May it be for economic nationalist or humanitarian reasons, more powerful nations have often interfered with the affairs of the weaker nations. The more powerful nations, including the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, Germany and several other European countries have in the past exploited less powerful and backward countries. European imperialism is used to refer to more recent colonial Empires of Britain, France, Portugal and Spain during the European â€Å"age of exploration†. During the 15th century, Portugal and Spain had the most power navies. Portugal established a powerful Empire which was highly useful for trade. In the 16th, 17th and 18th century, Britain entered the arena largely due to its envy of the Portuguese and S panish properties, which grew to eventually cover an entire quarter of the world population and land mass. This included countries like Egypt, India, Australia, Hong Kong and much of North America. In the 19th century, the imperialistic designs of US and Germany damaged the British stronghold; this tension resulted in the First World War in which the German Empire was taken apart. After the Second World War period of decolonization began as most European power granted independence to their territories. Russia is another example of European imperialism that is stretched across half the world along its longitudinal axis. 3-US IMPERIALISM As said by the Historian Donald W Mening, imperial behavior for the US dates at least to the â€Å"LOUISIANA Purchase† which he described as an Imperial acquisition; imperial in the sense of the gaining control over the territory of another, resulting in the subjugation of the people to alien rule. The US policies towards the Native Americans w ere designed to remold them into a people more appropriately conformed to imperial desires. IIThe Unites States had been the dominant world power over the Middle East since the Second World War. US imperialistic policies drives its strength from the thoughts of the famous think tank A.T Mahan, who maintained that modern industrial nations must secure foreign markets for the purpose of exchanging good and later on, they must maintain a maritime force that is capable of protecting these trade routes. The outcome of the US business and

The History Of Cloud Computing Information Technology Essay

The History Of Cloud Computing Information Technology Essay Cloud Computing are data and applications that are accessible through servers around the world (Clouds), and it can be reached at any time, from any device without installing that specific application to your computer. Data management within cloud involves extreme parallelization and distribution of data. Its goals are to provide quickness in which applications are deployed, increase the technology, and lower costs, all while increasing business agility.   The different types of services including IaaS, PaaS, SaaS have been projected for cloud computing. But, consumers want effective and efficient security for their virtual machines. There is some cloud providers that offer security-as-a-service based on VM introspection that promise the best of both worlds: efficient centralization and effective protection. Since customers can move data and apps from one cloud to another, an effective solution requires learning what providers to work with and what they secure. This report will provide detailed understanding of cloud computing and its major security issues. This will include the history of Cloud Computing, the models, its characteristics, deployment models, applications, advantages and disadvantages, security issues and other concerns. Key Words Access Control Cloud Computing Cloud Security Delivery Models Deployment Models SPI This Report is organized the following: Chapter 1: Introductions Chapter 2: Defining Cloud Computing Chapter 3: Cloud Security Chapter 4: Conclusion/Future Research Introduction Clouds is a metaphor for the Internet, the term Cloud Computing for computation over the Internet. It allows users to access resources database and Internet applications from anywhere as long as needed without worrying about maintenance or management of real resources. In addition, the databases in the cloud are very dynamic and evolving. Cloud Computing is unlike grid computing, utility computing, or autonomic computing. In fact, it is a very independent platform in terms of computing. The best example of cloud computing if Google Apps where any application can be accessed using a browser and it can be deployed on thousands of computer through the internet. Most of the data is stored on local networks with servers that may be clustered and sharing storage. This approach has had time to be developed into stable architecture, and provide decent redundancy when deployed right. Pinal Dave. Introduction to Cloud Computing Published 10 Apr 2009 This new technology, cloud computing, requires the attention and it changes rapidly the direction of the technology. Whether it is Googles file system or Microsoft Azure, it is clear that cloud computing has arrived with much to learn. In dealing with the abstract concept of the cloud, it is easy to misunderstand the structure and function. Defining Cloud Computing What is Cloud Computing? Cloud computing is a type of computation over the Internet. It shares resources instead of using a software or hardware on a physical computer. Cloud computing can be software and infrastructure. And, it can improve collaboration, mobility, size and availability features. It also improves cost reduction by offering a centralized platform for use when needed, and the reduction of energy consumption. Unlike grid computing, cloud computing can be hosted externally, but also internally, especially for companies who have businesses around the world. Consumers will no longer have to download and install memory-hogging applications and software on their device and will instead have access to everything they need via the browser. With this model, most of the computing software will be rented on an as-needed basis rather than being bought as an expensive one-off purchase. what is cloud computing and how to use it. February 11, 2010 . There are many definitions that try to answer the clouds of todays point of view of developers, researchers, administrators, engineers and consumers. This report focuses on a definition that is specifically tailored to the unique perspectives of IT network and security professionals. 2.2. History of Cloud Computing Originally, Cloud Computing was an unclear term for a vague and distant future in which computing would occur in a few remote locations without the need for very much human intervention. Infinite computing resources would be available for every need at prices approaching zero. Certainly, users would not care about how the computers, their software, or the network functioned. The idea of an intergalactic computer network was introduced in the 60s by J.C.R. Licklider, who was responsible for enabling the development of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) in 1969. His vision was for everyone on the globe to be interconnected and accessing programs and data at any site, from anywhere, explained Margaret Lewis, product marketing director at AMD. It is a vision that sounds a lot like what we are calling cloud computing. History of cloud computing Computer Weekly (2009). Computer scientist John McCarthy, who attributed the cloud concept, proposed the idea of computation being delivered as a public utility, similar to the service bureaus which date back to the 60s. Since the 60s, cloud computing has developed along a number of lines, with Web 2.0 being the most recent evolution. However, since the internet only started to offer significant bandwidth in the 90s, cloud computing for the masses has been something of a late developer. In the past, the computers were connected from a larger computer. It was a common technique in industry. The technique enabled you to configure the computer to talk to each other with specially designed protocols to balance the computational load across machines. As a user you didnt care about what CPU was running the program, and cluster management software ensured that the best CPU at that time was used to execute the code. In the early 1990s Ian Foster and Carl Kesselman came up with a new concept of The Grid. The analogy used was of the electricity grid where users could plug into the grid and use a metered utility service. If companies dont have their own powers stations, but rather access a third party electricity supply, why cant the same apply to computing resources? Plug into a grid of computers and pay for what you use. Cloud Expo: Article A Brief History of Cloud Computing: Is the Cloud There Yet? Paul Wallis August 22, 2008 One of the first milestones for cloud computing was the arrival of Salesforce.com in 1999, which pioneered the concept of delivering enterprise applications via a simple website. The services firm paved the way for both specialist and mainstream software firms to deliver applications over the internet. The next development was Amazon Web Services in 2002, which provided a suite of cloud-based services including storage, computation and even human intelligence through the Amazon Mechanical Turk. Then in 2006, Amazon launched its Elastic Compute cloud (EC2) as a commercial web service that allows small companies and individuals to rent computers on which to run their own computer applications. Amazon EC2/S3 was the first widely accessible cloud computing infrastructure service, said Jeremy Allaire, CEO of Brightcove, which provides its SaaS online video platform to UK TV stations and newspapers. A history of cloud computing Arif  Mohamed   Friday 27 March 2009 Another big milestone came in 2009, as Web 2.0 hit its stride, and Google and others started to offer browser-based enterprise applications, though services such as Google Apps. Today, many companies are setting up data centers, sometimes as an extension of their own needs, sometimes only to serve customers. Originally, the idea of these clouds was to provide power and storage capacity. Everything else will be taken up by the customer. Now providers offer many services depending on the consumer needs. Source: http://www.fuzeboxinc.com/Extras/Blog/ 2.3. SPI for Cloud Computing SPI. This abbreviation stands for the three major services in the cloud. Software-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service. Source: http://texdexter.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/figure-1-cloud-computing-architecture.jpg 2.4. Delivery Models Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)- Instead of wasting money on servers, software, hardware, racks..etc. the provider would resource the service. This will be on demand computing and whatever the amount is consumed that what the consumer will be charged. This service can be hosted or via VPS(virtual private servers) Major Infrastructure Vendors Below are companies that provide infrastructure services: Google (GOOG) Managed hosting, development environment International Business Machines (IBM) Managed hosting SAVVIS (SVVS) Managed hosting Terremark Worldwide (TMRK) Managed hosting Amazon.com (AMZN) Cloud storage Rackspace Hosting (RAX) Managed hosting cloud computing Cloud platform services (PaaS)- delivers a platform or a solution stack as a service. This makes the delivery of applications easier without the cost of hardware or software. Like Salesforce.coms, which lets subscribers access their applications over the cloud. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have also allow the users access their applications from centralized servers. Software as a service (SaaS)- is  software in the cloud. This deployment model is absolutely through the web browser. This eliminates the installation of applications on the consumers computer making it easy to access as simplifying maintenance and support. Characteristic of SaaS: Availability via a web browser on demand availability payment terms based on usage minimal IT demands 2.5. Deployment Models Private cloud- This is used only for organizations. Can be managed by the organization or to third parties and can exist on premise or off premise. Community cloud- This is used by many organizations working together, and is compatible with a particular community, which shared the concerns (eg, mission, security requirements, policy and compliance). It can be managed by organizations or third parties and can exist on premise or off premise. Public cloud- This is owned by cloud providers and is used by a larger organization or the general public. Hybrid cloud- Cloud Infrastructure is composed of two or more clouds (private, community or the public), that remain unique entities, but are caused by a standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and applications. 2.6. Essential Characteristics What is Cloud Computing? On-demand self-service- A consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each services provider. Broad network access- Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs). Resource pooling- The providers computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand. There is a sense of location independence in that, the customer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter). This includes storage, processing, memory, network bandwidth, and virtual machines. Rapid elasticity- Capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out and rapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be purchased in any quantity at any time. Measured Service- Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service. Source: www.katescomment.com/images/CloudCube.png Cloud Security 3.1. Pros and Cons The main question is whether users are prepared to use the service from your local computer and are moving into the cloud because cloud computing has advantages and disadvantages to all potential users, but may have different meanings for different users. Pros Reduced Cost: Cloud technology is paid incrementally (you pay only for what you need), saving organizations money in the short run. Money saved can be used for other important resources. Increased Storage: Companies can save more data than on servers. Highly Automated: IT staff not needed to keep software up to date as maintenance is the job of the service provider on the cloud. More Mobility: Employees can access information wherever they are. Allows IT to Shift Focus: No longer having to worry about constant server updates and other computing issues, government organizations will be free to concentrate on innovation. Cons Security: standards depending on company and global location Reliance on 3rd Party: Control over own data is lost in the hands of an difficult-to-trust provider Cost of transition: Is it feasible for me to move from the existing architecture of my data center to the architecture of the cloud? Uncertainty of benefits: Are there any long term benefits? Today, customers are looking expand their on-premises infrastructure, but cannot afford the risk of compromising the security of their applications and data. In this survey of IDC, security ranked first as the greatest challenge or issue in cloud computing. Source: IDC Enterprise Panel What is Cloud Security? Security in the cloud, is not different than security control. But, because of the cloud models for contractual services, business models and technologies are used to cloud services, cloud computing different risks of a traditional organization of IT solutions can have. Cloud Computing is to lose control and accountability at the same time, but operational responsibility lies with one or more other parties. Not all services are the same. This depends on the provider you choose. This picture below illustrates the issue in SaaS where the contracts are negotiable; service levels, privacy, and compliance are all issues to be dealt with legally in contracts. In an IaaS, the remainder of the stack is the responsibility of the costumer. PaaS offers a balance in between, where the provider is in charge of securing the platform, but securing the application developed against the platform and developing them securely, both belong to the consumer. Source: http://www.rationalsurvivability.com/blog/wp-content/media/2009/07/CloudRefModel.html The technology has many advantages for employers. It is a simple solution that is cost effective, and can be updated easily and as quickly as the business grows, especially during peak sales. Many entrepreneurs do not do their homework when registering with a provider of cloud, and neglect to ask whether sensitive data can be isolated or not, or what layers of security is available. Cloud Security Top Threats According to CSA (Cloud Security Alliance) The report, titled Top Threats to Cloud Computing V1.0, These are the following threats in cloud computing: Abuse and Nefarious use of Cloud Computing: Attackers can find a way to upload malware to thousands of computers and use the power of the cloud infrastructure to attack other machines.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ Insecure Application Programming Interfaces: The reuse and combination of existing code to rapidly build applications often sacrifices quality assurance for agility and quick turnaround, resulting in insecure APIs. Malicious Insiders: One that gains in importance as many providers still dont reveal how the hire people, how they grant them access to assets or how they monitor them. Transparency is, in this case, vital to a secure cloud offering, along with compliance reporting and breach notification. Shared Technology Vulnerabilities: Sharing infrastructure is a way of life for IaaS providers. Unfortunately, the components on which this infrastructure is based were not designed for that. To ensure that customers dont thread on each others territory, monitoring and strong compartmentalization is required, not to mention scanning for and patching of vulnerabilities that might jeopardize this coexistence. Data Lose/Leakage: Using security control to protect the inside data in a company. This control is hard to apply to new environment. There is a lack of having the ability to monitor and control what is going on. Accounting, Services and Traffic Hijacking: The cloud is vulnerable to hacking. Like being redirected to malicious sites. Unknown risk profile: The customer are not well informed on where their applications are being reside, nor the configurations of the systems. Access Control in the Cloud In a traditional network, access control focuses on protecting from unauthorized users based on host-based attributes. Which sometimes is inadequate, this can cause inaccurate accounting. In the cloud, the access control works as a cloud firewall policy. This is by using rules using TCP/IP parameters, including the source of IP, the source port, the IP destination and the port destination. Unlike the network-based access control, the access should be strongly focused in the cloud by binding the users identity to the resource in the cloud and will help protect access control, data protection and users accounts. ISO/IEC 27002 has defined six access control objectives that cover end user, privileged user, network, application, and information access control. The objective is to ensure that the authorized user have access the right information and unauthorized users are prevented from accessing the systems. A procedure should take place and should cover all stages in the lifecycle of the user access, staring from the registration of the new user to the final step which is denying the user who will no longer need to access the information in the system. The following are the six control statements: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Control access to information. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Manage user access rights. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encourage good access practices. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Control access to network services. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Control access to operating systems. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Control access to applications and systems. The reasons for this six control statements from the view of IT security, is providing access to information and applications to authorized users. The objective of this task is to provide the right users the right services, while preventing access to unauthorized users. Conclusion/Future Research 4.1. Conclusion Cloud computing is increasingly popular. Industry leaders like Microsoft, Google and IBM, have been promoting cloud computing and have gain a lot of costumer. But the rest of the public that are still doing research on the topic are still doubting and afraid to migrate to the cloud. There are still many questions left without any answer and the most important one is security. On the other hand, Cloud Computing is the most amazing technology that has happened recently. It is easy to use, cheaper, faster, and convenient. The question is whether the users are ready to move and if so, what providers to move to. Security technology must be developed specifically for the protection of the business in the cloud. The technology has changed and security needs to keep up with it. Future Work According to btsecurethinking.com, Breach Security is working with partners, such as Akamai, to provide web application security in the cloud. Example, when deployed with Akamais Web Application Firewall service, Breachs WebDefend Global Event Manager is the first web application security management solution to defend against global application security threats by enabling customers to make distributed cloud and data center defense-in-depth architectures operational. CSA and HP are still doing research on top threats and intended to alert businesses to current and future cloud computing risks.

Ecotourism, Tourism, and Development in Mexico Essays -- Essays Papers

Ecotourism, Tourism, and Development in Mexico â€Å"The issue of growth in the travel industry - how much, how fast, what kind - is crucial to the future of communities, local lifestyles and cultures, and the natural environment. There are a variety of instabilities and inequities associated with the expansion of tourism. If the social costs of infinite growth (human consequences of ecological pollution, centralized concentration of power, inequitable income distribution) are as high as they appear to be, our current social systems cannot support such growth indefinitely. Tourism remains a passive luxury for thousands of travelers. This must change† (Rethinking Tourism and Ecotravel by Deborah McLaren, 1998, p. 6). In the Quintana Roo state of Mexico, there are many thousands of tourists from the USA and Europe every year, which has spawned a tourism business economy and intense development of the coast. The area’s people and natural resources are going through a period of rapid change, which has the potential to benefit or damage the area. While money and development can give jobs and opportunities for education and health care, they can also deplete and damage the very resources that made the Carribean coast pleasing. Development and tourism, particularly ecotourism, must be safe and sustainable, environmentally, economically, politically, culturally. Our study has given us insight into some of these difficult development areas, and we will use our observations and conversations to demonstrate and disseminate ideas for better development. Tourism has become much more prevalent in recent times, due in large part to the increasing human population of the earth and the increasing leisure time and dis... ...tribution to the development of the Carribean coast, which has created jobs and other positive economic factors, while also threatening ecosystems and cultures that have become commodified. Tourists should be encouraged to learn about the environment and culture before, during, and after their vacation to areas, and they should make efforts to make meaningful connections to people and places so that they have reasons for treating the place well and coming back to check on things (insuring the vacation spot isn’t single-use or disposable). These kinds of efforts will insure better treatment of places and peoples by increasing the connected worth in travelers’ minds. Through practical legislation and enforcement along with caring and connected approaches to travel, tourism can become a positive element in the continued development of marketable tourist attractions.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 16

November 12, 1864 Life with Damon is like playing chess with a mad person. I can think of a thousand different possibilities to defend against, a thousand different moves he could make, and then he goes and changes the rules of the game. It's just his newfound predilection for casual violence that makes him so incalculable, but the way he revels in it. Though blood is our diet, we as vampires at least have a modicum of self-will. Damon doesn't have to let his dark side win, and yet he embraces it. I view this change in him with horror and guilt, as I was the one who set him down the path of the vampire. Katherine was the one who changed him, but I force-fed him his first human. After seeing his message to me I can't consider leaving the Sutherlands until I have figured out a way to keep them all safe. What my brother did to Callie†¦ it obviously isn't beyond him to just dispose of the entire family once they serve their purpose. But when will he take action? At the wedding? After the wedding? After the honeymoon? Next year? Could I spirit the girls away somewhere? Could I convince them to hide? Could I compel them to? Damon managed to find me here, could he find me – or them – anywhere? I have to come up with a plan, in case Damon doesn't just leave town with his newfound fortune. Of course, the simplest solution would be to kill Damon. Voil – one maniacal, insane, unpredictable, murderous vampire gone, the world, and myself, a thousand times safer. That's assuming I could do it. I am so much weaker than he is, it would have to be done by surprise or guile or something equally underhanded, like a knife in the back. Like he killed Callie. There isn't any point in thinking that way. I will not stoop to his level. He is my brother. And as awful as he is, he is the only relative left to me. The next day, time flew by as if it had nothing better to do than gallop me toward matrimony. Before I knew it, I'd been stuffed into my suit, force-fed pancakes, and spirited over one hundred blocks north to the altar, where I stood awaiting my fate, as the Sutherlands unknowingly awaited their own. Damon and I stood side by side in Woodcliff Manor's great hall – the pretty family chapel nearby was far too small for Bridget's tastes. The Richards were kind enough to let her use their home at the tip of Manhattan Island. It was really more of a castle than a home, with gray towers, parapets, and decorative portcullises, all made from the gray rock that jutted seamlessly out of the rocky promontory on which it sat. Not so far from there, outside the arched gothic windows, were the remains of Fort Tryon, the site of a sad defeat of Continental forces under George Washington by the British. My thoughts drifted as I imagined redcoats and scrappy American soldiers and puffs of gunpowder†¦ and then something occurred to me. Katherine could have witnessed such a battle. I never asked how old she was – perhaps Damon did – but she was far older than her appearance suggested. She had probably witnessed events I only read about in history books. I shivered at the thought, but the chill was instantly dispelled by the incredible heat in the room. Damon and I stood in front of a crowd of more than two hundred of New York's finest socialites, all sitting uncomfortably in hastily pulled together pews. They had no idea how dangerous it was for them to be there. I pulled at my collar and tie, which suddenly felt too tight, my vision blurring. The room shifted and morphed, and for just a second, the finery and skin of every wedding attendee melted off as though they'd been caught up in a blaze. Skin flaked off like corn husks, leaving behind pure-white bone and twisted tendons. â€Å"Stefan!† Damon hissed, elbowing me. I realized then that I was clutching his arm. â€Å"Do I need to call a medic for you?† he asked sarcastically. I shook my head, wondering what illness had overcome me. The crowd came back into focus, alive, happy, laughing, and fanning themselves discreetly. Even I had to admit that Mrs. Sutherland had done a fantastic job working with Mrs. Richards and her housekeepers. A rich red carpet had been laid out, and it was scattered with so many rose petals you could scarcely see the fabric beneath. Pink, white, and deep, deep red, it looked like a beautiful trail through a magnificent rose garden. Garlands of expensive and exotic flowers hung along the pews, and the scent of orange and lemon was heavy in the air. Overhead hung giant balls of flowers like fireworks in petals. Vases in every gothic arched nook and cranny held elegant arrangements of grasses and blooming branches of quince, enhancing the woodland effect. Everyone wore full formal regalia, tailcoats for the men, some with diplomatic sashes. Heavy moire silks for the older women, lighter for the young women, yards and yards of fabric swirled around their feet like more rose petals. Hats were decked out in plumes and gems and sometimes entire birds. And the real heirloom jewelry had been pulled out for this occasion, pearls and diamonds and rubies on every neck and wrist, some gems the size of my thumb. All the women had fans, of course, made from silk and painted in Japan or England, and they tried to flutter them delicately, but most wound up just flapping them as fast as they could. The ladies' countenances remained stubbornly rosy despite their efforts to keep pale. Everyone whispered and talked excitedly, and of course I could tune in to any conversation I felt like listening to with my enhanced hearing. I almost didn't mean to, because it was the same in every seat: â€Å"†¦ so quick. Only met a month ago. Did you hear the story? He was so chivalrous†¦.† â€Å"†¦ lucky girl. I hope my Lucretia marries as well†¦.† â€Å"Apparently, the youngest Beaumont threw herself at DeSangue, but he only had eyes for Lydia†¦.† â€Å"†¦ such a handsome man! And a count!†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ yes, but who's that other one again? Marrying Bridget?† I closed my eyes, wishing I could close my ears. How I longed to be back in my grotto in the park. â€Å"Seems like old times, doesn't it, brother?† Damon sighed, adjusting one of his cuffs. â€Å"In another life, you and Rosalyn would be married already.† â€Å"Shut up,† I said. He was right, though. If Katherine hadn't killed my childhood playmate, I would have married her. Back then, I thought a forced marriage with someone I didn't love was the worst fate imaginable. How innocent I was†¦. I continued smiling, although it must have looked forced by that point. My eyes darted over the crowd, seeking out anyone in a badly matched scarf. That morning I had managed to grab and drain a pair of white doves, initially intended to be released as a romantic gesture after the wedding ceremony. But when was the last time Damon had fed? Or did he have a big, bloody feast planned? â€Å"Look at us, together,† Damon whispered, nodding at someone in the crowd and smiling. â€Å"We make quite a handsome pair.† â€Å"I'm doing this,† I whispered, â€Å"to save lives. Now be quiet.† Damon rolled his eyes. â€Å"You're no fun, brother. I hope you develop a sense of humor soon, or it's going to be a loooooong eternity.† The wedding march began, saving me from having to respond. Margaret's husband and Bram, ushers, came down the aisle first. The remaining ushers were callow youths who flirted outrageously with the bridesmaids they escorted. The girls wore pretty matching peach gowns and absolutely giant hats†¦ but I noticed that one had a slightly different accessory from the rest. Hilda wore a hastily tied kerchief around her neck. I glared at Damon. He shrugged. â€Å"I got a little peckish waiting around.† In truth, I was a little relieved – it meant he wasn't starving himself in anticipation of something later. Finally came Winfield, proudly striding down the aisle with a daughter on each arm. Lydia walked regally and easily. She wore a simple white gown of heavy material whose folds rustled with her movements. It went to the top of her neck and the bottom of her wrists, and its only ornamentation was a line of pearl buttons down the front. A net veil hung behind her, floating down her back. She looked like a fairy-tale queen, and smiled with a secretive look that only added to her beauty. On Winfield's left arm was Bridget, wearing her brocade and satin. She actually looked quite beautiful, if a bit overdone. An enormous lace veil perched on top of her head like a crown. It was hard to imagine, now, that I'd ever seen anything of Callie in her. Where Bridget was frilly and immature, Callie had been independent and practical. Thinking of Callie now was a bad idea. Time slowed down. Bridget's foot rose and fell, bringing her a few inches closer to me. Her skirts drew forward, as if of their own accord. Her mouth opened and closed in a giggle that sounded far-off and distorted. And then came the distinctive scent of lemon and ginger. Everything blurred – Katherine? Suddenly, instead of Bridget coming toward me dressed as a bride was the woman who had brought me to this place. Her thick black hair was caught up in a lace veil, revealing her perfect shoulders and neck. The blue cameo gleamed on her neck. She lowered her head demurely, but beneath her long lashes her eyes danced mischievously in my direction. She pursed her lips and I felt my knees weaken. Did Damon see her, too? I looked askance at my brother, to see if he was thinking or seeing the same thing I was. Whatever compelled me to feel the way I did about Katherine, true love or a vampire's Power, I was still under her spell, haunted by her. But Damon's face was a perfect mask of happiness and love. Time started back up again. Bridget resumed her place in my sight, smiling excitedly up at me. And then the girls were before us, and the priest was there, and rings were in our hands. It was, thankfully, a fairly short ceremony. The priest gave a speech about love and read several nice passages from the Bible that I would have liked in any other circumstance. I wasn't sure whether to pray that the priest go on, and on, and on, and give me as much time as possible before the inevitable, or if he should just hurry up and get it over with. â€Å"If anyone here knows of any impediment why these two couples may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, you do now confess it.† I looked around the room, hoping someone would stand up and object. Maybe Margaret would speak out, with some sort of proof that Damon DeSangue wasn't who he said he was, or that I was some sort of Confederate spy, or†¦ The oldest sister shook her head and gritted her teeth, but kept silent. I may have imagined it, but I think her mother's hand had an iron grip on her knee. Damon went first, marrying the elder bride. I wasn't listening; there seemed to be a dull roar in my ears that was so loud I was surprised no one else could hear it. What was going to happen when it was over? Would the Sutherlands make it through this night? Would I be forced, on my wedding day, to fight my own brother to the death? â€Å"Repeat after me,† the priest finally said. I did as I was told. â€Å"I, Stefan Salvatore, take thee, Bridget Lynn Cupbert Sutherland, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till†¦ death us do part.† I almost choked, and could only hope that the audience thought I was overwhelmed with emotion. â€Å"I, Bridget Lynn Cupbert Sutherland, take thee, Stefan, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.† She forgot my surname, and from the look in her eyes it was because she was thinking about the night before. And then there was a ring in my hand. A simple gold band with my and Bridget's initials inscribed on the inside. Precious metal binding me to my fate. I took Bridget's hand. My voice came out surprisingly clear and calm. â€Å"With this ring, I thee wed, and with my worldly goods I thee endow, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.† I slipped it on her finger. She squealed in joy. I kissed her. It was hard and quick, hopefully long enough for the audience to appreciate. Bridget clung to me, trying to make the moment last. She tasted of mint. I felt terrible. And just like that, I was a married vampire.

George Westinghouse’s Biography

Most people know the name Westinghouse as the name of an appliance, but where did the name come from? Many people may not know that George Westinghouse was not only an inventor, but a visionary. George Westinghouse's many inventions fed the Industrial Revolution that swept through America in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The Industrial Revolution brought many changes to the United States. Even though America was progressing, many ill effects were brought on by this expansion. Westinghouse was one of the Industrialist that actually cared about the many problems he saw in urban America. Westinghouse, at the age of forty-two, could no longer ignore â€Å"the evils of social upheaval created by too rapid industrial development†(Levine, 2). George Westinghouse wanted something done, but it looked as if he was the only one that would do it. George Westinghouse had influenced many areas of his era and ours. His many inventions, his good-willed policy toward his work! ers and his business practices have affected all of us; but nothing will compare to the influences that he left on our country's upper-class – the concept that they had a responsibility toward the society that had made them who they were. George Westinghouse was born eight of ten children into a middle class family on October 6, 1846. Westinghouse's father ran a small machine shop in Schendectady, NY, that manufactured mostly farm implements; as a result, Westinghouse was introduced to the world of machines at a very early age. Due to curiosities he found during the Civil War, in which he served in both the Northern Army and the Navy, Westinghouse invented a rotary steam engine. At age nineteen, this was his first patented invention; however, the design proved to be impractical. Despite his troubles, Westinghouse went on to invent a device for placing derailed railroad cars back on their tracks. The next year, Westinghouse was riding on a train that was suddenly brought to a stop to avoid a wrecked train on the tracks ahead. The brakes that were in use on trains around the world at this time were operated manually. Westinghouse knew that there must be a safer and quicker way to stop a train. After observing rock drills, that used compressed air to drill tunnels through mountains, Westinghouse wondered if the use of compressed air could be applied to brakes. This led to one of Westinghouse's most famous and most influential inventions ever. Westinghouse did not know it, but he was on his way to changing the course of the nation. However, at age twenty two, his new air brake and he got little attention. â€Å"If I understand you, young man, you propose to stop a railroad train with wind. I have no time to listen to such nonsense,† said Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the most powerful railroad owners of the time (Compton's,4). Finally, on a small railroad outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Westinghouse was able to try out his new air brake. On the trial run, the train came to a crossing where a farmer's wagon had broken down. Upon seeing this, the locomotive's engineer applied the new braking system. Too everyone's surprise, the train was jolted to a halt; furthermore, the train was stopped yards in front of the farmer's wagon. Even though almost everyone did fall out of their seat, this was the beginning of Westinghouse's influence on the world. Eventually, the Railroad Safety Act of 1893 would â€Å"make air brakes compulsory on all U. S. trains†(Britannica, 6). At this point, Westinghouse established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. By 1869, already, Westinghouse's success was almost guaranteed. George Westinghouse's next frontier was railroad signaling. With the ever increasing use and expansion of railroads, signaling became a major problem. He created a signaling system using compressed air and electricity; thus, the Union Switch and Signal Company was founded in 1882. Indeed, Westinghouse helped the railroads greatly. With his railroad inventions, railroads became safer; accordingly, leading to the instillation of railroad passengers with confidence. He also created a more profitable operation for the railroads. The bigger profits that were made by the railroad barons, the more they invested and the faster the Industrial Revolution took place. In this fast growing economy, Westinghouse, who was now financially stable, started to tinker with electricity and natural gas. With a well drilled in his yard, Westinghouse developed and marketed a system for the control and distribution of natural gas in Pittsburgh. Today's natural gas industry â€Å"owes its existence to Mr. Westinghouse†(Shumaker, 4). Using the knowledge gained from his work in natural gas, Westinghouse developed a theory for the distribution of electricity. He imported both a motor and its inventor, Nikola Tesla, from Europe. With the help of Tesla and three American engineers, Westinghouse developed a new electrical transformer that allowed electricity to be carried over long distances; however, Westinghouse's design used alternating current, while such people as Thomas Edison used and were promoting direct current electricity. This started the â€Å"Battle of the Currents†, as it was called (Corporate, 1). The advocates and financiers, led by Edison, of the DC system immediately tried to discredit Westinghouse's use of the AC system as soon as his Alternating Current components were made available on the market. These people charged that AC power was a menace to society. As if they did not do enough already to deface Westinghouse, they successfully had the state of New York install a Westinghouse AC generator as the official means of executing death sentences. These charges were untrue; therefore, they were insufficient in the suppressment of the use of AC power. AC power was given credibility when Westinghouse won the contract to light the Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893. It was said to be a â€Å"dazzling spectacle of a quarter of a million lights that stole the show†. Reflecting the â€Å"Battle of the currents†, Nikola Tesla later wrote, â€Å"George Westinghouse was, in my opinion, the only man on this globe who could take my alternating-current system under the circum! stances then existing and win the battle against prejudice and money power. He was one of the world's true noblemen, of whom America may well be proud and to whom humanity owes an immense debt of gratitude† (Corporate, 1) . On January 8, 1886, with a stroke of the Governor of Pennsylvania's pen, the Westinghouse Electric Company was granted a charter. This company, which would turn out to be the most important of George Westinghouse's many companies, had two-hundred employees and was located in a rented building in Pittsburgh's Garrison Alley Section. By this point in his life, Westinghouse had founded a few other companies. His air brake company had been expanded to France, England and Germany. This idea of a company going world-wide was relatively new. This led a surge of American companies to expand beyond the United States; American influence was being spread around the world. Westinghouse had also founded a machine shop in Pittsburgh in 1881. Westinghouse was very different from most of the other American Industrialist. From the start, Westinghouse was not motivated by money or power. He was motivated by knowing that his inventions and other work would be used to help mankind. Within two years after the Westinghouse Electric Company was founded, the company had grown from the original two-hundred employees to more than three thousand employees by 1888. By 1890, the Westinghouse Electric Company sales totaled four million dollars; Westinghouse had also installed more than three-hundred electrical generators including Niagara Falls, by this time. Westinghouse's business practices were very different than the business practices of they day. Westinghouse clearly was not a businessman, yet because of his dreams, he successfully ran his businesses in a way that baffled many businessmen. From the start, Westinghouse was concerned with the welfare of his employees. His employees were his prime consideration in any business decision. Westinghouse's workers had a six day, fifty-five hour work week. This work week included five ten hour days, Monday through Friday, and a five hour day on Saturday. It seemed strange to other employers of the time to give employees a half-day on Saturday, but this was part of Westinghouse's philosophy. Another benefit of working for Westinghouse was the pension plan. One of the earliest known, Westinghouse provided a pension for each of his workers. The employees of Westinghouse's businesses also received medical coverage. If an employee fell sick or was injured, he and his family would receive money from the compensation fund to live, and the finest medical services available would be given to the worker. A Veteran Employees Association was formed. Any employee with twenty years or more of service could join. This evolv! ed into the formation of a Grievance Committee made up of three shop men and three management personnel. The Grievance Committee would form to resolve such issues as the following: working conditions, working methods, and limits of the workers. Westinghouse's Grievance Committee set the path for labor reform in America. Westinghouse revolutionized the way the American employee worked; hence, Westinghouse was received as the best boss in Pittsburgh. Consequently, he won the resentment of the other employers in Pittsburgh and eventually the country. Westinghouse became famous to every citizen by a means different than his inventions. Westinghouse actually created his own town. Westinghouse became perplexed with the problems that he saw in Pittsburgh; The town had grew from a small city to a booming industrial mecca-center filled with smoky factories and pollution filled avenues. He watched the people work long hours, many were immigrants and others were Native Americans in search of a decent living; furthermore, they came home at night to horrible run down homes where sickly children played in piles of rubbish and rarely attended school. Crime, disease and alcoholism were becoming the image of the industrial world. Westinghouse knew that it could be better than this. He knew that all this progress was not for the working class to become illiterate, diseased and delinquent and for the rich to become isolated and forgetful of what they see. George Westinghouse wondered why nobody did anything about it. Politicians ! would not address it, the upper class would not mention it, and the workers were too busy in their rat race to care. Westinghouse decided he must take action. Westinghouse began reading up on the problem. He read of experiments in Denmark and Sweden where model communities where being made by business and government officials. Westinghouse knew what he would have to do, but it was a very risky move; nevertheless, George had learned not to be frightened off by bold ideas. George Westinghouse contacted a leading architectural firm and told them â€Å"I want you to design a factory and surround it with a town,†(Levine, 2). He visioned a town of state-of-the-art factories, a research laboratory, good schools, community centers, a hospital and inexpensive houses for the employees. Running water and electricity would be standard. In 1890, the Westinghouse Air Brake Company was completely moved to the new site, called Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. The workshops had the â€Å"most modern lighting, heating, ventilation and safety facilities,†(Levine, 2). Each house in the town had a complete indoor bathroom, electric lighting, and natural gas out! lets for cooking and heating. The houses had a lawn with grass, shrubbery, and trees. The houses were rented to the workers with an option to buy. For the children, there were the following: schools that were brightly decorated to attract them to stay, a community center with gymnasiums, a library and meeting rooms. Westinghouse had really out done himself this time thought the whole country; nevertheless, George Westinghouse felt that he had accomplished his greatest achievement, and indeed he had. Westinghouse's model community sent a silent shock-wave to the upper class society of America. Westinghouse was telling these people that they had a responsibility to society. The age of a two class society was over. The American worker now had rights and had power. It took a decade or two, but Westinghouse's vision of America as an Industrial power eventually took shape with the help of the labor movement. Unfortunately, Westinghouse lost control of most of his companies in the financial panic of 1907; this was mostly due to the negative attitude toward him by other employers, his financial backers and his stockholders. Westinghouse died on March 12, 1914; it was a sad day at the Westinghouse companies. A man who cared, a man who listened, a great man was gone forever. George Westinghouse and his wife Marguerite, to whom he credits his success, are buried in Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, D. C. Overall, millions, if not billions of people have benefi! ted from his companies, inventions, and his visions. Would you have safe, odorless, and efficient lights in your house; would you see an illuminated advertisement on the highway; or would you have a paid vacation if it was not for George Westinghouse? He invented all those things. How about your pension? The hundred largest pensions in the U. S. â€Å"have assets exceeding two trillion dollars,†(Muhlenkamp, 3). That is something George Westinghouse would have enjoyed to see.