Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Costa Rica And Its Effects On The Economy - 1035 Words

Costa Rica was home to by an estimated four hundred thousand Indians when Columbus found it in 1502. The Spanish began their conquering of the country in 1524. The region grew very slow and was governed as a Spanish province. Costa Rica took their independence in 1821 but was engrossed for two years by the Mexican empire. It became a republic in 1848. It was ruled by the dictator Tomà ¡s Guardia from 1870 to 1882 with the help of his massive army. (Costa Rica, 2014) Since then, Costa Rica has enjoyed one of the most democratic governments in Latin America. In the 1970s the price of oil went up, international prices skyrocketed above the normal tier, and inflation hurt the fragile economy. Efforts have since been made to reduce the countries†¦show more content†¦The regular amount of children born per women was 7 but with the advancement in the region it has fallen to 3.5. Costa Rica s poverty rate is lower than in most Latin American countries as well. Costa Rica is also po pular for immigration due to its job opportunities and social programs. A small percent of the population was not born natively, with Nicaraguans being the most of that percentage. Many Nicaraguans who come to Costa Rica take employment as unskilled seasonal laborers. The arrive unlawfully or overstay their visas. (Costa Rica, 2016) This continues cause tension between the two neighbors. Costa Rica, meaning Rich Coast, can attribute its assortment of wildlife and natural wonders to its assorted geography, ecological zones, and microclimates. Costa Rica s geography shows a record of disaster, with earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes forming the scene today. A mixture of mountains, beaches, rivers, and powerful waterfalls shape the smaller country at 19,653 square miles. (Geography of Costa Rica, 2014) Found just 10 degrees north of the equator, Costa Rica appreciates a hot climate compared to a sunny tropical paradise. Mountains and rain forests mixed with the two oceans surrounding the country create it’s four main geographical areas: The Tropical Lowlands, the Northern Central Plains, the Central Valley, and the Northwest Peninsula. (Geography of Costa Rica, 2014) Costa Rica also has at least 60 volcanoes, five of which

Essay about Sexual Tolerance of Gays in the Military

Sexual Tolerance of Gays in the Military In 1999, more than 1,000 men and women were discharged from military service due to their sexuality. That number has actually decreased compared to recent years. (Suro NP) Homosexuals were purged from federal employment in 1950, with Bill Clinton updating that policy in 1993 by adding the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue† policy. (Deicher 176) This policy doesn’t work and needs to either be updated again or the ban against homosexuals lifted. Gays should be allowed to fight for the military for employment reasons, the right to fight for one’s country, and because they are no different from anyone else. The fact of the matter is that not even experts can argue in favor of keeping the†¦show more content†¦He said in his campaign that he would abolish the ban on gays in the military. When he said this, he triggered a wave of homosexuals, previously in the armed forces, and currently enrolled at that time, to state their homosexuality, and â€Å"come out of the closet†. With thousands of gays doing this in a span of two years, Clinton’s promise was shot out of reach. His only hope was to improve on the law already in place, and he did so by adding the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell† policy in 1993. This policy made it legal for homosexuals to be in the military, as long as they didn’t state their sexuality. It also made it against the law to ask openly if a person is a homosexual or not. The policy was supposed to be law and obeyed, by everyone in the service. This policy turned out to be a flop and wasn’t taken very seriously, as the higher ranked officers did not punish violators of the rule and some didn’t abide by it themselves. So later on, the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell† policy was modified to the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue† policy, to try and cut down on violators of this law. This has been working to a point, but needs to be changed to teach and inform all members of the army about gays and lesbians, and to also discipline quickly and severely the members of the military that would be considered harassment, including verbal abuse, sometimes known as gay bashing. The U.S. Military provides a very extensive line of employment.Show MoreRelatedSexuality And Public Policy Regarding Sexual Tolerance1074 Words   |  5 PagesSexual Tolerance 2 What are some recent changes in law, attitude, or policy regarding sexual tolerance? Attitude of the world today is continuously changing due to policy and procedures of gay marriages, and gays in the military (News batch, July 2014). The current status of society and how we see homosexuality in today’s world is and will always and forever evolving. In addition, the greater social acceptance of homosexuality in the U.S. is catching on and moving from one state toRead MoreThe Combat Feminine Warrior Paradigm984 Words   |  4 Pagesessence of military culture. This paradigm persists today even with the presence of â€Å"others† (e.g. women and gays) who do not fit the stereotypical image of combatant or masculine warrior.† In a 5-paragraph essay, discuss how the presence of women or gays will cause the military culture to change. Karen O. Donovan s article about military culture explores military tradition, and the impact social changes in society has on the military. These changes included the policy change regarding gays six yearsRead MoreThe First Continental Army : A New Form Of Military1088 Words   |  5 Pagesrewritten and a new form of military arose in 1789. One would think a lot of change would happen within 200 years, but between then and 2010, all derivative branches were pretty much stuck in the same way; they didn’t allow women into all positions, they don’t have a national armed-forces day, and they didn’t have†¦ openly gay people? Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a joint initiative from the Clinton Administration and the Department of Defense that allowed the military to discriminate against thoseRead MoreSexual Assault Of The Military2138 Words   |  9 PagesSexual assault in the military has been an ongoing problem for centuries. In the United States Armed Forces sexual assault is a crime that has just recently drawn a great deal of public attention and has placed pressure on the government to put a stop to the abuse. The department of defense under pressure and supervision from the government is going to great measures to address this ongoing problem. Although measures are in place to educate, protect the victims, and punish the offenders, the problemRead MoreEqual Rights for Lgbt1113 Words   |  5 PagesEqual Rights for LGBT For many years, homosexuals have been discriminated because of their sexual orientation. There are parents who teach their children to look down on homosexuality and that it is seen unnatural. But that was before, now the new generation is still growing so they make their own decisions. This generation is more open-minded and more accepting to new ideas. Homosexuals should be able to live with the same equal rights as everyone in America since this is the country consideredRead MoreHow Will Open Homosexuals Affect Military Morale And Cohesion? Essay1516 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Review: How will open homosexuals affect military morale and cohesion? In 1993, newly elected President Bill Clinton promised to make good on one of his many promises he had made while on the campaign trail. He announced to the American people that he was going to follow through on his intention to remove the ban prohibiting gays and lesbians from serving in the United States military. Expectedly, this announcement caused a lot of controversy thus pushing the president to create his â€Å"Don’tRead MoreCurrent Affairs Essay974 Words   |  4 Pagesinequality and discrimination in the United States military. In 1993, the policy â€Å"Dont Ask, Dont Tell† prohibited openly lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals from serving in the U.S. military and were discharged if known to be homosexual (Belkin, 108). However, according to Kornblum and Julian tolerance for homosexuality grew and things changed, for example: Strong evidence of this trend is found in the recent decision by the U.S. military, with approval from Congress, to rescind theRead MoreThe Community Of Lgbt Workers Essay1583 Words   |  7 Pagesthey are being judged by their sexual preferences and appearance. Being a gay or transgender worker causes them to be mistreated, not judged for the actual workers they are, and most importantly, halts a majority of them in better career and job opportunities. Although under federal law it is illegal to fire someone who is either gay or transgender, they are still either being denied employment or being terminated from their jobs because of their gender category or sexual orientation. A great amountRead MoreThe Fight for Gay Rights Essay1515 Words   |  7 PagesThe Fight for Gay Rights Restrictions have been put in place on homosexuals’ basic human rights because of individuals’ opinions and lack of tolerance. America is a country where all people should have the same rights, regardless of sexual preference. Gay marriage is illegal in more than thirty states even yet today (ProQuest). Homosexual people have been struggling with their rights for over a hundred years now, but the issue still hasn’t been resolved. Gay marriage and rights didn’t become aRead MoreEssay about United States Army and Homosexuality Tolerance3000 Words   |  12 PagesUnited States Army and Homosexuality Tolerance Abstract This integrated portfolio project will explore the United States Army position on homosexuals within its confines. It will briefly define what homosexuality and its affect on the military environment. It will explore the problems it causes and why it is a cultural discomfort within the U.S. Armed Forces. Additionally, it will reveal different attitudes held within the services and divulge steps that are

Home Page for a Library Using the Java EE Platform

Question: Discuss about theHome Page for a Library Using the Java EE Platform. Answer: Introduction Java EE is a platform for creating web applications; web applications (herein-fore called web apps) are programs that differ from other applications such as desktop applications (for example MS Word) because most of the computing work is done in another remote computer and the users machine only gets the display data (Gupta, 2013). The user interface is written using any of the many web technologies or languages, such as JavaScript, HTML or Flash, which are then viewed by a web browser. For the system to work, the server (remote machine) has to run an application that responds to requests from clients, does some computing, and then returns replies to the user on their machines (Ullman, 2012). When a request is sent to the web app by a user, the app server processes the request, validates the request and then instructs the web application to handle the business logic side of the request. Java EE is a collection of specifications that define how a Java based web application should be w ritten and how the application needs to be implemented in the server so they can work together (MacCaw, 2011). This paper outlines a Java EE design for a web application to be used by a library in which users can do a variety of things on the web page; new users can sign up, existing users can log in, and search for books and other items. General Requirements To develop a web application using Java EE, one needs the NetBeans 6.x as well as an IDE registered server. The Java EE and the Web installation will make it possible to optonally install and then run Apache Tomcat servlet container (6.x.x) as well as a GlassFish V2 app server. The Net Beans installation additionally requires installing the JDK (Java SE Development Kit); JDK includes the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) and tools and API required for running a web app. In Netbeans, the user should create a new file and choose Web Application and name the web application (for instance in this case library) (Juneau, 2013). The project location is then specified from the computer location, which will act as the app server and requires selecting the servers found in Netbeans, such as GlassFishV2 and the Set as main Project box is selected and Finish clicked. The project folder is created by the IDE; it will have all meta data and sources; the project then opens. Next a Java package and Sou rce File are created where a new Java Class is created. The string variables are then declared in the source editor (Bien, 2011) Architecture The app is designed using a two tier architecture whereby a client is able to directly communicate with the server that stores information, such as MySQL database using a suitable API, such as Java Connectivity API. The application is understood and managed by the application server and a database server such as MySQL understands SQL content. Focus will be placed on the home or welcome page which is where the web app will have its query results displayed. The diagrammatic design is shown below; The diagram above shows a schematic representation of the web application and how it will work. The application will actually run from a Java EE server where the servlet is located, together with the JSP page, on a web container. In the EJB container, there is the enterprise bean that runs the servlet. When a client sends a request from the user interface on a browser, the information is handled within the application client container (Borodescu, 2013). On the backside of the Java EE server is a connection to a database where user names are kept as well as information ob books and their status. For example, when a registered user gets to the web interface, they are prompted to enter their names and password; which they do from the web browser application client found in the application client container. The servlet then handles the request through the EJB container and queries the database and returns a result that the user can see on their browser (Anikas, 2016). The Web Interface The web page will be rendered in HTML 5 (headers and title and for correct reading on the web). Using Java Net Beans and JSP, web applications are made for the log in page. The log in pane is a java index page containing a JSP web application for logging in or for registering. Upon reaching the login JSP web app, a user will enter their credentials consisting of a user name and password, or if a new user, they can register. Both users/ guests and administrator will log in from the JSP web application. The administrator with high level rights will also use their password and user name to log-in. Successful log-in takes them to a second page where the administrator can manage items, such as set an item (book) to be available or check a users loan status. For users, they can check item loan details, search for items, or make a comment such as a query. The loan query delivers a loans list. Both the administrator and user can quit and get back to the home page with the log-in JSP web appl ication. These are illustrated in the chart below; The user interface links to a database on the back-end; from the database, a user or administrator can make queries and get results when making comments on an item or searching for a specific item. After logging in, a user can make a bookmark that includes item details or the user can create a comment; the user can also seek their loan list based on item details. The user can check the items from an item category, as illustrated below; References Anikas, M. (2016). 5 Common Server Setups For Your Web Application | DigitalOcean.Digitalocean.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016, from https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/5-common-server-setups-for-your-web-application Bien, A. (2011). Real world Java EE night hacks. [London]: Press.adam-bien.com. Borodescu, C. (2013). Web Sites vs. Web Apps: What the experts think. VisionMobile. Retrieved 29 September 2016, from https://www.visionmobile.com/blog/2013/07/web-sites-vs-web-apps- what-the-experts-think Gupta, A. (2013). Java EE 7 essentials. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media. Juneau, J. (2013). Java EE 7 recipes. Berkeley, Calif.: Apress. MacCaw, A. (2011). JavaScript web applications. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly. Ullman, L. (2012). Modern JavaScript. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press.

Heart/ aP/ Nursing free essay sample

A flat macular hemorrhage is called a(n): Purpura Risk factors that may lead to skin disease and breakdown include: a lifetime of environmental trauma. What term refers to a linear skin lesion that runs along a nerve route? Zosteriform The components of a nail examination include: contour, consistency, and color. An example of a primary lesion is a(n): urticaria. A scooped out, shallow depression in the skin is called a/an: erosion. Chapter 19 The first heart sound is produced by the: closure of the AV valves. Which of the following guidelines may be used to identify which heart sound is S1? S1 coincides with the carotid artery pulse. Which of the following cardiac alterations occurs during pregnancy? An increase in cardiac volume and a decrease in blood pressure Which of the following is an appropriate position to have the patient assume when auscultating for extra heart sounds or murmurs? Roll toward the left side The leaflets of the tricuspid and mitral valves are anchored by __________________ to the _________________, which are embedded in the ventricular floor. We will write a custom essay sample on Heart/ aP/ Nursing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page chordae tendineae; papillary muscles The ability of the heart to contract independently of any signals or stimulation is due to: automaticity. When auscultating the heart of a newborn within 24 hours after birth, the examiner hears a continuous sound that mimics the sound of a machine. This finding most likely indicates: an expected sound caused by nonclosure of the ductus arteriosus. A bruit heard while auscultating the carotid artery of a 65-year-old patient is caused by: turbulent blood flow through the carotid artery. The jugular venous pressure is an indirect reflection of the: hearts efficiency as a pump. The semilunar valves separate the: ventricles from the arteries. Chapter 20 One of the legs deep veins is the: popliteal. ?Arteriosclerosis refers to: thickening and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls. ?Palpable inguinal lymph nodes are: normal if small (less than 1 cm), movable, and nontender. In pulsus paradoxus: beats have weaker amplitude with respiratory inspiration and stronger amplitude with expiration. ?Lymphedema is: the swelling of an extremity caused by an obstructed lymph channel. ?A water-hammer Corrigan pulse is associated with: aortic valve regurgitation. The cervical nodes drain the: head and neck. In young children, the thymus gland: produces T lymphocytes. Claudication is caused by: arterial insufficiency. The patient has severe bila teral lower extremity edema. The most likely cause is: heart failure.

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Napleon And Wellington Essays - Knights Of The Golden Fleece

Napleon And Wellington Napoleon Bonaparte and Arthur, Duke of Wellington The careers of Napoleon Bonaparte and Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington, contrasted in many different ways. The manner in which both rose to glory was quite dissimilar. Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica on August 15, 1769 and was thought to be the most formidable military commander since Alexander the great. He was a bright, charismatic child of noble background. As a boy, he was described as good ?willed and generous. At nine, through his father's influence, Napoleon went off to military school in Paris at the expense of King Louis XVI. It was here that it was discovered that he had and amazing brain capacity and was considered a genius, yet nobody could imagine his success and all of the dead bodies he left in his wake for the sake of peace. Wellesley, on the other hand, was born on May 1, 1769, in Dublin and was also of noble background. As an adult, Wellesley would rise to rule the British empire, but as a schoolboy his future looked grim and lacked the genius that Napoleon possessed. His situation became so desperate that he was sent to military school, where his metamorphosis was astonishing. He found that he enjoyed the army and needed it to establish a career in life. He was given the title ?1st Duke of Wellington? due to his military successes. In school, Napoleon was always the leader and could always win at games due to his strategies and his impeccability at outwitting the other team. He was attracted to the military for a number of reasons and he had secret weapons such as his extraordinary intelligence. The military schools of Napoleon and Wellesley never engaged in competition so they never met. Napoleon graduated military school in 1785, at the age of 16, and joined the artillery as a second lieutenant. He studied firepower and trained in the artillery, which would help Napoleon become a genius in this field. Meanwhile, in 1787, Wellesley was commissioned to the British army and, although he was extremely ambitious, his youth sometimes showed. In 1790, Wellesley was elected to the Irish parliament and participated in the unsuccessful campaign of 1794-95 against French forces in the Netherlands. Upon returning to England in 1805, he was rewarded with knighthood. After the Revolution began, Napoleon became a lieutenant colonel in the Corsican National Guard but, in 1793, Corsica declared independence, and Bonaparte, a French patriot and a Republican, fled to France with his family. He was assigned, as a captain, to an army besieging Toulon, a naval base that, aided by a British fleet, was in revolt against the republic. Replacing a wounded artillery general, he drove the British fleet from the harbor, and Toulon fell. Napoleon was then promoted to brigadier general at the age of 24 and in 1796 he married Josephine de Beauharnais, the widow of an aristocrat guillotined in the Revolution and the mother of two children. Also in 1796, Bonaparte was made commander of the French army in Italy and due to his victories, he became quite well known and respected by the French. In the same year, Wellesley, now holding the rank of colonel in the army, went to India, where he received his first independent command. Wellesley's brother was appointed governor-general of India in 1797, and Arthur took part in several military campaigns and returned to England in 1805. In 1798, Bonaparte led an expedition to Turkish-ruled Egypt, which he conquered yet his fleet was destroyed. Undismayed, he reformed the Egyptian government and law, abolishing serfdom and feudalism and guaranteeing basic rights. In 1799, he won a smashing victory over the Turks but failed to capture Syria. Napoleon then decided to leave his army and return to save France, where he joined a conspiracy against the government. He and his colleagues seized power in the coup d'etat of November 1799, and established a new regime called the Consulate. Under its constitution, Bonaparte, as first consul, had almost dictatorial powers. In 1802 the constitution was revised to make Bonaparte consul for life and then in 1804 it made him emperor. He reorganized the administration, simplified the court system, and all schools in France were

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Essay Tips - Writes a Sample Essay For Education School

Essay Tips - Writes a Sample Essay For Education SchoolThe most fundamental step in writing a sample essay for education school is to decide on a topic. What topic can be of great help in helping students from a variety of different backgrounds to reach the basic level in their education? The answers to this question should take into account that all students have similar educational problems.A sample essay for education school may include subjects like personal finance, in addition to anything else that pertains to the concept of learning. When deciding upon a topic, it is important to be as specific as possible so that a theme can be created. In addition, this should be the most basic level of an essay that should be completed for the education school.There are a number of tools available that are used to assist in writing a sample essay for education school. These tools are a more advanced form of what can be found in writing a general essay. While there is much more to the tools than what can be found in a generic essay, they are a powerful tool when used properly.Once the topic and the specific concept are decided upon, the composition can begin. The reason why this step is important is that the topic and the concept are the heart of the essay. If either one of these two elements is lacking, the entire essay will not flow correctly.This is why it is important to start the essay by discussing the topic. This allows the writer to become familiar with the concept. By having an idea of what is being discussed, the writer can rest assured that the essay will flow well, and the ideas will be displayed properly.After the topic is discussed, it is time to prepare the topic itself. This is where research is used. The amount of research that must be done for the topic will vary, but it is important to research the basics of the topic before proceeding.The most basic point of the topic should be highlighted. This is the primary point of the essay, which will be used in both a brainstorming session, and in writing the actual essay. If the student can clearly state the basic point of the essay, this will allow the student to be able to explain in more detail in later sections of the essay.The most basic point of writing a sample essay for education school is to have the basics covered before moving forward. By presenting a general outline to the student, they can be sure that they will present a clear idea to the reader. Without the basics of the topic, the whole essay will not flow correctly.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

The Jennifer Hudson Family Murder Case

The Jennifer Hudson Family Murder Case On October 24, 2008, the bodies of Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudsons mother and brother were found in the familys home on Chicagos South Side. Shot to death was Hudsons mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson. Missing from the home was Julian King, the son of Jennifers sister Julia Hudson. Three days later the body of 7-year-old Julian, Hudsons nephew, was found in the back seat of an SUV parked on the West Side. He also had been shot. A .45-caliber gun found near the parked SUV was linked to all of the shooting deaths. The SUV was later confirmed to be that of Hudsons murdered brother, Justin King. A gun was also found in a vacant lot in the same neighborhood as the SUV, police said. The case drew national attention because of the fame of family member Jennifer Hudson, who won the best-supporting-actress Academy Award for her 2007 role in the film Dreamgirls. Hudson first gained fame after she was ousted on season three of the television talent show American Idol. Julias Estranged Husband Questioned William Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, was taken into custody the day the first two bodies were found and held for 48 hours. He was then taken into custody by the Illinois Department of Corrections on a suspected parole violation. Balfour married Julia Hudson in 2006 but had been separated at the time of the shootings. He was thrown out of the Hudson home by Julias mother in the winter of 2007, according to reports. He denied any involvement with the Hudson case and denied statements that he had been seen with a gun, but remained in police custody. Balfour served almost seven years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possession of a stolen vehicle. He was on parole at the time that the murder took place. Brother-in-Law Arrested Balfour was arrested at Stateville Correctional Center where he was being held on parole violation charges. Prosecutors believed that the shootings at the Hudson family home were the result of an argument Balfour had with Julia about another man. Investigators learned that Balfour tried to get a former girlfriend, Brittany Acoff-Howard, to provide him with a false alibi for the day that the murders occurred.   Im Going to Kill Your Family According to court records, Balfour threatened to kill members of Hudsons family on at least two dozen occasions before the three murders in October 2008. Assistant States Attorney James McKay said the threats began shortly after Balfour and his wife Julia Hudson broke up and he moved out of the family house. McKay said Balfour told Julia, If you ever leave me, Im going to kill you, but Im going to kill your family first. You will be the last to die. Jury Selection After answering questions about their knowledge of singer and actress Jennifer Hudson, 12 jurors and six alternates were chosen for the trial. Potential jurors in the trial were given questionnaires which asked if they were familiar with Hudsons career, if they regularly watched American Idol, and even if they were members of Weight Watchers, a weight-loss program for which Hudson is a celebrity spokesperson.   The jury was composed of 10 women and eight men and was racially diverse. While waiting for opening statements to begin a month later, Judge Charles Burns asked the jurors not to watch the television show American Idol, because Hudson was scheduled to make an appearance on an upcoming episode. The Trial During opening statements, Balfours defense attorney told jurors that police targeted him for the crime because they were under pressure to solve quickly what they knew would become a high-profile case, because of Jennifer Hudsons notoriety. Defense attorney Amy Thompson also told the jury that DNA found on the gun and fingerprints found in the SUV, in which Julians body was found three days later, did not match Balfour. Balfour pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed he was nowhere near the house when the murders occurred. We Didnt Like How He Treated Her None of us wanted her to marry him [Balfour], Jennifer Hudson told the jury, We did not like how he treated her. Jennifer Hudsons sister Julia testified that Balfour was so jealous that he would even become angry when her son Julian kissed his mother. He would tell the 7-year-old, Get off my wife, she testified. Brittany Acoff Howard testified that William Balfour asked her to cover for him  for Oct. 24, 2008, the day Hudsons family members were killed.  Howard told jurors that Balfour helped buy her a prom dress and treated her like a little sister. He told me that if anybody asks you, Ive been out west all day, Acoff Howard said. In response to a specific prosecution witness, she said Balfour had asked her to lie for him. No DNA, But Gunshot Residue Illinois State Police evidence analyst Robert Berk told jurors that gunshot residue was found on the steering wheel of Balfours vehicle and the ceiling of the Suburban. His testimony followed that of another analyst, Pauline Gordon, who said no traces of Balfours DNA were found on the murder weapon, but that did not mean he never handled the gun. Some people shed skin cells faster, Gordon said. Gloves could have been worn. Guilty The jury deliberated 18 hours before finding Balfour guilty on three counts of murder and several other charges in connection with the October 24, 2008, deaths Darnell Donerson; Jason Hudson; and her 7-year-old nephew Julian King. After the verdict, jury members described the process they used during their almost 18 hours of deliberations. First, they voted on whether each witness was credible or not. Then they created a timeline of the crime to compare it with the alibi Balfours attorneys outlined during the trial. When the jury got around to taking its first vote, it was 9 to 3 in favor of conviction. Some of us tried our best to make him innocent, but the facts just werent there, juror Tracie Austin told reporters. Sentencing Before he was sentenced, Balfour was allowed to make a statement. In it, he offered condolences to the Hudson family but maintained his innocence. My deepest prayers go out to Julian King, Balfour said. I loved him. I still love him. Im innocent your honor. Under Illinois law, Balfour faced mandatory life without parole sentences for the multiple murders.  Illinois law does not allow death penalty sentences under any circumstances. You have the heart of an arctic night, Judge Burns told Balfour at his sentencing hearing. Your soul is as barren as dark space. Balfour was sentenced to life without parole. Grateful for Support Grammy and Academy Award-winning Hudson sobbed and leaned on her fiances shoulder as the jury verdict was read. She attended every day of the 11-day trial. In a statement, Jennifer and her sister Julia offered their gratitude: We have felt the love and support from people all over the world and were very grateful, the statement said. We want to extend a prayer from the Hudson family to the Balfour family. We have all suffered a terrible loss in this tragedy. They said they were praying that the Lord will forgive Mr. Balfour of these heinous acts and bring his heart into repentance someday. Balfour Continues to Deny Involvement In February 2016,  Balfour  talked was interviewed by  Chuck Goudie of  WLS-TV, ABC7s sister station in Chicago. This was his first publicized interview since his conviction. During the interview, Balfour stated that his conviction was due to a large conspiracy that included the police, witnesses, and lawyers and that he had nothing to do with the murders. When asked about why  7-year-old  Julian King was murdered, Balfours answer was chilling: Balfour: ...It could have been a wrong place at the wrong time, the person who come in there to kill somebody dont kill who they kill. If you are a witness and you can identify somebody, they can say I killed him because he could have identified me but thats not the case.Goudie: That 7-year-old boy could have identified you.Balfour: That what I said earlier, that he could identify me and thats why he got killed. Or he killed him because he could identify him. Now Julian was smart, he could remember faces. In response to the interview, the Chicago Police Department said: CPD stands firmly behind our investigation which was based exclusively on facts and evidence in this senseless murder. Balfour is currently serving his time in  Stateville Correctional Center  near  Joliet, Illinois.