Engineering accomplishments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Engineering accomplishments - Essay Example In the year 2004, the EEG Simecsol, under Eiffage Construction, the main contractor, completed the Millau Viaduct project, the most beautiful bridge in the world today. The project kicked off in the year 2012 when the Foster and Partners Company completed their design work and handed their plan to the construction company. The bridge is located in South West France, constructed across the River Tarn Valley. Apart from being one of the largest bridges, its features are unique and completely designed expertly. The most unique features of the bridge are the seven reinforced concrete pylons, whose height range between 78 and 245 metres, supporting 32m wide steel super structure. The hollow box girders and the steel pylons carrying the stay cables make it a heavy and stable structure. This bridge has become a source of public attraction in France as many people come to see the world most beautiful bridge. The engineering perspective of this bridge shows the development of the metal-streng thening technology and new ways of meshing the support structure in the construction industry (Matthew Para. 1). Therefore, the bridge is rated as one of the greatest construction and civil engineering achievements in the 21st century. Another engineering achievement is the QingZang Tibet Railway built in China. This railway traverses across permafrost land on a very high altitude. From the start, the engineers knew that the project was a big challenge especially given to the terrain and the unfavorable weather conditions of the land. For many years, the Chinese engineers had sought solution to how this project would succeed as it was an urgent project that aimed at connecting the Chinese business market. However, the project delayed due to the challenges that way laid the construction of such a railway. The railway spans between Golmud and Lhasa, traversing a tough landscape.

Literature review and best practices for STEMI care Essay

Literature review and best practices for STEMI care - Essay Example Lee (2009) suggested that physicians should initiate the catheterization laboratory without necessary consulting the cardiologists. In some cases, some patients that have been referred for PPCI do not get optimum percutaneous reperfusion and at the right time with an experienced group (Tubaro et al., 2011). PCI aims to open the artery as soon as possible after its blockade, preferably within 90minutes (Cardiosmart.org, 2014). The recommended time for the treatment of patients with PCI capability is a maximum of 90 minutes. For those without PCI capability, they should receive medical attention in the first 30minutes of arrival at a hospital. The treatment is basically fibrinolytic therapy. Paramedic bypass of the protocols of emergency care reduced the number of minutes of the door to balloon time. From the study, there was an improvement of over 28 % percent. Before the initiation of paramedic by pass protocol, the average time needed was about 107 minutes. These saw an improvement of about thirty-seven minutes with an average time coming down to 70 percent. However, the study recommends for further studies to determine the outcome of those patients who were taken care of by these paramedics (Cheskeset al, 2011). In the observation by Pitta et al (2010), it was noted that most of the time lost is on the acquisition of an electrocardiogram and most of the patients never had an electrocardiogram conducted on them because of the delays. Hence, from the case study, the authors emphasize on the need to have a Pre-hospital electro cardiogram to conduct to aid in reducing the door to balloon time. In the study conducted by Wilson et al, (2010) to assess the impact of interdepartmental collaboration on door to balloon time reduction, the authors observes that there is a great improvement on time reduction with emergency department physician activation of cardiac catheterization laboratory followed with instantaneous transfer in

Understanding The Dell Direct Distribution Channel Commerce Essay

Understanding The Dell Direct Distribution Channel Commerce Essay The direct model refers to the fact that Dell does not use the retails channel, but sells its PCs directly to customers through its website, this way the intermediary steps that may add time and cost are eliminated, and Dell is directly linked to its customers. The direct approach allows Dell to build a relationship, which makes it quick and easy for customers to do business with Dell. Supplier DELL Final Customer The build-to-order model enables Dell to keep inventory down very low compared to competitors like Compaq and IBM. Dell has a low inventory of five to ten days, while Compaq and IBM have inventory of four weeks or more. Dell purchases a significant number of components from single sources. In some cases, alternative sources of supply are not available. In other cases Dell may establish a working relationship with a single source, even when multiple suppliers are available, if the company believes it is advantageous to do so when considering performance, quality, support, delivery, capacity and price (Annual Report, 1996). If the supply of a critical single-sourced material or component were delayed or curtailed, Dells ability to ship the related product in desired quantities and in a timely manner could be adversely affected. Even where alternative sources of supply are available, qualification of the alternative suppliers and establishment of reliable supplies could result in delays and a possible loss of sales, which could affect operating results adversely (Annual Report, 1996). An Event:- On 21 September 1999, an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck Chichi, Taiwan. It had devastating consequences. Baum (1999) reports that after the disaster more than 2,200 people lost their lives, more than 50,000 buildings were destroyed and total industrial production losses were estimated as $1.2 billion. This area features high production concentration of many other computer components, e.g. motherboards (more than two-thirds of world consumption in 1999) and notebook displays. Local producers of computer memory, TSMC and UMC being the leading Taiwanese suppliers, lost significant quantities of work in progress at the time of the earthquake. Sherin and Bartoletti (1999) report that production lines could not restart at the first couple of days after the event as sensitive critical-path equipment had been damaged. The world markets of memory chips reacted very fast to this news, as supply was constrained at the last part of 1999. The spot price of memory chips went up fivefold. computer memory increases were not passed on to consumers as higher product prices, but they were absorbed by the company and were passed on to investors in the form of less stock repurchases. Dell Computer Co. (2000a) announced that during the fourth quarter of 1999 it lost $300 million in revenue due to the Earthquake. Literature Review The global presence of DELL with sales offices in 43 countries, sales presence in 170 countries, 6 global manufacturing sites in Brazil, Tennessee, Texas, China, Ireland and Malaysia clearly defines its leading position in the computer systems market. The annual revenue for Dell Inc was $ 61.8 Billion (FY 2008- 2009). By cutting .the middle man and building PCs, enterprise products like servers, storages, solutions to order, Dell has revolutionized an industry once inundated with unsold inventory and products that quickly became obsolescent. Dells integrated supply chain has allowed it to gain market share while remaining profitable. Dells business strategy includes direct route to market, Supplier relationship and E- Commerce. Dell Direct Model Supplier Relationship (Just In Time Strategy) E- Commerce Direct Model: Dells business model is the envy of many competitors. Most other competitors are in the process of developing a direct market strategy but the transition from existing sales channel is not simple. Dell continues to gain market share by using its knowledge about its customers. First of all, the model eliminates the need to support a widespread network of wholesale and retail dealers, which allows them to avoid dealer mark-ups; avoids the higher inventory costs associated with the wholesale/retail channel and the competition for retail shelf space; and diminishes the high risk of obsolescence associated with products in a rapidly changing technological market. Supplier Relationships: Dell.s integrated supply chain allows it to keep only four days of inventory. Component price in computer industry falls almost 6% a week. The company can provide the component price decline to its customers quickly. In addition, Dell shares demand information with suppliers, so ensuring that inventory is kept to minimum. Dell also enhances cash flow by effectively paying suppliers after customers have settled invoices. Dells relationship with their suppliers has played a key role in their success story. They have found a way to get most suppliers to keep components warehoused within minutes from Dells factories in Austin, Penang, Malaysia, and Limerick, Ireland. This has led them to reduce their number of suppliers from 204 in 1992, to only 47 today, all of whom have been willing to cooperate with their warehousing plan. These suppliers manage their own inventories, while they run parts to Dell as needed. The biggest advantage for Dell is that they dont get b illed for the components until they leave the suppliers warehouse. Dell doesnt take these components until an order is placed, which saves them a lot of money because the prices of PC parts can fall rapidly in just a few months. E-Commerce: Dell has developed a process whereby they can assess the lowest possible price within an hour. Dells e-commerce infrastructure allows dynamic pricing strategy, whereby the same product and service can be sold at different prices, depending on the buyer. As a result of their innovative transformation, Dell sells more than $30 million per day on the Internet, accounting for 30% of their overall revenue. Dell views the Internet as the most genuine and efficient form of their direct model, providing greater convenience and efficiency to customers as well as to Dell. Theoretical Model :- Supply Chain Disruption, both potential and actual are the enemies of all firm. Supply Chain disruption can be defined as Unplanned and Unanticipated event that has disrupted the normal flow of goods and material within a supply chain. Risk Prevails in three categories i.e Internal risk , External Risk and Network related risk( Juttner et al. 2002). Risk can be catogorised in variables. Variables suggested by Ritchie and Marshall ( 1993) include environment, industry, organisation , problem specific, decision maker related variables. Supply Chain Disruption:- Anything that affects the flow and supply of raw material, sub component, finished good from all the way from origin to the final demand point. On the basis of the severity of impacts and their likelihood or probability of occurrence, the major established attributes of disruption can be classified as follows: The most vital attribute of disruption is the inherent cause of disruption. For example, Murphy(2006) categorized disruptions into natural events, external man made events, and internal- man made events. Blizzards, labour strikes, and product recalls would be examples of each category respectively (Murphy 2006). Another vital attribute is on how many spheres or disciplines of the supply chain have been affected by a given disruption at one time. The third vital attribute is whether or not the disruption is associated an environmental change. Disruptions that cause an environmental change usually impact some form of the infrastructure for either a long time period or permanently. The fourth and the final attribute of disruption is the duration of the disruption itself. The framework tests the supply chain risks based on the above mentioned attributes and classifies them as deviation disruption or disaster, based on the severity of the disruption over the supply chain and the probability of occurrence as a parameter for risk calculation, assessment, prevention or mitigation. In order to see the different aspect of risk management in a supply chain, a frame work prepared by Manuj and Mentzer( 2008) has been reviewed.The schematic diagram of the framework is shown below. The framework is created in view with firms having a global outreach who source from different countries. This framework provided is a comprehensive one with both risk management and mitigation factors incorporated in to it. This framework proved to be ideal for risk management and mitigation in Dell, a truly global firm. The framework adopts 5 step approach for Risk management and Mitigation. Risk Identification: Risk identification is an important stage in the risk management process. Consequently, by identifying a risk, decision-makers become aware of events that may cause disturbances. To assess supply chain risk exposures, the company must identify not only direct risks to its operations, but also the potential causes or sources of those risks at every significant link along the supply chain (Christopher  HYPERLINK #idb3et al.HYPERLINK #idb3, 2002). Hence, the main focus of supply chain risk analysis is to recognize future uncertainties to enable proactive management of risk-related issues. Risk Assessment and Evaluation: After the risk analysis, it is important to assess and prioritize risks to be able to choose management actions appropriate to the situation. One common method is to compare events by assessing their probabilities and consequences and put them in a risk map/matrix Risk Management Strategy: Different strategies are adopted for various risks according to their importance and nature. Various strategies are suggested in the framework, such as Avoidance, Postponement, Speculation, Hedging, Control, Risk Sharing/Transfer, Security etc. Implementation of Supply Chain Risk Management Strategy:- Once the various strategies have been decided, plans have to be made for implementing the strategies based on their priority. Mitigation of Supply Chain Risk: Mitigation is the most commonly considered risk management strategy. Mitigation involves fixing the flaw or providing some type of compensatory control to reduce the likelihood or impact associated with the flaw. A common mitigation for a technical security flaw is to install a patch provided by the vendor. Sometimes the process of determining mitigation strategies is called control analysis. Expansion of the Framework and explanation of Potential Source of Disruption Recovery:- The global SCRM frame work designed by Manuj and Mentzer (2008) was applied on the Dells Value chain to analyze and identify the Risk. The framework was expanded and broken in to various stage and then applied to the Dell Value Chain. Risk Identification: In this phase various risk were identified by brain storming. The risks were classified in the following sub heads. Supply Risk: This includes of Wrong Supplier selection ,Natural Calamity like Earthquake, Hurricane, Low Inventory levels, Quality Issues , Supply disruption and Price escalation. Operations Risk: This includes Exchange Rate, Country Factors, and Virtual integration network breakdown. Demand Risk: This includes New Competitor, Technology Changes and Demand Fluctuation. Security Risk:- This includes Information system breach and Freight breaches. Risk Assessment and Evaluation: In this phase we have calculated the RPN number. Probability and impact of disruption were quantifies on the scale of 1 to 10 based on the hypothesis on the most severe to be 10 and the least severe to be 1.Eventually the most probable to be 10 and the least probable to be 1. Multiplying the Probability and Probability, RPN was calculated. Risk Management:- In this phase we have suggested the various ways by which an organization can minimize the impact by the risk which were identified in the Risk identification. Risks having high RPN number such as Supply Disruption , Low inventory Level should be attacked first, gradually coming down to the lesser RPN numbers and taking proper measure to minimize the risk. Risk Mitigation: Identifying the severity of disruption, risk mitigation strategy was defined. The academic framework by Manuj and Mentzer(2008) was tested hypothetically over the case of severe supply chain disruption faced by Dell and other computer systems manufacturer, during the time when Taiwan, one of the largest manufacturing base for semiconductor and motherboard production and assembly, suffered an earthquake, which is critically analysed as an unplanned unorganised risk for any functional supply chain in the manufacturing scenario.. After the step wise approach of finalising the framework and implying and expanding it over a real time already occurred situation of crisis it was inferred that severe supply chain disruptions have a great impact on the firm. The existence of a clearly articulated risk management plan for disaster-induced supply disruptions has not appeared in Dells official announcements during the six month period after the event in Taiwan. The inherent supply chain agility of this CDM Company, however, offered it several means of recourse during the month that followed the disruption. Dell operates on a configure-to-order basis, thus the final decision on product configuration rests with Dells customer. The moment an inputs price increases, customers may modify their configuration preferences by requesting less of the expensive input. Veverka (1999) reports that Dell changed its marketing strategy after the Taiwan earthquake in an effort to shift consumer preferences towards low memory products. A second ingredient of Dells supply chain strategy, long-term contracts with suppliers, did not deliver steady prices; despite expectations to the contrary in the PC industry press (Deckmyn, 1999). Baljko-Shah (2000) reports that Dell was forced to buy regular DRAM memories after the Taiwan earthquake, while their prices were high. Dell was planning to incorporate in its most innovative product line best-available technology memories (RDRAM). Contrary to earlier announcements, computer processor unit (CPU) suppliers did not make available on time CPUs compatible with the new technology memories. Dell ended up buying conventional memories during the earthquake-induced shortage in order to meet advertised commitments to increased memory capability in its innovative products. Dell Computer Co. (2000a) announced that during the fourth quarter of 1999 it lost $300 million in revenue. With respect to the framework by Manuj and Mentzer ( 2008) , the disruption at dell, in the case of earthquake in Taiwan at the supplier base, disrupting the dells supply chain can be covered by deploying the Risk resilience. The key points to mitigate the damages caused by the Supply Chain disruption are recommended as below. Postponement of Risk :- Postponement entails delaying the actual commitment of resources to maintain flexibility and delay incurring costs (Bucklin, 1965). It appeared that an increasing trend toward off-shoring provided a motivation for form postponement. Yang et al. (2004) also argue that with increasing attention to mass customization, agile operations, and e-business strategies, there should be more interest in postponement; however, there has been an absence of empirical research supporting this implication. Since global supply chains face high risks, postponement becomes increasingly valuable as the proportion of off-shore components in the final product increases. Therefore, as a preliminary observation, we believe that as the proportion of off-shore components in the final product increases, the likelihood of a supply chain considering investment in form postponement will increase. Speculation of Risk: Speculation (also called selective risk taking) is a demand-side risk management strategy that is the opposite of postponement (Bucklin, 1965). It includes such actions as forward placement of inventory in country markets, forward buying of finished goods or raw material inventory, and early commitment to the form of a product, all in anticipation of future demand. In the interviews, speculation emerged as the most commonly used strategy to address uncertainty in the business Environment: Hedging of Risk: In a global supply-chain context, hedging is undertaken by having a globally dispersed portfolio of suppliers and facilities such that a single event (like currency fluctuations or a natural disaster) will not affect all the entities at the same time and/or in the same magnitude. For example, dual sourcing can be used as a hedge against risks of quality, quantity, disruption, price, variability in performance, and opportunism (Berger et al., 2004), but dual sourcing requires more investment than single sourcing. Transfer of Risk:- The transfer of risk primarily encompasses a risk sharing strategy in a case of severe supply disruption by sharing it with 3rd party suppliers and allies. CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION, IMPLICATION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH:- Conclusion:- Supply chain risk management is a decision process often requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Typically, risk mitigation and contingency planning entails skills in operations strategy and supply chains. After a close analysis of the Dell Direct Supply Chain system considering the impact of the Taiwan earthquake on the dell by the frame work developed by Munoj and Mentzer ( 2008). The overall objective of the framework is to reduce the impact of disruption and understanding the various factors that play a role in the post- disruption recovery and decision making process. Dell Computers doctrinal commitment to minimal inventories, however, is well known. Companies with similar strategic commitments are unlikely to be interested in risk mitigation policies involving emergency inventories along the supply chain. In this case, risk transfer is left as the main option to consider, including contracts with emergency suppliers and insurance contracts. In light of Kunreuther and Bantwals (2000) discussion on rigidities in the successful introduction of Cat-Bonds, one alternative risk transfer instrument, the latter task may be challenging strategy to apply, but appears to be worth the effort. Scope for Future Research :- The Supply chain Disruption Management framework and disruption management process model have areas of interest that have not been able to be explored in this research leaving multiple area for future research. First area of research is understanding of the decision making process and its operational and behavioural factors. Second area of future research is the impact on the risk that disruption and firm strategies have. Putting to practice supply chain theories in order to bridge supply chain strategy with company financial performance is a daunting task. Supply chain theory attempts to clarify the complex interconnections among many actors in supply networks. Yet, it is unclear whether simple formulas for supply chain performance, encompassing a few variables, will have general application to business practice. In addition, it is difficult to design empirical studies that would isolate the effect of supply chain strategy on business performance from other company decisions and environmental variables. The study of supply chain disruptions may provide an interesting exception to the latter restriction, in that disruption impact may test whether supply chain management affects Company risk structure. There is a fast growing literature on alternative methods of risk transfer. It would be interesting to explore whether the latter methods may shield customised product direct marketing companies from investors uneasiness after disruptions in component markets.

Reality or Illusion Essay -- essays research papers

In Andrew and Larry Wachowski’s 1999 film, The Matrix, and Plato’s Republic, â€Å"On Shadows and Realities,?reality and illusion are one in the same. The Wachowski brothers allows the viewer to see how reality and illusion can be mistaken for the other, using a number of contrasting ideas found in Plato's analogy of the Cave, showing that at times the dream world can be safer than real life. The matrix is a simulation that creates an imaginary world where people are prisoners from reality, much like Plato's mythological The Cave. The cave holds prisoners inside a dark cave, chained in way prohibiting them from turning their heads, only able to see what is in front of them. All they see is a wall that displays images of what appears to be of people or animals passing behind them. These reflections or images are all the prisoners know of the world outside the cave. They see only what the marionette players want them to see: projections of objects that are not real but seem real because they have never seen the real world. People in the matrix only see what the machines show, making it difficult to wake up from a continuous dream show, trapped in an illusional world unable to break free. However, some do break free. Through much effort, Plato's freed man escapes, only to face a life of confusion and fear. With the matrix, most die trying to escape from it, but once free are just as confused as Plato’s freed man. His first reaction is to return to the cave, which is familiar and s...

Environment pollution argument Essay

Perhaps no invention affected American everyday life in the 20th century more than the automobile (UsHistory.org, 2008). Technology for the automobiles existed in the 19th century, but it took until the 20th century for Henry Ford to make automobiles accessible to the American public. The automobile drastically changed the lives of Americans for the better, not only did it improve transportation, it also created an economic boost for them. The demand for rubber skyrocketed and road construction created thousands of jobs. State and local governments began funding highway designs and the federal government became involved with the Federal Highway Act of 1921 (UsHistory.org, 2008). This act required each state to designate a system of state highways not to exceed seven percent of the total highway mileage in each state. Gas stations began to appear and mechanics could earn a living by fixing the inescapable problems with automobiles. Obviously two well established industries, oil and st eel, received a serious boost by the demand of automobiles. People could travel longer distances causing the need for motels, fast food places, and diners. In the beginning, automobiles made life better for humans, but with the growing number, environmental issues began to appear. In this unperfected world, the combustion process caused by automobile engines emits several types of pollutants. The exhaust from automobiles is generated by the chemical and mechanical process that occurs in order for a vehicle to work, this exhaust is what pollutes the air. Exhaust pollutants include hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. Smog is a word formed by smoke and fog. The leading cause of smog comes from the releasing of pollutants in the air from gasoline and diesel-run vehicles, industrial plants and activities, and heating due to human activities. Burning gasoline in automobiles releases carbon dioxide, which is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in  the United States (Conserve Energy Future, 2013). Increased heat in the atmosphere causes ecosystems and weather patterns to change, such as the rise of sea levels and affects rainfall patterns. Humans can experience short term and long term affects due to exposure of air pollution. Short term effects, usually are temporary, can range from nausea to bronchitis. While long term effects can in clude heart disease and lung cancer leading to death. In 1952, over 3,000 people died in what became known as London’s â€Å"Killer Fog.† The smog was so thick that buses could not run without guides walking ahead of them carrying lanterns (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012). Events like this alerted humans of the threats air pollution poses to human health. In 1963 several federal and state laws were passed including the original Clean Air Act, this produced funding to study the effects and help clean up air pollution. In 1970 Congress passed a stronger Clean Air Act and created the Environmental Protection Agency, known as the EPA. Again in 1990 Congress expanded the Clean Air Act, which gave the EPA more authority to implement regulations lowering pollutant emissions. Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has not signed that treaty (National Geographic Education, 1996) . Along with human health, automobiles pose a threat to the environment in ways of global warming, water pollution, and acid rain. Global warming is affected by the greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, which are emitted through automobile exhaust. Vehicles require fluids like motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, and refrigerants. These fluids are easily leaked from a vehicle or can be disposed of improperly and can end up in aquatic ecosystems. When rain occurs it washes everything on the ground, including leaked car fluids, into sewage drains that lead into our oceans and other aquatic ecosystems. Automobile fluids are toxic to animals affecting their immune and respiratory systems. Acid rain changes the PH balance of waterways and can harm the organisms that rely on them. The nitrogen and sulfer oxides that are released from automobiles are major contributors to acid rain. Electrical motors date back to the 1800’s, with steam and combustion engines being attempted by the 1900’s, and it was undecided which engine would power  the automobile. At first the electrical motor was the most popular, but the battery life was short and would not allow travel over long distances. As mentioned earlier, Henry Ford introduced a combustion engine that rejected the idea of an electrical motor. In the late 1 960’s automobile manufacturers noticed concerns of the growing oil crisis and emissions of gasoline powered vehicles causing them to add electric cars into their line ups. By the 1990’s consumers were converting to electric powered automobiles because awareness of dependency on foreign oil and environmental issues were becoming more knowledgeable. Automobile manufacturers were making electric cars a larger part of their line ups. Modern day consumers have a choice between electric cars and hybrid cars as an alternative choice to gasoline powered engines. Recent electric cars are comparable to gasoline powered engines in terms of speed and travel distance due to recharging stations along the way. Electric cars are nonpolluting, however still have an environmental cost because the recharging of their batteries is done by burning fossil fuels. According to the Electrical Vehicle Association of Canada, even batteries recharged by coal-powered electric generators cut carbon emission roughly in half (Lampton, 1998) Hybrid cars are appealing to consumers who feel limited by electric cars. These cars have a traditional engine and a bank of rechargeable batteries that charge while the car is running. Limited demands of power, like driving around town, uses the charged batteries while high demand of power, like freeway driving, uses the gasoline engine. Although hybrid cars are low polluting, they still have some environmental issues of emissions as gasoline powered engines. The future for humans depends on what they are doing and consuming today. Fossil fuels are eventually going to be depleted and the sooner the dependency is lifted, the longer humans can make them last. Global warming is going to occur, but causing the release of carbon dioxide into the air through the burning of gasoline is only going to make it happen faster. Human health issues regarding air pollution are going to continue to get worse, death is already happening and those numbers are going to continue to rise. Humans depend on automobiles as their primary mode of transportation, but carpooling or public transportation would lessen their carbon footprint. If everyone just did one thing a day to help the envi ronment, maybe they could help sustainability of the Earth. References Conserve Energy Future. (2013). What is Smog. Retrieved from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/SmogPollution.php Lampton, C. (1998-2013). How Electric Car Batteries Work. Retrieved from http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/vehicles/electric-car-battery3.htm National Geographic Education. (1996-2013). Air Pollution. Retrieved from http://education.national geographic.com/education/encylopedia/air-pollution/?ar_a=1 United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2012, March 6). Understanding the Clean Air Act. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/airquality/peg_caa/understand.html UsHistory.org. (2008-2013). The Age of the Automobile. Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/us/46a.asp

The Detailed Examination of the Arabs in Israel

While the nation is aware of the indignities that were forced upon the African Americans who resided in this country at the beginning of the 18th century, few people realize that similar discrimination practices are going on all over the world. One of the most prevelant examples of discrimination currently is happening in Israel against the Arabs. Arabs are being discriminated in ways that impact their ability to live a life of freedom and comfort. The plight of Arabs in Israel is very similar to what the African Americans experienced in America during the first years of the 20th century. â€Å"Few questions challenge us to consider 380 years of history all at once, to tunnel inside our souls to discover what we truly believe about race and equality and the value of human suffering. Kevin Merida (1) (on African American reparations).† During the early part of the 20th century African Americans suffered a great deal of discrimination in America. They were refused even the most basic freedoms that the constitution of the United States is supposed to provide. The right to vote, the rifht to live freely, the right against unreasonable search and seizure are all elements of life that many people in this nation take for granted. However, for African Americans of that time those were dreams that were not often realized. Today, African Americans have many recourses if their rights are not being followed, including civil or criminal proceedings as well as government intervention. It is not completely rectified but it is being worked toward. The Arabs in Israel do not have such protection currently. They are at the point in history that African Americans were during the early part of the 20th century. Housing, employment and basic living right elements are being denied to them based on the fact that they are Arabs. Arabs in Israel have been complaining about their treatment for quite awhile but many of their concerns fall on deaf ears(Winder, 2006). The Israeli government and many of the nation's citizens insist that the discrimination allegations are false and misleading. For one to fully realize and accept that the Arabs are indeed being discriminated against one only has to hold various tangible situations that they encounter against the situations that were encountered by African Americans during the first part of the 20th century. The United Nations believes that the Arabs are indeed being discriminated against and said as much in a recently published report that was released last year. It says: â€Å"The government did little to reduce institutional, legal, and societal discrimination against the country's Arab citizens(Cook, 2004).† The humiliating treatment of the Arabs is one issue that the United Nations believes proves the discrimination that the Israel government currently denies exists. â€Å"Among many issues, it notes the humiliating treatment of Palestinian citizens, including community leaders, during security checks at airports and checkpoints(Cook, 2004). † During the 20th century in America, African Americans were forced to live in substandard housing and work in substandard employment environments. The quantity of available buildings for Arabs to reside in are not enough in numbers for the need. While most people in America will agree that the Arabs should not be confined to certain buildings the fact is they are often confined by societal attitudes and the available buildings are too few in number and have been for a significant amount of time. The quality of the buildings that are available are also in question. The repairs do not occur in the manner and speed that they do in other areas of the nation. The buildings that are made available to the Arabs are often in such disrepair that they are uninhabitable. African Americans when through similar problems in the early years of the 20th century. They were relegated to â€Å"Colored' area when it came to buildings that they could rent and own. The buildings were in disrepair and when they asked the landlord to repair them they were ignored or forced to pay for repairs that were legally the responsibility of the landlord. The term slum lord was originated because of the treatment of landlords regarding minority tenants and the fact that those landlords allowed their buildings to become uninhabitable yet they would allow minority tenants to live there and collect their rent each month. Another area of life that is similar for the Arabs in Israel today, that the African Americans faced in America and often times still do face is the area of education. During the early years of the 20th century students who were black were forced to attend specific schools. They were given substandard supplies and resources and they were given old used textbooks and equipment that most often did not work. Arabs today are facing the same dilemma when it comes to the education of their students(Cook, 2004). This greatly reduces the ability to teach advanced course and help Arab students better the future for themselves and their children. â€Å"Israel has also sought to undermine the value of Arabic, even though it is an official language of the state. Few Jews learn even basic Arabic, whereas Arab children are required to learn Hebrew to advanced level(Cook, 2004).† While the African Americans did not have this problem in the 20th century they were forbidden at times from singing the songs that had been popular in their homeland. Whether it was a hymn or a song of life they were whipped or punished for singing them out loud. â€Å"University courses are in Hebrew or English, as are public meetings and court cases. Many Arab workers report being sacked for speaking Arabic at the workplace(Cook, 2004).† This is blatant discrimination. It is similar to the African American ban on homeland songs and stories as well as the making it illegal to teach African Americans to read and right because the Americans wanted them to remain illiterate. Without saying so the Israel government seems to have the same goal in mind by its refusal to provide current and equal schools, supplies and textbooks for the Arab students living within its boundaries(First, Israel inside the Green Line (the de facto border after the 1967 war) http://www.mideastweb.org/israel_apartheid.htm). â€Å"Much international attention has focused on the recent decision by the Knesset to ban family unification in the case of marriages between Israeli Arabs and Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza. In many cases, it is now impossible for couples to live together: under the new law, Palestinians are denied entry into Israel, while Israeli Arabs are banned by military orders from entering Palestinian areas(Cook, 2004).† In addition to the obvious discriminations that are being experienced by Arabs in Israel there are many instances in which they are being discriminated against that are not so obvious to the eye unless one looks very closely. One such area is the area of employment. Arabs are being discriminated against on a regular basis when it comes to employment. Research concluded that Arabs have an unemployment rate that is twice as high as the Jewish unemployment rate for the same regions. â€Å"The country's big monopoly corporations such as the telecoms firm Bezeq and the Israel Electricity Company have Arab employees in the single figures even though they have a combined staff of more than 20,000. Some of the worst discrimination is faced by the 140,000 beduin living in the Negev. Many of their communities have never been recognised by Israel, even though they predate the state(Cook, 2004). † The end result of this type of discrimination is that approximately 70,000 Arabs are forced to live in tin shacks and tents. They have no power, water or sewage service. Their children are traveling 40-60 miles each way to go to school and get back home. Removal of child benefits for Arabs have been top of the political agenda ever since. â€Å"Some discriminatory practices against Israeli Arabs – Systematic bias in education provision (HRW report) – Israel's worst 36 unemployment blackspots are all in Arab areas† The plight of the Arabs in Israel is extremely similar today to what the African Americans faced in the United States during the early part of the 20th century. Employment discrimination, housing issues and lack of education for their children were accepted practices at that time. Today, the same problems and practices are being thrust upon the Arabs who reside in Israel. For this to change the government and the world will need to step in and force change.

Free Essays on Influences Of The American Revolution

The American Revolution as influenced by many different aspect of colonial life and by many British mistakes. The most influential of all of these colonial aspects and British mistakes was the Colonies economy. The economy of the American Colonies was vitally important to their survival, even as British colonies. Without their own economy, the colonies would have no money to pay for imported goods and no way to make a life of their own with relying on the British for everything they needed. In the end, the fact that the British were taxing the economy that the American Colonies worked so hard to get started ultimately caused the American Revolution. In 1764 the British, for the first time, imposed a series of taxes designed to raise revenue from the colonies. The taxes official name was the American Revenue Act, but popularly known as the Sugar Act. On of its major components was the raising of taxes on imported and exported goods, mainly sugar. While the British had passed acts like this before, this was the first act that the decided to strictly enforce. Before this act the British had been doing something called â€Å"Salutary Neglect† to the colonies. Salutary Neglect was the action of the British passing laws and acts but not enforcing them very strictly. For instance, the Colonies were not allowed to trade with the Spanish due to an earlier passed act. However, they often did trade with them because the British did next to nothing to stop them. While this was the first of the acts that the British strongly enforced, it was certainly not the last. The British Prime Minister, George Greenville, felt that the colonies should share some of the burden of keeping British troops in the colonies. Greenville's first act was to make sure the navy enforced the Navigation Acts. The Navigation Acts were a set of laws that said who the colonies could trade with and what sort of taxes would be on their cargo. Greenville then got th... Free Essays on Influences Of The American Revolution Free Essays on Influences Of The American Revolution The American Revolution as influenced by many different aspect of colonial life and by many British mistakes. The most influential of all of these colonial aspects and British mistakes was the Colonies economy. The economy of the American Colonies was vitally important to their survival, even as British colonies. Without their own economy, the colonies would have no money to pay for imported goods and no way to make a life of their own with relying on the British for everything they needed. In the end, the fact that the British were taxing the economy that the American Colonies worked so hard to get started ultimately caused the American Revolution. In 1764 the British, for the first time, imposed a series of taxes designed to raise revenue from the colonies. The taxes official name was the American Revenue Act, but popularly known as the Sugar Act. On of its major components was the raising of taxes on imported and exported goods, mainly sugar. While the British had passed acts like this before, this was the first act that the decided to strictly enforce. Before this act the British had been doing something called â€Å"Salutary Neglect† to the colonies. Salutary Neglect was the action of the British passing laws and acts but not enforcing them very strictly. For instance, the Colonies were not allowed to trade with the Spanish due to an earlier passed act. However, they often did trade with them because the British did next to nothing to stop them. While this was the first of the acts that the British strongly enforced, it was certainly not the last. The British Prime Minister, George Greenville, felt that the colonies should share some of the burden of keeping British troops in the colonies. Greenville's first act was to make sure the navy enforced the Navigation Acts. The Navigation Acts were a set of laws that said who the colonies could trade with and what sort of taxes would be on their cargo. Greenville then got th...

Associative memory essays

Associative memory essays Most memory devices store and retrieve data by addressing specific memory locations. As a result, this path often becomes the limiting factor for systems that rely on fast memory access. The time required to find an item stored in memory can be reduced considerably if the stored data item can be identified for access by the content of the data itself rather than by its address. Memory that is accessed in this way is called content-addressable memory (CAM) or associative memory. CAM provides a performance advantage over other memory search algorithms (such as binary and tree-based searches or look-aside tag buffers) by comparing the desired information against the entire list of prestored entries simultaneously, often resulting in an order-of-magnitude reduction of search time. CAMs are an outgrowth of RAM which is an integrated circuit that stores data temporarily. Data is stored in RAM at a particular location, which is called an address. In RAM, the user supplies the address and gets the data back. The number of address lines limits the depth of a memory using RAM, but the width of the memory can be extended as far as desired. With CAM, the user supplies the data and gets the address back. The CAM searches through the memory in one-clock cycle and returns the address where the data is found. The CAM can be preloaded at device startup and rewritten during device operation. CAM can accelerate any application requiring fast searches of databases, lists, or patterns, such as in image or voice recognition, or computer and communication designs. For this reason, CAM is used in applications where search time is critical and must be very short. For example, the search key could be the IP address of a network user, and the associated information could be a users access privileges and location on the network. If the search key presented to the CAM is present in the CAMs table, the CAM indicates a match and returns the associa...

Aztecs and the Aztec Civilization

Aztecs and the Aztec Civilization Aztecs are the collective name given to seven Chichimec tribes of northern Mexico, who controlled the valley of Mexico and much of central America from its capital during the Late Postclassic period from the 12th century AD until the Spanish invasion of the 15th century. The main political alliance creating the Aztec empire was called the Triple Alliance, including the Mexica of Tenochtitlan, the Acolhua of Texcoco, and the Tepaneca of Tlacopan; together they dominated most of Mexico between 1430 and 1521 AD. For a complete discussion see the Aztec Study Guide. Aztecs and their Capital City The capital city of the Aztecs was at Tenochtitlan-Tlatlelco, what is today Mexico City, and the extent of their empire covered almost all of what is today Mexico. At the time of Spanish conquest, the capital was a cosmopolitan city, with people from all over Mexico. The state language was Nahuatl and written documentation was kept on bark cloth manuscripts (most of which were destroyed by the Spanish). Those that survive, called codexes or codices (singular codex), can be found in some small cities in Mexico but also in museums around the world. A high level of stratification in Tenochtitlan included rulers, and a noble and commoner class. There were frequent ritual human sacrifices (including cannibalism to some degree), part of the military and ritual activities of the Aztec people, although it is possible and perhaps likely that these were exaggerated by the Spanish clergy. Sources An  Aztec Civilization Study Guide has been developed with loads of details on lifestyles of the Aztecs, including an overview and detailed timeline and king list. The photograph used on this page was provided by the Field Museum for a part of their new exhibit Ancient Americas. Also Known As: Mexica, Triple Alliance Examples: Azcapotzalco, Malinalco, Guingola, Yautepec, Cuanahac, Templo Mayor, Tenochtitlan

The Difference between Smuggling and Trafficking Coursework

The Difference between Smuggling and Trafficking - Coursework Example It often engages in a great deal of varied crimes, across a number of countries.Trafficking involving persons can be explicitly compared to contemporary forms of slavery that involves the utilization of people through threat, coercion, force, and deception including human and constitutional rights misuses for instance debt burden, denial of independence, and deprived of control over autonomy and employment. Every year, multitudes of migrants are smuggled illegitimately by highly and extremely well thought-out worldwide smuggling and trafficking persons or groups and usually in precarious or inhumane state of affairs. This occurrence has been on the rise in recent years and the international community and related persons and organizations are taking decisive actions to stop the progress of these severe criminal actions. The following involves various scholarly and peered reviewed books, articles, and journals explaining the difference between smuggling and trafficking. Accepted defini tions of smuggling and traffickingTraffickingTrafficking, mostly in persons, is broadly defined as the recruitment, moving, relocating, harboring or delivery of persons by way of threat, intimidation or use of power or other levels of compulsion or duress, of seizures, of deceit, of trickery, of the exploitation of power or in a situation of susceptibility or of the offering or receiving of money or benefits to accomplish the assent of an individual having power over other person and for the intention of full exploitation.

Multiple Synthesis Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multiple Synthesis - Lab Report Example The Biltz’s process of synthesizing phenytoin involves several steps, with each step forming a product that will be used in the next step. The process starts with the synthesis of benzil from benzoin, which then undergoes condensation catalysis by a base with urea. The multistep synthesis of various natural products, most of which are used as medicine, is necessary because of the lack of naturally occurring starting materials, and also because of the reason that multistep synthesis allows for the modification of various functional groups in the medicine, thus improving efficiency. 1.3 grams of thiamine hydrochloride were dissolved in 4.0 mL of distilled water in a 50 mL Erlenmeyer flask. 1.5 mL of 95% ethanol was added to the flask and the mixture cooled in an ice water bath. 2.5 mL of 3.0M sodium hydroxide was added dropwise to the solution while swirling. The temperature of the reaction system was maintained at below 20⠁ °C. While swirling the flask, 7.5 mL of benzaldehyde was added to the flask and the mixture heated in a water bath at 50⠁ °C for ten minutes. The flask was labeled and covered with a Parafilm ® and then placed in a fume hood for one week. The inside of the flask was gently scratched with a glass stir rod to induce crystallization. Since no crystals formed, the stir rod was dipped into the liquid and removed, and then allowed to dry in air. The flask was placed in a water bath with a temperature of 60⠁ °C to evaporate off some ethanol and then cooled in an ice bath. The color of the solution was noted down. 4.00 grams of the benzoin provided were added to a 125 mL Erlenmeyer flask. The mixture was heated in a water bath in a fume hood until the mixture stopped producing brown-colored gas. The flask was then removed from the water bath and then 75.0 mL of distilled water added to the mixture. The mixture

The solar energy industry with a focus on the SunPower Corporation Essay

The solar energy industry with a focus on the SunPower Corporation - Essay Example In every 44 seconds the amount of the solar energy that is intercepted by the Earth while rotating on its axis is greater than the total amount of energy used worldwide in a whole year (HD Solar, 2008). According to a January, 2007 issue of the Financial Times, â€Å"While the evidence for the need of an alternative source of energy is mounting, it is encouraging to note that millions are invested in tackling climate change through the use of clean energy. Calculations suggest that global expenditure on curbing the effects of climate change could be $1,000 billion within five years† (Tang, K. & Yeoh, R., 2007). However, the currently scenario of the solar power industry is presents a picture that is far from encouraging. The depression waves of the global financial downturn are being felt by the solar industry too. The ongoing credit crunch and the frozen credit markets have hampered the solar industry, which is presently struggling due to the lack of funding options for the development of new projects and that has resulted in driving up the supplies and sent prices on the solar panels falling. The SunPower Corporation is a solar products and services company that was founded in 1985. The company is headquartered at San Jose, California, USA and employs a total of 5,400 employees. The company is involved in the designing, manufacturing and the marketing of high-performance solar thermal power technologies. The company offers solar power products such as the solar panels solar cells and the inverters that are based on the proprietary technologies and processes for a wide plethora of residential, commercial and as well as the power plant purposes. In addition to these services the company also offers services as in energy efficiency which includes project management, recommendations on energy audits and technology and equipment retrofits services catering

The effect of feedback on learners of a Foreign Language in the Dissertation

The effect of feedback on learners of a Foreign Language in the development of the writing skill - Dissertation Example Although writing is one of the most important aspects of language learning, it has been observed that when learning second language much emphasis is on the fluency of speech and error free writing is neglected. A written piece of work with grammatical and other errors is a real eyesore and shows poor command over the language. Writing in a second language is difficult for students mostly because they do not have sufficient working knowledge of the target language. The biggest challenge the students of second language face is writing an error free composition. Error free composition in second language is possible through practice and through the guidance of the teacher in the form of feedback. Research shows that feedback plays an important role in language learning as it not only helps in the development of writing skills of the students but it also improves the general language learning (Hyland 2011). Teachers give different type of feedback in different situations; usually errors i n speech are corrected on the spot while errors in writing are corrected after some time. Teachers either simply point out the errors or sometimes write comments. Self-correction and peer correction are common techniques for error correction but learners have little confidence in these techniques and prefer their teachers’ remarks. ... Written comments from the teachers, on the other hand, are not easy to ignore and cannot be forgotten and are thus the most preferred form of feedback used in teaching. Though written feedback is very useful in helping students develop their writing skills while learning a foreign language, empirical evidence gleaned from experience of teaching written French language skills to undergraduate students, shows that there is a lack of engagement with written feedback on their written language assignments. This impedes student progress in target language acquisition. This research study aims to identify how students engage with written feedback provided by their teachers and while focusing on undergraduate French students aims to explore the level of engagement of students with different forms of responses in the area of language learning. This qualitative research project that started from the premise that students may be unaware of the ways in which feedback can be exploited as a valuab le learning tool, progressed to identify the ways in which students currently respond to feedback from their tutors and how and why they feel a certain form of feedback is more effective. Based on the findings, this study also suggest new ways of delivering feedback in different formats and how the written feedback can be improved further in ways that are considered more effective by the students.   1.1 Background and Context Despite the paramount importance of written feedback on the assignments of students learning foreign language, less emphasis is placed on research in this area. There has been research on what students perceive about writing in a second language (Ismail 2011); also teaching writing to students of foreign language (Gaudiani 1981; Caywood & Gillian

Business Ethic (Case study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Ethic (Case study) - Essay Example The term ethics loosely refers to a distinction that is made between something that is morally good from bad in the way individuals behave. On the other hand, business ethics refers to the values, principles and standards that operate within an organisation and these attempt to make a distinction between business practice that is morally good from bad (Rossouw 2004). From this assertion, it can be noted that the concept of business ethics mainly derives from the value system that is used by a particular organisation in its operations towards the attainment of its set goals. Thus, DesJardins (2006) defines values as â€Å"essential and enduring tenets that help define the company and are not to be compromised for financial gain or short term expediency,† (p. 5). In view of the above definition of ethics, it can however, be noted that at times there is no universal agreement on what constitutes something that is good or bad. Thus, certain incidences arise at times in business wh ere some people are no longer certain whether some actions should be considered as right or wrong (Hiti, 1999). People may look at the same thing but some may view it as morally bad while others will have a different view. This constitutes an ethical dilemma in business when people have conflicting views over a particular issue. In as far as business is concerned, it can be noted that the main objective is to gain profits and at times the issue of ethics is compromised for financial gains. Against this background, the ethical dilemma facing Gerald Smarten, CEO of Kaspa Financial Services is making a decision whether or not to offer assistance through providing the lobby and cafeteria of their building as temporary shelter for the victims of the fatal subway bombing as requested by the police department which is disputed by Ben and others. Ben the general counsel could not imagine the first floor of the Kaspa Tower being transformed into a shelter of bleeding victims and bodies of th e dead citing that the facilities will suffer bad damages and create a bad image to the investors who may pull out their money as there would be chances that they may link the firm to the terrorist attack. The dilemma here is whether they can be humane by offering the requested shelter against the need to safeguard the business interests of the firm with regards to the long term relations with the investors. Of notable concern is that the bombing has taken place very close to their office building and 23 of their employees are missing which entails that they may also have been caught up in the attack. Legally they may say no, but morally, they also ought to show a humane face by offering assistance during an unprecedented crisis. 2. The utilitarian, virtue, deontological and libertarian ethics perspectives will be used in this section to compare and contrast the dilemma(s) that have been identified in the given case study. According to the utilitarian theory, â€Å"the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the majority of people is ethically correct compared to the choice that only benefit the organisation as well as its financial gains,† (Rainbow, 2002). This ethical perspective actually encourages people to work towards the outcomes that will give an advantage to the majority o

Religion and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion and Society - Essay Example Various charismatic and religious leaders are known to have brought about change, for example, Martin Luther King, who is seen to have played a crucial role in liberating the blacks. Religious leaders are known to have some sort of control on the members of the society, implying that people will follow their directives in the effort of bringing about change in the society. Various scholars have come up with theories that explain how religion acts as a radical force for revolutionary change, and give examples from various actions of church leaders, which have shown that religion has the command to change the status quo, e.g., during the apartheid when Archbishop Desmond Tutu fought against it (Idinopulos). The society also depends on various religious bodies and institutions to lay down rituals and values on the society, and this plays a crucial role in bringing unity in the community (Gerrie and Tsuruoka 14). In most families that follow some religion, at a tender age, children are b rought up with values from the church and they are introduced to the religious side of life, and this guides their behavior and how they grow up. Families will rely on religion for moral socialization of their children, which enforces a sense of ethnic identity and morality, which they will take up for the rest of their lives. Therefore, religion has changed the society as it acts as a source of social control, hence playing a paramount role in bringing order in the society. 2. How Is Religion Raising Questions of Identity and Challenging Concepts of Citizenship? The fundamental meaning of religion is laid down on the basis of common beliefs and practices carried out by a group of people that dictates their moral conduct (Gerrie and Tsuruoka 5). Therefore, people of one religion will have rules that govern their conduct and will stipulate the ways of living, failing which equals to going against the will of God. On the other hand, identity will have to do with knowing where one belo ngs, and the two will come into play as there are various religions in the world today, which range from Christianity and Islam to Hinduism, just to name a few. Religion now raises questions of identity in that people will belong to different religions, and this comes into play as this will dictate the various identities of people from various religions. Therefore, people will have different identities in that they will identify themselves with various religions, which will determine who they see themselves as. This means that people will identify themselves as Christians, Muslims, Hindus or any other follower. This lays a divide in how people identify one another as they will have different beliefs that they follow. Religion is also known to challenge the concept of citizenship as both will have different laws depending on the majority religion in the country. There are Muslim nations, Christian ones and so on, and this means that different countries will have a majority religion f ollowing implying that the religion of the majority will be the one used to form most rules in the country. The laws of the country will be used by citizens, and this forms the basis of citizenship, but religion will also have a role to play in governing how people relate and their way of life. There are situations where the laws of the land are not in line with those of citizenship, and this implies that there will be a clash between the two; hence, there is a dilemma on what should be followed. For example, there might be a conflict on what a Christian, who is a citizen of a Muslim country, should do in matters that relate

Business Ethic (Case study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Ethic (Case study) - Essay Example The term ethics loosely refers to a distinction that is made between something that is morally good from bad in the way individuals behave. On the other hand, business ethics refers to the values, principles and standards that operate within an organisation and these attempt to make a distinction between business practice that is morally good from bad (Rossouw 2004). From this assertion, it can be noted that the concept of business ethics mainly derives from the value system that is used by a particular organisation in its operations towards the attainment of its set goals. Thus, DesJardins (2006) defines values as â€Å"essential and enduring tenets that help define the company and are not to be compromised for financial gain or short term expediency,† (p. 5). In view of the above definition of ethics, it can however, be noted that at times there is no universal agreement on what constitutes something that is good or bad. Thus, certain incidences arise at times in business wh ere some people are no longer certain whether some actions should be considered as right or wrong (Hiti, 1999). People may look at the same thing but some may view it as morally bad while others will have a different view. This constitutes an ethical dilemma in business when people have conflicting views over a particular issue. In as far as business is concerned, it can be noted that the main objective is to gain profits and at times the issue of ethics is compromised for financial gains. Against this background, the ethical dilemma facing Gerald Smarten, CEO of Kaspa Financial Services is making a decision whether or not to offer assistance through providing the lobby and cafeteria of their building as temporary shelter for the victims of the fatal subway bombing as requested by the police department which is disputed by Ben and others. Ben the general counsel could not imagine the first floor of the Kaspa Tower being transformed into a shelter of bleeding victims and bodies of th e dead citing that the facilities will suffer bad damages and create a bad image to the investors who may pull out their money as there would be chances that they may link the firm to the terrorist attack. The dilemma here is whether they can be humane by offering the requested shelter against the need to safeguard the business interests of the firm with regards to the long term relations with the investors. Of notable concern is that the bombing has taken place very close to their office building and 23 of their employees are missing which entails that they may also have been caught up in the attack. Legally they may say no, but morally, they also ought to show a humane face by offering assistance during an unprecedented crisis. 2. The utilitarian, virtue, deontological and libertarian ethics perspectives will be used in this section to compare and contrast the dilemma(s) that have been identified in the given case study. According to the utilitarian theory, â€Å"the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the majority of people is ethically correct compared to the choice that only benefit the organisation as well as its financial gains,† (Rainbow, 2002). This ethical perspective actually encourages people to work towards the outcomes that will give an advantage to the majority o

Science solves all the problems about where we come from Essay Example for Free

Science solves all the problems about where we come from Essay Science, it is arguable, has opened the eyes of humanity and rid us the ignorance that we once lived each and every day of our lives in. it has helped us to come to scientifically sound and empirically based theories that are now universally accepted. One such example of a theory that empirically seems to prove scientifically, rather than religiously, where humanity came from is the theory of Evolution. This seemed to lead many people to accept the above statement. This is because it proved that there was a natural explanation of the existence of humanity, rather than the supernatural biblical account that was so popular in the Victorian Age. Charles Darwin, the mind behind the theory, would certainly agree with the statement as he seemed to have done the impossible: prove scientifically that God did very little, if anything, to create humanity itself. Instead of being created on the sixth day of Gods impossible creation, we evolved through the very slow and very natural process of natural selection. This was added to the undeniable evidence of fossils that were being found in layers of the rocks of the earth that was found due to the very new and promising science of Geology: fossils of animals that do not exist and that have no place or mention in the Genesis account of creation. Fundamentalist Christians had feeble replies to these findings, showing the limits to which their faith was being tested. Darwins theory is also, now, widely accepted by nearly all scientists and many theists as being the truth of the origins of humanity through a purely scientific method of research. A philosopher who whole-heartedly supported Darwins theory with no room for doubt was Richard Dawkins. In his book, The Greatest Show on Earth, he claims that although almost 40% of Americans who dont believe in evolution, believe that it was created in the last 10,000 years or so, as it is stated in the Bible. He feels that if only this 40% was exposed to the evidence for evolution, then they couldnt possible believe this. Although some people would argue that evolution seems almost incapable to create humanity in such a short time span, Dawkins claims that dogs and cabbages and pigs and cows have all been changed in huge ways in a very short time, maybe a couple of centuries, a couple of millennia, in a his new book. The then goes on to muse that the earth has been in existence for hundreds of millennia, and this time frame gives us a great deal of time for evolution to take place and transform single-celled amoeba into fully functional human beings. Dawkins also states that although fossils are a very persuasive method of proving that evolution happened, its not as important as other findings. These include things such as the molecular comparisons of animals, radioactive dating and also the geographical distribution of animals. Dawkins thoroughly believes that if we assume evolution to be true, then everything we see in the world is evidence for it. Everything in the world is how it should be if evolution is true. Through this, Dawkins believes that science can, solve the problems about where we come from and, also, any other problems we may be encountered with. However, someone who would strongly disagree with Darwin, and through him, Dawkins, is Samuel Wilberforce. He was a bishop of Oxford and also led the attack against Darwins theory, six months after he published it. He claimed, in an article in the Quarterly Review, that the theory of evolution showed a tendency to limit Gods glory in creation. Wilberforce felt that humans have superior reasoning to all other animals: we are able to reason what is best out of a situation, as opposed to simply acting on instinct and impulse with a complete disregard for the consequences. If evolution is correct and our reasoning was to have stemmed from it, then all animals, by now, should have developed the ability to reason and ignore powerful instincts that deprive them of the ability to be civilised. However, we are the only animals to have developed this skill and other animals, even now, have shown no sign of developing the same, or a similar, skill. With this in mind, Wilberforce felt that if evolution is correct, then it does not even come close to explaining our ability to reason, or even the emotions of humans and animals. However, in response to this, Robert Wright feels that post-Darwin Darwinists have solved this issue. Feelings such as lust and hunger have been passed down through evolution as those who eat more are more likely to survive and those who have sex more are more likely to pass on their characteristics in their genes. Even favour of high status, he claims, can be pin-pointed to evolution: humans are socially competitive as high social status brings improved access to mates, so genes that fuel the pursuit of status fare well. He also feels that even gossiping can be traced through back to evolution. Genes inclining us to lower the social status of rivals by spreading unflattering gossip or harsh moral appraisals would be favoured by natural selection. A chemical has even been found that has been implicated with maternal bonding, romantic bonding and the trust that undergoes friendship. Using all of this evidence, Wright feels that not only can science solve the problems as to where humanity comes from, it can also go a few steps further to explain why humans act the way they do, not only at their unconscious, base instincts, but is also at a conscious, public level. Someone who vehemently opposes the statement above is Henry Morris, although he has a different viewpoint to Wilberforce. Henry Morris is a strict Creationist (one who believes in the exact account of the creation story, as recorded in Genesis 1 and 2). In his book, Biblical Creationism, Morris denies the idea of evolution, and even the compromise that some people has reached that the word days as stated in the Bible simply means eras or long periods of time. In Biblical Creationism, he states that the Bible taught clearly that all things were made by God in a six-day week of natural days. There was no room for evolution of the long geological periods of time. Morris, using the original, Hebrew version of the Bible, deduced that the word used in Genesis 1 for day was a word that always means a 24-hour period. The word used for era, he stated, is a completely different one. There should be no uncertainty whatever that God intended the account to say that the creation of all things had taken place in six literal days. Therefore, Morris would feel that science, in no way, can prove everything and solve all the problems about where we come from. Instead of using science to question ideas that the Bible gives, science should be judged against the Bible as to whether it is correct or not. This is because the Bible is, overall, the word of God, so it must stand tall above all other forms of proof that claim they know the truth of all things about humanity. God can never be mistaken as God is completely perfect, and, therefore, the Bible, Genesis included, is correct, right the way until the end. In reference to the fossils found by geologists, who would also claim have no place or mention in the creation story, Morris would beg to differ. He feels that he has found passages in the Bible that seem to refer to a diplodocus (a large, four-legged, long necked animal with a long whip-like tail) and a plesiosaurs (animals which had a broad body, four paddle-shaped flipper limbs and a short tail) in the form of the Behemoth and the Tannin which were both used to describe monsters in the Bible. A very thorough description of the Behemoth is given in Job 40: Look at the behemoth which I made along with you and which feeds like an ox. What strength he has in his loins, what power in the muscles of his belly! Morris not only seems to have an explanation for the apparent lack of mention of dinosaurs, but also can pinpoint their time in creation: even animals that have since become extinct such as dinosaurs were made on the fifth and sixth days of the creation week. Morris feels that science cannot possibly have solutions to the origins of humanity as the answers to everything that we can ever question have already been given to us in the perfect, flawless form of the Bible. There is also a view to the above statement not by an atheistic philosopher or scientist, but a theist, attempting to reconcile religion with science. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin felt that although science and religion seemed very much opposing on the surface, fundamentalists on each side tended to draw artificial battle lines about it in a very complex field. He felt that it was simple to reconcile the two if you only rearranged the idea of Gods purpose, as perceived by humanity. He also felt that evolution and an expanding universe made no real difference to Gods creation. Although Teilhards ideas werent very popular, he found a way to effectively disagree and agree with a statement by claiming the ideas of one field could enhance the understanding in both. Science can be used to solve all problems about where we come from, but it cannot do this without the help of religion. Another theist who supported the same views as Teilhard is John Polkinghorne. He felt that the scientific explanation of the world raises more questions than it seems to solve. For example, how could the world have created itself, if it was random, so perfectly and with such precision that if it was created with any less or more energy, the universe would have ceased to exist very shortly after its beginning? Although science seems to give answers and explain very well how things were created the way they did, it doesnt explain how they were created against the overwhelming odds, if it were due to random chance. The chance of the existence of humanity through the Big Band theory is so absolutely minute, Polkinghorne sees it as impossible. He, therefore, plays a major role in analysing the Anthropic Principle which states his exact beliefs. For Polkinghorne, religion and science are completely complimentary and support each other. Therefore, he comes to the same conclusion as Teilhard about the problems of where we come from: science can explain and solve all the problems about where we come from, but cannot do so with religion. A person who also not only strongly agrees with the statement, but also attacks the creationist, and any theistic point of view, is Peter Atkins. He is very much an atheist and rejects any theistic ideas as simple ignorance of the unexplained. In the Middle Ages, when people didnt know or understand how something, they would simply use God to fill in the gaps in their knowledge out of ignorance of the truth. For example, the Bubonic Plague, which was an extremely contagious bacterium, unknown to those at the time. However, those who were alive throughout the pandemics contented themselves to using God as an explanation to the disease, when they could find no immediate causes. Atkins feels that that is what theists are doing now: finding God in the Big Bang is the last refuge of the desperate. He feels that, in accordance with this statement, science has already solved the problem of where we come from, and will ultimately solve all problems with no help from religion. In conclusion, after looking at both sides of the argument, I feel that I agree with the statement, but only in part. I feel that it can solve many problems about where we come from, using the overwhelming evidence that Darwin put forward and the evidence that Dawkins reminds us of. However, I do not feel that it can solve all the problems that are related to do with where we come from. For example, it is still unknown by science about where we come from. It is universally agreed by scientists that before the Big Bang, there was nothing: no matter, no energy, and no forces. How, then, it is entirely reasonable to question, did the Big Bang come about? It is reasonable, therefore, by theists such as myself, to assume that there was a superior and intelligent designer must have caused the Big Bang into existence. Without the Big Bang, humanity would never have come into being. But even if the Big Bang would have being by some external, omnipotent force, it would have been highly unlikely that the Universe would have sustained itself without a sustainer. The Second Law of Thermodynamics, or the scientific concept of entropy, states that in any natural process there exists an inherent tendency towards the dissipation of useful energy. This basically means that when left alone, order tends to revert back to chaos. If this were so then why isnt the world full of chaos, but order instead? Why does evolution lead to progression and not regression? I feel that science can explain the processes by which the universe and humanity came into being, but I dont think that it can thoroughly explain, using only natural and empirical evidence, how and, more importantly, why these processes came into being. Its all well saying that the Big Bang just happened, but to me, I feel that if the whole Universe was just an accident with no intent or purpose, then none of humanity really has a reason or purpose for living, other than being the result of an accident. Or, perhaps, the universe is just brute fact as Bertrand Russell stated, and we just have to accept this. Nevertheless, although I feel that people can have different views on the world, for me, the universe cannot go without explanation as to why it exists.

Definition Of Knowledge Hub Commerce Essay

Definition Of Knowledge Hub Commerce Essay An investment in knowledge pays the best interest ,Benjamin Franklin. As said by Benjamin Franklin investing into knowledge will always be an advantage be it whether it is for an individual or for a whole nation. The work Knowledge Hub (KH) is being widely used during the last 2 decades of this century. Many countries are investing massively to implement knowledge based economy which is forecasted to have a very bright future nevertheless every theory have their drawbacks. According to K. Mackay (2009), knowledge based industries have become an important contributor in both economic growth and development. In order to have a competitive edge on the global economy there is the need to have the creation of distinctive assets such as knowledge, skills, innovation and creativity. Knowledge has also become one of the most common and recognized factor of production internationally with a new form of capital being the capacity to generate, assimilate, disseminate and effectively use knowledge. Building a KH is a really vast sets of planning needed to establish the desired results. Many countries have been engaging in such a challenge. Research and Development (RD) is indeed one of the main tools used in order to implement a KH. The world itself is undergoing a new industrial revolution the Knowledge Revolution fuelled by the rapid pace of technological change and globalisation. Mobility of resources is very common nowadays, therefore the mobility of knowledge is definitely laudable. To be able to have a well defined KH there must be loads of investment from both foreign and local investors. Reputable tertiary institutions must be approached to invest and establish in a country, in order to attract investors good infrastructures, appropriate policies established by the countrys government, training of needed labour force, the level of technology that these foreign institutions will be demanding, also the acceptance of the local population about the project and above all a good reputation on the foreign market where a country can base itself on its level of education. All this can be resumed to having a good marketing strategy to move forward and attract investors. For instance in Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s there was a little scope for them carry out high research in their universities which was mainly due to a lack in the infrastructure and lack of funding available to the researchers. This gave a define set back to their program of building a KH. Attracting investors and make them believe in the project is therefore crucial for the setting up of a KH. Definition of Knowledge Hub A KH defined by University of Mauritius is an ensemble of knowledge-intensive institutions and organisations (public, private and overseas) that generate, stores, transfer, apply and transmit knowledge through education and training with the overall objective of fostering economic and social development.. According to Manmohan Singh (2006) It is often said that the 21st Century will be the knowledge century. In the view of building a knowledge hub there must first be the production of knowledge. Production knowledge is mostly based on creative people, professionals and also a proper Research and Development (RD) sector. The KH is not only a way for a country to have a new pillar in the economy but also a way to promote the countrys assets on an international market. According to Evers and Dieter (2008) (MPRA) KHs act as nodes in networks of knowledge dissemination and sharing within and beyond clusters. A KH main function is to transfer knowledge to sites where it can be applied, to generate knowledge from individuals and industries and to transmit the knowledge acquired to individuals by means of training, education and workshops. According to HRDC (2006), A KH is concerned with building a countrys capacity to better integrate itself into the global economy, through the generation, acquisition and transmission of knowledge to support of various economic sectors, in view of fostering social and economic development.. The Knowledge Economy occurs when all sectors of a countrys economy is knowledge intensive, are moving with the outside trend where it can be in terms of technology and generating new and innovative ideas and when an economy is employing highly skilled personnel who are willing to go for further studies. More over the Knowledge Hub which in some cases is also known as Knowledge Economy is defined by Kok, et al, (2004) It covers every aspect of the contemporary economy where knowledge is at the heart of value added- from high tech manufacturing and ICTs through knowledge intensive services to the overtly creative industries such as media and architecture. The creation of knowledge is must to have a good knowledge hub and this can only be done through a strong university sector. If there is a good and solid RD sector in a country where it encourages investor to invest in the economy then the KH will definitely be a success for any country. Renowned university campuses must be willing to invest in a country to be able to gain competitive advantage and to attract greater amount of students to the country. According to Brinkley (2006) the use of new technologies will allow an economy to gain competitive advantage. The reserves of petrol, coal and other natural resources will be depleted but knowledge is the ultimate economic renewable form of resources. Having knowledge is an invaluable asset but one should also know how to share this knowledge to others. Globalisation and Knowledge Hub According to Brinkley (2006), the development of the knowledge economy and globalisation are closely related to each other. Globally known organisations have been able to benefit from this integration as they are now able to lower their cost of production but at the same time maintaining their level of quality. The most common examples that can be given are the data processing, transcription services and simple customer services delivered through call centres operating in these countries. Without the globalisation there would not have been the change in the world economy. It also increased competition when customers were able to benefit from the best quality product for a better price tag. In the same optic the countries engaged in becoming a KH have been able to gain competitive advantage by providing a good quality service for a good price, where reputed international universities settled. According to Derrick and Cogburn, (1998), Due to the economic globalisation and reorganisation of the world political and economic system, there is a need for the level of education to be up to the standards, knowledge and information need to be in line with the changes. This applies greatly for tertiary level, where the future workforce is prepared and nurtured to be able to perform in the different sectors they will be canalised into. As the store of knowledge is expanding in the world, it should be accessible to everyone who is wishing to participate and contribute to the change. According to Mansell and Wehn (1998), formal institutions of education that exist today, and even many of these in the planning stages in developing countries, are becoming less relevant to the requirements of emergent knowledge societies. In this quote of Mansell and Wehn are arguing that countries willing to start a knowledge based economy should reshape their education system in such a way that these countries will be in line with the national priorities. Furthermore the countries engaging to become a knowledge base industry should also consider the change occurring in the worlds economy and new strategies being use by competing countries to be able to achieve competitive advantage on the international market. Countries implementing the Knowledge Hub concept: India as a knowledge Hub India is known for having the fourth largest store of scientific manpower in the world which are tunnelled in different institutions such as in areas of RD, now its time for India to evolve as a knowledge based industry, appeared in IT Times (2006). According to Sarkaris website (2010) in every knowledge based society, education is the main catalyst to fuel the economy, where it empowers research and the creation of intellectual property (IP). India has the largest young population in the world with more than 600 million which are on the verge of becoming professionals or are actually performing as professionals. With a optimum use of this population and minimising the drop out from primary and secondary level of studies India will be able to have a good harvest of knowledge from its youngsters. Based on the National Sample Survey Organisation in 2009, an estimation of 815000 children representing 4.28% of Indias child population from 6 to 13 year old were school drop outs. Following this, in 2010 measure were taken to make it compulsory for every children at the age of 6 to 14 to attend school, where they were given free school facilities. According to Shahid (2009) the Indian Prime Minister of that time set up a National Knowledge Commission in 2005 to leverage various networks and to make India the knowledge engine of the globe. Through the KH India will become the power house for the supply of talent and skills to the rest of the world but also for RD, innovation and sale of its IP. Along with the praises that India has on the global market, Kiran Karniks Blog (2012) came to refute it with a report on the Programme for International Student Assessment saying that India is 73 out of 74 countries surveyed where students of form V had a low grading in Maths, Science and reading. Moreover in an Assessment Survey Evaluation Research report came to say that India had poor academic standards. These facts would definitely have a negative point in the balance of India to promote its KH and the quality of services it is offering. Ireland as a Knowledge Hub Ireland by 2013 will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research, and will be to the forefront in generating and using new knowledge for economic and social progress, within an innovation driven culture. Martin Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment (2008). According to Building Irelands Knowledge Economy (2004), Ireland is the leading exporter in terms of high technology and services for global market. Ireland is also a hub for electronic commerce and knowledge based activities. Two thirds of RD businesses operating in Ireland comes from overseas. The Government stated as main objectives to develop Ireland as a KH so as to sustain and increase employment in the country, the creation of wealth and to increase the competitiveness of Ireland on the global economy. Erawatch (2004) insists that the Building Irelands Knowledge Economy will reflect in an increase integrated approach in research and innovation, the acceptance of the quality of national research and innovation and technological advancement, which are crucial to gain competitiveness. It is essential for Ireland to increase and improve its RD so as for it to be able to locate itself as a place for high-tech and KH. Failing to improve the following sectors may result as a negative impact for encouraging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country, Building Irelands Knowledge Economy (2004). Singapore as a Knowledge Hub According to Yue al (2001), Singapore is indeed a small island which is often directly linked to limited natural resources. Due to their rapid economic growth, there was a shortage in labour and rising costs and based on this Singapore has lost its competitive edge on the East Asian market. The education policies of Singapore have always been in line with the nations economic priorities (Sidhu, Ho Yeoh, 2010). Education is the technology of hope in Singapore. They are said to have the worlds most competitive or second most competitive economies in recent times. The competitiveness of Singapore is mostly because of its geographical location and the free trade policy implemented by the colonial government and by investing massively in excellent transportation facilities, telecommunication amenities and good services. The success of Singapores economy also depends on the high level of FDI coming in the country. In the 90s Singapore was the country which benefited from major FDI among the Asian developing countries (Yue al, 2001). In the Budget Speech (2006) the government set emphasis to invest in RD to fuel the building up of their intellectual and knowledge capital based. The universities of Singapore are also know for the nurturing of talent and based on the current economic transformation there has been an increase in importance so as to stimulate the economic growth through industrial research, technology being commercialised, the attraction of foreign talents and most important is has to inculcate the entrepreneurial mindset to the young graduates of the country. Consequently the universities have become an important component of the countrys innovation system, Genewired (2011). In the same context of attracting foreign talent, Singapore with a small newly industrialised economy and with a small population, they should be able to attract the top talent to make their KH move forward. Just like regions like Silicon Valley, London, New York and Boston, have been able to beneficiate from the influx of international talents coming to perform for their economy. Singapore is trying to follow the steps of these countries in order to be able to differentiate its economy to other KH economies in Southern Asia. Furthermore, based on the experiences of regions mentioned above, the attraction of foreign talents does nt rely only on the type of work or economy a country is performing into but it starts when the cream of students decide to pursue their tertiary studies, that is with the name o renowned and high quality tertiary institutions Singapore will be able to attract them at the early stages for these students to become young professionals. This has been proven with universities like Stanford, UC Berkeley, Cambridge and Oxford who are top universities in the world, where every student engaging into the tertiary studies will be dreaming to have a seat, may act as a magnet to attract best talents and after studies it is common for the students to stay back and contribute to the countrys economy, Genwired (2011).

SWM Searching for Perfect Woman :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

SWM Searching for Perfect Woman Ninety-percent. Now that's a large percentage. I don't care what you're doing. If you are taking a test, that's an "A". If you are playing basketball, that's an unheard of free throw percentage. It's just a large percentage of anything. From what I hear, it's also the amount of time guys spend thinking about women. Up until now, however, I wasn't quite sure I agreed with that number. I mean, I have church, ministry, school, and sports on my mind. I was what you would call a "content single man." I was free to go wherever I wanted, be with whomever I chose, and do whatever I wanted. There were no boundaries to my craziness, and no woman could take up more of my thinking time that the three aforementioned activities. Man, how quickly things change. Now, don't go jumping to conclusions. By no means has some woman snatched me up and forced me to occupy myself with thoughts of what to buy her and where to take her to dinner. On the contrary, I am still technically as single man; but, there's one huge difference. I'm now what you would call, to put it delicately -- a desperate single man. Now it's no easy talk to get a man to say that and still keep his pride intact. I mean, ti puts us men at the risk of sounding, well ... desperate, when in fact, we want the general population to believe that we can have any girl we want. The macho image, the right clothes, working out; all this to get a girl so we won't be "alone". Therein lies my problem. My desperation is not a normal case of loneliness. No, it's not even sex hunger (even though most cases fall under this category). Ninety-percent of my time isn't spent thinking about random sex acts with that girl I sit next to in class, or the one I saw at the bar. My problem is, I don't want just "any girl". I'm desperate for "THE girl". Ninety-percent. I think I have reached that point. When that much time is devoted to thinking about one woman (especially when I have no idea who she is), then it's safe to say that I've reached one of the worst times of a man's life. The point at which every female they meet is a possible spouse.

Graphics Packages :: Computers Technology

Graphics Packages Graphics is a word used for all the different types of artwork, such as photographs, graphs, charts etc. Graphics packages Graphics packages may not be as detailed as you think. It can be a simple paint package, which has features of shading, drawing line diagrams and many other simple but effective features. These packages can be an alternative to complicated DTP packages. As it is very difficult to draw with the mouse, many people scan the drawings on the computer and now there are software packages, which do not use a mouse. New equipment used by professionals so that they can get pictures from a variety of places. A video grabber lets you get pictures from the television or a video camera and you then can alter it on your computer. A digital camera is also very popular as you can take pictures and then put them on your PC and alter then. This also means that you do not have to pay for the developing cost. You can also use clip art for pictures. Bit map vector graphics When using a graphics package the graphics file can have the image represented as a: 1.Bit map 2.Vector image A bit map files makes every dot or pixel on the screen has a single bit of information in a file. If it is in colour, you then need to store additional bits. The disadvantage to this is that if you want to alter anything you have to change it at a pixel at a time. When you enlarge an image, the number of pixels stays the same. In vector graphics, the lines are stored as equations on the computer. They are stored in vectors. The advantage of vector graphics over bit map files is that it is easy to alter things without any loss in resolution. When you enlarge an image, the number of pixels increases to the proportion of the image. CAD packages use vector images. Clip Art Clip Art is a collection of copyright-free drawings which you can place on your drawings. The drawings on clip-art look very professional, as they have been drawn in detail. Presentation software Pictures let you give ideas and concepts a better understanding than only words. Good presentations use things such as slides and transparencies to express views. A projector could be used for a large audience or a rolling slide show could be produced on a computer for smaller audiences.