Critical evaluation of Intercontinental hotel network Essay

Critical evaluation of Intercontinental hotel network - Essay Example Aspects to be considered will include hardware and software, in addition to strategies and policies. Various methods of research will be undertaken regarding the software and hardware. A findings chapter will be included which will talk about shortfalls of the existing system in the hotel. At the end of this investigation, an improvement of the system will be suggested. This project will be based on a critical evaluation of the Intercontinental Hotel Network. It will examine the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) network of the hotel based in Hyde Park, London. Based on the critical evaluation of the network a new and improvised network will be suggested. The 120 staff members of the hotel will be connected to the network. There will be adequate provisions for security of the network. All the computers will be connected to the main server. In addition, the hotel will have the facility to provide wireless Internet service to its guests, who will be able to connect to the Internet from any of the 460 rooms. The recommended network will include teleworking facility for the staff over a secure network environment. All the latest ICT innovations will be incorporated in the design to make the network state-of-the-art and to offer the maximum advantage to the hotel, its customers and its personnel. The upgraded network will utilize cutting edge technologies such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Virtual LAN (VLAN), Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Voice over IP (VoIP) over the network. Security will be assured through the use of fir ewalls, a reliable security and password policy and. enterprise antivirus solutions. This project aims at looking at the existing system in the hotel, critically evaluating it and then recommending possible improvements and changes in the system, based on the latest

3.What are the advantages and disadvantages of opening labour markets Essay

3.What are the advantages and disadvantages of opening labour markets on a global scale - Essay Example s especially significant during the past few decades, where its number has grown from 120 million to 214 million in the 1990s and 2007, respectively (Breunig, Cao, and Luedtke, 2012). Such a global movement of labour resources has led to some other changes, which have led to both positive and negative consequences. The costs and benefits of free human mobility are dependent of different factors, and therefore, they can vary at different levels: individual, national, and aggregate (international) effects (Moses, 2006). Therefore, while some parties (hosting countries) might gain some advantages, other parties (for example, sending countries) might be in disadvantageous position, and vice versa. Below is provided a more detailed overview of the advantages and disadvantages of labour migration and other consequences of opening labour markets in a global scale. Opening of labour markets in a global scale has provided enterprises and companies with greater flexibility: functional, numerical, temporal, financial, and geographical (Lewis et al., 2003:50 cited in Smith 2014). Such flexibility enabled companies to reduce the costs of human resources, to employ workers with specific (or rare) skills, and to implement effective HRM strategies. One of the advantages associated with the migration of labour force in result of opening market boarders is referred to the economic benefits (Moses, 2006). Economists view labour as another factor of production such as capital and land, which can be more cost-effectively or productively utilized in certain locations. Labor market integration can have particular positive impact on welfare if the labour skills and goods produced are sufficiently different and there are no distortions (Schiff, 2004). Increased international migration as a result of opening labour markets might bring significant economic gains, especially in the long-term perspective (Moses, 2006). Removal of the barriers for labour free mobility will more likely result

Development of New University Sports facility

Development of New University Sports facility 1.0 Introduction Before the day, the sport is no more joining by the students because they put most of the effort to their class study, and the sport facilities only was important to the minority of applicants who hoped to play in university teams. Although the sport not making interest for student to join at pass time, but nowaday, that has changed, many student was take part in regular physical activity since the benefit of healthy was attach important now. So a University was require the University sports executive in relation to their project for developing a new University Sports facility. The executive is impressed with most of the work that has been done but has concerns about the viability of the project. It has a problem that these students who study in University may use other facilities nearer their home rather than join the new University facility, because more of them live at home than University hostel. This problem may make University bear a high expensive because of lack of member going join their new sport facibility, so they need to investigate a potential secondary segment of clients for the sports facility other than the full-time students for incerease their revenue to recover the high expensive. For this goal, the University sport executive need to make a reseach or report of detail and justification of secondary segment, the specific macro environmental issues in the market which will bring the opportunities or threats. Beside that, the promotion and offering of the new University Sports facility is need to plan for attract the new member from outside of the University and also giving a reasonable price to new member for this new University Sports facility . 2.0 Content 2.1 Detail and justification of the secondary segment Since the University worry about there may lack of their student to joining their new University sport facilities, so they wish can aim to the second segment to rises thier revenue for it.The second segment is target to the ppl who are age 38-56 years old, adult.This is target to the person who are on the way to retire or already retired. This kind of people are very take care for thier healthy at life after their retire and the following life, and since they were reaching a high salary with working many year for their company.So, they willing to pay for the product or service that can improve their healthy. The new University sport facilities can satisfying their need and provide the profesional coach to train thier strenght and health by teach them using the new sport facilities to exercise. 2.2 Macro environmetal Issue The company and all of the pther actors operate in a larger macroenvironment of forces that shape opportynities and pose threats to the company.(Kotler,Armstrong 2004) The macroenvironment include demographic environment, economic environment, natural environment, technological environment, political environment, and cultural environment. Demography refers to the study of the human populations in terms of size, age, race, occupation, density, location, and density. It is very important to undestand the demographic environment because it is very helpful in deivide the human populations into the market segment and how they going target into which market. For example, according to the born of the years,we can saw there have 3 generations before this, such as baby boomers, who are born between 1946 and 1964, generation X, who are born between 1965 and 1976, and generation Y, who are born between 1977 and 1994. The generation of the baby boomers are the larger number of this 3 generation. So if the marketing segmatation can include this generation and that may bring a high revenue for the market because they are become mature nowaday and getting a stable job and may reaching they higher income earning in this many year they work before. They would like to spend and making purchases when thier income is getting high than ot her new generation. According to all of this, they also treat their healthy very important because of the larger age and willing to pay for their health care, so if the new Universitiy sport facibilities can segment to this generation and it will bring a opportunities for the University. Economic environment refer what is the way that make the potential consumer would like to make purchases and willing to pay for the products or services. Change in major economic variables such as income, cost of living, interest rates , and savings and borrowing patterns have a large impact on the marketplace.(Kotler,Armstrong 2004) For example, if the personal income of every worker is rising then their purchasing power will increasing and would like to make payment for the products and services, it is provide opportunities to market. In other hand, if the economic fall down and getting bad,such as increasing of the unemployment rates, then the money will be hold by the consumer to survive and reduce the purchasing power. Natural environment is about the natural resources that a company uses as inputs and the possible of their marketing activities may cause pollution to the natural or no. Threat for this enviroment will bring to the firm or company when their marketing activities are increasing the pollution, cause the shortages of raw materials seriously and increasing governmental intervention because of the complaint from the public sector. All of this will affect the companys reputation and make it hard to getting their goal or mission because the intervention of the government to their business activities. The technological environment is one of the fastest changing factors in the macroenvironment and no one can ignore this. That is very important to understand the changes of technological because competitors will exploit it sooner or later, with implications for your product and its market. (Brassington, Stephen) Technological advance in a company can help and give opportunity for them to create the new markets and new uses for products and maximum their profit in market. Another advantages that getting technological in advance are can negotiating the right of the skill or technological right and development of the marketable product with successful from it before the competition. The political environment is strongly affect the marketing decisins and it include the laws and regulation set by the government that limit the business action in social. That is very important for the company to be aware of these restrictions in this market.It always cause the threat for the company since the law and regulation often limit thier activities and they need to making decision for a long time period to fulfill in the right situation. 2.3 Outline of the new university sport facilitiess offer The benefits that the new university sport facilities going to offer to the member can attract the interest of the people to join whether the main objective of it is improvement of healthy. The offer provided just is a activity that influece and increase the motivation of them to join the new universitiy sport facilities. Here are the offers that provide to the new members: Bonus for introduce of new member Lastest model of sport facilities provided Free professional coach teaching Security Free safety insurance Free try for a day Discout of member fees 2.4 Pricing strategy In this new University sport facilities, the amount of the fees to the new member is very important because it may decide how many people willing to join depend to the price. The pricing strategy that use must satisfying the consumer need and enable to pay from every one. The market-penetration pricing can using for it and it is setting a low price with provide high quality of the product and service. It bring advantages to attract larger amount of the consumer to join and also gain larger market share. The lower price setting also can bring the opportunity to consumer to choose the new Universities sport facilities as their first choice. In other hand, it also will have the threat that seeting the lower price.Some of the consumer will treat the lower price will just provide the low quality product or service and they may no willing take risk to try, so in this case, it is need to making communication with them for provide the clearly information from the promotion.

Experimental Training Program: Wilderness/adventure Learning :: essays research papers

Experimental Training Program: Wilderness/Adventure Learning Training employees is a fundamental element of a corporations success. A company succeeds only as well as the people running it can perform. This training process can cover many skills and go into many areas of expertise. One key element that has only recently come into action is an outdoor- based experiential training program. Commonly called "ropes courses," wilderness courses or adventure learning programs have been in use in the USA since the early 1980's, and by organizations in the UK since the early 1970's. Outdoor programs have been most beneficial when used to promote effective work teams and used to enhance leadership and management skills in the participants. Outdoor- based training programs seem to accomplish these objectives by allowing participants to develop a high level of trust in their peers, improve their problem-solving ability, and generally improve the level of interpersonal communications between group members. Companies are looking for leaders that can launch them into a new era. Constant improvement is necessary to meet the growth of challenging competition. So who defines leadership? What is a leader and how would you raise these skills that may be laying dormant in your subordinates? Organizations need great leaders to help them successfully survive the many difficulties of this decade. Yet, the very notion of leadership has rapidly degenerated into a clichà ©, a buzz word. In many people's minds, leadership has become identified with an overly simplistic conception of vision and empowerment. Although these concepts do play an important role in the leadership process, they only scratch the surface of what an exceptional leader actually does on a day-to-day basis. What do leaders really do to make an organization work well? In my research I found that great leaders exhibit nine different kinds of behaviors that enable them to bring out the best in the people around them. Some of the nine behaviors of leadership listed below involve building participatory teams, some involve using "situational management strategies," while others enhance personal resources. Listed separately, the nine behaviors include: Developing people. Being able to influence others. Encouraging teamwork. Empowering people. Using multiple options thinking. Taking intelligent risks. Being passionate about work. Having a strong, clear vision. Stretching one's personal creativity. While many people think leaders are unique, even born to that state of excellence, I have found just the opposite. With proper experiential training, it is possible for people to learn these leadership behaviors. In other words, leaders can be developed. By all means they should be developed at many levels in an organization because leadership in a hierarchical situation stimulates the best in their followers and thereby increases overall productivity.

Last Sacrifice Chapter One

I DON'T LIKE CAGES. I don't even like going to zoos. The first time I went to one, I almost had a claustrophobic attack looking at those poor animals. I couldn't imagine any creature living that way. Sometimes I even felt a little bad for criminals, condemned to life in a cell. I'd certainly never expected to spend my life in one. But lately, life seemed to be throwing me a lot of things I'd never expected, because here I was, locked away. â€Å"Hey!' I yelled, gripping the steel bars that isolated me from the world. â€Å"How long am I going to be here? When's my trial? You can't keep me in this dungeon forever!' Okay, it wasn't exactly a dungeon, not in the dark, rusty-chain sense. I was inside a small cell with plain walls, a plain floor, and well †¦ plain everything. Spotless. Sterile. Cold. It was actually more depressing than any musty dungeon could have managed. The bars in the doorway felt cool against my skin, hard and unyielding. Fluorescent lighting made the metal gleam in a way that felt harsh and irritating to my eyes. I could see the shoulder of a man standing rigidly to the side of the cell's entrance and knew there were probably four more guardians in the hallway out of my sight. I also knew none of them were going to answer me back, but that hadn't stopped me from constantly demanding answers from them for the last two days. When the usual silence came, I sighed and slumped back on the cot in the cell's corner. Like everything else in my new home, the cot was colorless and stark. Yeah. I really was starting to wish I had a real dungeon. Rats and cobwebs would have at least given me something to watch. I stared upward and immediately had the disorienting feeling I always did in here: that the ceiling and walls were closing in around me. Like I couldn't breathe. Like the sides of the cell would keep coming toward me until no space remained, pushing out all the air †¦ I sat up abruptly, gasping. Don't stare at the walls and ceiling, Rose, I chastised myself. Instead, I looked down at my clasped hands and tried to figure out how I'd gotten into this mess. The initial answer was obvious: someone had framed me for a crime I didn't commit. And it wasn't petty crime either. It was murder. They'd had the audacity to accuse me of the highest crime a Moroi or dhampir could commit. Now, that isn't to say I haven't killed before. I have. I've also done my fair share of rule (and even law) breaking. Cold- blooded murder, however, was not in my repertoire. Especially not the murder of a queen. It was true Queen Tatiana hadn't been a friend of mine. She'd been the coolly calculating ruler of the Moroi–a race of living, magic-using vampires who didn't kill their victims for blood. Tatiana and I had had a rocky relationship for a number of reasons. One was me dating her great-nephew, Adrian. The other was my disapproval of her policies on how to fight off Strigoi–the evil, undead vampires who stalked us all. Tatiana had tricked me a number of times, but I'd never wanted her dead. Someone apparently had, however, and they'd left a trail of evidence leading right to me, the worst of which were my fingerprints all over the silver stake that had killed Tatiana. Of course, it was my stake, so naturally it'd have my fingerprints. No one seemed to think that was relevant. I sighed again and pulled out a tiny crumpled piece of paper from my pocket. My only reading material. I squeezed it in my hand, having no need to look at the words. I'd long since memorized them. The note's contents made me question what I'd known about Tatiana. It had made me question a lot of things. Frustrated with my own surroundings, I slipped out of them and into someone else's: my best friend Lissa's. Lissa was a Moroi, and we shared a psychic link, one that let me go to her mind and see the world through her eyes. All Moroi wielded some type of elemental magic. Lissa's was spirit, an element tied to psychic and healing powers. It was rare among Moroi, who usually used more physical elements, and we barely understood its abilities–which were incredible. She'd used spirit to bring me back from the dead a few years ago, and that's what had forged our bond. Being in her mind freed me from my cage but offered little help for my problem. Lissa had been working hard to prove my innocence, ever since the hearing that had laid out all the evidence against me. My stake being used in the murder had only been the beginning. My opponents had been quick to remind everyone about my antagonism toward the queen and had also found a witness to testify about my whereabouts during the murder. That testimony had left me without an alibi. The Council had decided there was enough evidence to send me to a full-fledged trial–where I would receive my verdict. Lissa had been trying desperately to get people's attention and convince them I'd been framed. She was having trouble finding anyone who would listen, however, because the entire Moroi Royal Court was consumed with preparations for Tatiana's elaborate funeral. A monarch's death was a big deal. Moroi and dhampirs–half- vampires like me–were coming from all over the world to see the spectacle. Food, flowers, decorations, even musicians †¦ The full deal. If Tatiana had gotten married, I doubted the event would have been this elaborate. With so much activity and buzz, no one cared about me now. As far as most people were concerned, I was safely stashed away and unable to kill again. Tatiana's murderer had been found. Justice was served. Case closed. Before I could get a clear picture of Lissa's surroundings, a commotion at the jail jerked me back into my own head. Someone had entered the area and was speaking to the guards, asking to see me. It was my first visitor in days. My heart pounded, and I leapt up to the bars, hoping it was someone who would tell me this had all been a horrible mistake. My visitor wasn't quite who I'd expected. â€Å"Old man,' I said wearily. â€Å"What are you doing here?' Abe Mazur stood before me. As always, he was a sight to behold. It was the middle of summer–hot and humid, seeing as we were right in the middle of rural Pennsylvania– but that didn't stop him from wearing a full suit. It was a flashy one, perfectly tailored and adorned with a brilliant purple silk tie and matching scarf that just seemed like overkill. Gold jewelry flashed against the dusky hue of his skin, and he looked like he'd recently trimmed his short black beard. Abe was a Moroi, and although he wasn't royal, he wielded enough influence to be. He also happened to be my father. â€Å"I'm your lawyer,' he said cheerfully. â€Å"Here to give you legal counsel, of course.' â€Å"You aren't a lawyer,' I reminded him. â€Å"And your last bit of advice didn't work out so well.' That was mean of me. Abe–despite having no legal training whatsoever–had defended me at my hearing. Obviously, since I was locked up and headed for trial, the outcome of that hadn't been so great. But, in all my solitude, I'd come to realize that he'd been right about something. No lawyer, no matter how good, could have saved me at the hearing. I had to give him credit for stepping up to a lost cause, though considering our sketchy relationship, I still wasn't sure why he had. My biggest theories were that he didn't trust royals and that he felt paternal obligation. In that order. â€Å"My performance was perfect,' he argued. â€Å"Whereas your compelling speech in which you said â€Å"if I was the murderer' didn't do us any favors. Putting that image in the judge's head wasn't the smartest thing you could have done.' I ignored the barb and crossed my arms. â€Å"So what are you doing here? I know it's not just a fatherly visit. You never do anything without a reason.' â€Å"Of course not. Why do anything without a reason?' â€Å"Don't start up with your circular logic.' He winked. â€Å"No need to be jealous. If you work hard and put your mind to it, you might just inherit my brilliant logic skills someday.' â€Å"Abe,' I warned. â€Å"Get on with it.' â€Å"Fine, fine,' he said. â€Å"I've come to tell you that your trial might be moved up.' â€Å"W-what? That's great news!' At least, I thought it was. His expression said otherwise. Last I'd heard, my trial might be months away. The mere thought of that–of being in this cell so long–made me feel claustrophobic again. â€Å"Rose, you do realize that your trial will be nearly identical to your hearing. Same evidence and a guilty verdict.' â€Å"Yeah, but there must be something we can do before that, right? Find proof to clear me?' Suddenly, I had a good idea of what the problem was. â€Å"When you say â€Å"moved up,' how soon are we talking?' â€Å"Ideally, they'd like to do it after a new king or queen is crowned. You know, part of the post-coronation festivities.' His tone was flippant, but as I held his dark gaze, I caught the full meaning. Numbers rattled in my head. â€Å"The funeral's this week, and the elections are right after †¦ You're saying I could go to trial and be convicted in, what, practically two weeks?' Abe nodded. I flew toward the bars again, my heart pounding in my chest. â€Å"Two weeks? Are you serious?' When he'd said the trial had been moved up, I'd figured maybe it was a month away. Enough time to find new evidence. How would I have pulled that off? Unclear. Now, time was rushing away from me. Two weeks wasn't enough, especially with so much activity at Court. Moments ago, I'd resented the long stretch of time I might face. Now, I had too little of it, and the answer to my next question could make things worse. â€Å"How long?' I asked, trying to control the trembling in my voice. â€Å"How long after the verdict until they †¦ carry out the sentence?' I still didn't entirely know what all I'd inherited from Abe, but we seemed to clearly share one trait: an unflinching ability to deliver bad news. â€Å"Probably immediately.' â€Å"Immediately.' I backed up, nearly sat on the bed, and then felt a new surge of adrenaline. â€Å"Immediately? So. Two weeks. In two weeks, I could be †¦ dead.' Because that was the thing–the thing that had been hanging over my head the moment it became clear someone had planted enough evidence to frame me. People who killed queens didn't get sent to prison. They were executed. Few crimes among Moroi and dhampirs got that kind of punishment. We tried to be civilized in our justice, showing we were better than the bloodthirsty Strigoi. But certain crimes, in the eyes of the law, deserved death. Certain people deserved it, too–say, like, treasonous murderers. As the full impact of the future fell upon me, I felt myself shake and tears come dangerously close to spilling out of my eyes. â€Å"That's not right!' I told Abe. â€Å"That's not right, and you know it!' â€Å"Doesn't matter what I think,' he said calmly. â€Å"I'm simply delivering the facts.' â€Å"Two weeks,' I repeated. â€Å"What can we do in two weeks? I mean †¦ you've got some lead, right? Or †¦ or †¦ you can find something by then? That's your specialty.' I was rambling and knew I sounded hysterical and desperate. Of course, that was because I felt hysterical and desperate. â€Å"It's going to be difficult to accomplish much,' he explained. â€Å"The Court's preoccupied with the funeral and elections. Things are disorderly–which is both good and bad.' I knew about all the preparations from watching Lissa. I'd seen the chaos already brewing. Finding any sort of evidence in this mess wouldn't just be difficult. It could very well be impossible. Two weeks. Two weeks, and I could be dead. â€Å"I can't,' I told Abe, my voice breaking. â€Å"I'm not †¦ meant to die that way.' â€Å"Oh?' He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"You know how you're supposed to die?' â€Å"In battle.' One tear managed to escape, and I hastily wiped it away. I'd always lived my life with a tough image. I didn't want that shattering, not now when it mattered most of all. â€Å"In fighting. Defending those I love. Not †¦ not through some planned execution.' â€Å"This is a fight of sorts,' he mused. â€Å"Just not a physical one. Two weeks is still two weeks. Is it bad? Yes. But it's better than one week. And nothing's impossible. Maybe new evidence will turn up. You simply have to wait and see.' â€Å"I hate waiting. This room †¦ it's so small. I can't breathe. It'll kill me before any executioner does.' â€Å"I highly doubt it.' Abe's expression was still cool, with no sign of sympathy. Tough love. â€Å"You've fearlessly fought groups of Strigoi, yet you can't handle a small room?' â€Å"It's more than that! Now I have to wait each day in this hole, knowing there's a clock ticking down to my death and almost no way to stop it.' â€Å"Sometimes the greatest tests of our strength are situations that don't seem so obviously dangerous. Sometimes surviving is the hardest thing of all.' â€Å"Oh. No. No.' I stalked away, pacing in small circles. â€Å"Do not start with all that noble crap. You sound like Dimitri when he used to give me his deep life lessons.' â€Å"He survived this very situation. He's surviving other things too.' Dimitri. I took a deep breath, calming myself before I answered. Until this murder mess, Dimitri had been the biggest complication in my life. A year ago–though it seemed like eternity–he'd been my instructor in high school, training me to be one of the dhampir guardians who protect Moroi. He'd accomplished that–and a lot more. We'd fallen in love, something that wasn't allowed. We'd managed it as best we could, even finally coming up with a way for us to be together. That hope had disappeared when he'd been bitten and turned Strigoi. It had been a living nightmare for me. Then, through a miracle no one had believed possible, Lissa had used spirit to transform him back to a dhampir. But things unfortunately hadn't quite returned to how they'd been before the Strigoi attack. I glared at Abe. â€Å"Dimitri survived this, but he was horribly depressed about it! He still is. About everything.' The full weight of the atrocities he'd committed as a Strigoi haunted Dimitri. He couldn't forgive himself and swore he could never love anyone now. The fact that I had begun dating Adrian didn't help matters. After a number of futile efforts, I'd accepted that Dimitri and I were through. I'd moved on, hoping I could have something real with Adrian now. â€Å"Right,' Abe said dryly. â€Å"He's depressed, but you're the picture of happiness and joy.' I sighed. â€Å"Sometimes talking to you is like talking to myself: pretty damned annoying. Is there any other reason you're here? Other than to deliver the terrible news? I would have been happier living in ignorance.' I'm not supposed to die this way. I'm not supposed to see it coming. My death is not some appointment penciled in on a calendar. He shrugged. â€Å"I just wanted to see you. And your arrangements.' Yes, he had indeed, I realized. Abe's eyes had always come back to me as we spoke; there'd been no question I held his attention. There was nothing in our banter to concern my guards. But every so often, I'd see Abe's gaze flick around, taking in the hall, my cell, and whatever other details he found interesting. Abe had not earned his reputation as zmey–the serpent–for nothing. He was always calculating, always looking for an advantage. It seemed my tendency toward crazy plots ran in the family. â€Å"I also wanted to help you pass the time.' He smiled and from under his arm, he handed me a couple of magazines and a book through the bars. â€Å"Maybe this will improve things.' I doubted any entertainment was going to make my two-week death countdown more manageable. The magazines were fashion and hair oriented. The book was The Count of Monte Cristo. I held it up, needing to make a joke, needing to do anything to make this less real. â€Å"I saw the movie. Your subtle symbolism isn't really all that subtle. Unless you've hidden a file inside it.' â€Å"The book's always better than the movie.' He started to turn away. â€Å"Maybe we'll have a literary discussion next time.' â€Å"Wait.' I tossed the reading material onto the bed. â€Å"Before you go †¦ in this whole mess, no one's ever brought up who actually did kill her.' When Abe didn't answer right away, I gave him a sharp look. â€Å"You do believe I didn't do it, right?' For all I knew, he did think I was guilty and was just trying to help anyway. It wouldn't have been out of character. â€Å"I believe my sweet daughter is capable of murder,' he said at last. â€Å"But not this one.' â€Å"Then who did it?' â€Å"That,' he said before walking away, â€Å"is something I'm working on.' â€Å"But you just said we're running out of time! Abe!' I didn't want him to leave. I didn't want to be alone with my fear. â€Å"There's no way to fix this!' â€Å"Just remember what I said in the courtroom,' he called back. He left my sight, and I sat back on the bed, thinking back to that day in court. At the end of the hearing, he'd told me–quite adamantly–that I wouldn't be executed. Or even go to trial. Abe Mazur wasn't one to make idle promises, but I was starting to think that even he had limits, especially since our timetable had just been adjusted. I again took out the crumpled piece of paper and opened it. It too had come from the courtroom, covertly handed to me by Ambrose–Tatiana's servant and boy-toy. Rose, If you're reading this, then something terrible has happened. You probably hate me, and I don't blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had planned. There are some Moroi who want to force all dhampirs into service, whether they want it or not, by using compulsion. The age decree has slowed that faction down. However, I write to you with a secret you must put right, and it is a secret you must share with as few as possible. Vasilisa needs her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives, the illegitimate child of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you will give Vasilisa the power she deserves. No matter your faults and dangerous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. Waste no time in fulfilling it. –Tatiana Ivashkov The words hadn't changed since the other hundred times I'd read them, nor had the questions they always triggered. Was the note true? Had Tatiana really written it? Had she–in spite of her outwardly hostile attitude–trusted me with this dangerous knowledge? There were twelve royal families who made decisions for the Moroi, but for all intents and purposes, there might as well have only been eleven. Lissa was the last of her line, and without another member of the Dragomir family, Moroi law said she had no power to sit on and vote with the Council that made our decisions. Some pretty bad laws had already been made, and if the note was true, more would come. Lissa could fight those laws–and some people wouldn't like that, people who had already demonstrated their willingness to kill. Another Dragomir. Another Dragomir meant Lissa could vote. One more Council vote could change so much. It could change the Moroi world. It could change my world–say, like, whether I was found guilty or not. And certainly, it could change Lissa's world. All this time she'd believed she was alone. Yet †¦ I uneasily wondered if she'd welcome a half-sibling. I accepted that my father was a scoundrel, but Lissa had always held hers up on a pedestal, believing the best of him. This news would come as a shock, and although I'd trained my entire life to keep her safe from physical threats, I was starting to think there were other things she needed to be protected from as well. But first, I needed the truth. I had to know if this note had really come from Tatiana. I was pretty sure I could find out, but it involved something I hated doing. Well, why not? It wasn't like I had anything else to do right now. Rising from the bed, I turned my back to the bars and stared at the blank wall, using it as a focus point. Bracing myself, remembering that I was strong enough to keep control, I released the mental barriers I always subconsciously kept around my mind. A great pressure lifted from me, like air escaping a balloon. And suddenly, I was surrounded by ghosts.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Racial Discrimination Essay

A quick review of the current headlines of America’s newspapers, blogs and chat rooms speaks volumes about the advances that African-Americans have made in the quest to gain equality in a nation that proclaims â€Å"liberty and justice for all†, but has sadly fallen short of delivering that promise to minorities in decades past. This, of course, brings to mind the struggle to end racial discrimination, a struggle that owes an endless gratitude to Martin Luther King, Jr, a leader of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Sadly, King lost his life to an assassin’s bullet; ironically, this research will prove that Martin Luther King, Jr. ’s fight and dedication to peace and dictated the way in which he tried to end racial discrimination, and he never used force to reach his end result. Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr? If it is possible to fully understand the mindset of Martin Luther King, Jr. , his mission and methods, it is important to likewise gain a better understanding of who he was as not only a social advocate but also as a human being. A simple quote from the last speech that King ever gave, prior to his tragic murder so early in life, speaks a great deal about his philosophy and faith: â€Å"I just want to do God’s will, and he has allowed me to go up to the mountain† (Dyson, 2000, p. 2) In saying this, what King was trying to convey was that he was not motivated by fame, wealth or personal recognition, but rather that he was motivated by what is right, and that he had been given the privilege of using his wisdom and popularity to gain equality for all Americans, regardless of their race. When looking back on the writings and speeches of King, it becomes apparent that he truly advocated non-violent actions to achieve his goals and realize his dream, but he also realized that it would be necessary for blood to shed, probably his most of all, for the dream to come to life. In fairness, it would neither be fair nor correct to depict Martin Luther King, Jr. as a saint or a supernatural figure, no matter how impressive his actions in his life and the sacrificial nature of his death. In its purest sense, King’s message held that it is legally, morally and philosophically the right thing for everyone to have equal rights, regardless of their race. What he intended was for everyone to have the opportunity to prove their abilities, advance based their hard work and initiative and improve their standard of living as much as anyone else. However, it would seem that King has created a monster of sorts, as his message has been perverted for selfish purposes over the years to indicate that minorities should be given preference because of prior deprivations and disadvantages, something which creates a sizeable level of friction between races in America to the present day. Additionally, it has been alleged by King’s critics that he resorted to grandstanding as a means of gaining attention for his cause (Greenblatt, 2008). Suffice it to say that King, in the final analysis was not a superhero, nor was he all style and no substance. In actuality, he was an intelligent, motivated individual who was driven by zeal to make a difference in the world, eradicate wrongs that he observed in that world, and try to generate harmony for minorities and non-minorities through the promotion of peace between the two groups. Simply put, King was human, but doing everything humanly possible to rise above the limitations of what he saw as an unjust world. Turning Imprisonment into Freedom Perhaps one of the clearest statements of King’s support of non-violent action in order to eradicate injustice and discrimination anywhere that it existed in the United States can be found in his writing that would become known as â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†. The â€Å"letter† came into existence when King was arrested as a result of his protesting activities in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, which as that time and place was believed by many to be the most racially segregated and prejudiced city in the United States of America. Adding insult to injury, the clergy of Birmingham leveled the allegation that King and his groups of non-violent protesters who came to Birmingham were in fact outsiders who were essentially interfering with matters that they had no business being involved with in the first place. Taking a certain level of offense at this accusation, King addressed his letter directly to the clergy of Birmingham who were making the accusations and managed to cleverly outline his strategies for achieving meaningful change without using violence, the precedent for doing so throughout Biblical texts and secular history accounts, and precisely what he and his many fellow advocates intended to realize in the end after the actions took place (Abcarius & Klotz, 2007). Additionally, some other facets of the letter deserve recognition. King uses terms like â€Å"loyalty† and â€Å"sacred values† to make the argument that the battle to end discrimination is something that is not only of the mind of all people, but also a matter of the heart. Further, he makes the assertion that the level of difficulties that existed in Birmingham made involvement by outsiders not only appropriate, but also necessary. Thus, it can be fairly argued that King was ready, willing and able to selflessly embark on a crusade of freedom, wherever that crusade happened to take him. King’s Death Gave Added Life to His Dream As this research was introduced, the point was made that ironically, a non-violent activist like Martin Luther King, Jr. had his life prematurely snuffed out by a violent act on the part of an individual whose sole motivation seemed to be violence in order to reach his goal (Kukathas, 2008). Adding to the irony of King’s murder is that his assassin intended for the murder to also kill King’s dream of equality for all, but in the final analysis, the exact opposite took place. As tragic as his death was, it seemed to speak a million words, telling everyone that racial hatred is not only wrong, but could also be fatal. When faced with life and death, many soon realized that a better dialogue on the issue of race was necessary. While the road to equality would be slow, it was aided by the sacrifice made by Martin Luther King, Jr. upon his death. King in Context and Conclusion As has been seen in this research, Martin Luther King, Jr. was more motivated than perfect, active than violent. In fact, the point has been made by examining pivotal writings of King and his historic record of activism that he made the progress that he did without ever raising a violent hand to anyone. Therefore, in conclusion, what is seen in King is a non-violent catalyst for change in a world that sadly, was too violent to allow him to continue living in it. While those who would come after him would attempt to twist his words for their own benefit and depict King as something that he was not, over the course of history, it has been proven that the quality of what he offered to the world has withstood the test of time and when it is revitalized and used as he designed it, can continue to be successful in the modern United States of America. Hopefully, it will continue to do so as time moves forward. Works Cited Abcarias, R. & Klotz, M. (Eds) (2007). Literature: The Human Experience of Reading and Writing. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press. Dyson, M. E. (Ed) (2000). The True Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: The Free Press Greenblatt, A. (2008). The Legacy of Disadvantage in the United States Kukathas, U (Ed) (2008). Race and Ethnicity. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press

buy custom Cooperative Wireless Communication essay

buy custom Cooperative Wireless Communication essay The mobile wireless channel suffers from fading, in other words, the signal attenuation can vary significantly over the course of a given transmission. When transmitting independent copies of the signal, it generates diversity and can eff3ectively combat the deleterious effects of fading. In particular, spatial diversity is generated by transmitting signals from different locations, thus allowing independently faded versions of the signal at the receiver. Cooperative communication generates this diversity in a new and interesting way. Consider two mobile agents communicating with the same destination. Each mobile has one antenna and cannot individually generate spatial diversity. However, it may be possible for one mobile to receive the other, in which case it can forward some version of overheard information along with its own data. Because the fading paths from two mobiles are statistically independent, this generates spatial diversity. Cooperative communications exploit the spatial diversity inherent in multiuser systems by allowing users with diverse channel qualities to cooperate and relay each others information to the destination. Each transmitted message is passed through multiple independent relay paths and thus, the probability that the message fails to reach the destination is significantly reduced. Without having the knowledge of the channel conditions or even the amount of resources available, each user is given a fair opportunity of utilizing the cooperative relaying channel. However, if the channel state information is available to the users, one can redistribute the resources usage or traffic load to improve the communication efficiency. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The basic ideas behind cooperative communication can be traced back to the ground breaking work of cover and EL Gamal on the information theoretic properties of the relay channel. This work analysed the capacity of the three-node network consisting of a source, a destination, and a relay. It was assumed that all nodes operate in the same band, so the system can be decomposed into a broadcast channel from the view point of the source and a multiple access channel from the view point of the destination. Many ideas that appeared later in the cooperation literature was first exposited in. However, in many respects the cooperative communication that we consider is different from the relay channel. First, recent developments are motivated by the concept of diversity in a fading channel, while cover and EL Gamal mostly analyse capacity in an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. Second, in the relay channel, the relays sole purpose is to help the main channel, whereas in cooperative communication the total system resources are fixed, and users act both as information sources as well as relays. Therefore, although the historical importance is indisputable, recent work in cooperative has taken a somewhat different emphasis. BASIC CONCEPTS OF COOPERATIVE COMMUNICATIONS Cooperative communication typically refers to a system where the user share and coordinate their resources to enhance the transmission quality. This idea is particularly attractive in wireless environment due to the diverse channel quality and the limited energy and bandwidth resources. With cooperation, users that experience a deep fade in their link towards the destination can utilize quality channels provided by their partners to achieve the desired quality of services. This is also known as the spatial diversity gain, which is similarly achieved in multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless systems. In cooperative wireless communication, people are concerned with a wireless system for the cellular or ad hoc variety, where the wireless agents, who are identified as call users, can enhance their effectual quality of service- which can be calculated at the physical layer through rates of bit error, rates of block error, or outage possibility-through cooperation. In the system of cooperative communication, every wireless user is supposed to shift informtion with the act as a cooperative agent for different user Cooperative methods apply the broadcast style for wireless signals through assessing that a source signal aimed for an important place can be overheard at neighbouring areas node. These nodes, known as partners, relays, or supporters, process the signals they hear and shift towards the place. There are two features that differentiate cooperative transmission schemes from conventional non-cooperative schemes: The use of multiple users resource to transmit data of a single source. A proper combination of signals from multiple cooperating users at the destination. This is evidenced where we have two users transmitting their local messages to the destination over independent fading channels. Suppose that the transmission fails when it enters a deep fade, this is to mean when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received signal falls below a certain threshold. If the two users cooperate by relaying each others messages and the inter user channel is sufficiently reliable, the communication outage only occurs when both the users experience poor channels at the same time. The main advantages of the cooperative communications are: Higher spatial diversity Higher throughput/lower delay Reduced interference/lower transmitted power Adaptability to network conditions Detect and Forward Method This method is close to the idea of a traditional relay. In this method a user attempts to detect the partners bits and then retransmits the detected bits. The partners may be assigned mutually by the base station, or via some other technique. The most important factor is that each user has a partner that provides a second data path. The easiest way to visualize this is via pairs, but it is also possible to achieve the same effect via other partnership topologies that remove the strict constraints of pairing. This method of signal has the advantage of simplicity and adaptability to channel conditions. This method has the limitation that the base station needs to know the error characteristics of the inter user channel for optimal decoding. In order to avoid the error of propagation, Lanemanet al proposed a hybrid decode and forward method where at times when the fading channel has high instantaneous signal to noise ration, users detect and forward their partners data, but in case the channel has low SNR, users revert to a non cooperative mode. Amplify and Forward Method Another simple cooperative signal method is the amplify-and-forward method. In this method, receives a noisy version of the signal transmitted by its partner. The user then amplifies and retransmits this noisy version. The base station combines the information sent by the user and the partner, and makes a final decision on the transmitted bit. In amplify and forward method, it is assumed that the base station knows the inter user channel coefficients to do optimal decoding, so some mechanism of exchanging or estimating this information must be incorporated into any implementation. Another potential challenge is that sampling, amplifying, and retransmitting analogue values is technologically nontrivial. Coded Cooperation Method Coded cooperation is a method that integrates cooperation into channel coding. Coded cooperation works by sending different portions of each users code word via two independent fading paths. The basic idea is that each user tries to transmit incremental redundancy to its partner. Whenever that is not possible, the users automatically revert to a non cooperative mode. The key to the efficiency of coded cooperation is that all this is managed automatically through code design with no feedback between the users. The users divide their source data into bblocks that are augmented with cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code. In coded cooperation, each of the users data is encoded into a codeword that is partitioned into two segments, containing N1 bits and N2 bits, respectively In general, various channel coding methods can be used within this coded cooperation framework. For example, the overall code may be a block or convolution code, or a combination of both. The code bits for the two frames may be selected through puncturing, product codes, or other forms of concatenation. The users act independently in the second frame, with no knowledge of whether their own first frame was correctly decoded. As a result, there are four possible cooperative cases for the transmission of the second frame: neither user cooperates. Analysis of the effects of these four cases is beyond the scope of this article, and we refer the reader to the literature for more comprehensive treatment. We only note that the performance curves shown in this article include all the effects of the inter user channel. Performance evaluation The figure above give some examples of the performance of cooperative communication using the three classes of signalling described in the previous section. For comparisons one must take note that, unlike amplify-and-forward and detect-and-forward methods, coded cooperation is inherently integrated into channel coding. In order to present equitable comparisons, we consider a coded baseline system with the same overall rate of for all cases: non cooperative, amplify-and-forward, detect-and-forward, and coded cooperation. For both hybrid decode-and-forward and amplify-and-forward, the users initially transmit a RCPC code word punctured to rate 1/2. This code word is subsequently repeated by the relay, resulting in an overall rate of . For coded cooperation, a cooperation level of 25 percent is used. The two users transmit a code word punctured to rate 1/3 in the first frame. In the second frame, the relay transmits the bits punctured from the first frame such that the total bits received for each user form a rate 1/4 code word. The plot above illustrates a case in which the mean uplink SNR for user 1 is 10 dB higher than that of user 2, while the inter user mean SNR is equal to that of the uplink channel for user 2. Two significant results of cooperation can be noted. First, user 2, as one might expect, improves significantly by cooperating with a user that has a better quality uplink channel. More interestingly, however, user 1 also improves significantly, despite cooperating with a user having a poorer quality uplink channel. This result illustrates that even a user with a good uplink channel has strong motivation to cooperate. Second, we note that the difference in performance between users 1 and 2 is significantly reduced by the cooperation methods. This shows that cooperation inherently reallocates the system resources in a more effective manner. In comparing the three cooperative transmission schemes, we see that both amplify-and-forward and hybrid decode-and-forward are not very effective at low SNR. This is due to the fact that their signalling is equivalent to repetition coding, which is relatively inefficient at low SNR. Coded cooperation, however, has graceful degradation and performs better than or as well as a comparative non cooperative system at all SNRs. In addition, coded cooperation generally performs better than other cooperative methods for moderate to high SNR. This tutorial describes wireless cooperative communication, a technique that allows single antenna mobiles to share their antennas and thus enjoy some of the benefits of multiple antenna systems. Several signalling schemes for cooperative communication are presented. Practical implications and requirements on system design are discussed, as well as extensions to the basic idea. Results to date are indicative of a promising future for cooperative communication. Buy custom Cooperative Wireless Communication essay

Graphical And Mathematical Representation Essays - Flat Earth Theory

Graphical And Mathematical Representation Essays - Flat Earth Theory Graphical and Mathematical Representation Question: Find the graphical and mathematical representation of an object shot from a slingshot. Apparatus: See attached paper for apparatus. Method/Procedure Summary: - Gather a slingshot, ball, tape, measure tool, table, scale, stopwatch, protractor on a table - Keep the slingshot from moving around on the table by applying tape - Put the ball on the slingshot and measure the distance it is pulled back and keep the - distance consistent - Measure the weight of ball in kilometers - Measure the angle of the launch (independent) - Launch the ball using the slingshot while measuring the time in seconds (dependent) - Measure how far the ball traveled horizontally in meters(dependent) - Repeat steps 5-7 for 6 trials Data: pull length: 0.05 (m) ball: 0.0023 (kg) angle (?)horiz dis (m)time (s)horiz vel (m/s) 50.460.212.19 100.830.392.13 201.410.692.04 301.800.882.05 401.980.982.02 452.000.992.02 900.001.020.00 horiz vel (m/s) = horiz dis (m) / time (s) Analysis: See attached paper for graphs, motion maps, interaction schemes, force diagram. The horizontal and vertical velocities and displacement are independent of each other. To reach a maximum vertical displacement, a 90? angle of launch must be used. To reach a maximum horizontal displacement, a 45? angle of launch must be used. To reach a maximum time of flight, a 45? and 90? angle of launch must be used. Horizontal displacement vs. initial horizontal velocity The y-intercept is initial velocity of the ball. The slope is acceleration of the ball. Equation: Velocity (m/s) = 0.06 (s ^2) Dis (m) ^2 ? 0.26 (s) Dis (m) + 2.30 Vel (m/s) Initial vertical velocity vs. time of flight Conclusion/Evaluation: The experiment was interesting, but very confusing. We were unable to calculate the initial vertical velocity of the ball at a 90? angle of launch. Because of this one of graphs, along with its supplement data were not calculated. But we still learned many things about projectiles from this project. We learned that the horizontal and vertical displacement and velocities are independent of each other. We also learned that 45? angle of launch will give you a maximum horizontal displacement and 90? angle of launch will give you a maximum vertical displacement. We learned that doing the experiment on the grass lawn was much better than on cement because the grass stopped the movement of the ball. The project can be improved by review of what will be done before that starting of the project. Also a more open project allowing us to vary the project would also improve the experiment.

How I Get the Best Out of FundsforWriters Newsletter

How I Get the Best Out of FundsforWriters Newsletter Hopes FFW is a great newsletter and completely deserves its reputation as a great resource for writers. The newsletter is one of a handful. In every edition there is at least one publication I think â€Å"I like the sound of that – Ill send them an LOI or a pitch!† But theres a problem, a catch-22 if you like: Hopes newsletter is way too popular! When I first subscribed to FFW as soon as Id read it I would start researching the publications – check out their style, recent articles etc. But my pitches usually bombed even though I had a really good rate of acceptance from other publications Id researched. The penny dropped when I noticed one publication Id just read about in FFW had closed their doors for submission due to a sudden increase in pitches before I got further than the research. Of course! We were all pitching the same editors at the same time. As soon as I clicked on to this, I changed my approach not just with FFW but with all the newsletters I receive which list magazine submission details. Suddenly my rate of success with these editors vastly improved. I use a staggered approach now. Heres what I do: 1) I read FFW as soon as it appears in my inbox but only for the Editors Thoughts and the Featured Article. Its always good to get new ideas and encouragement. 2) I look at time-sensitive notices like competitions. I admit these are low priority for me as Im too busy with non-fiction work to do much story writing. I also ignore grants because not many of them apply to the UK where I live. 3) This is the important bit: I file FFW newsletter in a special email folder and ignore it for about six months. That way, if theres a flurry of pitches from eager writers, I miss the crush. These publications have usually been around for a while, so theres no rush! I have a stack of about two years of FFWs and other newsletters ready to use now. 4) I then pick an FFW from the back catalog and choose publications to pitch. The choice can be random – might be from six months earlier, or four months, or even a year. It really doesnt matter as long as its old. Its almost stupidly simple but what a difference this has made to the acceptances Ive seen! Now I have a level playing field to pitch to rather than trying to shout to be heard after the sudden interest has died down. Ive found that if youre good enough you wont miss the boat. As long as the publications keep running, theyll always need new articles. For instance, just recently I pitched a piece to Little India – the largest overseas Indian magazine in the world which Hope wrote about at the end of May last year. Despite being a big publication, I heard back from them within 24 hours accepting my pitch and the article was published in April this year. Im quite certain that had I pitched the editor back in May I probably wouldnt have heard from him at all. Sometimes, it seems, the last shall be first.

Executive Chef Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Executive Chef - Essay Example He supervises the entire catering aspects instructing his cooks in the matter of preparation, cooking and presentation of food with embellishments to make the final product not just tasty but also attractive in appearance. All these combine to make the career of an executive chef exciting, rewarding and on the whole fantastic to pursue. A successful executive chef can also look forward to the prospect of getting elevated to the position of Corporate Chef with the ultimate aim of becoming the owner of his own business. I am passionate about cooking and dream of becoming a renowned chef like Gordon Ramsay. Pursuing the career of executive chef, I am sure, will one day see me achieve my dream. The career will give me an opportunity to experiment with culinary art and the satisfaction of giving people the best eating experience. Being an executive chef is not merely a profession but has more to do with a lifestyle. The road to success is arduous but for the passionate the ends are rewarding. According to chef Krumov, "Becoming a chef can be a good career move, but only for those who don't mind working on evenings and weekends (and almost at any other time when the rest of the people are not working), standing on feet for long hours, working under pressure, enduring burns and cuts, hot environment, smoke and fumes, noise and heavy lifting". Along with the hard work and knowledge of cooking are required management, communication and interpersonal relationship skills. The chefs besides knowing how to cook excellent cuisines must also interact with the customers to promote the business. It is this aspect that draws me to this career more than the prospect of being just a backroom cook. While the most potent weapon in the hands of executive chef remains his knowledge relating to food and cooking, when this skill is backed with customer relation skills, the result is a sharpened marketing tool that can really win business. A prospective customer can be best impressed with discussions on food, the primary agenda for a banquet party and an agenda that no one else other than the chef can handle. The customer would be interested to place order only when he is sure about the food. That puts the chef at the nucleus of any business discussion. As a modern day executive chef, I will get to be exposed sometime to the media and that is something I am eagerly looking forward to. It definitely will give me an opportunity to hone my communication skills and to improve my overall confidence. 3 I know the career progression path from the chef to the corporate chef and finally a full-fledged hotel group owner is strewn with difficulties. But at the same time, I also know that the rewards will be limitless. Rewards not just in terms of money but in the forms of the satisfaction of pursuing my creative passion for cooking, lighting up so many faces with the delight of tasting my creation, their appreciation and above all the lifelong opportunity to learn, innovate and advance. The career of an executive chef is more akin to lifestyle than a job in the sense we think where we go to the office, do a particular kind of work and come back home doing little creative work. The profession of executive chef demands much more than the knowledge

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - Research Paper Example As time passed, the causes and mechanisms of human disease started to become understood. It is true that many new diseases have emerged which may have been nonexistent in previous times. This may be due to the formation of different reservoirs for the spread of disease associated with modernization which has brought the world together and hence has paved ways for the spread of disease from one region to another. The rearing of animals has also been considered to be associated strongly with the spread of diseases. Cows and chickens have been linked with outbreak of diseases which include smallpox and measles in the fifteenth and sixteenth century (Sheldon 2003). Thus, with advancement in technology, the patterns of human disease have been understood. It is believed that changing patterns of human living have led to increase in the number of diseases. Major epidemics of diseases broke out in the world that could not be treated owing to lack of development in the field of medicine. This included the millions of fatalities that resulted due to plague in the first half of the twentieth century. Mutations in genes are also associated with many medical conditions and pathologies. The research in the field of genetics has assisted in assessing these conditions (Robbins et al 2005, Levinson 2008). The human body functions on the basis of many organ systems. The integration of these systems is essential for the proper functioning of the human body. The immune system forms an important system of the human body which assists the individual to fight against invading organisms and to overcome the process of disease. The immune system functions either via the direct action of the white blood cells against the invading organisms or by the formation of antibodies against the pathogens that invade the human body. The skin is the outermost barrier and stops the pathogens from entering the body and it is hence referred to as the â€Å"first line of defense.† The human body functions via two forms of immunity which include the innate immunity and the acquired immunity. The innate immunity is the immunity that every individual possesses which include the skin and the white blood cells. This form of immunity is not specific against particular pathogens and is the trigger of the body against any foreign substance. The acquired immunity is the specific immunity which results particularly after the human being comes in contact with infective organisms. The acquired immunity is enhanced via the vaccines (Guyton et al 2000; Levinson 2008). The lymphatic system of the human body is the system which is directed towards the immunity. It includes the spleen, thymus as well as the bone marrow. The lymphatic system is directed towards the formation of the cells of the immune system as well as the delivery of these cells to the different organs of the human body. It assists in maintaining a healthy immunity of the individual against invasion (Guyton et al 2000). A w ide range of pathological conditions affect the human body. Disorders of the musculoskeletal system of the human body constitute an important set of conditions as they serve to hamper the normal living of an individual owing to their effect on the muscles of the human body. Muscular dystrophies are a set of conditions that affect the muscles of the human body. A dystrophy is basically a condition in which the normal fibers of the muscle become replaced by the fibrofatty tissue. This leads to a loss of functioning and hence the muscles of the

Sustainability plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sustainability plan - Coursework Example Sustainability principles were applied in all areas of activities of the Games that helped to achieve the broader objectives of sustainable legacy plans. The five themes vis-a-vis climate change; waste management; biodiversity; inclusion; and healthy living were major platforms that exploited sustainability principles to bring about major change in the behaviour of the people as well as initiated a new paradigm of sustainability within sports. London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games successfully achieved its sustainability objectives as defined within its plans. Introduction Sustainable development practices have become one of the most crucial issues of contemporary times. Scientific advancement, globalization and lifestyle changes have brought mixed blessings in people’s lives. While they have contributed to better living conditions, they have also been linked to degradation of environment that threatens the survival of human species on earth. The adverse effect on the ecolo gy necessitates development of effective mechanism that would address the issue of sustainable practices within our lifestyles. The environment conservation and preservation need to be intrinsically linked to human activities so that finite resources of the nature could be sustained for future generation. ... The paper is an analytical business report on the success of the London 2012 Olympic Games in terms of sustainability. Overview of London Olympics London 2012 Olympic Games were held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 which was followed by Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September where 300 events were held. 205 nations took part in Olympic Games and 147 nations in Paralympic Games. 10, 568 athletes participated in the games with women making 44% of the competitors. The games witnessed more than 25,000 artists across the countries, 70, 000 volunteers, nearly 1.5 million people visited free events at festival, 1,450,000 visited gallery and museum and over 600,000 people attended events, performances etc. at the games (IOC-2, 2012). Managing and catering to the needs of gigantic number of people was a major challenge for London Olympic committee, especially when sustainability was critical issue across all activities of the Games. The responsibility for organizing the games was primar ily on LOCOG or London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and ODA or Olympic Delivery Authority. The two organisations were supported by various stakeholders like Minister of Olympics, Mayor of London and British Olympic Association. The main partners were: London Development Authority (LDA), Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), Transport of London, British Paralympic Association; six host boroughs vis-a-vis Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forests; and sponsors and commercial partners (London 2012 sustainable plan, 2009). LOCOG was meticulous in its strategic planning and earned gold in Environmental and Sustainability category of the 6th International Sports

Enzyme Kinetics Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Enzyme Kinetics - Lab Report Example The results were tabulated, statistically treated and interpreted to reveal that enzymatic activities are affected by changes in temperature, such that as the temperature of the environment where the chemical reaction takes place increase, the chances of the rate of molecular collision increases causing a consistent increase in the production of glucose. The same concept holds true to ph, substrate concentration, and enzyme concentration. Nevertheless, the rate of molecular reaction facilitated by enzymes ceases when enzymes as protein molecules are denatured because of extremes in these factors. But, a supplementary enzyme from an artificially concocted tablet like Lactaid when taken is capable of augmenting enzyme concentration in case the need arises. Plants, animals, and microorganisms body growth and development are products of kinetics in metabolic pathways (Mader, 2001). The kinetics or the speeding-up, or the slowing down of chemical reactions in these metabolic pathways is caused by enzymes (Miller and Levine 2003). Enzymes are commonly known as protein molecules that are preoccupied with control of chemical reactions in the metabolic pathway. ... Since enzymes are included in the process of metabolism, it is said that it also is responsible in producing all the chemicals in living organisms.Additionally, it is also considered as important factor for the fast process of metabolism. But in every process there are different factors that enzymes are conditioned. These determinants greatly contributed for the dynamic process of a living organism's metabolism.There were different laboratory studies conducted which determined that the speeding-up and slowing-down of metabolism are affected by its surroundings changes in temperature, intense shift in pH (high or low), which in turn affects the efficiency of enzymes. Another one is the substrate concentration, wherein this indicates the reaction of enzymes in a given condition, and lastly, the enzyme concentration which indicates the amount of enzymes in the substrates in a chemical reaction. This laboratory study revealed the important role of enzymes to sustain life. It indicated the progress of ones' metabolism with the proper condition of enzymes. There are thousands of enzymes that are known and each of it has their particular work. In every living organism, the metabolism process if very different from one of each other. This will determine the metabolic enzymes that should be evident in for example, digestion. There are thousands of enzymes that are evident and are important in every living organism. One of this is the enzyme lactase. Lactase enzyme is needed for proper digestion of lactose that is evident in dairy products. This typical enzyme is familiarly known to determine the cause and effect of improper digestion in living organisms. As observed, majority of human adults are victims

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Management - Essay Example The management theory acts as the frame work for running the business. It is essential in dealing with employees, and in understanding the business environment(Robbins et al.2008). History of management As indicated by Robbins et al. (2008, p. 29), the ancient management practices were implemented in projects such as the construction of the Great Wall of Chinaas well as the pyramids of Egypt which employed thousands of people. During the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, a single pyramid would employ more the 100000 workers for 20 years; hence, someone had to be assigned the task of organizing and controlling the people and the materials to be used. Such activities led to the study of management practices. Robbins et al. (2008, p. 29) further stated that, in 1776, Adam Smith published a book that argued the economic benefits that organizations get from practicing effective management practices such as division of labour and breaking down jobs to narrow tasks, which played a role in increasing the labor productivity, and in enhancing the skills of the workers. The other concept that has played a role in management is the industrial revolution of the18th century in the Great Britain. Industrial revolution was important because it enhanced the use of machinery for production instead of manpower. This made the production of goods more efficient by reducing the finance and time resources used for production. The tasks that were previously taken by human beings were substituted by machines which enhance both accuracy and quality. In the 19th century, there was a major step taken to enhance proper management through the development of formalized management theories which were implemented in large organizations. These were scientific management, general administrative theory, quantitative organizational behavior and contingency. The scientific management theory explains the use of scientific methods to ensure that various tasks are implemented. The scientific theo ry was further enhanced by Fredrick Taylor, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. Taylor observed that most tasks were executed with neither application of skills nor professional standards; thus, reducing their output to a third of what was expected from a worker. To maximize the application of skills by the workers and increase the production efficiency, workers were assigned tasks according to their abilities and characteristics. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth studied on ways to avoid wastage of the body movements. The study was implemented through the selection of the right tools for the right job so as to optimize work performance. The experiments for this study were done through bricklaying, and by reducing the motions from 18 to 2, a move which proved to be more productive. The four principles of management developed by Taylor were; developing professional techniques for each component of the individual’s work, selecting and training the employees, cooperation with the employees and dividing the responsibilities amongst the management and employees (Robbins et al.2008). The general administrative theorywas developed by Henri Fayol, in an effort to enhance effective management practices by educating managers on ways to execute their tasks and in return achieve positive results. Fayol’s idea was based on creating a suitable working environment and controlling workers to achieve higher productivity. This approach is applicable in any organizational setting. This concept is important in determining

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 16

Report - Essay Example Given that human labor is the main driving force towards attaining the core objectives of an institution, it is mandatory to ensure that they are acquainted with the skills and expertise needed to deliver quality services that meet the divergent needs of the international market. Recent research as documented by theorist Bassnet (2010) in his book: Statistical Data Analysis has sufficiently demonstrated that only about 25% of corporate business organization undertake regular capacity building through on-job training, workshops, international conferences and seminars that are geared towards instilling new insight and relevant skills within the labor force (Bassnet, 2010). The HR Director has been on the run to diagnose the cause of underperformance among a section of its employees and it has become eminent that the majority of them lack the required skills to match the current needs of consumers and meet the internationally set standards in the industry, demonstrating the scope of the study. The best practice relating to employee performance lies in the ability of the human resource department to diagnose the problem and identify the specific areas that are lacking; and require reinforcement and empowerment to meet the needs of the organization. This ensures that there is a holistic growth in the organization and that all departments work cohesively together to realize high productivity and remain competitive in the industry. When one department lags behind, the whole system’s performance is essentially affected hence the need to ensure that all the sectors work optimally without one derailing the activities of the other due to incompetence and lack of capacity to deliver. According to McGeorge (2010, p. 121), capacity building fundamentally entails equipping the labor force with the technical know-how in as far as their duties and responsibilities

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Management - Essay Example The management theory acts as the frame work for running the business. It is essential in dealing with employees, and in understanding the business environment(Robbins et al.2008). History of management As indicated by Robbins et al. (2008, p. 29), the ancient management practices were implemented in projects such as the construction of the Great Wall of Chinaas well as the pyramids of Egypt which employed thousands of people. During the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, a single pyramid would employ more the 100000 workers for 20 years; hence, someone had to be assigned the task of organizing and controlling the people and the materials to be used. Such activities led to the study of management practices. Robbins et al. (2008, p. 29) further stated that, in 1776, Adam Smith published a book that argued the economic benefits that organizations get from practicing effective management practices such as division of labour and breaking down jobs to narrow tasks, which played a role in increasing the labor productivity, and in enhancing the skills of the workers. The other concept that has played a role in management is the industrial revolution of the18th century in the Great Britain. Industrial revolution was important because it enhanced the use of machinery for production instead of manpower. This made the production of goods more efficient by reducing the finance and time resources used for production. The tasks that were previously taken by human beings were substituted by machines which enhance both accuracy and quality. In the 19th century, there was a major step taken to enhance proper management through the development of formalized management theories which were implemented in large organizations. These were scientific management, general administrative theory, quantitative organizational behavior and contingency. The scientific management theory explains the use of scientific methods to ensure that various tasks are implemented. The scientific theo ry was further enhanced by Fredrick Taylor, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. Taylor observed that most tasks were executed with neither application of skills nor professional standards; thus, reducing their output to a third of what was expected from a worker. To maximize the application of skills by the workers and increase the production efficiency, workers were assigned tasks according to their abilities and characteristics. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth studied on ways to avoid wastage of the body movements. The study was implemented through the selection of the right tools for the right job so as to optimize work performance. The experiments for this study were done through bricklaying, and by reducing the motions from 18 to 2, a move which proved to be more productive. The four principles of management developed by Taylor were; developing professional techniques for each component of the individual’s work, selecting and training the employees, cooperation with the employees and dividing the responsibilities amongst the management and employees (Robbins et al.2008). The general administrative theorywas developed by Henri Fayol, in an effort to enhance effective management practices by educating managers on ways to execute their tasks and in return achieve positive results. Fayol’s idea was based on creating a suitable working environment and controlling workers to achieve higher productivity. This approach is applicable in any organizational setting. This concept is important in determining

Porters 5 Forces Essay Example for Free

Porters 5 Forces Essay 1) New Business / Threat of New Entrants Changing Conditions in PESTEL, Product, Service differences, brand identity, access to distribution, necessary resources, learning curve, inertia of existing markets. Expected retaliation, switching requirements, scale economics and experiences. Capital requirements. Example: Upcoming smartphone known as the OnePlus One from a completely new firm. Cheaper than other firms such as Samsung, Apple and HTC but the quality is just as good, if not better. http://www.cnet.com//oneplus-one-to-hit-general/ 2 + 3) Bargaining Power of Suppliers and Customers Concentration Number of Buyers, Switching costs esp Relationships, Control of information, Forward and backward integration, threat of Vertical integration, availability of substitutes. Importance to others performance. Brand identity, marketing and purchasing incentives. Alliances, relationships and expectations. The ability of suppliers to change the firms performance. Eg Samsung has increased costs now that their suppliers went on strike. http://www.clb.org.hk//workers-samsung-supplier-china Likewise the same thing refers to consumers, but I cant of an example off the top of my head. 4) Threat of Substitutes Sideways competition, Comparative price/performance, backing by rich competitor. Comparative technological life cycle. Benefits no product features. Theres tons of substitute products in the smartphone industry of all ranges in price and quality, so that one is self explanatory. 5) Rivalry amongst Competitors Aside from the other four forces, the nature of rivals also determine the intensity and degree of rivalry. Competitors with different values, vision,  mission, strategy and operational effectiveness, combined with different perceptions and abilities of their senior managers will influence not only the degree of competition but also its patterns. The intensity of competition is also elevated when; there are severally equally strong players such as Samsung vs Apple Few chances for differentiation They all know whats coming up and they all copy each other. Galaxy Gear, Moto 360, Apple iWatch (Rumored)

General Structure of Electrical Power System

General Structure of Electrical Power System Introduction to Power generation The high voltage electric transmission is the bulk transfer of electrical energy, from generating power plants to substations. This is from the local wiring between high voltage substations and customers are referred to as electricity distribution. Transmission lines, when interconnected with each other, become high voltage transmission networks. Transmission lines mostly use three phase alternating current (AC), although single phase AC is sometimes used in railway electrification systems. High-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology is used only for very long distances; undersea cables. Electricity is transmitted at high voltages to reduce the energy lost in long distance transmission. Power is usually transmitted through overhead power lines. Underground power transmission has a very high cost and greater operational limitations. The main problem in the Power distribution is that electrical energy cannot be stored so it is generated based on the necessity. A control system is req uired to ensure electric power generations match the demand. Power generating plant low voltage is produced. The generator terminal voltage is then stepped up by the power station transformer to a higher voltage for transmission over long distances. Power Losses Transmitting electricity at high voltage reduces the fraction of energy lost due to resistance. For a given amount of power, a higher voltage reduces the current and thus the resistive losses in the conductor. At extremely high voltages, conductor and ground, corona discharge losses are so large that they can offset the lower resistance loss in the line conductors. Transmission and distribution losses are generally below 10%. In general, losses are estimated from the discrepancy between energy produce and energy sold to end customers; the difference between what is produced and what is consumed constitute transmission and distribution losses. In an alternating current circuit, the inductance and capacitance of the phase conductors can be significant. The currents that flow in these components of the circuit impedance constitute reactive power, which transmits no energy to the load. Reactive current causes extra losses in the transmission circuit. The ratio of real power (transmitted to the load) to apparent power is the power factor. As reactive current increases, the reactive power increases and the power factor decreases. For systems with low power factors, losses are higher than for systems with high power factors. At the substations, transformers reduce the voltage to a lower level for distribution to commercial and residential users. This distribution is accomplished with a combination of sub-transmission (33 kV to 132 kV) and distribution (3.3 to 25 kV). Finally, at the point of use, the energy is transformed to a low voltage. Power Load balancing The transmission system provides for base load and peak load capability, with safety and fault tolerance margins. The peak load times vary by region largely due to the industry. Power requirements vary by the season and the time of day. Distribution system designs always take the base load and the peak load into consideration. The transmission system usually does not have a large buffering capability to match the loads with the generation. Thus generation has to be kept matched to the load that prevents overloading failures of the generation equipment. Multiple sources and loads can be connected to the transmission system and they must be controlled to provide orderly transfer of power. In centralized power generation local control of generation involves synchronization of the generation units to prevent large transients and overload conditions. In distributed power generation the generators are geographically distributed and the process to bring them online and offline must be carefully controlled. The load control signals can either be sent on separate lines or on the power lines. To load balance the voltage and frequency can be used as a signaling mechanism. In voltage signaling, the variation of voltage is used to increase generation. The power added by any system increases as the line voltage decreases. Voltage based regulation is complex to use in mesh networks, since the individual components and set points would need to be reconfigured every time a new generator is added to the mesh. In frequency signaling, the generating units match the frequency of the power transmission system. In droop speed control, if the frequency decreases, the power is increased. Wind turbines and other distributed storage and generation systems can be connected to the power grid, and interact with it to improve system operation. 5.2 Power generation and distribution through overhead lines with single line diagram Electrical power system deals with the technology of generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy. An electric power system consists of different subsystem are explained as follows I. Generation subsystem The conversion from one source to electrical energy through the process of electromagnetic conversion. This system consists of group of generation systems. Power system comes into existence with the growing demand of electrical energy. Power generations are classified as Hydraulic, nuclear power, fossil fuel and non-conventional power, solar power. II. Transmission subsystem The overhead transmission network transfers electrical energy from generating stations located at long distance to the distribution system. The Transformer and transmission line subsystems are designed in such way to transmit bulk power for consumption at the load line. The step-up transformers are used in various range of step-up voltage based on the requirements. A transmission voltage varies between 66 kV to 440KV in India. III. Sub-transmission system The sub-transmission network is the portion of transmission system connected to the high voltage substations using transformers. IV. Distribution subsystem By this process energy is connected to different distribution subsystem to a place a main transmission subsystem. A distribution subsystem consists of over headlines and underground cables. The distribution of power system is generally in two levels feeder or primary voltage at 11kV and secondary/consumer voltage at 415 Volt for three-phase and 230 Volt for single phase supply for house hold application. Each individual customer is connected to the secondary circuit through service leads and a meter. Distribution system is classified as Radial distribution system, loop distribution system and network distribution system. From the main switch electrical energy is distributed to the various points using distribution board system and tree system. V. Control subsystem This subsystem is formed by relays, switch and other control elements to protect other subsystems to protect faults and overloads to ensure efficient, reliable and economic operation of electric power system. Figure 6.1 Block diagram of single line power system Step-up and step down Transformers are used in all subsystems. At the sending end from generator step up Transformers are used and the receiving end step-down Transformers are used. Power and distribution Transformers are used in power line system depending upon the power handling capacity. Earthing The earthling of electrical installation is undertaken for the following reasons. To avoid shocks to a living body. To ensure the potential with respect to the earth of any current carrying conductor does not rise above its designed level. To provide safety to operating personal To avoid fire hazard due to leakage current. Representation of the transmission line A transmission line has series resistance, series inductive reactance, shunt capacitance and leakage resistance which are distributed evenly along its length. Except for long lines, the total resistance, inductance, capacitance and leakage resistance of the line can be concentrated to give a lumped-constant circuit which simplifies calculation. The particular lumped-constant circuit used depends on the length of the line and the required accuracy of the calculations. For the purpose of this introduction to power system calculations, we will consider a representation which is accurate for short transmission lines up to about 80 km in length. For this length of line, the shunt capacitance and leakage resistance can be ignored. It should be noted that this assumption is not valid for unloaded lines when the shunt capacitance dominates. Power system analysis is required for a large number of different purposes System design and control to maintain consumer voltage at statuary levels as affected by conductor sizing and transformer tap charger position. Fault calculations to ensure that the maximum fault current can be interrupted by circuit breakers or fuses and that large fault currents cause the minimum of damage to the power system. Design of protection systems to ensure faulty circuits are switched off rapidly (

Sexual Education for Children Essay -- Sex Ed Education Essays

Sexual Education for Children Sex education materials for children more often serve to confuse than to inform. These materials generally present females as passive and males as active. The books describe heterosexual norms while ignoring the existence of homosexuality and bisexuality. Many books describe sexual intercourse as existing for the purpose of procreation only. Pictures and descriptions of this sex act more often mystify than inform. Finally, these materials target young children and assume that these children are incapable of understanding most elements of sex. Children can often understand far more than they are given credit for. Most materials offer descriptions of sexual intercourse as an act devoid of passion involving an active male partner and a passive female partner. Across publication dates, sexual education materials portray women as passive and men as active. Dr. Block’s Do-It-Yourself Human Sexuality Book portrays the girl as passive when she says â€Å"He’ll never leave me now† after she and the boy have sex (18). She has no active control over her life—rather, she waits to see whether or not the boy will stay or leave (Block, 18). In So That’s How I Was Born, the father explains that the â€Å"daddy puts his penis inside the†¦ vagina† (Brooks, 28). Thus, the man is the active partner while the woman is passive. Brooks further emphasizes that the woman’s passive role exists in all areas of life when, at the end of Brooks’ story, the boy’s mother satisfies stereotypes of docile women by speaking â€Å"softly† (28). Many of these authors further perpetuate stereotypical gender roles in their stories. In his book, Brooks shows the mother wearing an apron (25). In her book Mommy, Where Do Babies Come F... ..., far more conservative than those of some of the other, earlier works. The earliest works appear to be the most progressive. Is society adopting an increasingly restrictive and negative view of pre-marital sex, or is this merely a coincidence? Aside from these observations, it is difficult to make generalizations about the works according to dates of publication because there do not seem to be any other strong chronological trends. Sex education does not appear to be growing more comprehensive with time. Sex education books continue to omit crucial information. They confuse children, (and sometimes even teens,) with cryptic descriptions and diagrams. Feminine and masculine stereotypes, while not acknowledged in any constructive way, are strongly perpetuated. Sex education materials, such as those cited above, fail to provide comprehensive sex education.

privatization :: essays research papers

The social impact of privatization has been an appendage rather than being built into the design of public sector reform programs and particular measures from start to finish. The objectives and the process of privatization has to be rethought because democracy requires the fullest participation of all people in American society, not just those deemed to live in the â€Å"public sector†. What is happening is not only increasing fear of the poor, but also the privatization of public space, which is given an added push by government cut-backs. Public streets are moved indoors into malls and become private preserves. Parks and streets in gated communities are barred to anyone who does not live there. User fees are charged for the use of other parks and public facilities so that, in practice, they become the property of those who can afford the fees. Privatization of the home sector begins with high fences, heavy gates and barred windows, then proceeds to the hiring of private police to patrol the neighborhood. When that still does not produce the attitude of security, the next step is gated communities: whole subdivisions, entire condominium developments, or apartment complexes protected from the outside world by armed guards or electronic security. Ironically, the gates only provide an illusion of security, as the authors of â€Å"Fortress America† demonstrate both through the testimony of interviewees and by demonstrating the penetrability of gates by sneaking through them. Moreover, while residents idealize the gates as a means of creating community, they find that gates can actually promote divisiveness, as residents argue about gate policy and homeowner's association policies. More ominously, Blakely and Snyder argue that gates lead to increasing polarization, us-vs-them attitude of citizens, leaving cities deprived. Among the deprived and polarized are children. They are usually denied a variety of culture as many gated communitites tend not to be richly diverse in class or ethnic standing. This deficiency of being raised surrounded by diversity can play a key role in the increase of feelings of apathy toward those of different ethnic or social background; and in extreme cases, can lead to school violence. Young people who grow up together in the streets and in the poorer neighborhoods are more likely than others to develop attitudes based on respect, and on the pleasure of being together. Gated communitites have a tendency to become inward-looking, withdrawing into itself, combined with a rude, exclusive and stigmatizing attitude with regard to particular groups or individuals who are perceived as threats; or increased social control by one population group over another.