Investigating business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Investigating business - Assignment Example It set an objective to introduce the theme park’s proven chainable brands internationally, such as Legoland Discovery Centers, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE. By constant monitoring its visitor satisfaction, Alton Tower sets targets of delivering memorable experiences to its fans, consolidating and embracing these opportunities (Merlin Entertainment, n.d). Alton Towers is one of Merlin Entertainments brands and UK’s number one Theme Park, with the thirty- eight million visitors. This leading short break resort offers an extensive range of rides, attractions, hotels, restaurants created and served  for the whole family to have fun together. Set in five hundred acres of the Staffordshire Moorlands, it has a significant importance on the well- being of the surrounding area (Alton Towers n.d.). The company strives to create a high growth international family entertainment institution, which will be able to provide its consumers with the wide  portfolio of its services. As its objectives, Alton. It set an objective to introduce the theme park’s proven chainable brands internationally, such as Legoland Discovery Centers, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE. The company positions its theme parks as short break destinations, because it will optimize the market reach and use of assets. By constant monitoring its visitor satisfaction, Alton Tower sets targets of delivering memorable experiences to its fans, consolidating and embracing these opportunities (Merlin Entertainment, n.d). The organizational structure of Alton Towers as a part of Merlin Entertainment Company consists of the Board of Managers located in Luxembourg. It provides recommendations to all operating companies, including Alton Towers and also make major decisions. However, the strategic decisions on the activities of all the divisions of the Merlin Entertainment are made by the Management Committee. The company is confident enough in ability

Research methods applied to the cyber crime like identity theft( use a Thesis

Research methods applied to the cyber crime like identity theft( use a proper name if you want) - Thesis Example Such developments has made communication a second’s task, where a large amount of data and information can be collected and used for a number of purposes easily. However, these developments can be seen as positive for human beings, but these can also be seen as a negative phenomenon. It is usually called as the â€Å"double edged sword†, where it has both bright and dark sides. Though computer and information technology has proved to be much useful for communication and business development, but it has also created new ways for doing illegal or criminal activities (Gordon, Hosmer, Siedsma, & Rebovich, 2003). A number of commercial websites are performing business activities online, or others using computers to gather and accumulate critical information in order to use it for business purposes. Such businesses have been nowadays facing the issues of misuse of information or other kinds of crimes with regard to the sensitive information. In order to combat these criminal and delinquent activities, they have to perform overwhelming, and expensive job of safeguarding their critical information, which can be used for delinquent actions. In these days, it is easier to do crime, as criminals are able to encode the data, which is showing some proofs against their delinquent actions, and also transfer such data regardless of having fear of being noticed from Police side or Law agencies. Such criminal activities has made it more complex to detect any corruption. As the internet has astonishing effects on this area, where it is being impossible to detect a person due to the fact that the crime can be held regardless of any geographical area. This situation has convoluted the enquiry of cybercrime to the greater extent (Gordon, Hosmer, Siedsma, & Rebovich, 2003). In this regard, there are a number of new studies and fields of a study are emerging, and among these a Cybercrime Science is such an evolving field of study targeting to thwart the

The Importance Of Water Treatment

The Importance Of Water Treatment Water is very important for human being and other living things. In human body, more than 70% are fluid such as blood and all these fluid are basically formed by water. Bone marrow needs water to generate blood then blood carries the oxygen from lung to whole body. Besides that, water can maintain humans body temperature and provide natural material with mineral. Water is not only essential for human body, it is also playing an important role in our daily life activities, examples like washing clothes and food, bathing for personal hygiene and acting as solvent for all cleaning reagent. Consequently, water industries refer to a problem solver in this situation. First of all, water industries are divided into three major types which are water purification, wastewater treatment and also the new type called desalination. For the water purification means purifying water to become the drinking water. Although natural water is drinkable for human but without any purification or method of killing gem, the natural water is harmful for human being nowadays. Purified water and natural water seems like no different when we look at it but sometimes we still smell the different, natural water might have some pungent smell. Natural water consists of a lot microorganism and bacteria inside it, just we cant observe it with our naked eyes. In addition, water pollution is getting serious thus purification is necessary to ensure the drinking water is clean and not harmful to our health. After that, another type of water industry which is very vital for the Mother of Nature is the wastewater treatment industry. Wastewater treatment refers to the processes of controlling the wastewater on Earth; this is the most important method to solve the water pollution. Wastewater is directing to the chemical wastewater from factories, wastewater from household and some water from polluted river or lake. The usage of wastewater treatment is to killing the gem/bacteria in the wastewater; remove solid impurities and odor smell. Irresponsible human behavior will make the wastewater treatment become more essential for the world. The new type of water industry is about the desalination. Desalination is a meaning of transforming the seawater or saltwater into pure water or drinking water. Due to the natural water on the land is getting lesser and the population of human is increasing, hence we found out a new method to produce normal water from seawater. Seawater source is so much on Earth, so this method is highly developing around the world. Seawater cannot consume by human because it consists of high salt component such as NaCl, this cause our body unaffordable to consume the seawater. Furthermore, we will discuss deeply about the process of water purification and desalination in this article. The importance of Desalination and water purification industry Water treatment process brings many importances to the society today. One of the importances of water treatment process is to ensure that water is more suitable to be used by industries and individuals. The purpose of water treatment process is to remove contaminations from water, so that it would be more suitable for it to be used. There are several processes that can be used to treat water such as filtration, disinfection that is majorly in use to clean water. Water is the key to a persons survival because without water survival is simply not an option. Hence, it is important to make sure water is purified in order to drink otherwise bacteria in the water can be harmful to your organs if drunk in normal consumption. According to a global research, a large number of people at their early ages die from water born diseases in most of the developing countries. Thus, it is very important to get the proper treatment of the water for a healthy living. Water treatment industry can be very helpful for the society today because they are saving the lives of many innocent human beings who die from fatal diseases such as cholera, typhoid which cause by consuming contaminated water. According to United Nations statistics, the worlds fresh water consumption since the 20th century increased by 6-7 times higher than the population growth rate of two times, around 1.4 billion people lack access to safe and clean drinking water, or an average of every 5 people who have a lack of water. So, the idea of desalination plays a major role to provide us the constant supply of water as the sea water is an unlimited resource. Sea water desalination process is actually done by converting salty sea water into fresh usable water. Further purification of the sea water after the desalination process can convert it into drinking water. These industries are important to ensure that there is enough water supply as the population is growing and growing rapidly. These are the major roles of the water treatment plants in. Water supply and demand Water is one of the most important resources in our life and it is the major Earths natural resources. However the freshwater supply in our earth is a control resource, which means the total amount of freshwater, is limited. Most of the worlds water supply is saltwater stored in the oceans. Converting saltwater to freshwater is generally too expensive to be used for domestic, industrial and other freshwater uses. About 97% of the water stored in the ocean is salt water. Only 3% of the worlds water supply is a freshwater where two-third out of the 3%, of that water is frozen, forming the polar ice caps, and icebergs. The remaining one-third of freshwater is available as either surface water or ground water; ground water accounts for two-thirds of this amount. Surface water is water that is visible above the ground surface, such as rivers, ponds and lakes. Ground water is water that either fills the spaces between soil particles or penetrates the cracks and spaces within rocks. The demand for water supply includes water consumption by the domestic, industrial, commercial and other sectors. In addition to this, the total amount of water that needs to be produced, and hence the total water demand includes provisions for water lost as a result of the leakages between the source (treatment plant) and the end users of consumers. Malaysia, like the rest of the world, is faced with a growing population. The population of Peninsular Malaysia will be more than double its size from 18.1 million in 2000 to 38 million in 2050 as reported in the National Water Resources Study (2000) thus the population growth and socio-economic development are currently driving a rapid increase in water demand. The government is now working on the creation of an industry structure to purified water that will ensure long-term sustainability of the water supply and sewerage services industry. Purified water is water from any source that is physically processed to remove impurities. Distilled water and deionised water have been the most common forms of purified water, but water can also be purified by other processes including reverse osmosis, carbon filtration, micro porous filtration. Prospect of water industry in Malaysia Nowadays, the water industry in Malaysia is filled of challenges. There is either too much, too little, polluted or inaccessible water to meet the needs of our nation. As the increasing of demand to the quality of life, peoples are pursuing for an abundance of safe, low cost and high quality water. Globally, more than 90% of water and sanitation systems are publicly owned and operated. However, a trend that industry experts acquired smaller utilities has been increasing. This phenomenon is called consolidation. There also was an increase in privatization-private companies that contract to operate or to purchase the public utilities. Moreover, many larger systems were investing in new testing and treatment methods. Under Malaysian conditions, erosion by water and the decay of nations of pipes that transport water into homes are the most significant. As pipes corrode, water pressure decreases and foreign materials such as bacteria and debris may enter the system. In order to reduce the negative health effects to humans, government officials flush out the water and add large doses of chlorine to eliminate contaminants. However, this is a short-term solution. Obviously, the countrys water-pipe system, much of which is over one hundred years old, needs a major overhaul. Increased privatization of the water system is being seriously considered to help alleviate the plight of countrys water as the government can receive funding for structural adjustment programs. This is because private water companies have a high potential of bringing efficiency, savings, and environmental responsibility to communities, cities and the country. Besides that, as we know that fresh water that is available for human use is just 1 percent of the total water supply, and that supply is dwindling as supply cannot keep pace with demand. Thus, the prospect of water industry may be focusing in the alternative to increase the freshwater. Since most of the earth water is seawater, desalination technology has arisen as a potential alternative to solve the problem of water shortage. Desalination has been present throughout the 125 countries and territories around the world, the worlds desalinated water to feed about 5% of the population. In fact, desalination is an excellent way to solve water shortage problems in many countries. This is indeed a strategic choice as its validity and reliability has been more widely recognized. Research indicates that the cost of producing water from desalination is often less than half that produced by the distillation method of processing water. Improvements in effienciency have led to reduce energy con sumption, cheaper processing costs and a superior product being produced. The Impact On the Environment As our world industrialised, water pollutions are getting serious. There are three main types of water pollutions caused by human activities, which are domestic sewage, industrial wastewater and agricultural wastewater. In these wastewaters, contain pathogens, detergents, toxic waste, chemical waste and heavy metals. These harmful chemicals not only poison aquatic organisms, also affect sources of drinking water, and pollute our environment. Toxic wastes, generally, are not easy to metabolise out of body of organisms. Wastes tend to bioaccumulate inside the organisms. The bioaccumulation of toxic wastes not only happen in single organism, but all members from food chains. The concentration of toxic wastes gets higher as the trophic level going up. Not only that, the agricultural wastewater contains fertilizer, pesticide and also the fungicide. These pollutants cause the eutrophication. It is caused by excessive nutrients in the wastewater, and it brings the algal blooms and red tide. These leads to fish kills as algaes consuming most of the oxygen in the water. In a nutshell, water pollution can lead to a lower biodiversity. The decrease of biodiversity means that the variation of life decreased, and it affects the balance of ecosystem. It is important to maintain the balance of ecosystem, species of organisms will decline if the ecosystem does not balance. It will be a bad circle. Water industry helps in collecting the wastewaters from different parts to the water treatment plants. Also, water industry helps in controlling the quality of water. Before discharging the wastewater back to our ecosystem, the water is treated so it reduces the effect toward the environment. It also improves the water quality which means that provides not only the better quality of life, and save the environment for the future. Furthermore, it maintains the balance of aquatic ecosystem. As the contaminated wastewater not flowing into river and the sea, the aquatic environment will be free of dangerous and toxic wastes. The world cannot stand without water industry. Water industry gives us a solution to the world, a hope to the future. Reverse Osmosis Reverse osmosis is one of the water purification method that is popular in water treatment industry. Just as its name implies, water goes on the osmosis process another way. Normally, the solvent, which is water will go through the semipermeable membrane that having many tiny pores, from low solute concentration side to the high solute concentration side. However, for the reverse osmosis, a pressure is applied on the high solute concentration part. The pressure can be drove by electricity or it may get from the pressure exchanger. Thus, water molecules are forced to pass through the membrane to the low solute concentration side. By this way, clean water can be collected on the other side. There are three common membrane materials, which are polyamide thin film composites (TFC), cellulose acetate (CA) and cellulose triacetate (CTA). In generally TFC membranes are stronger and more durable among these three membranes. CA and CTA give a better toleration to chlorine. For different purpose, specified membrane will be used. Reverse osmosis can be used in residential, commercial and industrial water filtration, also the seawater desalination. By this method, impurities in the water can be removed to clean water. These impurities include ions, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, and salts. This is because those impurities are larger than than the pores so they cannot pass through it. Water molecules are allowed to pass through the membrane as it is small enough. Impurities,yet will be left behind the membrane. The waste streams flow out and the pressure is high. Later, the streams go through the pressure exchanger to transfer the waste pressure to the low pressure fresh feed. Then, the low pressure fresh feed will be pressurised. The recycle of waste pressure can save the cost of running the reverse osmosis system. The water flowed out is now clean and ready for purpose of drinking or other uses. Coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation Natural and waste water include small particulates. Coagulation and flocculation processes are intended to form particles large enough to be separated. The small particulates are suspended in water forming a colloid. The particles with the same charge repel with each other and this prevents them from combining into larger particulates to settle. Thus, some chemical and physical techniques are applied to help them settle. The phenomenon is known as coagulation. To assist in the removal of colloidal particles from suspension, chemical flocculation is required. The process water will then enter a flocculation chamber, where further chemicals may be added depending upon the raw water characteristics and the level of treatment to be achieved. Gentle mixing during this stage allows particles to agglomerate and form settleable flocs. Starch and multiply charged ions are often used. The dirty water is cleaned by treating with alum, Al2(SO4)3.12 H2O, and lime, Ca(OH)2. These electrolytes cause the pH of the water to change due to the following reactions: Al2(SO4)3.12 H2O, -> Al(aq)3+ + 3 SO4(aq)2- + 12 H2O SO4(aq)2- + H2O -> HSO4(aq)- + OH- (causing pH change) Ca(OH)2 -> Ca(aq)2+ + 2 OH- (causing pH change) The slightly basic water causes Al(OH)3, Fe(OH)3 and Fe(OH)2 to precipitate, bringing the small particulates called flocs with them and the water becomes clear. Flocculation usually follows by sedimentation, the heavy floc particles settle to the bottom of treatment tanks, allowing for their separation from the water. It works best with relatively dense particles (e.g. silt and minerals), while flotation works better for lighter particles (e.g. algae, color). A big settling tank is needed so that it takes a long time to get through. Inlets and outlets are designed so the water moves slowly in the tank. Long and narrow channels are installed to let the water to snake its way through the tank. The settled particles, sludge, must occasionally be removed from the tanks. The water is next ready to be filtered. Sedimentation is used in pre-treatment and wastewater treatment. Thermal Distillation and Electrodialysis In the process of desalination, after the reverse osmosis, it comes to the thermal distillation process. Heat is used in the thermal distillation for desalination. It boils the salt water to causes the water to vaporize, at the same time, the salt is left behind. Most of the salt is sodium chloride (NaCl). After that, the vapor will moves to a second container to condensed and collected. The boiling process of water uses up a lot of fuel to make the salt water to vaporize so many alternative processes can be considered. These processes are called multistage flash distillation (MSF), multiple effect distillation (MED), and mechanical vapor compression distillation (MVC). All these process can reduce the energy that used to boil the water with reducing the waters boiling point by decreasing the waters vapor pressure. The mechanical vapor compression distillation (MVC) is a process which evaporates the sea or saline water is derived by the heat application delivered by compressed vapor. This process able to increase generate additional amount of vapor by using the latent heat during the condensation when the vapors compression increases both of the temperature and pressure of the vapor. The multistage flash distillation is a thermal process with the low temperature of obtaining fresh water by recovering the vapor of boiling sea water in a sequence of vessels, (called effects) each maintained at a lower temperature than the last. Due to the boiling point of the water reduced as the pressure reduced, the heat energy of the vapor boiled off from one vessel is able to heat the another vessel thus only the first vessel require the heat energy from other source to heat up the sea water. Furthermore, another process of desalination process is electrodialysis that used to separate the other ions and water ions by relying on the salt ions electrical charge. In this process, the water is pre-treated by reverse osmosis thermal distillation hence then transfer to a membrane stack. Two electrodes, a positive electrode located on one side of the stack and a negative one on the other, an electrical current is conducted through the water. The ions are attracted to the oppositely charged electrodes and flow through membranes that are designed to trap either the negatively charged ions (anions) or positively charged ions (cations). Once the ions are trapped, fresh water will filtered out. Filtration Water filtration improves the overall taste of tap water, appearance and smell. Water filters are design to remove several harmful chemicals found in drinking water. At the moment, there is no better way to make sure that the water you are drinking is clean. Compare the differences between a glass of tap water and bottled water. You will realize that tap water is cloudy and it smells like bleach. There are four stages involved in water purification process: 1. Pre-Filtration -Prevents large debris from entering the System 2. Sediment Filtration 5.0 Micron Sediment Filtration 3. Carbon Block Filtration Chemical removal and 0.5 Micron Filtration 4. Ultraviolet Treatment 99.9999% Elimination of Bacteria / Virus Ultraviolet exposure of 16,000 mw/cm2 or greater Pre-filtration is the first process of water filtration, it screens the water source starting from the point of entry. These pre-filter screens are connected to the inlet hose. This is important in preventing the filtration system that turns out to be plugged with rocks, faeces, mud and other large debris. Sediment Filtration is the second stage. In this stage, the water will pass through a sediment filter. In the sediment filter it gives five micron filtration and it expands the life of the carbon filter by eliminating invisible sediments that will impulsively block the filter. Sediment filtration would include the removal of dirt, mud, sand, scale, silt and other suspended solids in the water. Carbon block filtration is the third stage of the filtration process. This process has two different processes. The first process is called mechanical straining, carbon is compressed into a solid block of material. Each molecule of water is pushed through the microscopic pores of carbon that strain out substances efficiently. The second is called chemical bonding, it uses an activated carbon which has a trivial electro positive charge added to it, making bonding agents to impurities and chemicals even more attractive. When the water is pushed through the solid carbon block, it is forced to slow down and the increased quantity of contact time with carbon allows the carbon bonding to take place. The final stage of the filtration process is the ultraviolet treatment. After the water is cleaned by the carbon filter, the next step is to expose it to an extreme dosage of UV light. The UV light it produced will destroy microorganisms by changing their DNA structure. Aeration and Disinfection Aeration is a water treatment process where water is brought into the contact with oxygen. This is to increase the oxygen content in the water, to reduce the carbon dioxide content in the water, and to remove organic compounds such as methane, hydrogen sulphide and other volatile which is responsible for taste and odour of water. These will result in good drinking pure water. High iron and manganese content in water will cause a bitter taste. Aeration is widely used for the treatment of high iron and manganese contaminants water to convert the dissolved ferrous and manganese compounds into insoluble ferric and manganese hydroxides. These can be removed by sedimentation or filtration process. There are many instruments and systems designed to aerate wastewater. These range from simple floating splashes and rotors to high-maintenance diffused air systems using membranes and complex man folding and piping layouts. These systems are designed to inject oxygen to every part of the water. The end result is better than water treatment with higher removal rates of microorganism contamination. Disinfection is an important step in ensuring that water is safe to drink, and limiting the effects of organic materials, suspended solids and other contaminants. It destroys microorganisms that can cause disease in humans. Primary methods of disinfection are chlorination, chloramines, ozone, and ultraviolet light. Other methods include chlorine dioxide, potassium permanganate, and nano filtration. Since certain forms of chlorine react with organic material naturally present in many water sources to form harmful chemical by-products. Common industrial method of disinfection is chlorination, where the chlorine gas is released to mix with water. The mixing and contact time must be provided after an injection to ensure complete disinfection of pathogens and other microorganism. Thus it kills microorganisms and it may be necessary to control the pH of the water. One chlorination had been done, the water will be finalized by some tests to make sure the water is neutral, clean and pure. Finally the water will be send to storage for the domestic, industrial, and commercial uses. Role of Chemical Engineer in the Water Treatment Industry Basically the role of a chemical engineer in a water treatment industry is mainly referring to the technical skills that the chemical engineers obtained because chemical engineers have to conduct the water treatment processes in the industry. Firstly, we talk about the role of chemical engineers before the process and industrial plant in the water treatment industry is formed. For a chemical engineer, the first mission has to do will be understood about the requirements of the water treatment industry to conduct a process with a specific industrial plant. For our case, the chemical engineer must know how to conduct a process of water purification to product drinking water. Chemical engineers must able to design an industrial plant which consists of different types of components to complete the process and get the desired product. The components that might involve in the plant are compressor, mixer, cooler, filter (separator). Furthermore, whether designing the plant, chemical engineer also may concerns about the chemical substances used within the process in the plant. The chemical substances added into the water along the process must not be harmful to consumers due to the water as output is the drinking water for human to consume. Some more, the costs for the substances and material used to build the plant and those components inside it must be save up to the lowest. Chemical engineers need to save the cost for the company and also form the product which is the drinking water with the highest efficiency. Besides that, chemical engineer has to evaluate the chemical process technology and equipment which suitable in the plant. The most important role of chemical engineer in this industry is determining the production specification. Once the plant completely designed, the most essential job that needs the chemical engineer to accomplish is establish and conduct quality control programs, operating procedures and control strategies to ensure consistency and adherence to standards for raw materials, products and waste products or emissions. When the process is running, there also something necessary for chemical engineer to provide checking for the plant and make a suitable maintenance on the processing units. Thus, chemical engineer is playing a very important character in the water treatment industry. Skills/Knowledge required by Engineer As an engineer, there are many skill and knowledge required to smoothen the task that have to conduct by engineer. The skill and knowledge required by engineer can be categories into six parts which are technical skill, computer literacy, communication skill, management/finance, international awareness and respect for diversity. Engineer requires the technical skill and knowledge to conduct and control the processing units in the plant. The technical skill is about the mathematics, chemistry, physics, mechanical and electrical knowledge. In the water industry, chemical engineers refer to separating dangerous materials from good water as a treatment train. At various stages in the multistage treatment process, unwanted constituents are separated using vacuum or pressure filtration, centrifugation, membrane-based separation, distillation, carbon-based and zeolite-based adsorption and advanced oxidation treatments Computers are used every day for communications, simulations, budgeting, monitoring controls and word processing hence the computer literacy is very important to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the simulations and assumption that did by chemical engineers. Before chemical engineers design a plant, they have to do some simulation by using some professional programs or software in the computer such as Aspen Technology Programs. Engineering involves working with others and communicating but not only deal with machines so that others able to understand and support the idea provided individually. Consequently, communication skill also must be trained by chemical engineers. When the time chemical engineers present their project or proposal, the others who listening and watching able to fully disgust what are the points and idea about. Management and finance are always the necessary knowledge for everyone in the society including engineers. Many decisions an engineer makes have business consequences. Understanding the business principle can help engineers become more effective. In finance aspect, chemical engineers require to know clearly how to manage a team because engineers can be leaders which work together with others. For the engineers, they are working in a global market requires an understanding of cultural, geographic, economics and environmental factors that influence the decision which made by engineers. International awareness means chemical engineers have to be caution with all the response and effect from the market around us. Lastly the respect for diversity, engineers regularly work in group setting so being able to interact effectively, professionally and respectfully with others will make you a more capable team player. A good engineer team leader must respect all the colleagues so that everyone can work together without any conflict. Conclusion In a conclusion Water treatment is an important processs in our modern life, due to the lack of natural fresh water and increase in population. Many new technology method has been introduce to water treatment industry nowdays. The raw sea water have to go through a certain number of processes strating with either reverse osmosis or thermal distillation to make it usable. Besides this two processes, an electrodialysis process method can also be used. A further water treament process need to be done to make it drinkable, the processes consist of coagulation method, followed by flocculation and sendimentation. A further filtration process is done and finally aeration and disinfection process will take palce before the water is kept in a storage. This processes can be used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use. These can include use as drinking water, industrial processes, medical and many other uses. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing contaminant s in the water, or reduce the concentration of such contaminants so the water becomes fit for its desired end-use. One such use is returning water that has been used back into the natural environment without adverse ecological impact.

Euthanasia :: essays papers

Euthanasia In today's society there are many disagreements about the rights and wrongs of euthanasia. Although death is unavoidable for human beings, suffering before death is unbearable not only for terminal patients but for the family members and friends. Euthanasia comes from the Greek word "Thanatos" meaning death and the prefix "eu" meaning easy or good (Russell 94). Thus, "eu- Thanatos" meaning easy or good death. Euthanasia is a better choice for terminal patients than suicide. In our society, suicide is always traumatic for families and friends. If there is no alternative to relieve the suffering of terminal patients, then the more humane option to suicide is euthanasia. An option for people that are unsure of euthanasia is called DNR or do not resuscitate(McCuen 2). This means that if the patient has a heart attack or another potentially fatal problem in the hospital, the doctors are told to preform a " No Code" which means that they should let the patient die peacefully with any amount of painkillers or medication requested by the patient(McCuen 3). Doctors that are treating a dying patient should treat them with care. They should make them as comfortable as possible and give them medication to dull their pain. Instructors tell doctors in training to treat dying patients as people " that are alive but just that their death is more imminent than our own"(Moroney 2). Many families could rest easy that their relative is being treated well and are receiving the necessary attention. A lot of terminal patients decide to sign DNR forms or request euthanasia so that they would not be a burden on their families. Euthanasia should be legalized in all of the United States because it would end much suffering and pain. Euthanasia is the justified killing or assisted killing of a disabled or terminally ill person at their will or if the patient is incapable of making the decision, at the family's will(Satris 260). The doctor or in some cases, a family member, uses injections, weapons, or other means of killing to act out euthanasia. But euthanasia is usually gentle and quiet. In most of the cases of euthanasia, the patient died by lethal injection or certain life support systems were withheld.

Online viewing of grades Essay

Introduction Most college schools here in the Philippines have an online grade viewing/inquiry system, especially in metro manila. The trend of using this kind of system is growing fast, and reaching even schools in provinces. What is an online grade viewing system you ask? This type of system is a computerized system that you could only access through www (World Wide Web) via internet. WWW is the fastest growing part of internet. Note that, contrary to what many people believe, the web and the internet are not the same. The existence of the web is made possible by computers and programs that communicate information to one another. Internet is the world’s largest internet work. It includes computers hooked together in networks. â€Å"HGBCOnline Grade Viewing System† The whole idea about this project is to enable the students of HGBaquiran College in viewing their grades every term and every end of the semester. Base on my own experience many of the students are having trouble of vie wing their grades because sometimes the professors are not submitting their class record on time. And sometimes it even gets to the point that the first month of the next semester is already done but we still don’t get to see our class cards. This system will be a big help for the students of HGBC on keeping track of their current grades per grading term and also on viewing their grade every end of the semester. Before the student have the ability to access the system/website they need to create an account first, creating an account for this website is much easier than creating an account on Facebook because there is only little info needed for the account, six to be exact. Now, after creating the account the student will have to login using the user name and password they’ve entered when they create their account and without any delays depending on the computer they’ll be using and the speed of the internet connection, they can now view their grades freely where ever and whenever they want. Now, for the professors, creating an account won’t be necessary because there will be a built in account for all them that will be created by the registrar but they will still be asked to input their password. It is most likely that the only thing they’ll be doing is login to the system/website and Input the Info’s of their student’s. In terms of the built in account every single professor will be ask for whatever username or password they want to have. And the one to be handling that is the system  maintainer or the registrar, the account of every single professor will be updated every time before the semester begins Statement of the Problem The school of HGB currently don’t have any grade viewing system but the giving of class cards per subject every end of the semester and buying the (COG) Certificate of Grades. The instructors sometimes don’t submit the student’s grades on time. Time consuming on manual system or practice. Much expensive regarding on releasing of COG. Rush hour submission of grades. A slow process of retrieving and releasing of records. Inaccurate results of grades. Expense in using papers and pens in recording. Sometimes the teachers are not aware of consequences if they are not submitting their records regarding the students. Expenses and transportation in returning to the school registrar. The students cannot enroll immediately because of having incomplete grades. The students encounter problems in their evaluation. Statement of Assumption Grading System is designed to provide incentive reward for achievement and assist in identifying problems of the student. Grading System is the most commonly used in computing and analyzing the performance, talent and skills of students? It is the important record to keep even for the longest time for the referral and credentials of the student to enter their next level of attaining their goals. It is the tract record that recognizes of one student, this maybe use for analyzing of your attitude and values. 1. Is there any significance between the manual grading systems to the computerized grading system? 2. Is Manual grading system gives more accurate, efficiency and easy to use than the computerized grading system? 3. Is manual grading system makes the task easier and less consuming of time than the computerized grading system? Objectives of the Project The students of HGBC are having trouble viewing their grades. The General Objectives of this project is to enable the students to keep track of their grades and view them via website online. Specifically it aims to: To evaluate the present system. To improve the present system. To develop a system that will enable the instructors to encode grade online. To develop a system that will help the students of HGBC in terms of keeping track of their grades. To develop a system that will enable the students of HGBC to view their grades via website online. To develop a system that will prevent the students from rushing their professors on computing their grades. To maintain an accurate grades given by the professors. To make it accessible for the students to review their grades. To make it hassle-free for the students to get their grades. To be punctual for the professors in encoding of grades. Significance of the Research First is the Students of HGBC the Students are the main concern of this system they’ll be the one who will get the most benefits from the system. Firstly because when this system is implemented the delay of their grade inquiry will be reduce from 1 month to 1 week. Secondly, whenever they want to see their grades they don’t need to go to the school anymore, they just need to go to a computer shop, visit the HGBC website and in just a minute or so they can already view their grades. Second is the Registrar, now for the registrar their main function for the system will be to â€Å"CRUD† or the so called â€Å"Create†, †Retrieve†, †Update† and †Delete†. Technically speaking without the registrar this system will be nothing but a website without function because the registrar will be the one to input the student’s Grades in the system that the students are going to view. The Instructors or the professors, the instructors, they will be the one to input the info’s of their students and will compute their grades submit it to the registrar and those grades will be the one that the registrar will input on the system. The school (HGBC), it can be an asset of the institute and a pride also that  can be used career guidance and endorsements. Scope and Limitation This project focuses on the grade viewing process of HGBC. The grades displayed in the system cannot be printed. If the Registrar inputted wrong grades of the student, the online system is not reliable in human errors. The grade encoding process and other processes involve in the system relied on the internet connection. This System has a range of giving grade information for the chosen beneficiaries. This System is a Web-based System using PhpDesigner, an Online Grading System that will give you an easy access for grades-viewing. Review of related literature and Studies Related Literature and Studies guide the researcher in making comparison between his findings with the findings of other researchers on similar studies with the end in view of formulating generalizations or principles which are the contributions of the study to the fund of knowledge. As internet my main source, I’ve gained sufficient information of what my system would be. The following were the theories and studies behind the concept of the system Related Theories Student Training Grade Book, Viewing Grades, Notes, Graphing Tools In this Turning grade book, it allows the instructor to enter and calculate grades for students on assignments submitted to the instructor. Their â€Å"my grades† tab appears on the class portfolio page when the product is available. The grade book can be used to track numeric grades, attendance, and notes as well as allowing students to graph their performance. To view any grades and attendance records or instructor notes visible in a specific class, they’ll open class portfolio page and click on the â€Å"my grades† tab. in the part of viewing grades, a student user’s grade page will show the papers and reviews the student has submitted along with any grades that have  been given by the instructor on these submissions. The number in the point’s column shows the total number of points an assignment is worth. The number placed to the left of the points column shows how many points the student received for their assignment. The grade value for the submission appears in the grade column. Grades only become available on the post date of an assignment. The top of the grades page shows the overall class grade and the attendance. The instructor can enter a note alongside a grade for a submission. If the instructor has entered a note for the submission a â€Å"note† icon will appear next to the grade under the note column. Click on the â€Å"note† icon to view the instructor note. The full list of notes given to the student in a class can be viewed by clicking on the â€Å"notes† icon next to the grade summary at the top of the grade book window. The graphing tools allow a student to view their own performance and the class average performance in line graph or pie chart formats. The graphing tools are accessed by clicking on the â€Å"graphs† button in grade book. On the graphs page, the student will use the â€Å"show† pull down menu to select the graph type to view. Online grading allows faculty and departments to submit grades from anywhere with an Internet connection. Grade rosters display up-to-date enrollment information, e.g., late adds and â€Å"W† grades. Related Studies In this research entitled â€Å"Online Grade encoding and inquiring System via SMS technology† by: Bella Bhe  The San Mateo Municipal College has increased in student’s population at the same time the number of works of the registrar and student’s grades to be processed has also increased. San Mateo Municipal College wants to give a good education to everyone who does not afford to enroll in other universities that have high tuition fees. They always secure the best way to make their students comfortable with their school. One of the responsibilities of the registrar office is to keep the student’s grades data secured for their records and purpose. The researcher stated that the general problem faced by the SMMC is the manual encoding, submission and distribution of student`s grades of San Mateo Municipal College. The specific problems are the time consuming, costly and long process of inquiry of grades, the students need to go directly to their respective registrar inorder to inquire their grade, the Instructors are encountering errors during encoding of grades and the Instructors need to go to the registrar just to encode the grades. After knowing these problems, the researchers aim to develop an Online Grade Encoding and Inquiry System via SMS Technology for San Mateo Municipal College and specifically To develop a system that will lessen the registrar`s tasks in encoding of grades, to develop a system that can able to send grades automatically, to develop a system that will shorten the process of inquiry of grades, to develop a system that can able the instructor to encode grades online and to develop a system that can inqu ire grades via SMS. In this study, the researcher used descriptive method of research; he used questionnaires and also conducted interviews to gather data. Justification This online grade viewing system of HGBCollege can give the satisfaction needed by the registrar, professors and most specially the students. Interoperability The system could have some problem on other web browser like internet Explorer and Opera mini but I can perform best in web browsers like Google chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Performance The operation of the system can perform better depending on the computer and the internet connection of the users. Security The people that have an account and stored in the database are the only person that can access the system. Maintainability The System administrator will be the one maintaining the system. Robustness This system is authenticated with password that makes it more secure and robust. Reliability and Availability The system is reliable based on the speed of the internet connection and it is available anywhere because it is an online system. Safety In case of problems due to inconsistencies, this system is safe because it can still be traced up. Usability This system is only usable by the registrar, professors and students. User-Friendly This online grade viewing is a user friendly system because all the users can easily understand, manipulate and use it. Business Integrity This system is made to develop a higher satisfaction of the students and also the people in the community of Tumauini, together with the neighbor communities. Definition of terms Asset- a useful or valuable thing,or quality. Accessible- able to be reached or entered. Account- is a collection of information that tells Windows which files and folders you can access, what changes you can make to the computer, and your personal preferences. Accurate grades- correct in all details; exact computation of grades based on criteria. Career Guidance- advice and information about careers that helps individuals, esp young people, decide on a career and also teaches them how to pursue their chosen career Database- Is an organized collection of data. The data are typically organized to model aspects of reality in a way that supports processes requiring information. Hussle-free- without problems or bother . Inquiry- An act of asking for information. Keeping Tracks- keep informed of fully aware. Registrar- an official in a college or university who is responsible for keeping student records. Robust- able to withstand or overcome adverse conditions. Speed of Internet- The performance of an Internet connection, which is based on the number of bytes per second that data travels from the user’s device to the Internet (upload) and from the Internet (download). System administrator- is a person who is responsible for the upkeep, configuration, and reliable operation of computer systems; especially multi-user computers, such as servers. Traced Up- Evidence or an indication of the former presence or existence of something. Trends- a general direction in which something is developing or changing. Username- an identification used by a person with access to a computer, network, or online service. Web Browser- is a software application for retrieving, presenting and traversing information resources on the World  Wide Web. WWW- is a system of interlinked hypertext documents that are accessed via the Internet. With a web browser, one can view web pages that may contain text, images, videos, and other multimedia and navigate between them via hyperlinks. Bibliography http://www.sourcecodester.com/c/8203/online-grading-system-fashion-store.html www.wikipidia.com Webb, Patricia, ‘Technologies of Difference: Reading the Virtual Age (In)Difference’, Computers and Composition 20 (2003), 151-67 Basalla, George. The Evolution of Technology. New York, 1988.

Defining Race and Ethnicity Essay

Whether this definition is accurate or not, this is what the terms â€Å"race† and â€Å"ethnicity† mean to me: Race is a term that describes a group of people with similar descent. I believe race is determined physical specifications such as color, language, eye shape, or even things such as blood types. Human beings as a whole are described as the â€Å"human race;† I believe this to be an accurate definition as human beings (despite color, language, or any other physical characteristics) are all the same. Genetically speaking, we are all made up of the same â€Å"parts.† The term â€Å"race† is an all-encompassing statement used to define a large group, overall. Ethnicity defines the background of a particular person or thing. This term encompasses many backgrounds and associations. Foods can be â€Å"ethnic† if they originate or are commonly consumed in a specific country or region. The same applies to human beings. One’s ethnicity may be determined by his or her birthplace, religion, of beliefs. Ethnicity does not define physical characteristics, but rather backgrounds and traits. The United States is a melting pot. This country is made up of thousands and thousands of different people from different places. The USA is home to many ethnic backgrounds; however, the population (in my opinion) is a single â€Å"race.† We are all humans, as I have previously stated. Although our ethnic backgrounds may differ in many different ways, all in all, we are one race. This is important to bear in mind. Heritage should always be recognized, as it typically is in the United States. But acknowledging the vast backgrounds that exist in this country is the most important concept of all.

Free Essays on Charlotte Corday

Charlotte Corday (1768 – 1793) Charlotte Corday was born in Saint-Saturnin, France on July 27, 1768, and was educated in the Roman Catholic convent in Caen. She considered herself devoted to the â€Å"Enlightened† ideals of her time, but was a supporter of the monarchy when the French Revolution began in 1789. As the Revolution progressed, factions arose within the national convention. Corday favored the more moderate Girondins rather then men such as Marat and Robespierre who wanted to destroy the monarchy. The Girondins were expelled form the convention in May and June of 1793, after which they gathered at Caen hoping to organize against their opponents. Corday, devoted to their cause, went to Paris. She was convinced that their primary enemy was Marat, and devised a plan to gain access to him under the pretext of wanting to tell him of the events at Caen. On July 13, 1793 she stabbed him through the heart while he was in his bath. Corday was immediately apprehended, and was sentenced to death. While awaiting execution, Charlotte wrote a letter to her father, asking forgiveness for â€Å"having disposed of my existence without your permission.† Corday refused the ministrations of a priest in the moments before her death; her last request was that a National Guard officer named Hauer paint her portait. As a token of thanks for his work, Coorday presented Hauer with a lock of her hair. She was executed on july 17, 1793, at the young age of 25.... Free Essays on Charlotte Corday Free Essays on Charlotte Corday Charlotte Corday (1768 – 1793) Charlotte Corday was born in Saint-Saturnin, France on July 27, 1768, and was educated in the Roman Catholic convent in Caen. She considered herself devoted to the â€Å"Enlightened† ideals of her time, but was a supporter of the monarchy when the French Revolution began in 1789. As the Revolution progressed, factions arose within the national convention. Corday favored the more moderate Girondins rather then men such as Marat and Robespierre who wanted to destroy the monarchy. The Girondins were expelled form the convention in May and June of 1793, after which they gathered at Caen hoping to organize against their opponents. Corday, devoted to their cause, went to Paris. She was convinced that their primary enemy was Marat, and devised a plan to gain access to him under the pretext of wanting to tell him of the events at Caen. On July 13, 1793 she stabbed him through the heart while he was in his bath. Corday was immediately apprehended, and was sentenced to death. While awaiting execution, Charlotte wrote a letter to her father, asking forgiveness for â€Å"having disposed of my existence without your permission.† Corday refused the ministrations of a priest in the moments before her death; her last request was that a National Guard officer named Hauer paint her portait. As a token of thanks for his work, Coorday presented Hauer with a lock of her hair. She was executed on july 17, 1793, at the young age of 25....

Tirer - to Pull - French Verb Conjugations

Tirer - to Pull - French Verb Conjugations The  French verb  tirer means to pull.  It is also sometimes used to mean  to take. The tables below contain the various conjugations of this regular -er verb.   Conjugations of Tirer Present Future Imperfect Present participle je tire tirerai tirais tirant tu tires tireras tirais il tire tirera tirait nous tirons tirerons tirions vous tirez tirerez tiriez ils tirent tireront tiraient Pass compos Auxiliary verb avoir Past participle tir Subjunctive Conditional Pass simple Imperfect subjunctive je tire tirerais tirai tirasse tu tires tirerais tiras tirasses il tire tirerait tira tirt nous tirions tirerions tirmes tirassions vous tiriez tireriez tirtes tirassiez ils tirent tireraient tirrent tirassent Imperative tu tire nous tirons vous tirez Verb conjugation patternTirer  is a  regular -ER verb

3 Sentences That Cause Confusion

3 Sentences That Cause Confusion 3 Sentences That Cause Confusion 3 Sentences That Cause Confusion By Mark Nichol In each of the following sentences, a word or phrase is an obstacle to comprehension. The discussion and revision that follows each example suggests a path to clarity. 1. Technology companies have a very different mind-set to traditional financial institutions. Comparisons structured as one is in this sentence should employ from rather than to, and note the insertion of the phrase â€Å"that of the† to indicate that the comparison is between mind-sets and not the entities that have the mind-sets: â€Å"Technology companies have a very different mind-set from that of traditional financial institutions.† 2. The agency found that contrary to its claims, World Wide Wickets failed to employ reasonable and appropriate measures to protect data. This sentence has an unclear antecedent: The pronoun its appears to refer to â€Å"the agency,† because no other entity has yet been identified, but it is a reference to the company subsequently mentioned. For clarity, use a specific proper noun (for example, â€Å"World Wide Wickets†) or a specific common noun (for example, â€Å"(the) company†) first, then a pronoun (or, in this case, use a proper noun on first reference and a common noun on second reference, bypassing the need for a pronoun at all): â€Å"The agency found that contrary to the claims of World Wide Wickets, the company failed to employ reasonable and appropriate measures to protect data.† 3. Jones faces criticism of others who oppose his policy positions, as does opponent John Smith and many others. This sentence is ambiguous- it could mean that Smith and many others face the same criticism as Jones, or the phrase â€Å"as does† could apply not to the verb faces but to the verb oppose. (In this case, the latter option applies.) To eliminate possible confusion, chose a clearer word or phrase in place of the nebulous â€Å"as does†: â€Å"Jones faces criticism of others who oppose his policy positions, including opponent John Smith and many others.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Fly, Flew, (has) FlownFlied?75 Idioms and Expressions That Include â€Å"Break†Oppose and Opposed To

Remembered person in yr life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Remembered person in yr life - Essay Example He has the gift of the gab and people can listen to his talk all day long. Indeed he is one of the brightest and smart kids within the whole family. It was not easy growing up with my brother as we never got along and would often end up fighting for petty issues. My parents had to intervene and break up the fights between us. There was always a competition between us and in the end it was I who had to sacrifice and my brother mostly won the laurels. I was different from my brother and was more of an extrovert and liked to mingle with friends and relatives. In short I preferred being myself and that was how I wanted to be known. I always had the intention that I knew it all while my brother always tried to talk to me about how I should behave, but I would simply roll my eyes and would never take his advice though I would know internally that what he said made sense. As time passed and as I moved to the United States to further my studies and my brother moved to India to study dentistr y, I began to realize how much I actually missed him. The realization that we were both getting older and that life is too short to be wasted dawned upon me during this time of separation. He was doing well academically and that inspired me to work hard in my studies and shine well. We also began to talk with each other and realized that we actually vibe well.

Galaxy budgeting system Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Galaxy budgeting system - Research Paper Example hich then give periodic results regarding the resource requirements and usage by the different activities of the programs, which are then used as the basis for predicting the future budget requirements for programs and their subsequent activities (Dongsung, 97). The future budget is then informed by a comparison of the different programs and their resource consumption forming the basis for allocating future resources to such programs. Thus, the galaxy budgeting system does not only assess funding on the basis of terms only, but also on the basis of program comparison. The differentiating factor between the galaxy budgeting system and the other budgeting systems is that, the galaxy budgeting system employs the history of an organization, to determine its future resource allocation, while basing the allocations on the previous information and accomplishments (Dongsung, 103). This means that programs that make greater accomplishments have a higher chance of being allocated even more res ources, to enhance their further achievements. The advantage presented by the galaxy budgeting system is that; it safeguards against money wastage or confining of resources in the unproductive areas, since the system ensures the allocation of resources based on the productivity of the programs, thus steering the resource allocation in the right direction (Dongsung,

The solution to piracy off the coast of somalia lies on land not at Essay

The solution to piracy off the coast of somalia lies on land not at sea - Essay Example This is why, off the shores of Somalia, the threat of piracy has cast its frightening shadow. These waters being one of the international trade routes, the problem has become a head ache, not to the Somalis, but to global commerce. While trying to find solutions to this problem, all the focus has been on surveillance at sea. But this paper tries to refocus the whole issue upon the basic political realities of this nation which has become a constant breeding ground for pirates. The state of Somalia is located in the Horn of Africa, and is bordered on the west by Ethiopia, Kenya  in the southwest,  Djibouti  in the northwest,  while the  waters of the Gulf of Aden  lie to its north, and the Indian Ocean  bordering its eastern coastline. Somalia was well known during the time of the antiquities, when it had successful trade relations with the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Babylon and many others2. Later in the 20th century, Somalia played an important role d uring Cold War, primarily under the Soviet influence. However, in the recent times the country has witnessed some of the worst civil wars, along with a rise in Islamic insurgency. Somalia’s present economic and political orders are in a complete state of disquiet, owing to the ceaseless civil conflicts. After 14 failed transitional governments, Somalia is now dubbed a â€Å"failed state.† Failed economic conditions and an unstable, volatile political order of this country, have forced many of its citizens to earn their livelihood through various illegal means. Of this, the maritime piracies off the high seas, near the Somalia coast, has turned into a major international problem, owing to increased instances of hijacking of large merchant ships by the Somali pirates, in a bid to earn ransom money. A common observation among social scientists has been that, â€Å"the Somali piracy ‘industry’ is a direct consequence of the 1991 collapse of the countryâ€℠¢s last functioning national government.†3 In this article, my attempt is to examine the background that has led to this increase in piracy off the coast of Somalia, to study the present situation of this piracy and the various reactions of the international communities and to offer viable solutions apart from the sea-based conventional solutions. This analysis will also discuss various workable solutions as suggested by various naval heads and other international organizations like the UNSC, NATO, and EUNAVFOR; all of which primarily advocate that, results of naval actions would not serve to be a permanent long term explication; as most of the experts feel that the solution to piracy off the coast of Somalia lies on land, and not at sea.4 Discussion Statistical data show that â€Å"there were 115 reported pirate attacks  off the coast of Somalia in 2008†¦[and]†¦of those attacks, 46 resulted in the seizure of a commercial vessel by Somali pirates. The average rans om for the release of hijacked vessels increased from $1 million US dollars in July of 2008, to $1.5 million by December.†5 These figures show the graveness of the problem, which is leading to serious implications on the future of trade and commerce, via the Gulf of Aden route. This route is used by, at an average count, almost 20000 ships annually, and records show that maximum number of merchant ships have been attacked by the Somali pirates in this region6. Owing to this risk many of the trading vessels have been forced to avoid this area and take a longer but

Human Resource Managment Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Resource Managment - Term Paper Example A distinctive capability that creates high value and differentiates an organization from its competition is a core competency. Human Resource Management policies help to define the approaches that are adopted in the organization both in developing employment practices and in implementing them; and constitute specific guidelines for managers, facilitating â€Å"empowerment, devolution and delegation† (Armstrong, 2006, p.147). Human resource or employment policies help to establish corporate values, shape corporate culture and provide frameworks to promote consistent and equitable decisions on the management of employees. To increase an organization’s competitive advantage, one of the important goals of human resource management in an organization is to promote employees’ motivation towards achieving increasing productivity. Similarly, changing the organization’s culture to one that is more empowering for employees, helps to attain organizational objectives. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of Human Resource Management in helping an organization to achieve competitive advantage. HRM Strategies for Achieving Organizational Competitive Advantage Human Resource Management strategies are approaches that are adopted in the organization for both developing and implementing employment practices; they are based on policies or specific guidelines for managers facilitating â€Å"empowerment, devolution and delegation† (Armstrong 2006, p.147). Human resource strategies aim to establish corporate values, shape corporate culture and provide frameworks to promote consistent and equitable decisions on the management of employees. According to Burke and Cooper (2005), traditional views on competitive advantage focused on barriers to entry as â€Å"economies of scale, patent protection, access to capital, and regulated competition† (p.3). More recent perspectives have emphasized a different sour ce of competitive advantage, a company’s human resources and human capital. Organizations are confronted with new demands arising from increased competition, globalization, and technological advances. These phenomena make creativity, innovation, speed and flexibility vital for organizational efficiency. These assets are abstract, do not appear on a balance sheet, but exist in people and management systems. The role of human resource strategy to optimize organizational performance is being reconsidered. Rather than seeing the HR function as a cost, it should instead be seen as an investment, â€Å"a strategic lever for the organization in creating value† (Burke & Cooper, 2005, p.3). Thus, there is an increasing trend for human resources to be considered as the main differentiating factors contributing to a company’s competitive advantage. This underscores the belief that the knowledge and skills of employees is much more difficult to imitate, as compared to other resources. Thus, Human Resource Management believes employees to be valued assets, with the potential to ensure competitive advantage based on their commitment, adaptability and high quality skills. A study

Reaction paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 25

Reaction paper - Essay Example While moving around the camp he mentions the presence of a swimming pool but he fails to see the size of the swimming pool carefully enough. Cole is suggestive that the inmates were allowed to use a swimming pool the size of an ordinary carpet rug. Given that Auschwitz housed thousands of people at the same time, it seems strange to notice that a swimming pool would be available to serve them. Instead, it seems more likely that the camp’s senior most staff would have been allowed to use the swimming pool. In a similar manner, much of the evidence presented by Cole is weak and circumstantial. Another major allegation by Cole is the absence of millions of human bodies in mass graves to prove Auschwitz gruesome nature. An entire Polish army worth of officers terminated by the Soviets in the Second World War were only found a couple of years ago in a remote Siberian forest. In a similar manner this secret has been well hidden enough to escape the scrutiny of time. However, it is undeniable that the Third Reich was able to consume millions of innocent people because these people were never seen or heard from again. Trying to discredit the holocaust based on a gas chamber in a concentration camp hardly lends credence to any

Revolution of architecture Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

Revolution of architecture - Coursework Example Beijing the capital of China has undergone such a rapid change in quite a short span of time similar to a few other capital cities like Hanoi, Vietnam that were destroyed after the war and other calamities.(Economist ed 2004 pp 63). Beijing was nothing but a rubble of old alleys and small streets and dilapidated apartment blocks, but today this is a city of commercial interests that has led to the birth of rapidly growing office towers, skyscrapers, shopping malls and supermarkets, colossal stadiums and lavish government buildings. With this reformed transformation one has to agree that there was a high influence of westernization in the bigger cities of China not only on the domestic front but also globally. This transformation took place after 1949 with an attempt to create profitable markets not only for consumption but also to reform it into a city of production and trade. PROBLEM STATEMENT In this study the problem is defined as "Does urban design or planning in Beijing relate to the western concepts of architecture and in what way are they related'" This relation between urban design and architecture is necessary so as to understand the perspective of the research. In this study yet another problem is defined as "which theory will be best acknowledged from the theory perspective". Is it the post-structural social theory OR post-modernism theory or post Marxist theory that will be seen in the application and existence of revolutionized architecture' EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In this dissertation, the research will be focusing on the architectural advancement in Beijing and the manner in which the Western form of architectural styles enhanced the outlook of the city of China. During the 1950's there was a breakthrough in Chinese...With this reformed transformation one has to agree that there was a high influence of westernization in the bigger cities of China not only on the domestic front but also globally. This transformation took place after 1949 with an attempt to create profitable markets not only for consumption but also to reform it into a city of production and trade. In this study yet another problem is defined as "which theory will be best acknowledged from the theory perspective". Is it the post-structural social theory OR post-modernism theory or post Marxist theory that will be seen in the application and existence of revolutionized architecture' In this dissertation, the research will be focusing on the architectural advancement in Beijing and the manner in which the Western form of architectural styles enhanced the outlook of the city of China. At this juncture the Chinese architects began to examine the social princ

Reaction paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 25

Reaction paper - Essay Example While moving around the camp he mentions the presence of a swimming pool but he fails to see the size of the swimming pool carefully enough. Cole is suggestive that the inmates were allowed to use a swimming pool the size of an ordinary carpet rug. Given that Auschwitz housed thousands of people at the same time, it seems strange to notice that a swimming pool would be available to serve them. Instead, it seems more likely that the camp’s senior most staff would have been allowed to use the swimming pool. In a similar manner, much of the evidence presented by Cole is weak and circumstantial. Another major allegation by Cole is the absence of millions of human bodies in mass graves to prove Auschwitz gruesome nature. An entire Polish army worth of officers terminated by the Soviets in the Second World War were only found a couple of years ago in a remote Siberian forest. In a similar manner this secret has been well hidden enough to escape the scrutiny of time. However, it is undeniable that the Third Reich was able to consume millions of innocent people because these people were never seen or heard from again. Trying to discredit the holocaust based on a gas chamber in a concentration camp hardly lends credence to any

North Coat Town- Robert Gray Analysis Essay Example for Free

North Coat Town- Robert Gray Analysis Essay The two utilities both represent the need to use the restroom and his hunger from not eating anything, as he could not afford anything. Just from stanza 1, readers can get the idea that this man is a hitchhiker. This demonstrates the life of these hitchhikers and how they would get through life day after day. In Stanza 2, the man washes himself up at a tap where he steps into mud, as there is always mud at taps. ‘Vandals Lavatory’, Grey uses the word ‘Vandal’ as he does not appreciate people vandalizing the streets to ruin the beauty of the Australian Coast Lines. The persona flushes the toilet and gets a chill whilst flushing, it’s the use of an actual toilet that gives him this chill as hitchhikers if not able to find a nearby toilet will often go in a bush. In Stanza 3, the man eats a floury apple, which he supposedly found in a supermarket bin where you find ruined goods. Grey uses personification ‘At this kerb sand crawls by’ to demonstrate that it was almost like the path was covered in sand moving slowly from the light wind about. Car after car now-its like a boxer warming up with the heavy bag, spitting air’ the cars on the street are busy going somewhere. The use of simile is comparing the cars to a boxing match, how dangerous and violent of each car passing is like a punch by a boxer. In Stanza 4, a car slows down and the man chases after it getting himself a ride. Two cars going shooting. Plastic pennants are everywhere, totally artificial and suggest high pressure selling by city petrol station. A dog is trotting down the road and someone else is hosing down their pavement, demonstrates the ordinary town life. Our image flaps in shop fronts’ Grey uses onomatopoeia. They ‘past the pink ’Tropicana’ motel (stucco with sea shells)’, recalling the Shell station in the first Stanza. As they drive outta town they pass bulldozed acres probably the site of new infrastructure being built. They’re changing the area to look more like ‘California’. ‘Pass an Abo, not attempting to hitch, outside town’, the aboriginal lives outside of town and feels no need to try and catch a ride as there is no point since no one would consider giving them a lift.

The Differences Between Health Care

The Differences Between Health Care A persons first level of contact, with regards to the health system is known as Primary Health Care (French, S., Old, A., Healy, J. (2001)). It is necessary, usually community based, health care aimed to be reachable to all everywhere and delivering health care nearer to peoples homes and workplaces (Gillies A. (2003). The primary providers of this type of health care are general practitioners (GPs); however the number of nurses and midwives that are providing primary health care is rising (French et.al (2001)). Types of primary health care include the treatment of everyday problems such as sore throats, diabetes, etc. but also preventive care such as vaccinations and screening (Bodenheimer, T. S., and Brumbach, K. (2009)). Primary health care also requires continuity which allows a GP to track and ensure the health of a patient over time (Schoen, C., Osborn, R., Doty, M. M., Bishop, M., Peugh, J., Murukutla, N. (2007)). The next level up from primary health care is Secondary and Tertiary Health Care. Secondary requires the use of more specialised skill and equipment to fix the problems (Bodenheimer, T. S., and Brumbach, K. (2009)). Such services will usually be found in hospitals, inpatient services and outpatient clinics, as well as the occasional private clinics (French et al (2001)). This type of care is reserved for specialist doctors in such fields as neurology, gynaecology, general surgery amongst others and can only act as consultants through referrals from the persons GP (Bodenheimer, T. S., and Brumbach, K. (2009)). Tertiary health care is for the more complex and expensive procedures with only a select few hospitals fully equipped to handle them, such as open heart surgery or organ transplants (Bodenheimer, T. S., and Brumbach, K. (2009)). Nowadays the distinction between secondary and tertiary is blurred as technological advances have made previously complex procedures relatively uncomplicated, such as non-invasive surgery (French et.al (2001)). Which primary health care services enhance individual health? Which ones enhance population health? Due to the signing of the 1978 Alma Ata Declaration, a strong focus was put on primary health services, both to enhance individual health. Services that are designed to enhance the overall health of an individual include immunisation against many harmful infectious diseases such as measles and polio. These vaccines are usually administered by your general practitioner or nurse practitioner in your community. Another individual enhancer includes screening programs that allow us to identify any dangerous and/or deadly diseases or conditions present in a person, for such things as tumours (Gillies A. (2003)). Services that enhance population health are in most cases very large preventive, educational and recuperative services aimed at tackling the main health concerns of communities. Examples include the education of proper nutrition so people can eat more healthily, improved and satisfactory quality of water supplied to the population, better elementary public hygiene. When a threat of an endemic in the region/area occurs, the management of it to prevent further contamination of others is a large scale, and preventive, type of population health services. An important population health enhancer is the provision of services for soon to be or planning to be mothers and for those already with children, known as family planning. In some cases, for the health of people to be fully achieved, having access to very necessary drugs and medication is a service that enhances population health (Gillies A. (2003)). What is gatekeeping? Describe the consequences of gatekeeping for patients and for the overall health system. Gatekeeping is a concept wherein the availability of receiving a consultation from a secondary health care provider, such as brain or orthopaedic specialist, is limited to the patient without acquiring a written referral from their primary care provider (PCP), their general practitioner. This leads to the PCP acting as a gatekeeper (or a general health co-ordinator) and is done to limit the number of referrals to specialist, diagnostic tests amongst other services with the promise of incentives for doing so due to certain financial agreements with these specialists (Bodenheimer, T. S., and Brumbach, K. (2009)). An exception to this is in the case of accident and emergency services (French, S., Old, A., Healy, J. (2001)). The consequences of this system for patients are that some will become annoyed with any limiting of availability to specialists. This is due to many patients insisting that they must have access to both adequate primary and specialty care, when they feel the need for more specialized care they have a problem with the constricting of access to them (Bodenheimer, T. S., and Brumbach, K. (2009)). Another consequence is that patients are ensured of receiving the correct treatment at the proper time in the right place (Bodenheimer, T. S., and Brumbach, K. (2009)). Also due to the PCPs being able to deliver continuing and thorough care for patients, there are higher chances of improved health outcomes (reference required WHO health network?) PCPs having more access to their patients and the gatekeeping role they perform have led to lower hospitalisation, usage of specialist and emergency centers and the odds of unnecessary health interventions and is considered to be more cost effective than going directly to a specialist (reference required WHO health network?). The presence of such a system also appears to have a beneficial effect of lowering the need for costly and specialist-led hospital care (reference required WHO health network?). In New Zealand we have a health care system in which most primary care requires payment from recipients of care, yet almost all higher level care is free. What problems are likely to arise from this dual system? Unnecessary use of hospitals and ambulances, less access for poorer people, Robin Hood effect, inverse care law, funding, cost, define, What, if any, are some positive features of this system? Security felt by people who otherwise couldnt afford, Identify some (4-5) indicators that provide evidence of the extent of problems. GPs per capita in certain areas, unnecessary hospitalisation, wrongful budget spending (over and under), quality of care by GPs who believe patients are fine,

Beloved, by Toni Morrison :: Literary Analysis, Toni Morrison

The novel Beloved, written by Toni Morrison, shows a family’s life before and after slavery. The main character, Sethe, escaped from slavery and had a daughter, Denver, while she was escaping. Although Denver never actually experienced slavery, her life has still been affected by it. Morrison uses Denver to show how although people can be affected by a life destructing experience such as slavery they do have the ability to move forward in life if they believe they can. Before Beloved comes to 124, Denver was not able to learn much about the past because of Sethe’s inability to experience the past again. She feels left out because she is not involved. This causes her to consume herself in the events of the past. Denver also starts out very shy. When Paul D first comes to 124, he and Sethe reminisce about the past. Denver says, â€Å"How come everybody run off from Sweet Home can’t stop talking about it? Look like if it was so sweet you would have stayed† (17). Sethe replies, â€Å"Girl, who you talking to† (16). Sethe’s surprised tone shows this is not normal behavior for Denver and she is usually much more soft-spoken. Denver’s outspoken behavior comes from her frustration with her ignorance of the past. Denver also locks her self away from the rest of the world before Beloved comes. After the incident with Nelson Lord, Denver â€Å"never went back† to Lady Jones’ house (121). Denver was cut off from the outside world even more when â€Å"she walked in a silence too solid for penetration† (121). Denver’s hearing returned â€Å"by the sound of her dead sister trying to climb the stairs† (122). The dense diction used by Morrison shows Denver’s deafness was very powerful. Denver believes Beloved got her hearing back for Denver, which makes Denver look to Beloved to solve her problems later in the novel. This makes Denver and Beloved’s relationship even more powerful because something very strong had to happen to bring back Denver’s hearing and Beloved was it. Unlike the other characters in the novel, Denver refers to Beloved as an actual family member and not just a baby further connecting the two characters. Before Beloved returns to 124 in person, Denver has a connection with her spirit and she relies on her companionship.

Oedipus the King Essay -- Classics Oedipus King Essays

Oedipus the King Oedipus the King is the perfect example of a tragedy. It contains a complete combination of all the features of a tragedy. Aristotle in his Poetics[1] defines Oedipus as being 'a definite example of the form and purpose of tragedy'. In tragedies the Greeks dramatized climactic events in the lives of heroes, and Oedipus' story is no exception. By using many different literary devices it brings moral dilemmas of action and motive to the public stage. The action is set out over the timeframe of one day, which will according to the prophet Tiresias will bring Oedipus' 'birth' and 'destruction'. King Oedipus is the central protagonist and within his character lies a tragic flaw. He is unintentionally the architect of his own downfall. The strengths that once lead him to solve the riddle behind the sphinx later lead him to his own downfall. In the words of the priest; 'you helped us stand, only to fall once more'. Oedipus' hamartia is his anger. It lies at the root of the plot. It was fury that lead him to kill Laius. He was about to thrust Oedipus off the road one night, so Oedipus 'paid him back with interest' by murdering him. Another flaw is a persistent desire to discover the truth. His 'mindless stubbornness' motivates him to seek the truth about Laius' killer and who his father is. This search leads to the turn of events that take place throughout the play. Despite constant denial of his fate he cannot deny the work of the gods. Tiresias delivers him a prophecy of this fate. Oedipus' circumstances are far beyond his own control. No matter what he attempts to do or alter every path leads the same way. He finds himself 'always terrified Apollo's' oracle might come true'. However he is determined to seek out the Kings murderer to punish him. This search interlinks with the search for his father. Jocasta also tries to deny destiny believing that 'nothing human can penetrate the future'. She claims to believe that 'It's all chance, chance rules our lives'. However fate inevitably takes over. Through the process of anagorsis Oedipus discovers he is in fact the very criminal he seeks. Along with this he realises further truth in the prophecy, that he is married to his mother. Jocasta also comes to realise the same truth. By the end of the play his final downfall along with hers is inevitable. Tragic iro... ...loins that spawned my wretched life. What grief can crown this grief? It's mine alone, my destiny - I am Oedipus!' These two statements show the peripeteia of Oedipus' life. Once a hero basked in glory, he has now succumbed to his destiny. In turn he is lowered to a truly pathetic state. His altered state serves to highlight the reversal of fortune he undergoes. His tragic flaw leads him to acknowledging his fate. Oedipus' downfall comes as he tries to escape fate but cannot. The audience knows this as does the chorus and we can only watch. Oedipus the King contains nothing outside of the definition; it's just pure Tragedy at the very core. It also confirms to Aristotle's theory of Tragedy. It obeys all the rules and the elements of Tragedy mentioned throughout. These features entwine together to create the ultimate work of Tragedy. From all of this it is unquestionable that the word 'tragedy' is a usefully accurate description of Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] W.B. Worthen, The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, 3rd Edition (USA, Harcourt College Publishers, 2000), p 72.

Behaviorism Time Line and Today’s World

Introduction Behaviorism, as a theory evolved from around 1930 and fell out of favor around 1960. Here the topic will look at the linear existence of behaviorism in reference to the discipline of psychology, as well as the main influential persons that raised the theory from its infancy to its heights as to the contributions each made. In conclusion, relevance to what is still in use to day as residual as well as what differences have happened: what has changed and what has stayed the same. This investigation of the actual time line in comparison with the various groupings of the base theory as it evolved into various sub-groupings will be looked at particularly. Behaviorism Time Line and Today's World To have an idea of the theories involving behaviorism, it becomes crucial to know and understand the vocabulary and background of the terms and theories of the topic being discussed. This is a brief introduction of the theory of behaviorism, as it will be discussed and dissected here in. The evolution of this theory as well as contributions by its various champions will be looked at in a sort of time line to see what has been retained and what has been discarded over time. Behaviorism is the idea of all learned behaviors find genesis in specific conditioning; and that this conditioning occurs with interaction with the environment (Cherry, 2009). Behaviorism also purports systematic and observable study with little or no consideration of internal mental states (Cherry, 2009). Behaviorism can be broken into two distinct areas, being: classical and operant conditioning (Cherry, 2009). Classical conditioning consists of pairing a naturally occurring stimulus with a response, followed by the transference of the relationship to a formerly neutral stimulus, thus causing the reaction to the newly transferred stimulus relationship (Goodwin, 2008). Operant conditioning on the other hand consists of the relationship of either a reward or consequence regarding certain behaviors (Goodwin, 2008). This is also referred to as instrumental conditioning and revolves around the consequences of actions taken. Behaviorism can trace its roots to the empiricism idea of classical association pioneered by John Locke and David Hume as an idea loosely tossed about shortly before the 20th century in consideration of learning in animals and humans linking mental states and perceptual influences (O'Donell, 1986). The earliest reference to behaviorism as an idea in consideration though comes from 1863 when Ivan Sechenov published a paper titled Reflexes of the Brain, where a concept of the mind's responses being inhibited in the central nervous system instead of the brain itself occurs (Cherry, 2009). Even with this evidenced, the solidification of behaviorism would occur with the publication of the behavioral manifesto by John Watson in 1913 ushered in the realm of behaviorism that flourished from around 1930 until 1960, when it fell out of favor (O'Donell, 1986). The time line genesis is associated with Watson's manifesto, but other prominent scientists had pending works in place before, such as Pavlov with his classical conditioning research, officially starting around 1910 (Babkin, 1949). This researcher worked with canines in reference to classical conditioning and behavior modification in Russia, and then the Soviet Union as it fell to socialism, which seemed the lesser of two evils: the other being Nazi Germany (Babkin, 1949). His work was bolstered by the bolshevik regime at this time, who thought it would be a good tool for controlling their massive population to keep them in order and so funded Pavlov's research lavishly (Babkin, 1949). Edward Thorndike published his work Animal Intelligence, which lead to the theory of operant conditioning later in the realm of behaviorism (O'Donell, 1986). Thorndike also went on to carry out the first major scientific study of the adult learner and the learning process used by adults in 1928, and so formulating his theory of learning (Odonell, 1986). Kurt Lewin developed his theories on group behavior in 1946, working with T-groups in research with mob behavior and how it occurs, forming experimental theories still in use today by most counts (Lewin, 1964). Lewin worked with prejudicial situations spurred by social normality and group behavior in terms of group-think and mob behavior (Lewin, 1964). The ways groups interact and process as individual entities were the specialty he followed in his theories and assumptions, and became a pivotal expert in the situations of the 1960s with Negro aggression, warfare revolts, and the rights movements to name a few of the situational events of the time (Lewin, 1964). Later, Skinner worked on the theory of operant behavior, with its schedules of reinforcement: fixed ratio schedule; variable ratio schedule; fixed interval schedule; and variable interval schedule (Cherry, 2009). Skinner was best known for his idea that the consequences of a behavior determine the probability of its recurrence (O'Donell, 1986). In 1948, he published Walden 2, in which he described a behaviorist principally based utopian society, and in 1971, he published again, arguing that free will is an illusion in his book Beyond Freedom and Dignity (Cherry, 2009). It becomes clear, the radicalism of Skinner in statements such as that the ultimate goals of behavioral psychology should be to predict and control behavior (Goodwin, 2008). Operant conditioning was his realm of work, separating conditioning into S and R types, where S is Pavlovian conditioning and R is where a behavior is emitted and a reactive consequence it given as a reward or punishment (Goodwin, 2008). With a stricter methodology his schedules of reinforcement would be repeatable and so fall more into the scientific methods, which was a new way to proceed in psychology research to that time in eliminating explanatory fiction (Goodwin, 2008). Edward Tolman was a cross of the empirical research and the logical positivism, using theory to form predictions to be vetted out in research (Goodwin, 2008). Being goal-directed in his research, Tolman ideally thought of his methods as paralleling the subject's ultimate goals so he was able to follow in same (Goodwin, 2008). In this pursuit though, things happen to influence these goals, and Tolman labeled these as intervening variables (Goodwin, 2008). Cognitive mapping was a contribution of Tolman; as was the downplay of latent learning (Goodwin, 2008). He argued with the ideas of Clark Hull on nearly every point possible, believing in cognitive maps for children to influence their abilities to learn both academically as well as in the real world in terms of tools they could take and keep in their lives (Goodwin, 2008). A lot of these people can not really be placed on a linear time line because they contributed several points to the evolution of behaviorism. The contributions come from a standpoint of little background followed by research and data compilation in a collective knowledge base. Behaviorism has been declining in popularity for several years, or even decades as the philosophy of the cognitive theory changes through experimentation and hypothetical ideas rendered based on observations and speculations alike. Behaviorism started as a method to understand the way actions are taken and why they are done so. Behaviorist psychologists tended to â€Å"mechanize† the process, taking out of the scope the free will affect as well as that of decision on the part of the participant or subject of studies (Kassin, 2008). This can be seen in terms of either over-simplification of the mental processes or simplification of the tests for plausibility (Kassin, 2008). To this end, it can be seen how the testing apparatus put in place for conducting such experimentation holds true in its function and viability, so the actions and testing results are still affective, although interpreted differently as to data extracted from such experimentation (O'donell, 1986). The tests and ideas found and exemplified by these pioneers of behaviorism still ring true, and can be used today, but in different context. The mechanistic procedures held strenuously at the time though are both outdated as the more complex background information is discovered as well as methodologies used in light of the neo-behaviorism that followed referencing some animal to human references (Roediger, 2010). The principles have stayed the same, but the application and reliance has changed due in part to diversity and the simple will to differentiate the various peoples of the world. Today, reflecting back on the age of behaviorism, we can still use some of the principles of behaviorism in terms of treatment of bad behavior as well as understanding why this occurs. In the time of the behaviorists though, thoughts of utopian societies with everyone acting in unison, predicted and anticipated was just too mechanized for society to swallow, and guarantee freedom at the same time(Roediger, 2010). Today, behavior analysis is often used in various therapeutic techniques for all kinds of situations of behavioral situations such as to help children with autism with developmental delays to acquire new skills needed in the world for example. Advances in medical science research tools as well as cognitive theories and treatment overshadow behaviorism as it has starting in the 1950's from that of strictly observational to that of scientifically tested and verified facts in modern cognitive behavioral theories: simplistic boxes and pointers in references to thought processes of the day seem simplistic and abstract compared to today's brain scans for mapping cognizant processes in the advance of science in the roles of psychology research (Roediger, 2010). Behaviorism was never really proven wrong or accused of this, but rather drifted away due to its inability to modernize in relation to today's research tools and abilities of examining what is really happening (Roediger, 2010). the learning history associated with behaviorism simply is not relevant to today's cognizant theorists, and is either compartmentalized, or ignored all together as unimportant (Roediger, 2010). Babkin, B. P. (1949). Pavlov: a biography. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Cherry, K. , (2009). What is behaviorism? Retrieved May 15, 2010 from http://psychology. bout. com/od/behavioralpsychology/f/behaviorism. htm Goodwin, C. J. (2008). A history of modern psychology (3rd ed. ). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Kassin, S. (2008). Psychology in Modules-ORG 5002, Survey of Psychology II. Pearson Custom Publishing. Boston, MA. Lewin, K. (1964). T-group theory and laboratory method. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. O'Donell, J. (1986). Origins of behaviorism. New York Univ ersity Press. Roediger, R. (2010). What happened to Behaviorism? Retrieved May 15, 2010 from http://www. psychologicalscience. org/observer/getArticle. cfm? id=1540