Saturday, November 30, 2019

Why did Haiti suffer more than Kobe as a result of an earthquake Essay Example

Why did Haiti suffer more than Kobe as a result of an earthquake Essay Both the Kobe earthquake (1995, in Japan) and Haiti earthquake (2010) measured about 7.0 on the Richter scale, but the casualty rate of Haiti earthquake was at least five times more deadly than the Kobe earthquake that killed 6,434 people. The main reason that Kobe didn’t suffer as much as Haiti is because Kobe is in Japan, which is an MEDC, Japan can afford many expensive resources, which Haiti cannot afford because it is a Less Economically Developed Country (LEDC).Haiti’s strength is in its culture. In Haiti, the banks have proven to be the fasted growing industry. It has many weaknesses including its government, economical situation and infrastructure. The Haitian government is one of the biggest obstacles for economic growth. Over the past ten years, Haiti has experienced a decrease of success in its public office. After years of dictatorship and military rule, the Haitian people were relieved when Aristides party won Haitis first free elections.The relief turned i nto distress when the government proved to be more like a dictatorship. Haiti’s economy has been slowly dropping since the 1980’s, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) falling two percent a year from 1980-1991. Haitis physical infrastructure is poor roads are insufficient, and basic services such as power and telephones are frequently unavailable. The country also lacks a railroad system, making the shipping of goods around the land a tedious and dangerous job.Japan is a country that conquered the world market together with China and the U.S. Many huge businesses such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Toshiba and NEC are based in Japan and they provide many jobs and a lot of profit. It has many strengths but also a few weaknesses. Some of Japans strengths are its automobile industry, computer firms, exporting companies, digital gaming industry and its technological advancements research. One weakness of Japan is its geography. It is right on top of two tectonic plates so it suff ers many earthquakes.Kobe has many well-developed warning systems, which give out a signal that tells people to stay inside their Earthquake proof buildings until the earthquake is over. This equipment saved many lives, lots of money and helped keep the rate of destruction as low as possible. If Haiti had the same infrastructure and technology that Kobe has, then Haiti would have most likely had a much lesser death toll.The death toll of the Haiti earthquake reached around 250,000 which is large compared to the size of their population, around 7 million; where as the death toll of the Kobe earthquake, 6,425, wasn’t as big in proportion to the size of Japans population. Haiti hadn’t had an earthquake as big in 1995 since 1770, where as Japan has regular small earthquakes and it is part of daily life so they were more prepared. In Haiti, 2 million people were left homeless; 3 million were in need of emergency aid.In conclusion I think that if Haiti had the same high leve l of government, economy and infrastructure as Kobe, than not as many people would have died or suffered from injuries, been left homeless and Haiti would have recovered from the disaster as quick as Kobe did.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Relationship between Childhood Understanding or Construction and Child Intervention

Relationship between Childhood Understanding or Construction and Child Intervention Introduction Childhood construction is a vital aspect in determining child intervention within the child protection system. Parents possess a natural responsibility to intervene in their children’s lives. Childhood is recognized as an important status by the religious and secular world. For example, throughout the ages, religious teachings have encouraged parents to protect their children from any kind of harm (Shonkof and Meisels 68).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Relationship between Childhood Understanding or Construction and Child Intervention specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The need that adults posses of intervening in the lives of their children has shaped the way adults understand and construct childhood. There are many reasons why parents intervene in their children’s lives. First, they view childhood as a stage in life that is defined by helplessness and vulnerability, hence making it necess ary for them to offer protection to children (Shonkof and Meisels 70). Secondly, they view children as human beings who should enjoy their full human rights. Thirdly, they believe that investing in children by protecting them is investing in the success of the future society (Shonkof and Meisels 71). Many child interventions are determined by the construction of childhood as a vulnerable stage in human development that requires adult security. Ineffective construction of childhood promotes the idea that children as less knowledgeable and not deserving of power to make decisions. Discussion The perspective of adults and the perspective of young people lead to different childhood constructions. However, the understanding of childhood in both cases determines child intervention within the child protection system. For example, young people consider abuse as the use of power by adults to control the behaviour of children and young people (Mason and Falloon 9). As an intervention strategy , young people consider negotiation as an effective method of preventing child abuse. However, this may be ineffective because children consider the power to disclose cases of abuse as their right.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, they claim that it enables them to handle such situations appropriately (Mason and Falloon 9). Interventions based on the perspective of young people may be ineffective because young people may decide to conceal information regarding cases of abuse. Reasons for information concealment include intimidation and fear of harm by abusers. Research and literature on child abuse is mainly focused on the perspectives of adults. Children are considered as not being knowledgeable and as such, their opinions are of little or no help in formulating intervention programs (Mason and Falloon 12). This assumption has led to the marginalization of children as potential contributors in child intervention policies. The perspective has labeled child abuse as a social problem that should be solved by those in power and has contributed in aggravating the problem. Abusers are considered the abused, and the abused are considered the abusers (Mason and Falloon 9). It is important to take children’s opinions and perspectives into consideration. For example, a study by Parton et al (1997) found out that children’s opinions are only used to supplement adult opinions in child abuse cases. Ignoring the opinions of children has led to poor intervention programs. There is a distinct difference between children’s and adults’ perspectives of abuse. In order to provide effective intervention, it is important to consider children’s definition of abuse. Children define abuse as the subjection to adult power and control, emotional hurt, being looked down upon and being denied a chance to voice their opinions (B agnato 46). Children’s perspective is different from the adults’ perspective, which considers children as less knowledgeable and unable to determine what is good for themselves. This results in ineffective child intervention efforts. Adults should allow children to participate in discussions, give them freedom to choose what they want and take time to explain the consequences of the decisions that they make on their behalf (Bagnato 48). In addition, the views of children should be prioritized in interventions, and decisions should be made with the interests of the child as priority.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Relationship between Childhood Understanding or Construction and Child Intervention specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A rights based approach constructs children as human beings who have rights that should be respected (Brambring et al 82). In addition, it considers children as important contr ibutors to society and as investments that are the foundation of the future. The 1994 Geneva Declaration and the 1959 United Nations Declaration were some of the first laws that offered child intervention, although in an inadequate way (Brambring et al 85). They constructed children as dependent on adults because they are weak. They clearly stipulated the value of children to society, and hence the need to protect them. The first law that applied the rights based approach was the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The treaty comprises 54 articles that give children various rights. These rights include social, economic, political and cultural rights (Shonkof and Meisels 98). For example, Article 12 gives children the right to be listened to and the right to be involved in any decision making process that affects them (Brambring et al 89). This leads to participation, a concept that recognizes children as part of the society, and as persons with rights that should be respected. The participation concept constructs children as human beings with rights and responsibilities. This perspective delegates certain responsibilities to children and other responsibilities to adults in order to strike a balance (James et al 52). The rights based approach encourages children to participate in decision making through expressing their views and opinions. In most cases, adults make the final decision in cases that involve child intervention. However, these decisions should include the views and opinions of children. The participation approach has many benefits that make it an efficient approach to child intervention. It helps children protect themselves because by voicing their opinions, they avoid situations that could amount to abuse (James et al 55). Children who are encouraged to express their views are able to challenge situations that abuse their rights. Therefore, children are less vulnerable to abuse when they are encouraged to express themsel ves (James 109). This approach is beneficial and effective. However, it has many drawbacks. First, adults may take the rights of children lightly because many cultures place little value on the rights of children. Secondly, adults may refuse to give children power to participate in decision making because they believe that they know what is god for their children (James et al 58). Many adults feel that by giving children power, they encourage them to be disrespectful.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The idealistic perspective constructs childhood as a human development stage that is a period of innocence and carefree behaviours. This perspective stipulates that children should not be given adult responsibilities such as involvement in decision-making processes (James 122). Proponents of the idealistic perspective discourage the participation of children in intervention decisions and as such, influence child intervention negatively. Failing to involve children in decision making discourages them from expressing their opinions on matters that are important to them. This approach is ineffective because children’s understanding of abuse is different from adults’ understanding of abuse. As such, adults make decisions that do not align with the needs and rights of children. Conclusion Childhood construction is a critical aspect in determining child intervention in the child protection system. Parents possess a natural urge to intervene in their children’s lives. Childhood construction takes several approaches depending on how it is understood. Many child interventions are determined by the construction of children as vulnerable, weak and in need of protection. Other constructions view children as valuable human beings who have rights and form the foundation for the future. In order to provide effective intervention, it is important to consider children’s definition of abuse. Some adults consider children as less knowledgeable and unable to determine what is good for themselves. This results in ineffective child intervention efforts that fail to fully protect children from abuse. To ensure that child interventions are effective, adults should allow children to participate in discussions concerning child intervention, give children freedom to choose what they want, and take time to explain the consequences of the decisions that they make on their behalf. The participation concept constructs children as human beings with rights and resp onsibilities. This perspective delegates certain responsibilities to children and others to adults in order to create a balance. The approach encourages children to participate in decision making through expressing their views and opinions. Efficient childhood construction views children as valuable human beings with rights and in need of protection. Bagnato, Stephen. Authentic Assessment for Early Childhood Intervention: Best  Practices. New York: Guilford Press, 2009. Print. Brambring, Michael, Rauh, Hellgard, and Belmann, Andeas. Early Childhood  Intervention: Theory, Evaluation and Practice. New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1996. Print. James, Allison and James, Adrian. Constructing Childhood: Theory, Policy and Social  Practice. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Print. James, Allison. Constructing and Reconstructing Childhood: Contemporary Issues in  the Sociological Study of Childhood. New York: Routledge, 1997. Print. Mason, Jan and Falloon, Jan. A Children’s Pe rspective on Child Abuse. Children  Australia, 24.3 (1999): 9-13. Print. Shonkof, Jack, and Meisels, Samuel. Handbook of Early Childhood Intervention. London: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.

Friday, November 22, 2019

GRANT Surname Meaning and Origin

GRANT Surname Meaning and Origin The origins of the Grant surname are uncertain, but the following theories are the most widely accepted: A nickname from the Anglo-Norman French graund or  graunt, meaning tall, large- derived, in turn, from the  Latin grandis- bestowed due to the individuals size, or to distinguish two bearers of the same personal name, often different generations within the same family (e.g. grant denotes the elder or senior).Clan Grant says that tradition suggests that the name comes from Sliabh Grianais - the moor above Aviemore, believed to be the first land in Scotland occupied by the Grant progenitors. Grant may also be a spelling variant of the German surname Grandt or Grant Surname Origin: Scottish, English, French Alternate Surname Spellings: GRAUNT, GRAWNT, GRANTE   Where in the World is the GRANT Surname Found? According to Forebears, the Grant surname is most prevalent in the United States (used by over 156,000 people), but most common in Jamaica (where the surname ranks as 10th most common) and Scotland (ranked 29th). Grant is also common in Guyana (46th), New Zealand (49th), Canada (88th), Australia (92nd) and England (105th). Historical surname distribution data from Scotland identifies the areas where Grant was most common in 1881 as Moray, where it was the most used name, as well as Banffshire (2nd most common), Nairn (6th), Inverness-shire (9th) and West Lothian (10th). WorldNames PublicProfiler identifies the Grant surname as being especially popular in Donegal, Ireland, as well as Australia, New Zealand and most of northern Scotland.   Famous People with the Last Name GRANT Ulysses S. Grant -  U.S. general and commander of the Union armies; 18th U.S. presidentCary Grant - British-American film actorHugh Grant - British actorAmy Grant - American singer-songwriterAnne Grant - Scottish poetJedediah Morgan Grant - leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsNatalie Grant - American singer-songwriter Genealogy Resources for the Surname GRANT Clan GrantExplore a wealth of resources made available by Clan Grant, including history, genealogy, gatherings, membership and more. Grant DNA ProjectJoin over 400 individuals with the Grant surname who are interested in combining Y-DNA testing with genealogical research to help identify various Grant genetic lines and ancestries. Trace your Scottish roots back to Scotland and beyond with the steps outlined in this Scottish genealogy guide. Learn how to locate your ancestors county and/or parish in Scotland, plus access vital records, census records and parish records in Scotland. Grant Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Grant family crest or coat of arms for the Grant surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. FamilySearch - GRANT GenealogyExplore over 2.9 million historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Grant surname and its variations on the free FamilySearch website, hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. GRANT Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts a free mailing lists for researchers of the Grant surname. DistantCousin.com - GRANT Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Grant. The Grant Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the popular last name Grant from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.    Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Thursday, November 21, 2019

What adjective best describes and defines me Essay

What adjective best describes and defines me - Essay Example However, before delving into a personal analysis of why this word appropriately defines me, it should be considered that for purposes of this analysis, the term motivation and/or motivated will be defined as follows (per the Merriam Webster Dictionary): â€Å"to be provided with a motive or incentive for action† (Merriam Webster Dictionary 2005). It is of course understood that motivated in and of itself is not an effective solitary definition of who I am and how my personality is exhibited to others. However, as a result of analyzing myself, motivated was the singular term that I kept coming back to in seeking to find an appropriate adjective that most appropriately encapsulated who I am and how I approach life and all of the situations it offers. Though many alternative definitions necessarily exist, the term motivated, as it will be analyzed within this analysis is appropriate to defining my personality not due to the fact that it can be used in explaining behavior with regards to academic studies or relationships alone; rather, it serves as an all encompassing term that helps to define how I integrate with the world and define whether or not a given item is of worth and/or how/if I should pursue it. Whereas it is true that many people are profoundly impacted by the way in which their parents instilled values in them or the environment in which they were raised, it is my belief that the motivation that exists within me is as much a product of my own unique identity as the color of my hair or the shape of my own nose. This belief is due to the fact that I have exhibited signs of motivation from early childhood and continue to exhibit them well into adulthood. Whereas many children are briefly blinded by a particular idea and set out to pursue it for a period of time until losing interest, the same cannot be said for me with regards to reviewing my childhood. Taking my interest in music as an example, I

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Report Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Report Summary - Essay Example Intellectuals state that the internet has availed enormous information that even a crummy institutional library’s resources cannot have any comparison (Greenblatt 777). Since through internet search machines, a person can access diverse and adequate information within a small duration. This is far from comparing with an individual in a library where physically has to peruse books and probably may lack refined required information. Some intellectuals’ arguments, is that internet aids humanity in becoming smarter, since it strengthens some parts of the brain. Conversely, Thompson from Syracuse University argues that much of internet information undergoes utter filtering, which makes it somehow shallow for reliance (Greenblatt 777). Since internet researchers, especially the students fail in digging deeply to attain the subject’s background. Consequently, yielding to students and other persons who may be looking for similar information citing one source, which is li mited. David Levy from University of Washington warns of evil negatives regarding material overload that leaves one with no time meant for reflection. This leaves one with much information and devoid of necessary capability to utilize it. Since the attained information, act as stored facts that have no purpose in life or formulation of other essential ideas (Greenblatt 778). Carr states that the web has grievous results on its clients; because it affects the mind especially in the manner, it processes information. Primarily, this is evident in the people who study short pieces of literature with hyperlink embedded, for they have less attention on them than the actual physical books’ readers. Internet bears positive and harmful aspects, but these depend on individuals’ context, which implies that the internet does not make us either smarter or stupid. Hence, altering the way we think (Greenblatt 778). Numerous people argue that

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The London Congestion Charge is now a reality Essay Example for Free

The London Congestion Charge is now a reality Essay Background info: Congestion charging is a way of ensuring that those using valuable and congested road space make a financial contribution. The scheme requires drivers to pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 per day if they wish to drive in Central London during the schemes hours of operation. The scheme relies on 700 video cameras, which will scan the rear license plates of the motorists who enter the area between 7am and 6:30pm during the working week. This information will be matched each night against a database of drivers who have paid the charge either by phone, via the Internet or at shops and petrol forecourts. Except for those with exemptions (the disabled, taxis, nurses etc.) anyone who fails to pay by midnight will be fined à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½80. The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone put the scheme in place on February 2003. The scheme is live Monday- Friday, 7am- 6:30pm (excluding public holidays). Residents are entitled to a 90% discount and those with a disabled blue badge, taxis and licensed mini cabs, and drivers of clean-engine vehicles, among others, will be able to drive in the congestion charge zone for free. The situation prior to the charging was that: * London suffers from the worst traffic congestion in the UK and is amongst the worst in Europe. * Drivers in London spend 50% of their time in queues. * Every weekday morning, the equivalent of 25 busy motorway lanes of traffic tries to enter Central London. * It has been estimated that London looses between à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2-4 million every week in terms of lost time caused by congestion. Ken Livingstone, Londons Mayor, hopes to cut traffic by 15%, leading to a 25% reduction in traffic delays. The net proceeds are expected to be around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½120m a year, which will be used to improve public transport. Because of congestion in London the government has taken over/ intervened because it was a case of market failure. It failed because the roads/ resources werent being managed causing inefficiency and pollution. This congestion charge has been set up to erect that problem because London is the capital and a thriving city. These improvements may seem a bit steep e.g. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½80 fine, but they have got to show they are serious so that the scheme is not taken for granted. This scheme will make certain people better off it wont work for everyone. People who NEED to come into London to work will appreciate the changes because it will mean they will get to work quicker and work longer hours. Roads are seen as public goods because you cant charge people for its use if they are there everyone benefits. This scheme should drastically reduce traffic in London because a social cost is being added to their private costs. If you add à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 to someones private cost they will think about their actions. One of the problems that will arise is that not everyone can pay the market price, so the system can be inequitable. In some cases inequity of this sort is unavoidable. The fact that people cannot all have everything they want is part of the basic economic problem of scarcity. There are benefits for those with particular needs such as the disabled and taxi drivers. These need benefits to live a normal life and keep the norm going. Because if taxis and mini-cabs stopped working people who had to travel to work, business meeting or wanted to get directly home would have to use some other means of transport. Also it will encourage them to keep working and disabled people to keep coming into London and not feel restricted. This scheme will also show what the commuters and stakeholders think of the efficiency of roads in Central London. Because if they are satisfied or think that they are getting their value for their money e.g. less traffic, good maintenance they will be willing to keep paying and perhaps more people will see that the scheme is efficient.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Euthanasia as One of Todays Most Prevalent Ethics Issues Essay

Euthanasia as One of Todays Most Prevalent Ethics Issues   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Euthanasia can be considered one of the most prevalent problems when dealing with the ethics of patient treatment. Should people have the right to end their own lives when prolonging it will only cause them more pain? Should families who love someone so much, that they don’t want to lose them, cause them more pain by keeping them alive. What makes that more ethically correct then letting them die? The more you look into this issue the more you see how contradictory people are when it comes to making these decisions. This paper shows the issue in a more detailed manner, gives some background, shows the effects on modern society and explains briefly my standpoint on the subject.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The practice of euthanasia dates back as far as the dawn of civilization itself. In the past it was an easy subject to deal with because technology didn’t permit nearly as much life sustentation. When health problems, such as, diabetes and high blood pressure were causes of death, it wasn’t such a controversial issue in society. Now that we have the knowledge along with medical equipment to keep people alive, the issue has developed into a more difficult one to deal with. However, the issues surrounding euthanasia are not only of death, they are about ones liberty, right to privacy and control over his or her, own body. Currently under U.S. law, there are clear differences between the two different types of euthanasia. Extraction of life support, referred to by some as passive euthanasia has been exclusively upheld by the courts as a lawful right of a patient to request and a permissible act for a doctor to perform. Physician-assisted death, referred to by some as active euthanasia is specifically prohibited by laws in most countries and American states banning "mercy killings" and is condemned by the American Medical Association.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Active Euthanasia is thought of by most to be morally wrong and punishable by law. Yet, mercy has been held as a high moral by most civilizations in history. Now we punish anyone who assists someone else in suicide, out of their own mercy. During the 21-month trial period of a new law anyone assisting in a suicide can be sentenced to up to four years in prison and fined more than $2,000 (1). Physicians have been and will continue to be prosecuted for the murder of patients wh... ...etroit Free Press (December 11, 1990)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -Herbert Hendin, "Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Netherlands:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lessons from the Dutch," Journal of the American Medical Association (June   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4, 1997 p. 1720-1722) -USA Today, 1998 -Matter of Quinlan (http://www.csulb.edu/~jvancamp/452_r6.html) -Cruzan v. Director, DMH 497 U.S. 261 (1990) (http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/88-1503.ZS.html) -Exploring constitutional conflicts, â€Å"The right to die† (http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/righttodie.htm) -Colesanto, D, â€Å"The right-to-die controversy,† USA Today (May, 1991 pp. 62-63). -Derek Humphry, Frequently Asked Questions; Right to Die. ERGO! (http://rights.org/deathnet/ergo_FAQ.html) -About Hemlock (http://www.hemlock.org/about_hemlock.htm) - Alister Browne, Understanding Euthanasia: Should Canadians Amend The Criminal Code? (September 26, 1994) -David J Roy, When the Dying Demand Death; A Position Paper On Euthanasia, (Undated) -Mark Twain - The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson and the Comedy of the Extraordinary Twins http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdinchak/eng101/argbioethics.htm#Assisted%20Suicide

Monday, November 11, 2019

Comparative Essay Between Movies and Books Essay

In 2003, David Foster Wallace said â€Å"Reading requires sitting alone, by yourself, in a room†¦I have friends—intelligent friends—who don’t like to read because there’s an almost dread that comes up about having to be alone and having to be quiet†¦When you walk into most public spaces in America, it isn’t quiet anymore. † Although the collective amount of time spent by people reading has declined with our minds, moving pictures with sound continue to further embed themselves in culture. Ask a group of fifteen year olds how many books they have read in the last month, and the likely answer will be that most of them have not finished a book since a month ago. But ask the same group the last time they saw a movie, and a week previous (or less) will fail to be an uncommon answer. A question then poses itself: why is it that one source of entertainment and art is falling out of favor while another is becoming more and more common? One could ascribe the comparative quality of the two, implying that movies are superior to books. However, a more accurate, yet less popular affirmation would be that books are superior to films and that superiority is not necessarily synonymous with prevalence. To go into detail in a movie the same way as one might in a book would be painfully difficult. The resulting abomination would be torturously monotonous due to movies very nature, which panders to the short attention spans of the average person by constantly moving and embellishing ideas with pictures and music. It would also be horribly long, the length of, or longer than an audiobook. For evidence, one could look at documentaries and nonfiction books. The former are far less informative, although one may wish to believe otherwise because a documentary film takes less work to enjoy and is, to some, more pleasurable. Take two lectures, both approximately an hour and twenty minutes in length (approximately the running time of a movie) and both by two highly acclaimed authors. The first, by Thomas L. Friedman, was on his book The World is Flat, and the second, by Temple Grandin, was on her book Animals in Translation. In either lecture, one could see the speaker constantly speaking and cramming more information into their allotted time. Yet neither covered even close to what was in their books. A documentary trying to do such a thing is even more preposterous, demanding copious amounts of time for a garnish of pretty images and smooth transitions. This is the reason scholars do not publish their findings in case-study documentaries but in texts. Long, arduous texts the average person would rather die than pick up. Further evidence is in the quality of film adaptations of books. If one went to see the recent movie Life of Pi after reading the original novel by Yann Martel, a period of misanthropy and depression may not be a completely unrelated concept. The movie was one hundred twenty-seven minutes long and left out numerous important facets, such as Pi’s connection with a Suffi man in part of Pondicherry, his grade-school teacher Mr. Kumar, and the training of Richard Parker. The content of the film was not, however, wanting when compared to others movies of its length. It might take several weeks to finish the book; how could a film-maker be expected to fill all of the information in it into one hundred twenty-seven minutes, with exposition, visual stimulation, and graphic theatrics as obligations? Life of Pi is art as a book, but as a movie, is a source of mass-market entertainment. Although film’s quantitative flaws of constriction are more than surfeit to deem texts as the more valuable mediaform, ample also are its qualitative stiflings. For example, if a movie character began to speak the way Jean Genet does in his books, the production would come across as contrived and pretentious. For a moment I was no longer a hungry, ragged vagabond,† wrote Genet in The Thief’s Journal, â€Å"whom dogs and children chased away; nor was I the bold thief flouting the cops, but rather the favorite mistress who, beneath a starry sky, soothes the conqueror. † Using words like â€Å"vagabond† and â€Å"flouting† in everyday speech is incredibly uncommon, and even english teachers will tell you that using the conjunction â€Å"nor† will get one beat up. Genet, however, is widely regarded as a brilliant artist for, including but not limited to, his beauteous prose. A stark contrasts between books and movies shimmers here. The language in a movie is only of characters, who are constantly in a mode of speech too casual for grace past a certain point, while a book is free to use English (or whatever tongue it is written in) freely. The confinement of characters as one of the only modes of expression—and almost always the most utilized—is also a problem when expressing greater themes. Compare most classic cinema achievements to esteemed novels, and an underlying trend will emerge: movies repeatedly project something about humans, or the nature of man, while books are far ore diverse, sometimes delving deeply into the emotional lives of characters without the chains of lengthy exposition and making discourse seem natural, while some dwell extensively on philosophical musings such as the meaning of life and the cyclical nature of history. One of the biggest reasons books dominate movies is also one of the biggest reasons books are becoming significantly popular. That is, books effect mental wo rk. Culture as a whole has become increasingly fast paced, and the instant gratification of movies fits in with the utmost dexterity. The interactive experience one has with a book is a glorious cradle for the type of deep thought about a topic that lasts maybe thirty minutes rather than thirty seconds. To read a novel by James Joyce, one must spend a significant amount of time trying to process the underlying themes and meanings, often rereading even a small portion several times until it makes sense. Many people loathe James Joyce for the daunting density of his work. But to watch a James Cameron movie, a two hour slot of time is all that is usually given up before a person begins eulogizing or bashing the piece. When one challenges one’s brain, it becomes more powerful, like a exercising a muscle. All aforesaid is meant not to bash movies, but simply to expose how they are surpassed by books. Many people who would argue the converse position are not without reason. Some may sight â€Å"art films† like Citizen Kane and Nosferatu, arguing that despite how these are very different in nature than books, they are greater and more beneficial media. Others would assert that there are more options in film. That there are new dimensions to work in when visuals are added into the mix: lighting, filters, cinematography, etcetera. And an entire other artform is said to be a fundamental part of movies but not books: acting. What a character says on paper can be extremely affected by what the inflection and tone of the speaker is. For example, the phrase â€Å"I wanted to kick his ass† can have a huge shift in meaning when emphasis is put on â€Å"I,† â€Å"wanted,† â€Å"kick,† â€Å"his,† or â€Å"ass. † Books, falling in the numerical eye of statisticians as a great form of media, are truly better and more diverse than the silver screen. Books are far freer to paint with complex detail and long topics, while most movies re tied to a certain length, making books better beacons for information. Freer still are books in the possibilities of both subject matter and ways to express that because they are not stuck on characters so severely. With their richness comes an opportunity for the reader to exercise the brain to a greater degree, enriching all parts of their mental life. Although some people disagree, using great old films and the unique opportunities filmmaking does provide the artist with as talking points, books remain the prevailing art the face of a shrinking audience.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Fish Anatomy

FISHERIES BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT External Fish Anatomy The following illustration of a largemouth bass shows some of the common external features that are used to describe the differences among fish species. Fish are animals that are cold-blooded, have fins and a backbone. Most fish have scales and breathe with gills. There are about 22,000 species of fish that began evolving around 480 million years ago. The largemouth billustrated abovethe typical torplike (fusiform) shape associated with many fishes used by the fish to maintain its position, move, steer and stop.They are either single fins alonthe centerline of the fish, such as the dorsal (back) fins, caudal (tail) fin and anal fin, or paired fins, which include the pectoral (chest) and pelvic (hip) fins. Fishes such as catfish have another fleshy lobe behind the dorsal fin, called an adipose (fat) fin that is not illustrated here. The dorsal and anal fins primarily help fish to not roll over onto their sides. The caudal fin is t he main fin for propulsion to move the fish forward. The paired fins assist with steering, stoppingand hovering.Scales in most bony fishes (most freshwater fishes other than gar that have ganoid scales, and catfish which have no scales) are either ctenoid or cycloid. Ctenoid scales have jagged edges and cycloid have smooth rounded edges. Ctenii are tiny, comblike projections on the exposed (posterior) edge of ctenoid scales. Bass and most other fish with spines have ctenoid scales composed of connective tissue covered with calcium. Most fishes also have a very important mucus layer covering the body that helps prevent infection.Anglers should be careful not to rub this â€Å"slime† off when handling a fish that is to be released. Maryland Envirothon 1 In many freshwater fishes the fins are supported by spines that are rigid and may be quite sharp thus playing a defensive role. Catfish have notably hard sharp fins that anglers should be wary of. The soft dorsal and caudal fins are composed of rays, as are portions of other fins. Rays are less rigid and frequently branched. The gills are the breathing apparatus of fish and are highly vascularized giving them their bright red cover.An operculum (gill cover) that is a flexible bony plate protects the sensitive gills. Water is â€Å"inhaled† through the mouth, passes over the gills and â€Å"exhaled† from beneath the operculum. Fish see through their eyes and can detect color. The eyes are rounder in fish than mammals because of the refractive index of water and focus is achieved by mthe lens in and out, not distorting it as in mammals. water and can be quite sensitive. Eels and catfish have particularly well developed senses of smell. larger it is the bigger the prey it can consume.Fish hava sense of taste and may sample items to taste them before swallowing if they are not obvious prey items. Some are primmostly other fish). The imported grass carp is one of the few large fishes that are prim arily herbivorous (eating plants). Fish may or may not have teeth depending on the species. Fishchain pickerel and gar have obvious canine-shaped teeth. Other fish have less obvious teeth, such as the cardiform teeth in catfish which feel like a roughened area at the front of the mouthor vomerine teeth that are tiny patches of teeth, for example, in the roof of a striped bass' mouth.Grass carp and other minnows have pharyngeal teeth modified from their gill arches for grinding that are located in the throat. that are open to the water through a series of pores (creating a line along the side of the fish). The lateral line primarily senses water currents and pressure, and movement in the water. immediately in front of the anal fin. are used to describe the differences between fish that are described in more detail below. Maryland Envirothon 2 front of thhollow and house and protect the delicate spinal cord. SPINAL CORD: Cbrain, as well as in BRAIN: Thbehaviors processed here.LATERAL LINEOsense organs; detectunderwater vibrations and is capable of determinthe direction of their source. (See Issue 8 of The City Fisher for minformation. ) SWIM (or AIRBLA hollow, gas-fillbalance organ a fish to conserve energyby maintaining neutral buoyancy (suspending) in water. Fish caught fromvery deep water sometimes need to have air releasreleased and return to deep water, dusurface. Species of fish that do not possess a swim bladder sink to the bottom if they stop swimming. GILLS: Aif the fishKIDNEY: ed from their swim bladder before they can be idney is alsbody, allowing certain fish species to exist in freshwater or saltwater, and in some cases (such assnook or tarpon) both. Maryland Envirothon 3 STOMACH AND INTESTINES: Break down (digest) fo Fish such as tilapia that are herbivomatter is usually tough and fibrous and more difficult to break down into usable components. A great deal about fish feeding habits can be determined by examining stomach contents. PYLORIC CAECA: Th is organ with fingerlike projections is located near the junction of the stomach and theindigestion, may functio VENT: The site of waste elimination from the fish’s body.LIVER: This important organ has a number of functions. It abrimportantas playing a role in nitrogen (waste) excretion. HEART: Circulates blood throughout the body. Oxygen avakidneys an GONADS (REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS): In adult female bass, the bright oranbufertilizing the eggs, are much smaller and wh(or roe) of certain fish are considered a delicacy, as in the case of caviar from sturgeon. MUSCLES: Provide movement and locomotion. This is the part of the fish that is usually eaten, and Measuring a Fish of the fish with the mouth closed and the tail fin aying along a tape measure, then pinch the tail fin closed and determine the total length, do NOT pull a flexible tape measure along the curve of the fish. Conversely, most marine (saltwater regulations) refer to the â€Å"fork length†, and scientists ofte nuse â€Å"standard length† which is to the end of the fleshy part of t Maryland Envirothon 4 aby minor damage to the tanor does it give too much creditto a fish for the relatively light weight tail when calculatingfish's condition. â€Å"Girth† is best measured with a fabric ruler, such as tailors use.It can also be determined by drawing a string around the fish at its widest point marking wherethe string overlaps and then mthe overlapping points on a conventional ruler. Knowing thegirth is important when tryingcertify a fish for a record, and provides useful information Using total length and girth you can get a rough estimate of a fish's weight using various formulas. Length-Weight Formulas to Estimate Fish Weights biologists use. The equation is: Log (weight in grams)= -4. 83 + 1. 923 x Log (total length in millimeters) + 1. 57 x Log (girthmillimeters). A 22†³ long bass w A quick, though very rough, estimate of torpedo shaped fish like young bass can be obtain ed by using: Total Length (in inches)-squared, times girth (in inches) divided by 1200. A 22†³ long Another common option used for estimating bass weights is: Girth (in inches)-squared, times length (in inches) divided by 800. A 22†³ long bass with a girth of 15 How Fish Swim alternately on each side first toward one side and then toward the other, results in a series of waves traveling down the fish's body.The rear part of each wave thrusts against the water and propels the fish forward. Maryland Envirothon 5 This type of movement is quite clearly seen in the freshwater eel. Because movement of the head back and forth exerts drag, which consumes additional energy and slows travel, a great many fishes have modified this snakelike motion by keeping the waves very small along most of thelength of the body, in some cases showing no obvious movement at all, and then increasing them sharply in the tail region.It is the end of the traveling waves that moves the tail forcefully b ackand forth, providing the main propulsion for forward motion. A simpler form of tail propulsion seen in such inflexible-bodied fishes as the trunkfish, which simply alternates contractions of all the muscle blocks on one side of the body with those on the other side, causing the tail to move from side to side like a sculling paddle. Some of the predatory bony fishes are the fastest swimmers; they can cruise at speeds that are between three and six times their body lele0. 8 km/hr (0. mph), swim very slowly; others, such as the salmon, which may reach a sustainespeed of 13 km/hr (8 mph), move much faster; and it has been estimated that tuna may reach speeds of 80 km/hr (50 mph), and swordfish, 97 km/hr (60 mph). Introduction to Aging Fish: What Are Otoliths? directly behind the brain of bony fishes. There are three types of o 1. Sagitta—the largest of the 3 pairs of otoliths; involved in the detection of sound and process of hear 3. Lapillus—involved in the detection o f gravitational force and sound (Popper and Lu 2000) re are many different shapes and sizes of otoliths differenOtoliths are important to scientific age and growth studies. This figure shows the growth rings of a sagittal otolith section viewed under reflective light. The darker area or â€Å"translucent zone† represents a period of fast growth. The whiter area or â€Å"opaquezone† represents a period of slower growth. The age of the fish is estimated by counting the annuli, or opaque bands, of the thin sections, as one would count rings on a tree to determine its age. Maryland Envirothon 6 Before age data can be used, the method of estimating age by counting annuli must be validated for each species to which it is applied.There are several ways to validate age, or prove that â€Å"one annulus is equal to one year. † Most obvious might be to simply rear fish from spawn, sacrifice the fish after a few years, and compare the number of rings to the known age of tho se fish. This process can be time consuming and expensive. It also creates the possibility of abnormal growth patterns caused by laboratory settings (Campana, 2001). Although this method may not be practical for validating annular ring formation, a similar method is effective in validating daily ring formation (Campana and Neilson, 1985).To avoid the effects of long-term laboratory exposure, tag and release of wild fish can be useful in validating annulus deposition. This figure shows the fluorescent tag of a common snook otolith. A captured common snook was injected with oxytetracycline (OTC), a chemical that is incorporated into calcium-rich structures including otoliths. The fish was then tagged and released. Seven years later, the fish was recaptured, sacrificed, and processed for aging. The OTC, which binds to the calcium in the otolith, appears as a glowing band when the otolith is viewed using fluorescence microscopy.The number of annuli between capture and recapture is also seven. Information like this is key to linking a single annulus to one year of growth, but such information relies heavily on time and chance. The age data gathered from otolith examinations allow scientists to model growth rates, maximum age, age at maturity, and the trend of future generations. Literature Referenced Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. http://www. floridamarine. org/features/view_article. asp? id=21978 and http://myfwc. com/Fishing/Fishes/anatomy. html. Fish and Wildlife Research Fish Anatomy FISHERIES BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT External Fish Anatomy The following illustration of a largemouth bass shows some of the common external features that are used to describe the differences among fish species. Fish are animals that are cold-blooded, have fins and a backbone. Most fish have scales and breathe with gills. There are about 22,000 species of fish that began evolving around 480 million years ago. The largemouth billustrated abovethe typical torplike (fusiform) shape associated with many fishes used by the fish to maintain its position, move, steer and stop.They are either single fins alonthe centerline of the fish, such as the dorsal (back) fins, caudal (tail) fin and anal fin, or paired fins, which include the pectoral (chest) and pelvic (hip) fins. Fishes such as catfish have another fleshy lobe behind the dorsal fin, called an adipose (fat) fin that is not illustrated here. The dorsal and anal fins primarily help fish to not roll over onto their sides. The caudal fin is t he main fin for propulsion to move the fish forward. The paired fins assist with steering, stoppingand hovering.Scales in most bony fishes (most freshwater fishes other than gar that have ganoid scales, and catfish which have no scales) are either ctenoid or cycloid. Ctenoid scales have jagged edges and cycloid have smooth rounded edges. Ctenii are tiny, comblike projections on the exposed (posterior) edge of ctenoid scales. Bass and most other fish with spines have ctenoid scales composed of connective tissue covered with calcium. Most fishes also have a very important mucus layer covering the body that helps prevent infection.Anglers should be careful not to rub this â€Å"slime† off when handling a fish that is to be released. Maryland Envirothon 1 In many freshwater fishes the fins are supported by spines that are rigid and may be quite sharp thus playing a defensive role. Catfish have notably hard sharp fins that anglers should be wary of. The soft dorsal and caudal fins are composed of rays, as are portions of other fins. Rays are less rigid and frequently branched. The gills are the breathing apparatus of fish and are highly vascularized giving them their bright red cover.An operculum (gill cover) that is a flexible bony plate protects the sensitive gills. Water is â€Å"inhaled† through the mouth, passes over the gills and â€Å"exhaled† from beneath the operculum. Fish see through their eyes and can detect color. The eyes are rounder in fish than mammals because of the refractive index of water and focus is achieved by mthe lens in and out, not distorting it as in mammals. water and can be quite sensitive. Eels and catfish have particularly well developed senses of smell. larger it is the bigger the prey it can consume.Fish hava sense of taste and may sample items to taste them before swallowing if they are not obvious prey items. Some are primmostly other fish). The imported grass carp is one of the few large fishes that are prim arily herbivorous (eating plants). Fish may or may not have teeth depending on the species. Fishchain pickerel and gar have obvious canine-shaped teeth. Other fish have less obvious teeth, such as the cardiform teeth in catfish which feel like a roughened area at the front of the mouthor vomerine teeth that are tiny patches of teeth, for example, in the roof of a striped bass' mouth.Grass carp and other minnows have pharyngeal teeth modified from their gill arches for grinding that are located in the throat. that are open to the water through a series of pores (creating a line along the side of the fish). The lateral line primarily senses water currents and pressure, and movement in the water. immediately in front of the anal fin. are used to describe the differences between fish that are described in more detail below. Maryland Envirothon 2 front of thhollow and house and protect the delicate spinal cord. SPINAL CORD: Cbrain, as well as in BRAIN: Thbehaviors processed here.LATERAL LINEOsense organs; detectunderwater vibrations and is capable of determinthe direction of their source. (See Issue 8 of The City Fisher for minformation. ) SWIM (or AIRBLA hollow, gas-fillbalance organ a fish to conserve energyby maintaining neutral buoyancy (suspending) in water. Fish caught fromvery deep water sometimes need to have air releasreleased and return to deep water, dusurface. Species of fish that do not possess a swim bladder sink to the bottom if they stop swimming. GILLS: Aif the fishKIDNEY: ed from their swim bladder before they can be idney is alsbody, allowing certain fish species to exist in freshwater or saltwater, and in some cases (such assnook or tarpon) both. Maryland Envirothon 3 STOMACH AND INTESTINES: Break down (digest) fo Fish such as tilapia that are herbivomatter is usually tough and fibrous and more difficult to break down into usable components. A great deal about fish feeding habits can be determined by examining stomach contents. PYLORIC CAECA: Th is organ with fingerlike projections is located near the junction of the stomach and theindigestion, may functio VENT: The site of waste elimination from the fish’s body.LIVER: This important organ has a number of functions. It abrimportantas playing a role in nitrogen (waste) excretion. HEART: Circulates blood throughout the body. Oxygen avakidneys an GONADS (REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS): In adult female bass, the bright oranbufertilizing the eggs, are much smaller and wh(or roe) of certain fish are considered a delicacy, as in the case of caviar from sturgeon. MUSCLES: Provide movement and locomotion. This is the part of the fish that is usually eaten, and Measuring a Fish of the fish with the mouth closed and the tail fin aying along a tape measure, then pinch the tail fin closed and determine the total length, do NOT pull a flexible tape measure along the curve of the fish. Conversely, most marine (saltwater regulations) refer to the â€Å"fork length†, and scientists ofte nuse â€Å"standard length† which is to the end of the fleshy part of t Maryland Envirothon 4 aby minor damage to the tanor does it give too much creditto a fish for the relatively light weight tail when calculatingfish's condition. â€Å"Girth† is best measured with a fabric ruler, such as tailors use.It can also be determined by drawing a string around the fish at its widest point marking wherethe string overlaps and then mthe overlapping points on a conventional ruler. Knowing thegirth is important when tryingcertify a fish for a record, and provides useful information Using total length and girth you can get a rough estimate of a fish's weight using various formulas. Length-Weight Formulas to Estimate Fish Weights biologists use. The equation is: Log (weight in grams)= -4. 83 + 1. 923 x Log (total length in millimeters) + 1. 57 x Log (girthmillimeters). A 22†³ long bass w A quick, though very rough, estimate of torpedo shaped fish like young bass can be obtain ed by using: Total Length (in inches)-squared, times girth (in inches) divided by 1200. A 22†³ long Another common option used for estimating bass weights is: Girth (in inches)-squared, times length (in inches) divided by 800. A 22†³ long bass with a girth of 15 How Fish Swim alternately on each side first toward one side and then toward the other, results in a series of waves traveling down the fish's body.The rear part of each wave thrusts against the water and propels the fish forward. Maryland Envirothon 5 This type of movement is quite clearly seen in the freshwater eel. Because movement of the head back and forth exerts drag, which consumes additional energy and slows travel, a great many fishes have modified this snakelike motion by keeping the waves very small along most of thelength of the body, in some cases showing no obvious movement at all, and then increasing them sharply in the tail region.It is the end of the traveling waves that moves the tail forcefully b ackand forth, providing the main propulsion for forward motion. A simpler form of tail propulsion seen in such inflexible-bodied fishes as the trunkfish, which simply alternates contractions of all the muscle blocks on one side of the body with those on the other side, causing the tail to move from side to side like a sculling paddle. Some of the predatory bony fishes are the fastest swimmers; they can cruise at speeds that are between three and six times their body lele0. 8 km/hr (0. mph), swim very slowly; others, such as the salmon, which may reach a sustainespeed of 13 km/hr (8 mph), move much faster; and it has been estimated that tuna may reach speeds of 80 km/hr (50 mph), and swordfish, 97 km/hr (60 mph). Introduction to Aging Fish: What Are Otoliths? directly behind the brain of bony fishes. There are three types of o 1. Sagitta—the largest of the 3 pairs of otoliths; involved in the detection of sound and process of hear 3. Lapillus—involved in the detection o f gravitational force and sound (Popper and Lu 2000) re are many different shapes and sizes of otoliths differenOtoliths are important to scientific age and growth studies. This figure shows the growth rings of a sagittal otolith section viewed under reflective light. The darker area or â€Å"translucent zone† represents a period of fast growth. The whiter area or â€Å"opaquezone† represents a period of slower growth. The age of the fish is estimated by counting the annuli, or opaque bands, of the thin sections, as one would count rings on a tree to determine its age. Maryland Envirothon 6 Before age data can be used, the method of estimating age by counting annuli must be validated for each species to which it is applied.There are several ways to validate age, or prove that â€Å"one annulus is equal to one year. † Most obvious might be to simply rear fish from spawn, sacrifice the fish after a few years, and compare the number of rings to the known age of tho se fish. This process can be time consuming and expensive. It also creates the possibility of abnormal growth patterns caused by laboratory settings (Campana, 2001). Although this method may not be practical for validating annular ring formation, a similar method is effective in validating daily ring formation (Campana and Neilson, 1985).To avoid the effects of long-term laboratory exposure, tag and release of wild fish can be useful in validating annulus deposition. This figure shows the fluorescent tag of a common snook otolith. A captured common snook was injected with oxytetracycline (OTC), a chemical that is incorporated into calcium-rich structures including otoliths. The fish was then tagged and released. Seven years later, the fish was recaptured, sacrificed, and processed for aging. The OTC, which binds to the calcium in the otolith, appears as a glowing band when the otolith is viewed using fluorescence microscopy.The number of annuli between capture and recapture is also seven. Information like this is key to linking a single annulus to one year of growth, but such information relies heavily on time and chance. The age data gathered from otolith examinations allow scientists to model growth rates, maximum age, age at maturity, and the trend of future generations. Literature Referenced Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. http://www. floridamarine. org/features/view_article. asp? id=21978 and http://myfwc. com/Fishing/Fishes/anatomy. html. Fish and Wildlife Research

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essays

The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essays The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essay The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essay Undergraduate Programme Individual Coursework Submission Feedback Form To#be#completed#by#the#student#- #complete#all#grey#areas#5#failure(to(fully(complete(this(section(or(giving(inaccurat e(information(may( result(in(coursework(being(refused(or(delayed. ( Moduledetails: Module:code: MS3102! Course ofStudy'(please tickone! ): BScAccountingandFinance BSc BankingandInternationalFinance BSclnvestmentandFinancialRiskManagement BSc RealEstateFinanceandlnvestment Studentdetails: 596! BScActuarialScience BScBusinessStudies BScManagement Other'(pleasespecify) Family! Name:! Sarkhel! First! Names:! Jade! Nina!! *your! Student! Registration! Number! (Reg! No)! is! printed! on! the! right! hand! side! of! your! Student! Identity! Card.! ! PLAGIARISMSTATEMENT:TOBESIGNEDBYALLSTUDENTS (courseworkwillnotbeprocessedifthisisnotsigned) l! certify! that! the! coursework! that! l! have! submitted! is! my! own! unaided! work,! and! that! l! have! read! and! complied! with! the! guidelines! on! plagiarism! as! set! out! in! the! student! software! and! that! my! work! may! therefore! be! stored! on! a! database! which! is! accessible! to! ther! users! of! the! same! software.!! l! certify! hat! the! word! count! declared! is! correct.!! ! Students! should! be! aware! that,! where! plagiarism! is! suspected,! a! formal! investigation! will! be! carried! out,! and! action! may! be! taken! under! the! Universitys! rules! on! Signature: Date: 31. 10. 2013 Coursework#must#be#submitted#by#20:OO#on#the#day#of#the#deadline. #Work#r eceived#after#that#time#will#not#be# accepted#for#marking. # ! To#be#completed#by#the#Course#Offce# Date! Received:! ! To#be#completed#by#the#Lecturer# Revised! Submission! Date:! Reason:! Youshouldpayparticularattentiontoanyfeedbacknoteddirectlyonyourwork. ! FinalMark: Authorised! by:! Please(contact(your(lecturer(to(discuss(his/ her(comments(and(obtain(further(feedback. (All(marks(are(provisional(until(approved(by(the(appropriate(Assessment(Board. ( Technology facilitating virtual organisations This report endeavors to study the application of Skype to facilitate a virtual organisation. This critical analysis will identify benefits and risks associated with the application of this technology and scenarios for its use in the immediate and slightly more distant future. Word count: 2013) )3! ENCOURAGE! KNOWLEDGE! BUILDING! VIRTUAL! INTERVIEWS! † 5 TRAINING! 6 24/7! CUSTOMER! CONCLUSION) BIBLIOGRAPHY). OF MI 980).!! The% exponential% growth% (App. % 1)% of% the% internet% over% recent% years% has% eroded% international% barriers,% given% access% to% a% plethora% of% information% at% our% fingertips% and% has% influenced% a% significant%shift%in %the%way%businesse s%work%today. %with%the%help%of%technological%tools, %we%have% %work%to%more%virtual%organisationsl . These% organisations% operate% in% a % dispersed% manner% with% intensive% use% of% information% technology, %opening%up%both%endless%unexplored%opportunities%and%threats. %with %offce%space%in% prime%locations%becoming%increasingly%more%expensive %and%individual%desk%space%costing%up%to% El 2,000%a%year2,%we%see % many%businesses%warmly%welcoming%the%use%of%virtual%organisations%to% help%drive%down%costs. %% To% successfully% gain% the% benefits% of% operating% as% a% virtual% entity,% frameworks% such% as% the% intelligent% exploiter% model% could% be% used% to% overcome% challenges. highlights% the% importantance% of% implementing% an% effective% system% in% order% to% utilize% information% systems% and%successfully%enhance%performance3%(app%2). %This%critical analysis%endeavors%to%find%value%in% the%use%of%the%web %2. O%t0015,%Skype,%as%an%effective%system%to%facilitate%a%virtua l %organisation. %lt% will%detail%applications%of%skype%to%support%virtual%work %and%the%risks%that%may%arise. %% Skype%is%the%current%leader%in%voice %over%lP%(VolP)%service%and%instant%messaging. %First%released%in% August %freemium4%service%fits% under% the% category% of% a% Web% 2. % tool,% which% is% a% technological% service% that% enables% users% to% interact,% personalize% and% share% information% over% the% Internet5. % Skype% is% classed% as% a% peer% to% peer% application% and% operates% over% a% ultitude% of% platforms% (across% Mac% and% PC)% % mobile% devices%such %as%tablets,%smartphones%and%laptops%allowing%onMtheMgo%accessibility. %% %A virtual organization or company is one whose members are geographically apart, usually operates primarily via electronic means, appearing to others to be a single, unified organization with a real physical location http://whatis. echtarget. com/ %Richard Nessen- Lecture on Virtual Organisations% 3 %Holtham, Clive (October 2009) The I ntelligent Exploiter, Cass Business School. Available At: 4% Freemium is a business model by which a proprietary product or service (typically a igital offering such as software, media, games or web services) is provided free of charge, but money (premium) is charged for advanced features, functionality, or virtual goods. %Antiroiko Savolainen, 2011 It was coined in 2004 by OReilly who claimed that the use of these tools are to make the internet a more collaborative place (BCS, 2009) The% ability% of% a% firm% to% culminate% relevant% knowledge 6 %and% transform% them% into% unique% capabilities% can% be% crucial% in% developing % nonMimitable% competitive% advantages. % a% virtual% organisation,% is % quiet% common% to% have% individuals% in% different% geographical% locations to% be% working% on% the% same% projects. Interactions% between% individuals% operating% remotely% become% more%challenging%thus%reducing %the%amount%of%knowledge%being%shared. %Skype%allows%up%to%25% partic ipants%to%Join%a%conversation%at%once7,%which%can%be%implemented %into%an%organisation%to% facilitate% knowledge% management 8 ,% virtual% brainstorms% and% group% discussions. % Borderless% collaboration%can%help%to %improve%innovation%through%generating%a%wider%variety%of%ideas%with% influence% from% leading% practices% from% different% geographical% locations. can% improve% consistency%throughout%work,%as%everyone%has%equal access%to%information%and%overall%improve% decision%making%due%to%a % reduction%in%the%loss%of%knowMhow%tacit9%knowledge. %Facilitating%group% discussions%also%increases%productivity%by%reducing%cases%of%reinventing interactions% would% have% significant% benefits,% the% difficulty% arises%when %trusting%relationships%are%not%fully%developed%and%thus%hinders%the %dissemination%of% tacit% knowledge. The% facilitation% and% management% of % knowledge% sharing% also% becomes% more% challenging% in% absence% of% physical% presence% as% a% physical% brainstorming% session% would% usually% ontain% a% mediator% that% actively% manages% the% interaction% to% either% encourage% our% prevent% interruptions% for% example% in% a% physical% scenario% individuals% would% raise% a% hand% before% interrupting. % Another% important% risk% is% exposing% confidential% material,% as% there% is% very% little% control%over%who%is%listening%in%via%the%25%possible%channels%of %communicators. Knowledge is a fluid mix of framed experience, values, contextual information, and expert insight that provides a basis for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information. It originates and is applied in the mind of individuals. In organisations, it often becomes embedded not only in documents or repositories but also in organisational routines, processes, and practices. (Davenport Prusak, 2000) 7 %There is a magic number for brainstorming and that number is 8-10 people. If you get more than ten people, it becomes challenging for everyone to participate and its too easy for side conversations to get going. ]rsconsulting. net/ freearticles 26. html% 8 %Knowledge Management is the discipline of enabling individuals, teams and entire organisations to collectively and systematically create, share and apply knowledge, to etter achieve their objectives Ron Young. 9 %Goffn, K. Koners, U. (2011). Tacit Knowledge, Lessons Learnt, and New Product Development. J PROD INNOV MANAG, 28, 300-318. With tacit knowledge, people are not often aware of the knowledge they possess or how it can be valuable to others. Effective transfer of tacit knowledge generally requires extensive personal contact, regular interaction and trust. This kind of knowledge can only be revealed through practice in a particular context and transmitted through social networks. To some extent it is captured when the knowledge holder Joins a network or a community of practice. 0 %250 companies using Skype, 80% said using it increased employee productivity. http://financialsocialmedia. com/theadvantages-of-skype-in-business- communications/% Physical%and%social%interaction%is%known%to%bind%an%organisation. %The %lack%of%these%interactions%in% virtual% organisations% tends% to% hinder% the% development% of% a% company% culture. % To% encourage% social %interaction%between%virtual%workers,%Skypes%instant%messaging%and%VoIP %can%be%used%for% immediate% support% during% projects% and% general% social% interactions. Encouraging% employees% to% upload% profile% pictures% nd% building% a% personal% profile% for% themselves% can% help% to% develop % a% more%humane%appearance%to%workers,%especially%when%primarily %interacting%on%a%virtual%level. %lt% can% help% to% foster% teamwork% and% a % sense% of% belonging% in% a% virtual% organisation. % The% risk% of% encouraging%employees%to%use%skype%as%a%social%media%tool%is%the %inability%to%control%the%extent%it% is%being%used%for%social%interaction %and%thus%distracting%employees%from%their%work. % Internet%accessibility%has%opened%up%a%global%pool%of%potential%employees %from%which%to%recruit% from. %The%opportunity%to%outsource%work%through virtual%organisations%has%reduced%the%cost%of% remuneration% and% provided% a% wider% pool% of% applicants% for% firms% to% filter% out% the% most% skilled% people% across% the% globe. % So% although% firms% are% no% longer% limited% to% applicants% within% a% comfortable% com muting% distance % from% an% office% base,% the% difficulty% arises% when% interviewing% international%applicants%for%a%virtual%offsite%role. To%overcome%this,%Skype %could%be%implemented% to%hold%virtual%interviews%via%video%VolP. %The %absence%of%travel%time%would%improve%flexibility%of% meeting%times%and would%also%reduce%the%physical%space%required%to%hold%interviews. %These%two% factors%would%significantly%reduce%the%cost%for%both%parties, %due%to%increased%freedom%to%connect% from%more%convenient%locations %and%the%ability%to%reallocate%meetingMroom%space. %The%benefit%of% using %video%calls%as%opposed%to%a%telephone%conversation%would%allow%the %interviewer%to%assess% important% contributors% such% as% body% language% and% presentation. From% the% applicants% perspective,%being%in%a%familiar %location%might%reduce%nerves%and%in%turn%improve%performance% during% the% interview. Skypes% built% in% recording% software% could% be% utilized% to% document% the% interview%as%referen ce%when%making%comparisons %between%applicants%or%to%allow%third%parties%to% asses% applicants% performance% for% a% more% balanced% final% decision. % A% drawback% of% %employees%experiencing%true% company% culture. Through% physically% entering% an% office% building,% they% would% experience% the% work% environment% and% have% the% opportunity% to% interact% with% potential% colleagues. % A% virtual% interview%could%also%result%in%interruptions%due%to %being%more%exposed%to%external%distractions. For%example%using%lnternet %in%a%cafe%could%result%in%disruptive%background%noise,%it%can%also%be% difficult%to%identify%whether%an%individual%requires%privacy%when%sitting%in %front%of%a%laptop%with% headphones%in. Connection%also%plays%a%big%part %in%determining%whether%the%process%works%well% or% not. Delays% can% occur,% calls% can% be% dropped,% and% poor% connectivity% may% result% in% broken% speech%and%noticeable%lag%in%signal%reaching%its%destination. %skype%does%not%offer%a%serv ice%level% agreement%(SLAb%warranting%that %service%will%be%available%and%quality%good,%therefore%call%and% onnection%quality%are%not%always%as%good%as%they%are%on%the%public %switched%telephone%network% (PSTN). %% Technological%advances%has%allowed%multinationals%to%converge%in%the%way %things%are%done%on%a% global% scale. Another% difficulty% experienced% in % virtual% organisations% is% the% ability% to% bring% all% employees%together %and%disseminate%the%same%standard%of%training%across%the%board. %skype %can% be% utilized% by% providing% prerecorded% training% sessions% to% off% site% employees% for% mobile% % anywhere%access. %For%a%more%localized %approach,%one%to%one%or%group%training%via%skype%video% calls% % creen% sharing% would% allow% a% firm% to% create% bespoke% and% highly% interactive% training% programs. The%interactive%aspect%encourages%live %feedback%on%sessions,%encourages%employees% to%be%more%participative%as %levels%of%intimidation%in%a%classroom%setting%are% reduced. %%The%ability% to%tailor%the%course%based%on%individuals%specific%requirements%also %becomes%more%achievable. % Additionally,% it% could% facilitate% training% seminars% with% external% industry% experts% that% may% not% usually%have %the%time%to%travel%away%from%work. The%live%aspect%of%the%sessions means%that% information%is%always%up%to%date%in%comparison%to %learning%via%literature,%and%again%the%built%in% recording% function% can% be% used% to% record% training% sessions% to% build% a% reference% library% with% anytime% access. % The% drawback% of% the% virtual% training;% leaves% the% speed% of% employee% development% down% to% their% own% motivations% to% progress% and% it% becomes% difficult% to% ensure% alertness% during% sessions% due% to% a% higher% level% of% distraction% in% comparison% to% being% in% a% classroom. sharing%confidential%tacit%%explicit%training % of% this% information% reaching% competitors. The% application% of% Skype% training% in% a% virtual% organisation% can% be% leveraged% as% a% competitive % weapon% and% an% employee% retention% tool% to% ensure% that% employees % are% being% offered% career% development,% growth% prospects%and%support %to%reach%personalized%goals%even%when%working%remotely. % % ln%virtual%organisations%newer%team%members%can%be%deprived%of%the %opportunity%to%learn%from% more% senior% workers% and% valuable% knowMhow% tacit% knowledge% can% be% lost% within% a% firm. % The% application%of%skype%calls%for%the%purpose%of%mentoring%could%mend%this %gap. Again%the%benefit%of% flexibility%and%virtual%faceMtoMface %communication%from%mentors%makes%it%easier%to%set%a%time%% date%to %agree%upon,%especially%with%executives%whose%time%may%be%in%high %demand. This%factor% could% encourage% more% frequent% encounters,% allow % relationships% to% develop% faster% and% shorten% power% distances% between% hierarchical% levels. % The% erosion% of% power% distance% can% benefit% both% levels,%as%experience%is%past %down%to%newer%members%and %the%most%up%to%date%knowledge%from% the% front% line% can% be% filtered % back% up% to% higher% levels. % The% challenge% of% implementing% virtual% entoring%is%the%temptation%for%either%party%to%multiMtask%instead%of %concentrating%on%the%task%at% hand. The% feature% of% having% email% access% and% social% media% literally% at% your% fingertips% can% be% highly %distracting. % The%emergence%of%social%media%%blogging%sites%has%empowered %consumers%and%has%supported% the%development%of%the%term %coMcreation. 1 1 %customers%and%producers%are%beginning%to%see%the% benefit%in%interacting%to%create%experiences%and%build%relationships%even %after%the%transaction%or% purchase% has% been% made. % A% successful% example% of% this% is% Apple% care,% which% allows% 2417% customer%support online. Skypes%voice%over%lP%services%could%be%utilized%to%provide %virtual%faceM toMface%interaction%and%support%with%customers. %The %onMtheMgo%access%via%its%mobile%application% would%allow%virtual %workers%to%take%calls%from%across%the%globe%in%a%preferred%location %without% having% to% operate% from% an% office% base. % % Exploiting% time% zones% % the% differences% in% public% and% religious%holidays%would%allow %firms%to%allocate%hours%to%different%regions%to%cover%24/7%support. % The % use% of% Skype% as% a% virtual% interaction% tool% could% help% to% create%

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Zircon, Zirconia, Zirconium Minerals

Zircon, Zirconia, Zirconium Minerals Zircon may seem a bit drab next to those infomercials for cheap cubic zirconia jewelry. The zirconium minerals are a serious bunch. Zircon Zircon makes a nice gem but its out of favor these days. Zircon- zirconium silicate or ZrSiO4- is a hard stone, ranking 7 ½ on the Mohs scale, but other stones are harder and its colors arent unique. Tradition has a slim dossier on zircon; one site says that it was reputed to aid sleep, bring prosperity, and promote honor and wisdom, but hey, just having the money to own jewels is good for that. It does have some minor mineralogical distinctions. Its the only gem in the tetragonal crystal class, for what that is worth. And its the densest of the major gemstones, but that means a zircon of a given carat weight is smaller than any other gem of equal weight. Maybe zircon can gain more respect if we look at its value to geologists. Zircon grains occur almost everywhere there are sediments because the mineral is so tough. It rises through the crust in igneous rocks and is eroded into the stream system, washed out to sea, and laid down in the sediment beds where it becomes part of the next cycle of sandstone and shale- totally unaffected! Zircon is the ultimate geological recyclable; it can even endure metamorphism. That makes it a great indicator mineral. If you find it in granite in one place, and in a sandstone somewhere else, you have learned something about the geologic history and geographic setting that brought the zircons from the first to the second place. The other thing about zircon is its impurities, especially uranium. The uranium-lead (U-Pb) system of dating rocks has been refined to great accuracy, and U-Pb zircon dating is now a precise tool for rocks as old as Earth itself, some 4.6 billion years. Zircon is good for this because it holds these elements tightly. Zircon is usually pronounced ZURKn, although you also hear ZUR-KON. Zirconia/Baddeleyite Cubic zirconia or CZ is known as a fake diamond, but I think it should instead be considered a superior zircon. CZ is a manufactured oxide compound, ZrO2, not a silicate, and zirconia is a chemical name, not a mineral name. There is a naturally occurring form of zirconia, called baddeleyite. The difference between baddeleyite and CZ is the way the zirconium and oxygen atoms are packed: the mineral is a monoclinic  crystal and the gem is cubic (isometric), the same crystal structure as diamond. That makes CZ extremely hard- only diamond, sapphire, and chrysoberyl can scratch it. The United States stockpiles over 14,000 tonnes of baddeleyite for its zirconium content. Like zircon, it is useful for dating extremely old rocks, though unlike zircon its use is limited to igneous rocks. Baddeleyite is pronounced ba-DELLY-ite by most geologists, but those who know better pronounce it BAD-ly-ite. Zirconolite Zirconolite, CaZrTi2O7, is neither a silicate nor an oxide but rather a titanate. In 2004 it was reported to be even better for dating old rocks than zircon, yielding data as precise as the SHRIMP (sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe) instrument allows. Zirconolite, though rare, may be widespread in igneous rocks but not recognized because it resembles rutile. The way to identify it for sure is by using specialized electron microscopy techniques on the tiny grains before deploying the SHRIMP on them. But these techniques can derive a date from a grain only 10 microns wide. Zirconolite is pronounced zir-CONE-alite. The Geologists Gem To get an idea of what people can do with zircons, consider what researcher Larry Heaman did, as reported in the April 1997 Geology. Heaman extracted zircon (and baddeleyite) from a set of ancient Canadian dikes, getting less than a milligram from 49 kilograms of rock. From these specks, less than 40 microns long, he derived a U-Pb age for the dike swarm of 2.4458 billion years (plus or minus a couple million), just after the close of the Archean Eon in earliest Proterozoic time. From that evidence he reassembled two big chunks of ancient North America, tucking the Wyoming terrane underneath the Superior terrane, then joined them to Karelia, the terrane underlying Finland and adjacent Russia. He called his results evidence of the worlds earliest episode of flood-basalt volcanism or Large Igneous Province (LIP). Heaman capped himself by speculating that the first LIP could reflect either (1) the waning of a vigorous mantle convection regime that prevailed during the Archean and completely dissipated mantle plumes for more than half of Earths history, or (2) the time of catastrophic collapse of a stable density stratification in the Earths core that led to a sudden increase in heat flux at the core-mantle boundary. This is a lot to get out of a few tiny bits of zircon and baddeleyite. PS: The oldest object on Earth is a grain of zircon thats nearly 4.4 billion years old. Its the only thing we have from deep in the earliest Archean, and it provides evidence that even at that time, Earth had liquid water on it.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

American Cinema into the 21st Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Cinema into the 21st Century - Essay Example The Social and Economic Context of the Period In the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the term â€Å"popular culture† became a mainstay, due to the dominance of culture in American cinema and the media. This indicated a shift from â€Å"empirical studies to studies of cultural forms and meanings†. During this time, focus was placed on audience and different forms of mass communication, which included music videos, computer and video games, soap operas, and the Internet. Research moved, particularly in the United States, to finding links between such mass communication and behaviour of society; emphasis was placed on popular culture and media studies. Cinema emulated these shifts in a number of areas from sociology and feminism to economics and history . Technological Developments As cinema entered the 21st century, a number of technological developments were made. Of the more prominent developments was the use of computers, replacing hand-drawn cartoons and physically cre ated special effects. In 2010, Walt Disney Pictures’ animated studio, Pixar, stretched the limits of possibility in the creation of â€Å"Toy Story 3,† the third successful installment of the wildly popular computer generated imagery (CGI) film in the Toy Story trilogy. Pixar has proven, time after time, that it has the expertise to create what would be impossible to animate by hand. One particular challenge in creating the film was crafting a very complicated scene in which the film’s primary characters must make their way on a conveyor belt within a garbage processing plant. What seemed like millions of tiny pieces of diced garbage is moving toward a gigantic furnace, while the characters interact within the scene. In watching the scene, Pixar succeeds in making the audience feel as though they are watching live-action. The garbage reflects the lighting within the facility as it travels down the conveyor. The detail of the tiny pieces of garbage is truly amazi ng, somewhat gross, but the sequence is amazing nonetheless. Terdiman (2010) explains that Pixar did not have the finances or time available to them to manually animate the sequence, so the technical director and his team were forced to be creative with what resources they did have—computers. The thousands upon thousands of tiny pieces of garbage were procedurally animated and brought to life. Similarly, for the garbage bags in the sequence, procedural animation was put to use. Since the bags served such a critical purpose to the plot, it was important they look as real as possible so as not to distract the audience from the overall viewing experience (Terdiman 2010). According to Anderson, a Pixar representative, the talented animators do not intend to break ground with each film they create. Obstacles arise, and it is their job to creatively handle the situation. If that means improving processes or inventing new ones that change the way future films are created, great, but that is not the intention. The animators at Pixar are highly-skilled professionals who want to create something better than what they previously put out—innovations that just come naturally (Terdiman 2010). The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (2001) utilized CGI technology, but also incorporated live-action and a process