Inventory Management Essay

Companies often suffer because they are unable to meet demands due to a shortage of inventory or from large, expensive inventory maintenance costs. Problems occur due to uncertainties and lack of coordination between the company and its suppliers, partners and customers. Demand can be influenced by prices, competition, weather, fashion trend, technological developments which leads to uncertainties in forecasting demand. Uncertainties also exist in delivery times, quality of raw materials and parts. Factory floor is not just involved in the production and manufacturing of goods but in activities that see to the flow of raw material from the raw material factories through factories and warehouses to the production floor, purchasing, material handling, production planning and controlling, logistics, inventory control and quality assurance. Right level of inventory has to be maintained that is promptly delivered. Internet access will enable the factory floor to have access to useful and relevant information. The employees will have access to operational data that will be concise and relevant. The data will be shared across the organization. New and additional information will be readily available which will give them the insight to the external environment including information about the competitors. One of the most significant changes would be that there will be faster accessibility to all the required information. Availability of correct information will help managers to predict, speculate, forecast and estimate demands and trends. Based on these speculations planning for production is done. According to the planning, ordering, purchasing and using of resources like raw material, capital and labor is chalked out. This will cut down on most of the uncertainties faced by companies. The main problem for any company is determining inventory levels which must be done accurately for each and every product and part. Too high inventory levels raises costs and low levels may lose customers as there might be lead times. E. g. Littlewoods Stores in Britain was able to eliminate $17 million of overstocked inventory by using Web. Better inventory management led to the reduction of the need to liquidate stock which saved the company $1. 4 million (www. microstrategy. com, 2000) Real time collaboration and enhanced communications would help all employees within the organization to coordinate matters more easily. Better collaboration can save the industry $40 billion annually (cited in Konicki, 2002). Customer complaints will be delivered to the production floor on time and immediate steps will be taken. This will help the factory floor to raise the quality of goods, reduce scrap wastage and errors. A proactive approach rather than a reactive approach can be taken. Goods can move on time from suppliers to the production floor to the customers. Better communication would also mean that coordination with suppliers will be improved greatly. Production scheduling can be done more efficiently. Communication can be done via electronic mails, transfer of files, a call for a meeting, commenting on a news group, conferencing etc. During peak demands if the factory floor is unable to meet rising demand it will be able to judge which products it should outsource. Better buy or make decisions can be made. Better communication with suppliers will enable the company to use a just-in-time (JIT) approach by strengthening its ties with a few suppliers who will make prompt delivery of raw materials. The factory floor can also keep a system that will automatically warn the production unit if the inventory falls to a certain level. Automatic placement of order with the suppliers can be made which will reduce the lead time. Intermediaries will be reduced which will help the factory floor to cut down on the costs. Manufacturing can start once the order is placed by the customer like in the case of Dell. Training costs can be cut down on. E. g. a new machine has come in an ice-cream factory which can simultaneously produce 5 different varieties. Employees can be given instructions and a demonstration can be shown online Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) promises benefits from increased efficiency to improved quality, productivity and profitability (cited in Umble and Umble, 2002). This integrates all departments and fuctions in an organization into a single system and hence caters to the organization need. It enhances competitiveness by integrating information on finance and accounting, human resource, operations supply chain, and customer information (Turban, Aronson, Liang, 2006 p. 72) An enterprise portal can be used to integrate the internal applications such as the database containing information on the number of raw materials available for the production of bikes with external applications such as supplier websites etc. Information in this manner can be distributed efficiently and effectively. It will help form a link between the production floor, suppliers, customers, retailers and partners. This is particularly useful if the company is involved in cross selling and is operating in more than one city or country. Diageo plc, a beer and alcohol manufacturer was able to save $1. 1 million in inventory reduction and $600,000 in logistics through accurate forecasting of sales Hence inventory management is extremely important as it can bring breakthrough results within an organization. It gives a competitive edge to the companies as it slashes the costs down by providing a tighter control on inventory stocks. In this fast moving, fiercely competitive world internet has become a necessity and organizations must get technologically advanced to survive and compete.

The life of Leopold and Loeb

Chicago teenagers attempted to commit the perfect crime. Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb kidnapped 14-year-old Bobby Franks, bludgeoned him to death in a rented car, and then dumped the boys body in a distant culvert. Although they thought their plan was foolproof, Leopold and Loeb made a number of mistakes that led police right to them within only a number of days. The trial, which featured the famous Chicago attorney Clarence Darrow, made headlines and was referred to as â€Å"the trial of the century.Who Were Leopold and Loeb? Nathan Leopold Nathan Leopold was an extremely brilliant young adult. He had an IQ of over 200 at the age of only 19, and had already graduated from college and was in law school. However, despite being brilliant, Leopold was very socially awkward and spent a lot of time by himself. Richard Loeb was also very intelligent, but not to the same calibre as Leopold. Loeb, who had been pushed and guided by a strict governess, had also been sent to college at a yo ung age. However, once there, Loeb did not excel; instead, he ambled and drank.Unlike Leopold, Loeb was considered very attractive and had impeccable social skills. It was at college that Leopold and Loeb became close friends. Their relationship was both stormy and intimate. Leopold was obsessed with the attractive Loeb. Loeb, on the other hand, liked having a loyal companion on his risky adventures. The two teenagers, who had become both friends and lovers, soon began committing small acts of theft, vandalism, and arson. Eventually, the two decided to plan and commit the â€Å"perfect crime. â€Å"

A Movie, from the Sociological Perspective

The Jigsaw Killer showed acts of deviance by using entrapments, manipulation, and psychological and physical infliction of pain upon his victims. To elaborate on why the Jigsaw is deviant is because he likes to manipulate almost every detail in his games. He manipulates the environment so the only means to escape are through torturous games testing far beyond the limit a human being can endure. The victims are almost always drugged in some way only to wake up within an environment where Jigsaw pulls all of the strings like a puppet master. As one officer describe Jigsaw in the movie, he â€Å"liked to book himself front row seats to his own sick little games. There is one type of social class that constantly shows up in the movie and that is the middle class folks. One of the people, which is a doctor named Dr. Lawrence Gordon. During the movie the audience learned that he had a wife and small child, possibly 5 year. They resided in a house that was mansion side, making him a middle class maybe an upper class family. Another main character that was in the movie was a person named Adam, he lower-mid class. There was a scene in the movie that showed his apartment. Adam’s apartment was a little run down as from what the camera was showing. There was a mix of different races and ethnicity’s in the movie. Often these victims would wake up trapped in the â€Å"games† of a genius engineer. Amanda which is white female who was shown towards the beginning of the movie who woke up contraptions attached to her head which the killer called â€Å"the reverse bear trap† or the â€Å"the death mask†. Another victim that went through something similar is when the Asian, who was named Detective Steven Sing had this head blown to little pieces when he was trying to go after the Jigsaw killer to bring him to justice. A little time before that happened the African American named Detective David Tapp who was trying to do the same thing by bringing the killer to justice had his neck sliced, but lived, however later on we see him again losing his life. All races such as Asian, white and African American did lose their life only because they had to play the game and decide who will be the one to go. A Movie, from the Sociological Perspective The Jigsaw Killer showed acts of deviance by using entrapments, manipulation, and psychological and physical infliction of pain upon his victims. To elaborate on why the Jigsaw is deviant is because he likes to manipulate almost every detail in his games. He manipulates the environment so the only means to escape are through torturous games testing far beyond the limit a human being can endure. The victims are almost always drugged in some way only to wake up within an environment where Jigsaw pulls all of the strings like a puppet master. As one officer describe Jigsaw in the movie, he â€Å"liked to book himself front row seats to his own sick little games. There is one type of social class that constantly shows up in the movie and that is the middle class folks. One of the people, which is a doctor named Dr. Lawrence Gordon. During the movie the audience learned that he had a wife and small child, possibly 5 year. They resided in a house that was mansion side, making him a middle class maybe an upper class family. Another main character that was in the movie was a person named Adam, he lower-mid class. There was a scene in the movie that showed his apartment. Adam’s apartment was a little run down as from what the camera was showing. There was a mix of different races and ethnicity’s in the movie. Often these victims would wake up trapped in the â€Å"games† of a genius engineer. Amanda which is white female who was shown towards the beginning of the movie who woke up contraptions attached to her head which the killer called â€Å"the reverse bear trap† or the â€Å"the death mask†. Another victim that went through something similar is when the Asian, who was named Detective Steven Sing had this head blown to little pieces when he was trying to go after the Jigsaw killer to bring him to justice. A little time before that happened the African American named Detective David Tapp who was trying to do the same thing by bringing the killer to justice had his neck sliced, but lived, however later on we see him again losing his life. All races such as Asian, white and African American did lose their life only because they had to play the game and decide who will be the one to go.

MRI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MRI - Essay Example Apart from these condyles, which are bony prominences, the distal end of humerus has two depressions as well. The bony depression on the anterior side is known as coronoid fossa, while the posterior depression is known as olecranon fossa. The areas where the bones connect to each other are referred to as articular surfaces. The elbow joint is articulated at Radioulner, Radiohumeral and Ulnohumeral joints. These articular surfaces are covered by the hyaline cartilage. A joint capsule, which is lined by Synovial membrane, encloses the entire joint in such a way that all three joint cavities remain in communication with each other. The elbow joint is stabilized by ligaments. These include Radial and Ulnar Collateral ligaments and the annular ligament of the head of radius. The medial side of the joint is strengthened by the Ulnar collateral ligament whereas the radial collateral ligament stabilizes the lateral side. The head of radius is connected to the radial notch of ulna by the annu lar ligament which runs around the head of radius. The movements at the elbow joint are facilitated by the muscles attached in this region. These muscles are organized into four different compartments according to their position, namely anterior, posterior, lateral and medial. The anterior group has two muscles, biceps brachii and brachialis. Posterior group has triceps brachii and anconeus muscles. The lateral group has brachioradialis and supinator muscles as well as the extensors of wrist and fingers. Whereas the flexor muscles of wrist and fingers, along with pronator teres muscle form the part of medial group. The arterial blood supply to the elbow region is through brachial artery. The venous drainage is by the way of brachial vein, median vein and median cubital vein. The nerves supplying the elbow region include musculocutaneous nerve, radial nerve, ulnar nerve and axillary nerve. MRI IMAGE FOE ELBOW The daily activities performed by the hands, grasping and the coordinated m ovements at the forearm and wrist are possible because of the complex synovial joint at the elbow which is referred to as the elbow joint (Lee et al 2003). It connects the distal end of the upper arm bone humerus to the proximal ends of the two forearm bones radius and ulna. The bones are articulated at trochlea and capitulum of humerus above and trochlear notch of ulna and the head of the radius below (Snell 2004). The three bones are articulated at four joints, together known as cubital articulations, i.e, humeroulner, humeroradial, superior radioulner and inferior radioulner (Stroyan et al 1993). The articular surfaces are covered by hyaline cartilage and the joint is enclosed by the capsule, lined by synovial membrane. The capsule serves to stabilize the joint along with the two ligaments, i.e. lateral collateral ligament and the ulnar collateral ligament. Anteriorly, the capsule attaches to the radial and coronoid fossae and the medial and lateral epicondyles of humerus above a nd to the coronoid process of ulna and annular ligament of radius head below. The posterior attachments of capsule are to the olecranon processes of humerus above and ulna below, and the annular ligament of radius head below (Snell 2004). The fan shaped lateral collateral ligament attaches lateral epicondyle of humerus to the annular ligament of radius. The triangular ulnar collateral

QUALITY MANAGMENT OF A HISTOGRAM AND A PARETO CHART Essay

QUALITY MANAGMENT OF A HISTOGRAM AND A PARETO CHART - Essay Example The most useful chart for the data is the Pareto chart because it shows the prioritization of the corrective actions. The shown data could also be communicated using a frequency polygon. A frequency polygon is a graphical representation that is used in understanding the distribution shapes of data (Atchison and Ross 57). They have a similar role as the histogram but useful in making the comparison of a data set. From the two graphs, it is evident that the Competitive priority of Golden Yalley bank is reducing with time. This is evidenced by the reduction of the frequency with the increase in the decision process time. This shows that the department was not doing so well if compared to other competitors with an increasing trend of their frequency. The frequency reaches its maximum at around 13 to 15 hours implying that the manager should consider this decision process time as the optimum time for maximum loan

Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Business Environment - Essay Example In simpler words, globalization has become a deeply-rooted phenomenon in the present world that there seems to be zero alternative of capitalism. Different skeptics have come up with new and effective economic theories and practices to suspend the common grounds of capitalism in the world (Thornley & Appay, 2010). Nevertheless, the impact or the implementation of capitalism is effective to the core that independent economic policies are failed to practice. Herein, it should be noted that the mentioned view is merely projected by the skeptics and there is still a lot of room of explanation concerning the credibility of the aspect (Milward, 2003). The aim of this essay is to critically assess the thesis statement the proposition that governments are no longer able to implement independent policies. There is supposedly an ongoing debate when it comes to the aspect of efforts made by the governments to implement and promote independent economic policies. The weighing or the effective dimensions to the debate can only be evaluated by understanding triumphed nature of capitalism in the global world, paradox of neo-classical theory, the role of the transfer national companies (TNCs). The fact remains that the economic activities in the past were quiet limited because of the limitations imposed on the trade. In the present times, one can see that it is easier for the organizations to design a product in one region and then deliver it to customer in the opposite part of the world (Ohmae, 1994). Herein, the intensity of skepticism is evident from the fact that western civilizations see capitalism as a threat to social equality. Milward (2003) in his research included that the skeptics of capitalism have always shown great interest in the international discussion of need of non-free market structure. Such an assertion is made

Development study Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Development study - Research Proposal Example While a vast body of research shows that the internal mismanagement and lack of governance in the recipient nations usually results in non-effective use of aid and a stagnation of long term sustainable growth for these countries, it is also true that in certain cases this aid has been the savior of many maligned and under privileged groups. The ongoing Ebola crisis has been well-publicized by the world media and by the international agencies working hard with the local governments to contain the spread of the virus. It is yet unknown for how long the crises will last or how many people will be ultimately effected in both personal and social contexts but enough economic changes have occurred in the aftermath effects of such a widespread disaster that trends of economic growth, stability and aid distribution can be studied in detail as a quantitative research. The longitudinal study will gather data on the most pertinent economic indicators for the region targeted and compare the pre-Ebola and post-Ebola crises conditions and discuss severe alterations in the pattern and future forecasts. I believe the Masters course in this subject will allow me to strengthen my own foundations about developmental theories and allow me to develop the proposed research up to rigorous academic standards. The world around is changing in a myriad of way and this degree assists academics to understand how the various economic, social, developmental and natural factors interact to effect the different groups of the world. I would like to contribute to this growing and important body of study. Worstall, T., (2014). The Economic Effects Of Ebola On West Africa; Its Because Of The Way The Economies Are Structured. Forbes, economic and Finance. Available at:

The Pearl - John Steinbeck Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Pearl - John Steinbeck - Essay Example The story takes a turn when the son of Kino named Coyotito gets stung by a scorpion; however he feels helpless when he doesn’t have enough money to pay the doctor for the treatment. The story reaches its climax when Kino finds a huge pearl in the sea which he perceives as a life changing chip towards an extravagant lifestyle. However, as soon as the news reaches the people of the town conspiracies and evil plots overhaul the scenario, and a serious threat strikes Kino owing much to the valuable asset he now owns. Bewildered by the situation, his partner Juana steals the pearl and throws it into the ocean, and when Kino discovers the fact he leaves her back to the ocean, and only takes her back when she recovers the pearl. Soon, they decide to leave for the capital as they weren’t getting the desired value for the pearls in the town and on their way they come across trackers who end up killing their son. Hopeless and full of regret, the couple returns to the town and Kin o throws away the pearl into the ocean himself, as he realizes how the greed corrupted his soul and brought him to the edge of the life he was standing on then. He then remembers the words of his father describing how bad things are bound to happen when the station of life is disturbed. The book can be analyzed in many different layers and all of them carry distinct messages regarding the possession and the pursuit of wealth. Every character is symbolic for a value or for an element of lust, and every phase of the story is unique for the essence it portrays reflecting the evils associated with capitalism. The title of the novel in itself symbolized the message he wants to convey, i.e. a pearl can be associated with many different values or even assets. A pearl can symbolize beauty, at the same time wealth and lust as it possesses the shine as well as the monetary value which anyone would drool for. The title is the perfect choice for the writing as it complements the theme of the bo ok, and provokes the readers as the interpretation is left totally upon the readers. The story is merely a journey of a mediocre individual who is a part of a larger social spectrum, living in the town called La Paz situation in Mexico, who strives hard to cash the pearl he finds in the ocean but in the struggle he ends up losing everything, and is left with nothing but regret. The story in itself is a depiction of the perils of capitalism, as it defines the perimeters of a good life not by virtue of emotional satisfaction in fact by acquiring a lot of wealth to be able to afford the luxuries of life. Capitalism is itself a corrupt system, as it creates class differences in the society where the worth of an individual is weighed against the amount of money they own. This creates a feeling of restlessness amongst the individuals who lie at the lower end of the spectrum, thus in the struggle for acquiring money they tend to corrupt themselves in order to comply by the system. That is exactly what Kino did, as he was helpless against the power which money carries, and the greed compelled him to even kill people who came in his way. Thus, Kino is a perfect illustration of a pure individual who ends up losing his values and even his child as he gets corrupted by the corrupt system. It all started when the doctor refused to treat his child as he was demanding a higher amount as his worth was much higher. The doctor is representing the powerful and the corrupt segment of the society who controls the resources

African American Hinstory Response+Identification Essay

African American Hinstory Response+Identification - Essay Example vitality and strength in their kingdom, fertility to their crops, animals, women, and men and protection from famine and dangerous plagues caused by evil spirits. To Odwira festival was special to invoke the spirit in the Golden stool. John Biggers was a fine arts educator with vast knowledge in painting, sculpting, graphic design, printmaking, and muralist. Most of his works revolved diverse dimensions in art, religion, and mysteries of Egypt and other African countries. Some of the styles of art evident in his work are as follows: Lithography; Frustration (Seeking), 1952, Surrealism; History of Negro education in Morris County and Texas, 1955, Historical; Four Seasons, 1984, Folk; Market Women, Ghana Circa 1960 and Aunty Dicy and her Snaff-dipping neighbors, Muralist; Share Cropper, 1945 The discussion above reveals how art serve different purposes in the community. Every society has a preferred impression associated with art because it is brings out the true definition of situations. On professional grounds, lithographic art work has been used to communicate important instances in society since the industrial age. Adu-Agyem, J., K. A. Agyapong, and K. Agyei. "The Philosophical And Aesthetic Significance Of The Silver-Stool Of Mampong-Asante In Ghana." International Journal of Innovative Research and Development 2.11

What does Benedict Anderson's concept imagined community mean when Essay

What does Benedict Anderson's concept imagined community mean when comparing the idea of nationalism - Essay Example The process of Anderson’s imagined community is fundamental in understanding the elements of entry and connection in nationalism. It transcends the idea that nationhood is fabricated or merely imaginary discourses. This is the reason why the concept of imagined community is very popular among social theorists. The thesis is not that explicitly constructivist but the idea captures the intensity of the concepts such as nationalism and nationhood. As an imagined community, a nation is provided a narrative meaning for individuals that constitute it by allowing the imagination of a territory of the nation without having personally to encounter it and its inhabitants. The approach does not see nationalism as a discourse of power or one of ideology but one of cultural meaning and cognition. In imagined community†, gaps could still be found – there are limitations in regard to the explanation of the elements that characterize the concept. Indeed, Anderson, himself, have l eft open several areas and questions because the subject is dynamic. However, these do not entirely undermine the potency of Anderson’s vision. All in all, Anderson’s most significant contribution here is that he was able to address all the anomalies that most theorists have created or was not able to tackle in defining nationalism.

How Effective Are Various Methods in Reducing Recidivism Essay Example for Free

How Effective Are Various Methods in Reducing Recidivism Essay Prison, non-custodial sentences and rehabilitation seem all failed in reducing recidivism; however, there is little and limited evidence to support non-custodial sentences, as well as some people think if rehabilitation could be implemented effectively, it would work. Although the advantage of prison is keeping our society from dangerous people, when it comes to reducing recidivism rate, the effect of prison is disappointing. The public usually think that imprisonment is safer for communities; however, it appears powerless to deter inmates from committing crime again. In the article, â€Å"Study shows building prisons did not prevent repeat crimes†, Fox Butterfield (2002) cites a large-scale study of recidivism from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which investigated up to 272,111 former prisoners in 15 states during the first three years after being released. It found that 67% of inmates broke the law again in three years right after their release in 1994. It is surprised that it does not make any difference to recidivism rate which was studied in 1960’s, and it is even 5% higher than the study done in 1983. In addition, it indicated that the more rearrest records a criminal has, the higher recidivism rate he has. The inmates who have more than 15 prior arrests have 82. 1% of recidivism rate. Nevertheless, according to Emily Kingham’s article (2006), she believes that prison forces offenders to regret and reflect on their behaviour; as for the reason that criminals cannot reject the temptation of committing new crime is because of inadequate provided support. In spite of this, some experts have admitted that prison does not work in terms of reducing recidivism rate (Considering the alternatives 1978; Finckenauer 1988). Some limited evidence has shown that non-custodial sentences may decrease recidivism; regardless of some experts being sceptical about their desired achievements. On the one hand, alternative sentences can help government save money and alleviate over-cramped number of criminals in prison (Considering the alternatives 1978). On the other hand, Kingham(2006) points out that alternative sentences do nothing but return prisoners to their original circumstances, which result in unawareness of their crimes and the onsequences. One study indicated that through one of alternative sentences, intensive probation, recidivism rate is less than 20%; however, the evidence maybe weak as the study has not been completely put into practice (Considering the alternatives 1978). Furthermore, in the Minnesota, alternative sentences have been successfully adopted to keep criminal rate not increasing, but it may not be convinced because of the source not being confirmed (Considering the alternatives 1978) . While some people argue rehabilitation is also failed in reducing recidivism rate, some authors counter that if government could support rehabilitation, recidivism rate would decrease. According to the article, â€Å"Prison†, James O. Finckenauer (1988) cites some studies, which shows that even though the government has already provided with good rehabilitation programmes, they cannot achieve reformatory of inmates. On the other hand, this position is contested by Joan Petersilis (cited in Butterfield 2002), a professor of criminology at the University of California at Irvine and an expert on parole, who says that state governments spent such little money on rehabilitation programs that inmates do not receive sufficient help with drug addition, work skill and preparation for a new life, which may lead increasing recidivism rate. Butterfield (2002) further cites the statement by Mr. Travis, who also argues that criminals return to crime.

The Act of Utilitarianism Essay Example for Free

The Act of Utilitarianism Essay Act utilitarianism states that, when faced with a choice, we must first consider the likely consequences of potential actions and, from that, choose to do what we believe will generate the most pleasure. The rule utilitarian, on the other hand, begins by looking at potential rules of action. To determine whether a rule should be followed, he or she looks at what would happen if it were constantly followed. If adherence to the rule produces more happiness than otherwise, it is a rule that morally must be followed at all times. The distinction between act and rule utilitarianism is therefore based on a difference about the proper object of consequential calculation — specific to a case or generalized to rules. Also to achieve the greater good for the greater number of people. Rule utilitarianism has been criticized for advocating general rules that, in some specific circumstances, clearly decrease happiness if followed. Never to kill another human being may seem to be a good rule, but it could make self-defense against malevolent aggressors very difficult. Rule utilitarians add, however, that there are general exception rules that allow the breaking of other rules if such rule-breaking increases happiness, one example being self-defense. Critics argue that this reduces rule utilitarianism to act utilitarianism and makes rules meaningless. Rule utilitarians retort that rules in the legal system (i. e. , laws) that regulate such situations are not meaningless. Self-defense is legally justified, while murder is not. However, within rule utilitarianism there is a distinction between the strictness and absolutism of this particular branch of utilitarianism. Strong Rule Utilitarianism is an absolutist theory, which frames strict rules that apply for all people and all time and may never be broken. John Stuart Mill proposed Weak Rule utilitarianism, which posits that, although rules should be framed on previous examples that benefit society, it is possible, under specific circumstances, to do what produces the greatest happiness and break that rule. An example would be the Gestapo asking where your Jewish neighbours were; a strong rule utilitarian might say the Do not lie rule must never be broken, whereas a weak rule utilitarian would argue that to lie would produce the most happiness.

The implications of the notion of the Big Society

The implications of the notion of the Big Society The Big Society was officially launched by the Prime Minister David Cameron in July 2010 (see NCVO, 2010). However, this was not the first we had heard of the Big Society. The notion was first discussed within the Conservative Party from mid 2009 (see Conservative Party, 2010), with the terminology associated with the Big Society coming to the fore in the weeks and months before, during and after the 2010 General Election campaign. At the core of David Camerons vision for revitalising both the UK and the Conservative party is what he describes as the Big Society. The concept calls for a restructuring of the relationship between state and society, with a substantial movement of power and responsibility from the former to the latter (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p2). Some view the Big Society as a positive move with the potential to transform society and address many of its problems through community led action. Others are more sceptical and resistant, viewing the Big Society as an ideologically driven move towards a do-it-yourself society, leading to further social polarisation and disadvantage. This paper will briefly explore the theoretical and political background to the Big Society before moving on to look at the potential implications and the role of Sheffield City Council in supporting the delivery of this agenda in three key areas. What is the Big Society? Put simply, the Big Society is a Government agenda that seeks to shift power from politicians to people (NCVO, 2010, p2). It represents an approach that seeks to give increased power to people to solve problems closer to where they live (Cabinet Office, 2010). Three interlinked agendas and questions are seen as key to building an understanding of the notion of the Big Society (see GOYH, 2010). Firstly, the idea of social action is seen as an important building block of the Big Society. Examples of this include supporting volunteerism and philanthropy, in an attempt to answer the question what can we do for others?. Secondly, public service reform is seen as an important element in moving towards a Big Society. This is not only about reducing red tape and bureaucracy, but importantly about increasing transparency and accountability across public services. Key to this is identifying what the state can do, and coming to some level of consensus about what role the state can and should play in key areas of public life. Finally, community empowerment and creating communities in charge of their own direction is seen as a key part of the Big Society. This will help individuals work together to identify what we can do for ourselves as a result of c ollective endeavour and action. The Big Society moves from a default position of central design and governmental provision to citizen-driven partnership across all sectors (Cabinet Office, 2010). In order to achieve this, Government envisage an approach built around a broad ecosystem made up of three levels (see figure 1), where no one player dominates another (Cabinet Office, 2010). In addition, figure 2 shows the three priorities which Government feel need to be focussed on in order to build the Big Society ecosystem and reconfigure how policy is developed and delivered (Cabinet Office, 2010). Figure 1 Figure 2 1Neighbourhood groups comprise a broad range from those with an explicit social or activism mission to those focused on local participation, engagement and community building whether informally through sports and interests or more informally in conjunction with local anchor institutions (Source: Cabinet Office, 2010) Before going on to look at the implications of the notion of the Big Society in Sheffield it seems relevant to briefly pause and examine the theoretical and political background to the notion of the Big Society. The Big Society and public policy Although closely associated with the Conservative Party, the General Election campaign of 2010, and more recently a number of policy areas developed by the Coalition Government, the Big Society idea is far from new. In some ways, the idea is as old as democracy itself. From ancient Athens on, a recurrent normative image has been that of the engaged citizen playing an active part in his or her community (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p4). Each new British government since the late 1970s has put its own spin on this idea (as evidenced in Sheffield First Partnership, 2010). David Camerons support for this idea follows this general trend, however it is a view that has not always sat comfortably with the Conservative Party. It is important to acknowledge that in rejection of Margaret Thatchers 1987 declaration that there was no such thing as society, David Cameron used his first speech as Conservative Party leader (in December 2005) to announce his belief that there is such a thing as society, its just not the same as the state (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Historically within Conservative thought the idea of the Big Society can be traced back to Edmund Burkes championing of the little platoons. These are the intermediate organisations families, communities and so on between the individual and the state. For Burke, these little platoons were a bulwark against two sources of tyranny: on the one hand, the overweening power of the state and on the other the uncontrolled demands of the mob (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Although initially the Big Society can be viewed as the opposite to Labour statism it contains distinct echoes of New Labours agenda. New Labour had intended, for instance, greater involvement of citizens and voluntary groups in decision-making and provision of services. But intentions were sidetracked somewhat by external events and by internal disputes within the Labour government (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Outside of political debate the idea of the Big Society draws on a number of social and political trends. It taps into a growing anti-politics mood among the public (Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5) and ideas surrounding politics for an anti-political age as highlighted in the work of Mulgan (1994), Stoker (2006) and Hay (2007) (cited in Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p5). Finally, it seems worthwhile to highlight the strong links between thinking on the Big Society and the concept of social capital. Putman argued that communities rich in social capital were more efficient, happier, better-run, safer, healthier just downright nicer places to live in than communities in which social capital was lacking (Putman, 2000 cited in Pattie and Johnston, 2010, p6). Many of the positive elements of social capital are the very things that a Big Society seeks to create and sustain. The current context for the Big Society As the Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition Government took shape in May 2010 the Big Society notion once again came to the fore. The Coalition Agreement (see HM Government, 2010) specifically makes reference to the Big Society as part of a wider focus on social action. Significantly, the Big Society was the first major policy announcement of the new Coalition Government. The Government sees the Big Society as being developed within the three-fold wider national context of; a lack of trust in politics, longstanding social problems and unprecedented challenges to public finances (see Cabinet Office, 2010). The aim is to build a society with much higher levels of personal, professional, civic and corporate responsibility; a society where the leading force for progress is social responsibility, not state control (Conservative Party, 2010, p1). What does this mean for Sheffield City Council? As set out earlier in this paper, the key principles and context for the Big Society are relatively easy to engage with and think about at a general level. The difficult questions arise when thinking about its implementation. What is clear though is that in the context of increased localism, the role of the local authority will be fundamental to its success, and to turning the Big Society rhetoric and vision in to reality (Office for Public Management, 2010, p1). The following sections build on the analysis already carried out and go on to set out the potential implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Council in the following three main areas of; laying the foundations for the Big Society, the potential implications for the Council itself, and finally the implications for the relationship between the Council and the Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) Sector. Laying the foundations for the Big Society Whatever ones political persuasion, its possible to envisage how the Big Society agenda, with its emphasis on more involvement of local communities in social outcomes, could support the creation of positive change (Office for Public Management, 2010, p2). In many cases the Big Society is already happening in Sheffield. Sheffield can lay claim to innovation and best practice over a number of years in public sector reform, community empowerment (e.g. through the use of a Community Assemblies to set local priorities and allocate funding) and in its relationship with the VCF Sector. When setting the context for how the Big Society may impact on a city as large and complex as Sheffield it is important not to lose sight of what is already happening at an organisational, community and individual level. The analysis in previous sections has gone some way to setting out the varied political roots and philosophical ancestry of the Big Society notion. However, in its current form it is closely linked to the policies and ambitions of the Coalition Government. In addition, Big Society initiatives coincide with a period of austerity in public spending. Any changes in services and service delivery will inevitably be linked to cuts in much of the media and in the eyes of the public (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). These are both important points, as if the perception of local politicians and the wider general public is that the Big Society is driven by a particular political party or philosophical viewpoint this could present a barrier to the universal acceptance of any initiatives or legitimate outcomes that result from Big Society action. Within the local political context of Sheffield this is a particularly important point. The Council is currently in no overall control, with a Liberal Democrat Leader. In addition, many of the national issues around government policy and funding are played out in the City and receive increased media attention due to Sheffields connections with the Deputy Prime Minister. With this in mind it is important for any approach to the Big Society in Sheffield to be genuinely built from the needs of the community whether directly (e.g. through social action) or indirectly (e.g. from information collected by service delivery organisations) in order for it to be aligned to the needs and aspirations of the local community and to avoid it becoming overly politicised. For the Big Society to work, all local authority staff and stakeholders need to understand the Big Society. Local authorities will need to ensure that they effectively communicate a locally specific Big Society vision to their own staff, members and stakeholders to motivate people to work towards a common goal (Office for Public Management, 2010, p3). Implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Council A number of factors are currently impacting on the role, nature and size of local authorities such as Sheffield. This presents a number of challenges and opportunities as the implications of the Big Society are thought through at an organisational and political level. It is clear from the limited information from central Government surrounding the Big Society that local government will be central to creating and engaging with the Big Society ecosystem, it will also have a clear role to play in delivering a number of the priorities of the Big Society. However, it is important to acknowledge that local government is part of the state (Tizard, 2010) and therefore it will be subject to continuing reform whilst also trying to engage the local community in debate about what any reforms should look like. The Big Society represents a different relationship between citizen and the state. In some ways the Big Society can replace the state but in other ways it merely represents a nudge towards a greater emphasis on the citizen, community and third sector (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). In many instances (and in some service areas more than others) this will require a change in mind-set, with a move from a corporate to mutual philosophy, a redefinition of the role of elected members and democracy, and in some instances giving up power and demonstrating listening (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p3). This creates a number of challenges for local Elected Members and from a theoretical perspective raises a number of interesting questions around the ideas of representative and participatory democracy (see Pearce, 2010). This in itself is not a new concept or dilemma for Elected Members. However, the Big Society agenda potentially adds a further level of complexity to this dynamic. National Government has already announced a number of Big Society policies which set the context nationally. These include, the Big Society Bank, a national Big Society day, the Localism Bill, and a new right for public sector workers to form employee-owned co-operatives and bid to take over the services they deliver. Local Elected Members and local authority managers will be called on to deliver a number of policy goals and expectations encouraged by central Government. A key role for Sheffield City Council will be in transforming government action from top-down micromanagement and one-size-fits-all solutions to a flexible approach defined by transparency, payment by results, and support for social enterprise and cooperatives (Tizard, 2010). One concern is that through devolving power down to the local level different outcomes in different localities will lead to rising inequalities not only geographically, but amongst different sectors of society. With this difference, it must be ensured that there is a consistency of opportunity (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Key to ensuring that everyone benefits from the Big Society is focused activity to identify how to support complex communities or those with low social capital. Citizens with less time, resources, or quieter voices such as children and the vulnerable are in a worse position to take advantage of the new opportunities provided by these changes (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p5). With this in mind a key role for local authorities is managing any risks that may arise from new forms of provision. One view of the role of a Local Authority in the Big Society is not for control, but for quality control protecting core and essential services; protecting values and principles (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Within the wider context of the Big Society a key role for Sheffield City Council as an organisation will be to create the conditions that safeguard the wellbeing of all citizens and communities, providing protection for the most vulnerable. This is already a key role for local authorities but it may become increasingly important in offsetting any disadvantage or unintentional outcomes of the Big Society. Implications of the Big Society for Sheffield City Councils relationship with the VCF Sector Within Sheffield a large amount of successful activity is already led or supported by the VCF Sector. In some instances this is wholly independent of the local authority and delivers vital services to the citizens of Sheffield. However, a substantial amount of VCF Sector activity in the City is publically funded. Over the coming years this will need to change as the pressure on public funding intensifies. There is a challenge for the VCF sector to change their funding base from grants from the public sector to a greater use of social enterprise, cooperative and mutuals. In addition, Philanthropy and increased charitable giving are regarded as key parts of the Big Society, yet it is unclear how they are to be increased and better directed (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). The Big Society idea sets out a larger role for social enterprises, charities and voluntary organisations in the provision of services, it also plans for a substantial transfer of control to ordinary citizens, coming together to provide for their own communities (Pattie Johnston, 2010, p2). This sets an interesting context for the relationship between Sheffield City Council and the wider VCF Sector, with local authorities having to consider how best to align their activity to and support the work of community groups, both current and emerging (Office for Public Management, 2010, p2). The relationship with the VCF Sector is integral to all three of the agendas and questions of the Big Society set out earlier in this paper. The VCF Sector is one of the key ways in which Sheffield City Council can allow local people to participate more effectively in the governance, design and delivery of services in their communities (helping to identify what the state can and should do). Through supporting community empowerment and drawing together social action the VCF Sector has a valuable contribution to make in focussing activity and providing a framework which helps individual citizens and communities identify what they can do for themselves and what they can do for others. Within local authority areas such as Sheffield the VCF Sector will need to adapt and change to the increasing responsibility placed on it by Big Society. It is widely acknowledged that there will be a need for new initiatives to emerge, but also a need to recognise the valuable resources and good practice that is already in place. Chanan and Miller (2010, p2) argue that most of the Big Society policy does not rest on the idea of communities taking over mainstream public services, although this is a view that has been caricatured by the media. It is acknowledged that few communities would want to take over statutory public services, and where they did there are no guarantees that existing problems would not exist. In many instances, where community groups want to or are able to effectively run specialist non-statutory elements of public services they are able to do so through social enterprises or by bidding for such work through established processes. Chanan and Miller (2010) go on the state that where services are statutory it is right that a certain level of accountability, standards and bureaucracy are attached to them. They do however set out an important role for the VCF Sector in complementing and co-producing public services. The underlying principle is not the state offloading public services but the state and people working together to ensure maximum value either from a public service or from a voluntary service initiated by a community group. It is this that will make public services more efficient and economical and communities more capable (Chanan and Miller, 2010, p3). However, Tizzard (2010) and NCVO (2010) have an alternative view and believe the very essence of the Big Society will lead to more social enterprise, third and community sector public service delivery. So, at one end of the potential continuum of involvement of the VCF Sector in the Big Society is the taking over of or co-production of public services. Although this may seem unlikely in the short term it is a possibility that needs to be considered and will increasingly be part of political debate. Developing ways to open up debate on this issue in Sheffield is clearly a responsibility of the democratically accountable local authority. However, at the other end of this continuum is developing an approach and local mindset where people have the power and confidence to take action where they feel it is necessary. This could be through volunteering to support local projects, causes or initiatives (existing or new), or maybe through schemes to recruit community organisers. Some infrastructure for this to take place already exists within Sheffield, but it is not consistent across all geographical areas and does not necessarily appeal to all social groups. Furthermore, it is not clear how much capacity and willingness there is for people to engage in this type of activity beyond the small army of people who are already involved (see Pattie Johnson 2010). It is acknowledged that Increased volunteering will need a framework and incentives to widen recruitment and increase the volunteer base. It should be recognised that volunteers are not a stable workforce and cannot replace aspects of the public sector like-for-like (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). Within Sheffield the VCF Sector needs to be supported in building their response to Big Society and building capacity to deliver the Big Society agenda is essential. A number of commentators set out the important role that Local Authorities can play in helping to ensure that the VCF Sector have the relevant skills and capacity to deliver the Big Society and in helping to build consortia that can deliver local priorities. Outside of funding, providing assets and working with partners to set up volunteer schemes, the Office for Public Management (2010) set out a number of ways in which local authorities may support the VCF Sector in working towards the Big Society. Examples include initiating and incubating new ideas, providing support and advice, sharing knowledge in order to support community initiatives, and helping to remove some of the barriers that the VCF Sector may experience when trying to do things differently. In addition, the Office for Public Management (2010) also set out the important role for local authorities in managing risk and reducing inequalities (both points discussed earlier in this paper). Above all, there needs to be an acknowledgement that the approach and involvement of the VCF Sector in the Big Society will look different in different places. These differences will be due to the different choices and decisions made by people in these localities, different levels of service need and service provision and the ethos of any new schemes that are introduced (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p2). This difference can be viewed as positive as it has the potential to deliver increased levels of competition and choice where appropriate, allowing local services to reach and support local people more effectively. However, an important point to consider is what happens in those communities and neighbourhoods where there is little or no VCF infrastructure or where people are not willing or able to engage in the Big Society. If this is just small pockets then the hope is that the enthusiasm and energy from neighbouring areas will drive activity. However, where lack of engagement is widespread and shows little evidence of developing organically what resources and mandate will local authorities have to intervene? Will it be politically and morally acceptable to allow nothing to happen in some areas, whilst others thrive in the Big Society? This is also an important consideration given that in some areas it may take longer to build the Big Society than in others. With this in mind, there is clearly a role for the local authority to work with the VCF Sector to ensure that such potentially negative aspects of the Big Society are reduced and to unite people from all sectors and parts of the community to ensure that everyone benefits. Conclusion There is still much confusion surrounding the notion of the Big Society, which remains a potentially complex and controversial area of emerging public policy. Many commentators, politicians and academics have concluded that the Big Society can be what you want it to be and that success depends on applying the principles and ideas most appropriately and effectively at a local level. This paper has only focussed on three elements which are of direct relevance to Sheffield City Council as it starts to develop its thinking around the Big Society. However, many of the issues raised will be relevant to other areas. Much is already happening which could be defined as the Big Society. The question is not if this activity and commitment will continue (as I am sure it will), but if the terminology of the Big Society will still be with us in 12 months only time will tell. The opportunity of the Big Society is surely around harnessing the new and alternative sources of ideas, energy, capacity and challenge which the current focus on the Big Society brings. Importantly, this needs to work with existing capacity, resources, enthusiasm and political will to deliver on shared outcomes that impact positively on individuals and communities. For the reasons discussed earlier in this paper some degree of oversight over Big Society initiatives is essential. The public sector, the state, and the VCF sector have important roles to play here (Sheffield First Partnership, 2010, p4). In addition, there needs to be an acknowledgment that certain approaches (e.g. volunteering, social action) will be better suited to delivering certain types of Big Society activity. However, there is still a need for the development of long term strategic approaches and the maintenance of statutory services. The Young Foundation (2010, p20) set out a useful distinction between services that can be tailored or devolved to communities, with service standards shaped or set locally and services that require central planning, delivery and oversight, with service standards set by the local authority. Where this line falls will vary locally and will be dependent on a range of factors such as need, community capacity and political will, however this is a useful way of framing the wider Big Society debate. Within the current climate of public sector cuts and reforms it is important to understand that creating a smaller state wont necessarily (or automatically) lead to a Big Society. In some areas there will be a role to play around directing resources, leadership, nurturing, support, encouragement and enabling. In the majority of cases an organisation such as a local authority has the governance and democratic accountability to carry out this role, and importantly ensure fairness and equality. However, for the Big Society to work the overall approach needs to remain fluid, dynamic and responsive. It is only through adopting such an approach that the needs and aspirations of individuals and communities can be best met. This in itself may be a challenge for large organisations such as local authorities, but it is arguably one that they need to rise to in order to make the most of the Big Society opportunities.

The American Experience :: essays research papers fc

The Bomb: â€Å"The hydrogen bomb can’t be done, or if it can be done, it will take too long, or if it can be done and doesn’t take too long, it will require too large a fraction of the nation’s scientific manpower, or if it doesn’t require too large a fraction of the nation’s labor force, it will be too massive to deliver, or if it is deliverable, we oughtn’t to make it.† The ideas had existed since the early 1900’s; the research started in the 1930’s, and by 1938 nuclear fission had been demonstrated experimentally. The possibility that nuclear fission could be used to create weapons of mass destruction was almost immediately evident to scientists. In August of 1939 Albert Einstein wrote a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt recommending that the United States begin research on the development of nuclear weapons. Thus, at the height of World War II, President Roosevelt launched a crash program to design and build the atomic bomb. The Soviet Union at the time was struggling economically because of the war and â€Å"physics was not yet a matter of great interest to the powers-that-be.† After witnessing the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in July of 1945 the priorities of Soviet government changed significantly. Faced with this new atomic threat, Stalin instigated a drastic acceleration of nuclear research with the aim to b uild a bomb of his own. Yakov Borisovich Zeldovich was appointed to lead the Soviet atomic bomb project, and two years later, a second theoretical group was created to â€Å"verif[y] and improve calculations made by Zeldovich’s group.† The second group consisted of Andrei Sakharov, Semyon Belenki, Vitaly Lazarevich Ginzburg, and Yuri Romanov and was led by Igor Tamm. After two months of â€Å"lick[ing] Zeldovich’s anus† Tamm’s group took a turn in a new direction: Sakharov’s â€Å"first idea.† Sakharov’s design was completely different from the â€Å"dead end† that Zeldovich’s team was struggling with. Surprisingly, it is very similar to Edward Teller’s 1947 â€Å"Alarm Clock† design even though Sakharov had had no connections with the West and had come up with his design, which he called the â€Å"Layer Cake,† completely independently of Teller. Stalin maintained a limited amount of trust in the Soviet scientists, and as a form of insurance, when the Soviet Union had obtained documents describing the US design for the atomic bomb he gave orders to build it â€Å"as early as possible.† Scientists at the Installation soon received detailed descriptions of the US bomb, â€Å"Fat Man† and began building it immediately.

MP3 File Sharing Hurts America Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essay

MP3 File Sharing Hurts America Before the present time of computers and various media player technology, trading music files on the internet was practically unheard of. Today MP3 music files have become file format that is widely â€Å"swapped† over the internet. The problem with trading MP3's is that it violates copyright laws. However, this hasn’t stopped the tens of millions of file sharing software users who continue swap MP3’s. MP3 piracy is a costly business for many companies, and the disadvantages outweigh the advantages of â€Å"P2P† file sharing. File sharing is a costly, illegal practice that hurts not only the consumers, but the artists as well. MP3 is a relatively new form of piracy, only being around for about ten years. The fact that the MP3 format takes up as little as one megabyte for a one minute clip, makes it an attractive storage factor for pirates. And with the CD-R and CD-RW drives, people can convert MP3 files to common CD format, burn to a CD, and play in any CD player, and be listening to a mix of their favorite songs within a half hour of downloading the song. With MP3 players becoming more and more popular options in cars, you can burn MP3 files directly to a CD without converting to a standard audio file and have over six hours of music on a single CD! â€Å"It is estimated that such illegal product costs the music industry more than 300 million dollars a year domestically.† This is why the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is taking a strong stance against MP3 piracy. The damage done to the recording industry in lost profits, increased prices, and lost jobs is overwhelming. In an attempt to put a damper on file swapping, and recapture lost revenue the RIAA has been suing people ... ... released in January that surveyed 1,358 Internet users in late fall found the number of Americans downloading music dropped by half from six months earlier, with 17 million fewer people doing it nationwide. I find that to be an impressive figure. The damage done to the music industry as well as genuine consumers of the music industry is huge. Online pirates are costing the music industry millions and millions of dollars in lost revenue. The chances of these pirates being caught are constantly increasing. Even though the anti-piracy organizations have made considerable progress, their current anti-piracy methods will not completely stop online piracy. Until these organizations can increase copyright protection, and inform the uneducated pirates who believe their points are valid, they will be fighting an up hill battle, no matter how many lawsuits they file.

Doubting Religion in Wallace Stevens Sunday Morning Essay -- Poem Poe

Doubting Religion in Wallace Stevens' Sunday Morning Voice is an integral part of Wallace Stevens' "Sunday Morning." The voice of the poem is not the woman's, but that of an outside narrator who seems to give words to the feelings that the woman experiences. The dramatic situation is created during the first stanza. The woman, still in her peignoir, is taking "late coffee and oranges in a sunny chair" on a bright Sunday morning instead of attending church. The quiet of the scene is evident, and the "holy hush" provides the woman with the perfect environment for introspection. The poetic problem arises when the woman, in her liminal state of mind, is troubled with conflicting emotions about life, death, and Christianity. The first thought that encroaches upon the woman's daydreams and darkens the atmosphere is that of a solemn "procession of the dead" to Palestine. Her interaction with the procession is interesting because it symbolizes the journey she is making in her mind and sets the tone for later religious questioning in the poem. The second stanza begins with a series of rhetorical questions that express the woman's inner struggle. The second question is her response to the dark encroachment of the procession, and the third question answers the previous two. The randomness of this questioning illustrates the disorganized nature of her thinking, and an answer finally surfaces when she decides that "divinity must live within herself." A list of positive and negative emotions that she has experienced as a result of nature provides further explanation of the divinity she hopes she possesses within. The realization that these emotions "are the measures destined for her soul" ends the stanza with a feeling of hopefulness. Reli... ...ained in the seventh when Stevens depicts pre-Christian ideals such as the ancient worship of the sun as a god. Here, the blood of the turbulent, chanting men leaves them and returns to the sky in a process similar to the commingling human blood with the blood of heaven in the third stanza A few other philosophical observations result from this stanza, including the suggestion that Gods are humanly created and the idea that men are a part of nature. The last stanza of "Sunday Morning" reiterates the feeling of solitude that the woman experiences in the first stanza, but the tone has changed. The image of silent water again dominates the scene, and her religious questioning continues. She is still suspended in a disorganized state of mind, but there is a feeling of acceptance of the ambiguity of life that is not replaced with the peace of mind and hopes of happiness.

Extraction of Trimyristin

Trimyristin is an ester with the chemical formula C45H86O6 that can be isolated from the common spice nutmeg. The seed of the evergreen trees in the genus Myristica Fragrans is what nutmeg is obtained from. Trimyristin is the triglyceride of myristic acid also known as saturated fat (3). The phase of trimyristin is solid and is only found soluble in dichloromethane, chloroform, ether, benzene, and ethanol (1). Only twenty to twenty-five percent of trimyristin makes up the mass of nutmeg and it is formed from the glycerol and saturated carboxylic acid (2).Like most extractions, isolating trimyristin is complex considering a variety of products are extracted in the solvent. * Method: * Extraction of Trimyristin: First the sand bath was set to about 40o C. In the meantime 1. 00g of ground nutmeg was weighed out and transferred to a 25mL round bottom flask. Then 10 mL of methylene chloride and 2 boiling chips were added to the round bottom flask. The round bottom flask was then connected to an air condenser and lowered onto the sand bath.The solution was allowed to boil gently for 30 minutes until it was removed and set aside to cool. After it cooled the nutmeg residue was filtered from the methylene chloride using a Hirsch funnel containing a methylene chloride moistened filter paper. A minimal amount of methylene chloride was then used to wash any excess residue out of the round bottom flask and into the filter. The filtrate was then transferred into a clean, dry, and tarred Erlenmeyer flask.The Erlenmeyer flask was then placed on a hot plate set between 50oC to 100oC inside the fume hood until the solvent evaporated into a yellowish oily solid. The solid that remained was then weighed. * Recrystallization of Trimyristin: Acetone was added in 1mL portions to the Erlenmeyer flask that contained the solid. During the same time, the flask was warmed on a sand bath in order to dissolve the solid. Then it was allowed to slowly cool to room temperature and placed into an ice bath for 10 minutes.The crystals were collected by vacuum filtration and were allowed to dry. * Analysis: After the crystals were dry the solid was weighed and then the melting point was determined using a Melt-Temp machine. * Results: Lab Components| Mass (g)| Volume (mL)| Nutmeg| 1. 00g| –| Flask and Testube| 83. 47g| –| Flask, Testube, and Filtrate (initial)| 90. 54g| –| Filtrate (initial)| 7. 07g| –| Erlenmeyer Flask| 74. 14g| –| Erlenmeyer flask and Filtrate (final)| 74. 41g| –|Filtrate (final)| 0. 26g| –| Acetone| –| 1. 00mL| * These results show all the measurements that were taken from everything used in order to determine the analysis of the trimyristin extracted which is shown below. * Analysis: Weight of Trimyristin| 0. 1g| Melting Point of Trimyristin| 53. 2oC – 54. 3oC| % of Trimyristin extracted| 10%| * Conclusion: During this experiment methods of vacuum filtration and recrystallization were used to extract trimyristin from the spice nutmeg.When trimyristin was successfully extracted there was a low percentage (10%) of the amount extracted but it had a melting point that was almost exact to the actual melting point of trimyristin which is 53oC-54oC. The experiment was performed successfully for the most part, disregarding a few minor mistakes made in the procedure. These mistakes didn’t interfere with the outcome of the experiment but could have improved the performance of it. For instance, it took a long time for the solvent to evaporate because the hot plate was set at too low of a temperature.

“Growing Up” Paper Essay

The book â€Å"Growing Up† is about the author Russell Baker and about his life growing up in the early 1900s. He lived through many hardships while he was growing up including his father, Benny, dying, his mother having to give up one of her children for adoption, and living through the great depression. Although his experience with the great depression was very bad I think that Russell had a little bit above average life compared to other people living in that time period. Russell was affected by the depression in many ways while growing up. Because his mother couldn’t find a job she had a very difficult time supporting her family. Because of this, His mother let Benny’s brother adopt their daughter Audrey to ease the financial burden on their family. (Baker p.85) Russell grew up without a sister that he would had had if it weren’t for the great depression. Not only did the great depression break up Russell’s family, it also forced them to move away from his childhood home and live with his uncle Allen. (Baker p.88) Russell writes that his mother was originally going to stay there until she found a steady job and could rent an apartment for herself. (Baker p.88) However this didn’t work out and she ended up staying there a lot longer. Allen is confident that he has a steady enough job to make it through the depression just fine but he eventually takes in his brothers Charlie and Hal as well. It proves too much and Russell and his mother move yet again, this time to Baltimore, where Russell is forced to find a job as a paper boy to help his mother out all that he can. The Bakers still fall on hard times and at one point they have trouble getting money even for food. As a result of this they turn to the government to receive handouts just to eat. (Russell p.200) In the book, Russell explains how his mother had to move out of their house and live with her brother and his uncle Allen because the great depression had started and his mother couldn’t find a job. (Baker p.88) Although this  is a bad situation to be in I feel that during the great depression it wasn’t so bad considering there were people who had no home at all and actually had to sleep outside on newspapers.. (As shown by photo 3 in the powerpoint.) There were lots of people during the depression that has it a lot worse than Russell Baker. Russell and his family never actually had to deal with being homeless. It was very common in large cities to have ramshackle shantytowns called â€Å"Hoovervilles† spring up on abandoned land that was basically a town of homeless people seeking shelter in homemade huts. (Foner p.637) (Photo#6) Baker and his mother also managed to both find jobs in the city Baltimore. They weren’t well paying jobs and they still had to turn to the government for food handouts but they still managed to get jobs. Unemployment was such a big issue during the depression that whole companies were going under and closing down, like U.S. Steel, who had 225,000 employed workers before 1929 and by the end of 1932 had zero. (Foner p.636) The fact that Russell and his mother both managed to find and keep jobs in Baltimore meant that they had it better that a lot of other people living in that city and they were very fortunate, The depression hit so hard in the major cities that people decided to start moving out to the country to try to grow food for their family on farms. In fact during the great depression more than 33 million people lived on farms. That was more than any previous point in American history. (Foner p.637) Russell Baker and his family never had to resort to such extreme measures. They never had to grow their own food to be sure that they could eat that night. Not that conditions were any better in the rural farm areas. By 1930 some unusually dry weather had devastated the rural America, causing the soil to dry up and a very severe drop in crop production. (Foner p.650) Things got so dry that the wind started blowing the topsoil away, creating the dust bowl which was basically giant sand storms that would decimate entire towns and homes. (Photo #5) It’s safe to say that it was a good thing Russell and his family didn’t have to resort to living out in the dust bowl like so many other Americans. Russell was also able to attend college after he graduated high school. This is another point that illustrates how good Russell had it during the depression. Not many people had the privilege to go to college during this time period. Lots of people were either unemployed or working very hard at a job they were desperate to keep. The job situation had become so bad that the government started organizations specifically for creating jobs in America such as the NRA the AAA and the CCC. (Foner p.67) Knowing that there were so few jobs that the government had programs specifically to create jobs makes you think just how lucky Russell was to be able to go to college during the great depression. I do not believe that Russell Baker’s experience was the â€Å"average† experience during the great depression. Knowing what I’ve read from the Foner text and looking at the pictures on the powerpoint, I think it paints a much different picture for the average experience of the great depression. One of desperation and sadness that just doesn’t show up in Russell’s story. Compared to today’s life for most people He absolutely had it rough but in a nation filled with homeless starving desperate people Russell didn’t have it so bad. I think that he was very fortunate to live the way he did during the depression.

Electric Vehicles Technology Analysis Essay

Hybrid electric vehicles are one of the applications of hybrid technology in real modern life; in which it’s currently a high demand technology and is growing rapidly. Although hybrid vehicles weren’t the latest type of transportation technology to be discovered, since they appeared earlier than gasoline vehicles, because of the cost of research and technology they disappeared a prosperous century of gasoline vehicles began. Nowadays, when the world needs green transportation because of high fossil costs and political reasons, hybrid vehicles returned and development into that type of technology is kicking back to full speed. Hybrid vehicles are the combination between electric engines and gasoline engines. Therefore, they inherit all the characteristics of traditional vehicle and add new functions of electric motor to help the vehicles save energy as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many vehicle manufacturers such as BMW, GMC, and Toyota are applying hybrid technology in producing their cars. One of the main reasons that hybrid vehicle are not as popular as regular gas powered vehicles is their prices. Most consumers don’t want to pay the extra $5,000- to $8,000 price tag to buy a vehicle that they don’t see the instant benefits of. Nevertheless hybrid vehicles will bring the benefits to their users and the environment, but not immediately when they buy the Hybrid vehicle. While in use, Hybrid vehicles will reduce the fuel consumption by an average of 42% which in return would be also good for the environment as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 42% than the usual amount. However, in addition to what Hybrid vehicle offers the public in money savings by consuming less fuel and supporting a greener environment, it also made it possible for the public to accept alternative power sources for their vehicles. Also, hybrid technology has helped expand the research into battery power, battery life and battery size which helped in emerging of newer technology of fully electrical cars that doesn’t use any gas, for example: The Nissan Leaf. In the meanwhile, currently the available fully electrical vehicles (Nissan Leaf) on the market have advantages of totally being gas independent, and faster acceleration than some of the hybrid cars (I personally test drove the Nissan Leaf both on city streets and on the highway and I think it accelerated a lot better than my 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid. ). In my opinion the technology still not fully developed to be the most reliable form of transportation for an individual or a house hold use, since you can’t drive more than 100 miles per full charge as advertised; which I am sure it’s a little bit less based on consumers review (around 75-85 miles per full charge. ) In the near future I can imagine that fully electrical cars be more reliable and go in between 700 to1000 miles per full charge, of course it will take its course of development just like any other new technology that starts small and gets bigger by time. I imagine in the next couple years electrical cars will be able to go anywhere in between 100 to 200 miles per charge, then in the following few years from 200 to 300 miles per full charge, etc†¦ Furthermore, in my opinion I think that gas engines are a thing of the past and I can see in the future Hybrid engines and electrical engines replacing everything that we are using today, from gas powered vehicles to airplanes, from motorcycles to scooters and lawnmower to children toys. In conclusion, the human race is using new technologies to try to fix the harm they caused the environment by creating products that don’t contribute to the pollution of our environment and many consumers hope that hybrid and electrical motors technology would help reduce the pollution and contribute to help save our environment.

Persuasive Speech Green Burials Essay

With the effects global warming and other natural disasters becoming more frequent, it is safe to say pollution has created a major crisis on our planet. Theses effect can be seen in the United State with the major cold front that has just pushed in from Canada over this past week. Scientist say weather patterns such as this will become more likely because of global warming. As an ecofriendly individual, I have taken the time to research many ecological ideas. Today I hope to persuade individuals to select green burials as an alternative burial option. A green burial or natural burial is the proper disposal of the deceased with as little carbon impact as possible to the natural environment. Green burials help conserve natural resources, produces little to no carbon emissions, aids in protecting the health of grave diggers, and restores and preserves the natural habitat. For the end-of-life ritual to be considered to be a â€Å"green burial,† there can be no usage of non-biodeg radable or toxic materials. People who select to engage in green burials are laid to rest in materials such as: shrouds or biodegradable caskets and urns. Why would a person select to be buried in such a manner, you ask? A green burial offers many positive affect upon the environment when compared to traditional burial methods. I would like to begin by saying that I do not consider any end-of-life method to be considered â€Å"wrong.† I only wish to advocate an alternative option to decrease to carbon footprint of our last act in the world. The act of embalming a loved on often includes the usage a chemical called formaldehyde. Formaldehyde poses a major threat to funeral directors and their funeral homes. In accordance to the National Cancer Institution, â€Å"funeral directors have a much higher incidence of myeloid leukemia.† Although embalming fluid does preserve the physical characteristic of a loved one, but after months in the grave the embalming fluid drastically decrease the decomposition rate of the body. Again I don’t wish to discredit any other form of burial. Green burials offer many positive aspects t hat aid the earth. Why should someone choose to have a green burial? Earth has  always intend to humans to return to the soil from which they came. In nature, nothing is wasted. Everything is recycled by billion upon trillions of tiny microorganisms that break down all waste matter. Natural burials also aid in the growth of native trees, wildflowers, and shrubs. These wild plants will bring about a whole new eco-system to the burial area that both plants and animals will benefit from. There is no water wasted on these grounds or harmful pesticides and herbicides because the area is left to grow naturally. Imagine the joy of being able to remember a loved one as a new tree that provides life to millions of organisms. Green burials are an ecofriendly way to leave a positive lasting impact upon the earth. In 2007 AARP conducted a study that showed, â€Å"1 in 5 American over the age of 50 have considered having a green burial ceremony.† Green burials is just one of many end-of-life rituals practi ced all around the world. Work Cited Markoe, Lauren. â€Å"Green Burials Reflect Care for Earth, Family Finances.† Christian Century 131.4 (2014): 18-19. Academic Search Premier. Wed. 11 November 2014. Unknown. â€Å"Green Burials,†¦Return Naturally.† Green Burials,†¦Return Naturally. N.p., 17 Sept. 2008. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. Unknown. â€Å"Green Burial Council.† Green Burial Council. N.p., 18 May 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

The History of Cocaine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The History of Cocaine - Essay Example It is an important source of nutrition and energy in a region that is lacking in other food sources and oxygen; the vitamins and protein present in the leaves, as well as the cocaine alkaloid, helps provide the energy and strength necessary for steep walks in this mountainous area and days without eating (Winger 45-47). Although the stimulant and hunger-suppressant properties of coca had been known for many centuries, the isolation of the cocaine alkaloid was not achieved until 1855. Although many scientists had attempted to isolate cocaine, no one had been successful for two reasons: the knowledge of chemistry required was insufficient at the time, and coca does not grow in Europe and is easily ruined during travel. The cocaine alkaloid was first isolated by the German chemist Friedrich Gaedcke. Gaedcke named the alkaloid "erythroxyline", and published a description in the journal Archives de Pharmacie. In 1856 Friederich Wohler asked Dr. Carl Scherzer, a scientist aboard the Novara (an Austrian frigate sent by Emperor Franz Joseph to circle the globe), to bring him a large amount of coca leaves from South America. In 1859 the ship finished its travels and Wohler received a trunk full of coca. Wohler passed on the leaves to Albert Niemann, a Ph.D. student at the University of Gottingen in Germany, who then developed an improved purification process. Niemann described every step he took to isolate cocaine in his dissertation entitled On a New Organic Base in the Coca Leaves, which was published in 1860 — it also earned him his Ph.D. and is now in the British Library. ... He wrote of the alkaloid's "colorless transparent prisms" and said that, "Its solutions have an alkaline reaction, a bitter taste, promote the flow of saliva and leave a peculiar numbness, followed by a sense of cold when applied to the tongue." Niemann named the alkaloid "cocaine" - as with other alkaloids its name carried the "-ine" suffix (from Latin -ina). In 1879 cocaine began to be used to treat morphine addiction. Cocaine was introduced into clinical use as a local anaesthetic in Germany in 1884, about the same time as Sigmund Freud published his work Uber Coca, in which he wrote that cocaine causes: ...exhilaration and lasting euphoria, which in no way differs from the normal euphoria of the healthy person...You perceive an increase of self-control and possess more vitality and capacity for work....In other words, you are simply normal, and it is soon hard to believe you are under the influence of any drug....Long intensive physical work is performed without any fatigue...This result is enjoyed without any of the unpleasant after-effects that follow exhilaration brought about by alcohol....Absolutely no craving for the further use of cocaine appears after the first, or even after repeated taking of the drug... In 1885 the U.S. manufacturer Parke-Davis sold cocaine in various forms, including cigarettes, powder, and even a cocaine mixture that could be injected directly into the user's veins with the included needle. The company promised that its cocaine products would "supply the place of food, make the coward brave, the silent eloquent and ... render the sufferer insensitive to pain." By late Victorian era cocaine use had appeared as a vice in literature, for example as the cocaine injected by Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional

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

Assignment 1 - Essay Example It is true that in today's world the Iranian government was â€Å"Feeling its oats.† The government is looking for a way for Iran to gain more influence in the region. That is one of the reasons they were pursuing a nuclear program. At the same time they were also pursuing partnerships with both Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon which has allowed them to further hem Israel into its corner. They wanted to have more influence and impact on the countries in the region. The truth is that because the American invasion of Iraq left a power vacuum in the region, the Iranians have been able to capitalize on it and gain more influence in Iraq. In a sense, Iranian interests have been served, but so have American ones. This has encouraged them and given them confidence as they pursue the expansion of their belligerent programs. They must be stopped. The United States must not allow this aggression to stand. At risk is their relationship with their ally Israel. Israel is under direct threat from Iran whose leaders have many times threatened to destroy them (The Economist). The truth is that the U.S. Can only take Iran at its word.

Marketing Case Study with additional research and reference

Marketing with additional research and reference - Case Study Example As for the brand association, the company has positioned Starbucks store as the third place after home, and school or work, where high quality gourmet coffee is served and is available also for retail purchase. All this positioning is communicated through all the companys marketing efforts, where it builds the perceived brand quality—the layout of its stores, great customer service by friendly and knowledgeable crews, the taste of coffee, as well as extra perks that it offers such as free Internet access or sockets for electronic equipments such as laptops (Schultz 2009). All these four constitute the elements that make up a Starbucks customers loyalty. This is how Starbucks create brand equity. The Asian market promises more opportunities for growth than Europe. For one, the emerging markets are in Asia, and as these new economies grow, opportunities for foreign expansion also emerge as buyer powers increase (refer to the case). Most Asian markets are also open to the Western lifestyle (refer to the case). Because Europeans have longer history which is embedded in their culture as regards the way coffee is consumed such as in countries like Austria and Italy, the Asian market seems more attractive (refer to the case). Among the countries in Asia, Singapore seems to be the most viable country to enter, as Starbucks pose for its market entry in the region (refer to the case). In the mid-1990s, Singapore is the third largest economy in Asia, just after Japan and Brunei. Apart from having a high per capita income in the region, Singaporeans also like American products, which can give Starbucks a distinct advantage (refer to the case). Also, with the emergence of coffeehouses in the country, introducing the coffee lifestyle that Starbucks offer is no longer an issue, which otherwise could have incurred the company

Human resource development in multinational companies Essay

Human resource development in multinational companies - Essay Example To cope up with the competition, they are required to plan and implement strategies to develop the company’s human resources. In today’s globalized environment, it has become difficult for the managers to completely eliminate the threats that globalization has brought. Multinational companies face many of such difficulties in acquiring efficient staff in other countries. Multinational companies aim to build up their brand name and reputation. They need to provide the same quality and facilities in every country they are working in. However, the human resources available in different countries bring different challenges for them. They need to develop a plan to accumulate a workforce which could perfectly carry out the job the company aims to achieve. The concept of repatriation and expatriation is also worth mentioning here as the human resource development program must consider these concepts. As an expatriate gets the assigned work done in the other country and moves b ack to the host country, he faces the adjustment problems all over again. A complete and viable HRD strategy must also take in to account these workers who are sent abroad while working permanently in some multinational organization. Objective: The aim of this paper is to identify the key challenges faced by senior managers in today’s globalized business environment in achieving competent human resources. The paper also focuses on the researches made in this regard. In addition it provides recommendations to lessen or eliminate the difficulties in human resource development and reduce the employee turnover rate in the organizations. The study is designed in such a manner that would help in achieving the objective successfully. In the first step it provides a brief introduction about multinational organizations and their place in today’s business world. In the next step it

Metrics Estimation Analysis And Team Assignment Essay

Metrics Estimation Analysis And Team Assignment - Essay Example Various organizations have their specific measures that yield their desired goals; as well failure to measure project progress and performance reduces levels of monitoring and evaluation. Measurements are crucial in problem identification, the position of a certain program and their respective processes. It is good to pinpoint mistakes and errors at the initial stages by use of appropriate measurement tool which yields a more quantifiable accurateness of more complex projects (Pressman 2006). Metrics in its innate form can identify critical risks and accord resolutions before they happen. Importance of measurements therefore, is crucial a strategic, technical and project level. The goals of an organization are initially done before listing questions and identifying the measures to be undertaken. In order to have successful project development, the measures should each have attributes, evaluation, unit and counting rule. The measures are: 1. Support Definition: The supportability of a system e.g. software can be measured by tracking specific pertinent supportability features. The developer and acquirer have the opportunity to obtain knowledge which can be directed to supportability control. The systems support can be described in the form of memory size, I/O (input and output), the process, average module size, module complexity, error rate, supportability and lines of code change. Counting and Measurement: The metric can measure spare memory over time which should not be below any specification requirement. Metrics also tracks amounts of I/O that are reserved as functions of time again the capacity should not be below the given requirements. On the process, throughput capacity entails the amount of time and should not be below specification requirements. Average module size should not exceed requirement specification. Similar scenarios can be recorded by knowing the number of errors, average time required and average lines of code changed per deficiency. Estimation: the measurements need to start at project level and should include project planning, monitoring which will entirely depend on the gathered information through the process of measurement (Pressman 2006) Ana lysis: metrics used are representations of software and the process yielding them. Advanced process metrics is as a result of more mature software development process. It requires accurate data to provide good metrics process. There are indicators that are brought out by measurement of data. The indicator quality influences the analysis process since both objective and subjective measures are required when determining the current program state. The objective data constitutes staff hours, software lines of code, current function points, the prevailing components, list of items to be tested, number of coded units and the potentiality of changes and errors. On the other hand, subjective data could be based on the feelings of individuals or groups comprehension of certain features. Collected data must determine issues to be addressed, which requires understanding of metric meanings through performing multiple data sourcing, studying the data collection process at a lower level, separati on of collected data, emphasizing on different data sources and realizing the development process. 2. Risk Definition: To run projects effectively, risks have to be identified and solutions given appropriately. The users should beware of existing and potential limitations and give actions appropriately. There is good knowledge on the levels of risks that can occur in software development environments. To avoid risks understanding of all phases and data

Saudi Aramco Oil Company Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Saudi Aramco Oil Company - Dissertation Example The scope of Business Social Responsibility (BSR) includes production and company operation. Moon’s (2002) concept of BSR expands to financial contributions to community and governmental causes. BSR focuses on the social responsibility of business while CSR is a general term that encompasses many aspects of CSR. CSR’s general concept is about the community, the employees, the environment, human rights, and so on. BSR is appropriate in the study of social responsibility of Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas industry since it focuses on governmental and public causes that include environmental protection and cause-oriented projects. This chapter scrutinizes the past and current issues on CSR and how they could be related in the context of the aim and objectives of this dissertation. 2.2 Definition of corporate social responsibility The term corporate social responsibility refers to a corporate framework consisting of economic, environmental and social issues (Tokoro 2007, p. 148) that are incorporated into the responsible performance of the firm. CSR is sometimes referred to as a corporate duty and responsibility to the community and the environment. CSR practices of firms emphasise environmental protection without financial consideration in return (Huang 2010, p. 642). The World Business Council defines CSR as an obligation to provide economic development and improvement of employees’ quality of life and the community they belong. CSR includes an interaction with the community and the different stakeholders. Some aspects of CSR aim for sustainable development. Sustainable development involves ‘systematic and long term use of natural resources’ (Huang 2010, p. 643) with the primary objective of having it available for the present and the future generation; meaning, CSR is meeting the needs of the present generation without disregarding the future generation. It may also refer to the necessities of development and progress for coun tries without damaging environmental resources. Sustainable development refers to development wherein the environmental indicators have the same significance with economic indicators. Sustainability involves long-term goals that concern ecological, political, economic and societal ramifications. (Huang 2010, p. 643) Many authors conclude that there is no universal definition for CSR. A common definition failed because CSR is a socially constructed concept. There are components in the different definitions that are common, for example voluntary, the stakeholder, legal obligation, economic, social, human right, etc., which when understood will lead to greater insight of what CSR is in the nation that is being practiced and the world at large. 2.2.1 Theories of CSR Social Responsibilities of the Businessman was an article written by Bowen in 1953 which shifted the social responsibility of business to CSR. Since then the study of CSR has grown bringing into the fore terminologies, theor ies and practices in the different fields. Topics on CSR have also evolved that included society and business, social issues management, stakeholder management, corporate accountability, and much more. Recently, authors added the topics on corporate citizenship and corporate sustainability. (Garriga & Mele 2004, p. 51) Popular concepts relate CSR theories with the environment (which relate to resources and economics), goal attainment (linked to politics), and social