Children of The Marshall Islands Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Children of The Marshall Islands - Essay Example The nuclear testing at the Marshal Island drew long lasting impact upon the people of the islands some of them proves to be very severe for the people especially for the children. The nuclear test resulted in both short term and long term effects experienced by the people at Marshal Island. The nuclear explosion put the health safety of people in extreme danger whereas the children were also badly affected from the nuclear testing and man y of them got the possibility of suffering from serious diseases like cancer in their future lives. Many of the children suffered from different health problems soon after the nuclear explosion whereas many remained vulnerable to severe diseases (Stephanie, 2009). The period of 1946 to 1958 witnessed the conduction of 67 nuclear tests by the United States in the Marshal Islands. Most of these nuclear tests were considered atmospheric. Among these, Bravo shot was the most powerful test conducted in 1954 at Bikini atoll that was estimated equivalent t o 7,000 Hiroshima Bombs. After 1958 also US continued nuclear testing on the marshal Island and till 1988, 930 known nuclear tests were conducted in the Marshal Island. According to the estimated these tests combined yield 175 megatons and 137 were devoted to the atmosphere. These tests are regarded very important part of US nuclear testing because despite being just 14% of total US nuclear tests, they yielded 80% of the atmospheric total donated by the US nuclear testing. As a result the marshal Islands were regarded as most contaminated place of the world by the Atomic Energy Commission in 1956. The effects of these nuclear tests were also very strong and the people of the Island had to pay very high cost due to the use of their lands as the site for the UNS nuclear testing. The thermonuclear explosion occurred in 1954 deposited life threatening quantity of radioactive on the island that put the inhabitant’s health safety on high risk level. In 1986 also the people of the i sland living near Chernobyl received three times higher than the estimated dose of radioactive caused from the nuclear accident. These radioactive caused serious damages to the life of the people. Many of them suffered from tissue destructive effects like burning etc. whereas many others had to face latent radiation-induced disease (Hein, et al, 2007).  The effects of nuclear testing were also identified upon the children in their later lives. It was found that almost 69% of the 10 year old children living in Marshal Island in 1954 developed thyroid tumours due to the high dose of nuclear radiation. The prevalence of thyroid cancer is also higher among the people that were inhabitant of the Marshal Island. It was found that the radioiodine became most harmful for the health of the children because it concentrated in the milk and then concentrate in the human glands. Since children usually consume milk on daily basis the prevalence of thyroid cancer due to the concentration of radi oiodine also became very common among the children and children of the Marshal Island suffered from thyroid cancer in greater numbers (Stephanie, 2009).

McDonald's No Longer the 'Great American Meal' Case Study

McDonald's No Longer the 'Great American Meal' - Case Study Example The company's rapid expansion (in the 1990s, McDonald's opened a new restaurant every eight hours) affected its food and service quality although these were supposed to be the McDonalds' selling points. In the 1990s, while competitors were coming up with new and healthier food options, McDonald's was still unable to produce truly innovative products as they were still thinking about how to sell more products rather than what they could sell to their customers. The lack in product innovation that did not help with marketing efforts, the company's franchisees sales were also affected as they could not keep up competitor offerings and the establishment of the Consortium hurt the dynamics of the franchise model. One area the increased fast food competition in the fast food industry affected McDonald's was through the company's price-based strategy. By marketing products below the cost to prepare the item, the company cannot sustain this tactical campaign for long if the competitors have a cost advantage. For marketing purposes, instead of promoting McDonald's new locations, the focus could be on customer demographics. For example, Burger King pursues promotional partnerships with Universal Studios and other production companies like AOL Time Warner and Dream Works because their core demographic includes young adults who enjoy movies and the entertainment industry.

Olive Oil: History and Benefits

Olive Oil: History and Benefits The olive tree is considered as an important part of the human life and a crucial one in the Mediterranean civilization in particular, from the first existence of humanity. For centuries, this tree has satisfied the many basics needs of the mans daily life as well as its spiritual ones. It has left important impacts in the basic aspects of civilization such as history, mythology, ecology, philosophy, archeology, medicine and agriculture. The inhabitants of the Mediterranean shores have successively included the olive oil in their society. As an inhabitant of the Mediterranean basin I do consider olive oil as an essential ingredient of my daily life. Every morning I add this golden substance to my cheese accompanied by a cup of tea, at lunch to my boiled vegetables and at dinner to my pasta. When I have the flu or stomach aches , my mother gives me a spoon of olive oil or put some of it on my chest. In other words I grew up and olive oil is always present in my daily life and unconsci ously its existence became crucial. For this reason I decided to write a paper about the history and the benefits of olive oil and its impact on both society and the human body. To introduce to olive oil to the new generation which its individuals, unfortunately, ignore the benefits of its components on their health and also to try make a change in the unhealthy eating habits that the whole people are suffering from it this century. In the first part of my paper I am going to talk about the history of olive oil: where , by who and when it was discovered? What is its impacts on the society? And what is its symbol in the different religions and mythologies? In the second part I am going to talk about the health benefits of olive oil: how olive oil fights cancer? How it prevents from cardiovascular diseases and reinforces body? The olive tree has ancient roots, it has existed on earth since prehistory but its origin stays until now a mystery. Olive tree is considered as the oldest and the first plant cultivated by man and it has been consumed and used before the written language was invented. Some historians claim that he Persians were the first ones who found the appropriate method and tools to cultivate it 12000 years ago BC while the Egyptians 6000 years ago BC, exploited its benefits in the body care, the funeral rituals and the mummification of their pharaohs. This blessed tree was mentioned in the inscription of tablets dating from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, an ancient leader of the Chaldean dynasty, found in a palace of Babylon (magelon). Others confirm that this golden tree was discovered in Asia Minor 5000 BC by the Phoenicians and spread from Iran and Palestine to the rest of the Mediterranean basin. In Greece mythology olive tree was said to have been created by Athena, goddess of wisdom, as a gift to the Greeks while facing Poseidon, god of oceans, for the possession of Attica (Athena nowadays).It considered in the Greeks culture as the symbol of dignity, peace and victory and its branches and jars of its oil were offered as a reward to the Olympics games winners. In several religions the olive tree is considered as a sacred plant. In the Judaism it is the symbol of the union between god and men and a means of purification and protection. In Islam, the olive tree was mentioned in the Quran as blessed tree since it is a guide of men on earth and the prophet Muhammed advised his followers to put olive oil to their bodies when they are sick and to repeat some several verses of the holy Quran. In Christianity it is used in the consecration of kings, priests and prophets and also in the baptism as tool of bless, protection from evil and an indication of the love of god. Further more olive oil was also used for light, food, heating and medicine since the ancient world. It belo nged since centuries to the Mediterranean cookery and medicine ( Toussaint samat 127) and was considered as an essential component of the Mediterranean culture. Key element of the Mediterranean diet and thanks to its balanced components it has a beneficial effects in preventing some diseases. Several studies have reveled that the death rates caused by the cardiovascular diseases were lower in the countries of the Mediterranean basin. This is basically due to the typical diet of the Mediterranean inhabitants which is composed of fruits, vegetables, cereals and fish. All these healthy ingredients are prepared and consumed everyday with olive oil. Various medicinal benefits were attributed to the olive oil. Indeed this category of people has more long life expectancy than the others thanks to the olive oil that consume regularly which contains vitamins A,B,E and K and many minerals, vegetable protein and monounsaturated fatty acids mainly oleic acids that cuts the risk of having cardio vascular diseases. Others components of olive oil have a beneficial impact too: The tocopherols (vitamin E for example) are anti-toxins that have a crucial rule in the protection of the heart. The phenols, vitamins present in olive oil, has an inhibitory effect on the enzyme involved in the cancer development and are also anti-inflammatory ( Carralafuente). The aromatics have antibacterial and antimicrobial effects while the carbohydrates have a protective role against the tumors developments. Furthermore, leaves of the olive tree helps to fight many disorders of fever, head aches ,the effects of pollution on the human body, Ulcers and even cholera Olive oil also stimulates sexual abilities, protect from the blood clots and reinforce the glandular function. This miraculous substance prevents from breast cancer and colon cancer .It decreases blood pressures and helps digestion. It also fights obesity and maintains the hair and moisturizes the skin. High content of antioxidant vitamin E olive oil prevents also from the atherosclerotic plaques. By lowering platelet aggregation, the oleic acid of olive oil also contributes to prevent and reduce atherosclerosis which a lot of people suffer from. .

Physics of Echolocation :: physics echo echolocation

While visiting the Grand Canyons, you couldn’t honestly tell me that you didn’t scream into the canyon just to hear your echo come back to you. Don’t be ashamed, we all do it. Many kinds of animals actually use their echo to find out where they are in a closed area or to find out if there are any other animals close by. One classic example is the bat. To understand what an echo is, you first have to understand what sound is. In Webster’s Fourth Edition College Dictionary, sound is â€Å"vibrations in air, water, etc. that stimulate the auditory nerves and produce the sensation of hearing.† Vibrations through the air can be thought of as oscillation of molecules. As the molecules oscillate, they pass energy on to surrounding molecules, and those molecules pass energy on to other surrounding molecules. This is how sound travels, and the oscillation of the molecules is often referred to as sound waves. An echo happens when the sound waves reach a surface, bounce off of it and travel in the opposite direction. For optimum echoes, the surface should be perpendicular to the waves, and as frictionless as possible. In places like the Grand Canyons, you can hear many echoes because the sound waves bounce off of surfaces, then others bounce off of other surfaces, and some will bounce back to you, but at different times. In echolocation, bats send out short pulses that have a high frequency. The short pulses that the bats send out have such a high frequency that the average human cannot hear them. The waves that the bats send ripple out from them circularly and will bounce off of anything that is in the bat’s way, and will also go back to the bat in the form of an echo. By instinctively examining the echoes that they receive, the bats will be able to tell the direction that the object is coming or going from, how fast it is going that way and how far away it is from the bat. Some bats can even tell how big the object is that is in their way. If bats didn’t have the use of echolocation, they’d need some other way to stay alive, because echolocation is the bat’s way of life. It is the primary reason that it is able to live in its environment.

Hamlet: Act I Sc III Essay

In the Act I Sc III of Hamlet, the readers get three sets of conversational exchanges that illumine Shakespeare’s assured grasp over the many threads of his complicated plot. It is often argued by Feminist critics like Lee Edwards that: â€Å"We can imagine Hamlet’s story without Ophelia, but Ophelia literally has no story without Hamlet†. Except the Little digressive episode of the â€Å"few precepts† (202) of Polonius to his son, the scene throws light on the characterization and representation of Ophelia as purity and innocence personified, establishing femininity in a patriarchal discourse as passivity, subservience and lack. Laertes feels sincere anxiety for Ophelia because of Hamlet and â€Å"the trifling of his favour† (197). He warns Ophelia against the youthful Hamlet in brilliant rhetoric, who might love her for the time being, but â€Å"His greatness weigh’d, his will is, not his own†(199). The most intriguing aspect of his advices is the unmistakable anxiety for the loss of his sister’s â€Å"chaste treasure† (199) or virginity. Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain If with too credent ear you list his songs, Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open To his unmaster’d importunity. (199) This leads to stage productions of Hamlet since the 1950s where directors have hinted at an incestuous link between Ophelia and Laertes. Trevor Nunn’s production with Helen Mirren in 1970, for example, made Ophelia and Laertes flirtatious doubles. Also in the delightful text of Laurence Olivier, Confessions of an Actor (1982), he noted that in other productions of the same period, Marianne Faithful was a haggard Ophelia equally attracted to Hamlet and Laertes. In the classic study by Elaine Showalter, ‘Representing Ophelia: Women, Madness and the Responsibilities of Feminist Criticism’, she notes that in one of the few performances â€Å"directed by a woman, Yvonne Nicholson sat on Laertes’ lap in the advice scene and played the part with rough sexual bravado†. The parental advices given by Polonius to Laertes were a tradition of the period. Those conventional advices establish Polonius as a man of practical prudence, experience and underline his role as the father. However, his advices for Ophelia open up deeper possibilities of thematic expansion. All his advices carry specific messages about femininity and sexuality. In a psychoanalytic seminar on Hamlet, held in Paris in 1959, Jacques Lacan argued: â€Å"As sort of a come-on, I announced that I would speak today about that piece of bait named Ophelia †¦Ã¢â‚¬  In his paper, he established Ophelia as the object of Hamlet’s male desire; in his words, â€Å"she is linked forever, for centuries, to the figure of Hamlet. † Such conceptions stem from the announcement of Polonius that Ophelia is nothing but a â€Å"green girl† (204) and advises to â€Å"Tender yourself more dearly† (204). The phallic bait game is assured when Ophelia finally utters: â€Å"I shall obey, may lord. † 9207). Critics like Theodor Lidz present the view that while Hamlet is neurotically attached to his mother, Ophelia has an unresolved Oedipal attachment to her father. In this scene, it is Ophelia’s unquestioned obedience to her father, which is in other words her subservience to the phallic order that infers her inevitable tragedy. Ophelia’s role as a sister and a daughter in a self-assertive male world obscure her sense of agency; as Polonius and Laertes not only make her doubt her own instinctive understanding of Hamlet, but also make her fear her own self by pointing out her inexperience in resisting temptation, she is â€Å"Unsifted in such perilous circumstance†(204). Confused, she takes the recluse of passive obedience. And it is the precise reason why A. C. Bradley speaking for the Victorian male tradition in Shakespearean Tragedy (1904) pointed out; â€Å"Large number of readers feels a kind of personal irritation against Ophelia; they seem unable to forgive her for not having been a heroine. † The most potential aspect of the scene is the brilliant contrast between the eloquence of the male characters and the silence of the female; that underlines Ophelia’s role of the powerless creature cornered in a fiery game of male power play who can only find meaning in madness in a patriarchal discourse. Hamlet: The Arden Shakespeare. U. K: Methuen, 2000.

The Caribbean People

Saladoid culture is a pre-columbian indigenous culture of Venezuela and the Caribbean that flourished from 500 BCE to 545 CE. [1] This culture is thought to have originated at the lower Orinoco River near the modern settlements of Saladero and Barrancas in Venezuela. Seafaring people from the lowland region of the Orinoco River of South America migrated into and established settlements in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola. [1] They displaced the pre-ceramic Ortoiroid culture. As a horticultural people, they initially occupied wetter and more fertile islands that best accommodated their needs.These Indigenous peoples of the Americas were an Arawak-speaking culture. Between 500-280 BCE, they immigrated into Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles, eventually making up a large portion of what was to become a single Caribbean culture. [edit]Culture Saladoid people are characterized by agriculture, ceramic production, and sedentary settlements. [1] Their unique and highly decor ated pottery has enabled archaeologists to recognize their sites and to determine their places of origin. Saladoid ceramics include zoomorphic effigy vessels, incense burners, platters, trays, jars, bowls with strap handles, and bell-shaped containers.The red pottery was painted with white, orange, and black slips. [1] Distinctive Saladoid artifacts are stone pendants, shaped like raptors from South America. These were made from a range of exotic materials, including such as carnelian, turquoise, lapis lazuli, amethyst, crystal quartz, jasper-chalcedony, and fossilized wood. These were traded through the Great and Lesser Antilles and the South American mainland, until 600 CE. [1] The Taino of the Greater Antilles represented the last stage of the Ostionoid cultural tradition.By about AD 1100-1200, the Ostionoid people of Hispaniola lived in a wider and more diverse geographic area than did their predecessors; their villages were larger and more formally arranged, farming was intensi fied, and a distinctive material culture developed. They developed rich and vibrant ritual and artistic traditions that are revealed in Taino craftsmanship in using bone, shell, stone wood and other media. Social stratification is thought to have become more pronounced and rigid during this period as well. This stage of intensification and elaboration after AD 1100 is known as â€Å"Taino†.The Taino people, as characterized by archaeologists, were not a unified society, and have been categorized into subdivisions according to the degree of elaboration in their artistic and social expression. The Central or â€Å"Classic† Tainos are identified with the most complex and intensive traditions, and are represented archaeologically by â€Å"Chican-Ostionoid† material culture. They occupied much of Hispaniola, including En Bas Saline. The â€Å"Western† Taino occupied central Cuba, Jamaica, and parts of Hispaniola, and , are also associated archaeologically with the â€Å"Ostionoid-Meillacan† material tradition.The Lucayan Taino lived in the Bahamas, and the â€Å"Eastern† Taino are thought to have lived in regions of the Virgin Islands and the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. As many archaeologists have emphasized, however, the Taino were but one of the recognizable cultural groups in the Caribbean at the time of contact. They co-existed and interacted with other Ostionan peoples and perhaps even Saladoid-influenced Archaic peoples, such as the Guanahatabey of Cuba and the Caribs of the Lesser Antilles.

January 1 Doesnt Need an st

January 1 Doesnt Need an st January 1 Doesnt Need an st January 1 Doesnt Need an st By Maeve Maddox The first thing I do when trying out a new WordPress theme is get rid of the code that puts th and other such terminals after the number in a date. Ex. January 1st, November 12th Dates, like certain other written expressions, assume certain information on the part of the reader: One writes January 1, but says January first. One writes November 12, but says November twelfth. The only time to use the th, nd, rd and st with numbers is with ordinal numbers. Ordinal numbers are those used to indicate a progression. Ex. first, second, third, fourth, fifth and so on. When written as numerals, they take the little terminals: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Some other words that assume information on the part of the reader are: Xmas so spelled, but meant to be pronounced Christmas. Mr. pronounced Mister. Mrs. Now pronounced Missus, which is a reduction of earlier Mistress. On the other hand, the only way to pronounce the politically correct Ms seems to be Miz. By the way, if you want to get rid of the th after dates on your site, find the code (l, F jS, Y) and delete the S. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and ToesWhat to Do When Words Appear Twice in a Row7 Sound Techniques for Effective Writing

Free Essays on Poems

DIFFERENT VIEWS In the poem â€Å"Home Burial† by Robert Frost, the husband and wife express different emotions towards the death of their recently dead child. With her only concern of mourning the death of her child, she could not understand his apparent incapacity to mourn at all and his choosing to talk, instead of everyday concerns. Men and women have different views on things most of the time. In the poem, the husband says ‘a man must partly give up being a man With woman folk.’ Men have a role in society to be tough and strong. A man wears the pants in a family and is always to have the last word. God forbid a man would show a tear in his eyes, he would not be considered a real man, because supposedly only woman are supposed to cry and show their emotions.... Free Essays on Poems Free Essays on Poems DIFFERENT VIEWS In the poem â€Å"Home Burial† by Robert Frost, the husband and wife express different emotions towards the death of their recently dead child. With her only concern of mourning the death of her child, she could not understand his apparent incapacity to mourn at all and his choosing to talk, instead of everyday concerns. Men and women have different views on things most of the time. In the poem, the husband says ‘a man must partly give up being a man With woman folk.’ Men have a role in society to be tough and strong. A man wears the pants in a family and is always to have the last word. God forbid a man would show a tear in his eyes, he would not be considered a real man, because supposedly only woman are supposed to cry and show their emotions.... Free Essays on Poems Poetry succeeds because it exists in realms (love and revolution) the viewer can accept. Sohn, who plays the creative writing teacher with a sordid, mysterious past, also reaches a depth in her jail scenes that she never attains on the "outside." In her farewell speech to her poetry students, she conveys a complex stew of grief, love, hope, rage and generosity. Still, the action is so absurdly wishful here, it belongs in a fairy tale. In a crucial scene, Raymond finds himself cornered by a dozen bruising inmates. His only defense is to rant mystical verses at his persecutors, and while one expects the tough cons to pummel the sissy-poet even harder after this exhortation, miraculously they back away, instantly converted to nonviolence by his poetry. Soon after, they declare a citywide cease-fire between opposing gangs another testament to the power of the Word. It's a nice thought, but if victims could "word" their way out of trouble, Federico Garcà ­a Lorca would not have been shot, nor Euripides exiled, and the disarmingly articulate Joan of Arc might have eluded her public barbecuing at the stake The idea underlying Slam is laudable show that in an inner city world suffused by death, drugs, and degradation, there is a non-violent way out through creativity. "Slamming" a performance art featuring the half-rapping/half-recitation of nontraditional poetry provides an outlet for the pain and passion bubbling within today's youths. It's an alternative to gunplay and a means to show others that bloodshed isn't the only solution. In a real-world sense, first-time director Marc Levin's perspective may be a little naive (in one unlikely scene, a prisoner's ardent, impromptu poetry reading saves his life by mollifying those who plan to kill him in the jail yard), but it makes for compelling drama. Slam tells the story of Joshua Ray (Saul Williams), a small-time Washington D.C. marijuana dealer who is caught by th...

Analysis Of Operating Environment Of Honda In China

Analysis Of Operating Environment Of Honda In China Honda entered the Chinese market in 1982 by cooperated with China’s Jialing Machinery Factory to produce motorcycles. Currently, Honda has 16 companies in China spreading over nationwide. â€Å"Respect intellectual property; bring joy to people’s life† is Honda’s IPR credo in China. Honda’s presidents all have technical backgrounds. They are important needed advanced technology for the company’s further development. December 2007, Honda’s China portfolio came out includes over 500 registered trademarks, 3,800 granted inventions, model patents and more than 1,100 granted design patents. In an addition, Honda upgraded the former intellectual property office into a division and hence the IPR division was officially established. Resulted, the scope of work was expanded. The division’s main task is to provide support on IPR issues. Although they do not have to report directly to headquarters, they communicate regularly with the head quarters and sometimes the headquarters will give them directions. Meanwhile they will also give their opinions what should be done in China to gain support from the headquarters and improve their efficiency.   The secret of successful Honda in China is they are very creative and innovation, they never imitate others but still create high quality product. Mr. Honda with a mechanical background was aware that machines could operate as long as there is fuel. He created the Honda slogan with the basic principles, â€Å"Respect for the Individual† and â€Å"The Three Joys†- â€Å"the joy of buying, the joy of selling and the joy of creating.† The Three Joys mean to a certain extent which related to the IPR work. The joy of buying refers to customer satisfaction and willing to pay for their products and services. They stand strong that the most important thing is to bring the joy of buying to the consumer. On the other hands, the joy of selling and creating refers to bringing joy to Honda’s dealers and manufacturers by selling and producing Honda’s products which is also an important aspect of Honda business. Honda’s operating strategy is â€Å"where there is a demand, there is production.† The most basic of Honda’s IP strategy is â€Å"providing necessary support on IPR related issues to meet the need of development in the local market.† Honda’s IP work is to create intellectual properties efficiently and secure IPRs in order to provide maximum protection for the customers’ interest and the development of business. In recent years, Honda is facing growing pressure of other fakers and wrong timing. For example, Honda might take 2 or 3 years for counterfeit products to promote in the market after Honda’s original’s launch. However, as soon as Honda launches a new product, some Chinese companies will start counterfeiting. Some counterfeits or fakes appear even before Honda st arts productions which have same trademarks, design and patents. Honda needs to take some time from the application for IPR and it is the situation that Honda is facing in recent years. Therefore, Honda focuses on their work in China, taking full advantage of IPR to deal with the new challenges. They come out with a unique understanding that IPR is a kind of right and they want to take the full advantage of IPR for the development of their business, patent products and fully taking their rights. Resulted, Honda is carrying out a series of IPR activities such as infringements track down, intellectual property education and assisting government’s consumer rights protection campaigns. Spare parts for the maintenance of Honda vehicles are only sold in authorized Honda dealers but yet many companies are producing under the Honda name.

To what extent does social security encourage benefit dependency OR Essay

To what extent does social security encourage benefit dependency OR discuss the proposition that work is the best form of welfare - Essay Example First, social security is a form of relief from poverty. In the event where a person losses his or her job, the state shall come to its rescue by providing replacement income. The second reason why a government would provide social security is that it is a means of social protection. Not only will the social security system provides protection against poverty, it gives a person some peace of mind that he or she will not suffer from deprivation in the event where he or she gets sick or losses his or here job. The third reason why social security is provided is that it is a means of redistributing income back to the people. People who have less or have inadequate income can benefit from this system. The very concept of social security stems from the idea of mutual cooperation between the government and its citizens. As part of the commitment of the government to protect its people, the social security system in but a transitory thing where people gets assistance while they get back into their feet after they fall into â€Å"bad luck†. Although the concept of social security is a noble idea that is supposed to help people instead of making them dependent on the system, there instances in the past as well as in our present society that would lead us to believe otherwise. Government records on social security would tell us that there are a growing number of people in the United Kingdom who are becoming government dependents. To prove this point, let us look into the activities in the areas of employment and social security from 1997 to January 2006. Between 1997 and 2001, the unemployment rate of the country fell from 7.2% to 4.9%.1 However, in the next five years that followed this progress, there is no significant change or improvement in the unemployment rate of the country. Where there is no increase or decrease in statistics, we can safely conclude that there have no significant improvements during these years in terms of employment. Considering

Workplace smoking bans and perceived stress Article

Workplace smoking bans and perceived stress - Article Example A study was done to prove this hypothesis where a survey involving a 12-item job questionnaire is made to be answered by employees. This includes two categories of workplace smoking bans, with no ban being the reference category. Analysis controls would also determine an individual’s socio-demographic characteristics, occupational effects, health conditions and etc. A fixed-effects linear regression scale is used as a tool to control measured and unmeasured individual time-invariant confounders, which will strongly reveal the relationship between workplace smoking bans and work-related stress. The result of this study revealed the fact that there is a different relationship formed between workplace smoking bans (WSB) and work stress depending on different age groups. For males, who comprises the bigger smoking population, they experience higher stress caused by WSBs as compared to companies without smoking bans. Although the result is significantly similar with the females, there is quite a difference in estimates, specifically on the fact that younger females ages 18-40 years old would be highly stressed out in workplaces with smoking bans while older females ages 41-65 did not demonstrate any effect on WSBs with regard to their stress levels. Generally, workplace smoking bans directly increases work stress of young adult smokers and for people who has been smoking for a long time. Indeed, we can see the adverse effects of smoking and at the same time smoking bans. In response to it, protecting non-smokers and the environment through smoking bans is more reasonable and has greater positive effects rather than establishing a stress-free workplace. This is because of the fact that WSB’s do not only protect the general public and the earth but also helps smokers themselves by reducing smoking prevalence and intensity. Although little is known about

Assign_1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assign_1 - Essay Example This development was followed by commercial motives that were aligned to take the internet to a commercial scale. Cerf played an instrumental role in making the internet popular and helped define it in its current state. TCP/IP forms a part of the internet protocol suite that is the widely used communication protocol over the internet. The complete protocol tends to provide end to end connectivity between devices communicating through the internet. The protocol also specifies how data is formatted, transmitted, received, addressed and routed between the sender and the destination. The internet protocol version four (IPv4) was the first most widely deployed internet protocol. Even now, the most widely deployed internet protocol is the IPv4. The IPv4 uses the 32 bit (4 byte) address scheme that limits the total address space to around 4.3 billion users (2^32). This limit was exceeded in February 2011 but this exhaustion had been envisioned for some time already. Development on the IPv6 protocol had been underway in the nineties. The IPv6 protocol was deployed in 2006 on a commercial basis and tends to use 128 bit addresses to produce 3.4 x 1038 addresses for users and devices. Given the expansion in i nternet services and internet dependent devices it was necessary to expand the total number of addresses to accommodate an ever-increasing user base. In the video Cerf goes ahead to say that he would like to see an incorporation of authenticity layers to augment the validity of online users. Currently it is common for internet users to use the internet without much need for authentication. Using this advantage users can surf the internet anonymously and there have been cases of abuse over the internet. Cerf also goes ahead to say that anonymous surfing may actually be necessary in order to protect the identities of people using the internet in states where censorship laws are repressive. This issue is open to debate but Cerf’s point of view is clear that he

Disaster related risk management practices in IHG Essay

Disaster related risk management practices in IHG - Essay Example Risk management in this context can be stated as an ongoing process which sustains throughout organizational life cycle. With these considerations, the essay discusses disaster risk management practices in an organization namely InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Japan. Disaster usually follows natural threats and its severity depends on the level of impact on the organization. On the other hand, the level of impact is subjected to the choices made by organizations (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, â€Å"Risk Management Plan†). THESIS STATEMENT The essay is based on understanding the disaster related risk management practices in IHG which faced losses due to recent earthquake in Japan, in the year 2011. The objective of the study is to discuss the event along with its consequence on the risk management activities of IHG. Furthermore, it also describes the learning gained from the incident. BUSINESS OF THE ORGANISATION IHG is a British hospitality organization and is also considered as one of the biggest hotel brands in the world. IHG operates in excess of nine hotels under its name and its business strategies concentrate on driving the demand of the brand. IHG operates the business in three different ways namely franchising, joint venture and ownership. Franchising is the biggest part of the business of IHG, however, it also uses the bricks and mortar model of business (InterContinental Hotels Group, â€Å"Overview†). ... This natural disaster had created a drastic impact on the performance of IHG. Its ANA Holiday Inn, which is situated in Sendai, had to be closed down for new reservation. The organization also became vulnerable in terms of safety of its people and guests due to the disaster. Furthermore, the property of ANA Holiday Inn which was situated in the close proximity to Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant also faced the risk of disruption. The share price of the organization also fell drastically after the incident occurred in Japan (Telegraph Media Group Limited, â€Å"Japan Earthquake: The Companies Most Affected by the Disaster†). RISK MANAGEMENT IN IHG IHG has an established international risk management procedure and outline which is entrenched in every operation and activity of the organization. The objectives of risk management of IHG are to create a vigorous, reactive and strong procedure along with a successful, respected and liable business over the long run. With respect to ri sk management, the key objective of the organization is to recognize and manage risks, in line with the strategic objectives and long-term value of the business (InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, â€Å"Corporate Risk Management†). Risk Screening The risk management process is characterized by risk screening procedure which determines the risk severity and frequency. According to risk severity and frequency, risks can be separated into minor risks which do not necessitate much management attention and significant risks which require considerable management attention. There are two types of risks an organization can face such as internal risks and external risks. Internal risks comprise management, cost and cash flow related risks. On the other hand, external risks are usually related with

How would you describe International Political Economy Essay - 1

How would you describe International Political Economy - Essay Example Consequently, interactions define cooperation amongst nations and corporations in various countries. Hence, it is essential to note that governments have a responsibility of defining economic policies that determine transaction of international trade. Thus, the government’s role in defining economic policies enhances international relations in terms of the economy and politics while international forces in the economy can influence the policies of governments in international relations. Based on the foregoing, this expose describes international political economy on the foundation of interaction between international politics and the global economy. Frieden and Lake defined international political economy as the study involving the reciprocated interaction of politics and the economy in the global economic world (1). Following this perspective, it is common knowledge that the economy is the system that governs the processes constituting manufacturing, supplying, and consumption of products while managing a nation’s wealth efficaciously. On the other hand, politics is the approach towards governing a society and the society’s economy. In effect, international political economy involves studying the relationship between economic systems and political systems in the international arena. Political decisions and actions of nations influenced the flow of products in international trade. In effect, these political actions and decisions influenced the choice of decisions made by nations and entrepreneurs due to the prevailing economic environment (Veseth 3). In this case, international economy and international politics a re two mutually interacting aspects that governments and businesses should consider while developing policies meant to enable a nation to develop by participating in international trade. Despite this knowledge, it is possible for economists to disassociate international

Assign_1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assign_1 - Essay Example This development was followed by commercial motives that were aligned to take the internet to a commercial scale. Cerf played an instrumental role in making the internet popular and helped define it in its current state. TCP/IP forms a part of the internet protocol suite that is the widely used communication protocol over the internet. The complete protocol tends to provide end to end connectivity between devices communicating through the internet. The protocol also specifies how data is formatted, transmitted, received, addressed and routed between the sender and the destination. The internet protocol version four (IPv4) was the first most widely deployed internet protocol. Even now, the most widely deployed internet protocol is the IPv4. The IPv4 uses the 32 bit (4 byte) address scheme that limits the total address space to around 4.3 billion users (2^32). This limit was exceeded in February 2011 but this exhaustion had been envisioned for some time already. Development on the IPv6 protocol had been underway in the nineties. The IPv6 protocol was deployed in 2006 on a commercial basis and tends to use 128 bit addresses to produce 3.4 x 1038 addresses for users and devices. Given the expansion in i nternet services and internet dependent devices it was necessary to expand the total number of addresses to accommodate an ever-increasing user base. In the video Cerf goes ahead to say that he would like to see an incorporation of authenticity layers to augment the validity of online users. Currently it is common for internet users to use the internet without much need for authentication. Using this advantage users can surf the internet anonymously and there have been cases of abuse over the internet. Cerf also goes ahead to say that anonymous surfing may actually be necessary in order to protect the identities of people using the internet in states where censorship laws are repressive. This issue is open to debate but Cerf’s point of view is clear that he

How would you describe International Political Economy Essay - 1

How would you describe International Political Economy - Essay Example Consequently, interactions define cooperation amongst nations and corporations in various countries. Hence, it is essential to note that governments have a responsibility of defining economic policies that determine transaction of international trade. Thus, the government’s role in defining economic policies enhances international relations in terms of the economy and politics while international forces in the economy can influence the policies of governments in international relations. Based on the foregoing, this expose describes international political economy on the foundation of interaction between international politics and the global economy. Frieden and Lake defined international political economy as the study involving the reciprocated interaction of politics and the economy in the global economic world (1). Following this perspective, it is common knowledge that the economy is the system that governs the processes constituting manufacturing, supplying, and consumption of products while managing a nation’s wealth efficaciously. On the other hand, politics is the approach towards governing a society and the society’s economy. In effect, international political economy involves studying the relationship between economic systems and political systems in the international arena. Political decisions and actions of nations influenced the flow of products in international trade. In effect, these political actions and decisions influenced the choice of decisions made by nations and entrepreneurs due to the prevailing economic environment (Veseth 3). In this case, international economy and international politics a re two mutually interacting aspects that governments and businesses should consider while developing policies meant to enable a nation to develop by participating in international trade. Despite this knowledge, it is possible for economists to disassociate international

How Current Issues Affect Our Economy Essay Example for Free

How Current Issues Affect Our Economy Essay It has been a common notion that current issues affect a country’s economy. Particularly, in the U. S. , issues such as election, war, and immigration are often pointed out to cause the economy to rise or fall. Also, there is a speculation tying up the economy with the prices of stocks, in that the rise in the prices indicates an improving economy and vice versa. Although existing studies have not established a sure claim that current issues truly affect the economy (Socioeconomic Foundation Website), we can point out reasons how such issues can make the economy rise or fall. First, let us consider how elections can improve or pull down our economy. As what we may hear during election periods, the success of our economy is somehow dependent on whoever wins. On the one hand, if the incumbent government stays in power, the economy, with all its budget appropriations, would be sustained. Therefore, there is a tendency that our economy could maintain its present status and there would be no fear of decline. On the other hand, if a new regime takes over, a new set of budget will be proposed, and there could be an economic recession, which could eventually lead to some losses. In the same way, war can affect the economy in two ways. It can have positive implications, as well as negative ones. On the positive side, involvement in war could make a country more powerful and prominent. In addition, it promises future alliances, which assure us of additional areas for investment. As such, the countrys power and territory widens, and this leads to developing trust of other nations on the countrys stability. This development of trust to the U. S. power could later mean more investments and alliances. On the negative side, involvement in war could also imply a lot of drawbacks. For instance, recipient countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan receive a funding of USD 1. 3 billion for their infrastructure, community action, and other local projects. As such, involvement in war could lead to economic slur or upsurge. Aside from election and involvement in war, immigration is another issue affecting the US economy. As Croddy Hayes (2007) note, the issue of illegal or unauthorized immigration has existed for the last thirty years. Illegal immigrants include all people who have been overstaying in the country, and those without proper documentation. While some of them may have jobs to support themselves and their family, a lot of these people do not have a livelihood and literally rely on what the US government can provide. Specifically, the government spends for their childrens education in public schools, medical benefits, and other projects that they benefit from such as infrastructure, telecommunication, etc. Similarly, these people contribute in depleting the countrys natural resources, and utilize energy, water, and air. Another issue that may be affecting the U. S. economy is the problem with HIV victims. As the fight against AIDS continues, the government keeps on spending a lot of money to discover the cure for the said disease. This also implies that as the cure for AIDS has not been found, the government will continue its effort to allocate some of its budget to inventions and researches. References Croddy, Marshall and Hayes, Bill.â€Å"Current Issues of Immigration, 2007. † 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2008 http://www. crf-usa. org/immigration/Current_Issues_of_Immigration_2007. pdf. . â€Å"Key Aspects of Socionomic Theory. † Socioeconomic Foundation. Retrieved 5 February 2008 http://www. socionomics. org/about/key_aspects. htm#contents. Lancaster, Carol. â€Å"U. S. Foreign Economic Aid in 2008: Winners and Losers in President Bushs Proposed Budget. † Retrieved 4 February 2008 http://blogs. cgdev. org/globaldevelopment/2007/02/us_foreign_economic_aid_in_200. php.

Illegal Downloading: Good Or Bad?

Illegal Downloading: Good Or Bad? There have been many arguments on whether illegal downloading is a serious problem or not. Illegal downloading isnt that much of a problem if you take the time out to research into it. Sources have shown that illegal downloading actually promotes and helps artist more, it helps people become more diverse in music genres, artist illegally download music as well as their fans, and that there is zero to no evidence that free online music financially harms anyone. These and many more is just the tip iceberg on the arguments that are for illegal downloading, but for now where did illegal downloading all begin? The history of commercial music distribution is a recent one.(Miller, Web). Music distribution started up about the 1800s when the idea of sheet music was thought of. Later after that during the 1930s, people of the middle class had pianos. They would usually go to the local store, buy sheet music of their favorite artist during that time, and play it at their homes. Soon after there was the invention of the phonograph by Thomas Edison which enabled artist to widely distribute their music. The music was first created on wax cylinders and then vinyl discs. During this time there were about 150 companies creating records. Over time, the record industry evolved from 78 RPM discs to 45 RPM singles to 33 1/3 RPM long playing (LP) albums, and then to 8-track tapes (remember them?) And recorded audiocassette, and then to digital compact discs and finally to downloadable and streaming digital tracks.(Miller, Web). Quality had greatly increased with this evolution and so did the distribution. It was pretty obvious that these recordings could be duplicated, but it wasnt as easy back then. The only things that were known were home wire recorders and discs cutting machines. Not all people knew how to use these devices at the time though. What really started making things easy was the invention of the reel to reel tape recording in the 1950s and the audiocassette recorders in the 1960s. The only problems with these were that the audio grade of copied music was somewhat horrible. It wasnt until the digital era started that we could make extremely good copies of music due to CDs and your computer. Then when the internet came along downloading music became simple for anyone to be able to download any type music for free. (Miller, Web). Napster, which started in 1999, was the first hugely popular music file-sharing services. It was shut down by court order in 2001.(Hamilton, 90). Now a days most music downloading is done by college students. (Jambon, Web). One of the main arguments of the opposing side says that it harms artist by taking money from them, but this is the exact opposite. In a survey shown by opposing viewpoints there were only about 12 percent of artists thought that illegal downloading hurt them. Most of the artists were not convinced that illegal downloading is doing any economic harm. Whats worth noting is that higher educated artist in particular believed that file-sharing is doing them no harm.(Opposing Viewpoints). Also majority of the artist thought that illegal downloading helped promote them. About 50 percent of the artists believe strongly that illegal downloading helps get their work known better in public. There was only about 5 percent who thought the other way around. In particular the younger artists ( Illegal downloading also helps artist by helping people become more subjected to new genres of music. Having the easy accessibility of mp3s means that more people will be listening to different types of music that they havent heard before, and this informs them more on music as a whole. Artists really have nothing to worry about when it comes to losing money in the music industry. From research artist have also been known to download music illegally themselves. the Dutch Government announced plans to outlaw downloading of all copyrighted material and measures to make it easier to block websites that facilitate copyright infringement. An interesting, particularly since a survey they published on the same day shows that artists views on file-sharing are not all that negative.(Opposing Viewpoints). They began a huge survey in order to find out more about the view of artist on the topic of piracy, DRM the digital rights management: technologies that limit access to digital content), and similar opportunities and challenges they had faced in the digital era. The questions that were asked in the article were answered by about 4,000 artists of all ages, which included musicians, filmmakers, authors and photographers. When the results had come out, there was in unparalleled look into the state at which the artists stood on the subject. One of the results that stands o ut directly is that artist are pirates too.(Opposing Viewpoints). While not all of them were pirates, there was a good amount of them that were. About 22 percent of the surveyors responded saying that they had downloaded copyrighted works without the owners permission in the last 12 months. Another 71% told the researchers they hadnt downloaded anything without permission during this period, and the remaining 7% didnt know, or didnt want to answer the question.(Opposing Viewpoints). There was another question ask to the surveyors who had recently owned up to downloading other peoples copyrighted works. These results had shown that music was the most downloaded media type, with 80 percent from music, 40 percent for movies and 5 percent for e-books and games (Opposing Viewpoints). So as well the fans downloading illegally, the artist were no different. Lastly there really is zero to no evidence when it comes to financially harming artist. If you think about, the music industry should be rejoicing at this new technological advance. Heres a foolproof way to deliver music to millions who might otherwise never bought a CD in a store.(Aksomitis,16). There is an exceptional amount of cross-marketing. The cost is extremely low and there is no shipping. The RIAA may be right about their being a lot changes in the music industry, but at the same time there still are a good amount of labels left. Well turn into Microsoft if were not careful, folks, insisting that any household wanting an extra copy for the car, the kids, or the portable CD player, has to go out and license multiple copies.(Aksomitis, 16). People as artist are the ones who have the ear of the masses, and thats who should be trusted. Most of the shame should not be brought on the fans and the people, but on the bad state of the industry of recording companies, radio programmer s. There although is some good arguments that states the fans need to organize themselves in order to better their own lives and morals in illegal downloading. This is true but this is one of few true statements that fall under the cons of illegal downloading. In conclusion to this argument, there is some but not a lot of danger when it comes to illegal downloading its actually a good thing. Whether it be helping the artist, artists illegally downloading or any other reason. Illegal downloading is here to stay, and while there all no ways to completely stop it there are always ways to help it. Work Cited Jambon, Marc M., and Judith G. Smetana. College Students Moral Evaluations Of Illegal Music Downloading. Journal Of Applied Developmental Psychology 33.1 (2012): 31 39. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. Miller, Michael. Downloading Pirated Music: Pros and Cons.Que.com. (2012): n. page. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. Sar, Ernesto Van Der. Copyright Violations Do Not Hurt Artist Income. The Music Industry. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Green haven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From Artist Dont Think Piracy Hurts Them Financially, Study Shows. TorrentFreak.com. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Mar. 2013 Aksomitis, Linda. Downloading Music. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Print. Hamilton, Jill. The Music Industry. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print. Smith, Ethan. Listen to Music Free, but Pay to Carry. Wall Street Journal Eastern Edition 05 June 2007: B1+. Newspaper Source. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. Heigl, Alex. Five Ways to Justify Illegally Downloading Music. Nerve.com. (2011): n. page. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.

Comparing Equality in Henry James The Turn of the Screw and Edith Whar

The Theme of Equality in Henry James' The Turn of the Screw and Edith Wharton's The Lady's Maid's Bell Henry James' The Turn of the Screw and Edith Wharton's "The Lady's Maid's Bell" share a common theme: all people are equal. Both authors generate this theme by bridging class barriers with a generous master and mistress who have revolutionary ideas. Although circumstances differ in both stories, the common theme remains easily discernable with the words and actions of both Mrs. Brympton in "The Lady's Maid's Bell" and the young master, Miles in The Turn of the Screw. Through their friendship, trust, and eventual love for their servants, both the master and mistress prove their modern thoughts of equality between servants and higher classes. Mrs. Brympton establishes a relationship of friendship and equality with Miss Hartley from the beginning, and their friendship resembles that of Mrs. Brympton and her former maid, Emma, whom she dearly loved. Even Mrs. Railton, who mentions the job offer to Hartley, asserts that "[Mrs. Brympton] wants a maid that can be something of a companion" (Wharton 13). Upon employment, Hartley discovers for herself that "Mrs. Brympton [is] the kindest of ladies" (Wharton 15). Something about Mrs. Brympton's nature seems to insinuate an equality between her maid and herself from the beginning because the mistress shows natural compassion and humanity toward all of her servants. Mrs. Blinder, another servant, describes the loyal relationship between Mrs. Brympton and Emma, her previous handmaid: "My mistress loved her like a sister" (Wharton 17). This love between higher and lower classes remains extremely rare in the Victorian Era, and even the mistress, Mrs. Brympton, realizes this; consequent ... ...e master and the mistress stand by their convictions, and their relationships with servants reflect such an equality. Both Mrs. Brympton and young Miles even grow to love their servants and confide in them, which testifies that they are treated as more than equal peers. In Henry James' The Turn of the Screw and Edith Wharton's "The Lady's Maid's Bell" servants become equal citizens due to the nature of their master or mistress, and the theme rings clearly through both works, which becomes the concept that all classes of people are equal. Works Cited James, Henry. The Turn of the Screw. Boston: Bedford Books, 1995. Robbins, Bruce. "'They don't much count, do they?': The Unfinished History of The Turn of the Screw." The Turn of the Screw. Boston: Bedford Books, 1995. 268-96. Wharton, Edith. "The Lady's Maid's Bell." New York: Simon & Schuster, 1973. 12-35.

A Comparison of London and Ozymandias :: Poems Poetry Civilization Essays

A Comparison of London and Ozymandias A theme of Mortality lives in both poems. In "London" Blake talks about the death and suffering of people, and in "Ozymandias" Shelley talks about the death of a civilisation. A sense of someone dominating, someone with greater power occurs in both poems. In "London" the rich have this upper hand against the poor, in "Ozymandias" this great leader is said to have this strength over his enemies and his own people. In "Ozymandias" Shelley writes about a fallen empire, a civilisation that must have gone down hill because now there is no sign of it. In "London" Blake tells us that the poorer people of this city are going through a bad time, their empire has fallen like Ozymandias's empire, but in this case London has not collapsed. Blake writes about how London had drifted to a time of poverty and disease. Moods ----- The two poems, both give a feeling of depression and melancholy to the reader. Shelley uses different words to create this effect, while Blake writes how everyone is sad and weak. Great arrogance is shown in both poems. In "Ozymandias" the king shows that he is arrogant, he describes himself on the pedestal, he talks about how great and powerful ruler he is. In "London" the arrogance of the church compares to this. In "London" the rich betray the poor, because they have put their name on everything. In "Ozymandias" the sculptor betrays the king when the statue is being made. Styles ------ Both poems have phonological techniques like alliteration, rhyme and onomatopoeia. They are both concisely written and although short in length are packed with layers of meaning and content. Strong modifiers are used throughout both poems, which creates tension. Good adjectives also help with imagery give a clear mental picture; for example when Ozymandias's face is described, with its sneer and frown. Differences ----------- Themes ------ In "Ozymandias" Shelley writes about an ancient civilisation. The poem is written in past tense. Blake writes about the London he is witnessing; "London" is written in the present tense. An obvious difference is that Blake writes about a civilisation, which is in existence while Shelley writes about a civilisation that has been disintegrated. The strength of authority is maintained in "London" while in "Ozymandias" it has dissipated. Moods ----- "Ozymandias" fills you with mystery about where the traveller came

Interpersonal and Transferable Skills Essay

You’re probably familiar with the phrase ‘what gets measured gets done.’ Defining and measuring effectiveness – especially the performance of workers – is a critical part of your job as a manager. The question is: How do you define the skills, behaviors, and attitudes that workers need to perform their roles effectively? How do you know they’re qualified for the job? In other words, how do you know what to measure? Some people think formal education is a reliable measure. Others believe more in on-the-job training, and years of experience. Still others might argue that personal characteristics hold the key to effective work behavior. All of these are important, but none seems sufficient to describe an ideal set of behaviors and traits needed for any particular role. Nor do they guarantee that individuals will perform to the standards and levels required by the organization. A more complete way of approaching this is to link individual performance to the goals of the business. To do this, many companies use ‘competencies.’ These are the integrated knowledge, skills, judgment, and attributes that people need to perform a job effectively. By having a defined set of competencies for each role in your business, it shows workers the kind of behaviors the organization values, and which it requires to help achieve its objectives. Not only can your team members work more effectively and achieve their potential, but there are many business benefits to be had from linking personal performance with corporate goals and values. Defining which competencies are necessary for success in your organization can help you do the following: †¢ Ensure that your people demonstrate sufficient expertise. †¢ Recruit and select new staff more effectively. †¢ Evaluate performance more effectively. †¢ Identify skill and competency gaps more efficiently. †¢ Provide more customized training and professional development. †¢ Plan sufficiently for succession. †¢ Make change management processes work more efficiently. How can you define the set of practices needed for effective performance? You can do this by adding a competency framework to your talent management program. By collecting and combining competency information, you can create a standardized approach to performance that’s clear and accessible to everyone in the company. The framework outlines specifically what people need to do to be effective in their roles, and it clearly establishes how their roles relate to organizational goals and success. This article outlines the steps you need to take to develop a competency framework in your organization. Design Principles of a Competency Framework A competency framework defines the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed for people within an organization. Each individual role will have its own set of competencies needed to perform the job effectively. To develop this framework, you need to have an in-depth understanding of the roles within your business. To do this, you can take a few different approaches: †¢ Use a pre-set list of common, standard competencies, and then customize it to the specific needs of your organization. †¢ Use outside consultants to develop the framework for you. †¢ Create a general organizational framework, and use it as the basis for other frameworks as needed. Developing a competency framework can take considerable effort. To make sure the framework is actually used as needed, it’s important to make it relevant to the people who’ll be using it – and so they can take ownership of it. The following three principles are critical when designing a competency framework: 1. Involve the people doing the work – These frameworks should not be developed solely by HR people, who don’t always know what each job actually involves. Nor should they be left to managers, who don’t always understand exactly what each member of their staff does every day. To understand a role fully, you have to go to the source – the person doing the job – as well as getting a variety of other inputs into what makes someone successful in that job. 2. Communicate – People tend to get nervous about performance issues. Let them know why you’re developing the framework, how it will be created, and how you’ll use it. The more you communicate in advance, the easier your implementation will be. 3. Use relevant competencies – Ensure that the competencies you include apply to all roles covered by the framework. If you include irrelevant competencies, people will probably have a hard time relating to the framework in general. For example, if you created a framework to cover the whole organization, then financial management would not be included unless every worker had to demonstrate that skill. However, a framework covering management roles would almost certainly involve the financial management competency. Developing the Framework There are four main steps in the competency framework development process. Each steps has key actions that will encourage people to accept and use the final product. Step One: Prepare †¢ Define the purpose – Before you start analyzing jobs, and figuring out what each role needs for success, make sure you look at the purpose for creating the framework. How you plan to use it will impact whom you involve in preparing it, and how you determine its scope. For example, a framework for filling a job vacancy will be very specific, whereas a framework for evaluating compensation will need to cover a wide range of roles. †¢ Create a competency framework team – Include people from all areas of your business that will use the framework. Where possible, aim to represent the diversity of your organization. It’s also important to think about long-term needs, so that you can keep the framework updated and relevant. Step Two: Collect Information This is the main part of the framework. Generally, the better the data you collect, the more accurate your framework will be. For this reason, it’s a good idea to consider which techniques you’ll use to collect information about the roles, and the work involved in each one. You may want to use the following: †¢ Observe – Watch people while they’re performing their roles. This is especially useful for jobs that involve hands-on labor that you can physically observe. †¢ Interview people – Talk to every person individually, choose a sample of people to interview, or conduct a group interview. You may also want to interview the supervisor of the job you’re assessing. This helps you learn what a wide variety of people believe is needed for the role’s success. †¢ Create a questionnaire – A survey is an efficient way to gather data. Spend time making sure you ask the right questions, and consider the issues of reliability and validity. If you prefer, there are standardized job analysis questionnaires you can buy, rather than attempting to create your own. †¢ Analyze the work – Which behaviors are used to perform the jobs covered by the framework? You may want to consider the following: †¢ Business plans, strategies, and objectives. †¢ Organizational principles. †¢ Job descriptions. †¢ Regulatory or other compliance issues. †¢ Predictions for the future of the organization or industry. †¢ Customer and supplier requirements. Job analysis that includes a variety of techniques and considerations will give you the most comprehensive and accurate results. If you create a framework for the entire organization, make sure you use a sample of roles from across the company. This will help you capture the widest range of competencies that are still relevant to the whole business. †¢ As you gather information about each role, record what you learn in separate behavioral statements. For example, if you learn that Paul from accounting is involved in bookkeeping, you might break that down into these behavioral statements: handles petty cash, maintains floats, pays vendors according to policy, and analyzes cash books each month. You might find that other roles also have similar tasks – and therefore bookkeeping will be a competency within that framework. †¢ When you move on to Step Three, you’ll be organizing the information into larger competencies, so it helps if you can analyze and group your raw data effectively. Step Three: Build the Framework This stage involves grouping all of the behaviors and skill sets into competencies. Follow these steps to help you with this task: †¢ Group the statements – Ask your team members to read through the behavior statements, and group them into piles. The goal is to have three or four piles at first – for instance, manual skills, decision-making and judgment skills, and interpersonal skills. †¢ Create subgroups – Break down each of the larger piles into subcategories of related behaviors. Typically, there will be three or four subgroupings for each larger category. This provides the basic structure of the competency framework. †¢ Refine the subgroups – For each of the larger categories, define the subgroups even further. Ask yourself why and how the behaviors relate, or don’t relate, to one another, and revise your groupings as necessary. †¢ Indentify and name the competencies – Ask your team to identify a specific competency to represent each of the smaller subgroups of behaviors. Then they can also name the larger category. †¢ Here’s an example of groupings and subgroupings for general management competencies: †¢ Supervising and leading teams. †¢ Provide ongoing direction and support to staff. †¢ Take initiative to provide direction. †¢ Communicate direction to staff. †¢ Monitor performance of staff. †¢ Motivate staff. †¢ Develop succession plan. †¢ Ensure that company standards are met. †¢ Recruiting and staffing. †¢ Prepare job descriptions and role specifications. †¢ Participate in selection interviews. †¢ Identify individuals’ training needs. †¢ Implement disciplinary and grievance procedures. †¢ Ensure that legal obligations are met. †¢ Develop staff contracts. †¢ Develop salary scales and compensation packages. †¢ Develop personnel management procedures. †¢ Make sure staff resources meet organizational needs. †¢ Training and development. †¢ Deliver training to junior staff. †¢ Deliver training to senior staff. †¢ Identify training needs. †¢ Support personal development. †¢ Develop training materials and methodology. †¢ Managing projects/programs †¢ Prepare detailed operational plans. †¢ Manage financial and human resources. †¢ Monitor overall performance against objectives. †¢ Write reports, project proposals, and amendments. †¢ Understand external funding environment. †¢ Develop project/program strategy. You may need to add levels for each competency. This is particularly useful when using the framework for compensation or performance reviews. To do so, take each competency, and divide the related behaviors into measurement scales according to complexity, responsibility, scope, or other relevant criteria. These levels may already exist if you have job grading in place. †¢ Validate and revise the competencies as necessary – For each item, ask these questions: †¢ Is this behavior demonstrated by people who perform the work most effectively? In other words, are people who don’t demonstrate this behavior ineffective in the role? †¢ Is this behavior relevant and necessary for effective work performance? These questions are often asked in the form of a survey. It’s important to look for consensus among the people doing the job, as well as areas where there’s little agreement. Also, look for possible issues with language, or the way the competencies are described, and refine those as well. Step Four: Implement As you roll out the finalized competency framework, remember the principle of communication that we mentioned earlier. To help get buy-in from members of staff at all levels of the organization, it’s important to explain to them why the framework was developed, and how you’d like it to be used. Discuss how it will be updated, and which procedures you’ve put in place to accommodate changes. Here are some tips for implementing the framework: †¢ Link to business objectives – Make connections between individual competencies and organizational goals and values as much as possible. †¢ Reward the competencies – Check that your policies and practices support and reward the competencies identified. †¢ Provide coaching and training – Make sure there’s adequate coaching and training available. People need to know that their efforts will be supported. †¢ Keep it simple – Make the framework as simple as possible. You want the document to be used, not filed away and forgotten. †¢ Communicate – Most importantly, treat the implementation as you would any other change initiative. The more open and honest you are throughout the process, the better the end result – and the better the chances of the project achieving your objectives. [pic] Key Points Creating a competency framework is an effective method to assess, maintain, and monitor the knowledge, skills, and attributes of people in your organization. The framework allows you to measure current competency levels to make sure your staff members have the expertise needed to add value to the business. It also helps managers make informed decisions about talent recruitment, retention, and succession strategies. And, by identifying the specific behaviors and skills needed for each role, it enables you to budget and plan for the training and development your company really needs. The process of creating a competency framework is long and complex. To ensure a successful outcome, involve people actually doing carrying out the roles to evaluate real jobs, and describe real behaviors.

High school diploma Essay

I did 4 years in Senn High School and there were a lot of problems in school. Dropping out of high school is a huge issue for many teens today. As society demands hardworking graduates with good character, the nation should require keeping teens from dropping out of school and improving student’s education for the future. There are many causes for why teenagers drop out of school. But there are few solutions for allowing them to finish high school with high diplomas. Pregnancies, drugs, gang involvement and bullying play a big role in the dropout rate. How can high schools help students to earn their high school diplomas and stop dropping out of school? Many kids attend High schools that have a different culture, or way of doing things. I will always remember my years of high school. However, I feel my high school years have been the most memorable. I strongly believe that high school is the open door, into the rest of my life. The last days of my high school career are fast approaching and I can only imagine how I’ll be feeling when I step out of Senn High School for the very last time. Throughout these four years, I have felt a lot of requirements about graduating high school. I didn’t think that the time to graduate would come soon enough. I came across a great interest essay that starts with the question of why smart kids are, on average, low status in the high school environment. The short answer is that being popular in that environment is a full time job, and smart kids, even if they want to be popular, want to do other things as well. The author goes on to make quite a lot of interesting, understanding, and disturbing points about how children are brought up. What bothers me is not that the kids are kept in prisons, but that they aren’t told about it, and the prisons are run mostly by the person who is confined in a prison. In my high school Spanish class we were supposed to speak in Spanish. I don’t think any of us knew Spanish well enough to make our way through this huge book. Like the rest of the class, I just study the notes. When we were given a test on the book, I noticed that the questions sounded odd. They were full of long words that our teacher wouldn’t have used. Where had these questions come from? From the notes, it turned out. The teacher was using them too and we were all just pretending.

Intra-Inter-organizational Cooperation Essay

Intra-organization cooperation is the relationship that takes place within the organization allowing departments or sections to smoothly perform a transaction support so as to provide information, services and equipments within an organization. On the other hand, inter-organizational is strategy adopted by organizations of forming ties with other organizations in order to enhance there capacity of serving more clients or to acquire resources with ease especially from local markets. Such linkages are formed as a managerial response to the need of critical resources which are controlled by others in the environment thus enhancing the power of any one organization dealing with other environmental elements. Organizations enter into inter-cooperative relationships if they are sure that the relationship will benefit them. In terms of operation costs, inter-organization encounters complexity costs and loss of operating autonomy. Contrary, intra-organizational cooperation grants an organization the opportunity to express its autonomy in operation (Longoria, 2005). Inter-organizational cooperation brings about interdependency between organizations in that they rely on each other so that they may be able to benefit in return. Conversely, an intra-organizational cooperation is self sufficient for it strives to remain competitive in the market on its own by use of modern technology in production, research and innovation and organization design. Intra-organizational cooperation involves utilization of available capital labor and resources to maximize profits in performance, while inter-organizational cooperation’s helps to minimize conflicts in the market. Inter-organizational cooperation’s are driven by tactical and strategic objectives in that they save on cost through closer cooperation leading to maintenance of healthy business relationship. The management of inter-organizational cooperation’s is given more attention by the company due to their higher strategic importance.

According to the requirement and i am living in the Santa Barbara Assignment

According to the requirement and i am living in the Santa Barbara - Assignment Example The aesthetic value of the three triangles remains unclear among artists and art lovers. It is necessary to analyze Bento’s background and his experiences in analyzing the aesthetic value of this sculpture. This is because life experiences and childhood background has profound influence on an artist’s work. The three triangles has some cultural values that Bento follows. He uses iron and steel to manufacture this sculpture. Bento’s background influences his work. His use of iron signifies his connection to his roots in southern Ohio (Ratcliff, Carter, Collette, Jolei & Fletcher 156). In addition to using art to connect with his roots, this sculpture signifies a breakthrough from mainstream artists especially kinetics artists. Most kinetic artists used aluminum, wood or lacquer in their sculptures. The three triangles sculpture highlights Bento’s innovation. In the development of art, it signifies the end of kinetics art and the beginning of a new artistic style. The three triangles sculpture signifies the importance of constructivism in Bento’s career (Ratcliff, Carter, Collette, Jolei & Fletcher 186). One of the major differences with other mainstream artists was Bento’s belief in creativity. This sculpture is quintessential of constructivism as a style of art. Bento painted the three triangles sculpture red like the Steel Watercolor sculpture in Cologne Germany. The red painting of this sculpture is in tandem with Santa Barbara college color highlighting Bento’s ability to blend his art with the surrounding environment. The three triangles sculpture cultural impact is on the use of three-dimensional figures in art. The sculpture contains three triangles. Prior to this sculpture, artists hardly used three-dimensional figures in their artworks. Ratcliff, Carter, Collette, Jolei & Fletcher (225) argues that this sculpture, therefore, exemplifies the use of three-dimensional figures such as triangles,

Company Closing Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Company Closing Process - Essay Example Basically there are three procedures completed under month-end process: adjustments, calculations and reporting. Adjustment is the first step where necessary amendments are done on the financial data or information already recorded. During the month, the organization earns revenue and incurs expenses and matches the two. This practice, result in differences between the estimated amount and the actual amount of an item (Bosua & Beer, 2009). For example, interest expense incurred on the prevailing firm’s loans increase the amount to be paid (principal and interest). The original amount to be paid was the principal, while the actual amount paid at month end is the principal plus interest. Therefore, adjustment has to be made to reconcile the two amounts. Calculations After the above adjustments are made, the affected individual accounts have to be updated. The amounts for adjustment are calculated and appropriate entries made to the appropriate ledger accounts. For example, in ba nk accounts adjustment calculations, it is started with the opening balance, add on the deposits made and then subtract the debits for that month. The final figure got, reflect the actual cash balance on the bank account as opposed to the opening balance figure. Reporting After ascertaining the actual amounts of each ledger account, the figures are entered into the organizations database. The personnel responsible for the month-end procedures avails several reports reflecting the organization’s financial position in different ways, such as profit and loss statement, to the management. Year end close process The year end process refers to a set of activities the company performs to close financial books, make adjustments, correct errors and produce financial statements such as balance sheet in correspondence with existing rule and regulations such as international financial reporting standards (IFRS) and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These activities involve several personnel such as accountants, bookkeepers and financial manager working under guidance of senior staff (Warfield, Weygandt & Kieso, 2008). There are four basic activities completed: adjustment entries posting, error correcting, trial balance preparation and financial statement preparation. Under adjusting entries, postings are made to reflect exactly what the company made and spent of the period under review. The adjustments concern prepaid expenses and unearned revenues. Prepaid expenses refer to cash paid by the business in advance understanding that specific tasks will be performed in its favor in the future, whereas unearned revenue refers to the cash money the company accepted promising to provide services or goods at a future date. In correcting errors, the company’s management is able to remove the mathematical imprecision from the book closing mechanism. The errors are a result of regulations changes, numerical incorrectness and poor accounting rules applica tion. This is a vital activity as it is integral to the closing process of the company’s financial statements. Trial balance preparation comes after error corrections and adjustment postings. The trial balance preparation helps managers verify the accuracy of the already completed and closed accounts. The trial balance checks the total debits and credits of all the involved accounts. If the two, total debits and total credits, are equal most likely the accounts are accurate. However, it should be noted

Academic Discourse Community Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Academic Discourse Community Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example and they are promising three alternative choice design packages, each comprising â€Å"of a multi-faceted approach to slow precipitation runoff and enhance soil infiltration†. They have included the imminent challenges they predict and the appropriate design budget. The proposal outlines the entire project execution framework including a Gantt schedule and appendices defining the team profile and other miscellaneous project details. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). â€Å"New ultrastiff, ultralight material developed†. ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily. 19 July 2014. Web. 15 July 2014. A group of researchers have applied the construction model of the Eiffel tower to create extremely light and stiff materials. The Eiffel tower achieves its strength from its geometric model. Researchers have managed top microscale this concept using 3-D printing in a process called projection microstereolithography. Normally stiffness and strength reduce as density reduces, but these researchers are claiming that by employing the â€Å"right mathematical ly determined structures to direct and distribute the load† light structures can maintain their strength. The researchers tested aerogel (glass foam) and found that its mechanical strength compared with that of solid rubber and increased by 400times while compared to objects of similar density. This means that this sample can support 160000 its weight. They have achieved similar results in other tests involving metal, ceramic and polymer. This development is useful for installations requiring light and strong materials like space structures. They can also be used for sound and elasticity solutions because they conduct sound. Shaikh, Asif, P., et al. Groundwater Recharge by Waste Water. Civil Engineering Portal. n. d.: 1-10. Web. 15 July 2014. A team of four civil engineering professors at the University of Pune presented this report on their research project regarding recharging of ground water by waste water. Using

Pollution in utah and it's affect on wild life Essay

Pollution in utah and it's affect on wild life - Essay Example Wildlife of Utah does not have any other choice but to breathe in the bad quality air which leads to several health problems. The pollution in the air affects behaviour and reproduction ability in amphibians, birds and even in insects. Several pollutants are present in air in Utah such as sulphur dioxide and lead which can cause damage to the nervous system and the respiratory system of the wildlife in Utah. One of the major contributors to the air pollution is the oil and shale facilities. The development of energy in these facilities produces toxic substances which can cause problem to the deer and elk populations. Light pollution is another major problem that exists today in Utah. Light pollution refers to the increasing use of artificial lights which has grave implication o the ecology of individual insects and organisms. Light pollution causes alteration in the normal natural light cycles and affects both nocturnal and diurnal animals. Migrating birds are often surprised by tall buildings lit up heavily by lights. The birds lose their sense of direction and often smash into the buildings. This not only hampers the population ecology f the migratory species but also alters the migratory patterns and routes of these birds (Plumer, 2014). However, water pollution is perhaps one of the major threats to the wildlife of the region. Waters of large water bodies such as Great Salt Lake have been polluted with contaminants such as methyl mercury. Studies have shown that the fish of the Great Salt Lake contain methyl mercury in their bodies. The chemical bioaccumulates and is transferred between species through the food chain. Therefore, piscivorous animals such as birds, ducks and otters suffer from adverse effects from the toxicity which may cause behavioural, neurological changes and can even result in death (Utah, department of Environmental Quality, 2014). Surveys of the Great Salt Lake conducted in 1996-1997 reported presence of

Macro Econ 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Macro Econ 3 - Assignment Example This can be illustrated by the fact that there will be a small change in production because the workers already have enough capital for production. This is evidenced by the fact that capital is put through diminishing returns, a situation where output decreases as the amount of capital is increased (Mankiw, 2012). The higher rate of saving does not increase the growth rate indefinitely since more capital is not put to use in helping the country. Instead, as income rises, the growth finally slows down. All this is due to the effect of diminishing returns to scale, which affect the growth rate in the short-term and stabilizes it as income increases. Question 4 Investment is a process through which the government can increase its factors of production for future use, which can be done by improving current resources to produce more capital (Mankiw, 2012). Conversely, national saving is the amount of resources that remains after the deduction of consumption and governments purchases in an economy. The relationship between investment and national savings can be illustrated by the equation: Y=C+I+G+NX; where I represents investment, C is consumption, Y is GDP, G denotes government purchases NX is the net export, given by exports less imports. Provided that no other factors act on the economy are altered, for example the represented government does not borrow any money outside or doe not engage itself in international trade, the above equation will have some changes and the outcome is; Y=C+I+G, which happens because the net exports remain constant. The above equation shows that GDP is derived from the sums of consumption, investment and government purchases, and investment can be obtained the equation by subtracting C, (consumptions) and I, (investments) on both sides, Y- C-G = I The above results shows that investments is equivalent to national savings provided that the left side of an equation represents total income resulting from the payment of income and governmen t purchases. Hence it shows that there is a relationship between national savings and investments. Productivity Growth Question 1 The FRBSF economic letter (2009) indicates that before 1995, the main contributor of productivity growth was human capital and the physical capital, but after 1995 this changed to Information Technology (IT) since productivity started rising in the mid 1990s in the firms that were using IT. The changes come about due to rapid transformation of information technology and its use in many sectors for the transfer of information, computers and semiconductors. The use of information technology increased the labor productivity rate which led to a higher productivity growth, which is the reason behind the difference between the year 1995 and earlier years where the productivity growth rate was low. Question 2 Based on the author’s observation, it is possible that the US economy will, in future, still be the largest and most productive (FRBSF, 2009). This observation is due to the fact that the productivity growth rate between 1995 and 2000 was due to the implementation of Information Technology which had a bigger share of investment and the US government had invested fully on it. Based on the different authors in the symposium, the productivity rate of 2% per annum will be sustained

College Life Essay Example for Free

College Life Essay College was always my main goal throughout my whole entire education life school was not for me but I managed to make it to college. I graduated from a Catholic High School with all boys who have already mentally allowed me to focus on other issues and concentrations of focuses. I still sometimes wonder what I am going to do with my major and completion of college. I need to know my future and when I leave for school I am going to have to use my morals and higher education to help me understand and cope with other everyday experiences. There are three main categories of things that I want to gain in my life experience. I want to gain moral things, also strengthen my personality, and gain a higher knowledge. After I graduation from high school, I had plan to do several things. The most important thing I plan to do is go to college, because there are so many other detractions other than a degree, from a college education I plan to pursue higher learning, to begin a career, and to make history in my family. Making history in my family is the most important thing I hope to gain from a college education. My mother was the one parent that parents graduated from college, I have two brothers and a sister who did attend college which motivated me to want to go to college; my other relatives a least graduated from high school. Taking a look back has motivated me to reach farther. Being able too graduate of a catholic department system and also a highly respected person in my senior class. I plan to make history in my family by being the first also to get a Degree in History. Pursuing higher learning, beginning a career, and making history in my family are things I hope to gain from a college education other than a degree. It is very important that I accomplish these goals so that I will have continued success. If I believe it, then I can achieve it. I am not after the meaning of life but by the grace of God I know all of these things that I know and able to learn more whenever possible. College is a step in my lifelong search for knowledge that will hopefully bring me closer to my goals. Lastly one thing I hope to gain from a college education is higher learning. Learning goes far beyond a high school education and is very necessary in todays society. It allows us to be familiar with our environment and everyone in it, and it allows us to maintain assurance of ourselves. A lot of us would be lost without any learning at all, and our world would be very confused. One must learn to do such things as apply math skills as well as be responsible and independent. I know that a college education would allow me to acquire this ability.

Bone Conduction Technology Impact

Bone Conduction Technology Impact Gabrielle Lau Erin Topping The worlds sounds can be perceived acoustically and as vibrations. Acoustic transmission, also known as air conduction, is sound that travels through the external ear. Through bone conduction, sound waves are transmitted to the inner ear by the cranial bones without traveling through the air in the ear canal (Oticon Medical). Audiologists take advantage of these two principles when creating hearing aids for the deaf and hearing impaired. Traditional acoustic air conduction hearing aids treat and amplify noise appropriately to the user through the ear canals. Unlike air conduction, bone conduction involves bypassing the ear and resting on the bony prominence of the skin. Vibrations travel through the bones and into the cochlea where sound, including acoustic, is interpreted. Despite air conduction succeeding bone conduction in the hearing aid industry, bone conduction technology offers many potential uses and enhanced safety. Inventions such as bone conduction sunglasses and headphone s allow users to immerse themselves in music without muting environmental sounds. Their ears would be open to hearing car horns and hollers, thus preventing many injuries and deaths that were initially caused by earphones blocking surrounding sound (Hsu, University of Maryland). Moreover, scientific studies have also supported the concept, that bone conduction technology causes less damage to the ears than ear buds (Monks, The Audiology Foundation of America). Bone conduction oriented hearing, as compared to air conduction oriented hearing, is a form of sound transmission that has greater potential for a wider variety of uses. Air conduction oriented hearing is the standard sound transmission of the anatomy of ears. Sound travels through the ear canal, and next translated into vibrations by the eardrum. These vibrations then transmit through three tiny bones called the anvil, hammer, and stirrup in the middle ear which amplifies the sound. Lastly, the sound enters the cochlea lined with fluid and thousands of tiny hair cells that will transform the sound vibrations into electrical signals for the brain to interpret. Acoustic hearing aids have technologically advanced tremendously with each aid handling miniscule microphones, processors, and receivers (Townsley). Sound is picked up through the microphone then processed into the specific hearing range of the user. For example, an air conduction hearing aid would pick up sound and strengthen high or low pitched noises to fit the hearing of the patient. Air conduction hearing aids benefit individuals suffering from cochlear damage, where the hair cells that st imulate hearing certain frequencies to the auditory nerve have deteriorated. Bone conduction oriented hearing involves bypassing the external ear and transmitting sound via the bones of the human body, preferably the skull. There are two types of bone conducting hearing aids, bone conduction bands and bone anchored hearing aids. Unlike bone conduction bands, bone anchored hearing aids involve penetrating the skin by surgically implanting a titanium abutment to the mastoid (Oticon Medical). A microphone sound processor latches to this implant in order to directly transmit sound as vibrations to the skull (Townsley). Bone conduction bands consist of a microphone, processor, and elastic band. These two mechanical components latch to the band that is worn around the patients head. The bone conduction hearing aid provides a solution to those with profound hearing loss with sensorineural damage, single-sided deafness, or atresia, a birth defect where individuals are born without an ear canal. This option of hearing has gained most recognition from its ability to he lp the common condition, single-sided deafness. Individuals who suffer such, have an impaired ability to detect the direction of sounds and to separate background noise to make sense of speech (Townsley). To avoid feelings of social isolation and exclusion from this, patients use specifically bone conduction hearing aids to regain consciousness of the position of sound and its source. Moreover, bone conduction hearing aids are used during hearing tests to uncover whether a patient suffers external or sensorineural ear damage (Townsley). The use of air conduction is constant for those with normal hearing. Individuals with unobstructed external ear pathways and normal sensorineural function will automatically hear all sounds acoustically. Air conduction technology encompasses all appliances that allow individuals to hear sound. These include hearing aids, speakers, headphones, speaker implanted into cars and computers, etc. A magnitude of technology utilizes air conduction sound transmission, but the functional purpose of creating sound has not since presented any different potential uses. Though bone conduction technology has been around for centuries, modern developments have shown the magnitude of its use. Ludwig Van Beethoven, born in the late 1700s, utilized sound bite principles to compose music after he threw a temper tantrum, fell over, and stood up to realize he had lost all hearing. By biting on a special rod attached to the soundboard on a piano that he could bite, Beethoven allowed musical vibrations to transfer to his jaw to increase his perception of the sound.(Ealy 143) Bone conduction technology has since advanced as a safety precaution for secret military operations and daily activities. British Aeorspace Systems constructed bone conduction inspired helmets allowing soldiers to hear comms over the loudest battlefield noises and bone phones, ear pieces to use for silent communication (Wood). The documented navy SEAL raid that killed Osama Bin Laden stated the vitality of bone phones for that mission (Owen). The fundamentals of the bone phones have shift ed to also accomodate citizens. In a study conducted by the University of Maryland, it concluded that 70% of all transportation accidents involving earphones led to death. The creation of bone conduction headphones henceforth came about. To promote situational awareness, users can listen to music through a headpiece that firmly sits transducers in front of the ear, on the cheekbones. Hollers and honks from surrounding cars will be heard by the user because their natural hearing sense is no longer depleted by an ear phone. Moreover, certain cell phone companies have begun to develop a bone conduction microphone. For busy men and women who must take calls on the go, but struggle to make their responses apparent and environment non-apparent to their recipient, this speaker will directly pick up the vibrations of their voice simply by resting on their head and transferring it to the phone to process and link to the recipient end. These products have been manufactured into articles of cl othing that can be worn on the head such as baseball caps and glasses. These developments prove that bone conduction technology is advancing into uses beyond the hearing impaired. Additionally bone conduction has been utilized as a marketing gimmick. In the summer of 2015, a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in South Africa hoped to increase its relevance through creating a modern indoor entertainment system. With the growing number of unsigned musical artists and the fact that KFC was not a record label, the fast food chain decided to create record tables (Chase and Brandt). They took advantage of bone conduction principles by engineering tables where customers would place their elbows on the table and cup their hands on their ears to get a musical treat (Chase and Brandt). This high-tech addition yielded outstanding results in business increased the average dwell time of the customer in store and widespread social media hype about the innovation as well as overwhelmingly positive feedback about the experience (Chase and Brandt). Bone conduction has created a new form of advertisement in an exciting and interactive way that it has been introduced into the public t ransportation systems in Munich and North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2013 Sky Go, a mobile streaming service, enhanced the glass windows of trains to transmit messages through bone conduction to passengers who lay their head on the window. This glass emits high frequencies that the brain processes into words heard by no one else on the train except for those who also have laid their head on the window. Information on weather, music, and advertisements transmitted into the commuters heads. Despite a Sky Go representative, Susanne Keyzers, claiming passengers were surprised but enjoyed this new form of advertising, on camera reactions prove that bone conduction may not be the best fit for transit advertisements. Several passengers looked shocked then angry for not being able to shut their eyes for nap while leaning against a window (Dicker). Though bone conduction has introduced an entirely new dimension to the world of advertisement, manufacturers must recognize the line between voluntary interaction and invasion of privacy. For its invasive characteristics, the talking window has opened an aspect of marketing known as guerilla advertising. Outside of practical and marketing use, bone conduction technology has also made strides in the recreational and comfort fields. Aquatic sportswear companies such as FINIS Incorporated have developed underwater headphones, dubbed the Neptune headphones, through the use of bone conduction principles. This recent innovation mimics the way whales and dolphins communicate underwater (Smith) by transferring sound as vibrations from an mp3 player to small pieces latched over the cheekbones. The music plays as if inside the users head, giving this new headphone a surreal (Smith) reputation. Another company that hoped to take advantage of bone conductions potentials uses was Google. In 2013, Google created its first Google Glass prototype, a glasses gadget that could provide information to its user instantly by being closer to the human senses (Warr). Essentially computer glasses, these gadgets included a bone conduction speaker to transfer information to the user regarding camera use, inter net information, map directions, or music. Due to its still continuing development, the Google Glass has never been sold to the public. The head Glass coordinator, Tony Fadell, spoken out that several versions of Google Glass are being made for different situations. Currently, an Enterprise Edition exists which aimed at businesses in healthcare, manufacturing, and energy industries. And beyond that, bone conduction has become a player in the comfort industry. Integrated Listening Systems built a Dreampad bone conduction pillow in 2014 (Kooser). The Dreampad consisted of several bone conduction speakers fitted into all sort of pillows to help sing users into a pleasant slumber. Their target audiences encompassed those diagnosed with insomnia and those who wish to listen to music or audiobooks to sleep while their bed buddy may prefer complete silence. By using a very subtle sound bone conduction based approach, the Dreampad soothed people to sleep. The expanse of bone conduction tech nology from underwater workouts to inducing sleep, highlight its many uses as compared to air conduction technology. Not only does bone conduction offer a new take on leisure items, it also has become a vital part of entertainment experiences for the deaf community. Recently, the world famous DJ Martin Garrix and the soda brand 7Up teamed up to create a Concert for the Deaf. In cooperation with Fake Love, Martin Garrix and 7UP created a concert for the deaf that utilized a variety of tactile experiments and features to give participants the experience of feeling their music (Meadow). The project involved the construction of numerous vibrating speaker cones and padded flooring, revolving around bone conduction principles, so that the deaf attendees would be able to interact and physically feel the music around them. Visuals were paired to water experiments that the music itself brought to life, creating a completely seamless and encompassing audio and visual experience(Meadow). The designers of this concert created plexi-glass boxes with a thin base level of water. Attached to the bottom, were light s and vibrating speaker cones that vibrated the water at different frequencies. These vibrations accompanied the visual projections and ultimately the beats played by Martin Garrix. Some attendees were also fitted with Subpac-like backpack systems that conveyed bass throughout the body (Meadow). The project thoroughly utilized bone conduction principles in order to gear a musical concert to an all-deaf audience. Though the vibrations could not be perceived as sound because of the audiences complete auditory deafness, the vibrations could be picked up by the bones of the human body in rhythms recognizable to the brain. And the results succeeded expectations. People of all ages who had never heard a sound in their entire lives or for many years enjoyed a night of electronic music and dancing to beats that literally flowed through their bodies. Bone conduction technology can create new inventions, but it can also be a fundamental principle in creating life experiences that yield lastin g amounts of joy and happiness. Some may argue that although bone conduction technology offers a spectrum of uses, its quality does not permit it to reach full potential. Many online reviews of bone conduction inspired works such as Google Glass or the Dreampad are negative. Users usually feel dissatisfied with the vibrational sound being muffled and unclear, and for certain developments, users find them physically unappealing. A recent popular review on the Dreampad gave credit for its impressive technology but derailed it for its limited application (Lovejoy). It also detailed the false sense of the Dreampads efficacy by discussing its limited research. The Dreampad advertising site claimed to have had performed a study with Columbia University. However, the study in its entirety included twenty-nine people with only ten actually using the Dreampad pillow. Additionally, Lovejoy noted that the bone conduction music was almost painful to listen to and that the given podcasts were both muffled and quiet even at maxi mum volume. But, this demonstrates only one heavily studied and documented opinion. For the Google Glass, a plethora of complaints and criticisms arose. Initially this invention held highly regard, being named one of TIME magazines Best Inventions of the Year as well as receiving an astounding number of pages in several popular magazines, being referenced in popular television shows, and even premiering on the runway for New York Fashion Week. But within a year it began its descent into infamy. Its initial exclusivity made it far more desirable and idealized in society. Once technology reviewers got a hold of a pair and both tested and deconstructed it, Google Glass met its downfall. Major criticisms revolved around the weak bone conduction sound system, abysmal battery life, its plague of cyber-bugs, and limited use (Bilton). Google Glass recording abilities made it banned from bars, movie theaters, and casinos. Despite bone conduction technologies good intentions to thrust humanit y into the possibilities of the future, its overall quality has kept it from truly progressing. Clearly, bone conduction offers a great variety of uses. However, it is not necessarily the better option compared to air conduction both in quality and health. As stated earlier, bone conduction inventions have faced excessive criticism concerning the sound quality and whether or not it is effectively portraying sound to those with hearing disabilities. A common misconception, is that bone conduction is a less risky form of headphone and therefore healthier. Headphones that are bone conduction oriented will pass sound through the skull and straight to the bones of the middle ear to the cochlea. Likewise, sound that is transferred through air conduction will pass through the ear canal, ear drum, middle ear bones, and the cochlea. Either way, both still put the hair cells of the cochlea at risk when playing loud music. Listening repeatedly to loud volumes will lead to damage of the cochlea no matter what kind of hearing technology. Air conduction and bone conduction principles have led to a vast amount of advancements in many aspects of life; innovations in hearing, traffic safety, the work place, and even personal comfort. The limits of acoustic sound application stem from the primary purpose of giving off sound for those of normal hearing. As compared to bone conduction, air conduction does not offer as many potential uses or variety of applications. Through the developments of bone conduction headphones, military helmets, glasses, tables, and even pillows one can truly see the possibilities of bone conduction. And beyond tangible objects, bone conduction has played a role in ensuring the safety of pedestrians and bikers and creating impactful memories of hearing and feeling music. Although there are currently many shortcomings, I believe that bone conduction technology has the promise of making countless technological advances in the future. Bone conduction oriented hearing, as compared to air conduction ori ented hearing, is a form of sound transmission that has greater potential for a wider variety of uses. Bone conduction technology has massively expanded in its uses. Now reaching far beyond the hearing aid market it was originally intended for; headphones that help ensure safety, and pillows that play silent music to help the user fall asleep. It has greatly transcended the cell phone company market by offering new ways to add clarity and efficiency to calls. Bone conduction has even reached the battle field, by being implemented into military helmets. Soldiers can now clearly receive and understand orders from their commander over the blasting sounds of cannons, guns, tanks, or aircrafts. It has also become greatly useful in secret operations. By having a slim bone conduction piece attached to the arm, agents are able to communicate silently in the most physically unobvious way: without any headpiece or audible sound. And after defense, bone conduction has been monumental in helping the deaf hear. In a recent concert and commercial put on by 7 Up Soda, the public was able to see how bone conduction speakers and platforms were able to transmit sound to deaf individuals so that they may enjoy a full on visual and physical musical experience. But despite its success and high regard by society, it does have its own shortcomings. Users of bone conduction products have found much fault in its quality as well as its overall efficiency. Reviews on the Google Glass and Dreampad yielded not the most gentle remarks. Critics also point out the use of bone conduction as guerilla advertisement, specifically in the talking window campaign in western Europe. Its invasion of privacy and improper application by Skygo have somewhat downscaled the popularity of bone conduction. However, seeing the amount of things it can do and accomplish, the multiple inventions made, I have believe that the future of bone conduction technology is promising. The potential uses bone conduction technology has are boundless, and I believe will be vital in the development of future inventions and dis coveries. Works Cited Bilton, Nick. Why Google Glass Broke. The New York Times. The New York Times, 04 Feb. 2015. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Chase, Pete, and Adam Brandt. Sound Bite Interactive Record Table. Best Ads on TV. YUM Brands. 20 July 2015. Web. 01 Feb. 2017. Dicker, Ron. Train Window Ads Vibrate Into Ear Via Bone Conduction As You Lay Head Against Glass (VIDEO). The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 03 July 2013. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. Ealy, George Thomas. 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