Global Trends Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Trends - Essay Example Education is also another key thing. People from different cultures go to the same class, spend time in hostels together and learn in class the importance of appreciating and leaving with each other (Tracey, 1999). Entertainment industry has made people from different cultures to come together and produce music hence pulling their cultures together. Forces’ trying to prevent erosion of cultures include the development of archive centers. These will keep the tradition materials and information that remind people of their past cultures (Gary, 2005). The development of traditional clothing has stopped people from embracing foreign attire; maintaining and embracing eating culture has stopped international modified food from taking over the cultural mode of eating especially in Asian countries. Technology changes the culture of countries; it has provided tools that enable our capability to network through the internet communities like Facebook and MySpace. This communication promotes freedom of expression that is not guaranteed in some countries. For example, Facebook provide space for communication during Arabs spring. Technology has made people to migrate from rural homes to the towns especially in developed countries in search of better services and good infrastructure. It has also increased awareness on the value of goods to the consumer hence eliminating middle men who used to make huge profits (Henry, 2006). Global culture is developing since the image of borderless flow has been evoked. Right know people, money and goods are moving undistracted around the world hence forming a global society full of universal culture and universal business language. Global influences have enable me learn through online and be able to communicate with friends through social media at ant time. I have benefitted through knowing the prices of products in the market without going through the

Accidents at Home Essay Example for Free

Accidents at Home Essay We’d all like to believe that our home is a secure, comfortable environment, but we tend not to notice that this very place holds the potential to become very dangerous. In fact, most accidents occur in and around our homes, with the consequences involving anything from minor abrasions to a fatality. Believe it or not, water one of our most valued necessities in life, can not only provide life but also take it. Young children are often the victims of this hazardous feature. All it requires is for the parents to look in the other direction and the next moment, a curious child can wander in the direction of the family swimming pool. An unsurprised toddler can easily fall into the pool and drown. Due to the alarming increase in infant deaths due to drowning, a change in council legislation now demands the presence of childproof fencing around all pools. However there is always the slightly older and more mischievous lot of children who have managed to overcome the barriers of the fencing around pools. As a result, child drowning cases have continued to occur. These numbers have led to a council initiative of childproof safety gates to be manufactured. This requires an adult to open these gates, ensuring parental supervision. See more: Old Age Problem essay In response to the broken bones and concussions that have occurred around pool areas due to older children and teenagers running and playing carelessly around the pool, there has been the further implementation of non-slip pool pavers and surrounds. Nevertheless water inside the home can also be the cause of various accidents, especially in the bathroom which often have wet floors. Wet tiles that may cause a soothing sensation under the feet on a hot day, can instantly become the source of harmful falls, for people of all ages. A slip on a wet floor can lead to bruises, a broken bone or even concussion. In order to prevent these incidents from occurring, households are being urged to make use of the vast array of non-slip mats and non-slip stick-on designs that can even add colour to assist the visually impaired elderly residents. As we age, the activity of our nervous systems tends to function at a lower rate, causing our bodies to react more slowly, so in the event of an accidental fall, the time taken for the brain to send out signals to alert the effectors is lessened as we age. When an elderly person falls, there is the potential for severe injuries because their fragile bones can easily be roken. To ensure their utmost safety, hand rails around the bath are becoming common. Furthermore as water is heated, the hot liquid and steam that results can cause severe scalding accidents that can inflict a single burn or a serious injury. This is especially true for the elderly, with their delayed sensory reaction times, because they can be under a hot shower for several minutes before realising that they’re burnt. As a result, water temperature regulators have been installed in hospitals and the homes of the elderly, in an attempt to minimise the burns caused by hot water. Children can also be subject to similar types of burns when left unsupervised for a moment in bathrooms. Being fascinated by the motion of a rotating tap, these young minds may find themselves running hot water long enough to accidently burn themselves. For this reason, there are childproof tap covers that prevent the tap from turning on, to prevent curious children from scalding injuries when handling hot water. In the kitchen, a slip of the hand is all it takes to cause severe third degree burns. Therefore community service advertisements appear from time to time on television and on the radio to inform people about the hazards present in the kitchen. Even the steam that arises from the kettle poses certain threats. Top-opening kettles posed a potential risk for steam burns on the hand, arm and face and as a result kettles have been redesigned to open and fill at the front, thereby directing steam away from the user. Microwavable food has also proved to be a problem, because when opening the packaging, steam rushes out quickly, causing steam burns. This is why, instructions on the packaging is now mandatory alerting people to delay the time before opening. By doing this, the steam is allowed to dissipate, greatly decreasing the risk of steam burns. Nevertheless, burns are not only the result of hot liquids, because household heating poses a major threat to those who reside in the home. Open fires were once a common source of heating in many households, however the alarming number of house fires caused by curtains or furniture igniting has increased public awareness and also initiated government actions. Thus pressure has been placed on manufacturers to produce burn resistant carpets and curtain material in an attempt to reduce the risk of a stray spark causing a house fire. In order to further minimise the risk of burn injuries from open fires, a ban on installing fully open fires has been passed through government, and slow combustion fires which are a safer alternative, are readily available in many retail stores. However, during cold nights, there is an urge to leave the heater on for the entire night. This action, and the increased use of nylon sleepwear, posed a major threat of house fires while the family was asleep. Consequently, several steps have been taken by the government to ensure the safety of all individuals while they sleep. For instance, sleepwear sold to customers must have the required level of flammability labelled, in order for them to make an informed decision and about avoiding unnecessary burns. The advancement of technology has also allowed for artificial intelligence to be implemented in heating appliances in the form of temperature regulators, causing the heater to either turn on or off in order to maintain the temperature of the room without the risk of overheating and causing a fire. There has also been the danger of accidentally knocking over a heater, especially by children or pets, and this has been responsible for severe burns or even a fatal house fire if the heater came in contact with the carpet and began to burn. However the use of cut-off switches in these portable heaters has greatly minimised the risk of burn injuries and house fires, as the heater simply stops working the moment its sensors realise that it has fallen over. Yet accidents involving electricity can involve more than just electrical heating because there are many appliances used on a daily basis in the average home. Even the simple toaster or hair dryer can cause severe injuries when not correctly handled. For instance when a wet hand decides to grab the nearby hair dryer, water can seep into the electric circuit causing various degrees of electric shock. In order to minimise the risk of this occurring, safety instructions have been attached to such appliances that highlight the dangers that can arise. The toaster is another classic example, where burns have occurred simply by sticking metal cutlery into the toaster in an attempt to remove a piece of toast. Safety instructions have therefore been stuck onto these appliances in order to make people think twice before performing harmful actions. Furthermore, community service advertisements have also been appearing, informing viewers on the dangers that household electrical appliances can pose. Because curious young children can unwillingly stick a finger or a fork into the holes of a power point, safety plugs for power points have been introduced onto the market. When inserted, they prevent easy access, reducing the risk of electrocution especially amongst the younger children. Most importantly, with vast areas of the modern home powered by electricity, the possibility can always arise for a circuit overload or shortage. However being completely engrossed in our busy lives, we tend to not notice, so circuit breakers have been introduced that instantly shut down all power to the house when a threat arises, saving people from serious injuries or even a fatal house fire. Even when electricity is not present, tools and implements also increase the chance of obtaining cuts and lacerations. The preparation of any dish requires the use of knives, peelers and sometimes graters, yet these are some of the many implements that can cause accidents. For instance, the knives when kept in a drawer can see unsuspecting fingers close over their sharp teeth, whilst searching for a particular item. The cuts that result from this incident can be severe and as a result knife boards and jackets have been designed to allow knives to be safely stored. As with knives, peelers and graters only require a slight slip or fumble to cause deep lacerations. Due to these alarming occurrences, manufacturers have improved the design of these implements to include firmer bases and safety blades, in an attempt to minimise any injuries they may inflict. Children are once again victims of the many implements in the kitchen, involving cutlery and scissors. Although they might consider such items to be enjoyable to play with, the number of cuts that have been inflicted has increased rapidly. This is why plastic cutlery and scissors have been produced to allow children to continue playing in a safer environment. Outside the house, there are a variety of tools that can inflict even worse damage. Garden tools can cause severe lacerations if carelessly touched or used, due to their sharp edges. For example, the saw with its sharp teeth can inflict severe cuts so to minimise the likelihoods of such injuries, safety packaging now accompanies these potentially dangerous products, allowing them to be stored safely. In the garden shed, specially padded gardening gloves are also found which help prevent unexpected cuts from thorns or sharp branches that are incurred while performing regular garden jobs. Besides the tools on the shed or garage shelf, there are a wide range of substances, some more dangerous than others. Apart from the cuts, bruises and burns that are inflicted from appliances and various activities around the home, the improper storage of such dangerous substances have accounted or the numerous incidents involving rushing young children to hospital. This may occur after children are attracted to the brightly, coloured tablets and consume them, thinking they are lollies. Similarly with liquids, unsupervised children can easily open and drink a colourful dishwashing liquid or shampoo, thinking it is cordial, but this can lead to serious vomiting and diarrhoea requiring medical attention. For this reason, childproof caps have been introduced on many dangerous liquids which require bo th motions of pressing down and twisting. To ensure the child’s safety when parents are busy, childproof cupboard locks have appeared in many homes, restricting children from accessing dangerous chemicals or medications. To further protect people from the dangers of overdosing or mixing pharmaceutical drugs in an unsafe manner, such as when a headache is so severe that a victim takes three different kinds of painkillers, it is now mandatory to label all substances with both safety instructions and medical advice if for example, a dangerous substance like weedkiller is absorbed, breathed or comes in contact with the skin. Bruises, broken bones, scalding and lacerations are just some of the injuries that can be inflicted on residents, in and around the home. Surely it is clear, that with the numerous cases of severe injuries, which occur in and around our homes every day, it is in fact a very dangerous place to be in.

Stuttering Will Not Crush My Dreams Essay -- Personal Narrative, essay

Today is the day of the oral report. Everyone in class has already made their presentation, so I no longer have an excuse for not sharing my material. I slowly raise my hand after the teacher asks if anyone else needs to do the oral. As I scoot the chair back to stand up, my ears begin to turn red hot. My uneasiness only gets worse when I sluggishly walk down the aisle towards the awaiting podium and start sweating on my hands and forehead. As I look up from the podium, I am startled by the forty pairs of unwavering eyes glaring at me, awaiting to be engrossed by my brilliance. I find myself having difficulty breathing, almost as if I have forgotten how to. I wipe the sweat off my brow, grab my index cards tightly, and open my mouth to speak. But the words just will not come out as I hit a stuttering block. Those same forty pairs of eyes are gazing at me in wonderment. I avoid their scowls by looking down at my index cards, held by my excessively sweaty hands. The class is remarkably silent, waiting for me to continue. I hastily glance upwards to discover forty increasingly impatient people. Nervously, I attempt to speak again, but again I block. I make a stronger effort to try to spit the words out, only to stutter. While many are able to relate to the distress involved in public speaking, issues faced by a person who stutters are unique. Anxiety of a stuttering block extends beyond the typical public speaking into the everyday world of phone conversations and ordering fast food. The anxiety I get during either of the two situations is tremendous. For example, if I am preparing to place a phone call or am waiting in line to order fast food, anxiety builds as I wonder whether I will stutter. This affects my decision-ma... ...e my fear of speaking, and, in addition, I became more social and outgoing. Ever since I took journalism, I have realized I do not have to hide the fact that I have a speech impediment. Contrarily, I have learned that I feel more comfortable with my audience, especially in a classroom situation, if I let the cat out of the bag before I spoke. By advertising my stuttering, I no longer feel as if I am running away or trying to hide my problems, and I find that my listeners tend to be more sympathetic to my disability. I have learned that self-acceptance has pushed me a long way in my struggle to discover who I am. No one is perfect, and everyone must realize their short-comings. But these must not get in the way of your goals in life. You must confront these obstacles head-on, learn to accept them, and to build from your broadened understanding of yourself.

Eskimo Pie

Eskimo Pie Case Part 1 â€Å"As an advisor to Reynolds, would you recommend the sale to Nestle or the proposed IPO? † Subpoints: 1. The managers of Eskimo Pie wanted to find an alternative to Nestle’s acquisition offer for one main reason: Eskimo pie would lose its independence. If Nestle went through with the acquisition, Eskimo would not continue its tradition of being a stand-alone company in Richmond with this meaning that its headquarters and management staff would probably be replaced too.Fundamentally, Eskimo was reluctant to being acquired by Nestle because it felt it would be an aggressive takeover of the company. It would ruin a 70-year long business to take advantage of its tax conditions and it would probably transform the business similar to a traditional integrated manufacturing and marketing approach. 2. David Clark knew that Goldman Sachs had a long-standing relationship with both Reynolds and Nestle. This meant that GS had a conflict of interest in this acquisition.The solution that would best satisfy GS’s interests would be to sell Eskimo to Nestle but this might not be the best solution for Eskimo. So David Clark is dealing with Wheat First Securities instead of Goldman Sachs because he wanted to find an alternative to Nestle’s offer. Since Wheat First Securities had no long-standing relationship with neither Reynolds nor Nestle, it had no conflict of interest in this acquisition. It could see with more objectiveness which acquisition is the best for Eskimo.Furthermore David had personal interest in dealing with WFS because his own position could be put at risk by a Nestle acquisition. 3. IPO alternative: Bulls| Bears| * Good IPO market conditions, in terms of number of deals and value| * No exploitation of possible synergies with competitors, confirmed by Nestle as the major bidder| * Updated forecasts containing results (Sales, Net Income, Capex) better than expected| * Timing – an IPO offer would take a l onger time than a private sale| * Proceeds from the sale at least equal to Nestle’s offer in the worst hypothesis ($14 share rice)| * Uncertainty – related to price and future market conditions| * Less complications- no terms, provisions, negotiations, or compromises| * Lack of expertise of Wheat First Securities| * Social Benefits – saving a local company and jobs| | * Reynold would be able to get liquidity| | Part 2 1. Considering the DFCF model with the projections of Wheat First and growth of FCF of 5%, the equity value of the firm is $47. 286 million. Thus the offer from Nestle of $61 million is appealing for Reynolds, aiming to sell the company.Also the proceeds from the IPO proposed by the management and Wheat First Securities are able to adequately compensate Reynolds. Assuming a price range within $14 – $16, the net proceeds for Reynolds would be $51. 652 and $57. 230 respectively, still higher than the considered equity value. As a matter of fac t the private sale to Nestle is still the most convenient to Reynolds. 2. To value Eskimo Pie using multiples method we should decide whether to use the transaction multiple, available from the Drumstick deal, or business and market based multiples. The implied value on sales from Drumstick transaction can be used to assess the value of the company only if the two companies and deals are significantly comparable. In this case accurate information are not available and the peculiar business model of Eskimo Pie, based on licensing, makes this method not highly reliable. * Multiples based on business and market data imply the use of realized or projected values. The management of Eskimo Pie forecasts higher sales in the future years, thus using realized data to calculate the value of the company could lead to mispricing.Therefore the information of 1991 is used to implement the method. * Looking at comparable companies, two firms are operating in the same business, Empire of Carolina, Inc. and Steve's Homemade Ice Cream. Since multiples based on operating measures such as EBIT or EBITDA depend less on firm leverage and cash than those based on Earnings and we have relevant information available from those two companies, multiples like EV/EBITDA or Firm Value/EBIT seems to be most accurate. Considering the calculations in Exhibit 7 based on the Firm Value/EBIT multiple, Reynolds should sell Eskimo Pie for an amount not less than $56. 68 million. The offer from Nestle is consistent with this valuation of the company, whilst the proceeds from the IPO are sufficient to adequately compensate Reynolds only if the share price is higher than $15. 66. Notwithstanding, if we take into account the implied price using the P/E multiple or transaction multiple, the threshold to sell the company is even higher ($82. 891 and $73. 200 respectively). Thus, neither the IPO option nor the Nestle offer are appealing to Reynolds. 3. The theory says that multiples only work if the comp arison group is sufficiently comparable in all other respects.In order to know if we could use other companies’ multiples or the average of them we must see if they are sufficiently comparable to Eskimo, in other words we must see if the value drivers of the firms are approximately the same. The eligible companies in terms of business model and structure are Empire of Carolina, Inc. and Steve’s Homemade because they both market ice cream and license their formula. All the other companies having a different business model and structure will not be taken into consideration as comparable companies.As a first comparable driver we will use the operating profit margin. Eskimo has a 6,83% operating profit margin calculated on data of 1990 (exhibit 1). Carolina and Steve instead have respectively 15,38% and 11,11% operating profit margins. This tells us that†¦ The tax rate is the same for all companies therefore it is not a relevant driver in making a choice on which comp arable company to use. Since we don’t have the cost of capital and the cost of debt, we will compare the risk class and leverage among the considered companies.We can see that Carolina and Steve have very different risk classes, one is a C and the other is a BBB, Eskimo on the other hand is a BBB because to calculate the WACC we used a cost of debt correspondent to long-term bond in the BBB risk class. So this means that†¦ The leverage of the three companies are 0,07 (Eskimo), 0,08 (Steve) and 1,747 (Carolina). Carolina has a very high leverage because its debt is more than 1,5 times its equity, instead the other two have a debt which is inferior to their equity.So even if the two companies have similar business models, through a deeper analysis we found that Eskimo is effectively similar to Steve but very different respect to Carolina. Steve has a closer operating margin to Eskimo’s than Carolina. It also is in the same risk class, and its leverage is alligned wi th Eskimo’s. Carolina on the other hand has more than double of Eskimo’s operating margin. Its in a riskier class and its leverage is much higher than Eskimo’s. Therefore it was correct to use Steve’s Homemade Ice Cream as a comparable company.The only case in which we would use an average, instead, would be if the two companies were both very similar to Eskimo. 4. The fact that DFCF approach gives a lower value for the company than multiples-based approaches depends on market drivers. In particular, the case can be that the DFCF model implies a WACC that does not reflect the cost of capital and implied risk perceived by the market. As a matter of fact the market overvalues future growth opportunities, leading to high multiples on EBIT and Earnings.

Beer Wars Essay

Beer Wars is a documentary film directed and produced by Anat Baron and released in April of 2009. It focuses on the struggle between the dominating corporate businesses of Anheuser-Busch, Miller Brewing Company, Coors Brewing Company, and the smaller independent businesses of â€Å"craft beers† such as Dogfish Head Brewery, The Boston Beer Company, and The New Belgium Brewing Company. The film covers many aspects of the beer â€Å"wars† between the companies such as competitive advertising, product quality, price, distribution, and government regulations. Because of the enormous status and power of the big three, the ability to advertise and market their wares is significantly easier than for most other breweries. From being able to hire top dollar marketing experts to running multimillion dollar commercials during the Super Bowl, they dominate the beer advertising market. With their lack of ability to buy â€Å"shelf space†, smaller companies are often pushed out of the way and driven to less marketable places in the aisles of stores nationwide. Rhonda Kallman, owner of The New Century Brewing company, known for its craft beer â€Å"Moonshot†, talked about how she often would put up a poster advertising her beer one day only to find it replaced by a competitor’s poster the next day. This is a glimpse at the competitiveness that small breweries face day to day. Today, The New Century Brewing company is currently shut down due to the FDA’s banning of caffeinated beers; Moonshot fell victim to this regulatory axe. This is what happens when the bread and butter of your company can no longer be produced. The fall of Kallman’s company, however, is just another tragic story in the long history of beer manufactures. By the late 70‘s and early 80‘s, many people turned towards homebrewing to meet their taste needs because of the bland taste of the larger breweries products. Charlie Papazian was one of those people. A nuclear engineer at the University of Virginia, he started experimenting with homebrewing soon after it was legalized in 1978. His main focus was quality and diversity when out of his house he started the American Homebrewers Association; now a nationwide association of over 36,000 members with it’s own magazine. While giving a tour of his prized collection he made sure to point out that what he cared about most was â€Å"Quality. Not necessarily quantity, but quality. † Papazian was not the only one who desired quality over quantity. Samuel Calagione was yet another man focused on quality. In 1995 he founded the company Dogfish Head Brewery naming it after Dogfish Head, Maine where he spent summers as a child growing up. Starting out as a fledgling company in Delaware, and growing by nearly 400% between 2003 and 2006, it now is one of the most successful craft breweries in the U. S. A. The film went into great detail on the various struggles that small breweries went through. From the competitive advertising to the rules and regulations of the trade, small breweries are faced with many challenges day to day. After the Prohibition in the 1930’s, a three-tier system was set up by many states in order to control the flow of alcohol from producer to consumer. However, this proved to be often times a problem for fledgling companies with little buying power. In order to get their beers out there and known, they must go through a wholesaler distributer first. The problem though is that often times the wholesalers favor the Big Three or other large companies because of their buying power. When it came down to having to choose whether to ship a Coors Light or a Moonshot, often times the well known brand would be chosen not only for it’s popularity but also because of the pay that the larger companies could give for their favor over others. Kallman learned that shelf space is yet another difficulty faced by the craft beer companies. If you’re most seen, you’re most bought and the Big Three knew this. Another difficulty faced is the temptation to sell out to the big companies. Over the years, Anheuser-Busch, Miller, and Coors all have been buying up the little companies as soon as they showed promise; all in order to try to get a bigger piece of the pie that is market share. If they couldn’t buy you, they would try to destroy you. So in conclusion, Beer Wars is one of the first documentary films to go into great detail on the battle for survival and power between the various beer companies of America; showing the struggles of the craft breweries against the big companies and the fight for power among the larger companies and their major competitors. Sources http://beerwarsmovie. com/tag/rhonda-kallman/ http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/ http://www. cnn. com/FOOD/resources/food. for. thought/beverages/alcohol/homebrew/papazian/.

The Real America Professor Ramos Blog

The Real America Mario Jimenez Professor Ramos English 261 8 April 2019 There has always been a great debate on what America really stands for. If it is its own being or just a mesh of various cultures, a hybrid of a sort that has yet to identify itself. For decades after the founding of the country many authors were drawn to the forms of writing based on their European counterparts. This was because there were no American writers to which piggyback off. However soon many writers began to find their own voice and while not completely unique there were sparks that seemed to give America a voice. Soon after many great writers began to emerge, and different voices and platforms were provided but there was still an ever-present question, did America have an identity? The question still resonates today and there is a belief that due to its uniqueness everything that encompasses American literature hints at its reality. The American identity cannot be something completely defined. It is a sense of belonging and a pride that is unlike any other. In Carl Sandburg’s â€Å"Chicago† and Langston Hughes â€Å"I, too† we deal with two of America’s most prolific writers. While they discuss different subject matters in the sense that one seems to focus on a city and the other on people, they both seem to go beyond and claim to know what the identity of the country consists of. They take all the criticism they have heard of this nation and are trying to revert that into a sense of pride. It is surmised that while they are not ignorant to these issues, they are well aware that before anything can be changed, it needs to first be addressed effectively. While these changes will need time to be defined as successful, both poets are absolutely sure that these issues will be confronted in a proficient way. â€Å"Chicago† and â€Å"I, too† are poems that not only discuss daily life in America but seek to highlight it and then further seek to define what the country is as a whole. Firstly in â€Å"Chicago† Sandburg discusses how a large portion of the population views the city in a very negative light, while he loves and adore it. He goes on to admit that the city does have its share of evil, but it has a lot more to offer. It is the soul and heart of the great nation he lives in. He specifically admits that they due in fact have prostitutes, killers and starving families but so does every great city in America. In fact, if it were not for the title this could have been viewed as any other major city in this era. Of course, Chicago has a specific place in his heart and goes on to make sure that it is apparent that this is the city he is discussing. After the city became known by some of the language he uses but was not the case prior. â€Å"Sandburg wrote for the masses, in a plainspoken language that readers would understand. The dazzling styles of Sandburg’s modernist peers, in contrast, were often difficult, allusive, or opaque. Sandburg forged an accessible modernism that was partly informed by his leftist political impulses. He not only wanted to write about the working classes, but he also wanted to be read by them† (Olson). So, in a broader sense Chicago symbolizes the United States. While a relatively new country the United Sates has been characterized as a country in constant growth. It is constantly building and expanding, life is rarely ever dull within this country. It has its share of problems, but nowhere will you find prouder people of all sorts and walks of life. In â€Å"I, too† Langston Hughes seems to focus within the context of a house which symbolizes the country. â€Å"Hughes conveys a message of black resilience through tone, repetition and metaphor. He speaks directly to an audience in his opening lines. I, Too, Sing America. I am the darker brother. By positioning America as an interlocutor, Hughes separates himself from his audience, forcing us to question both the speakers identity and Americas.† (McCormick 20) He goes on to say that it requires a lot of people to maintain the house and that while you like to show it off when it is clean, there is a lack of transparency on how this cleanliness was achieved. He knows that we are still in the early stages of development as a country and although equality was something that should have been achieved much sooner, it will come one day. As a people, the African Americans have so much to offer that he states that one day people will remember in shame. Likewise, the United States has been a beacon of light for other countries. While there have been cases where it has gone beyond help and have overreached, without the United States it would have been a much darker world. As mentioned no one person or country can be perfect every single time, but the resilience and pride will remain. Ultimately both poems deal in the inner and outer appearance of the United States. One is embodied by the City of Chicago and the other by the house one inhabits. They both have good and bad, but there is constant progress being made in these fronts. As a people and as a country, they are defined by the will to overcome any obstacle. America will defeat any enemy that gets in its way even when sometimes it is its own people that are hindering it. In times of turmoil it has been proven that the people of this nation will do what is right. It may require time and a key political figure but once we obtain the necessary movement, there is nothing that can slow it down. Sometimes these movement will go array and head in the opposite direction but eventually they are put back on course. That is something this country is famous for, the refusal to stay stagnant. There is a course of action even when it is sometimes erroneous but there is never a sense of apathy. This is a constant, which contradicts the previous notion but as a country it is evident that there is always room for improvement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sandburg and Hughes implement different writing techniques to portray their vision of America, but it cannot be disputed that they were proud of their country. In a sense both authors called for action, to not let other people’s perspective dampen or limit your nation. It is a certainty that no one place can be deemed perfect because they are man-made, and man is flawed. There is also no use of complex language, but the meaning is one that makes the reader think and assess. It is for the people and their sheer tenacity for life is a trademark. The United States has been formed just by that tenacity and self-love of its citizens. One does not need the approval of another but if one work hard that approval will come regardless if one seeks it or not. Pride in one’s country has always been seen as a patriotic but when one loves his country when it has been anything but loving to its citizens, it is irreproachable and what these poe ts deserve. As mentioned it is easy to love when everything goes well, but true love is apparent when everything is falling apart. Works Cited McCormick, Jennifer. â€Å"Reading Langston Hughes.† California English, vol. 15, no. 5, June 2010, pp. 20-23. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=ehhAN=50881507site=ehost-live. Hughes, Langston. â€Å"I, Too.† The Norton Anthology of American Literature. edited by Robert S. Levine, Baym, and Nina, 2013, pp. 1039. Sandburg, Carl. â€Å"Chicago.† The Norton Anthology of American Literature. edited by Robert S. Levine, Baym, and Nina, 2013, pp. 764 Olson, Liesl. â€Å"Carl Sandburgs Chicago: Stormy, Husky, Brawling at 100.†Los Angeles Review of Books, lareviewofbooks.org/article/carl-sandburgs-chicago-stormy-husky-brawling-at- 100/#!

Anzaldua essays

Anzaldua essays Gloria Anzaldua writes about a borderland. Thisborderland? is what she explains as where two or more cultures meet with each other. Two essays in which she wrote are Entering into the Serpent and How to Tame a Wild Tongue. Both of these essays are written in English and Spanish, making it difficult for some to understand. She does this to show people what it was like to not understand. Anzaldua discusses her experiences growing up between many cultures. As a woman of many identities, she has suffered oppression because of who and what she represents in an American culture that is threatened by anyone who is not of white color. In Entering into the Serpent, Anzaldua paints a picture of her culture and defines what culture is to her. She tells many stories of different Spanish cultures. In How to Tame a Wild Tongue, Anzaldua points out that it was not only from white people that she faced challenges. Her own people forced her to live her life in a state of division. She tried to conform to the white man's expectation and was then called apocho? (cultural traitor). She was accused of ruining the Spanish language when she spoke English, and most Latinos accused her of ruining Spanish as she spoke Chicano Spanish. Anzaldua was told by Latinos thatyou?re speaking the oppressor's language by speaking English, you?re ruining the Spanish language?. Anzaldua examines the origins of some of the different languages she speaks, and in doing so she reveals the processes of transculturation that helped to shape them. Anzaldua draws a connection between her identity and the various languages she uses. For instance, she names Standard and Working Class English as the languages that she learned in school and from the media. Chicano Texas Spanish is the language that is closest to her heart and the one she uses when speaking to her mom, younger brother, aunts and older relatives. Of the eight different languages she speaks all ha ...

Unnecessary commas - Emphasis

Unnecessary commas Unnecessary commas Write Away reader Bill Friar got in touch to air one of his professional writing bugbears: I would dearly love to see an item on the creeping trend of putting commas between peoples names and their titles or descriptive terms. For example: Prime Minister, David Cameron, spoke outside Downing Street. or action star, Tom Cruise, went on a rampage I dont remember seeing this kind of thing very often even five years ago. Now its everywhere. The madness must stop. Thanks, Bill. You make an excellent point those double commas hugging Tom Cruise and David Cameron shouldnt be there. But why is this punctuation wrong? Appositives Its wrong because Tom and David, in the above examples, are restrictive appositives. Say what? An appositive is a word, phrase or clause that renames, explains or identifies another noun in the same sentence. They can be restrictive or nonrestrictive. For example: Emphasis Training, the business-writing trainers, are based in Brighton. Youll notice that the appositive above is tucked away between commas. This is because the business-writing trainers is a nonrestrictive appositive: if you remove it from the sentence youd still know who the subject (Emphasis) is, and it would still make sense. However, some appositives are restrictive they cant be left out of the sentence without changing the meaning or leaving people confused. Restrictive appositives should not have commas round them. In Bills examples, the names cant be removed because it would leave the sentences incomplete, as they dont start with a determiner (eg the, a, our etc): Prime Minister spoke outside Downing Street Action star went on a rampage And even if they did, we might still need more information to properly identify the subjects in question, and not leave the reader guessing. For all we know, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina was speaking outside Downing Street about Bruce Williss recent rampage. Now thats how rumours get started.

Introduction To ART Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Introduction To ART - Essay Example The shapes of these rings are quite different. The first ring from the left is round with a square diamond decoration that is yellow in color. The second ring is beige in color and is round in shape but it is flat from the front view. The other ring is blue in color and it is also thickly rounded with its surface also decorated with different lines. The lines that repeat themselves in the background develop unity as they show how different colors such as blue, purple and shades of yellow could be used together. Generally, the outline of this advertisement entails warm colors of different tones. The colors have at least two tones; dark and light. All in all, the different colors used on the rings could be said to be gender specific. Thick and thin lines have been used in this advertisement. The thick dark lines show the dark tone of the colors used and the thin lines have been used to indicate the light shades of the colors used. The rings have been symmetrically represented at the bottom of the advertisement unlike the upper part that has the statement. The texture of the background surface has been depicted as rough by the bold checked lines at the top while the bottom has faint checked lines that depict some smoothness. The advertisement was placed online by the Rocks by Request Company to reach the several masses that have access to the internet so that they could learn about the qualities of diamond before they can buy them form potential jewelers. The retailers also used internet advertisement so as to increase their sales. The company has maintained connectivity so as to include human characteristics in e-commerce by including both technology and culture in organizations that retail in diamonds. Rings have always been a symbol of love in the form of material. Therefore, diamond rings would symbolize uniqueness and status of the couple as not many people are able to buy them. The different colors used on

Management Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Management Information Systems - Essay Example These include expert system, decision support systems, and executive information systems (Laudon & Jane 12). 1. The changes of information system I learnt that the field that covers the general information systems and changes in the management theories, processes, models, and emphasis. It expounds on problem solving as well as strategies that deal with the business. Information system is bringing about increasingly changes in people’s lives. This includes relationships, decision making, data collection, and communication. IT change leads to innovation, thus new business services and models. The leaders in different organization need to understand the impacts resulting from changes within the organization. Organizations have to also examine their performance, processes, and strategies in order to identify the changes within their organizations. This concept of change management is gaining attention among organizations and human behavior, operation management, business administr ation, and information systems. Technological advancements as well as, business improvements are essential in modern societies, and finding effective strategies to manage processes of change (Laudon & Jane 33). 2. Information Systems and Organizations We also learnt higher education institution is working hard to ensure that information technologies are effective in al spheres of life. This is this through ensuring efficient information system and operation in organization. They are doing this by effecting the eve of education. All graduates currently have the basic knowledge concerning the field; thus organizations can run effectively with the adequacy in operations and systems. On the other hand, processes within organizations are proceeding at high speed thus increasing the output together with the efficiency. Security has also increased thus expanding the reach of the organizations. This is because the organizations can expand confidently. The above is one of the key items that have been brought about by information systems. 3. Information, Management, and Decision Making I learnt that information system also facilitates decision making. This is because it comes along with mechanisms which simply human labor. The role of management is to use their sense to make decisions. However, with information systems, programs that run and facilitates their role. I therefore, appreciate the innovations behind information systems. 4. The Strategic Role of Information Systems to businesses I have learnt that Information Systems support business operations and processes. They assist managers in efficiently conducting their routine functions and activities properly. For example, different bank activities such as statement generation, withdrawal of money and account creation are efficient due to Information Systems. These systems help managers conduct such activities timely and accurately. Information Systems can also analyze data about information on customers (Laudon & J ane 63). Information Systems are useful in supporting strategic decision making that contributes to competitive advantage. Analysis of data by information systems provides critical information in decision-making. A company can decide to launch products or services in different locations basing their decision from results of analyzed data by Information Systems. The strategic role of Information Systems cannot be ignored since they help in planning a business’

Globalization of production & the spread of counterfeit products; A Essay

Globalization of production & the spread of counterfeit products; A Comparative analysis of the International Law on counterfeit & Piracy - Essay Example The region has since developed from a mere supplier of raw materials to an emerging production economy brought about by its export capability (Haggett, 2002). On a sad note, however, Asia is now emerging to be the single largest producing region for counterfeits and pirated goods. The Internet lent itself handy as a new platform for boosting sales, with considerable assistance from criminal networks and organised crime. The glitter of enormous profit has encouraged more counterfeiters and pirates to join the bandwagon. Moreover, penalties were believed to be relatively light even when the counterfeiting and piracy operations are detected and the perpetrators are brought to justice (OECD, 2007). This paper discusses the mechanisms which promote the growth of counterfeiting and piracy operations; the existing initiatives and laws in the war against counterfeit and pirated goods with special emphasis on the Southeast Asian region in the light of its new sobriquet as the top manufacturing region for counterfeit and pirated products; and the weaknesses or loopholes of these laws, if any. An attempt was also made to perform a comparative analysis of the policy failures, if any, and successes of coordinated efforts to fight counterfeiting and piracy. Finally, recommendations will be forwarded in the light of the inputs from the data analysed. The OECD (1998) defined counterfeiting as â€Å"an infringement of the legal rights of an owner of intellectual property† (p. 5). This is the broadest essence of the term counterfeiting. To be more specific in this discussion, however, the paper utilised the definitions of counterfeiting and piracy from the context of the TRIPs Agreement2, as counterfeit trademark goods and pirated copyright goods, respectively: Counterfeit trademark goods shall mean any goods, including packaging, bearing without authorisation a trademark which is

Are pheumatic tourniquets necesary for optium beneficts from knee Essay

Are pheumatic tourniquets necesary for optium beneficts from knee surgery - Essay Example s shown less drastically adverse results with working in conditions of limited blood loss being the most obvious benefit but with numerous disadvantages (Tang, Olesnicky & Heiskell 2013, p. 32). On the other hand, modern day knee surgery, employing pneumatic tourniquets in more than one million surgical cases in North America alone per year, is prone to risks presented by intra-operative and post-operative complications as well as operation-specific complications. Several studies have identified the pneumatic tourniquet as a significant factor for the increased risk of complications with regards to knee surgery (Krushell & Fingeroth 2007, p. 78). Although there are some advantages such as confining anaesthetics to an extremity, the most common risks are in the form of nerve injury, post-tourniquet syndrome, blood clots, infections and osteolysis (Walsh 2006, p. 711). Because of the risks that patients are exposed to during the use of pneumatic tourniquets in knee surgery, this paper will argue in support that pneumatic tourniquets are not necessary for optimum benefits from knee surgery by discussing their complications. The use of tourniquets, even the older, non-pneumatic versions, has been riddled with complications, sometimes fatal ones (Shemshaki, Laripiur & Jalalian 2010, p 683). Pneumatic tourniquets are used in knee surgery to primarily occlude the flow of blood in an extremity so as to establish a bloodless field in which surgery may be conducted. However, their increased use is also accompanied by the growing risk of incidents related to complications with pronounced physiological changes such as the base-acid imbalance caused by the application of pneumatic tourniquets and may result in pulmonary oedema. The physiological changes also induce transendothelial movement of polymorphonuclears. Most of the injuries that result from the application of pneumatic tourniquets are often pressure-related but may also be consequences of prolonged tourniquet time

Claims for Damages in the Court of Appeal Case Study

Claims for Damages in the Court of Appeal - Case Study Example Secondary victims may successfully claim on the ground of pure physical injury as what happened in McLoughlin v O’Brian, where the Court held that secondary victims may claim on the ground of psychiatric injury in cases that the claimant is a close relative of the primary victim and the former was able to witness by reason of physical proximity which made witnessing or hearing the accident possible. In determining whether the present case will present positive prospects of recovery, the Court classified the appellants as to whether they could be secondary victims at the very least. The pivotal incident, in this case, was the shooting of Mr. Ashley, an incident that was not witnessed by the appellants. They were not, therefore, secondary victims. The psychiatric injury caused by that event upon the appellants was indirect and stemmed from the stress that the subsequent disciplinary and criminal proceedings that followed after it. The lower court, according to Lord Phillips, is not empowered to extend the law on negligence by accommodating the claims of the appellants. The case that the appellants relied upon, viz. Waters v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis is not applicable to the case at bar, according to Lord Phillips, because it contemplates of â€Å"bullying† in the workplace, which the employer failed to stop, and not a novel extension of the duty of care. In winding his discussion, Lord Phillips quoted Lord Steyn in the Frost.  case: â€Å"My Lords, the law on the recovery of compensation for pure psychiatric harm is a patchwork quilt of distinctions which are difficult to justify. [†¦] The only prudent course is to treat the pragmatic categories as reflected in authoritative decisions such as the Alcock case [1992] 1 AC 310 and Page v Smith [1996] AC 155 as settled for the time being, but by and large to leave any expansion or development in this corner of the law to Parliament.      

Are pheumatic tourniquets necesary for optium beneficts from knee Essay

Are pheumatic tourniquets necesary for optium beneficts from knee surgery - Essay Example s shown less drastically adverse results with working in conditions of limited blood loss being the most obvious benefit but with numerous disadvantages (Tang, Olesnicky & Heiskell 2013, p. 32). On the other hand, modern day knee surgery, employing pneumatic tourniquets in more than one million surgical cases in North America alone per year, is prone to risks presented by intra-operative and post-operative complications as well as operation-specific complications. Several studies have identified the pneumatic tourniquet as a significant factor for the increased risk of complications with regards to knee surgery (Krushell & Fingeroth 2007, p. 78). Although there are some advantages such as confining anaesthetics to an extremity, the most common risks are in the form of nerve injury, post-tourniquet syndrome, blood clots, infections and osteolysis (Walsh 2006, p. 711). Because of the risks that patients are exposed to during the use of pneumatic tourniquets in knee surgery, this paper will argue in support that pneumatic tourniquets are not necessary for optimum benefits from knee surgery by discussing their complications. The use of tourniquets, even the older, non-pneumatic versions, has been riddled with complications, sometimes fatal ones (Shemshaki, Laripiur & Jalalian 2010, p 683). Pneumatic tourniquets are used in knee surgery to primarily occlude the flow of blood in an extremity so as to establish a bloodless field in which surgery may be conducted. However, their increased use is also accompanied by the growing risk of incidents related to complications with pronounced physiological changes such as the base-acid imbalance caused by the application of pneumatic tourniquets and may result in pulmonary oedema. The physiological changes also induce transendothelial movement of polymorphonuclears. Most of the injuries that result from the application of pneumatic tourniquets are often pressure-related but may also be consequences of prolonged tourniquet time

The Internal Analysis for Costco in US Research Paper

The Internal Analysis for Costco in US - Research Paper Example The corporation currently operates approximately 387 warehousing-shopping clubs in United States. This has played a great role in creating trust among the target market an aspect that has increased the corporations resources (Costco wholesale, 2010). Another resource that Costco is proud of is the brand name. The corporation has been able to invest heavily in its brand name. This has been through intense advertisement in order to familiarize the name with the market. As a result, the brand name acts an important asset that the company owns. In addition, the brand name plays a great role in the market as it is one of the resources that are used in the market as a competitive tool. The reputation that the company holds in the market plays a great role in ensuring that the corporation remain one of the most competitive wholesalers in the market (Hoovers, 2012). The Corporation has put great emphasis on improving its technology which is a great resource. With the current changes in techn ological level, companies must work hard in an attempt to remain competitive. As a result, the corporation keeps on reviewing its technology in order to install the current technology. This has enabled the corporation to keep on satisfying the interests of consumers and aspect that has created customer loyalty towards the products (Hoovers, 2012). Costco wholesale has high qualified personnel. These are able to read the market behavior and identify any changes that might occur in the market. The personnel working as a team are also a great resource that the company has as it is able to solve any challenge that may lead to collapse of the wholesale (Hoovers, 2012). Capabilities Costco Corporation has the ability to sell its products at a low price. Since the corporation has spread its risks through diversification of its operations, the corporation is able to reduce its profit margins in some of its branches and still able to sustain its operations. This has also been supported by us e of machinery in its operations an aspect that has reduced the overall cost of production therefore, lowering the breakeven price. This provides an opportunity for the company to attract more customers and maintain the existing customers. This has made Costco competitors e.g. AutoZone, Inc, Big Lots, Inc etc unable to keep up with Costco’s level of competition. In addition, the corporation keeps low prices through purchasing high quantities and not making up any product more than 15%, less than the typical 25% at the supermarket and 50% at the departmental store. Costco is able to make up for the low margins through charging fifty five dollars annual membership fee. Approximately 90% of its members renew their membership each year thereby making the Corporation to be profitable (Logan, 2012). The corporation has the ability to produce brand that can compete in national levels. Due to its skills, technology and experienced personnel, Costco has the ability to come up with new brand, which will be supported by the financial ability of the corporation to penetrate, position and segment the market. This has been indicated by the introduction of Kirkland Signature which was mainly aimed at competing with other national brands through lowering the prices of the commodity while maintaining quality. Core competences The corporation h

The East African Slave Trade Routes Essay Example for Free

The East African Slave Trade Routes Essay Slavery is a systematic exploitation of labor in human. It involved trading of human or capturing of human as a source of free or cheap labor aimed at working in military, in plantations, mines and as domestic servants. Slave trade was mainly in Africa. Africans were traded to other continents to work in large scale enterprises, mines, in the fleets and in the drainage of marshes. Slaves were treated like non humans and were seen as property. Therefore they didn’t enjoy equal rights like their masters. In East Africa, slave trade was dominated by Arab and Africa traders. It was mainly in the coastal cities of East Africa such as Mombasa, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. Captured or purchased African men were taken to the Middle East where they were enslaved. They faced brutal treatment along the way and in their place of work. They were overworked, abused sexually and insulted physically. They were exported annually into Mecca and Medina via the Indian Ocean giving the trade the name Indian Ocean Slave Trade. The Portuguese were also involved . Generally, it took the slaves a long time before reaching to their destination which was mainly the Arab countries, India and Middle East. The ships were too slow and overloaded thus could not move fast enough. The journey was thousand of miles between the coast of East Africa and Southern Arabia the Persian Gulf. They were traded along with gold, ivory, perfumes and exotic woods. African tribes’ men and women along the coastal line were brutally captured in their habitats. The prisoners of war were not lucky too as they were sold off by there own chiefs in exchange for money. Pawning was common in this trade and the slaves were used as such. It was traumatizing for the slaves moment as it usually involved physical abuse. They were beaten especially if they resisted capture. Their families could mourn as they knew that their captured members would never return. This separation by itself was traumatizing. The selection was inhuman. They were undressed publicly to check for any disability in front of there wives and children. The healthy and strong ones were picked living back the weak, sick and the old. They were chained and were forced to carry heavy merchandise such as the tusks of elephants on there way to the cells and dungeons where they awaited their sale. The cells were overcrowded. Men, women and children were kept in tiny cells with small windows. Some did not survive this far and died of suffocation and body weakness. There were no toilets and the place was filthy. They were whipped in front of their buyers as a show to how strong they were so that they could cost higher . For the purchased, immediately after they were bought they became the property of their masters. They were transported in overcrowded ship. They were chained together and packed into the cargo hold below dock. They were denied the freedom to move and were only allowed up on the dock sometimes in good weathers. The women and children enjoyed limited movement freedom. The food they ate was rotten if not bad and the water was foul. There were typically two meals a day. Their diet depended on what was the cheapest in the market at the particular time. The ship crews sometimes whipped the slaves for no reason at all. They were generally brutal. Sexual abuse was common especially among the female and child slaves. Severe punishment like death was common especially if there was disobedience. Their bodies would be thrown into the sea and sometimes they were thrown alive and left to die. All this time of sexual and physical abuse, starvation and sickness, some slave became traumatized and committed suicide by leaping overboard while others fell in state of shock. As a result of overcrowding, the condition in the ship was filth and diseases were common. They were the major cause of death. There were literally no toilets and the only available wooden buckets were meant to serve all the slaves on board. Dangerous diseases like small pox, dysentery, measles, malaria and scurvy plagued these ships. They affected even the ship crews. There were no drugs and much of the infected slaves were thrown into the sea to avoid transmission to the healthy. In cases of interception by war ships in search of illegal slave smugglers, the captain would throw the slaves in the ocean aimed at destroying the evidence. This was to avoid being poisoned or hanged if found guilty . After they reached to their destination, they were marketed where they now were possessed by new masters. They were assigned responsibilities but brutality still continued. The women worked as domestic servants and junior house wives while the men worked in the fields. The whip was the major impetus to work in the fields. It was the major fuel to make them work more. They were allowed little time to rest. They were merely viewed as a unit of production in the fields and mines rather than contributors. It was characterized by strong racism which dominated even there share in the society. African slaves were viewed as less human and were treated like property. Killing with impunity was common especially in cases of disobedience and sickness. They were given less attention on their humanitarian’s rights. The master or the slave owner had the powers to discipline to the point of death of all the members of the households. These included the children, kinsmen, housewives. Most of them were castrated to avoid reproduction. They were never taken back to their mother land. Therefore, as time went by they died and reduced in numbers. They had no right to own property whatsoever. Though some became leaders of the larger groups in the field, they were denied rights and would never be equal to their owners . In general, the slave trade was characterized by inhuman and brutal treatment of the slaves. The purchasing, transportation and deportation had very minimal humanitarian standards. Many continued to suffer the loss of their loved one who would never return back and who died on the hand of other human beings. Afterwards, there was abolishment of this trade though much of the African salves didn’t survive. The lucky ones went to extinction as reproduction was not possible as many males had been castrated. This trade was succeeded by legitimate trade which involved export of raw materials rather than labor. In recent years, slavery has been a world crisis with some evolutions like the American evolution putting strict measures on it but even in the modern world there still remains some traces of slave trade especially for the women and children. References Clarence-Smith, G. W. (1989) Slavery and abolition.The Economics of the Indian Ocean Slave Trade in the Nineteenth Century: Routledge, Patterson, O. (1982) a Comparative Study Slavery and Social Death: Harvard University Press. Watkins, R. R. (2001) Slavery: Bondage throughout History. HMCo Childrens Books, Collins, R. O and Burns, M. J. (2007)A History of Sub-Saharan Africa: Cambridge University Press. Total travel (2007) helping my friends teach my children about the word. Retrieved from http://www. tototravels. com/2006/10/chapter_20_zanz. html on Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Reality TV Shows in the Arab World

Reality TV Shows in the Arab World Reality TV: the Reality that is Globalized Media Research Methods Arab satellite television stations have recognized themselves now as one of the major sources for information for the Arab world for they are demanding the domination of the American media. Television broadcasting in the Arab world goes back to the mid-1950s when on-governmental air operations were launched in Morocco, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. In almost all Arab countries, television services were subordinated to ministries of information or other government bodies, therefore revolving into executive mouthpieces of regime policies as well as into outlets of public civilizing look. By the end of the 1980s, the Arab world TV domination representation began to practice key cracks with the foundation of more independent television organizations in more than a few of Arab countries and the increase of profitable television service besides government spreading. One of the significant developments in the Arab television picture in the 1990s has been the disintegrated of a 40-year government domination representation of broadcasting in the Arab world. The model habitually derives from the idea of broadcasting as a device of public growth that is supposed to be positioned below the government control. In service within ministries of information, television organizations for the majority piece were funded completely from nationwide budgetary allocations and their recruits were viewed as element of state-owned establishment. Moreover, the entry of marketable broadcasters with gigantic technological and monetary possessions into the Arab world television prospect has been a central improvement. In September 1991, Arab audiences had their first experience of confidential satellite television when MBC went on the air from studio services in London with Western-styled indoctrination. More secretive broadcasters followed outfit: Orbit in 1994, ART in 1995, LBC and Future Television in 1995, and Al-Jazeera from Qatar in 1996. The Arab world Television stations had developed too much by the end of the 90s, for the huge and remarkable development era was during 2002 and 2003. The Arab nation since then had decreased the interest in watching news and documentaries, becoming addicted instead to the new trend known as Reality TV. Since 2003 and something new was occurring in the Arab world. Millions of families have closed themselves up in their homes, eyes glued to the TV monitor when the shows begin! The Reality TV had changed several characteristics of the TV broadcast image and content since it occurred, for it is an interesting phenomenon to be focused on to know more about it. Reality TV in the Arab world is built on certain basics which affects the traditions and cultures of the Arabian societies in different ways. 1. The History and The Rise of Reality TV In the past, television programs were built up to be for all family members, however nowadays most of the TV shows and mostly the Reality TV ones are built on the bases of an audience made up of females teenagers and housewives. Reality TV has a historical background that should be focused on in order to know how it arrived to the Arab world countries. Moreover, the rise of reality TV came at a point when networks were in search of a rapid secure way out to financial troubles within the cultural industries. Enlarged expenses in the fabrication of drama, sitcom and comedy ensured unscripted, accepted realistic programming became a feasible financial alternative throughout the 1900s (Hill, 2005). Reality TV has its ancestry in scandalous journalism and popular entertainment, but it owes its supreme money owing to documentary television, which has nearly vanished from television screens in the get up of popular realistic programming. Also, there are three major strands to the progress of popular realistic television, and these relate to three areas of different, and so far overlapping, areas of media fabrication: sensationalist journalism, documentary television, and well-liked entertainment (Biressi Nunn, 2005). The apprehension about reality TV as putting a finish period to documentary includes the claim that modern television or decision about the world that documentary is seen to have occupied, and therefore lacking hope for the setting up of meaning (Bignell, 2005). The quarrel for an apocalyptic finish of television history is reliant on comparing Reality TV to documentarys past but differentiates Reality TV from that past and makes it look like a split growth. Furthermore, Reality TV seems to drift liberated of the past, obtainable in a nonstop present, and therefore looks to its critics like a reckless television type. As an observation of the growth of a live on air television production in the 60s, its obvious that programmers started producing traditional dramatic works of Arab and world literature, but they also started looking at Western shows for either motivation or stealing. By the 80s, the main successes were Arabian versions of primarily European and American shows. In the 90s, it became ordinary for the perception of a Western show, its privileges and invention bible, to be bought and locally reproduced for local use. The rise of Reality TV in the Arab world was in 2003, the program Super Star rapidly became the majority important show of that period. It was broadcasted on Future TV, where by Super Star attempted a clear Pan-Arab explore for the next star singer, by means of casting calls, adjudicators, and live performances, and the audiences right to take part in the ballot. 2. The bases that are built on for the concept of Reality TV The principle of program scheduling is to arrange television performance time donating programs that will lift up ratings at meticulous periods of the day. In a broadcasting ethnicity with several channels, the plan enables channels to contend with each other for audiences by scheduling their programs considering what their competitors will be presenting. Reality TV programs are merely commercial and flourishing if they keep on giving reasons for their expenses and catch the attention of the audience over a comparatively extended run (Escoffery, 2006 ). The guarantee that a long-lasting series has on holding onto the viewers for a period of the programs run which offers the vision of a reliable viewers whose demographic demand and a mass may be eye-catching to advertisers and can lift up the broadcasting channels public profile. Schedulers offer recommendations to commissioning are prepared (Andrejevic, 2004). The last day of December 2003 witnessed the labor of the most successful Arab reality show formed in Lebanon: Star Academy. Following Endemol the production company format for the French version, Star Academys group recognized a grouping of talented Arabs and invited them to participate in the Academy, where they lived and skilled to become star singers. A graduation progression permitted the instructors at the academy to suggest two candidates and the public would vote for one of them to stay in the Academy. Joe Khalil, director and executive producer in several Arabian TV stations for more than 12 years, said in Nov. 23, 2009 that Star Academy extended the restrictions of reality television for the reason of its extraordinary fame and because it represented a complete realization of a promotion and marketing prospective. Possibly the shows major effect, nevertheless, remains its reliable audience faithfulness to both the prime episodes as well as the 24-hour enthusiastic channel. For most of the Reality Shows and especially Star Academy, the concept is based on celebrities and primes for which every Friday there is a celebrity that has to attend the prime and sing with the participants. For commercial purposes and for it to be more popular Rola Saad the executive producer of Star Academy intend to get international celebrities in the same prime collaborating with Arabian Celebrities. For Star Academy rules of participation is to accept living in the same place with people from the opposite sex, and to swim together in the same swimming pool, and to train sports and dancing together, and the most important is to accept to build up love relationships for some participants. For example, Star Academy chose last season Michel Azzi to be in love with Tania Nemer, the crew of Star Academy had discusses this case with Michel whereby he accepted in order to stay till the last prime, and this was what truly happened. 3. The Globalization and the Privacy publicized in the Reality TV Globalization of communication in the second half of the twentieth century was determined by the commercial benefit of United States corporations. Conservative local cultures are believed to be tattered by dependencies on media products, with their helping ideologies resulting from the United States, with the impact of globalizing customer way of life across regions and populations which turn out to be inhibited to get used to its logics and needs, regardless of the need in some of these regions of possessions to contribute with them (Bignell, 2005). What happens in the communication of globalization is a move from opinions for the homogeneity of media customs to opinions for the homogeneity of political financial system of the media, regardless of provincial and neighborhood differences in the intellectual forms which the media receive. The programmers formulate public the dramas of the individual and carry the ideologies of privacy exposed into new interaction with the negotiated meanings they gain from their meticulous local and provincial television contexts. The type of program develops new conceptions of the open and secret spheres and also draws on discourses of body and self those have already been in circulation in such spheres as popular magazine journalism, optional medicinal measures, and lifestyle-interview television programs (Bignell, 2005). The cultural nationality that these programs reply to displays a challenging cooperation between the plan of the perfectibility of the identity and the institutions, socio-economic constraints and networks of domestic and social dealings that limit it. Television programs have been worried with the capability of television to tolerate observation to the varieties of usual peoples lives, and its ability to become a medium for the community exposure of confessions and revelations that seem incapable to be shared with a persons close sphere (Biressi Nunn, 2005). Star Academy is a distinguished case of this style, in which young people are usually paraded on screen and where the issue of how far the contestants will go in their close relations with each other is a big element of their appeal for audiences. Noticeably, the transitional spread of this mixture of the private body and shared moral challenges and tests, is the medium for financial action inasmuch as the television formats occupied are traded supplies, and the appeal of audiences promotes profitable well being for television institutions in a diversity of ways. 4. Audience Perceptions of Reality TV Audiences most of the times consider Reality TV is there so that viewers can see for themselves, and get an unmediated imminent into some phase of life and manners. Audiences are pessimistic about the reality claims of Reality TV programs, set programs beside a range between reality and fiction, and provide the most admiration to what they distinguish as the most truthful programs. Moreover, the incidence at the present time of huge number of Reality TV programs in the schedules has not enlarged viewing hours, so audiences obviously do not rate Reality TV any more than the programs that they have replaced. If Reality TV had a particular position within the audiences, the viewing of Reality TV would be an addition to other viewing time and entire viewing hours might rise. Even though in the television business Reality TV is seen as the newest important tendency, the commissioning of such programs might have more to do with contest over audience contribution and the branding of channel s and audiences, then with an important move in lifestyle of television viewing (Hill, 2005). In addition, the focal point on younger viewers requires a clarification of the traditions in Television studies that have discussed youth audiences and appreciated their defiant attitudes to programs. The creations of television program bands, personalities and rumor have been essential for an extended era. The vulnerable outcome on recent ways of organizing television is that it would end to consist of must-see programs when crowd audience view the same live broadcast at the same time. Star Academy unpredictably became an essential part of many peoples discussions, and viewers contribution was not only with the program and the website but also with the remarks on the program with other viewers and in the media. Rumor was a significant enjoyment for viewers of Star Academy, and it became a convenient subject for discussion about people who viewers felt they knew. The production of viewer chat is expectant and mirrored by talk in Reality TV programs themselves. Television programs are conquered much more than cinema, for example, by people chatting and interacting in common situations, just as life for viewers at home is often centered on these actions. Star Academy consists largely of sequences of discussion among the participants, representing familiar contact and chat which could be then talked about the viewers. The common use of close-up shots of faces in Star Academy reinforces this wisdom of closeness between the viewer and what is publicized on television, an d contributes to an awareness of correspondence between the audiences regular world and the constructed worlds of the plan. This technique of using and experiencing television gives the fantasy of bodily intimacy, and invokes policies of communal contact which require awareness and generate social closeness. 5. Reality TV effect on the Arabian Societies Most of the participants aim in Reality Shows is to become famous, which had become a new phenomenon. Contestants have been constructed as exemplifying a fame culture in which ethos of famous to be famous has triumphed over the concepts of talent and hard work, and they are seen as diminishing victim to the controlling powers of a cruel fame-making mechanism (Escoffery, 2006). Reality TV shows in the Arab World are based on the aspect of emotional recognition among the observer and the protagonists. The Arab channels wont vacillate to split social and ethical borders in order to enlarge earnings. Its obvious to see how the participants symbolize an exceedingly tolerant social cultures and unusual for Arab society. They hug and kiss on live TV. Although most of the viewers agree on the undesirability of such actions, they cant split their eyes away from the screen. The Reality shows get such high ratings that one wonders about present priorities in the Arab world. Some people see it a s an Israeli-American conspiracy, created in order to distract the Arabs from important issues like Iraq and Palestine. Star Academy had made many changes in the concept of Arabian traditions and cultures in which viewers are being inspired by the participants activities. Several conservative families had to remove the LBC channel from their satellite not to let their children to keep on watching Star Academy because they started imitating the participants in the way they dress, communicate with the other sex, and have fun during the breaks time. Moreover, Big Brother Arabia was a 2004 Reality TV show based on the worldwide program Big Brother, in which contestants live in a unique house while competing to win in the end. The show was filmed in Bahrain, aired on MBC 2, and was planned to follow the success of Star Academy, but failed to do so, and instead the show was only aired for 11 days and then got major controversy in the countries it aired in. Big Brother Arabia producers decided to cancel the show, as there were many complaints from viewers. Joe Khalil, a member in the production crew of the program, said in Nov. 23, 2009 that the program had to be canceled because it brought new traditions to the gulf area which is none as a conservative area in the Arab World, because the audience didnt accept the fact that it featured six men and six women living together in one area, despite staying in separate parts of the house. Star Academy and Big Brother showed the women in the Arab World so close to the western Women in the way they dress, dance, and communicate with men. This is what not all of the viewers accept or welcome. Conclusion Reality TV, in the recent years, has become a very famous phenomenon that has influenced the life of viewers in the Arab world. Reality TV shows were based on some theories and techniques in the work process in which these shows were able to change certain thoughts and traditions in the Arab countries. The audience plays an important role in relation with their perception concerning the Reality TV shows. The audiences consider much reality programming to be entertaining rather than informative. These audiences draw on their own personal experience of social interaction to judge the authenticity of the way ordinary people and their behavior on TV. Reality shows works on collapsing the distance that separates those on either side of the screen by enlightening the hope that it really could be you up there on that screen. The democratized adaptation of the star-making machinery goes further than representing its ability to convert real people into celebrities apparently at will. The powe r that the airbrush once exerted over the image is transposed into the record of reality in the form of the power the blade exerts on soft tissue. Television is like religion, is basically a type of social power. Without both people would really begin to consider for themselves and the social communications would break down. Reality TV had been much popular to reach the Arab World, with certain basics built on it had affected the Arabian societies in different ways. Reality TV had arrived to the Arab World after passing by different stages and experiences. All in all, Reality TV had been a main reason for losing privacy in front of the public audience. Lastly, producing reality shows involves a variety of executive, artistic and technological aspects. Reality shows are mostly approved formats that programmers buy for a certain area, such the case of the Arab World. Reality Shows by nature have a huge number of influences, as well as an important profitable section. References: Andrejevic, M. (2004). Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched. (pp.1-23). United  States of America: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. Bignell, J. (2005). Big Brother: Reality TV in the Twenty-First Century. (pp. 34-47, 65-72, 150-160). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Biressi, A. Nunn, H. (2005). Reality TV: Realism and Revelation. (pp. 118-144). London New York: Wallflower Press. Escoffery, D. (2006). Essays on Representation and Truth: How Real is Reality TV? (pp. 7-26, 61-78, 115-133, 247- 259). North Carolina: McFarland Company, Inc., Publishers. Hill, A. (2005). Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 39,55, 78, 106). London New York: Routledge, Taylor Francis Group.

Adventure story :: Free Essay Writer

Long ago, there was a newly trained warrior from across the seas of Antonica, the race of the forgotten iksar being newly re-discovered had begun the life of one iksar. This neophyte warrior's name was Lyzzard. Lyzzard trained outside of his hometown killing scorpions and scaled wolf pups until he gained the level of 5. At this time he was getting bored of the creatures that inhabited the outside area of the gates of Cabilis and noticed that the road lead down into a pit. When Lyzzard decided he should go and check out this new land he had not seen before, he knew there could be some dangers in going. Though he knew, his warrior instinct dared him to ignore it. He followed the road down into what was known around the Feild of Bone as "The pit", and down there he saw that it was just as he hoped... many things to kill and fight. He fought a scaled wolf hunter and barely survived, he then decided that he needed a partner for this task of becoming a champion mightier than all other races. He found a partner in Jettlizzy the monk and Chleu the shaman which were at his level of training. After acheiving the 7th level of training, he decided to go off to explore on his own down in the pit. He walked around for what seemed like days along the walls of the pit, but he soon found out that he would have been better off waiting until he reached a higher level of training before he should have went off exploring. He walked upon some bones, which his instructor had told him about, of a dragon. He was told to be weary of the area where bones of a large creature come up from the ground with a large skull with sharp teeth lay. Lyzzard being daring as he was decided to ignore the warnings and search the area. After a few moments of arriving at the area, he found himself up against a creature that would change his life forever. This creature was a Badger looking creature known to most people as a Burnyia. Lyzzard drew his Fine Steel Two handed sword and attempted to destroy that of which had attacked him. He swung and swung with the feriousity of a warrior with nothing to lose and missed too many times.

Strange Place

Alayna Grant Dr. Bellah English 1301-015 February 15, 2013 Strange Place On July 11th it will be twelve years since I discovered the magical world of yuccas and mesquite trees. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I remember driving all the way down the road that seemed like miles and miles of nothing but wilderness. We seemed to have driven for forever. There were no houses or mobile homes or much of anything. Then we came to a dirt road, and I said â€Å"Daddy I hope we are not going to drive into there. † There looked like an unmarked, mysterious place.It was a new unfamiliar place that I would be the first to discover. As soon as we got out of the truck I started asking questions. â€Å"Daddy is there dinosaurs here? † Then he explained that I would have to go check for myself, so I made that my personal mission. We came back a few days later because he was going to set up the layout of the house, and all that good stuff was going to be put together. I came pre pared this time; I had my binoculars, my toy gun, and my camera. I had my pink binoculars so I could see trouble that I might get into far away.I had my gun in case there was a dinosaur. Finally I had my camera so I could prove to my dad that there were dinosaurs. â€Å"Well here I go. † I said to myself. I start walking and before I know it I’m in this mysterious place. I am seeing things I never saw before. All these trees around me look evil; they have very long, sharp, pointy thorns on them. There were these weird plant look-alike things that I accidently stepped on that poked me and made blood droplets on my leg. There was this mean looking frog that had horns. And before you knew it I had gotten in too deep and was lost.All I could see that was familiar was the baby blue sky and the bright golden sun. So I kept going hoping I would find maybe a sign or a trail. I held my gun close to me just in case I found a dinosaur. Then out of nowhere hops a little grey bunny , he stops to look at me for a second then starts to hop off. I thought to myself â€Å"Maybe if I follow him I can get back to my daddy. † So that’s what I did until he was out of sight. I grabbed my binoculars to try to find him, but he was long gone. He hopped way too fast and I could not hop over the weird looking plants fast enough.So there I was again stuck alone and there were still no signs of any dinosaurs yet. â€Å"Maybe there are not any dinosaurs out here in this place. † I thought to myself, but I’ll keep looking. Gazing through my binoculars I came across something black, something that looked like I had seen before. I start walking faster and faster towards it. And before too long I was back at my dad’s black truck. â€Å"Whoa I thought I was going to be lost forever out here. † I said to my dad. He asked me â€Å"Did you find any dinosaurs’ baby? † And with a sad sounding voice I said â€Å"No but if we build a house out here I can look forever! †

Insert Surname Here

A musician is an individual who writes down or conducts music as an occupation. In addiction, a musician can be described as an artist who plays a musical tool as a vocation. Musicians can be categorized through their functions during performing or producing music.For instance, a singer or a vocalist makes use of her/his own voice as a tool, an instrumentalist occupies himself/herself with a musical tool, a recording musician produces a documented music, like MP3 folders and CDs, a conductor guides a musical group while a songwriter, composer and an arranger produces songs, melodic pieces of music as well as arrangements which are able to be transcribed into music notation, documented or performed. (Pitts 19)In ancient time, being a musician was assigned to individuals who learned music for a number of years. Once they had perfected their tool, supposition as well as comprehended the music notions, they would labor through commission as musicians.For instance, within Western music th is would be accomplished through working for places of worship, courts as well as off a commission from individuals who desired to hire a musician to produce or for concert. Starting the mid 1800s, the thought of being a musician was not focused to these specific regions of composition and presentation.Musicians started to grow to be more self-reliant with concerts on diverse stages as well as more independence to work as writers, artists as well as entertainers in their own manner. Nowadays, music has developed into numerous vocation fields, all of which include an amalgamation of compositions, concerts, working and recording in diverse music areas, either via other units or as an autonomous artist.For this to be achieved in today’s time, the musician has to be passionate. The following description shows what it means to be passionately engrossed in something, activity of a musician as well as how a musician is different from somebody who simply enjoys listening to music. (P itts 20)Musicians require to have the drive and passion to devote a large fraction of their lives to doing practice, taking part in shows as well as doing promotions. A musician’s passion is his/her music. It takes an individual endurance, talent as well as practice to become passionately involved in music.A musician differs from a person who merely listens to music in that a musician has a passion for his music, is dedicated and knows the message he wants to sent to his/her audience whereas the listener does not have such dedication not to forget that most listeners simply listen to the music without familiarizing themselves with the composer’s message. Essentially, most listeners simply enjoy the beats/tunes whereas the musician enjoys both the tunes as well as his /her choice of words. (Pitts 34)Being a musician takes more than just enthusiasm and beginning to play an instrument. Being acquainted with what is entailed to turn out to be a competent musician can aid a n individual to work in this profession as a complete vocation, whilst letting an individual to move toward being a musician in the right manner.An individual who has the musical abilities essential to play one or more tools might have the yearning to grow to be a professional musician or toil within an associated field. The following are the activities professional musician engages in an effort to achieve his /her objective and as a result make a contented living. (Pitts 34)One of the most vital issues to think about when going into whichever musical field is for the musician to find out if there is a necessity for the service that he is offering. Whatever the musician tries has to be profitable in order to make earnings. The musician performs by offering entertainment, and is given cash in exchange for his/her services. He/she turns out to be successful through performing regulary. (Pitts 62)The musician’s market comprises a grouping of citizens, or organization that needs the particular service i.e. music. Therefore, one of the activities of the musician is to market that product i.e. his music by merely getting it ready and making it accessible to the customer.For instance, a rock and roll association requires rock gangs whereas a Las Vegas band requires members who produce to have style. Essentially, the musician should be determined to accomplish what it takes to entertain his customer’s and be a success.

Computer Software Essay

Q1.What are the main types of software? What are the advantages of open-source software? Describe the decision making process of acquiring application software. Q2.â€Å"In the end, information system is recognized only as a foundation for human judgment, insight and inventiveness†. Discuss. What are different types of controls and audits required for an information system? Q3.What is computerized maintenance management? Explain the conceptual model through which the maintenance function can achieve its objectives on a sustained basis. Q4.â€Å"Excel is a versatile spreadsheet package. It can do wonder for accountants†. Explain. Q5. What do you understand by Artificial Intelligence? What are the factors that highlighted the need of developing AI? What are the goals of AI. Q1.What are the main types of software? What are the advantages of open-source software? Describe the decision making process of acquiring application software. Main Types of Software Programming Software: This is one of the most commonly known and popularly used types of computer software. These software come in the form of tools that assist a programmer in writing computer programs. Computer programs are sets of logical instructions that make a computer system perform certain tasks. The tools that help programmers in instructing a computer system include text editors, compilers and interpreters. Compilers translate source code written in a programming language into the language which a computer understands (mostly the binary form). System Software: It helps in running computer hardware and the computer system. System software refers to the operating systems; device drivers, servers, windowing systems and utilities. System software helps an application programmer in abstracting away from hardware, memory and other internal complexities of a computer. An operating system provides users with a platform to execute high-level programs. Firmware and BIOS provide the means to operate hardware. Application Software: It enables the end users to accomplish certain specific tasks. Business software, databases and educational software are some forms of application software. Different word processors, which are dedicated to specialized tasks to be performed by the user, are other examples of application software. Malware: Malware refers to any malicious software and is a broader category of software that are a threat to computer security. Adware, spyware, computer viruses, worms, trojan horses and scareware are malware. Computer viruses are malicious programs which replicate themselves and spread from one computer to another over the network or the Internet.. Adware: Adware is software with the means of which advertisements are played and downloaded to a computer. Programmers design adware as their tool to generate revenue. They do extract user information like the websites he visits frequently and the pages he likes. Advertisements that appear as pop-ups on your screen are the result of adware programs tracking you. But adware is not harmful to computer security or user privacy. The data it collects is only for the purpose of inviting user clicks on advertisements. Inventory Management Software: This type of software helps an organization in tracking its goods and materials on the basis of quality as well as quantity. Warehouse inventory management functions encompass the internal warehouse movements and storage. Inventory software helps a company in organizing inventory and optimizing the flow of goods in the organization, thus leading to improved customer service. Utility Software: Also known as service routine, utility software helps in the management of computer hardware and application software. It performs a small range of tasks. Disk defragmenters, systems utilities and virus scanners are some of the typical examples of utility software. Data Backup and Recovery Software: An ideal data backup and recovery software provides functionalities beyond simple copying of data files. This software often supports user needs of specifying what is to be backed up and when. Backup and recovery software preserve the original organization of files and allow an easy retrieval of the backed up data. Advantages of open source software Usually, the first perceived advantage of open source models is the fact that open source software is made available gratis or at a low cost. But this characteristic is not exclusive to open source software, and several proprietary software products are made available in similar ways (a prominent case could be Microsoft’s Internet Explorer). What really distinguishes open source software from software available without fee is the combination of effects due to the characteristics discussed in section 3.1. All of them combined produce a synergistic impact which is the cause of the real advantages of the open source model. Let us provide some more detail on how do these characteristics turn into advantages The right to redistribute modifications and improvements to the code, and to reuse other open source code, permits all the advantages due to the modifiability of the software to be shared by large communities. This is usually the point that differentiates open source software licences from â€Å"nearly free† ones. In substance, the fact that redistribution rights cannot be revoked, and that they are universal, is what attracts a substantial crowd of developers to work around open source software projects. The right to use the software in any way. This, combined with redistribution rights, ensures (if the software is useful enough), a large population of users, which helps in turn to build up a market for support and customization of the software, which can only attract more and more developers to work in the project. This in turn helps to improve the quality of the product, and to improve its functionality. Which, once more, will cause more and more users to give the product a try, and probably to use it regularly. The decision making process of acquiring Application Software Applications are made available in line with business requirements. This process covers the design of the applications, the proper inclusion of application controls and security requirements, and the development and configuration in line with standards. This allows organisations to properly support business operations with the correct automated applications. Control over the IT process of Acquire and maintain application software that satisfies the business requirement for IT of aligning available applications with business requirements, and doing so in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost by focusing on ensuring that there is a timely and cost-effective development process is achieved by: †¢ Translating business requirements into design specifications †¢ Adhering to development standards for all modifications †¢ Separating development, testing and operational activities and is measured by †¢ Number of production problems per application causing visible downtime †¢ Percent of users satisfied with the functionality delivered   | Q2.â€Å"In the end, information system is recognized only as a foundation for human judgment, insight and inventiveness†. Discuss. What are different types of controls and audits required for an information system? Information system, an integrated set of components for collecting, storing, processing, and communicating information. Business firms, other organizations, and individuals in contemporary society rely on information systems to manage their operations, compete in the marketplace, supply services, and augment personal lives. For instance, modern corporations rely on computerized information systems to process financial accounts and manage human resources; municipal governments rely on information systems to provide basic services to its citizens; and individuals use information systems to study, shop, bank, and invest. Information systems controls To ensure secure and efficient operation of information systems, an organization institutes a set of procedures and technological measures called controls. Information systems are safeguarded through a combination of general and application controls. General controls apply to information system activities throughout an organization. The most important general controls are the measures that control access to computer systems and the information stored there or transmitted over telecommunications networks. General controls include administrative measures that restrict employee access to only those processes directly relevant to their duties. As a result, these controls limit the damage that any individual employee or employee impersonator can do. Fault-tolerant computer systems installed in critical environments, such as in hospital information systems or securities marketplaces, are designed to control and isolate problems so that the system can continue to function. Application controls are specific to a given application and include such measures as validating input data, regularly archiving copies of various databases, and ensuring that information is disseminated only to authorized users. The effectiveness of an information system’s controls is evaluated through an information systems audit. It is a part of a more general financial audit that verifies an organization’s accounting records and financial statements. Information systems are designed so that every financial transaction can be traced. In other words, an audit trail must exist that can establish where each transaction originated and how it was processed. Aside from financial audits, operational audits are used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of information systems operations. Q3.What is computerized maintenance management? Explain the conceptual model through which the maintenance function can achieve its objectives on a sustained basis. Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is also known as enterprise asset management and computerized maintenance management information system (CMMIS). A CMMS software package maintains a computer database of information about an organization’s maintenance operations, i.e. CMMIS – computerized maintenance management information system. This information is intended to help maintenance workers do their jobs more effectively (for example, determining which machines require maintenance and which storerooms contain the spare parts they need) and to help management make informed decisions (for example, calculating the cost of machine breakdown repair versus preventive maintenance for each machine, possibly leading to better allocation of resources). CMMS data may also be used to verify regulatory compliance. CMMS packages may be used by any organization that must perform maintenance on equipment, assets and property. Some CMMS products focus on particular industry sectors (e.g. the maintenance of vehicle fleets or health care facilities). Other products aim to be more general. CMMS packages can produce status reports and documents giving details or summaries of maintenance activities. The more sophisticated the package, the more analysis facilities are available. Many CMMS packages can be either web-based, meaning they are hosted by the company selling the product on an outside server, or LAN based, meaning that the company buying the software hosts the product on their own server. The conceptual model through which the maintenance function can achieve its objectives on a sustained basis are used to manage simple or complex facilities, from a single building to a complete campus. They can also be used to manage the maintenance program for a grouping of equipment such as a fleet of vehicles. The systems are very versatile since most are in modular form for the various maintenance functions and can be customized to fit the particular application. Whatever system or set of modules are selected for use, careful consideration needs to be given to Functional Requirements and a sound deployment plan. The CMMS must meet the needs, constraints, and opportunities of the business and be implemented in a way that users will welcome the technology and have a vision for the benefits it brings. Proper configuration, testing, and training cannot be over emphasized when bringing a new CMMS or upgrading an existing system to an organization. Q4.â€Å"Excel is a versatile spreadsheet package. It can do wonder for accountants†. Explain. Excel spreadsheets are the most common and indispensable tool used by accountants, enabling them to analyse, report and share financial information. Much of this can be accomplished using only a fraction of the wealth of functions and options within the Excel program. Basic arithmetic, the SUM() function and some cell border formatting will let you produce useful models and perform some quite complex calculations. By expanding your knowledge with just a few other functions, Excel can become a much more versatile tool. Very occasionally Excel does not contain a function that you may expect, and it is necessary to combine other functions to perform tasks such as calculating weighted averages. Accountants have a professional responsibility to present accurate data. The IF() and TEXT() functions are essential for incorporating error checking messages to demonstrate that the spreadsheet models have been reconciled and are performing properly. A spreadsheet presentation gives reports a degree of unearned credibility. This is frequently ill-deserved and research shows that a high proportion of large models contain critical errors. Your spreadsheets must be well designed and thoroughly checked If you wish to be selective with your data and only perform calculations on items that meet certain criteria, both Database and Array functions are useful, but SUMPRODUCT() is the most versatile and wonderful alternative. It is able to extract all sorts of values from a table of data and can be used as an alternative to a great many functions. Graphs are a great way to present information, but keep them simple. Don’t get carried away with 3D formats which can make it difficult to read important axis values. If you update a chart on a regular basis, you are very likely to occasionally forget to manually alter any titles which contain period information. It is best to link chart titles to cell contents which can be automatically updated. A popular, modern Financial Management technique is that of balanced scorecards which often incorporate traffic light indicators. Conditional formatting for cell ranges is not only useful for highlighting exceptional or incorrect values but can be used to automatically colour cells to show good or bad performance. In order to report on tables of data with separate columns or rows for each accounting period, the OFFSET() function lets you select data for any single or cumulative period. There are numerous financial functions for performing interest and investment calculations. These can greatly simplify the long formulae previously required for things such as loan repayments – but always beware. The built in functions may perform differently to your own (textbook) formulas. They may invert the sign and show negative results where you expect positive; they may use a base period of p0 where you assume it is p1. Once you have tested the financial functions using a variety of situations and confirmed the results, they make tasks such as calculating the Net Present Value much easier. Finally, it is always helpful to make your models friendly to other users. Protecting or restricting the values that can be placed in cells will prevent unforeseen errors. Drop down boxes are a splendid way of getting values from users and hyperlinks can guide them around your models. By incorporating dates and filenames in default headers and footers, anyone can trace the source of your masterpiece. Q5. What do you understand by Artificial Intelligence? What are the factors that highlighted the need of developing AI? What are the goals of AI. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. While there are many different definitions, AI textbooks define the field as â€Å"the study and design of intelligent agents. where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chances of success. John McCarthy, who coined the term in 1956 defines it as â€Å"the science and engineering of making intelligent machines. The field was founded on the claim that a central property of humans, intelligence—the sapience of Homo sapiens—can be so precisely described that it can be simulated by a machine. This raises philosophical issues about the nature of the mind and the ethics of creating artificial beings, issues which have been addressed by myth, fiction and philosophy since antiquity. Artificial intelligence has been the subject of optimism,[8] but has also suffered setbacks and, today, has become an essential part of the technology industry, providing the heavy lifting for many of the most difficult problems in computer science. AI research is highly technical and specialized, deeply divided into subfields that often fail in the task of communicating with each other Subfields have grown up around particular institutions, the work of individual researchers, and the solution of specific problems, resulting in longstanding differences of opinion about how AI should be done and the application of widely differing tools. The central problems of AI include such traits as reasoning, knowledge, planning, learning, communication, perception and the ability to move and manipulate objects. General intelligence (or â€Å"strong AI†) is still among the field’s long term goals. Goals of AI: The long-term goals of AI include finding out what the world is like, understanding it, and changing it, or, in other words, a.empirical study and modelling of existing intelligent systems (mainly human beings); b.theoretical analysis and exploration of possible intelligent systems and possible mechanisms and representations usable by such systems; and c.solving practical problems in the light of (a) and (b), namely: c.1.attempting to deal with problems of existing intelligent systems (e.g., problems of human learning or emotional difficulties) and c.2.designing useful new intelligent or semi intelligent machines. Some people restrict the term `artificial intelligence’ to a subset of this wide-ranging discipline. For example, those who think of it as essentially a branch of engineering restrict it to (c.2). This does not do justice to the full range of work done in the name of AI. In any case, it is folly to try to produce engineering solutions without either studying general underlying principles or investigating the existing intelligent systems on which the new machines are to be modelled or with which they will have to interact. Trying to build intelligent systems without trying to understand general principles would be like trying to build an aeroplane without understanding principles of mechanics or aerodynamics. Trying to build them without studying how people or other animals work would be like trying to build machines without ever studying the properties of any naturally occurring object. The need to study general principles of thought, and the ways in which human beings perceive, think, understand language, etc., means that AI work has to be done in close collaboration with work in psychology, linguistics, and even philosophy, the discipline that examines some of the most general presuppositions of our thought and language. The term `cognitive science’ can also be used to cover the full range of goals specified above, though it too is ambiguous, and some of its more narrow-minded practitioners tend to restrict it to (a) and (c.1).