Life Goes on

Fundamentals of Public Speaking 101-1 Professor Victoria Nabors [email  protected] edu ASSIGNMENT: Persuasive Speech: 5 to 8 minutes DUE DATE:See Syllabus GRADE POINTS:140 converts to 15% of your overall grade EVALUATION:Grading Rubric distributed and posted on Blackboard >Typed Full Sentence Outline Draft is due one class prior to your assigned presentation date. Partial handwritten outlines will not be accepted at all. >Students MAY NOT present a speech without an approved outline. *If you are absent on the day your outline is due, you must submit it to my office (give to the department secretary in room 2519), or via Email.To earn credit for this outline, absent students must contact me on the date the assignment was due. >Attire Requirement (Ethos): Professional attire is mandatory for this final exam speech presentation. 5-point penalty for violations. >Speakers will select their speaking order on the same day outline drafts are due. â€Å"First come, first serve! † You will sign up on the white board The purpose of this speech is to persuade your targeted audience to accept your views on an issue. Remember that your credibility plays an important role in persuading audiences; as such, you must deal with oppositional arguments in a fair and convincing way.Good persuaders do not ignore the opposition, nor do they simply attack the opposition, they engage opposition’s logical arguments in an even-handed way. BASIC REQUIREMENTS In addition to persuading your audience to support your views, the persuasive speech must satisfy the following requirements: †¢Controversial Topic Selection: Persuasive topics can range from the general arguments that seek to influence healthier eating, to more controversial social issues of abortion, immigration, and gay right.Your job is to first convince your audience that there is a problem through informative speaking; and then, to propose a solution to the problem. †¢Persuasiveness: You are attempting t o weaken your audience members’ support for the opposing case. You need to develop reasonable and ethical arguments that are designed to sway audience members who may initially disagree with your position. †¢Time: The speech should run 5 to 8 minutes. Speakers will be given a 30 second grace period before time limit penalties are applied. Presentation grades with be lowered by 2. 5 point for every 30 seconds under or over the allotted time limits.That’s 5 point per minute! †¢Notes: You must deliver the speech extemporaneously. That means, the speech should not be memorized or scripted. Memorize the sequences of each section only! You may put a delivery outline of your speech on standard note cards or use a delivery outline. However, you should NOT read or rely heavily on these notes. Know your material! †¢Sources: You must orally cite a minimum of five sources in the body of the speech. Three of your sources must be available in print (in other words, yo u can only cite two web sources – Wikipedia is not acceptable).Each student will conduct an in-class audience analysis that will count as one citation. Your evidence and proof should clearly support your arguments and be audience centered. I suggest you include a variety of evidence (statistics, examples, testimony, etc. ) †¢Visual Aid: If you use a visual aid to help the audience understand key points, it must meet the requirement for using visual aids. †¢On the Presentation Date: You must submit oA fully annotated outline with a bibliography page. The outline and bibliography page will be graded (outline10 points, bibliography 5 points). Your speaker’s note cards or speaker’s outline must be approved before approaching the podium. Speaking notes that do not meet the required skeleton outline format will not be allowed at the podium. NO EXCEPTIONS! †¢Attire (Ethos): Professional attire is mandatory for this final exam speech presentation. Remembe r every aspect of your presentation will help you to establish credibility; this includes your physical appearance. Failure to dress appropriately for this final speech will result in a 10 point deduction of the overall grade.

Human Resource Outsourcing in India Essay

This article attempts to discuss HRO in Indian context and the possible future of HRO in the Indian business scenario. Certain preparatory actions are also prescribed to effectively used HRO as a strategic business tool. HRO – HRM Architecture: Today, as we have moved into service – economy, dealing with knowledge and knowledge workers is very important as human capital has become a critical success factor for organizations. HRM is seen as a distinct identity, separate from Administration and Facilities section of the establishment. This can be clearly seen from the importance being given to HRM Architecture. In addition to the traditional roles for HR, over the years, in the IT and ITes sectors, distinct roles have emerged such as corporate HR, business HR, generalist HR, techno – functional HR, etc. The job holders in these roles are expected to give different â€Å"deliverables† as related to their functional aspects. It is pertinent to note that a 1998 survey by center for effective organization at university of southern California’s Marshal School of business shown that 79% of HRM managers describe themselves as â€Å"business partners† and 53% of line managers agreed that HR managers are now performing the roles of business partners. Thus, today HRM is getting well embodied into business functions such as marketing, finance or operations. This can be, in a way, considered as a starting point of HRO, because, from this, emerges the need for HR function to work smart for business results – whether by doing functions and activities all on their own, or by getting some of them done through outsourcing. Additionally, it also puts pressure on HR function to find â€Å"partners† who can â€Å"take over† specific transactions and processes at a lower cost. In this way, HR will get focused on â€Å"tangible† results (which was one of the complains against HR in the past). Thus, to some extent, it will help free up time for core-HR activities that result in improvements which positively influence the bottom line. A word of caution though that it may not â€Å"free up† time, and should not free up too much time. After all, HR is essentially a personal touch button of the organization and too much outsourcing might result in lack of personal touch and decreased human interaction which may frustrate the employees. HRO Evolution: HRO is always an evolutionary exercise for the organization. Initially, companies are reluctant to outsource, they prefer to do every act in the own backyard. As the organization grows in terms of its life cycle, slowly, â€Å"experimentation† phase will begin when they start outsourcing certain simple transactions or processes. Sometimes, they may even take a parallel run with the vendor. When the experience is positive and as they make progress, companies may make decisions to penetrate further into the HRO space. According to Everest Research institute’s annual HRO study, the most commonly outsourced HR functions include: †¢Pay roll †¢Benefits †¢Employee data management †¢Info systems †¢Contact centers. As the companies find that there are substantial benefits from outsourcing, they feel attracted to go in for deeper penetration. Thus, it is possible to categorize companies adopting different levels of HRO in their organization. (See Table 1) Table 1 LevelActivities OutsourcedType of HROBenefits 1Admin services, pay – roll, pension, PF mgt. , etc, temporary staffingTransactionCost efficiency 2L1 + training, new employee induction and executive searchProcess†¢Standardization †¢Cost †¢Replication of good practices 3L1 + L2 + campus hiring, online assessments, HR audits, employee surveys etc. Function†¢Quality †¢Cost, benchmarking etc. HRO in Indian Business The debate on HRO in India still hovers around the following questions: ‘Has HRO really arrived in India? ’ ‘Are we missing the HR outsourcing bus? ’ ‘Should companies outsource their HR functions? ’ We also seem to be aware that â€Å"The New Mantra is HR Outsourcing† In this maze of debates and arguments, some facts need to be cleared. â€Å"HR outsourcing in India has not seen the required momentum and is limited to trickle effect, with companies outsourcing a few selected, low end HR processes† – Says Anil Mahajan in an interview for an article on HRM. In India, most common outsource processes are related to training, pay – roll processing, benchmarks studies and legal compliance. Some HR consultants feel that in Indian HRO scene, quality is an issue. It is reported that some MNC’s wanted to outsource end to end HR solutions, but could find a suitable vendor and hence decided to set up its own outsourcing centre. While many experts in the field believe that there is a good scope for HRO in India, it is a fact that our present share in the global market of US $ 80 bn. is only a minuscule. Estimates show that size of HR outsourcing in India is about US $ 2. 5 – 3. 5 bn. But another study shows flat markets in HRO world wide between 2005 – 2007 but 2008 promises to be different! In the flat world of today, as India becomes more and more global in business and economy it will be a compelling need for companies to resort to outsourcing in the interest of survival and growth. Thus, even though, as of now, HRO in India has not caught up sufficiently time is right for making rapid strides to catch up and make best use of the opportunities presented by the wave of HR outsourcing. HRO as Double – edged Weapon: In India, we are fortunate to have the double advantage of HRO as we all know, HRO operates in an environment where there are abundant takers and abundant givers. HRO activities have two edges – one as the service provider and another as a client who is outsourcing the process / transaction. At present many Indian companies are acting as service providers as a natural step, India with its vast millions of English speaking, trainable youth who are willing to learn and serve clients as and idle platform to take on the HRO wave. Thus, India may finally become the outsourcing centre for HR services. The growth in the HRO itself may trigger further developments. Any HRO companies may, in turn, begin to outsource some of their process to another service provider. Thus, a virtuous HRO business cycle may get activated. After all, â€Å"We Are All in Services Now† (Prof. James Teboul). According to him, the process, people and credibility are 3 key elements in the making of value proposition. People interaction may place a sort of limitation on HRO spreading without a human face! The basic tenet of HR philosophy should be that HRO must be implemented with utmost regard to â€Å"Human face† of activities being outsourced. This is because of the uniqueness of the HR issues. There cannot be a straightjacket solution for all human issues hence human interaction element needs to be always kept in mind and given a priority. We need to get over certain drawbacks as a community of employers in order to benefit from the HRO wave. If we have to shape up, good future we need to know aht we should to and what we should not so that our progress is never stalled. Hence, it is necessary to appreciate the barriers identified for the spread of HRO in our country. The following are some of the barriers identified in literature on the subject: †¢Cultural shift and top management thinking †¢Confidentiality and cost factors †¢Lack of awareness on cost-to-benefit equation of HRO †¢Quality of end results. A word or two about each of these barriers will clear the aspect. Cultural shift requires us to trust and be trusted. The two parties’ involved, namely service provider and client, need to trust each other not only about confidentiality but also about the capability to delay it. Many employers and top management feel that it is better to have own HR persons dealing with all the issues instead of outsourcing. Reasons may be many for such outlook, but there is a need to change in order to think professionally and ethically. If we can trust an advocate or a doctor or the tax consultant, why not HR service provider? Confidentiality and cost factors relate to the ability of HR service provider to handle information professionally and confidentially. Ethics both personal and corporate – play a great role. If we think proper work ethics can be created through good leadership, we need to develop and nurture such leaders appropriately. Lack of awareness among persons about cost / benefit equation needs to be overcome by education right from the top level to look at HRO as a hard core business option and to quantify the benefits correctly. Lastly, quality issues need to be addressed again through building a quality culture by following the total quality management (TQM) practices. Internal and external customer orientation among all and education and training for all on TQ practices and bring about improvement in quality. The Indian experience of TQM is quite satisfactory in this regard and there is a bright chance of success for improving the quality aspects of HRO. Preparatory Activities: While is it necessary to be clear about changes that we need to make on an individual or a company basis, it is equally important to focus on the preparations needed by us a community of service economy. For any service economy to grow, especially in the network era of today, there is a need for adequate preparation so that ultimately, the environment of business responds favorably to the needs of the market. In this regard, certain preparatory activities have to be undertaken immediately. The various activities for this purpose can be broadly classified as: †¢Infrastructural †¢Educational †¢Business/ operational †¢Social Under each of these, there are various elements that have to be taken under consideration. The following matrix will show these points clearly. As most of these items are self explanatory in nature, a detailed description of individual items is not done in this article. However, it has to be emphasized that these sub elements are very important contributions to the climate of HRO in a microeconomic sense. The elements given in the matrix are only illustrative and are not exhaustive. Preparatory activities needed for HRO Infrastructural / Technical †¢Telecommunications and network accessibility †¢Roads †¢TransportEducational – Training Related †¢Curriculum in colleges †¢HRO training centers †¢E – Learning transactions / process Counseling centers Business Related †¢Performance parameters †¢Quality measures †¢Feedback †¢Relationships / Cultural sensitivitySocial †¢Quality of the work – Life balance †¢Stress management †¢Time management †¢Security at workplace Conclusion: In conclusion, it may be said that HRO is going to slowly but stead ily become a part of business strategy. HR professionals will drive the initiatives of HRO, of course with support from top management. The time is now ripe for HRO to succeed in view of HRM being seen and treated as an important element of business resources in the service economy of today. Certain new roles have emerged which confirm this position. Though the Indian share of the revenue pie today is very small, there is a very good possibility of our riding high on the HRO wave that is round the corner. As a community, it is necessary to identify barriers and identify the changes or adjustments we need to make as individuals and companies. As HRO operates as a subset of BPO and overall business environment, certain preparatory steps need to be taken as a community in general. With all this, it is possible to ride high on HRO wave in the next few years.

PRACTICAL REPORT ON THE ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF CODEINE AND PARACETAMOL Essay

Codeine or methyl morphine, an alkaloid, was first isolated in 1832 from raw opium. It concentration ranges from 0.2% to 0.8%. Mostly used for its analgesic, anti-tussive and anti-diarrheal capabilities (Tremlett, Anderson and Wolf, 2010). Paracetamol also known as acetaminophen (n-acetyl-p-aminophenol, APAP) on the other hand, is a useful non- steroidal anti- inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is commonly used in the management of pain and fever in a variety of patients (Kamberi, et al., 2004). Fig 1: Codeine[NCBI, 2009] Fig 2: Acetaminophen[NCBI, 2009] One of the technique involved in the extraction of codeine and paracetamol from its matrix, is the solvent extraction otherwise known as liquid – liquid extraction. This process entails the use of two immiscible liquids usually chloroform and water; in dissolving the sample for two distinctive layers to form after the mixture had been thoroughly shaken together (Rubinson and Rubinson, 1998). Separating the components of the extract, is done through the use of Thin Layer Chromatography. It is one of the standard procedures used in many forensic laboratory when analysizing unknown drugs or mixtures (Howlett and Steiner, 2011). Separation of the mixtures occur based on the pH, polarity of its components, solvent and the thin layer stationary phase (Howlett and Steiner, 2011). METHODS: The finely divided sample was dissolved in 20ml of distilled water. This was then basified with NaOH solution to pH 12 using litmus paper. The resulting solution was later filtered. 1.0ml of chloroform was pipetted into the filtrate. After shaken and combined, two distinctive layers was observed. The bottom layer was extracted thrice using a micro- pipette. On a thin chromatography plate, five spots were placed ( as shown in table 2) and the  plate was developed using chloroform/methanol. This was later visualized with dragendorff’s reagent under the UV light. All separated components were observed, identified and recorded. RESULTS: Table of observed pH SOLUTIONInitial pHFinal pH Basified sample1012 TABLE 1 Table of Retention factor (RF value) Rf = Distance travelled by the substance (cm) Distance travelled by the solvent (cm) SUBSTANCEDistance travelled by substance (cm)Distance travelled by Solvent (cm)Retention factor value (Rf) Chloroform extract3.04.00.75 Codeine positive control3.04.00.75 Paracetamol positive control4.04.01.00 Chloroform (negative control) 3.54.00.86 Diluted sample4.04.01.00 TABLE 2 DIAGRAM: Fig 3: The Developed Chromatographic Plate. DISCUSSION: Running the chloroform extracts and diluted sample together with two positive controls and a negative control on a single chromatographic plate simultaneously, the retention factor(Rf) of five different samples were determined. The RF value of the chloroform extract(0.75) tallied with that of the codeine positive control and that of diluted sample(1.00) with the paracetamol positive control. This tentatively shows that, codeine and paracetamol were present in the sample. The solvent front(i.e distance travelled by the mixed solvents) is 4cm, this is quite close to the distances covered by all separated components(between 3 – 3.5cm), which makes the retention factors, not a true representative of their actual values. It was later discovered that, this is due to not allowing the  chromatographic plate to develop for a longer period of time in the solvent tank. The solvent front also dried up quickly when the plate is taken out., making drawing a line at that point quite diffic ult. Fortunately, this was overcome by the use of visualizing spray and UV lamp. Solvent extraction(liquid-liquid), involved selective movement of components of a substance in microgram to gram quantities between two immiscible liquid phase; its separation and selectivity is based on solubility differences and pH control respectively (Fifield and Kealey, 1995). This was observed when chloroform was added to the basified filtrate. After vigorous shaking and settling down, chloroform being more dense, composed the bottom layer, with the aqueous phase up. Liquid-liquid extraction often involved high volume of organic solvents and poor resolution of mixtures of organic materials (Fifield and Kealey, 1995). Thin Layer Chromatography is usually employed in the qualitative analysis of mixtures of non-volatile compounds like pharmaceuticals (Skoog, et al., 2000). TLC can also be used to confirm the identity of an unknown sample ( Lewis and Evans, 2011). Dissolution of the codeine and paracetamol tablet in distilled water without weighing, shows that, TLC was never designed for semi- quantitative analysis. This is due to difficulties in reproducibly applying aliquots of the mixture to the plate and then recovering all of the separated components from the plate (Skoog, et al., 2000). CONCLUSION: Using the Rf values obtained in the table 2 above and t he visual indicator reaction with the substances under the UV light, codeine was extracted to a high degree during the solvent extraction, tentatively identified by TLC (due to its positive control having the same Rf values with the chloroform extract(0.75) and both were the only one that were seen under the UV light) while paracetamol was extracted to a low degree (due to its positive control having the same Rf with the diluted sample). Multiple compounds can share the same retention factor(Rf) or produce similar chromophores when sprayed with detection reagents (Howlett and Steiner, 2011). The study by Lewis and Evans( 2011) shows that if a spot from an unknown substance is developed on a TLC plate together with a spot from a substance that is suspected to be the unknown, and the two substance are found to have the same Rf value, they are probably the same substance. FUTURE SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Due to the limitation that is associated with using TLC to exactly identify a given sample, minimum standards for drug testing and reporting in the forensic community are recommended by the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of seized drugs (SWGDRUG) (Howlett and Steiner, 2011). In order for a drug identification to be confirmed to SWGDRUG specification, additional tests must includes, Infrared spectroscopy and GC-MS (Howlett and Steiner, 2011). REFERENCES: Fifield, F. W. and Kealey, D. 1995. Principles and Practice of Analytical chemistry. (4th ed) Glasgow, Blackie Academic and professional. Howlett, S. E. and Steiner, R. R. 2011. Validation of Thin Layer Chromatography with AccuTOF-DARTâ„ ¢ Detection for Forensic Drug Analysis*. Forensic Sciences [e-journal] 56 (5), pp. 1261–1267. Available through: Anglia Ruskin University Library website http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk [Accessed on 11 March 2014]. Kamberi, M., Riley, C. M., Huang, C. C. and Xiaoyan, M, 2004. A validated, sensitive HPLC method for the determination of trace impurities in acetaminophen drug substance. Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis [e-journal] 34 (1), pp. 123–128. Available through: Anglia Ruskin University Library website http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk [Accessed on 18 March 2014]. Lewis, R. and Evans, W. 2011. Chemistry. 4th ed. Hampshire, Palgrave Macmillan. NCBI, 2009. National Library of Medicine. [online] Available at : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov /pccompound [Accessed 7 April, 2014]. Rubinson, J. F. and Rubinson, K. A. 1998. Contemporary chemical analysis. Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall. Skoog, D., West, D., Holler, F. and Crouch, S. 2000. Analytical Chemistry- An introduction. (7th ed). Boca raton, Thomson Learning Inc. Tremlett, M., Anderson, B. J. and Wolf, A. 2010. Pro–con debate: is codeine a drug that still has a useful role in pediatric practice? Pediatric Anesthesia [e-journal] 20 (2), pp. 183–194. Available through: Anglia Ruskin University website http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk [Accessed on 29 March 2014].

Power, Authority and Decision Making Research Paper

Power, Authority and Decision Making - Research Paper Example This paper tells that power may consist of anything that builds and maintains control of man over a fellow man. It tends to be defined as a force despite the fact that one with the power is the initiator or a responder. Thus, power is understood as a relational phenomenon in that persons exert power over others, and that power of an individual to do something constitutes a social relationship that is comparable to another person (Etzioni-Halevy, 1979). In light of this, power has been a crucial aspect of human civilization since time immemorial. In essence, power is physical, political or social. Additionally, in terms of business, power dynamics have the tendency to influence decisions and transactions of people heavily. Consequently, the definition of power could be challenging as it is understood and interpreted in various ways. Hence, power emanates from position or authority, which is capable of influencing people both positively and negatively. For this reason, the concept of p ower is placed in various categories for emphasis for simplicity and understanding (Wrong, 2002). Coercive Power Coercive power is the ability to use the threat to make people do what one desires. In essence, it forces people to submit to one’s demand for fear of losing something. According to Wrong 2002, power in terms of coercion can take many forms. For instance, in the political arena modern state imprison those people who do not act in accordance with the legal mandates (Fairholm, 2009). In regard to history, a majority of nations of the world joined in the boycott of Iraqi Oil in the hope of forcing the Iraqi government to honor the peace agreement that had been put forward in order to end the Gulf War of 1991. In the social arena, coercive power entails pushing someone into a behavior one would not engage in. It is worth noting that most of the coercive power is associated with physical violence. Coercive power is most efficient, when the threat of violence or punishme nt associated with it, is sufficient enough to make the responder consent to the demand. Coercive power is advantageous in situations of impending danger, assuring internal cohesion, over and above, disputes that are of great value to the initiator. For instance, the European countries used extreme and often brutal, coercive power to launch their rule over Africa, and other regions such as Asia. Conversely, even though the power may be impressive in specific situations, it might be useless in some situations especially when the responders to the power choose not to agree to the given threat (Wey 2009). Legitimate Power Legitimate power is derived from the authority of a person’s rate and position in a commanding chain. It is used in day to day life and it increases according to the responsibilities that are entitled to somebody. Never the less, legitimate power can be decreased in case the person who has the responsibility fails to fully meet them. The duration of this type o f power is short-lived as the person can only use it as he, or she holds a particular position.  

Coporate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coporate finance - Essay Example 2.1 Describe the business model and strategies of Tesco by taking on strategy and discuss with evidences cited from the case how it is consistent with corporate objective of maximizing shareholder wealth. Tesco’s business model is for the company to what matters better together as it deliver its core purpose to customers. The core retail activities of insight, buy, move and sell are what the company tries to make better as supported by its strategies, among others, of building the Tesco Brand, Leveraging Group skill and scale, operating responsively, establishing multichannel offer for customers. The financial results measure the performance on how the company was able to accomplish its strategies and objective of wealth maximization. The business model of Tesco includes those made from the perspective of strategic choices. The strategies being used in relation to its business model including that of operating responsibly which include maintaining its good profitability, efficiency management of its assets, acceptable liquidity, balanced gearing ratio and responsive investment ratios. As to whether the strategies are consistent with the corporate objective of maximizing shareholder wealth, it could be said that there is good amount of evidence. The results of the company’s profitability, liquidity, good Solvency , and good investment ratios provide good pieces evidence of meeting the financial objectives of the and which are consistent with the objectives of maximizing wealth of shareholders. Making good strategic judgements has a good way to determining the company’s prosperity and building value for its shareholders over the coming decade. Building shareholder value cannot be done in instant or in short-term. It is actually long-term as it may even be sacrificing in the short-run in order to attain the

Effective Project Control Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effective Project Control - Assignment Example According to Fox (2010), the implications of applying strategic guidelines to define the procedure of project management are relevant with reference to examining various methods through which a particular project can be organized. For example, models such as PERT are critical in exploring and assessing the efficacy of applying alternative options in cases where the original plan has failed to generate desired consequences. Moreover, Fox (2010) also notes that such facilities also provide managers with the ability to control the project in a more effective manner by integrating standard guidelines. In accordance with this understanding the most important element to ensuring effective control can be labeled as the determination of a critical path and the management of time constraints for meeting outlined goals and aims. The recognition of a critical path as a factor in effective project control essentially aims to align the gap between expected and achieved project times calculated on as per the entirety of the project (Fox, 2010). Consequently, the succeeding factor of consideration is linked with exploring the operational demands of the project; these elements are marked by outlining various factors including the suggested organization and allocation of resources and materials in addition with the prioritizing operations and activities. Integral concepts in effective project control and management comprise of understanding the significance of time management and scheduling (Lewis, 2004). However, in the realm of the controlling element of project management, it is fundamental to identify specific activities and operational aspects of the work so as to explore the potential of resources and assign them to respective projects. According to Lewis (2004), the estimation of cumulative resource allocation and the assignment of each factor is important

Erica Homes ltd. Project Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Erica Homes ltd. Project - Research Proposal Example At this time the city has considerable problems with migrants who don’t have a place to work and often not even a place to live. It is thought that the Olympics will provide a chance for the development of the area, for the creation of new jobs and for the integration into society of all the people with ethnic origins other that British. Erica Homes ltd. is planning to take advantage of this event and exploit it to the maximum. If the company purchases land right now it will do it very cheaply. However, as the 2012 Olympic is drawing nearer the value of the land in the outskirts of London will double, if not even triple and the prices of housing in the area will rise accordingly. Thus a great profit for all developers that manage to built before that time. Erica Homes ltd.’s strategy is to purchase land in the area, to build high quality luxurious apartments and to sell them when the market value of estates raises, thus realizing the desired profit. The company will hire internationally renowned engineers, architects, chartered accountants and IT experts. Erica Homes ltd. will employ the strategy of participative decision making. The centralization of decision making has been found to have in most cases a negative impact on a company’s relations between its employees and its management. Training, on the other hand has the exact opposite effect on the relations. Therefore Erica Homes ltd. is focusing on developing a structure of the organization that is based on communication in all levels. Every employee has to be able to have an impact on the management of the company and he has to feel it, motivating him to work harder and better. This would also encourage the appropriate integration of all employees, even problematic integrations. In order to achieve this system of participative decision making we are encouraging every employee in Erica Homes ltd. to own shares in the company. However little the investment might be, it will make that person feel linked to the organization in a proprietary sort of way and act accordingly. We will not only offer jobs to 1000 people, we are offering long term investment plans. Other organizations have applied this strategy and it has proven very effective because a person who feels secure about his future and the future of his family is more productive. "Members are part of a common social system or clan and are bonded together through the development of a sense of affiliation and belonging"1. Employees of Erica Homes ltd. will develop a sense of loyalty towards the company. In terms of structure the company will have a Board of Directors, a Shareholders Meeting, a General Manager, managers of the different departments and employees in each department. Erica Homes ltd. aims at being adaptable and flexible according to the needs of its employees and to the market. The good management of the company has to accomplish this while being stable and controlled. "There needs to be growth, resource acquisition and external support, but also tight internal information management and formal communication. The framework suggests an emphasis on the value of human resources, but also emphasizes planning and goal setting"2. Information sharing in the company will be very important. "As a catalyst for organisational growth, the sharing of knowledge is vital to an organisation"3. This will add value to the company and help with the achievement of the participative decision making strategy. Information exchange stimulates creativity and creates intellectual assets which are more important for a company than physical assets. "Sharing knowledge within organisations provides the opportunity to discuss know-what and know-how practices to direct the organisation towards future development and growth"4. The shareholders will elaborate plans and goals for long periods of time. The Board

DESIGN A RETENTION PLAN FOR FUTURE RADIOLOGY EMPLOYEES Assignment

DESIGN A RETENTION PLAN FOR FUTURE RADIOLOGY EMPLOYEES - Assignment Example In addition, most programs fail to plan and time the hiring of physicians when multiple providers are needed. They have failed to develop short-and long-term strategic staffing plans. The other problem is absence of a clearly defined recruitment process, a host of hospitalist programs have failed to create a well-planned and choreographed recruitment process, leading to missed opportunities and/or a hiring mismatch (Simone, 2009). The other problem is hiring mismatch, many programs hire providers who do not fit in with the practice â€Å"culture.† There is a mismatch between vision, values, and objectives of the hospitalist program and the newly hired physician (Harris & Hartman, 2001). This can translate to disruptive behaviors within the hospitalist practice, low morale, and can result in poor provider and program performance. The last problem and which is the focus of this study is lack of a retention plan. Most programs have been successful in finding a good physician-prac tice fit but failed in support and integration of the new physician into the practice, hospital and community. A poorly developed retention plan or the absence of one can lead to physician turnover (Mathis & Jackson, 2010). Physician turnover can result in staff shortages, which may lead to program instability, such as being disruptive to the â€Å"chemistry† of a practice, provider job dissatisfaction, provider burnout, and subsequent poor clinical outcomes. Provider turnover can be quite costly to a hospital program, as numerous costs are associated with replacement of providers (Simone, 2009). These costs include those associated with recruitment, such as sign-on bonuses, medical school loan repayment, relocation expenses, lost productivity for hospitalist and hospital staff during the recruitment process, headhunter fees, and revenues lost during

Gay Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gay Marriage - Essay Example The ban on gay marriage is not different from preventing women from voting or denying African-American’s access to public places. One of the most potential arguments for gay marriage is that it enhances the marriage rate. Since 1991, there was a sharp decline in marriage rates world wide. In some countries, the marriage rates were down over 20%. This declining marriage rate clearly reflected deterioration in social as well as cultural values since premarital sexuality and sexual promiscuity were the root causes of the decrease in marriage rates. In addition, this worse condition also persisted to be a threat to the existence of family relationships. However, a steep rise in marriage rate is observed as the gay marriage was legalized. For instance, 4000 couples married in San Francisco in just one month when the city legally validated same sex marriages. While comparing with the marriage statistical data of many other countries, it is evident that gay marriage boosts marriage r ates. There were 12,348 same sex marriages registered in Canada from June 2003 (date of same sex marriage legalization in Ontario, a province of Canada) to October 2006 (‘Re-opening the debate’). Similarly, divorce rates have increasingly risen for the last two decades. As specified in the ‘Gay Marriage Facts & Statistics Tips, United States statistics show that 60% of all opposite sex marriages ended in divorce during the first decade and the figure rose to 80% in the first 20 years. Although, government and religious institutions have taken initiatives towards the safety of family relationships, the divorce rate still continues to be unsatisfactory. At this time, the family bonds of same sex couples... The researcher of this essay states that since 2001, ten countries and a number of jurisdictions have legally approved same-sex marriage and they consider it as a matter of civil, moral, social, political, and religious issue. Despite the legal validity of the gay marriage, limited rights are granted to gay marriage as compared to heterosexual marriage. In fact, the same sex marriage does not hurt the institution of marriages because homosexuals enjoy a pleasure that is obtainable from a traditional marriage. Obviously, romance is the most profound feeling that determines the intensity of relationship especially between adolescents. To be more specific, the different choices in romantic relationships have a profound influence on their aspirations. Each and every individual has the basic human right to express themselves without depending on the approval of any authority. While prohibiting same sex marriage, this condition questions the personal integrity of homosexuals and hence this governmental act do separates the gay people from the mainstream of the society. In total, the ban on gay marriage is a clear case of gender based discrimination, which will have far reaching consequences in the society. In fact, sexual outlook and individual choices are the key factors that determine the agreement or conflicts between partners. In conclusion, the researcher mentions that same sex does not inevitably ensure same gender, for example if the individuals involved maintain opposite gender desires.

United States View on the Cold War Research Paper

United States View on the Cold War - Research Paper Example However, the war reflected a competition between two superpowers that were the America and Soviet Union. This paper illustrates various view of the America concerning the occurrence of the cold war. Causes of the Cold War The United States saw the Cold War as a war between itself and the Soviet Union3. Moreover, the American saw the war as a global confrontation between itself and the Soviet Union. According to the Americans, the war occurred because of having different views regarding a number of world issues with the Soviet Union. Moreover, the Americans viewed the cause of the war to be various political differences that existed between the country and the Soviet Union. The other possible factor that contributed to the development of the Cold War was the Americans fear that the communists might attack them. This contributed to the Americas want to show that it could not be defeated by any other nation in the whole world. The other significant issue that led Americans to engage in the war was the bad blood between Truman and Stalin. However, other issues contributed to the development of the Cold War were those from the side of the communists. For example, the Russians feared that the American would cause a great trouble if it managed to release the atomic bomb. Another major factor that contributed to the development of the war was that the Russians disliked the concept of capitalism4. How the Cold War reflected Americans in the world Most of the countries that were involved and those that were not involved in the cold viewed America as one of the biggest enemy of Soviet Union. The rivalry between the two powers existed from as early as 1917. At first, both of the two powers were fighting against the Axis powers. Some of the Axis powers that were great enemies of America during the cold war include Germany and Japan. However, even though the two nations were fighting together, their relationship was tense. This means that they did not believe in one another on various issues concerning the war. This is because the Americans saw the Soviet Union as a major threat regarding to how they wished various issues would go concerning the war. The Americas started to mistrust the Soviet Union when it managed to gain control of the Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union on the other hand, started to view the American as a threat especially when it managed to make a move on the development of the atomic weapon. It is believed that one of presidents who contributed to the occurrence of the strong relationship was Woodrow Wilson. Under the leadership of Wilson, America had dedicated itself to maintain democracy. Wilson also managed to promote the country in enacting the free enterprise system. However, the communists were emphasizing on the issue of the excellent revolution. With the world class, the communists believed that most of the countries under its leadership would bring socialization in f uture. Through the contribution of Wilson in trying to promote democracy, many parts in the world viewed America as peaceful although there were others with different views. However, even with the contribution of Wilson to promote democracy, he did not succeed. Even the Soviet Union did not succeed in its contribution of promoting peace. Damage of America’s Reputation America damaged its reputation after engaging on the war against Vietnam. Most of the countries in the world viewed that America had not made the right decision on engaging

Create a Multicultural Theme Unit (8) Coursework

Create a Multicultural Theme Unit (8) - Coursework Example Furthermore, this process is implemented within a lower level of elementary grade and preschool level. This thematic unit benefits students to encourage and enhance their appreciation towards individualism and eccentricity among other members in the classroom.The prime purpose of the paper is to provide developmentally methodology towards learning and teaching process by the creation of multicultural theme unit. Moreover, week long detailed information about multicultural theme unit is created. This includes identification of four developmental goals and definition of criteria with teaching strategies. In case of literature-based program, the widely used units for organization of instruction is described to be as thematic units. The fundamental part of thematic units is multicultural literature. The foremost view which defines the concept of multicultural theme unit is differentiating the concept of multiculturalism. The multiculturalism is defined as the combination of cultures and multiple. Therefore, it can be notified that it is vital to include many cultures in the learning process to nullify difference between the dominated and dominant. The lesson plans for multicultural theory should bring diversity on the understanding with the combination of hands-on learning practices. Furthermore, children are confronted with critical thinking skills and fresh ideas. According to Barbara Biles, the early childhood education that has been incorporated in the preschool is described as an effective procedure for the development of racial identity and racial biases. One of the primary activities that I personally think would be included in the preschool activities is Passports. A passport craft activity is beneficial for a week multicultural theme unit. The passport craft is effectively modeled and presented after American passport. Furthermore, it modeled by showing the national bird and blue cover. This activity would be fruitful by

Physical Security Principles Essay Example for Free

Physical Security Principles Essay Safety in numbers has always been a deterrent method when leaving or traveling through places that are not safe. But without proper physical security measures set in place when leaving any facility or building the need for a crowd will be of no use. Proper physical security requires accessing the risk that may cause threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks when certain principles are not implemented. Physical security also refers to tangible impediments to attack or unauthorized entry. Safety involves having the building, grounds, access to and from the parking area, and other hidden locations secure by lighting, monitoring, and physical patrol. Physical security should include the inside of the building as well as the outside and adjoining perimeter. Building Security There can never be too much security for a business, corporation, school, or home owner. The threat of an individual causing bodily harm or taking personal belongings without permission are very high if proper equipment and safety precautions are not taken. Proper lighting and cameras should accommodate buildings for the safety and protection of employees, staff, and students. Securing the facility and the type of risk that is ssociated with each building will need analyzing and assessed for protection. Each facility is different when providing security for their site. Federal buildings will not require the same type of protection as a bakery. Security for Building Occupants and Assets (2009) states â€Å" that it may require addressing certain situations such as unauthorized entry/trespass (forced and covert), insider threats, explosive threats, stationary and moving vehicle-delivered, mail bombs, package bombs ballistic threats, small arms, high-powered rifles, drive-by shootings, etc. weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological, and radiological) disruptive threats (hoaxes, false reports, malicious attempts to disrupt operations) cyber and information security threats† (WBDG, 09). Each business building structure will determine the basic requirements for securing the safety and well being of staff and personnel. One size do not fit all but according to Katz and Capsi, 2003, states â€Å" Prior to running out and ordering millions of dollars of protective equipment, professionals should evaluate the overall security of your facility and a detailed report of the results should be prepared†. Ground Security Another key issue that complements the safety of any building is the lighting of that building. Lighting inside and outside of a building can help deter physical mishaps and attacks The lighting should be situated at every entry and exit and also throughout the building and also positioned correctly for better angles and views of open areas and spaces. Perimeter security lighting should also be available for long corridors and parking garages. Correct lighting in these places can give patrons a better visual of their surroundings and also allow them to see what may be obstructing their path. Having proper lighting and cameras may not be enough to keep out unwanted activity. Employing trained security professionals to patrol the facilities can add to deterring criminals. Hired security guards by a reputable company can add to the buildings safety and that of the patrons coming and going. How likely a crime target any specific building is, depends on the perceived gain to the perpetrator, balanced against his perceived risk of apprehension or defeat (Witherspoon, 2002). The presence of a trained guard can limit the amount of loitering or negative behavior outside and offer a feeling of safety to staff and employees who are ntering or leaving the building. Technology Advancement Physical security for any facility is a major factor for keeping safe and having modern technology on site is a greater addition. Protecting the facilities assets requires the company to stay ahead with modern day upgrades and devices for ensuring that whatever or whomever is gaining access to the property is suppose to be there. Monitoring the individuals who enter through facility access control and perimeter fences or installing video and closed circuit television surveillance can eliminate trespassers and those with no prior business on the property. Personal identification systems can also be established that use fingerprints and biometrics to gain access into any facility for staff and personnel. The amount of technology to use for physical security is unlimited depending on the facility and what needs protecting. Conclusion Physical security involves many components such as location, configuration, size, shape, and many other vital attributes that comes with a standing structure. Keeping people safe on the inside as well as those on the outside requires security principles that go beyond what just the normal eye can see. Applying the correct physical equipment to lower the risk of unwanted behaviors and attacks depends on how well the perimeter is guarded. Advanced technology including cameras and monitoring systems add to the insurance of physical security and if used properly can lower the possibility of threats. There is never an answer for what system works best but using a variety of methods is sure to make leaving work a little safer.

Define The Word Digital Forgery

Define The Word Digital Forgery According to Merriam-Webster, forgery is defined as the crime of falsely and fraudulently making or altering a document (Forgery, Merriam-Webster). So therefore, digital forgery involves falsely altering digital contents such as pictures and documents. Digital forgery has occurred for many years and still remains a relevant topic today. We see it every day in newspapers, magazines, the television, and even the internet. Whether altering the way someone looks, using digital photography in a courtroom, or even bringing a celebrity back from the dead, digital photography and digital television stimulate countless questions and queries about the ethics and morals of digital forgery, with respect to todays technology, and the involvement of digital forgery in our daily lives. The questions that arise because of digital forgery can be addressed and evaluated successfully only through consideration of the history, usage, and ethics of digital forgery in order to determine how and in what wa ys restriction or limitation of digital forgery should occur. Figure Understanding the history of photography and digital forgery helps one realize exactly how digital forgery became a commonly utilized method. Photography dates back to as far as 1826 when a French inventor, Joseph Nicephore Niepce, produced the first everlasting photograph (Photograph, Wikipedia). As time went on, photography got more advanced and more complicated. Soon enough, color photographs were being produced. The first color photograph was produced by a Scottish physicist named James Clerk Maxwell (Photograph, Wikipedia). After the production of color photograph came the invention of film, which led to instant cameras, automatic cameras, and finally digital cameras. Digital photography started first in 1951 with a video tape recorder that produced live images from television cameras by altering the information into electrical impulses and then saving the data onto a magnetic tape (Inventors). Several years later, in the 1960s, NASA used similar technology when they stop ped using analog and began to utilize digital signal with their space probes to map the surface of the moon. This led to the government usage of digital technology with spy satellites and then finally led to digital photography. The first filmless camera was created by Texas Instruments in 1972 followed by the release of the first commercial electronic still camera, the Sony Mavica, in August 1981 (Inventors). The ability to create digital photographs opened up the doors for producing counterfeit images and made it easier for this to be done. However, it wasnt the first time weve seen manipulation in pictures. As a matter of fact, photo manipulation dates back to the 1860s when a picture of John C. Calhoun was edited to have his body with the head of Abraham Lincoln (Photo Manipulation, Wikipedia). Digital forgery escalated in severity during World War II when Joseph Stalin altered photographs for propaganda purposes. For instance, there was a picture taken of Joseph Stalin and NKVD leader Nikolai Yezhov. After Yezhov was executed, the picture was rereleased with Yezhov missing. The photo was manipulated using censors. Figure 1 depicts the before and after pictures regarding this instance. In another case, John Heartfield, who utilized a photo altering technique called photomontage, mocked Adolf Hilter and the Nazis in order to demoralize their misinformed purpose (Photo Manipulation, Wikipedia). The use of digital photography has made it a lot easier for one to manipulate photos today. A program that is exceptionally recognizable is Adobe Photoshop. This is the software used by Adnan Hajj, who manipulated pictures and published them during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict (2006 Lebanon War Photographs Controversies, Wikipedia). Some of the pictures depicted an emphasis of the aftermath of an IDF attack on Beriut. Another one resembled a photograph of an IAF F-16 flying over Southern Lebanon deploying multiple missiles, when it really only deployed one missile (Adnan Hajj Photographs Controversy, Wikipedia). These pictures were removed and Hajj admitted to editing the pictures. After understanding the history and numerous uses of digital forgery, one can begin to assess the ethics involved with digital forgery.http://www.youropinionsarewrong.com/images/random/stalin-airbrush.jpg Based on the previous history and utilization of digital forgery, several relevant questions arise: What ethics are associated with digital forgery? Is digital forgery generally right or wrong? Who or what should take the blame for misleading digital forgery? Should we ever fully believe anything we see anymore in pictures? What can be done about digital forgery? Unfortunately, none of these questions have definite, factual answers. Rather, opinions permeate the essence of the responses to these questions. The significance and validity of each question and response can only be determined by the reader. With the current availability in photo-editing technology, one can alter almost anything in a picture. Often, despite the obvious ethical dilemmas that arise from digital forgery, the individual himself or herself is solely responsible for how cases of digital forgery are evaluated. However, even opinionated evaluation of digital forgery can lead to judgments, laws, rules, limitations, and restrictions on the future of digital forgery, making the ethics involved in digital forgery a necessary topic to consider. In general, is the idea of digital forgery ethically acceptable? To determine whether altering an image is right or wrong, we must establish the reason for which the image is being used. Adjusting a photo for the news, whether digitally or otherwise is most likely not ethical, even though there are understandable exceptions for alteration, such as editing a picture to brighten the details, reduce the blur of a street sign in the distance, or other similar examples. In contrast to the previous application of digital forgery, an image that serves the purpose of providing evidence regarding a crime scene or creature would preferably be void of digital forgery except to bring out inherent detail already contained in the photo. In general though, the majority of digital forgery occurs because digitally altered pictures often appeal to the viewers eyes. As long as these images are not used to mislead, then I believe that digitally altered images are ethically permissible as long as they la ck malicious intent or potential. Another fact to consider regarding this question involves the broad utilization of digital forgery in current times. Picture-editing software often comes readily installed with most current computers, meaning that most people with current computers or lap tops have access to technology for digital editing. Social networking websites, such as facebook.com and myspace.com, give users the ability to post up almost any type of picture or photo, regardless of whether the picture has undergone some type of alteration. Though often misleading, especially in the cases of digital forgery with pictures of the actual user, the question of whether the altering of the picture itself is right or wrong depends on the users viewing the image and their opinions. Depending on the intent of those who partake in digital forgery, the misleading appearances of digital forgery could potentially be detrimental to the other people. Hypothetically, a user of a social network ing website might try to establish a relationship with another user based on the viewing of digitally altered pictures or photographs of that user. What is conveyed on a computer screen with a digitally forged picture may differ greatly from the actual appearance of a user, and this will likely cause a variety of problems for users who try and establish a relationship that is even partially based on the appearance of the other user. However, the user with the altered picture benefits in the sense that he or she increases the likelihood of establishing a relationship with another person based on the digitally altered picture and not the truthful portrayal of that person in reality. Whether the previous situation is overall benevolent or detrimental for both users can only be determined by those users, and whether this application of digital forgery is generally right or wrong can only be determined by an unbiased opinion of another person. Since no test or definite way to prove wheth er an application of digital forgery is generally right or wrong, the decision regarding the ethics of such situations ultimately falls on the individual. Yet, if a ubiquitous verdict is reached conveying that some usage of digital forgery is unethical, who or what should take the blame? Almost indubitably, no individual desires taking blame for any type of situation, regardless of who was responsible for any discommodity associated with the situation. So in reference to the detrimental effects of digital forgery, who or what should be at fault? To understand even the possibilities of who or what should be at fault for negative effects of digital forgery, one must consider the wide array of factors influencing that usage of digital forgery. Technology plays a pivotal role in digital forgery. Because of technology, digital forgery often lacks credibility and believability. Advancements in technology allow people today to alter almost any picture to their preferred specifications, often still believable, but untrue and therefore misleading. Technology, in many ways, provides the means by which digital forgers are capable of producing altered pictures or photographs. However, another point to consider involves the fact that human beings are responsible for these advance ments in technology that allow digital forgery to be accomplished with ease. Though maybe not directly responsible, the people who provide the software or technology for common people to digitally forge do, in a way, provide access to digital forging opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them. Another influencing factor to consider is societys usage of digital forgery. Magazines, newspapers, websites, and a plethora of other media portray digitally forged pictures, photographs, and images. Countless recalls and cases have formed around excessively exaggerated pictures in magazines and newspapers. Though often not intentionally detrimental, society does place pressure on individuals actions. For example, magazines influence other magazines to use digitally altered pictures. As yet another example, people often succumb to the pressures of being slim and obtaining the socially desired model bodies that society conventionally expects and conveys through magazines and othe r such media. This may cause individuals to take action by harming themselves through unhealthy weight loss practices or even partaking in digital forgery themselves. But since it is ultimately one individual or a group of individuals that are directly responsible for the digital forgery of a specific image, one must consider whether the fault of digital forgery should lie within the individual or group of individuals that directly altered the image itself. Obviously, blaming the misleading or detrimental digitally forged image itself can provide no compensation for those effected in a destructive manner, so only by placing blame on an individual, a group of individuals, technology, society, or other possible culprits can victims of the detrimental effects of digital forgery hope to acquire some type of compensation. Legal action can be taken regarding digital forgery, but the decision of the courtroom or judge can not universally determine who or what should bear the full or partia l burden of blame regarding digital forgery. Unfortunately, once again, who or what is at fault for malevolent results of digital forgery can only be determined by the individual. But disregarding who or what is to blame for digitally forged images, if so many images are truly so misleading, to what extent should people believe what they see in digital images? The existence of some guidelines for what people should believe and not believe when viewing digital images would seem beneficial. Any digital image, or even non-digital images in some cases, present details to a viewer that are not necessarily readily distinguishable from reality. Basically, an individual often finds it difficult to determine whether an image has been digitally altered or not. Very few ways exist of distinguishing a picture that has been altered from a picture that has undergone no such alteration. Because of this fact, viewers of images are often rightfully suspicious of the details conveyed by images. By being too suspicious however, one might neglect to realize the beauty or significance of an image that contains no digital alteration, and this beauty or significance might have been comprehended if one simply was not so suspicious of image details. So, once again, there exists no such guidelines in regards to the extent one should give credibility to an image oth er than the opinions and personal beliefs of the individual. I, being an individual myself, possess personal beliefs on the ethics, credibility, and accountability of digital forgery. My personal beliefs regarding digital forgery possess heavy influence from my past experiences. While pursuing my degree in computer engineering and simply experiencing the world in general, I have come to several personal conclusions about digital forgery. Regarding the ethics of digital forgery, I believe that digitally altered images that are intended to please the viewers aesthetic preferences and are generally benevolent should be ethically permissible. Images that do otherwise or basically digitally forged images that are intentionally malicious or mislead the viewer into believing a false aspect should be subject to some form of compensatory action and are unethical. With reference to who or what is to blame for the detrimental consequences of digital forgery, I feel that the person who digitally altered the image should be held accountable for his or her pessimistic intentions if it truly did result in someone being harmed through viewing that image. And considering how suspi cious or to what extent people should assign reliability to images in current times, I feel that most images should simply be appreciated and not analyzed with scrutiny. The images I feel that people should be suspicious of include those conveying evidence in a crime scene, details supporting assumptions about some phenomenon, or details that persuade an individual to believe an aspect not previously assumed or proved by other corroborations or support. Of course, as in almost all cases, there remain exceptions to my beliefs depending on the details of the situation itself just as there exist exceptions to almost every rule, law, or belief of mankind. My ethical standards concerning digital forgery basically revolves more around the situation in which digital forgery was used and less on the actual digitally forged image itself. Therefore, my ethical views remain dependent on the situation itself in which digital forgery was used before I can make a finalized ethical decision, and I feel that people should adopt a similar system of perception and inspection so all that cases of digital forgery are evaluated successfully. After understanding the history, ethics, and forming well-informed opinions concerning digital forgery, the question one would likely ponder now is: What can be done to stop the unnecessary use of digital forgery? Several steps have already been taken to stop distasteful digital forgery. Webster University Journal came up with a policy for the ethical use of photographs. They published that the manipulation of photographs is commonly allowed when adjusting the brightness and contrast of the photo, burning and dodging to control the tonal range, correcting the color, cropping a frame to fit a certain layout, and retouching either dust or scratches from the photo. The policy further explains that there are certain manipulation techniques that should never be allowed. These include adding, moving, or removing objects within the frame, changing the color other than to restore what the picture originally looked like, cropping a frame in order to alter its meaning, flopping an image either left or right reversal, and finally painting a photograph in other than its true orientation (Webster). These policies are very ethical in the sense that one can still alter images as an artistic sense, but when it comes to proof, evidence, or publishing, the policies are very accurate and maintain credibility. When using a photograph in a published document, images that are manipulated are often used but should be labeled a certain way. The editor simple cannot include an altered picture and hope the readers assume the picture is edited. Altered pictures should be labeled as a photo illustration and shall never be represented as news photographs. Also, there are cameras out now with special technology to avoid digital forgery. Examples of this include cameras that digitally print a custom signature at the bottom of every picture that is taken and processed. This goal of these specially designed cameras is to stop people from not only stealing what could be copyrighted and publishe d material but also to prevent it from being manipulated and used in media and the courtroom. In fact, many courtrooms prefer evidence and take photographic evidence only with the special signature. Another example is an image authentication system the uses fingerprint technology. The creator of many imaging products today, Epson, previously created new image authentication software that was installed in many of their digital cameras. These cameras function by automatically imprinting a photo with an invisible digital fingerprint immediately after the photo is taken. Since the fingerprint is implanted in the image file, the image can then be verified as unedited and all natural by a computer with the software installed (Digital Cameras). This leads to another way to stop malicious digital forgery, with certain software. The most popular known software that lets users edit digital images is Adobe Photoshop. This software had previously been frequently brought up in scandals of images being altered as forgery. Recently, Adobe created a way for users to still use their product for artistic and personal use, but also for publishing use. They created a suite of photo-authentication tools that released in 2008. Basically, it is a plug-in that users install onto their Photoshop software that adds two photo authentication tools to the program (Wired.com). The first one is the Clone Tool Detector and it determines whether a section in a picture is too similar to another part of a picture. The other tool is the Truth Dots tool, which determines whether there are any missing pixels in a digital image. Determining if the pixels are missing results in a sign that the picture has been cropped, which cannot be noticed by that human eye (MandarinMusing.com). Of course, all these things can help in stopping digital image forgery, but pictures that have been taken without the special authentication signatures or fingerprints, or images edited without Photoshops plug-ins still l ack a system to prevent digital forgery. This can be solved with other special software that can detect digital image forgeries. Today, there are many companies who have produced software that have the ability to detect traces of digital image manipulation without relying on the signatures and watermarks. As a computer science doctoral thesis proposal, Micha Kimo Johnson, of Dartmouth College, created three digital image analysis tools to detect digital image forgery. These consist of illuminant direction, specularity, and chromatic aberration (Network World). The illuminant direction tools focus on the light sources of the image. It looks for consistency through the entire picture and different shadows. The light source is not limited to only sun light but also light from electricity. If the sources of light in the image were not in the same direction, the tool would detect the inconsistencies. The other tool is the specularity tool, which basically analyzes the reflective highligh ts in a picture. For example, if a picture of a group of people were taken and someone was digitally added to the image, the tool would detect the reflection in the eyes of all people in the picture and identify that someone was added. The last tool is the chromatic aberration tool, which scans images based on the camera lens used. When a digital picture is taken, natural distortion occurs and is presented on the image. The tool will identify if any of the distortions do not match the surrounding and categorize the image as a forged copy (Network World). Collectively, there exist numerous ways of detecting digital forgery through the use of specialized software, which helps to inhibit the malicious use of digital forgery. Conclusively, the issue of digital forgery has caused controversy for many years, yet recent advances in technology have helped to detect and discourage unethical uses of digital forgery. Since the creation of photography, photographic manipulation started and led into the forgery of images. Digital forgery has been apparent from the time when Soviet officials would disappear from authorized photographs in World War II to current times as we commonly view countless altered pictures in magazines, depicting celebrities with flawless skin and enhanced physiques. There exist ways to prevent digital forgery, such as special cameras that add signatures and invisible fingerprints when they are digitally processed, special programs plug-ins that prevent the altering of images, and even special software that can detect whether a picture is forged or not. While complete termination of digital forgery is nearly impossible, prevention of digital forgery and its reckless usage is quite possible. However, the altering of digital images is now not only used to deceive, but it has been incorporated into an artistic movement in which people manipulate images to represent different aspects of life for non-harmful purposes. Though it might technically be classified as digital forgery, it only becomes an problem when these forged images are used for the media or as evidence in courtroom. The history, evidence, discussion of ethics, and preventative methods for digital forgery helps inspire this encompassing idea: the manipulation of digital images is not necessarily unethical because of the abundance of benevolent or neutral alteration of photos, yet digital forgery with a criminal or malicious motive can most definitely be classified as unethical, for which identification systems exist to discourage and prevent detrimental digital forgery.

Lorenzos Oil Film Synopsis and Analysis

Lorenzos Oil Film Synopsis and Analysis Lorenzos oil touches the hearts of most as you watch the story of a young boy battling adrenoleukodystrophy or ALD. The story is based off a true story as the parents, Augusto and Michaela Odone, take care and search with uncertainty for a cure for their son Lorenzo. The story identifies with those who suffer from an incurable disease which neurologically effects Lorenzos life. The oil, found by Lorenzos dad, brings hope to him and his family. Lorenzos battle is fought with courage and strength and he identifies with so many important subtopics in our class such as: disease and illness, death and dying, and the body. Lorenzos battle will show us how one struggles with disease and illness but strives with his loved ones by his side. Lorenzo begins to show signs of neurological problems when he and his family move back to the United States for his dads military work. Lorenzo begins to show signs such as fits, lapses, and hearing problems. Lorenzos parents set out on a mission to find a cure for the incurable disease he has. The Odones have many encounters with doctors/ professionals. The work done from parent to professional shows the strive in the Odones hopes to find a cure for their son. After being told that there is no cure by some doctors, they begin to travel and meet with many different people, doctors, scientists, researchers, etc., who are willing to do all they can to help find a cure for their son. These professionals give an examples of how well some professionals work with the parents rather than the patients in this case. The Odones can barely watch as their sons health declines and knows it is up to them to set out to find a cure. While researching so many different aids, the Odones come up with one last final shot. His parents, declined by many researchers again, finally discuss a cure with a Chemist involving oils to add to their sons daily diet. The oil helps in repair in some of the damaged parts of the brain but does not aid in repairing the myelin deficiency in the brain. Mr. Odone takes it into his own hands to seek out an appeal of medical research and efforts to treat myelin damage and or deficiencies in the brain of ill patients. Lorenzo deals with his illness very strongly. As he begins to lose neurological functions, life becomes much harder. He is not treated horribly by many doctors; he is more the less treated like a boy with a disease that has no cure. Lorenzo battles his illness with as positive a mind set as possible, as he begins to take the oil, he feels little relief and shows improvement, but the improvement is not enough to save him from this horrible disease. He later is only able to blink yes or no and can barely swallow on his own. Thankfully for Lorenzo he continues to keep his sight which is a beautiful gift he is pleased to still have. In researching the medical response to the movie, the film was criticized to have given the idealistic view of finding a cure, which was not found. Research done regarding Lorenzos disease has shown little to no effect of taking the oil during the illness, but shows results when taken before the illness. The real Lorenzo Odone, lived to be 30 and died of pneumonia in 2008, living two decades longer than predicted by physicians. In the movie, the Odones compare their studies to those done by animal experimentation finding vague results in the process. I feel as if the events of the film played out appropriately. Being hard to accept the news of an incurable illness, Lorenzos parents react more strongly than he does. Lorenzo accepts his disease as anyone must once they are told they have something inoperable. The only thing which could have been done differently in the film was not acting as if they found a cure but more the less acting as if they found an agent that helps one who suffers from ALD. In the movie and in the real life story, I do not feel as if there is any one who deserves the blame. Blame cannot fall on anyone as Lorenzo has a disease with no cure. Really in reality praises deserve to be given to Lorenzos parents for attempting to find a cure for there son. The Doctors deserve praise for there attempts at finding cure as well. The only blame can be on the disease itself. The general public and prospective health care providers can learn very many things from this film. The general public can learn that horrible diseases can happen to anyone. The general public can also learn from this that parents and family members can do so many things to help their child or loved one. Anyone can become involved in helping whether its just by doing little things. For example, my mother suffers from ulcerative colitis and last year I did a triathlon and raised money for Crohns and Colitis research we raised near $2,000 for research. The general public can do so many things to aid in the development of a cure for diseases. Health care providers can learn both positive and negative things from this film. Health care providers can learn never to give up on a family and let them try to do what they can to help a child or a loved one. Health care providers can also see that parents typically do not have the equipment or information needed to find a cure for a loved one although they can put their foot in to help. Health care providers in this instance should see the glass half full rather than half empty. Patients can learn so many positive and negative things from this film as well. Patients can learn that people can have an effect in finding a cure. Patients can also learn not to count on a cure for a disease that is incurable. Patients can learn that some doctors will treat them with respect while others will not. Patients can also learn that researchers do care and they will help as much as they can to aid in a patients health. Lorenzo learns that his health, disease, and illness although incurable can be fought with compassion and strength. Lorenzo who was diagnosed with his illness at the age of 7 technically could not do much for himself at the time of diagnoses. Lorenzo takes his illness day by day. Lorenzo slowly loses neurological functions every day. He struggles with impairments everyday like lapses and tantrums. These lead Lorenzo to question his body and wonder how much more it could handle but Lorenzo never gave up and fought his body until the age of 30, two decades longer than doctors expected. Lorenzo never truly was considered disabled more the less just ill. I would have considered Lorenzos illness a disability. Lorenzo was beginning to lose functions and that in my opinion would classify as a disability. Being disabled to me is when someone is not able to function regularly without assistance whether their disability be visible or invisible. Lorenzo needed help from his parents after his illness became severe thus classifying him as disabled to me. Lorenzo seems to avoid the reality of death and dying. Lorenzo truly avoids death and dying by defying the odds and surviving his illness for two decades longer than expected. I would assume that as a child one cannot grasp the thought of death or dying, but more the less just barely be able to understand that he is sick with an incurable illness. Being 7 years old, death does not seem to be a realistic thing. I think back to when I was 7 and would never be able to comprehend the fact that I am ill and could die whenever from a horribly rare incurable disease. Lorenzo also faces the sad reality that his own body is fighting against him. The body being a wonderful but terrifying place takes over without Lorenzo being able to do anything to stop it. The oil that Lorenzo is given has a certain amount of fatty acid chains which attack the part of the brain that is being affected by ALD. Unfortunately, ALD had already taken its toll on other parts of his brain including the myelin sheath which help protect neurotransmitters in sending messages from cell to cell. The body did not reject nor accept the treatment but rather just let the treatment work on his body. The treatment may have helped his body at an earlier stage but its not as if his family predicted he would get a rare disease like ALD. Lorenzo and his family face a series of unfortunate events upon the development of this horrible disease in their son. ALD is a disease linked to the X chromosome. First this disease effects fatty acid buildups and then damages the myelin sheath within the brain. These lead to lack of hearing, lapses, seizures, and eventually hyperactivity in the brain. ALD is a very rare disease which effects a very small number of people in the United States. The Odones have been faced with a very hard challenge and do as much as they can to stop the disease their son is infected with. The never ending positive intentions of the Odones lead them to finding a treatment for ALD which has helped effect many lives of people with ALD today. The Odones have helped scientists and doctors today give patients with ALD relief and hope. Although ALD is still without a cure, the Odones and Lorenzos actions have helped the medical community achieve a great necessary success which will play an impact on the live s of anyone with ALD.

The Effects of Population Increase on the Environment Essay -- overpop

The Effects of Population Increase on the Environment As inevitable as death and taxes, the population of the world will continue to grow until the government intervenes. The gross increase in population will generally lead to adverse effects on the environment. In the anthology, A Forest of Voices, an entry titled ?Is It Too Late by Anthony Weston deals with the history of legislation for the protection of the environment and stories of it?s destruction that are all too real. Seemingly, as the population increases, so should the level of intelligence for a sample population which would necessarily lead to a certain form of protection to the environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It would seem quite apparent that an increase in population has a causal relationship with the status of the environment. Some factors that may lead to this are underlying, though. When this notion comes to mind, the immediate reaction may be that a population increase would deem more space to be required for the new population. This includes any area that is necessary for human survival, such as farmland area, water consumption, area to reside, and the production of all products necessary for an individual to function in society. There are statistics to prove this theory. All of the statistics given are a 20 year projection from 1990 to 2010 (Bryant). The projection shows that the population will increase just fewer than 2 billion in this period (Bryant). This would be about a 33% increase in population (Bryant). The study shows that in these 20 years, the amount of fish caught will increase 20%; the area of cropland will increase 5%; and the area of forests will decrease by 7% (Bryant). Granted these figures do not look too dangerous, but we are already three-quarters of the way through the projection. From these statistics, the future is starting to seem bleak.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From these figures, it can be derived that the resources on Earth will eventually be depleted by the hand of man. As grim as the future may seem, there might be some hope just over the horizon. When an increase in population occurs, it must be taken into account that as the years pass the knowledge of the human race will increase. It could be assumed that as our intelligence increases, our means of survival will become more systematic with relation to the earth. Take for example the notion of ecology. It was not until the huma... ...ng that; the human race is arrogant, a lack of intelligence is logically equivalent to a certain level of arrogance, and as intelligence increases, arrogance decreases. All of theses given truths have been induced through the writer?s interpretation of the world. I see humans as arrogant by nature. I notice people of higher intellect may have an ego, but do not necessarily have a high level of arrogance. I also notice, on the other end of the spectrum, that the less intelligent a person is, the more likely that person is to be arrogant. Looking back on the last century, or so, there has been underlying instances of a world-wide call for awareness of the environment but nothing great has come to fruition. I guess that is what happens when you have a Texan as the President of the ?best? nation on Earth. Works Cited: Bryant, Peter J. Biodiversity and Conservation. 2002. School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine. < http://darwin.bio.uci.edu/~sust ain/bio65/lec16/b65lec16.htm>. Weston, Anthony. ?Is It Too Late A Forest of Voices: Conversations in Ecology. Anderson, Chris. 2nd Edition. Mountain View: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2000. 134 ? 136.

What Are Blogs? :: Definiton Internet Blogs Paperes

What Are Blogs? When I decided to write about blogs I thought I would use a traditional and simple method of arrangement: what is a blog, where did they come from, what are people doing with them as far as writing instruction goes and then say a bit about what I’ve done with them and why I think they are a promising form of writing pedagogy. But I quickly discovered that people have yet to fully agree on a single definition of a blog. I also discovered an intense amount of hype and gripe. There are those who think the blog will take over the world, and others who think that will be a bad thing. You’ve no doubt heard these arguments before regarding other online phenomenon—that because blogging requires no technical skill and is free, anyone can instantly publish anything and therefore either A) it will democratize information flow, liberate the repressed, illuminate the shady, discredit the liars, and save the world from SARS and terrorists or B) it will fill people’ s minds with the sort of un-edited, un-checked, un-educated crap that your average person thinks about stuff he doesn’t really understand going on in places he can’t locate on a map. Like you, I’m guessing, I want neither to leap on this bandwagon nor to snap at its wheels. I just want to figure out what a blog is and how I can use it to help my students learn more about writing. To that end I would like to share my current working definition of a blog, and talk a bit about what I’ve done with them so far and why I think blogging is a good way to teach and talk about writing. I’m actually more interested in hearing your take on blogs than I am in my own, so I won’t ramble on. For my purposes, a blog is a single authored, regularly updated, minimally edited, publicly viewable website consisting of links and commentary presented in reverse chronological order. Blogs function as content filters. Blogs also encourage and facilitate comments from readers and thus offer the opportunity for interactive communication. When defined in this way, blogs are different from similar forms of online writing. An online diary, for example, would have the same chronology and single author but would tend to focus on the life of the writer rather than on websites of interest to the author and her intended audience. What Are Blogs? :: Definiton Internet Blogs Paperes What Are Blogs? When I decided to write about blogs I thought I would use a traditional and simple method of arrangement: what is a blog, where did they come from, what are people doing with them as far as writing instruction goes and then say a bit about what I’ve done with them and why I think they are a promising form of writing pedagogy. But I quickly discovered that people have yet to fully agree on a single definition of a blog. I also discovered an intense amount of hype and gripe. There are those who think the blog will take over the world, and others who think that will be a bad thing. You’ve no doubt heard these arguments before regarding other online phenomenon—that because blogging requires no technical skill and is free, anyone can instantly publish anything and therefore either A) it will democratize information flow, liberate the repressed, illuminate the shady, discredit the liars, and save the world from SARS and terrorists or B) it will fill people’ s minds with the sort of un-edited, un-checked, un-educated crap that your average person thinks about stuff he doesn’t really understand going on in places he can’t locate on a map. Like you, I’m guessing, I want neither to leap on this bandwagon nor to snap at its wheels. I just want to figure out what a blog is and how I can use it to help my students learn more about writing. To that end I would like to share my current working definition of a blog, and talk a bit about what I’ve done with them so far and why I think blogging is a good way to teach and talk about writing. I’m actually more interested in hearing your take on blogs than I am in my own, so I won’t ramble on. For my purposes, a blog is a single authored, regularly updated, minimally edited, publicly viewable website consisting of links and commentary presented in reverse chronological order. Blogs function as content filters. Blogs also encourage and facilitate comments from readers and thus offer the opportunity for interactive communication. When defined in this way, blogs are different from similar forms of online writing. An online diary, for example, would have the same chronology and single author but would tend to focus on the life of the writer rather than on websites of interest to the author and her intended audience.

The American Savior :: essays research papers

The American Savior   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   GRAHAM This story takes place in America at about 222B.C. It is about two friends who are torn apart by a young, and beautiful girl whose name is Kigan. Samuel, but was also known as Sam because all of his friends called him Sam for short. Sam was born in Thorton to Solomon and his wife but No one knows her name because Solomon was said to be With more than one woman at a time. Samuel grew up with Miracle, now you might wonder Where Miracle got such a name, Miracle got his name Because he was born dead not a heart beat or Breath in him, as preparations where made for His the miracle happened out of no where. Very slowly Miracle came to life like The sun breaking the darkness of night In the eastern sky at the break of dawn. His mother, Angel, and his father, Knight Where astounded for they had witnessed A miracle, so naturally that’s how Miracle Got his name. Sam and Miracle first met in The city of Crump. Both of the young boys Were in the city buying goods because at This time once a boy turned ten he was considered A man and he needed to be responsible And take care of things that needed to be done. Both boys were kept sheltered from the world by Their parents till now, so seeing the city for the first time Was a shocking experience for both, especially by Themselves. They met at a small deli in the city. They talked and decided that they should meet Again sometime and maybe play some games Together. The two boys met every other day in The city where they played together. They grew to Be best friends. Whenever you saw one of them you saw the other. They were inseparable, they went together like the land and the sea. One day Miracle brought his friend Kigan with him to the city and right away Sam fell in love with her and he treated her as if she were a diamond that had never been touched by human hands. He treated her so precious. The day came when a big festival Was going to be held in the city and Sam asked Kigan if she would join him. Kigan told Sam that she would love to join him but had no interest in him and that she was in love with Miracle. After hearing this, Sam was outraged and ran

“Catch Me If You Can” Analysis Essay

Catch Me If You Can directed by Steven Spielberg tells the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., considered one of the most successful con men of all time. I saw this movie recently after renting it from the video store, I found it so good that I had to buy it. Frank Abagnale Jr. is an astounding and interesting character. The real life Abagnale originally said that he did not believe Dicaprio to be ‘suave’ enough to play the role, but he certainly does pull it off. Dicaprio’s acting is superb, and totally believable as a man who could lie to, deceive, and con everyone he met without once losing any of his charisma or charm. Hanks is also excellent, he plays the role of the obsessed FBI agent well, and also with a likable quality. The interaction between these two characters was great, it was interesting to see a budding relationship slowly build between two characters who were actually positioned against one another. The movie takes place in the late fifties and early sixties over the course of five years of Franck Abagnale Jr. Frank Abagnale lived in a time of innocence and trust. You cannot help but identify with this lonely, troubled and brilliant child who through charm and inventiveness managed to dupe Pan American Airlines out of over two million dollars over the course of five year, all before the age of twenty-one. The brilliance and daring of his crimes inspires a visceral sense of admiration for this character. Who would not want to live the jet set life of a playboy constantly outwitting the authorities at every turn?The foil for this rogue is one Carl Hanratty, played by Tom Hanks in this film. The juxtaposition of these different men brings to mind the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Abagnale represents the hare with his brilliant flight of a life; while, Hanratty embodies the tortoise with his slow trudging but ultimately victorious pursuit of the hare. Character and moral aside a film’s setting and tone are what make it, especially in this case. The setting and tone change rapidly playing with the watchers emotions. Visual clues provide the clues for emotional shifts. Clashes of browns and brights in the school uniforms and teenage styles of the day force a geeky sympathy with the young Abagnale, and the blues and grays of the scenes depicting his home life slow the pace and lend a more serious note to the  dialogue. In the portion of the film devoted to Frank’s exploits across the globe colors are used to show the vast differences between the two main characters’ lives. Scenes involving Carl Hanratty are done in blacks, grays, and whites to encourage thoughts of loneliness. Abagnale’s scenes, however, are done in bright neon, blues, and whites. These scenes are meant to be fun and light with an innocent quality that reminds us of our own childhood, and also tricks us into believing that stealing millions of dollars is somehow okay and justifiable. As Much as tone and color affect the character of the movie, nothing plays a bigger role than the setting. The late 1950s and early 1960s are portrayed in this film as a time of innocence, where a simple switch in wardrobe changed the man. The era of three piece suits and hats was one marked by sharp class divisions. Both children and adults wore various uniforms throughout their daily lives. Appearance was everything in the late fifties, or so Spielberg would have us believe. Simply by picking up a briefcase and putting on a dark hat Abagnale went from playboy to businessman. This is not unlike today where each subculture has their own particular uniform, though I believe we are more discerning than our grandparents that could just be wishful thinking on my part. Each subculture has its own uniform whether they are punks, hippies, or preppies and generally follow it, our need to blend in with the herd fulfilled. A haircut and a shave make a grungy hippie into an upstanding member of society in the eyes of all. We have a need to label and place all things in neat categories. Abagnale used this need to his advantage and exploited it with the style of a teenager. The innocence of the times also played an important role. People wanted to trust Frank Abagnale and to believe there was nothing hiding behind his smile. A piece of paper and a ready wit were all Abagnale needed to become a doctor and assistant district attorney of Louisiana. It is appealing to think that when one tired of a career they simply moved on to another and learned on the job, especially careers as glamorous as those shown in Catch Me If You Can. Hanratty, once again, plays the foil and proves this particular point. A man who works tirelessly and does nothing but good is treated with disdain by everyone he comes in contact with. He lives a  solitary existence, admittedly self-imposed, takes little joy in life, and tirelessly pursues Abagnale for years. He lives in sordid place while the criminal lives the high life. What does this say about our society as a whole? Do we glorify the rogue who breaks all our laws but does it with such style? Do we degrade those that maintain our laws? We do.   We like those who break the laws and live unusual life. This is demonstrated by one particular line delivered by Abagnale Sr., played by Christopher Walken, â€Å"Where are you going tonight Frank? Some place exotic? Tahiti? Paris? You’re winning Frank and don’t you ever stop.†Catch Me If You Can was a major hit when released and it is easy to see why. Steven Spielberg has taken an interesting story and added his own personal touch to create a movie which is engrossing, yet incredibly easy viewing. The movie also has a cast to die for, which is another reason why it succeeds in every possible way. I will also admit that the ending is very nice and quite unexpected, the kind that actually brings a wide smile to the audience’s face. I think the real Frank Abagnale, Jr. is pleased with this film. It proves that even the most sneaky crook could be real likable.