Thursday, October 31, 2019

To answer the past exam for sample exam,2002and 2003 Coursework

To answer the past exam for sample exam,2002and 2003 - Coursework Example e speed, flexibility in contrast, a more SE like T2 contrast (compared to FSE),   better slice efficiency (that is, more slices per TR),   and can be flexible with respect to resolution by using segmentation.   As you would have gathered by constructing the table in question 3, speed is of course the main advantage, and opens up the area of functional rather than anatomical imaging.    All sequences must be fat suppressed due to chemical shift, and the presence of geometric distortions are the two big potential problems.   Obviously if you want to image or measure fat, then EPI is not the sequence for you.   Also if the patient has braces and you want to image their brain with EPI that is also not going to work - either due to susceptibility distortions or B1 in homogeneities, depending upon what the braces are made of.   Also there are some areas where the susceptibility is so great that no degree of segmentation will completely remove the distortion - like the areas at the base of the brain close to the sinuses. 3.   Constant phase encoding EPI:   to obtain evenly spaced points in ky, data is split into two, 1D FT at each kx, phase shifted to a grid, 2nd FT at each ky, both halves added together applying the Fourier Transform Shift theorem. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Spiral scanning methods (square and circular):   Points in k space are also not collected uniformly in time (that is, in the line by line method we are familiar with).   The square method is, however, evenly spaced in k-space, therefore just needs reordering.   Circular spiral scanning points are separated uniformly in RADIAL space, but not in the 2D space we are used to.   Either a non-Fourier reconstruction is used (that means you dont need points on a 2D grid) or the data needs to be interpolated to fit a grid. Badwidth is inversely propotional to the sampling line. The number of Pixels reslting from a shift in phase error is dependent upon the phase per pixel of bandwidth. The change in frequency gives a rise

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

UNIT 4 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

UNIT 4 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT - Essay Example The company needs to target an unserved but profitable segment of the market to increase sales and boost image minus the fierce competition. Distribution channels. The company depends largely on department stores to sell its products. Reebok should explore other channels that would effectively promote the increased visibility of its products in the market. Intellectual property rights. The company produces its products through independent manufacturers in third world countries. Despite the enforcement of patent laws, knockoffs proliferate in many international markets which have an adverse affect on Reebok’s revenues. Our passion for winning creates our possibilities. We harness the boundless creative energy of every individual to make the differences that count - to captivate the consumer and create an exceptional global brand and organization. a. [Pros] Reduced production costs and lead time, increased gross margins in the long run and creates new sources of raw materials for footware product lines as well as develop more efficient distribution channels. a. [Pros] Reebok needs to stick to more conservative demand forecasts to effectively control marketing, advertising and other related expenses; minimize production problems, cut costs and generate adequate cash flow for debt servicing. 1. Recommending the implementation of the Market Development Strategy [Alternative 1] to increase brand value and gain a bigger market share, if not a controlling interest in the athletic shoes and sports apparel market. 5. Product lines intended for outdoor activities should also be developed apart from contact sports, with 40% of the subject segment looking for new outdoor activities, among them backpacking/hiking (47%), road biking (38%), camping (30%) and paddle sports (23%). (NPD Group, as cited in Rab, 2004) 1. Revamp of existing marketing platforms and repositioning to new segment must be

Sunday, October 27, 2019

CRIMINOLGICAL REVIEW OF MURDER ON A SUNDAY MORNING

CRIMINOLGICAL REVIEW OF MURDER ON A SUNDAY MORNING Murder on a Sunday morning is a documentary film based on a real life incident that occurred in Jacksonville, Florida in the May of 2000. This 111-minute movie was directed by the French documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and was originally released under the title Uncoupable ideal. It won the Oscar award for the best documentary in 2002. The film brilliantly depicts an ignominious false conviction of an innocent 15-year old for a crime he never committed, the cover-up of the real culprits behind the crime, and finally the clemency of a public defender coming to his rescue in the courtroom. The plot originated from the incident of Mary Ann Stephens, a 65-year old tourist from Georgia being shot dead by a black assailant. The police arrested the first convenient black culprit available, a black African American teenager, Brendon Butler, who was on his way to a job interview. The teen was subsequently denied the right to make his phone call or contact an attorney, interrogated mercilessly for an unreasonable amount of time, threatened, racially abused, tortured physically and psychologically, and forced to sign a false confession admitting to having committed the crime. The dead womans husband, though having caught a glimpse of the real culprit during the shootout, was forced by the police to publicly identify and proclaim Butler as the assailant. The motive behind the forceful arrest and the subsequent psychological torture of the innocent Butler was simply the preservation of the tourist trade in the state. A public defender, Pat McGuinness, however, takes up the case and defends Brendon Butler in a case that is extraordinarily riveting. The courtroom scenes enacted by McGuinness could probably be counted among the top classics of this genre. The well-written trial speaks volumes about the perils of instant justice meted out or more aptly, justice of convenience that is as common as real justice these days. A criminological analysis on why Brendon Butler was framed should take into account the facts that his residence was just about a mile from the place of the incident; he was an African-American, a member of an ethnic group historically infamous for being convicted in racial crimes and his locality being a lower-class urban one, with high crime rates. The victims husband, a white man in a state of trauma, might also have been under pressure to identify the victim with unclear images of a black man shooting his wife. The next question to be answered is about the instantaneous arrest and conviction of Brendon. Could they not have made a broader search? The answers may be obtained when one considers the fact that in Florida, tourism is a major industry. The people who earn their livelihood from this industry would definitely not want Florida to be known as a risky place to visit. The image of a family oriented place was to be associated with Florida at any cost. The police would have been under pressure to dispose off the case as quickly as possible to create an image of a strong and efficient administration. Also the fact that the victim was a tourist and the news of the murder being reported by the media might have put the police under a lot of pressure to come up with a suspect who would at least approximately match the descriptions available at that time. Another question to be answered is the gruesome way in which the teenager was tortured. It could be guessed that the officers are often puppets in the hands of their superiors. They are put under pressure to clear as many cases as quickly as possible. As per the law, as soon as an arrest is made, the case will be considered cleared notwithstanding the truth behind the crime. As far as they were concerned, the killer was caught. However, this argument does not prove the meticulousness of the police. We may also look at why the whole bunch of the police team was so unequivocal in putting the blame on Brendon and torturing him to the extreme. The incident details show that the main third degree interrogator was the son of the sheriff of the area. Hence, he might have had the unofficial authority to take decisions on the kind of interrogation and on seeing this; the others would have felt that they are only respecting their superiors authority in joining hands to torture him. The only saving grace is McGuinness, who played a major part in this case by defending Butler. Butler was fortunate enough to acquire such a savior in his time of extreme distress. Not all defenders are so gutsy or articulate. It was only because of McGuiness skills and dedication that Brendon Butler was proved to be innocent. Usually, it is seen that in such cases, the conviction of an innocent is used by the system to maintain their pride. Though there are hues of a racial kind of movie of the likes of Cry Freedom, when one sees that the main interrogator who was instrumental in making Butler confess a crime he never did is himself a black man, the similarity ends there. The basic and most convincing underlying message is that of a deep and ingrained insincerity in the US administration in matters of justice and a business-like attitude towards the commercial progress of the country which makes them place it above everything else. Obviously, there are quite a lot of unanswered questions in this episode. A more sensitive and unbiased approach to such incidents would be the first step towards molding a perfectly upright society. References Dooley, B. and Delisi, M. , 2007-11-14 Racial Profiling: Rhetoric Or Reality? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, Georgia Online . 2009-05-23 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p201257_index.html

Friday, October 25, 2019

Slavery Essay -- American History

Slavery vs. Economics "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" --Declaration of Independence Slavery is a societal institution based on ownership, dominance, and exploitation of one human being by another and reciprocal submission on the part of the person owned. The owner may exact work or other services without pay and virtually without restriction and can deny the slave freedom of activity and mobility. Slavery is one of this country's most debated topics. In America's history slavery and economics go hand in hand. Most people think that the ban of slavery was a human rights issue in the south, where in fact it was a major economic one. The issue of slavery has been debated between the North and South since before the colonization of the thirteen colonies. It has been the instigator of many events throughout the history of the states. The North and the South obviously had very different views regarding the subject. The debate over the economic advantages of slavery in the South has raged ever since the first slaves began working in the cotton fields of the Southern States. Initially, the wealth of the New World was in the form of raw materials and agricultural goods such as cotton, sugar, and tobacco. The continuing demand for slaves' labor arose from the development of plantation agriculture, the long-term rise in prices and consumption of sugar, and the demand for miners. Not only did Africans represent skilled laborers, but also they were a relatively cheap resource to the South. Consequently, they were well suited for plantation agriculture. Whi... ... organizations which sprung up, as well as much bloodshed.(Abbott) Throughout the rest of time before the Civil War, slavery remained in the Southern states. Slavery was not abolished until 1865 when the 13th amendment was passed. Slavery has been around since the dawn of time, and it still exists today. Just because the Constitution says that slavery was outlawed, does not mean that the South followed the "rules" so to speak. If you look at society today, you can still see small types of slavery. In reference to the quote from The Declaration of Independence at the beginning of the paper, where it says that "We hold these truths to be self-evident", "all men are created equal", and "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights", but do we as a society view everyone as it is put in the constitution? Everyone in society has his or her own answer.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Why Was Vindolanda Built?

Vindolanda Vindolanda was one of a series of Roman forts built in northern England (Northumberland) in the last quarter of the 1st Century AD. It became an auxiliary fort which also had a substantial element of civilian accommodation. The forts stretched from east to west, and are considered to have been a consolidation of the frontier of the Roman Empire. The Romans invaded southern Britain in AD43, and slowly moved north. At one point, they had hoped to conquer all of Britain, but never succeeded. Roman armies had advanced far into Scotland in the 70s AD.But either by choice or necessity, they abandoned these gains and formed a frontier stretching roughly from modern Newcastle in the east to modern Carlisle in the west. The forts, together with the east-west road now known as the Stanegate connecting them, formed this frontier for 40 years. Then Hadrian's Wall was built just to the north, and the Stanegate forts either went out of use or changed their purpose. Vindolanda remained i n use, though the ultimate purpose of its garrison (whether support for the Wall forts or protection in an unruly hinterland) isn't fully understood.Vindolanda is permanently under investigation by archaeologists and it is estimated that there is sufficient work, for them for the next 150 years to complete the sites excavation. This Roman Auxiliary Fort guarded the Stanegate Road, which ran from the River Tyne, this would also have made it important in providing supplies to wall forts, maintaining a safe supply chain, as well as reinforcements either way if needed. Other smaller forts and matching camps would have been every days march, about 13 miles along the road. Roman soldiers needed to march from one part of the country to another quickly.So the Romans built roads. Roman roads were made from stones, and were better than muddy tracks for travel on foot or in carts. So they made travelling around Britain easier for everyone. You can still see the remains of some Roman roads toda y. All the roads they built were remarkably straight. The Romans knew that the shortest distance from one place to another is a straight line, but their roads did zigzag sometimes, to make going uphill easier. The road sloped from the middle to ditches either side, so rain water drained off.Romans made these roads were wide enough for two armies to go past without having to stop and to waste time. The Stanegate was the road closest to the fort Vindolanda. The Romans would always build a fort near a road, which made it easier for transport. The road was very useful; it was used for trading with the other tribes. In 54 BC Caesar had captured a hill-fort. Then, again, he went away. He did not think Britain was worth a long war, and he wanted to get back to Rome. Nearly a hundred years later, in AD 43, the Romans returned. Claudius sent an army to invade Britain. The army had four legions.This time the Romans conquered the southern half of Britain, and made it part of the Roman Empire. One of the main reasons why the Roman’s wanted to invade was the Britain’s wealth and the goods they owned and  he wanted to make Britain part of Rome's  empire. The Picts and Brigantes are two of the oldest pre-roman inhabitants of Great Britain. Both inhabited and battled the Romans and each other for the lands of Northern England and Scotland. The picts were really rich and Romans wanted to take an advantage and take over. They invaded the south of Britain and they used the picts to trade with the Brigantes.The picts were the people from Caledonia (modern day Scotland). Some picts made friends with the Romans in return for keeping their land. The picts agreed to obey the Roman laws, pat the Roman taxes and to behave. The tribe agreed to give their land to the Romans unlike the Brigantes. Another tribe apart from the picts were the Brigantes which were a divided group from the Northern England. Most of these would not like each other due to any reason and had hat red against the Romans. The Brigantes fought, and eventually the Romans fell back to the more defensible Hadrian's Wall.When the Roman Emperor Hadrian visited Britain in 122 AD he recognised the difficulties in establishing control in Caledonia and saw that it would be impossible to introduce the Picts to the Roman way of life. The Emperor therefore ordered the construction of a great defensive wall which would mark the northern limits of his empire and consolidate the hold on those parts of Britain already subdued. Hadrian's empire would not include Caledonia. The Romans also had to defend Hadrian's Wall, against attacks by Picts and other tribes these people lived in northern Britain, outside the Roman part.Soldiers sent to defend the wall lived in forts and camps. Vindolanda was a very well planned fort that was constructed on a flat hill at Northumberland at approximately 122AD. The fort itself was a playing-card shape which allowed the soldiers to see round the corner. The main site is on the top of a hill with much able to be viewed, plus a full size reproduction of a section of wall. It was one of the most important forts in Northern England, because it was continuously getting repaired and rebuilt. Vindolanda was built first in timber and earth; it was later built in stone.Archaeologists believe that there are the remains of ten forts in all. Buildings found so far include the fort walls, bath houses, granaries, officers, accommodation, barracks, a temple, and civilian housing, all served by paved roads. The fort had a hypocaust system visible under the stone floor to allow flow of air to keep food or metal items dry, preventing rotting or rust. The fort has four gateways north, east, south, west. The main part of the fort was the head quarters building which was always located at the centre of the fort.The building would always contain a well, and a strong room which would contain the valuables of the Roman soldiers. This was very important to a soldi er and if they lost anything this meant that they’d lost their ago. The headquarters would also contain the weapons and equipment they would need. The mansio was an accommodation place for travellers from other armies, tribes and also for traders. The bathhouses were always outside the forts because they were a fire risk and it also made it easier for the civilians to use the bath as well as the soldiers.Another reason of the construction of Vindolanda was the geographical location, it was based on a flat hill which makes it very hard to attack and very easy to defend, because it is on a steep hill which makes the Romans see very easily over miles. The Romans used a very basic way to communicate during battles. They used a flag system which based a soldier miles away on a mountain and used green for safety and red for attack. This was very useful; the Romans were pre-warned if they were being attacked.The remains of a large roman bath house are south of the fort, and next to the fort is the remains of a civilian settlement (or vicus). A civilian settlement was next to the fort and these continued to be in use until the end of the Roman period around 410AD. The settlement was used for retired soldiers; local traders, smiths, tavern keepers, etc. liked both the protection and trade a fort could offer. Much of the civilian settlement has still not been uncovered, but its existence is apparent due to the unevenness and irregularity of the bumps and ridges in the ground.There was also the Tyne River by the fort which supplied the soldiers in the fort with clean water to use. They would throw the sewage out into the river. Vindolanda was one of the many forts in England, and it is the most common for wooden tablets discoveries. The tablets provide the best insight into life in the Roman army found anywhere in the world. There is a list of how many troops were present, the commanding officer’s cook’s diary, listing who he had to dinner and what t hey ate, and even a birthday greeting, with the commanders wife inviting the wife of another commander to her birthday party.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Drug Testing in a High School Setting: Pros and Cons

Taking steroids to enhance athletic performance has become widespread among athletes worldwide. This practice not only violates athletic regulations and the intent of fair competition but also damages many of the body's major organs. Drug testing has therefore been implemented in many collegiate and professional sports and some high school athletic programs with the goal of maintaining competitive fairness. Drug testing is the method that has been chosen to identify those athletes who use banned drugs to enhance their sports performance at the expense of the athletes who do not take drugs.Almost any athlete competing above the high school level, and increasingly at even high school level too, is subject to drug testing. There are almost as many drugs used by athletes as there are sports. Some athletic performance enhancers are not drugs at all. Some performance-enhancing techniques use human hormones (or synthetic derivates thereof), and other use the athlete's own blood. Some of the se techniques are presently undetectable by urine and blood samples. Drug testing alone will not be enough to stop the use of steroids and other drugs.While drug testing is the first line of defense at the collegiate and professional levels of sport, athletes, parents, and we coaches and trainers must bear the greater responsibility for keeping the playing field level at the junior high and high school levels. The use or possession of alcohol and illegal or controlled substances by students is reaching epidemic proportions. Along with traditional education and drug-resistance programs in the schools and the community, proactive prevention and deterrence measures must be in place and publicized to all students.Drug testing is part of a much wider picture. Curbing drug use and implementing drug testing policies are significant concerns of parents, administrators and us coaches. The important pros of mandatory drug testing within a high school sports setting are:Greater deterrence to d rug use.Promoting fairness in sports competitions.Helping drug users relinquish their drug dependency (punitive aspects need to be minimized)2. A brief history of drug testing Drug testing of humans began in the late 1950s, when, after several European cycling and track races, evidence of drug use was observed.In 1965, procedures were developed which were capable of detecting a number of different stimulants; these were used to test participants of the Tour of Britain Cycle Races. The fist formal testing for nonsteroidal drugs occurred at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games though there still was no official testing for steroids. The development of complex radioimmunoassay (RIA) screening procedures as well as analytical advances in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques led to the introduction of tests for anabolic steroids at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games (Yesalis, Cowart 75).The test method of determining whether or not the testosterone in an athlete's body came from illegal use by the athlete was developed by Donike et al. in 1983. In 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, the IOC laboratory reported the detection of several banned drugs in the participating athletes. High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analysis was introduced in the 1996 Atlanta Sumer Olympic Games. In recent years, Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) is being used in drug testing laboratories because it has several advantages over traditional GCMS technique.In the future, LCMS will become increasingly more important in the drug-testing laboratories because of its ability to confirm the presence of most drugs, including natural hormones (HGH, EPO, etc. ). Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) is a relatively new technique that is being proposed for verification of testosterone positives. Three decades have passed since sports drug testing became part of the Olympic Games. Drug testing is now part of professional sports, collegiate sports, and to a smaller extent, high school sports.The technology of drug testing has made significant advances; at the same time, cheating methods have also evolved and grown more sophisticated.3. The efficacy of drug testing in high schools Surveillance for drug use employing a random drug-testing model is currently receiving significant attention and consideration by high school administrators and public officials. In fact, random drug testing has been implemented in a number of school districts for students engaged in extra-curricular activities and is being considered for use with general student bodies.It is understandable that use of drug testing is being considered as a prevention tool with student-athletes since both NCAA and many professional sports employ this methodology. Further, many if not all NCAA Division 1 university athletic programs employ random drug testing at some level in response to concerns about drug use among collegiate athletes and because of potential NCAA sanctions for drug test failures . Hence, high school athletic programs are typically viewed as an aid to deter and to detect use. The efficacy of this tool in curbing drug use has yet to be thoroughly evaluated, however.Results to date have been rather equivocal with assessments both providing modest support for efficacy and indicating no effects. Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, the SATURN (Student Athlete Testing Using Random Notification ) project was designed to evaluate whether a nonpunitive, compulsory, random, suspicionless drug testing policy deterred drug and alcohol use among high school student athletes in two Oregon schools. Participation was required for all students and was a mandatory prerequisite for athletic participation.Results showed that a policy of random drug testing surveillance significantly reduced self-reports of recent performance-enhancing substances and, to a lesser extent, common drugs of abuse but did not produce long-term changes in sub stance use and associated high-risk behaviors use among adolescent athletes. Further, neither tobacco or alcohol use was altered. This result suggests at least limited efficacy when targeting a specific drugs that may be associated with well-documented harm potential to student-athletes.The authors of the investigation caution against over-interpretation of results suggesting efficacy of testing as adequate intervention (OHSU).4. Privacy – the fundamental issue At the heart of drug-testing controversy in schools, however, is not efficacy but privacy. Public schools are state actors; thus, the constitutional protections apply with respect to students and employees of public schools systems. As public institutions, public schools must follow the dictates of the Fourth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution as well as any particular provisions form the state constitutions that apply to them.In essence, the Fourth Amendment protects people and their houses, papers and effects agains t unreasonable searches and seizures. Such protection is vital to the privacy protection of all citizens from unacceptable conduct on the part of the government or its officers or agents. If a search is conducted, and a drug test is considered a search, the search must be reasonable and the intrusion of the test on an individual's privacy must be weighed against the government's interest in conducting the test. Reasonableness will depend on the circumstances.However, in most cases, suspicion is not required in order to perform a test. Because the use of certain performance-enhancing drugs is illegal according to federal statutes, many institutions have attempted to implement drug testing policies in order to deter their students from using drugs and also to detect drug use. Such a measure is deemed necessary in order to either provide assistance to those who do no understand the dangers involved in drug use or to provide information to law enforcement official in order that they may become involved to rid the institution of drug users.At the high school sport level, officials realize that drug use can be particularly dangerous to the more susceptible bodies of growing children. However, many times the athletes forced to submit to a drug-testing program do not do so willingly.They feel that the drug test infringes on their privacy rights as protected by the federal constitution and that they should not have to submit to the test. These individuals are typically not drug users; instead they are participants who find that if they do not submit to the testing, they will not be able to continue participating in the sport or activity of their choice.Beginning in the 1980's, these individuals sued the institutions who developed the drug testing policies so that they could avoid being tested as a requirement of participation. Until 1995, institutions who attempted to implement drug-testing policies were often unsure as to whether their policies would be upheld in cour t of law. However, 1995 the U. S. Supreme Court finally dealt with the issue. In the Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton case, the Supreme Court reviewed the constitutionality of a drug testing program applied to student-athletes at the high school level.In the mid 1980s, teachers and administrators in the Vernonia School District, Oregon, noticed a sharp increase in student drug us and an increase in disciplinary problems at the school. The school district also found that student-athletes were both users and leaders of the drug culture (Imber, Geel 159). The district implemented a drug testing policy that applied to all students participating in athletics, requiring each student to sign a form consenting to the random urinalysis testing policy before being allowed to participate in sports.During the test, the student would enter a locker room with an adult monitor who would check the sample produced for temperature and tampering. In 1991, Seventh grader James Acton refused to sig n the consent form and was not allowed to play football. His family sued claiming that the drug testing policy violated the Fourth Amendment. After a long process of examining the case, the court finally ruled that students who are in athletics and other highly visible extracurricular activities have a diminished expectation of privacy.Schools may carry out certain suspicionless searches, such as random drug tests of athletes, the court ruled, because such tests are mandatory only for those who choose to participate in those voluntary activities.While general drug testing can been seen as unreasonable, specific drug testing has to be allowed – especially, when it is limited to extracurricular athletics. The Vernonia School offered considerable discretion to school officials in their effort to control student behavior. According to the court ruling, individualized suspicion was not necessary before submitting students to random urinalysis drug testing.The court ruled that scho ol officials exercised their duties as state actors, an authority that was â€Å"custodial and tutelary, permitting a degree of supervision and control that could not be exercised over free adults. † The Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalie, who wrote the opinion, also said that athletes have less of an expectation of privacy because they change clothes and shower together. The Court also said that since athletes can be role models, it is especially important to be sure that they do not use drugs.The reasoning in Vernonia has been extended to include all other extracurricular activities. Since 1995, numerous other court decisions have ruled in favor of school districts that conduct the random drug testing of student athletes, although the testing of other students is still conditioned on â€Å"reasonable suspicion† by school administrators.Many developments since 1995 indicate the growing extensiveness of drug testing within the schools of the United States. For instan ce, in 1995 the Dayton County, Ohio, school district implemented a program to conduct random drug testing on student athletes.In September, 1999, the 6th U. S Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the legality of Knox County, Tennessee, program designed to test teachers, principals, and other school employees. Harlan county, Kentucky, during the 1999-2000 school year, initiated a random drug-testing program for all teachers, principals, and administrators. From time to time, the various attempts of school authorities at implementing drug testing programs are seen as violating students' privacy rights when they require students to submit to blood or urine tests.An Arkansas Court, for example, ruled that there were less obtrusive (and intrusive) ways to determine rule infraction. In another development, a New Jersey school policy was rebuffed. The school board required students to have annual exams that included a urinalysis. If a student tested positive for drugs, then district officials notified the student's parents, hoping that the parents would then get treatment for the student. The court ruled this procedure as unreasonable.And although various school districts across the country are now testing employees and student athletes, a private high school in Memphis, Tennessee, has initiated random drug testing on its entire student body, a program endorsed and financially supported (to the tune of sixty dollars per test) by parents. Students refusing to submit to testing are to be expelled from school. Thus, drug testing on the entire student body may often raise several complicated issues. However, within the context of high school sports competitions, drug testing is very essential to ensure fairness.There are few cons to drug testing in high school sports, as long as such programs are executed in right spirit. The concern for fairness easily overrides the concern for privacy in a sports setting, as the landmark Vernonia case rightly concluded.5. Deterrence, not punishment Several other court cases in the subsequent years brought out the need for and the advantages of drug testing in high schools. In 1998, the Federal Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an Indiana school's random drug-testing of high school athletes and cheerleaders.In this case, the Court found the school's policy was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. The school did not require observed specimen collection, a positive test did not result in expulsion, and privacy concerns of students that were required to disclose any medication they were taking were adequately addressed by the school. Additionally, students were give the opportunity to challenge positive test results by taking a conforming test at no expense to the student. Deterrence, safety and the health of students performing in athletic events constituted the basis supporting the court’s judgment.The Court reasoned that the school system has responsibilities as guardian and tutor of children entrusted in its care and that deterring drug use by students is a compelling interest. The Court also noted that the school's program was designed to deter drug use, not to punish users. As coaches working in school setting, we must always strive to remember to lay stress on deterrence and not on punishment, only then the pros of drug testing can be maximized and cons minimized.The aim of drug testing is not to trap and punish students who use drugs. It is, in fact, counterproductive simply to punish them without trying to alter their behavior. If drug-using students are suspended or expelled without any attempt to change their ways, the community will be faced with drug-using dropouts, an even bigger problem in the long run. The purpose of testing, then, is to prevent drug dependence and to help drug-dependent students become drug free. (Office of National Drug Control Policy 22)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Moa-Nalo - Facts and Figures

Moa-Nalo - Facts and Figures Name: Moa-Nalo (Hawaiian for lost fowl); also known by the genus names Chelychelynechen, Thambetochen and Ptaiochen Habitat: Hawaiian islands Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (two million-1,000 years ago) Size and Weight: Up to three feet high and 15 pounds Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Vestigial wings; stocky legs About the Moa-Nalo About three million years ago, a population of mallard-like ducks managed to reach the Hawaiian islands, smack in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Once ensconced in this remote, isolated habitat, these lucky pioneers evolved in a very strange direction: flightless, goose-like, stocky-legged birds that fed not on small animals, fish and insects (like most other birds) but exclusively on plants. Collectively known as Moa-Nalo, these birds actually comprised three separate, closely related, and nearly unpronounceable generaChelychelynechen, Thambetochen and Ptaiochen. (We can thank modern science for what we know about the Moa-Nalo: analysis of fossilized coprolites, or petrified poop, has yielded valuable information about these birds diet, and traces of preserved mitochondrial DNA point to their duck ancestry, their most likely modern descendant being the Pacific Black Duck.) Sincelike the distantly related Dodo Bird of the island of Mauritius-the Moa-Nalo had no natural enemies, you can probably guess the reason it went extinct around 1,000 A.D. (See our slideshow of 10 Recently Extinct Birds.) As far as archeologists can tell, the first human settlers arrived on the Hawaiian islands about 1,200 years ago, and found the Moa-Nalo easy pickings (since this bird was unfamiliar with humans, or with any natural predators, it must have possessed a very trusting nature); it didnt help that these human pioneers also brought with them the usual complement of rats and cats, which further decimated the Moa-Nalo population, both by targeting the adults and stealing their eggs. Succumbing to intense ecological disruption, the Moa-Nalo disappeared off the face of the earth about 1,000 years ago, and was unknown to modern naturalists until the discovery of numerous fossils in the early 1980s.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Applying a sociological theory to the movie The Truman Show

Applying a sociological theory to the movie The Truman Show Movie Summary The Truman Show is a drama film that captures the basic principles of the social structure at the beginning of life besides helping us to uncover the origin of the prevailing social interactions or socialization mechanisms in the contemporary world. The movie revolves around the life of Truman Burbank who has been in front of live cameras since before he was born without noticing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Applying a sociological theory to the movie ‘The Truman Show’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through hidden cameras that capture Truman’s day-to-day activities around the clock, Christof who is the executive producer intends to show the world the real emotions and behavior of Truman when exposed to various unique situations. Here, Christof controls Truman’s life through setting up an artificial hometown in which Truman’s neighbors include the show’s cre w members. Moreover, Truman’s sense of reality is obscured by the false reality created by Christof through news reports and advertisements aimed at making Truman stay at home. Despite that Christof has succeeded to some extent in controlling some aspects of Truman’s life, there is evidence to show that Truman is capable of exploring certain truths in his social life such as falling in love outside the intended circle. Here, Truman falls in love with Sylvia despite that the producer wanted him to marry Meryl. To break this unintended love, the producer removes Sylvia from the set but Truman continues to love her even when married to Meryl. Therefore, Sylvia forms the out-group that is set to free Truman from his false world. Subsequently, at age 30, Truman demonstrates the importance of self-consciousness in an individual’s life. Here, Truman discovers some aspects of his life such as spotlights appearing at night (artificial darkness) and the discussions of oth er crew members regarding The Truman Show, which might have led him to uncover certain truths about his life. However, the producer achieves to conceal the truth by advertising that an airplane had one of its landing lights dislodged. On the other hand, the growing skepticism in Truman leads to his marriage to Meryl breaking up since she was under intense pressure to convince him that his false life was real. Furthermore, his plans to leave Seahaven (the artificial hometown) were frustrated by different incidents such as bus breakdowns, massive traffic jams, absence of flight tickets, a nuclear meltdown, and finally a forest fire. All these events are meant to instill fear in Truman in order for the show to continue.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, Christof’s attempts to bring back Truman’s father who was supposedly dead in a fishing trip (in ord er to make Truman fear the water) do not bear any fruits in terms of stopping Truman from leaving the town. Instead, Truman decides to isolate himself from the crew, and one day he manages to escape using a boat. An artificial storm meant to scare him from leaving does not do much since Truman overcomes his fear of water to reach the EXIT, which marks the end of false life and the beginning of a new reality with Sylvia’s camp. Movie Analysis In their quest to explain the nature and attributes of the social structure, many sociologists attempt to look at the permanent association between things, which is thought to originate in the life before the evolution of any life form (Hinkle 130). Here, the sociologists note that the primordial theory attempts to explain the origin of society, which is a form of social organization with a definite structure. As a result, since the primordial theory relates to the origin of permanent association in the society, then it follows that the p rimordial social structure was present before the appearance of humankind. Accordingly, the movie ‘The Truman Show’ captures the nature and characteristics of the social structure relative to the Primordial theory. Here, just like at the beginning of the show where we meet Truman unaware of his false world, many early theorists construed the social structure from the perspective of physical and biological sciences. Thus, the social structure was treated just like any other physical structure, which resembles a machine or device used to equilibrate different forces. Here, an organism (viewed as a structural model) is regarded to as a system of activities, which achieve interdependence through influencing one another, and thus they can adjust, adapt, and work together relative to the prevailing conditions (Hinkle 132). This form of primordial structure and permanent association can be likened to the show’s actors and crew whose activities were aimed at controlling Truman’s life by following the producer’s instructions, and thus they did achieve to manipulate different aspects of Truman’s life. However, the structure provided by the ancient sociologists reflects a mechanical equilibrium, which cannot exist in the contemporary social environment whereby conditions are bound to change relative to different internal and external factors (Kimmel and Aronson 33). Thus, contemporary sociology looks at the social structure as comprising of an organic equilibrium, which is characterized by openness, external factors, internal factors, accessibility, and change.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Applying a sociological theory to the movie ‘The Truman Show’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Subsequently, the modern day sociology has it that the creation of the society relies on the ability of institutions (units of the social structure) to exhibit an organ ic or moving equilibrium, which enables them to adjust, adapt, and change relative to both internal and external forces. This is thus the equilibrium exhibited by Truman during the 30th year of the show whereby he begins to adjust the way he used to view his life, and as a result manages to uncover certain truths in his artificial life. Conversely, other sociologists view the contemporary social structure as consisting of variable systems (that is, organisms and societies) whose internal mechanisms allow them to attain a partial equilibrium, which cannot be perfected due to the presence of external factors (Kimmel and Aronson 34). Here, it is worth noting that despite Truman uncovering certain truths in his false life using his own internal mechanisms, he fails to discover the whole truth since the existence of the radio and television advertisements serves to conceal the truth. To this end, it is certain that the organic equilibrium forms the basic model through which the primordia l social structure illustrated in ‘The Truman Show’ is generated. Thus, the change process associated with such moving equilibriums can only be construed as arising from the ability of the systems (individual persons) involved to make conscious choices, and exhibit some degree of intentionality. As a result, the basic contemporary social structure should be characterized by social identity; social desires, ends, interests, objectives, and purposes; social organization or structuring; social rules and values that underlie social welfare and norms; social solidarity, integration, and cohesion; and finally, processes that enable the members of the society to adjust to various unique situations (Hinkle 135). Relative to these features and characteristics of the society, many theorists note that the primordial social structure originates from the earliest human species, which were grouped into self-sufficient units meant to give rise to later generations exhibiting common mo des of life that change with time and conditions just like Truman’s life in the show. Thus, the primordial theory is based on the assumption that the society has an adaptive mechanism, which presents the human organisms with various opportunities and hindrances relative to the ability to satisfy their needs and wants in different situations (Hinkle 139). Thus, through persistent association with the hindrances and opportunities in the social set-up, human organisms achieve social identity.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is true to the fact that Truman was able to construe certain things in his life that were not adding up after taking a closer look at the behaviors of other residents of Seahaven, and comparing them to the contents of the show, which was entirely about his life. Accordingly, it is a fact that social and public awareness are centered on the ability of an individual becoming aware of other people’s ideas or thoughts and vice versa. Moreover, through coordinated interaction and understanding the needs and desires of other members of the society, an individual’s personal needs, desires, and purposes in life can be satisfied (Kimmel and Aronson 45). This is the case when Truman defies the pre-determined external factors in the show by falling in love with an extra. Moreover, the act of removing Sylvia from the picture marks the beginning of Truman’s quest to satisfy his desires through exploring different aspects of his false life, which will eventually lead him to the point of uncovering the truth about his life. Overall, the foregoing discussions show that a certain degree of social organization and structuring is required in order for the human members of the society to satisfy their desires, needs, and purposes through coordinated interactions and association with one another. However, sometimes a natural conflict of interest may exist between the internal mechanisms of an individual and the external forces that comprise different opportunities and hindrances brought forth by the social surroundings. And thus, it is up to each and every member of the society to develop adaptive behaviors that fit into the pre-existing conditions, which determine whether or not one will satisfy his or her needs, desires, and purposes in life. Hinkle, Roscoe C. Founding theory of American sociology, 1881-1915. USA: Routledge Kegan Paul Ltd, 2008. Print. Kimmel, Michael and Aronson, Amy. Sociology now. Boston: Pearson, 2009. Print.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Who Should Get a Graduation Announcement

Who Should Get a Graduation Announcement Different degrees take different amounts of time to complete, which means it can be hard for your friends and family to keep track of just when youll be receiving your diploma. Sending graduation announcements can be a fun and exciting way to let everyone know you finally reached your goal and will soon be an official college graduate. But who exactly is everyone? After all, there are only so many announcements you can buy, address, and stamp.   While family and friends are a good place to start, remember that there is no official right or wrong list: only the right or wrong list for your particular situation. Immediate Family Members For some students, parents and siblings are their primary support network during their time in school. And even though parents and siblings may know the date and time of your graduation ceremony, make sure they receive an official announcement so that they have something tangible to mark and commemorate this important occasion. Extended Family Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins whom you may not see every day, but who are a part of your life, will be excited to receive your graduation announcement. Even if they are too far away to attend the actual ceremony, theyll want to know the details and see the official announcement. If there are people beyond blood relatives you consider family, you might want to add those important people to your graduation announcement list as well. Childhood Friends Clearly, you dont need to send announcements to your friends on campus, but close friends from your pre-college days or those who live far away might want to see your announcement and send you a congratulatory text message. Important Teachers, Religious Leaders, and Mentors Did you have a high school teacher who really made a difference in your life? A pastor or spiritual leader who helped encourage you along the way? Or perhaps a family friend who mentored you and helped you to get to where you are today? Sending an announcement to these important people is a great way to acknowledge all they did as well as show them how much their influence really made a difference in your life. Graduation Announcements vs. Invitations A graduation invitation is an invite to the ceremony held by your school. On the other hand, a graduation announcement provides details about your degree and achievement, without inviting recipients to the ceremony. Most colleges limit the number of people students can bring to the ceremony, so graduation announcements serve the purpose of keeping your extended family informed without extending a specific invitation. If you are hosting your own graduation party separate from the ceremony, you can include party details in your graduation announcement. While many students receive gifts from friends and relatives for their graduation, the proper etiquette is to include a line in your announcement stating that presents are not required.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Creating a Learning Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Creating a Learning Organization - Essay Example The learning organizations have flatter organizational structures, cross-functional teams, supportive organizational culture and commitment to excellence (Belasen, 2000). Proper leadership will facilitate a learning culture that enables the employees to remain creative and innovative thus facilitating the implementation of new ideas and suggestions in the organization (Belasen, 2000). Leadership is essential in encouraging creative learning through intellectual stimulation and encouraging innovativeness of their followers. Leadership enables the employees to continuously expand their knowledge and skills in creating desirable results for the organization. Employees are capable of attaining personal mastery of their skills and assist their workmates in meeting their job performance expectations (Mello, 2014). Leaders act as motivators by communicating optimism and addressing the concerns of employees in creating a learning organization. The leader is capable of communicating the shared vision powerfully and managing any obstacles that may hinder the attainment of the vision (Achua & Lussier, 2010). Leadership plays a role on implementing mechanisms of nurturing creative ideas for innovation through providing an environment whereby employees can learn from their past mistake and implement new perspectives in solving problems. Leadership builds the confidence and capacity of the employees to adapt to changes in the organization. Leaders are expected to provide their followers with opportunities to solve problems within their business units in order to build their confidence and develop pride for their success (Lussier, 2012). The familiarity with the change and learning process enables the organization to respond to threats and opportunities and appreciate the importance of flexibility and adaptation in the organization. The leaders encourage experimentation whereby all subordinates are expected to contribute ideas. The leadership

Friday, October 18, 2019

Carbon Emissions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Carbon Emissions - Essay Example It has plans of using the latest science to be able to reduce the percentages of the gas that is daily being emitted. By the year 2030, it hopes that it would have been able to reduce the percentage by 60%. (Grubb, 1989) However, the consumers' lifestyle in the U.K. has also contributed to the increase of carbon emissions. Being the director of communications for carbon trust, I would want to see that these levels go down and that the problems caused by carbon emissions are managed. The problems associated with carbon emissions are many. This is why I want to look for a Public Relations consultancy firm that will be able to educate U.K. citizens about the dangers of emitting a lot of carbon in the atmosphere. Carbon emission is the major cause of global warming. This results due to greenhouse effect and it is a detrimental and the worst thing that can ever occur. The accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere causes temperatures to rise by approximately 3.6 F. Consumers' lifestyles in the U.K. have really played a major role in the increase of carbon that is emitted daily to the atmosphere. There are some things that they need to be warned about if the level is to go down. 40% of the carbon is produced by vehicles. The citizens have not been using environment friendly forms of transport. To start with, vehicles are owned by almost everybody. Journeys by public vehicles would reduce 90% of the emissions that is caused when everyone uses their personal vehicles. (Fraser, 1994). Then, the exhaust emissions of the vehicles are not made in such a way that it can limit the amount of exhaust fumes released. The more the exhaust fumes being released, the more the level of the emission of carbon dioxide to the air. The fuels they use produce a lot of carbon. It has been noted that the use of petrol as fuel contributes to large amounts of carbon emission. If alternative fuels are sought and the citizens encouraged using these, then there would be u p to 75% reduction in the amount of carbon that would be emitted to the atmosphere. Fuels such as ethanol have been proven to produce low levels of emissions. Therefore, it would be prudent enough for the citizens to adopt this type of fuel. The government wants to come up with a program that will enable filling stations to be able to lease out electric car batteries to car owners. Citizens of the U.K also use the heating system, which has been known to emit some levels of carbon. (Rose, A. et al, 1998). This fact has been discussed in meetings organised by the government. It was decided that the heating system was mainly used because of the poor standards of the houses that the people lived in. Therefore, the government set up a policy that required all landlords to build houses up to standards that do not require any heating system. This was in the faith that it will help towards reducing the levels of carbon emission. The use of garden floodlights and incandescent light bulbs have been on the increase in the U.K. These are also responsible for the carbon emission. These causes of carbon emission are not known by most of the people in the U.K. A lot of people contribute to the levels of carbon emission without knowing. Therefore, this calls for an introduction of some channels through which the relevant information can reach them. This is why I thought of consulting a Public Relations

Different Portrayals of David by Different Artists Essay

Different Portrayals of David by Different Artists - Essay Example The essay "Different Portrayals of David by Different Artists" compares three paintings of David by such artists as Donatello, Michelangelo and Bernini. The most prominent similarity in the three art pieces is the nudity of the subject. Donatello and Michelangelo’s works shamelessly show even the private parts of their subject. Donatello shows David holding Goliath’s sword which he used to cut the head of the giant which he was standing on. He wears sandals and a helmet but his body is not covered at all. Seen on the front, the details of his body are obvious. A viewer can see David’s testicles and his well-built body. The details on his face draw curiosity from viewers because he seems to be looking far with deep thoughts. Michelangelo on the other hand pictures his subject with more details. He is also standing tall and nude but unlike Donatello’s sculpture, the second David has no covering on his feet or head. Michelangelo made more intricate details in his artwork that it seems very real. For instance, the muscular arms show evident veins, the abdomen and chest are well-chiseled to show a natural look. In addition, the face is also very detailed so as to show the facial expression of the subject. Bernini on the other hand covered the private part of his figure. His David is not simply standing but is shown to be in action, almost ready to fight Goliath with a slingshot. On the front view, part of his back is seen and his chest is covered as he positions himself to shoot his enemy.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Supreme Court Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Supreme Court - Assignment Example Relying on the letter of the amendments would therefore be retrogressive and be a threat to justice in the contemporary environment (Exploring Constitutional Conflicts, n.d.). Opinion that the constitution is an outline of regulations from which actual rules should be derived is another justification of the non-originalist perspective to interpretation of the constitution, is valid because of the diverse needs that cannot be outlined and provided for in a legal document, and validates non-originalist theory. Existence of minor variations in phenomena explains this (Schults, 2009). In addition, the legal system allows for independence in judicial decisions if facts of a case justify such independence. Applications of case laws, distinguishing precedents in particular and especially based on difference in facts to a case, explains the need for relativism in interpretation of laws. Based on this acceptable practice in the judicial system, and variation in facts on cases, it becomes a ne cessity for interpretation of the constitution to consider the changes (Antoine, 2008). Interpretation of the second amendment is actually a good example because the current environment, with security personnel, undermines needs for arms as provided for by the amendment. The position for a non-originalist perspective is therefore rational and reliant on contemporary facts. Exploring Constitutional Conflicts. (n.d.). Theories of constitutional interpretation. University of Missouri-Kansas City. Retrieved from:

Criminal law- Actus Rea and Mens Rea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criminal law- Actus Rea and Mens Rea - Essay Example In criminal law it is the basic principle that a crime consists of a mental element and a physical element.A person's awareness of the fact that his or her conduct is criminal is the mental element, and 'Actus Reas' is the physical element and 'Actus Reas' (the act itself) is the physical element.The concept of Mens Rea started its development in the 1600s in England when judges started to say that an act alone could not create criminality unless it was adjunct with a guilty state of mind. The degree for a particular common law crime varied for Mens Rea. Murder required a malicious state of mind, whereas larceny required a felonious state of mind.Mens Rea is generally used along with the words general intent, however this creates confusion since general intent is used to describe criminal liability when a defendant does not intend to bring about a particular result. On the other hand specific intent describes a particular state of mind above and beyond what is generally required. (An swers, 2008)To secure a conviction, the prosecution side must prove that the defendant committed the crime while in a certain state of mind. The definition is specified of every crime before a person can be convicted as a prerequisite for Mens Rea. There are three states of mind which constitute the necessary Mens Rea for a criminal offence. These are intention, recklessness and negligence and are described below. (Law Teacher, 2006)Direct intent is the normal situation where the consequences of a person's actions are desired. Oblique intent comes in the situation where the consequence is known by the defendant as virtually certain, although it is not desired for its own sake, and the defendant goes ahead with his actions anyway. (Law Teacher, 2006) Intention Based On Foresight of Consequences For a person to get acquitted for some charges, then that person should have the full knowledge that his/her actions would definitely result in a specific consequence. A probability that something can occur or might occur is not enough to subject a person on criminality. The Section 8 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 explains how intention or foresight must be proved by the following paragraph: "A court or jury in determining whether a person has committed an offence, (a) shall not be bound in law to infer that he intended or foresaw a result of his actions by reason only of its being a natural and probable consequence of those actions; but (b) shall decide whether he did intend or foresee that result by reference to all the evidence drawing such inferences from the evidence as appear proper in the circumstances." (Law Teacher, 2006) The cases where they were applied are listed below. The relationship between foresight and intention was considered by the House of Lords in: Hyam v DPP [1975] AC 55 R v Moloney [1985] 1 All ER 1025 It is important to note that foresight of consequences is not the same as intention but only evidence of intention: R v Scalley [1995] Crim LR 504. The most recent case in this area is the decision of the House of Lords in: R v Woollin [1998] 4 All ER 103. The law says - For the prosecutors to come up with evidence that the defendant had directly intended to perform a certain action to get a specific result would be extremely difficult (R v Moloney, 1985). This is because one cannot know what is or what was inside the defendant's mind when the action was taken. Therefore in criminal law, the proof of only the foresight intent is required as opposed to direct intent. (Law Teacher, 2006) Recklessness Recklessness is taking an unjustified risk. In most cases, there is clear subjective evidence that the accused predicted but did not desire the particular outcome. When the accused committed the act, the risk of causing the given loss or damage was taken. There is always some

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Total Quality and Six Sigma Module 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Total Quality and Six Sigma Module 2 - Essay Example Six Sigma is a philosophy on management that focuses on setting high goals, collection of data, and analyzing the results. The results are analyzed to a fine degree in an effort to reduce products and services defects. In regards to the dell company, the philosophy in it is that, upon measuring the amounts of defects in the process, one can get a way of systematically eliminating them and getting close to the perfection standards. Companies intending to achieve Six Sigma must produce 3.4 defects or less for every one million opportunities. Dell Company argues that opportunities are the likelihoods for nonconforming (Calloway & Gleish 2006). Six Sigma exists in two processes, namely Six Sigma DMADV and Six Sigma DMAIC. Each of the two processes is a derivation from the steps taken in implementing the process. In relation to Microsoft Company, Six Sigma DMAIC, is charged with measuring, improving, and controlling processes that are included in the Six Sigma specifications. The other process, Six Sigma DMADV, according to Microsoft, designs, analyzes, and measures, and verifies new products and processes that are in the process of achieving Six Sigma qualities. Its management ensures that processes under Six Sigma are executed by Six Sigma Black and Green Belts that are then checked by Six Sigma Master Black Belts (Pyzdek 2009). Six Sigma should be used when companies need to reduce their costs of operations, improve their cycle time, and have less material as wastes. As Kodak management does, the Six Sigma is also used when a better understanding of the customer is necessary, increment of customer satisfaction, and production of reliable services and products (Calloway & Gleish 2006). Effective implementation of Six Sigma involves giving attention to a number of high-leverage items. In regards to Dell Company, for its successful implementation, some protocols must be

Criminal law- Actus Rea and Mens Rea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criminal law- Actus Rea and Mens Rea - Essay Example In criminal law it is the basic principle that a crime consists of a mental element and a physical element.A person's awareness of the fact that his or her conduct is criminal is the mental element, and 'Actus Reas' is the physical element and 'Actus Reas' (the act itself) is the physical element.The concept of Mens Rea started its development in the 1600s in England when judges started to say that an act alone could not create criminality unless it was adjunct with a guilty state of mind. The degree for a particular common law crime varied for Mens Rea. Murder required a malicious state of mind, whereas larceny required a felonious state of mind.Mens Rea is generally used along with the words general intent, however this creates confusion since general intent is used to describe criminal liability when a defendant does not intend to bring about a particular result. On the other hand specific intent describes a particular state of mind above and beyond what is generally required. (An swers, 2008)To secure a conviction, the prosecution side must prove that the defendant committed the crime while in a certain state of mind. The definition is specified of every crime before a person can be convicted as a prerequisite for Mens Rea. There are three states of mind which constitute the necessary Mens Rea for a criminal offence. These are intention, recklessness and negligence and are described below. (Law Teacher, 2006)Direct intent is the normal situation where the consequences of a person's actions are desired. Oblique intent comes in the situation where the consequence is known by the defendant as virtually certain, although it is not desired for its own sake, and the defendant goes ahead with his actions anyway. (Law Teacher, 2006) Intention Based On Foresight of Consequences For a person to get acquitted for some charges, then that person should have the full knowledge that his/her actions would definitely result in a specific consequence. A probability that something can occur or might occur is not enough to subject a person on criminality. The Section 8 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 explains how intention or foresight must be proved by the following paragraph: "A court or jury in determining whether a person has committed an offence, (a) shall not be bound in law to infer that he intended or foresaw a result of his actions by reason only of its being a natural and probable consequence of those actions; but (b) shall decide whether he did intend or foresee that result by reference to all the evidence drawing such inferences from the evidence as appear proper in the circumstances." (Law Teacher, 2006) The cases where they were applied are listed below. The relationship between foresight and intention was considered by the House of Lords in: Hyam v DPP [1975] AC 55 R v Moloney [1985] 1 All ER 1025 It is important to note that foresight of consequences is not the same as intention but only evidence of intention: R v Scalley [1995] Crim LR 504. The most recent case in this area is the decision of the House of Lords in: R v Woollin [1998] 4 All ER 103. The law says - For the prosecutors to come up with evidence that the defendant had directly intended to perform a certain action to get a specific result would be extremely difficult (R v Moloney, 1985). This is because one cannot know what is or what was inside the defendant's mind when the action was taken. Therefore in criminal law, the proof of only the foresight intent is required as opposed to direct intent. (Law Teacher, 2006) Recklessness Recklessness is taking an unjustified risk. In most cases, there is clear subjective evidence that the accused predicted but did not desire the particular outcome. When the accused committed the act, the risk of causing the given loss or damage was taken. There is always some

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Feasibility study Essay Example for Free

Feasibility study Essay 1. A. NAME OF PRODUCT As we all know Guimaras is known as the breeder and export of the sweetest mangoes in the world. Some countries have tried to plant and grow mangoes but no one can ever do the same even with the help of latest technology that we have today and so the city of Guimaras can proudly claim the title of having the sweetest mangoes. Therefore the proponents chose Guimaras as its inspiration, thus, come up with a product that wishes to exhibit their specialty – the mangoes. After series of conceptualizing, the proponents come up with the word â€Å"MANGGAMAZING† as its business name. This name is comprised of two words, MANGGA and AMAZING primarily because the business’ concept is focused on mango itself. The first word Mangga is a vernacular term for mangoes which has been commended in the introduction, while the second word, Amazing means great wonder, surprising and remarkable and so the name Manggamazing is the combination of these words that surely suit the product’s quality. All in all, the name â€Å"MANGGAMAZING† simply describes the product and the outstanding work for excellent and satisfaction the proponents wishes to convey. 1.C. DESCRIPTIVE DEFINITION Manggamazing smoothies are drinks made and served for refreshment. These are mainly made with fresh, ripe mangoes which are antioxidants that protect the body against colon, breast, leukemia, and prostate cancers. Mangoes are rich in vitamin C, pectin, and fibers that help to lower serum cholesterol levels. Mangoes help you unclog your pores and add freshness to the face. These are applicable to any skin type. Mangoes help in promoting good eye sight, fights dry eyes and also prevent night blindness because it is rich in vitamin A. Mangoes also contains enzymes for breaking down protein, and the fiber found in it helps digestion and elimination. Manggamazing offers not only smoothies made with mangoes but it is added  with banana, mango and melon, and pineapple. Bananas are terrific heart-healthy food and good source of potassium, dietary fiber, manganese and vitamins B6 C. Melons on the other hand, help prevent cancer, stroke, and heart disease, also good for digestion, and give boost of energy. Pineapples contain brome lain, an enzyme that may help arthritis pain by reducing inflammation. They are also a good source of vitamin C, which helps strengthen your immune system. The products give a healthy boost and refreshment naturally. Smoothies are also mixed with non-fat milk, 0% fat yogurt, and will use sweeteners instead of sugar.  As a whole the product is a guilt free drink because of all its nutrients and low level of sugar. The proponents are: 1. D. OBJECTIVES Vision Our company â€Å"Manggamazing† bears the vision of providing healthy, fresh mango smoothies with added flavors of other nutritious fruits while maintaining our commitment to uncompromised quality with the heartening purpose to cater to society’s needs and cravings and constant change in life. The business also opted to create guilt-free drinks that will surely rejuvenate your mind and body, hence changing and opening people’s mind on a new side of style to staying healthy and fit. Ultimately, the company’s vision is to be the front-runner in the industry and help social and economic growth. Mission Manggamazing aims to give a high quality, exceptional and reasonably priced products in the beverage industry that provides healthy and nutritious smoothies that will surely satisfy the cravings of every customer. The people behind this product also aim to promote the national fruit of the Philippines – the mangoes to be known worldwide. To the society, the company’s task is making them health conscious in a unique way. Short term objective Manggamazing short term objective is to focus on execution in the  marketplace every day and on needs of our consumers and customers. Have the courage to change course when needed and remain responsive. And after we introduce it and known by everyone, Manggamazing will have a high cost of sales. Improve earnings and yield performance. Long term Objective The Manggamazing long term objective after 3-5 years will invade the malls if the profits are obtained. It will create many job opportunities for the branches that need manpower such as crew, server etc. The product will have a TV commercial and a foundation that will support by manggamazing so that the product will be known and it will be open for franchising. Develop and expand into new market, and they can now produce and manufacture new products. Expand into new overseas markets to tap new sources of growth and to achieve better market diversification. It aims for success and satisfaction of customers.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Protecting Nature

Protecting Nature Protecting Nature Why should we protect nature? Earth is our home and we have to love it. In earth are things humans needed but they destroy them and never worry about it. â€Å"Many animals are in extinction because of earth destruction.† ( Charman , 1) Animals are disappearing since people dont save nature. â€Å"Flora and fauna is destroying because we dont take care of it.† (Laguna de Terminos 1) Flora and fauna hurt because of all the damages we have done to it. â€Å"Global warming is happening over and over but no one think about it.† (Protecting the home we lice in) Global warming is occurring all over earth but we dont care about it. All this is happening because we never worry about our home and its problems. All of us dont save the beautiful paradise god gave us. â€Å"Many animals are in extinction because of earth destruction. Animals are in extinction because new species are better in getting and on living space. Others are in extinction because of changes and destruction of nature. People hunt animals and destroy their home. They also put other animals for getting their resources and environment. Animals extinction happens because of humans.† (Charman 1) According to Andy Charman animals are in extinction because all of us destroy their habitat and kill them. Changes in nature happen because of what we have done to the environment they replace animals for stronger ones. Also all of us destroy planet, and that make changes in nature, but animals are not adapted to the changes so they die. Sometimes we need only one part of an animal and we kill them for a silly thing. Extinction happens because of all humans. Flora and fauna is destroying because we dont take care of it. â€Å"It is destroying in many ways. One of them is deforestation and habitat destruction. Another is contamination of the fluvial lagoon systems by bacteria and agrochemicals. Also petroleum exploration and production destroy flora and fauna.† (Laguna de Terminos1) According to Laguna de Terminos, flora and fauna is destroying because people want to improve economy and other things. People never worry about their needs in environment. People create systems and machines that make bacterias that devastate nature. We never take care of what we really need for living and surviving on earth. All nature helps us survive, but one day, many problems will face and we will be sorry about not protecting nature. â€Å"Biodiversity is a problem for scientists and it makes flora and fauna be affected†. (CBBC1) All humans makes biodiversity destroy and also make flora and fauna start disappearing. Biodiversity is important to all plants and animals but we destroy so plants and animals die. We start destroying one thing of nature and everything starts to destroy gradually. We never worry about destroying one little thing of our environment because we never think how things can start disappearing. Biodiversity its needed by flora and fauna but while humans destroy it, flora and fauna also destroys. â€Å"Global warming is happening over and over but no one thinks about it. Temperature increases and kills many living things. Global warming makes the sea rise and water covers many islands. Also global warming happens because of electrical pollution. Global warming damage many parts of the world and sometimes that parts are places where living things find their food but when it is destroy there no food anymore.†(Protecting the home we live in.1) According to â€Å"Protecting the home we live in†, global warming makes things change and kill many living things. People make global warming happens by electricity but they dont care and do things to prevent global warming. Global warming damage many places that living things get their food but we are ignorant and think that nothing happen and that we can fix everything is destroyed. â€Å"Global warming also makes disease spread all over many countries so many people die. It makes increase the intensity of heat waves and cause hurricanes or tornadoes.† (Environmental Graffiti.1) Global warming makes diseases spread through out the world and kill many animals. It also affects heat so animals start dying because they dont adapt to the environment, plants and humans, too. Global warming has many effects in humans and in nature. The diseases and heat make nature destroy little by little and also make some geographic accidents like hurricanes or tornadoes. All the diseases damage all living things and some times all nature. â€Å"It also happens because we waste water.† (naturehero1) We also waste water in things we dont really need and global warming starts advancing. Water is important but we dont realize the importance and waste it always. People never take care of the things they need and that only nature can give them. All humans need water but everyone ignores that and starts wasting it in silly things. We ignore the things we need for surviving specially water and we dont realize that ignorance all of us have. We should protect nature because we destroy our home and others home. Earth is our home and we have love it and caring it. If we take care of it, nothing will be damage and many people, animals , and plants could live better . Global warming and extinction will not happen when we worry about earth and take care of it. Flora and fauna will not be destroy and disappear forever. Anything will be contaminated and we will not die soon and suffer any bad disease. We will have the best home ever and will be beautiful. Nature help us a lot in things we need like water and food but by destroying nature all that things will disappear and we could die or starve . Work Cited 1. CBBC. CBBC centre for the Balkan biodiversity conservation. University of Novi Sad. June 18 22, 2008.WEB 2. Charman, Andy. Wonder Why the Dodo and other questions about extinct and endangered animals. New York: kingfisher. 1996. WEB 3. Environmental Graffiti. 5 Deadliest Effects of Global Warming. Tue, Sep 11, 2007.WEB. 4. Laguna de Terminos. â€Å"Flora and fauna protection area.†Laguna de Terminos. Web. 5. Protecting the Home We Live In: Environmental Issues Novi Meadows Elementary, 2002 .web. 6. Naturehero. Naturehero â€Å"become a naturehero† January 13th, 2010.web.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Kate Controls Her Own Actions in William Shakespeares Taming of the Sh

Kate Controls Her Own Actions in William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew Who is primarily in control of Kate's actions in William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew? Is Kate primarily controlling her actions, or do other characters in the play control her? If you just read through the play, but don't study it in-depth, it appears that Kate is controlled by other characters' actions towards her, but is this actually the case? Isn't it very possible that Kate is actually in control of all her decisions, but is just strongly influenced by others? After studying the text in-depth, you can see for yourself that although Kate is strongly influenced by others, she is the one who actually makes the decisions to act in the manner in which she acts. As was stated, although Kate, in many instances, appears to be controlled by others, she is actually in control of her actions. She is the one who does everything, such as allowing herself to be married off to Petruchio. Some people may say that she was forced to marry Petruchio, but she could have just run away if she really hadn't wanted to marry him. In this instance, Kate's family, especially her father Baptista, and society were influencing Kate to make the choice to not run away and follow through with the marriage. In the end, though, this was Kate's decision - no one made it for her, she had to make it for herself. She had the ability to choose to run away or do something else about being forced to marry Petruchio. Kate was already considered a shrew and often did not let society's roles for men and women influence her: Why couldn't she have done the same in this instance? Another instance in which it may seem to some people reading the play that Kate is being controlled by... ...Petruchio mistreat his servants. After coming home from the wedding, Petruchio says, "Here, sir! here, sir! here, sir! here, sir!/You logger-headed and unpolish'd grooms!/What, no attendance? no regard? no duty?/Where is the foolish knave I sent before?" (4.1.115-118). He continues to mistreat his servants right in front of Kate; he even hits a few of them. Kate sees this and realizes how poorly she has treated others in the past and realizes that she doesn't want to be a shrew any longer. In class, when discussing the topic of control, everyone was pretty much able to agree on one point: Although there are many influences on our decisions, we are ultimately the ones who make our decisions and no one can do that for us. In Taming of the Shrew, there are numerous examples of times Kate is influenced greatly by others, and yet she makes the final decision herself.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Employee Morale After Downsizing Essay -- essays research papers fc

Employee Morale After Downsizing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Downsizing has become a significant idea in today's economy and maintaining the trust of employees when something like this takes place has also become very serious business (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). The question is not whether a company should downsize their employees but how to do the downsizing properly so that as few employees as possible are injured (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). There are several ways that companies can downsize that will help retain much of the loyalty of the workers that remain (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). Companies who downsize through attrition and buyouts, those companies that work to help downsized employees find new jobs, and companies that are willing to provide outplacement services to those individuals often end up in positions that are much better than companies that simply fire workers due to downsizing (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). These companies who show that they care about the workers that they have to remove through downsizing have a much greater chance of retaining a lot of the loyalty originally given to them by the workers that survived the downsizing (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). Trust is a very important asset for these companies but it is very difficult to achieve and just as difficult to hold on to (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). If companies are willing to downsize in a way that is considered to be very humane by many of the workers these companies will fare better in the long-term than companies who perceive workers as disposable (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). Late in the 1970s, companies began to downsize workers (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). They did this in order to improve the bottom line and also to cut many of their costs (Brockner, Konovsky, Cooper-Schneider, Folger, Martin, & Bies, 1994). Even though some companies today are making record profits they carry on this idea that they must be as lean as they possibly can in order to compete (Brockner, Konovsky,... ...tional Forms? Organizational Science, 4, i-vi Davidow W.H. & Malone, M.S. (1992). The Virtual Corporation. New York: HarperCollins. Hirschhorn, L. & Gilmore, T. (1992). The New Boundaries of the 'Boundaryless' Company. Harvard Business Review, 70: 104-115. HR Paints a Bleak Portrait of Downsizing Survivors. (1993). HR Focus, 70, 24. If You Are Going to Downsize, Says U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Do It Gently. Interview, (1996). Sales & Marketing Management, 148, 118-123. Kets de Vries M.F.R. & Balazs, K. (1997). The Downside of Downsizing. Human Relations, 50, 11-50. Kozlowski, S.W., Chao, G.T., Smith, E.M., & Hedlund, J. (1993). Organizational Downsizing: Strategies, Interventions, and Research Implications. In C.L. Cooper and I.T. Robertson, eds., International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. New York: Wiley, 262-332. Mishra, A.K. (1996). Organizational Responses to Crisis: The Centrality of Trust. In R.M. Kramer and T.R. Tyler, eds., Trust in Organizations.' Frontiers of Theory and Research. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage, 261-287 New York Times Special Report: The Downsizing of America. (1996). New York: Random House, 5.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Cast System in india

History of the Indian caste system From Wikipedia, the tree encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Indian society has consisted of thousands of endogamous clans and groups called latis since ancient times. The Brahmlnlcal scriptures and texts tried to bring this diversity under a comprehensible scheme which hypothesised four Idealised meta groups called varna.The first mention of the formal varna Indian caste system Is in the famous Purusha Sukta of the Rigveda, although it is the only mention in the entire body of the Vedas and has been decried as a much later, non-Vedic insertion y numerous Indologists like Max M?ller and also by Ambedkar. [citation needed] Contents 1 Hindu scriptures 2 Emergence of rigid caste structures 2. Mobility across the castes 3 Reform movements 4 Reterences 5 External links Hindu scriptures In the Vedic period, there also seems to have been no dlscrlmlnatlon against the Shudras on the Issue of hearing the sacred words of the Vedas and fully participating in all religious rituals, something which became progressively restricted in the later citation needed] Manusmriti, dated between 200 BCE and 100 CE, ontains some laws that codified the caste system. The Manu Smriti belongs to a class of books that are geared towards ethics, morals. nd social conduct – not spirituality or religion. Emergence of rigid caste structures In its later stages, the caste system is said to have become rigid, and caste began to be inherited rather than acquired by merit. In the past, members of dfferent castes would not partake in various activities, such as dining and religious gatherings, together. In addition, the performance of religious rites and rituals were restricted to Brahmins, who were the designated priesthood. Mobility across the castes The view ot the caste system as â€Å"static and unchanging† has been disputed by many scholars.For Instance, sociologists such as Bernard Buber and Marriott McKlm describe how the perception of th e caste system as a static and textual stratification has given way to the perception of the caste system as a more processual, empirical and contextual stratification. Other sociologists such as Y. B Damle have applied theoretical models to explain mobility and flexibility in the caste system in India. [2] According to these scholars, groups of lower-caste individuals could seek to elevate the status of their caste by attempting to emulate the practices of higher castes.Some scholars believe that the relative ranking of other castes was fluid or differed from one place to another prior to the arrival of the British. [3] According to some psychologists, mobility across broad caste lines may have been â€Å"minimal†, though sub-castes (Jatis) may change their social status over the generations by fission, re- the question of rigidity in Caste. In an ethnographic study of the Coorgs of Karnataka, e observed considerable flexibility and mobility in their caste hierarchies. [5][6 ] He asserts that the caste system is far from a rigid system in which the position of each component caste is fixed for all time.Movement has always been possible, and especially in the middle regions of the hierarchy. It was always possible for groups born into a lower caste to â€Å"rise to a higher position by adopting vegetarianism and teetotalism† i. e. adopt the customs of the higher castes. While theoretically â€Å"forbidden†, the process was not uncommon in practice. The concept of anskritization, or the adoption of upper-caste norms by the lower castes, addressed the actual complexity and fluidity of caste relations. Historical examples of mobility in the Indian Caste System among Hindus have been researched.There is also precedent of certain Shudra families within the temples of the Shrivaishava sect in South India elevating their caste. [2] Reform movements There have been cases of upper caste Hindus warming to the Dalits and Hindu priests, demoted to outc aste ranks, who continued practising the religion. An example of the latter was Dnyaneshwar, who was excommunicated from society in he 13th century, but continued to compose the Dnyaneshwari, a Dharmic commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Other excommunicated Brahmins, such as Eknath, fought for the rights of untouchables during the Bhakti period.Historical examples of Dalit priests include Chokhamela in the 14th century, who was India's first recorded Dalit poet, Raidas, born into Dalit cobblers, and others. The 1 5th- century saint Ramananda also accepted all castes, including untouchables, into his fold. Most of these saints subscribed to the Bhakti movements in Hinduism during he medieval period that rejected casteism. Nandanar, a low-caste Hindu cleric, also rejected casteism and accepted Dalits. [7] In the 19th century, the Brahmo SamaJ under Raja Ram Mohan Roy, actively campaigned against untouchability.The Arya SamaJ founded by Swami Dayanand also renounced discrimination agains t Dalits. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa founded the Ramakrishna Mission that participated in the emancipation of Dalits. Upper caste Hindus, such as Mannathu Padmanabhan also participated in movements to abolish Untouchability against Dalits, opening his amily temple for Dalits to worship. While there always have been places for Dalits to worship, the first â€Å"upper-caste† temple to openly welcome Dalits into their fold was the Laxminarayan Temple in Wardha in the year 1928 (the move was spearheaded by reformer Jamnalal Baja]).Also, the Satnami movement was founded by Guru Ghasidas, a Dalit himself. Other reformers, such as Mahatma Jyotirao Phule also worked for the emancipation of Dalits. Another example of Dalit emancipation was the Temple Entry Proclamation issued by the last Maharaja of Travancore in the Indian state of Kerala in the year 1936. The Maharaja proclaimed that â€Å"outcastes should not be denied the consolations and the solace of the Hindu faith†. Ev en today, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple that first welcomed Dalits in the state of Kerala is revered by the Dalit Hindu community.The 1930s saw key struggles between Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar, most notably over whether Dalits would have separate electorates or Joint electorates with reserved seats. The Indian National Congress was the only national organisation with a large Dalit following, but Gandhi nalysis of Untouchability, but lacked a workable political strategy: his conversion to Buddhism in 1956, along with millions of followers, highlighted the failure of his political endeavours. 8] India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, based on his own relationship with Dalit reformer Ambedkar, also spread information about the dire need to eradicate untouchability for the benefit of the Dalit community. In addition, other Hindu groups have reached out to the Dalit community in an effort to reconcile with them, with productive results.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Academic development Essay

Continuing education is always a means of empowering oneself towards being able to offer more as a professional and as an individual sincere in making a difference in this world. In this era of technology and modernization many young people become immediately satisfied with the monetary benefits of a college or a master’s degree and only few see the value in aiming for a doctor’s degree. Personally, I believe that many of these young people are correct in saying that even with a college and master’s degree economic benefits can already tide one over the laps of luxury because the world is in need of technology experts and specialists. However, I also consider pursuing a doctor’s degree in the spirit of paying it forward. While I already have a masters degree and can easily enrich myself economically, I am at the point in my life where I am more concerned with what I can give to society and the world, and not with what I can take from it. I am a dynamic and detail-oriented young professional aiming for more opportunities to be able to change and make the world a better place for all of us. I used to work at the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City where I was recognized by the management as a professional and dedicated employee. See more:  Manifest Destiny essay I earned my bachelor’s degree in Computer and Information Sciences from the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2007 after which I immediately proceeded to earn my Masters Degree in the Science in Management Information Systems from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. This particular master’s degree had special focus on Business Process Management based on the SAP System, Strategic Information Management, Information Systems Development, and Financial Management. My dedication and diligence in my academics paid off as I graduated from my master’s degree with Merit. Now, I seek to proceed and earn my doctors degree to finally seal my educational journey and become more capable of making significant contributions to the field of information technology. My experience in the field is varied. I personally handled and conducted demonstrations on a new ERP project for automating HR processes in a 400-bed rehabilitation hospital & medical center. This particular project helped the beneficiaries of the project a lot and it made me feel contented with being able to extend my technical knowledge in the service of others. In terms of knowledge transference, I was also involved in presentations on Tesco electronic channels as well as electronic commerce and ERP systems. I always feel like I am doing something important when I am able to share knowledge with other people and enable beneficiaries to appreciate the importance of technology. I am also an advocate of improved government systems as well as the enhancement of basic services. In the past years, I have completed a dissertation on E-Government, titled, â€Å"Evaluating User Acceptance of Electronic Government in Saudi Arabia†. In keeping with my advocacies, I have also written critical analyses on business comparisons for Dell and EasyJet Airlines and BMW’s recession strategy. To add to these, I have composed reports on the use of SAP in the ERP system of Porsche as well as on artificial intelligence and operating system security. All these I did in the spirit of making basic services more efficient and more user-friendly. I have also collected requirements during strategic meetings with HR and finance senior managers, built plans to improve business processes with automation, facilitated re-engineering business processes for a new ERP system implementation for finance and human resources, and created an education institute website with a team; wrote an evaluation report. On the outset, I do not consider what I have done as academic, professional, or personal achievements because I am more concerned with the changes that I am able to effect. In all these things, I had in tow my acquired excellent communication and human relations skills which I found very useful especially in explaining technological innovations to my clients and beneficiaries in very simple and understandable terms. Apart from being diligent in trying to improve myself my true passion is in seeing the changes that I effect significantly influence the organizations that I have worked for and with. My doctor’s degree will therefore help me do more of what I had already been doing and build my capacities more in my advocacy of seeing better governments and improved basic services. The ultimate beneficiaries of all these are of course the public at large who are at the end of the receiving chain. So, while pursuing a doctor’s degree is in fact a means of academic development, I view it as an opportunity for each of us to improve ourselves with the focus of improving the lives of others. At a time when technology is almost everywhere and when technology seems to be the basis for many of our daily activities, it is very important that each individual acquire a deeper and richer appreciation for technological innovations and advancements which are instrumental not only in making our lives convenient but also in raising the standard of living for society. It would be my great pride to be part of the wave of technology that is currently sweeping all over the globe. I am confident that with a doctor’s degree I would be able to leave behind a legacy of difference with all the people who have benefitted from my tutelage as well as with all those who enjoy the conveniences of technology in areas where technology was previously unheard of. My desire to pursue my doctor’s degree is done in the sincere dedication to the welfare of all and to the advancement of technology in the service of man.