Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Decision Support Paper Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decision Support Paper - Case Study Example sector corporations postulate that organizations are expected to recruit more seasoned and professional managers in the coming decade or so (Schlegelmilch and Thomas, 2011). Therefore, in terms of understanding cross-industry patterns and the changing dynamics of the business environment which have largely been prompted by globalization, business schools are advised to remain competent and reevaluate their perspectives regarding the potentially modified role of the MBA with respect to the new context rather than discarding the graduate degree or considering probable replacements for the same. As noted by Sclegelmilch and Thomas (2011), the demand for MBAs is expected to demonstrate its presence till an expected period of 2020 and possibly beyond this timeframe. Nonetheless, the integration of innovation is required as a part of restoring the contemporary MBA curriculum and model thereby, tailoring the degree to suit the requirements of drastically changing firms across the globe (Datar, Garvin and Cullen, 2011). The Board of Regents is recommended to follow a comprehensive course of action plan to determine the current trends and patterns in cross-industry recruitment drives, potential training firms for graduates and the scope of career development in the post-graduation phase. The research conducted by Hussey (2012) asserts that increasing returns against an MBA degree can be derived by assessing the extent to which gained or accumulated skills are valuable to the market for labor or how these skills can be associated with the gaps in the market for labor. The application of proposed quantitative analysis methodologies to draw objective, valid and representative conclusions is rooted in focusing upon empirical research and identifying separate trends with regard to each significant facet of consideration. Henceforth, this report proposes that the adoption of any suitable recommendation should be approved on the basis of evaluating student enrollment records

Monday, October 28, 2019

Aristotle vs Plato Essay Example for Free

Aristotle vs Plato Essay Two of the greatest and earliest thinkers of our time are Plato, and his most famous pupil, Aristotle. Soon after Plato’s teachings, Aristotle criticized his claims and independently became a thinker on his own. These philosophers viewed metaphysics differently, and they approached the idea of reality in two opposing ways. Plato’s Theory of Forms was a concept that was defined in a different way by Aristotle. They both believed in â€Å"forms† but approached this idea differently. Plato felt that there are two different levels of reality compared to Aristotle who felt that there was only one level of reality. Plato’s way of thinking always came from ideas from within that were applied to the outside world as opposed to Aristotle whose ideas came from the outside world and then were applied within. These contrast ideas were a result in Aristotle believing that there is one level of reality. He believed that there was only one world, and that forms existed in particular things. Aristotle felt that everything was matter, and certain kinds of matter were composed into different things. He believed that form did not have a separate existence, but existed in matter. Plato, however, believed that there were two levels of reality. Physical and mental were two different things in his eyes. Physical is what is real and you can see and/or touch, and mental is what seems to be real but cannot be seen such as air. Plato believed that there are â€Å"two worlds† and that everything real has a form but does not symbolize that form. Aristotle’s and Plato’s views on forms were very different. Plato saw â€Å"forms† as descriptions and something like adjectives and it could be applied to more than one thing. If something was â€Å"delicious,† there was something else that was also â€Å"delicious† but they were not the same thing. These descriptions are real but are not physical matter. Aristotle, however, saw reality as having four causes: matter (what it is made up of), essence (what it is), producer (what caused it), and purpose (what it is used for). Plato stated that the realm of being exist separately from the divine realm where the â€Å"forms† portrayed in the things of this world. He explains that the people have knowledge of these â€Å"forms† because the soul is immortal and this received knowledge are actually faint and faded memories that this world shadows from the other world. The soul has absolute knowledge from the other realm. Aristotle stated that the being of any specific thing consists of matter and form. These forms were not to be found anywhere except for the in the substance of that certain thing. Aristotle makes it clear that the essence of something is what makes it what it is, and the soul cannot leave the body. Everything has matter and form, with the exception of God. Plato and Aristotle were two great thinkers that both believed in â€Å"forms,† but approached this idea in two different manners. Plato believed in a dualistic reality – physical and mental. He applied inner views to the outside world. His view on metaphysics consists of two realms to our reality. One being the realm of changing then becoming, and the other being a realm with set beings. On the other hand, Aristotle viewed things the other way. He applied outer views to inner self. In his mind, there is only one level to our reality and that forms are found only within specific things, that of which both have form and matter. Even though I understand what these philosophers are saying, I am confused as to how they believe the world works. How can there be two parts to reality? I think that physical and mental things exist together in one world – this world. Everything has matter solids, liquids, and gases are the three different forms. â€Å"Forms† are adjectives. If something is round, that is its quality. Its form is what it is, for example a round table. My way of thinking resembles Aristotle’s more but not completely. The four causes can be applied to almost everything. But what is emotion made up of? What is emotion? What causes emotion? And what is emotion used for? Even though emotions are things, they do not have physical matter. It exists, but it cannot be seen. Both Plato and Aristotle have confusing views on our reality, and I believe that Aristotle explains the truth of it more clearly. However, I do not think either of them is right in explaining the actuality of our reality. Plato believed that we should view our world more as spiritual than physical. Aristotle thought the same thing, except that forms are within the objects we see. How can our world be viewed as spiritual? Does that mean that we just see imaginary things? Does our world even actually exist? Is it a dream that things are real? When Plato applies inner views on the outer world, doesn’t that mean he is being close-minded? Writing this paper has cleared things up a little bit for me, however, I still find it to be confusing. I believe the world just is. The Big Bang theory makes sense, and everything evolved. I do not think there is more to the picture than the fact that we just are. Everything is real, whether it can be seen, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Modeling of Salt Water Intrusion Essay -- Encroachment Science Ess

The Modeling of Salt Water Intrusion What is Salt Water Intrusion? Salt water intrusion, or encroachment, is defined by Freeze and Cherry (1979) as the migration of salt water into fresh water aquifers under the influence of groundwater development. Salt water intrusion becomes a problem in coastal areas where fresh water aquifers are hydraulically connected with seawater. When large amounts of fresh water are withdrawn from these aquifers, hydraulic gradients encourage the flow of seawater toward the pumped well or wells. Salt water intrusion is a problem that affects coastal areas around the world. Groundwater Problems in Coastal Areas (Custodio, 1987) is an excellent reference for more information on global salt water intrusion problems, while Atkinson (1986) details salt water intrusion problems for the coastal areas of the United States. Why is it a Problem? The encroachment of salt water into fresh water supplies has become cause for concern within the last century as populations in coastal areas have risen sharply and placed greater demands on fresh groundwater reserves. Salt water intrusion causes many problems in these areas, perhaps the most severe being the limitation of potable drinking water. Drinking water standards established by the EPA in 1962 require that drinking water contain no more than 500 mg/L of total suspended solids (TSS), a common measure of salinity (Atkinson, 1986). Seawater contains approximately 30000 mg/L of TSS. Therefore, it is evident that even a small amount of seawater can cause drinking water problems when mixed with fresh water reserves. Also, salinity in irrigation water can be detrimental to agriculture, reducing yields and killing crops with low tolerances to salt. In some... ...t Modeling of the Flow Through Porous Media". OWRT-C-4026(9006)(4). Office of Water Resources and Technology, U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Washington, DC. March, 1975. Christensen, B.A., "Mathematical Methods for Analysis of Fresh Water Lenses in the Coastal Zones of the Floridian Aquifer". OWRT-A-032-FLA(1). Office of Water Research and Technology. U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Washington, DC. Custodio, E., and Llamas, M.R. Hidrologia Subterranea. Ed. Omega, Barcelona. 1976. Custodio, E. (prepared by). Groundwater Problems in Coastal Areas. A contribution to the International Hydrological Programme. 1987. Freeze, R. A. and J. A. Cherry. Groundwater. Prentice Hall, Inc. 1979. Jenkins, S. R. and R. K. Moore. "Effect of Saltwater Intrusion on Soil Erodibility of Alabama Marshlands". Water Resources Research Institute, Auburn University, Auburn, Al. 1984.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Company Layoff

Historically, layoff is often associated with bad publications for companies performing it. Furthermore, there are various other negative effects that are associated with the application of layoffs. Sometimes, layoff is the only way that the company must perform, in the sense that managers of the company have no other solution to cope with problems of the company. Despite the comments of observers and researches revealing the bad effects of massive layoffs, company layoff still becomes a part of modern companies’ daily lives.Concerning the issue, this paper will review articles about layoff and several important factors. The review aims at creating a simple conclusion regarding the practice of layoffs and their tendencies. Afterwards, the paper will use one of the latest layoff policies to justify the conclusion and also to evaluate the layoff within a company. The focus of the paper is to describe the effects of company layoffs and present a practical example of the conclusio n.Company LayoffDefinitionBy definition, layoff refers to a termination of employment of an employee or group of employees due to unfavorable business situation. The term is common in the business environment and does not often generate uneasiness.However, mass layoffs often become the source of debacle and confrontation in the workplaces. Firing employees in individual manner does not generally raise too much problem because they generally contain justified reasons of why the employees’ employment must be terminated.In addition, mass layoffs often generate trouble due to the fact that mass layoffs are performed solely due to economic reasons. In other words, employees being laid off could have performed no mistake in hi/her job that deserves the termination of employment. Within this paper, the discussion is focused more on mass layoffs rather than individual layoffs (Layoffs, nd.).Why Layoff  Researchers identify two reasons concerning layoffs. The first category relates to the internal condition of the company in which layoffs are performed. Companies perform layoff because of profitability reasons. The goal of performing mass layoff is to reduce the labor cost of the company. This is true since in most manufacturing companies, labor costs become significant parts of the operational costs of the company. Therefore, reducing the labor cost without hurting revenues could mean enhanced profitability (Layoffs, nd.).However, some layoffs occur because management believes that revenues in future periods will go down. This could be the result of enhanced competition, problems with corporate supply chain, changes in managerial structure, etc. In order to maintain profit, management often decides to cut labor costs (Layoffs, nd.).Another reason of performing mass layoffs is external reasons. A downturn in macroeconomic conditions could result in financial problems for most companies. This macroeconomic downturn could have effects limited to certain industri es or could happen nationally. In order to cope with such problem, companies could decide to cut labor costs and saves some level of profitability. This type of mass layoffs generally costs less debacles because ’everyone is going through the same problem’ at the time. However, there are also records that macroeconomic downturn and mass layoffs in some countries result in widespread class actions and public protests.General Effects of Layoffs  Layoffs are often performed as the last solution. In other words, layoffs are seen as the last solution to save a company from a terrible fall. Nevertheless, the fact often denies that premise. Layoffs often decrease corporate value rather than enhance it. Researchers state that this is due to the poor tendency of managers and business owners to look only to the financial aspect of the layoffs. In other words, they often neglect the intrinsic effect of the layoffs. The financial aspects of layoffs are generally easy to calculat e, however, managers generally fail to assess the value generated by employees that must be laid-off. Thus, managers could well be loosing more value from the layoff compare to the financial savings they gain from the process (Hymowitz, 2007).Another bad effect of layoffs generally comes from the layoff that influence working environment. Layoffs often reduce employees’ motivation. Surviving employees generally becomes more wary and possess the feeling of unsafe which reduces the working performance of employees. Moreover, the feeling of unsafe could generate the decision to seek for new jobs rather than waiting with uncertainties (Hymowitz, 2007).How to Make the Best LayoffsLayoffs are generally correlated to bad business. The term generates negative atmosphere for most people in the working environment. Therefore, business owners and managers generally place layoff decisions as a last resort rather than a preferable alternative. Some alternatives to layoffs are: establishin g a hiring freeze, relocate employees to other sections or departments, cutting managerial and administrative salaries, shortening the work week, offering early retirements, etc. However, if layoffs are imminent, there are some activities that could reduce the negative effect of mass layoffs (Sullivan, 2001).The first step in making the best of corporate layoffs is planning the layoff strategy. This includes identification of common problems that could happen during layoffs. Managers of the company are suggested to perform researches and benchmarking to the best practice of company layoffs. Identification and evaluation of all alternatives to layoffs must be performed prior to deciding any layoff decisions. Planning the layoff strategy also involves preparing the budget for layoffs, notifying everyone involves and affected by the layoffs, etc.The second step of managing layoff is making sure that we involved all the people that should be involved in the layoff decision, like CFOâ₠¬â„¢s, HR officers, the corporate attorney, senior managers, etc. The company must them select a layoff expert, this person is responsible for the layoff process and to educate others on how to perform effective layoffs. In addition, the worker’s union must be involved within the process. Lack of educating the union leaders about the necessity of the layoffs could mean failure in performing effective and successful layoffs (Sullivan, 2001).The third step is managing the process carefully, this includes the preparation of a worst case scenario and socialization of involve people, setting the layoff criteria and maintain the credibility of the criteria during the process, identification of top performers, the people that the company cannot afford to loose and protecting them, etc (Sullivan, 2001).RadioShackRadioShack Corporation is a chain of electronic retail stores in the United States, Europe, Central America and South America. The company has 6,000 stores in USA and has rep orted sales of $ 4.6 billion in 2006. In August 10, 2006, the company announces the layoff of 400 to 450 employees at the company headquarters. Company officials assert this action is necessary to reduce company’s overhead expense and enhance competitive position in the marketplace in the long term. The action is also decided to support small number of stores having financial trouble. In the company headquarters, 1 out of 5 positions are eliminated which affected employees of all levels in RadioShack.The layoff decision by the company is widely understood by many observers; however, the layoff generates significant controversy because of the manner in which the layoffs are performed. The 400 employees are notified of the layoff 10 days in advance of the actual layoff. Email notification was delivered to employees who were terminated. In August 10, 2006, employees were sent the emails and they were given 30 minutes to pack up and say goodbye to co-workers and then meet their s enior supervisors. After the meeting, a larger meeting was held to deliver the employees with their benefit packages and ask their questions.This manner of layoffs generates a widespread public attention. Many state that they have never seen such amount of employees laid off by emails. According to the general practice of corporate conduct, this demonstrates the lack of sensitivity by corporate management. The company has performed various efforts to delete reportage of this incident. According to some observers, this is one of the worst practices of corporate layoff in the history of corporate social responsibility. There are many articles that respond with cynicism in reaction of the poor methods of firing people who have been contributing to the company’s success, some even for many years.I believe that the company will not obtain the value they aim for when they decided to perform this layoff decision. As discussed above, there should be various measures to face the negat ive effects of layoffs to employee morale. Insensitive behaviors like one performed by RadioShack will significantly hurt employee morale and their respect to the managers of the company. In result, working productivity could be seriously affected.BibliographyHymowitz. Carol. 2007. ‘Why Layoffs Could Cost More Than They’. CareerJournal. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.careerjournaleurope.com/columnists/inthelead/20010725-inthelead.html‘RadioShack lays off employees via e-mail’. 2006. USATODAY. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-08-30-radioshack-email-layoffs_x.htmSave‘Layoffs Common but Still a Company’s Last Resort’. N.d. Jobwerx. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.jobwerx.com/HR/layoffs_common.htmlSlaggle, Matt, 2006. ‘RadioShack to offer free online training’. USA TODAYRetrieved   March 24, 2007 frrom http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-10-18-radio-shack-classes_x.htmS ullivan, John. 2001. ‘Key Steps in Effective Layoffs’. ERE.net. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.ere.net/articles/default.asp?d=H&CID={B6BCB155-2D2F-4C2E-82EC-CB33C6D1E3F9}

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Individual Behavior and Communication Essay

The Walt Disney Company was established in 1923, by Walt Elias Disney and his brother Roy. The two brothers founded the organization on big dreams and determination. Their primary goal was to make people happy and provide quality entertainment. The Disney organization has been around for over 85 years. The core ideology of the Disney Company promotes a source of guidance and inspiration. The core values and mission of the company is what the employees base their foundation on. Attitude and behavior is attributed to the core values of the organization. The values that Disney represents are maintaining strong innovation, maintaining high quality services, and striving to achieve quality products. The underlying principles innovation, quality, community, and storytelling are what the Disney organization symbolizes. Walt Disney worked very hard to provide the community with an outstanding organization. Anyone who is affiliated with or working for the Disney organization is expected to maintain and be held accountable for the same high standards that Walt Disney founded his organization on. Disney provides quality entertainment for everyone. In order for visitors of the park to receive a memorable experience employees must undergo a vast amount of training. The Disney Company has created a culture in which their employees are valued as individuals and as part of a team. Disney believes you can have happy guests only if you have happy employees. (http://voices. yahoo. com/the-magic-disneys-organizational-behavior-concepts-550698. html). This is one example of organizational culture. Communication within an organization is the key to making any company successful. Disney believes that if the work environment is comfortable mployees will feel free to share their thoughts and ideas, and speak their mind. This is turn can lead to generating creative ideas. Employee participation ensures that everyone is working toward achieving the same goal of providing quality service and a memorable experience to park visitors. It is plain to see that Disney demonstrates diversity and empowerment.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Affects of the Newly Changing Economy on Teens essays

The Affects of the Newly Changing Economy on Teens essays The 21st century has brought many changes, one of, which is the way in which we conduct business. Commerace that was originaly conducted in person is moving more and more to a virtual setting. Teens make up 14% of online commerce and are projected to spend a total of which happens to be the largest single age group (based on a ten year scale) and are responsible for a great deal of our economic successes. Although this new market may be beneficial to our new global and capitalist economy, it may not always be beneficial for teens, and in some cases it may be harmful. Teens today have more money to spend due to the booming economy and they also have an easier way to spend it. Previous generations depended on parents to bring them to merchants. The Internet has allowed many teens to engage in commerce to the same extent as adults without hassle. This newly acquired convenience has not only made the purchasing of goods easier for teens but it has also allowed helped to fuel the economy. Teens participate in a number of on-line spending activities, in both the home and school environments. Such spending includes the purchase of books for school and other supplementary materials without ever leaving home. Recently, this process has been further simplified by the increase in the number of eWallets, which is a type of online bank account online teen shoppers. Another factor that has increased spending by teens is the emphasis placed on training youth to make smart financial decisions. This is being done in both home and school environments says, Geoffrey Ramsey, a Statistician at e-Marketer. In the scholastic venue many teens are becoming increasingly involved in consumer mathematics and economics. At home more and more parents are paying for financial education classes for teens. In a recent article, Mr. Ramsey also discussed how teens, with the supervision of their parents, are more involved than ever in online stock tradin...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Virunga National Park Essay Essays

The Virunga National Park Essay Essays The Virunga National Park Essay Essay The Virunga National Park Essay Essay The subject I chose for my research paper in the Virunga National Park. The National park is located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC ) which is located in Africa. The Virunga National Park day of the month of lettering is 1979 and was added to the endangered list in 1994. The Congo has serious economical and poverty issues. The issues that I am concerned and interested in are the mountain gorillas that inhabit the Virunga National Park. The chief issue I will be researching is the poaching of 1000s of the mountain gorillas that have been protected in the preservation. Since the Rwandan war broke out in 1994 the province of the DRC has suffered. Harmonizing to one estimation published in 2003 the war may straight and indirectly have caused the deceases of over 4 million people in DR Congo since 1996. As has become progressively common in Africa the victims were about all civilians. Because of the desolation left behind from the war the Congolese people have had to fall back to any agencies to last. some have resorted to poaching the mountain gorillas for net income. My research paper will research the preservation of the Virunga National Park and the advancement the park has accomplished therefore far. The Mining Company I work for is presently get downing a major excavation undertaking in the Congo. I have many co-workers and shut friends that have been asked to travel to the Congo and get down up the new mine. My neighbour has lived at that place now for approximately 8 months and has told me many narratives of her escapades. All of these narratives has peaked my involvement in larning more about the Congo. Mentions Conservation International. ( 2007 ) . Orphaned Baby Mountain Gorillas Rescued After Recent Slaughter in Congo. Press release retrieved October 20. 2007 from hypertext transfer protocol: //web. preservation. org/xp/news/press_releases/2007/072707. xml? KNC-adwords A ; gclid=CLfKh8q_no8CFQltZQodEj5GfA U. S. Department of State. ( September 18. 2007 ) . U. S. Support to Virunga National Park and Mountain Gorillas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved October 20. 2007 from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. province. gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/sep/92236. htm US Today. ( 2007 ) . Congo Rebels seize home ground for endangered gorillas. Retrieved October 20. 2007 from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. usatoday. com/news/world/environment/2007-10-07-gorillas_N. htm

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Life and Work of Jenny Holzer, Artist of Text-Based Truisms

Life and Work of Jenny Holzer, Artist of Text-Based Truisms Jenny Holzer is an American artist and political activist. Best known for her series of Truisms, text-based art exhibited in public spaces in the form of plainly worded statements written in bold, her work ranges in content from the neutral to the political. As both an exhibitor in public and private spaces, Holzer is keenly aware of the effects of her work on both the intentional and the casual passerby. She is inspired by reading, world events, and the contexts of her own life, though she seeks to be â€Å"out of view and out of earshot† in order to lend her work a voice of truth and trustworthiness. Fast Facts: Jenny Holzer Occupation: ArtistBorn:  July 29, 1950 in Gallipolis, OhioEducation: Duke University (no degree), University of Chicago (no degree), Ohio University (BFA), Rhode Island School of Design (MFA)Selected Works: Truisms (1977–79), Inflammatory Essays (1979–1982)Key Accomplishments: Golden Lion for Best Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (1990); member of the American Academy of Arts and LettersSpouse:  Mike Glier (m. 1983) Early Life and Education Jenny Holzer was born in Gallipolis, Ohio, where she grew up the oldest of three children. Her mother was an active participant in the community and her father was a car salesman. Holzer’s upbringing was rooted in Midwestern traditionalism, an attitude from which she believes the frankness in her art derives. â€Å"They want to get things done so they do it in the most expeditious way,† she has said of her fellow Midwesterners. â€Å"Expeditious as in fast and right.† It is perhaps for this reason that  her work is so often reproduced, as its split second appeal is derived from its keen ability to distill truths about our culture into digestible phrases. As a teenager, Holzer moved to Florida to attend Pine Crest Preparatory in Boca Raton before enrolling at Duke University for college. Holzer’s next few years were itinerant, seeing her leave Duke to enroll at the University of Chicago and then at Ohio University in Athens, where she received her BFA in Painting and Printmaking. Holzer would go on to receive her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. She married fellow RISD student Mike Glier in 1983 and had her daughter Lili in 1988. Early Artwork Holzer did not arrive at using text as the base of her artistic career without a few detours along the way. She began her life as an artist as an abstract painter, inspired by many of the great painters of Abstract Expressionism. By her own admission, she was only a decent third generation American abstract painter, as she felt that there was a more relevant way to communicate the fast-paced media culture that was on the rise in the late 70s and early 80s. Motivated by the conviction that her work ought to include discernible content (rather than the formal content of abstraction), but feeling the genre of social realism to be increasingly of the past, Holzer began placing words in her work, often in the form of found objects such as scraps of newspaper and other clippings. It was at this point that she began placing her work in public spaces to test their effect on passers-by. The realization that art could engage people who did not intend to see it, moving them to think or even provoking them to argue, motivated her to pursue text-based work. Truisms and Inflammatory Essays In her last year as an MFA student at RISD, Holzer rethought the inclusion of words in her work by using her own. She wrote a selection of one liners which were meant to distill truths encountered almost daily in Western civilization, which she then assembled into a series of posters. Though the phrasing of these posters was original, she sought to tap into universal sentiments that would seem familiar as ideas. â€Å"I want them to be accessible,† she said, â€Å"but not so easy that you throw them away after a second or two. Among these statements are phrases like â€Å"ABUSE OF POWER COMES AS NO SURPRISE,† â€Å"PROTECT ME FROM WHAT I WANT,† and â€Å"MONEY MAKES TASTE.† The Truisms, as they are known, have been posted in various locations throughout the world and have been translated into several languages. From Holzers Survivor Series.   Getty Images Thinking the Truisms too bland, Holzer began a series of political works also printed on posters in capital letters, which she called the Inflammatory Essays. With the allotment of a paragraph per poster, Holzer was able to dive into more complex ideas and explore more controversial topics. Art, Technology, and Public Space Holzer’s work has always been intertwined with technology, and in 1992 she began using LED signs for a project commissioned by the Public Art Fund for Times Square. Enthralled by their ability to display text in motion, she continued using the signs as they lent her words a neutral authority that the posters could not, as posters carried with them the connotation of anarchist protests. Since 1996, Holzer has worked with light based projections as installations, using the facades of monumental buildings as the canvas onto which she projects scrolling text. Holzer’s use of the institution as the base upon which her work rests has been the inspiration for numerous political protests since Holzer developed the method. Though Holzer’s work is largely concerned with text, its visual expression is a key element of her work. From the deliberate eye catching colors of the Inflammatory Essays laid out in grids to the speed and font of her scrolling texts, Holzer is a visual artist who has found her voice in words, an artistic medium she found best expressed her views on the culture of media in which she came of age. The material of these signs- whether they be LED lights of the carved stone of her Sarcophagi series- is equally as important as their verbal content. Jenny Holzers light projections on the faà §ade of 30 Rockefeller Plaza.   Getty Images Holzer’s work centers around text and its placement in public spaces. Using billboards, jumbotrons, lighted signs, and walls, Holzer uses city streets and areas of public interaction as her canvas. She is interested in the ability of public art to provoke a reaction and perhaps start a conversation. Not all Holzer’s work is staged outdoors, and when she does exhibit in gallery spaces, she is equally deliberate with their curation as she is when planning work publicly. As she is conscious of the museum goers slowed pace, she takes the opportunity to construct more complex interactions among her works, often juxtaposing different mediums. Reception and Legacy Holzer’s work has been presented in countless exhibitions and retrospectives across the world. She has won numerous prizes, including the Golden Lion for Best Pavilion at the 1990 Venice Biennale (where she represented the United States), and has been honored by the French Government with a diploma of Chevalier from the Order of Arts and Letters. In 2018, she was selected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, one of 250 living members. Sources Art 21 (2009). Jenny Holzer: Writing Difficulty. [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?vCxrxnPLmqEsKort, C. and Sonneborn, L. (2002).  A to Z of American Women in the Visual Arts. New York: Facts on File, Inc. 98-100.Waldman, D. Jenny Holzer. (1989). New York: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation in association with Henry N. Abrams.Tate (2018). Jenny Holzers Inflammatory Essays: Why I Love. [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?vONIUXi84YCc

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A health intervention plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A health intervention plan - Essay Example Such a plan is also aimed at improving the health and quality of life of the community. This is done by setting up ways of preventing and treating diseases, attending to physical and mental conditions, surveillance of these conditions and lastly through the promotion of healthy behaviors (Anderson & McFarlane, 2010). Implementing a community health intervention plans is a difficult and labor intensive process that requires dedication and resources from all the stakeholders in order to ensure success. The process is tedious and involves a variety of issues. First of all the implementers must have a clear goal or purpose why they want to undertake the exercise, and the community they want to involve in such a plan. They must identify the health problem that exists and what they want to achieve by setting up the intervention plan. The implementers need this, as it will help them to communicate to the community why such an intervention is needed and why their participation is of great im portance. The next thing in the process is to have knowledge of the community in terms of its economic conditions, political setup, norms and values, demographic information, history, and their previous reactions to such plans. For the implementation process to succeed the implementers also need understand the community’s perceptions of the people conducting the exercise. At this stage of the process it is important to establish relationships, work on trust, and engage with both the formal and the informal leaders of the community. The process also requires the participation of the community organizations in mobilizing leaders and the community to ensure the success of the process. It is known that for such a program to be successful the community must play the integral part in all spheres of the program. In the process of implementing the program, it is of great importance to let the people own the process rather than forcing ideas on them. This will make it easier for the i mplementers of the project to accomplish the task successfully (Katz, 2010). The implementers then move to another stage of identifying and mobilizing the community’s assets such as skills and experiences of individuals, developing capacities and resources such as materials and economic power. These are used for continuously to implement decisions and to initiate actions. Here training in leadership, meetings and discussions will be of great importance with experts who will deal with a variety of issues (Anderson & McFarlane, 2010). The last part of the process is to engage the people full in the intervention program by initiating actions and interventions to the community. These should be flexible and enough to help the community in solving their changing needs. As the community participates in these activities, they experience a high level of behavior change. The implementation process requires commitment from the organization and other stakeholders to ensure its success. T he commitment will come from continuous training and offering of technical assistance to emerging problems (Katz, 2010). The community nurse plays a variety of roles in such health intervention plan. He/she acts as a leader by guiding the community in coming up with ways of improving the health of the community. He/she identifies the problems that require interventions and proposes ways to address them. He/she will also act as an advocate for good health to the community by arguing on behalf of the community so that they get the best health care services available. Another role is to construct caring such that they create caring environments by assessing, controlling, correcting and

Friday, October 18, 2019

Capital punishment -argumentativ paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Capital punishment -argumentativ paper - Essay Example Though some people may be against the sentencing, especially with the belief that he might have been insane, the evidence that was presented against Middlebrooks shows that he got the sentence that he deserved. When the autopsy of Kerrick Majors had been released, it was determined that the cause of his death were stab wounds. Even though he had pinned Brewington as the one in charge of the actions against Kerrick Majors since he stabbed the boy, Middlebrooks also admitted to having stabbed Majors once. Since the cause of death was proven to be from the stab wounds that Middlebrooks and Brewington horrifically administered to the boy, both men were directly involved in the death (Bohm 26). By claiming to have stabbed Majors, Middlebrooks essentially confessed to killing him. Furthermore, Middlebrooks claimed to have stabbed Majors to put the victim out of his misery. Not only did Middlebrooks admit to stabbing the boy, but he also admitted to stabbing him with the intent of killing h im. Even though Middlebrooks and some of his character witnesses tried to claim that Middlebrooks was not fully mentally competent to understand what he did, he still made it clear that he had a concrete intention when he brought the knife down on Majors. While Middlebrooks may have viewed his actions as helpful to the boy, albeit gruesomely so, the actions still resulted in Majors’ death. Middlebrooks’ argument during the course of his trial was that he only acted the way he had because Brewington, being a larger boy and angrier than Middlebrooks, frightened him. However, he later claimed to have taken part in the stabbing because he wanted to appear cool in front of his tougher friend. Regardless of the reason behind his actions, which kept changing throughout his trial, he still allowed himself to be swayed to the point of taking the life of an innocent boy. Instead of walking away and seeking help, or trying to talk down his friend, Middlebrooks engaged in the beat ing. Since very little was looked into the role that Brewington played, it would be almost impossible to determine if Middlebrooks was acting of his own accord or if he really was being forced to join in on the torturing of the young man. As it is, simply by standing around as the violence took place, Middlebrooks just as well killed Kerrick Majors. This is in regardless of whether he actually physically caused Majors to die or did not seek the help that was desperately needed. â€Å"Those who stand by and watch someone else die are just as guilty as the person who is causing the damage (Garland & McGowen 21).† However, as previously stated, Middlebrooks had already admitted to physically harming the boy for the sake of putting him out of his pain. No matter how he tried to condone his actions, someone else died because of his inability to control his own temper and his unwillingness to do something that would benefit the dying boy. On the other side of the table, it is belie ved that Middlebrooks had sufficient proof that he was not mentally stable enough to stand trial and therefore was not fit to receive the death sentence (Krzycki), or any such sentence. Witnesses revealed that Middlebrooks had a past of molestation and abuse as a child, which caused him to develop borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and a psychotic personality disor

Accidents Resulting from Police High Speed Pursuits And Responses to Research Paper

Accidents Resulting from Police High Speed Pursuits And Responses to Emergency Calls - Research Paper Example In order to exploit the public interests in watching such risky chases by police officers, some television channels are currently telecasting such chases. However, it should be noted that many of these risky chases often end up in severe accidents. Both the offenders and the chasers suffer accidents and severe injuries because of high speed police pursuits. There are plenty of incidents in which lawsuits arise against the government and the police as a result of high speed police pursuits. There is a hot national debate ongoing concerning when, if at all, police should be involved in high-speed pursuits. One side says that police should use their discretion and should not terminate a chase merely because of an increased risk to the public. The opposite view is that by chasing an offender, the police magnify the risk of injury to the general public (Sanderson, n. d., p.2). It is difficult for the police to act as silent witnesses when people violate laws. The purpose of police force is to enforce the implementation of law and order in a society or country. This purpose will not be served if police officers remain idle when people violate law and order. At the same time, it is the duty of the police officers to catch or arrest the offenders in a safe manner. It should be noted that the risky chasing of the offenders may cause danger not only to the offender and the chasers but also to the innocent people. Accidents resulting from responses to emergency calls are also substantial in volume in America. It should be noted that the first hour immediately after the road accidents are critical in saving the lives of the injured people. In an attempt to reach the site as quickly as possible, traffic police often forced to drive their vehicle in high speeds. These high speed driving often end up in unexpected accidents in which both the police and the innocent people suffer injuries or death. In short, unintentional or unexpected accidents due to high speed police pursuits and responses to emergency calls are growing day by day in America and different lawsuits are arising as a result of that. This paper analyses the legal dimensions of accidents caused by high speed police pursuits and responses to emergency calls. Review of Literature â€Å"Police pursuits contribute to traffic violation, loss of officers, and death or injury of innocent people. According to a study by Jeff Martin, fleeing suspects create tragedies despite the efforts to terminate pursuits† (Schultz et al., 2010, p.1). Hoffmann & Mazerolle (2005) pointed out that â€Å"Police high-speed pursuits present a difficult area for police managers and policy makers because of the important need to balance public safety with the mandate to enforce laws† (Hoffmann & Mazerolle, 2005, p.530). Kaminski et al. (2012) argued that â€Å"in vast majority of pursuits, deputies and suspects were uninjured or sustained only minor injuries. In this regard, they do not appear to be any more hazardous than resistive encounters generally† (Kaminski et al., 2012, p.177). However, there are plenty of cases in which the suspects or the police suffer severe injuries and even death as a result of high speed police pursuit. John Hill (2002) pointed out that â€Å"police pursuits result in about 350 deaths per year and the number of pursuits increases each year. Moreover, about 2,500 persons die each year as a result of police pursuits and that another 55,000 are injured† (Hill, 2002, p.14-15). A study conducted by Rivara & Mack in 2004 to determine the motor vehicle crash deaths related to police pursuits yielded the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Assembly operation Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assembly operation Assessment - Assignment Example Further, it is imperative to note that in the contemporary business marketplace, new opportunities keep unveiling and new managers, equipped with different ideas, take over organizations that are also on the learning path. Therefore, the sufficient alignment of the organizational operations and managerial capabilities with the emerging forces seems to be the only way for organizations to optimize value from their operational endeavors. This paper seeks to assess the assembly operations of a digital camera company in light of its operational excellence and performance. Further, the paper will suggest necessary corrective actions in a bid to revise and properly align strategic goals towards the overall aims of the organization. As a conventional rule, the assembly operational capability of any firm in the digital camera industry should first and foremost conform to the rating requirements of the regulatory authority within the industry. Further, the company should also seek to strategi cally place itself in a better competitive quarter in relation to the production and assembly costs, quality of the cameras and the overall satisfaction of the ever changing customer needs. Organizations must further seek to provide responsive products and services that aim to fit in the changing consumption trends but which are also enabling the clients to optimize value of their expenditure. Thompson et al (2009), observes that in addition to executing strategic goals that aim to address all the competitive factors affecting the organizational market share, companies in the digital camera industry must be ready to assess their strategic options and make appropriate changes and corrections where necessary so as to sustain growth and development while satisfying the increasing demands of the customers (Thompson et al, 2009). From the assessment templates, it is evident that if the company continues with the current strategic policies without amendments, the overall cumulative unit v olume of cameras that it will assemble in the tenth year will be significantly below the desired quantity. This is in reference to the previous and current assembly capabilities. This is because the company is only able to produce cumulative unit volume of 1024 at the end of the fifth year, while the previous highest achieved volume is 917. However, the gap between the highest previously achieved and the cumulative unit volumes reduce significantly in the six year as is between 1045 and 1024. Further, the difference spreads to the negative in the projected year 10, when the company produces less than the highest achieved in the previous years. The trend is also evident from the results of the unit assembly that the company does entirely on in-house basis. The units increase to 1024 in the year 6 up from 917 in the year 5. However, the increase is not commensurate between the years 6 and 10 respectively and the company must assess the reasons behind the marginal decrease and implemen t mitigating operational approaches to help save the situation (Thompson et al, 2009). Moreover, the significant reduction in the number of overtime

Human-Digital Interaction Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human-Digital Interaction Design - Essay Example This report will point out the main recommendations that are placed for the effective systems design and development. This system is developed basically for the enhancement of overall working power of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. This system will be used for the Vehicle Excise Duty [VED] calculation and management. The main aim behind this system development is to enhance the working power of the DVLA’s workforce. In this section I will talk about the user experience analysis regarding the DVLA system development and handling. This system is intended to enhance the overall working power of the DVLA’s Vehicle Excise Duty processing. I will talk about the main criteria regarding the better user support and working efficiency. In the next sections I will talk about the main corrective actions those we have taken regarding the effective system development. During this system development we have established that we will implement the overall system according to and on basic user requirements and specification. This system will be VED processing system that requires extensive user management and task handling. We have tried to incorporate the user centric design regarding the effective system development, in this way we will priorities the user requirements and the implementation of these requirements will rely on their interaction to the user, most frequently accessed section of the system are given more concentration and perfect touch by presenting more better user design. In this scenario we have tried to implement the overall user task in way so that their management of the user tasks can be handled in a sequence. Its mean the user task execution must be managed through incorporating effective user task flow analysis. This analysis has helped us regarding the implementation of the overall system functionalities in a better way. This will also ensure that the implementation of tasks are appropriate and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Assembly operation Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assembly operation Assessment - Assignment Example Further, it is imperative to note that in the contemporary business marketplace, new opportunities keep unveiling and new managers, equipped with different ideas, take over organizations that are also on the learning path. Therefore, the sufficient alignment of the organizational operations and managerial capabilities with the emerging forces seems to be the only way for organizations to optimize value from their operational endeavors. This paper seeks to assess the assembly operations of a digital camera company in light of its operational excellence and performance. Further, the paper will suggest necessary corrective actions in a bid to revise and properly align strategic goals towards the overall aims of the organization. As a conventional rule, the assembly operational capability of any firm in the digital camera industry should first and foremost conform to the rating requirements of the regulatory authority within the industry. Further, the company should also seek to strategi cally place itself in a better competitive quarter in relation to the production and assembly costs, quality of the cameras and the overall satisfaction of the ever changing customer needs. Organizations must further seek to provide responsive products and services that aim to fit in the changing consumption trends but which are also enabling the clients to optimize value of their expenditure. Thompson et al (2009), observes that in addition to executing strategic goals that aim to address all the competitive factors affecting the organizational market share, companies in the digital camera industry must be ready to assess their strategic options and make appropriate changes and corrections where necessary so as to sustain growth and development while satisfying the increasing demands of the customers (Thompson et al, 2009). From the assessment templates, it is evident that if the company continues with the current strategic policies without amendments, the overall cumulative unit v olume of cameras that it will assemble in the tenth year will be significantly below the desired quantity. This is in reference to the previous and current assembly capabilities. This is because the company is only able to produce cumulative unit volume of 1024 at the end of the fifth year, while the previous highest achieved volume is 917. However, the gap between the highest previously achieved and the cumulative unit volumes reduce significantly in the six year as is between 1045 and 1024. Further, the difference spreads to the negative in the projected year 10, when the company produces less than the highest achieved in the previous years. The trend is also evident from the results of the unit assembly that the company does entirely on in-house basis. The units increase to 1024 in the year 6 up from 917 in the year 5. However, the increase is not commensurate between the years 6 and 10 respectively and the company must assess the reasons behind the marginal decrease and implemen t mitigating operational approaches to help save the situation (Thompson et al, 2009). Moreover, the significant reduction in the number of overtime

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Surrealism. Annotated bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Surrealism. Annotated bibliography - Essay Example By considering the artist’s experience, one can discover the depth of the joint meaning of dreams through interpreting surrealistic arts along with Skyrsky’s dreams. This journal article is relevant to my essay because even though it does not examine a specific art work that I am going to address, it demonstrates a profound way of examining dreams in art. Freud, Sigmund. The Interpretation of Dreams. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print. In his book, Freud Sigmund argues that dreams express one’s desires. According to Freud, when one is conscious, unfulfilled desires are controlled by Spereo. Spereo is the censor that activates awareness of desires and enforces morality. Spereo lowers our guard to those desires in dreams so that we are able to see and act them out while we are dreaming. This book is useful to my study because Freud’s theory has influenced many artists and his idea overlaps Michael Gondry’s approach to dreams in the movie, The Science of Sleep. I believe that this work will help me to interpret the movie for my essay. Bohn, Willard. "Surrealism." New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 15 Jan. 2011

Robin Hood Essay Example for Free

Robin Hood Essay Robin Hood has several problems that need to be addressed. The main issues arising that he should address first is the fact that his band has grown and is continuing to grow way too quickly, all while money and food are running out. As the numbers of Merrymen are growing, travelers are finding alternate routes through the forest to avoid apprehension, which has resulted in a decline in the band’s revenue. These changes must be addressed along with the structuring and training of the ever-growing band of Merrymen. Analysis: Need for new strategy Robin Hood is definitely in need of a fresh strategy in response to external happenings. He needs to reduce the number of new recruits, find other ways to find provisions for his gang, delegate tasks more, enforce more discipline, and join forces with the barons. Robin Hood needs to figure out how to change the fact that the travelers are beginning to avoid the forest to protect their belongings even though this is adding cost and inconvenience to them. Robin’s current plan to force the Sheriff out of Nottingham is not working. The Sheriff is continuously using powerful connections to apply added pressure to Robin and the Merrymen. He has more money and more men. Alternative Solutions: Joining the Barons Robin Hood thought has about just killing the sheriff, but that would be pointless. It would not improve the situations at hand; it would only quench his thirst for personal revenge. The best decision that Robin hood could make would be to just join the barons to collect the ransom to release King Richard. It is risky but it is less risky than doing what he is presently doing which is nothing.. Although it would be a dangerous decision, by joining them, there will no longer be a need to steal from the rich, the sheriff would not be in power; therefore his threat would be minimal, and King Richard would then be able to answer to all the peasant’s needs. It is pretty much a win-win for Robin Hood and his gang. Conclusion: Even though Robin Hood does have other options, joining the barons seems to be the most beneficial to him and his merrymen. Robin Hood’s Mission and Vision Statements- Because Robin Hood’s initial mission to â€Å"rob the rich and give to the poor† is no longer effective, and because the organization is changing, their mission statement has to be revised. Their main mission immediately needs to be to minimize the number of new recruits. Their mission statement should now focus on the existing men in the gang, and how to maximize all resources. This is the same with Robin Hood’s vision. His vision was once to just get rid of the Sheriff, but that was not working out so well for him. A new vision should be to focus on becoming joined with the barons and the ways that they can run the Sheriff out of town all together. Robin Hood has only had plans and visions for the present, but he now needs to make long term plans for the future. This will help him always be prepared, and keep his chances down low of being beat out by the Sherriff.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Applications of Pneumatic Systems in Aircraft

Applications of Pneumatic Systems in Aircraft PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS Introduction When talking about pneumatic system, we need to talk about where the pneumatic system comes from and it comes from a power system, there are three different types of power systems, Hydraulic system Pneumatic system Electrical system Pneumatic systems in Aircrafts Pneumatic systems they are also known as vacuum or pressure systems, the power many functions which are important to the aircraft. Power instrument landing gear, flaps, windows, air conditioning, doors and auto pilot devises are some of many operations powered by pneumatic system. Pneumatic and hydraulic systems are similar and use compressed fluids. Fluid property could be liquids as water, oil, or something that flows. And both liquids and gases flow, since they are considered as fluids; however, there is a great deal of difference in the characteristics of the two. Liquids cannot be compressible; a quart of water still occupies about a quart of space regardless of how hard it is compressed. But gases can be compressed, a quart of air can be compressed into a thimbleful of space. Considering this differences gases and liquids are fluids and can be made to transmit power. The type of unit used to provide pressurized air for pneumatic systems is determined by the system’s air pressure requirements. Components in Pneumatic System Hydraulic systems are sometimes compared to, pneumatic systems but some similarities can only be true in general terms. Such as Pneumatic systems do not utilize reservoirs hand pumps accumulators regulators building normal pressure from engine or electrically driven power pumps But similarities do exist in some components. Air Compressors Simply an air compressor is a Pump that compresses air, its job is raising air pressure to above established pressure for use in pneumatic systems on some aircraft, air compressors have permanently installed and added to recharge air bottles when pressure is used to operate a unit. Several types of compressors that are used for this purpose. Some have three stages of compression, while the others have two, depending on the desired operating pressure. Relief Valves Relief valves are used to prevent damage. They act as a pressure limiting units and prevent bursting lines and blowing out seals from excessive pressures. Control Valves Control valves are also a necessary part of a typical pneumatic system. It is used to control conditions such aspressure, flow,temperature, andliquidlevel by fully or gradually opening or closing. Control Valve is also called a Final Control Element. Check Valves Check valves are used in both hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Check valve is also called a one way valve which allows pressurized air to enter the system, but it prevents backflow of air toward the Compressor when Compressor system is stopped which prevent loss of pressure in the system. Restrictors Restrictor is type of control valve used in pneumatic system. Figure below 1llustrates an orifice type restrictor which has a large inlet port and a small outlet port. The rate of the airflow and the speed of operation of the actuating unit will be reduce by the small outlet port. Variable Restrictor The variable restrictor is a type of speed regulating unit it contains an adjustable needle valve, therefore has threads around top and the lower end. Depending on the direction turned and the needle valve turns the sharp point either into or out the small opening to decrease or to increase the size of the opening. Since air entering the inlet port must be able to pass through this opening before reaching the outlet port adjustment determines the rate of airflow through the restrictor. PRESSURE REGULATOR The pressure regulator is to control the maximum pressure in the system and to off-load the compressor when the system is idle. Oil and Water Trap regulator The oil and water trap is designed to remove any water or oil which may be suspended in the air delivered by the compressor. Air Filters Air filters purpose is to prevent oil vapor, dirt or moisture from passing into the various services. It is installed vertically with the drain plug at the bottom. Some advantages are Prevent system contamination Remove air particulates Clean air is essential to good operation Figure 1. View of Cutaway air filter. Air entering the top of section first flows through the element to remove solid particles. Then flows in a circular motion, where centrifugal force separates water from the air stream, andthen the water falls to the filters sump. Storage Bottles Storage bottles act as a reservoir of compressed air which operates all services to pneumatic system. Compressors main use is to build up system pressure when it falls below normal pressure level. The size of the bottles are taken from the volume of actuators and pipelines determines required for the normal and emergency pneumatic services. Storage bottles are generally made of steel, and may use a wire wound construction for maximum strength. Light ally or fiberglass materials may be other typs of material wich will be used. Air Pump Heart of pneumatic system is pressure or vacuum air pump. Which is usually engine driven) There are two basic types: †¢Wet air pumps which use engine oil to lubricate pump internally †¢Dry air pumps which is more common more common have graphite vanes inside pump casing self-lubricate as pump rotates High pressure systems High pressure system is driven by an engine driven compressor feeds air from an unloading valve through the system keeping the pressure. The pressure around this system is 3000 psi but this will vary from manufacturer to another. There will usually also be a ground valve on the aircraft system to enable to pressurize when the main engines are not running. In high pressure systems air is normally stored in a metal bottles at pressures from 1000-3000 psi, depending on the particular aircraft system. Some high pressure systems are Oxygen lines Flaps Breaks Landing gear Low pressure systems Low pressure systems are pressurized up to 1000 psi and uses an engine driven vane type pump. They are may be used to drive Air cons door seals de-ice boots small low power applications Medium-Pressure Systems A medium-pressure pneumatic system usually does not include an air bottle. Instead, it draws air from the compressor section of a turbine engine. Which is generally around 50 to 150 psi This is often called bleed air process and is used to provide pneumatic power for engine starts, engine deicing, wing deicing, and in some cases, it provides hydraulic power to the aircraft systems but only if the hydraulic system is equipped with an air-driven hydraulic pump. Engine bleed air is also used to pressurize the reservoirs of the hydraulic system. Emergency Backup Systems Many aircraft use a high pressure pneumatic back up system source to extend the landing gear or actuate the brakes. And if main hydraulic braking system fails. Nitrogen gas is not directly used to actuate the landing gear or brake system units but applies the pressurized nitrogen to move hydraulic fluid to the actuator. This process is called pneudraulics. Nitrogen Bottles There are two bottles of nitrogen stored for emergency use, mostly bottles located on each side of nose wheel well. Actuation of an outlet valve released by Nitrogen from the bottles. Once depleted, maintenance personnel must recharge the bottles. Fully serviced pressure will be approximately 3,100 psi at 70  °F/21  °C, which is only enough for one extension of the landing gear. PNEUMATIC SYSTEM The illustrator below is a typical full pneumatic system as is used on a twin engine commuter transport aircraft. Each procedure is shown below in dot points Each of the two compressors is a four stage piston type pump, driven from the accessory gearbox of the two turboprop engines. Air is taken into the first stage through an air duct. It is compressed, then passes to the other three stages. From the fourth stage the discharge air is routed through an intercooler and a bleed valve to the unloading valve. The bleed valve is kept closed by engine oil pressure and in an event of a loss of an engine lubricating oil, the valve will open and relieve the pump of any load. The unloading valve maintains pressure between 2,900 and 3,300 psi in the system. When the pressure rises to 3,300 psi a check valve traps it and dumps the output of the pump air overboard. The pump is directed back into the system when the system pressure drops to 2,900 psi. The shuttle valve which is between the compressor and the main system makes it possible to charge the system from a ground source. When the pressure from the external source is higher than the external source of the compressor, when the engine is not running, the shuttle slides over and freezers the compressor. Compressed air system have moisture and this will condense and freeze when the pressure of the air is dropped for actuation because of this every bit of water must be removed from the air. Then a separator collects the water that is in the air on a baffle and holds it until the system is shut down. When the separator’s pressure drops below 450 psi, a drain valve operates and all of the accumulated water is blown overboard. Then an electric heater prevents the water collected in the separator from freezing. After the air leaves the moisture separator, about 98% of its water removed, it passes through a desiccant, or chemical drier, to remove the last traces of moisture. Before the air enters the actual operating system it is filtered through a 10 micron sintered metal filter. In the right engine nacelle a back pressure valve is installed. This is essentially a pressure relief valve in the supply line that does not open until the pressure from the compressor or ground charging system is above 1700 psi and this make sure that the moisture separator will operate most efficiently. The left side where there is no back pressure valve can be connected if it is required to operate the system from an external source of less than 1700 psi. There are three air storage bottles in this type of aircraft system, A 750 cu. Inch bottle for the main system A 180 cu. Inch bottle for normal brake operation A 180 cu. Inch bottle for emergency operation of the landing gear and brakes. Then come the mutually operated isolation valve which allows a technician to close off the air supply so that the system can be serviced without having to discharge the storage bottle. Most of the components in this system operate with pressure of 1000 psi so a pressure reducing valve is installed between the isolation valve and the supply manifold for normal operation of the landing gear passenger door drag brake propeller brake nose wheel steering Since this valve reduces the pressure to 1000 psi it also serves as a backup pressure relief valve. The emergency system stores compressed air under the full system pressure of 3,300 psi and supplies it for landing gear emergency extension. EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM In a failure of the hydraulic system, the pilot of a large aircraft can operate a pneumatic valve on the instrument panel and direct compressed air or nitrogen into the brake system. When the pilot turns the handle, a regulator is adjusted that controls the air pressure to the brakes. When sufficient pressure reaches the brake line, the piston moves up against the force of the control spring and shuts off the inlet valve. The compression of the spring determines the amount of pressure supplied to the brake. When the brake handle is rotated in the direction to release the brakes, the air is exhausted overboard. Then rather than allowing compressed air to enter the wheel cylinder, which would require the entire brake system to be bled of air, the emergency air may be directed into a transfer tube. The air forces hydraulic fluid from the tube into the brake system. Emergency operation of the brakes is also achieved in many aircraft by the use of compressed air. When the pilot is sure that there is no hydraulic pressure to the brakes, the pneumatic brake handle, located on the left instrument panel, can be rotated. Clockwise rotation of this handle increases the brake pressure. Nitrogen pressure released by this control handle forces hydraulic fluid in the transfer tube into the main wheel brakes through shuttle valves. When the brake handle is rotated counterclockwise pressure is released and the nitrogen is exhausted overboard. http://www.engineerstudent.co.uk/uni_directional_flow_control_valve_symbols.html http://navyaviation.tpub.com/14018/css/14018_285.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relief_valve http://mech-engineer.blogspot.com.au/2009/05/drawworks-brake-system-training-course.html http://www.aliexpress.com/airbrush-compressor-regulator_reviews.html http://www.airid.com/high-volume-drain-valve.html http://basicaerospace.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/aircraft-pneumatic-system-for-beginners.html

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Narrative Essay :: Personal Narrative

MY BEAUTIFUL PARROT AND MY TROUBLED ROOSTER I remember when I was ten years old, and my dad used to tell me how attractive parrots were. But I argued with him that roosters were more beautiful than parrots because I had never seen a parrot before. I remember Dad when he brought me a parrot in a cage and said to me it was the one that he believed to be the most attractive bird in the world. I looked at him and turned around and stared at the parrot because I was amazed. Since that day I have become convinced that parrots have many qualities, which make them superior to roosters. Parrots are more attractive than roosters. They have bright red or orange hood bills and colorful feathers, with pointed tails and dark black clawed feet. Its eyes are bright with a delightful look. Looking at a parrot is like looking at a rainbow that has many different bright colors, while rooster have fat reddish combs that look like roses that have withered. Its feathers have dull color that does not stand out. Their feet claws are dark brown like mud. Even though roosters have spangled feathers that are white with dark tips, still it is a common color. Parrots are also more intelligent than roosters. This parrot that I saw is only attractive, but intelligent. He can be tamed and imitate word and actions. Also he has the ability to mimic human speech. I remember my sister when she got into trouble at school, annd my mom was very upset with her, so she scolded her. After she had scolded her our parrot began teasing her with words that my mom said so she got really mad and left to her room. From that day till now my sister thought of our parrot as a stupid bird, but I thought of him as an intelligent bird. My rooster; however, on the other hand, had poor abilities and performed simple acts. One morning my dad tried to tame my rooster and make him catch a grasshopper, yet he caught our cat’s tail, so she screamed and chased him. My rooster was terrified, so he hid under the bushes for two days. Finally, parrots have better temperament than roosters. They’re sensitive and enjoyable. My mom enjoys cooking while our parrot sings the alphabet, and when she forgets the food timing on the oven, he reminds her.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Crime and Social Issues Essay

Many crime problems in my area which are creating difficulties for peoples day by day. I have seen many crimes have been done in my area. * Snatching * Drugs dealing * Shop lifting * Stabbing * Gang fighting * Theft and robbed * The area where I live is ok; I have been robbed for my money a couple of times – nothing too bad. But my friends live in a really bad estate. There’s always stuff going on there. People are shot and stabbed all the time. * It all starts with people getting rude with each other. One person is rude to someone else, and then the victim goes and gets their gang for revenge. Sometimes it’s just two gangs fighting and punching each other. But on this estate, it’s nearly always killing. Guns and knives are everywhere. * It’s always worse when the gang hires someone else to do the killing. They only give a description of the person they want taken care of. So the hit man hasn’t even seen the guy he’s going to shoot before. Sometimes they shoot the wrong person. Then, if the person who was killed by mistake was in a gang, their gang goes and gets revenge. So it never ends. * I’m most worried about knife crime, because you can get knives anywhere – from the kitchen, shops and people from round the estates. My friend’s big brother was stabbed in the chest with a knife, because he was involved in some bad stuff. * In my school it’s not so bad because they check us for weapons. The only weapons we’re allowed are compasses. * I’m not so afraid of gangs, because they don’t have a reason to go after me. But my friends Dad got involved in drugs. Now he’s got some gangs after him because of some trouble that happened. * When I visit my mates on the estate, I feel more protected than afraid, because I know my friends and their brothers are looking out for me. People there recognise me now, so I know even the drug dealers would look after me on their patches. They know I’m not causing any trouble. But I’d be very; very afraid for my life there if no-one was looking out for me. Snatching: About 10 houses in front of me was this young lady walking by a car parked along the grass patch outside one of the terrace houses. As she was reaching the rear end of this clean decent looking Silver Proton Waja, I noticed the engine started and the left rear passenger doors window was being wound down. Suddenly a man emerged out of the rear passenger doors window his entire torso! And making a grab of this ladies handbag!!!! As this man emerged from the cars window, the Silver Proton Waja was pulling out of its parking position slowly not in a hurry with the man from within just dragging the lady and her handbag along until she gave it up!! Then they drove off slowly no hurry!!! Conclusion: My report about crime problem in my area which I have describe in my report, we should do safety every time and inform to police about any crime or suspicious activities in area or any surrounding area.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Shareholder vs Stakeholder vs Market Failure’s Model

Business and ethics are often considered as opposite ends of a magnet, one in the means of seeking profit and other with the common assumption of refraining from profit maximization; so the question become is business ethics really an oxymoron? The usual perception of business ethics is very poor and pessimistic as many corporate executives say one thing yet do another. Although the maximization of self-interest and profit seeking is what drives the economy forward, but how should one’s actions be justified, is it ok to do as you wish as long as the law permits?Business managers along with other professionals have sets of ethical codes laid out and are to be followed. There is the bar set in place to monitor the practices of each individual lawyer; medical association for doctors as they perform medicine; and a ring to be worn to constantly remind the engineers of their professionalism and the potential consequences of their work (Heath). Managers on the other hand do not have an association to oversee the decisions they make, whether they are permissible by law or meet the moral obligations.However not having the standards on paper does not mean there aren’t any to be followed. In order to make justification for the type of behaviours business managers have and to outline the appropriate actions they should take, many ethical theories have been developed since. There are three that best represent the key perspectives in this matter; Friedman’s Shareholder theory, Freeman’s Stakeholder theory and Heath’s Market Failure Model of business ethics (Heath).Each of them is the pillars of which many other theories are based on but have very different and opposite views. The Shareholder theory suggests that manager has fiduciary duties to the shareholders only and must maximize profits as long as the law permits. The Stakeholder theory on the other hand suggests that managers have fiduciary duties to all stakeholders whom are positive ly or negatively affected by the decisions of the firm; shareholders are only of the stakeholders and their benefits cannot account for all.The making of one group’s benefits can only be made in conjunction of making all other stakeholders better too; shareholders are no more special than the suppliers, customers, employees and communities. Both the Stakeholder and Shareholder’s theories are biased towards different ends, one suggesting profits to be maximized for one group while the other stating that profits should be common good for all. Furthermore, the Market Failure Model of business ethics comes in between the two, yet containing arguments of both but in revised versions.I will argue in this paper that the Market Failure Model is the one that best describes the causes and effects of the business environment we have today and the role ethics play within it. First, an extraction and analysis of the Market Failure Model will be conducted and be used to explain why it is the best fit for the current business environment and ethics. I will then explain the shortfalls of the Shareholder and Stakeholder theories and why they lack considerations on a broader scope. Market Failure Model Market failure is the situation when the competitive market fails to provide an efficient outcome.In order for an efficient allocation of resources, there must be the absence of externalities, symmetrical information between buyers and sellers, insurance markets, and utility maximizing agents whom are rational when making decisions (Heath). However in the real world, the above conditions are rarely met and thus the idea of a perfect market becomes only ideal in theory but impractical in reality. In response to such failure in the market, two corrective phenomenons exist. The first being the creation of corporations which is organized in a system of hierarchy.Managers have fiduciary duty to follow legal as well as moral constraints to achieve profit maximization for members in the hierarchy, in this case the shareholders. Moreover, in order to achieve the highest profits for anyone in the market, they will need to compete in prices as well as product innovation. Many historical scenarios has proven that competition leads to economic advancements where without it would result in economic stagnation. China and India had been communist states in the past where there were minimum price competition and product innovations, the government had full control and attempted to effectively allocate resources.However such intervention only led to full economic stagnation and poverty for its people. By the late 80s, both the Chinese and India government returned control to the market itself where competition for profit resumed and thus the economies began to advance and has brought prosperity upon its people. This not only proved profit seeking, price competition in the market is rather healthy for the economy but also concluded that government interventions in the market can create unneeded deadweight loss.The second response to Market Failure involves preservation of the market transaction and is subject to legal and regulatory constraints (Heath). In a competing market, there are various strategies firms may take to maximize their profits. Strategies that involve only of lower prices, better quality and product innovation that would exist in perfect completion are referred to as preferred strategies whereas the ones involving pollution, misleading advertising, sale of products with hidden defects are called non-preferred strategies (Heath).From the Market Failure’s perspective, the ethical firms will refrain from using non-preferred strategies even if they are allowable by the loophole of the law and regulations. These firms seek non-preferred strategies because they bring easy and quick forms of profits, but it is also short lasting. â€Å"Misleading advertising stands to false advertising as deception does to fraud† (Heath). When firms adopt misleading advertisement for its products, it will bring short term profits before consumers realize they are being deceived.However when consumers do acknowledge the unethical behaviours of the business, they will switch products and by the word of mouth spread unfavourable comments of the firm; thus in the long run, such business behaviour is not practical as bad reputation leads to loss of sales and eventual closedown of operations. Profit seeking often bears negative conceptions due to the frequent exploitation of the market and flaws of the legal and regulatory systems.These firms fail to consider the moral obligations they must also endure. The analogy between â€Å"orporate social responsibility† and â€Å"Good sportsmanship† effectively compares and applies such concept. Having good sportsmanship does not only include not breaking the rules of the game but also refraining from exploiting the loopholes and flaws of the regulations. Taki ng basketball for example, unavoidable physical contact will occur during the game; however one should avoid purposely injuring other players just to win.Although certain teams do adopt such tactics like those firms using non-preferred strategies to make money, but most top ranked teams along with the most reputable firms still win by applying only of the preferred strategies. Attack on Shareholder’s Theory Milton Friedman’ Shareholder theory argues that there is a fiduciary relationship between the managers and shareholders; managers by all means possible and permissible by law, must maximize profits (Friedman). However recent corporate scandals proof otherwise.The case of Enron for example, where corporate CEO and president along with other top executives engaged in a sequence of deception behaviours to achieve the maximum profit, not for shareholders but for themselves. Even on the verge of bankruptcy, these top managers froze the shares held by common shareholders so they could sell out all their shares while everyone else will suffer the drop in price. This proved the willingness to break the law never mind moral obligations, in order to maximize the self-interests of the managers themselves.It is mistaken to trust the strength of the fiduciary relationship between managers and shareholders where the shareholders are without protection. One may argue that shareholders can simply fire the irresponsible manager, but as Enron proves, these managers can easily cheat shareholders without being found out until it is too late. Another shortfall of the Shareholder theory is the inconsideration for others who are also affected by the firm’s decisions. Lockean argues that shareholders are entitled to the profits as employee deserves their wages, but it is unconvincing because it only defines the legal obligations but not the moral (Heath). We have no legal obligation to give but do not mean we have no moral obligation to give to charity†( Heath) This quote from Heath suggests that even though it is not by law that we must be moral and has concerns for other, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t any moral and ethical codes to be followed. Attack on Stakeholder Theory The Stakeholder theory compared to the Shareholder theory argues that managers have fiduciary duties to everyone who are affected by decisions of the firm, including suppliers, customers, employees and many others (Freeman).It is true that consideration for these stakeholders are important when making business decisions however it doesn’t mean managers have fiduciary duties to all. Managers in corporations are trusted directly of property rights of shareholders with no alternatives and minimum protection against uncertainties. Suppliers, customers, employees and other stakeholder on the other hand have the ability to choose whether they are to be affected by the corporation.If suppliers refuse to agree to conditions and prices offered by firm, they may wish to supply to other firms instead; when customers refuse to pay for certain products or cannot agree to values (values referred to the corporate operations and its effects in the society) offered by the firm, they may choose not to purchase it’s products; and lastly employees may choose to resign from his position when conflict of interest and ethical concerns occur or may blow the whistle and expose the wrong doings of the firm to the public.Each group of stakeholders have their own alternatives in dealing with managers decisions and do not have property rights already invested and paid to managers for the outcomes of their performance thus they cannot be considered as having fiduciary relationships with managers. The major flaw of the stakeholder theory is that it assumes the stakeholders are not capable of making their own rational decisions and has left the responsibility of their wellbeing in the hands of others.The second shortfall of the Stakeholderà ¢â‚¬â„¢s theory is its short-term and narrow scope view of the matter and failed to consider the long-term strategies of the firm and wellbeing of the people. Walmart has been growing exponentially in recent years, but has also been experiencing much negative publicity like poor wages and benefits for its employees. When worker aren’t paid enough, the most common solution they seek is from the managers raising their wages.However most of these workers fail to realize they are only being paid according to their skill sets, rather than holding the managers and corporation responsible they should instead reflect on themselves and obtain higher education or more specialized skills to be worthy of their pay. If workers demand two or three dollars increase of their wage, they also need to consider the overall effects on the firm and not just themselves; it is not about a little more on one person’s pay cheque but the effect of thousands of workers and the incremental costs t hat a firm will bear.The market is competitive in nature, when firms fail to make profits, it will cease in existence in the long run. When the firm becomes bankrupt, all employees will lose their jobs and whom should be held responsible for that? Conclusion In conclusion, all three theories share different views of business ethics and the role of managers should take in it. Shareholder theory argues managers have fiduciary duty to shareholders only and should seek to maximize profits as long as it’s legally permissible; Stakeholder theory states managers have fiduciary duty to all stakeholders and must make ecisions so when certain stakeholders are made better off, the others involved must also be better than their original state. Both of these theories tries to outline what behaviours managers should take on a biased perspective yet fails to fit actual economic and market characteristics. Heath’s market failure model on the other hand suggests that managers do have f iduciary duties to shareholder only but should make decisions meeting their moral obligations as well, meaning adopting strategies that best benefit the firm and the society in the long run.Certain firms may donate to charity because they feel morally responsible or perhaps to cut taxes or simply for publicity; however in the overall wellbeing of the society, intentions matter but results matter even more. Firms that adopt non-preferred strategies will eventually break laws or be publicly criticized, will suffer losses in sale and be eliminated by firms applying preferred strategies because the market works to correct itself of its failures. Bibliography Heath, J. (n. d. ). Business ethics without stakeholders.In F. Allhoff & A. Vaidya (Eds. ), Business in Ethical Focus: An Anthology (pp. 110-126). Peterborough: Broadview. Friedman, M. F. (n. d. ). The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits. In A. Allhoff & A. Vaidya (Eds. ), Business in Ethical Focus: An Antho logy(pp. 65-69). Peterborough: Broadview. Freeman, E. F. (n. d. ). A stakeholder theory of the modern corporation. In A. Allhoff & A. Vaidya (Eds. ),Business in Ethical Focus: An Anthology (pp. 69-78). Peterborough: Broadview.

Teaching Strategies

The book â€Å"Dharma Punx† was written by Noah Levine, the son of bestselling author and Buddhist teacher Stephen Levine. As a writer, he uses a natural, conversational and empathic voice to narrate his story in order to reach out to others who have gone through the same ordeal as he did.This book, which was written in a very thorough narrative serves more or less as his autobiography, focusing primarily on what would probably the most turbulent moments of this life when drifted from one â€Å"movement† to another, from punk rock to drugs and alcohol which nearly sent his life crashing down to the point of self-destruction or suicide which he attempted several times, hence the title of the first chapter is â€Å"Suicide Solution† (Levine, 2003, p. 1).The starting point of Levine's story was at the detention facility where he was confined and at the time, he was going through withdrawal symptoms as the adverse effects of drugs and alcohol were being flushed out o f his system. It was at this point that he would begin to retell his tale on how he got into that situation. Born in 1971, his parents hailed from the â€Å"hippies† generation of the 1960's where they revolted against the establishment at the height of the Vietnam War and one of their mantras was â€Å"Make Love, Not War!† as well as the overflowing freedom of expression of their generation that also indulged in free drugs and sexual promiscuity as well, thereby making the term â€Å"psychedelic† an understatement for their generation that turned to drugs as a way to escape a harsh, brutal and cynical reality they wanted to repudiate.They were trying to create their own brand of utopia but somehow, this would not be perfect as well, and this would be reflected in Levine's own family.  In his childhood years in the late 1970s and early '80s, Levine loved to skateboard but partly out of curiosity and influence, he got hooked into punk rock and often watched pun k-rock concerts as well as looking the part of a punk rocker by the time he was in his teens. Punk rock was to his generation what the psychadelic â€Å"hippie† movement was to his parents. Levine said that the situation of his generation made them turn to this fad – like him, the youth of his generation had to cope with problems like broken homes, irresponsible parents who were either alcoholic or drug dependents; there was no responsible adult who could guide them.His parents had divorced by then and he would spend time with each of them, shuttling between their homes in California and New Mexico. Both his parents remarried but his mother's second marriage was fraught with trouble and the irony of that was she met her second husband in a meditation retreat while his father was able to move on and remarry a woman whom he truly loved and gave him a happier marriage (Levine, 2003, p. 5). However, without his â€Å"enlightened† father around to guide him, the youn ger Levine was susceptible to the temptations of the materialistic world.By the time he was six years old, he already began smoking marijuana and was also trying out other banned substances as well like cocaine. This also came hand in hand in partaking of alcohol which would stay with him for most of his youth. He was so addicted into drugs and alcohol that by the time he was in high school, he had become very violent, often getting into trouble ranging from brawls to vandalism that he was arrested several times for such behavior, something he appeared to have welcomed, owing to his punk rock influence, his own way of defying authority.He eventually dropped out of school and lived like a vagrant, often stealing to support his habit (Levine, 2003, pp. 21-24). In his recent detention in 1988, the point where he was at his very low that his road to â€Å"enlightenment† would begin. When his father visited him, he was the one who had set him on the path by encouraging him to try meditation (Levine, 2003, pp. 3-4). At first, Levine regarded Buddhist teachings as â€Å"bullshit† but the moment he made an effort to try it, he underwent a profound transformation.He began the 12-step program and started attending meditation sessions. He was eventually released and he started on a new path in life. Over the next few years, Levine worked hard on his spiritual growth, even practicing celibacy and taking a pilgrimage to the Far East in search of enlightenment and even meeting and learning from the Dalai Lama himself! He would eventually finish his studies by getting a college degree but he did not stop there.He went further and obtained a graduate degree in counseling psychology as well. He followed in his father's footsteps by also becoming a Buddhist teacher and of all the places where he would like to teach, he chose to be at the very same detention facility where he used to be remanded. Although he is a totally reformed and transformed individual, there i s one thing from Levine's past that he has not repudiated, his passion for punk rock. He still listens to punk rock, and still acts, looks and dresses the part.He still sports tattoos but the difference now is that his tattoos are Buddhist-inspired such as the lotus flower and Sanskrit inscriptions, making Levine a look-alike of Hollywood actor Vin Diesel famous for his role as agent â€Å"XXX† where he would also sport tattoos. One of the things Levine discovered about Buddhism is that it is very open-minded into tolerating anything that would compliment it. Buddhist teachings, particularly the Zen school of thought, say that if an individual can be one with that particular subject, that is also Buddhism.Levine himself will attest that punk rock, contrary to what conservative thinkers may think, is not anathema to society at all. This is, of course, looking at it from a Buddhist perspective. Other people tend to view punk rock as wild, violent and to a certain extent, destru ctive. As Levine would also admit, he turned to punk rock as a way of defying the status quo of his generation, much like his parents were part of the â€Å"hippie† movement as an expression of defiance of the status quo of their own generation as well (Levine, 2003, p.  34).The nice thing about Buddhism is that it has a way of channeling the excess energy away from the destructive path. If there was one other thing that Levine learned from his enlightenment, it is that death is not the answer to his problems when he was attempting to commit suicide. For most people, to take one's life is the way of the loser, notwithstanding the â€Å"samurai† concept of suicide where they would take their own lives to erase the stigma of the shame. It does not apply here and this can be interpreted in several ways.From the Hindu/Buddhist perspective, there is the concept of â€Å"karma† and reincarnation where one's conduct in the present life would have an influence on what will become of them in the next. While these beliefs recognize death (as a natural occurrence), it does not encourage people to commit suicide. Based on â€Å"karma,† the one who commits suicide might find himself or herself reincarnated in a much lower life form because of this and surely, no one would like to be reborn as an animal or a microscopic organism!In most beliefs, death is not the end, but rather the beginning of the next phase, provided it would be allowed to take its natural course. Committing suicide would disrupt the grand design for the individual in the universe. One notable aspect of Buddhist Dharma is the direction one's path will be, depending on the choices made. Levine's somewhat troubled past serve as the basis of his writings and teachings. â€Å"We all sort of have a different doorway to dharma or spiritual practice. Suffering is a doorway.For me it was the suffering of addiction, violence and crime which opened me at a young age, 17 years old. I w as incarcerated, looking at the rest of my life in prison and thought, ‘Maybe I will try dad's hippie meditation bullshit. ‘ Suffering opened me to the possibility of trying meditation. † (Levine, 2003, p. 246) All in all, â€Å"Dharma Punx† is not only an autobiography, it is a spiritual journey of one individual who has endured probably the worst life can throw at him, send him on the wrong direction but through corrective â€Å"enlightenment,† was able to bounce back and become spiritually whole again.And if the spirit is â€Å"whole,† the physical body will follow as well. Noah Levine went through hell and came out of it intact. If this were to be applied in international relations, one thing Buddhism can teach is violence and hatred is not the answer to the problems in the world. Buddhist teachings teach compassion and empathy and if nations would like to establish close relations with one another, they have to begin by establishing a spir itual connection which is first done by â€Å"letting go† of one's self.Buddhism teaches that the reason why there is so much suffering in this world is due to worldly desires. In international relations, the struggle for power often puts nations at odds with one another and this often leads to wars. Buddhism teaches the opposite, in letting go of these desires and to empathize. In doing do, not only are friendly relations established, but one's own interests will be met by others and one need not worry about it anymore.Finally, â€Å"Dharma Punx† is a very enlightening book which is highly recommended to anyone, not necessarily to those who went through the same ordeal as the author went. The author had been there and had done that yet he would not encourage anyone to go through it. Nevertheless, the book is very helpful for anyone who needs to be steered to the right direction of real happiness which is something no worldly goods can provide.