Emily Walak ECE 380-2 Current Attractions Essays - Electromagnetism

Emily Walak ECE 380-2 Current Attractions Big Idea: Electromagnetism is magnetism created by current flowing through a conductor. Electromagnets can be turned on and off. The strength of the magnetism produced by an electromagnet can be varied. Essential Questions: How can you make a magnet that turns on and off? PA Learning Standards S4.C.2.1.1 Recognize or illustrate simple direct current series and parallel circuits composed of batteries, light bulbs (or other common loads), wire, and on/off switches. Vocabulary magnet - an object that sticks to iron electromagnet - a piece of iron with insulated wire wrapped around it core - the material around which a coil is wound coil - a wire wound repeatedly around a central core Resources: FOSS Electricity and Magnetism Kit Materials: Each group needs 1 Rivet 1 electromagnetic wire, 24-gauge, 150 cm 1 short wire, 20 gauge, 15 cm 1 circuit base 1 D-cell, alkaline 1 switch 50 small washers, 1 cm diameter 1 plastic cup For the Class 1 wire stripper 1 magnet, doughnut shaped Grouping: Partners Engage: Tell students, I was thinking about a big old junkyard crane that I once saw. The crane used a big magnet to lift cars and put them on train cars. The crane operator could turn the magnet on and off! Can you make a miniature junkyard crane that turns on and off? Pour a cup of the small washers into one of the wells on a circuit base. Use a magnet, a steel rivet, and the washers to demonstrate the following. Discuss what is happening in each demonstration. Use a doughnut shaped permanent magnet to pick up the washers and move them to the opposite well. Use the magnet to pick up the rivet. Use the rivet stuck to the magnet to pick up the washers. Use the rivet by itself to pick up washers. Tell students, this is a steel rivet, but it isn't a magnet. Can you make a rivet like this into a magnet that will turn on and off? Explore: There is a new longer wire at the materials station for each team. The long wire may be useful for making your rivet into a magnet that turns on and off. Test the rivet for magnetism by trying to move the washers. When students have successfully constructed electromagnets, call for attention and ask students to make sure their switches are open. Ask, how did you make a magnet that could turn on and off? Explain: Tell students, you discovered an electromagnet. An electromagnet is a piece of iron with insulated wire wrapped around it. While electric current is flowing through the wire, the piece of steel becomes a temporary magnet. An electromagnet is made up of a core and a coil. The core is the rivet and the coil is the wire Extend/ Elaborate: Find the best electromagnetic design. Tell the students that just about everyone wound the wire around their rivets in a different way. Challenge them to work in their group to find the best location to wrap the wire on the rivet to make the rounded head of the electromagnet as strong as possible. Set standards for the class. Work with students to set some standards so that everyone will be able to compare results. Students should agree to always use the same number of winds, pick up washers on the head of the rivet, and count the washers lifted to determine the strength of the magnet. Evaluate: Ask each group to report how they wrapped the wire to produce the strongest magnet. They should report that the magnetism is strongest when the wire is wrapped close to the head, particularly between the first rubber washer and the head. Take Home Extension. N/A Reflection: Walk around while students are completing the activity and assist them as needed.

computer hackers essays

computer hackers essays REACTION PAPER FOR CASE STUDY #2, Chapter 17 This Reaction Paper represents my comments about and answers to questions concerning Case Study #2 in Chapter 17, pages 531 and 532 of the textbook. The comments and answers represent my interpretation of what the Case Study is about. Question 1. Sometimes, a successful break-in into system makes it easy to invade many other systems. Answer. Some systems include information that helps hackers invade other systems. Some systems hold such information as credit card numbers, cell phone numbers, and passwords to other computers. If the main computer can be broke into then the other systems can be filtrated. Companies can loose money from accounts being drained, and valuable time being spent on repairing files. Question 2. List the lessons one can draw from this case for any organization that maintains a Web site. Answer. One lesson is that no organization is immune to attacks against its Web site, unless proper measures are taken. Organizations must use such measures as encryption and firewalls for security. With Web Sites available to the public anyone that knows how can attempt to crack codes. This is a very scary thing. I know Clinton has put a lot of money into information protection for the country. Additional Comments. I fell large organizations must have some kind of security for there Web Sites. If not a lot of money and work hours can easily be lost. More and more people are trying to crash web sites for competition reasons and just for plan old fun. Internet security is a must for large businesses of this time. ...

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Final - Essay Example When studying the position of Abraham Lincoln on slavery, and the reasons and effects of his Emancipation Proclamation, therefore, it is important to take into consideration these control measures and to lay a background to the nature of events occurring at that time. The crux of the matter lies in the American Civil War that single-handedly spearheaded the antislavery movement and resulted in the Emancipation Proclamation. It was a contention between the northern free states and the bordering slave states known as the United States of America or the Union (Wikipedia 2008), and the southern states known as the Confederate States of America, where slavery was well established, hence, also known as the slave states. The southern states were led by Jefferson Davis, and the Union was led by Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party (Wikipedia 2008). His one quote can fully illuminate Lincoln’s position regarding slavery before the Civil War, when he said "My paramount object in this struggle, is to save the Union and it is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it..." (Race, Racism and the Law 1998). Lincoln was a man of law, and upholding the Constitution was paramount to him in all matters of politics. He would not, or rather, could not, take any steps that went beyond the parameters of the Constitution. So when it came to freeing the slaves, he was just as much concerned about the issue as was permitted by the red tapes of law, and which was crucial for the survival of the Union. Abraham Lincoln was always against slavery, and always expressed his views against it on moral grounds (Slavery

Highland Clothes - a Medieval Tartan Fashion Article

Highland Clothes - a Medieval Tartan Fashion - Article Example English society constantly criticized and ridiculed the tartan and the 1746 Act allowed only military personnel serving King George II to wear what was termed, ‘highland clothes.’ Gaelic for a blanket, plaid denotes a type of garment while tartan refers to the actual fabric of the garment. The Act of Parliament on the part of the British hoped to make the Scottish people become more subservient and the law wanted to abolish the dissimilitude of appearance between the Highlanders and the other inhabitants†¦ ( Coltman, p183). Penalties were extremely harsh for those in violation, including six months’ imprisonment for a first offense though it is thought they were often not enforced. Because of this Act, plaid became a highland political currency. Wearing of the plaid and tartan was a clear protest against the British and used by the military. When the Act was repealed in 1782 the tartan had already gained the reputation as forbidden and became a romantic and d esired symbol for the Highland Scotts.It was suggested that tartan plaid was distinctively Roman, using folds of fabric in a toga-like representation much like the warring Roman’s wore. Though some would believe the tartan and plaid a new fad in the 1700’s, the archeologist has actually shown that Celts were weaving plaid for at least three thousand years, using bright colors and intricate patterns, unlike their Egyptian counterparts, who used fabrics of white linen. Though there is no written record of the early Celts there is much archeological evidence.There are many sources in Scotland that are used as fiber in the creation of tartans, each lending a different coarseness and texture with some being very exclusive and others much more common. The blackface sheep is one of the hardiest in Scotland and the Cheviot sheep is a Scottish border breed found in the hilly countryside. More exotic fiber sources include Soay sheep, Afghan Hounds, and the Muskox. Weavers have b een known to make use of any fiber source available, constricted only by their own ability and creativity.

Krishna and Ang Mahabharata Essay Example for Free

Krishna and Ang Mahabharata Essay Bahagi ng Mahabharata ang Bhagavad Gita (o Bhagavadgita), isang diyalogo o pag-uusap sa pagitan nina Krishna atArjuna. The Mahabharata or is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana.[2] Besides its epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes, the Mahabharata containsphilosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four goals of life or purusharthas (12.161). Among the principal works and stories in the Mahabharata are the Bhagavad Gita, the story of Damayanti, an abbreviated version of the Ramayana, and the Rishyasringa, often considered as works in their own right. habharata, ( Sanskrit: â€Å"Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty†) one of the two Sanskrit great epic poems of ancient India (the other being the Ramayana). TheMahabharata is an important source of information on the development ofHinduism between 400 bce and 200 ce and is regarded by Hindus as both a text about dharma (Hindu moral law) and a history (itihasa, literally â€Å"that’s what happened†). Appearing in its present form about 400 ce, the Mahabharata consists of a mass of mythological and didactic material arranged around a central heroic narrative that tells of the struggle for sovereignty between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas (sons of Dhritarashtra, the descendant of Kuru) and thePandavas (sons of Pandu). The poem is made up of almost 100,000 couplets—about seven times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined—divided into 18 parvans, or sections, plus a supplement titled Harivamsha (â€Å"Genealogy of the God Hari†; i.e., of Vishnu). sinulat ang tulang epikong ito na may layuning parangalan ang mga bayani nang maganap ang paglusob ng mga Aryano (mga Aryan) sa India.  Halos kapantay ng mga diyos ang mga maalamat na mga bayaning ito. The Mahabharata tells the story of two sets of paternal first cousinsthe five sons of the deceased king Pandu (the five Pandavas and the one hundred sons of blind King Dhritarashtrawho became bitter rivals, and opposed each other in war for possession of the ancestral Bharata kingdom with its capital in the City of the Elephants, Hastinapura , on the Ganga river in north central India. What is dramatically interesting within this simple opposition is the large number of individual agendas the many characters pursue, and the numerous personal conflicts, ethical puzzles, subplots, and plot twists that give the story a strikingly powerful development. The five sons of Pandu were actually fathered by five Gods (sex was mortally dangerous for Pandu, because of a curse) and these heroes were assisted throughout the story by various Gods, sages, and brahmins, including the great sage Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa (who later became the author of the epic telling this story), who was also their ac tual grandfather (he had engendered Pandu and the blind Dhrtarastra upon their nominal fathers widows in order to preserve the lineage). The one hundred sons of the blind king Dhartarashtra, on the other hand, had a grotesque, demonic birth, and are said more than once in the text to be human incarnations of the demons who are the perpetual enemies of the devotees of the lord. The most dramatic figure of the entire Mahabharata, however, is Sri Krishna who is the supreme personality of Godhead himself, descended to earth in human form to reestablish his devotees as care takers of the earth, and who practice Dharma. Krishna Vasudeva was the cousin of both parties, but he was a friend and advisor to the Pandavas, became the brother-in-law of Arjuna , and served as Arjunas mentor and charioteer in the great war. Krishna Vasudeva is portrayed several times as eager to see the war occur, and in many ways the Pandavas were his human instruments for fulfilling that end. The Dhartarashtra party behaved viciously and brutally toward the Pandavas in many ways, from the time of their early childhood. Their malice displayed itselfwhen they took advantage of the eldest Pandava, Yudhishthira (who had by now become the ruler of the world) in a game of dice: The Dhartarashtras won all his brothers, himself, and even the Pandavas common wife Draupadi They humiliated all the Pandavas and physically abused Draupadi; they drove  the Pandava party into the wilderness for twelve years, and the twelve years of exile had to be followed by the Pandavas living somewhere in society, in disguise, without being discovered. The Pandavas fulfilled their part of that bargain by living out side the kingdom, but the evil leader and eldest son of Dhartarashtra, Duryodhana , was unwilling to restore the Pandavas to their half of the kingdom when the thirteen years had expired. Both sides then called upon their many allies and two large armies arrayed themselves on Kurus Field (Kuru was one of the eponymous ancestors of the clan), eleven divisions in the army of Duryodhana against seven divisions for Yu dhishthira. Much of the action in the Mahabharata is accompanied by discussion and debate among various interested parties, and the most famous dialog of all time, Krishna Vasudevas ethical lecture and demonstration of his divinity to his devotee and friend Arjuna (the Holy Bhagavad Gita appeared in the Mahabharata just prior to the commencement of the world war. Several of the important ethical and theological themes of the Mahabharata are tied together in this Gita, and this Song of the Blessed One has exerted much the same sort of powerful and far-reaching influence in the Vedic Civilization that the New Testament has had in the Christian world. The Pandavas won the eighteen day battle, but it was a victory that deeply troubled all except those who were able to understand things on the divine level (chiefly Krishna, Vyasa, and Bhishma the Bharata patriarch who was symbal of the virtues of the era now passing away). The Pandavas five sons by Draupadi, as well as Bhimasena and Arjuna Pandavas two sons by two other mothers (respectively, the young warriors and Abhimanyu, were all tragic victims in the war. Worse perhaps, the Pandava victory was won by the Pandavas slaying, in succession, four men who were like fathers to them: Bhishma, their teacher Drona , Karna (who was, though none of the Pandavas knew it, the first born, pre-marital, son of their mother), and their maternal uncle Shalya (all four of these men were, in succession, supreme commanders of Duryodhanas army during the war). Equally troubling was the fact that the killing of the first three of these respected elders, and of some other enemy warriors as well, was accomplished only through trickery, most of which were suggested by Krishna Vasudeva as absolutely required by the circumstances. The ethical gaps were not resolved to anyones satisfaction on the surface of the narrative and the aftermath of  the war was dominated by a sen se of horror and malaise. Yudhishthira alone was terribly troubled, but his sense of the wars wrongfulness persisted to the end of the text, in spite of the fact that everyone else, from his wife to Krishna Vasudeva, told him the war was right and good; in spite of the fact that the dying patriarch Bhishma lectured him at length on all aspects of the Good Law (the Duties and Responsibilities of Kings, which have rightful violence at their center; the ambiguities of Righteousness in abnormal circumstances; and the absolute perspective of a beatitude that ultimately transcends the oppositions of good versus bad, right versus wrong, pleasant versus unpleasant, etc.); in spite of the fact that he performed a grand Horse Sacrifice as expiation for the putative wrong of the war. These debates and instructions and the account of this Horse Sacrifice are told at some length after the massive and narrative of the battle; they form a deliberate tale of pacification that aims to neutralize the inevitable reactions of th e war. In the years that follow the war Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari , and Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, lived a life of asceticism in a forest retreat and died with yogic calm in a forest fire. Krishna Vasudeva departed from this earth thirty-six years after the war. When they learned of this, the Pandavas believed it time for them to leave this world too and they embarked upon the Great Journey, which involved walking north toward the polar mountain, that is toward the heavenly worlds, until ones body dropped dead. One by one Draupadi and the younger Pandavas died along the way until Yudhishthira was left alone with a dog that had followed him all the way. Yudhishthira made it to the gate of heaven and there refused the order to drive the dog back, at which point the dog was revealed to be an incarnate form of the God Dharma (the God who was Yudhishthiras actual, physical father), who was there to test Yudhishthiras virtue. Once in heaven Yudhishthira faced one final test of his virtue: He saw only the Dhartarashtra Clan in heaven, and he was told that his brothers were in hell. He insisted on joining his brothers in hell, if that were the case! It was then revealed that they were really in heaven, that this illusion had been one final test for him.

Contributing factors of airline industry globalistion

Contributing factors of airline industry globalistion This report vividly covers the factors which drive airline industry to globalization. Critical analysis of external and internal environment using strategy tools has also been considered. For internal environment a particular firm, i.e., British airways has been taken into consideration on which the assignment task is based. Research for the report includes a review of academic books, journals, articles and websites. It also covers the critical account of globalization on British Airways stating its strengths and weaknesses .The concept of core competencies is also explained briefly and applied on the chosen firm. Airline industry is a large and growing industry. It facilitates economic growth, international investment and world trade and is therefore central to other industries as well for globalisation. There are various forces which lead to globalisation in airline industry. Yip provided some major key drivers of change. Key drivers of change are forces likely to affect the structure of an industry; sector or market (Johnson, G et al 2005).Yips model provides a good example of the drivers that are increasing the globalisation of industries. Market globalisation Similar customer needs Global customers Transferable marketing Cost globalisation Scale economies Sourcing efficiencies High Product development costs Country-specific costs Globalisation of government policies Trade policies Technical standards Host government policies Global Strategies Globalisation of competition Interdependence Competitors global High exports/imports (Source: Johnson, G et al 2005) Market globalisation in airline industry is a increasing trend because of various reasons of customer needs and preferences as globally they are becoming similar (Johnson et al 2005).For business or leisure customers do move outside their origin. In past decade, air travel has grown by 7% per year. Travel for both business and leisure purpose grew strongly worldwide. Scheduled airlines carried 1.5 billion passengers last year. In the leisure market, the availability of large aircraft such as the Boeing 747 made it convenient and affordable for people to travel (adg.stanford.edu).As market globalise, those operating in such markets become global customers and may search for suppliers who operates on global basis (Johnson et al 2005).Business travel has grown as companies are becoming increasingly global in terms of their investments, their supply and production chains and their customers. The rapid growth of world trade in goods and services and international direct investment are als o main drivers of globalisation in airline industry (www.scribd.com). The development of global communication and distribution channel may also drive globalisation-the obvious example being the impact of internet.(Johnson et al 2005).Online booking of tickets and advertising may all be developed globally. This further generates global demand and expectations from customers. Airline industries are subject to similar trends. Cost globalisation gives potential for competitive advantage through economies of scale. There might be cost advantages from the experience built through wider scale operations. It can be achieved by central sourcing efficiencies from lowest cost suppliers across the world (Johnson et al 2005). The activities and policies of government have also tended to drive the globalization of industry. Changes in macro environment due to government policies are increasing global competition which in turn encourages further globalization. Technology innovations in industry li ke the invention of Jumbo jet in 1950 for commercial use also gave a push to globalization. Although there are various enabler of globalisation in airline industry, paradoxically the airline industry itself remains subject to highly restrictive national controls on cross border competition and investment. Government to government bilateral agreements often limit the routes that international air carriers can fly, the number of flights they can schedule and the fares they can charge.(Hamilton and Quinlan 2005).The global airline industry operates in an international regulatory environment that ranges from strict regulation and protectionism in some countries or region to almost complete deregulation in others. The long-term trend would seem to be in the direction of further deregulation and liberalization, with the unified market created by the EU and the proliferation of bilateral and multilateral open skies agreements marking major advances in this direction since the early 1990s.National ownership requirements, even in the economically developed regions on the world, pers ist an important barrier to a full globalization of the industry. There is also a strong trend toward privatizing the many Government-owned national carriers that had long dominated air travel outside the boundaries. There has also been concern expressed that the airline industry is moving from a being highly regulated one to one dominated by global alliances and co-operation amongst airlines, both of which are a priori anti-competitive structures.( Belobaba et al 2009 ) Answer 2: In todays contemporary organisational environment, the external marketplace is dynamic and rapidly evolving. PESTLE analysis, which provides a framework from which to consider the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors which influence an organisation (Worthington and Britton, 2006) has been undertaken. In addition, Porters five forces model analyses the structure of the industry and the relative attractiveness of a particular industry in terms of its potential to generate superior economic returns and its framework considers the impact of the power of buyers and suppliers, the threat of substitutes, barriers to entry and the degree of competitive rivalry (Porter, 1980; 1995; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). The airline industry has been subject to a number of changes and dynamic forces in the external environment. In recent times, the airline industry has undergone a turbulent history which has led to bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions and an increase in costs and therefore a reduction in the profit margins (Berry and Jia, 2008). Over the past five years, the rising cost of fuel, which saw oil prices reach around $100 a barrel is one of the major reasons why airlines are filing for bankruptcy. In 2005, Delta Airlines and North West Airlines, the third and fourth largest US carriers filed for bankruptcy (CNN, 2005). The US Airport Transport Association estimated that between 2001 and 2004, the US airline industry faced losses of over $30 billion. In addition, in 2008, the UK airline carrier, XL collapsed leaving 85,000 holiday makers stranded (BBC News, 2008). This occurred because the rising costs make it unviable for smaller carriers to operate efficiently. As a result, industry an alysts predict a period of consolidation will occur within the industry (BBC News, 2008). Social factors include changes in consumer behaviour. This is largely attributable to technological changes, which includes the emergence of airline websites and multiple price comparison websites, which provides consumers with increased availability of prices and therefore reduces information asymmetry. This therefore, increases the power of buyers (Porter, 1985; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). In addition, the global downturn in the economy has placed an increased financial strain on the industry. This is especially the case amongst business travellers who are less willing to pay premium prices for business and first class travel. This has placed a strain on the financial viability of airline operators within the industry. An additional change amongst consumer behaviour is the decline in customer loyalty. This is partly due to the spread of information and the increased price sensitivity of consumers, which means that the most important factor when making a purchasing decision is price and has little to do with the differentiation strategies implemented by any given airline (Porter, 1980; 1986; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). In terms of political factors, post 9/11 a number of security measures and regulations has been implemented in an attempt to avert any future threats from terrorism. This has added increased the costs of airline operators in terms of training and providing the necessary training and personnel to deal with these rules and regulations. In addition, the initial period following 9/11 saw a decrease in passenger and consumer demand which had a negative effect on the profitability of the airline industry. The degree of rivalry within the airline industry is high. Since the 1980s the industry has undergone a period of deregulation and privatisation which has increased competition within the industry and reduced the barriers to entry. Privatisation is essentially involves changing the structure of the industry from public to private ownership. This has had a negative effect on market incumbents, such as British Airways, which has undergone periods of financial turmoil as a result of deregulation, privatisation, reduced barriers to entry and increased competition (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). ). Deregulation is the removal of government rules and regulations, which are said to constrain an industry. In the past decade, the industry has seen the emergence of low cost airline carriers (Cho et al., 2007; Centro, 2008). These include companies such as easyJet and Ryanair, which operate low-cost flights to a wide variety of European destinations. Low cost airline carriers have had a significant impact on changing the structure of the industry, which has meant that consumers are increasingly price sensitive when it comes to airline travel (Cho et al., 2007; Centro, 2008). ). The low cost sector appears to bucking industry trends and is expanding at a rapid rate. Low cost airlines focus on short-haul flights and try and pack in as many passengers as possible to increase turnover. These companies also generate savings, which are passed on to the consumer by providing customers the ability to book their flights directly over the Internet. As a result, the degree of rivalry within the industry is high (Porter, 1980 1985; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). Despite the deregulation which has occurred and the opening up of the market, barriers to entry are still relatively high. This is because the capital, skills and expertise required to set up an airline company are relatively high (Porter, 1980; 1985; Berry and Jia, 2008; Barney and Hesterly, 2008). As such, airline operators need to be able to compete both in terms of cost leadership and differentiation in order to incentivise consumer purchasing behaviour (Cho et al., 2007; Centro, 2008). Airline operators also need to operate a delicate balance between maintaining a tight control over costs and implementing cost saving measures whilst maintaining high standards of customer service and safety (Cho et al., 2007; Berry and Jia, 2008). Overall, there exists opportunities and threats in the external market environment, which affects the overall profitability and industry attractiveness of firms operating within the airline industry. Therefore, the level of profits that firms can earn a re based on these factors, nonetheless, the internal management of a firm is also critical to organisational performance, which will be discussed in further depth in the next section. Answer 3: The airline which has been chosen in order to address the key themes and issues highlighted in this section is British Airways (BA). BA is the largest airline operator in the UK, flying to over 150 destinations across the globe. BA started out life in 1975 and was the national airline for the UK, as such, the company operated a monopolistic structure before it was privatised in the 1980s. The purpose of the privatisation was to make the industry more competitive by exposing the company to completion and external industry forces to improve the operational efficiency of the company as well as improving the overall customer experience. However, since changes such as privatisation and industry deregulation, BA has had undergone periods of turbulence, which has been characterised by major successes and major weaknesses. During the 1990s, BA was hailed as one of the most admired and most profitable airlines in the world. However, by the late 1990s BA experienced a massive reduction in prof its as a result of decreased demand, increased economic pressures and employee disputes and poor relations. In the period between 2008 and 2008, BAs turnover was  £9 billion. However, overall, the company made losses of  £401 million. This is the greatest loss ever reported by the company and represented a massive loss compared to the previous year when the company made a profit of  £922 million. The airlines major hub is situated at London, Heathrow, the busiest airport in the world in terms of the number of passengers, which pass through daily. BA operates around 220 aircraft. Within the last few months, BA made a preliminary announcement that it was to merge with Spains largest airline, Iberia (Rothwell, 2009). The purpose of this merger is to mitigate weaknesses within the internal operations at BA and develop its strengths through capitalising on synergies which can be obtained through the merger with Iberia airlines (Barney and Hesterly, 2008; Rothwell, 2009). In order to address the current issues facing BA, including the highest ever reported losses, the company has been forced to undertake significant cost cutting measures, which includes reducing the salaries of existing employees as well as reducing the overall firm headcount. However, this has resulted in a number of problems for the company. One of the major weaknesses of BA is its history of industrial disputes and tentative history in terms of employee relations. In December, 2009 cabin crew announced a 12 day strike over the Christmas and New Year period, however, this was postponed as it was found to be an illegal strike as the ballot system implemented by the trade union was not considered to be fair. At the time of writing, the industrial dispute is still an ongoing issue which represents a major weakness to the airline (Milmo and Webb, 2009). The cost of such a strike would run into hundreds of millions, as well as the impact on the damage on customer and employee relations. This represents a critical weakness for the company. Nonetheless, BA has a strong brand and is renowned for safety and customer service. The brand is also trusted across the globe and is a popular choice with business travellers. The heritage of the brand has a strong resonance in the mindset of the British and indeed global consumer. This represents a unique strength, which is difficult for competitors to imitate. Therefore, this represents a source of sustainable competitive advantage for the company (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). This is based on the notion of core competences and how an organisation is able to deploy its resources to develop a distinct set of core competences and strategic capabilities (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). If these resources are distinct, rare and difficult to imitate then this will lead to a source of sustainable competitive advantage (Barney and Hesterly, 2008). As a result, these core competences will translate into superior economic performance when co mpared with rivals. In the case of BA, external market conditions, as well as internal weaknesses have contributed to recent poor financial performance. However, in the long run, the company will be able to leverage its strengths and core competences to remain competitive within the industry and obtain a source of sustainable competitive advantage.

Slavery’s Injurious to All

Slavery’s Injurious to All During the time of slavery, being black meant you were probably a slave and being a slave was brutal. They were treated more like animals than like humans. In Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, he said, â€Å"slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me† (22). I disagree however as well as agree with him on this, because being a slave you went through ridiculous amounts of punishment and torture that nobody else went through at that time.But, slavery did change the owner's personality as well. Being a slave meant going through struggles, hardships and not having any family around to help. Their masters were not the nicest people. When they were twelve months old they were taken away from their birthmothers and given to another female slave who cared for them. Children should not be taken away from their mothers at such a young age. They are supposed to have the nurturing care of th eir mother. When taken away from their mother after being with them for quite some time children get a sense of loss.Not only did they get separated from their mothers, according to Frederick Douglass it was common for their masters to be the father of some of the slave children. The masters would sell their black kids â€Å"out of deference to the feelings of his white wife† (3). It was cruel to sell any human being let alone their own children just because of their class/race difference. If he did not sell the slave, the father would have to whip his own child and watch his white sons tie up his own brother. Slaveholders did not have to go through any of that cruel and unusual punishment as the slaves did.Slaves suffered greater hardships than any other person during this time period. They did not receive sufficient clothing to keep themselves warm during those winter days. And if they ever ruined their clothing they would have to wait till the next â€Å"allowance dayâ₠¬ . As well, they did not have any beds to sleep on, they slept on the floors with the little blankets they had. Their slaveholders did not have to go through that suffering of sleeping on a hard floor. They do not compare to what slaves go through. Slaveholders are the wealthy ones compared to slaves; they got to live in comfort while slaves did not.So when Douglass states â€Å"slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me†, about his mistress, I believe he was wrong. Compared to the slaves, the slaveholders and overseers lived a luxurious lifestyle. They did not have to work hard in the fields just to earn the clothing on their backs and their daily meals. No matter what the slaves did it was never the right thing to do to please their masters. Not only did were slaveholders and overseers able to order around their slaves but they also made their lives a â€Å"living hell†. They were whipped for doing wrong or for no reason at all.According to Douglass he had a few masters who were really brutal. For instance, Mr. Severe, Douglass wrote, â€Å"he was a cruel man. I have seen him whip a woman, causing the blood to run half an hour at a time† (7). When an overseer could be as cruel as that, they would never be able to know what the other side of slavery was like. Gore was another cruel man. He was about to whip a slave, Demby. When Demby ran into a creek and stood there. Gore gave Demby three chances to come back to him so he could whip him, he did not listen to him, so Gore shot Demby.After shooting him, Colonel Lloyd, had asked why he resorted to shooting him, his response was, â€Å"he was setting a dangerous example to the other slaves, – one which, id suffered to pass without some such demonstration on his part, would finally lead to the total subversion of all the rule and order upon the plantation† (14). Demby was shot and killed for wanting to get away from being lashed and was punished for that. Slaves were no t allowed to have a say on what goes on in their lives, they were a piece of property.Being a slave took a toll on the slaves and their emotions. While slaveholders lived their lives, slaves were depressed. They had endured torture, pain and many more difficulties in their lives. Douglass wrote, â€Å"I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead† (24). Slaveholders cannot and should not be compared to how the slaves felt and were treated. They got to choose the way they lived their lives so they had no regrets doing what they did to the slaves. It was not the slaves fault that they were born into that social class.However on one occasion, slavery does prove to have been as injurious to the slaveholders as to the slaves. When Douglass talks about his mistress, Mrs. Auld, he described her as a very kindhearted woman. She was teaching him how to read and write, since slaves were not allowed to become educated. She had clothing and food ready for him as well. Mrs. Auld was the only slaveholder to treat her slaves so kindly. After her husband banned her from teaching Frederick Douglass, she became coldhearted like all the other slaveholders.Douglass said, â€Å"she now commenced to practice her husband’s precepts she finally became even more violent in her opposition than her husband himself† (22). Mrs. Auld had never had a slave before so she did not know what it was like. Douglass was her first slave to own. In this situation, slavery had then become injurious to slaveholders as it did to slaves. Slavery changed the mistress’s personality, she became cruel. Mr. Auld In conclusion, even though slavery maybe injurious to the white owners, it is proved to be more injurious to the slaves.They are the ones treated unfairly; the owners had a choice the slaves did not. Just because one instance can prove that slavery affected the slaveholders like it did to the slave, it does not justify it one hundred percent. Sl aves were the ones getting beaten every day; they had no control over their lives. They were treated like property because of their skin color and the social class they were born into. Some slaveholders enjoyed whipping their slaves, it just goes to show that slave owners did not care about their slaves.

India’s Unsung Heroes of the Sports World

The games are starting. It's time to forget the roofs, the bridges and the crap – whether it's coming from dogs or the organizing committee. Indian sports fans can probably tell you Sachin Tendulkar’s birthday, hobbies and favorite music. But ask fans to name more than 5 people who are representing India at the Commonwealth Games and they will struggle. We all know Saina Nehwal and Lee-Hesh. Here are a few more that you may not know. Sharath Kamal (Table Tennis) – The 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medal winner seems to be in a good position to bring home another gold. He's been in good form this year and has displayed the maturity and confidence that all winners possess. Let's also not forget he has been Indian number one for the past seven years. Pictured right. Ananya Panigrahi (Swimming) – She is not old enough to drive a car or even had her sweet 16th birthday for that matter, but this 14 year old will be the youngest athlete representing India in this years games. A medal may be difficult at her age, but you never know. Sushil Kumar (Wrestling) – If you don’t know this man then you need to read the sports pages more often. He just won a gold at the World Championships in Moscow a few weeks ago and seems like a dead cert to win the 66 kg category. A medal is there for the taking, let's hope it’s a shiny gold one. Vijender Singh, Akhil Kumar and Jai Bhagwan (Boxing) – This could be a gold rush for India. In the Commonwealth Boxing Championships in March our boxers picked up 6 gold medals, and there are three guys in the frame to do us proud this time. Top of the pile is superstar and crowd favorite Vijender Singh (Beijing bronze medal-winner), followed by Jai Bhagwan and Akhil Kumar, the Commonwealth 2006 Gold winner and infamously, the athlete whose bed collapsed at the CWG village. One final note: I’ve heard some talk of fans boycotting the games. That would be a disaster. If there was ever a time for fans to get together and support our athletes it's now. The first impression of the CWG has not been good, so let's make sure the lasting impression is a memorable one.

Spirited Away Summary †English Composition Informal Essay

Spirited Away Summary – English Composition Informal Essay Free Online Research Papers Spirited Away Summary English Composition Informal Essay â€Å"Spirited Away† is a wondrous fantasy movie about a young girl, Chihiro. In a summer afternoon, Chihiro and her family are on the way to their new home. But they get lost in a glove and find a tunnel in it. They are curious about the tunnel and decide to check it out. They walk through the tunnel and discover a new world behind it. They keep on walking and finally go into a small town where is no one there. Her parents find a restaurant selling tasty food and suddenly feel hungry for it. They eat the food though there is nobody in the restaurant. And then something happens. When the night comes, her parents transform into the pigs for eating the food of Gods. Yes, they are trapped into a world of spirits, including Gods. And she must call upon her courage to find a way to turning her parents into humans, freeing herself, and returning her family to the outside world. In the movie, there are two scenes impressing me. One is the train running on the sea. When Chihiro goes to ask Zeniiba, a wise wizard, for help, she takes the train that is running on a far long railway based on the sea. Although the movie is an animation, the sea is vivid like the real one. I can see even tiny waves and reflection of sunlight. It is so serene and beautiful that I also want to take a trip in this way. The other is in the final part. When Chihiro gets help from her friend, Haku, and goes back to the tunnel, Haku says, â€Å"Go through the tunnel and you can return to your world. But remember one thing that do not look back when you are in the tunnel.† Eventually, Chihiro doesn’t look back and goes through the tunnel smoothly. When I see this scene, I feel that it is kind of familiar to me. And then I find that I have read a story which has the similar situation; that is the story about Orpheus and Eurydice in Greek mythology. In this case, when Orpheus went back from Hades to the upper world, he was also warned that he could not look back at Eurydice who walked behind him until they reached the earth out of the cavern. But he looked when he stepped into the earth, and find Eurydice was still in the cavern. Then, he tried to clasp her but she had faded away. All he got was her final word, â€Å"Farewell.† So I think this part of movie is influenced by Greek mythology, and maybe Chihiro would lose everything if she looked back in the tunnel. â€Å"Spirited Away† is a movie of Hayao Miyazaki, the writer and the director of the movie. I like his movies because the stories in his movies are always enthralling and deep; therefore, seeing his movies can not only amuse me, but also let me learn something from it. â€Å"Spirited Away† is full of imagination, even beyond the imagination. I am so amazed that Miyazaki can always create what we’ve never seen in the movie. To me, â€Å"Spirited away† is a movie that can transports you to a world unlike anything I have seen before just like a mystical journey through my imagination. Research Papers on "Spirited Away" Summary - English Composition Informal EssayWhere Wild and West MeetHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyLifes What IfsMind TravelHip-Hop is ArtThe Hockey GameThe Spring and AutumnThe Fifth HorsemanComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito

Computer Simulation Essays - Simulation Software, Free Essays

Computer Simulation Essays - Simulation Software, Free Essays Computer Simulation WARSIM 2000 is simulation software, used by the armed forces. Extensive, thorough, and tiring work has been done on thgis program. It covers almost all aspects and situations required for realistic, meticulous and a complete simulation. Information Technology has lead to the advancement of the tools required to build the simulator. Information Technolgys guideleines and technolgy have reinforced this creative simulator General Description of Operational Capability. WARSIM 2000 will increase the effectiveness of commander and battle staff training by dramatically increasing the realism and the scope of the available training environment. In conjunction with other services' simulations, WARSIM 2000 will provide a complete operational environment with scenarios drawn from the entire operational continuum to support Army, joint and coalition force training distributed across the globe. a. The WARSIM 2000 simulation system will use a computer-based simulation and associated hardware to support the training of unit commanders and their battle staffs from battalion through theater-level as well as to support training events in educational institutions. Designed and built using modern computer technology, modern software engineering techniques, and validated algorithms and databases, it will allow units world-wide to train using their organizational equipment. A key feature of the system will be its use of technology to minimize the total Army's overhead associated with supporting training. The system will be designed to meet emerging Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) standards and protocols to facilitate linkages with DIS compliant simulators and live training events. b. The WARSIM 2000 simulation system will consist of, or use, several components: (1) Computer-based battle simulation models that portray the joint and combined environment needed to support Army training events. (2) Software modules for linking WARSIM 2000 to other simulation models to expand the training environment for joint force training exercises. (3) Databases. (4) Computer systems to run the simulation models and support the databases. (5) Technical control systems/workstations for use by personnel in an exercise support function e.g., simulation controllers, analysts, and opposing/ surrounding forces role players. (6) Flexible and responsive terrestrial/satellite communications gateways and media for transmitting voice, data, facsimile, and video between different elements at remote locations involved in supporting a training exercise. c. WARSIM 2000 will meet the Mission Need Statement's (MNS's) requirement for providing a training environment that will allow unit commanders and battle staffs to focus their warfighters and systems in countering threats across the operational continuum. WARSIM 2000 must provide an environment that presents problems to stress and stimulate commanders and their battle staff to assess the situation, determine courses of action, and plan and issue new orders in a timely manner, all while using their organizational equipment and procedures. d. Logistical support for WARSIM 2000 will be based on a government- owned contractor-supported system. The government will own necessary hardware, have all proprietary rights to the developmental hardware and software components, and full license rights to the non-developmental software components of WARSIM 2000. Contracted logistical support will provide for the maintenance of government-owned computer hardware at all times. e. The acquisition and development strategy for WARSIM 2000 must abide by several constraints. (1) The WARSIM 2000 acquisition must build upon the successful infrastructure of current simulations so that the training community (Army and international) can train in an evolutionary progressive yet consistent manner. The Army has invested significant resources into developing its training simulation systems, linking them with other service simulations via the Aggregate Level Simulation Protocol confederation, and proliferating them throughout the Army and the international community. While these systems have shortcomings that must be fixed, they provide a training environment and representations of combat that have been accepted by the training community world-wide. The WARSIM 2000 acquisition must allow the confederation of simulations structure to evolve in a manner that allows current users (Army and international) to maintain access to the confederation without having to make a substantial near-term investment in resources. (2) Meeting the WARSIM 2000 requirements will demand significant technological innovations. However, there are many existing and developing systems that could and should be part of the overall solution. The acquisition strategy must ensure that developers optimize the investment of each service in existing systems (instead of starting from a blank sheet of paper) and insert echnology into the training

Short answers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Short answers - Assignment Example s under threat from the middle class who come between the ruling royal family and the subjects therefore creating a friction between kings and subjects. While the US Republic Party proposes to introduce legislations in different economic sectors, the principles of laissez-faire notes introduction of legislations in the manufacturing industry was to blame for the improvisation for many in the country. 12. How did the economic situation in Germany at the 1848 Revolutions differ from that of England and France according to Friedrich Engels analysis of that region in chapter I of his commentary on those revolutions? In Germany the feudal system was still prevalent compared to England and France where its influence had reduced while the bourgeoisie in Germany were not as wealthy as was the case in both England and France. 13. What was the connection between the financial problems of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1848 and the political demands of the middle classes in that state as described in chapter II of Engel’s study? 14. Why, according to Engels in chapter III, was there a close relationship between opposition to orthodox Protestant or Catholic religious practice and belief and political opposition of the governments of the smaller German states of the 1840s? Religion whether catholic or protestant was considered part of the law and therefore to oppose the church was like opposing the government this means calls to break away from the main church would also be linked to calls for formation of smaller German states. 16. How, according to Engels’ chapter VI, did the Prussian Democrats under who took direction of government in that state in March 1848 divide the from the working class and peasant populations who up-risings had created the revolution? 18. Identify reasons why, according to Anarchist thinker Emma Goldman in Marriage and Love (1911), most women are reduced to base motivations, economic dependency upon men and general unhappiness within

Normal Distribution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Normal Distribution - Essay Example For a group of statistics to be reliable, they need to have a normal or bell-shaped curve. In order to help achieve this outcome, the mean will need to be as close to the center as possible. Also, the standard deviation will likely be small in order to help the curve remain tall and narrow. The reason why normal distribution is so useful computationally is that it allows us to make conclusions from the data at hand. Let’s say, for instance, that a graph was skewed either to the left of the right. It would be very hard to come to any conclusive theories based off the data. This is because the data would not be reliable and could not be used to make any assumptions. Normal distribution is symmetrical, so it is easy to make conclusions just by looking at it with the naked eye. Other forms of data may require detailed calculations in order to make an inference or hypothesis. If a curve displays normal distribution, then the mean will be exactly the same figure as the median and the mode. Also, the standard deviations will be within a set range of numbers. If a curve is bell-shaped, then more than two thirds of the distribution (68%) will lie between one standard deviation of the mean. More than this, 95% of the data will be located within two standard deviations of the mean. All these figures are useful when working out probability. It is possible to say that there is a certain percent of a variable falling within a certain range on the graph. The tests such as Goodness of Fit, Independence, and ANOVA all use other distributions because the data is not symmetrically aligned. It could be that the distribution is skewed, either to the left or the right, and thus it is not possible to come to a conclusion simply by looking at the graph. The occurrence of outliers is also likely in such a case. One such method is the Chi-square