Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Civil war Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Civil war - Case Study Example Q1. The scramble for Africa incorporated the entrance of African slave traders into African interior. The countries that were primary colonizers of Africa included the French and the British. Enlightenment, new science, and industrial revolution influenced Europeans regard for Africa by the superior military in machine guns and a colony of boundaries drawn in the exploitation of tribal, religious and linguistic differences. Q1. The significance of Haitian revolution is that it became the second republic in W. Hemisphere. Haitian constitution of 1801 reflects enlightenment by Article 29, which states in future each governor names after five years and allowed to continue after every five years if overseen by the proper administration. On the other hand, it does not reflect the enlightenment through since Article 5 does not exist distinctions other than those based on virtues and talents (Carnes 15). Q2. The significance of Monroe Doctrine 1823 was the assortment if itself as the dominant force in Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt Corollary 1904 significance was financial involvement in Central and South American countries facing economic and political

Monday, October 28, 2019

Galileo Galilei Essay Example for Free

Galileo Galilei Essay They wanted Galileo to become a medical doctor. While pursuing his university studies, Galileo realized he had a passion for mathematics and instead became a professor of mathematics at the Universities of Padua and Pisa. The Pendulum In 1581, Galileo began studying at the University of Pisa, where his father hoped he would study medicine. While at the University of Pisa, Galileo began his study of the pendulum. According to legend, he watched a suspended lamp swing back and forth in the cathedral of Pisa. It was not until 1602 that Galileo made his most notable discovery about the pendulum the period, which the time in which a pendulum wings back and forth, does not depend on the arc of the swing, the isochronism. Eventually, this discovery would lead to Galileos further study of time intervals and the development of his idea for a pendulum clock. Tower of Pisa As a professor, Galileo argued against traditional views of astronomy. At that point in history, Aristotles theories were thought to be the fundamental laws in physics. Aristotles belief that objects with a greater density fall faster than those that was lighter in weight. In 1589, he was disproved by Galileo when he stood at the top of he Leaning Tower of Pisa and discovered that the reason for one object falling faster than the other had to do with the friction each encounters while moving through the air- two objects of different weight actually fall at the same rate. Mechanical Devices In 1 592, Galileo was appointed professor of mathematics at the University of Padua. While teaching there, he frequently visited a place called the Arsenal, where Venetian ships were docked and loaded. Galileo had always been interested in mechanical devices. During his visits to the Arsenal, he became fascinated by nautical technologies, such as the sector and shipbuilding. In 1593, he was presented with the problem involving the placement of oars in galleys. He treated the oar as a lever and correctly made the water the fulcrum. A year later, he patented a model for a pump. His pump was a device that raised water by using only one horse. Telescope Galileo invented many mechanical devices other than the pump, such as the hydrostatic balance. But perhaps his most famous invention was the telescope. In 1609, after word came from Holland of the invention of the telescope by Hans Lippershey, Galileo built his own version of the instrument. He created a telescope ater that same year that could magnify objects twenty times as opposed to other telescopes that can only magnify objects three times. With this telescope, he was able to make profound astronomical discoveries such as the moon, the four moons of Jupiter (Lo, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto), observe a supernova, verify the phases which the earth and other planets revolve around the sun. Prior to the Copernican system, it was believed that the universe was geocentric, meaning the sun revolved around the earth. The Inquisition Galileos belief in the Copernican system eventually got him into trouble with the Catholic Church. The Inquisition was a permanent institution in the Catholic Church charged with the eradication of heresies. A committee of consultants declared to the Inquisition that the Copernican proposition that the Sun is the center of the universe was a heresy. Because Galileo supported the Copernican system, he was warned by Cardinal Bellarmine, under order of Pope Paul V, that he should not discuss or defend Copernican theories. In 1624, Galileo was assured by Pope Urban VIII that he could write about Copernican theory as long as he treated it as a mathematical proposition. However, with the printing of Galileos book, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, Galileo was called to Rome in 1633 to face the Inquisition again. Galileo was found guilty of heresy for his Dialogue. In 1638, because of his old age and poor health, the Inquisition allowed Galileo to move to his home in Florence for the remainder of his life. By that time he had become blind and immobile. In 1642, Galileo died at his home outside Florence. Galileos inventions and discoveries were a scientific marvel in his time; and have been incredibly important to cosmic and astronomical study.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Essay --

To be born a female or a male in any society is more than an unpretentious biological fact since it is not without social implications. Women establish a discrete social group, as gender dominates it by means of culture redevelops to what instigates as a fact of nature. The idea that natural differences between the sexes are the basis/spring of all that fashions women and man to be distinct has also been profoundly driven in in various scientific debates. The absolute inconsistency of the roles and relations of women and men across diverse societies and social groups depicts/portrays itself as one of the primary evidence against this unsophisticated biologically determinist interpretation. If there is no steadiness between how different societies believe/presume men to be men and women to be women-- this longstanding saying has been confronted with ever accumulating frequency as social researchers emphasis on the nature of the social construction of gender, then what can be announced is that there must be something other than natural differences that lie beneath their character along...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Dreams, Hopes and Life Expectation of the Korean Immigrants: Past and Present Essay

At the beginning of the 21st century, America is filled with millions of immigrants coming from all over the world. Immigrants dream about good life and good education, prosperity and even good friends. Many Korean immigrants dream about social stability and prosperity, well-paid job and social security. Immigration to America allows Koreans to be better positioned in the world and give them a chance to survive and prosper in different environments. Thesis Half a century ago, Korean immigrants came to America dreaming about material success and job opportunities, while today they dream about good education and human rights protection. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a great gap between economic and political development of Korea and the USA. Korean immigrants came to America dreaming about their own house and a car, good healthcare services and good food. During the middle of the century, new production in America became customer oriented, and tried to meet the needs of a particular groups of customers. Similar to The Rogarshevskys or the Confino’s, many Korean immigrants coming to America supposed that through persistence, hard work and determination they could achieve high social status in the foreign land. These dreams were caused by economic instability and low social position affected Korea. Poverty in Korea was one of the main problems faced by the population. In the USA, Koreans dreamt about good healthcare and dental care. In Korea, political instability and totalitarian regime limited freedoms and rights of the citizens. These factors influenced dreams and expectations of the immigrants hoping for better life and government protection. Also, high rates of unemployment in Korea were more likely to be seen as a social problem than was poverty. In America, Koreans dreamt about their own businesses protected by laws and regulations. For instance, â€Å"millions of start-ups began in the past 20 years during a record economic expansion. But the number of minority-owned companies is growing 17% a year — twice the rate of all companies† (Hopkins 2002). In Korea, the human capital assumed that the inadequate incomes of the working poor were the result of characteristics of the labor market rather than the inadequacy of the poor. In America, Korean immigrants dreamt that working hard for many years they could earn for living and could send some money to their relatives in Korea (Lower east Side Tournament Museum 2007). Today, Korean immigrants come to America dreaming about great opportunities for personal development, social security, government protection, social freedoms and high paid job. For many immigrants, the American dream coincides with humans’ rights, equal opportunities and freedom. Many foreign students suppose that education in the USA opens new opportunities for immigrants helping them to â€Å"become equal† to native citizens and obtain professional skills. â€Å"But the higher level of education clearly gives Asians a leg up in the United States† (Hopkins 2002). Even today, Korean immigrants are satisfied with low paid jobs looking for government protection and support. According to statistical results, â€Å"Korean students comprise 10.4 percent of all international students in the USA. Smith revealed that the Korean government has plans to implement various reforms, including revising the college admission system starting in 2008† (Ten Percent Increase in Korean Students Studying 2007). In this very case, the dream about ‘good education’ is therefore a key element of improved intellectual potential and future career success. Another dream of Korean immigrants is a desire to achieve high social position and fair compensation for their job. From the social point, knowledge and career opportunities give the feeling of personal freedom and mobility so desirable for Koreans. Korean immigrants dream about freedom of choice and freedom of speech. To some extent, knowledge and stable social position embodies personal democracy (Ten Percent Increase in Korean Students Studying 2007). For instance, democracy and absence of physical oppression has allowed creativity and entrepreneurship to flourish. Also, career opportunities mean that everything is possible if you are energetic person who is driven by success. This dream coincides with the slogan of Independence. Although, the main features of ‘the Korean dream’ is the great faith in personal courage that help to realize dreams. In sum, the dreams of Korean immigrants have changed over time influenced by economic and social changes n Korea and new opportunities opened in the USA. Thus, a dream about stable social posit6ion and fair compensation, equal and democratic rights, good education and professional development are still vital. In America, knowledge gives total freedom and guarantees complete control over life. For Korean immigrants, education means absence of restrictions and compulsions, and in correlation with the idea of will, it is the opportunity to act as would be desirable. The immigration to America gives Koreans a chance and hope to change their life. In contrast to the previous age, modern immigration deals with psychological and social factors rather than political or economic. Works Cited 1. Hopkins, J. Asian business owners gaining clout. USA TODAY. 2002. 25 October 2007. 2. Lower east Side Tenement Museum. 2007. 25 October 2007. 3. Ten Percent Increase in Korean Students Studying in the USA. 2007. 25 October 2007.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Green Innovation. Nokia Case

High-Tech marketing. Sustainable innovation- Nokia case study Introduction: The technology offers a promise of a better world through the improvements in standards of living. On the other hand, resource extraction, emissions of dangerous materials, and pollution of air, water, and soil have created conditions for environmental catastrophe and have already caused irreversible damage to the Earth.That is why in last few years, companies started focusing on an eco-innovation. Eco-innovation is the development of products and processes that contribute to  sustainable development, applying the commercial application of knowledge to elicit direct or indirect ecological improvements. This includes a range of related ideas, from  environmentally friendly  technological advances to socially acceptable innovative paths towards sustainability (http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Eco-innovation). Sustainability can be defined in a variety of ways. The short definition created in 1983 by a UN com mission is:   â€Å"Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (http://www. un. org/en/sustainability/index. shtml). The European Union adopted action plans to promote technologies that use less environmentally harmful alternatives.For example, the EU has passed laws requiring energy-using products, such as electrical and electronic devices and heating equipment, to be designed to be more energy-efficient (EPEAT). The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers. The Energy using Products (EuP) Directive, sets requirements to reduce the environmental impact of products that use electricity across their entire lifecycle.REACH is a recent European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use through better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical subst ances, especially those containing more than agreed-upon levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium (VI), polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. Nokia Corporation is a  Finnish  multinational  communications and information technology corporation. Its principal products are  mobile telephones  and portable IT devices.It also offers Internet services including applications,  games, music,  media  and  messaging, and free-of-charge digital map information and  navigation  services through its wholly owned subsidiary  Navteq. Nokia has around 101,982 employees across 120 countries, sales in more than 150 countries and annual revenues of around â‚ ¬30 billion. It is the  world's second-largest mobile phone maker  by 2012 unit sales with a global  market share  of 22. 5% in the first quarter of that year. Nokia was the world's largest vendor of mobile phones from 1998 to 2012.However, over the past five years it has suffered a declining market share as a result of the growing use of smartphones from other vendors, and devices running on Android  operating system. As a result, its share price has fallen from a high of US$40 in late 2007 to under US$2 in mid-2012. Since February 2011, Nokia has had a strategic partnership with  Microsoft, as part of which all Nokia smartphones will incorporate Microsoft's  Windows Phone  operating system. Its first handsets were released in October that year (http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Nokia). Purpose and Mission Nokia’s mission is simple: Connecting People. The goal of Nokia company is to create mobile products that allow people worldwide to enjoy the technology. The key elements of Nokia strategy are: * building a new winning  mobile ecosystem in partnership with Microsoft * bringing the next billion online in developing growth markets * investing in next-generation disruptive technologies * increasing our focus on speed, result s and accountability (http://www. okia. com/global/about-nokia/about-us/about-us/) Nokia follows the concept of the open innovation which lead to forming a strategic partnership with Microsoft that will regain lost place in a smartphone market. Open innovation encourages Nokia-Microsoft cooperation to search and exchange new knowledge, develop products and services to become competitive in the market. I believe open innovation will benefit Nokia and its consumers as it will enhance relationship between producer and users.Although, Nokia is not an energy intensive company because most of the greenhouse gas emissions occur only during manufacturing by suppliers or usage of products, Nokia pays attention to the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of its products and operations. The main of Nokia should focus on reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions as well as raising awareness and promoting best sustainable practices in mobile phone industry. In accordanc e to the terms of REACH, Nokia has pledged that the use of chemicals in Nokia products and processes shall be safe to humans and the environment.Furthermore, Nokia is the first company that created climate strategy that concentrates on products, manufacturing, facilities, logistics, suppliers   and customers. So far, the greenhouse gas footprint of Nokia phones has been reduced by up to 50% between 2000 and 2010, while introducing new features and capabilities. In my opinion, Nokia should focus more attention on its customers in encouraging and educating them through use of the products to be more eco-friendly. For example, develop travel applications that help people in reaching destinations quicker and application that encourage people to choose public transport instead of cars.The most useful application would be one that shows the nearest bus stops, train or metro stations, the routs, destinations and the time of arrival/departure. Furthermore, Nokia products should have energ y saving options available in every smartphone model, like switching off online functions (WIFI, internet, GPS etc) when they are not in use for some period of time. Sustainable mobile products Nokia products are eco-friendly as the company uses sustainable materials, develops smaller, recyclable packaging and improves energy efficiency for products.Every Nokia product comes with an eco profile, which explains its materials, energy efficiency, packaging, environmental impact and recycling. Picture 1. Ingredients of Nokia smartphones Adopted from: www. nokia. com/global/about-nokia/people-and-planet/sustainable-devices/materials/materials/ New Nokia products are eco-innovations and have environmental features. For example: Nokia Lumia 820 -automatic screen brightness adjustment, -battery saver feature, -energy efficient charger -contains bio plastics ; recycled metals 100% recoverable as materials and energy -100 % recyclable, minimized package made of -renewable -materials containin g up to 60% recycled materials. Nokia 700 -Power Save mode, -ambient light sensor, -unplug charger reminder, -OLED display, -contains recycled metals, bioplastics, bio paints and recycled plastics -100% recyclable packaging (http://www. nokia. com/global/about-nokia/people-and-planet/sustainable-devices/sustainable-devices/) In my opinion, Nokia should also focus on process of recycling the old phones.For example, when customers want to buy a new Nokia phone, the company should proceed according to The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) that imposes the responsibility for the disposal of electrical equipment on the manufacturers. The best solution would be buying an old phone off customers for a small price and recycle some parts of the phone to recover the materials which can be used for producing new models. The Research ; Development department should also focus on innovation regarding the new energy sources, for example, solar power.To my surprise I learn t that Nokia already has been testing the Portable Solar Charger as a charging opportunities for people that want to use Nokia smartphones but do not have access to the electricity. Furthermore, in 2006 Nokia introduced small packaging which is easier to recycle. Lighter packaging also reduced transportation costs. In my opinion, Nokia should still work on reducing the use of paper and plastic in the packaging. Some of the packages still have paper information, certificates and instructions which are unnecessary. In my opinion, these ocuments together with the user’s guide should not be included in a package, but available online for all customers. Promotion Nokia promotes its products as eco-friendly in the mobile phone market. The company also raises awareness about environmental issues, education. The perfect way of promoting the company with sustainable values in the world is to improve access to information and communication technologies (ICT) in developing countries. Th is would bring benefits to people who are unable to access these technologies for financial or geographical reasons.The company should offer affordable mobile products and services to help people develop business and employment opportunities all over the world. Nokia has already done it, as it collaborates with UNESCO’s Education for All and uses the mobile technology to develop mobile educational products such as Nokia Education Delivery, Nokia Life and Nokia mobile mathematics. Nokia Education Delivery uses mobile technology to deliver quality education materials to remote, hard-to-reach areas so teachers and trainers can access and download videos and other educational resources.Furthermore, in 2008, Nokia launched a pilot scheme for mobile mathematics in South Africa. Nokia Life education services provide health information and advice on pregnancy, parenting, diseases, fertilizers and pesticides, yield enhancement techniques, market prices, and weather (temperature, rainf all, wind conditions). In my opinion, Nokia company should also promote its sustainable values by taking part in worldwide voluntary actions that promote human rights by ethical labour, high quality of work environment, health and safety and equality. DistributionNokia provides guidance on what expect from suppliers. These requirements include environmental and social expectations, which are based on international standards such as ISO 14001, SA 8000, OHSAS18001, PCMM and ILO, and UN conventions. Thus, Nokia suppliers undergo a number of assessments designed to measure their environmental and social performance. In my opinion, Nokia should also ensure that company suppliers provide safe working conditions, use environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and contribute to reducing the environmental impact of our own operations.Nokia should pay attention to the energy and water consumption, waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing products as well as dis tributing the products to the consumers. If the suppliers do not follow sustainable guidance for companies, Nokia should help them achieve those goals by sharing knowledge and experiences with others. Nokia should also have an open communication system with suppliers, customers, and non-governmental organisations that promote sustainability. Development of the company:Reading the documentation of Nokia company it seems that it is a leader in green- innovation in the market of mobile phones. The company is aware of the impact on the environment and tries to minimize by following governmental laws and introducing own sustainable regulations. However, in my opinion Nokia has neglect the importance of promotion and communication with customers its environmental values. Therefore, I would like to propose my ideas for improving few sectors of the company which can make Nokia more competitive in the market and be recognised as eco-friendly among its customers. 1. Communication and promotio n:Nokia should focus its communication messages on showing that the whole company and its products are sustainable and have well-recognised eco-friendly approach among its customers by presenting posters in the Nokia shops or actively and publically supporting environmental organisations. The company should also encourage customers to become more eco-friendly in their everyday life through encouraging them to participate in happenings and day events. Nokia should communicate its green innovation messages more to the general public and potential customers using media like TV adverts and radio messages or internet actions.It would be good if the company took part or initiate some events and happenings which aim at environmental awareness. I also like the idea of Nokia’s mathematics in schools. This action should be continued and also should be better communicated to schools and parents. It would be a good idea if Nokia would open a charity which helps children from developing c ountries in schools or establish academic grants for children from underprivileged families who have mathematical skills. Furthermore, Nokia should also create a school program for ecology and sustainability in primary and secondary schools.In my opinion, it would be a good idea if Nokia would provide bins in schools for recycling batteries or other small electronic appliances. 2. Pricing: To be more competitive in the fast growing market of smartphones Nokia should keep their prices low and affordable for everyone with keeping the high quality standard of the products. Nokia already has lowered the cost of packaging and transport of products by reducing size and use of paper, this should have a reflection in the phone prices as well. In my opinion, Nokia should make a packages even smaller without unnecessary use of plastic covers and paper in them.All the information about the phone should be available on a website after registering or entering the serial codes together with users ’ guide. Furthermore, to appear more ecological friendly Nokia should buy off the customers the old phones which can be recycled by the company again. This way customers feel like being a Nokia’s customer is profitable, taking care of environment as well. Customers receive a high standard product for a good price and in addition they are also paid for returning the old phone. 3. Research and Development:Nokia research and develop team focus on solutions that enhance the energy efficiency in the products. To more competitive in the market Nokia should invest more money in the R;D department and work on new technologies which will use renewable energy. Research and Development is a vital part of every high-tech company and to be successful in innovations Nokia has to recruits the employers through different channels. In my opinion Nokia should offer studentships and grants for postgraduate IT, engineering students who will work on Nokia products and develop them.Nokia al so should offer many apprenticeships for students and graduates who will bring different approach to innovations and help develop products. This will help the company to improve or create new products as well as encourage creativity of employers. Furthermore, Nokia should be more open to communication with its customers and employ them in the open innovation process as well. For example, Nokia should organise contests for its users which encourages creativity: design a smartphone of the future. People could design their own phones using online Nokia application and for the best

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

rafaels madonna and child essays

rafael's madonna and child essays In this paper, I will discuss Rafaels Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints and also compare it to other paintings of the Madonna and Child by different artists. I will try to prove how the paintings differ according to their stylistic period in which they were painted by focusing on how each varies. Along with the differences is a lot of similarity in the themes of this particular work of art. For instance, the way the Madonna and Child are centered and raised above the other figures, and some gestures and symbols are recurrent themes. This continuity in themes reflects Christianities views of the holiness of the Madonna and Child, but variances in the styles of the paintings reflect societies changing views of Christianity in their lives. Madonna (the Virgin Mary, Mother of God) conceived a son (Jesus Christ), implanted in her womb by the Holy Spirit. As seen in several of the Annunciation artworks, the archangel Gabriel approaches Mary and brings her a message of her virgin conception of a baby boy, who is to be the Son of God. The Virgin Mary is symbolized for her humility and purity as we have seen in the Merode Altarpiece, where every item, dcor, and setting is representative of her sacredness and purity. The baby Jesus in Rafaels painting depicts the holiness of Christ even as a child as figures praise Him and as He makes the sign of blessing. Rafaels portrayal of the Madonna and child is very expressive in regard to its content. He uses some of the same patterns as other artists, such as the Child giving the sign of blessing, and centering the Madonna and Child. The artist however differs from many of the other artists who try to depict the same scene. For example, in Hans Memlings, Altarpiece of the Virgin with Saints and Angels (1479), the Virgin and Christ are not elevated above the other figures. Because this is 15th century Flemish art, we know that religion had become overl...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Chemical and Physical Properties of Lithium, or Li

The Chemical and Physical Properties of Lithium, or Li Lithium is the first metal you encounter on the periodic table. Here are important facts about this element. Lithium Basic Facts Atomic Number: 3Symbol: LiAtomic Weight: [6.938; 6.997]Reference: IUPAC 2009Discovery: 1817, Arfvedson (Sweden)Electron Configuration: [He]2s1Word Origin Greek: lithos, stoneElement Classification: Alkali Metal Lithium Properties Lithium has a melting point of 180.54 C, a boiling point of 1342 C, a specific gravity of 0.534 (20 C), and a valence of 1. It is the lightest of the metals, with a density approximately half that of water. Under ordinary conditions, lithium is the least dense of the solid elements. It has the highest specific heat of any solid element. Metallic lithium is silvery in appearance. It reacts with water, but not as vigorously as does sodium. Lithium imparts a crimson color to flame, although the metal itself burns a bright white. Lithium is corrosive and requires special handling. Elemental lithium is extremely flammable. Lithium Uses Lithium is used in heat transfer applications. It is used as an alloying agent, in synthesizing organic compounds, and is added to glasses and ceramics. Its high electrochemical potential makes it useful for battery anodes. Lithium chloride and lithium bromide are highly hygroscopic, so they are used as drying agents. Lithium stearate is used as a high-temperature lubricant. Lithium has medical applications as well. Lithium Sources Lithium does not occur free in nature. It is found in small amounts in practically all igneous rocks and in the waters of mineral springs. The minerals that contain lithium include lepidolite, petalite, amblygonite, and spodumene. Lithium metal is produced electrolytically from the fused chloride. Lithium Physical Data Density (g/cc): 0.534Appearance: soft, silvery-white metalIsotopes: 8 isotopes [Li-4 to Li-11]. Li-6 (7.59% abundance) and Li-7 (92.41% abundance) are both stable.Atomic Radius (pm): 155Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 13.1Covalent Radius (pm): 163Ionic Radius: 68 (1e)Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 3.489Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 2.89Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 148Debye Temperature ( °K): 400.00Pauling Negativity Number: 0.98First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 519.9Oxidation States: 1Lattice Structure: Body-Centered CubicLattice Constant (Ã…): 3.490Magnetic Ordering: paramagneticElectrical Resistivity (20 °C): 92.8 nÃŽ ©Ã‚ ·mThermal Conductivity (300 K): 84.8 W ·m−1 ·K−1Thermal Expansion (25 °C): 46  µm ·m−1 ·K−1Speed of Sound (thin rod) (20 °C): 6000 m/sYoungs Modulus: 4.9 GPaShear Modulus: 4.2 GPaBulk Modulus: 11 GPaMohs Hardness: 0.6CAS Registry Number: 7439-93-2 Lithium Trivia Lithium is used extensively in rechargeable battery technology.Lithium is the only alkali metal that reacts with nitrogen.Lithium burns red in a flame test.Lithium was first discovered in the mineral petalite (LiAlSi4O10).Lithium is used to create the hydrogen isotope tritium through bombardment of neutrons. Sources Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001)IUPAC 2009Crescent Chemical Company (2001)Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952)

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Scribing for Children With Writing Problems

Scribing for Children With Writing Problems Scribing is an accommodation  for children who have difficulty with writing. When scribing is included in a students specially designed instruction,  the teacher or a teachers aide will write the students responses to a test or other evaluation as the student dictates. Students who are able to participate in all other ways in the general education curriculum may need support when it comes to providing evidence that they have learned the content of a subject area, such as science or social studies. These students may have fine motor or other deficits that may make it difficult to write, even though they can learn and understand the material. Importance Scribing may be especially important when it comes to doing your states high stakes annual evaluation. If a child is required to write an explanation of the process for solving a math problem or the answer to a social studies or science question, scribing is permitted, since you are not measuring a childs ability to write but her understanding of the underlying content or process.  Scribing is not, however, permitted for English language arts assessments, since writing is specifically the skill that is being assessed.   Scribing, like many other accommodations, is included in the IEP.  Accommodations are permitted for both  IEP  and  504  students since the support of an aide or teacher on content area testing do not detract from a students ability to provide evidence of proficiency in a subject that is not specifically reading or writing. Scribing as an Accommodation As noted, scribing is an accommodation, as opposed to a modification of curriculum. With a modification, a student with a diagnosed disability is given a different curriculum than his same-age peers. For example, if students in a class have an assignment to write a two-page paper on a given subject, a student given a modification might only write two sentences. With an accommodation, the student with a disability does exactly the same work as her peers, but the conditions of completing that work are changed. An accommodation may involve extra time given for taking a test or allowing the student to take an exam in a different setting, such as a quiet, unoccupied room. When using scribing as an accommodation, the student speaks his answers verbally and an assistant or teacher writes those responses, without giving any extra prompting or help. Some examples of scribing might be: When Angela took the state educational test, the teachers aide scribed her responses to the written math sections.While the students in a science class wrote a three-paragraph essay about the  first dinosaurs, Joe dictated his essay as the teacher scribed his responses.While students in the sixth-grade class solved  math word problems  on rate, time, and distance, and listed their answers in the blank spaces on a worksheet, Tim dictated his answers to the teachers aide, who then wrote Tims solutions on the worksheet. While it may seem like scribing provides an extra- and perhaps unfair- advantage for special needs students, this particular strategy can mean the difference between enabling the student to participate in general education and segregating the student into a separate classroom, depriving him of opportunities to socialize and participate in mainstream education.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Typography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Typography - Essay Example Naturally then upon completion of the project, I was exposed to the experimentation of nontraditional methods of type development, while seeking design inspiration from my own environment I chose materials based on ordinary objects bought at the local 99 cent only stores. Some items students worked with plastic suction cup hooks, plastic sandwich bags and an electrical outlet adapter. The purpose of this exploration was to expose students to the potential of typographic solutions inspired from the everyday. I found each experiment to be equally inspiring. I have always been enchanted with simplicity. I think that it is the obvious which is overlooked. The materials at the 99 cent stores are consistently looked at as if they are throw-aways but imagine if an alphabet based on simplicity could work as a language for those who suffered from visual diseases. Working with the simple objects reminded me of what the original purpose of language is. We use language to communicate with others, and it think that it can be said that the majority of cultures somehow find their way into 99 cent stores, thus the culture has common elements as it is. Inventing a language from the items merely takes my concept to the next level. When we look at Chinese, Japanese and Egyptian lettering, we see beautiful art forms. The same very much exists in my project.

Friday, October 18, 2019

War And Civilization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

War And Civilization - Assignment Example Wars have been the violent catalyst for changes throughout history. Wars are, however, part of the agencies that help bring changes and progress in human life and the world. It might sound absurd, but wars are part of the human life activities. Wars simulate national growth, advancement in information technology, medical research, and solve some of the most complex political differences. They evoke bravery and heroism among communities and nations. In medical and health care systems, war has been the subject of appreciation as it has promoted human civilization. It is indeed a catalyst that has brought advances in medical science. Most of the chemical medicines and surgical techniques used in clinics and hospitals were not discovered when people were at peace in their homes. They were discovered and advanced when the need arose particularly when casualties of wars were in dire need of medication. Diseases such as Pestilent that evolved out of the war needed the rapid response with th e appropriate medical treatment (Smith, 2006). There are indeed several contributions of war to human civilization. The US, for example, had economic gains for its people from both World War I and II. If one looks the wars as agents of world peace, they did succeed in promoting peace and keeping the world safe. World War II eliminated Hitler who was a threat to the peace and unity of many people. In the 1973 war, Israel won a battle that enabled it to expand boundaries and acquire land that was previously a forbidden territory.

Importance of training in legal requirements, diversity, employee Assignment

Importance of training in legal requirements, diversity, employee growth - Assignment Example Majority of the companies and the workforce are under some aspect of legal ruling. Statistics show that many people are still in the dark in matters to do with the law. Training in legal requirement will allow the employee and the employer to protect themselves from tyranny (Mathews, 2001). This will ensure that the employees follow the regulations at all times. By being familiar with these requirements, one might have a better chance of defending him or herself. There are several laws that the federal government requires or recommends for employee and organization training. One law in which training is required is the health and occupational safety. This will promote health and safety in the working environment and, thus, is of utmost benefit. Employees will be motivated as they know their health and safety is taken care of. Legal requirement also addresses the issues on ethics and sexual harassment. There have been cases in which employers are held responsible for sexual harassment. This happens in the situation where the organization has failed to exercise care to prevent and correct such behaviors within the work environment (Mathews, 2001). It is crucial for the company to understand the laws that apply to their everyday activities. Training can minimize the employer’s liability if an employee is guilty of a criminal offence. It is also essential to know the legal requirements that your company must comply with such as contracts, licenses, registrations and leases. The knowledge of legal requirements will enable the company to avert lawsuits and be better positioned should such an event occur. An organization that practices effective an ethics program and compliance decreases its fines for conviction by up to 90 percent (Dessler, 2004). Teaching legal requirements to the company also entails covering legal problems that one may encounter such as insurance,

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in India Essay

Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in India - Essay Example The violence that broke out was patterned on the themes of political/religious intolerance and ethnic cleansing. Pertinent issues of concern include the lack of proper police response, as well as organized perpetration of crime that went unabated by concerned security agencies (in Delhi). The involvement of government officials will be discussed, as well the Indian Army’s role-play. The massacre of the Sikhs in Punjab, India was an organized crime that was supported by the government following the assassination of Indira Gandhi who was Prime Minister at the time of her death, having had a massive influence on India’s political landscape because of her relation to Mahatma Gandhi, India’s most revered personality. The massacre led to the death of many people and destruction of a lot of property following the effective organization of the massacre. It is during her administration that the Indian Emergency (the 1970s) was imposed with this subsequently resulting in the detention of thousands of Sikhs who were politically agitating for some form of autonomy (Deol 78). During this era, sporadic violence was present, resulting from the increased armed activity of an armed Sikh separatist group. The Indian government’s apt designation of this separatist group as a terrorist entity further worsened the already tense political atmosphere (Deol 75). This culminated in the commencement of Operation Blue Star, where Prime Minister Indira ordered an attack on the Golden Temple by the Indian Army. This was in response to the violent occupation of the Temple by Sikh separatists, who being viewed as insurgents, were reported to have been stockpiling weapons (Singh). Her tough stance towards the group resulted in this direct order that was to focus on eliminating any insurgents founds, with later armed operations initiated in the larger Punjab state’s countryside.Indian paramilitary forces were commanded to clear any separatists that were hosted in the countryside with no option of negotiation (Rana).

Blast Injuries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Blast Injuries - Essay Example Upon detonation, a high explosive undergoes an almost instantaneous conversion into a gas at extremely high temperature and pressure. Rapidly, these high pressure gases expand generating a marked pressure wave known as the blast wave, which moves outward in every direction resulting into an abrupt shattering blow on everything in the immediate surroundings (Bailey and Murray, 1989). The blast wave inflicts on individuals in the surroundings injuries that are known as blast injuries, which this paper discusses. The blast wave is an intense rise in pressure that the detonation of a high explosive creates. In the ambient environment, the pressure rises almost instantly followed by an exponential decay and may have a brief reduced-barometric pressure period. The peak pressure as well as the period that the initial positive blast phase covers is dependent on the distance from the detonation centre (blast epicentre) and the explosion size. Energy transfer from the blast wave to bodies or objects in its path takes place causing damage (Elsayed, 2007). Below is a diagram showing a typical pressure/ blast wave. One may characterize explosive devices on the basis of their source. The bureau of Firearms, Tobacco and Alcohol classifies explosives into improvised and manufactured. While an improvised explosive denotes utilization of weapons fabricated in small quantities, devices used outside of their intended purposes, or alternative materials; a manufactured explosive entails a standard, quality tested and mass produced weapon. It is important to note that if somebody with training in explosives designs an ‘improvised’ explosive device, it may be professional in form and its operation may be somewhat lethal. In fact, high quality improvised explosive devices may bear a resemblance to military weapons both in appearance and effect (Bailey and Murray, 1989). The degree and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in India Essay

Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in India - Essay Example The violence that broke out was patterned on the themes of political/religious intolerance and ethnic cleansing. Pertinent issues of concern include the lack of proper police response, as well as organized perpetration of crime that went unabated by concerned security agencies (in Delhi). The involvement of government officials will be discussed, as well the Indian Army’s role-play. The massacre of the Sikhs in Punjab, India was an organized crime that was supported by the government following the assassination of Indira Gandhi who was Prime Minister at the time of her death, having had a massive influence on India’s political landscape because of her relation to Mahatma Gandhi, India’s most revered personality. The massacre led to the death of many people and destruction of a lot of property following the effective organization of the massacre. It is during her administration that the Indian Emergency (the 1970s) was imposed with this subsequently resulting in the detention of thousands of Sikhs who were politically agitating for some form of autonomy (Deol 78). During this era, sporadic violence was present, resulting from the increased armed activity of an armed Sikh separatist group. The Indian government’s apt designation of this separatist group as a terrorist entity further worsened the already tense political atmosphere (Deol 75). This culminated in the commencement of Operation Blue Star, where Prime Minister Indira ordered an attack on the Golden Temple by the Indian Army. This was in response to the violent occupation of the Temple by Sikh separatists, who being viewed as insurgents, were reported to have been stockpiling weapons (Singh). Her tough stance towards the group resulted in this direct order that was to focus on eliminating any insurgents founds, with later armed operations initiated in the larger Punjab state’s countryside.Indian paramilitary forces were commanded to clear any separatists that were hosted in the countryside with no option of negotiation (Rana).

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Assessment of the factors influencing profitability within refractive Dissertation

Assessment of the factors influencing profitability within refractive clinics and recommendations for best practice management - Dissertation Example The purpose of this study is to describe the factors that affect profitability within refractive clinics and to examine the relationship between these factors and best practice in refractive care. The study is done in two settings the first being an online platform with 40 participants (n=40) and the second being closed door, eight interview sessions involving 28 participants (n=28) at two private clinics in north one in Turin and the other in Milan. The study was qualitative in nature, and it utilized a survey method to collect the necessary data. The survey involved the use of instruments such as online questionnaires and semistructured interview questions. Online questionnaires were prepared with the help of SurveyMonkey, and sent to the 40 participants who were refractive care patients identified from clinical databases. The questionnaires were designed in line with the research objectives. Overall, questionnaires were chosen as they heightened the validity and reliability of the research through the collection of quantitative, objective data. Semi structured interviews were chosen in order to gain context and detail. They were conducted under 8 sessions at the two private clinics that were used for the study. The results for both surveys were centrally analyzed in regards to the findings in the literature review. The findings for the online survey revealed that the participants strongly consider two key factors when making their choice attend refractive clinics. These factors include management, where they showed strong consideration for private clinics. The other factor was technology superiority whereby they would first assess the clinics and later consider the one with better technology. For the interview sessions, the results indicated that the top five factors of importance were as following. Technological Superiority, friendly and professional staff, trust in the service, organisational culture, and personal and individual service in the order of sup eriority starting with most important. To conclude the research reflects upon the importance of a consideration of organisational factors in order to enhance profitability. Moving away from a sole financial perspective, this research has promoted the importance of a patient centric approach and the use of relationships to build perceptions and expectations of quality of care. Table of Contents Table of Contents 4 Chapter One: Introduction 6 Chapter Two: Background and Literature Review 10 2.1.2 Refractive Surgery 12 2.1.3 Alternative technologies 12 2.2 Background on Profitability in Refractive Care 14 2.2.2 Patient Economics 16 2.2.3 Prospective Patient Demographics 17 2.2.4 The Refractive Surgery Patient Pool 21 2.2.5 Procedure Pricing 24 2.2.6 Relationships between Demand and Economic Conditions 25 2.2.7 Penetration Rates and Available Market 25 2.2.8 Refractive Surgery Centers Concentrated in Metro Areas 26 2.2.9 Competition 27 2.2.10 Michael Porter 5 forces analysis on refracti ve market 28 2.3 Motivations for refractive surgery 30 2.4 Marketing perspectives: experiential marketing 30 2.5 Satisfaction in the healthcare sector 31 2.6 Organisational Culture 33 2.7 Leadership 34 2.8 Organisational capabilities 35 2.9 Current research and summary 36 Chapter Three: Methodology 37 3.1 Research Methodology and Design 37 3.2 Research Philosophy 38 3.3 Research Ethics 38 3.3.1 Human Rights Protection 39 3.4 Sample Size 39 3.4.1 Sample Recruitment 40 3.5 The setting 41 3.6 Data Collection 42 3.7 Instruments 42 3.7.1 Questionnaires 42 3.7.2 Semi Structured Interviews 43 3.8 Data Analysis Plan 44 3.9 Assumptions 45 3.10 Methodology Summary 45 Chapter Four: The Results 47 4.1 Sample 47 4.2 Survey Results 48 4.2.1 Results from the

Monday, October 14, 2019

Synchronization Of Federal And Dod Procurement Policies And Ethical Standards Essay Example for Free

Synchronization Of Federal And Dod Procurement Policies And Ethical Standards Essay The United States is not just admired of its technological advancement, its economic status and its military power but also of its sound and tight laws including its internal rules and regulations covering government agencies. In the case of the Department of Defense, Federal Laws and rules were kept updated as much as possible in the sense that revisions of internal policies were carried out. New versions of rules and regulations kept on coming in with reference to new laws or executive orders being approved and released. The biggest problem however, as it has also been with other agencies is that there is indeed a lack of strict implementation of such rules and regulations. This problem is proven by the increasing number of fraud cases in the procurement transactions undergone by the DOD. In order for us to find the flaw on the implementation system, let us evaluate the performance of the agencies wherein policy implementation on DOD were being delegated and entrusted. These agencies were not merely responsible for the implementation of the policies and procedures, specifically on procurement process but also for its monitoring. Let us closely look into the Office of the Government Ethics which is, according to Executive Order 12731, will be responsible for the administration of Principles Of Ethical Conduct For Government Officers And Employees. Specifically, EO 12731 (Section 201) should be administered by: (a) Promulgating, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Office of Personnel Management, regulations that establish a single, comprehensive, and clear set of executive-branch standards of conduct that shall be objective, reasonable, and enforceable. b) Developing, disseminating, and periodically updating an ethics manual for employees of the executive branch describing the applicable statutes, rules, decisions, and policies. (c) Promulgating, with the concurrence of the Attorney General, regulations interpreting the provisions of the post-employment statute, section 207 of title 18, United States Code; the general conflict-of-interest statute, section 208 of title 18, United States Code; and the statute prohibiting supplementation of salaries, section 209 of title 18, United States Code. d) Promulgating, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Office of Personnel Management, the regulations establishing a system of nonpublic (confidential) financial disclosure by executive branch employees to complement the system of public disclosure under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. Such regulations shall include criteria to guide agencies in determining which employees shall submit these reports. (e) Ensuring that any implementing regulations issued by agencies under this order are consistent with and promulgated in accordance with this order.  The main point of determining the responsibilities of the Office of the Government Ethics is to have a clear basis of determining who is supposed to be overseeing the ethical policies and the implementation thereof. Since this office has been specially designated for such a responsibility, it is expected that it should have specially designed delegation and communication tools of coordinating such policies to other agencies under it. The methods are clear: promulgation, delegation, consultation and dissemination of the policies and procedures with other agencies and of course DOD is not an exemption. It is therefore but fair to conclude that communication tools and the power to use them are available at anytime for the Office of the Government of Ethics to use for synchronizing policies throughout all agencies. Section 301 of Executive Order 12731 specifies how synchronization of ethical policies and standards should be done through the specifications of the responsibilities of the Office of the Government of Ethics. This section directs the agency to : a) Supplement, as necessary and appropriate, the comprehensive executive branch-wide regulations of the Office of Government Ethics, with regulations of special applicability to the particular functions and activities of that agency. Any supplementary agency regulations shall be prepared as addenda to the branch-wide regulations and promulgated jointly with the Office of Government Ethics, at the agencys expense, for inclusion in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) Ensure the review by all employees of this order and regulations promulgated pursuant to the order. c) Coordinate with the Office of Government Ethics in developing annual agency ethics training plans. Such training shall include mandatory annual briefings on ethics and standards of conduct for all employees appointed by the President, all employees in the Executive Office of the President, all officials required to file public or nonpublic financial disclosure reports, all employees who are contracting officers and procurement officials, and any other employees designated by the agency head. d) Where practicable, consult formally or informally with the Office of Government Ethics prior to granting any exemption under section 208 of title 18, United States Code, and provide the Director of the Office of Government Ethics a copy of any exemption granted. (e) Ensure that the rank, responsibilities, authority, staffing, and resources of the Designated Agency Ethics Official are sufficient to ensure the effectiveness of the agency ethics program. Support should include the provision of a separate budget line item for ethics activities, where practicable. The enumeration of such responsibilities appears to be just a matter of written rules for federal agencies. This is especially in the procurement process where more and more people are getting involved in procurement fraud. Every year, millions and millions of dollars are being recovered by the Department of Justice for running after the contractors and DOD personnel who acted in bad faith. Looking at the brighter side of things however, it can be stipulated that such events can be considered an indicator that these policies and rules on ethical standards are now being implemented quite well. Either way, we cannot consider each effort to be successful not until we have the occurrences of fraud lessen to a considerable amount. What should always be the goal is zero tolerance of any type of fraud. The synchronization efforts of the federal government must go beyond the circle of agencies. It is always recommended that the lawmakers be vigilant enough in evaluating every policy and laws governing the federal procurement process. It is their job to look into the flaws in the laws and recommend better and more efficient laws to be implemented. To be fair with enforcement agencies, policies are now in the process of strict implementation as more and more efforts are being done to revise and tighten procurement rules especially in contracting data. The government’s central repository of contracting data has long been criticized for being incomplete and inaccurate. Last year, the Office of Management and Budget launched an effort to clean up what gets fed into the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) by directing agencies to sample their data for accuracy. The Defense Department is still working on validating its data. Depending on the agency, data is accurately entered into FPDS between 85 percent and 100 percent of the time. Automated reporting has made it easier for agencies to load data into the system and reduced the errors associated with manual entry under the old system. But the volume of contracts has grown, making the issue of validating data more important and more challenging. While the quality of the data in the database is improving, there are still problems, say some critics who use FPDS regularly. Even with automated reporting and validation steps, people entering data still make mistakes the current software can’t catch. The rate the accuracy of the data is a seven out of 10. The new certification requirement has raised the importance of data accuracy to the highest levels of management. Agencies are much more focused on getting data right than they have been in the past. With more than $400 billion spent through procurements each year, the data is critical to managing functions and determining the type of staffing needed, OMB procurement policy chief, in a March memo to agencies. The launch of the federal spending Web site, USASpending. gov, in December has given new insight into the accuracy concerns with FPDS. As of Jan. 31, 6 percent, or $23 billion, of the 2007 contract dollars reported in the system had an unknown level of competition, which means a box in FPDS didn’t get checked. The inaccuracies found in FPDS come from the push to be current, which meant GSA had to relax some of the verification rules. The government had the option of waiting months for perfect data or entering data as contracts were awarded to provide transparency. GSA is seeking smarter validation technologies when it upgrades to the next generation of FPDS in 2010. Instead of simply telling users which fields in their system are missing, GSA hopes to create a system where fields can be compared to make sure the data makes sense, Fornecker said. For example, the system would be able to flag a $6 billion award to a small business or question conflicting information, such as when a contract award is labeled as â€Å"not competed† even though two or more bids were received. The Defense Department won’t have an assessment of the accuracy of its data until spring, said Shay Assad, the department’s procurement policy chief. Software bugs and missing data fields in FPDS were causing some inaccuracies, and those are being fixed, Assad said. The biggest cause for inaccurate data is human error, but system errors also play a role. For example, the Energy Department reported that between 8 percent and 17 percent of its errors came from how FPDS interpreted the data sent by its contract writing system. The remaining errors were human errors, according to the Energy report. The ever-popular multiple-award contracts — long praised by acquisition professionals and contractors as a speedy way to get competitively priced goods and services without threat of protest — are about to get a makeover. The conference report for the Defense authorization bill includes a new rule that would give contractors who are eligible to bid on a multiple-award contract order the right to protest an order worth more than $10 million. The White House and industry have opposed this provision, claiming it would promote unnecessary litigation. Contracting officers would also be prohibited from awarding a task order worth more than $100 million to a single contractor without written justification, further limiting how the contracts are used. The conference report also includes another controversial provision that would require agencies to report all critical inspector general audit findings, including questioned costs, to Congress. Industry groups have opposed this provision saying it could misrepresent routine audit questions and misunderstandings as major contracting irregularities. Other contracting provisions in the bill include: new associate administrator position within the Office of Management and Budget’s procurement policy office that will be dedicated to acquisition work force programs, permanent acquisition work force training fund, and contingency contracting training for people outside the acquisition profession including whistleblower rights for contractor employees. One more thing to reconsider in the policies synchronization is training needs. A yet-unreleased survey of government acquisition employees shows the work force needs more training in contract negotiations, program management and performance-based contracting, a White House official said today. OMB is working with Federal Acquisition Institute and the Defense Acquisition Institute to craft training that targets these and other areas identified in the survey, he said. OMB has approached Congress to renew procurement offices’ direct hire authority, which expired on Sept. 30, to allow agencies to quickly fill these critical positions, he said. OMB is also encouraging agencies to rehire retirees to train and mentor new workers and fill openings. Apart from training rules synchronization, the Department of Defense is also accused of discrimination is hiring or employment procedures including contract awarding against minorities and women. Still, this issue is an important consideration in ethical rules and standards set by the Federal Government. There are critics in an online publication that pinpoints the following areas of improvement in relation to ethical rules synchronization: Reorganization: Some observers emphasize the need to rationalize and coordinate the web of federal programs serving minority- and women-owned firms. For example, in 1992 the U. S. Commission on Minority Business recommended the creation within the Commerce Department of an Administration for the Development of Historically Underutilized Businesses which would assume SBAs responsibilities. Graduation: The program now requires graduation after nine years, and has phased requirements of non-8(a) and non-federal business mix designed to wean firms from sheltered competition and dependency on federal contracting. In February 1995, of the 1,038 firms in the fifth through ninth year of  §8(a) participation, nearly two-thirds met or exceeded the minimum non-8(a) business levels. Some observers have emphasized the need for analogous graduation and business-mix requirements in the DOD and DOT programs. Regional/Sectoral Concentration: Our analysis found SDB contracts and limited competition concentrated in certain industries and regions, which is undesirable for minority and non-minority firms alike. For example, while DODs overall goal for SDBs was only 5 percent, more than 35 percent of all DOD construction awards went to SDBs, and more than two-thirds of these were awarded under sheltered competition. Moreover, in ten States, more than 40 percent of all construction contracts awarded to small business was awarded to SDBs. This concentration occurs at particular sites as well, where in rare instances virtually all small business contracting is with SDBs. On the other hand, some degree of sectoral concentration in SDB procurements is inevitable to balance the many sites and sub-industries with virtually no SDB participation, and huge procurements for weapons systems and the like, for which no SDBs are available as prime contractors, and still too few as major subcontractors. Additional efforts are clearly needed to expand SDB opportunities more broadly. Self-Certification: Because DODs program is based on self-certification by SDBs, it may be prone to abuse, particularly through front companies. For example, DODs IG investigated Tyco Manufacturing and referred the case to the US Attorney. The companys owner pled guilty to charges that he falsely represented his firm as Hispanic-owned and controlled. Top officials of Automated Data Management, Inc. were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the government for concealing the firms ownership structure to participate in the  §8(a) program. Self-certification has obvious advantages in terms of reduced administrative expense and regulatory intrusion. Nevertheless, this must be balanced with the importance of ensuring that affirmative action measures are fair, which means as free of abuses as can reasonably be achieved. Subcontracting: In FY 1993, the most recent data available, small businesses received about $63 billion of federal contract dollars, out of roughly $180 billion in total. About one-third of that amount was from subcontracting. SDBs, on the other hand, received a little over $13 billion in federal contract dollars, but only one-sixth of that was through subcontracting. These figures are consistent with the widely held view that SDBs face greater obstacles to subcontracting participation than do other small firms. The SBA and other agencies believe that expanding the use of SDBs in subcontracting is both feasible and desirable as a strategy for creating more SDB opportunities. Other Program Changes: Several earlier analyses by the GAO, the SBA Inspector General and commentators have raised criticisms of the  §8(a) program, several of which SBA is moving to address by aggressively implementing recent statutory amendments which had languished under the prior Administration. These are reviewed more specifically immediately below. Past criticisms are that too many  §8(a) contracts were awarded on a sole-source basis, i. e. , without competition of any kind. This criticism has largely been addressed by recent and pending reforms. The 1988 law reforming the  §8(a) program requires that companies in the program compete among themselves for contracts valued at $3 million or more. (There is a higher competition threshold of $5 million for manufactured goods. Currently, however, many of the larger  §8(a) contracts are open-ended agreements that started out as small contracts and grew well beyond the competition threshold when a contracting officer renewed the order. To increase the number of contracts available for competition, SBA has proposed regulations to change this procedure so that an estimated value will be set on these open-ended contracts, which probably will be higher than the initial value. This means more  §8(a) contracts will be subject to competitive bidding among participating firms. In all these cases, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy must now especially tighten its implementation techniques. This office does have around $350 billion annual spending (Office of the Federal Procurement Policy, Whitehouse, 2008). According to their website, The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) in the Office of Management and Budget â€Å"plays a central role in shaping the policies and practices federal agencies use to acquire the goods and services they need to carry out their responsibilities. Established by Congress in 1974, OFPP is designed to provide overall direction for government-wide procurement policies, regulations and procedures. Given special authority for the procurement policy administration and implementation, OFPP is expected to find the means of having such procurement policies implemented in accordance with the Federal Ethical Standards. OFPP’s statutory authorities and responsibilities are set forth in the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act, 41 U. S. C. 401, et seq. OFPP’s primary responsibilities. First, it is appointed to oversee the development of acquisition regulations. The Office’s primary focus is on the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the government-wide regulation governing agency acquisitions of goods and services. OFPP staffs are to review and coordinate such changes with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. It is also its responsibility to formulate and coordinate acquisition legislation. OFPP oversees the formulation of the executive branch position on all legislation relating to procurement. In close consultation with the major procuring agencies, OFPP develops legislative proposals for the Administration and formulates positions on congressional bills addressing acquisition issues. OFPP staff works with OMB’s Legislative Reference Division, Office of Legislative Affairs, and congressional committees to explain and refine legislation as it proceeds through hearings, markups and conference to final passage. Apart from this, OFPP is required to lead the activities of the Chief Acquisition Officers Council (CAOC). The OFPP Administrator leads the Council’s activities on behalf of OMB’s Deputy Director for Management, who officially serves as the Chair. OFPP staff provides support to each of the Council’s working groups, which currently are focusing on competitive sourcing, contracting with small businesses, human capital, electronic government, performance management, and contingency contracting. The office also is responsible for collecting, developing, and disseminating procurement data. This responsibility is accomplished through several government-wide data collection tools, the most significant being the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS). OFPP directs the Federal Acquisition Institute to improve the caliber and professionalism of the acquisition workforce. For example, FAI provides core acquisition training and workforce support to the civilian acquisition community and actively partners with the Defense Acquisition University to leverage workforce development opportunities. In 2004, OFPP chartered a Board of Directors, which reports to the OFPP Administrator, and ensures that FAI’s focus is synchronized with government-wide policy priorities. OFPP is responsible for developing policies, in consultation with SBA, that promote maximum participation of small businesses in government contracts. Lastly, it serves as Chair of the Cost Accounting Standards Board (CASB), an independent board which has exclusive authority to establish standards for use by contractors and subcontractors to achieve uniformity and consistency in the measurement, assignment and allocation of costs to government contracts. The CASB’s cost accounting standards are promulgated as regulations. OFPP provides staff support to the CASB. It is now but fair enough to say that Federal Laws on Ethical Standards relative to procurement policies are well defined, clear and tight enough. The problem arises on the implementation of such rules. It is therefore a strong recommendation to begin the strict implementation of such policies as soon as possible. The step can rightfully begins with appointing or hiring able, dedicated people to oversee the agency and those people whose morality and principle cannot be bought by material things, especially with money where the Federal government and the Department of Defense are undeniably abundant of.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Human resources manager in international expansion

Human resources manager in international expansion ABSTRACT The worldwide dimension of Human Resources work may not have high influence in some businesses. But in some business it does posses a lot of influence. Some organizations that have world wide activities, needs to be staffed but with some different comparisons in the terms and conditions of employment. This is where the importance of international human resource management and the role of international human resource manager arise. International human resource manager must be responsible for framing new Human resources policies and strategies that gets in line with the locations ethical and religious issues for which managers need to posses both explicit and tacit knowledge. This research highlights the importance of this knowledge and its transfer from the parent country to the host country in line with the other objectives of this research. INTRODUCTION The growth of significance in International Human Resource Management originates from the augment of globalization. This substantial growth can be seen very obviously over the past half century. This term explains the propagation of international trading relations, foreign direct speculation, worldwide mergers and acquisitions, quicker and affordable transport and swift technological revolution. Amalgamation of markets multi-nationally was involved by globalization and the involvement was done on a regional level as well which is enthused by the rise of potential and authoritative markets in china, India and Eastern and Central Europe. Multinational companies are yet other visible manifestations of globalization. As companies expand domestically to a certain level they then try and expand internationally. This is when the role of International Human Resource Management comes into action. The objective of this research is to 1. Identify the role of International HR Manager. 2. To provide justification for the chosen geographical area. 3. To discuss the role of IHRM in relation to companys global involvement. The chosen geographical location for this research is India, for which the justification would be revealed during the course of the research. LITERATURE REVIEW International HRM can be defined as ‘the set of distinct activities, functions and processes that are directed at attracting and maintaining an MNCs human resources. It is thus the aggregate of the various HRM systems used to manage people in the MNC, both at home and overseas. Taylor, Beechler and Napier, 1996, pg: 960. There are various models that best explain the International Human Resource Management. These models have been put forward to illustrate how the HR function is configured. The Schuler et al. (1993) model explains us the integrative frame work of international HRM. This is a conceptual frame work that tried to record HRM activity to the diverse strategic requirements for integration and local responsiveness. Schuler et al. (1993) defines strategic international HRM as ‘Human Resource Management issues, functions, policies, practices that result from the strategic activities of multinational enterprises and that impact the international concerns and goals of the enterprise. â€Å"International Human Resource Management can also be referred to as a scrupulous type of devolution activity and spreading out of HR role. As and when an organization starts to develop its international activities, the organization inexorably sets up the degree of decentralization, but internationalization is not just a form of decentralization. This is considered to be one of the most complex forms of the same and involves different types of language, culture, economic and political systems, legislative frame works, management styles and conventions and diversification that stay within those national boundaries.† (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005, pg: 695). Perlmutter (1969) proposed a model that was purely network based, illustrating the globalization of companies. This model was initially implemented in the international human resource management prose, rather than the international business field from where it originated. Kobrin (1994) ‘identified the classification in human resource management issues such as training, recruiting, selecting people and resources as the prime reason why international Human resource theorists adopt the Perlmutters model widely. Perlmutter (1969) initially defined three organizational types based on managements mindsets. They are ethnocentric, polycentric and geocentric organizations. Later he came with the fourth type of organization which is called the regiocentric organization. â€Å"THE ETHNOCENTRIC MINDSET reflects a spotlight on home country values and methods of operating. The consequence is the key positions are filled by the parent country nationals which give them a high degree of direct control over the subsidiaries. THE POLYCENTRIC MINDSET focuses on host country values and methods of operating. The key positions are filled by local employees and the parent company is less interested in homogenizing the organizational culture. THE GEOCENTRIC MINDSET focuses on global operation methods and values. These values are not nationally specific but transcend national boundaries and become almost multi-cultural. This approach involves best people for the job and the selection is done from all over the global organization. THE REGIOCENTRIC MINDSET recognizes regional operational methods and values. The organization is normally structured along regional geographic lines (e.g.: Europe, America, Asia Pacific Rim) and employees are transferred within these regions allowing certain degree of integration and recognizing regional diversity.† Perlmutter (1969). ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER The primary role of the human resources manager of a company that is expanding internationally for the first time is to formulate new HR strategies and policies based on the organizations business policy. They must keep in mind the issues in the geographical location where the company is going to operate. Those issues may be varied starting from political issues, labor issues, religious issues and diversity issues. The next important role would be the transfer of knowledge. ‘Knowledge is defined in terms of its explicit and tacit qualities (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995). Polyani (1962) states that ‘tacit knowledge is the one that can be articulated and explicit knowledge is something that cannot be articulated. Both these knowledge has different methods of acquisition and accumulation purposes. Lam (2000) argues ‘that explicit knowledge is mostly generated through reckoning and inference and can be acquired through learning, training reading and listening and tacit knowledge is acquired through exposure in different environments, face to face communications. Close interaction plays a critical role in diffusion of this knowledge. As per the above argument by Lam (2000), we can say that it is mandatory for an international human resources manager to posses both explicit and tacit knowledge. Explicit knowledge will help the manager in framing international HR policies and strategies based on organizational objectives. This can also be addressed to as the internal factors in international expansion. Where as the external factors include the political issues, the opportunities and threats which they might experience. This requires the manager to posses abundant tacit knowledge which is acquired through experience. To be more specific on the roles we can consider the work of Tregaskis, Glover and Ferner (2005). They examined the role of international HR networks in 13 different Multi-national companies and outlined the role of the HR manager. These include â€Å"1. Global policy development. 2. Global HR policy accomplishment. 3. Best practice conception and allocation. 4. Utilization of the distributed HR expertise. 5. Creating buy-in to policy initiatives. 6. Information Exchange. 7. Socialization of the HR community.† These roles are self explanatory and it underpins the relevant knowledge requirement of the person involved in the international setting. JUSTIFICATION OF THE CHOSEN AREA This research will proceed further based on the assumption that the UK based organization is planning to expand its operations in India. India is one of the largest democracies in the southern Asia. India draws a high level of international attention with a GDP of growth rate of 8.1 percent in the first quarter of the financial year 2005-2006. This increased from 1.9 percent in 1995 to 3.4 percent in 2004. Major growth rate can be found in the industrial and the services sector with a growth rate of 8 percent in 2005. There are quite a few challenges that the organization might have to face during its expansion in India. This is outlined by Beardwell and Claydon (2007, pg: 626). â€Å"INFRASTRUCTURE: The combination of weak authoritarian mechanisms and the improper flow of FDI which is found more in non core sectors have restricted the flow in core sectors and Energy. Wider skill up gradation seems to be essential in India for e.g., more manpower is required in the information and the communication Industry. CORRUPTION: This is another challenge that could be faced by the organization. This is the reason that the FDI flow in china is comparatively higher. The government of India has implemented the Rights to Information Act in 2005. Setting up of the vigilance commission is also an important step taken by the government. GROWTH WITH EQUITY: Despite the fact that there are more jobs being created, these jobs are in the unorganized sector with poor wages and benefits and there is less job security. But the government is taking necessary steps to improve job opportunities and enhance skills development by ensuring education for all. Beardwell and Claydon (2007, pg: 627), outlines the advantages an organization that enjoy despite the arousing the challenges. They are LANGUAGE: Advantage of wide knowledge in English language is evident in most graduates who come from across a million universities in India which makes recruiting quality candidates very easy. SKILLS: Highly skilled people from the field of software and information technology are one of Indias competitive advantages. India though highly recognized for unskilled cheap labor produces a number of graduates from the field of mathematics and science from a number of colleges. DEMOCRACY: The egalitarian nature of the Indian state provides a sustainable distribution of resources with an equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. This may help India address the challenges of poverty, inequality, low equality and per-capita income. DIVERSITY: The key to understanding the Indian context is its diversity. Managers with an experience in a diverse organization are regularly equipped to adjust as well as respond to the increasingly diverse international work place. PROSPECTS: India on description of its competitive advantage continues to gain employment within global division of MNC. The probability of this change happening is high with a projected growth of 9-10 percent which was predicted by the World Bank.† DISCUSSION AND EXAMPLES IHRM and Companys Global Involvement This discussion will mainly focus on role of IHRM in companys global involvement followed by examples of two organizations. Vernons (1996) stage model of organizational change and the steps are listed below PHASE 1. DOMESTIC: Focus is on the market, with unique products and services. ‘There are no requirements of cultural diversity and the HR needs are not demanding in international terms. I.e. expatriate assignments cross-cultural (Dunbar, ET. Al., 1989). PHASE 2. INTERNATIONAL: There is an increase in competition and international markets gain significance for profit. The HR now performs vital role in attaining control of local operations. PHASE 3. MULTINATIONAL: The product/ service reaches maturity, there is a rise in competition and a fall in price. The best people are chosen for international postings for increasing profits and the recruitment of international manager would be from those with the knowledge of parent culture. PHASE 4. GLOBAL: The previous three stages were based on hierarchical structures. This phase functions on the postulation that the business unit will need to operate in all the three phases continuously. ‘It is in this stage the demarcation between the expatriate and local managers disappears and management of dual demands of integration and local responsiveness takes place in the organization. (Doz and Prahalad, 1986). Phase I Domestic Phase II International Phase III Multinational Phase IV Global Primary Orientation Product or Service Marketing Price Strategy Strategy Domestic Multi Domestic Multi National Global World Wide Strategy Allow Foreign Clients To buy Product/service Increase market Internationally, Transfer technology abroad. Source, Produce and Market Internationally Gain global strategic competitive advantage Staffing Expatriates None (Few) Many Some Many Why sent? Junket To sell control or transfer technology Control Coordination and Integration Whom Sent? ‘ok performers, salespeople Very good performers High- potential Managers and top executives Purpose Reward Project ‘to get Job done Project and career development Career and organizational development Career Impact Negative Bad for domestic career Important for global career Essential for executive suite Professional Re- entry Somewhat difficult Extremely difficult Less difficult Professionally easy Training and Development None Limited Longer Continuous throughout career For Whom No one Expatriates Expatriates Managers Performance Appraisal Corporate bottom line Subsidiary bottom line Corporate bottom line Strategic positioning Motivation Assumption Money motivates Money and adventure Challenge and opportunity Challenge, opportunity, advancement Rewarding Extra money to compensate for foreign hardship ______________ Less generous, global packages ____________ Career ‘Fast Track Domestic Domestic Token international Global Executive Passport Home country Home country Home country, token foreigners Multinational Necessary Skills Technical and managerial Plus cultural adaptation Plus recognizing cultural differences Plus cross- cultural interaction, influence and synergy Source: Adler and Ghadar, 1990 cited on Beardwell and Claydon 2007. The table illustrated above was proposed by Adler and Ghadar, (1990), which illustrated the IHRM in relation to the companys global environment relating various aspects with Vernons model of organizational change. Examples The two organizations that will be considered as examples in this research are Barclays bank and British airways. â€Å"Barclays is a UK based organization which is expanding globally at a considerable rate. Barclays bank has been operating in India for just a span of two years. Within a short span of time they have gained the title as the most respected foreign banks of the country. This bank is led by Mark Jones, who is the Managing Director in Asia. The company has its own corporate social responsibilities. In 2008 52.2 million pounds was invested in community projects and over 57, 361 employees in over 50 countries was involved in one of them.† www.barclays.in (2009). Theoretically speaking Barclays in now on PHASE 3. THE MULTINATIONAL STAGE, as illustrated by Vernon (1996). The organization employed a director who has the knowledge of the parent culture. They have five branches across India and currently have their efforts focused on financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and education and Helping people into Employment. The ethnocentric and polycentric mindsets of Perlmutters (1969) model best suits the companys International HR management practices because; Barclays key positions are filled by parent country nationals as well as nationals from the host country. â€Å"When considering the case of British Airways, they are slightly different from Barclays. This difference occurred because British airways are a huge organization with over 80 years of history. Though they have their hubs only in London, they have their operations in six continents and in over 69 countries and India is one of them. They serve to more than 36 million passengers every year. They believe in offering diversity, more development, better training than their competitors.† www.britishairways.com (2009). This organizations international HRM strategy can be compared in contrast with the permutters (1969) geocentric and regiocentric mindsets of the people because; they involve best people from all over the globe and at crucial stages employees are transferred within a particular region. British airways is currently in the PHASE 4 which is the GLOBAL PHASE as they are operating on all the prior three stages. CONCLUSION This research analyzed the international human resource management using a range of academic models and theories. The role of human resource manager during a first international expansion was clearly related to the knowledge transfer and the organizational strategies and policies. This research can be a useful tool for a domestic company whose future plan is to expand their business globally. After analyzing the advantages and challenges in India it gives the organization a clear picture as to what are the issues that can be expected, both internally and externally. Advantages are those which the organization must be prepared to utilize, and the challenges are something which they must be ready to face. Keeping in mind the role of the IHRM in organizations global involvement, the stages for organizational change, and the advantages and challenges they might face in the host country, the organization can really make an excellent start in their proposed geographical location. REFERENCES 1. All about British Airways, available at http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/?newms=info1 accessed on 24 August 2009. 2. About Barclays (2009), available at http://www.barclays.in/about/about_us.htm accessed on 24 August 2009. 3. Adler, N. and Ghadar, F. (1990) ‘strategic human resource management: A global perspective, in Pieper, R. Human Resource management: An International Comparison. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 4. Beardwell, J. and Claydon, T. (2007), ‘International Human Resource management, HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: a Contemporary Approach, Edition 5, PP: 562-664. 5. Doz, Y.L. and Prahalad, C.K. (1986) ‘Controlled variety: A Challenge for Human Resource Management in the MNC Human Resource Management, 25, Edition 1, PP: 55-72. 6. Kobrin, S.J. (1994) ‘Is there a relationship between a geocentric mindset and multinational strategy? Journal of International Business Studies, third quarter: 493-511. 7. Lam, A. (2000) ‘tacit knowledge, organizational learning and societal institutions: an integrated frame work. Organization Studies, 21, Edition 3, PP: 487-513. 8. Dunbar, E., Mendenhall, M. and Oddou, G. (1989) ‘Expatriate selection, training and career pathing: a review and critique, Human Resource Management, 26, fall: 331-345. 9. Nonaka, I and Takeuchi, H. (1995) the knowledge creating company. New York: Oxford University Press. 10. Perlmutter, H.V. (1969) ‘the tortous evolution of the multinational corporation, International Organization, 51, Edition 1, PP: 1-30. 11. Polyani, M. (1962), Personal Knowledge. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 12. Schuler, R., Dowling, P. and De Ceiri, H. (1993), ‘An international framework strategic international human resource management, Journal of Management, 19, 2: 419-459. 13. Taylor, S., Beechler, S. and Napier, N. (1996) ‘Toward an integrative model of strategic international human resource management, Academy of Management Review, 21, Edition 4, PP: 959-985. 14. Torrington, D., Hall, L., Taylor, S. (2005), Human Resource Management, Prentice hall, Edition 6; PP: 693- 778. 15. Vernon, R. (1996) ‘international investment and international trade in the product cycle. Quarterly Journal of Economics May.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Future Of Human Evolution Essay -- essays research papers

The Future of Human Evolution Evolution, the science of how populations of living organisms change over time in response to their environment, is the central unifying theme in biology today. Evolution was first explored in its semi-modern form in Charles Darwin 's 1859 book, Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection. In this book, Darwin laid out a strong argument for evolution. He postulated that all species have a common ancestor from which they are descended. As populations of species moved into new habitats and new parts of the world, they faced different environmental conditions. Over time, these populations accumulated modifications, or adaptations, that allowed them and their offspring to survive better in their new environments. These modifications were the key to the evolution of new species, and Darwin proposed natural selection or "survival of the fittest" as the vehicle by which that change occurs. Under Natural Selection, some individuals in a population have adaptations that allow them to survive and reproduce more than other individuals. These adaptations become more common in the population because of this higher reproductive success. Over time, the characteristics of the population as a whole can change, sometimes even resulting in the formation of a new species. Humans have survived for thousands of years and will most like survive thousands of more. Throughout the history of the Huminoid species man has evolved from Homo Erectus to what we today call Homo Sapiens, or what we know today as modern man.. The topic of this paper is what does the future have in store for the evolution of Homo Sapiens. Of course, human beings will continue to change culturally; therefore cultural evolution will always continue; but what of physiological evolution? The cultural evolution of man will continue as long as man can think; after all it's the ideas we think up that makes up our cultures. In a thousand years man might complete a 180 degree turn culturally (not to mention physiologically) and as seen by our fellow inhabitants of earth we would in essence be different beings. One can say that this new culture has chosen its ideas based on Natural Selection. One can see this in the spread of ideas in the past history of homo sapiens, the ideas which cause man to succeed are chosen such as science and demo... ...random genetic drift, but it may become homozygous for allele "A", whereas the first population has become homozygous for allele "a". As time goes on, isolated populations diverge from each other, each losing heterozygosity. The variation originally present within populations now appears as variation between populations (Suzuki 704). The evolution of man can be broken up into three basic stages. The first, lasting millions of years, slowly shaped human nature from Homo erectus to Home sapiens. Natural selection provided the means for countless random mutations resulting in the appearance of such human characteristics as hands and feet. The second stage, after the full development of the human body and mind, saw humans moving from wild foragers to an agriculture based society. Natural selection received a helping hand as man took advantage of random mutations in nature and bred more productive species of plants and animals. The most bountiful wheats were collected and re-planted, and the fastest horses were bred with equally faster horses. Even in our recent history the strongest black male slaves were mated with the hardest working female slaves.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Paparazzi Policy Speech

Being a celebrity means putting up with people wanting to take pictures with you and signing your autograph all the time. Everyone understands its in the job description to be followed and stared at. But when does a person taking a harmless picture cross the line into harassment? Yes its sad to think that these people don't get any privacy anymore, but what most of us need to worry about is that it could affect us next. Paparazzi have gotten more wild and out of control over the years and if we don't do anything about it now, it will only get worse.SLIDESHOW First we will go over exactly what the problem with the paparazzi is; such as how they are hired for magazines and abuse their power as a means to stalk individuals, not only celebrities but also professional athletes. Then we will find out the causes of the problem, and what effects they have had on the public, such as the laws that are currently in use but not working, and the injuries that innocent bystanders are getting becau se of the crazy paparazzi.Lastly, we will discover a solution for this dangerous situation, in which we will advertise high restrictions and greater punishments to any paparazzo who doesn't obey these laws. Lets begin by discovering exactly why the paps are dangerous. By not making enough restrictions for the paparazzi, we are basically encouraging them to continue to put our safety at risk. Paparazzi are described as freelance photographers who aggressively pursue celebrities to take candid pictures, which they plan to sell to magazines and tabloids for profit.According to an article in Suite 101 on August 7, 2008 written by Rachel Oliva, the term paparazzi actually comes from â€Å"paparazzo† which is italian for buzzing mosquito. You can definitly see the similarities. Paparazzi are infamous for car chases, causing disruptions and many other tactics to try and get rises out of the celebrities they are stalking. They have no consideration or care for the people they put in danger in order for them to get the perfect picture. Sadly, magazines pay huge sums of money for these pictures.Another article from Suite 101 written by Tara Gilbert on October 18, 2007 speculated that a picture of a celeb with no make up on can go for more than $10,000. Therefore, a fine of a mere $500 for running a red light is well worth getting the picture. Not only is this happening in the US, but in every country that celebs visit, you can count on a swarm of paparazzi being there. Especially in India, which is notorious for its terrible drivers, paparazzi are only making the conditions worse. Athletes are also being victimized by the aggressive photographers.Imagine a professional football or baseball player with a huge game the next day, The last thing they need to worry about is being harassed and photographed, which only adds to the stress in their life. In relation to us, we also have to worry about the paparazzi here in Malibu. Since we live in a place where many celebr ities have chosen to live, we get to tell cool stories to our friends about seeing adam sandler in Malibu Yo. However we also have to worry about the photographers hiding behind bushes and jumping out into the street hoping to catch the stars in surprise.And driving down PCH we are very likely to get in an accident with a reckless paparazzo and a frantic celebrity. David Halbfinger from the New York Times described in his article on June 9 2005 Some tactics that Paparazzi use to get the perfect picture, including using several vehicles to â€Å"box in† a celebrity's car, run the stars off the road, or chase them at a high speed. They recklessly put pedestrians, other drivers and even themselves at risk. Celebrities themselves are speaking out about the paparazzi as well.According to the same New York Times article, Reese Witherspoon, Famous for her role on Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama, said a paparazzi actually tried to ram the back of her car, which they had never d one before. The most famous of paparazzi- caused deaths was Princess Diana of Wales, who was killed in a high speed car chase trying to lose several paprazzi. SLIDESHOW An investigation was completed on April 7 2008 and in the Huffington Post, author Robert Barr concluded the fault was given to Princess Di's driver and the pursuing paparazzi for reckless behavior equal to manslaughter.Robert Barr goes on to say that nine of the paparazzi involved were charged with manslaughter, but the charges were thrown out in 2002. Only three photographers were convicted of invasion of privacy and fined exactly one euro in 2006. One euro? Really? If paparazzi can get away with killing one of the most respected women in the world and only have to pay one Euro, then something needs to be changed in our system. Now that we have found out exactly why the paparazzi are dangerous, Lets continue on to the causes of this problem.This problem exists because we as a community have allowed the paparazzi to take advantage of our lax laws. In the same article that Tara Gilbert wrote in 2007, she wrote that the paparazzi justify their tactics by using the 1st amendment Free speech excuse as their failsafe way of saying they are just doing their jobs. The laws that are in place now include one from 1999 that protects celebrities privacy in a minimal way, saying that pictures taken illegally from when paparazzi have trespassed can not be sold for profit. Hollywood. om author Ken wok describes the law as needing to be updated. This law doesn't say anything about car chases, doesn't protect the bystanders who are getting involved when the paparazzi get too angsty and doesn't put a boundary on how aggressive they can be. Although there are those few celebrities who use the paparazzi as a way to get more publicity and continue to be relevant, there are far more who are fighting back against them. Literally. According to Darrell Hartman's June 7 2010 article in Vanity Fair, Sean Penn found a pa parazzi in his hotel room nd proceeded to dangle the guy out his hotel room window by his heels. Kanye West smashed a paparazzos camera after they harassed him in an airport. And hugh grant threw a tub of baked beans at the paparazzi after they had followed him in london. He also karate kicked another pap in New York. Now that have gone over the problems and the causes, we can try to find solutions. Luckily, Governor Schwarzenegger was already thinking about this problem a month ago.Patrick McGreevy wrote an article in the Los Angeles Times on October 1, 2010 saying that the governor signed a bill that cracks down on photographers who drive recklessly in pursuit of celebrities or block sidewalks. It Includes possible jail time of a year. The bill also has greater punishments of the photographers who break trespassing laws and those who recklessly flout traffic ordinances. It charges over $5000 to any photographer who interferes with anyones car, not just a celebrities. However any p hotographers means newspaper journalists or television cameras are included too.By increasing the fee, hopefully paparazzi will be less likely to be aggressive and endanger peoples safety. While this bill is great, I suggest taking it even farther. Forcing the magazines to lower their rates for pictures of celebrities will make paparazzi think twice about the repercussions of driving recklessly. Andrew Blankstein of Century City news wrote in an article on October 1 2010, that explained how the value of celebrity photos tends to increase the franticness of paparazzi behavior. By taking away the reward's value, gambling with reckless driving may seem like its not worth it.Combined with the new bill that increases their punishments, the paparazzi will be forced to the conclusion that the risk of getting caught isn't worth the money they would get from a magazine. And lastly the one thing that all of us can do easily, is if we ever see a celebrity being harassed by paparazzi, we can ca ll the authorities. Most paparazzi get charges against them dropped because no witnesses come forward. With the extra punishments involved, these paparazzi will have to risk jail, or simply abide by the law. In conclusion, paparazzi are dangerous to celebs and innocent bystanders alike.Dubner states in his 2009 article that â€Å"when you are famous, your every move is of interest to someone, and consequently of value to someone else. † The bill that the governor signed last month will raise the punishments for paparazzi who break the law, and by forcing the magazines to lower the price of celebrity pictures by more than 80%, the payoff wont be as great for the photographers, hopefully discouraging them from doing anything illegal to get the pictures. These things combined can help celebrities, athletes, and normal people alike stay safe when paparazzis are around. SLIDESHOW