Piper Alpha Case Study - 3230 Words

Abstract: The accident that happened aboard the offshore platform Piper Alpha in This summer 1988 wiped out 167 people and price vast amounts of dollars in damage to property. It had been triggered with a massive fire that was not caused by an unpredictable â€Å"act of God† but of an amount of errors and questionable choices. Many of them were rooted within the organization, its structure, methods, and culture. These business factors are generalizable with other industries and engineering systems. They include defects within the design recommendations and design practices (e.g., tight physical couplings or inadequate redundancies), misguided focal points within the control over the tradeoff between productivity and safety, mistakes within†¦show more content†¦They d extensive related offices at Aberdeen, a warehouse facility at Peterhead along with a helicopter facility at Aberdeen Airport terminal. The Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) may be the part of overall charge of t he Piper Alpha platform. According from the Upkeep of equipment the hierarchy may be the Superintendent, Deputy Maintenance Superintendent, and Lead Maintenance Hands. The specialists beneath the Lead Maintenance Hands would be the Maintenance Specialists along with other relevant personnel for example electrical engineers. For Safety there s a security Supervisor, a Lead Safety Officer (vacant once the accident happened), OPCAL’s safety operators and also the Contractor’s Safety Operators. The most important staff is obviously the development personnel for aside from safety they d dominate contrary went wrong. Furthermore these were OPCAL’s own employees. Underneath the OIM there is an Procedures Superintendent, a Deputy Procedures Superintendent, Lead Production Operators, and also the actual Operators. Obviously there have been also many employees of the several companies around the platform but susceptible to the general supervision from the permanent production staff. Actually there is no dispute that OPCAL’s management and staff structures affecting Piper Alpha were as put down in amounts 13/62 and 12/ 209 of process. The primary motif â€Å"These were our business, we go ahead and take oil out and export it†. AncillaryShow MoreRelatedPiper Alpha Case Studies3377 Words   |  14 PagesAbstract This research report is about the Piper Alpha Disaster that happened in 1988. Being one of the major oil production oil-rig in the UK, the accident that took place more than 20 years ago caught the attention of many, especially those in the field. The happening was largely due to the complacency of the supervisors as well as the safety measures of the management. Using the internet, academic journals and textbooks available, the research was conducted by referring to various sources ofRead MoreThe Chernobyl And Piper Alpha Case Studies1470 Words   |  6 PagesPeyman Alizadeh Professor M. Gaboury LAWS 1038-41 Date November 25, 2016 Compare and Contrast the Chernobyl and Piper Alpha Case Studies Introduction: Chernobyl and Piper Alpha Case studies are two of the engineering failures that has happened in the world. The world worst civilian disaster happened when the Chernobyl nuclear power explode in soviet plant located in Ukraine. Soviet nuclear plant was one of the most advanced facilities that included four reactors. The Chernobyl accident happened onRead MoreTechnical Issues : Construction Of The Platform1573 Words   |  7 Pagesfor injured workers and they families support group- Piper outreach team. (Harris, 1989) Professor Alexander is now director of the Aberdeen Centre for Trauma Research at Robert Gordon University. Ten years after the disaster he managed to find 46 of the survivors; they took the part in the study group on the long term psychological effect of Piper Alpha disaster and PTSD. They agreed to give interviews and completed questionnaires, the study showed that: 97% of the group reported psychological problemsRead MoreThe Impact Of Safety On The Oil Industry2699 Words   |  11 Pagesmodeled in the form of regulations, which makes defaulters liable to punishment, which ranges from fines to termination of operational permits. The oil industry is moving towards uncharted territory especially in the deep-water environment. In some cases the encounters, which are certain to be seen, are unclear. The major factor in any oil industry operation is that we are dealing with Mother Earth and it is very uncertain to come up with an accurate prediction during drilling. This factor explainsRead MoreProcess Safety Management Process in Oiland Gas Industry Essay2653 Words   |  11 Pagesof managing oil and operation safely. Process safety management program such as Hazard operability studies (Hazop) amp; related methods such as ‘‘what if’’ was developed during this period but was limited to identifying potential hazardous situation and safe process design ; which was not enough to effectively manage the process of oil and gas operations. The 1970’s and 80’s witnessed severe cases of process related incidents. Among the several incidents that occurred, the major accidents that Read MoreIs Easy Oil Really Gone?1234 Words   |  5 Pagesenvironmentally sensitive area, the results are catastrophic. A blowout or release of hydrocarbon to the surface may not only happen in the drilling process, it can happen long after the well is drilled, while in the production phase. A notable case is the Piper Alpha disaster which happened in 1988, where gas condensate leaked from recently serviced valve, causing an explosion and resulted in the complete loss of the production platform and the loss of 167 men (Macalister, 2013). Blowouts or well integrityRead MoreExplain The Term Safety Culture 1481 Words   |  6 PagesResource Management related policies and practices could successfully maximize the human resource contribution, this may incur a significant cost for employees. The deleterious effect of ‘human resource maximizing policies’ was all too apparent in the case studies of airline cabin crews and call centre workers, in which various policies and practices were intimately linked to work intensification and work related illness and injuries. Based on these findings, i t could be argued that employee health is aRead More Human Error Essay2183 Words   |  9 Pageserror in the spotlight. Some examples of human error catastrophes include: the Tenerife runway collision in 1977, Three Mile Island in 1979, the Bhopal methyl isocyanate tragedy in 1984, the Challenger and Chernobyl disasters of 1986, and the Piper Alpha oil platform explosion in 1988. While these catastrophes put human error concerns in the spotlight, the human error impact on manufacturing operations can be just as detrimental. All of the catastrophes that were described above happened onRead MoreTurmeric Mouthwash4563 Words   |  19 Pagesas athletes foot. * Aromatherapy and essential oil use * None noted. Safety precautions and warnings Not to be used in pregnancy or when suffering from obstruction of the bile duct or gallstones. |   Ã‚ »Ã‚  Abstract |    | | Objective: To study the antianaphylactic, antihistaminic and mast cell stabilization activity of HK-07 in experimental animals. Materials and Methods: HK-07 is a polyherbal formulation containing extracts of various plant constituents. The compound HK-07 was evaluatedRead MoreBest Practice in Organizational Safety Culture10041 Words   |  41 Pages.....................................................................................22 Appendices .....................................................................................23 Appendix A: Case Study One (1) – Du Pont ..............................................23 Appendix B: Case Study Two State Energy Provider, Australia.................27 Factual Data .........................................................................................27 Discussion ...........................

Classical Processing The Theory Of Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning was the process of conditioning that was discovered by Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov (Cherry, 2). â€Å"Classical conditioning is a type of learning that had amajor influence on the school of thought in psychology known as behaviorism† (Cherry, 2). â€Å"Behaviorism is based on the assumption that all learning occurs through interactions with the environment and the environment shapes behavior† (Cherry, 2). Classical conditioning involves pairing a neutral stimulus with an unlearned, natural stimulus that automatically elicits a reflexive response (Hockenbury, page 184). Special terms coined by Pavlov were used todescribe each element of the process (Hockenbury, page 184). â€Å"The natural stimulus that reflexively†¦show more content†¦There are two types of reinforcement, positive and negative, and they both affect how people will act in the future (Hockenbury, page 198). â€Å"Positive reinforcement involves that leads to a reinforcing or rewarding event† (Hockenbury, page 198). An example would be, a teacher gives her students a homework pass for every A they make on a test. â€Å"In contrast, negative reinforcement involves behavior that leads to the avoidance of or escape from an adverse or punishing event†(Hockenbury, page 198). An example would be putting on sunscreen before going out in the sun to avoid a sunburn. â€Å"Punishment is defined as the opposite of reinforcement since it is designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than increase it† (McLeod). Just like reinforcement, there is also positive and negative punishment (Hockenbury, page 200). â€Å"Positive punishment, also called punishment by application, involves a response being followed by the presentation of an aversive stimulus† (Hockenbury, page 200). An example would be a dog jumping up on a visitor’s lap, and you swat him with a rolled-up newspaper (Hockenbury, page 201). Negati ve punishment, also called punishment by removal, involves the loss or withdrawal of a reinforcing stimulus following behavior (Hockenbury, pageShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding Of Different Learning Theories1092 Words   |  5 PagesDIFFERENT LEARNING THEORIES AND THEIR IMPLICATION AND APPLICATION TO e-LEARNING AND ONLINE LEARNING ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to explain the understanding of different learning theories and their implication and application to e-learning and online learning. These theories are classical conditioning, behaviorist theory, information processing theory or cognitive theory and constructivist theory. The paper focuses mainly on how learners should learn from different learning theories and how technologyRead MoreLearning and Development Theories939 Words   |  4 Pages Learning and Development Theories: Learning and development theories basically focus on environmental factors that impact peoples behavior like reinforcement, modeling, and punishment. These theories have been developed by several theorists in the field of psychology who have endeavored to understand the development and behavior of human beings. The efforts of these theorists have contributed to the emergence of several theories that explain their work. Actually, there are three major learningRead MoreThe Little Albert Experiment By John B. Watson997 Words   |  4 Pagesresearch on classical conditioning. 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The sociological theories locate the source ofRead MorePsychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Human Mind And Its Behaviors1625 Words   |  7 Pagesbehaviour. Behaviourism suggests that an individual can be taught any type of behaviour through the use of either classical or operant conditioning. Classical conditioning was formed by Ivan Pavlov and involves learning by association. Pavlov stated that classical conditioning could be used to encourage or discourage a behaviour through the use of stimuli and reflexes. Based on classical conditioning, Pavlov conducted an experiment where the findings showed that dogs had been conditioned into a new behaviourRead MoreThe Theory Of Classical Conditioning1222 Words   |  5 Pagesexperienced. Although Harlow has found this theory, Ivan Pavlov experimented with dogs and discovered classical conditioning. 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Evidence for this theory was produced by PavlovRead MoreLearning Theories, Behaviorism And Social Cognitive Theory1216 Words   |  5 Pagesas prejudice and self-efficacy respectively (Conyers, Enright, Strauser, 1998). The following essay will discuss two learning theories, behaviourism and social cognitive theory (SCT), in relation to disability practices. Behaviourism explains learning through stimulus-response associations, with the two main theories being classical conditioning and operant conditioning (Ormrod, 2016). For professionals in disability, understanding behaviourism is essential to identify how behaviours are learntRead MoreBehaviorism s Theory Of Psychology983 Words   |  4 Pageseach one of these behaviorism. Moreover, behaviorism wasn’t just established by John Watson. There were other behaviorist; such as, B.F Skinner, Edward Thorndike, Ivan Pavlov, Neal E. Miller, and Clark L. Hull. All these behaviorist developed their theories based around the fundamental developm ent of human and animal behavior. Animals has been used in behavioral studies for studies for years. Behaviorist found animal to be more comprehensive than humans and during many of their studies. However, inRead MoreDifferent Perspectives And The Key Debates Within Psychology Essay1744 Words   |  7 Pagesterms of conditioning, without the need to consider thoughts or feelings (Cardwell Flanagan, 2015). The Behaviourist approach has a number of assumptions such as it emphasises that psychology needs to be scientific, to do this you must only study observable and measurable behaviour while producing empirical data. This means that you can produce systematic and replicable results which would be reliable in their accuracy, so you are able to produce a credible conclusion to your theory (McLeod, 2016)

Music and Magic in the World of Arda Free Essays

string(41) " as the example of Felagund illustrates\." MUSIC AND MAGIC IN THE WORLD OF ARDA In Tolkien’s legendarium, magic as it appears in contemporary sword-and-sorcery stories does not exist. Tolkien makes it clear in essays and debates that his magic is far more complex than the waving of a wand, and does not follow strict, clear-cut rules. Instead, power over the laws of nature and reality lies to a great extent in song and music. We will write a custom essay sample on Music and Magic in the World of Arda or any similar topic only for you Order Now The first act of creation in the â€Å"Ainulindale†, by which the foundations for Arda’s creation were laid, was the singing of the Music of the Ainur by Iluvatar and the divine beings beneath him. When the beings of Arda create song, the result is often ‘magical’, whether in an emotional sense or if it has a tangible effect upon the world around it. In both the â€Å"Ainulindale† and â€Å"Of Beren and Luthien† this is quite evident. Singing in Tolkien’s legendarium is in some ways a magical act, in that any of the Children of Iluvatar engaged in it are reflecting the original creative acts of the Ainur, sub-creating and greatly affecting the world around them, and that the only limits on a being’s ability to create music are its purpose – whether to dominate or to create – and the sheer force of will it places behind its magical, musical intent. Singing has a variety of effects within Tolkien’s works, but the most dramatic ones by far are those visible in the â€Å"Ainulindale†. Here, singing is synonymous with creation itself. The notes of the many Ainur, including Melkor, as well as those of Iluvatar, all coalesce in order to form the basis for Arda and its history. The act of song-making as creation is not metaphorical: the Ainur originally conceive of the world through music, and the voices of the Ainur are even described as â€Å"like unto harps and lutes, and pipes and trumpets, and viols and organs, and like unto countless choirs with words† (Tolkien 4). Even the conflict between Iluvatar, who seeks to create a world of beauty and freedom for its future inhabitants, and Melkor, who seeks to dominate all that is, is done through their respective melodies. No music existed before that of the Ainur in their acts of creation, and although a great deal of music existed afterward, none was ever as powerful or influential in shaping the world, as the passage reads â€Å"Never since have the Ainur made any music like to this music† (Tolkien 4) This original music created the first true polarization between good and vil – through the conflict between Iluvatar and Melkor – and initiated the creation of the world. The fact that the Music of the Ainur created the world itself is no less visible than when Iluvatar declared â€Å"behold your music! † and the Ainur first saw the world (Tolkien 6). In fact, all later music stemmed from this music, in that the Music of the Ainur set the stage for the genesis of all Childre n of Iluvatar and the music they would go on to produce. The effects of song are equally as visible, if not quite so dramatic, in the tale of Beren Luthien, particularly through Luthien herself. Throughout the story, many of Luthien’s actions revolve around music and song. When Beren first sees her, he is spellbound by her appearance, and it is not until she sings out loud and â€Å"flowers [spring] from the cold earth where her feet had passed† that he is released from his shock enough to call out to her (Tolkien 194). Her music is also powerful enough to put the great wolf Carcharoth, as well as Morgoth himself in Angband, to sleep. In addition, it aids her and Huan in combating Sauron at Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Finally, her heartfelt song of sorrow at Beren’s death at the end of the tale proves moving enough to warrant restoring Beren to life, and allowing Beren and Luthien to spend their final, mortal years together in peace. Indeed, it is stated that â€Å"The song of Luthien before Mandos was the song most fair that ever in words was woven, and the song most sorrowful that the world shall hear† (Tolkien 221). She is not the only character who uses song to great effect, however. When King Felagund and Sauron battle in the dark lands of Morgoth, they duel with words and songs of power rather than physical weapons. Felagund fights with inspirational songs, harkening up images of â€Å"trust unbroken† and â€Å"resisting†, while Sauron utilizes songs of â€Å"treachery† and â€Å"betrayal† (Tolkien 201). Sauron proved more powerful however, and once he defeats Felagund, the others are entirely helpless against him. In these particular stories, the greatest singers are either connected to the Ainur, or are Ainur themselves. This point is fairly obvious in the case of the â€Å"Ainulindale†, in which all participants of the Music were Iluvatar’s â€Å"Holy Ones† , but is also quite evident in â€Å"Of Beren and Luthien† (Tolkien ). There, Luthien is half-Maia as the daughter of Melian, and her power is extraordinary for a Child of Iluvatar. She proves capable of contending with a fallen Valar, a powerful Maia, and a vicious beast-servant of Morgoth through her skills with song. Sauron himself is also quite skilled in the art of song as a Maia , and in a duel with a mortal he â€Å"had the mastery† (Tolkien 201). The reason for the magical superiority of the Ainur is quite simple: they were involved in the original music of the world. They were originally formed by Iluvatar for the express purpose of creating â€Å"in harmony together a Great Music† and through it the world, and so it is far more natural to them (Tolkien 3). Although Luthien herself has no experience with true creation, as Sauron and her mother do, she nonetheless has the blood of a being that was essentially created for song, as Melian also sprang from the mind of Iluvatar for the purpose of creating the world. By no means are all great singers in Tolkien’s world Maiar however, or even those related to them, as the example of Felagund illustrates. You read "Music and Magic in the World of Arda" in category "Essay examples" While Felagund may not be able to best a Maia such as Sauron, he is still able to compete with a Maia for what appears to be the majority of their conflict, and it is outright stated that â€Å"the power of the King was very great† in the conflict (Tolkien 201). He lacks the experience and inborn purpose for song that any Maia would possess as a being originally born to create Arda, but he remains a force to be reckoned with, and he is unquestionably more powerful through his skill with song than most other characters in the tale. It is clear, then, that force of will and drive can – to an extent – mitigate the difference in natural ability between a Child of Iluvatar and an Ainu. Luthien’s exemplary skill with song in the latter half of the tale may have thus been influenced by her drive to help Beren and the â€Å"weight of horror† that her love caused her to feel at the possibility of his death (Tolkien 202). The act of song-making in the â€Å"Ainulindale† is, at its core, an act of creation. What is present throughout â€Å"Of Beren and Luthien† however – and, for that matter, all other stories set in Middle-Earth during the First through Fourth Ages – is sub-creation. Just as Iluvatar created the Ainur originally for the purpose of creation, the Children of Arda and those that Iluvatar would – humans, elves, hobbits, and dwarves – were made to sub-create. In other words, they were meant to create even further, through art, literature, and above all, song. By attempting to emulate the song of creation, the Children would make the world even more vibrant, rich, and pleasant than the Valar had originally managed. Tolkien states in his letter to Milton Waldman prefacing â€Å"The Silmarillion† that for the Elves, magic is â€Å"Art, delivered from many of its human limitations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"Art not power, sub-creation not domination and tyrannous re-forming of creation† (Tolkien xvi-xvii). The effect of song in â€Å"Of Beren and Luthien† was somewhat different. If songs made by the Valar were what originally brought about and shaped the world, then songs made by the Children could do the same, beyond merely in terms of producing music for pleasure’s sake. As exemplified by Felagund, a sufficiently strong, refined will could sub-create in a way that mirrored creation itself, and shape the world despite lacking the natural affinity for song that an Ainu possesses. What this evidence points to is a notion that at first may seem ridiculous: that the magical song-making of the Ainur and the Children are fundamentally exactly the same. The ability of several of the Children in â€Å"Of Beren and Luthien† to contend with Ainur in contests of power through song already lends credence to this idea, suggesting that the music created by the Ainur is the same, only greater. It would appear that the difference between the use of songs by the Ainur and the Children merely results from the inherently greater willpower of the Ainur. As beings that are not only older but are also â€Å"the offspring of [Iluvatar’s] thought†, their wills are considerably more refined and honed than those of the Children (Tolkien 3). Theoretically however, any elf, man, hobbit, or dwarf with sufficient mental discipline and/or training could make music as great as that of an Ainu. Thus, the closeness to the natural world and ‘magic’ of the elves is simply a consequence of their having spent more time amongst the Valar and within the world than the other Children, gaining more competence with song and closeness to the musical skill of the Ainur as a result. In addition, the ability of Melkor to overpower the songs of the other Ainur in the â€Å"Ainulindale† resulted from him having â€Å"been given the greatest gifts of power and knowledge† and resulting musical affinity, and that greater force of will alone was that set him apart (Tolkien 4). The two sections being discussed point to one other significant notion: that there is an inherent difference between the music produced by the Children and good Ainur, and the music produced by the Dark Powers of Morgoth. The â€Å"Ainulindale† indicates that the Music of the Ainur was initially harmonious, with â€Å"endless interchanging melodies woven in harmony† (Tolkien 4). It was only once Melkor, desiring to overpower and control the course of the Music, decided to interfere, that the Music became disjointed and violent. Eventually, Iluvatar himself steps in, at which point it is clear that the melodies of Iluvatar and Melkor are diametrically opposed, and that only Melkor’s music â€Å"hath not its uttermost source in [Iluvatar]† (Tolkien 6). The music of the other Ainur, which was harmonious with that of Iluvatar, was gentle, melodious, and pleasant. Melkor’s music was violent and aggressive. To an extent, the musical conflict between Felagund and Sauron in â€Å"Of Beren and Luthien† mirrors this, though in that case Sauron’s aggressive, spiteful song proves victorious due to his superior will. While the songs produced by the forces of good and evil are somewhat similar, their basic nature and purpose – to create, and to dominate, respectively – are polar opposites, and the dominative nature of evil is the source of the violence and cacophonous nature of the songs. Indeed, Tolkien’s statement of the Elves’s magic as â€Å"Art not Power, sub-creation not domination†¦Ã¢â‚¬  in contrast with that of Melkor and Sauron, supports the notion that the nature of their magic – and this applies to all other forces of good as well – is irreconcilable with that of Melkor and his minions (Tolkien xvi-xvii). In the â€Å"Ainulindale†, as well as â€Å"Of Beren and Luthien†, Tolkien reveals the true nature of magic and song: in his world, they are synonymous. While there may be major differences in the fundamental nature of the songs used by good and evil, only force of will and purpose make the song of an Ainu such as Morgoth any greater than that of a half-Maia such as Luthien, or a mere elf-king such as Felagund. Keeping these conclusions in mind, one may reach a single, overarching definition of magic in Tolkien’s works: an act of musical creation or sub-creation with enough force of will behind it to tangibly affect the world. There is no need to understand the mechanics of music in the legendarium, only that any being is capable of it and that it is the source of all magical acts. Truly, the significance of song in Tolkien’s work, especially for the purpose of understanding the magic of the world and the nature of the conflict that spans the entire legendarium, cannot be overstated. WORKS CITED Tolkien, J. R. R. , and Christopher Tolkien. The Silmarillion. 2nd Ed. Del Rey Books, 2001. Print. How to cite Music and Magic in the World of Arda, Essay examples

A Holy Nation Essay Example For Students

A Holy Nation Essay A Holy NationAfter creating the world, a paradise for human kind, God is forced to banish Adam and Eve because they disobey His orders to not eat fruit from the tree of wisdom. This results ultimately in the fall of man to earth. Immediately from the beginning of his time on Earth, man chooses not to follow the path set before him by God but instead spreads evil throughout the world. Therefore, the inherent problem humans face is the pressure to judge between good and evil, the need to aspire to be like God. Gods first solution to this problem was to flood the world killing everyone, but those on Noahs arch. God realizes, however, that this is not an answer to the problem that humans are, and decides upon a second solution, that being the Holy Nation of Israel. God creates Israel, so that the Holy Nation and its history can serve as a guiding-light to the world. Israel is therefore an example in which the world can look upon and learn from. A pivotal character within the great histor y of Israel, is the Holy Nations first king, King Saul. Saul epitomizes the problematic human being, and his character fully illustrates human pride, the need to rise up and be like God in judging what is right and wrong. This pride is ultimately the central source of all other sins. The rule of Saul over the people of Israel is a major turning point for the Holy Nation, for it marks the end of a line of Judges and begins a line of Kings. Saul is anointed king of Israel due to the sin of the people of Israel. The citizens of Israel, notice not only that Samuel, the Judge, was growing old, but also that his sons, whom he appointed to succeed him as Judge, did not follow their fathers ways but were intent on their own profit, taking bribes, and perverting the course of justice(8:3). As a result the people demanded a king be appointed to rule over them, even after they were given a solemn warning of the future kings tyranny (8:10-8:18). Because the Israelites reject the order of Judges , they thereby reject Gods word that He will save them, and have, as a result, lost faith in God. God states to Samuel, Listen to the people and all that they are saying; they have not rejected you, it is I whom they have rejected, I whom they will not have be their King(8:7). In spite of His peoples sin against Him, however, God finds a king to rule over Israel, and chooses Saul. In the beginning Saul is a strong and humble leader to his people. When is uncle questions him about Samuels remarks, Saul replies, He told us that the donkeys had been found but he did not repeat what Samuel had said about his being king(10:16). He does not tell his uncle that he is to become king of Israel because he is not overconfident and prideful in his position as ruler over Gods chosen ones. Moreover, Saul becomes very zealous and effective leader when he chooses to take a pair of oxen, cut them in pieces, and send messenger with the pieces all through Israel to proclaim that the same would be done to the oxen of any man who did not follow Samuel and himself to battle(11:5). Sauls first acts and first successes as king prove not only that he possesses the qualities of a good leader, but also reinforces in the mind of the people that he is Gods chosen. Sauls first victories against the nations enemies cause great joy and excitement amongst the Israelites. During this moment of rejoicing, Samuel gives a warning to the people of Israel that is more directed towards Saul himself. Samuel states, If you will revere the Lord and give true and loyal service, if you do not rebel against his commands, and if you and the king who reigns over you are faithful to the Lord you God, well and good, but if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, then his hands will be against you and against your king(12:14-15). Here, Samuel is effectually warning against the inherent human problem, telling the people not ever to substitute Gods judgement for ones own judgement. Although this is only a warning, it comes at a very unexpected time and foreshadows Sauls perpetual fall form Gods good favor. Pros and Cons of Exporting to a Regionally Integrated Market EssayA new king is revealed to Samuel, by God, as being David. God also anoints David as King of Israel, presenting a major conflict since there are now two kings of Israel. David is also appointed commander of Israels army and succeeds in battle, routing his enemies a number of times. As a result Israelites begin saying, Saul struck down Thousands, but David tens of thousands(18:7). This causes Saul to become thick with jealousy of David, and soon Saul is seen hurling spears trying to murder David, yet David amazingly is able to dodge certain death. After this Saul was afraid of David because he saw that God had forsaken him and was with David, who led his men into action and succeeded in everything that he undertook(18:12). Yet Saul continues to pursue and try to murder David, a clear agent of God. Therefore, Saul has ultimately developed on three separate levels. On the first of these levels, he first begins to doubt G ods power and word when he sees the massive Philistine army and makes a sacrifice to ensure Gods support. This first sin slowly progresses onto a second level, when Saul chooses to openly defy God and decides to spare Agag. In his final level of development, Saul has deteriorated into an evil person searching for a way to destroy Gods good work. Although it is perfectly clear that God protects David, Saul continues to try and kill him. At this junction Saul finds himself alone; his son is on Davids side, his daughter is on Davids side, his people are on Davids side, and most importantly God is on Davids side. Therefore, Saul must die and give way to David, yet David is unwilling to kill Gods anointed one, and the Philistines are kept from kill Saul because they are all uncircumcised. The final solution presents itself when Saul is injured and thereupon he took his own sword and fell on it. Once Saul is dead as a result of his own hand, David is king and he is not stained with the bl ood of another anointed king. Sauls progression from Gods chosen king to king against God comes full circle. He came from the sin of the people and therefore he must die when he returns to that sin. Sauls story serves as an example of human natures need to judge for itself in its purest form. This need is very problematic, as we have seen, because humans can only see the obvious cause and effects that present themselves throughout life. The Lord does not see as a mortal sees; mortals see only appearances but the Lord sees into the heart(16:7). As humans our perceptions are imperfect, and as a result we cannot possibly judge what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, the most basic human sin is then need to become like God in making these judgements that we cannot possibly make with any accuracy what so ever. Saul embodies pure pride and is apart of Israels development into a nation that will ultimately serve as a guide to the world because he is a model of what humans must restrain themselves form doing and bein g. Religion Essays

Why We Should Not Fight The Mexicans Essays -

Why We Should Not Fight The Mexicans War with Mexico will destroy us yet. Fighting with them will set a burden on us as well as on them. We are fighting with them for the say reason; England was fighting with us. England fought us because we would not follow the laws that they passed, and we want to fight the Mexicans because they dont want to give us the land that we want. In some way you could call this being hypocritical. Annexing Texas was the dumbest mistake we ever made; it will upset our balance of beliefs. Even though Mexico is our adversary, so was England, what if one day we want to trade with Mexico. Do you think that they would want to trade with us? No, we will become the country that pushed them down when they were already weak enough as it is, and the War will terminate ever having Mexico as an ally/ If we fight Mexico then we are being hypocrites, of what we fought for when we went against England. We are treating them as if they belong to us; they are there own country. We are forcing them to give us something that is rightfully theirs. Mexico is a weak country and we are a strong country. For example, in the Revolutionary War the odds were against us, the British were strong and we were weak. They came into our territory thinking they could push us over, but it turned out just the opposite. The same thing could happen here, they outnumber us by far, but yet we are better skilled and trained. But they have the same chance of winning as we do. If we win, what will become of us? Will we turn into a greedy anarchy just as England, acting as a authoritarian that will make War with anyone who steps in our way. We are a very strong country we dont need more land, we are barely using up the land we have now. Instead of conquering we need to focus on the things that we need most, like working on giving our less fortunate children a better education, and fix up the working conditions. The annexation of Texas is the dumbest decision congress has ever made. Sooner or later the issue over whether it should be a free state or slave with come up. We have a balance of thirteen free states and thirteen slave, and adding Texas in there will upset the balance. Henry Clay said in his letter to the Editors of the National Intelligence that Annexation would be to proclaim to the world an insatiable and unquenchable thirst for foreign conquest or acquisition of territory. For if today Texas be acquired to strengthen one part of the confederacy, tomorrow Canada may be required to add strength to another. Finally, the part of the confederacy which is now weakest, would find itself still weaker from the impossibility of securing new territory for those peculiar institutions (slavery) which it is charged with being desirous to extend.... Which means that Texas could cause controversy within the US. As of now slavery cannot be mentioned in Congress without men arguing, and starting a fight. War will kill any future trade with Mexico. One day we are going to want something the Mexicans have. Such as fruit, gold, or other raw materials, that we may want. Most likely they will not want to give it to us. Are we going to fight with them over that? They have every right to not trade with us. We show up in their country bullying them around. In the end, we might go to war, we will force them to sell their land that they acquired form their own revolution. Not only will it cause internal trouble for use. It will weaken our already weak relationship between Mexico and us. History Essays

The Life of Louis Riel

The Life of Louis Riel Free Online Research Papers On October 23, 1844, in Red River Manitoba, Louis Riel Sr and Julie Lagimodiere, devout Christians, brought a young Mà ©tis boy into the world. Little did they know, Louis Riel Jr. would grow up to become known to many as â€Å"the founder of Manitoba.† His life was filled with excitement, both political and personal. The question is, were his actions against the government acts of honor and truth, or deception and lies? Riel Jr.’s political adventures did not begin until he was 25. On November 23, 1869, Riel proposed the formation of a provincial government to replace the Council of Assiniboia because he did not believe that they were not doing their jobs well enough to improve the dull life in Red River. On December 10th his flag flew on the pole at Fort Gary. Riel held a convention of twenty French and twenty English Canadians to draw up a new list of rights. The convention sat a week and finished on February 10th. Riel soon formed another provincial government that was more represented than the last. Three delegates were chosen from the provincial government to present the list of formed rights to the Canadian government: Father Noà «l Ritchot, Judge Black and Alfred Scott . On March 24th, the three delegates left for Ottawa to negotiate entry into Confederation and discuss the list of rights. Finally on May 12th, 1870, the list of rights, now known as the â€Å"Manitoba Act† , was passed by Canadian parliament. One section protected Mà ©tis lands, guaranteed the right to their religion, and the use of their language in the legislature and courts, but it seemed not enough. December 16th 1884, Riel dispatched a petition to Ottawa demanding that settlers be given title to the lands they occupied, that the districts of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Assiniboia be granted provincial status, that laws be passed to encourage nomadic Indians and Mà ©tis to settle on the lands and that they be better treated. On February 11th, 1885, the government answered the petition by promising to appoint a commissioner to investigate the Mà ©tis claims and titles. First, a lengthy census would be taken of the Mà ©tis. Riel, since little had been accomplished, questioned his own leadership qualities. The Mà ©tis reaffirmed their vision of Riel as a leader and asked him to continue as their leader. Not long after these issues were tabled, a rebellion broke out. It was named the Red River Rebellion. The Mà ©tis people had revolted against Manitoba for small issues in their communities that angered them. Riel, caught up in the battle, condemned a man named Thomas Scott as a traitor to the provincial government and shot him. This action enraged the anti-Catholic and anti-French communities. In addition, Riel was elected into the Canadian House of Commons in 1873-74 but was denied his seat. He was pardoned in 1875 on the condition he would leave Canada. Both these incidents influenced Riel to go to the United States, where he taught in Montana at a Jesuit Mission, before being asked by the Mà ©tis to present their grievances to the Canadian Government and be their leader once more. In 1885, another rebellion commenced. The Mà ©tis had moved to Saskatchewan and began to fear they would lose their land to new settlers. Riel helped the Mà ©tis build a stronger, newer provincial government, which resulted in fighting. Government troops eventually defeated the Mà ©tis and Riel soon surrendered to the government. Riel’s trial was an interesting one. Riel’s defense lawyer beseeched him to plead insanity, but Riel proudly refused. â€Å"Your Honors, gentlemen of the jury: It would be easy for me to-day to play insanity, because the circumstances are such as to excite any man, and under the natural excitement of what is taking place to-day (I cannot speak English very well, but am trying to do so, because most of those here speak English), under the excitement which my trial causes me would justify me not to appear as usual, but with my mind out of its ordinary condition. I hope with the help of God I will maintain calmness and decorum as suits this honorable court, this honorable jury†¦If you take the plea of the defense that I am not responsible for my acts, acquit me completely since I have been quarrelling with an insane and irresponsible Government. If you pronounce in favor of the Crown, which contends that I am responsible, acquit me all the same.† Riel’s speeches were long but nonetheless touching. He spoke of what inspired him to help his people, while still flattering the white people of the court. â€Å"†¦I found the Indians suffering. I found the half-breeds eating the rotten pork of the Hudson Bay Company and getting sick and weak every day†¦I saw they were deprived of responsible government, I saw that they were deprived of their public liberties. I remembered that half-breed meant white and Indian, and while I paid attention to the suffering Indians and the half-breeds, I remembered that the greatest part of my heart and blood was white and I have directed my attention to help the Indians, to help the half-breeds and to help the whites to the best of my ability.† After the trial, Riel gratefully thanked the court, only to find out on August 1st, 1885, a jury of English-speaking Protestants found him guilty. Riel was hung on November 16th 1885. Riel’s death caused an outburst of racial hatred between French and English-speaking Canadians, which weakened Canadian unity. While Canada eventually won the west, unfortunately, the Mà ©tis never overcame their defeat. Were Riel’s efforts worth it? Currently there are no Mà ©tis reservations in Canada and the Mà ©tis are still as underprivileged and dispossessed as ever. As for Riel’s seat in the House of Commons, why was he denied his seat? Was it because he was a Mà ©tis? Or perhaps the government feared him? Whatever the reason, it was wrong. No man can be exiled without a clear, good reason , says the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This Charter was established in 1872. Long before the trial. Riel’s exile is one of the main reason Riel was viewed as a traitor: not good enough for Canada. It appears that Riel’s treacherous deeds were merely a myth, brought upon by the government to stir fear in the heart of Riel followers. So to answer the question of â€Å"truth or treason?† I say truth. Riel began his own provincial government, improving it as time went on; even in a weak moment of question, his people supported him. When battle and political issues drove him from his home, he did it with grace; yet, when he returned he spoke eloquently on the subject. Even during his trial, he spoke with all the dignity and honor of a gentleman and a hero. His death was for his people. If that does not prove his honor, I do not know what does. Riel’s life and troubles have taught us much. In the future, we must not allow the government to control whom we believe in. We cannot allow another honorable person to die because he or she are seen as a threat. Research Papers on The Life of Louis RielQuebec and Canada19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoPETSTEL analysis of IndiaTwilight of the UAWRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andCapital PunishmentBringing Democracy to AfricaHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe

Methods of Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Methods of Analysis - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze these three financial analysis techniques. Vertical analysis is utilized to analyze financial statements. Vertical analysis is a method that involves comparing each entry for each of the three major categories of account (assets, liabilities, and equity) in a balance sheet represented as a proportion of the total account (Answers, 2011). One of the advantages of this method is that is simple to implement and it can be applied to corporation of all sizes. The method helps financial analyst easily visualize relative annual changes within one business (Investopedia, 2011). Horizontal or trend analysis compares two or more years of financial data. Horizontal analysis shows the changes between years in both dollar and percentage form. Showing the trend in dollar form can help an analyst focus on the key factors that have affected profitability or financial position (Garrison & Noreen, 2003). The use of percentage form can help provide p erspective in regards to the significance of the changes that occurred. For example a change of 30% in sales between one year and another is significant, while a change of 0.25% in sales is insignificant. When dealing with companies that move millions of dollars in revenues the use of percentage form can better measure the relative change that occurred. A financial technique that can be very useful to evaluate the financial performance of a company is ratio analysis. The reason ratio analysis is such an effective tool is because ratio analysis can measure different aspects of a firm’s performance. There are different categories of ratios. The five major ratio analysis categories are liquidity, leverage, efficiency, and profitability, and market value ratios. Liquidity ratios measure the cash position of a firm. When a company is liquid the firm has enough money to pay off its short term and long term obligation. The current ratio measures the ability of a firm to pay its shor t term debts, while the debt ratio measures the ability of a company to pay off its long term obligations. The current ratio is calculated dividing current assets by current liabilities. The debt ratio is calculated dividing total assets by total liabilities. Three profitability ratios are net margin, return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE). Net margin is the ratio that best measures the profitability of a company. It is calculated dividing net income by total sales. Another important profitability ratio is gross margin percentage. This ratio is calculated dividing gross margin by sales. The return on assets ratio measures how well a company is using its assets to generate revenues. Return on assets is calculated dividing net income by total assets. The return on equity metric measures how much revenues were generated in relation to its equity. The metric is calculated dividing net income by total equity. Two efficiency ratios are account receivable turnover and inventory turnover. The inventory turnover ratio measures how many times a company’s inventory has been sold and replaced during a year. The metric is calculated dividing cost of goods sold by average inventory balance. The account receivable turnover is a measure of how many times a company’s account receivable

Summaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summaries - Essay Example There is no safety net that ensures the society is not held hostage by a few individuals, and thus is not a fair system for those who are not able to make ends meet. This system satisfies the wishes and objectives of a few in the society who are able to manipulate their way up the social ladder. Feminists believe that the dismantling of the capitalist’s way of thinking will play a decisive role in liberating the underprivileged from oppression (Christian, 2011). Communism, on the other hand, is a revolutionary movement that creates a freer market, and classless, moneyless and stateless society. It is based upon common ownership of the means of production as principles that aim at establishing a social order. This brings together the social, political and economic ideologies. It is centered on the belief in the power of the people and pooling of resources and labor thereby encouraging collective ownership (Christian, 2011). It is a way of avoiding the exploitations that become prevalent through feudal systems. It brings the rights of the poor to the fore with each individual having a chance to exercise their rights. In this system the will of the people becomes the law. It equates all people while ensuring that everyone benefits from communal resources. Feminists see this as their liberation from the oppressive past as the communists built the foundation of the 1950’s and 1960’s liberation movements (Christian, 2011). Qn2: Karl Marx, communism & alienated labor Karl Marx believed in the need for the end of exploitation that was perpetuated by only a few individuals through the oppression of the rest in the society. He designed the communist way of thinking as a way of fighting the evils of capitalism and as a way of ending the status quo conflict (Christian, 2011). He believed communism was one best way of bringing people together and putting them in a position that would make it highly unlikely for humans to exploit fellow beings. Those wit h the private means of production would lose it to the community making it possible for the community to take over. Equity would prevail after oppression is done away with, which, in turn, would provide abundant opportunities with few limitations or barriers for people to achieve their goals. Each would give according to their abilities and receive according to their needs (Christian, 2011). The alienation of labor brought about by the class system would cease to exist as everyone would have a chance to provide for the communal needs. Workers will not be held captive by their bosses as they would become autonomous and self-realized human beings. Alienation made the workers express their social aspect through a production system that was unfairly owned and this meant that their goals would be directed by the highly privatized production system, and communism sought to break this ideology. Qn 3: Nietzsche and the Eternal Return The concept of the eternal return is based on speculation that the universe has been recurring and will continue to do so in a similar form. This process goes on for an infinite number of times within an infinite space. If time and space are infinite, then the world has had experiences that will be repeated over and over in an infinite proposition. Nietzsche posits that what has happened in the past will come to play again in the future. Thus, the cycle of the future emanates from the past cycles and this is a process that recurs more often

Health Science and Medicine and CDC Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health Science and Medicine and CDC - Coursework Example According to the study  the chain management said that they are tracking the handling of their ingredients from the farmer to the restaurant to ensure all standards were followed and improved. The cases of microbial contamination of food are out of control and can be scary hence individuals are advised to cautious. One way of protecting oneself from this situation is through consuming home cooked foods and avoiding manufactured or packaged food.This research highlights that ninety-four percent of soybeans and seventy-two percent of corn grown in the country are genetically engineered. This is done for them to be able to withstand Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide or glyphosate. A study done in 2008 established a link between Roundup and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. An early study made a connection between high rates of DNA damage in populations that had been aerially sprayed. This shows there is a valid reason for concern about GMO foods and the health impacts. Further environm ental concerns have also been raised. On is that, because a majority of GMO crops are engineered to withstand certain types of herbicides, targeted weeds are becoming highly resistant to the herbicides. This means that more of the toxic chemicals have to be used to fight them. Based on the amount evidence presented, environmental concerns seem to be more valid but this is not to say health concerns should be ignored.

Serving Each Other in Todays Society

Serving Each Other in Todays Society Community Service: Serving Each Other in Todays Society There are many young adults out there who lack self-esteem, confidence, a sense of accomplishment or purpose, or simply a reason to get away from TV, computers, and video games. They often dont understand the value of community and the importance of team work. Most teens also dont realize how much lending a helping hand to others can also benefit them. What could be done to teach teens the importance of helping others and build a sense of self- confidence and worth? Community service is quick to remind anyone the importance of offering help, working as a team and simply getting outside and active. These teens shouldnt be assigned to just anything. All of the participants in community service should have a voice in the activities in which they are participating. Otherwise, it could make the whole experience a miserable one and do just the opposite of what it is intended to do. There is a lot of stigma around mandatory community service, but with flexible community service programs, positive promotion, and choices, teens will be put on the right track. A lot of stigma surrounds mandatory community service. Most people see it only as a means of corrective punishment. There are many people who think community service should be left to prisoners, and not to the youth of today. This poor attitude needs to be reversed by education. Many teens believe what they hear from their parents, teachers, and mentors. With this poor attitude on the matter, its no wonder teens may despise the idea of serving in the community. Proper education and promotion is the key to a successful program. For example, teens should see the results of community service. They should be able to see workers having a good time and enjoying what they do. Young adults should also see that they would benefit from serving in the community. This could all be done by providing introductory programs, attractive pamphlets, peer communication, and so on. Once teens are educated about community services and its benefits, the stigma will fade and they will be more willing to participate. Its important to remember the power of choice. There are numerous activities the teens could participate in. Blood drives, children activity clubs, clean-ups, and mentoring are just a few of the many things to choose from in community service. One who has a choice in what he or she does as an extra activity will be happier while participating. Delgado states, â€Å"[] a summary of the literature on youth activities, found that youth benefit the most when they have an opportunity to actively plan community-service projects that contribute to the welfare of others[]†.(127) When community service workers plan activities, a sense of ownership is built. Since the ideas were their own, the activity belongs to the workers and they will likely work much harder than they would if they were forced into the activity. Choosing an activity is just as powerful as planning one. The ability to choose an activity will also encourage teens to participate in multiple activities, which will broaden their horizons and abilities. A lot of young people lack a good sense of self-esteem. It can be caused by criticism, the media, the lack of activity, and so on. Many times all a teen needs to boost his or her self esteem is a sense of purpose and direction. Studies have shown that productive individuals generally have a higher self-esteem. (Joseph 1) Using community service as a way for teens to stay active is a great way for them to see the fruits of their efforts. When young adults see how much the work they are putting forth really matters, it will boast their confidence. For example, if a small town had grass growing in the sidewalk, trash lying about, and dirt everywhere, a group of teens could plan a cleaning project. Such a project would beautify the town and would likely give the group a sense of pride. The town would benefit by the work and maybe even be educated by the teens actions. If there were a huge turn-around in appearance, then perhaps the rest of the townspeople would help maintain the new condition of the small town. This would boost morale even higher for the group and make all the work seem very worthwhile. Another good point to mention is the fact teens would be busy. A lot of teens spend a ton of time in from of their computers, televisions, or video games systems. A study conducted in 2003 concluded that an alarming 34% of teens were clinically obese. (Nichols and Good 169) The sedentary lifestyle most Americans have adopted is devastating to overall well-being. When teens are over-weight, they suffer in numerous ways. They are persecuted by their peers, which results in a low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. They lack the energy or drive to pursue an activity because they lack physical fitness. Any kind of activity is good for someones health. If teens get actively involved in community service, they will be on the go. If teens get moving and realize how out of shape they are, then it may motivate them to do something about it. This will promote exercise and proper diet, thus resulting in a healthier lifestyle. Schools have been trying to incorporate teamwork into the classrooms, but it often doesnt work out as well as hoped. There have been numerous studies conducted on the matter and only a small portion of teamwork exercises have worked in schools. (Thomas 1) When a teamwork activity is academically based, it is difficult to pursue and most times it is difficult to see any results. Actual physical labor shows more of an effect of ones efforts. Therefore, some type of community service where one is physically involved in an activity with a group of people would teach teens how positive teamwork is. Then, they would later incorporate the idea into other activities, thus making them well rounded and willing to work with others. There are many young adults who leave high school and have no idea what the real world is all about. Most teenagers only know a life where everything is structured, and there is no question about what step to take next. Teens receive a schedule with their classes, books, a time for lunch period, and often their extra activities are planned for them. Community service would be a great place for teens to learn the importance of self-reliance. When a teen is provided a choice in what he or she may do as an activity, this would be the first step in that lesson. The second would be finding a way to transport themselves to the place of work. Then, they would have to make sure they are on time. Decision making, responsibility and initiative all fit into the lesson of self-reliance and define some of the basic things they would go through in adulthood. As it has already been said, with self-reliance comes a sense of responsibility. Anyone participating in community service is still held to a standard. These standards typically arent as high standards in a paid environment; however, there is still something to be gained. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development states, â€Å"[] by age 15, millions of young people risk reaching adulthood unable to assume the responsibilities of informed, active citizenship in a pluralistic society. (Radest 30) This same report also says, â€Å"Early adolescence offers a superb opportunity to learn values, skills, and a sense of social responsibility†. (30) With teens being held to a standard, they must assume responsibility for their successes and failures. This is something everyone goes through as an adult. It is better to learn these lessons earlier in life so teens can make their mistakes, learn from them, and grow from the entire experience. Resilience is a lesson which shouldnt be taken lightly and should be learned early in life. Adults often rush to the rescue when problems arise, not allowing young people to think it through and find a solution on their own. A problem arises and some teens may panic, have no idea what to do, or stand around waiting for someone else to take care of it. While going through community service, teens will likely meet with a few setbacks and will need to take action. Since these setbacks would likely only be minor, it would be a great place to start learning resilience. Resilient children are proactive rather than reactive and have a good sense of â€Å"coherence†. That is to say they understand things happen in life but we still have some control over it all. (Joseph 29) Adults have to practice resilience a lot through life, so learning this early will help teens become well rounded adults. Since community service is a team effort, teens will be able to build professional social skills. Social skills are built throughout childhood, but in a more professional setting where the use of language is different, these skills will be refined. These teens would be working with adults who know how to properly communicate in order to achieve a goal. If young adults observe the behaviors of the adults around them, take note of what happened, and try their best to act the same, they would begin building the stepping stones to success. They would learn a range of thing from avoiding confrontation and generating solutions, to active and proper listening skills.(Joseph 255) All of these are needed in a professional atmosphere and will help them throughout college and the working environment. The benefits teens would receive from community service experience have been thoroughly discussed thus far, but not how the community would benefit. It all, of course, depends on the activities the teens participate in. If there were a community clean-up, then a town would be beautified. If the teens helped deliver groceries to those who cant get around, then people wouldnt have to go hungry or worry about how to get their food. When teens mentor younger kids, the children would have the benefit of someone relatively close to their age teaching them. The people living in these communities and seeing the difference teens are making with all of their work may adopt a more volunteer attitude. The ways a community benefits from those who serve are endless, and shouldnt be forgotten. There a so many things a young adult can take from community service that will benefit him or her immediately, as well as in the future. Teens can build a healthy self-esteem by gaining a sense of purpose and seeing how much of a difference they can make in the world. They could come to understand the importance of living a healthier life. Young adults would gain the ability to think through problems, work with others as a team, and make important decisions. Professional conduct and language will be learned, which will help them in their work endeavors. They will also learn resilience and self-reliance, which will help them bounce back quickly from setbacks and take a more proactive approach to life. There is a quote from Andrew Shue that says, â€Å"Community service has taught me all kinds of skills and increased my confidence. You go out there and think on your feet, work with others and create something from nothing. Thats what lifes all about.† (Shue brainyquotes.com) This is a great way to sum up what teens would gain and what community service is about. Its about helping others, but also helping yourself in the process. Once teens get out there and start working in our communities, they will see what a difference they can make. They would remember these lessons through their lives and likely continue to act in a positive way because of what they learned. This entire process could help change the way people behave now and in the future in a very positive way. When everyone gives just a little, it can go a long way and there has to be a beginning somewhere. Why not make that beginning start with today youth and expand into the generations to come? Works Cited Melvin Delgado, New Frontiers for Youth Development in the Twenty-First Century: Revitalizing Broadening Youth Development (New York: Columbia University Press, 2002) 127 Joanne M. Joseph, The Resilient Child: Preparing Todays Youth for Tomorrows World (New York: Insight Books, 1994) 1,29,255 Sharon L. Nichols, and Thomas L. Good, Americas TeenagersMyths and Realities: Media Images, Schooling, and the Social Costs of Careless Indifference (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004) 169 Howard B. Radest, Community Service: Encounter with Strangers (Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1993) ,30 Andrew Shue, n.p., Community Service, brainyquotes.com, n.d., August 20, 2009, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/andrewshue214132.html Gary Thomas, Effective Classroom Teamwork: Support or Intrusion? (New York: Routledge, 1992) 1

Welfare :: essays papers

Welfare Welfare is a government program that provides money, medical care, food, housing, and other things that people need in order to survive. People who can receive help from these welfare programs are children, elders, disabled, and others who cannot support their families on their current income. Another name for welfare is public assistance. There are many organizations that supply this public assistance. Such as Salvation Army and other groups. Public assistance benefits help many people who live below the poverty line, an income level is established for families. If your income were below this you would be eligible to receive this help. Federal and state governments in the Unites States serve the poor people through about 60 public assistance programs. Most people receive help through one of the four major programs. These programs are Medicaid, Aid to families with dependent Children, Social Security, or Supplemental Security, or the food stamps program. I will discuss the four programs individually. Medicaid provides free medical care to the poor people. Funds vary from state to state. In some situations, people who may be able to pay daily needs, but can't afford large medical bills may also be able to receive Medicaid. Some services paid for are bills such as doctor's visits and nursing home care. Most Medicaid funding comes from the federal government. The rest is supplied by the state. Each state runs their own Medicaid program. A.F.D.C. provides cash benefits to dependent children and the parents or the guardians taking care of them. Most families that qualify for A.F.D.C. have just one parent in the home. About 80 percent of these families are headed by a woman. A.F.D.C. also pays benefits to two-parent families if both parents are unemployed. Most A.F.D.C. funding comes from the federal government. The states provide the rest of the money and administer the program. The sizes of families' payment vary from state to state. Next is Social Security Income. This provides financial Aid to people in need who are at least 65 years old, blind, or disabled. The federal government finances and administers social security income programs in most states, though some states supply the federal payment and are able to Welfare :: essays papers Welfare Welfare is a government program that provides money, medical care, food, housing, and other things that people need in order to survive. People who can receive help from these welfare programs are children, elders, disabled, and others who cannot support their families on their current income. Another name for welfare is public assistance. There are many organizations that supply this public assistance. Such as Salvation Army and other groups. Public assistance benefits help many people who live below the poverty line, an income level is established for families. If your income were below this you would be eligible to receive this help. Federal and state governments in the Unites States serve the poor people through about 60 public assistance programs. Most people receive help through one of the four major programs. These programs are Medicaid, Aid to families with dependent Children, Social Security, or Supplemental Security, or the food stamps program. I will discuss the four programs individually. Medicaid provides free medical care to the poor people. Funds vary from state to state. In some situations, people who may be able to pay daily needs, but can't afford large medical bills may also be able to receive Medicaid. Some services paid for are bills such as doctor's visits and nursing home care. Most Medicaid funding comes from the federal government. The rest is supplied by the state. Each state runs their own Medicaid program. A.F.D.C. provides cash benefits to dependent children and the parents or the guardians taking care of them. Most families that qualify for A.F.D.C. have just one parent in the home. About 80 percent of these families are headed by a woman. A.F.D.C. also pays benefits to two-parent families if both parents are unemployed. Most A.F.D.C. funding comes from the federal government. The states provide the rest of the money and administer the program. The sizes of families' payment vary from state to state. Next is Social Security Income. This provides financial Aid to people in need who are at least 65 years old, blind, or disabled. The federal government finances and administers social security income programs in most states, though some states supply the federal payment and are able to

Cipla

INTRODUCTION: Cipla Limited is an Indian pharmaceutical company, Founded by nationalist Indian scientist Khwaja Abdul Hamied as The Chemical, Industrial & Pharmaceutical Laboratories . Cipla laid foundations for the Indian pharmaceutical industry way back in 1935 with the vision to make India self-reliant and self-sufficient in healthcare. Legacy of innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit ingrained by the founder, Dr. K. A Hamied and propounded by the present Chairman and Managing Director, Dr. Yusuf Khwaja Hamied .Over the past 77 years, Cipla has emerged as one of the most respected pharmaceutical names not just in India but worldwide. The company? s headquarter is in Mumbai, India. Cipla produces one of the widest range of products and dosage forms in the world today, everything from metered-dose inhalers, pre-filled syringes, trans-dermal spray patches, lyophilized injections, nasal sprays, medical devices, and thermo labile foams. The company Revenue is around 6977million and t urnover is around 1 billion. Cipla? Business model is based on international strategic alliances and focus on pursuing organic growth while reducing capital commitment and regulatory/litigation risks. Cipla makes drugs to treat cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, weight control, depression and many other health conditions, and its products are distributed in virtually every country of the world. And probably best-known outside its home country for pioneering the manufacture of low-cost anti-AIDS drugs for HIV-positive patients in developing countries.It has played a similarly prominent role in expanding access to drugs to fight influenza, respiratory disease and cancer. Cipla has over 34 state-of-the-art manufacturing units which have been approved by various Ministries of Health and Regulatory Authorities like US FDA, WHO, MCC -South Africa, MHRAUK, TGA-Australia among others. In addition, Cipla? s manufacturing facilities are GCMP compliant in conformity with national and international standards. With over 2000 products in 65 therapeutic areas, Cipla? product portfolio comprises of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients(APIs), Formulations for Human and Animal Healthcare and OTC products. Cipla has the technological powers of manufacturing products in most dosage forms across therapeutic categories, which offers the company a unique competitive advantage. Cipla has earned a name for maintaining world-class quality across all its products and services. With the dedication of its 20,000 employees, Cipla continues to support, improve and save millions of lives with its high-quality drugs and innovative devices and is focused towards its commitment.Cipla won Chemexcil Award excellence for exports in 1980, wins National award for successful commercialization of publicity funded R&D in 1988. Cipla received the Thomson Reuters India Innovation Award in 2012. VISION: Cipla started with a vision to build a healthy India MISSSION OF THE COMPANY: To make the life o f the patients better. CIPLA RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CIPLA? S research capabilities are extensive, from Chemical Synthesis, Delivery Systems and Medical Devices to Process Engineering, Animal Health Products, Neutraceuticals and Biotechnology.Today, across 170 countries, there are millions of patients who get to use a Cipla product to prevent, to cure, or for relief from suffering. In their cure and relief lies th e ultimate purpose of what they do. At Cipla, this has been the driving force behind continuous quest for quality. The company strive not just to meet international specifications, but to exceed, to excel, to meet what they call the Cipla benchmark. In fact, they have set standards for the world to follow and have contributed to more than 125 monographs in the last 15 years – to British,European, US and international pharmacopoeia. Today companies from around the world seek strategic alliances with Cipla for product development, technical support and marketing. In a small way, the company even help countries set up their pharmaceutical infrastructure and train their professionals, contributing to their quest for self-reliance just the way they began healing India, seven decades ago. Equally inspiring has been Cipla? s fight against asthma. They partnered with the medical fraternity to shatter myths, spread awareness and empowered asthma patients to lead a fuller life.The company have the world’s largest range of asthma medication and delivery systems. This relentless commitment to asthma inspired to set up the Chest Research Foundation. It? s one of the few Institutes in the world that? s dedicated to clinical and allied research in the field of Chronic Respiratory Diseases. CHANGES In the past few years, Cipla has changed its strategy in a number of areas — from region, to product to human resources — to prevent a future meltdown from eroding margins. Till now, the names Cipla and Yusuf Hamied have been virtually interchan geable.After all, Hamied was the one who put the generic drug company onto the world map when he provided many health care systems in developing countries with cheaper versions of unaffordable AIDS drugs, making instant icons out of himself and his company . Today, however, Hamied is no longer steering the drug maker on a daily basis and Cipla, meanwhile, is engineering a quiet revolution on its own — attracting outside talent, which it has never done before — and venturing into new territory in order to avoid an existential crisis when the patent cliff expires in a few years.Simply put, the company has begun a quest for a growth trajectory that will generate sustainable profits in the future. â€Å"While we may call it a „transformation,? it is a reasonable and justifiable extension or next step to their current strengths†¦ The change is required to open new avenues of growth for the company, and not lose out on opportunities that come with a shelf life, p articularly the patent cliff in 2012-17, for both small molecules and biologics,† says Aashish Mehra, managing director, Strategic Decision Group.Cipla? s recent reconceptualisation has boosted its stock price from Rs 317 in June to Rs 395 in September. Marketing itself Perhaps the biggest change in the company? s strategy is the jettisoning of its focus on volumeled growth and a shift to an inorganic, profitability-focused one. A key indication of this is the company? s willingness to move on to the front-end in developed markets like the US, where, so far, it has operated primarily through partners for sales and distribution of its products.Recently, Cipla started filing applications aggressively with the US Food and Drugs Administration (USFDA), seeking approval for its own generic products, which it plans to market on its own while assembling a separate sales team there. â€Å"The move is aimed at getting more value for products and technology,† says Cipla Director S Radhakrishnan in an interaction with Business Standard. This is a laudable move, say analysts, in a company that had the potential, but, it was so far unrealised. â€Å"Over the last few years, while all of Cipla? peers have grown primarily on the back of their success in the US market, Cipla had adopted a seemingly faulty strategic decision to limit its exposure to this market,† says a recent report on Cipla by IDFC Securities. â€Å"Given Cipla? s extensive product repertoire, proven R&D capabilities and extensive manufacturing network, we believe it has all the ingredients to succeed in the US market despite its relatively late entry,† it adds. (Cipla's changing landscape) The change in strategy is not limited to just the US and other developed markets.The company is also actively planning joint ventures and even acquisitions to strengthen its position in key markets like Turkey, Morocco, Brazil and Nigeria. However, company insiders suggest that transformation do es not necessarily mean a complete departure from its present approach. â€Å"The spirit of the company cannot change, at least not entirely. We will continue with our basic mantra of low-cost drug making,† says the Cipla official. â€Å"We are also looking at consolidation with partners as one of the options in some key markets,† he adds.This can probably explain what Cipla has recently done in China. In order to streamline investments there, the company has rejigged its business in order to focus more on its core areas. While the drug maker has exited a significant part of its investment in Chinese partner Desano Holdings, it has ploughed part of the funds into specific units that manufacture biosimilars and niche active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The quest for higher margins An imminent revolution can be seen in Cipla? s product portfolio.The company is gradually shifting focus to high-margin products, such as oncology drugs and inhalers from tender-based an ti-retroviral medicines. No surprise as to why it is doing so — its margins are slated to halve themselves from 21. 3 per cent in FY10 to an estimated 11. 9 per cent in FY14. According to Mehra, Cipla may perhaps be best known outside India by its landmark low-priced, anti-HIV products, but, it also needs to address regulated markets with quality products, across segments. â€Å"Cipla should rightly be proud of its image of being a „low-cost drug maker? ut the anti-retrovirals had been quite low-margin for Cipla, and changing the product mix towards more high-value products, such as the inhalers for the regulated markets, would help shore up margins,† says Mehra. Praful Bohra, senior analyst at Nirmal Bang Securities, says two years ago, the contribution from anti-retroviral drugs was 20-25 per cent while today, it has fallen to 15 per cent. According to analysts, the falling margins in anti-retroviral drugs due to tough competition from multinational, as well as domestic companies has triggered the shift towards new avenues.Regional shift The rationalisation can also be viewed through the export contribution from different geographies. According to the IDFC report, contribution of Africa — which is primarily a tender business market — to total exports declined from 42 per cent in the financial year 2010-11 to 40 per cent in 2011-12, with absolute sales remaining flat, year-on-year. In contrast, the share of Europe and Australasia grew from 26 per cent in financial year 2010-11 to 30 per cent in 201112 with sales growing at 32 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively.Cipla also plans to increase its focus on domestic markets, with introduction of its offerings in new therapeutic segments, such as oncology and neuropsychiatry. â€Å"The company is the market leader in key therapeutic areas, such as respiratory care, anti-viral and urological†¦ Cipla plans to focus on growing its market share and sales by increasing penetrat ion in the Indian market, especially in rural areas,† a recent report by Angel Broking said. The company? s distribution network in India consists of a field force of around 7,000 employees. The company? new offerings would also include biosimilars, especially those in the oncology, anti-asthmatic and anti-arthritis categories. â€Å"They already have the pipeline in place (Avastin, Herceptin, Enbrel, among others), and would benefit from having the commercial footprint in regulated markets at the earliest,† points Mehra. Cipla has already invested $165 million in India and China to acquire facilities and build new ones for its foray. The company? s earnings in the first quarter of the financial year 2012-13 have begun to demonstrate the potential of these initiatives.During the financial quarter ended June 2011, the company? s gross margin expanded by 490 bps, year-on-year, to 61. 8 per cent, mainly on account of a better product mix, which had lower proportion of anti -retroviral in formulation exports and higher proportion of domestic formulation sales. â€Å"Strengthening of the balance sheet has been a key focus area for Cipla in the last few years and the benefits of concentrated efforts are clearly visible,† says Nitin Agarwal of IDFC. People Possibly the biggest catalyst of the change that Cipla is going through is because of a radical new strategy regarding management hires. Cipla has traditionally not been aggressive about hiring senior management personnel from outside the organisation. However, there seems to be a clear change in strategy on this front, reflective of the transformation underway into a more aggressive unit,† says Agarwal in the report. According to Bohra, this also reflects increasing professionalism in the company, which is also essential to surviving cut-throat competition in the industry. Over the past year, Cipla has hired people in the key functions of finance, international business and strategy, from competitors such as Lupin and Dr Reddy? . In July, Cipla announced the hiring of Frank Peters (ex-Teva and GSK) to head its respiratory business and the European Union region. Also, two Hamied scions — Kamil (31) and Samina (36), children of Yusuf Hamied? s brother M K Hamied — are on Cipla? s senior management team since 2010 and 2011, respectively. Analysts see this as an attempt to address key investor concerns on succession planning. These are key moves that were long overdue for a company that is yet to harness its full potential.

Kohls Corporation and Dillards Inc Essay

Kohl’s Corporation was organized in 1988 and is a Wisconsin corporation. The company operates family-oriented department stores that sell moderately priced apparel, footwear and accessories for women, men and children; soft home products such as sheets and pillows; and housewares. Stores generally carry a consistent merchandise assortment with some differences attributable to regional preferences. As of February 2, 2008, the company operated 929 stores in 47 states. (Source: Company 2007 Form 10-K) Originally founded in 1938 by William T. Dillard, Dillard’s, Inc., now operates 326 stores in 29 states. The company’s store base is diversified, with the character and culture of the community served determining the size of facility and, to a  large extent, the merchandise mix. In general, stores offer a wide selection of merchandise including fashion apparel for women, men and children, accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings and other consumer goods. Most stores are located in suburban shopping malls but customers may also purchase merchandise online. (Source: Company 2007 Form 10-K) Learning Objectives †¢ Read and compare financial statements for two companies in the same industry. †¢ Consider how different strategic choices lead to different financial statement relationships. †¢ Perform an analysis of financial information using common-size balance sheets and income statements, ratios, and other techniques. †¢ Critically evaluate two companies based on financial information. †¢ Evaluate a financial analysis to form investment recommendations. Refer to the 2007 financial statements and notes of Kohl’s Corporation and Dillard’s, Inc. Analysis a. Describe the industry in which these two companies operate and assess the competitive environment. What current economic factors affect the companies’ operations? Who are the main competitors in this industry? What threats do the companies face? What opportunities? How are the two companies similar? How are they different? b. Consider the income statements of both companies. Are there any unusual or nonrecurring items that need to be considered in your analysis? That is, are the earnings of high quality? Are the earnings persistent? c. Prepare common-sized income statements and balance sheets for each company for fiscal 2007 and 2006. To common size the income statement, divide each item by net sales. To common size the balance sheet, divide each item by total assets. A company’s financial performance can be analyzed in many ways. Return on equity (ROE) is a widelyused measure of financial performance that compares the profit the company made during the period (net income) to the resources invested and reinvested in the company by shareholders (stockholders’ equity). The DuPont model systematically breaks ROE into components. One form of the DuPont model is: Stockholders’ equity is reported on the balance sheet and excludes any reported minority interest or non-controlling interest. Note that once the common terms cancel in the second equation (the DuPont model), the right-hand side of the ROE equation collapses down to the first equation: Net income divided by the firm’s Stockholders’ equity. Reading from left to right in the second equation, the first right-hand side ratio represents the fraction of pretax earnings that the shareholders keep. One minus that ratio is the average tax rate so the ratio decreases as the tax rate goes up. The second ratio represents the fraction of EBIT (i.e., operating profit) that the firm keeps after financing costs so the ratio decreases as the net cost of debt increases. The third ratio represents operating return on sales or the operating profit earned on each unit of revenue. The fourth term is  the asset turnover ratio, a measure of overall efficiency in asset use. The product of the third and fourth terms is operating return on assets. The final ratio captures the leverage of the firm—a measure of how the firm has paid for its assets. The ratio increases as the firm takes on more debt (that is, for a fixed level of equity, more assets must mean more debt). Note that the final term is equal to 1 + (Average total liabilities / Average stockholders’ equity). Normally, analysis of the financial statements begins with operating return on sales and asset turnover (thus, operating return on assets). Then it turns to leverage (liquidity and solvency) and the cost of leverage. Finally, a review of the tax burden is conducted. The ROE analysis can be followed up with an analysis of the company’s cash flows. d. Compute return on equity (ROE) for both companies for fiscal 2007 and 2006. Calculate the five components of ROE and verify that their product equals ROE. Remember to use average total assets and average stockholders’ equity in your ratio calculations. e. Refer to the common-sized income statement you prepared in part c and your ROE decomposition from part d. Assess the companies’ asset efficiency. Which firm is more efficient in its use of assets? Consider efficiency in terms of total asset turnover, receivables turnover (and average collection period), inventory turnover (and average holding period), payables turnover (and average time to payment), cash conversion cycle (i.e., receivables days + inventory days – payables days), and fixed asset turnover. g. Assess the companies’ liquidity and solvency. Are the companies likely to meet their debts as they come due? Consider ratios such as the current ratio, the quick ratio, and the debt-equity ratio. Also consider interest costs and the times interest earned ratio. Is there any â€Å"off-balance-sheet† financing that will constrain future cash flow? You should explicitly consider operating leases at both companies. Assume that the discount rate implicit in the capital leases is the appropriate discount rate for capitalizing the operating leases. Further, assume that the lease payments due in 2013 and beyond will be paid evenly over 20 years for Kohl’s and paid entirely in 2013 for Dillard’s. h. Assess the cash flow of each company. Are cash flows from operations a source or a use of cash? How are operations and investments being financed? What differences do you note? i. As a potential investor, would you be interested in seeking additional information about either of these companies? What sort of information would you want? Would you invest in either company?

Advantages disadvantages keyboard Essays

Advantages disadvantages keyboard Essays Advantages disadvantages keyboard Paper Advantages disadvantages keyboard Paper Hardware is any physical part of the computer which can be touched or seen. These are the main types of hardware:   Monitor   Mouse   Keyboard Disk Drives   Printer   Speakers   Tower Monitor Disk Drive Speakers Printer Tower Mouse Keyboard Types of hardware There are four types of hardware. Input Input is that type of hardware which is used to enter data into the computer. Process Process is that hardware which manipulates the inputted into useful form. Storage Storage is where the data is stored. Output Output devices allow you to view information produced after data has been processed. These are the following hardwares I used; Input Keyboard, mouse and scanner Process Central Processing Unit Storage RAM, USB flash drive and hard disk Output Printer and monitor In the following table I will describe the hardware I have used in my system, the way they work and the advantages and disadvantages. Name of device Price The way it works Advantages Disadvantages Keyboard i 20 When a letter, number or a symbol is pressed on the keyboard then a signal is immediately sent to the CPU. Then the CPU passes on the information to the monitor which outputs it. Keyboards come in many types. For example. QWERTY, concept, ergonomic etc. This means that you can choose the one that suits you. Using to much keyboard can lead to RSI. A keyboard can do the same job of a mouse, like scrolling through pages by just the touch of one button. People who are unfamiliar with keyboards will get a lot of mistakes and will type very slowly because the buttons are mixed up. The buttons in a keyboard are arranged in such a way that you feel comfortable to use and become used to the layout. The buttons in a keyboard are very close to each other and very light, this means that there could be a lot of errors. Mouse i 13 There are two main types of a mouse.   Optical Mouse. Balled Mouse. The way you move the mouse, in the same direction the arrow will move. A mouse can be used to play computer games. The ball in a balled mouse can get lost. A Mouse with a keyboard to enter data into data computer. Using the mouse to much can lead to RSI. A mouse is very easy to control. A mouse will only work well on flat surfaces. Scanner i 60 A beam of light is shone on the object which is going to be scanned. The light is then reflected to a sensor which detects the colour of the light. A digital image is the created inside the computer. You can get 3 in1. It includes scanner, printer and photocopier. A scanner can be very expensive. An image which is scanned can be edited and then be used in numerous forms. An image which is scanned can take up a lot of computer memory. Using a scanner saves time because data is inputted within matter of seconds. The scanner can be damaged because it is made of glass. 1GB USB flash drive i 5 It can store large amounts of information and you can transfer files from one computer to another. They are portable and come in many designs and makes. Because they are very small they can fall out from your pocket and get lost. They can take in any format. USB devices transfer viruses from one computer to another. They come in different sizes. From 32 MB to 64 GB. They are valuable, so there are chances of getting stolen. Monitor i 100 Monitors come in two types. TFT   CRT Thousands of tiny dots called pixels are displayed which then create an image. TFT monitors are slim, so they take up lees space. TFT monitors can get scratched or damaged easily. TFT monitors create less heat than CRT. CRT monitors create too much heat and the room gets stuffy. CRT monitors are massive, so there are less chances of getting damaged. Some monitors do not have good graphics, so the image quality will not be as good. CPU. (Intel Pentium Dual Core) i 80 The CPU is the brain of the computer. It processes data. In the CPU all the sorting and calculations take place. It is small, so it will take less space. If it is damaged then the computer will not work. There is no need of buying it separate because it already comes with the computer. If there is no fan next to it then it will blow up. It is very fast because it can carry out millions of instructions per second. It is very expensive to buy. Laser printer i 250 They work using powdered ink which is fused onto paper by heat and pressure. They do not use cartridges but use toners. Hundreds of pages could be printed in an hour. They are very expensive to buy. The print outs are of very good quality. Toners are used instead of cartridges, this means that there will be extra costs It is very quiet and does not make any noise. They are massive and bulky; this means that if it breaks down then repairs will be very expensive. RAM (3 GB) i 45 To load programs it uses memory. RAM lets you open many programs at once. The more RAM you have the faster your computer will be. If you have less ram then your computer will crash a lot. You can even get to 4 GB RAM. It is quite expensive to buy in shops. It responds fast to signals. If the data is not saved and computer is switched ff, then the data will be lost. Hard disk (250 GB) i 85 The hard disk is the main storage device of the computer. All the data files and applications are stored in it. You do not loose any data when the computer is switched off. The hard disk can stop the computer from working if it crashes. They can store very large amounts of data. They can go up to 1 TB or sometimes even more. If the hard disk crashes on a regular basis the data from the hard disk could be lost. They come with every computer. This means you do not have to buy one when you buy a computer. The hard disk comes fixed inside the computer and can be difficult to transfer data to another computer. Alternatives In the following table I will give an alternative device to the hardware listed in the above table. I will also describe the way it works, its advantages and disadvantages and what difference it will make if used. Name of device Alternative The way it works Advantages Disadvantage Difference it would make if used QWERTY Keyboard Concept Keyboard It has a sheet spread on a grid which has pictures and symbols. The user can identify what each button will do. People who are unfamiliar with QWERTY keyboards can use this one. It has a limited amount of options to be programmed. The difference it would make if used a concept keyboard is that I will not have to move my hands and fingers too much. It could be used to teach little children. They make a lot of sounds and noises. It is very useful when ordinary keyboards might be damaged by spillages etc. They are not good for numeric input, though some come with a numeric pad. Balled mouse Optical mouse There is a laser at the bottom of the mouse which detects the movement. The way the mouse is move the same way the arrow on the screen will move.