Federal Debts and Deficits

The federal or national debt is the total sum of the public outstanding debt and the intragovernmental holdings. Therefore, based on the definition, the current national debt of U.S stands at USD 15,584,905,894,127.28 (U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt n.d). ‘Intragovernmental holdings’ is the financial debt which a federal government owes itself (U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt. 2011).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Federal Debts and Deficits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Most of the government spendings are usually financed through borrowed funds from the treasury. A good example of Intragovernmental holdings is the social security fund which at the same time is categorized as the largest source of the federal government’s funds. The intergovernmental holdings comprise special funds, revolving funds, and government trust funds which are part of the Government Account Series (U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt 2012). Based on the current statistics, the Intergovernmental holdings of the U.S stand at USD 4,753,652,321,246.69 which is an equivalent of 31% of the federal/national debt (U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt 2012). Given the current economic situation in the country, the decline is not expected to decline any soon. In fact based on the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt reports, the debt may continue to incline unless some measures are taken which would reserve the current economic situation. However, since the US economy has started to experience some positive growth, the debt may slightly but not much decline in the near future as the exact time is unpredictable. In the last 30 years (that is, from 1982 to 2012), the deficit and debt were reported to have a largest percentage of GDP in 2009 where a deficit of 10.1%, and a gr oss debt of 85.2% and a public debt of 54.1% were reported (Department of the Treasury and Office of Management and Budget 412). During the period of 1940 and 1943, the deficit increased from 3.0 to 30.3 which was almost a ten-fold. By 1943, the debt gross federal and the public debt were almost equal with a difference of 0.8% (Department of the Treasury and Office of Management and Budget, 412).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the last five years, the deficit and the public debt has been increasing on a yearly basis and in large numbers compared to both 1980s and 1990s. For instance, the furthest the deficit reached in 1980s and 1990s was 6.0 compared to the last five years where it went to over 10%. Since 1938, the federal government reported a surplus 11 times with 2001 being the last time a surplus was recorded by the federal government. The year 2011 has bee n adopted as it is the most recent complete year to calculate the percentage outlays per category. Category Outlay per Category (billion USD) Percentage of Total Outlay Total Outlays $ 3767.3 100% Dept. of Defense/Military $688.3 18.27% International Affairs $56.3 1.48% Health $361.6 9.59% Medicare $484.5 12.86% Income Security $579.6 15.38% Social Security $778.6 20.67% Net Interest $224.8 5.96% The year 2011 has a deficit of -1,326.9 on on-budget and off-budget. Based on figures above, as the Head of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors the amount allocated to department of defense/ military, international and social security would be cut to manageable portions. The reason is that despite the efforts to reduce the deficit, these three categories have been experiencing outlay increase for the last couple of years compared to the other categories. Cutting department of military spending would mean that most of the soldiers in different countries keeping international security would head home. On international affairs, less international affairs would be carried. Social security would mean that welfare in U.S reduces which would affect the people under welfare. On the positive side, deficit would be reduced hence reducing government borrowing. Works Cited Department of the Treasury and Office of Management and Budget 2012, Federal Receipts, Outlays, Surplus or Deficit, and Debt, as Percent of Gross Domestic Product, Fiscal Years 1939–2013. Web. Department of the Treasury and Office of Management and Budget 2012, Federal Receipts and Outlays, by Major Category, and Surplus or Deficit, Fiscal Years 1945–2013. Web. U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt.  The Debt to the Penny and Who Holds It.  Web.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Federal Debts and Deficits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More U.S. Department of t he Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt. 2012. Intragovernmental Holdings and Debt Held by the Public. Web. U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt. 2011. Frequently Asked Questions about the Public Debt.  Web. This research paper on Federal Debts and Deficits was written and submitted by user Millie T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Ten Day War for Slovenian Independence

The Ten Day War for Slovenian Independence Free Online Research Papers Slovenia is a new independent country, since 1991, and was previously the northernmost country of the Former Yugoslav Federation. It occupies a valuable strategic position between the Southern Alps, the Northern Adriatic and the edge of the Central European Pannonian Plain. Slovenia shares a border with Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. Traffic from South-Western Europe crosses Slovenian territory on its way towards the landlocked countries of Central Europe, including Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the former Soviet republics. Traditionally the port of Koper has served as a route to the Adriatic for Austria and Germany. Slovenia has the image of a country ‘That is between Russia and Prussia’ (FW Carter HT Norris. ‘The Changing Face of the Balkans’ P26). This is descriptive of the fact that Slovenia’s borders lie between the Germanic and Slavonic territories and has been heavily influenced by Latin traditions. Slovenes initially lost their independence more than a thousand years ago, when Prince Kocelj established the first state of Slovenes. This state was subsequently ruled by successive Bavarian, Frankish, Czech and Habsburg masters. In 1355 it became wholly part of the hereditary possessions of the Habsburg monarchy, and remained as such until the end of the First World War in 1918, when Slovenia became a constituent of the Kingdome of Serbs Croats and Slovenes, known from 1929 onwards as Yugoslavia. The history of Slovenia shows that for centuries the institutional government of the country was identical to that of Austria, and this Germanic influence had an important effect on Slovenian culture. Christianity had a strong influence, and yet, despite these powerful influences, the Slovenian people retained a strong Slavic identity, including the retention of their own language. Slovenia also remains ethnically homogenous, with about 90% of the population Slovenes, and the remainder mostly Serbian, Croatian, Hungarian and Italian, along with a small Muslim population. This ethnic homogeneity, and also the retention of a distinctly Slovenian culture is due in large part, according to historians such as James Gow and Cathie Carmichael, to the fact that, throughout history Slovenia acted more as a bridge between nations, rather than a crossroads or area of co-operation between different nations and cultures. In modern times, as part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), post World War 2, Slovenia enjoyed a high level of industrialisation and a limited market economy, along with open borders with Italy and Austria. The rapid post war economic growth in Slovenia led to an influx of ‘guest workers’ from the less developed parts of SFRY, and by the time of secession from the federation in 1991, with 8.2% of the total Yugoslavian population, Slovenia accounted for 20% of the GDP of SFRY, with productivity twice as high as in Yugoslavia as a whole. (FW Carter HT Norris. ‘The Changing Face of the Balkans’ P112 table 31). This boom in Slovenia was set against the backdrop of the post-Tito disintegration of Communist Ideology in SFRY. Since the death of Josep Boris Tito, leader of Yugoslavia for 37 years, voices of dissent had become louder among the multicultural republics of the federation. Throughout the 1980’s it became clear that a worsening economic crisis and the political inertia brought about by the inflexible institutions put in place by Tito, specifically to resist change, were causing a disaster in Yugoslavia. Rising ethnic friction in Kosovo and Bosnia, and the perceived failure of the federal model, was increasingly leading to (mostly Serbian) support for a return to centralisation. A condition that never really existed in Yugoslavia, where the six republics that made it up enjoyed much autonomy, and operated to a certain extent as ‘mini states’. The system was put in place to account for the different desires of the distinct nationalities that made up SFRY, and delive red limited political self determination. This system required two main prerequisites to succeed however. In disputes between the republics, a main arbiter was to have the final say. Tito was the arbiter, but after his death there was no effective replacement. Secondly there was a requirement for relative prosperity, and in the majority of Yugoslavia, this was failing. Indeed, in Montenegro ’30,000 desperate citizens took to the streets in August 1989 to protest against hunger and poverty and to demand effective action’ (Sabrina Petra Ramet ‘Balkan Babel’ P223). The consensus in SFRY, by 1989, was that ‘ A new economic system requires a new political system, a new economic system cannot be built in the framework of the old system.’ (Ciril Ribcic ‘Mladina’ September 1989). The ‘Old System’ was being held together from Belgrade by the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (LCY), led since 1987 by Slobodan Milosevic. His leadership had stifled any consensus between the federal nations, and had essentially split the country into four emerging states, while annexing the provinces of Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia, to Serbia. According to some observers including Sabrina Ramet, Milosevic’s’ intention was to re-centralise the system, at the expense of the autonomy of the other republics, who, to all intents and purposes were already autonomous, and by now most cultural links between the states were largely superficial. This climate allowed ideas to be voiced, that would not have been heard just few years before. For example Antonje Isakovic, a Serbian writer argued for the confederation of the system and the redrawing of the republic boundaries. The open discussion of such subjects in Slovenia led to the highly controversial move by the Slovenian assembly, their first uni-lateral manoeuvre, that granted the republic the right of secession, and the right to approve or disapprove the actions of federal authorities in the republic. These amendments were attacked in Serbia, where the popular support was for consolidation around a strong centre (Belgrade). The warning from Serbia to Slovenia was the same as the warning from the Soviet Union in the 1960’s. That any break-up that took place without a federal consensus would result in a disastrous fratricidal conflict. The Slovenian public were mobilised for a confrontation with Belgrade by numerous publications, including ‘Inter Alia’ a protest at the status of the Slovenian language in SFRY. The first mass demonstrations, however, came with the trial of ‘The Four’. (Janez Jansa, Ivan Borstner, David Tusic, and Franzi Zavrl), who had published material in the magazine ‘Mladina’ that revealed a military plan to stop liberalism in Slovenia. The trial was carried out in Serbo-Croat, in Slovenia, and this inflamed the public further, leading to repeated demonstrations. The Slovene leadership, by now, were still hoping, publicly at least, that a quasi-confederal character would be preserved in SFRY, but with several important distinctions. Slovenia demanded, as the richest and most efficient republic, a special Slovenian Military Zone, with all the Slovenian recruits serving in Slovenian regiments and with Slovenian as the language of command. The other republics especially Serbia, were dismayed at the anti-federal stance of Slovenia, and declared the amendments illegal. Slovenia was undaunted though, and they went ahead and made their amendments. The events from now on will be the real focus of the dissertation. From the referendum in Slovenia in 1990 that passed with 88% in favour of independence, to the end of the fighting brought about by the Brioni Accord on 7th July 1991 there is much to be studied. The military campaign to resist the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) is an interesting one, with the Slovenes using a system that had been in place for years, but that was resurrected for this purpose. It proposed the use of an alternative command structure, known as ‘The Manoeuvre Structure of National Protection’ (Manervska Struktura Narodne Zascite MSNZ). This was a command structure unique to Slovenia, which allowed the government to form an emergency defence, similar to Britain’s Home Guard. The republic had previously had to resist efforts by Belgrade to disarm its federal territorial defence force (Territorialna Obrambra TO) after its free elections in 1990., and so the MSNZ served as a vital command st ructure. Of which the federal government was completely unaware. A superb account of this period is provided by the defence minister of the time, and current Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Jansa, in his book ‘Premiki’ (Movements). He has published another book concerning the transitional period called ‘Okopi’ (The Barricades), and both offer a wonderful, factual, account of the conflict form a Slovenian perspective. There are a number of other notable figures who have already published their memoirs, particularly, Paule Celik, who published his thoughts in a series of interviews with Svetlana Vasovic-Mekina. This man was the head of the federal police force in Slovenia. Himself Slovenian, he has an interesting insight into the ‘cloak and dagger’ style strategy of MSNZ. As well as this Celik points out that the Ten Day War was ‘Fought on a much higher military and cultural level’ (S Vasovic-Mekina ‘A Summer Intervention’ Vienna Digest 1994), than the subsequent conflicts. Celik had his police training and most of his career in Belgrade, so it is clear his recollections are even handed as to the causes and outcome of the war. Aside from the published primary accounts of the conflict, there also exists a publicly accessible archive, Arkiv Republike Slovenje, which provides information from the 9th century onwards, and resides in Ljubljana, the capital of Slove nia. The archive also carries a lot of material concerning the transition from federal to independent republic. A further interesting source will be the court papers from the war crimes trial of Slobodan Milosevic, which contain interesting and controversial comments concerning the Ten Day War. The actions of this man, and the events in Yugoslavia leading up to the war are of crucial importance in understanding and answering the dissertations question. There are many books covering this period, including ‘Yugoslavia and After’ by Ivana Vejvoda, which presents contributions by leading authorities on the origins of the Balkan crisis and the decay of Yugoslavia, from a retrospective viewpoint. This is part of a series of books including ‘Eye of the Storm’, which identifies Slovenia as a focal point for unrest in SFRY. Another excellent book is ‘Love Thy Neighbour’ by Peter Maas, which analyses what the author describes as the ‘overlooked’ subject of Slovene secession, and points out that the conflict is usually ignored in most analysis on what went on later in Bosnia and Croatia. He insists that it is the relative bloodlessness that accounts for this. He also makes the reader aware of the tacit, but perhaps symbiotic relationship between Slovene secessionists and Slobodan Milosevic. With Slovenia out of SFRY, Milosevic had a 4 to 3 majority in the Yugoslav presidency. The book also explores the fact that after Slovenia, the JNA became a more pro-Serbian force, as opposed the impartial force it had represented in SFRY. This book has particular value in its description of the military forces fielded in the war. A further important source is of course the personal recollections of Slovenian people who were present. The relatively recent events means that peoples memory of them is quite fresh, and this will be particularly useful with the issue of mobilisation of the people, which involved a carefully managed media campaign, in Slovenia and internationally. It is fortunate that many Slovenians speak English, so it will not be necessary to learn a new language to gather primary information, and much of the literature is also translated. The dissertation is intended to explore the question as to whether or not the Ten Day War resulted in a political victory or a military triumph, and in essence, what forces enabled the country to avoid the bloodshed that characterised the conflicts in Bosnia and Croatia. Official Slovenian sources, such as the Office of the Prime Minister, insist that this was a ‘David and Goliath’ style encounter, with the Slovenian TO waging a meticulously planned guerrilla campaign against the aggressive JNA, a military behemoth, then the fourth largest army in Europe. Other observers, such as Dyer, contend that the JNA had limited objectives in Slovenia. These objectives (Border crossings, airport) were predicted by the TO, and their limited forces were able to hold them long enough for diplomacy to take over. The year leading up to the conflict will also be studied. The activities of the popular magazine ‘Mladina’ and the pluralisation of politics in this period serves as a good barometer of the tensions that were rising at this time. By 1989 certain groups had sprung up in response to the uproar at the trial of the four Mladina journalists. The Independent Centre of Human Rights received thousands of petitions from individuals and organisations, including trade unions and religious groups. These actions were to encourage the public at large to join and start new political parties. There seems to have been a consensus reached in Slovenia, and the dissertation will explore this, as part of the argument that a political victory was won. The relative bloodlessness will also serve to illustrate this point, along with racial homogeneity, relative affluence and long standing economic and cultural ties with Central and Western Europe. Possible collusion between Ljubljana and Belgrade will be addressed, but this hypothesis is extremely controversial and would be tough to research. The influence of the EC will also be researched, with Germany already identified as at least one country interested in Slovenian independence. The military argument, that Slovenian forces repelled, or at the very least held on against the odds is to be explored by studying the many military analyses made of the war. The tactic of blocking the mountain roads in order to halt the armoured advance of the JNA is well documented, as is the subsequent limited guerrilla campaign and the method of replacing the federal military with the MSNZ. The smooth application of this tactic led to the world at large to see the JNA as aggressors, since Slovene troops at border crossings simply switched uniforms, forcing the JNA to use force to capture them. In order to better complete this task, the help of a dissertation supervisor will be utilised, in the case of this dissertation, the advice of Dr Christina Chiva. The summer would be spent visiting Slovenia, identifying further sources, perhaps carrying out interviews with relevant individuals, in order to bring as much information to the beginning of the year as possible. The writing process will begin once my proposal subject has been refined, since there is little doubt the scope of the dissertation will likely change, at least slightly, between proposal and submission of the final work. So, with an eye on the history of the final years of Yugoslavia, it is hoped that the question set out in this proposal can either be proved or disproved one way or another, in agreement with the military or political hypothesis, a mix of the two, or perhaps some third source of influence, as yet unconsidered. Research Papers on The Ten Day War for Slovenian IndependenceAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2The Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPETSTEL analysis of IndiaQuebec and CanadaInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBringing Democracy to AfricaDefinition of Export Quotas19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into Asia

Literary Forms in the Book of Job and Ecclesiastes Essay

Literary Forms in the Book of Job and Ecclesiastes - Essay Example The book of Job has numerous frames narrative that arises from the shifts in voice, perspective, language, and scene. The most outstanding of all is the frame narrator who tells the story of Job from the perspective of God’s eye. This is done through the prefacing of the book in Job 1:1 – 2:12, the introduction of most speeches in Job 3 – 42, and giving the conclusion in Job 42 from verse 7 to 17. The perspective of the omniscient narrator is written in prose form, and it stands together with a set of human speeches in Job chapter 3 to 42. It is also written in poetry, and it develops a sense of paradoxical juxtaposition between the human and divine views of Job’s sufferings. The differing sides of Job found on the two sections of the frame (reverent and silent) and the sporadic reaction in the poetic body emphasize the juxtaposition (Enns and Longman 242). The book of Job relies heavily on lament. This literary genre is expressed in the two plays of Job i n chapter 3, 29, 30, and 31. It is important to note that lament is an important characteristic of the Joban arguments. The formal characteristics of lament normally comprise an invocation, questions of reproach, a condemnation of enemies, an affirmation of confidence, assertion of innocence, a vow, hymnist blessings, and praise, recognition of divine response, a petition for help and a description, or complaint of suffering. Lamentations made by Job resemble the accusatory laments made in chapter 10, 13, and 23 of the book of Job (Perdue 94). The lamentations are even more clamorous in criticizing God for the unjust maltreatment of an innocent and just person. In addition, from the lamentation made by Job, there are no prospects for future redemption but only the ultimate outcome of eternal death. The political role of lamentations in that period was to merge the nation as one people who relied on the divine salvation through the monarchy. Lamentations also created an outlet throug h which defeat and difficulties disappointments would be expressed. However, lamentations by Job are generally accusations against God’s justice and an attempt to bring down the conceptual model of the temple’s function in effecting divine redemption. With the denial of God’s justice, this priestly spirituality collapsed (Perdue 95). In the book of Job, dialogue is the most important literary form, and in this case, it is an argument resulting to a heated debate. Job’s passionate attack on his opponents entails ridicule and show of direct allegations of fear and foolish reliance on a disproven hermeneutic of vengeance. Job blames them of senselessly defending the justice of God who abuses the righteous and his creation. The opponents refuse to give in to Job’s accusations and argue that Job must have done something bad that resulted to his suffering. From their arguments, it is very clear that the victim (Job) deserves whatever suffering he is goin g through (Perdue 95). The book of Job expresses a bold stroke in attaining the support of a significant number of exiles, that is, the manner in which we would be ready for a new sociopolitical certainty to come into existence. The book was not just based on theological debate or a theoretical explanation of the issues of innocent

Chinese literature response 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chinese literature response 2 - Essay Example And still it turns out to be a psychological novel that can marvel any European novels of that time .The advantage of the novel in traditional Chinese literature was that, it only held a peripheral position in the literary system. Thus novelists could explore new themes with more freedom, from which the orthodox modes of writing shied away. â€Å"The story of the Stone† is a typical example of a novel exploring poetically the unorthodox themes, of romantic, passionate love and emotions in the Chinese classical literature. In its opening itself the novel introduces the main theme of passionate love. It begins by telling the reader about a magical stone that can move by its own, change size and can even talk. It was cast off from the heavens by the Goddess Nu-Wa who was repairing the sky with stones. This particular stone was the only excess one left when she finished her work. The stone had magical qualities because it had been touched by a Goddess. The magical stone was distained to be incarnated into a human being. As the stone waits for its future destiny, near a pond it falls in love with a flower. The theme of love is thus introduced at the very beginning of the novel. The stone gets incarnated as the minor noble man Jia Bao-yu of the influential Jia family, a cultured wealthy family in early Qing dynasty China. The flower gets incarnated as Lin Dai –yu who is related to the Jia family but is a commoner. The novel centers around these two teenagers, who though unaware of their heavenly ori gins, try to come to grips with the human destiny on earth through very ordinary daily events in their lives. The caricature of Jin-Bao-yu is interesting and unique. He is the heir to the family. He is handsome, but very impertinent. The heir of the family should get very high education and pass the civil service examinations. But he is a spoilt boy, spoiled by his grand mother. While all boys of his age study, he spends time in the women’s quarters enjoying the

Finance and Public Administrators Research Paper

Finance and Public Administrators - Research Paper Example There are also a number of roads that need to be repaired and the plan is to start with the ones that have the greatest need. In addition to those capital requirements the expenses relating to the day to day operations of the city needs to be taken into account. Non-profit organizations play a useful role in the city and so a certain level of funding is normally made available to them so that they can continue to achieve their goals. The Budget According to Horngren et al (2000, p. 178 -180), a budget is the financial plan of an organization which is communicated in quantitative terms. It forms a blueprint for management to follow in an upcoming period and outlines the operational goals for a specific period of time. It states where financial resources will come from and what they will be used for. Planning is achieved through the budgeting process and forms the basis for decisions made by management. Horngren further states that budgets represent a major aspect management control sy stems. As long as they are administered in an appropriate manner they have the following characteristics. they compel planning they provide criteria for performance; and they promote the coordination and communication of activities in the organization. Planning is a major function of the budget as it seeks to quantify the plan. The plan specifies the type, quantity and quality of services that will be provided, estimating the costs and deciding how they will be paid for. The Council prepares the estimates of income than will be generated from various services provided at a cost by the city. These services include and are not limited to transportation, water and sewage. Other income generators include property tax and corporation tax, and income tax. The expenditure includes both capital and current expenditures. The performance criteria are useful both for staff and for sub-contractors who perform jobs in the city. They set the standard for achieving the goals and objectives of the departments. In coordinating and communicating the plan all the management personnel in these departments coordinate the tasks for their subordinates so that the goals of Council will be achieved. The objectives of the departments are communicated in such a way that they are clearly understood by employees. Controlling and administering the budget helps to ensure that resources are obtained and expended based on plans. Budgets are used to monitor the flow of resources to ensure that they are used as intended and that there are no significant over-runs. According to Chan (2009) the annual budget prepared in the public sector is not only a planning document but also includes projections of revenue collection as the law authorizes well as information on expenditure that has been proposed by executives and approved by the legislature. This implies that the budget is used as tool for management control as well legislative oversight. Any transactions and activities undertaken have to be i n keeping with the budget. Chan (2009) indicates that this type of accounting is described as management accounting in business and budgetary accounting in the public sector. It is in this same way that the City Council will go about controlling and managing public funds. Table 2 shows a summary version of the city’s budget for the fiscal year ending 31st March 2012. Summary of Budgeted Expenditure for the Fiscal Year Ending 31 March 2012 Budget Allocation/Revenue $10,000,0000

Application of Virtual Reality Technology

Application of Virtual Reality Technology Week 2 1. Attach a video of a technology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49vZHEIhp_8 Examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmeR-u-DioE (Virtual reality used at Ford) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYfNzhLXYGc (Introducing HTC Vive- a virtual reality headset with 3D controllers) 2. Key business benefits. It is evident that the main function of virtual reality is to create a virtual environment that resembles the real world. From business perspective, enterpries can take advantage of this outstanding ability to facilitate their activities. First of all, virtual reality is an essential equipment in training. Trainees will deal with real cases while interacting with the virtual world, leading to improvements in both their experience and skills. Firms can still ensure the efficiency of the course without spending too much on training stuffs. According to Sentient Computing in Western Australia, virtual training is able to reduce budget dramatically as well as cut down approximately 70 percent of the time. Secondly, this emerging technology is also decreses commuting costs by connecting people into one space, despite of the geographical distance. An actual face-to-face meeting is now possible by 3D interactions between managers and staffs. For example, the join.me app offers a virtual meeting space, in which users can share files using Mobile Whiteboard or organizing audio conferences. Another interesting scenerio is virtual interviews. Personnel departments can go through the recruitment procedure with candidates in a virtual conference room. Finally, virtual reality is a method of saving manufacturing costs by rendering virtual samples to replace real products in testings. Engineers and scientists can perform actions on 3D prototypes to tailor and fix mistakes with the products before manufacturing for commercial uses. Ford, for instance, are using a package from virtual reality specialists ICIDO to produce virtual copies of the vehicles. 3. The applicability of this technology in one industry sector (health) Although virtual reality is mostly used in game, it has various applications in other fields as well. This essay will give an insight about its functions in health. To start with, virtual reality is opening opportunities for patients with psychological disorders. In dealing with phobias, it provides a controlled environment in which patients will confront with their fears and learn how to overcome them. In one example, psychiatrists at the University of Louisville use virtual reality to assist patients in coping with fears of things such as flying and claustrophobia. Similarly, virtual reality is considered as a treatment for autism. Patients are able to improve social skills by facing with daily situations in the virtual world. In a study, professors at the University of Texas developed a program to help autistic kids with reading social cues and performing proper behaviours. After finishing it, participantsbrain scan indicated increased activity in the areas of the brain related to social understanding. Another branch of health is applying this technology is medical training. In surgery, virtual reality offers a way of practicing without harming the patients. The method is more appropriate to amatuers, as mistakes is acceptable. Students can learn from them to acquire skills for real operations. From 2002, Stanford University had a surgery stimulator using CT scans to create 3D models for practicing. Furthermore, it also plays a key role in dentistry. A programme called HapTEL, for instance, relies on haptics to train new dentists. This virtual dental chair provides a 3D set of teeth for learners to work on. 4. Describing the impact of the adoption of this technology at an organization using the Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) PET is a theory stated that in the evolution process of each species, there a sudden revolutionary change took place after a long period of stablization. Although it is a biological theory, it can be used in technology, with innovations made a great impact on an organisation. To clarify the theory, lets take a look at Thomas Cook- an English-based travel company with more than 170 years of experiece. During the past, the agent advertises their services thourgh brochures and website. In other words, these two are the main information sources that customers can refer to before booking a trip. However, that habit has changed since 2014, when Thomas Cook applyed virtual reality. The new technology made a huge impact on their marketing strategies. They cooperated with Visualise to produce a range of 360 virtual reality films. After deciding the itinerary for the roll out, a small team went to Egypt, Cyprus, Singarpore, Greece and New York to capture the required content. The videos will be uploaded to a virtual reality store, instead of posting on the Internet. The new commercial plan resulted in a dramatic boost in the profit. The enterprise earned a staggering  £12000 from hotel and flights bookings in the Uk and Germany as well as a 40% return on investment. New York market also witnessed an 180% uplift in the excursions revenue.    Overall, it can be concluded that the equilibrium of using brochures and website of Thomas Cook has been distracted by the introduction of Virtual Reality. This adoption has affected the agent by creating major changes in marketing strategies. References: Andrienne, B. (2017). Punctuated Equilibrium: Definition, Theory Examples | Study.com. [online] Study.com. Available at: http://study.com/academy/lesson/punctuated-equilibrium-definition-theory-examples.html [Accessed 12 Mar. 2017]. Carson, E. (2017). 10 ways virtual reality is revolutionizing medicine and healthcare TechRepublic. [online] TechRepublic. Available at: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-ways-virtual-reality-is-revolutionizing-medicine-and-healthcare [Accessed 11 Mar. 2017]. David, G. (2017). Ford Uses Virtual Reality to Reduce Costs | Automation World. [online] Automationworld.com. Available at: https://www.automationworld.com/simulation-amp-modeling/ford-uses-virtual-reality-reduce-costs [Accessed 12 Mar. 2017]. Jonha, R. (2017). How Can Businesses Benefit From Virtual Reality?. [online] The Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonha-revesencio/how-can-businesses-benefi_b_7751958.html [Accessed 11 Mar. 2017]. Jonha, R. (2017). 5 apps to help you manage your work on the road. [online] Business Insider. Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/sc/5-apps-for-work-travel-2015-6 [Accessed 11 Mar. 2017]. Julia, H. (2017). How Virtual Reality is Gaining Traction in Healthcare. [online] Healthline. Available at: http://www.healthline.com/health-news/virtual-reality-gaining-traction-in-healthcare [Accessed 11 Mar. 2017]. Kandalaft, M., Didehbani, N., Krawczyk, D., Allen, T. and Chapman, S. (2012). Virtual Reality Social Cognition Training for Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(1), pp.34-44. Mandelbaum, A. (2017). 2 travel agencies already using virtual reality . [online] Hypergridbusiness.com. Available at: http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2015/07/2-travel-agencies-already-using-virtual-reality/   [Accessed 12 Mar. 2017]. Sean, O. (2017). Thomas Cook tests virtual reality holidays, thanks to Oculus Tnooz. [online] Tnooz. Available at: https://www.tnooz.com/article/thomas-cook-tests-virtual-reality-holidays-high-street/ [Accessed 12 Mar. 2017]. Virtual Reality Society, T. (2017). Advantages of virtual reality in medicine Virtual Reality. [online] Virtual Reality. Available at: https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-healthcare/advantages.html [Accessed 11 Mar. 2017]. Visualise, T. (2017). Thomas Cook Try Before You Fly | Virtual Reality Holiday | VR Case Study | Visualise. [online] VISUALISE. Available at: http://visualise.com/case-study/thomas-cook-virtual-holiday   [Accessed 12 Mar. 2017]. Week 3 1. Identify a business process within the organization and provide a brief overview of the business process Nowadays, Wal-mart Stores (or Walmart) is undoubtedly one of the largest multinational retailing firm in the world. The company has maintained the top position for decades, partly thanks to the advanced home delivery process. This process can be executed via Walmarts official website. First of all, customers need to register into the system. First-timers are required to create an account to continue shopping. The system will then introduce a variety of items that are categorized into departments according to their purposes. Selected goods will be added to a basket- the button located at the top right corner of the screen. Having checked the basket, customers will make a payment, which is the final step. Walmart online system accepts numerous payment method, for instance credit and debit cards, Paypal, etc. A notice containing an receipt will pop up to confirm the order. Staffs will check all the details once again prior to sending customers a confimation email. Overall, the process i s accomplished entirely through the internet within a few clicks, saving a considerable amount of time and money for shoppers. 2. Inputs, processing, and outputs of the business process After rolling through the process, it can be clearly seen that this consists of 3 main components: input, process and output. Inputs include customers accounts (name, birth, email, phone number) as well as the choosen item list (Good number, quantity, price). For customers who pay by card, there will be also cards details such as card number or expire date. In case of evoucher or gift card, additional input will be its code. All of the provided information will be processed by RealLink computer system and stored in the form of data. Having accomplised processing the input, the system will return the output a successful notification and later on, a comfirmation email containing a receipt . 3. Technologies are used by the organization and their relation to the organizations business strategy. Walmart has adopted a wide range of technologies in order to maximize their profit. These technologies play an important role in their business strategies. The retailer has been using RDIF (Radio-Frequency Identification) technology for around a decade. The initial function of the technology was to track the location of commodities travelling along its supply chain, including at warehouses. In 2007, it was upgraded by reducing approximately one-third of excess inventory volume in the supply chain as well as 16% of out-of-stock situations. Another advancement took place 3 years later, with the appearace of RDIF tags on individual garments, which are usually from two to four square inches in size. Inside each tag is a silicon chip containing a number string to represent a specific good. There is also an antenna to transmit the details in the tag to a separate RDIF reader. RDIF tag is much more advantageous than conventional barcode, as it mitigates the need for a scanner by using the reader. These continuous innovations help the company achieve its business strategy of streamling the supply chain while decreasing cost. Another outstanding technology applied at Walmart chain stores is virtual assistant in order to enhacing clients satisfaction. This application was developed by a group of hacker during a hackathon funded by the corporation. By interactions with the assistant via texting, customers can tailor answers to simple questions and locate items in the store. Once typing hi to the posted number in store, shoppers will receive a message back from a store associated with assistance, for example instructions to a certain corner of the store. In case of overcomplicated problems, customers will be guided to a nearby staff for extra help. 4. Strategic business objectives addressed by the organizations information systems. *Improved decision making: In early 1990s, Walmart adopted Retail Link-an interorganisation Decision Support System(DSS) and a sale figure warehouse. Data of stores are gathered from warehouse and sent to Retail Link for analyzing to make a weekly report., which will be sent to suppliers. The report contains all the sale data by Stock-Keeping Unit(SKU), by hour, by store; gross machine achieved, inventory returns, in-stock percentage, and most important, weekly forecasting information. To develop decision making quality, Walmart made a variety of technological advancement afterwards. In 1997, the retailer expanded the size and information analysis capabilities of of the data warehouse. According to Randy Mott senior vice president and chief information officer of Walmart, Every cost, every line item is carefully categorized, enabling better merchandising decisions to be made on a daily basis.. The following year also witnessed an innovation, when Walmart and Warner-Lambert applied internet to communicate abou t sales forecast, which resulted in about a reduction of 2,5 weeks in the time items in the supply chain and a million dollars in inventory. *Operational Excellence: Walmart use Transaction Process System (TPS) to automate daily business activities, which play a key role in organizational operation like Point-of-Sale, preparing a payroll and billing clients. Raw data will be summarized, recored and merged to create a report. With Point-of-Sale, for instance, when customer check-out the items at the supermarket, the clerk has to scan the bar code -the input of system. Walmart developed a universal product code (UPC) system in order to ensure exact price, decrease shrinkage as well as enhance communication. TPS will then calculate the total amount of money by multiplying the quantity with the price of each product prior to printing a receipt. Electronic Scanning of uniform product code -UPC- *Competitive advantage: Retail Link system uses a satellite system to create a competitive advantage. The corporartion introduced the 24 million dollar system in 1987, which consist of 6 components- Becon activation, GPS Satellite Relay, MEOLUT, Mission Control Center, Rescue Coordination Center, Rescue. Here is a diagram describing the merchanism of the system: With this system, data and voice transmission can be sent at 56 kilobits per second, much faster than 12 and 24 kilobits via telephone lines. Another benefit is the ability to lower telephone costs by 20 to 30%, while facilitating high speed communication. On 17 November, 1999, Walmart broadcasted a Grath Brooks concert via this system into all of its stores, leading to a remarkable rise in sale data: 5.What would happen if your organizations information systems were not available? Without information system, Walmart could face a variety of difficulties. First, the company will need to recruit more staffs to gather data from stores. The number of additional employees will be huge to keep up with sales figure from 11695 stores and clubs worldwide. Recruting new members will lead to a surge in the operation cost, as more money is spent on staffssalary. Even meeting the need of human resources, each of the process is still disaggregated, due to inconsistency performance of human. Furthermore, lack of information system also delay forecasting and planning process. Because Walmart is a multinational corporation, it is essential to have a business plan that are suitable with each countrys legislation system and customs. This process is going to be more time-comsuming, since consultants have to deal with raw data instead of processed data. However, the disappearance of information system does not affect only the retailer, but also its suppliers. When the automatic link to warehouses is cut, the sales representative will have to contact warehouse staffs by phone to gather inventory statistics. Consequently, suppliers will have to wait longer for the data, obstructing them to keeping up with the demand. References: Bisk, (2017). RFID Technology Boosts Walmarts Supply Chain Management. [online] Usanfranonline.com. Available at: https://www.usanfranonline.com/resources/supply-chain-management/rfid-technology-boosts-walmarts-supply-chain-management/#.WM0nnR-g_IU [Accessed 18 Mar. 2017]. Chris, P. (2017). Walmarts secret sauce: How the largest survives and thrives. [online] www.retailcustomerexperience.com. Available at: https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/blogs/walmarts-secret-sauce-how-the-largest-survives-and-thrives/ [Accessed 18 Mar. 2017]. Kline, D. (2017). 2 Ways Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Is Using Technology to Improve Its Shopping Experience The Motley Fool. [online] The Motley Fool. Available at: https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/11/10/2-ways-wal-mart-stores-inc-is-using-technology-to.aspx [Accessed 18 Mar. 2017]. MISgroup, T. (2017). Information Systems. [online] Wal-m.blogspot.com.au. Available at: http://wal-m.blogspot.com.au/p/information-systems.html [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017]. Simkiss, G., Simkiss, G. and profile, V. (2017). Wal-Mart Satellite Communication System. [online] Emergingtechnologiesis.blogspot.com.au. Available at: http://emergingtechnologiesis.blogspot.com.au/2007/10/wal-mart-satellite-communication-system.html [Accessed 19 Mar. 2017].

Principle or Personal? Essay -- American History, Joseph MacCarthy

During the Cold War, members of the United States government, army, and even citizens were accused by Senator Joseph McCarthy of being Communist and Soviet spies and sympathizers. These trials persisted through the fifties until Senator McCarthy was excoriated by Congress. Similarly, during the seventeenth century, many inhabitants of Salem, Massachusetts were accused of witchcraft, with a total of nineteen hangings during what came to be called the Salem Witch Trials. These trials were conducted in a similar fashion as Senator McCarthy’s hearings, and many of these accusations were not fought because the circumstances of the time made these claims possible. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible sheds new light on the mysterious Salem Witch Trials and why so many of the small community were hanged. Though some Salemites believed the Devil had come to Salem, Miller’s The Crucible depicts the witch trials as motivated by personal interests of greed, jealousy, and pride. To cover their own personal want, some men of Salem, such as Mr. Putnam and Dr. Walcott, accuse men and women of witchcraft in an attempt to buy their land or receive some compensation once the land-holder is convicted. Mr. Putnam, a key example of the greed in Salem, first demonstrates his when Proctor says that he needs to leave Parris’ house to move wood in Act One. When Proctor tells Putnam that Proctor is dragging wood from the forest by the riverside, Putnam responds, â€Å"Why, we are surely gone wild this year. What anarchy is this? That tract is in my bounds, it’s in my bounds, Mr. Proctor† (30). This response prepares the audience for Act Three, for Putnam would later manipulate the judges caught up in the witchcraft craze to accuse a key land holder in an attempt to a... ...g to other villages, just as an actual crucible would do with glass heated to extreme temperatures. Despite this, mass hysteria has still occurred throughout the history of the United States, from the Senator McCarthy’s Communist trials of the seventies to even modern day, with many Americans drawing suspicions from stereotypes of terrorists. Though today’s suspicions often do not end in hangings, leading figures in society continue to exploit human nature’s emotions to get what these men desire. These influential men are motivated as the men of Salem were; greed drove them to acquire more; jealousy, for revenge; pride, for the sake of being right. Even if these influential men say they act out of principle versus personal reasons, such as those described previously, the opportunities for these men to exploit the people in a state panic will surely not go unused.

Organic vs. Conventional Foods Essay

For years, there has been a debate on how food is grown. Should it be organic or conventionally grown? To answer this question, the difference between the two needs to be known. Organic produce is grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic livestock is free ranged, most of the time, with no added antibiotics or growth hormones. Conventionally grown produce is usually processed after being harvested. They are also sprayed with chemical pesticides and enriched with polluting fertilizers. Research Stanford University has held over 250 investigations that compared the nutritional value of organic and traditional crops. These studies show that organic foods tend to contain slightly more phosphorous, a higher level of omega ­3 fatty acids, and a 30% lower rate of chemical residue. However, traditional chicken and pork is one ­third more likely to contain antibiotic bacteria than organic meats. Bacterias that cause food poisoning are equally present in both traditional and organic. They have little difference in nutritional value. Organic When people see â€Å"organic,† they immediately think â€Å"pesticide ­free.† Organic products can still be labeled as organic, even if they contain commercial pesticides. The U.S. Department of Agriculture stated that almost 20% of organic lettuce showed up as positive for containing a  pesticide   called spinosad. Spinosad comes from a naturally occurring bacterium in soil. Although it is considered slightly toxic to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), it can be used while farming and still be labeled as organic. Spinosad, under the name Entrust, is especially harmful to the nervous system of insects, and small marine life, like mollusks. Spinosad, as well as compounds made of natural elements like sulfur and copper, have made it onto a list of pesticides open for use on organic crops, which you can find on the USDA website. Organic farming became popular in the 1970s when the first pesticides and fertilizers were introduced. The effects of the chemicals they contained were soon noticed. The chemicals paralyzed the nervous system of many people. People became concerned with what they were consuming. Organic produce may have a longer storage time and lower input costs, but there is more bad that comes out of it than there is good. Organic crops have a longer growing time. Organic farming also requires more skill than needed for traditional farming and has higher risks of soil erosion. Despite the disadvantages, organic farming is more popular than ever. Organic products tend to have a more natural taste, and is believed to decrease the risk of the avian flu. Conventional Since organic farming is becoming so popular, traditional farming is beginning to be frowned upon. It is believed to be highly dangerous and an environmental risk. However, that is not the case. Conventional farmers are starting to focus on soil fertility techniques, such as crop rotation and composting. Although some farmers still use chemical based fertilizers, herbicides, and  pesticides, others have switched to fertilizers, herbicides, and   pesticides with little to no chemicals. Conventional farms can produce more crops per acre, replenish soil, decrease risk and topsoil erosion. Conventional farming is also cheaper and require less skill. The amount problems with conventional farming have risen over the years. These problems are becoming more serious. Droughts are a big problem when it comes to traditional farming. Crops rely on rainfall to live and grow properly. If a drought occurs, it is very likely for starvation in a community to happen. Also, crops must be sprayed with the right amount of pesticide or herbicide. If not given the right amount, crops, runoff, and local water sources can be contaminated. Suicide within the conventional farming community is also a very common thing. Since 2009, over 200,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide due to debts they could not pay off. The decreased sea levels and organic competition is the cause of their lowering profit. Price Differences The prices of organic products tend to be around three to four dollars more than regular produce and meat. Say you were at the grocery store. Your grocery list contained bread, a dozen eggs, and a half gallon of milk. If you were to buy these things as conventional products, it would cost around $7. However, organic versions of these products would cost about $11.50. Organic products, such as milk, eggs, or chicken, can cost up to five dollars more than conventional products. Which Should I Buy? Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases two official lists of the crops with the most and least amounts of chemical residues. These lists are called the â€Å"Clean 15† and the â€Å"Dirty Dozen.† As of 2015, the crops that made the Clean 15

Biography of Charles Wheatstone, British Inventor

Biography of Charles Wheatstone, British Inventor Charles Wheatstone (February 6, 1802–October 19, 1875) was an English natural philosopher and inventor, perhaps best known today for his contributions to the electric telegraph. However, he invented and contributed in several fields of science, including photography, electrical generators, encryption, acoustics, and musical instruments and theory. Fast Facts: Charles Wheatstone Known For: Physics experiments and patents applying to sight and sound, including the electric telegraph, the concertina, and the stereoscopeBorn:  February 6, 1802 at Barnwood, near Gloucester, EnglandParents: William and Beata Bubb WheatstoneDied: October 19, 1875 in Paris, FranceEducation: No formal science education, but excelled in French, math, and physics at  Kensington and Vere Street schools, and took an apprenticeship in his uncles music factoryAwards and Honors: Professor of Experimental Philosophy at Kings College, Fellow of the Royal Society in 1837, knighted by Queen Victoria in 1868Spouse: Emma WestChildren: Charles Pablo, Arthur William Fredrick, Florence Caroline, Catherine Ada, Angela Early Life Charles Wheatstone was born on February 6, 1802, near Gloucester, England. He was the second child born to William (1775–1824) and Beata Bubb Wheatstone, members of a music business family established on the Strand in London at least as early as 1791, and perhaps as early as 1750. William and Beata and their family moved to London in 1806, where William set up shop as a flute teacher and maker; his elder brother Charles Sr. was head of the family business, manufacturing and selling musical instruments. Charles learned to read at age 4 and was sent to school early at the Kensington Proprietary Grammar School and Vere Street Board School in Westminster, where he excelled in French, math, and physics. In 1816, he was apprenticed to his Uncle Charles, but by the age of 15, his uncle complained that he was neglecting his work at the shop to read, write, publish songs, and pursue an interest in electricity and acoustics. In 1818, Charles produced his first known musical instrument, the flute harmonique, which was a keyed instrument. No examples have survived. Early Inventions and Academics In September 1821, Charles Wheatstone exhibited his Enchanted Lyre or Acoucryptophone  at a gallery in a music store, a musical instrument that appeared to play itself to amazed shoppers. The Enchanted Lyre was not a real instrument, but rather a sounding box disguised as a  lyre  that hung from the ceiling by a thin steel wire. The wire was connected to the soundboards of a piano, harp, or dulcimer played in an upper room, and as those instruments were played, the sound was conducted down the wire, setting off sympathetic resonance of the lyres strings. Wheatstone speculated publicly that at some time in the future, music might be transmitted in a similar manner throughout London laid on like gas. In 1823 acclaimed Danish scientist Hans Christian Ãâ€"rsted (1777–1851) saw the Enchanted Lyre and convinced Wheatstone to write his first scientific article, New Experiments in Sound. Ãâ€"rsted presented the paper to the Acadà ©mie Royale des Sciences in Paris, and it was eventually published in Great Britain in Thomsons Annals of Philosophy. Wheatstone began his association with the Royal Institution of Great Britain (also known as the Royal Institute, founded in 1799) in the mid-1820s, writing papers to be presented by close friend and RI member Michael Faraday (1791–1869) because he was too shy to do it himself.   Early Inventions Wheatstone had a wide-ranging interest in sound and vision and contributed many inventions and improvements on existing inventions while he was active. His first patent (#5803) was for a Construction of Wind Instruments on June 19, 1829, describing the use of a flexible bellows. From there, Wheatstone developed the concertina, a bellows-driven, free-reed instrument in which each button produces the same pitch regardless of the way the bellows are moving. The patent was not published until 1844, but Faraday gave a Wheatstone-written lecture demonstrating the instrument to the Royal Institute in 1830. Academics and Professional Life Despite his lack of a formal education in science, in 1834 Wheatstone was made a Professor of Experimental Philosophy at Kings College, London, where he conducted pioneering experiments in electricity and invented an improved dynamo. He also invented two devices to measure and regulate electrical resistance and current: the Rheostat and an improved version of what is now known as the Wheatstone bridge (it was actually invented by Samuel Hunter Christie  in 1833). He held the position at Kings College for the remainder of his life, although he continued working in the family business for another 13 years. In 1837, Charles Wheatstone partnered with inventor and entrepreneur William Cooke to co-invent an electric telegraph, a now-outdated communication system that transmitted electric signals over wires from location to location, signals that could be translated into a message. The Wheatstone-Cooke or needle telegraph was the first working communication system of its kind in Great Britain, and it was put into operation on the London and Blackwall Railway. Wheatstone was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) that same year. Wheatstone invented an early version of the stereoscope in 1838, versions of which became a very popular philosophical toy in the later 19th century. Wheatstones stereoscope used two slightly different versions of the same image, which when viewed through two separate tubes gave the viewer the optical illusion of depth. Throughout his professional life, Wheatstone invented both philosophical toys and scientific instruments, exercising his interests in linguistics, optics, cryptography (the Playfair Cipher), typewriters, and clocks- one of his inventions was the Polar Clock, which told time by polarized light. Marriage and Family On February 12, 1847, Charles Wheatstone married Emma West, the daughter of a local tradesman, and they eventually had five children. That year he also stopped working in a significant way at the family business to concentrate on his academic research. His wife died in 1866, at which point his youngest daughter Angela was 11 years old. Wheatstone gleaned a number of important awards and honors throughout his career. He was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1859, made a Foreign Associate of the French Academy of Sciences in 1873, and became an honorary member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1875. He was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1868. He was named a Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) at Oxford and a doctor of law (LLD) at Cambridge. Death and Legacy Charles Wheatstone was one of the most inventive geniuses of his generation, combining combined science-based publication with business-focused patent applications and serious research with a playful interest in philosophical toys and inventions. He died of bronchitis on October 19, 1875, in Paris while he was working on yet another new invention, this one for submarine cables. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery near his home in London. Sources Bowers, Brian. Sir Charles Wheatstone, F.R.S. 1802–1875. London: Her Majestys Stationery Office, 1975Anonymous. Wheatstone Collection. Special Collections. Kings College London, March 27, 2018. Web. Rycroft, David. The Wheatstones. The Galpin Society Journal 45 (1992): 123–30. Print.Wade, Nicholas J. Charles Wheatstone (1802–1875). Perception 31.3 (2002): 265–72. Print.Wayne, Neil. The Wheatstone English Concertina. The Galpin Society Journal 44 (1991): 117–49. Print.

Louis riel essays

Louis riel essays Viewed by some as a savior, and others as a traitor, Louis Riel, The Father of Manitoba, nevertheless became the voice of the Mtis people during an unstable time in Canadian History. From 1869 to 1885, Riel was the political (and quite possibly spiritual) leader of the Mtis and their struggle to secure a place in western Canadian society. In January 1869, The Hudsons Bay Company sold much of its land to the Canadian Government. Deciding that the Mtis farms would be a good place to install English-speaking settlers from Ontario, the Government sent out surveyors that summer from Ottawa, disregarding any Mtis rights and treating the people with great ignorance. Louis Riel and other Metis stopped the surveyors faced with the threat of losing their land, the Mtis decided to resist by forming a National Committee and setting up a provisional government. By forming a National Committee, the Mtis managed to prevent the Governor from entering Red River and seized Upper Fort Garry. The angry settlers fought back but were surrounded and held prisoner including the very obnoxious Thomas Scott. In an attempt to negotiate with The Government, Riel set up a provisional government in early December. Wanting to become more than just a territory, The Government sent out men to negotiate with Riel and a winter agreement seemed to be headed their way. Peace ended when Canadian settlers attacked the Mtis of Upper Fort Garry. The Mtis managed to capture Thomas Scott again and sentenced him to death. To many English-speaking Protestants in Ontario, this was cold-blooded murder and called upon the Mtis for revenge. French-Canadians felt a common bond with the Mtis causing a massive emotional split in Canada. At this point, the Canadian Government stepped in by sending troops and beginning negotiations with the Mtis. The end result became the Man...

Interpersonal Communication Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Interpersonal Communication Skills - Essay Example Culture is the factor that gives human beings their identity. Human beings are considered unique among the animal kingdom on the planet due to their culture and hence, culture is the basic concept in sociology (Kornblum 2012, p.46). The existence of social organizations like family, group, corporations etc., depends on the culture they adhere to (Kornblum 2012, p.46). All the aspects of social organizations like thinking and communicating with each other depend on the culture and hence, society cannot exist without culture (Kornblum 2012, p.46). Culture is defined as â€Å"all the modes of thought, behavior and production that are handed down from one generation to next by means of communicative interactions-language, gestures, writing, building and all other communications among humans-rather by genetic transmission, or hereditary† (Kornblum 2012, p.46). This definition shows that everything that is made by man becomes a part of his culture (Kornblum 2012, p.46). As culture i s ingrained in a person right from his birth, it gets deeply rooted in the heart and mind of a person. It is this aspect of culture that poses challenge for human beings when it comes to communicating with people from other culture. Interestingly, understanding other culture is not as easy as it seems, as even though culture is a social aspect of human being, it is also an inseparable personal part of identity. Culture is a complex set of beliefs and behaviors and hence is not a simple thing to understand (Kornblum 2012, p.46).

Wal-Mart Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wal-Mart - Case Study Example Therefore a person should possess strong financial, mathematical, communication and computer skills to perform the role of an equity analyst. Wal Mart is using the Dividend Discount Models to estimate the intrinsic value of the company. Wal Mart is using the Constant growth Dividend Discount Model to estimate intrinsic value of company and its perpetual growth in dividends. Equity analyst is using different method of estimating the growth of dividends. Firstly, estimate the historical dividend growth in a perpetual fashion. Secondly, future growth is estimated by the equity or financial analysts on the ground of recent data. Growth of dividend and in sale over several years is forecasted by estimating the historical value of stocks. In its financial statements, the average increase in shares has decreased as in 2009 they were 3,939 and in 2010 is 3,866 while sales has increased more than decrease in stock. In 2010 the annual growth of dividend is 14.7 while average growth till 2010 is 31.3 and all forecast is depend the value of historical values of stocks. Wal Mart is at the maturity stage of Three stage of dividends discount. This model calculates present stock price by using present value of all cash flows at the cost of equity. The Wal Mart has current earnings growth is 10.40 per cent with $ 1.09 payout ratio on $ 3.72. Therefore at maturity its payout ratio would be 40 % of its earning. Wal Mart price/ Earning Ratio is used to estimate the intrinsic value of stock. The P/E multiple of Wal Mart was 14.23 times. According to the analyst Wal Mart is current value is depend on the heavy traffic of customers or US benefits while risk is attached with the political, economic condition of the country where this store is operating and wage laws. A price earnings ratio 1 is assumed risky while 20 expressed is good to do business for