Trends in the Workplace of the Twenty-first Century Essay Example

Trends in the Workplace of the Twenty-first Century Essay With the creation of the internet and the subsequent acceptance it has gained in the workplace, in the last decade the internet has dramatically caused a shift in communications and has changed the way people do business. The improvements in information and communication brought about through computers and connectivity allows employees the freedom to work from anywhere, at anytime. In Twenty-first Century Workplace Trends by Joseph Synder and David Pearce Boyett and in Workplace Trends for the 21st Century by John Challenger, the authors discuss the changes prompted by interconnectivity and changes in communication, as well as trends in employment in the last decade. What can not be denied is that the workplace is changing. The aging American population, emergence from an economic recession, improvements in communications, and the development of complex computing machines created a new workplace whereby both employees, management and the organization need to adapt to be able to succe ssfully operate in the environment.Trends in the American EnterpriseWhat can be observed is that the changes in trends in the workplace are seen as a direct effect of the improvements in information exchange and communications. As such the authors Syner and Davis, as well as Challenger identify the following trends:The Flexible workplace and the fusion of home and work.As communications and connectivity continues to improve, people can work from anywhere at anytimeMore and more employees are demanding for flexible work hours.Telecommuting makes the physical workplace no longer criticalGrowth of the technical workforceOccupational synthesis where standard job skills are melded with a specialization for increased employability will become a norm.As employees are expected to work using complex machinery and have a basic knowledge of computing, the workforce will likely be composed of a more technical workforce.As machinery replaces labor in the performance of physically demanding work, jobs will instead be created in the form of operators of the machineryIncreased diversity in the workplaceAs international trade improves and new regulations are enacted, the workplace will see a more diverse workforce in terms of cultural and ethnic make upMore women will enter into employment as trends in higher education show that more women are pursuing college degrees than men.New team structures among employeesBecause of the advent of the flexible workplace, the idea of team working together in a defined office space can no longer applyWork teams may exist in a purely electronic manner, in that communications and working together occurs through emails and telecommunications.Impact on the WorkplaceThe perceived trends in the workplace indicate a defined shift in the workplace, in employee skills requirements, in business organization and management. The shift toward workplace flexibility means not only are individuals able to gain more control of their personal time, but that business organizations must be able to establish a secure computing systems that will support the flexible workplace without sacrificing productivity. Similarly, the organization needs to be able to successfully manage individuals and work teams who may not be physically present at the workplace.As the workplace changes, there is a need for individuals to improve their skills set. The demand for technically skilled individuals will only increase as more business functions occur through computing and e-business. Even the blue collar jobs will require improved technical skills as machinery becomes more and more complicated to operate. Similarly, the employee must be able to adapt quickly and be able to work with others through a strong team dynamic without the traditional workplace relations. As more individuals become technically skilled, this may also mean that there will be an increase in wage rates as the skilled demand more compensation. Finally the demographic shift in the workp lace means the organization needs to be more sensitive to their policies and management practices to promote equity and diversity.Implications for ManagementAmong the biggest impacts that the workplace trends imply relates to the management of individuals and work teams. As employees report to business offices less managers will have to evaluate performance based on productivity and delivery as opposed to presence. Similarly, Managers need to be able to successfully manage teams through emails and telecommunications as well. The creation of the virtual work teams means that the traditional methods of management and motivation such as perks for attendance can no longer apply. Similarly, as individuals exert more authority over their work and their time, managers need to be able to balance authority and freedom with hierarchy and team dynamic.Challenger also explains that as employees work from home, report to business offices less and interact with co-workers less, there may be a tre nd toward isolation. In such cases, the employee may feel less connected to their co-workers and the organization. As such, it is the responsibility of the manager to be able to foster a sense of connection and belonging – a team and organizational vision, despite the change in workplace scenarios.As the workplace changes not only in terms of physical location, but also in terms of the skills of individual members and the demographics of individuals, it is necessary for management to reevaluate existing methods of motivation and management to be able to determine which methods would still be successful in the new workplace environment. What management should focus on is to embrace individual authority and freedom while still promoting team work and loyalty to the organization.

Use a Visual Strategy to Write Better Essays Mind Map

Use a Visual Strategy to Write Better Essays Mind Map Use a Visual Strategy to Write Better Essays: â€Å"Mind Map† A â€Å"mind map† is a visual strategy to help a writer structure information, analyze it, understand it, and come up with new ideas for an essay. Instead of taking notes, information is laid out in a way that is closer to how your brain sees it. It is both artistic and analytical and encourages you to use more of your brain while writing. Having a layout of your topic beforehand can help turn it into a strong first draft. Step #1: Brainstorm The first thing to do when creating a Mind Map is to brainstorm your topic. In this step, you will write down everything you can think of about your essay subject. More specifically, write the name of your subject in the middle of a page (placed horizontally). After you have your subject identified, write subtopics that revolve around your central subject. Use one to four words, if possible, to define a subtopic. Example: If your central subject is â€Å"green tea,† you might use â€Å"brewing time,† â€Å"health benefits,† â€Å"how it is grown,† and â€Å"history† as subtopics. Step #2: Organize Branch out lines from the central subject and connect them to the subtopics that revolve around your central subject. Once you have several subtopics, branch out from each of those, drawing a line from them to other words that are subtopics of those subtopics. Step #3: Finish Use color pencils or crayons to set information apart and make it appealing to the eye. To complete your mind map, further define the subtopics (and their subtopics) by writing more information about them in each area. Use a different color for each initial subtopic, if possible. Once you are finished with this, you can begin writing with your creative juices flowing. If you are having a hard time or stumped writing an essay, consider using our services at . For years, we have helped people overcome essay writing challenges and helped them succeed.

Macroeconomics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macroeconomics - Research Paper Example Demand for goods and services are related to the real interest rate which is nominal interest rate minus expected inflation, whereas nominal interest rate is the market rate quoted in the financial pages of the newspaper. In this case, interest rate is almost zero that means nominal interest should be equal to expected inflation and the expected inflation is about 2% per year which is justifiable, it indicates that nominal interest rate showing unacceptable growth, adequate amount of rise in the nominal interest rate can increase the real interest rate to a desirable level. Usually when interest rate falls, borrowing increasing and individual’s purchasing power increases and so does the demand for goods and services, but if unemployment is very high and an economy is facing low GDP growth per year than shows the imbalance in the economy. According to the Philips curve, wages increases rapidly when unemployment is low and wages increases slowly when unemployment is low therefor e the government and the firms should raise wage rate to attract scarce workforce to increase the national production which will eventually increase the demands for produced goods and services. According to Okun’s law, a percentage increase in unemployment causes a 2% fall in real GDP, whereas in this case unemployment is very high, which is one the major reason of GDP downfall (Hall, 2011). Currently inflation is not matching the level of employment and GDP rate, therefore Fed and the government should increase the wage rate and decrease income tax rate to an acceptable level to encourage the spending which might result in increased demands for good and services and will eventually increase the national production, the government should also increase the subsidize the national production and increase import duty so national products will be preferred over international products (Hall, 2011). Conclusion By increasing nominal interest rate with a justifiable amount, by leverag ing wage rates and the local production, and by increasing import duty; the Fed and the government will be able to stabilize the economy and the balance of payment, the economy will grow at justifiable rate, the unemployment will decrease and the national production will increase while maintaining the inflation rate of about 2% which is quite justifiable. Part 2: Introduction Amendments in legislation and regulations were not the only causes of 2008 financial crises, changes in monetary and fiscal policy also contributed to the crises. The Federal Reserve dropped its federal funds rate very quickly to a very low rate, and kept the rate at historic lows for an extended period of time. Secondly the US deficit has increased its borrowing from foreign sources, especially from emerging countries such as China which are enjoying economic surplus. Contribution of monitory and fiscal policy in the causes of financial crises To eliminate the effect of the collapse of the technology equity bu bble and the terrorist attack on Twin Tower on September 11, 2001 on the economy; Fed chairman Greenspan injected low-interest rates below held guidelines which was an attempt to instill huge amount of liquidity in the US monetary system which actually resulted in lowering the interest rate by 2003 to 1%, the decided interest rate by Fed breaks the record of fifty years, that

Katrinia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Katrinia - Essay Example It is evident that lacked effective management and leadership skills among the organizations involved in the development of the system. On August 2005, more than fifty failures of the floodwalls and levees were protecting New Orleans, Louisiana and its environs from the passage of Hurricane Katrina and landfall in Mississippi. The floodwall and levee failures resulted in flooding in approximately eighty percent of New Orleans and the entire area of St. Bernard Parish. Billions of gallons of water flooded into the vast region of New Orleans, destroying more than ten thousand businesses and home. The US Army Corps of Engineers were given the responsibility of designing and constructing the levee system while the local levee boards were charged with the responsibility of maintaining the levee. The engineering corps handed over the components of the levee system to the local boards on completion. When Hurricane Katrina approached in 2005, the project was between sixty and ninety percent complete. Civil engineers and other specialists, trying to identify the underlying causes of the failures of the flooding protection sy stem, carried out five investigations. From the research report, the primary reason for the flooding was out of inadequate design and construction by the Corps of Engineers. The storm surge and waves broke into twenty places in the Mississippi River Gulf and the entire region of St. Bernard Parish (Bea, 2000). On August 29, 2005, levees, and floodwalls catastrophically failed throughout the urban area of New Orleans. For a period of eight months after the failure of New Orleans Flood Defense System (NOFDS), ILIT (Independent Levee Investigation Team scrutinized over 2800 documents. They also carried out over 220 interviews and evaluated more than 370 contributions from the public. For eight months, many investigations were conducted to find out the reasons

Research methodology used to collect data and converting the data into Essay

Research methodology used to collect data and converting the data into meaningful information - Essay Example The author has selected the issue for discussion after reading the article in newspaper about the sporting habit of person in London. The researcher will use qualitative research methodology in order to gather personal insights of respondents regarding the research problem. Using qualitative methodology will help the researcher to get personal viewpoints of respondents which will help the researcher to address the research problem without using any categorical boundaries or subjective assumptions. Fife and Saunders et al have argued that, using secondary data sources such as books, printed peer reviewed journals; government data etc to collect data can also be classified as good way to conduct qualitative research. Following the argument of research scholars, the researcher will use secondary data sources as a neutral medium to construct the theoretical argument in the literature review and later on test the validity of the response of respondents. The researcher will use convenience sampling as part of non-probabilistic sampling method for selecting respondents for the interview. Using convenience sampling method will help the researcher to conduct the interview in timely and cost efficient manner. After observing the behaviour of players in sports centre the researcher will select one respondent who is ready to give interview for more than 1hour. Research scholars Punch and Patton have stated that using unstructured interview can is helpful in cases where researcher is planning to gather information from respondents without imposing any priori categorization. In this paper, the researcher will use unstructured interview to give chances to respondents to express their viewpoint on the research topic in unhindered manner. The researcher will use a casual approach to slowly drag the interviewee to the core research objectives and allow the interviewees to direct the further flow of interview. There might be cases, where the researcher will ask some contextual qu estions to interviewee in order to engage him/her with the interview process. Entire unstructured interview process will be tape recorded and later on these interview transcripts will be produced in the data analysis sections. The researcher will fix appointment with the interviewee prior to the unstructured interview and also take his/her permission before asking any sensitive questions. The researcher will examine preconceptions by checking the validity of responses by consulting books and academic journals written on the topic. As the research questions will be open ended hence no coding technique will be used to quantify the responses. The researcher will ensure the respondent that their responses will only be used for academic purposes and their identity will not be revealed for any commercial purposes. The researcher will also ensure that respondent is aware about the ethical norms prior conducting unstructured interview. Transcription The respondent is almost 39 years of age and he is not a sports person by profession. However, the person visits the sports centre thrice/week in order to play his favourite game lawn tennis. The respondent loves lawn tennis for the

Preserving Indigenous Languages English Language Essay

Preserving Indigenous Languages English Language Essay Many times when you are asked to describe your heritage it may not include language. In the United States we assume every person born here just speaks English because it is the nationally recognized language. We expect to walk into the grocery store and be able to carry on a conversation with the cashier or ask an individual for help. This is not the case everywhere. Many places such as Oaxaca, Mexico have more than one recognized native language. Many native Indians cannot expect to walk into town and have the cashier at the store speak the same language as them. The issue of language preservation is increasing extensively by the years. Language plays a hefty roll in culture, it has an extensive background, factors working against and for the preservation, and whether we like to acknowledge it or not plays a significant role within our government. Many of us do not realize how important something as simple as language really is. In the world today there are currently between 6-10,000 different languages and this all depends on what is considered a dialect vs. a language (Vazquez). This does not include the unknown languages or the ones that are already lost. Oaxaca is a state of great linguistic diversity. There are 16 indigenous languages and 17 including Spanish that are recognized in Oaxaca (Vazquez). Those however are only the languages the government recognizes. The recognized indigenous languages of Oaxaca consist of; Nà ¡huatl (the languages of 1 million speakers throughout central Mexico),Zapoteca (spoken by 400,000 people and has 5 regional dialects), Mixteca (320,000 speakers and 29 dialects throughout Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla), Mazateca (spoken by 150,000 people in Oaxaca, Veracruz and Puebla), Chinanteco (6 dialectal variants and 77,000 speakers), Mixe (70,000 speakers and 4 dialects), Amuzgo (spoken in Oaxaca and Guerrero by approximately 20,000 people), Chatino (20,000 speakers and 3 dialec ts), Zoque (spoken in Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco by 20,000 speakers), Chicateco (14,000 speakers), Popolaca (has 12,000 speakers in Puebla and Oaxaca), Chontal (2 dialects and 10,000 speakers), Huave (10,000 speakers in southwest Oaxaca), Triqui (8,000 speakers throughout Oaxaca, Mexico City, Baja California, Sonora and the U.S), Chocho (3,000 speakers in Oaxaca), and Ixcateco (just 2,000 speakers in Oaxaca) (Languages used in Oaxaca, Mexico). As you can see there are a variety and dialects of indigenous languages in Oaxaca. There are many forces that work against the preservation of languages and even fewer forces that are working to preserve it. This creates a large issue for the indigenous peoples. Language shift or language death can be sudden or gradual due to colonization and globalization (Vazquez). Schooling is not an option in Oaxaca it is required however, there are very few forces to ensure education is received. When Children from villages and small towns attend school, they are taught in the nationally recognized language of Spanish. Many children who many have learned their native language are then forced to learn another language. Their parents cannot speak any language other than the native language, leaving the children as translators with the rest of the world. In Oaxaca, approximately 10-15% do not speak Spanish, 70% are bilingual, and only 15% speak only Spanish (Vazquez). The American idea encourages being bilingual in Mexico and this can have a negative effect. The act of being able to communicate with persons outside of your family is done through Spanish, not Triqui or Mixe, etcetera. Globalization teaches people that their native language is useless, it ha s no value to the outside world, this concept gets into the villages where the elders quit teaching their native language in order to adapt to a new world. This concept not only is the idea of globalization, but the loss of experience. Globalization goes as far as to include those migrants to American who came from small villages. Those migrants are individuals who have come for work however, they must adapt to American culture, a culture that frowns upon the different languages and its a culture that expects outsiders to adapt to it. These migrants spend a great deal of time in America to return with money to their villages taking with them learned American culture to teach, this then adapts into the small villages with endangered languages. Another contributing factor to the loss of language is the outside world delegitimizing language. Many languages are unknown or unwritten. The unwritten languages are ignored as if they do not exist because they cannot be written. Many native speakers are not literate therefore the verbal form of language is their only form of communication; they have no need for written language. According to Dr. Vazquez unwritten languages are ignored but people continue to draw from languages they have delegitimized, add an accent, legitimize it and create a written word. This act not only begins to tell villagers, your language does not exist but it then tells them that since we as higher people have changed this it can now be a written word however, it still gives no credit to the idea that it was a language to begin with. The article Vanishing Voices refers to language as an identity, the ability of a person to represent himself. If people are no longer able to represent themselves, they are no longer able to communicate and they then begin to lose a part of their humanity. This is all part of the process of losing language. While there are factors working against the preservation of language, there are people who are working towards preserving it. The first step in the preservation of language is to increase literacy. The more people can read and write the more they are going to want to read and write within their own language. The increase of literacy leads to documentation of the language not only in written form but in electronic form via computers; there are many different projects towards preserving these languages. In 1987 the Oaxaca Native Literacy Project was founded by H. Russell Bernard and Jesus Salinas Pedraza (Foundation For Endgangerd Lanugages). The project began before its foundation, in 1971 Salinas and Bernard began working on a project to document the Nyahnyu culture in Nyahnyu. They developed a writing system for Nyahnyu and Salinas wrote four books about the culture of the people of the Mezquital Valley. In 1989 the books were published in English. In 1987, building on their book collaboration, Salinas and Bernard conceived of the Oaxaca Native Literacy Center a place where Indian people from around the Americas could learn to read and write their own languages using microcomputers. Their idea was for Indians to write, print and publish their own works, in their own languages, on topics of their choice. They would write their own histories and record their knowledge for their children and for all our children as well. The center began operation in 1989 with support from the Nat ional Bureau of Indian Education and the Center for Advanced Studies in Anthropology in Mexico; from the Interamerican Indian Institute and from the Jessie Ball Du Pont Foundation. Salinas runs the center, along with Josefa Gonzalez Ventura, a Mixtec Indian from Oaxaca. Together they train other Indians to use computers, to write and to print books in Indian languages. In 1993 the project incorporated as a not-for-profit organization called CELIAC the Centro Editorial de Literatura Indigena, A.C. The A.C. stands for Association Civil, which means not-for-for-profit corporation. All five board members of CELIAC are native speakers of Mexican Indian languages. In January 1994, CELIAC moved into its own building in Oaxaca. The building houses up to 16 persons. There are toilet facilities for men and women, an ample kitchen, office space, meeting rooms, and computer work rooms. Indigenous authors spend time in residence at CELIAC and CELIAC is now a publishing house for indigenous lite rature, written in indigenous languages. CELIAC markets its books to scholars, libraries, and individuals. Proceeds from the sale of the books help keep the project going. Books are sold directly by CELIAC and all funds go directly to the project. So far, over 150 people speakers of a dozen languages (Mixtec, Chinantec, Aymara, Quichua, and others) from countries across Latin America (Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador) have spent from four weeks to six months in residence at CELIAC (Foundation For Endgangerd Lanugages). The project is major in documenting languages electronically as well as increasing the ability of native speakers to become literate in their own language. According to Gasper Rivera, To keep a language alive, writing it is fundamental, (Mixtec Revival: Mexican Indigenous Language on the Rise). Oaxaca also has a Mexican government-funded Academy of the Mixtec Language that teaches Mixtec speakers how to read and write their language. Pà ©rez Castro explains that a written script for Mixtec will help inhabitants from different villages communicate with one another, since the creation of a standardized vocabulary will smooth over linguistic variants in the rugged countryside where the language originated (Mixtec Revival: Mexican Indigenous Language on the Rise). [The practical benefits of a written language are obvious, says Domà ­nguez. From public health messages to family correspondence, the writing of our language is a historical necessity. (Mixtec Revival: Mexican Indigenous Language on the Rise)]. Although the project ignores the different dialects of the Mixtec language, it does help decrease the illiteracy rating of the population. Language seems as though it would be strictly a cultural problem. Although it is a cultural problem, it is also a political issue. Many Politics are centralized around developing the culture as well as the language in which it is portrayed. The government is involved because it decides which languages are recognized languages. This creates a problem because the languages that are recognized receive more preservation efforts, where the languages that are not recognized are left to go extinct without a second thought by the government. Governments need to recognize all spoken languages and create efforts towards preserving them. A look back to biblical times tells us that at one time there was only one language. While this may seem the ideal it is not the case today. Throughout the years we have relied on recorded history to teach us about our ancestors and about cultures of the past. Where there has been a lack of recorded history we have relied on artifacts. We use these artifacts as a way to tell us about the lives and cultures of the past. How much easier it would be to communicate history and preserve a culture if these artifacts were accompanied by the written word. Literacy is the primary culprit to lost languages. As literacy becomes far more widespread, so will language preservation. Education is the foundation on which language preservation will stand. To preserve a language there must be education and literacy. This not only leads to people having pride in their culture but will also create a gateway in which to study these cultures in the future. Cultures that have widespread literacy are far mor e likely to survive and be passed on from generation to generation. Foundations such as CELIAC have recognized this need and are addressing the challenges however, this is just one foundation. Many more will be needed to accomplish the literacy challenge on a wide scale. Although education and literacy cannot guarantee that all languages will be preserved, it will most certainly give the future generations a way to study those cultures and languages that are lost.

Suburbanization and the Social Use of Television :: Television Media TV Essays

Suburbanization and the Social Use of Television The 1950s can be seen as a time of unprecedented family values, in which young, white, middle-income nuclear families arrived en masse in the pre-planned community living areas of suburbia. In the article "Joyride", Kunstler identifies the reasons for, and attraction of, a grand public relocation to previously uninhabited areas outside main city centres. Kunstler argues that it was, in part, the replacement of the streetcar (or trolley), and later the automobile, from the horse-powered transit of earlier 20th century life, that ignited weekend traffic to expand outside urban centres. "Joyriding" on weekends, as Kunstler explains, made suburban areas more accessible and attractive. Suburban areas often hosted various family attractions (such as amusement parks) in which families could experience safe, clean entertainment while being removed from the chaos of the city. Two factors encouraged this "weekending" family behaviour: (1) with the introduction of the electric trolley, passengers could travel any distance at a flat rate cheaper than old horse-drawn methods; and (2) automobiles were greatly subsidized after their initial introduction, thus promoting the number of middle-class car owners. Both these factors brought large-scale transit outside of the city, making the suburbs more accessible and demanding the development of suburban communities. This major development, as described in Lynn Spiegel's article "The Suburban Home Companion", was largely driven by the concept of suburbia as a safe, clean environment (free from "undesirables" such as blacks and lower-income families) in which families could experience both an increased private and community life. This separation, Spiegel says, is what opened the opportunity for TV success. As nuclear suburban families desired to experience the "outside" world (including travel, unusual voyages etc.), they were also trapped in a homogenous communities where life was mundane, and immense pressure was put on each family in these "fair tale" towns to keep up with, and out-do, next door neighbours, and produce a consistently stable and satisfied appearance. As this suburban sprawl of the fifties took America by storm, Spiegel discusses how television provided a necessary means of escapism for frustrated families. The first television show, broadcast in 1949, was a very simple program in which a man and woman sit watching and discussing the TV. Although by today's standards this would be seen as unsurpassingly boring to audiences, this simple show provided a stress relief and easy entertainment; it seemed as though audiences enjoyed watching programs which, similar to their own situation, seemed more rewarding.

Princess Elizabeth and Descartes Essay

In his book â€Å"Discourse on Method and Mediations on First Philosophy†, Descartes mentioned the composition of the body and mind. When Princess Elizabeth read his book, she had many questions to give to Descartes, especially about the mind-body interaction. She said in her letter wrote to Descartes â€Å"how the soul can determine the spirits of the body to produce voluntary actions. † (Elizabeth, 11) They wrote letter to each other to ask questions and to answer each other’s questions. As we read along the letter, we can see the questions and answers of both Elizabeth and Descartes are irresistible. Descartes pointed his theoretical points that â€Å"This ‘I’ – that is, the soul, by which I am what I am, is entirely distinct from the body; and would not fail to be what it is even if the body did not exist. † (Descartes) In his explanation, Descartes believed that mind and body are all together. When the mind thinks, it makes the soul reacts as its thought. That is why the theory enters society â€Å"I think; therefore, I am. † (Descartes) After reading that theory, Elizabeth responded that â€Å"I beseech you tell me how the soul of man (since it is but a thinking substance) can determine the spirits of the body to produce voluntary actions. (Elizabeth, 11) She was questioning about how the mind-body can work together and act voluntarily, according to Descartes’s theoretical point. She also explained how she comes up with this question â€Å"You entirely exclude extension from your notion of the soul, and contact seems to me incompatible with an immaterial thing. That is why I ask of you a definition of the soul more particular than in your metaphysics – that is to say, for a definition of the substance separate from its action, thought. (Elizabeth, 12) Then, on May 21, 1643, Descartes wrote back to her to answer her question that he found three â€Å"primitive notions† which can answer her question. The first thing he mentioned was the body. He said that the body is the only notion of extension â€Å"which refer to everything we can conceive. † (Descartes, 13) Secondly, he referred to the soul which â€Å"are comprised the perceptions of the understanding and the inclinations of the will. † (Descartes, 13) Lastly, he mentioned the soul and the body when it goes together. He said â€Å"the force f the soul for moving the body, and of the body for acting upon the soul by causing its feelings and passions. † (Descartes, 13) Descartes gave three â€Å"primitive notions†: body, soul, body and soul in his explanation of dualism. He said that the soul is responsible for understanding the will and the force of the soul will cause the body to act since the body can conceive everything. Notwithstanding, Elizabeth responded that â€Å"†¦it would be easier for me to concede matter and extension to the soul, than the capacity of moving a body and of being moved, to an immaterial being. For the first occurred through ‘information’, the spirits that perform the movement would have been intelligent, which you accord nothing corporeal. And though in your metaphysical meditations you show the possibility of the second, it is, however, very difficult to comprehend that a soul, as you have described it, after having had the faculty and habit of reasoning well, can lose all of it on account of some vapors†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Elizabeth, 16) In general, the entire conversation between Descartes and Princess Elizabeth is talking about the mind-body dualism. Princess Elizabeth keeps asking question about the mind and body correspondence no matter how Descartes tried to explain. For her question to Descartes, Descartes explained by listing three â€Å"primitive notions†: soul, body, soul-body; but it still does not make Princess Elizabeth fully satisfy. In my opinion, Descartes’s answer for Princess Elizabeth’s question is adequate. He explained the mind-body correspondence clearly through his theoretical point of â€Å"primitive notions† of soul, body and soul-body. Each of them has their own part in making the body to produce voluntary actions. In his explanation, he said that the body can conceive everything and the soul comprehends things to make the body reacts. I think it makes sense. Our body is the combination between mind and body. Without the thinking and understanding of the soul, the body cannot perform and vice versa. Mind-body is a perfect combination to create human and their sensation. Thus, his point of view â€Å"I think; therefore, I am† is a perfect answer for Elizabeth’s question. Because of the thinking mind, the body can perform what the mind is thinking. On the other hand, if the body does not conceive what it sees, the mind cannot control the body to act. Both of them have to co-ordinate with each other to construct sensation; and from sensation, it constructs human with action. Not only that, the combination of mind and body is helping people to differentiate the right and the wrong.

Global Warming and Acid Rain Essay Example

Global Warming and Acid Rain Essay Example Global Warming and Acid Rain Paper Global Warming and Acid Rain Paper Light Energy is rapped and used to convert carbon dioxide, water, and other minerals into oxygen and energy rich organic compounds. Carbon Dioxide is emitted into the air as humans exhale, burn fossil fuels for energy, and deforest the planet. Every year humans add over 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by these processes, and it is up thirty percent since 1750. An isolated test at Manna Lola in Hawaii revealed more than a 12% (316 pump in 1959 to 360 pump in 1 996) increase in mean annual concentration of carbon dioxide. Manna Lola, located in Hawaii, is the worlds largest volcano at 40,000 cubic km and 4,170 meters above sea level. Ice core samples have also shown a dramatic increase in carbon dioxide levels. Drilling deep into glaciers and polar ice caps and taking out samples of ice, then melting the ice and capturing the gas has shown an increase in carbon dioxide concentrations over the past 100 years. Ice core samples are essentially drilling through time, because the deeper the ice is, the older the ice is. In 1996, carbon dioxide world emissions increased by 2. 8%. The U. S. Reported a 3. 3% increase in CO concentrations. : The U. S. Continues to emit more than any other country in the world, accounting for 25% of all emissions. The European Union had an increase of 2. 2%, much larger than a small increase of 1 in 1995. Eastern Europe had a decreasing rate of -2. 4%. Chinas increase in 1996 was 4. 7%. Fossil Fuels were created chiefly by the decay of plants from millions of years ago. We use coal, oil and natural gas to generate electricity, heat our homes, power our factories and run Our cars. These fossil fuels contain carbon, and when they are burned, they combine with oxygen, forming carbon dioxide. The two atoms of oxygen add to the total weight. The World Energy Council reported that global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels rose 2% between 1 990 and 1995. The increase from developing countries was three times that from developed countries. Middle East carbon dioxide emissions from burning of fossil fuels increased 35%, Africa increased 12%, and Eastern Europe increased rates by 75% from 1990-1995. The following pie chart gives the role of different major things in increasing the CO concentration in atmosphere: [pick] Methane Methane is a colorless, odorless, flammable gas. It is formed when plants decay and where there is very little air. It is often called swamp gas because it is abundant around water and swamps. Bacteria that breakdown organic tater in wetlands and bacteria that are found in cows, sheep, goats, buffalo, termites, and camels produce methane naturally. Since 1 750, methane has doubled, and could double again by 2050. Each year we add 350-500 million tons of methane to the air by raising livestock, coal mining, drilling for oil and natural gas, rice cultivation, and garbage sitting in landfills. It stays in the atmosphere for only 1 0 years, but traps 20 times more heat than carbon dioxide. Rice cultivation has developed into a large business; farmland has doubled in the past 45 years. It feeds 1/3 of the Worlds population. It grows mostly in looted fields, where bacteria in waterlogged soil releases methane. Livestock such as cows, sheep, goats, camels, buffaloes, and termites release methane as well. Bacteria in the gut of the animal break down food and convert some of it to methane. When these animals belch, methane is released. In one day, a cow can emit h pound of methane into the air. Imagine 1. Billion cattle each burping methane several times per minute! Nitrous Oxide Nitrous oxide is another colorless greenhouse gas, however, it has a sweet odor . It is primarily used as an anesthetic because it deadens pain and for this characteristic is called laughing gas. This gas is released naturally from oceans and by bacteria in soils. Nitrous oxide gas risen by more than 15% since 1750. Each year we add 7-13 million tons into the atmosphere by using nitrogen based fertilizers, disposing of human and animal waste in sewage treatment plants, automobile exhaust, and other Sources not yet identified. It is important to reduce emissions because the nitrous oxide we release today will still be trapped in the atmosphere 100 years from now. Nitrogen based fertilizer use has doubled in the past 15 years. These fertilizers provide nutrients for crops; however, when they breakdown in the soil, nitrous oxide s released into the atmosphere. In automobiles, nitrous oxide is released at a much lower rate than carbon dioxide, because there is more carbon in gasoline than nitrogen. IF raccoons Fluorocarbons is a general term for any group of synthetic organic compounds that contain fluorine and carbon. Many of these compounds, such as chlorofluorocarbons(CIFS), can be easily converted from gas to liquid or liquid to gas. Because of these properties, CIFS can be used in aerosol cans, refrigerators, and air conditioners. Studies in the 1 sass showed that when CIFS are emitted into the atmosphere, they break down molecules in he Earths ozone layer (World Book). Since then, the use of CIFS has significantly decreased and they are banned from production in the United States. The substitute for CIFS are hydrocephaluss (Huffs). Huffs do not harm or breakdown the ozone molecule, but they do trap heat in the atmosphere, making it a greenhouse gas, aiding in global warming. Huffs are used in air conditioners and refrigerators. The way to reduce emissions of this gas is to be sure that in both devices the coolant is recycled and all leaks are properly fixed. Also, before throwing the appliances away, be sure to recover the coolant in each. CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING ; Natural ; Man-made Natural Causes Natural causes are causes that are created by nature. One natural cause is a release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas and a very dangerous gas to our environment. A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earths atmosphere. Another natural cause is that the earth goes through a cycle of climate change. This climate change usually lasts about 40,000 years. Some of the important causes are given below: Volcanic Eruptions Large volcanic eruptions can throw so much dust into the sky that the dust acts as a shield to solar radiation and causes a cooling trend in the atmosphere. You probably can t remember such an eruption as they are rare and infrequent occurrences. Sunspots Changes in the Earths solar radiation levels can have some impact on the Earth s climate. Increased solar activity can cause short-term warming cycles on the Earth. The Wobbly Earth As the Earth spins, it does not achieve perfect rotation. It actually wobbles slightly, thus alternately exposing the northern and southern latitudes to more and less solar radiation. This wobble in the Earths rotation has been causing changes in the temperature of the atmosphere for many millions of years. Ocean current changes Ocean current changes are also considered to be a natural cause of global warming, since the rise and fall of the current creates global change. Currents have a significant effect on heat changes around the earth. The effect of ocean current on heat changes, varies from region to region and this may be related to the rotation of the sun. Man-made Causes Man-made causes probably do the most damage. There are many man-made causes. Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems. Pollution comes in many shapes and sizes. Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of organic matter such as coal, or oil. When fossil fuels are burned they give off a green house gas called CO. Also mining coal and oil allows methane to escape. Methane is naturally in the ground. When coal or oil is mined you have to dig up the earth a little. When you dig up the fossil fuels you dig up the methane as well. Another major man-made cause of Global Warming is population. More people means more food, and more methods of transportation, right? That means more methane because there will be more burning of fossil fuels, and more agriculture. Now your probably thinking, Wait a minute, you said agriculture is going to be damaged by Global Warming but now youre saying agriculture is going to help cause Global Warming? Well, have you ever been in a barn filled with animals and you smell something terrible? Youre smelling methane. Another source of methane is manure. Because more food is needed we have to raise food. Animals like cows are a source of food which means more manure and methane. Another problem with the increasing population is transportation. More people means more cars, and more cars means more pollution. Also, many people have more than one car. Since CO contributes to global warming, the increase in population makes the problem worse because we breathe out CO. Also, the trees that convert our CO to oxygen are being demolished because were using the land that we cut the trees down from as property for our homes and buildings. We are not replacing the trees (an important part of our CEO system), so we are constantly taking advantage of our natural resources and giving nothing back in return. CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING The effects, or impacts, of Global warming may be physical, ecological, social or economic. Physical impacts: The following are some of the physical impacts of the Global warming: Effects on weather Increasing temperature is likely to lead to increasing precipitation but the effects on storms are less clear. Extraterritorial storms partly depend on the temperature gradient, which is predicted to weaken in the northern hemisphere as the polar region warms more than the rest of the hemisphere. Let also affects Biochemicals cycles and hence disturb the ecological balance. Glacier retreat and disappearance It has been found that, on average, mountain glaciers and snow cover had decreased in both the northern and southern hemispheres. This widespread decrease in glaciers and ice caps has contributed to observed sea level rise. With very high or high confidence, numbers of predictions are made relating to future changes in glaciers: ; Mountainous areas in Europe will face glacier retreat ; In Latin America, changes in precipitation patterns and the disappearance of glaciers will significantly affect water availability for human consumption, agriculture, and energy production ; In Polar regions, there will be reductions in glacier extent and the thickness of glaciers. Temperature rise From 1 961 to 2003, the global ocean temperature has risen by 0. Co from the surface to a depth of 700 m. There is variability both year-to-year and over longer time scales, with global ocean heat content observations showing high rates of warming for 1 991 to 2003, but some cooling from 2003 to 2007. The temperature of the Antarctic Southern Ocean rose by 0. 17 Co (0. 31 OF) between the sass and the sass, nearly twice the rate for the worlds oceans as a whole. As well as having effects on ecosystems (e. G. By melting sea ice, affecting algae that grow on its underside), warming reduces the oceans ability to absorb CO. Socioeconomic scones ounces Socioeconomic impacts of global warming could be substantial depending on the actual temperature increases over the next century. Models predict that a net global warming of 1 to 3 Co (1. 8 to 5. 4 OF) beyond the late-20th-century global average would produce economic losses in some regions (particularly the tropics and high latitudes) and economic benefits in others. For warming beyond these levels, benefits would tend to decline and costs increase. For warming in excess of 4 Co (7. 2 OF), models predict that costs will exceed benefits on average, with global mean economic losses estimated between 1 and 5 percent of gross domestic product. Substantial disruptions could be expected under these conditions, specifically in the areas of agriculture, food and forest products, water and energy supply, and human health. Environmental consequences of global warming Global warming and climate change have the potential to alter biological systems. More specifically, changes to near-surface air temperatures will likely influence ecosystem functioning and thus the biodiversity of plants, animals, and other forms of life. The current geographic ranges of plant and animal species have been established by adaptation to long-term seasonal climate patterns. As global warming alters these patterns on timescales considerably shorter than those that arose in the past from natural climate variability, relatively sudden climatic changes may challenge the natural adaptive capacity of many species. It has been estimated that one-fifth to one-third of all plant and animal species are likely to be at an increased risk of extinction if global average surface temperatures rise another 1. 5 to 2. 5 Co (2. 7 to 4. 5 OF) by the year 2100. This temperature range falls within the scope of the lower emissions scenarios. Species-loss estimates climb to as much as 40 percent for a warming in excess of 4. Co (8. Level that could be reached in the Epics higher emissions scenarios. A 40 percent extinction rate would likely lead to major changes in the webs within ecosystems and have a destructive impact on ecosystem function. Other impacts include the destruction of many coastal wetlands, salt marshes, and mangrove swamps as a result of rising sea levels and the loss of certain rare and fragile habitats that are often home to specialist species that are unable to thrive in other environments. For example, certain amphibians limited to isolated tropical cloud forests either have become extinct already or are under serious wreath of extinction. Cloud forests-?tropical forests that depend on persistent condensation of moisture in the air-?are disappearing as optimal condensation levels move to higher elevations in response to warming temperatures in the lower atmosphere. STOPPING GLOBAL WARMING The biggest cause of global warming is the carbon dioxide released when fossil fuels such as oil and coal are burned for energy. So when you save energy, you fight global warming and save money, too. Here are some easy steps that you can take to help make a difference: Limit global warming pollution Raise your voice. Congress needs to enact new laws that cap carbon emissions and require polluters pay for the global warming gases that they produce. Send a message to your elected officials, letting them know that you will hold them accountable for what they do or fail to do about global warming. Green jobs and clean energy Choose renewable energy. Pick a Green-e-certified energy supplier that generates at least half of its power from wind, solar energy and other clean sources. If you dont have that option, look at your current electricity bill to see if you are able to support renewable energy in another way. For details, e Marcs guide to buying clean energy. Offset your carbon footprint. You can make up for your remaining carbon output by purchasing carbon offsets. Offsets represent clean power that you can add to the nations energy grid in place of power from fossil fuels. Not all offset companies are alike. See rouged to carbon offsets for tips on how to choose an offset supplier. Drive smarter cars Choose an efficient vehicle: High-mileage cars such as hybrids and plug-in hybrids use less gas and save money. Over its lifetime, a 40-MPEG car will save roughly $3,000 in fuel costs compared with a 20-MPEG car.

The History of 911 Emergency Calls

The History of 911 Emergency Calls Who designed and installed the first 911 emergency telephone call system in the United States? Alabama Telephone Company 911 Pioneers The race to be first will always be part of human nature as long as a bridge remains to be crossed, mountains to be climbed, or a telephone exchange to be cut-over, with a team working together as Alabama Telephone had. B.W. (Bob) Gallagher - President of the Alabama Telephone Company a subsidiary of Continental Telephone. Initiated and directed the overall 911 effort.Robert (Bob) Fitzgerald - Inside State Plant Manager. Designed and engineered the needed circuitry for the first U.S. 911 system.Jimmy White - Technician on 911 installation team.Glenn Johnston - Technician on 911installation team.Al Bush - Technician on 911 installation team.Pete Gosa - Technician on 911 installation team. Need for a Universal Number Emergency Call System The ability to dial a single number to report emergencies was first used in Great Britain, in 1937. The British could dial 999 to call for police, medical or fire departments, from anywhere in the country. In 1958, the American Congress first investigated a universal emergency number for the United States and finally passed the legal mandate in 1967. The very first American 911 call was placed on February 16, 1968, in Haleyville, Alabama made by Alabama Speaker of the House, Rankin Fite and answered by Congressman Tom Bevill.   The new emergency number had to be three numbers that were not in use in the United States or Canada as the first three numbers of any phone number or area code, and the numbers had to be easy to use. The Federal Trade Commission along with ATT (which held a monopoly on phone services at that time) originally announced the plans to build the first 911 system in Huntington, Indiana. Alabama Telephone Company Takes the Initiative Bob Gallagher, President of the Alabama Telephone, was annoyed that the independent phone industry had not been consulted. Gallagher decided to beat ATT to the punch line and have the first 911 emergency service built in Haleyville, Alabama.   Gallagher consulted with Bob Fitzgerald, his state inside-plant manager. Fitzgerald let Gallagher know that he could do it. Gallagher moved quickly getting approvals from Continental Telephone and the Alabama Public Service commissioner and releasing a press release on February 9 announcing that the Alabama Telephone Company would be making history. Fitzgerald examined all twenty-seven Alabama exchanges choosing the Haleyville location, and then engineered the new circuitry and made the modifications needed for the existing equipment. Fitzgerald and his team worked around the clock to install the first 911 emergency system in under one week. The team worked their regular day jobs in Fayette, traveling each night to Haleyville to do the 911 work during off-peak hours. The work was completed on February 16, 1968, at exactly 2 p.m. celebrated with a team cheer of Bingo! Details of this story were provided by Reba Fitzgerald, wife of Robert Fitzgerald.

Technical Writing-Document Design Newsletter Assignment Essay

Technical Writing-Document Design Newsletter Assignment - Essay Example the marketing department are required to come up with innovative marketing campaign for the upcoming year and submit it to their marketing manager by the end of this month. As the manager, I have held a meeting with the manufacturing department to discuss our ever increasing manufacturing costs. It was decided that the leather we import has heavy taxes levied on it which keep increasing. To keep our customers satisfied we are in need of another cheaper source of leather to make our shoes. Hence, I have undertaken an initiative to use the best leather available in our country. Three months testing period will be decided to check the quality of our shoes. All employees are notified that the sales management department office has been shifted to a new locality for ease of vicinity to promote better communication with other departments. Your respective managers will give you the detailed address in this regard. I am sure all employees are eager to know where we will hold our end of month activity. This month we have taken notice of one of our employee’s suggestion in this regard and planned a movie outing for all our departments to get together to. Your department managers will give you all the details in this regard. The human resource department has initiated a monthly survey program which will serve to keep check of the progress since recruitment of all the employees regardless of their departments. It will also oversee the satisfaction level of our employees so we can help you serve better. Your suggestions regarding our improvement will be highly welcomed in the survey. I am the manager of Shoe It Company’s limited. It deals with the manufacture of shoes for ladies and men. Recently we have started the manufacture of children’s shoes as well. We also deal with the retail sales of our shoes under the same brand. We are a well established company however due to the increase of competition in our area we have a reduced sales outcome for the previous month.

AT&T Cooperate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

AT&T Cooperate Social Responsibility - Essay Example The current changing legal, economic, and social settings require ethics programs with the aim of protecting the corporation and its stakeholders, including customers, employees, stockholders, among others which can be achieved by proper corporate social responsibility (CSR) approaches. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) may be defined as the â€Å"legal, economic, ethical, and discretionary outlooks that society has on organizations at a given time" (Carroll and Bocholt, 36). The model of corporate social responsibility implies that organizations have philanthropic, ethical, and moral responsibilities as well as their responsibilities to make a fair return for stockholders and comply with the legal system. A traditional understanding of the corporations proposes that its principal, if not exclusive, responsibility is to its stockholders, or owners. However, CSR obliges organizations to adopt a wider view of its responsibilities which includes not only stockholders or owners, but many other communities as well, including suppliers, customers, employees, the local community, environmental groups, state and federal governments, and other notable concerned groups (Carroll and Bocholt 13). ... AT&T remains committed in making the sphere a better place by the implementation of proper corporate social responsibility, and they evidently get recognized for their corporate citizenship. At AT&T, hundreds of thousands of staffs have long held their principal value that they do not simply support their communities but they remain members of them, too. That is why for over a century, they have helped shape these communities though their philanthropic efforts by volunteerism and giving to make their people â€Å"make a difference†. For over 26 years, the AT&T Foundation remains fundamental in enriching and consolidation the diverse communities they serve. The Foundation supports non - profit organizations and programs that nurture inclusion and create opportunities for the diverse population (Carroll and Bocholt 51). AT&T diversity supplier program and its commitment to minority owned industries stand recognized nationally. The organization remains among the leading companies globally when it comes to realizing and doing business with different suppliers. Since 1968, the company Global Supplier Diversity body connects certified diverse minority, disabled and women veteran - owned business initiatives (MBE, DVBE and WBEs) businesses with opportunities to make available products and services to AT&T organization around the world. AT&T Global Supplier Diversity Program started in 1968 with the foundation of AT&T MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) Program. In addition to this MBE Program, the WBE (Women Business Enterprise) Program got launched in 1980 and the Enterprise DVBE (Disabled Veteran Business) Program in 1993. These 3 programs have enabled the beneficiaries to