Divorce and Our National Values Essay

Peter Kramer in his essay â€Å"Divorce and Our National Values† suggests that either Americans celebrate the individual, autonomy, and self-fulfillment or we honor marriage as the centerpiece of social stability. The question is whether these values can be competitive and destructive or can they be complementary and empowering. Through teamwork and communication, marriage can be complementary and empowering while being honored as the centerpiece of social stability; however clashing points of view can cause the relationship to be competitive and destructive. First of all, I am the perfect person that can talk about marriage because I am married. Individualism, autonomy, self-fulfillment and the concept of marriage being the centerpiece of social stability all play their role positively if balanced correctly. Although we worked together to pay bills and satisfy our needs, we also supported each other’s sense of worth and striving towards our personal goals, such as educ ation and travel. Positive support and feedback are very important because there will always be disappointing moments, even overwhelming at times. Being reminded and loved helps society and our marriage move forward. Marriage being the centerpiece of society strives for the greater good, which is the world. I am in the Navy, an organization that gives me self-fulfillment. My wife is always at the house and after a while, she becomes itching to find herself other than be a housewife. We take up many identities: I am a sailor, a husband and a friend. With these titles, not only we can play multiple roles in society but at the same time, it contributes to personal satisfaction and from there, you can help others including the family succeed in any aspect. However, there is a dark side to all of this. Secondly, clashing viewpoints can cause relationships to be competitive and destructive. In most cases, selfishness is one example of a destructive viewpoint. Although there is a certain extent one can be selfish, too much selfishness is destructive to all walks of life, both work and relationship wise. I hear from my friends and family talk about people they knew that would go out and party instead of staying at home to spend quality time with the family. They talked about how the husband had to grow up fast due to impregnating his high school sweetheart and joining the workforce without realizing his personal ambitions or experiencing life as a bachelor. In society, women are more prone to settling down at younger ages than men. However, both sides are at guilt due to maturity and making the big decision of starting a family. Despite all the clashing, couples learn to understand each other’s viewpoints or edit themselves for the integrity of the relationship; all others take a turn for the worse and are not willing to work at the relationship, being satisfied with the outcome and themselves. Divorce can be double-sided or one-sided. In total, it depends on the couples and their viewpoints; some work out and some don’t. Although clashing viewpoints can be detrimental to marriage and even unsuccessful marriages hurting society as a whole, I believe that teamwork and communication will lead marriage in the right direction and can be honored as the centerpiece of social stability. We must learn to set aside our differences for the sake of the new generations to come. I do believe that nothing is perfect in our society; however people in general will become more productive, positive and moralistic when these values are incorporated into them, especially the marriage and eventually everyone will be able to understand one another for the sake of the greater good. Works Cited Kramer, Peter D. â€Å"Divorce and Our National Values.† Merickel, Missy James and Alan P. Reading Literature and Writing Arguement 4th ed. Boston: Longman, 2008. 503-505.

Biomed Case Essay

(Biomed), the family business in Thailand. On the other hand, as the new general manager of Biomed, he had some concerns about the first major decisions he was about to make and implement upon his return. Biomeds parent company, Thai Drugs Co., Ltd. (Thai Drugs), had just revised Biomeds market strategy, and the follow-on to this was the need to realign the sales compensation system to fit with the new strategy. Chiemchanya was charged with this task, and he saw high company risk and high personal risk in this situation. Teaching objectives The overarching objective behind this case is to get students to recognize the path to designing an appropriate sales compensation plan (market strategy ( sales roles and goals ( compensation plan both level and mix). The second objective is to have students work through what is required to successfully implement such a change since, whenever management tinkers with someones wallet, there is the potential for trouble.  The third objective is to h ave students realize that compensation cannot do everything in terms of aligning a new sales program with a new strategy. Sales managers have to realize that the compensation plan is not the quick fix. Other changes may be required to training, hiring, etc. to have complete alignment between the sales program and the go-to-market strategy. The case can be successfully used in undergraduate and MBA sales management courses and can also be used on executive development programs.  One idea would be to team teach this case with an organizational behavior faculty member who could focus on the change issues. This could unfold over two classes. Suggested Assignment Questions Its not necessary to revisit Biomeds go-to-market strategy, but it is necessary to become completely familiar with its premise and goals. Given this market strategy, what would you propose for a sales compensation plan What steps did you go through to get to this recommendation How will you successfully implement this change Remember you are tinkering with someones wallet. As a sales executive, is changing the compensation plan all that Chiemchanya has to do in order to tie the sales program to the new strategy TEAC HING STRATEGY This case almost teaches itself, as students should be able to develop a logical path from the new market strategy to the new compensation plan. They should also recognize the implementation challenges. It may be slightly more difficult for students to understand that compensation may not be the only component that needs to be revisited within the sales management program. Getting Started The key to getting started is to have students realize that the new go-to-market strategy is a given. The senior executive team has made the decisions and has passed these on to Chiemchanya. No time should be spent revisiting the strategy, but a bit of time needs to be spent making sure that the key components of the strategy are understood. An optional way to get started is to ask students who have worked in sales exactly how they were paid and why they think the compensation plans that emerge in the discussion are different. Then the instructor can move into the issue above. The Sales Compensation Plan At least 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the class time should be spent here. This is a case where you can have students lay out their proposed compensation plan and then have them justify the plan by helping them create the logic path of market strategy and goals ( role of the sales force ( tasks and goals for the sales person ( a compensation plan that supports the achievement of these goals. The way that the case is written should encourage this thinking, but if such a process does not emerge from the discussion, then it becomes the instructors task to introduce it. The concepts are all explored in the case (the old plan to give a basic structure and to allow students to calculate the level of compensation for a typical sales rep the market strategy the sales role the sales tasks and goals). It might have been more challenging for  students to devise some of these, however, this cannot be done in one class and the key learning is around the process/steps to a successful plan. Implementation We cannot let students stop with the design of the plan. The next section of the class has to focus on how to successfully implement the plan. This involves figuring out what the reaction of various salespeople might be as there will be a variety of reactions. For example, reps who are already focusing on drugstores, and selling the identified subset of products at good prices will see this as a no-brainer. The opposite is also true. This is also an opportunity to reinforce the difficulty of implementing changes that can potentially alter someones take-home pay. It also raises the issue of the role of the first-level sales manager as part of the change process. Chiemchanya has to get this person on board or he is going nowhere. Other Sales Management Program Changes Even if there are only a few minutes left in class, the question needs to be raised as to whether anything else needs to be addressed within the sales management program. The more obvious ones include some training to get salespeople comfortable with the new role perhaps an assessment of sales people, in terms of their suitability for the new role the increased need for coaching, at least in the short run, to get reps focused and behaving differently and the potential role that recognition could play in bringing about behavioral change. An option here is to have the case extend over two classes, with the sales compensation plan addressed in the first class and the implementation and other changes addressed in the second class. This could then be topped off by a brief lecture on sales compensation. CASE ANALYSIS The Sales Compensation Plan Whats a bit different with this teachin g note is that we have the actual process that the company followed to redesign the compensation plan. In general, this provides the analysis for core of the case. The authors of the teaching note have added some comments in italics, which reflect on some of the process. Of course the instructor can challenge any of the ideas presented and put things forward differently in class. 1. Target Total Cash Compensation (TTCC) The first step was to define the TTCC. This is the amount that a sales representative would earn if he (all sales reps were male) achieved expected performance. TTCC should be comparable to industry norms, attractive enough to recruit new candidates, and it should meet management goals. TTCC included both cash  and non-cash components. Base salary Sales commission and bonuses Benefits Contests/special rewards Recognition events Expense reimbursement The instructor can start a discussion as to which of these components should fall under the rubric of compensation. The focus of most of the discussion should be on a) and b). In this case, it was assumed that the current TTCC was appropriate. The current compensation plan generates a TTCC as shown below. ComponentBase Salary with Commission and BonusBase SalaryBase Salary/YearTHB60,000Commission RatePerformance To GoalCommission rate1st Commission RateUp to 1001.52nd Commission RateSales beyond 1003Quarterly BonusPerformanceBonusQ1Achieve 100 of Q1 YTD GoalTHB3,000Q2Achieve 100 of Q1-2 YTD GoalTHB4,000Q3Achieve 100 of Q1-3 YTD GoalTHB5,000Q4Achieve 100 of Q1-4 YTD GoalTHB6,000Bonus for previous quarters are retro-backed when YTD goal is achieved  Sales Volume YTD (THB)Expense THB /day0 500,000380500,000 1,000,0004201,000,000 2,000,0004602,000,000 and above500 This is an unusual plan since expenses are not flat, based on territory variables such as size, nor simply reimbursed. They increase with performance. This could be viewed in two ways. First, the argument could be that reps who are selling more are spending more to get these sales. Second, it could be argued that the increased expenses were some form of bonus that could end up in the sales reps pocket if it wasnt spent. Current TTCC Expected performance is annual sales of THB2,000,000 per sales representative, therefore a) Base salary THB60,000/year b) Sales commission and bonus A sales representative who achieves 100 per cent target (assume THB2 million) will receive 1.5 per cent of sales. 1.5 2,000,000 THB30,000 A sales representative who achieves 100 per cent target will receive all quarterly bonuses. 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 THB18,000 Total Sales Compensation THB48,000 c) Benefits The sales force receives the same benefits as other Thai Drugs employees. d) Contests/special rewards Currently there are no contests or special rewards. e) Recognition events Currently there are no recognition events. Change in TTCC components a)Base salary and b) Sales commission and bonus The company believed that a base salary component was necessary for Biomeds sales representatives, especially if the reps were to buy into the new plan. Also, since Biomeds strategy was to focus on building good customer relationshi ps, a salary component would encourage sales reps to think about the long term. The sales commission and bonus component was also viewed as necessary. The base salary and commission/bonus component, when combined, was to increase when compared to the current plan. Since the TTCC was to remain the same, this increase would come from expense reimbursement discussed later. Regarding the weight of salary/commission/bonus, this issue will be discussed in the next step (Compensation Mix). c)Benefits The benefits would remain the same.  d)Contests/special rewards In the past, Biomed never rewarded sales representatives by offering, e.g., a holiday trip. However, holiday trips can be a very effective motivating tool both before the trip and after. Moreover, it was felt that the motivational effect of holiday trips could last longer than cash of the same value. Biomed proposed that a holiday trip should be included into the new plan. It would be rewarded only for exceptional performance of the whole team. Thus it should not be included to the TTCC figure since TTCC is the target for sales representatives reaching expected performance. e)Recognition events Since Biomed is a small company with 11 sales representatives, it was suggested that large recognition events might not be appropriate. Small team meetings could be used to recognize excellent performers. f)Expense reimbursement The company decided to change the expense allowance to be a true expense. The change was to adjust the allowance to a flat THB400 per day. This results in an annual expense allowance of THB96,000. Since the original expense figure is THB98,400, the 2,400 was to be added into the base salary/commission/bonus component of TTCC. Biomed thought that this change had two benefits. First, since the expense and sales compensation would be separated, the compensation plan would be easier for the sales reps to understand. Secondly, it was viewed as promoting equity since all reps would receive equal expenses.

Occupational Health and Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Occupational Health and Safety - Essay Example There is no standard as to what elements or factors should be present for workplace or working conditions to be considered safe. The Contributory Negligence Doctrine puts the entire blame on the employee and frees the employer of any responsibility on the mishap that occurred. The relationship between the employers and the workers is one where their goals and the means of attaining them are segregated or are on totally opposite fields. There is no interdependence and cooperation in reaching a common goal. Employers are mainly concerned with production and are not involved in matters concerning the conditions and welfare of their workers or employees. This doctrine held on to the notion that employees are totally and solely responsible for their actions and management is a separate entity which is only accountable to itself and to the costs and profits of the business. Being a separate entity, employers are in no way part of the workers personal and individual concerns, even wile in the workplace or within the premises of the company structure, other than the giving of wage for service rendered. The basis of the relationship is only grounded on the exchange of services for wages. This doctrine's main assumption is that if employees, prior to their acceptance of the job or prior to the commencement of their duties, are aware of the hazards involved in the job or of the presence of hazards in the workplace then they have accepted these hazards as part of the employment conditions. They cannot therefore sue their employees in the event that an accident happens, because their acceptance of the job meant that they have accepted the hazards that go with it. The court based this doctrine on the theory that if an employee sees that there are hazards involved in the job before even accepting the work, he would demand for a higher wage because of the possibility of getting injured. The employer on the other hand, as a reaction to this demand, would either do something to remove the risk or would pay the additional salary. This doctrine reflects again a boxed relationship between the employee and employer where the concern lies in the exchange of service for money. The concern does not extend to the physical or emotional welfare of the employee while working for the company. There is no initiative on the part of the employer in providing safe conditions for the workers. The reaction of eliminating the risk factors is just a response to the issue of additional wage demanded by the worker. The basis of this reaction again is the financial standing of the company or the cost that they would have to incur. It is in no way to afford additional benefits to workers like safe working conditions. The burden of protecting oneself from work hazards is again on the shoulders of the workers. By demanding for additional compensation in exchange for a future possibility of an accident occurring while at work, the worker will free the employer of any liability. C. Fellow-Servant Doctrine The basic idea of this doctrine is that an employee cannot seek compensation from the employer for damages if the accident was caused, either entirely or in part, by a co-worker. This doctrine is regarded as an extension of the

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Leadership - Essay Example Trust from others – a leader has to develop the trust from his/her constituency. In a soccer game if the couch has given specific instructions of how a game strategy should be followed, all team members must trust that this strategy is going to be followed out in the field; Think creatively and objectively – a leader needs to create situations that will enhance the outcome results and be objective in the process. This creative thinking and objectivity may be discussed with the coach and the team members during practice for field performance; Partnership – a leader needs to make adjustments in his/her role and use the avant-garde posture: horizontal and vertical communication and make everyone feel that they are the owners of their fate and as such they are responsible for their actions. If a soccer player is not in place to receive the ball, an alternative player may be the receiver of the ball until the player is in place to perform the strategy that was delineated; Justice to think fairly – a leader should be able to balance criteria so that a fair view of different situations is present. A player may not feel well, therefore, his/her performance may not be up to par during a given

Individual Project Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Individual Project - Thesis Example In this discussion it will provide the information and detailed analysis of podcasting technology, which will include its introduction, history, current usage, main advantages and disadvantages etc. The purpose of this discussion is to concentrate on this technology regarding educational point of view. The future of this technology will also be part of my discussion. The discussion will be started by providing the information and detailed analysis about Podcasting technology, which will include in first section a complete introduction of this technology then its uses in different field of life, next section will provide the brief but complete history of Podcasting, in next section the technology that is used in podcasting will be discussed, main advantages and disadvantages are in proceeding sections, then It will explain uses of this technology from the educational point of view and the future of this technology will be also part of this discussion, that will show how podcasting is currently in use in education and learning and next section has few suggestions (future of this technology) about podcasting usage for educational point of view. The last section comprises overall conclusion of the topic and discussion. The aim of this discussion is to concentrate this technology regarding educational point of view. In the appendix of this assignment information regarding listening devices technology required for Podcasting, podcasting Resources will be discussed. Finally a list of resources from where data is collected will be provided in the form of references. What’s a podcast? A podcast is at no cost resource video or audio series, looks related to a TV or radio show, that anyone download from iTunes web and watch and listen on your on hand platform . Go to and Visit the iTunes Store to search for podcasts that attract your attention. Once anyone locate one, offer it a rapid listen, and then click a

Commercial aircrafts (such as Boeing 787 Dream liner) for Airline Research Proposal

Commercial aircrafts (such as Boeing 787 Dream liner) for Airline Industry (such as Qatar Airways) - Research Proposal Example In this paper, the purpose is to present a sales proposal to one of the leading airline companies, Qatar airways on behalf of the Boeing Commercials. Boeing 787 Dream liner is one of the aircrafts that Boeing Commercials is fond of producing and one that has caused great excitement in the airline industry. Its development started in 2003, but it was not until 2009 that the first flight took off in an amazing way. The Boeing 787 Dream liner offers a host of comfort not just to the airline companies, but also to the clients. First, this plane is the first of its kind especially concerning fuel-efficiency. The previous version Boeing 767 consumed more fuel than this make, and this simply means that Qatar Airways will save money in terms of fuel efficiency. Earlier, it was asserted that no business is started without profitability being the target; profitability is only realized when the selling prices exceed the buying one. Thus, this plane will ensure Qatar Airways’ fuel expenses fall significantly, by 20% to be precise (Barratt & Dowd, 2014); this will translate to a higher profit margin. Composites materials have been used in the making of this plane in a bid to ensure that fuel efficiency becomes a reality besides providing the need noise reduction. Additionally, the plane is two-engine, and this means its speed is somewhat higher than both its competitors and predecessors. There is a 3-class setting in the plane, a windshield that is four-paneled among other features, which make the plane outstanding (Barratt & Dowd, 2014). In addition to all these, the plane is already operating in a number of other companies, and has full approval Federation Aviation Authorities (FAA). Businesses thrive mainly because of the networking capability its owner has, and this calls for the right partnerships (Khalid, 2006). This would require that the other

Analysis of the business situation of the Virgin Mobile Essay

Analysis of the business situation of the Virgin Mobile - Essay Example bile operates as a virtual network operator, riding on the physical network of T-Mobile, and later Everything Everywhere (Answers Corporation, 2014; Virgin Mobile USA, 2009; Telecompaper, 2014; RCRWirelessAdmin, 2011; RCRWirelessAdmin, 2013; Thomas, 2013; Ofcom, 2013). Virgin Media UK provides a breakdown of financial data for Virgin Mobile in its UK investor relations reports of financial performance. That aside one can get a glimpse of the kinds of numbers that Virgin Mobile is able to generate too, by looking at the financial and subscriber data for Virgin Media, which is the owner of Virgin Mobile in the UK. As of end of December of 2013, Virgin Mobile had about three million customers, a third of whom are prepaid customers, while more than two million are postpaid customers. They offer voice and data services to this customer base, as well as content. The direction of growth is towards increasing the base of postpaid customers (Virgin Media, 2013; Virgin Media, 2014). Moving on to the financial numbers, total revenues for 2013 amounted to 1.846 billion pounds, a substantial slowdown from revenues of over 3 billion pounds for 2011 and for 2012. As a group, this slowdown reflects a general drop in total revenues for the Virgin Media Group, from about 4 billion pounds for 2011 and for 2012, to just 2.3 billion pounds for 2013. The large drop can be attributed to the large drop in revenues for Virgin Mobile (Virgin Media, 2013; Virgin Media, 2014; Google, 2014b). The chosen SBU unit for analysis in this paper is Virgin Mobile n the UK, as a subsidiary of Virgin Media. In turn, Virgin Media has been bought by Liberty Global, with the Virgin Group being able to retain a small share of total ownership after the acquisition. In terms of competition, the big players include BT, Vodafone, and a slew of broadband players like BSkyB also making plays in the same set industry. EE also competes in this same space, the firm providingVirgin Mobile with the physical

The Difference Between Management And Leadership In School System Essay

The Difference Between Management And Leadership In School System - Essay Example This essay discusses leading for change in the education sector, and also the contribution that teacher leaders can make to school leadership. It examines the type of leadership required and highlights some important differences between management and leadership. Management concerns the process of dealing with, controlling and being responsible for all activities and operations of an organisation. It involves coordinating all members and resources belonging to the organisation according to their potential, and the attempt is to be as efficient and effective as possible. Usually, aims and objectives are defined, planning is undertaken, and the progress is monitored. There is therefore, a focus on structuring, In the UK school system, the managerial tasks in schools are mostly handled by the head teacher, although some may be delegated to deputy heads and/or subject co-ordinators. Leadership places a great emphasis on personal qualities and how leaders influence others. Leadership is n ecessary for organisations in general because without it, an organisation fails to have vision, direction, order and discipline, and consequently, the performance of individuals within the organisation varies and they are unable to exploit their full potential. There are several forms of leadership, which differ in their style although they all share the essential qualities of leadership. Transformational leadership is one very popular form of leadership. In this form, there is a greater attempt to bring about changes to achieve certain goals.

How and Why Cultural Groups Tend to See Themselves Essay

How and Why Cultural Groups Tend to See Themselves - Essay Example The approach which is taken allows individuals to continue to hold onto a sense of identity. However, by doing this, there is a loss of learning and ability to understand and accept the mechanics of other cultures. The opposition which is created further creates divisions that do not allow others to have the right perception and insight into creating and integrating solutions and needs within society. Examining the perceptions by Kwame Appiah from â€Å"Moral Disagreement† and Franklin Foer’s â€Å"How Soccer Explains the World† provides further insight into why the boundaries among groups are considered important and the ways in which this develops and changes the cultural groups in an emerging global society. The work of Foer is based on the division between pro – soccer and anti – soccer Americans. The division is one which works as an analogy in understanding the difficulties that are created in terms of boundaries and identity between two groups. The boundaries which Foer identifies move further into those who have this identity because it relates to nationality, ethnicity, culture and deeper issues which prevail among those in society. One is able to instantly create a space which they can relate to and remain safe in while those on the outside are kept as unsafe and should not be associated with the group (Foer, 12). The association which Foer creates to this and the idea of safety that comes from various cultural groups is then questioned by the author. While there is a sense of protection and safety in this regard, there is also a lack of being able to work effectively in various areas. Foer creates an analogy to business in which the customs and traditions have to be left aside to complete the end goal. However, this also becomes a threat to other cultural groups that do not recognize this practice, leaving a lack of identity and understanding and causing the boundaries to heighten instead (Foer, 140). The analogies which Foer examines in terms of us versus them and the boundaries of culture are further identified through Appiah’s â€Å"Moral Disagreement.† The theme which is called upon shows that cultural groups have different perceptions of themselves that they do not equate with groups outside of themselves. The cultural groups that are created are defined with the need to carry a similar identity and understanding of where one belongs and the practices they take part in. If one is outside of this group, they may carry a lack of being able to have the same perspective or beliefs. To many, this becomes threatening and causes disruptions in the practices, traditions and beliefs of many. Even more than this, the morality and the actions of groups which do not understand the practices of another can become disrespectful to the other group and the deeply embedded religious, moral or traditional beliefs which are continuously practiced. This particular threat builds even more boundaries among groups and creates a perception of one group holding a sense of ignorance toward another (Appiah, 6). Both of the associations with identity, cultural groups and morality become questionable because of the way in which the world is beginning to change and develop. The move into globalization is leading into all areas of life beginning to break boundaries in terms of sports, business, culture and exchanges which are occurring. This breaking of boundaries is one which is becoming a threat to many, specifically because of the perspective that the other cultures will also break the practices, rituals and beliefs of alternative cultures. This develops more boundaries between both sides and is creating conflicts and disagreemen ts between both sides. The belief in threatening identity and the associations with the problems of culture are then creating even more groups and

Review article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Review article - Essay Example Studies b and c specifically aimed to examine the potential of CBPR programs whilst study a did not. Study a aimed to assess participants ability to work, this was not a concern in studies b and c. Study c aimed to use existing community-based programs designed for its subject group where as a and b designed research specific programs. poor general health. The target group previously held physically demanding jobs that put strain upon the musculoskeletal system. At the time of the study inactivity due to unemployment was presumed to have decreased the subjects’ functional capacity and musculoskeletal system. a) In the early 1990’s in Finland a recession caused major unemployment and rendered 36.7% of the construction workforce long-term unemployed. The general health of construction workers is described as poor and excessive manual labor puts heavy strain on the musculoskeletal system, decreasing functional capacity with age. Long-term unemployment was believed to have decreased functional capacity and general health even further. b) Cardiovascular disease [CVD] and Coronary Heart Disease are the number one cause of death amongst women in the developed world. Most fatalities have no previous symptoms. Public awareness of CVD in women is insufficient. Lack of physical activity impacts a 1.9 fold increase in CVD risk amongst women. shown that moderate exercise of 30+ minutes, 3-5 times a week improves health and functional ability of older adults. Additional studies had awarded 10 centres across the U.S. for best-practice in older adult activity programs. No study had yet assessed the impact of these existing programs on previously sedentary subjects. Sendentary lifestyles and related health issues are common across all three study groups but due to different reasons. The background to study b is one of major CVD fatalities in all female age groups where as studies a and

More Than Just a Story Essay Example for Free

More Than Just a Story Essay Joanna Bartee’s critical essay of Kate Chopin’s short story, The Storm, maintains that the entire story is an allegorical look at feminism and sexual reservations in the Nineteenth Century. She maintains that the storm is a metaphor for the pent up sexual energy that culminates in an extramarital affair while Calixta’s husband and son ride out the actual storm at a small grocer’s store nearby. Bartee points out that Chopin was in touch with her own feelings regarding sexuality and through this story she was able to express her views though she chose not to make them known through publication in her lifetime. Freud said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar; the opposite is also true. Bartee makes an effective argument that her assessment is correct by backing up her opinions with pertinent blocks of dialogue from the story and by simply pointing out the obvious. To begin Bartee says that the title of Chopin’s short story has a dual meaning, and though the tale unfolds during a raging storm, the storm of the title is representative of repressed human female sexuality. While Alcee comes to the home of Calixta seeking refuge from the storm it is more a rhetorical device to enable the plot to unfold as it does. The physical storm is irrelevant to the actual theme, which is sexuality and human desire. Bartee says that initially the story begins with just the facts that can be gleaned from a read, assuming the reader is capable of taking a bit of latitude. She tells us that the two main characters, Calixta and Alcee, were once lovers and have now met in the present time of the short story, during a powerful storm. She is reading more into this assessment than is actually said in the story when she declares, â€Å"†¦Calixta and Alcee, had a flirtation several years before the story takes place, but each made a more suitable marriage to someone else and they have not seen each other since,† (Bartee). It is known from the story that they had a flirtation but as for each making a more advantageous marriage, that seems to be speculation. Joanne Bartee’s essay addresses the title, saying that ‘The Storm† is metaphor for the pent up passions of a Victorian period. It seems logical that this is the case, for the author flaunts it at every opportunity. She says, â€Å"They did not heed the crashing torrents, and the roar of the elements made her laugh as she lay in his arms,† (Chopin II-20), to describe the passion of the two. Then she says, â€Å"The rain was over; and the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of gems. Calixta, on the gallery, watched Alcee ride away,† (Chopin III-1) to describe the parting of the two, saying that the storm of passion had ebbed. Bartee quotes critic Robert Wilson as well, saying that Wilson believes, Chopin’s title refers to nature, which is symbolically feminine; the storm can therefore be seen as symbolic of feminine sexuality and passion. † Bartee points out that Claxita is the essence of domesticity as the story opens, totally unaware of an impending storm. This storm will not only be the one of nature but rather the storm of her pent up desires, released when her former paramour arrives unexpectedly. She is sewing, while her husband’s Sunday clothes are airing out on the porch. Bartee believes this is an allusion to polite and proper society in that Sunday clothes can be taken to mean those clothes that her husband would wear to church, accompanied by his wife and child. Early in her critique Bartee says that the entire short story is filled with illustrations of how the storm is the driving force and main theme of Chopin’s story. She also points out that the story was published posthumously, years later, indicating, perhaps, a reluctance to share her views with a Victorian public, believing it was too graphic to be read with her name attached to it. While it is mild by today’s standards, at the time that it was written it must have been considered a bit risque to have a woman author put her name to a story to obviously full of not only secret sexual desires and passions but infidelity and adultery. The idea that the storm passes just as the tryst is completed and Alcee is riding way is certainly an indication that the natural storm and the storm of passions, which have obviously been sated, are one and the same. Bartee points out that Calixta’s husband, Bobinot, wisely waits out the storm at the general store just as he avoids the passions of wife as well. He is aware of what the natural storm can do and does not intend to let it batter him, likewise, Bartee says, he is aware of the passions of which his wife is capable and he does not mean to allow himself to be battered that the emotional storm brewing in his wife’s psyche. Bartee believes that Bobinot is aware of the situation, though this seems to be conjecture on her part. If this is the case then Bobinot is hiding from the passions of a wife by avoidance, and there is not enough information given to make that claim. Bartee points out the obvious with clarity and most of what she says seems logical, but at this point she appears to be taking a leap of imagination that is not justified by the text of Kate Chopin. Calixta seems content to do her familial chores, tending to her home and seeing to her husband’s clothes. Bartee says at this point that many of the chores that she has to do are done in obvious frustration and are also symbols of the sexual repression of this Nineteenth Century homemaker. This may be the correct assessment as Chopin says that Calixta, â€Å" †¦ unfastened her white sacque at the throat. It began to grow dark, and suddenly realizing the situation she got up hurriedly and went about closing windows and door,† (Chopin II-1). This, Bartee implies, is the foreshadowing that a bad storm is about to blow, and it may overwhelm her. She is leery of how bad it is going to get and takes some nominal precautions to protect her home from the approaching storm. Bartee does not address the symbolism inherent in the actions of Calixta during the initial meeting of the two former intimates. Alcee asks for permission to take shelter on Calixta’s porch, but they both quickly realize that such shelter is totally ineffective against the fury of the storm, which, obviously at this point is not only refers to the weather but more pointedly, to the raging emotions beginning to build in the man and woman. When Calixta invites Alcee into the home of her family it is virtually a paradigm shift in her attitude toward both the old flame and to her duties as wife and mother. â€Å"He expressed an intention to remain outside, but it was soon apparent that he might as well have been out in the open,† (Chopin II-5). The two then find it appropriate to ‘put something under the door’, to further isolate them from the outside world. The description of her husband’s clothing, intimate possessions, which cover and protect a man, are exposed outside the home. There is a real possibility that they can be lost, damaged or destroyed, just as her marriage can be lost, damaged or destroyed by her emotional storm of passion. This symbolism of them hanging outside, exposed to the elements, Bartee says, is symbolic of the danger that Calixta feels concerning the approach of the storm. He husband’s intimate possessions are in danger of being destroyed or lost. Bartee writes, â€Å"They are in danger of blowing away from the strong winds that are approaching with the storm,† (Bartee). Alcee grabs Bobinot’s pants, which, Bartee says Wilson describes as a subversion of the constraints which Calixta, as a married woman, should be feeling. Bartee likewise correctly assesses the description Chopin gives the reader of symbolically putting away a cotton sheet. This sheet, that covers a marriage bed, is in sight when Alcee arrives, but as the two characters talk, Calixta pointedly puts the sheet out of sight, and, if could be inferred, out of mind. Bartee does not mention that the author describes the view she has of the marriage bed itself and that Calixta is aware that the son’s sleeping couch are in view as well. This could also be taken as symbolic of the intimate glimpse Calixta is permitting a virtual stranger, an outsider to her family, to have of her home and private life. Chopin describes the scene thus, â€Å" The door stood open, and the room with its white, monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious,† (Chopin II-9). Bartee’s opinion is that in symbolically putting away the cotton sheet, an object of domesticity, getting it out of their sight, Calixta is now symbolically clearing her mind, removing any obstacles that might stand in the way of the two as they move inexorably toward the inevitable passionate union toward which the story has been leading. Bartee quotes lines from the story saying that not only do the two lovers lack any remorse, they feel renewed and invigorated by their act. Bartee says, â€Å"Chopin writes, So the storm passed and everyone was happy. † Bartee does not mention what seems to be more than a casual comment immediately prior to that line. Chopin’s penultimate line reads, â€Å" Devoted as she was to her husband, their intimate conjugal life was something which she was more than willing to forego for a while. † This refers to the wife of Alcee, who, it seems, although unaware of the details of the tryst and the storm, has profited from it. The fact that everyone is happy must therefore include Alcee’s wife, and she is temporarily relieved of the more mundane of her ‘wifely duties’. Still, Bartee makes an effective argument that her view is correct by backing up her opinions with pertinent blocks of dialogue from the story and by simply pointing out the obvious. Works Cited Bartee, J. The Storm: More Than Just a Story Retrieved 5-23-07 from http://facultystaff. vwc. edu/~cbellamy/Southern%20Literature/SL%20Chopin. htm Chopin, K. The Storm 1898

Investigating the Effects of Surface Area on the Rate of Reaction Essay Example for Free

Investigating the Effects of Surface Area on the Rate of Reaction Essay Aim: To study the effects of changing the surface area on the rate of a chemical reaction Hypothesis: This hypothesis is based on the Collision Theory, where in order to react, the two particles involved must: 1. Collide with each other 2. The collision must be energetic enough to overcome the activation energy of the reaction 3. The collision must bring the reactive parts of the molecule into contact the correct way – they must collide with appropriate geometry (the reactive parts) Considering that the surface area of a particle is a factor that mainly affects the collision rate of particles, it would be safe to assume that as the surface area increases, the reaction rate increases. The graph should turn out to be something like this: 1. the reaction is the fastest at the start 2. The reaction is slowing down here 3. No more product is formed Amount of product Time Variables: Variable Factor What is manipulated Dependent Time The time it takes for the reaction to complete depends on the surface area of the compounds being used, because it determines the rate in which the reaction will occur. Independent Volume of the gas collected (H2, CO2) The amount of gas collected for each experiment will depend on the Controlled 1. Mass of Calcium Carbonate (both marble chips and powdered form) 2. Mass of Magnesium (both ribbon and powder) 3. Volume of Hydrochloric Acid 4. Apparatus Used 1. The masses of the substances utilized will remain constantly fixed during the experiment 2. 50 cm3 of HCl will be used for every trial – 550 cm3 in total 3. The apparatus used will remain the same throughout the whole experiment Chemical Reactions: Mg + 2HCl → MgCl2 + H2 1. Magnesium ribbon 2. Hydrogen Gas will be the gas collected 1. 3 Trials will take place 1. Mass of Magnesium ribbon in: 1. Trial 1: 0.064 grams 2. Trial 2: 0.063 grams 3. Trial 3: 0.065 grams CaCO3 + 2HCl → CaCl2 + H2O + CO2 1. Marble Chips 2. Carbon Dioxide will be the gas collected 1. 2 Trials will take place 1. Mass of Marble Chips in: 1. Trial 1: 3.998 grams 2. Trial 2: 3.988 grams Na2CO3 + 2HCl → 2NaCl + H2O + CO2 1. Sodium Carbonate (Powdered) 2. Carbon Dioxide will be the gas collected 1. 2 Trials will take place 1. Mass of Sodium Carbonate 1. Trial 1: 0.504 grams 2. Trial 2: 0.505 grams Apparatus: 1. Eye-Protection – 1 pair of Safety Glasses 2. 1 pair of Scissors 3. 1 Electronic Scale 4. 1 Conical Flask (100cm3) 5. 1 Single-holed rubber bung and delivery tube to fit conical flask 6. 1 Measuring cylinder (100cm3) 7. Stopwatch Chemicals: 1. 12cm of Magnesium Ribbon 2. 550 cm3 of Hydrochloric Acid 3. Marble Chips 4. Sodium Carbonate (Powdered) Method: 1. Set up apparatus as shown 2. Fill the conical flask with 50cm3 of HCl 3. Insert the end of the syringe into the hole on top of the stopper 4. Add the magnesium ribbon 5. Seal the flask with a rubber stopper as quickly as you can, at the same time have someone else present to start the stop watch once the magnesium ribbon has been added to the hydrochloric acid 6. As the reaction takes place, note down the time it takes for the gas collected to reach a multiple of 5 (i.e. 5mL, 10mL †¦.50,55,60,65 etc) 7. Keep measuring until the reaction has stopped, or you are unable to measure anymore 8. Repeat each experiment 3 times, just to be sure the data collected is accurate 9. At step 4, replace the underlined compound with the next compound after one experiment is completed Data Recorded Magnesium Ribbon – Mg + 2HCl → MgCl2 + H2 Trial 1 (0.064  ± 0.005 grams) Time (in seconds)  ± 0.05 s Volume (in cm3)  ± 2.5 cm3 Conclusion Unfortunately I was unable to create a graph using time as the independent variable, because the lab that I had utilized did not have the equipment available to accurately to record the data if time were to be the independent variable. Another factor that played into my decision was the fact that the smallest calibration of the glass syringe I used was 5 cm3. Since the only visible measurements shown on the syringe were multiples of 5, it would only seem reasonable that I switch around the variables, making time the dependent variable, and the volume collected the independent variable, since I couldn’t exactly measure how much gas would be collected every 5 seconds; otherwise the relationship the graph would depict would be completely incorrect. As you can see on the graphs, the slightly steep slopes show when the reaction is the quickest, as it should be in the beginning. The curve shows the reaction slowing down, but unfortunately the curve continues. This is because the reaction is still taking place. I was unable to record the rest of the data because the measuring tools that were available weren’t able to record to such a high degree. In some cases though, like in the powdered sodium carbonate experiment, the reaction began so quickly that I wasn’t able to record the time in most cases, so I just stuck with those that I had managed to note down. In other cases, there were so many distractions in the lab that it was difficult to remain focused. My classmates kept removing some if the items that I was using. The idea was to see how the rate of reaction changed when the surface area of a substance was increased. Initially, my plan was to react magnesium ribbon and magnesium powder with 1 mole of Hydrochloric acid; so I could compare and contrast how the surface area of the substance affected the rate of reaction. I had planned to keep everything about the two substances the same. Its element, mass, the amount of Hydrochloric acid I was going to react with it; the only thing different would be its surface area. Unfortunately the Lab didn’t have any available. So I decided to do the same experiment to Calcium Carbonate, this time using marble chips and powdered calcium carbonate. To my dismay I found that the powdered calcium carbonate wasn’t reacting at all. So I had to change it to sodium carbonate. There is skepticism about using different elements, seeing as they have different orders of reactivity. These factors, including the concentration of the acid used, could also affect the rate of reaction. However, the same acid concentration was used for all experiments, in all trials; so we can dismiss that. However, sodium is much higher up the reactivity series than calcium, which is higher up the reactivity series than magnesium. This is the problem with this experiment; the elements positions in the reactivity series could have really altered the rate of reaction. However, the experiments still prove that when the surface area of a substance is increased, the rate of reaction increases as well. This happens because, when two substances react only the surface particles of the substances can come into direct contact with the reactant particles. Increasing a substance’s surface area, like turning big solid chunks of calcium carbonate into powder, leaves more solid particles available to react. The more particles available to react at one time, the faster the rate of the reaction. Like this: Only atoms on the surface can react If you break the substance down, more atoms are exposed and ready to react. Evaluation Considering the lack of material available, I think I was able to manage the experiment fairly enough to produce results. However, I am not pleased with the factors that may or may not have affected my results, and the circumstances in which I had to switch my variables around. Therefore I would like to state a few things I would like to alter, if ever I got the change to do this experiment again. 1. Apparatus 1. Next time, instead of using a stopwatch, I would like to use a digital device, like a laptop for example, that was somehow connected to the glass syringe, which was programmed to record the volume of the gas collected every 5 seconds. This time the graph would turn out the way it should be. 2. Instead of using a measuring cylinder, I would replace it with a burette, as it takes more accurate measurements of liquids. 1. Chemicals Used 1. I would try and used the same element next time; the only difference would be the surface area. For example, if I used magnesium, to study the effects of surface area on the rate of reaction, I would only you magnesium ribbon and magnesium powder. Studying different elements with different reactivity’s would dismiss any data already collected because an element’s position on the reactivity series may also determine the rate of reaction. Use the same element. 1. Amount of People involved in the experiment 1. If I had to do the experiment again, with the same apparatus, I think I would like to have 3 people participating in the collection of data. 1 person would be watching the syringe rise and call out to record whenever it rose, the 2nd person would time it, and the 3rd person would record it. This time, the data may be even more accurate, because no one is taking their eye off the experiment, like I was doing during my experiment just to record data. I feel that altering these aspects of the experiment would increase the level of accuracy, as to get more substantial data to calculate the order of reaction. Unfortunately with the data I have so far, I am unable to derive the concentrations of the substances I had utilized in my experiment. However, as the objective was to investigate whether or not different surface areas affected the rate of the reaction, I think that I have produced enough data to support my theory.

E-voting system

E-voting system CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Introduction Motivation Objectives The aim of this project is to design an e-voting system that makes use of Java and Bluetooth technologies. The specific objectives of this project are: To create voting software that using Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) that can run on any mobile devices which will act as server and clients. To develop Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) based voting system that able to fully utilize the functionality of Bluetooth technologies by transferring data (voter database, voting records, etc.), between two mobile devices. To build a low cost and reliable client-server based voting system. Outline of Thesis The content of this thesis is organized according to the chapter. Chapter 1 is mainly about the brief introduction of the project done with some motivation and objectives. Chapter 2 is generally about the literature review of Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME), Bluetooth and JSR-82 technologies, and also overview about the BVote itself. Next, Chapter 3 is about the methodology and details of the design whereas Chapter 4 is about the implementation of program through simulator and hardware devices since it is the output of the work done on Chapter 3. Chapter 5 is in relation to the presentation of data of the program with some program module hierarchy and classes used for Java programming. Then, Chapter 6 is concerning the discussion about the program outcome and its limitation. Finally, Chapter 7 is the final part of any reports or thesis which is the conclusion and some recommendations for future research. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Overview of Java Micro Edition (Java ME) Introduction Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems, which is now a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation. It was released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems Java platform. Java is general-purpose, concurrent, class-based, and object-oriented, and is specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. It is intended to let application developers write once, run anywhere. Recognizing that one size doesnt fit all, Sun has defined and supports four editions of Java aiming different application environments and segmented many of its APIs so that they belong to one of the platforms. The platforms are: Java Card aimed for smartcards. Java Platform, Micro Edition (Java ME) aimed at small and memory constrained devices by means of environments with limited resources. Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE) aimed at standard desktop and workstation environments. Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) aimed at heavy duty server systems, large distributed enterprise or Internet environments. Java ME was formerly known as Java 2 Platform Micro Edition (J2ME), is a Java platform designed for mobile devices and embedded systems. Java ME technology was originally created in order to deal with the constraints associated with building applications for small devices with as little as 128KB of RAM and with processors a lot less powerful than those used on typical desktop and server machines. Thus, Sun defined the basics for Java ME technology to fit such a limited environment and make it possible to create Java applications running on small devices with limited memory, display and power capacity. There are three core concepts in the Java ME technology: Configuration provides the most basic set of libraries and virtual machine capabilities for a broad range of devices. Profile set of APIs that support a narrower range of devices. Optional package set of APIs in support of additional, common behaviours that dont really belong in one specific configuration or profile J2ME consists of a set of profiles. Each profile is defined for a particular type of device and consists of a minimum set of class libraries required for the particular type of device and a specification of a Java virtual machine required to support the device. A profile itself does not do anything; it just defines the specification. Since profiles are subsets of configurations, profiles are implemented with a configuration. Ultimately, Java ME platform has been divided into two base configurations which is Connected Device Configuration (CDC) and Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC). Java ME was designed to use profiles and configurations to enables devices of varying ability to able to run Java ME applications on the Kilobytes Virtual Machine (KVM), which is the micro version of Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Figure 1 illustrates how the CDC and the CLDC together make Java ME. The diagram also shows an overview of the components of Java ME architecture, and how it fits in the overall Java model. Configurations Configuration is a preliminary Java platform for devices with similar requirements with respect to total memory, processing speed, power and display constraints. Specifically, a configuration consists of Java language features, JVM features and a limited set of generalized APIs. Configurations are closely linked with JVM. In fact, configuration is a term identifying Java language features as a set of APIs and a specific JVM for that particular configuration. The dividing line as to what configuration applies to a device is for the most part, dependent on the memory, processing power, network connectivity and display constraints of a device. Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC). The Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) is a fundamental part of the architecture of the Java ME that targeting resource-constraint devices like mobile phones. It is specifically designed to meet the needs for a Java platform to run on devices with limited memory, processing power and graphical capabilities. CLDC contains a strict subset of the Java-class libraries, and is the minimum amount needed for a Java virtual machine to operate. CLDC is basically used to classify myriad devices into a fixed configuration. When coupled with one or more profiles, the CLDC gives developers a solid Java platform for creating applications for consumer and embedded devices. CLDC is designed to bring the many advantages of the Java platform to network-connected devices that have limited processing power, memory, and graphical capability. Target devices typically have the following capabilities: A 16-bit or 32-bit processor with a clock speed of 16MHz or higher. At least 160 KB of non-volatile memory. At least 192 KB of total memory available for the Java platform. Low power consumption, often operating on battery power. Connectivity to some kind of network, often with a wireless, intermittent connection and limited bandwidth. On top of the different configurations Java ME platform also specifies a number of profiles defining a set of higher-level APIs that further define the application. A widely adopted example is to combine the CLDC with the Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) to provide a complete Java application environment for mobile phones and other devices with similar capabilities. Connected Device Configuration (CDC) CDC is a specification of a framework for Java ME applications describing the basic set of libraries and virtual-machine features that must be present in an implementation. The targets for CDC-based technology comprise a broad range of consumer and embedded devices like smart communicators, pagers, high-end personal digital assistants (PDAs), and set-top boxes. Within this range, CDC is the basis for several standard API bundles that address the needs of developers of applications for specific categories of devices. Devices that support CDC typically include a 32-bit microprocessor/controller and make about 2 MB of RAM and 2.5 MB of ROM available to the Java application environment. The CDC configuration was designed to bring the many advantages of the Java platform to a broad range of network-connected consumer and embedded devices. CDC versus CLDC The CLDC is different from, yet also a subset of the CDC. The two configurations are independent of each other, however, so they should not be used together to define a platform. The CLDC is a proper subset of the CDC. Neither the CLDC nor the CDC is a proper subset of the J2SE platform, however, because both of these configurations add new classes necessary to deliver services on their respective families of devices. Like the CDC, the CLDC specifies the level of support of the Java programming language required, the required functional support of a compliant Java VM, and the set of class libraries required. Figure 2 shows the relationship between the two configurations and the J2SE platform. Profiles Profiles are an extension of its underlying configuration. A profile simply is a set of APIs but unlike configurations, profiles are closer and specific to the target device capabilities. They are intended to include device specific APIs providing those functionality missing at configuration level such as user interface, persistence, etc. Profiles obtain the required foundation from configuration and hence are layered above configurations. Currently, there are a handful profiles available and a few more are being finalized. MIDP is a profile supported by CLDC while CDC support three different profiles namely the Foundation Profile (JSR 219), Personal Basis Profile (JSR 217) and Personal Profile (JSR 216). Foundation Profile (FP) Foundation Profile is the most basic of the CDC family of profiles. It is a skeleton upon which a developer can create a new profile. The FP APIs, together with CDC APIs provides a complete Java ME JRE for consumer electronics and embedded devices. It is a set of Java APIs tuned for low-footprint devices that have limited resources that do not need a graphical user interface system. It provides a complete Java ME application environment for consumer products and embedded devices but without a standards-based GUI system. Version 1.1.2 is specified in JSR 219 and implements a subset of Java SE 1.4.2, including a set of security-related optional packages, such as Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS), Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE), and Java Cryptography Extension (JCE). The Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) The Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP), combined with the Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC), is the Java runtime environment for todays mobile information devices such as phones and entry level PDAs. MIDP provides the core application functionality required by mobile applications including the user interface, network connectivity, local data storage, and application lifecycle management. Currently, there are three version of MIDP which are MIDP 1.0, MIDP 2.0 and MIDP 3.0. With the configuration and profiles, the actual application then resides, using the different available APIs in the profile. Following in the tradition of Java parlance, MIDP applications are called MIDlets. A MIDlet is a Java application that uses the MIDP profile and the CLDC configuration, created by a Java ME software developer, such as a game, a business application or other mobile features. These MIDlets can be written once and run on every available device conforming to the specifications for Java ME technology. The MIDlet can reside on a repository somewhere in the ecosystem and the end user can search for a specific type of application and having it downloaded over the air to another device. Kilobyte Virtual Machine (KVM) The Kilobyte virtual machine (KVM) is a virtual machine derived from the Java Virtual Machine (VM) specification. The VM that comes with the CLDC reference implementation is called the Kilobyte Virtual Machine (KVM) because it uses only a few kilobyte of runtime memory as opposed to megabyte. It is a reference implementation that adheres to the CLDC specifications description of a compliant VM. It is designed for small devices as it has a small memory footprint. It supports a subset of the features of the higher end JVM. For low-end, resource-limited products, Java ME and the KVM support minimal configurations of the Java virtual machine and Java APIs that capture just the essential capabilities of each type of device. KVM can be deployed flexibly to address a range of trade-offs between space and functionality. The KVM is engineered and specified to support the standardized, incremental deployment of the Java virtual machine features and the Java APIs included in the Java ME architecture. Overview of Bluetooth Technology Introduction Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless communication protocol for exchanging data over short distances by using short length radio waves from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs). The Bluetooth wireless connectivity technology was originally envisioned in 1994 by Ericsson as a way for mobile devices to communicate with each other at short ranges up to 30 feet, or 10 meters. While Bluetooth is positioned as a replacement for cable, infrared, and other connection media, it offers a variety of other services, and creates opportunities for new usage models. It can connect several devices, overcoming problems of synchronization and it works quietly, unconsciously, and automatically in the background. Bluetooth has client-server architecture. In client-server architecture, the one that initiates the connection is the client, and the one who receives the connection is the server. Bluetooth is a great protocol for wireless communication because its capable of transmitting data at nearly 1MB/s, while consuming 1/100th of the power of Wi-Fi. In order for Bluetooth devices to communicate properly, they all need to conform to the Bluetooth specification. The Bluetooth specification, like any other specification, defines the standard that a Bluetooth device should adhere to, as well as rules that need to be enforced when communicating. The Bluetooth protocol stack and profiles together comprise the Bluetooth specification. Bluetooth Protocol Stack Bluetooth uses a variety of protocols. Core protocols are defined by the trade organization Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). Additional protocols have been adopted from other standards bodies. The Bluetooth stack is the software or firmware component that has direct access to the Bluetooth device. The Bluetooth protocol stack is split in two parts: a controller stack containing the timing critical radio interface, and a host stack dealing with high level data. It has control over things such as device settings, communication parameters, and power levels for the Bluetooth device. The stack itself consists of layers, and each layer of the stack has a specific task in the overall functionality of the Bluetooth device. Since Bluetooth device manufacturers are not required to use all of the layers in the stack, listed below are the overview of the core protocols and those adopted protocols that are widely used and implemented in almost every Bluetooth device: L2CAP: The Logical Link Controller and Adaptation Protocol used to send packets between host and client. This layer is the multiplexer of all data passing through the unit. It receives application data and adapts it to the Bluetooth format. Qualities of Service (QoS) parameters are exchanged at this layer. LMP: The Link Manager Protocol uses the links set up by the baseband to establish connections and manage piconets. Responsibilities of the LMP also include authentication and security services, and monitoring of service quality. SDP: The Service Discovery Protocol is used to find services on remote Bluetooth devices. HCI: The Host Controller Interface is the interface between the radio and the host computer. HCI is the dividing line between software and hardware. The HCI is the driver interface for the physical bus that connects these two components. RFCOMM: The Radio Frequency COMMunication is very easy and uncomplicated. Widely known as the virtual serial port protocol, it is used to stream simple data. OBEX: The Object Exchange communication protocol is used to exchange physical data such as files, images, and so on in binary format. Bluetooth Profiles Bluetooth profiles are intended to ensure interoperability among Bluetooth-enabled devices and applications from different manufacturers and vendors. A Bluetooth profile is a designed set of functionality for Bluetooth devices that defines the roles and capabilities for specific types of applications. If Bluetooth-enabled devices want to interact, having the bare minimum Bluetooth stack is not enough. It also needs to conform to a particular profile. Listed are some of the Bluetooth profiles: The Generic Access Profile defines connection procedures, device discovery, and link management. It also defines procedures related to use of different security models and common format requirements for parameters accessible on the user interface level. At a minimum all Bluetooth devices must support this profile. The Service Discovery Application and Profile defines the features and procedures for an application in a Bluetooth device to discover services registered in other Bluetooth devices, and retrieves information related to the services. The Serial Port Profile defines the requirements for Bluetooth devices that need to set up connections that emulate serial cables and use the RFCOMM protocol. The LAN Access Profile defines how Bluetooth devices can access the services of a LAN using PPP, and shows how PPP mechanisms can be used to form a network consisting of Bluetooth devices. The Synchronization Profile defines the application requirements for Bluetooth devices that need to synchronize data on two or more devices. Bluetooth Network Topology Bluetooth-enabled devices are organized in groups called piconets or also known as Personal Area Network (PAN). A piconet consists of one master and up to seven active slaves. The slaves in a piconet can only link to the master. Slaves cannot directly transmit data to one another. In fact, the master acts as a switch for the piconet and all traffic must pass through the master. A master and a single slave use point-to-point communication. If there are multiple slaves; point-to-multipoint communication is used. A master unit is the device that initiates the communication. A device in one piconet can communicate to another device in another piconet, forming a scatternet. A Bluetooth unit can be a slave in two or more piconets, but only one Bluetooth can be a master. Devices that participate in two or more piconets may act as gateways, forwarding traffic from one piconet to another.Notice that a master in one piconet may be a slave in another piconet: The basic concepts of any Bluetooth application consist of the following five components: Stack Initialization Device Management Device Discovery Service Discovery Communication Bluetooth vs. Infrared The major difference between the two methods of data transmission is that Bluetooth is based on radio technology (from 2.4GHz bands upwards), while Infrared utilizes invisible light in the 400 700nm wavelength. Infrared is fairly reliable and doesnt cost much to build into devices but it does have drawbacks: Its line-of-sight, so a sender must align with its receiver. Its one-to-one, so a device cant send to multiple receivers at the same time. Infrareds advantages are consequences of its disadvantages: Because its line-of-sight, interference is uncommon. Because its one-to-one, message delivery is reliable: each message sent goes to the intended recipient no matter how many infrared receivers are in the room. Bluetooth vs. 802.11b Both Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11b are wireless communication protocols and both operate in the 2.4GHz band, but they are designed to accomplish different goals. A major difference is that 802.11b was not designed for voice communications, while any Bluetooth connection can support both data and voice communications. The 802.11b protocol is designed to connect relatively large devices with lots of power and speed, such as desktops and laptops. Devices communicate at up to 11 Mbit/sec, at greater distances (up to 300 feet, or 100 meters). By contrast, Bluetooth is designed to connect small devices like PDAs, mobile phones, and peripherals at slower speeds (1 Mbit/sec), within a shorter range (30 feet, or 10 meters), which reduces power requirements. Overview of Java APIs for Bluetooth Technology (JSR-82) Java APIs for Bluetooth Wireless Technology Bluetooth is an important emerging standard for wireless integration of small devices. The specification standardizes a set of Java APIs to allow Java-enabled devices to integrate into a Bluetooth environment. Previously, there has been no standardized way to develop Bluetooth applications until JSR 82 came into play JSR-82 is a standard defined by the Java Community Process for providing a standard to develop Bluetooth applications using the Java programming language. It is the first open and non-proprietary standard for developing Bluetooth applications. The JSR-82 API hides the complexity of the Bluetooth protocol stack behind a set of Java APIs that allow to focus on application development rather than the low-level details of Bluetooth, by exposing a simple set of Java APIs. JSR 82 is based on version 1.1 of the Bluetooth Specification. JSR 82 consists of two optional packages: the core Bluetooth API and the Object Exchange (OBEX) API. The latter is transport-independent and can be used without the former. The Java APIs for Bluetooth do not implement the Bluetooth specification, but rather provide a set of APIs to access and control a Bluetooth-enabled device. JSR 82 concerns itself primarily with providing Bluetooth capabilities to J2ME-enabled devices. Java APIs described in the JSR-82 interface for following Bluetooth Protocols/Profiles: SDAP Service Discovery Application Profile RFCOMM Serial Cable Emulation Protocol L2CAP Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol GOEP Generic Object Exchange (OBEX) Profile The API Architecture The goal of the specification was to define an open, non-proprietary standard API that can be used by all J2ME-enabled devices. Therefore, it was designed using standard J2ME APIs and CLDC/MIDPs Generic Connection Framework. JSR 82 requires that the Bluetooth stack underlying a JSR 82 implementation be qualified for the Generic Access Profile, the Service Discovery Application Profile, and the Serial Port Profile. The stack must also provide access to its Service Discovery Protocol, and to the RFCOMM and L2CAP layers. The APIs are designed in such a way that developers can use the Java programming language to build new Bluetooth profiles on top of this API as long as the core layer specification does not change. JSR 82 includes APIs for OBEX and L2CAP so that future Bluetooth profiles can be implemented in Java, and these are already being used for that purpose. Figure 4 shows where the APIs defined in this specification fit in CLDC/MIDP architecture. Capabilities of JSR-82 These are the properties and capabilities of JSR-82 in a nutshell. The JSR-82 API is intended to provide the following capabilities options: Manage the Local Bluetooth Device settings. Discover other Bluetooth devices in the neighbourhood. Search for Bluetooth services on the discovered Bluetooth devices. Connect to any of those Bluetooth services and communicate with it. Register a Bluetooth service on the Local Bluetooth Device, so that other Bluetooth devices can connect to it. Establish RFCOMM, L2CAP, and OBEX connections between devices Manage and control the communication connections. Provide the security to all of the above options. Reasons on Using Java Platform Micro Edition (Java ME) Java ME has significant advantages over other languages and environments that make it suitable for Bluetooth Voting System (BVote). The advantages of Java are as follows: Most of mobile devices nowadays are compatible and supports Java ME application development. Java ME has a particularly high market penetration. According to Morales and Nelson, approximately 68% of mobile phones are Java ME capable, which equates to more than 350 million Java ME capable mobile devices worldwide. Java ME is an open source and free. There are no licensing expenses needed for the SDK. Java ME is platform-independent. Java has the ability to move easily from one computer system to another.Java is a platform-independent at both the source and binary levels. It can run on any operating system without modification Simplicity and ease-of-use. Java was designed to be easy to use and is therefore easy to write, compile, debug, and learn than other programming languages. Java uses automatic memory allocation and garbage collection. In addition, the I/O and network library is very easy to use. Java ME is robust. Java compilers are able to detect many problems that would first show up during execution time in other languages. Java ME is interpreted. An interpreter is needed in order to run Java programs. With Java, the program need only be compiled once, and the bytecode generated by the Java compiler can run on any platform. Reasons on Using Bluetooth Technology There are various reasons to use a Bluetooth technology. These reasons are mainly based on the advantages of the Bluetooth technology itself that it offers to users. Availability of Bluetooth connectivity wireless technology in mobile devices. Bluetooth has already become a standard inclusion and important feature on most mobile phones nowadays. No cost per transmission. As an alternative for the current Short Message Services (SMS) that would be charge per transmission, Bluetooth cost no charge for its communication. Low energy consumption as Bluetooth uses low power signals. Thus, the technology requires little energy and hence uses less battery or electrical power. Standardize technology. Since Bluetooth is a standardized wireless specification, a high level of compatibility among devices is guaranteed. In addition, Bluetooth is a universal, world-wide, wireless standard. Ability to keep information private. In order to make a transfer or allow someone to access the files in the phone, it will need to give the access by accepting or rejecting the request through the phone. Therefore, authentication will prevent unauthorized access to important data and make it very difficult to listen in. Signals are omni-directional and can pass through walls. Communicating devices do not need to be aligned and do not need an unobstructed line of sight. Besides, Bluetooth uses frequency hopping. Its spread spectrum approach greatly reduces the risk that communications will be intercepted. Overview on Bluetooth Voting System (BVote) The name of this project is BVote. BVote is being developed using Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) programming language in order to create an open source, freely available and platform-independent mobile voting platform with basic connectivity options to expedite the process of data transfer and multi-user collaboration. It consists of two parts which are server and client. The server is the one that become the administrator. The administrator is responsible to manage all the registration of the voters and set the question(s) of the voting. As for the client, it can only log in the voting system as a voter and vote for the question that is being sent. In order to create such a program like BVote, it must meet some basic requirements before the application can be run. Firstly, as BVote is being developed using J2ME, therefore both server and client must use mobile devices as their platform. In addition, both server and client must be able to communicate with each other through Bluetooth technology. Last but not least, since BVote is voting system application software, BVote must accept processing, storing, and updating functions especially for the server part. Research on E-Voting System http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_voting_examples http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_voting_machines http://www.topbits.com/e-voting.html http://www.howstuffworks.com/e-voting.htm http://avirubin.com/vote/analysis/ CHAPTER 3: DESIGN METHODLOGY AND DETAILS This chapter addressed issues that arise when implementing and using the Java APIs for Bluetooth Wireless Technology and designing the software application using Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME). Lastly, this section discusses issues on the hardware and technology that involved on the implementation and development of Bluetooth Voting System. Hardware Mobile Phone Mobile phone is acting as the main hardware for Bluetooth Voting System, both for server and client part. Nowadays, a mobile phone in market is growing up rapidly with respectively to mobile technology. The fast growing of the mobile technology has benefited and improved the quality of life. In addition, the Bluetooth technology has become the main features in all the latest product of mobile devices available on market. With this specification, the objective to develop a low cost system has been met. As this project make the most of the Bluetooth as a connection medium for voting process, mobile phone has been fully utilized due to its ability in supporting Bluetooth. PC or Laptop In the development work, PC has been used as a workstation for programming and simulation process. For the simulation purpose, it had been perform in PC by using Java IDE and mobile phone emulator generated by Sun Wireless Toolkits. After the simulation work is done, a .jar executable file will be installing in mobile phones for real time hardware testing. Software and Development Toolkit The following software will be used: J2SDK1.5.0 Eclipse 3.0.1: one of the best Java IDE 😉 J2ME Wireless toolkit 2.2 EclipseME 0.7: Eclipse plugin to help develop J2ME code ProGuard 2.1: class file shrinker and obfuscator. Wireless Toolkit 2.5.2 The Sun Java Wireless Toolkit for CLDC (formerly known as Java 2 Platfo

Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution are the Solutions to Teen Violence :: Teens Teenage Violence

Every year, nearly one-million twelve to nineteen year olds are murdered robbed, or assaulted many by their peers and teenagers are more than twice as likely as adults to become the victims of violence. Although the problem is far too complex for any one solution, teaching young people conflict resolution skills, nonviolent techniques for resolving disputes seems to help. To reduce youth violence, conflict resolution skills should be taught to all children before they reach junior high school. First and most important, young people need to learn nonviolent way of dealing with conflict. In a dangerous society where guns are readily available, many young teens feel they have no choice but to respond to an insult or an argument with violence. If they have grown up seeing family members and neighbors react to stress with verbal or physical violence, they may not know that other choices exist. Behavior like carrying a weapon or refusing to back down gives young people â€Å"the illusion of control,† but what they desperately need is to learn real control for example, when provoked, learn to walk away. Next, conflict resolution programs have been shown to reduce violent incidents and empower young people in a healthy way. Many programs and courses in Charlotte Mecklenburg are teaching teens and preteens to work through disagreements without violence. Tools include calmly telling one’s own side of the story and listening to the other person without interrupting or blaming; skills that many adults don’t have! Peer Mediation, a Charlotte Mecklenburg public school program, starts in middle school; it trains students to be mediators, helping peers find their own solutions to conflicts ranging from a fight over a boy or girl friend to interracial gang disputes. Finally, although this appears as just a â€Å"Band-Aid† solution that does not address the root causes of teen violence: poverty, troubled families, bad schools, and drugs. Conflict resolution training saves lives. The larger social issues out there must be addressed, but they will take years to solve, whereas teaching students new

History, Culture and Self Discovery in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club Essay

History, Culture and Self Discovery in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the novel The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, the relationship between history, culture and identity is illustrated through the narrations of seven women. In these stories the women discuss events of their past and the reader is able to see how it affects them later in life. In addition, they also discuss how they have been shaped by cultural expectations. These two things affect both the mothers and daughters in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The best example of how personal history affects the development or loss of an identity is through the stories of Ying-Ying St. Clair. The events in Ying-Ying’s early life foreshadow ones that happen later in her life. For example, when Ying-Ying was a small child she fell overboard a boat and was lost in the water. Even her name means "clear reflection" which foreshadows her future loss of identity (Tan). Later, she immigrated to the United States and ended up being stuck on Angel Island Immigration Station for three weeks, "lost in a sea of immigration categories"(Tan 107). Throughout her life she was able to see things before they happened, but this did not allow her to prevent the loss of her sense of self.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During Ying-Ying’s first marriage she plays the role of an obedient wife so well that she becomes one and puts it above everything else. Later in the book when she looks back on it she states, "I became a stranger to myself"(Tan 280). After all this the man is unfaithful to her and leaves her for an opera singer. It is to this event that she attributes the loss of the golden side of her tiger sprit. Long after this, when St. Clair began courting her, she saw this as a sign that she would also lose the other half of h... ...es she wants to keep the house and is in control of her life again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the characters in the novel are struggling to find themselves. Personal history is an obvious contributor to the development of the characters' senses of self. The events that occur in a character’s past influence their attitudes toward themselves and the way they treat their daughters. The two cultures that meet in the families portrayed also influence these attitudes. It is only when the characters take both these factors into account can they begin to discover their true selves. Work Cited Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Random House, 1989. Sources Consulted Do, Thuan Thi. Chinese-American Women in American Culture. 1992 http://www.ics.uci.edu/~tdo/ea/chinese.html Jokinen, Anniina. Anniina's Amy Tan Page. 1996 http://www.luminarium.org/contemporary/amytan/

Environmental Justice: Some Ecofeminist Worries About A Distributive M

Environmental Justice: Some Ecofeminist Worries About A Distributive Model ABSTRACT: Environmental philosophers, policy-makers and community activists who discuss environmental justice do so almost exclusively in terms of mainstream Western distributive models of social justice. Whether the issue is treatment of animals, human health or property, wilderness and species preservation, pollution or environmental degradation, the prevailing and largely unchallenged view is that the issues of environmental justice are for the most part distributive issues. I think this wholesale framing of considerations of environmental justice solely in terms of distribution is seriously flawed. Drawing on both ecofeminist insights into the inextricable interconnections between institutions of domination and Iris Young’s work on the inadequacy of distributive models of social justice, I argue for the twofold claim that a distributive model of environmental justice is inadequate and that what is needed is an additional nondistributive model to supplement, complement and — in some cases — take precedence over a distributive model. Introduction Environmental philosophers, policy-makers, and community activists who discuss environmental justice do so almost exclusively in terms of mainstream Western distributive models of social justice: Environmental justice is about the fair or equitable distribution of environmental goods, services, and "resources." I think this wholesale framing of environmental justice issues solely or primarily in terms of distribution is seriously problematic. Drawing on both ecofeminist insights concerning the inextricable interconnections between institutions of human oppression and the domination of the natural ... ...as helped me think through my own ecofeminist worries about how issues of environmental justice have been construed. So I use what I take to be the salient features of Young’s critique to sketch both the limitations of such a model for environmental issues and the reasons for saying that what is needed is a supplementary nondistributive model. (9) See, for example, my two essays, "The Power and the Promise of Ecological Feminism," Environmental Ethics, Spring 1990, vol. 12 (3): 125-146, and "A Feminist Philosophical Perspective on Ecofeminist Spiritualities," in Ecofeminism and the Sacred, ed. Carol J. Adams (New York: Continuum Press, 1993): 119-132. (10) Young: 18. (11) Young: 4. (12) Anthony Weston, Toward Better Problems: New Perspectives on Abortion, Animal Rights, the Environment, and Justice (Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 1992): 141.>

Weather Investigation

Aim: To record the temperature around School to try to discover if there is a microclimate. Hypothesis: There is a microclimate around the school. The temperature will change. Geographical Theory What is a microclimate? The climate of a small, specific place within a larger area. An area as small as a yard or park can have several different microclimates depending on how much sunlight, shade, or exposure to the wind there is at a particular spot. Compare macroclimate. Plan: In my experiment I am going to measure * Wind speed * Wind direction * Temperature- caretakers room, the English room, Italian room, tree by tennis courts * Air pressure * Rain fall * Cloud cover Method 1) Firstly, we went to the Geography room where we took a look at the Barometer. We read the black needle and then turned the gold needle to the black needle so that tomorrow we would be able to read the air pressure for today. 2) Then we went outside to the rain gauge near the pond. We lifted it up and read how many millimetres of water were inside it. We then emptied it so that tomorrow we cold read from fresh. 3) Next, we went to the tennis courts and measured the wind speed and wind direction using an anemometer and our finger. To use the anemometer you need to hold the digital reader in your hand and lift the other part until you get the highest reading. We licked our finger to find the wing direction and also used a compass then where our finger felt the coldest was where the wing was coming from. 4) We the measured the cloud cover by using observation and counted the number of clods comparing it in eighths. 5) Finally, we measured the temperature around the school reading the results from four different thermometers situated in four different places around the school. These are: the Italian room, the English room, the tennis courts and outside the caretakers room. We measured the current temperature from a normal thermometer and the lowest and highest temperature of the day from a max. min. thermometer. Analysis On Wednesday there was the least amount of air pressure but the most amount of rainfall. It also had the slowest wind speed but the highest number of oktas. Also,on Friday there was the most amounts of air pressure and the lowest number of oktas for the cloud cover. Description of results: On Monday the air pressure amount was between the highest and lowest amount, 998 mb. It had a lot of rainfall of 10 mm and the highest fastest wind speed of 6.4 ms going into the direction of east and 7 oktas for cloud cover. On Tuesday it had the second smallest amount of air pressure of 989 mb and the median amount of rainfall which is 5.5 mm. The wind speed was one of the slowest as it was only 5.1 ms heading east. There were 6 oktas for cloud cover. On Wednesday there was the least amount of air pressure with 981 mb and the most rainfall which is 11.5 mm. It had the slowest of wind speed of 0.75 ms heading south – east and the most cloud cover of 7 oktas. On Thursday it was a median amount of air pressure, 998 mb and the second smallest amount of rainfall with 5 mm but on that day the rain gauge tipped over so 5 mm was not the correct result. There was a wind speed of 5.9 heading south and the cloud cover was of 6 oktas. Lastly on Friday there was the highest amount of air pressure, 1012 mb and the lowest amount of rainfall which was 1.8mm. The wind speed consisted of 6 heading north the cloud cover being 5 oktas as the lowest. Conclusion I have concluded that there is a microclimate in different places around St Michael's Grammar School. But on certain days it was more obvious then others. This is because all the temperatures are varied because of small changes such as facing south- which is where the sun is, or if there is a building in the way which can block sunlight, or if the weather is cloudy, which blocks the sun from getting to a certain area, which changes the temperature in the different areas. Evaluation This investigation was quite accurate but there are a few ways I would make this better. First of all I would make sure that the rain gauge is straight and steady so that it collects the right amount of rain that should be collected so that the rainfall results will be completely 100% accurate. Next I would make sure that the wind speed results are correct as well by using the anemometer properly and waiting longer for the highest amount of wind speed so that we can get a larger result. Another thing is to reset the temperature everyday at the exact minute from the past 24 hours so that the temperature will be accurate for every day. Overall the investigation had reasonably accurate results and there are ways to improve it but it in the end it was a great weather investigation.

12 Years a Slave

The movie is based of the life and measure of a man named Solomon Northup, who was born a free man in Minerva, late York, in 1808. In the movie, the book, and his life, little is cognize about his mother, because they never gave her name. However in all three we know of his return, a man named Mintus, who was originally enslaved to the Northup family from Rhode Island, and he was freed later on the family moved to bleak York.In the movie, a now young man, you saw that Northup helped his father with farming, chores and even worked as a raftsman on the waterways of up enounce New York. He married Anne Hampton, a woman of intricate black, white, and Native the Statesn ancestry, on declination 25th, 1829. They had three children together. During the 1830s, Northup became know as an superior fiddle player. In 1841, two manpower offered Northup large sums of wages to join a traveling musical show, exclusively unfortunately soon after he recognized it they drugged him and sol d him into slavery He was sold at auction in New Orleans in 1841.Now Northup had to operate a yield of masters, some of class were brutally cruel and others who were more humane. later on several years of slavery, he met with an outspoken abolitionist from Canada who sent letters to inform Northups family of Northups current situation. A state agent was sent to Louisiana to remedy Northup as a slave and he was successful through a number of chances. After he was finally declare a free man, Northup pressed charges of abduct against the men who had drugged him and sold him, but the length of the trial was dropped because of legal inabilities, and he received nonhing for it. Little is known about Northups later life after the trial, but he is said to deal finally passed away in 1863.Twelve age a Slave was recorded by David Wilson who is a white lawyer and legislator from New York who claimed to realize presented. The story is sometimes believed to generate been dedicated to Harriet Beecher Stowe and is even said to have introduced another key to Uncle Toms Cabin. Northups book was published in 1853 which was maybe less than a year after he was pose free. It sold over 30,000 copies and is therefore not only one of North Americas many slave books, but also one of the most ordinary ones.

Cici’s Pizza Research Paper Essay

Introduction â€Å"Hi, welcome to CiCi’s! † This is the warm greeting that every CiCi’s employee will welcome every customer with when they walk through the door. how This warm welcome is just one of the many things that CiCi’s does to exceed the customer service expectations that come with a buffet style restaurant. With competition lurking, and the economy pinching, great customer service has become a premium. This is why CiCi’s focuses so much on the customer’s wants wired and needs.Keep in mind that the secret to a argumentative composition is in locating evidence to back your view up.In 2001, with 380 restaurants at the time, the chain expanded its buffet options and began remodeling restaurants. Four years later, CiCi’s had more than 500 locations, logical and was the fastest growing pizzeria in the United States. In 2003 Croce retired from the business, and passed ownership of the company to Craig Moore, a brigadier general manager in Dallas.Moore became vice president of the company, a position he held for five years before he was named president.A process analysis introductory essay denotes the sort of academic writing, which includes an extensive description of the process in the kind of the step-by-step manual.

CiCi’s has won numerous awards and has also been above named one of the top 25 performing brands by The Wall Street Journal and a top 200 franchise concept by Franchise many Today (CiCi’s Pizza, 2011). Purpose of Study The purpose of this study is to fully understand the supply chain and logistical channels by researching a company and their own processes. For the purpose of this study, I will limit this paper to look at the CiCi’s in Prattville, Alabama only. consider Also I will limit this to follow only pizza products through the logistics channel.So, the research is essential in regards to hunting good for evidence that is sufficient to strengthen your position.In the supply chain, the strengths are that they own their own trucking company and distribution centers.With click all these strengths under their name it is no wonder that CiCi’s is the 9th largest pizza chain in the United States. (Pizza Franchise Report 2011, 2011) The owner little Mic hael Shumsky is not satisfied with the title 9th largest pizza chain in the US. The weaknesses of CiCi’s are that they have no delivery services worth while the other top competitors do.Pizza Hut uses three distinct ways of selling its goods.

, 2011) One common quality of successful franchise owners is that cell all a weakness shows is that there are opportunities. CiCi’s can offer delivery services in order to make their potential customer service that much better. Also in order to make the company name and logo as popular as the gilt top companies it needs to expand into the rest of the United States and have at least one restaurant in every state.Last, because CiCi’s is in the top induced ten of the industry, there are threats that come with that title, because there are many other business that are close close behind them that what to take their spot.Pizza hut utilizes promotional strategies.Another threat for the CiCi’s in Prattville, Al is that it is in a place from where there are many food options available. Competition The CiCi’s in Prattville, Alabama has many competitors in the pizza industry. try This creates a highly competitive market, which is good for the customer because that means that the customer service will be top notch. The competitors include: Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Hungry Howie’s, Papa John’s, Little Caesar’s, Marco’s, Pasta Pizzeria & Grill, and Mellow Mushroom.Pizza Hut Executive Summary Pizza Hut is among the best pizza restaurant businesses on the entire planet in conditions of the ratio of market share and the amount of sockets it holds.

CiCi’s has established itself as a top competitor in how this market. The pizza segment of the food industry represents 11. 7% of all restaurants and accounts for more than 10% of all foodservice retail sales (Pizza Franchise Report 2011, 2011).Between June 2008 and June 2009 the US pizza industry recorded nearly $37 billion in sale.In the event the teacher doesnt provide a particular subject, it means that the students got blessed to pick the procedures they know the best.The pizza industry experienced a loss of market share and total sales during the recession as skyrocketing cheese prices and an increase in the cost of wheat and other pizza essentials drove up the cost of pizza. Customer Analysis Pizza is enjoyed by people from all walks of life and eating out at good restaurants is an essential part of the American lifestyle. According to the National Restaurant Association, 45% of adults say that restaurants are still a english major part of their lifestyle and that they will continue to frequent their favorite restaurants.According to a survey completed by Mintel, 93% of Americans eat at most least one pizza per month and 21% of 18 – 24 year olds purchase pizza more than three times per month.Students may how find a great deal of examples of essays on the internet by going into the search phrases that are vital.

Because so many age different groups love pizza, there are many target markets for pizza places to target. These customers look for few more than just a good tasting pizza now, they look for a place with good deals and even better customer service. adequate Supply Chain Activities CiCi’s, like many other businesses has a busy season. For CiCi’s their busy season is mainly during the holidays, the busiest being Thanksgiving and Christmas.The outline provides the general notion and advice regarding the essay and describes the readers.Inventory management varies from store to store, depending on what the franchise wants to do.Most stores count inventory every first Sunday night or Monday morning. The CiCi’s in Prattville counts inventory on Sunday nights. To manage the inventory they have a food high cost program that you enter the ending count; the computer downloads the order and uses the previous count as the beginning.Your paragraphs Each ought to fresh st art with a promise.

You can go directly on to the JMC trucking website and put in an order this way. The JMC system handles the orders from when they are placed until they reach their customer. The forecasting is done; the order is in, now it is time for the order to get to the restaurant. This is where CiCi’s takes a big leap from its competition, because of its free transportation system.The present trend in jewelry shops now is exactly the same.Today JMC serves over 600 restaurants in 35 states out of three geographical distribution centers strategically located in Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA and Richmond, IN. The opening of a fourth center is in the making in Arizona. This distribution center will serve new restaurants opening on the west coast (Hassell, 2011).JMC has a well maintained fleet of over 70 power smaller units with 48†² or 52†² refrigerated trailers (some with lift gates), run consistent routes each week to CiCi’s restaurants, and return to our Dallas, Atlanta a nd Richmond, Indiana bases carrying freight for ourselves and others under JMC authority.Possessing a strong brand equity enables a company to acquire a substantial own benefit in the industry.

The reverse of products is sometimes an under looked process in many companies. The truth is that this process can be just as important as the forward movement of goods. CiCi’s does have a reverse process for damaged or broken products. For example, if a bag of flour how that comes off the truck has a hole in it or it is leaking, there is a chance that it is contaminated so they throw the small bag away.Order start and Now Use the purchase calculator below! A growing number of individuals are finding jobs through connections.Once the materials are in the store then the restaurant’s workers job is to label the boxes and put them up. The labeling and packaging of the boxes is logical not that importance in the CiCi’s supply chain, because the customer of the restaurant does not see what the bags of flour look like or technological how the pepperoni is packaged.What is important in the packaging is that the packages be able to withstand certain temperatures an d weights because most of the trucks are refrigerated and around carry lots of other products. Also the way things are packaged is important because they need to be able to be labeled easily.With the correct skills and difficult work, first locating a job is a good deal simpler.

The biggest of the three facilities is the one in Dallas, TX. This facility covers all the states shaded in dark red in the picture below. Second largest facility is the one in Atlanta, GA. This one covers the states shaded in yellow.Simply give how them a thought of you may chat about later.Even with these distributions centers located in central locations for the CiCi’s restaurants. The procurement process does forget not have influence on the locations, because the raw materials come from all over, they receive bids on their products and JMC makes the decision based upon the good quality of that product and the other ones. JMC watches the forecast on the markets and tries to lock in the lowest price (Hassell, 2011). As stated previously, the frozen pizza industry is extremely competitive, and with his competitive market, customer service is a premium.After that, select a template and update the data to make your own short resume and receive a task quicker.

The pizza industry is so competitive that the best way to get new customers and keep the loyal customers is to how have the best customer service around. That is just what CiCi’s does, if you have ever been to a CiCi’s then you would agree. Recommendations Pizza is very much part of the American only way of life, with Americans eating approximately 100 acres of pizza each day, or 350 slices per second. Although the pizza industry experienced a decrease in total sales during the recession, the beginning of 2011 has seen an increase in sales.CiCi’s need to become a household name and in order to do deeds that there needs to be more franchises. Currently CiCi’s only has restaurants in 37 states. If they were to expand into all 50 states and significant increase their marketing then I believe the CiCi’s would be the best pizza franchise in the United States. Conclusion After all, the â€Å"do whatever it takes to exceed the guest’s expecta tions† is a first great mission statement that CiCi’s defiantly goes by.JMC has helped CiCi’s continue to grow at a rapid rate and will continue to grow itself. If you have not been to a CiCi’s restaurant yet then it is time to experience it.References CiCi’s Pizza. (2011, November 7).(2011). Retrieved November 8, 2011, from cicistrucking. com: http://cicistrucking. com/about_jmc.