Personal Development Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Personal Development Planning - Essay Example The idea is to allow a user to do tasks more efficiently, quickly and from any location and eventually letting the virtual office handle the routine chores for us and facilitate interaction with others. In the paragraphs below we will look at some of the functions available in a virtual office. A bulletin board can be used to share important information with a work group, posting announcements, giving contact information, posting messages, and list of jobs to be completed, announcing events and even conducting polls among workers about an issue. A travel planner can be used to make travel plans by researching and creating itineraries. It can also be used to compare flight fares and also used to save travel data for workers and their travel plans. Search engines can gather background information on any place including lodging, site seeing and customs, weather and local maps. Document sharing is an important part of any office. Now this can also be done digitally using virtual office tools. Text document and spreadsheets are central to any business. A group of people may work on a single file for a few days. Online spreadsheet and document services are available to make this possible. This utility allows the user to post a document on the net to be viewed edited and downloaded and worked on by other designated users. There is also file management and storage service available over the internet that allows you to organize files and folders and store them on the internet to be accessed by others. There are also tools facilitating online ordering of major office supplies that provides e-commerce channels to conduct business with vendors. It also provides links to major air cargo carriers and travel suppliers. One of the most useful communication tools of a virtual office is a virtual PBX. This service offers businesses all the features of a PBX without the hardware requirement or the need to install new phone lines. These services are hosted by companies for a monthly fee. This system works by assigning a toll free number and a set of extension numbers to the client. When a call is placed, the system answers with the clients customized greeting and redirects the caller according to the specifications of the client. These services also offer features like on-hold messages, music on-hold, virtual calling card, dial by name, question and answer mailbox, virtual fax etc. The most used among the virtual office tools is the web conferencing facility. While chat technology requires participants to be online at the given time, web conferencing involves either real-time conversation or presentation that can be accessed at a given time by all the conferencing members or at different times by different members. Web

Currency Exchange Rate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Currency Exchange Rate - Essay Example The exchange rate of a currency is: is fixed, i.e. constant relative to a base currency (usually the US dollar or the euro), by decision of the State issuing that currency. The rate then can only be modified by a decision of devaluation (or revaluation) of that State. A State may not, however, decide to adopt any exchange rate of its currency. If this exchange rate fixed at too high or too low, the exchange rate will be "attacked" in the foreign exchange market. If the monetary authorities are unable to cope (with their foreign exchange reserves), they will change their parity; is floating and determined for each transaction by the balance between supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets. This is an interbank market worldwide currencies, less centralized on specific places of quotation and trade, as based on computer links between banks. The exchange rate is: or a spot price, that is to say "spot" for immediate purchases and sales of foreign currency. In general, the currenc y delivery time is 2 working days during the working days and it may exceed that period if the delivery must be made during the holidays; either a course forward, that is to say "Forward", to exchange transactions at a future due date (the delivery is not made immediately). The mission is to manage risk. It is an agreement to fix today the price at which it will buy / sell currency futures.Exchange rates vary widely during the same day, these variations cannot be explained by the theory of purchasing power parity (PPP).

The Effects of Alcohol on the Body Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Effects of Alcohol on the Body - Term Paper Example The present research article highlight the impact of alcohol on the various organ and organ systems of human body. As soon as the alcohol is consumed, it enters the blood stream. 70% of the human body is made up of water and alcohol is distributed in this water content. Organs which require plentiful blood supply to work in an appropriate manner, such as brain, are badly affected. Various other active organs like heart, liver, kidneys etc are also affected. Essentially, need to understand the impact of alcohol on various organs is of paramount significance. Introduction Since the dawn of human civilization, use of drugs and alcohol became an inevitable part of life to relieve sufferings and have a contented and happy life. Human beings possess a craving for good food items which not only generate a good feeling but also act as a stimulant. This was pertinent to making them look for substances which alleviated their mood. Discovery of fermentation served as a landmark which paved the way for alcohol production. With time, alcohol production has taken new paradigms and has become a part of culture as social drink while others became addicted to the same. Consumption of alcohol is harmful in its natural form, besides, human temperament to enhance the potency of the compound, the natural flavor was altered and things started taking a new shape and composition to provide mood swing and to deflect the feelings of stress and anxiety towards good emotions. Gradually, this process took a large form, and now people consume alcohol on a regular basis. Once beneficial in altering the situation of melancholy and dissatisfaction for individuals to feel a new life, alcohol consumption becomes part of their routine forming habit, high consumption is deleterious to health and affects the body system to a greater extent (History of Drug & Alcohol Abuse). Alcohol is a volatile liquid and possess high affinity for water. This makes alcohol highly soluble and thereby alcohol causes depressant effect on central nervous system. It acts as a hypnotic sedative and cause an array of deleterious consequences. Alcohol concentration in blood is signified as BAC or Blood Alcohol Content (Effects of Alcohol on the Human Body). Impact of Alcohol on Human Body Physical Effects of Alcohol Alcohol affects body and brain, implications are observed in the walking styles of the individual as well as way of speaking, in certain cases one may speak meaningless and irrational things. Behaviour of the individual could be out of character. However some of the features may remain with the individual while others may vanish overnight. individuals may display hangover when they wake up. As soon as alcohol is consumed, it irritates oesophagus and stomach, followed by sickness, nausea and in some cases diarrhoea. Alcohol also brings dehydration causing thumping effect (Effects of Alcohol). Appearance Lot of alcohol consumption may result in bloating and dark eye circles, alcohol also l eads to dryness of skin, wrinkles may appear which shows premature aging. Heavy consumption of alcohol leads to the development of acne rosacea resulting in the facial disfiguration, this condition is known as rhinophyma (Effects of Alcohol). Alcohol Poisoning Alcohol consumption results in alcohol poisoning, individual may tend to inhale self vomiting resulting in lung damage,

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

None - Essay Example Furthermore, they respect the ancestors as a sign of adhering to the religion. Paganism is practiced in the modern day world. Some even carry out practices of paganism without realizing. In fact, many practices of paganism have been incorporated in the modern religions. Most religions practice festivals which revolve throughout the year. Pagans celebrate festival according to calendar. This has been adopted by religions such as Christianity. Paganism has the characteristic of using physical objects to represent their gods. This ritual has been adopted by Christians to represent certain aspects of worship. For instance, Catholics use images of Jesus on the cross I their worship. This is not different from paganism. It amounts to worshipping of what one can see (Davy 87). Though there are sacred explanations to these rituals, the fact remain that physical objects are used to make images of God. This is a case whereby the Christians practice paganism but they are not ware. I prefer that they stop using the images. There has been the battle of whether to approve or ban the use of tattoo. Tattoo is a common activity among the youth whereby they draw images on their bodies. Many parents have differed with their children on the matter regarding it an ill activity. Some people have been advocating that the laws should reflect parental rights. This would enable the parents to make decision on whether to allow their children to use tattoos. Many states have laws that make the practice illegal to minors if it is done without parental approval. To be exact, at least 45 states in America have laws that illegalize the use of tattoos among minors (PBS, 1). According to the laws, the people who perform the tattoo are considered as the violators. The law is appropriate. The state gives parents an opportunity to exercise control over their children. Children should make such life decisions with the consent of parents. Children should not be allowed to make

Macro Economis - Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Macro Economis - - Essay Example Macroeconomics As noted above, this present paper is based on the concept of macroeconomics, which has been described by Bauman and Klein (2011) as the branch of economics that majorly deals with the wider perspective of the national economy rather than a single segment of the economy. With reference to the writings by Mankiw (2011, p23) macro-economic is stated as â€Å"a branch of economics that focus on the trends and movements in the entire economy,† and some of these movements and trends concern employment, inflation, price levels, rate of growth, national income, and gross domestic product of a particular country, or region/ economic block. In comparison to the other branch of economics, Chung et al. (2007) stated that microeconomics mainly focus on smaller aspects of the economy such as the behaviour of consumers and business organisations, and how this affects quantities and prices within a particular market. According to Buiter (2010), even thou the field of macroecon omics is broad, it largely focuses on two critical areas of studies, which include the study on the causes and repercussions of short-run business cycles on the national income and the study on determinants of long-run economic growth. Dale et al. (2010) stated that usually the central government as well as the large corporations, utilise macroeconomic forecasts and models primarily to develop and evaluate economic policies and business strategies. Macroeconomic objectives In the previous sub-section, it was stated that macroeconomics is simply a branch of economics that focuses on the wider aspect of the economy; however, Keynes (2011) further added that macroeconomics also concerns itself with the conscious and deliberate management of economic variables within an economy in order to attain certain objectives. It is of essence to note that macroeconomics relies on three critical policies to attain its objectives, and these policies include the monetary policies, fiscal policies an d supply-side policies. Monetary policies are defined by Krugman and Wells (2009), as measures that are adopted by the central government through the central bank in order to increase or decrease the supply of money in circulation while fiscal policies are the policies of the central government, which focus on the country’s budget and especially issues pertaining to borrowing and taxation. As for supply-side policies, they are mainly devised to ensure that the market works efficiently. According to the writings by Bauman and Klein (2011), they wrote that the top objectives of macroeconomics include price stability, exchange stability, full employment, growth of the economy, and the balance of payment equilibrium. a) Price stability According to Buiter (2010), the maintenance of price stability is crucial to the national economy because higher price levels contribute to various problems pertaining to consumption, distribution, exchange, and production. For example, inflation d istorts economic calculations as well as expectations and it generates varying problems in different sections of the economy. Moreover, Buiter (2010) stated that during inflation creditors lose while debtors gain. Furthermore, inflation strains the relationship between capital and labour, and the distribution of national income becomes

Does globalization threaten cultural diversity Essay - 2

Does globalization threaten cultural diversity - Essay Example Indeed, inter-dependency of resources, including economic pressures, labor, cultural competency, market compulsion etc. are important imperatives that give thrust to the process of globalization. People move from one country to another to exploit opportunities for personal and professional growth which has resulted in multicultural societies. Big businesses look for new opportunities across globe to expand their business and revenues. This necessitates understanding of people and their culture so that they can interact with empathy and develop mutual respect for peaceful existence. Thus, globalization helps people become more understanding of other cultures and promotes acculturation to become part of mainstream society of the host country. Julia Galeota’s main argument is that globalization is actually promoting American hegemony and directly and indirectly is responsible for other cultures to lose their identity under the powerful influence of American values. The economic and military power of America has been an important ingredient that has significantly impacted global market and spread American culture across national borders. She claims that globalization has brought in more multinational companies in the developing and under developed countries and popularized their products. McDonald’s burgers and Coca Cola are easily available across the globe and people are increasingly learning English to adapt to American way of life. It contends that technology and media have been vital propellants that have helped America’s monopoly in global environment which has motivated people to adopt American ways, including goods and services, which has threatened the survival of their own unique culture and values. Phillipe Legraine argues more rationally and looks at globalization with greater insight and wider perspective of development. He rightly asserts that when American businesses expand across globe, they localize their products to suit the requirements of people. Thus, MTV in Saudi Arabia and China does not focus on the latest hip hop or rock music of America but adapts itself and showcases local music. They could experiment and mix but primarily they cater to the local demands. In America also, the cultural diversity is emphasized because of the changing socio-economic and political compulsions. The world is changing fast and inter-dependency of resources has become a reality. Cultural diversity not only provides firms and individuals with more leverage to compete but the nations also benefit because of the unique talents that diversity brings with it. Globalization has given a big boost to industrialization and development and created platform for equity and equal opportunit ies in all spheres of life and therefore has promoted the causes of cultural diversity. Answer 3 Julia Galeota’s assertion that globalization has threatened cultural diversity to certain extent supports Samuel Huntington’s view that the dominating source of conflicts would be cultural (Huntington, 1993). Huntington believes that civilization, as highest cultural grouping of people where people gain different identities within the broader precinct of their national identities, can also become main issue of conflict in the modern world. For example, Galeota says that China, Cube and

Field Experience report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Field Experience report - Assignment Example Visiting Smithsonian Air and Space Museum may be a profitable affair to school boys and girls of different grades and in the process of studying a large number of subjects. In present days Smithsonian Air and Space Museum preserves a big number of showpieces, what have been mentioned above. To the quantity of these artifacts we may append â€Å"historic aircraft and space artifacts† and also â€Å"engines, rockets, uniforms, spacesuits, balloons, artwork, documents, manuscripts, and photographs† (Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, 2014). Any child while observing such variety of showpieces intended to visit this place one more time. It should be admitted that visiting Smithsonian Air and Space Museum will be rather useful and curious for the High School children that acquire the 8 Grade in their schools. The matter is that pupils have 13-14 years old in that time, and in such case they are able to percept the information and represented artifacts in serious dimension. Museum under investigation introduce artifacts that bear serious information, and smaller children may not understand all significance of presented ideas. It is the fact that cannot be claimed about pupils of the 8 Grade, as at that time they make first steps on the road of adult life. That is why my position represents the concept that visiting such serious place will be interesting and useful for High School children. The subject that is chosen is considered to be History. Smithsonian Air and Space Museum contains artifacts and documents that may provide a helping hand for students in the space of historical evidences. This museum represents â€Å"the collection of rare and historically significant aircraft and spacecrafts† that may seem to be useful and relevant materials for students who are interested in the history of USA (Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, 2014). Moreover, for those students who

Italian Baroque Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Italian Baroque - Assignment Example He introduced tension and high drama through the technique of chiaroscuro that brought into sharp focus (almost like a spotlight that is used highlight action or an actor on stage) the main protagonists of the event and chose to immortalize the most poignant moment of the episode – the actual act of murder – by capturing the scene when the killer is about to thrust the blade in the torso of the fallen saint. The saint, it appears, recoils as he falls thus possibly signifying the ultimate victory of Christianity and the parallel placement of the killer’s arm and the angel’s outstretched hand perhaps implies instant martyrdom and sainthood of Saint Mathew. The killer is unaware of the angel and only Saint Mathew can view it thus hinting at his divinity. The marvelous use of light and shadow depicts the bystanders and their sense of horror in one blinding flash as if lightning struck when the murder took place. The painting appears to capture that poignant mo ment of high drama and unbridled emotion as only a masterpiece can. Critics are of the opinion that Caravaggio was hugely influenced by the large scale grandeur that was so very common in creations during high renaissance period and some say that he was very heavily inspired by The Martyrdom of St Peter the Martyr by Titian while executing his The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew. The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio is one among the trilogy of immortal exhibits of Baroque school of painting that is so often hailed.

Bipolar Mood Disorder Essay Example for Free

Bipolar Mood Disorder Essay Many people ask, â€Å"Is Bipolar disorder real?† Some people believe that Bipolar Disorder is not real since having mood swings is a common factor in one’s life, especially in adolescence. They also say that all people in one point experience sadness, even the happiest people. But Bipolar Disorder is real. The illness isn’t just about being a little depressed once in a while. Bipolar Mood Disorder, or manic depression, is a serious mental disorder that causes a person to have dramatic changes in his/her mood, ability to function, and energy level. It can cause damaged relationships, risky behaviors, and even suicidal tendencies in one’s life if left untreated. The illness consists of the changing of mood between two emotional stages; mania and depression. Although the person alternates between these two episodes, at one point he/she may experience normal moods. Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder was first noticed in the second century, making it one of the oldest known illnesses. The first symptoms of mania and depression were recognized by Physician Arateus of Cappadocia, an ancient city in Turkey. He felt that mania and depression could be linked to each other and that they both were different types of the same disease. Mania is one of the symptoms of bipolar disorder. It divides into two categories; hypomania and mania. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania. During hypomania, one may feel extremely good, excited, and excessively happy. One feels like they can accomplish anything. â€Å"At first when Im high, its tremendous ideas are fast like shooting stars you follow until brighter ones appear All shyness disappears, the right words and gestures are suddenly there uninteresting people, things become intensely interesting. Sensuality is pervasive, the desire to seduce and be seduced is irresistible. Your marrow is infused with unbelievable feelings of ease, power, well-being, omnipotence, euphoria you can do anything but somewhere this changes.† This phase does not last forever. For someone who is bipolar, hypomania can evolve into actual mania, or depression. During Mania, one can go from being happy to feeling furious, irritable, and aggressive. Some symptoms of mania include increased reckless behaviors, talkativeness, sudden shifts from being happy and joyful to being hostile, restlessness, racing thoughts, and excessive energy. Aside from mania, the other symptom of bipolar disorder is depression. During depression, one may feel sad, guilty, anxious, hopeless and/or worthless. Other symptoms of depression include loss of energy, loss of interest in things one used to enjoy doing, difficulty concentrating, feeling restless and agitated, insomnia, changes in appetite, and thoughts of death and attempting suicide. Types of Bipolar Disorder There are many types of Bipolar Disorder; Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymic disorder, and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. In Bipolar I, one goes through severe mood shifts from mania to depression. Bipolar II is a milder form of Bipolar II, containing milder episodes of hypomania that then can evolve into severe depression. Cyclothymic disorder consists of brief periods of depression that last shorter and less extensive than full episodes of depression. Last is rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. The illness is described as rapid-cycling when one has more than 4 episodes in less than a 1-year period. The shift of polarity from mania to depression in rapid-cycling can be in one week, or even as short as in a day. The rapid-cycling pattern can increase severe depression and suicidal thoughts. Causes of Bipolar Like any other psychological disorder, there is no exact cause of Bipolar Disorder. It can contribute from many different factors, the main ones being biological, genetic, and environmental. Scientists believe that primarily it is caused from biological factors. This is because in people who are bipolar, some of their brain’s neurotransmitters, which are the chemical transmitters of the brain, don’t function properly. Another factor that contributes to Bipolar Disorder is genetics. Bipolar Mood Disorder tends to run in families, so if one’s parent has bipolar disorder, he/she is 15-25% more likely to inherit the illness. The last factor that causes bipolar is environmental influence. Factors in life such as major stress or a life-changing event can trigger a biological reaction, thus making one develop Bipolar Disorder. Treatment Treatment is available to anyone who suffers from Bipolar Mood Disorder. The illness is often treated with medications. When prescribed medications, the patient is required to take daily medications such as mood-stabilizers. They are the most effective solutions for Bipolar Disorder, along with Lithium. Psychotherapy also plays an important part in treating the illness. If considering counseling, you can consult your family doctor. They may recommend psychotherapy, and prescribe medications for the disease. Other professionals one can visit are psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists with a professional degree in the field of the brain. Mood Stabilizers Mood Stabilizers have the ability to decrease the severity of depression and mania, and also decreases the frequency in which they happen. The most common type of mood stabilizer is Lithium, which has been known for helping people who deal with mood swings for years. Conclusion Bipolar Mood Disorder is actually a serious mental disorder which causes one’s mood to shift dramatically in a period of time. The symptoms of bipolar include mania, which is the high, and depression, which is the low. The illness can affect one’s mood, behavior, and way of living, and can also make concentrating difficult. Depending on the type of the disease, one can change mood in months, weeks, or in days. Bipolar Disorder can be caused from many factors, including genetic, biological, and environmental. Many people suffer from this illness, but luckily there is a solution to improving it. With medications and psychotherapy, one can regulate their mood swings and their severity, making Bipolar Disorder easier to deal with.

The Environmentally Sustainable Transport

The Environmentally Sustainable Transport Sustainable transport or green transport refers to any means of transport with low impact on the environment, and includes non-motorized transport, like walking and cycling, transit oriented development, green vehicles, car sharing, and building or protecting urban transport systems that are fuel-efficient, space-saving and promote healthy lifestyles. Sustainable transport systems make a positive contribution to the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the communities they serve. Transport systems exist to provide social and economic connections, and people quickly take up the opportunities offered by increased mobility. The advantages of increased mobility need to be weighed against the environmental, social and economic costs that transport systems pose. Transport systems have significant impacts on the environment, accounting between 20% and 25% of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are increasing at a faster rate than any other energy using sector. Road transport is also a major contributor to local air pollution and smog. The social costs of transport include road crashes, air pollution, physical inactivity, time taken away from the family while commuting and vulnerability to fuel price increases. Many of these negative impacts fall disproportionately on those social groups who are also least likely to own and drive cars. Traffic congestion imposes economic costs by wasting peoples time and by slowing the delivery of goods and services. Traditional transport planning aims to improve mobility, especially for vehicles, and may fail to adequately consider wider impacts. But the real purpose of transport is access to work, education, goods and services, friends and family and there are proven techniques to improve access while simultaneously reducing environmental and social impacts, and managing traffic congestion. Communities which are successfully improving the sustainability of their transport networks are doing so as part of a wider program of creating more vibrant, livable, sustainable cities. Definition: The term sustainable transport came into use as a logical follow-on from sustainable development, and is used to describe modes of transport, and systems of transport planning, which are consistent with wider concerns of sustainability. There are many definitions of the sustainable transport, and of the related terms sustainable transportation and sustainable mobility. One such definition, from the European Union Council of Ministers of Transport, defines a sustainable transportation system as one that: Allows the basic access and development needs of individuals, companies and society to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health, and promotes equity within and between successive generations. Is Affordable, operates fairly and efficiently, offers a choice of transport mode, and supports a competitive economy, as well as balanced regional development. Limits emissions and waste within the planets ability to absorb them, uses renewable resources at or below their rates of generation, and uses non-renewable resources at or below the rates of development of renewable substitutes, while minimizing the impact on the use of land and the generation of noise. Sustainability extends beyond just the operating efficiency and emissions. A Life-cycle assessment involves production and post-use considerations. A cradle-to-cradle design is more important than a focus on a single factor such as energy efficiency. History: Most of the tools and concepts of sustainable transport were developed before the phrase was coined. Walking, the first mode of transport is also the most sustainable. Public transport dates back at least as far as the invention of the public bus by Blasà © Pascal in 1662. The first passenger tram began operation in 1807 and the first passenger rail service in 1825. Pedal bicycles date from the 1860s. These were the only personal transport choices available to most people in Western countries prior to World War II, and remain the only options for most people in the developing world. Freight was moved by human power, animal power or rail. The post-war years brought increased wealth and a demand for much greater mobility for people and goods. The number of road vehicles in Britain increased fivefold between 1950 and 1979, with similar trends in other Western nations. Most affluent countries and cities invested heavily in bigger and better-designed roads and motorways, which were considered essential to underpin growth and prosperity. Transport planning became a branch of civil engineering and sought to design sufficient road capacity to provide for the projected level of traffic growth at acceptable levels of traffic congestion a technique called predict and provide. Public investment in transit, walking and cycling declined dramatically in the United States, Great Britain and Australasia, although this did not occur to the same extent in Canada or mainland Europe. Concerns about the sustainability of this approach became widespread during the 1973 oil crisis and the 1979 energy crisis. The high cost and limited availability of fuel led to a resurgence of interest in alternatives to single occupancy vehicle travel. Transport innovations dating from this period include high-occupancy vehicle lanes, citywide carpool systems and transportation demand management. Singapore implemented congestion pricing in the late 1970s, and Curitiba began implementing its Bus Rapid Transit system in the early 1980s. Relatively low and stable oil prices during the 1980s and 1990s led to significant increases in vehicle travel from 1980-2000, both directly because people chose to travel by car more often and for greater distances, and indirectly because cities developed tracts of suburban housing, distant from shops and from workplaces, now referred to as urban sprawl. Trends in freight logistics, including a movement from rail and coastal shipping to road freight and a requirement for just in time deliveries, meant that freight traffic grew faster than general vehicle traffic. At the same time, the academic foundations of the predict and provide approach to transport were being questioned, notably by Peter Newman in a set of comparative studies of cities and their transport systems dating from the mid-1980s. The British Governments White Paper on Transport marked a change in direction for transport planning in the UK. In the introduction to the White Paper, Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that We recognize that we cannot simply build our way out of the problems we face. It would be environmentally irresponsible and would not work. A companion document to the White Paper called Smarter Choices researched the potential to scale up the small and scattered sustainable transport initiatives then occurring across Britain, and concluded that the comprehensive application of these techniques could reduce peak period car travel in urban areas by over 20%. A similar study by the United States Federal Highway Administration, was also released in 2004 and also concluded that a more proactive approach to transportation demand was an important component of overall national transport strategy. Environmentally sustainable transport: Transport systems are major emitters of greenhouse gases, responsible for 23% of world energy-related GHG emissions in 2004, with about three quarters coming from road vehicles. Currently 95% of transport energy comes from petroleum. Energy is consumed in the manufacture as well as the use of vehicles, and is embodied in transport infrastructure including roads, bridges and railways. New York City has an astonishing 5,900 buses with over 2.69 million riders every weekday (NYC Statistics). Lansing on the other has 90 percent of their people riding in personal vehicles. One bus of people is six times more efficient than a car with one person in it. (Weiner, Edward). Taking public transit saves an average household over $6,000 on automobile expenses per year (Victoria Transport Planning Institute). The Michigan Avenue Corridor can adopt this bus use idea very easily, and by doing so they also help lower the unemployment rate. U.S. fleet of light trucks and vehicles account for a little more than one-fifth of the total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions (National Research Council). By placing more bus stops along the Corridor and by offering a wide variety of riding plans, we can change the rising health problems that come from use of trucks, cars and vans. Traffic crashes continue to be one of the largest causes of deaths and disabilities for people aged 1-44 years (Comm ittee on Toxicological and Performance Aspects of Oxygenated Motor Vehicle Fuels, National Research Council). Public transportations are 170 times safer than riding in a vehicle (Driver Safety). Its reported in New York for every 10,000 commuters who leave their cars at home and commute on an existing public transportation service for one year, end up saving around 2.7 million gallons of gasoline (American Public Transportation Association). The continued use of buses as transportation in New York City has proven to help out in every standing aspect. If Lansing could establish a more rigid bus attitude and help to develop more situations where people could ride a bus instead of drive their own car, the changes would be enormous. The Michigan Avenue Corridor is the perfect place to apply this plan and help to cut back on the individual use of vehicles. When trying to fix urban transportation problems there are many possible solutions, but the biggest of which is Improving public tran sportation (Asmaa Ait Boubkr, Gaboune Brahim, and Avel-Li Blasco Esteve). New York City is giving us the numbers and the example, its now necessary to implement these views into the Michigan Avenue Corridor. The environmental impacts of transport can be reduced by improving the walking and cycling environment in cities, and by enhancing the role of public transport, especially electric rail. Green vehicles are intended to have less environmental impact than equivalent standard vehicles, although when the environmental impact of a vehicle is assessed over the whole of its life cycle this may not be the case. Electric vehicle technology has the potential to reduce transport CO2 emissions, depending on the embodied energy of the vehicle and the source of the electricity. Hybrid vehicles, which use an internal combustion engine combined with an electric engine to achieve better fuel efficiency than a regular combustion engine, are already common. Natural gas is also used as a transport fuel. Biofuels are a less common, and less promising, technology; Brazil met 17% of its transport fuel needs from bioethanol in 2007, but the OECD has warned that the success of biofuels in Brazil is due to specific local circumstances; internationally, biofuels are forecast to have little or no impact on greenhouse emissions, at significantly higher cost than energy efficiency measures. In practice there is a sliding scale of green transport depending on the sustainability of the option. Green vehicles are more fuel-efficient, but only in comparison with standard vehicles, and they still contribute to traffic congestion and road crashes. Well-patronized public transport networks based on traditional diesel buses use less fuel per passenger than private vehicles, and are generally safer and use less road space than private vehicles. Green public transport vehicles including electric trains, trams and electric buses combine the advantages of green vehicles with those of sustainable transport choices. Other transport choices with very low environmental impact are cycling and other human-powered vehicles, and animal powered transport. The most common green transport choice, with the least environmental impact is walking.

Reasons for Returning to College Essay -- Personal Narrative, Admissi

Returning back to school was a very natural decision for me. It seemed to be the next logical step in my personal and career goals. My ultimate goal is to be happy and healthy and be a good provider and role model. With that set aside for now, my next goal is to be financially stable and able to provide for my family in ways that my family was not able to provide for me. I definitely expect to work for what I want and earn every bit of it. The most recent motivator was that my company was willing to contribute a huge chunk of the yearly tuition, therefore removing some financial burden. This makes me feel like they truly care about my future and they really want to see me succeed. I have several personal reasons for returning to school. I take my personal goals very seriously. Some might say that I am my own worst critic and I am very hard on myself. I simply feel that I can and will do better and I do not settle for anything but the best out of myself. Ultimately, I have to live with myself and the decisions I make on a daily basis for the rest of my life. I must fulfill my own personal goals otherwise I am not giving myself to others completely. I have very clear and specific personal goals. To begin, I want to be financially stable. By having my degree, I want to be able to get a better job through a promotion thus making more money. I want to be able to help my child pay for college so he doesn?t have to struggle as hard as I did to put myself through school. Plus, m...

Avian Influenza and Its Expected Ramifications Essay -- Disease/Disord

Over the past fifteen years H5N1 influenza (also known as Avian Flu or Bird Flu) has become a common topic of speculation and debate worldwide, causing quite a bit of confusion about its possible impacts on our society. At this point in time it is generally recognized by the international medical community that Avian Flu is bound to become a pandemic, most likely within the next ten years. Research on Avian Flu and its effects have led many scholars to make grave predictions of major global turmoil while a small portion of medical scientists remain skeptical, believing we will have enough time to thoroughly prepare for the outbreak. The one thing that nearly all health professionals seem to agree upon is that the avian flu will surely have a large impact on the development of humankind. To truly understand the threat of this disease and what we must do to prepare for it, we need to look at the issue from multiple angles and consider what the spread of a disease so lethal and so pron e to mutation would mean for our daily lives, health professionals, laws and government procedures, and of course the continuation of the human race. It is necessary in order to understand Avian Flu's impacts on society to first understand what H5N1 influenza is. Like any virus, influenza viruses cannot reproduce on their own the way bacteria can. Technically, viruses aren’t even alive because in order for them to reproduce, they must take over the living cell of another organism. This makes all viral diseases notoriously hard to cure because modern research has yet to reveal a medication or procedure that can kill a virus without killing its host. The best medications that we currently have available to treat viruses can only prevent the virus fro... ...pe.com/viewarticle/757540>. Swain, James C., Linda L. Chezem, Caroline S. Cooper, Kim B. Norris, Carolyn T. Ortwein, Ronald J. Taylor, Fred Wilson, Francis Schmitz, Daniel O'Brien, Clifford Reeves, Elaine Snyder, 13) Thomas, James C., and Siobhan Young. "Wake Me Up When There's a Crisis: Progress on State Pandemic Influenza Ethics Preparedness." American Journal of Public Health 101.11 (2011): 2080-082. ProQuest. ProQuest, 24 Jan. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . 14) Thomas Rhatigan, Joseph A. Trotter, Christopher Billeter, and Lenzing Lahdon. "Guidelines for Pandemic Emergency Preparedness Planning: A Road Map for Courts." CDC.gov. Center for Disease Control, Apr. 2007. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. .

Theatrical Sound Designer :: Essays Papers

Theatrical Sound Designer The sound designer is responsible for handling the audio requirements of a theatrical performance. This includes the creation of sound effect cues, sound reinforcement, mixing, and possibly Foley. â€Å"Sound designers develop the aural, or sound, cues crucial to play’s mood. Running water, traffic, the murmuring of a crowd or the strains of music are the kinds of sound effects used as an integral part of a production.† (Mauro p.96) Along with the creation of sound, the sound designer must work in concert with all members of the design team from the lighting designer to the set designer, in order to create a total package. One of the first jobs a sound designer has is to read the script and create an effects cue sheet. A cue sheet is a list of the sound effects needed during a performance as determined by stage direction or intuition, such as a telephone ring, thunder, or the sound of a passing train. These sound effects may be created live during the performance using Foley, but more often than not the sound designer will utilize a keyboard and sampler, a CD player, or even a cassette tape deck. Depending on the theater the sound designer may have to employ some sound reinforcement techniques, such as micing the actors with wireless microphones or placing microphone such as PZMs on or around the stage. All of these signals are then routed through a mixing broad, which the sound designer operates during the performance. Although no formal training is required, experience in audio engineering, music theory, and basic stagecraft would be very beneficial. â€Å"Working in radio or for a studio that dubs sound cues in music could provide excellent experience.† (Mauro p.102) Most literature recommends an apprenticeship for breaking into the business, tacking a position as a sound person for example. A sound person implements the requirements but forth by sound designers and might also be expected to place the microphones and speakers. A sound person can expect to make anywhere from $250 to $1250 a week. (Field p.271-273) Depending on the market and venue a sound designer can expect to make $300-$1000 a week, to $100,000 a show for a Broadway production.

Conclusion Life of Pi Essay

Well this is it, we’re done, and WOW what an ending. I can’t exactly say i was expecting that but does it ever make you think! Sure many would have loved a conclusive conclusion, but personally I enjoy the abstract ending. In the end Martel allows you to choose not only how the novel ends, but also what has happened the entire plot. Through this Martel attempts to depict how a story in one’s eyes may be completely different from another, depending on the person. How one interprets a story is solely up to the individual and as a result the ending puts the entire story up for debate. Personally I feel that the story including the animals is â€Å"what really happened† simply because that is what i choose to believe. The concept of choosing, or in Martel’s words rather â€Å"leaping†towards decisions is one in which Martel forces the reader to endure in the end of the story. Rather than just cruising through the book (life) Martel forces the reader to make a decision, whatever that decision may be. Besides the ending blowing my mind, throughout the book i greatly appreciated Martel’s writing skills. The insertion of extremely descriptive imagery allows the reader to greatly empathize Pi’s story, resulting in a dire want to continue reading. Overall I greatly enjoyed the novel and would greatly recommend it. P.S I would expand on what has happened in the recent chapters but do not want to ruin the book for anyone who has not read it yet.

An Analysis of the Correlation Between Socioeconomic Status and Obesity Essay

Conflict theory is based entirely in power and how those in power do all they can to hold the majority of the population down and to keep them from gaining power, so as to secure their own position. Conflict theorists would say that obesity is a product of the living conditions, stress and poor quality of food and health education. Obesity is seen as deviant and problematic and therefore conflicts with the ideal society of being fit and thin. The more obese the less power and stature you have in society. Conflict theorists might say that those that are in power, law makers, Fortune 500 CEO’s, for example, make cheaper good, make goods more unhealthy, and so the poor might only be able to afford cheap, unhealthy bulk food and become susceptible to obesity. Conflict theorists might say that food education might be controlled by larger government forces, for example the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture. These are the members of society who look out for their own bottom line and corporate interests from sponsors and lobbyists. They might limit education about food intake and what is healthy and unhealthy, they might suggest certain foods like beef or milk is healthy to appeal to the dairy industry, to keep our politicians funded with billions of dollars in donations. There is also the argument that by keeping people obese it allows for discrimination at work, in which they must work harder at getting raises because they cannot keep up with their thinner counterparts. Obese people have difficulty with their social lives and early death and numerous health complications that might further ensure the status of the powerful few at the top of the food chain. The Structural Functionalism theory argument is that obesity is a necessary part of society. Functionalist’s major argument is that everything that exists must have a meaning and must be useful towards society as a whole. Functionalists might argue that obese people will bring attention to the problems in health care and obesity might help in teaching those in power more our emotional connection to food and to further explore man’s relationship with eating and nourishment. The obese population might inspire others to be healthier and might inform and educate society as a whole about the dangers of obesity and its overall impact. Functionalist would say that to the obese would be bring an overall benefit to society. The symbolic interactionist theory demonstrates the effects towards obese people when they feel they are being perceived in a negative or unflattering way. The verbal and nonverbal cues that a fit or thin person demonstrates might create an obese person to withdraw even further from society and or turn to food as a coping mechanism thereby increasing weight. Obesity is most correlated to social discrimination and a feeling of being unworthy or weak due to the inability to resist food, for personal and emotional reasons. Obesity in society is a symbol of unhealthiness and unattractiveness which produces feelings of disgust, but obesity is a symbol in and of itself because our society makes us associate those things with obesity. There are cultures and societies around the world where being obese means status and power and it was seen as sexy and desirable. Everything we do is socially constructed as is our reactions and treatment of obese people.