Airbus A3XX- Developing the World's Largest Commercial Jet (A) Case Study

Airbus A3XX- Developing the World's Largest Commercial Jet (A) - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that there was a risk in terms of the upfront investment required for the project and also the uncertainty of demand, made this decision are a critical and daunting one. The response on the earlier orders had been a positive one but the hitch being the fact that initial orders do not imply long-term demand. As it is launch customers are offered hefty initial discounts. The delivery was not to take place before 2006 and there were very airlines that were willing to order more planes 5-6 years in advance. This made it even more difficult for Airbus to decide on the launch if it could not reach its pre-launch target of 50-100 orders. The aviation industry is a very risky one. There is no grey in this industry; it’s either black or white. Every 3-4 years, one has to put the business at a stake and if a launch failed then the consequences can be as drastic as culminating into an exit demand from the industry. In recent years, companies like Glen Martin, General Dynamics, and Lockheed have met the same fate. Irrespective of the risks lying ahead of it, Airbus went ahead with the launch. Now the deal would be to rectify and work upon the issues on the way and ensure that the launch is successful. Boeing which would be one of its biggest competitors would also have something ready up its sleeves to counter the launch. This threat can also be not denied. They would bring down the prices of their 747s or come up with a new version of 747. Given, their status in the industry, Airbus will have to counter the threat received from their end. Even the projected costs of the venture have been stipulated to be 13 billion dollars; some critics believe that it would shoot up to 15 billion dollars. The financial success of Airbus thus depends on their ability to drive enough early sales home through the learning curve effect.

Child Observation, A Reflective Report

Child Observation, A Reflective Report As a student social worker, I was required to complete a Child observation over a period of six weeks. In order to prepare I had to decide the child and family I wanted to observe, on this occasion I decided I would observe a child from a mixed race back ground of age 0-12 months. The child I observed was 12 months from a single parent family and had three older siblings, the observation took place at her home after I acquired consent from the mother I started my task. It was essential to understand what observation was and I determined that it is an informed way of viewing or looking at something that raises awareness and increases understanding. At the start of the observation I felt very uncomfortable being in unfamiliar territory, I felt that it was unfair for me to subject this family to my own values, principles and prejudices. Although I felt that my chosen environment in which to observe was the right one, I had great concerns of my lack of experience and how the family would respond to me as an outsider in their lives. I was also very anxious about how this process would affect me as a parent and my parenting skills or lack of it was an intense moment. I questioned whether my role as an observer was really necessary but I had to get understanding of what observation was and meant to me. Trevithick (2012, pg: 169) stated that we learn a lot by observing others and as such learn what is being transmitted through tone of voice, volume, intonation, posture and gestures. As I observed the child I realised that I learnt a great deal not only as an observer but as a mother and reflection on my own childhood, upbringing and previous job role. There was a great deal of thought about the emotional impact of the observation on myself as the observer. Firstly I learnt the importance of observation, I realised that it was very essential to watch and listen than to speak because a great deal is achieved by watching, listening and being silent. Baldwin (1994, pg 83) stated through observation one is hearing and valuing the voice of the observed, and I believed that without words being said there was a connection between the child and I. (ability to remain detached to suspend judgement and refrain from participation, being aware of feelings and attitudes evoked, not initiating interaction, Precise recording which distinguishes what actually happened from what interpretation, Secondly I learnt that observation is a skill that is learnt and acquired with training and practice. Before this task as a family support worker I was required to observe people and make decisions, I had no prior train or knowledge but I did it .In addition Fawcett (2009 pg 16) stated that We learn much from our observations but we must accept that what we see is the tip of the iceberg.Observation assists the observer to get a better understanding of the childs internal and external world. Furthermore had a great awareness of the environment I was in and of verbal and non-verbal interaction between the child and parent as well. Fawcett (2009 pg 17) conquers as she states that observation is a rewarding chance to discover ways that people communicate and also how different gestures mean different things in different cultures. I was more aware of how power and hierarchies operate and how relatively powerless position of children, and this is clearly emphasised by (Fawcett 2009 pg18). Despite the advantages of the observation there were a few disadvantages such as: I felt that one hour was a very short time and I was not getting the whole picture from the family. The observation was taking place on Friday and that was a lot of time in between visits. Inexperience was a big deal because I continually observed the child as a mother I was unable to detach my role as a mother with my role as a student. Healy (2012 pg 34) argued that it is a practice which recognises the centrality of the emotions, body and mind of the worker and service user. It is essential to note that while there may be a few disadvantages as social workers the skill of observation is crucial to the day to day practice (Tanner 1995 pg 50). As part of the process I had to present my findings to the group and use PowerPoint presentation on reflection I learnt a great deal. As a social worker one requires good written and verbal communication skills and I believe that through presenting to the group I demonstrated the skills above. Stogdon Kiteley (2010 pg 147) emphasised that contributions to discussions and note- taking is the beginning of acquiring these skills. The feedback given to others made the subject area and what was expected clearer in the presentation. In practice we are given feedback from service users and colleagues this was a preparation process for what is expected. The importance of keeping eye contact and the audience interested in the subject matter, I had to ensure that the group was clear on the points that were being made. Verbal presentation by individual students is a chance to increase, advance and offer different methods of learning in the lectures, visual presentations. I had the benefit of the feedback and expertise, not only from the lecture but from my peers as well. My peers had an opportunity to ask questions and this helped me make my points clearer. By presenting to my peers, I was able to get constructive ideas which I used in order to make changes to the final draft. I also learnt that it is important to provide constructive feedback and how essential critical thinking was during this process. Furthermore I gained insight into other areas of child observation. The disadvantage of presenting was that it I felt time was too short and it took time for me to limit my information to present. I was very emotional and nervous and this may have come across during my presentation. During the observation I picked up from the mother that the childs father was not there for the first six months .Furthermore she stated that he only came to see the children when he felt like and on most occasions unannounced. On the two occasions that he came round as a woman and mother, I was very angry and disgusted by his behave and I felt that he was not a good parent. I then reflected back to my childhood and the close relationship I have with my father and this made me cross. As I observed him and the attachment he had with his children I realised that we are all human and can only do our best and I had no right to Judge him. This was a lesson for me and to realise that in practice there may be situations that will test my values beliefs and that I have to deal with them in a professional way. Gibbs (1998 pg 9) stated that it is from feelings and thought emerging from reflection that generalisations or concepts that allow new situations to be tackled effectively. Thomas and Pierson (1995pg 16) define anti discriminatory practice as a term used in social work training to describe how workers account of structural disadvantage and seek to reduce individual and institutional discrimination on grounds of race, gender, disability, social class and sexual orientation. Observation was listed as one of the five key stages that influence social work because it helps the worker to see and what to look for beyond race and gender (Howe 1987 pg 82).Thompson (1997 pg 34) model of anti à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"oppressive practice demonstrates the three areas that are joined personal prejudice, cultural beliefs and ethos and social and structural factors. When working to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child the family, environmental factors, parenting capacity and a childs development are looked at which provides holistic view of a child. As social workers vital and complex decisions are made based on observations therefore it is essential that the skills t o observe and assess are achieved. This is due to the fact that decisions and actions have far reaching consequences it helps to come to objective conclusions while dealing with a family. In social work practice all children and their families should be treated the same regardless of their colour, gender, race or religious beliefs. On reflection the observation was a learning curve ready for actual practice.

The Amistad Essays -- American History Essays

The Amistad The Amistad was a Spanish ship built in Baltimore for the purpose of transporting slaves. For three years, it sailed the high seas delivering its cargo to various locations. But in August of 1838, a scandalous injustice was uncovered after the ship was seized by an American vessel, the USS Washington, a coast guard ship under the command of Lt. Thomas R. Gedney. Lt. Gedney and his crew towed the Amistad into a New England harbor in Connecticut where soon many controversies amounted and drama would unfold. For 63 days, the Amistad had been drifting toward the American shoreline. As conditions deteriorated aboard the vessel, it's inhabitants at the time, Africans, sick and dying, were in need of food and water. Desperate, they took a chance, anchored the ship and went aboard land in hopes of trading with natives, the ships cargo for needed supplies. On land, they were confronted by two sea captains, one of whom was named Henry Green. Green convinced the Africans that he would help them sail back to Sierra Leone. Having an ulterior motive, he intended to get a hold of the ship, sail it into port and claim it's cargo for salvage. However, before Green could carry out his plan, the USS Washington arrived, boarded the ship, took the Africans captive, and towed the vessel into New London, Connecticut. Two Spaniards, Montes and Ruiz, were found aboard the ship and told their side of the story. They claimed the Amistad was traveling with their property of 53 African slaves to Cuba from Havana, when on the fourth day of their voyage the slaves escaped their chains and took control of the ship. Fearing death, they bargained with the slaves promising to return them to Africa, when in fact, they purposely steered the ship ... ...with the aid of Lewis Tappan and his missionaries, money was raised and the Africans traveled home. In conclusion, I think it is important to note that during the last trial, it was brought out that the Spanish government was aware, as well as, involved in the illegal slave industry happening on her islands. Also, that Montes and Ruiz were well aware that they had purchased the Africans illegally, as all of their dealings were done under the cover of night. Furthermore, that once the Africans returned to Africa, many left the missionaries and returned to their villages and their native ways. Bibliography Cable, M. Black Odyssey: The Case of the Slave Ship Amistad. New York: The Viking Press, 1971. Jones, H. Mutainy on the Amistad: Thje Saga of a Slave Revolt and Its Impact on America, Abolition, Law & Diplomacy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.

Laissez-Faire Racism Essay

In â€Å"Racial Attitudes and Relations at the Close of the Twentieth Century,† Lawrence Bobo discusses the concept of laissez-faire racism. Laissez-faire racism describes how racial attitudes in America have shifted from the overtly racist policies of Jim Crowe racism to more subtle forms. As opposed to during the Jim Crowe era when African-Americans faced blatant racism like segregation, they now face underlying racism educationally, socially, and politically. The four main characteristics of laissez-faire racism, as described by Bobo, are â€Å"a continued acceptance of negative racial stereotypes; a belief in a level playing field; the belief that due to this level playing field, anyone can succeed by working hard and playing by the rules; and our country’s belief in justice, so our country’s people behave consistently according to just principles. † Although there are many instances of this within the institutional policies and practices in our country, the two main examples that best illustrate the concept of laissez-faire racism are education and the criminal justice system. The most prominent example of laissez-faire racism is our country’s education system. Although clearly our country does not still have overtly racist policies such as the separate but equal doctrine, there is still a clear disparity between the education received by white Americans and African-Americans and other minorities. The fact of the matter is, African-Americans and other minorities are still living in poorer neighborhoods, in which the quality of schools simply does not compare to those in richer neighborhoods. Students are held to lower expectations at these schools. The textbooks and curriculum are outdated, and job resources are not available to these students. The drop out rates are much higher for African-Americans and minorities, SAT scores are much lower, and overall success rates simply cannot compare to those of white Americans living in richer neighborhoods with better schools. A second example of laissez-faire racism lies within our criminal justice system. There is a huge disparity in the death penalty between African-Americans and minorities as compared to whites. The chances of receiving the death penalty are much higher if an individual is African-American and convicted of murder than if that same individual was white. The facts are even more repulsive when analyzing victimology. If a white person kills a black person, the odds of them getting the death penalty are slim. If a black person kills a white person, the odds are significantly higher. The disparity lies in how we value a life, depending on the color of an individual’s skin. Bobo came to two conclusions based on data collected throughout his research. For one, the United States â€Å"has experienced a genuine and tremendous positive transformation in racial attitudes† . However, he also concluded that â€Å"racial discrimination remains a barrier to the full economic, political, and social participation of African-Americans in institutions† . The fact that discrimination continues to remain a barrier to the participation of African-Americans in society can be clearly seen by the two examples mentioned. So, the question remains: how do we fix this situation? How can these problems be addressed to achieve greater racial equality? In order to address the issue of education, our country must create a way to fund all schools equally. Although the federal government does give money to public schools across the country, schools in each district are mostly funded by the taxpayers living in that district through property taxes. This leads to a small amount of money that is dedicated to schools in poorer districts, and a larger amount of money dedicated to schools in richer districts. The results of this policy are very obvious when comparing the quality of schools in richer districts to that in poorer. There are a few ways that this policy can be crafted. The policy created by our government could direct more aid to schools in poorer districts in order to improve their infrastructure and curriculum, thereby improving quality of their students’ performance. The policy could also redirect education money from richer districts to poorer districts, which would have the same effect. Either way, a policy needs to be put into place in order to get more money to the schools in these poorer districts, which need the money the most. In order to address the issue of the death penalty, our criminal justice practices must be analyzed. There must be a solid standard for what type of crime receives the death penalty, so that minorities do not face the death penalty at higher rates than white Americans. There should be strict guidelines for who receives the death penalty, with no subjectivity. For example, if Congress passed a law that required the death penalty for all premeditated first-degree murders, the law could not be applied broadly based on the biased judgments of a jury. A white man who commits first-degree murder would be subject to the death penalty, just like an African-American man, or any other minority individual for that matter. And this is just an example. Laws must be concrete and inflexible, that is, unable to be bent by a jury in order to hold minorities to stricter standards than that of white Americans. Essentially, to white people, race is something that has been dealt with as seen by the â€Å"level playing field† that supposedly exists today. To African-Americans, race is a constant reality that they must face every day. This idea continues to be reemphasized through our laissez-faire racist policies in education and our criminal justice system. By eliminating this subtle discrimination and other policies like it, our country will be able to fully move on from our discriminatory past and achieve greater racial equity.

International business project: A case of Mexico Essay

Mexico is the most populated Spanish speaking nation in the world and comes third in population in the Western hemisphere. Mexico holds more than 100 million inhabitants. In the early years of its history the government had embraced the protectionists policies of trade in order to motivate industrial growth and therefore ensure growth in the domestic economy. Unfortunately under these policies the country underwent a decline in living standards and inflation. The debt crisis in the year of 1982 that saw the country fail to meet its debt obligations primarily aggravated the challenges in the economy especially half way into the mid 1980’s (Pasco 72-73). The Mexican government therefore in the late years of 1980 adopted measures that were aimed at restructuring the country’s economy. The country’s efforts consequently shifted to trade liberalization and privatization of industries that were previously state owned. Privatization of infrastructures such as rail roads, natural gas distribution, telecommunications, electricity and the airports among others took place extensively. The country proceeded to make economic policy reforms in the early 1990’s consequently attracting large amounts of foreign investment cash. However in 1993 the flow of capital from foreign countries started to decline majorly as a result of political uncertainty and an exchange rate that was overvalued. The declined levels of international levels subsequently led to peso devaluation. By the last months of 1994 the country was experiencing a currency crisis forcing the government to take on the floating exchange rate system. The result was a deep recession of the economy six months later. The aftermath of the recession saw the government restructure the system again to create conditions that would hasten the recovery of the economy. An emergency package was received form the World Bank and a plan that increased value added tax, fostered budget cuts and even tighter monetary policies was implemented. Subsequent years saw the country increase its exports and softened the impact of the recession. The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in 2006 was 4. 8 percent but decreased to 3. 3 percent in the year 2007 and further down by approximately 1% in the year 2008. Mexico has not been left out and the country is significantly feeling the effects of the worldwide economic downturn. Economists forecast the contraction of its GDP this year by 2. 6 percent the sharpest ever contraction since the 95 crisis. The country is currently experiencing job losses, cut production capacities in plants and poverty levels have also short up with more than 5 million people living in impoverished conditions (Field 32-41). # Mexico’s trade position with Canada The trade relations between Canada and Mexico have strengthened because of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The trade flows between the two countries has shown an impressive gradual increase in the not less than nine years existence of the agreement. The results have now made Mexico, to become Canada’s major trading partner within the Latin America region. The country also ranks fourth as Canada’s trading partner in the globe after United States (US), China and Japan. For Canada, Mexico has become a very important destination and is positioned as Canada’s third biggest market for its exports. On the same note Canada in 2002 appeared on Mexico’s lists as the number five largest foreign supplier. The countries have continued over the years to strengthen their trade ties and now Canada is the first supplier of Mexican agricultural, mineral and metal products. On the other hand high production standards of Mexico have made it Canada’s top supplier in vehicles, agricultural goods and electronic equipment. Consumers in the two countries have taken advantage of the relations to access a wide range of affordable goods. On the other hand Mexico also has good trade relations with other countries such as the United States. America is basically the leading creditor and trade partner for most counties in the Latin region. The two countries are closely linked such that Mexico as a country is the most exposed to the U. S economy and any changes in it would largely affect the Mexicans. More so 80% of the Mexican exports find there way to America. Additionally the Mexican economy is greatly supported by the remittance from its working citizens who are in the United States, (Field 32-41). The remittances actually account for not less than 3 percent of its GDP and they form the second largest source of income to the nation after oil exports. The country has also taken advantage of its skilled labor force to attract high technology investors from the United States. The sectors in which America has invested in Mexico include the telecommunications, transport and agricultural industries to mention just a few. # Membership in trade blocks. Trade blocks play a very critical role especially when it comes to international trade negotiations. Mexico for example is a member of the G20 trade block which constitutes of other members such as Argentina, India, Brazil, Pakistan, China, South Africa. , Philippines, Bolivia, Thailand, Venezuela, Chile, Zimbabwe, Paraguay, among others. The G20 is developing countries grouping that resulted from the world trade talks in Cancun in the year 2003. The group is led by major exporters and countries that are rapidly growing such as India, China, Brazil, and South Africa making it strong and with the capacity to compete with the US and EU in trade negotiations. G20 has been noted for its emphatic rejection of the proposal by the EU to include competition and investment as critical elements in trade talks. The group has also been emphasizing that before they make any agreements on reduced tariffs for manufactured goods or services the rich nations must first put concessions on agriculture. Additionally Mexico together with the United States and Canada form the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The Agreement addresses the issues of labor, environment, trade and investment. Even then the Agreement has been criticized by some US environmental groups and unions who claim that its safeguards are weak. It was consolidated in the year 1992. The aim of the agreement was to remove trade tariffs on products for a period of not less than 15 years and at the same time limit trade contacts with outsider countries in the globe. The agreement was also expected to increase and enlarge their farmers markets and stimulate economic growth. Recently there have been calls to renegotiate or suspend the Agreement after fourteen years in operations. Clearly though Mexico has benefited from its membership in the block, which is said to be the among the world’s richest blocs. It has for example acted to increase Mexico’s amounts of exports, and also increase the amount the country receives from the United States in terms of foreign direct investments (Pasco 72-73). The agreement has also led to an increase of job opportunities for Mexicans also accompanied with an increase in wages especially in the areas with most foreign investors. #4 Governments position on trade and foreign investment In the past few decades Mexico has transitioned from a closed economy to an open economy. The policy of open trade has enabled the country to face the challenges brought by the economic slow down and financial markets that are not stable. In early years of the 80’s the country took a step towards unilaterally liberalizing its economy. The country then took domestic measures with the aim of encouraging foreign investment and deregulating business activities. In the early 90’s the country embraced the country took the initiative of opening its markets by undertaking international trade negotiations with the principles of reciprocity and balance in mind. The country has currently signed various bilateral investment agreements and not less than nine international free trade. The result has been export oriented growth and industrial competitiveness. The policies have also led to preferential market access of their exports to more than 800 million consumers that benefit from their exports and have additionally opened up new investment opportunities. Generally the Mexican strategy of free trade agreements has been critical in improving its competitiveness on a global scale, increased trade and long term growth. Its current network of trade agreements can be said to be the major cause of the impressive trade flows in the country. Mexico appears among the ten largest trading countries in the world. In 2003 for example the country had exports costing not less than $165 million. Basically its quantity of exports has tripled since 1993. Mexico has also been transformed to become a manufacturing export center courtesy of trade liberalization. Currently most of the country’s exports are largely manufactured goods a change from the early 80’s when the greater percentage of exports was oil. Their young productive labor together with the measures of investment protections and tariff elimination are among the factors that have encouraged foreign investments making it a manufacturing hub. Their auto, electronics and textile and apparel industries have industries have been the most beneficiaries of trade liberalization (Pasco 72-73). . # Reasons why Canadian companies should trade/invest there and reasons why they should not. Mexico comes across as a very viable country for Canada to invest in. Among the reasons are its strategic position, economic indicators, policies that aim at encouraging foreign investors and a conducive environment for investment among many others. The country is made up of 32 federal States of which each is free and sovereign and its territory extends to not less than one million square kilometers. The country borders Guatemala, Belize and the United States. The country additionally hosts more than one hundred million inhabitants of all religious affiliations meaning that all beliefs are represented without bias though the majority of the population is Christian. Spanish is the official language of Mexico although it has more than 66 kinds of languages. The country currency is called Peso. The country’s place of location allows it to supply the markets in North America and also to have access to potential world inputs and modern technologies. The Jalisco, Quintana Roo, Colimo are among the federative entities whose populations greatly participate in economic enhancement. Its population consists of not less than 1 million unemployed citizens. The country is endowed with an attractive investment environment even as demonstrated by the following statistics: in 2007 the country was ranked as the 12th largest economy in the world by the virtue of its GDP; with regards to its oil reserves it appears as number 17 globally; additionally the country is a very important tourist destination ranking eight globally in this regard. Moreover the country is among the top ten countries in the world that benefit most from foreign direct investment. Additionally their fiscal and monetary policies have served to ensure that the country enjoys periods of macroeconomic stability with reference to the recent years. In fact it was named the best Latin American country in terms of favourable business conditions and placement of foreigners’ capitals. The stable economy that it has enjoyed has led to it accommodating not less 30,000 foreign companies. The economic stability therefore makes it a good destination for conducting profitable business. In order to attract more investment the country has a consolidation of several sectors of production which include of industries such as the automobiles industry which was ranked 7th globally, electronic industry, telecommunications industry, the information technology and software industry. These sectors provide different kinds of opportunities for Canadian investors. The country additionally has good relationships business wise with other countries in the global scenario. This has allowed it to have preferential access to the markets in Israel, North America, and the European Union just to mention a few. The preferential access it enjoys combined with its cheap yet young and qualified labor force make the country a lucrative destination for investment by Canadians. The Bilateral Investment Treaties that the country has signed should be an attraction enough for Canadian investors. Through these treaties the country offers legal protection and security to it foreign investors. Moreover the country offers a low risk return combination that guarantees the investors markets access prevailing conditions of macroeconomic stability, transparency and political stability. Additionally investors have the opportunity of benefiting from the high quality inputs offered at affordable prices, growing domestic markets, and wide array of trade agreements. In spite of this Canada may not need to invest in Mexico because of the fact that Mexico is among the top countries with high levels of corruption in the region. Any country with high levels of corruption is should be scary to investors because it simply implies that investors will have to spend more than is necessary in order to get value for their money. The effects of corruption in fact go way past the monetary costs. The country also suffers from poor infrastructural networks although the government is taking steps to ensure that infrastructure is improved to allow investors to have access to any market and on time. The country is also consumed by the culture of drug abuse among its especially productive population. This means that in a way the investor security can not be guaranteed. The country also has strict legal and regulatory frameworks that may serve to impede the speed by which an investor can establish his business. The effects of agglomeration also may work to hinder any Canadians that would want to invest in Mexico. In conclusion Mexico would be a wise choice for any investor, this is because the country has done everything to ensure that its business people will not only be able to access the internal but also the external markets especially through the many trade agreements it has signed. This means that all the established businesses in the country have the potential to operate profitably.

Fight the Good Fight Against Creeping Errors

Fight the Good Fight Against Creeping Errors Fight the Good Fight Against Creeping Errors Fight the Good Fight Against Creeping Errors By Mark Nichol Editing, the skill set practiced by the other half of my writer/editor dual personality, is a pleasurable pursuit for me. It enables me to practice problem solving, help people express themselves, and improve my own writing. But as I peruse some of the prose I examine professionally more than a million words each year I repeatedly come across banal but annoying errors that baffle me. There are corollaries of these mistakes in every profession, and in the personal compartments of one’s life. They’re the editorial equivalent of finding that the toilet seat has been left up. (I’m sure you can think of cognates in your experience.) These are among those indefensible editorial errors that seem to perpetuate themselves like a virus, inconsequential in isolation but aggravating in the aggregate. One irritating error I find often is the intrusive framing of a name in commas when it is an appositive of a preceding description of the person named, as in â€Å"The exhibition showcases the work of photographer, Mathew Brady, who produced many iconic images from the Civil War era.† This mistake is rarely replicated in well-edited publications. Unfortunately, many people are corrupted by its ubiquitous appearance in not-so-well-edited publications, and it is thus passed on to infect others. (This error is no doubt influenced by a superficially similar and correct construction: â€Å"The exhibition showcases the work of the photographer, Mathew Brady, who produced many iconic images from the Civil War era.† This is correct form only if the photographer has already been referred to as such in a previous sentence without being named. Also, some publications precede an epithet describing a prominent person with the as in â€Å"The exhibition showcases the work of the photographer Mathew Brady, who produced many iconic images from the Civil War era† though the insertion is an unnecessary affection but notice that the name is not set off by a pair of commas.) Many other examples of such evergreen errors exist, including words misspelled (definately in place of definitely), imperfectly rendered because they’re imperfectly heard (supposably substituting for supposedly), unnecessarily augmented (irregardless, when regardless is sufficient), or faultily combined (alot instead of â€Å"a lot†). The persistent prevalence of these mutations is baffling, considering that the correct forms are found in any self-respecting publication. But the answer must lie in the explosion of email and texting, the proliferation of blogs and websites with less-than-rigorous editing, and the erosion of editorial quality in traditional print publications. The only defense against deterioration of grammar, syntax, usage, spelling, and punctuation standards is careful writing and careful editing with the assistance of good role models, knowledgeable editors, and reliable reference sources. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Computer Terms You Should Know36 Poetry Terms1,462 Basic Plot Types

Health Policy A Critical Analysis

Health Policy A Critical Analysis Executive Summary The Australian Health Care System faces many challenges that affect efficient delivery of services. The challenges range from lack of a clear distinction between the roles of the State, Commonwealth, and the private sector. Issues of persistent health insurance wrangles, influx of untested technologies, little emphasis on preventive health care, and prohibitive cost are the other challenges.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Health Policy: A Critical Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Palmer and Short (2000), the apparent lack of good policies has worsened the situation. With clearly spelt out responsibilities between the Commonwealth, State, and private sector, stakeholders in healthcare will contain the problems inherent in the system. Dr. Andrew Southcott, the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Health Care, in the run-up to the 2013 election, proposed a raft of refo rms in the health care sector. If elected, the opposition coalition promised to review the structure upon which the State delivers primary care. The opposition was concerned that in spite of heavy funding, Medicare Locals do not deliver quality and uninterrupted services. The proposed health policy will inevitably have social, political, economic and epidemiological effects. Socially, the policy will affect access to primary care especially by those in the low economic substratum. Economically, the health policy portends little expenditure by ensuring resources are spent in a transparent and accountable manner. The policy will however face resistance from health care providers and lobbyist who will see it as a threat to their economic lifeline. Introduction Gardner and Barraclough (2002) identify the origin of Australia’s Health Care problems to the paradox of â€Å"the federal government financing a medical care system where most services are provided by private practitione rs† (54). Like in other states, government ought to have high levels of control over a program that falls under its financial purview. It is against this background that the opposition coalition sought to exercise more authority in policymaking especially with Medicare locals. Through its shadow parliamentary secretary for primary health care, the coalition expressed desire to ensure that Medicare locals follow the general medical practice. The proposed reforms also sought to ensure that more funding goes to clinical services rather than administrative functions of Medicare locals. Additionally, the federal government sought to oversee all tendering processes and ensure disruptions to clinical services are non-existent. The Medicare Local spokesperson expressed displeasure with the move citing that the Medicare locals are the true essence of decentralized services. Further, the organization lambasted the opposition coalition for planning to deny local communities access to cli nical services in spite of the strong benefits of scale in the Medicare locals’ favor.Advertising Looking for assessment on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This paper will demonstrate that the proposed health policy is not the panacea to challenges bedeviling health care system in Australia but the coalition needs to consult and circumspect before full adoption. To do so, the paper will apply economic, social, political, and epidemiological yardsticks. Proposed Health Policy: Analytical Perspective Political Perspective The originators of the Medicare Locals idea wanted to take clinical services closer to the communities. They gave local practitioners total control over the program despite the funding by federal governments (Barraclough Gardner, 2008). Over years, the system has entrenched itself into Australia’s health care psyche to an extent that any disruption or change will elici t resistance. From a political perspective, opposition coalition’s proposals will face resistance from professional monopolists, corporate rationalists, and community interests. The reaction by the Medicare Locals association fired the first salvo when it accused the opposition of â€Å"putting at risk the very real opportunity for communities to have, for the first time, health services tailored directly to their local demands† (Patrick, p.32, 2013). It is evident that medical professionals are for the retention of the status quo. The other resistance came from corporate rationalists and community interests. A good example is insurance sector. Health care pundits cite insurance lobbyists as a great obstacle in reforming the sector, all over the world (Taylor, Foster, Fleming, 2008). With the proposed reforms, insurance profits will plummet as they hide most of their cost within administrative rather than clinical functions. Insurance cartels thrive through stringent bureaucracies in the health sector. If such bottlenecks diminish, federal government will force cartels out of business. Designers of Medicare Locals envisaged a devolved health care in which communities will have considerable control over clinical services and facilities within their neighborhood. Community interests will therefore oppose the move with all their might. Economic Perspective The proposal by the opposition coalition sought to minimize cost and maximize efficiency of Medicare Locals. This underpins the success of any health policy. By funding and auditing the locals, the federal government will ensure hegemony in clinical services and reduce disruption of services. Rather than allow clinical services, there should be concerted efforts form the federal government to ensure that service providers do not treat health care as a commodity (Gauld, 2005). However, limiting federal funding to clinical services, and excluding administrative services, will be a financial burden to Medicare Locals and subsequently, the communities.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Health Policy: A Critical Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As it currently stands, Medicare Locals charge a fee for services they render to customers. Taylor, Foster, and Fleming (2008) indicate that in 2007, Medicare Locals charged a combined 16.5 billion Australian pounds. In contrast, the federal government managed a paltry 8.5 billion Australian pounds from levies on Medicare Locals. In essence, therefore, practitioners at Medicare Locals make a lot of money by charging a fee, an aspect that can diminish quality of services in attempt to serve many people. Financial incentives are leading to poor services in what the initiators intended to be quality services closer to the people. The health policy by the opposition will exacerbate this situation. Medicare Locals will pass on this extra burden to consumers, furthe r taking primary health care services beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. A great concern in Australian health care system is the little concern with preventive health. Rather, the system is reactive, focusing more on treatment of illness. Proponents of Medicare local structured it to take primary health services to the communities but the focus on â€Å"pay-for-service† has provided an incentive towards curative rather than preventive services. This perpetuates rather than curb the myriad challenges the paper referred to at the beginning. Will the health policy by opposition coalition curb this malady? The answer is a resounding no. The new policy proposes to recognize â€Å"general practice as the cornerstone of primary care in the governance structures† (Development O. F. E. C. O. A., p.34, 2013). The policy effectively takes the health care system to where it was before 1980s. Decentralization of primary health aims to suit clinical and preventive services to th e needs of the local communities. The health policy intends to take this away. As much as there are challenges in the system, the coalition has gotten it wrong on how to fix it. Ramon (2005) criticized the reforms that the government initiated for â€Å"dumping† all services to the Medicare locals and thus setting them up for failure. The opposition is proposing this same path. Epidemiology Perspective Taylor, Foster, and Fleming (2008) propound that a sound health policy, from an epidemiology perspective, should â€Å"promote intersect oral collaboration, coordination, partnership, and community involvement† (54). Further, the designers and proponents should structure it in a way that places emphasis on preventive health. The health policy that the opposition proposes is failing in this respect. Understandably, a press release cannot provide data to back up a supposition. However, the coalition, in subsequent debates, failed to provide evidence how imposing general pr actice in Medicare Locals will contribute to preventive health.Advertising Looking for assessment on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sociological Perspective Any policy, and more so a health policy, should be focused on promoting equality and be mindful of cultural value. The health policy by the opposition coalition is more inclined towards the financial perspective more than any other thing. The assumption seems so be that stringent financial discipline will improve health care system, which may not necessarily be the case. The originators of the Medicare Locals wanted equality and accessibility in provision of primary health care. Any improvement would therefore go towards making health care even more affordable to many people. The Aborigines for instance are a marginalized group and Medicare Locals strife to provide tailor-made clinical services for the group (Bell, 2010). Any health policy should be towards make it more accessible. The health policy therefore ought to go towards increasing funding to clinical services as well as catering for the administrative cost (Lofgren, De Leahy, 2011). The current pra ctice in which practitioners offer services based on the financial capabilities only serves to perpetuate the discrimination. Good Policy: Winners and Losers After analyzing the four perspectives, it is incumbent to review characteristics of a ‘good’ policy against the one the opposition coalition is proposed. The first one is access and affordability (Lewis, 2003). The health policy does not commit more resources to health care but it is refreshing to note they want accountability and transparency in the current amount. However, the policy fails to scrap the system that provides financial incentive to practitioners out of numbers served rather than quality. A ‘good’ policy should be economically efficient and geared towards public interest accountability. One cannot help but feel a sigh of relief at the thought that the federal funding will go towards clinical services. In spite of the apprehension that practitioners may pass the administrative cost burden to patients, it is refreshing that the quality may improve. The policy is, however, a blanket statement by an aspiring opposition and it would have been prudent for them to give an indication that they will invite various stakeholders for consultations and deliberations. Conclusion In conclusion, it is instructive to note that Australian health care system problems are many and only a multi-pronged solution will work. The solution should outline proper delineation of the roles of different stakeholders within the sector. The federal government, by dint of being the funder, should have its way when it comes to policy but it should consult other stakeholders (Enright Petty, 2013). Health care in many countries is struggling because of unscrupulous cartels that want to take advantage of unsuspecting patients. The government, including the opposition, should work out a formula that elevates the health of its citizens against corporate interests. However, there should be no attempt to reverse decentralization of health care in Australia. References Barraclough, S., Gardner, H. (2008). Analysing health policy: A problem-oriented approach. Sydney: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. Bell, E. (2010). Research for health policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Development, O. F. E. C. O. A. (2013). Waiting time policies in the health sector: What works?. S.l.: Organization For Economic. Enright, M. J., Petty, R. (2013). Australias Competitiveness: From Lucky Country to Competitive Country. Hoboken: Wiley. Gardner, H., Barraclough, S. (2002). Health policy in Australia. South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press. Gauld, R. (2005). Comparative health policy in the Asia-Pacific. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Lewis, M. J. (2003). The peoples health. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Lofgren, H., De, L. E. J. J., Leahy, M. (2011). Democratizing Health: Consumer Groups in the Policy Process. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Pub. Palmer, G. R., Short, S. D. (2000). Health ca re public policy: An Australian analysis. South Melbourne: Macmillan Education Australia. Patrick, A. (2013). Downfall: How the Labor Party ripped itself apart. Sydney, N.S.W: HarperCollins Publishers. Ramon, S. (2005). Mental health at the crossroads: The promise of the psychosocial approach. Aldershot [u.a.: Ashgate. Sorensen, R., Iedema, R. (2008). Managing clinical processes. Sydney, N.S.W: Elsevier. Taylor, S., Foster, M., Fleming, J. (2008). Health care practice in Australia: Policy, context and innovations. South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.

Important Health-Related English Vocabulary

Important Health-Related English Vocabulary Learning to express yourself in English when talking about your health can be difficult. While you dont need to understand the more technical, scientific, or medical language doctors and other healthcare providers use, it is helpful to know basic health-related vocabulary. This page provides some of the most common English  vocabulary used to talk about health and healthcare. Youll find important categories with an example sentence to help show context for each word provided in this vocabulary overview.   Illnesses Ache - The ache is getting worse. What should I do?Earache - Ive got a horrible ear ache today.Headache - I woke up with a pounding headache this morning.Stomach ache - Dont eat too much chocolate or youll get a stomach ache.Toothache - Go to the dentist for your toothache.Cancer - Cancer seems to be the plague of modern life.Cold - People sometimes work if theyve only got a cold.Cough - He has a strong cough. He should take some cough syrup.Flu - Its common to feel aches and pains, as well as have a slight fever when youve got the flu.Heart attack - A heart attack doesnt need to be fatal in modern times.Heart disease - Heart disease affects a lot of families.  Infection - Make sure to clean the wound so you dont get an infectionInfectious disease - She caught an infectious disease at school.Pain - Where do you feel the pain?Virus - There is a virus going around at work. Take lots of vitamins. Minor Injuries Bruise - I have this bruise from hitting myself with a door!Cut - Put a bandage on your cut.Graze - Thats just a graze. Its nothing serious.Wound - That wound needs to be treated by a doctor. Go to the emergency room. Medical Treatment Bandage - Use this bandage to stop the bleeding.Check-up - I have a check-up next month.  Dose (of medicine) - Make sure to take your dose of medicine at ten oclock.Drugs - The doctor can prescribe drugs if necessary.  Injection - Some medicine is given by injection.Medicine - Regularly take the medicine and you should have no problems.Operation - Ron has a serious operation on Friday.  Pain-killer - Opiates are a type of pain-killer that can be very addictive.  Pill - Take one pill before you go to bed.Tablet - Take one tablet with each meal.Tranquilizer - This tranquilizer will calm your nerves so you can rest. People in Healthcare Dentist - The dentist gave me a check-up and cleaned my teeth.Doctor - The doctor can see you now.General Practitioner - Most families have a general practitioner to help them with most needs.  Midwife - Many women choose to have a midwife help with the birth of their baby.  Nurse - The nurse will come in to check on you every hour.Patient - The patient has a broken rib and nose.Specialist - The specialist was excellent but extremely expensive.  Surgeon - Surgeons need to have nerves of steel as they cut into the flesh during an operation. Places in Healthcare Hospital - Ill meet you at the hospital and we can stop in to see Peter whos recovering from surgery.Operating Room - The surgeon entered the operating​ room and began the operationWaiting Room - You can sit in the waiting room until hes finished.Ward - Mr. Smith is in the ward at the end of the hall. Health-Related Verbs Catch - Most people catch a cold from time to time.Cure - It took the doctor six months to cure the illness.Heal - A wound can take a long time to heal.Hurt - The boy hurt his ankle playing basketball.Injure - I injured myself climbing a tree!Operate on - The surgeon will operate on the patient at three oclock.Prescribe - The doctor prescribed an antibiotic to help the wound heal.Treat - Well treat anyone who has a health issue. Health-Related Adjectives Fit - Hes a fit young man. He shouldnt be worried.Ill - Unfortunately, she looks ill today.Sick - Do you feel sick?Healthy - Eat healthy food and get regular exercise.  Unhealthy - Eating fatty foods and lots of sweets is very unhealthy.Painful - The painful arm was held in a cast.Unwell - Many students are feeling unwell.Well - I hope you get well soon.

Robert Flaherty & American Documentary (1920's) Essay

Robert Flaherty & American Documentary (1920's) - Essay Example The book written in 1922 has been produced as a video but its production faces various controversies that are worth noting (Barnouw). According to the Inuit, spears were used in hunting during those times before the influence of the European that led to hunting using guns (Stern). The controversy is that the use of the gun is a European influence. Another controversy is the staging of the players in the film especially the two females which include Nyla and Cunayou his wife and daughter respectively. The actors are not his real wife and child respectively. Flaherty as a filmmaker enjoyed both good and rough moments in his life. he was forced to travel all over the US and Europe and other countries while trying to make his films. He also suffered in terms of proper skill in film production that has led to great critics on his Nanook film. He was ones fired for production of long films. However, his struggle has met several success and to date he is regarded as one of the best filmmakers in the history of US. Amongst some of his works that caught the attention of the Us government is his documentary on US agriculture. Flaherty highlighted the rural life of American, the process of soil erosion, competition between natives and immigrants such as Philippines in terms of agriculture, and rural urban migration not forgetting unemployment and great competition in the agricultural sector in the US. The film industry respects the works of Flaherty and regards him as the pioneer of documentary filming. Flaherty engaged mostly in fiction and non-fiction filming basing most of his stories from books. Some of his works contained poetry and they include Flaherty Island, Belcher Island, and Hudson Bay. After his death, Flaherty is remembered in an international annual event usually held in New York. However, this legacy is argued to be having no effect on recent generations due to the

MIS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

MIS - Assignment Example One is able to follow through the procedure where the supply supplies the business goods and they are paid by the accounts clerk. On receiving the goods, the store is updated (ordered) and the good s available for sale can be sold to a customer. Note that the same location may be shown on successive processes (e.g. Order Clerk in the case of processes 1 and 3). The reason for breaking them down is to show that a decision is taken and the second process is dependent on that. In this case, for example, not ALL orders result in activation of the reorder process - only those where the order requires new stock to be ordered. When creating the DFD caution has to be excised when balancing the data flows. For instance once the store is out of stock, more goods are ordered then purchased. Similarly, numbering system is just a simple way that enables one to tell which processes decompose.It is important to note that those process that decompose are simply broken down but may be joined again at a higher level. Though the diagram does not give a detailed account of some other processes such as what would happen in the event that a credit check fails, it gives a general idea of what basically happens when transactions are made within the business

The Progress of Developed Nations in Utilising Renewable Sources to Coursework

The Progress of Developed Nations in Utilising Renewable Sources to Reduce Reliance Upon Traditional Fossil Fuels - Coursework Example Many nations are rushing to search for a most developed  state  and, as such, increasing their  industrial  and  domestic  energy use. Domestically, energy use is in lighting and cooking  while industrially, it is for development, manufacturing, and transportation of products (Flavin and Hull, 2011: p.15). The source of this form of energy is  mostly  fossil fuels such as mined coal of which has a significant impact on the environments  productivity  and sustainability. Depletion of these various fossil energy sources is leading to increased exploitations, thus further degrading the environment. An increase in this  phenomenon  is causing considerable distress to the environment and ecosystems which  substantially  impacts back on the  people’s populations (Grover, 1985: p.101). The realization of this is causing most nations to  embrace  renewable energy use in their daily activities. This involves the  invention  of renewable energy us ing gadgets, and modification of the existing gadgets to incorporate renewable energy sources. ... This means that as these energy sources get utilized for various purposes, they replenish their sources almost immediately (Lettice, 2001: p.45). This gives them an advantage because they are readily available for utilization, and also because they do not  damage  the  environment  in terms of degradation. These renewable energy sources include sources such as wind, sun, water, geothermal, and biomass such as energy crops. Historically, the use of  energy  was not dependent on the development of technologies but through the available choices within the environment. This was way before civilization and urbanization. As time went on, people devised new methods through which to  advance  their way of life hence the development of technologies to  process  other energy sources. In the 1940s, it  was discovered  the use of fossil fuels. This continued on advancing through industrialization to urbanization to the current state. The advent of use of renewable energy source was first in Japan; a developed nation,  though,  in those years, it was still developing. It then spread to other developed nations as time advanced. Currently there has been considerable debate on the responsibilities for the  state  of environmental degradation experienced and its  effect  on the welfare of people. Blame  is thrown  among the developed and developing nations.  A serious consideration for the utilization of renewable energy sources started during a  time when  the developed nations realized they play a  particularly  influential  role in the  global  environmental  state.  As such around the 1990s they became  serious  with countries such as the United States and Japan. The choice for the use of renewable energy sources significantly influenced by their availability

Michael Jackson concert review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Michael Jackson concert review - Essay Example Even before the actual performance began, and just the name of Michael Jackson passed across the projector screen, the crowd was already cheering on and celebrating. It is important to note and mention that their ecstasy and joy was excusable because in 1987, no other person in the world had reached the legendary status and position of Michael Jackson in entertainment (OConnor et al 843). The stage arrangement and background details or props were accurate to convey the mood of that particular point in time. The lighting was proper, because the flash lights coincided with the drops of the breakdance put forth by Michael Jackson and his band of performers. In all aspects and fairness, it is safe to assert that the venue was too small for the legendary stature of Michael Jackson. Preferably a soccer stadium could have served well since the status of Michael Jackson was too legendary to be confined to the auditorium. In a way, the band sounded too loud for the venue because the venue was small and stuffed by fans and revelers. Therefore a bigger venue such as a stadium would have allowed the band as a whole to sing and perform by feeding off their musical energy to the revelers and fans. In terms of the set list or the play list, it is proper to mention that it was accurately on point. The songs were arranged in order of their popularity and likeness. The show starter however was a popular song so as to get the audience and the revelers to the performances’’ mood and tune. The performance and show was began by â€Å"Wanna be Starting Something†- which is a blazer and a crowd puller. The first song got the mood of the night and the performance by exciting the audience and the revelers. The preceding songs grew to more energetic and involving songs that the audience could sing along to with ease. My favorite song for the performance stands out to be

Future of education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Future of education - Essay Example Social structured learning tries to adjust new technologies in our old social structures which enable us to adapt them more rapidly. This is an era of smart phones and everybody is familiar with the term ‘app’ so with this concept of social structured learning we can incorporate future education techniques into this already established technology. To quote an example UCLA and USC’s app HyperCitites is a personification of this type of learning; suppose you’re roaming around town and you spot a building by pointing your phone at that building this app would show you its entire history i.e. who lived here before, when was it constructed, how it looked like a century ago and what the environment was like. This type of learning enables students to learn faster as they are already such types to apps to access information of their choice i.e. the nearest restaurants and theaters. The market for mobile education is growing at rapid rate and is currently worth $3.4 billion (GSMA, 2012). But despite this rage of adopting mobile education techniques the main trend in the future of education is the shifting roles of teachers and students. The main advancement will be from the teacher in classroom centric model to the world being the students’ class. Students will use the technology they are most equipped with and learn at their own pace hence, adapting to their strengths and weaknesses. The coming revolution in the world of education is the entire remaking of the teacher-student-classroom model. Instead of the conventional way in which the teacher stands at the front of the classroom and lectures the students, the teacher would keep an eye on the progress of students while assisting those students who need any further guidance on an ad-hoc basis. These way teachers would be able to give time to students who want to do something advanced while also having

Interprise and innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interprise and innovation - Essay Example Inviting thousands of athletes around the world to participate in various sports competitions is bound to create not only new job and business opportunities for many people but also the re-development and improvement of the public transportation, hotels, and other related infrastructure such as the Wembley Stadium, the All England Club at Wimbledon, the Greenwich Park, and the Earls Court among others (London 2012, 2010). In line with this, the large traffic of people who look forward to attend the Olympic Games attracts few of the large-scale companies to promote their consumer products to the public. Coca-cola is one of the official sponsors or Worldwide partners of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games (London 2012, 2010b). Based on UK demographic profile of UK’s prospective audiences, this report will tackle the proposed Coca-Cola product suitable for a target audience during the Olympics. Eventually, the number of perceived substitutes and the proportion of income spent on goods will be tackled to determine the PeD for Coca-Cola during a major event like the Olympics. Using a diagram, the effects of advertising the proposed Coca-Cola product will be assessed as to whether or not the advertising impact could cause the demand curve to shift to left or right. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games LOCOG aims to promote global diversity as part of the 2012 Olympic Games strategy (Open. The world in a city. Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, 2008, p. 1). Regardless of age, gender, educational attainment, disability, religion, political, economic, and cultural differences of Coca-Cola’s target audiences, it remains a fact that the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is working together with GLA, Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), UK and London Government, and Trade Unions to ensure that the London 2012 Games will create a sporting environment that is suitable for all audiences (Open. The world

Future of education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Future of education - Essay Example Social structured learning tries to adjust new technologies in our old social structures which enable us to adapt them more rapidly. This is an era of smart phones and everybody is familiar with the term ‘app’ so with this concept of social structured learning we can incorporate future education techniques into this already established technology. To quote an example UCLA and USC’s app HyperCitites is a personification of this type of learning; suppose you’re roaming around town and you spot a building by pointing your phone at that building this app would show you its entire history i.e. who lived here before, when was it constructed, how it looked like a century ago and what the environment was like. This type of learning enables students to learn faster as they are already such types to apps to access information of their choice i.e. the nearest restaurants and theaters. The market for mobile education is growing at rapid rate and is currently worth $3.4 billion (GSMA, 2012). But despite this rage of adopting mobile education techniques the main trend in the future of education is the shifting roles of teachers and students. The main advancement will be from the teacher in classroom centric model to the world being the students’ class. Students will use the technology they are most equipped with and learn at their own pace hence, adapting to their strengths and weaknesses. The coming revolution in the world of education is the entire remaking of the teacher-student-classroom model. Instead of the conventional way in which the teacher stands at the front of the classroom and lectures the students, the teacher would keep an eye on the progress of students while assisting those students who need any further guidance on an ad-hoc basis. These way teachers would be able to give time to students who want to do something advanced while also having

Desert Food Web Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Desert Food Web - Assignment Example Plants such as brittlebushes, creosote bush, bur sage, catclaw, mesquite, rabbit brushes, lyceums, and jujube are abundant in deserts and these are the primary producers in this biome. The primary consumers include rabbits, kangaroo rats, grasshoppers, and ants, etc. The secondary consumers include lizards, snakes, and birds such as burrowing owls and mammals such as bats (craigmarlatt.com). Further, the energy passes on to the tertiary consumers such as the mountain lion, hawks, coyote and the scavengers. In recent decades, human impact on most of the biomes is well recorded. Even with the extreme climatic conditions, today desert dwellers make up about one percent of the world population. As a result of this, there is exploitation of several natural resources and even extinction of species. Human interferences can be seen in the form of agricultural activities, construction, oil and mineral exploitation, roads and transportation, etc. Agriculture demands water supply and the digging of wells has caused the groundwater table to drop in several desert regions. Oil and minerals exploitation takes several million years for its replenishment. There are hardly any regions of the world where humans have not made any changes or human impact is not visible. Desert landscapes have also been changed such as way that desert has turned green with the farmers using irrigation from underground sources as well as rivers. Inland waterways and pipes fetch water from remote rivers to these farms and the manmade vegetation is making use of the abundant mineral source for growth. Further, the oil and mining business support the construction of roads and infrastructures development. Residential apartments for workers and staffs and the air pollution through vehicles have also increased tremendously. Together with the agricultural activities, the increased grazing also posed a threat to the natural desert biomes.  

The Concept of Probability in Mathematics

The Concept of Probability in Mathematics Probability is a way of expressing knowledge or belief that an event will occur or has occurred. The concept has been given an exact mathematical meaning in probability theory, which is used extensively in such areas of study as mathematics, statistics, finance, gambling, science, and philosophy to draw conclusions about the likelihood of potential events and the underlying mechanics of complex systems. The word probability does not have a consistent direct definition. In fact, there are two broad categories of probability interpretations, whose adherents possess different views about the fundamental nature of probability. The word Probability derives from Latin word probabilitas that can also mean probity, a measure of the authority of a witness in a legal case in Europe, and often correlated with the witnesss nobility. In a sense, this differs much from the modern meaning of probability, which, in contrast, is used as a measure of the weight of empirical evidence, and is arrived at from inductive reasoning and statistical inference. History: The scientific study of probability is a modern development. Gambling shows that there has been an interest in quantifying the ideas of probability for millennia, but exact mathematical descriptions of use in those problems only arose much later. According to Richard Jeffrey, Before the middle of the seventeenth century, the term probable meant approvable, and was applied in that sense, univocally, to opinion and to action. A probable action or opinion was one such as sensible people would undertake or hold, in the circumstances.[4] However, in legal contexts especially, probable could also apply to propositions for which there was good evidence. Aside from some elementary considerations made by Girolamo Cardano in the 16th century, the doctrine of probabilities dates to the correspondence of Pierre de Fermat and Blaise Pascal (1654). Christiaan Huygens (1657) gave the earliest known scientific treatment of the subject. Jakob Bernoullis and Abraham de Moivres Doctrine of Chances (1718) treated the subject as a branch of mathematics. See Ian Hackings The Emergence of Probability and James Franklins The Science of Conjecture for histories of the early development of the very concept of mathematical probability. The theory of errors may be traced back to Roger Cotes but a memoir prepared by Thomas Simpson in 1755 (printed 1756) first applied the theory to the discussion of errors of observation. The reprint (1757) of this memoir lays down the axioms that positive and negative errors are equally probable, and that there are certain assignable limits within which all errors may be supposed to fall; continuous errors are discussed and a probability curve is given. Pierre-Simon Laplace (1774) made the first attempt to deduce a rule for the combination of observations from the principles of the theory of probabilities. He represented the law of probability of errors by a curve y = à Ã¢â‚¬  (x), x being any error and y its probability.He also gave (1781) a formula for the law of facility of error (a term due to Lagrange, 1774), but one which led to unmanageable equations. Daniel Bernoulli (1778) introduced the principle of the maximum product of the probabilities of a system of concurrent errors. The method of least squares is due to Adrien-Marie Legendre (1805), who introduced it in his New Methods for Determining the Orbits of Comets. In ignorance of Legendres contribution, an Irish-American writer, Robert Adrain, editor of The Analyst (1808), first deduced the law of facility of error, h being a constant depending on precision of observation, and c a scale factor ensuring that the area under the curve equals 1. He gave two proofs, the second being essentially the same as John Herschels (1850). Gauss gave the first proof which seems to have been known in Europe (the third after Adrains) in 1809. Further proofs were given by Laplace (1810, 1812), Gauss (1823), James Ivory (1825, 1826), Hagen (1837), Friedrich Bessel (1838), W. F. Donkin (1844, 1856), and Morgan Crofton (1870). Other contributors were Ellis (1844), De Morgan (1864), Glaisher (1872), and Giovanni Schiaparelli (1875). Peterss (1856) formula for r, the probable error of a single observation, is well known. In the nineteenth century authors on the general theory included Laplace, Sylvestre Lacroix (1816), Littrow (1833), Adolphe Quetelet (1853), Richard Dedekind (1860), Helmert (1872), Hermann Laurent (1873), Liagre, Didion, and Karl Pearson. Augustus De Morgan and George Boole improved the exposition of the theory. Andrey Markov introduced the notion of Markov chains (1906) playing an important role in theory of stochastic processes and its applications. The modern theory of probability based on the measure theory was developed by Andrey Kolmogorov (1931). On the geometric side, contributors to The Educational Times were influential. Types of probability: There are basically four types of probabilities, each with its limitations. None of these approaches to probability is wrong, but some are more useful or more general than others. Classical Probability: The classical interpretation owes its name to its early and august pedigree. Championed by Laplace, and found even in the works of Pascal, Bernoulli, Huygens, and Leibniz, it assigns probabilities in the absence of any evidence, or in the presence of symmetrically balanced evidence. The classical theory of probability applies to equally probable events, such as the outcomes of tossing a coin or throwing dice; such events were known as equipossible. probability = number of favourable equipossibilies / total number of relevant equipossibilities. Logical probability: Logical theories of probability retain the classical interpretations idea that probabilities can be determined a priori by an examination of the space of possibilities. Subjective probability: A probability derived from an individuals personal judgment about whether a specific outcome is likely to occur. Subjective probabilities contain no formal calculations and only reflect the subjects opinions and past experience. Subjective probabilities differ from person to person. Because the probability is subjective, it contains a high degree of personal bias. An example of subjective probability could be asking New York Yankees fans, before the baseball season starts, the chances of New York winning the world series. While there is no absolute mathematical proof behind the answer to the example, fans might still reply in actual percentage terms, such as the Yankees having a 25% chance of winning the world series. In everyday speech, we express our beliefs about likelihoods of events using the same terminology as in probability theory. Often, this has nothing to do with any formal definition of probability, rather it is an intuitive idea guided by our experience, and in some cases statistics. Some Of the Examples Of Probability: X says Dont buy the avocados here; about half the time, theyre rotten. X is expressing his belief about the probability of an event that an avocado will be rotten based on his personal experience. Y says I am 95% certain the capital of Spain is Barcelona. Here, the belief Y is expressing is only a probability from his point of view, because only he does not know that the capital of Spain is Madrid (from our point of view, the probability is 100%). However, we can still view this as a subjective probability because it expresses a measure of uncertainty. It is as though Y is saying in 95% of cases where I feel as sure as I do about this, I turn out to be right. Z says There is a lower chance of being shot in Omaha than in Detroit. Z is expressing a belief based (presumably) on statistics. Dr. A says to Christina, There is a 75% chance that you will live. Dr. A is basing this off of his research. Probability can also be expressed in vague terms. For example, someone might say it will probably rain tomorrow. This is subjective, but implies that the speaker believes the probability is greater than 50%. Subjective probabilities have been extensively studied, especially with regards to gambling and securities markets. While this type of probability is important, it is not the subject of this book. There are two standard approaches to conceptually interpreting probabilities. The first is known as the long run (or the relative frequency approach) and the subjective belief (or confidence approach). In the Frequency Theory of Probability, probability is the limit of the relative frequency with which an event occurs in repeated trials (note that trials must be independent). Frequentists talk about probabilities only when dealing with experiments that are random and well-defined. The probability of a random event denotes the relative frequency of occurrence of an experiments outcome, when repeating the experiment. Frequentists consider probability to be the relative frequency in the long run of outcomes. Physical probabilities, which are also called objective or frequency probabilities, are associated with random physical systems such as roulette wheels, rolling dice and radioactive atoms. In such systems, a given type of event (such as the dice yielding a six) tends to occur at a persistent rate, or relative frequency, in a long run of trials. Physical probabilities either explain, or are invoked to explain, these stable frequencies. Thus talk about physical probability makes sense only when dealing with well defined random experiments. The two main kinds of theory of physical probability are frequentist accounts and propensity accounts. Relative frequencies are always between 0% (the event essentially never happens) and 100% (the event essentially always happens), so in this theory as well, probabilities are between 0% and 100%. According to the Frequency Theory of Probability, what it means to say that the probability that A occurs is p% is that if you repeat the experiment over and over again, independently and under essentially identical conditions, the percentage of the time that A occurs will converge to p. For example, under the Frequency Theory, to say that the chance that a coin lands heads is 50% means that if you toss the coin over and over again, independently, the ratio of the number of times the coin lands heads to the total number of tosses approaches a limiting value of 50% as the number of tosses grows. Because the ratio of heads to tosses is always between 0% and 100%, when the probability exists it must be between 0% and 100%. In the Subjective Theory of Probability, probability measures the speakers degree of belief that the event will occur, on a scale of 0% (complete disbelief that the event will happen) to 100% (certainty that the event will happen). According to the Subjective Theory, what it means for me to say that the probability that A occurs is 2/3 is that I believe that A will happen twice as strongly as I believe that A will not happen. The Subjective Theory is particularly useful in assigning meaning to the probability of events that in principle can occur only once. For example, how might one assign meaning to a statement like there is a 25% chance of an earthquake on the San Andreas fault with magnitude 8 or larger before 2050? It is very hard to use either the Theory of Equally Likely Outcomes or the Frequency Theory to make sense of the assertion. Bayesians, however, assign probabilities to any statement whatsoever, even when no random process is involved. Probability, for a Bayesian, is a way to represent an individuals degree of belief in a statement, given the evidence. Evidential probability, also called Bayesian probability, can be assigned to any statement whatsoever, even when no random process is involved, as a way to represent its subjective plausibility, or the degree to which the statement is supported by the available evidence. On most accounts, evidential probabilities are considered to be degrees of belief, defined in terms of dispositions to gamble at certain odds. The four main evidential interpretations are the classical interpretation, the subjective interpretation, the epistemic or inductive interpretation, and the logical interpretation. Theory: Like other theories, the theory of probability is a representation of probabilistic concepts in formal terms-that is, in terms that can be considered separately from their meaning. These formal terms are manipulated by the rules of mathematics and logic, and any results are then interpreted or translated back into the problem domain. There have been at least two successful attempts to formalize probability, namely the Kolmogorov formulation and the Cox formulation. In Kolmogorovs formulation, sets are interpreted as events and probability itself as a measure on a class of sets. In Coxs theorem, probability is taken as a primitive and the emphasis is on constructing a consistent assignment of probability values to propositions. In both cases, the laws of probability are the same, except for technical details. There are other methods for quantifying uncertainty, such as the Dempster-Shafer theory or possibility theory, but those are essentially different and not compatible with the laws of probability as they are usually understood. Mathematical Treatment: In mathematics, a probability of an event A is represented by a real number in the range from 0 to 1 and written as P(A), p(A) or Pr(A). An impossible event has a probability of 0, and a certain event has a probability of 1. However, the converses are not always true: probability 0 events are not always impossible, nor probability 1 events certain. The opposite or complement of an event A is the event (that is, the event of A not occurring); its probability is given by P(not A) = 1 P(A). As an example, the chance of not rolling a six on a six-sided die is 1 (chance of rolling a six) . If both the events A and B occur on a single performance of an experiment this is called the intersection or joint probability of A and B, denoted as . If two events, A and B are independent then the joint probability is For example: if two coins are flipped the chance of both being heads is If either event A or event B or both events occur on a single performance of an experiment this is called the union of the events A and B denoted as . If two events are mutually exclusive then the probability of either occurring is For example, the chance of rolling a 1 or 2 on a six-sided die is If the events are not mutually exclusive then Conditional probability is the probability of some event A, given the occurrence of some other event B. Conditional probability is written P(A|B), and is read the probability of A, given B. It is defined by If P(B) = 0 then is undefined. Applications: Two major applications of probability theory in everyday life are in risk assessment and in trade on commodity markets. Governments typically apply probabilistic methods in environmental regulation where it is called pathway analysis, often measuring well-being using methods that are stochastic in nature, and choosing projects to undertake based on statistical analyses of their probable effect on the population as a whole. A good example is the effect of the perceived probability of any widespread Middle East conflict on oil prices which have ripple effects in the economy as a whole. An assessment by a commodity trader that a war is more likely vs. less likely sends prices up or down, and signals other traders of that opinion. Accordingly, the probabilities are not assessed independently nor necessarily very rationally. The theory of behavioural finance emerged to describe the effect of such groupthink on pricing, on policy, and on peace and conflict. It can reasonably be said that the discovery of rigorous methods to assess and combine probability assessments has had a profound effect on modern society. Accordingly, it may be of some importance to most citizens to understand how odds and probability assessments are made, and how they contribute to reputations and to decisions, especially in a democracy. Another significant application of probability theory in everyday life is reliability. Many consumer products, such as automobiles and consumer electronics, utilize reliability theory in the design of the product in order to reduce the probability of failure. The probability of failure may be closely associated with the products warranty. Probability Of Winning A Lottery: Everyone knows that the probability of winning the lottery is a pretty big long shot. How long, however, you probably never really thought about. Your actual odds of winning the lottery depend on where you play, but single state lotteries usually have odds of about 18 million to 1 while multiple state lotteries have odds as high as 120 million to 1. If you have ever thought youd win the lottery, youre not alone. About one out of every three people in the United States think that winning the lottery is the only way to become financially secure in their life. This is a frightening statistic when you sit down and consider what the above odds really mean. Its time to take a long hard look at the chances of you winning the lottery. While winning the lottery may be something that you want, to show you your chances well take a look at a number of remote occurrences that you probably wouldnt like to have happen to you and probably dont think will ever happen to you but are still much more likely to happen to you than winning the lottery. How about the classic odds of being struck by lightning? The actual probability of this happening varies from year to year, but as a good estimate, the National Safety Council says between 70 and 120 people a year die in the US by lightning so lets take 100 as our base. With the US population being approximately 265 million people, that means that the chances of being killed by lightning are roughly 2,650,000 to 1. Not very likely. However you are still 6 to 45 times more likely to die from a lightning strike than you would be to win the lottery. Now nobody really wants to die from flesh eating bacteria, and with odds at about 1 million to 1, the chances that you will die that way are pretty slim. Then again, you are 18 to 120 times more likely to die this way than to win the lottery. What are the chances that if youre playing with a group of four that two of you will get a hole-in-one on the exact same hole? At 17 million to 1, theyre better than the chances of you winning the lottery. What about dying from a snake bite or bee sting? It probably isnt a way that you have imagined that you would leave the earth. Youre a whopping 180 to 1,200 times more likely to die from one of these incidents than win the lottery. Thats because the probability of dying from a snake bite or bee sting is about 100,000 to 1. Now I know that you are not a bad person and you dont imagine finding yourself on death row for a crime you committed anytime soon. Still, its a lot more likely that you will be legally executed than win the lottery. In fact, you are 30,000% to 200,000% more likely to die in a legal execution than to win the lottery. If none of the above has convinced you to stop playing the lottery, then Ill bring out my favorite lottery fact. If you drive 10 miles to purchase your lottery ticket, its three to twenty times more likely for you to be killed in a car accident along the way than to win the jackpot. Flipping Of Coin: Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties. It is a form of sortition which inherently has only two possible and equally likely outcomes. Experimental and theoretical analysis of coin tossing has shown that the outcome is predictable. During coin flipping the coin is tossed into the air such that it rotates end-over-end several times. Either beforehand or when the coin is in the air, an interested party calls heads or tails, indicating which side of the coin that party is choosing. The other party is assigned the opposite side. Depending on custom, the coin may be caught, caught and inverted, or allowed to land on the ground. When the coin comes to rest, the toss is complete and the party who called or was assigned the face-up side is declared the winner. If the outcome is unclear the toss is repeated; for example the coin may, very rarely, land on edge, or fall down a drain. The coin may be any type as long as it has two distinct sides; it need not be a coin as such. Human intuition about conditional probability is often very poor and can give rise to some seemingly surprising observations. For example, if the successive tosses of a coin are recorded as a string of H and T, then for any trial of tosses, it is twice as likely that the triplet TTH will occur before THT than after it. It is three times as likely that THH will precede HHT. Are we likely to be struck by lightning? In the United States, an average of 80 people are killed by lightning each year. Considering being killed by lightning to be our favorable outcome (not such a favorable outcome!), the sample space contains the entire population of the United States (about 250 million). If we assume that all the people in our sample space are equally likely to be killed by lightning (so people who never go outside have the same chance of being killed by lightning as those who stand by flagpoles in large open fields during thunderstorms), the chance of being killed by lightning in the United States is equal to 80/250 million, or a probability of about .000032%. Clearly, you are much more likely to die in a car accident than by being struck by lightning. Probability in Our Lives: A basic understanding of probability makes it possible to understand everything from batting averages to the weather report or your chances of being struck by lightning! Probability is an important topic in mathematics because the probability of certain events happening or not happening can be important to us in the real world. Weather forecasting: Suppose a person wants to go on a picnic this afternoon, and the weather report says that the chance of rain is 70%? Will he ever wonder where that 70% came from? Forecasts like these can be calculated by the people who work for the National Weather Service when they look at all other days in their historical database that have the same weather characteristics (temperature, pressure, humidity, etc.) and determine that on 70% of similar days in the past, it rained. As weve seen, to find basic probability we divide the number of favorable outcomes by the total number of possible outcomes in our sample space. If were looking for the chance it will rain, this will be the number of days in our database that it rained divided by the total number of similar days in our database. If our meteorologist has data for 100 days with similar weather conditions (the sample space and therefore the denominator of our fraction), and on 70 of these days it rained (a favorable outcome), the probability of rain on the next similar day is 70/100 or 70%. Since a 50% probability means that an event is as likely to occur as not, 70%, which is greater than 50%, means that it is more likely to rain than not. But what is the probability that it wont rain? Remember that because the favourable outcomes represent all the possible ways that an event can occur, the sum of the various probabilities must equal 1 or 100%, so 100% 70% = 30%, and the probability that it wont rain is 30%. Bernoulli Trials On Probability: It happens very often in real life that an event may have only two outcomes that matter. For example, either you pass an exam or you do not pass an exam, either you get the job you applied for or you do not get the job, either your flight is delayed or it departs on time, etc. The probability theory abstraction of all such situations is a Bernoulli trial. Bernoulli trial is an experiment with only two possible outcomes that have positive probabilities p and q such that p + q = 1. The outcomes are said to be success and failure, and are commonly denoted as S and F or, say, 1 and 0. For example, when rolling a die, we may be only interested whether 1 shows up, in which case,naturally, P(S) = 1/6 and P(F) = 5/6. If, when rolling two dice, we are only interested whether the sum on two dice is 11, P(S) = 1/18, P(F) = 17/18. The Bernoulli process is a succession of independent Bernoulli trials with the same probability of success. Uses Of Probability In Our Daily Lives: I think we use probability routinely in our daily lives. When you get into a car and drive on public roads, we often assume that we have a low probability of being hit by another car. When you pull out onto a busy street crossing 2 lanes of traffic, you judge the speed of the traffic in those lanes. You assume you have a high probability of judging that speed correctly when you cross those lanes. If you did not make that assumption, you probably would not attempt to cross the lanes for fear of being hit by another car. We assume that we have a low probability of being hit by lightning or a meteor. When you eat with your hands, you assume your probability of getting sick from germs on your hands is low. Or you wouldnt eat with your hands. You could say the same of eating in a restaurant with reference to food you didnt prepare yourself. Within assuming many probabilities, I think wed constantly live in fear of what horrible things might happen to us. Summary of probabilities: Event Probability A not A A or B A and B A given B Other Cases Where Probability Can Be Observed: Youve seen it happen many times-a player in a dice game claims she is due for doubles; strangers discover that they have a mutual acquaintance and think that this must be more than a chance meeting; a friend plays the lottery obsessively or enters online contests with a persistent dream of winning. All these behaviors reflect how people perceive probability in daily life. People who lack an accurate sense of probability are easily drawn in by false claims and pseudoscience, are vulnerable to get-rich-quick schemes, and exhibit many of the behaviors mentioned above. The modeling and measurement of probabilities are fundamentals of mathematics that can be applied to the world around us. Every event, every measurement, every game, every accident, and even the nature of matter itself is understood through probabilistic models, yet few people have a good grasp of the nature of probability. Frequentists talk about probabilities only when dealing with experiments that are random and well-defined. The probability of a random event denotes the relative frequency of occurrence of an experiments outcome, when repeating the experiment. Frequentists consider probability to be the relative frequency in the long run of outcomes.[1] Bayesians, however, assign probabilities to any statement whatsoever, even when no random process is involved. Probability, for a Bayesian, is a way to represent an individuals degree of belief in a statement, or an objective degree of rational belief, given the evidence. Relation to randomness: In a deterministic universe, based on Newtonian concepts, there is no probability if all conditions are known. In the case of a roulette wheel, if the force of the hand and the period of that force are known, then the number on which the ball will stop would be a certainty. Of course, this also assumes knowledge of inertia and friction of the wheel, weight, smoothness and roundness of the ball, variations in hand speed during the turning and so forth. A probabilistic description can thus be more useful than Newtonian mechanics for analyzing the pattern of outcomes of repeated rolls of roulette wheel. Physicists face the same situation in kinetic theory of gases, where the system, while deterministic in principle, is so complex (with the number of molecules typically the order of magnitude of Avogadro constant 6.02 ·1023) that only statistical description of its properties is feasible. A revolutionary discovery of 20th century physics was the random character of all physical processes that occur at sub-atomic scales and are governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. The wave function itself evolves deterministically as long as no observation is made, but, according to the prevailing Copenhagen interpretation, the randomness caused by the wave function collapsing when an observation is made, is fundamental. This means that probability theory is required to describe nature. Others never came to terms with the loss of determinism. Albert Einstein famously remarked in a letter to Max Born: I am convinced that God does not play dice. Although alternative viewpoints exist, such as that of quantum de-coherence being the cause of an apparent random collapse, at present there is a firm consensus among physicists that probability theory is necessary to describe quantum phenomena.