Contamination and Remediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Contamination and Remediation - Essay Example These properties have been passed over to the government for redevelopment. (source) One of these areas is 500 acres of land which used to be a petroleum refinery area. The former owner of the property, the Amoco Oil, together with the Sugar Creek Township would like to apply to the government for remediation of this property. They would like to redevelop this property and turn the 300 acres into a commercial and industrial site. They believe that the development of this property would bring back the value of the property, create job employment, and bring progress to the community. (source) Amoco oil has occupied 500 acres of land on both sides of Sugar Creek. The Missouri River bounds the site to the north, wooded areas are on the East Buff and West Bluff, and residential areas are t the south.(in ASTRA) The Norledge area is adjacent south side of the site. The Alchion Topeka & Santa Fe and the Missouri Pacific railroad lines run through the northern portion of the site. The state and the government provide financial assistance to qualified Brownfield developers as part of the Brownfield Assistance Program. Since Sugar Creek is a partner in this venture, municipal obligation bonds may be issued on a long term maturity to provide sufficient time for development. Amoco on its part of the deal may use corporate borrowings in forms of debt and or equity from shareholders a. Technical viewpoint. The technical side of the remediation is the identification or eligibility of participation of the proponents in the Brown field Cleanup program. A technical assessment will be done by the US EPA if the area qualifies to be in the Brownfield program (Dept. of Conservation) b. Remediation process. Clean up can make use of several process but use of pumps was found appropriate for Amoco’s purpose Initial efforts used a trench-type recovery system

Classical Civilisation Essay Example for Free

Classical Civilisation Essay To what extent can we reconstruct the palace civilisation of Mycenae? What does the evidence tell us about their society and how they lived?  This Golden Age, kept alive by Homers poetry, tells the story of an advanced society during a period in history adorned by wealth and legends, believed to have been circa 1450 to 1100 BC. Assembling the limited evidence reveals the art and architecture of the Mycenaean World. The remains of the palaces show evidence of a rich civilisation. The later Greeks referred to this period as a Golden Age when men were bigger and stronger than they are now (Homers Iliad). This is a fascinating era glorified with heroes and victory, which almost three millenniums later, still captures the curiosity of so many. The evidence used to reconstruct this period is questionable. There are archaeological finds, which include the sites and the artefacts. It is difficult to draw accurate conclusions from these due to their age. Then there are literary sources such as Homers Iliad and Odyssey. The problem with using these sources is that many people believe that Homer lived around 700BC, which means the stories he tells will have been greatly adapted to his period. Additionally, others argue that there is little evidence proving that the books are not purely fictional. Architecture and construction proves wealth and culture. Increasingly influenced by Crete, the Mycenaeans began to build palaces of their own. Initially they modelled them on Minoan architecture. This implies that they sailed across the sea. Later they began to develop huge fortifications. Palaces were built throughout Hellas. The most famous Greek palace of the Mycenaean period was found at Mycenae, the city of the legendary Agamemnon who was anax of the expedition against Troy. Others were found in Pylos, Thebes, Athens and Iolkos. They were logically constructed and shared the same features, which proves there was a link between them. They were obviously not isolated from one another. One may assume Mycenae was the main palace and possibly had a primitive infrastructure connecting it to the other sites.  The centre of the palace was a columned porch called a megaron (figure 1). A throne would have also been found on one side. This implies they had a King who held an important role in society. The first floor appeared to have been used for storage and the second floor was where the women lived. The materials used to construct these buildings include stone blocks, mud brick, bonding timber and plaster, which proves the Mycenaeans were a resourceful, organised society. Their building technique is known as corbelling, where each successive row of stones in a wall is laid further out than the previous one below it. The palace of Pylos was the only one not to be fortified by huge walls, one of the main features of Mycenaean palaces. There were three types of citadels: polygonal (various shaped blocks neatly fitted together), ashlar (squared blocks neatly fitted  Cyclopean walls 2 The Lions Gate   together) and finally the famous cyclopean walls (huge, irregular stones yielding massive walls) called so because they were so large that it was believed only a Cyclops could have built them (figure 3). The walls at the palace of Mycenae, where The Lions Gate was uncovered in 1841, are 1100 meters long, protecting the dominating power of the Peloponnese (figure 4).  These massive defences also show that the Mycenaeans felt the need to protect themselves from external threats. Houses were built below the citadel, which implies a close community. They were generally self-sufficient homes with a kitchen, altar and hearth. Their furniture was varied and frequently included a plaster bench, tables, foot-stoles and even bathtubs. Their homes appear to have been comfortable.  More isolated homes were also uncovered in the hills (i.e. Mouriatada, on the west coast). The constructions were smaller and did not use such high quality masonry but did include a megaron and private houses. One may deduce from this that wealth peaked in and around the palaces. Water supplies were an equally important construction to ensure survival and well-being. The palace of Athens had a well, built within the walls, making it accessible, even if they were threatened by a siege.  The cistern built at Mycenae at the end of the 13th century, extended underground beyond the walls, making it more vulnerable (figure 5).  The Mycenaeans learned from the Minoans, in crafts, in efficient organisation and in writing. This is concluded from the similar architecture, tablets and pottery found. The wave of palace destructions on Crete around 1450 and the eventual fall of Knossos around1375 marked the start of the most flourishing period for the Mycenaeans. New pottery shapes and styles began. They produced three handled jars, kraters (large bowls) and kylikes (goblets with long stems). Backgrounds were being painted red or black as opposed to light, matt tones. Forms appeared more natural, like the Minoan art. They began to use floral decorations.  Next, the Mycenaean Age adopted geometric patterns and abstract forms on its pottery. They made stirrup jars, yet another indication of Minoan influence. As the civilisation reached its height, so did the art. Vases were mass-produced for export as well as for use on the main land. Evidence of objects from afar were found at the Palace of Knossos, in Crete, which shows signs of huge wealth, probably due to the position of the island, the cross road of the Mediterranean in circa 1400 BC. The Mycenaeans were equally as good tradesmen as the Minoans. Their pottery was found in Sicily, Rhodes, Cyprus, Italy, Asia Minor, Northern Syria and Miletus, which suggests they were good sailors and traded with the east Mediterranean and Europe. In some places their influence seems so strong that one could think that they had permanent strongholds there, what we may consider today a colonisation. However, they were not able to enter Asia Minor because of the Hittites, described as a strong, troublesome civilisation.

RENT the Musical :: Rent Musicals Movies Broadway Plays Essays

RENT the Musical There's a scene in the new musical "RENT" that may be the quintessential romantic moment of the '90s. Roger, a struggling rock musician, and Mimi, a junkie who's a dancer at an S/M club, are having a lovers' quarrel when their beepers go off and each takes out a bottle of pills. It's the signal for an "AZT break," and suddenly they realize that they're both HIV-positive. Clinch. Love duet. If you don't think this is romantic, consider that Jonathan Larson's sensational musical is inspired by Puccini's opera "La Boheme," in which the lovers Mimi and Rodolfo are tragically separated by her death from tuberculosis. Different age, different plague. Larson has updated Puccini's end-of-19th-century Left Bank bohemians to end-of-20th-century struggling artists in New York's East Village. His rousing, moving, scathingly funny show, performed by a cast of youthful unknowns with explosive talent and staggering energy, has brought a shocking jolt of creative juice to Broadway. A far greater shock was the sudden death of 35-year-old Larson from an aortic aneurysm just before his show opened. His death just before the breakthrough success is the stuff of both tragedy and tabloids. Such is our culture. Now Larson's work, along with "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk," the tap-dance musical starring the marvelous young dancer Savion Glover, is mounting a commando assault on Broadway from the downtown redoubts of off-Broadway. Both are now encamped amid the revivals ("The King and I") and movie adaptations ("Big") that have made Broadway such a creatively fallow field in recent seasons. And both are oriented to an audience younger than Broadway usually attracts. If both, or either, settle in for a successful run, the door may open for new talent to reinvigorate the once dominant American musical theater. "RENT" so far has the sweet smell of success, marked no only by it's $6 million advance sale (solid, but no guarantee) but also by the swarm of celebrities who have clamored for tickets: Michelle Pfeifer, Sylvester Stallone, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Ralph Fiennes...name your own biggie. Last week, on opening night, 21 TV crews, many from overseas, swarmed the Nederlander Theatre to shoot the 15 youthful cast members in euphoric shock under salvos of cheers. Supermogul David Geffen of the new DreamWorks team paid just under a million dollars to record the original-cast album. Pop artitsts who've expressed interest in recording songs from the 33-number score include Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton and Boyz II Men. A bidding scrimmage has started for the movie rights among such Hollywood heavies as Warner Brothers, Danny DeVito's Jersey Films, Fox 2000 and Columbia. The asking price is $3 million, but bonuses for length of run, RENT the Musical :: Rent Musicals Movies Broadway Plays Essays RENT the Musical There's a scene in the new musical "RENT" that may be the quintessential romantic moment of the '90s. Roger, a struggling rock musician, and Mimi, a junkie who's a dancer at an S/M club, are having a lovers' quarrel when their beepers go off and each takes out a bottle of pills. It's the signal for an "AZT break," and suddenly they realize that they're both HIV-positive. Clinch. Love duet. If you don't think this is romantic, consider that Jonathan Larson's sensational musical is inspired by Puccini's opera "La Boheme," in which the lovers Mimi and Rodolfo are tragically separated by her death from tuberculosis. Different age, different plague. Larson has updated Puccini's end-of-19th-century Left Bank bohemians to end-of-20th-century struggling artists in New York's East Village. His rousing, moving, scathingly funny show, performed by a cast of youthful unknowns with explosive talent and staggering energy, has brought a shocking jolt of creative juice to Broadway. A far greater shock was the sudden death of 35-year-old Larson from an aortic aneurysm just before his show opened. His death just before the breakthrough success is the stuff of both tragedy and tabloids. Such is our culture. Now Larson's work, along with "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk," the tap-dance musical starring the marvelous young dancer Savion Glover, is mounting a commando assault on Broadway from the downtown redoubts of off-Broadway. Both are now encamped amid the revivals ("The King and I") and movie adaptations ("Big") that have made Broadway such a creatively fallow field in recent seasons. And both are oriented to an audience younger than Broadway usually attracts. If both, or either, settle in for a successful run, the door may open for new talent to reinvigorate the once dominant American musical theater. "RENT" so far has the sweet smell of success, marked no only by it's $6 million advance sale (solid, but no guarantee) but also by the swarm of celebrities who have clamored for tickets: Michelle Pfeifer, Sylvester Stallone, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Ralph Fiennes...name your own biggie. Last week, on opening night, 21 TV crews, many from overseas, swarmed the Nederlander Theatre to shoot the 15 youthful cast members in euphoric shock under salvos of cheers. Supermogul David Geffen of the new DreamWorks team paid just under a million dollars to record the original-cast album. Pop artitsts who've expressed interest in recording songs from the 33-number score include Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton and Boyz II Men. A bidding scrimmage has started for the movie rights among such Hollywood heavies as Warner Brothers, Danny DeVito's Jersey Films, Fox 2000 and Columbia. The asking price is $3 million, but bonuses for length of run,

Downs Syndrome (Mongolism) Essay -- Biology Health Science

Downs Syndrome (Mongolism) All children that are born with Downs Syndrome (previously called ‘mongolism’) have a common characteristic appearance and may also share similar congenital birth defects. Dr John Downs, of whom the condition is so named after, found that children who were born with these similar characteristics and that after testing were complete. It was found that there was a common chromosome abnormality, which is known as ‘Trisomy 21’ (Cunningham, 1996). Every pregnant woman is at risk of having a Downs Syndrome child. For example 1 in 1,000 women who are 28yrs will give birth to a child with this condition. However, the risk is much greater with a woman who is 38yrs, increasing the risk by approximately 1 in 200 births. Until recently, it was thought that a woman’s age was the only indicator to the risk involved. However, advances in medical practise can now carry out tests out by looking at a woman’s hormone and protein levels during pregnancy. Also with the information of the expectant mother’s age and the use of maternal screening, two thirds of Downs Syndrome infants can be identified whilst still in the womb. Research into the origins of Downs Syndrome has been carried out worldwide all with one common question in mind; is the condition genetic, thus making it hereditary? However, research that has been carried out has found, that children born with this condition have the same genetic makeup as a child born without the condition. However, there is one difference and that is a child born with Downs Syndrome, will have an extra chromosome. By having just one chromosome extra is enough to tip the finely tuned balance of the human body and will in turn produce physical and intellectual characteristics that are found in Downs Syndrome. It is commonly known that genes are passed from parent to child. And those most have two copies of every gene. In general one copy is passed on from both mother and father at the time of conception. The genes are made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). The arrangement of chemicals in the DNA strand is different for every gene (Cunningham, 1996). The genes are grouped together in long thin, thread like strands called chromosomes. Therefore, it is these chromosomes that carry the essential information, which will determine how we look, how healthy we are and whether there will be c... ...statements in to context, it is meant that essentially this is the ‘social model of disability’. In simple terms, this means that it is the environment (both physically and society’s attitudes), which are the problems and not the condition that leads to physical mental impairments. With this model, the emphasis is on overcoming the negative environments so that a person with different needs, qualities and attributes can feel included in that community. As the human race goes forward into the new millennium, is not time that we pick up those less able and carry them with us, instead of leaving them behind hoping the problem may go away ?†¦ BIBLIOGRAPHY Carr. J. (1995): Downs Syndrome: Children Growing Up. London: Cambridge University Press. Cassell. S. (1996): New Approaches To Downs Syndrome. London: Brian Stratford & Pat Gunn. Cunningham. C. (1996): Downs Syndrome: An Introduction For Parents. London: Souvenir Press. Rees. P. (1992): Heart Children. Surrey: Heart Line Association. Selikowitz. M. (1997): Downs Syndrome: The Facts. London: Oxford University Press. http://www.ds-health.com/trisomy.htm http://www.nas.com/downsyn/benke.html

Books beyond paper

The technological developments in the field of computers and internet have brought in far reaching changes in both at home and the office. Communication through letters has changed over to exchange of e-mails. The vast storage space available in the computer is being utilized for storing text, music, pictures and video in electronic format. Once inside the computer hard disk, they are all digital files consisting of bits of ‘ones’ and ‘zeroes’. Office automation has improved efficiency and has provided cost reduction to survive in a competitive environment. Modern technology is known to have had its impact on every part of our life.It can’t leave the world of books untouched. e-book We are living in the age of information and the internet. This is the period of the knowledge economy. There are several changes that have taken place in the work area. Most of the work is being done using the computer, intranet and the internet. Modern offices have become paperless offices. Faster microprocessors and higher disk space available in the computer has made storage and retrieval of data faster and convenient and this has helped Project Gutenberg to convert texts of classical literature into the digital format (History and philosophy of Project Gutenberg, 1992).The idea was to make books and other information to be made available to the general public. The World Wide Web can be considered as a vast library where all sorts of information is stored and is accessible to anybody from any corner of the world. The websites which form the World Wide Web can be considered as the books or magazines of the virtual library. The websites have different applications such as games, on line shopping, networking, music and video sharing. But there are many websites such as online dictionaries and encyclopedias which have been organized similar to books or printed matter.Some of these websites and the databases can be considered as electronic books (Bradl ey F. James). HTML coding is the standard followed by all websites to accommodate text as well as pictures. A server is a host where the WebPages are uploaded. Hundreds of such WebPages are put together in a common server with a domain name so that they can be accessed easily. The WebPages are interconnected using hypertext links. This has resulted in a network consisting of WebPages full of information on all sorts of topics.Massive work is in progress in adding content to the websites and they are being periodically updated. There are any number of online libraries which host books that can be read on the net. The HTML coded text can be read using the web browsers. In addition there are books that can be downloaded which are generally in pdf format. Adobe Acrobat Reader is the software that is required for reading text in pdf format. Reading a book from a computer screen is not same as reading from the printed book. It is basically the comfort level of the reader.To make the conce pt of the e-book more acceptable and also to provide the reader the flexibility of reading the book as per his requirement, several manufacturers have come up with paperback size portable electronic gadgets that work on batteries. The e-books come in two broad categories; the personal digital assistant (PDA) and electronic reading device (ERD). While PDA is for multi-function use and it is considered as a hand held computer, ERD is specially designed and marketed for reading pleasure. ERD has the provision to download and store the e-book files from a computer hard disk and display text on a screen.For music files mp3 compression became a standard but there is no such standard for e-books. There are as many as 25 different formats which are being promoted by different manufacturers. In addition, the e-books that are commercially made available are with digital rights management (DRM), a form of security to prevent people from sharing without authorization (Rosso Sara, 2009). The ded icated e-book readers use E Ink technology to simulate text printed on paper and ink particles are displayed electronically. There is no need of backlighting of the display. It can be read even in broad day light.Amazon kindle is a product developed by Amazon. com and the second generation model became available in March 2009. There is provision to deliver content directly to the e-book within a wireless coverage area hence a computer is not required to download content. It has features such as choosing text size; the text can be read out either through speakers or headphones while the screen continues to show the text being read; choice of voice can be male or female; dictionary look up for a particular word without disturbing the content; notes made are saved and backed up on Amazon servers.It has capacity to hold thousand digital books, and other text from magazines and blogs. Whatever books purchased from Amazon. com are in a store for the customer and he can download them as an d when he wants through the wireless access provided. All other text files belonging to the user which are in different formats can be uploaded to Amazon where they get converted to kindle format and are available for downloading and reading on the device (Kindle User’s Guide).PRS-700 is the third generation Reader available from Sony and has additional features such as touch screen, on screen key board, and side lighting for reading in poor light. The addition of touch screen is supposed to have affected the display contrast. A portable mp3 player is integrated within the Reader to listen to music in the background. The internal storage capacity may be limited to 350 books but it has memory stick and SDHC SD card slot to store thousands of books and tunes (Gade Lisa, 2008). It uses Sony software to synchronize with desk top computer to transfer books to the Reader.It supports different text formats such as text, RTF, MS Word, PDF and ePub. The iLiad book from iRex Technologi es is an e-book with 8. 1 inch touchscreen display and has memory that can be expanded to 8 GB to accommodate up to 10,000 books in digital format. This needs to be connected to a PC using a USB cable to search and browse the net to download books or get it from mobipocket. com an online ebook-store. Mobipocket Reader is the software that works with this device. The handwritten notes can be converted to digital text. This device supports several formats (Stunningly paper-like).Cybook Gen3 is an e-book from the French manufacturer Bookeen, slightly smaller in size with a six inch screen and easily fits in the hand. There is no provision for taking notes and Wi-Fi connectivity for downloading data. It needs to be connected to the PC with a USB cable to transfer data. 64MB built in memory is provided and SD card can be used for additional storage. It supports several text formats including PDF. It has an mp3 player for listening to music and also for playing audio books. It is energy e fficient and the battery provides 8000 screen refreshes (Vogel Sandra, 2008).The present generation of student population is technology friendly and would love the text books in a digital format which provides a clear advantage of easy portability in a laptop. It is easier for the libraries to store them and many people can access them using the intranet or the internet. The content can be updated as required. The library can transform itself from a place of storing books to an information portal. There is a need to distinguish the reading content from the e-book as a medium for storage and reading.It is just like the difference between the music and the storage medium such as cassettes, CDs and mp3 digital files. The technological changes that were accepted in the music industry have helped in distributing music in different formats and now iPods and iTunes are the most popular form of the medium and the distribution channel for music. We are hopeful of a similar transformation to take place in text content and its medium and distribution provided the problem of DRM is settled and text content file is made available at a fractional price of its printed counterpart.A standard open file format will be helpful in expanding the market Conclusion The text in digital format has several advantages of small size, easy portability, searching capability, font type and size, and ready access to dictionary. In theses days where people are losing reading interest, the rigid attitude of publishers on DRM and high cost of text in digital format is coming in the way of generating customer interest in e-book as a useful reading of tool. Works cited Bradley F.James â€Å"The Electronic Book and PDA† retrieved on 2009-05-14 http://www. scinet. cc/articles/ebook/electronicbook. html Gade Lisa â€Å"Sony Reader PRS-700† Nov 11, 2008 Mobile Tech Review retrieved on 2009-05-15 http://www. mobiletechreview. com/gadgets/Sony-Reader-PRS-700. htm â€Å"History and philos ophy of Project Gutenberg† Aug 92 retrieved on 2009-05-14 http://www. promo. net/pg/history. html â€Å"Kindle User’s Guide† 3rd edition retrieved on 2009-05-15 https://kindle. s3. amazonaws. com/Kindle_Users_Guide_v3. pdfRosso Sara â€Å"How to Read an ebook: Formats, Devices, Dedicated Readers and iPhone Applications† Mar 10, 2009 retrieved on 2009-05-14 http://www. whenihavetime. com/how-to-read-an-ebook-formats-devices-dedicated-readers-and-iphone-applications/? PHPSESSID=bb4854fd629733b5375a6a83a7f0d70d â€Å"Stunningly, Paper-like† The iLiad Book Edition retrieved on 2009-05-16 http://www. irextechnologies. com/products/bookedition/features Vogel Sandra â€Å"Bookeen Cybook Gen3 Review† Nov 9, 2008 Trusted Reviews retrieved on 2009-05-16 http://www. trustedreviews. com/mobile-devices/review/2008/01/09/Bookeen-Cybook-Gen3/p1

Why Lithium Batteries Catch Fire

Why Lithium Batteries Catch Fire Lithium batteries are compact, lightweight batteries that hold considerable charge and fare well under constant discharge-recharge conditions. The batteries are found everywhere  -   in laptop computers, cameras, cell phones, and electric cars. Although accidents are rare, those that do occur may be spectacular, resulting in an explosion or fire. In order to understand why these batteries catch fire and how to minimize the risk of an accident, it helps to understand how the batteries function. How Lithium Batteries Work A lithium battery consists of two electrodes separated by an electrolyte. Typically, the batteries  transfer electrical charge from a lithium metal cathode  through an electrolyte consisting of an organic solvent containing lithium salts over to a carbon anode. The specifics depend on the battery, but lithium-ion batteries usually contain a metal coil and a flammable lithium-ion fluid. Tiny metal fragments float in the liquid. The contents of the battery are under pressure, so if a metal fragment punctures a partition that keeps the components separate or the battery is punctured, the lithium reacts with water in the air vigorously, generating high heat and sometimes producing a fire. Why Lithium Batteries Catch Fire or Explode Lithium batteries are made to deliver high output with minimal weight. Battery components are designed to be lightweight, which translates into thin partitions between cells and a thin outer covering. The partitions or coating are fairly fragile, so they can be punctured. If the battery is damaged, a short occurs. This spark can ignite the highly reactive lithium. Another possibility is that the battery can heat to the point of thermal runaway. Here, the heat of the contents exerts pressure on the battery, potentially producing an explosion. Minimize the Risk of Lithium Battery Fire The risk of fire or explosion increases if the battery is exposed to hot conditions or the battery or internal component is compromised. You can lessen the risk of an accident in several ways: Avoid storing at high temperatures. Dont keep batteries in hot vehicles. Dont allow a blanket to cover your laptop. Dont keep your cell phone in a warm pocket.  You get the idea.Avoid keeping all your items containing lithium-ion batteries together. When you travel, especially on a plane, youll have all your electronic items in one bag. This is unavoidable because the batteries have to be in your carry-on but usually, you can keep some space between battery-containing items. Although having lithium-ion batteries in close proximity does not increase the risk of a fire, if there is an accident, the other batteries can catch fire and make the situation worse.Avoid overcharging your batteries. These batteries do not suffer memory effect as badly as other types of rechargeable batteries, so they can be discharged and recharged many times nearly back to their original charge. However, they do not fare well if they are completely drained before recharging or are over-charged. Car chargers are notorious for overcharging batteries. Using any charger other than the one intended for the battery can increase the risk of damage.

Effects of Deforastration essays

Effects of Deforastration essays The subject of deforestation and the effects that it has on the environment have been heavily debated for a long time; particularly over the last few years. Governments and large lumber companies see large profits in the mass deforestation of forests and state that their actions are having few, ifany, harmful effects on the environment. Most people disagree with this andthink that the environmental effects are devastating and will become irreversibly disastrous in the very near future. Whether or not the pros outweigh the cons will be hotly debated for years to come but the fact is that deforestation is harmful to the environment and leads to declining wildlife populations, drastic changes in climate and loss of soil. The loss of forests means the loss of habitats for many species. Current statistics show that as many as 100 species become extinct every day with alarge portion being attributed to deforestation (Delfgaauw, 1996). "Edge effects" are the destruction or degradation of natural habitat that occur on thefringes of fragmented forests. The effects for the animals include greater exposure to the elements (wind, rain etc...), other non-forest animals and humans (Dunbar, 1993). This unnatural extinction of species endangers the world's foodsupply, threatens many human resources and has profound implications for biological diversity. Another negative environmental impact of deforestation is that it causesclimate changes all over the world. As we learned in elementary school, plantlife is essential to life on earth as it produces much of the oxygen that isrequired for humans and other organisms to breathe. The massive destruction oftrees negatively effects the quantity and quality of the air we breathe whichhas direct repercussions on the quantity and quality of life among both humansand animals alike. With this reduced amount of vital plant life comes the increase of carbon dioxide levels in t ...

How Will The Pepperdine University MBA Program Help You Achieve Your

How Will The Pepperdine University MBA Program Help You Achieve Your How Will The Pepperdine University MBA Program Help You Achieve Your Personal And Professional – Admission/Application Essay Example Admission/Application Essay, Management Upon graduation I wish to lead a management team in one of the largest companies in the world. IU believe that enrolling into Pepperdine University, Graziadio graduate school admission for a management major and subsequent completion of graduate studies will be a huge step towards realizing this goal. My decision to seek admission at the Pepperdine MBA program is informed by the fact that it is one of the best MBA programs in the world and will therefore help me to achieve my personal and professional goals. I am certain it will help me to gain the strongest possible general management skills critical in modern management practice. I believe that the program is designed in such a way that it will broaden my view and give me tools to leverage my skills, experience, and knowledge of how to build and manage successful companies. While am certain that the Pepperdine University MBA program will help me achieve my personal and professional goals, I a m equally certain that I will contribute to the richness of the program. I will, at all time, strive to uphold the values postulated in the program, as well as be part of the team that seek to fulfill the program’s mission and vision. Moreover, I will strive to excel in the program’s coursework and subsequently engage in research that will contribute significantly to the body of knowledge in the field of management. During and after my studies, I will strive to exhibit professionalism and uphold values that are in tandem with the Pepperdine University MBA program culture. I will need to engage constructively with the program’s instructors and fellow students towards realization of personal and program’s short and long term goals.

Mother's day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mother's day - Essay Example â€Å"I cannot think of a more thankless job. I hate to even call it a job, but it is work, with long hours, no vacations and no pay. In the end if things don’t go the way they are suppose to then it is mom’s fault† (The importance of mother’s day, 2010). Even grown up people is taking shelter in their mother’s company when they face severe challenges in their life. Mother’s soothing words often act as a medicine to the children in getting rid of their problems. This paper briefly analyses importance of mother’s day to me and why my mother is so special to me. I was not much aware of the importance of mother’s day during my childhood. However, when I was 15 years old, one of my friends told me that she is going to present her mother with a gift in order to mark her respect and love towards her mother. She also told me that the mother’s day is celebrating all over the world and in UAE it is celebrating in every March 21 st . I loved my mother very much and my friend’s comments stimulated thoughts about giving a gift to my mother. I had not enough money with me during that time and I decided to save some money to purchase a gift for my mother. Being a child of 15 years, it was difficult for me to collect more money from father. Even then, I started to save the pocket money I received from my father for two years. I succeeded in saving around 650 dollars in two years time and decided to purchase a gift worth $ 650 for my mother. Parris Gallery one of the popular gift shops in Dubai. It is located in City Centre, Deira, Dubai. Expensive perfumes, flowers, fashionable items etc are available in Paris Gallery. UAE is an extremely hot country and I was staying around 100 kilometers away from Dubai. If I use a taxi, I could have reached there within 35 minutes. However, my parents were not ready to allow me to go out alone. My elder brothers and sisters were too busy and they also did not hear my requ est. It was impossible for me to walk 100 kilometers alone in extreme hot climatic conditions. I was very much worried since my dreams of giving a gift to my beloved mother were not fulfilled. The mother’s day was approaching rapidly. I shared my sorrows and feeling s with my friends and one of my friends asked me to check whether any home delivery option is available with Paris Gallery. I have gone through the telephone directory and succeeded in collecting their telephone number. To my utmost surprise, they informed me that they can deliver the items anywhere in UAE and that also in a day’s time. I have ordered a costly perfume and asked them to pack it in good manner to present it as a gift. They asked me my name and my mother’s name and contact details. They also asked me about the credit card details and I told them that I do not have a credit card and I can pay cash on delivery. They agreed that and delivered the perfume in the evening itself. My mother wa s not aware of my efforts. When I presented the gift to her on mother’s day, she was surprised. She never received such a gift in her life. None of my brothers and sisters so far gave her any gifts. So when she received my gift her eyes were filled with tears and she embraced me with lot of love and care. My mom is a special person to me and I do believe that honoring her in proper manner is the duty of me. My mother helped me a lot during my childhood and even now I am approaching her whenever I confused with something. My mother has a loving character and she never punished me or used any rash

Discussions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Discussions - Essay Example  § 242, witnessed when los Angeles police officers involved in beating Rodney king were charged with assault with deadly weapons and excessive use of force. Lesser included are crimes that share some but not all the elements of a greater crime. While committing a major crime, some elements of a lesser crime would have been violated which a person will be charged. Examples of lesser-included crimes could be unlawful entry in case of burglary. Manslaughter is a lesser included crime in case one commits murder and in case of a rape, assault is treated as a lesser included crime (Orzach & Spurr, 2008). Lesser-included crimes do not violate double jeopardy as it concerns different criminal violations that are tied to one another. Additionally, lesser-included crime and the greater crime carry different weights in case of double jeopardy, the weight of the crimes are relatively the same. Fairness is among the focus pillars of justice. In case one is subjected to answer to crimes committed in one act and presented in multiple forms, it would be unfair to the defendant. Moreover, it would not be fair either for the state to prosecute in multiple jurisdictions even if there are sufficient resources to carry out the process; this is because the defendant’s right to double jeopardy will be violated. Mandatory sentencing is a setting where court decision to make some judicial judgment is limited by the law. In the application of mandatory sentencing, some crimes must be punished at least for a minimum number of years. The rule of mandatory sentencing was majorly designed to curb hard drug trafficking, but has been expanded to include other crimes. Mandatory sentencing is important as it ensures uniformity in the punishment of offenders who commit crimes that are deemed more threatening to the state and its people, and eliminates any dishonesty that may characterize a judgment (Ulmer, 2007). Mandatory sentencing shifts sentencing discretion from

Choose from the 3 available topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Choose from the 3 available topics - Essay Example Despite the changes adopted in the representation structure, the policies used for women differ from that used in men. Men are given the chance to fight out with fellow men for the different representation position while women benefit from quota systems in which parties reserve special positions for them. The application of the principle of reservation and quota system has enabled women to represent the specific interest of their gender in the house. In Mala Htun article ‘is gender like ethnicity’, the idea behind the formation of group specific parties is evaluated. The author also looks at the dynamics involved in reserving seats using the quota system for women and the reservation of legislative seats for the minority groups (Htun 434). Different countries have different policies on representation and the use of reservation and quotas for special groups like women and ethnic minority. This system applies to all democratic situations whether completely religious like M uslim or catholic state, developed and developing countries among other identities. Most countries have legal requirements for this representation and this highlights the approach adopted by such countries when reserving different seats for its people. Countries that lack legal basis for reservation and quotas have different political arrangement, which allows for fair representation in parties and representative posts. The United States lacks a legal framework for representation of the minority or the women but uses a race conscious districting system that gives room for fair representation of all the races (Htun 434). In mature electoral democracies, states reserve special quotas within the political parties for women and legislative seats for the ethnic minority. The use of quotas and cleavages has been approached with a traditional perspective that fails to look at the implications and benefits of these representations. The author argues that the use of candidate quotas can only be significant within groups that have cross cutting interest while legislative reservation should be allocated to groups that have coinciding interests. Under the principle of use of quota for political party reservation, the law requires a specific number of slots to be left for women candidates during nomination. This is common in most democracies in which the law may require that a third of positions in all areas be reserved to women and that the ranking within these positions should alternate with men. The principle of quota system has significantly affected parties decisions and individuals picked to represent parties in certain districts (Dahlerup 214). The use of representation however affects the entire demography of an electoral system as it result into the creation of new electoral incentives and rules. These results into the creation of more than one set of electoral roll with special districts reserved for the minority groups. Under these principles, a party seeks to h ave a certain group of people who are subjected to a different set of conditions to be elected to the legislature (Htun 434). Strengths and weaknesses of the author’s arguments In this paper, the author attempts to highlight the differences between the types of presentations that border on the quota system and the representation within the legislature. Through this article, the author has critically highlighted the

Foreign Direct Investment can have both positive and negative impacts Essay

Foreign Direct Investment can have both positive and negative impacts on both the host and home country - Essay Example These can be in the form of outright acquisition of a firm or a joint venture or construction of a facility. It can also include an association with a local company to gain rights for attendant input of technology (P. Graham and R. Barry Spaulding, n.d.). â€Å"It was twenty years ago that the late Stephen Hymer wrote his seminal thesis on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and multinational enterprises (MNEs). Since then the literature on these subjects has increased substantially and taken different directions, placing the multinational firms at the crossroads of many disciplines and of many debates as well†. (A.L. Calvet, p.43) Foreign direct investments of larger magnitude have deep effects on the economy of both the entities. Here with the help of real examples, it will be discussed how these effects can be positive as well as negative. As for this purpose we are focusing on both the host and home countries separately, so the advantages and disadvantages will be considered s eparately as well. But for the record it must be highlighted that these advantages and disadvantages are not fixed but, on the contrary, they are relative to both the host and home countries and their collective policies. HOST COUNTRY: ADVANTAGES The biggest advantage that a host company can derive from foreign domestic investment (FDI) is the globalization of its operations. Many large countries are focusing on it, e.g. China is the largest FDI host in the developing world. To compensate for the advantages that could be derived from these foreign investments, China has undergone significant changes with respect to its policies related to the FDIs. Until the mid 1980s FDIs were focusing on the construction sector involving the construction of hotels and apartments in the tourism and service industry. In 1986 China issued a new policy which encouraged the FDI into various other technically advanced sectors. These included manufacturing enterprises whose main focus was export and some basic industries such as new materials and agricultural. After these changes approximately 60% of the total foreign investments were part of the manufacturing sector of China (Yingqi Wei, Xiaming Liu, 2001). But from 1994 onwards, the investment boom in China seemed to go downhill. The statistics for foreign direct investments in terms of projects and contractual agreements turned negative and the growth rate of realized FDI also fell. The trend continued till 1999. But then in 2000 China recovered and since then it has closely monitored the inflows and outflows related to the foreign direct investments into its entities (Yingqi Wei, V. N. Balasubramanyam, 2004). Similarly Chile has been a FDI friendly-nation in Latin America. An agency of United Nations in Chile named The Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (Eclac) reported an inflow of USD 8.03 billion making Chile the third largest foreign direct investment in South America. FDI in Chile is mostly focused in the sector of mining. A survey by UNCTAD has shown that inward FDI in the developing countries has risen from $481 billion in 1998 to $636 billion in 2006. Among China and Chile other countries benefiting from foreign direct investments include Singapore, Philippines and India in Asia and other

Visual Arts - Art and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Visual Arts - Art and Technology - Essay Example Art plays an important role in the cultural development of the society. People need a medium to voice their opinions, and sometimes words are not enough to incite a feeling of content/discontent or different thinking. This is where art plays a major role, where it helps to instigate and incite feelings about abstract things in life which have a very basic purpose, but at the same time are very important and which have been forgotten in the cloud of corporatization and commercialization of human values and dignity. Art is a human expression which defies boundaries, caters to every aspect of human emotions, and envisages an idea which might seem different and alien at that time, but on the other hand it looks for the future, a time when we would not have artificial inhibitions protruding our desires. Art is a beautiful form of expression, and at the same time it can also serve to be an expression of an evil mind, but still, even at that particular time, it is serving for something inno cent or understandably non committal which just flows out of the mind and spreads on the canvas. So the next question which needs to be answered is how much influence has art played on the people and the society? The theme which has been picked for this part is technology and its advancements. The essay shall analyse the technological advancements and how art has played a role in shaping technology drastically. Technology has been regarded as a medium where in the past, there was very less scope for art to progress. It was said by many people that something which relates to circuit boards and engine, chips and floppy disks cannot be painted on a canvas, or cannot be designed in such a way that the human eye meets beauty. Then came Apple; a company founded by Steve Jobs, a man who looked at things extremely differently. Steve Jobs propagated the idea of technology being merged with art. According to him, a gadget was considered to be a piece of beauty which could be constructed in an artistry form, and be more appreciable to the consumer, rather than having a bulky looking machine with intimidating features. The Macintosh was released in 1984. The year marked the first time that people saw a computer equipped with a Graphical User Interface. The computer was extremely easy to use and consisted of a mouse which was never seen before. It was a machine which could be used and operated by people in their houses and for their daily personal basis, not necessarily inviting people belonging to corporate honchos exclusively. The Mac was a favourite among the consumers. It was small, not bulky, consisted of an interface which was as artistic as the hardware, the chips were placed in a beautiful order even though one could not see them, the casing was completely cubical, the mouse was small and fitted a human hand, and the floppy disk was right below the screen so it was easy to navigate. All these features made the Mac an artistic product which deserved its place in the Museum of Modern Art. The product signified technology and consumerism. It stated that even technological gadgets could be artistic in nature, and that it dwelled in the culture of technology and development, where it was identified as a piece of human development, with the advent of personal computers we were now venturing into a new territory which now seemed inevitable since everyone uses a computer to accomplish their daily tasks, and the Mac was the

Foreign Direct Investment can have both positive and negative impacts Essay

Foreign Direct Investment can have both positive and negative impacts on both the host and home country - Essay Example These can be in the form of outright acquisition of a firm or a joint venture or construction of a facility. It can also include an association with a local company to gain rights for attendant input of technology (P. Graham and R. Barry Spaulding, n.d.). â€Å"It was twenty years ago that the late Stephen Hymer wrote his seminal thesis on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and multinational enterprises (MNEs). Since then the literature on these subjects has increased substantially and taken different directions, placing the multinational firms at the crossroads of many disciplines and of many debates as well†. (A.L. Calvet, p.43) Foreign direct investments of larger magnitude have deep effects on the economy of both the entities. Here with the help of real examples, it will be discussed how these effects can be positive as well as negative. As for this purpose we are focusing on both the host and home countries separately, so the advantages and disadvantages will be considered s eparately as well. But for the record it must be highlighted that these advantages and disadvantages are not fixed but, on the contrary, they are relative to both the host and home countries and their collective policies. HOST COUNTRY: ADVANTAGES The biggest advantage that a host company can derive from foreign domestic investment (FDI) is the globalization of its operations. Many large countries are focusing on it, e.g. China is the largest FDI host in the developing world. To compensate for the advantages that could be derived from these foreign investments, China has undergone significant changes with respect to its policies related to the FDIs. Until the mid 1980s FDIs were focusing on the construction sector involving the construction of hotels and apartments in the tourism and service industry. In 1986 China issued a new policy which encouraged the FDI into various other technically advanced sectors. These included manufacturing enterprises whose main focus was export and some basic industries such as new materials and agricultural. After these changes approximately 60% of the total foreign investments were part of the manufacturing sector of China (Yingqi Wei, Xiaming Liu, 2001). But from 1994 onwards, the investment boom in China seemed to go downhill. The statistics for foreign direct investments in terms of projects and contractual agreements turned negative and the growth rate of realized FDI also fell. The trend continued till 1999. But then in 2000 China recovered and since then it has closely monitored the inflows and outflows related to the foreign direct investments into its entities (Yingqi Wei, V. N. Balasubramanyam, 2004). Similarly Chile has been a FDI friendly-nation in Latin America. An agency of United Nations in Chile named The Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean (Eclac) reported an inflow of USD 8.03 billion making Chile the third largest foreign direct investment in South America. FDI in Chile is mostly focused in the sector of mining. A survey by UNCTAD has shown that inward FDI in the developing countries has risen from $481 billion in 1998 to $636 billion in 2006. Among China and Chile other countries benefiting from foreign direct investments include Singapore, Philippines and India in Asia and other

MPH522 - Public Health Law and Policy, Mod 4 SLP Essay

MPH522 - Public Health Law and Policy, Mod 4 SLP - Essay Example There are twenty six government agencies that offer grants, including the Department of Health and Human Services. Those agencies are as follows: There are many kinds of people that can apply for these grants. Government organizations such as State and local governments, education organizations such as independent school districts, public housing organizations, and non-profit organizations, for profit organization, small business, and others may apply. There are also grants that individuals can get when applied for the right reasons (hhs.gov) The steps to applying for a grant are really quite easy but need to be followed very specifically. Self or organization must be registered. The person who is registering must register as an authorized organization representative. Find and search for grants in the field you are looking for, download the application package, apply for the grants be sure to follow every instruction completely, track the application and stay on top of the progress. In order to register the organization you must obtain a data universal number, register it with central contractor registration, get a user name and password and AOR authorization and then track the status (hhs.gov.grant). To register as an individual, you need to enter the funding opportunity number, and complete the profile form. The budget for the Department of Health and Human Resources is approximately $911 billion for 2011. Of that money, 3% goes to CHIPS, 10% goes to discretionary, 51% goes to Medicare, 33% goes to Medicaid, 4% goes to mandatory programs, and 2.3% goes to TANF. There are many goals attached to this budgetary money like they should be as a budget is really a plan. The following goals are present to be managed in this budget. In the news there seems to be funding available. There are many articles presently out there on newly granted programs including research funding, Centers for Disease Control

Nick Djokovic Essay Example for Free

Nick Djokovic Essay In today’s world, there are many sport figures one can look up to. We have chosen the best of the best in the tennis world, Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world number 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Despite being the underdog during his early years as a professional tennis player, he is now the best professional tennis player overtaking the previous king of tennis Rafael Nadal. Ever since the age of four, he has been interested in tennis. Unlike most children his age, it was not a fleeting interest. He was determined to achieve his dream of becoming the best tennis player in the world. With his steadfast dream, he has won six Grand Slam titles and has brought him to where he is now. This report will cover Djokovic’s personality, values and attitude, motivation and leadership skills that had helped him to achieve his dream. The points highlighted are also the main reason he is worth following as an influential leader. 2.0 Personality The big five model of personality consists of extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience. Djokovic can be seen as a person that is highly extrovert as he is fun-loving, expressive and sociable. During his comeback as the winner in the Australian Open, he was so overjoyed that he threw his racket, wristbands and his shirt to his fans (AOL News, 2011). Djokovic is also socially attached to his fans that he created an application known as ‘Nole4You’ that focuses on a direct coverage of Djokovic’s real time games (New Newsworthy, 2012a). On the other hand, Djokovic is low on the neurotism category as he is much balanced and emotionally stable. According to Suttles (2013), Djokovic was â€Å"gracious in defeat† as every defeat he channels it back into better concentration for the next match. Next, Djokovic is rather high on the agreeableness meter as he shows a great deal of care towards others through his charities. Djokovic created the Novak Djokovic Foundation which supports young children from disadvantaged communities especially in native Serbia (New Newsworthy, 2012b). Besides that, he was also elected as the ambassador of The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Serbia as he was utterly concern in the welfare of the people in his hometown as well as the importance in early childhood education in Native Serbia (Look To The Stars, 2011). He was also keen in participating in fights for the betterment of society such as the fight against acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) which required him to use the Head Red special edition bag collection from Head to the French Open Grand Slam (Look To The Stars, 2013a). Djokovic is also high in conscientiousness as he is responsible for his career and he is well organized after his achievement in the Australian Open. Although being reckless in his previous season, he is where he is now due to his hard work in perfecting his service techniques and getting his diet right (Carter, 2011). According to Djokovic in an interview, he wants to be consistent in his games and to do this, he has to stay fit and take care of his health and physical condition (The National, 2011). Lastly, Djokovic is very open to new experience. One afternoon in year 2010, Djokovic received a phone call from Dr. Igor Cetojevic who said that his fatigue in the 2010 Aussie Open was due to his diet that consists of glutens that caused an accumulation of toxins in his large intestines. Djokovic listened to his advice to practice a gluten-free diet as well as to build him up spiritually. Besides that, Djokovic also took risk to change his serve technique as advised by Marian Vajda. As a result of Djokovic’s openness, he no longer suffers from fatigues and he felt much happier and balanced. In addition, a change in his serve technique enabled him to defeat the former world number one five times consecutively and brought him to the top of the tennis world (Saslow, 2012). 3.0 Values and Attitude As a well-known figure in the world of tennis, Djokovic has certain values that enable him to enjoy the success that he has today. According to George and Jones (2012, p.93), values are defined as personal convictions about what one should strive for in life and how one should behave. Values are further divided into two categories; work values and ethical values. In terms of work values, there are intrinsic and extrinsic work values. In definition, intrinsic work values are values that are related to the nature of the work itself. Some examples of intrinsic work values that are prominent in Djokovic’s work are the ability to make important contributions to the public, the interesting work and the challenging work that can be done. Firstly, in terms of the ability to make important contributions to the public, Djokovic is well known for his philanthropic work. Due to this status as the highest ranked tennis player, he is very well-connected and is able to influence his fans over his beliefs. From this, he has helped to raise awareness for AIDS, human trafficking, poverty, human rights, women’s rights, children’s rights and many more (Look To The Stars, 2013b). Aside from that, his ability to make important contributions to the public and society is further supported by his status as the ambassador of UNICEF in Serbia. Aside from him advertising his beliefs on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and his video blog, UNICEF has also advertised their cause through Djokovic because of his popularity among the younger generation (UNICEF, 2011). Although generating a high pay from his career, he did not choose this career lifestyle because of it. He started playing tennis at the age of four and played professionally when he was 16 years old. This is due to his passion and interest in tennis. He has trained and played in every single tennis tournament to gain the experience he needed. Even though he has been injured quite a number of times in terms of ankle and knee injuries, that has never stopped him from pursuing his dream of being the best tennis player (Mitchell, 2013). However challenging his work may be, Djokovic never gave up. He continuously pursues his dream of being the best. After relentless practice and competitions, he finally replaced Roger Federer as the top ranked tennis player in the world. This attitude of his is admirable and serves as a constant reminder to his fans that nothing is impossible. On the other hand, extrinsic values are values that are related to the consequences of work. One of the more prominent extrinsic values is the high salary. Not only does he get paid for playing tennis, he gets paid through his endorsements deals with well-known companies such as UNIQLO, Fitline and Telekom Srbjia (Badenhausen, 2011). His salary also includes appearance fees, exhibitions and prize money. Besides that, his career as a tennis player provides him with many job benefits. One of the many is fame. Unlike most athletes, Djokovic enjoys being in the limelight and often shares news and funny anecdotes of his life with his fans. Next, his job provides very flexible working hours. He practices his tennis with his coaches at any time he wants. Due to his flexible working hours, he gets to spend more time with his family and to indulge in vacations as well as hobbies. According to George and Jones (2012, p.97), work attitude is defined as the collection of feelings, beliefs and thoughts about how to behave in one’s job and organisation. Although similar to values, work attitudes are more specific and are not as constant as values as work attitudes change over time. In 2008, although he was winning tournaments, Djokovic hired a new fitness coach in hopes that it will help boost his performance. After the change, he was able to defeat the two reigning champions in the tennis world, namely, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. His attitude changed once a new factor was introduced into his life (ESPN, 2010). 4.0 Motivational Theories Everyone in the world possesses a particular set of skills that they are good at in their lives. People who managed to realize their potential often harness that skill and sharpen it to become a much better person. During those times, motivation towards that ability drives them to keep pushing forward in harnessing those skills. Many professional sportsmen and sportswomen started training during childhood. Motivation is what has kept them and pushed them into training harder every day until they finally achieve their goal. According to George and Jones (2012, p. 183), there are three elements of work motivation; direction of behavior, level of effort and level of persistence. Novak Djokovic, world’s best tennis player, possessed all these three elements. For example, although his family had economic problems in Serbia, he still chose to fly to Germany to train despite only being 12 years old. Even as a child, he loved tennis with a passion. He once skipped afternoon classes in school just so he could attend tennis training with his coach (PRPepper Production, 2012). His passion, effort and persistence during training are boundless. His motivation was driven because he loved tennis rather than his parents forcing the sport on him. 4.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Djokovic’s efforts and achievements relate a lot to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs consists of five different types of needs from the lowest to the highest; physiological, safety, belongingness, esteems and self-actualization needs (George and Jones, 2012, p. 187). The two needs most emphasized by Djokovic are the esteem needs and self-actualization needs. Right from the beginning, Djokovic was always focused and determined to be the best in the tennis world, which directly means beating the best players in the world such as Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Tommy Haas and Rafael Nadal. Esteem needs emphasizes on an individual being recognized and respected by others (George and Jones, 2012, p.187). Djokovic strived hard during his early years under the guidance of Nikola Pilic. At the age of 16, he was awarded the champion of â€Å"La Boule†. This event leads to the start of his professional career (PRPepper Prodcutions, 2012). However, he did not stop that as he was motivated aim higher. This further explains Maslow’s self-actualization need theory, which is defined as â€Å"needs to realize one’s full potential as a human being†. Djokovic trained hard every day motivated by one goal; to be the best tennis player in the world. Due to him having a high self-actualisation, Djokovic obtained the title of being the best tennis player in the ATP rankings in 2012 after obtaining a 43% winning rate in 2011. Today, Djokovic is further motivated by his lost to Rafeal Nadal in the 2013 French Open. Instead of giving up, Djokovic evaluates his loss as a sense of motivation to train harder in order to win the next tournament, Wimbledon (Gajaria, 2013).

The Fat Girl, Andre Dubus

The Fat Girl, Andre Dubus To accept the others, first we have to accept ourselves and accept who we are The Fat Girl is a short story about a girl that tries to fit in todays standards and satisfies her parents as well. The author , Andre Dubus , shows how trying to fit in the society standards , individuals have the pressure of conforming to a superficial image. This idea is developed through the early years of Louise , her weight change and new life , and back to the old habit. First of all, Andre Dubus, takes us into the life of a young girl whose mother is convincing her that she will become fat and how hard is to make friends. We can see this after the mom tell her daughter , You must start watching what you eat, her mother would say. I can see you have my metabolism. As the mother doesnt want that, she puts Louise onto a strict diet. In order not to displease her mother, but still satisfy her hunger, Louise started eating food when no one was watching. While her mother was strict and caring, on the other side her father was loving and misguided. Louise didnt have a lot of friends. Her two childhood friends, Joan and Marjorie were both thin but they felt as a social outcast in other ways. Louise only feels comfortable in the presence of others who were also insecure and unhappy. Ironically Louise intentionally chooses friends who are not heavy because she worries about the way others will see her. I was always thinking about what people saw when they loo ked at me and didnt want them to see two fat girls. It appears that Louise finds her weight issues to be bigger than her friends insecurities. She chooses to exclude those who are heavy from her life while welcoming those with different negative issues. In addition to her self-image issues, Louise also doubts her ability to find happiness in an intimate relationship. Her mother put in her head some negative perceptions such as In five years youll be in high school and if youre fat the boys wont like you; they wont ask you out . This quote shows the overall feeling of the people who dont meet todays standards. Louise continues down this negative road when she decides to go to an all-girl college so she can avoid rejection from guys. Up until this point her only contact with a boy was at a picnic with a drunken kiss . Once in college , Louise shows us how changing and losing weight makes a lot of difference in someones life. Louise continues her self-loathing into college where the only close friend she makes is this thin girl with emotional issues. In the story we can see a strong friendship between the two girls, which leads to the important point where Louise decides to go on a diet, and it is only because her best friend Carrie convinces her that she needs to become thin so that some boy will love her as Carrie does. Carrie pleads, I want you to be loved the way I love you. Louise, if I help you, really help you, will you go on a diet?. Although Carrie is trying to help her best friend, she is actually reinforcing Louises views of her own body. She starts losing fat and her mother starts threating her differently. She finds her way more beautiful and starts buying all kinds of stuff .As Louise progresses with her new diet, she becomes more and more irritable and unhappy with life. In all her l ife she had never been afflicted by ill temper and she looked upon it now as a demon which, along with hunger, was taking possession over her soul .With this quote the author wants to show us that Louise is being pressed into losing weight for strictly superficial reasons, and so she can get accepted into society and fit todays standards. This can be further seen when Louise feels shame and embarrassment when she goes to Carries house for thanksgiving, all because she is aware Carries parents know she is dieting. Louise is uncomfortable and feels excluded in partaking of the many dishes the other thin people can comfortably enjoy. In the end , we cant forget our old habits and sometimes we should accept who we are and stay the way we are. After college, the new thin Louise meets a young lawyer named Richard, who finds her attractive and has no knowledge of her life before. Louise is sure he would never have looked at her if she had still been heavy. They get married and Louise becomes a housewife. While Louise struggles to keep herself thin, her husband can eat anything he wants and still remain fit. She makes him all kind of Italian food that she is unable to consume. It is ironic that she marries a person who has the metabolism of a pencil sharpener when Louise must watch every calorie she eats. The next five years shows a Louise who is thin with new friends, a loving husband, and an active lifestyle, which is by most accounts a perfect life. In her fifth year of marriage, Louise becomes pregnant and her eating begin to become uncontrollable. The new changes in her body frighten her as Louise remarks that sh e is starting to gain weight but she told herself it was only the baby, and would leave with its birth. But at other times she knew quite clearly that she was losing her discipline she had fought so hard to gain during her last year with Carrie. A baby is born, but Louise has now returned to her bad habits and though she cares for her child, she continues to alienate her husband. They fight at nearly every dinner over her appetite and weight gain . Andre Dubus finishes his story with a surprised Louise enjoying a candy bar and shocked to discover her husband Richard is still there. In conclusion, The short story The Fat Girl by Andre Dubus shows many of the negative aspects associated with eating disorders, fat people, and the way society addresses them. Todays standards are too high and people who dont fit in them are getting rejected and they feel sad about their body. Sometime they try changing , but sometimes is better to be who you are and accept yourself.

Belle Boyd Newspaper Obituary :: American History Civil War

Yesterday, June 11, 1900, we lost Belle Boyd, one of the most heroic ladies of the Civil War. This famous Confederate spy has died after a cardiac arrest at age 56, while on tour in Kilbourne City, Wisconsin. She will be remembered as a great writer, actress, and spy who had courage in even the most trying times. Belle Boyd played the part of spy as if the war were a lighthearted game of cards. Born on May 4, 1843, she was raised just like any other southern lady. She was the daughter of a merchant and grew up in Martinsburg, West Virginia with her parents, Benjamin Reed Boyd and Mary Rebecca Glenn, three brothers, one sister, and grandmother. She went by the name Belle Boyd instead of her original name, Maria Isabella Boyd. Boyd attended Mount Washington Female College of Baltimore from age 12 to 16 after receiving a preliminary education. People knew her to be a fun-loving debutante. Her low voice was charming and her figure, flawless. Her irregular features rendered her either completely plain or extremely beautiful. The Civil War started when Boyd was 16, and she became a die-hard secessionist. She raised money for the South and organized parties to visit the troops until her career took a more active turn. Her spying profession began by chance when Boyd?s father and brothers were off to fight the war, leaving her with her mother, grandmother, baby brother, and sister. A band of drunken Union officers broke into her home, intent on raising the Federal flag over her house and one of the men insulted her mother. She drew a pistol and killed the man. Union officers were so charmed by her and felt such sympathy for her that they spared her from punishment. Though she was acquitted of the crime, officers still kept close watch over her. Clever Boyd took advantage of them and bewitched them into revealing military secrets. She then made her slave, Eliza Hopewell, carry the secret messages to confederate soldiers in a hollowed out watchcase. Her espionage career continued when in 1862, a Union troop gathered in her local hotel. Boyd hid upstairs, eavesdropping through a hole on the floorboards where clandestine Union information was revealed. Late that night, Belle rode out acting and bluffing her way past the Union sentries and conveyed this information to Col. Turner Ashby, who was scouting for the Confederates.

Data And Storage Essays -- Technology Computers

There are many aspects of computing that are important: accuracy of data input, convenience and quality of output, optimal storage devices, and processing speed of a computer. What are all these things and what are the best methods or types? Data Input Fundamental to accuracy of data input is assurance that the information system will be able to properly automate the collection of information and that the end-user is aware of and understands how information should be recorded. Stair and Reynolds (2006) supports, â€Å"Input can be a manual or an automated process. A scanner at a grocery store that reads bar codes and enters the grocery item and price into a computerized cash register is a type of automated input process. Regardless of the input method, accurate input is critical to achieve the desired output.† Printed questionnaires should be manufactured on machine-readable paper and analyzed by scanners that are capable of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) or Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to convert the results into a digital format that is automatically placed into a database for storage. Queries can then be utilized to poll or collect information from the questionnaires. Telephone surveys should consist of precise questions that require simple answers that can be input by pressing buttons on a touchtone phone. Users who do not have a touchtone phone should be allowed to answer verbally via an interactive voice recognition system (IVR). Bank checks should be printed on machine-readable paper utilizing magnetic ink such that machines can quickly and accurately scan the document and convert the data into a digital format. Additional security measures such as watermarks and holograms may be utilized based on level of se... ... hard disks – seek time and data throughput. Data on a floppy disk is generally slower than CD ROMs and is generally used for storage purposes. Much of the same concepts apply to floppy disks are applied to hard disks and CD ROMs – seek time and data throughout. There are many aspects of computing that exist today, some top of the line technology while others are becoming obsolete. What is most important is that there is accuracy of data input, convenience and quality of output, optimal storage devices, and processing speed of a computer. References Laurie J. Flynn (2005). Intel and Micron Plan Flash-Memory Venture. New York Times (Late Edition (east Coast)), p. C.6. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from Banking Information Source database. Stair, Ralph M & Reynolds, George W (2006). Fundamentals of Information Systems. Boston, MA: Thomson Course Technology

The Time Machine: Does Change Bring Progress?

â€Å"We should strive to welcome change and challenges, because they are what help us grow. Without them we grow weak like the Eloi in comfort and security. We need to constantly be challenging ourselves in order to strengthen our character and increase our intelligence. † To what extent do you agree that change brings progress? Write your opinions in not more than 350 words. Indeed, change is important and serves as a necessary to mould us into successful beings we will be tomorrow, yet, to a certain extent. According the writer of Time Machine, lives of the Eloi are nothing but just blind happiness while the Morlocks, portray lives that are just as us humans in reality who are getting increasingly more materialistic in our lives. If we live our lives as the Eloi did, live would be just as meaningless as theirs because there is no endurance or facing down of challenges, the ups and downs in live, not even the taste of true happiness†¦as it is so common that people do not understand the concept of happiness anymore. So, in this case, people should and must change and this is a progress. They have to become mature and be able to stand on their own feet instead of depending so much on others that they could not possibly live without them. On the contrary, if we resort to the lives of the Morlocks, who are always busy craving for luxurious possessions instead of dedicating lives towards good deeds, which is very much that is becoming of us today, this change is not progress and should certainly be halted. While the Eloi live without much concern towards their surroundings, the Morlocks†¦okay, we, humans are becoming more and more hectic in our lifestyles that we lose the sense of pure happiness, of content. Because greed roots easily and everything comes with mere intentions. Is this the live we want to have? Therefore, change is progress but to the extent where both moral values and success are well-balanced to ensure a physically and mentally healthy being.

Banana Peel Whitening Essay

Еhe high amounts of potassium, magnesium, and manganese in the ripe banana can be applied to the teeth to remove stains and whiten them. Below are the steps we suggest if you want to use this folksy, homemade, and proven method: 1. Get a banana that is just ripe (it may still have trace amounts of green at each end, but not too much). Using a banana at this level of ripeness ensures that the peel contains optimal levels of potassium (which is the substance that really brightens the teeth); 2. Open the banana like a monkey does by peeling it from the bottom end and upward. Not only does this prevent all of those strange banana â€Å"threads† from appearing, but it also lets you have more control over the peel; 3. Take a small piece of the inside of the peel (you can use kitchen shears to cut off a manageable square) and begin gently rubbing this along your teeth; 4. Keep the application going for two minutes and be sure you are covering each of the teeth as much as possible with the material inside of the peel; 5. As you rub and pass the time, the minerals will be absorbed into the teeth and begin to promote the whitening. 6. Brush with your preferred toothpaste, rinse, and smile with your brighter and whiter teeth! Be aware that both bananas and strawberries have lots of natural sugar, so apply only once per day or even just once per week to be safe.

Different Styles of Recent British Prime Ministers Essay

Different Styles of Recent British Prime Ministers - Essay Example Amongst the most renowned prime ministers in Britain are such as Winston Churchill; who led Britain during the second world war, Margaret Thatcher who is commonly referred to as the iron lady, John Major and Lloyd George (Bennister, 2012). This discussion looks into the similarities and differences in leadership approaches of latest British prime ministers. These are john Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and the incumbent David Cameron. Major John rose to the position of prime minister after serving for 11 years in parliament; Blair became the prime minister after serving for fourteen years. Gordon Brown waited for twenty five years before becoming prime minister, and the current Prime Minister Cameron took nine years before becoming prime minister. Prime ministers govern depending on their styles of management. Major John was accommodative and tolerant, allowing a greater variety of opinion. He stressed on consensus and collegiality, giving the department as much autonomy as possible . He rarely interfered with the decision making of departments during tenure (Bennister, 2012). Tony Blair is known for his authoritative style having developed a standing for enforcing strong discipline both in his party and cabinet. Blair assigned discretion to strong ministers prepared to follow the government without question. His autocratic style attracted criticism of assuming presidential powers. Cameron leadership is characterized by several policies, the Majority of which are propelled by the need to trim down the government expenditure. Having secured office in 2010, Cameron came in office at a time when Britain was grappling with economic downtowns. The following valuables will be the basis of evaluation leadership styles and aptitude. These are proficiency and communication skills, political skills, emotional intelligence, organizational capacity and policy vision. Proficiency and communication skills Tony Blair has an outstanding proficiency in public communication, usu ally described as an exciting politician, who is able to interact well with the media. His strong control over the government’s message was highly successful in imposing unity and projecting an image of competence. How Blair managed communications during the 1999 Kosovo war, was an illustration of this skill. On the other hand, Major John and Gordon Brown are not proficient and good communicators (Bennister, 2012). Cameron is also known for his communication skills, which is enhanced by background in television. Organizational capacity Cameron noticeable organization skills are his self confidence and inner motivation. He strives to excel and accomplish objectives. He sets intricate goals and works on how the objectives will be accomplished. His strong communication skills enable him to respond positively to setbacks whenever they occur. He is able to remain calm under strenuous circumstances. Cameron organizational capacity has been put under criticism as a result of his jud gments with regards to key government appointments. Major John had a strong organizational capacity due to his democratic leadership. His reign had few ad hoc cabinet meetings and fewer ad hoc committees to compete for a central position in policy making. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown had less organizational capacities, and usually struggled to find arrangements that suited them.

Evaluating Vision And Mission Statements At Harley-Davidson Essay

Evaluating Vision And Mission Statements At Harley-Davidson - Essay Example As the discussion stresses  the statement falls short of describing the geographical territory of operations but mentions that the organization offers its products/services in selected market segments. The third characteristic of unique benefits/features/advantages offered is also present as the mission statement declares that Harley-Davidson fulfills dreams through the experience of motorcycling.  From this paper it is clear that the mission statement mentions ‘an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products’ alluding to the characteristics of technology used in production/distribution and fundamental concern for survival through growth and profitability.   It is however important to mention that there is no specific information on the technology used by the organization. Likewise, the growth and profitability plans have not been explicitly stated. The mission statement of Harley-Davidson does not specify the values and beliefs and therefore does not bring o ut the managerial philosophy of the organization. The characteristics of public image sought and self concept are also conspicuous by their absence in Harley-Davidson’s mission statement.  Harley-Davidson’s vision statement is lengthy and difficult to remember by heart so it does not possess the first characteristics of being brief. The achievement of the aspirations can be verified by checking the annual reports, sustainability reports, website and press releases of the organization.   

Engineering business functions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Engineering business functions - Assignment Example For instance, the purchases Department are directly linked to the plant processing company. It is the purchases department that works towards ensuring that the raw materials are available for processing in the plant. The purchased parts of the automobiles are processed to form the end products that are sold. Again, where there is a delay in the purchases, the output will reduce. At the same time, when there is a problem with the finance department, there will be reduced efficiency in the purchasing department that will eventually be reflected in the output in the organization. However, efficiency in the finance department will also lead to efficiency in other operations given other factors are always kept constant. Additionally, the production process relies heavily on other important factors. For instance, for effective production, the mechanical processes involved must all be efficient. The required expertise must always be availed to monitor the whole task otherwise that will occu r some errors. Moreover, if the sales department does not effectively execute their duties, then there will be overstocking that will otherwise result in losses in the organization and reduce the rate of production. The necessity of developing standards is essential. The success of any business lies in achieving the standard that can suit both the customer’s specifications and that of the company. However, determining these specific standards remains the main problem that any firm can ever meet.

Article Review on Technology in Education Assignment

Article Review on Technology in Education - Assignment Example Videoconferencing at present is a medium for learning partnerships both in the local scene and in the international setup. Reynard (2012) cited â€Å"the inclusion of video increases the sense of presence,† and considers this as a means of collaboration. This educational tool has evolved in the recent years to include media tools, such as chat, as well as interactive whiteboards, which increase the exchange of ideas and resources alike, taking learning and the accumulation of knowledge to new heights (Reynard, 2012). This promotes access to what is otherwise accessible – locations which are commonly not that open to the public and expert educators who are too geographically distant; in reference to inaccessible locations, virtual tours are utilized (Reynard, 2012). Another advantage of this modern day educational tool is that it can make available the unavailable, such as classes not normally offered in the school, or those beyond the normal hours of school, which would be highly advantageous for those who are not able to avail of normal class hours (Reynard, 2012). Another important benefit of videoconferencing is that it helps students go the extra mile – tutoring and enrichment activities online, in real time, and without geographical constraints (Reynard, 2012). ... Furthermore, technology like videoconferencing may bridge the gap between different cultures as it provides worldwide reach to all students; this would yield better-informed students and well versed in aspects in which traditional students are not due to limited access to resources. There would be constant updates of any advancement or modification in education across the globe, as this education tool goes beyond geographical boundaries. In the future, students would be more interested and involved to learn as videoconferencing offers them interactive learning. It would give new meaning to the term – experience – since this teaching strategy would make the learners feel as if they are in that particular scenario, hence, making them believe like it was their own personal experience. There would probably be an increase in the number of students, as those who do not have the luxury of time could avail of such dynamic and effective education made very convenient to them sin ce it is not bound by normal school hours. Personal Opinion: How Technology will Shape Education in the Future Technology is evolving, as it is used in the field of education, so will the latter evolve, as well. Education will be better, as technology will constantly upgrade, so will the skills of the students. Thus, to keep up with complex learning needs brought about by modernized educational tools utilized by students, educators will adapt to such modernity. They will be well equipped with modern strategies to address learning needs. In the process, education will reach new heights. The standard of education would be further uplifted, producing more competitive

Newspapers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Newspapers - Essay Example nic tragedy way back in 1912 and have shown how each of the three dailies The New York Times, Las Vegas Optic and Santa Fe New Mexican reported it in their 1912 third week of April publication. It was at midnight of the 14th of April 1912 that Titanic hit an iceberg and the rest was one of the worst and most tragic episodes recorded in history. The Titanic was considered to be the most ‘gigantic’ (The New York Times, p.1) luxury cruise-liners of the century that could never drown. But as fate would have it, Titanic went down taking along with it more than 1500 passengers including hundreds of women and children. It became the major news of the 1912s and dominated page 1 of almost all the dailies for weeks. Each of the newspaper houses hounded for more detailed news not only for making business but for delivering as much information as possible to the aggrieved families of the victims who were trying hard to know and connect to their relatives who were on board. The publication of The New York Times that came out on the 16th of April 1912 has provided a detailed account of the incident. The Headline ‘The Lost Titanic Being Towed out of Belfast Harbour’ with a picture of the luxury liner evokes a sense of irrevocable loss. The best part of The New York Times is that it adopts a style that suits the common man’s taste. The news is presented in conversational English that people can connect with. By focusing on every detail from the desperate attempts of the Captain, Captain Smith, to the helplessness of family and friends in trying to get in touch with their loved ones, it makes the tragedy all the more palpable to its readers. Every column informs about one or the other aspect of the accident that might help in understanding the death toll, the exact location and the condition of those who have been saved. It provides a list of those feared to be dead on the basis of the number of cabins and the passengers fitted in them. This bit of statistical data

Introduction to Communication in Health Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Communication in Health Essay Outcome 1: Understand why communication is important in the work setting? †¢ People communicate to give and receive information i.e. Child A has eaten a piece of toast during snack time, as child A doesnt usually do this we informed the parents of the childs progress at the end of our preschool session. †¢ People also communicate to give and receive instructions e.g. Child A has a lactose intolerance and therefore can only have Soya milk at snack times ,It is therefore vital that all staff follow these instructions. †¢ People also communicate to express any needs that they have in our preschool setting we have all weather outdoor play time so it is essential that all children have a suitable outdoor coat hat, gloves and Wellington boots. 2. Explain how effective communication affects all aspects of own work? See more: how to start an essay †¢ Being able to communicate with all individuals within our preschool setting helps to build a good foundation and understanding between us. Giving information in a clear manner that is understood by the recipient to ensure that the information is received in the right way, also taking the time to listen to other peoples points of view and concerns, And ensuring that we meet any needs or concerns that these partys may have. †¢ For children this means always talking to them at there level giving good eye contact and re-assuring facial expressions and body language. Giving them enough time to listen and process things that you say or ask of them and giving adequate time for a response, whenever appropriate using  positive tones to your voice. †¢ For parents using all available communication methods, from face to face communication, to telephone conversations or writing in the childs home school book. Using first names where ever possible and listening to and respecting the views of the parent/carer. Always re-assuring a parent that our first priority will always be there child. †¢ For our colleagues always have conversations in appropriate places, Give eye contact and correct body language also listen and be respectful of other peoples point of views and opinions. †¢ In our preschool setting we have many bilingual children and as English isnt there first language we use many different techniques to ensure they can understand what we are saying or asking them to do. During our snack time we count in all the childrens first languages, Chinese and Malayalam and use both pictures and hand signs to help the Children understand. Child A was doing an animal puzzle and showed me a pig piece I said Thats a pig and made the noise oink, oink whilst making a snout with My hand at my nose. 3. Explain why it is important to observe an individuals reaction When communicating with them? †¢ It is important to watch how people react to see how they are feeling and whether they understand the conversation or instructions you are giving to them. You can see if a person is comfortable by there body language, facial, Expressions and tone of there voice. We must use these skills to read both adults and children alike. Also taking in to account that different expressions can have different meanings in other cultures.

Choosing Between Debt And Equity Finance Essay

Choosing Between Debt And Equity Finance Essay In financial decisions, the choice between debt and equity financing is one of the most difficult ones. Both types of financing have its advantages and disadvantages. Debt financing is based on borrowing finance, and incurs debts that should be repaid in a certain time. The obligations of the company include repaying the loan and paying interest on the loan until its repaid. Debt financing does not impact the ownership of the business, but might cause high debt servicing costs. On the other hand, equity financing represents the exchange of finance to a part of business ownership; this is commonly done by issuing stocks. Equity financing allows to receive investments without additional payments and does not cause financial concern of investors, like debt financing does. However, since the ownership is shared, the owners have to dilute their decisive power (Grossman Livingstone, 2009), and might even lose control of the company. For the companies, the choice of debt or equity financing is based on many factors, such as size of the company, state and dynamics of the industry, perspectives of the company, debt-to-equity ratio, debt servicing costs etc. The purpose of this essay is to consider the decision of American Superconductor Corporation to shift to equity financing from debt financing, made in 2003. AMSC case American Superconductor Corporation is a company providing wind turbine design, electrical control systems, power systems and superconductive wires (Madura, 2008). It operates mostly in Europe, North America and Pacific Asia. Before 2003, the companys investment policy was based on debt financing; however, in 2003, the decision to forgo a secured debt financing and to adopt an equity financing strategy under current market conditions (Esposito, 2003) was made. The company experienced recession in 2003; in October 2002, its stock prices have fallen to the record level of $2.25, and in 2003, they constituted about $3.36, which was very low compared even to 2002 level of $12.26 (AMSC Stock, 2010). The company needed financing, and their choice was to issue a public equity offering instead of debt financing. This decision was explained as strategic solution based on the consequences of 2003 blackouts, and CEO of American Superconductor, Greg Yurek, forecasted an increased need for their power grids and public attention to better voltage support with dynamic reactive power compensation (Esposito, 2003). The results of first six months of fiscal 2004 year seemed to prove the efficient of the decision to pursue equity financing, since no long-term debt was reported, and $17.4 million revenue in the first two quarters of the year. The company also focused on wind turbines, which were gaining popularity. Wind power in 2007, for example, became the first $30B clean energy industry (Madura, 2008). Current financial position of AMSC shows that its total revenue and gross profit values have significantly increased during the last years (2008-2010 financial information available); the companys gross margin is 39.14% compared to 32.19% in the diversified electronics industry in general (AMSC Stock, 2010). The operating margin is also higher: 14.70% compared to 5.71% industrys operating margin, the EPS is also higher (0.64) than 0.08 average (AMSC Stock, 2010). Although the financial position of AMSC is weaker than that of main competitor, ABB. Ltd., the company managed to override another major competitor, SatCon Technology Corporation. The industry provides a significant development potential, and the stocks of the company were not priced less than $10 since 2007 (AMSC Stock, 2010). Analysis of financial decision The combination of debt and equity financing impacts the companys cost of capital. Debt financing is safer for investors, while equity financing is more risky for investors, but at the same time safer for the company (Grossman Livingstone, 2009). Since debt financing creates contractual obligations, the companies should carefully consider their ability to repay the debts. Debt servicing incurs higher costs than equity financing, and if the company experiences fast growth, it might suffer from high debt servicing expenses. It has also been shown that companies with consistent profit operating in low-risk and slowly growing industries more often opt for debt financing, while companies operating in risky and rapidly changing industries as well as in volatile ones, should choose equity financing since these companies have more opportunities for investments, and would not suffer from underinvestment (Grossman Livingstone, 2009). By 2003, AMSC experienced financial problems and its stocks have dropped in price, but the conditions of the environment indicated the quick growth of interest to AMSC production. It could be forecasted that in some time the company would need significant investments and 2003-2004 was the right time to expand. If AMSC continued debt financing, its growth would be hindered by debt servicing costs and worse stock dynamics. Thus, the decision of AMSC to replace debt financing with equity financing was very appropriate in this situation. Conclusion In order to perform the choice of business financing (debt versus equity), it is necessary to consider the perspectives of the company as well as the nature and dynamics of the industry. In 2003, AMSC was experiencing financial difficulties and its stocks have significantly fallen. However, there were many opportunities for development, and the 2003 blackouts increased the interest to AMSC production. Therefore, the company had strong potential for growth, and needed strong financing source without excess cost increase. Thus, American Superconductor Corporation performed a right decision to stop debt financing, and to issue a public equity offering. The correctness of the decision can be also traced looking at further financial development of the company: AMSC is stably growing, creates new products and shows good progress compared to its competitors.