Unmanned Aerial Vehicle of Bits, Pilani-Dubai Campus for the International Aerial Robotics Competition 2011

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle of BITS, Pilani-Dubai Campus for the International Aerial Robotics Competition 2011 Saurabh Ladha, Deepan Kishore Kumar, Robin Singh ,Pavitra Bhalla, Anant Mittal, Aditya Jain, Anshul Upreti, Prof. Dr. R. K. Mittal, Dr Anand Kumar Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-Dubai Campus, Dubai, UAE ABSTRACT The Intelligent Flying Object for Reconnaissance (IFOR) is an autonomous aerial vehicle that has been developed by BITS Pilani Dubai Campus students.The vehicle is capable of localizing itself using the SLAM algorithm, stabilize its attitude (pitch, roll and yaw) and altitude using PID controllers, plan paths around obstacles and navigate an unknown indoor environment with wall following guidance. In addition, it has been designed to be capable of pattern recognition which would enable it to recognize images and signs. These features enable the IFOR to execute the 6th mission of the International Aerial Robotics Competition, which involves scanning an unknown indoor arena protected by laser barriers and cameras, bestrewn with obstacles, in the search for a flash drive. 1.INTRODUCTION The field of robotics is witnessing a paradigm shift in the operation and use of robots. With robots becoming autonomous and intelligent day by day, their application and use has increased tremendously. Aerial robots specifically have an edge over other autonomous vehicles due to its higher degrees of freedom in motion and agile maneuverability. To tap these features and advance the applications and versatility of the quadrotor is the aim of the team. 1. 1 Problem Statement The 6th mission of the IARC requires teams to infiltrate a military facility from which a flash drive has to be retrieved and replaced by a decoy.This flash drive is placed in the ‘Office of the Chief of Security’, identifiable by a unique Arabic pattern. To reach this room, a vehicle must explore a ‘maze’ of rooms avoiding randomly placed obstacles alon g its path. In addition it must also avoid detection by a camera and laser barriers placed within the arena. Once the target pen drive is found it must retrieve the object after dropping a decoy in its place, the entire mission must be performed in under 10 minutes. 1. 2 Conceptual Solution Team IFOR will be using a quadrotor as its aerial vehicle to execute the 6th mission.The vehicle will use wall following guidance to explore the maze, whilst a path planning system shall continuosly scan the environment to plan optimum paths around obstacles. Localization in a global frame can be accomplished using the SLAM algorithm, the output of which can be used by a Drift Control system to Page 1 of 10 correct unintentional drift. The Image processing routine runs in parallel to find recognizable patterns in its surrounding. Ground Station Wi- ­? Fi 2. 4 GHz Hokuyo scanning laser range finder Camera Guidance, Navigation, Control - ­? Mission planner - ­? Wall following guidance - ­? Path planning  ­? Target retrieval - ­? Pattern matching CoreExpress breakout board Intel Atom Z530 Image recognition Analog 72 MHz Safety Pilot Inertial Measurement Unit - ­? MEMS gyro sensors - ­? 3D magnetic compass - ­? 3 axis accelerometer ARM7 Microprocessor Stability Augmentation System - ­? Altitude hold - ­? Attitude hold Motors Sonar Altimeter Figure of Overall system architecture 1. 3 Yearly Milestones In the second year of the 6th Mission, Team IFOR intends to fly autonomously, navigate through the arena, and implement drift control, path planning and image processing(limited to recognition of the pen drive and signboards).SLAM will serve as a base system for the IFOR to successfully run all other systems that are directly dependent on the localized coordinates. Flash drive retrieval mechanism will be developed in the following year. Page 2 of 10 2. Air vehicle The team is using an off the shelf quadrotor from Ascending Technologies, the Asctec Pelican Quad rotor. The Pelican weighs about 980 g and has a payload capacity of 500 g, ideally suited for covert missions. The Asctec Pelican quadrotor and the propeller action. 2. 1 Propulsion and lift system The quadrotor is a Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) rotorcraft which is propelled by four rotors.By appropriately changing the rotor speeds the quadrotor can pitch, roll or yaw. Each of the four propellers produces a downward thrust about the centre of the blades and a torque about the arm of the quadrotor. The quadrotor can be flown either in diamond configuration where the pitch axis is the diagonal of the quadrotor or in square configuration where the axis of the pitch is parallel to two adjacent propellers. If all the four propellers spun in identical directions and speeds, the quadrotor would yaw about its centre of mass.To stabilize this yaw, the two sets of propellers spin in opposite directions and balance the angular momentum generated by the other two propellers. Pitch, in a square configuration, is achieved by reducing the speeds of two propellers (A and B) and increasing the speeds of the two propellers (C and D), this pitches the quadrotor in the direction of A and B. Roll is achieved in a similar way, by increasing speeds of propellers A and D and reducing the speeds of B and D, this rolls the quadrotor in the direction of B and D. 2. 2 Guidance Navigation and Control Control The quadrotor, by nature, is an aerodynamically unstable system.It hence demands to be one that is mechatronic in nature with its dynamics being controlled by PID generated control signals. This automatically calls for the Page 3 of 10 implementation of a feedback system to monitor the quads’ deviations from the desired response. The Asctec Pelican already has a PID controller implemented to control the attitude (pitch,roll and yaw). The Inertial Measurement Unit(IMU) readings are used as inputs for these loops, in addition, yaw control also uses the inputs generated by the magentometer. 2. Stability Augmentation systems The instability of the quadrotor arises from the fact that the aerial vehicles dynamics are electronically varied, which leads to a delay for the mechanical system to respond due to inertial reasons. The commanded attitude is delivered by use of the PID loops already described. In addition we have also implemented an altitude PID controller which can be described as below: Altitude Output = Kc         ? #               +                  1&'      ? #      ()   +*(()   ? +) ?- is the difference between the desired altitude and actual altitude . The MaxSonar LV sonar altimeter is used to for readings on the altitude.A drift control mechanism is also required since milligram imbalances in weight apart from other factors cause a quadrotor to drift unintentionally, the drift control is accomplished via a separate set of loops which can be described as follows: Pitch Output Roll Output = Kc         ? +               +                  1;'      ? +      ()   +*(()   ? +                      = Kc         ?. +                  1&'      ?. ()   +*(()   ?. ) ?/ is the difference between desired pitch and actual pitch ? 0 is the difference between desired roll and actual roll Kc is the controller parameter, from which Kp (Kc * 1), Ki (Kc / Ti) and Kd (Kc ** ) values are obtained.The require the Zeigler Nicholls Tuning method was used to generate optimum values for Kp Ki and Kd. R(s) + – Controller Gc(s) Measured Output System Input Process Gp (s) Control Output Sensor H (s) s: transfer function parameter Figure of control system architecture Page 4 of 10 The three loops described in this section are implemented on the Intel Atom board which is on board the vehicle. 2. 4 Navigation The quadrotor begins ascending and finds the window opening using feature detection. Once the window has been detecte d, the arena is infiltrated after checking whether the camera is on or off.Once inside the arena, the quadrotor moves close to the right wall and performs right wall following algorithm to explore the indoor arena. SLAM forms the base upon which the quadrotor extracts its local coordinates for adjusting drift of movement and also aligns itself with the wall to continue its navigation. The mission planner sets the direction in which the vehicle must move. 2. 5 SLAM The term SLAM is an acronym for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping. SLAM is concerned with the problem of building a map of an unknown environment by a mobile robot while at the same time navigating the environment using the map.SLAM consists of multiple parts; Landmark extraction, data association, state estimation, state update and landmark update. The team has developed a program that extracts data directly from the laser sensor and implements SLAM real-time using CoreSLAM libraries. CoreSLAM is a fully developed sim ple and efficient algorithm, which can perform SLAM using data just from a laser sensor. Due to its computational simplicity, it can easily be used on-board the vehicle. It integrates laser information in its localization subsystem based on particle filter, using two main functions: †¢ †¢ The scan o map distance function, which acts as the likelihood function used to test each state position hypothesis (particle) in the filter. The map update function, used to build the map as the robot is going forward. It uses a very simple Monte-Carlo algorithm to match the current scan with the map to get the updated (x,y) coordinates of the robot position estimate at all times during the mission. This localization is then provided to other higher-level modules such as drift control, path planning and mission planning. Page 5 of 10 2. Flight Termination System The quadrotor though autonomous in its flight can also be manually commanded to abort the flight.A safety kill switch mechanism has been developed in order to attain this safety feature. The kill switch will override all other running programs in the quadrotor and gradually reduce the throttle to zero so that the quadrotor can land safely. The Pelican has a built in termination system in which, the vehicle lands the moment the transmitter falls out of range. This feature is used for Flight termination via a kill switch which shuts the transmitter off and hence causes the vehicle to land. . Payload 3. 1 Sensor suite 3. 1. 1 GNC Sensor Asctec 3D MAG is a triple axis magnetometer that determines the vehicles heading by measuring the earth’s magnetic field. A Hokuyo-Light Detection and Ranging Device is used to scan the environment for SLAM, navigation and obstacle avoidance. A SONAR altimeter is used to measure the altitude of the quadrotor. The quadrotor’s sensory system includes an Inertial Measurement Unit comprising of a Triple axis accelerometer and a MEMS gyrometers. Each of these electroni c components perform crucial role in the flight stability, control and navigation. . 2 Mission sensor 3. 2. 1Target identification The image processing module of the quadrotor is capable of detecting the blue LED which indicates whether the camera is on or off, this is accomplished via blob detection. In addition, it is also capable of detecting signboards using Optical Character Recognition. 3. 2. 2 Obstacle detection and Avoidance The threat avoidance system of the quadrotor is directly a subroutine of the Path planning module. This sub routine identifies obstacles, classifies them as threat if they are in the intended path of travel.On finding an obstacle in the scan, the algorithm proceeds to suitably finding a path that would avoid the obstacle with the minimum possible deviation from the original path. We define a safe distance(the safe distance is contingent on the aerial vehicle’s kinematics) from an obstacle and a minimum clearance width, a scanning range of ? degree s in front of the quadrotor is calculated to be sufficient to identify the existence of an obstacle. If in this scanning angle range, a point is found to be too close to the quadrotor it is declared as an Page 6 of 0 obstacle. This is the point at which the â€Å"growth algorithm† takes over the navigation of the quadrotor. The growth algorithm and path planning are represented as follows: Reduce each scan by ? , thereby ‘growing ‘every obstacle If adajecent points lie too close then reduce by secondary factor ? Considering the quadrotor to be a point calculate the longest free path Assign imporatnce factor to di? erent clear paths based on of deviaRon from original path and total length Yaw towards the set path and pitch forward Repeat unRl no obstacles are found 3. Communications The vehicle communicates with a base computer via an Xbee module over the Zigbee protocol in order to deliver telemetry data. The other communication links include a WiFi link to delive r real time video to the base station. Both of these links operate at 2. 4 Ghz. Finally, a safety pilot can take control over the vehicle at any time using a Futaba radio controller operating at 72 Mhz. 3. 4 Power system The quadrotor is powered by an 11. 1V Lithium Polymer Battery. A power board is used to distribute power and communication lines to all motor controllers and other systems on board.This power board comprises of a switching power regulator to generate a stable Page 7 of 10 6V supply for the Auto Pilot board and a high power MosFET to switch current ON and OFF. 4. Operation 4. 1 Flight preparation Each flight test is performed with utmost precaution following the mentioned safety procedure which ensures a safe and smooth flight of the quadrotor. 4. 2 Checklist 1. Double Check LiPo battery voltage using voltmeter. 2. Examine the propellers, safety mounts, nuts and screws for any damage. 3. Test communication link between the quadrotor and the Ground station 4.Enable sa fety pilot and check kill switch action before flight. 5. Check status LED’s 4. 3 Man/Machine interface The Intel atom board which is on board the vehicle can be accessed via an LVDS display, this also allows other HMI devices like a mouse/keyboard to be connected. 5. Risk reduction 5. 1 Vehicle status Two status LEDs allow for a check on certain critical vehicle states. The Red LED blinking indicates that the sensors are being initialized and calibrated. Once the sensors are calibrated a green LED blinks rapidly indicating the flight control software is running. In case the battery voltage drops below under 9. volts a loud tone is emitted, with the beeping becoming faster as the voltage drops. 5. 2 Shock / Vibration isolation The Asctec Pelican is built on a carbon fiber frame which has a large value of Ultimate Tensile Strength; that is it can withstand a large amount of impact without necking. The quadrotor is also fitted with soft cushioning pads below the arms to ensure that any impact is cushioned. EMI/RFI Solutions Page 8 of 10 The quadrotor’s vital components that do not communicate wirelessly are wrapped with aluminum foil paper, which does not allow for Electromagnetic interference from the wireless devices.This simple solution is based on the principle of a Faraday’s cage. Sensitive components like these are also placed above all other devices. RFI is less in the vehicle as all the computation happens on board. Safety The IFOR is equipped with landing gear designed in a manner to deflect shock from the electronic system. The propellers are also covered, which ensures safety to both bystanders and the vehicle in case of a mishap. The ON/OFF switch on board is designed active low, so if for some reason the mechanical switch breaks or looses connection the vehicle will remain ON.However this mechanism is overridden by the safety kill switch. Modeling and Simulation The intelligence of the quadrotor was extensively tested for robust ness before and after burning the codes onto the on board processor. Image processing was developed from scratch to meet the requirements of the competition. The PID controllers were tested on Lab View. Testing Device / Routine HOKUYO LIDAR SLAM Cameras Drift Control Conclusion BITS Pilani Dubai Campus had developed IFOR to become a fully autonomous quadrotor that will be able to successfully accomplish the tasks of the IARC.The IFOR’s intelligence system comprises of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping algorithm for the bot to get localize itself in its environment, achieve drift control using a simple PID controller on each of the pitch, roll and altitude controls, this ensures that the flight operation to be steady without considerable oscillating variations. The navigation of the quadrotor is dependent on the wall following algorithm along with the mission planner. Obstacle avoidance ensures that indoor environments can be explored regardless of the Page 9 of 10 Testing Tested while running the intelligence software.Real time execution and experimentally determined accuracy of localization. Pre flight and On Flight testing for image processing Onboard as well off board testing for suitability to tuning presence of obstacles. Finally, image processing enables the quadrotor to scan for patterns, edges and symbols and make corresponding control outputs to maneuver the quadrotor to reach its target room with the flash drive. References 1) Johnson, E. N. and Schrage, D. P. , â€Å"System Integration and Operation of a Research Unmanned Aerial Vehicle,† AIAA Journal of Aerospace Computing, Information and Communication, Vol. 1, No. 1, Jan 2004, pp. –18. Durrant-Whyte, H. ; Bailey, T. (2006). â€Å"Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM): Part I The Essential Algorithms†. Robotics and Automation Magazine 13 (2): 99–110. Andrew J. Davison. Real-time simultaneous localization and mapping with International Conference on Com puter V i s i o n ( I C C V ’ 0 3 ) – V o l u m e 2 , 2003. a single camera. Ninth IEEE 2) 3) 4) Chowdhary, G. V. and Johnson, E. N. , â€Å"Theory and Flight Test Validation of Long Term Learning A d a p t i v e F l i g h t Controller,† Proceedings of the AIAA Guidance Navigation and Control Conference, Honolulu, HI, 2008. 5) 6) Michelson, R. Rules for the International Aerial Robotics Competition 6th Mission, http://iarc. angelstrike. com/IARC_6th_Mission_Rules. pdf Hoffmann,    G. M. , Huang, H. , Waslander, S. L. , ; Tomlin, C. J. (2007). Quadrotor Helicopter Flight Dynamics and Control Theory and Experiment. AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference and Exhibit, 20(23), 1- ­? 20. Point Grey - ­? Imaging - ­? Firefly MV CMOS USB 2. 0 / FireWire Camera. (n. d. ). Point Grey CCD and CMOS Digital Cameras for Industrial, Machine, and Computer Vision. Retrieved June 1, 2010, from http://www. ptgrey. com/products/fireflymv/index. asp 7) Page 10 of 1 0

Sexual Harassment in Global Human Resource Management

â€Å"Sexual Harassment has been pointed out as the most increasing, widespread problem faced by women in the workforce (Kadue & Lindeman, 1997). † Therefore, I will write to you about what sexual harassment is and what constitutes it, where the United States and other countries stand on this issue (the global view), types of sexual harassment, how to identify it, major problems related to sexual harassment, disciplinary actions the offender may face, and affects sexual harassment may have on the victim. Sexual Harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct that is of a sexual nature. â€Å"Women bring about 85 percent of all sexual harassment charges (Scarborough & Zimmerer, 2006). † â€Å"A recent study found that retaliation claims occur in 47 percent of sexual harassment cases (Scarborough & Zimmerer, 2006). Following are a few items that constitute sexual harassment: submitting to or rejecting conduct is an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment; submitting to or rejecting the conduct is a basis for employment decisions affecting the individual; the conduct unreasonably interferes with an individuals work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment (Fisher, Schoenfeldt, Shaw, 1999). In the past, the things that constituted sexual harassment were very vague. Due to this, when attorneys were in pursuit of their evidence, they had to be very aggressive. The behaviors associated with sexual harassment include threats or coercion which are linked to tangible job benefits and/ or those which involve unwanted gestures, unwanted touching or physical contact (Backstrom & McDonald, 2008). † Looking at sexual harassment globally, cultures differ in the type of behavior that is acceptable between the sexes and there seems to be considerable possibility of misunderstanding when employees of diverse cultures and genders meet in the workplace (Hardman, Heidelberg and Talbot, 1996). Behavior that Americans consider unacceptable is likely to occur in countries where the sexes are not equal under the law in society (Hardman et al. , 1996). † There are just a few countries that have laws against sexual harassment. â€Å"As of 1992, only Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, and the United States had regulations in place (Hardman et al. , 1996). † â€Å"One of the things mitigating the workplace a pproach to harassment in Germany was the structure of labor relations (Dobbin, 2006). â€Å"There the industrial relations system was collaborative rather than top-down, which meant that directives have to be worked out at the level of workplace Works Council (Dobbins, 2006). † In America’s legal system, companies banned flirting and office romance because they were concerned about the courts banning them. â€Å"The French saw excessive Puritanism in the American approach, and so French feminists first won a law with a limited definition of harassment as abuse of power by someone in an official capacity (Dobbins, 2006)†. France made a 2002 revision of the law that made sexual harassment equal to moral harassment and violence, but they didn’t do it by inheriting American ideas. France separated harassment from Puritanism and then connected it with other types of psychological violence. â€Å"Employees in Germany and Italy do not necessarily have to have cause to fire employees who engage in sexual harassment, even if employees violate company policy (Maatman, 2000). † â€Å"Employers who terminate harassers may be forced to pay them termination indemnities (Maatman, 2000). â€Å"In Spain and Thailand, labor law concepts based on termination indemnity provisions allow employees to terminate their employment relationships due to sexual harassment. In turn, termination indemnity laws require employers to pay employees substantial severance pay if the cause of their termination is sexual harassment (Maatman, 2000). † â€Å"Venezuelan law prohibits sexual harassment by virtue of enac tment of the Law on Violence against Women and Family. The new law establishes the crime of sexual harassment, as well as penalties for its violation (Maatman, 2000). The crime that someone might serve for sexual harassment is three to 12 months in prison. Also, the offender has to pay the victim double the amount of accumulative damage that caused the sexual harassment along with access to positions and promotions. Employers are held responsible for monetary penalties; individual supervisors could go to jail. â€Å"Executives are potentially liable, and the company may have to cover a harasser's costs (Maatman, 2000). † â€Å"The mandatory termination indemnity laws of many foreign countries–as well as the potential for steep fines and even jail terms for employees who cross he line–should give employers entering the international arena some pause. Businesses that establish offices overseas can face extensive liability exposure for ill-advised personnel decisi ons and unsound loss-control protocols (Maatman, 2000). â€Å"Sound implementation of personnel policies and practices aimed at combating sexual harassment can help minimize these risks. Proactive HR administration can preserve corporate reputation and brand image, enhance recruiting and retention of a competitive workforce and avoid violation of international sexual harassment laws (Maatman, 2000). To reduce incidents, companies should brief expatriates on regulations in regards to male and female behavior at work. When harassment takes place in an overseas establishment, it is less clear whose standards should apply – those of the host country or those of the home country (Hardman et al. , 1996). â€Å"If freedom from unwanted sexual advances or overtly discriminatory behavior is considered a universal human right, then firms should protect this right in their operations worldwide (Hardman et al. , 1996). † â€Å"U. S. ased corporations must be aware that their American employees have the statutory right to sue for this discrimination occurring throughout the world (Maatman, 2000). † â€Å"Applicants, workers and terminated employees who are U. S. citizens and are subjected to discriminatory practices anywhere in the world may file a discrimination charge against their U. S. employers (Maatman, 2000). † There is no easy answer to the problem of sexu al harassment and the misunderstanding that can occur across many different cultures. There are two types of sexual harassment that are recognized by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the courts (Philips, 1997). They are as follows: Quid Pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment. Quid Pro quo (this for that) happens when an employee makes it clear to a manager or supervisor that his or her sexual demands are unwanted and as a result of that loses an economic benefit, such as employment, an increase in salary or employment. Only managers and supervisors, not coworkers, can engage in quid pro quo harassment (Scarborough & Zimmerer, 2006). A hostile environment sexual harassment is a sexual discrimination and the harassment must be harsh enough to alter the victim’s employment conditions and create an abusive work area. A hostile environment usually requires a pattern of offensive sexual behavior rather than a single, isolated remark or display (Scarborough & Zimmerer, 2006). â€Å"Most sexual harassment charges arise from claims of a hostile environment (Scarborough & Zimmerer, 2006). † â€Å"Some experts believe male-dominated workplaces are likely to be the most hostile to women (Zwettler, 1997). Management can enforce a policy against sexual harassment. This policy should first, clearly define what behaviors constitute sexual harassment, secondly, State in clear language that harassment will not be tolerated in the workplace, thirdly, identify the responsibilities of supervisors and employees in preventing harassment and lastly, spell out steps to take in reporting an incident of sexual harassment (S carbourough and Zimmerer, 2006). The effects of sexual harassment differ from person to person. It depends on how severe and how long the harassment went on. Victims of severe or chronic sexual harassment can suffer the same mental effects as someone who has been raped. Some of the health and psychological effects of sexual harassment are relocating to another city, another job, or another school, loss of career, absenteeism, and stress in relationships, decreasing work and school performance, guilt, headaches, feeling violated, eating disorders, having angry feelings towards the harasser and many more. In summary, some things you need to remember if you are being harassed is don’t quit your job, act quickly, get support from your coworkers, ridicule the harasser, use your union grievance procedures, notify the company, keep a diary, and find other victims (Moore & White, 1997). Preventing sexual harassment is the best solution, and the key to prevention is educating employees about what constitutes sexual harassment (Scarbourough and Zimmerer, 2006). Training programs are designed to raise employees’ awareness of what might be offensive to other workers and how to avoid sexual harassment altogether (Scarbourough and Zimmerer, 2006).

The Throw-Away Society

The throw-away society From lumpish walkman to handy ipod, from family traditional wedding dress to one-time use paper gown, our society witnesses the globally social revolution of throwing away. Quantity replaces quality and hence becomes the buzzword of the new world. But looking forward and in retrospect, do we really should flood in the throw-away fashion upon which our attitude towards man-made things has altered so much? And what on earth do we throw away? When we throw away the no-more-need things and replenish our refrigerators and wardrobes, we throw away resources. No matter they are patches of fabric to make a new scarf or tons of steel to produce new cars, all of them come from the valuable resources of which the stock depletes severely day by day. News and reports broadcast how scarce our natural resources are becoming, but people still throw away. Few of them have realized that the process of throwing away is the exact procedure to turn resources towards garbages. Furthermore, it is also sometimes too obscure to be noticed that throwing away products also incurs throwing away good memories. A doll you had when you were a little girl would always prompt you the innocent and sweet childhood; an umbrella you used for 4 years in the campus would always remind you of the fresh and brisk university life. When all these similar reminders become less and less, that particular period of life would be more likely to be locked somewhere in your mind, not so easy to be touched again any more. Admittedly, the throw-away society gives us so many choices among which we are prone to be less picky but also more emotionless. We seldom keep a dress for 10 years like our mothers do since all the new styles have emerged and we have so many chances to choose a more delicate one. When we discard the old one, we don’t feel a tiny bit mercy; when we welcome the new one, we don’t sense the joy that much either. It’s believed today that the whole world, material or non-material, is formulated this way, easy and convenient; thus we tend to be less reminiscent of the unforgettable birthday party while we were attired with that particular dress. The dress is still the original one, but the connotation of the dress has changed through your life, for it has been a witness to your growth, your maturity, tear and laughter, ups and downs. The longer you keep it, the more it becomes part of yourself. So many people nowadays complain that they are lost somewhere in their life and they feel onfused and puzzled to forge ahead. It’s a paradox that people want to sustain a whole self but still discard part of himself. Living in the throw-away society, what people eventually throw away is the real self, subconsciously and accidentally. It’s a trend that we will continue throwing away, as it seems to be destined. But during this inexorable process, more reflections are bound to elaborat e and expand on it since we all despise to see a world with complete trash but desperate ourselves.

Movie research final project Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research final project - Movie Review Example The killer would usually start taunting his victims through a telephone call befriending the victim and later being annoyed when the victim hangs up on him. He then attacks the helpless victim with several stabs until the victim dies. The movie was released in 1996. Regardless of Wes Craven's Scream, he represents historical events during 1996 and provides descriptions that apply today's adolescents' realities of social life and past culture 90's. It was in the 90s when technology was at its peak with the initiation of most people to personal computers, digital sounds, digital cellphones, microwave ovens and the like. Technology has become a personal issue. Communication was made swift and transportation an easy access. Even in remote places, people can be informed and up-to-date. These major events can be illustrated in the following incidents: In January 1996 particularly on the 5th "Yahya Ayyash, the "Engineer", the elusive mastermind behind a wave of Islamic suicide bombings against Israel, is killed in Gaza, apparently by a booby-trapped mobile phone." And on "Newspapers reported that Microsoft had struck deals with several computer makers that would give it a significant advantage the companies would not be allowed to use Windows." On December 16, "IBM announced on this day in 1996 it would stop selling computers that used that PowerPC chip and ran Windows NT. IBM, Motorola, and Apple had teamed up to challenge Intel Corporation's dominance in chips and Microsoft's near monopoly on operating systems." On the 17th "Intel Corporation and the Energy Department announced the development of a high-speed computer capable of performing more than one trillion calculations per second." Finally on December 26, "Six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey is found beaten and str angled in the basement of her family's Boulder, Colorado, home. The killing remains unsolved" (Rethinking History). [>>>I think this is enough, if you delete some more then you can no longer prove that there was indeed a technology uplift and it was used in connection with killings.] These two events, the killings and the booming of computer technology, are evident in Scream. There is the presence of intentional killing by two individuals to take it as a prank using technology to their advantage. The obvious use of a cellphone and the manipulation of the gadget in order for it to sound differently and distinct about just one type of voice. The computer is also given center stage as in the incident when Sidney could not use the telephone; she opted for the computer to send her message to 911. Although, there was only the use of VHS for movies, it was also reflecting the period because CDs, VCDs and DVDs came later. There were several intentional killings in 1996. The terrorists were using suicide bombers to make their message known

The Abecedarian Project and Early Childhood Intervention Essay

The Abecedarian Project and Early Childhood Intervention - Essay Example I feel that there is a difference between the results found in this controlled study project study and what is found in the regular preschool. The reason behind my argument is unlike the regular preschool, for this controlled study there was an early intervention which determined academic improvement as compared to the regular preschool where intervention was done during the school-age. The controlled study provided long-term support where the children were provided with year-round, full-time childcare unlike the other regular preschool children who had minimal support or in some cases none. The children of the controlled study received individualized attention where there was a high ratio of staff to the student in every stage of the program which most of the regular preschool children lack (Karoly 78). The controlled study children were provided with better privileges than the regular preschool children (Karoly 113). Among these privileges were free diapers, transportation, food, a cademic and social improvement activities. The regular preschool children lacked some of these privileges and thus creating the difference. Another difference was that the children from the controlled study were brought up in better living conditions thus improving their developmental growth, socially, physically and education wise. For the regular preschool children they grew up in poverty thus had development differences. The controlled study children had a more positive head start in life, unlike preschool children.

Management Control System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Control System - Essay Example superiors and subordinates) works together towards a goal. To work together requires every member of the organization to have a direct participation in every plans and actions that will be taken by the organization. Giving each member the right to speak out and express their views towards existing situations will eliminate the gap between superiors and subordinates, and will unite the two separate levels. It gives subordinates a feeling of satisfaction on their job by giving them a chance to play vital roles in administrative planning, thereby motivating them to be more productive on their work. Participative budgeting promotes respect to every member of an organization, thereby tightening working relations in the organization that is a key factor of an organization effort to attain their goals and objectives. Budget Allocation is not an easy task. A reliable budget proposal comes out from proper analysis of the strategic and operational plans, which are submitted by key people of an organization. These plans are based on the current situation and need of every level of the organization. If each member is given the chance to decide on the expense and income of the organization, it is much easier to formulate more reliable budget plans. The procedure may take time conducting open forums or debates, but it will surely lead to a well-synthesized budget plan. Operational plans will become effective by emphasizing priorities. Transparency Corruption is the biggest problem among organization. Through participative budgeting, there will be a clear statement of the allocation of resources, expenses, and transparent administrative procedures of how the plans are formed. Those who are in-charge of budget monitoring will be more accountable of their action to avoid mishandling of funds. Goal Congruence and Responsible Management Managers and members of an organization become more responsible for their departments as watchers of action plans, and budget analysts. Subordinate managers who are in direct control of everyday operation and who have direct knowledge of the every situation could enhance the planning process. By giving the subordinate managers to create their own budget, it opens the chance to subordinate managers to create a budget that would meet their department's goal resulting to higher degree of goal congruence. Complexity in the budget could be minimized when every member of the organization work together to provide alternative solutions to problems. 2. Identify deficiencies in Scott Weidner's participative budgetary policy for planning and performance evaluation purposes. For each deficiency identified, recommend how the deficiency can be corrected. Deficiencies 1. Appropriation of target figure is done by superiors. Managers are not allowed to participate in setting the appropriation target figure. Recommendation: Managers should be given the chance to participate in setting up the appropriation target. Managers are the one who knows the actual needs of their department, so they should be given the right to propose or give input for the setting up of the appropriation

Essay - 500-600 words Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

- 500-600 words - Essay Example Solving or at least alleviating this problem would also benefit the fraction of the population who would constitute the next generation of America and these are the children. In upholding the welfare of American children, it is not only the economic side that should be improved for their future. Their moral and social welfare are far more important than their financial welfare. In addition to these is their ability to survive and adapt in various kinds of conditions. To resolve a problem that involves children, the root of the problem should be traced first. This economic slump that America is facing and affects the lives of all of its citizens down to the youngest American can be traced to its moral values. Stripping off all hypocrisy and admitting that degradation of values is one of the causes of this financial predicament would make citizens realize that excessive spending, unrestrained buying, and discontent on what one already has caused America to fall into this self-made pit. To help American children would call for changes not in their surroundings but on the children. Education is important but textbooks and curriculums are not the only factors that should be taught and improved in schools and at home. Teaching children to be frugal and to maximize things that can be found at home instead of constantly buying new items would be a great start and the best way to improve the lives of American children. Furthermore, improving lives of American children through education would also need lessons on survival through improvisation and activities that would develop their adaptability in different kinds of conditions. This way, the children would be emotionally prepared and would be capable to find and invent ways if sudden changes would occur as results of the changing status of the state. As the head of the state, there is nothing wrong in improving the financial and social environment of the nation for the present population and the next

Manufacturing strategy and operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Manufacturing strategy and operations - Essay Example The adoption of this approach has a number of benefits to an organisation and the overall consumer satisfaction. In analysing this option of production, the paper will provide a case study of Nike, a company that has operated sweatshops in various parts of the world including Asia and South America. The benefits of this geographically distant manufacturing strategy adopted by the company will be evaluated in line with the principles of this approach. Geographically-distant low cost manufacturing impacts on global customer service expectation The current crave with geographically-distant low manufacturing location has led to the emergence of manufacturing units in china and other countries. This is attributed to the low cost of labour and materials in these countries, which lead to production of low cost goods. Through this approach of manufacturing, a number of organisations have significantly increased production of low cost goods and services, which has affected positively on the o verall costs of the product (Tengstam, 2008). Nike through its units in Asia and other parts of the world where the cost of labour and materials are low, have increased its production of low cost footwear. As one of the largest manufacturers of sports footwear in the world, the company has improved its global customer satisfaction through 100% outsourcing of its production processes. Through this process, the company focuses on research and development and leaves the engaging processes of manufacturing and large-scale production to offshore-outsourced companies. This ensures that the company presents well designed and consumer taste based footwear, which improves the organisation’s market influence (Kumar, 2001). One of the open costs of long distance manufacturing processes to customers is the low cost of goods produced due to the low production costs and raw materials. As a company that uses raw materials from china, Indonesia and India, Nike has increased its market contro l due to the relatively low costs of its products. The intensive cost of installing and maintaining a production unit increases the overall cost of production and this is responsible for increased cost of products in a number of multinationals. This does not however occur with Nike as it focuses on research and development processes which results into production of high quality-low cost goods. The capital costs of installing more production machinery are thus bypassed and this enables the business to produce low cots footwear and other sport accessories (Harzing, 2005). Nike’s logistic and manufacturing strategy The manufacturing strategy of Nike has remained its core strength and reason for dominance in the global market as it has enhanced its core competiveness. As an approach that seeks to eliminate initial capital and the need to manage production cost, Nike developed the use of offshore sweatshops operated in Asia and southern America. These contracted companies have the capacity to produce high quality footwear and sports accessories, which enhances its competitive strength in the market. Within these sweatshops in Asia and South America, Nike monitors the production quality and sends expatriates to these factories to manage their production proces

Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Government - Essay Example ublicans show that they clearly believe in the sanctity of life that should be protected till natural death while the Democrats believe in right to privacy and freedom from government interference and a person can take personal decisions on the rights. On euthanasia, the 2012 Texas Republicans are opposed to it or what they refer to assisted suicide and genocide or the soft killing of the terminally ill or the handicapped while the Democrats do not make any commitment on such matters. From the foregoing agreement, it can be said that the Texas republicans are more concerned with the need to protect the sanctity of the human life and therefore may attract more votes in a debate about life. However, the Texas Democrats oppose any attempt to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which provides health insurance to most if not all Americans (Texas Democratic Party). The 2012 Texas Republican platform believes that America is a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles and that all healthcare institutions should inform their staff to be involved in such acts that they believe are ungodly such as abortion and euthanasia. The Democrats on the other end believe that no Texan should be forced to live in religious doctrines in which they do not subscribe to. This clearly shows that the Republicans are very rigid on their religious views as they do not tolerate any other religion as compared to the Democrats who allow for freedom of religious association in line with the provisions of the First Amendment (Texas Democratic Party 12). However, the 2012 platform for the Texas Republicans is very conservative in nature as compared to the liberal Democratic platform that is progressive in its proposals. The Texas Republicans oppose all forms of taxation ad support the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment that led to the imposition of the national income tax but instead favours a national sales tax that is likely to affect the low and middle-income Americans. It

Video game controversy Essay Example for Free

Video game controversy Essay â€Å"In 2008, 298. 2 million video games were sold in the US, totaling $11. 7 billion in revenue. Six of the top ten best-selling video games included violence, with four of the games carrying a Mature rating recommended for persons aged 17 and older. † However, violent video games are becoming a serious issue due to increases in bullying, violence toward women and school shootings. Although, many individuals will claim that video games are just an easy accessibility to express oneself, there have been thousands of researches worldwide hoping to find the relations, threats, and even benefits transferred from violent video games to the gamers. In fact, some of the â€Å"most focused on† studies force to claim that playing violent video games does present a threat to a user’s psychological health which leads the gamer to aggressive(dangerous) behavior, increases social isolation, and should be prevented from purchase by minors. â€Å"Physical aggression† is defined as behavior intended to harm another person physically. Organizations such as the Journal of the American academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Psychological Association have actually been focusing on video games and the ties they have with physical aggression. The American Psychological Association concludes that adolescents who play video games may become increasingly aggressive over time(Yee 454). Several other studies have come to identify a cause/effect relationship between dangerous aggression and violent video games. Obviously, many gamers are not displaying much physical aggression personally while they are blowing the brains out of the â€Å"bad guys. † However, as many researchers proclaim, â€Å"Exposing children and adolescents to violent visual media increases the likelihood that they will engage in physical aggression against another person†(Anderson 445). With that stated, as the gamer may not be exploiting physical aggression at the time playing the violent video game, that individual has a high risk of absorbing similar aggressive characteristics especially after playing the game repeatedly. Along with an expected increase of physical aggression, many researchers believe that, â€Å"Media violence also produces an emotional desensitization to aggression and violence†(446). A gamer that is newly introduced to the genre of violent video games may become less sensitive or emotionally unresponsive toward violence as exposure to such genre increases and repeated game play occurs. According to James Gee, â€Å"Game players are active problem solvers who do not see mistakes as errors, but as opportunities for improvement. Players search for newer, better solutions to problems and challenges†(451). Besides all of the negative opinions on violent video games and straight from the text, â€Å"A recent Texas AM International study shows that violent games could actually reduce violent tendencies and could be used as a therapy tool for teens and young adults† (Greenberg 456-7). The majority of teens are students, occasionally have emotional stress, or just plainly need to relieve stress and to many the best way to do so is by pulling out the new Grand Theft Auto. Violence portrayed in video games—similar to reality or not—is thought of to â€Å"help children with difficult feelings such as powerlessness and fear of real violence†(Greenberg 456). Similarly, with no direct relationship, cigarette smoking is not a sufficient cause of lung cancer; although it is a cause that is closely related. Physical aggression may be increased with the direct use of violent video games, just as the risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer increases for the individual who smokes a cigarette. However, the list of risk factors in order to develop lung cancer stretches far beyond than just the cigarette; and even the one that does smoke may be in healthy shape for the majority of a lifetime. With that stated, video games are just one of many possible risk factors of physical aggression and may not exactly be supported with sufficient evidence to claim high levels of physical aggression resulted from violent video games. According to Anderson, â€Å"There are many causal risk factors involved in the development of a person who frequently behaves in an aggressive or violent manner. There are biological factors, family factors, neighborhood factors, and so on†(446). But regardless of how many other risk factors are present in a youth’s life, playing a lot of violent games is likely to increase the frequency and the aggression, both in the short term and over time as the youth grows up(Anderson 446). No matter if the physical aggression in a gamer of the violent genre is extreme or does not seem to pose a serious threat, the physical aggression does exist and can risk increasing as the violent games are being played more. Repeated consumption of violent video games â€Å"create more positive attitudes, beliefs, and expectations regarding aggressive solutions to interpersonal problems†(446). Youth are becoming to conclude that physical aggression is acceptable, and rather normal. Well over 100 experienced researchers, scientists, and scholars worldwide follow a statement which says: â€Å"Overall, the research data conclude that exposure to violent video games causes an increase in the likelihood of aggressive behavior. The effects are both immediate and long term. Violent video games have also been found to increase aggressive thinking, aggressive feelings, physiological desensitization to violence, and to decrease pro-social behavior. † Researchers and critics have expressed concerns about appropriate socialization and even addiction of young people who spend too much time alone, staring at a screen. Playing violent video games does present a threat to a user’s psychological health in which it increases social isolation. Before video games became such entertainment, more physical activity and social interactions with other individuals was a priority in search for easy entertainment. According to the website, Buzzle, referring to socialization and video games, â€Å"Social isolation can be an immediate consequence of continuous and ceaseless gaming. People, especially children, tend to spend lesser time with their friends and others because they want to get back home and continue playing. This makes them aloof from others and so in the long-run lack abilities of social communication and develop a kind of anthropophobiafear of human company†(Web). Children and teens may also come across confusion about reality and fiction. Being addicted anything, including violent video games, can place a burden on one’s social life. The ability for frequent playing gamers to witness certain realities of the world become limited and the amount of individuals the gamer interacts with eventually decreases; which leads to social isolation. Almost 60 percent of frequent gamers play with friends. Thirty-three perscent play with siblings and 25 percent play with spouses or parents. Even games designed for single players are often played socially(Jenkins 451). With percentages fairly medium, social isolation does not look as if it is as big a factor as expected. Although, gamers are not always socially interacting, social bonding makes up a major part of the controlled play. Many games, such as Call of Duty, allow access to a headset which allows individuals to socially interact with one another while playing the game. Also, about 40% of all user time on Facebook is spent playing social games, where Facebook is designed to socially interact with friends and family on a social networking site. According to Jane McGonigal, â€Å"Games make it easy to build stronger social bonds with our friends and family. Studies show that we like and trust someone better after we play a game with them—even if they beat us†(465). Even though Facebook is considered a social networking site, playing social games on the site does not exactly relate to the correct form of social interaction that is necessary to be correct. Also, just because you can talk through headset and socially interact; you are not exactly familiar with the individual speaking to you. In result, certain fears may lead to transformation in social awkwardness due to decrease of face to face contact in replace with a headset and other gamers sitting in front of their screen. Games may make it easy to build stronger social bonds, however, adding an intense amount of violence can result in different mood changes in gamers due to personal opinions on acts performed by other gamers. With a change in social behavior; friendships, family members, peers and other individuals may diagnose a problem with the gamer and consider violent video games to be a direct result of social isolation. Is it considered constitutional if an American citizen gets limited rights under the First Amendment? Playing violent video games does present a threat to a user’s psychological health and should be prevented from purchase by minors. However, Supreme Court judicial and other government officials have to decide if prohibition of violent video games to minors is interfering with the individual’s right to the First Amendment—which basically allows American citizens to have freedom of specific categories. The harmful effects on minors from playing violent video games are documented and seriously contested(Yee 454). States such as California are already attempting to make laws in which sell of violent video games to minors is prohibited just to protect children from the harmful effects of excessively violent video games. Prohibiting the sale of violent video games to minors will assist in preventing unnecessary risk factors resulted from video games. As teens short of the required age cannot watch ‘R-rated’ movies, they should not be granted the ability to control a version of realism that is similar to â€Å"real-life† on a screen in front of your face. Within the First Amendment rights are rights of speech, press, and political freedom. â€Å"To strip First Amendment free speech protection from video games that ‘lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors,†(Greenberg 455) is just absurd and objecting against one’s constitutional rights. Besides preventing the sale of violent video games to minors just going against the First Amendment, some stores may stop carrying Mature-rated games. Game publishers might be afraid to finance them. Developers would not know how to avoid triggering censorship because even the creator of such laws do not seem to know(456). Government bureaucrats are not fully equipped to â€Å"divine the artistic value that a video game has for a 17-year old. † Excitingly, many researchers believe that parents should gain more authority in the types of games or media the child absorbs or chooses to interact with. Instead of the gaming industry being responsible for the outcomes of critic reviews, and research studies; the children’s parents should take much more responsibility on anything absorbed, taught, or knowledge received by child. The people allowed to limit minor’s free speech rights are his parents or guardian(s)(456). As stated by Yee, â€Å"I am hopeful that a majority of justices will agree that parents—not retailers or game makers—should determine which games are appropriate for kids†(454). As Greenberg proclaims at the end of his passage, â€Å"Even when video games contain violence, and even when the players are minors whose parents let them play games with violence, picking up that game controller is a form of expression, and it should be free†(457). â€Å"It makes no sense to bar children from buying a picture of a naked woman but to allow them to buy video games that portray gratuitous torture†(Yee 454). There are several laws or rules that prevent us from reaching desired expectations due to physical reactions, age, and maturity level, to say the least. If a minor is prohibited from the sale of pornography due to social morals and personal ineligibilities, then one should receive tougher access to the available consumption of violent video games. The prevention to contribute those games to minors is a hopeful act to will not only ensure that parents make such decisions, but will help protect our children in the years to come. Yee claims, â€Å"That since the government can ‘prohibit the sale of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, driver’s licenses and pornography to minors’ then ‘that same reasoning applies in the foundation and enactment’ of his law restricting video games. There is a certain age until finally eligible to legally purchase weapons, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, sexual accessories, tattoos, and the list goes on. The more progressed and difficult the violent video games are becoming are being critiqued extremely precise, and actually portraying very similar to realistic visuals. With prevention of sales to minors, unnecessary confusion between psychological health in minors and violent video games will be limited and nearly eliminated; leaving open window of individuals that gain access to violent video games with prohibition to sell to minors. Do violent video games present a threat to the gamers’ psychological health? Although several studies have left many conclusions unanswered; hundreds of researchers, scientists and scholars have worked together and individually to allow the correct information behind the true relationship of violent video games and the gamers’ psychological health. Playing violent video games does present a threat to user’s psychological health in which it leads to aggressive behavior, increases social isolation, and should be prevented from purchase by minors. Works Cited Anderson, Craig A. â€Å"Violent Video Games and Other Media Violence. † Writing Arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 445-6. Print. D’Silva, Roy. â€Å"Negative Effects of Video Games. † Buzzle. 10 Oct 2012. Web. 2 Mar 2013. Greenberg, Daniel. â€Å"Why the Supreme Court Should Rule that Violent Video Games are Free Speech. † Writing Arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 454-7. Print. Jenkins, Henry. â€Å"Reality Bytes: Eight Myths about video Games Debunked. † Writing Arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 449-452. Print. McGonigal, Jane. â€Å"Be a Gamer, Save the World. † Writing Arguments. : a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 464-6. Print. ProCon. org. Do violent video games contribute to youth violence? ProCon. org. 29 Mar 2011. Web. 2 Mar 2013. Yee, Leland Y. â€Å"Parents Should be able to Control What Kids Watch. † Writing Arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 453-4. Print.

Epidemiolgy of Chikungunya Fever in Srikakulam District

Epidemiolgy of Chikungunya Fever in Srikakulam District Abstract Background: Chikungunya virus is no stranger to the Indian sub-continent. Since its first isolation in Calcutta, in 1963, the last outbreak of chikungunya virus infection occurred in India in 1971. Subsequently, there has been no active or passive surveillance carried out in the country and seemed that the virus has disappeared till the large outbreaks of fever occurred in several parts of Southern India. We report a prospective analysis of cases of chikungunya fever referred from various primary health centers of rural, tribal and semiurban areas of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. Aims of study: To analyse the burden of Chikungunya fever in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh Material and Methods: A prospective descriptive study was under taken between January-2013 to December-2014 by testing clinically suspected chikungunya fever patients attending tertiary care centre in the Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. The sera collected from suspected patients were analyzed for CHIK specific IgM antibody by IgM antibody capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using NIVCHIK kit. The data was analyzed. Results:-During the study period the total number of samples screened with clinical suspicion of chikungunya fever was 127, out of which 23(18.11%) were positive for IgM antibodies. The number of seropositive cases referred from rural area was 3 in number and from tribal areas 20.The seasonal distribution of cases was variable. Conclusion: Chikungunya fever is self limiting disease. Efforts have to be made through community awareness and early institution of supportive therapy. Vector control measures should be in full swing. Key words: Chikungunya fever, IgM positivity, Srikakulam district EPIDEMIOLGY OF CHIKUNGUNYA FEVER IN SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT Introduction Chikungunya (that which bends up) is an infection caused by the chikungunya virus (arbo virus). It features the sudden onset of fever usually lasting two to seven days, and joint pains typically lasting weeks or months but sometimes years.[1] The mortality rate is a little less than 1 in 1000, with the elderly most likely to die.[2] The arbo virus is passed to humans by two species of mosquito of the genus Aedes: A.albopictus and A.aegypti. Animal reservoirs of the virus include monkeys, birds, cattle, and rodents. This is in contrast to dengue, for which only primates are hosts. [3] The best means of prevention is overall mosquito control and the avoidance of bites by mosquitoes in countries where the disease is common. [4] No specific treatment is known, but medications can be used to reduce symptoms. Rest and fluids may also be useful. Material and Methods: A prospective descriptive study was under taken between January-2013 to December-2014 by testing clinically suspected primary Chikungunya patients attending tertiary care centre in the Srikakulam District, Andhra.Pradesh.This centre receives samples from semiurban, rural and tribal areas from Srikakulam district. Blood samples were collected from patients with clinically suspected Chikungunya fever attending the Pediatric and Medicine clinics. The patents were diagnosed as having Chikungunya fever based on standard criteria; presentation with febrile illness of 2 to 7 days duration with skin rash and features like joint pains typically lasting weeks or months but sometimes years. Mixed infection with dengue and chikungunya fever and secondary infection were excluded from the study. The exact date of sampling was not available for most of the patents .Approximately 3 ml of blood was collected, serum was separated. The sera collected from suspected patients were analyzed for CHIK specific IgM antibody by IgM antibody capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using NIVCHIK kit. The data was analyzed. Results During the study period (2013 and 2014), the total number of samples screened was 127 of which 23 (18.11%) were positive for IgM antibodies (Table 12). There was increase in the percentage positivity in the year 2014(28.78%) when compared to 2013(6.55%) with (P value of .005). Of the 23 reactive cases, 1(4.34%) was positive in a child of four years and 22 (95.65%) were adults. The IgM positivity was 12 (52.17%) in males and 11 (47.82%) in females. The distribution of seropositive cases in adults was uniform in the age group ranging from 29 years to 62 years. (Table 34). The observed chikungunya IgM seropositivity month wise is illustrated for the year 2013 and 2014.The percentage of IgM positivity recorded was found to be variable, high during the months of September in 2013 and May in 2014. (Table 12).The number of seropositive cases referred from tribal area was more 18(78.26%). Discussion The word chikungunya is thought to derive from a description in the Makonde language, meaning that which bends up, of the contorted posture of people affected with the severe joint pain and arthritic symptoms associated with this disease. The disease was first described by Marion Robinson and W.H.R. Lumsden in 1955, following an outbreak in 1952 on the Makonde Plateau, along the border between Mozambique and Tanganyika (the mainland part of modern day Tanzania).According to the initial 1955 report about the epidemiology of the disease, the term chikungunya is derived from the Makonde root verb kungunyala, meaning to dry up or become contorted. The first recorded outbreak of this disease may have been in 1779. This is in agreement with the molecular genetics evidence that suggests it evolved around the year 1700. [5] In India first outbreak of Chikungunya was documented in Kolkata during 1963 and after that 4 to 5 outbreaks had occurred. [6] The last outbreak was reported in 1971 and after that no such outbreak occurred. [7]It was assumed that virus had vanished from this region. Surprisingly since December 2005, more than 1,80,000 cases of Chikungunya was detected in India which clearly indicates re-emergence of Chikungunya in India.[8] Since then Chikungunya become a major public health problem in India. An estimate of prevalence of infection due to Chikungunya from several surveys conducted during an outbreak gives us an idea of burden of problem in a specific region which seems crucial for initiating any intervention strategy.[9] It is evident from prior survey that the main reason for this outbreak is lack of herd immunity, in-appropriate vector control strategy, emergence of rapid mutation of the virus.[7.9] Another issue with such outbreak is non-availability of proper laboratory diagnosis .[6,7] The reasons for outbreak for Chikungunya virus is unclear and yet to be explored Andhra Pradesh (AP) was the first state to report this disease in December 2005, and one of the worst affected (over 80,000 suspected cases). Several districts of Karnataka state such as Gulbarga, Tumkur, Bidar, Raichur, Bellary, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kolar and Bijapur districts have also recorded large number of chikungunya virus related fever cases. Over, 2000 cases of chikungunya fever have also been reported from Malegaon town in Nasik district, Maharashtra state, India between February-March 2006. During the same period, 4904 cases of fever associated with myalgia and headache have been reported from Orissa state as well. According to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, out of 362 samples collected from different places in AP such as Kadapa, Secunderabad, Chittoor, Anantapur, Nalgonda and Prakasam, Kurnool and Guntur districts, 139 were found positive for chikungunya.[10] Laboratory diagnosis of Chikungunya poses a great threat as most commonly practiced test like ELISA for detection of IgM antibodies is not standardized and interpretation of test results should be done with caution. Diagnosis is usually done based on triad of clinical symptoms like sudden onset of fever, skin rash and arthalgia. [11] As Chikungunya is self-limiting disease and treatment is mainly supportive. The best strategy for control of such outbreak is raising awareness of the community through mass education by public health officials. Vector control measures like spraying insecticides for example temephos, fenthion, malathion and DDT, clearing stored water and personal protective measures is also a key element in control of such outbreak.Research has shown that most important reservoir of vector of Chikungunya is in stored water in plastic or metal container and also available at construction sites. During this present survey community received education regarding safe water storage practices and personal hygiene which seems important issues in control of such outbreak. [12] In the present study 127 cases presented with clinical features of chikungunya fever out which IgM positive cases were 23(18.11%).The ratio of IgM positive dengue fever to chikungunya fever was 2.2:1 in 2013 and 1:3.3 in 2014.Maximum number of cases presented beyond 28 years of age with only one case in a four year old boy with male preponderance. Cases recorded were more from tribal area (78.26%). Conclusion: Seasonal transmission of chikungunya fever is highly variable and more cases are recorded from the tribal area in the present study. Intensive efforts have to be made through community awareness and vector control measures should be in full swing throughout the year. Education regarding safe water storage practices is very much essential. References Powers AM, Logue CH (September 2007). Changing patterns of chikungunya virus: re-emergence of azoonotic arbovirus. J. Gen. Virol. 88 (Pt 9): 2363–77 Mavalankar D, Shastri P, Bandyopadhyay T, Parmar J, Ramani KV (2008). Increased Mortality Rate Associated with Chikungunya Epidemic, Ahmedabad, India. Emerging Infectious Diseases 14 (3): 412–5. Lahariya C, Pradhan SK (December 2006). Emergence of chikungunya virus in Indian subcontinent after 32 years: A review (PDF). J Vector Borne Dis 43 (4): 151–60 Caglioti C, Lalle E, Castilletti C, Carletti F, Capobianchi MR, Bordi L (Jul 2013). Chikungunya virus infection: an overview.. The new microbiologica 36 (3): 211–27 Cherian SS, Walimbe AM, Jadhav SM, Gandhe SS, Hundekar SL, Mishra AC, Arankalle VA (January 2009). Evolutionary rates and timescale comparison of Chikungunya viruses inferred from the whole genome/E1 gene with special reference to the 2005-07 outbreak in the Indian subcontinent. Infect. Genet. Evol. 9 (1): 16–23. Inamadar AC, Palit A, Sampagavi VV, Raghunath S, Deshmukh NS. Cutaneous manifestations of chikungunya fever: observations made during a recent outbreak in south India. Int J Dermatol 2008;47:154-9. Ravi V. Re-emergence of chikungunya virus in India. Indian J Med Microbiol 2006; 24:83-4. Chhabra M, Mittal V, Bhattacharya D, Rana U, Lal S. Chikungunya fever: a re-emerging viral infection. Indian J Med Microbiol 2008;26:5-12 Kalantri SP, Joshi R, Riley LW. Chikungunya epidemic: an Indian perspective. Natl Med J India 2006;19:315-22 Chikungunya and Dengue in the south west Indian Ocean. Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR).2006. Mohan A, Kiran DH, Manohar IC, Kumar DP. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of Chikungunya fever: lessons learned from the re-emerging epidemic. Indian J Dermatol 2010;55:54-63. Tikar SN, Mendki MJ, Chandel K, Parashar BD, Prakash S. Susceptibility of immature stages of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti; vector of dengue and chikungunya to insecticides from India. Parasitol Res 2008;102:907-13. TABLES TABLE 1: DISTRIBUTION OF CASES MONTH WISE IN THE YEAR-2013 TABLE-2: DISTRIBUTION OF CASES MONTH WISE IN THE YEAR-2014 TABLE 3: SEX WISE DISTRIBUTION OF IgM POSITIVE CASES TABLE 4: AGE WISE DISTRIBUTION OF IgM POSITIVE CASES TABLE 5: DISTRIBUTION OF IgM POSITIVE CASES AS PER HABITAT

Analyzing the Performance of Benedon Limited Company Essay -- Benedon

Analyzing the Performance of Benedon Limited Company I am writing a report to analyse the performance of Benedon Limited Company and to compare with the industry as a whole. The report analyses company and industry performance over the three years up to at end of 20X3. â€Å"It enables us to discover favourable or unfavourable trends that are developing gradually over time, as well as pointing up any numbers that have changed sharply in the space of time of just one year.† (Sytsma, S.) This report reviews the findings of the major changes and the awareness of weak performances. However, there are five principal types of ratios which are profitability ratios, liquidity ratios, activity ratios, solvency ratios and investment ratios. Under profitability, competitive pressure has risen in 20X3 compared to 20X1 and 20X2 as a result of Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) fell in year 20X3 from 19% to 14.7%, however, the ROCE in the year 20X3 is better than year 20X1 which had 13.2%. Gross margin (GM) could not be increased and falls substantially throughout the years as percentage of sales from 43.8% to 36.6% even though distribution and administration expenses have lowered every year. Therefore, it could not reflect the operating margin (OM) which has decreased in year 20X3. The average operating margin figures of Industrial Average (IA) and in year 20X2 were 16.0% but there is only 13% in year 20X3. In addition, ROCE in year 20X3 is much lower than the Industri...

Lord Of The Rings :: essays research papers

In The Hobbit the danger and the excitement reach a peak when the forces of good seem about to be overcome by the forces of evil. In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien builds to two simultaneous peaks. One occurs at the point when Sauron's forces sweep down on the small army led by Aragorn at the gates of Mordor. The other occurs inside Mordor, as Frodo struggles with Gollum on the edge of the Crack of Doom, where the Ring is to be destroyed. Both the war and the quest reach their resolution in the same instant, when the Ring is destroyed and with it, Sauron's power. The fourth and final part of each story serves to wind things down. The hero returns home, looking forward to comfort. He finds instead that his home is threatened. But he has grown through his experiences and is able to regain what is his. Of course, there are many important differences between the two works. The Hobbit follows the story through Bilbo's eyes and tells of events in a chronological sequence. In other words, you hear about things as they happen, rather than jumping ahead to future events, or flashing back to something that happened in the past. When Tolkien departs from this chronological sequence in The Hobbit, he carefully guides you through the jump in time: "Now if you wish, like the dwarves, to hear news of Smaug, you must go back again to the evening when he smashed the door and flew off in a rage, two days before." The story line of The Lord of the Rings, on the other hand, is much more complicated. The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy, consisting of three volumes (Parts One to Three) divided into six sections (Books I through VI). The novel jumps back and forth in time, following the stories of several characters. The various story lines finally converge near the end when all the characters are reunited as Aragorn is crowned king of Gondor. Tolkien uses these shifts in viewpoint to good effect, often ending his scenes as cliff- hangers, slowly building the tension to its climax. But trying to follow the different story lines as he jumps back and forth from one to the other can be very difficult. Tolkien doesn't guide you through them as he did in The Hobbit. But he does give clues to help you put the pieces in

Immigration - Why I want to Live in Britain :: Papers

To immigrate from ones origin has become very popular in the last ten, twenty years. Immigration also is not a very easy thing to do; you have to have a lot of courage and the will to pursue it. If you are going to immigrate, I think that there is three important steps if you are going to immigrate namely: Why, How and Dealing with it. There are many reasons why people immigrate to another origin. A lot of people want to move closer to their relatives and a lot of parents who have children in other countries would immigrate because they do not want to grow old alone. The most of the worlds young population immigrate to countries like Britain to study at their outstanding universities like Oxford which is renowned all over the world. If you have completed your studies in a countyr like Britain, you will have an international degree which means that you can work any where in the world without having to do an exam again. I think that because you get an international degree it makes immigration even more popular under students. Middle aged people would mostly immigrate to develop their careers, for job experience and to find a place where they could practice their religion freely, without any violence or war. To move legitimately to another country is definitely not an easy thing to do as, the country to which you are moving to first has to approve of you coming to stay in their country. Countries want to protect job opportunities for their own people. Britain for example does not want to share their public funds with people who cannot contribute to the countries wealth. Britain also has a problem with asylum seekers because the country has to give them free medical etc. That is why to qualify for a work permit, you have to have very special qualifications. I think the most important thing if you immigrate is how you are going to deal with it.

Black Death Cause and Effect Essay

The Bubonic Plague or the Black Death has been in the history books since the medieval times. This deadly disease has claimed nearly 1. 5 million lives in Europe (Gottfried). The Black Death hit Europe in October of 1347 and quickly spread through most of Europe by the end of 1349 and continued on to Scandinavia and Russia in the 1350s. Not only did the plague effect the European population by killing one-third to two-thirds (Gottfried), it also hurt the social and economic structures of every European society. How it spread The Black Death actually first appeared in the Himalayan region around 1250 AD. There are several theories as to how the disease made its way to Europe. One theory is that since the plague is transmitted from a bite of a flea, that fleas that lived on marmots that were indigenous to the region were the original transporters (Clay,1). The first recorded appearance of the plague in Europe was at Messina, Sicily in October of 1347. It was believed to have arrived on trading ships that came from the Black Sea, past Constantinople and through the Mediterranean (Gottfried). This route was used to bring import items such as silks and porcelain, which were carried overland to the Black Sea from as far away as China (Gottfried). No one know the exact point of origin of the Black Death but what most scholars will agree with is that the disease reach Europe by rodents. The reason given was due to the climatic shifts in the area which caused a shortage of food. The disease ridden rodents’ migration put them in contact with human populations, thus, putting humans in contact with the disease carrying fleas. So many people were impacted because most people lived in very crammed and tight spaces. This also made waste disposal an issue, which caused people to just tip their waste out the window of their home, bringing the rats. Because everyone was so close, the fleas could easily infect hundreds of people in one day, so no one was safe (Gottfried). The people that did manage to escape death was due to the fact that their immune systems being able to withstand the plague (Gottfried). Types of Plague What killed so many wasn’t due to just one type of plague going around; The disease that devastated Europe was caused by three different types of plague: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. All three are bacterial infections caused by Yersinia pestis (Gottfried). The most common form was the bubonic plague. Fleas that lived on the plague-infected rats spread the bubonic plague (Gottfried). After 6 days people who were infected with this strain would develop flu-like symptoms and blood pressure drops, heartbeats faster, and a sudden fever erupts, accompanied by chills, weakness, and headache. Next, a black pus filled bump surrounded by an inflamed red ring shows up at the place that was bitten (Gottfried). The lymph node would begin to swell with pus. When the enlarged lymph nodes would burst they would also emit dark colored blood and pus. This is how the name â€Å"Black Death† came to be coined (Vunguyen). A second type of plague was that of pneumonic. This plague could spread with a sneeze and could quickly jump from person to person and though it was less common than the bubonic form, but more deadly. This form was contracted through breathing in a mutated, airborne strain of the bacteria. The infected person would experience fluid building up in the lungs. This very unfortunate circumstance would, in turn, cause suffocation of the infected individual. This particular form of the bacteria would cause death within a short time span, usually two or three days (Boeckl). The third type of plague was speticemic plague. Though it was the least common out of the three, it was the deadliest. Septicemic plague was carried in the blood and was contracted only through blood-to-blood contact. The person infected with this type would develop a high fever but they would not develop many outward symptoms that they had contracted the plague. The individuals who were infected with this final strain of the bacterium were usually dead within 24 hours. Almost all who contracted either the pneumonic or septicemic plague died from the infection (Boeckl). Causes of the Black Death The causes of the Black Death – the flea, the rat, and the bacillus Yersinia pestis– have been labeled the â€Å"unholy trinity† (Boeckl). The flea is able to live in environmental conditions of about 74 ° Fahrenheit and 60% humidity (Ibid). Before the Black Death reached Europe, they were experiencing those same types of weather conditions. The rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis and the human flea, Pulex irritans, are both capable of transmitting plague (Boeckl). Sometimes, an infected flea cannot ingest blood because Yersinia pestis obstructs its digestive tract. The blockage causes a flea to regurgitate into a bitten host rather than ingest the host’s blood, thereby infecting the host with plague (Boeckl). Unable to eat, the famished flea will bite with more frequency, accelerating the spread of plague. A flea can be carrying Yersinia pestis without it blocking the flea’s digestive tract, in which case the flea does not transmit plague when it bites a host. Also, Yersinia pestis can only enter a victim through a bite, as the bacilli cannot pass through intact skin (Gottfried). Social Changes The disease took a major toll on the population of Europe but as it wiped out communities it also caused changes in the social structure of European society. Europe was run by a feudal system (Vunguyen). As death took its toll, people started to question the way of life. When the Black Death swept over Europe and wiped out a third of its population, it also dismantled Feudalism. The feudal system was structured like a pyramid with the King being at the top and having complete control. The King owned everything; he had the power to decide who he would lease the land to. If he did allow a citizen to lease part of his land, before doing so they had to swear to an oath of loyalty (Vunguyen). People who did rent the King’s land were called Baron/Baronesses (Vunguyen). The leased land was called a manor, and the Barons were often called the ‘Lord of the Manor’ (Vunguyen). They were allowed to establish their own system of justice, mint their own money and set their own taxes. The Barons had to serve on the royal council, pay rent and provide the King with Knights for military service when he demanded it in return for the land they had been given (Vunguyen). When the King and his court travelled around the country, the Barons also had to provide lodging and food. The Barons kept as much of their land as they desired, then divided the rest among their Knights (Vunguyen). Knights were given land by the Baron in return for military service when demanded, and to protect the manor. The Knights kept as much of the land as they wished for their own personal use, and distributed the rest of it to serfs – although they weren’t as rich as the Barons, Knights were quite wealthy (). Serfs were given land by Knights in exchange for free labor, food and services whenever it was desired. They had no rights and weren’t allowed to leave the Manor. They had to ask their Lord’s permission before they could marry, and were often mistreated and poor (). The serfs or peasants were a key group in the population so when they started to die off, everything went downhill. The serfs served everyone on the pyramid and now Barons were willing to pay higher wages and offer extra benefits (Vunguyen). All their life they had lived off the serfs’ hard work, and were willing to pay them to stay on the manor to continue slaving for them. When the serfs died, the foundation on which feudalism relied upon was broken. The pyramid of power broke, and everything was a mess. Serfs left to find high wages due to the labor shortages. The land that had usually been the primary source of wealth was now worthless (Vunguyen). Entire estates were deserted as families fell to the plague and died, or fled in a vain attempt to escape its fury, were there for the taking (Vunguyen). As Europe evolved away from relying on land as the main source of prosperity, a rising middle-class claimed more and more wealth and prestige, as the once-noble began to quickly lose both (Vunguyen). The end of Feudalism had started and progressed each day as the plague claimed more lives. As the days went on people wondered, if they needed to change the way they lived or worshipped God. Many found that if they continued to live and worship as they had for centuries, the plague was not being pacified (Clay). This caused many people to abandon the way of life that they were accustomed to and chose a life that contrasted with social norms. A large group of people, desperate to point their fingers at someone, alleged and accused many different ‘groups’ which included ‘witches,’ lepers and Jews (Clay). In central Europe, the flagellants convincingly charged the Jews. On a tragic day in Strasbourg alone, over 8,000 Jews were killed for being the target of vain suspicions (). This quote shows just how the mind of Europeans changed: â€Å"Many were uncertain about the cause of this great mortality. In some places, they believed that the Jews had poisoned the worlds, and so they killed them. In some other areas, that it was a deformity of the poor, so they chased them out; in others, that it was the nobles, and so they [the nobles] hesitated to go out into the world. Finally, it reached the point where guards were posted in cities and towns, and they permitted no one to enter, unless he was well known. And if they found anyone with powders or unguents, they made him swallow them, fearing that these might be poisons (Clay, 2-3)†. Someone who survived the plague wrote â€Å"Everyone appeared to be rich because they had survived and regained value in life. Now, no one knows how to put their life back in order†(Clay, 3). No one knew how to put their life back together after the plague hit. When all the chaos died down and order was restored, the society was much different than what it once was. The disease did not discriminate; it killed people from all different social classes. The peasants now saw that everyone was made up of the same flesh, even though who once ruled over them. This epiphany led the serfs see the inequality of the system and they saw it as unfair and unjust (Clay, 3). â€Å"Because of all the affliction and misery there was much lawbreaking and because most of the law enforcers had also been hit by the plague there was not much that was done about it (Clay, 3). † This quote shows just how their mentality was changing. Lawbreakers could not be stopped especially by the lords and so once peasants realized all ties could be broken, they gained a new level of freedom (Clay, 4). Peasants and lord relationships were not the only thing that changed; individuals in the same social circle were forced to interact with one another differently. As a result of so many deaths, women were now being served by male servants and it did not matter if they were of noble birth or not. Men serving women was something taboo and unheard of before the plague, but the disease made that change. Noble women had to a find a different lifestyle under normal circumstances, these women would have been dishonored and shunned but this was not the case. Economic Effects All the death that fell upon Europe created a major labor shortage. It was a dominos affect, if the plague hit an area or manor in the summer, there wouldn’t be enough serfs to harvest the crops in the fall. If it hit in the winter, there wasn’t enough workers to plant new crops in the spring (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). So inevitably there wasn’t any one left on farm and maintain the land. The one’s who did withstand the plague, moved else-where for better wages (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Not only did it affect the farms, it hurt businesses or building projects. Cathedral that usually were beautiful and performed weekly services were left eerily empty with no priests to conduct services. The barons did not have enough knights and serfs to cater to them and so many manors were abandoned. When someone dies normally, there would be a service and immediately be buried, well that didn’t happen during the Black Death era. No one was left to bury the dead. Citizens, lower and middle classes were scared, they stayed in the homes believing they would be safe. The shelter did not stop the disease from entering and since they were poor they did not get the care and attention they needed and most of them died (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Instead of suffering, many decided to take their own lives and committed suicide in the street; others died in their homes but only found because their neighbors smelled the decaying body. Dead bodies were everywhere on every corner and in every home that wasn’t abandoned (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). â€Å"Most of them were treated in the same manner by the survivors, who were more concerned to get rid of their rotting bodies than moved by charity towards the dead. With the aid of porters, if they could get them, they carried the bodies out of the houses and laid them at the door; where every morning quantities of the dead might be seen. They then were laid on biers or, as these were often lacking, on tables† (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Bodies upon bodies were brought to the church every day and almost every hour so it was impossible to give them a proper burial especially since they wanted to bury each person in the family grave, according to the old custom (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). â€Å"Although the cemeteries were full they were forced to dig huge trenches, where they buried the bodies by hundreds. Here they stowed them away like bales in the hold of a ship and covered them with a little earth, until the whole trench was full† (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Cultural Effects The plague not only affected humans it also impacted the arts. In the Medieval period, people had concentrated mainly on the Church, God, and personal salvation. The plague was evident in paintings, sculptures, and architecture, everything was centered on death. The arrival of plague â€Å"harkened in a new darker era of painting. Paintings were overflowing with tortured souls, death, dying, fire and brimstone† (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Thousands of painters, craftsmen, patrons of the arts died during the plague. The disease tore a hole in the heart of the cultural world. The effects of the plague were lasting, bringing a somber darkness to visual art, literature, and music (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Writers and painters imaginations became dark and gloomy. The unknowing survival created a atmosphere of gloom and doom influencing artist to move away from optimistic themes and turn to images of Hell, Satan and the Grim Reaper (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Many painters simply gave up art with the idea that it was hopeless to try and create beauty in a hellish world. The Decameron by Boccaccio, a collection of medieval tales and folklore is the most famous literary work that came from that time period (â€Å"The Black Death†). The collection is set in the Italian countryside where aristocrats, fleeing the Plague as it ravages Florence, are stranded without their usual entertainments. To pass the time, they tell each other stories, from which Boccaccio harvested a rich storehouse of traditional narrative. The Decameron eventually became the foundation for many other Renaissance works, including several of Shakespeare’s plays (â€Å"The Black Death†). Positive Consequences It’s hard to find positive in so much death but the plague actually helped in a few ways. First being manpower, because of the shortages, manpower had so much more value. Peasants weren’t readily available in large numbers so the ones still alive found themselves in high demand (â€Å"The Black Death†). The ones who had all the power, kings and dukes, now found themselves bargaining with laborers over working conditions, and also the lower class were able to demand better pay for their services (â€Å"The Black Death†). Also, serfdom was terminated, so those peasants that were slaves and tied to the land were no longer obligated to farm and serve. And one other positive result of the bubonic plague was the development of medicine as a science in the West. Islamic doctors had advocating general cleanliness and the value of studying anatomy but Western healers prior to the black death were still using practices like the theory of humors (â€Å"The Black Death†). But when Plague wiped out nearly all the doctors of Europe, because the doctors had to attend to the dying and because of this were exposed at a higher rate to the more virulent pneumonic form of Plague. With so many doctors dying, it created a change in both personnel and precept (â€Å"The Black Death†). Strangely, western medicine owes much to plague. Conclusion The Black Death started in 1347 and continued for a full five years, this devastating plague spread throughout Europe, leaving more than twenty million people dead. The consequences to Europe were profound. Besides immeasurable death, traditional medieval society broke, the economies were fractured, and art and literature took a turn from light to dark. Though it spread throughout Europe, the Black Death was world-shattering and shows how even the smallest of things, the microbial world, can at times steer the course of human civilization.

GDP & Employment/Inflation Essay

Introduction The current GDP growth rate for the US economy stands at about 2.5%. It is interesting to note that in each of the last quarters of the years, the rate is higher, but at the start of a new year the rate decreases in the first quarter. For example 2011, QIV is 4.9% while 2012 QI is 3.7%.   The stage of the business cycle the US economy may be is the expansion/recovery stage since its GDP trends show increase in most of the quarters. The GDP of any country may not be considered as an accurate economic well-being measure of a country since it only measures one aspect, the economic performance of a country and ignores other issues (Gordon, & National Bureau of Economic Research Conference on Business Cycles, 1986). The limitations include GDP does not consider inflation or deflation, does not measure externalities and changes due to change in change in exchange rate and it does not measure black markets or illegal transactions (McEachern, & Thomson South-Western, 2008). Unemployment and Inflation The most surprising is the rate of unemployment separated on race basis. The rate for the blacks is quite higher, at about 12.0% in Feb. 2014, compared to 5.8% whites or even 8.1% Latinos or Hispanic in the same month. The rate for the unemployed blacks ranges about between 11% and 13% over the last periods. Unemployment is high in blacks, and teenagers at 21.4%. Men have higher rate of 6.4% in Feb.2014 compared to women at 5.9% which seems to change very slightly. Unemployment rate is low among the highly educated (Gordon, 2004). Women seem to have higher chances of employment since their unemployment rate is low compared to males. The teenagers are still in schools hence higher rate. The rates high rates of unemployment could also be attributed to inflation which causes loss of jobs (Carlberg, 2012). References Carlberg, M. (2012). Unemployment and inflation in economic crises. Berlin: Springer. Gordon, R. J. (2004). Productivity growth, inflation, and unemployment: The collected essays   Ã‚  Ã‚   of Robert J. Gordon. Cambridge (UK: Cambridge University Press. Gordon, R. J., & National Bureau of Economic Research Conference on Business Cycles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (1986). The American business cycle: Continuity and change. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. McEachern, W. A., & Thomson South-Western. (2008). Contemporary economics. Mason,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ohio: Thomson South-Western.