Essay The Effects of a Change in the Minimum Wage

The Effects of a Change in the Minimum Wage In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed and ever since, the United States has required that all firms that do at least $500,000 worth of business per year pay their workers a minimum wage (â€Å"Handy† n.pag.). Because it affects so many workers in so many different aspects of the economy, the minimum wage plays a big part in the cost of labor and how firms deal with those costs. A change in the minimum wage, which would seemingly affect only workers, can actually be felt sometimes all the way down to the consumer, who might end up paying for it in the end—unless the firm finds another way to pay for the mandatory raise for all its workers, such as a decrease in its workforce or a†¦show more content†¦Restaurant employment, however, felt no significant minimum wage effects, even though it is generally low-wage in nature. â€Å"A possible explanation for this outcome is the credit given to tipped employees that effectively reduces their minimum wageâ⠂¬  (Partridge and Partridge n.pag.). So the anit-poverty effect of minimum wage is felt depending on what side you are on. If you lose your job you could fall deeper into poverty, but if you get to keep your job a rising minimum wage could help pull you out of poverty. Going along with that, it cannot be ignored that some states nearly always set their minimum wages above the federal level, and by the late 1980s, over one quarter of the states had a minimum wage higher than the federal mandate (Neumark and Wascher n.pag.). This almost makes changing the minimum wage a political issue rather than an economic one. Mark and Jamie Partridge explain how policy makers would have to consider the long-term effects of such a change: ...when state policymakers consider raising their minimum wage, they should be aware of the possibility that both firms and households can migrate to other states. Thus, state employment may suffer more as a result of a state minimum wage hike than for a federal minimum wage hike. These results, however, do notShow MoreRelatedMinimum Wage : Low Skilled And Young Workers1553 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Minimum wage, a program created to help the poor, has every contrary effect to its well intentions. Throughout the history, people who hurt the most during minimum wage hikes are the low-skilled and young workers. Drastically raising minimum wage is meaningless as high inflation usually comes alongside with wage increases. Past economic statistics have shown that the rate of increase in inflation usually outpaced the rate of increase in minimum wage. Thus, the real value wage workers receiveRead MoreMinimum Wage And Its Effect On The Economy1015 Words   |  5 Pageshigh unemployment rate is the issue of minimum wage. Depending on the states in U.S., the price of minimum wage is different, but the low minimum wage may cause the economic condition worse. Minimum wage is the lowest wage that an employer is allowed to pay. This wage is regulated by the law, so all workers must follow this rule. According to the book, â€Å"Minimum Wages†, the author Neumark, David states, â€Å"in 1938, the U.S. Congress passed a federal minimum wage as part of the Fair Labor Standard Act†Read MoreCritique : Minimum Wages And Employment1336 Words   |  6 Pages Final Project Part One Kevin Nozari Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University MBAA 523 October 1, 2015 Critique: Minimum Wages and Employment: A Case Study of the Fast-Food Industry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania In this paper, we will be critiquing a research that was performed by Krueger D. Card. We will critically evaluate the researcher’s work by indentifying strengths, weaknesses, areas to improve, and possible extensions of the research. Other areas that will be discussed are researchRead MoreThe Effects Of Minimum Wage Increase On The Household And Industry942 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the effects of a minimum wage increase on the household and industry?Minimum wage in the state of Illinois is only $8.25,but in most jobs $7.25. Most States give higher than $7.25 like Washington D.C. Some minimum wages can be lower like Georgia.Family employment and family income does have a effects on low-wage workers.Most family receive higher pay,that would increase their family s income. Workers that don t have a job would fall substantially and the share of low-wage wokers.EmployedRead MoreMinimum Wage And The Wage960 Words   |  4 Pagescountry, or type of job believe that increasing the minimum wage would solve individual financial problems. It is important to know that this subject is not a black-and-white problem and can not be answered by a simple yes or a no answer. This article will be focusing on the minimum wage in America. Furthermore, we are focusing on the State s minimum wage rather the Federal minimum wage. It is important to understand that the state s minimum wage is different than the Federal. In some states it mayRead MoreThis Study Focuses On How The Minimum-Wage Serves As A1162 Words   |  5 Pages This study focuses on how the minimum-wage serves as a place for prime age workers, those between the age of 25 and 54, to get stuck. For the purpose of this study, minimum-wage was established as anyone earning less than or equal to $1.00 above the 1997 wage of $5.15, as adjusted by inflation. While minimum-wage was developed as a floor for wages, this study asserts that a worker with one child will be nearly $3,000 below the poverty line even if they work full-time, full-year. It was concludedRead MoreThe Economic Effects Of Minimum Wage1322 Words   |  6 PagesThe minimum wage was introduced for the first time in the 1890s in Australia and New Zealand and since then it has been a crucial component of public policy. It entered British market in 1909 and approximately 30% of U.S. states in the following two decades. After America’s introduction of the federal minimum wage law in the Fair Labour Standards Act in 1938, minimum wages have spread to a large number of industria lised countries as well as to some developing countries. Consequently, by the 1990sRead MoreThe Effect of Minimum Wage on the American Economy800 Words   |  4 PagesThe Effect of Minimum Wage on the American Economy A sensitive topic for many Americans is their income. Many people’s income relies on minimum wage. In 2012, 3.6 million people received an hourly pay at or below the national minimum wage. There is an ongoing debate in Congress as to what the national minimum wage should be. Currently at $7.25, Obama has suggested raising the national minimum wage to $9.00. Depending on a person’s economic perspective, raising minimum wage could be positive or negativeRead MoreThe Regulation Of Minimum Wage1055 Words   |  5 PagesRegulation of Minimum Wage In today’s society, people face to many serious issues which affect the society both in a positive and negative ways such as increasing the employment rate and increasing the unemployment rate. The increasing of the unemployment rate is caused by some reasons, and one of the problems that causes the high unemployment rate is the issue of the minimum wage. Depending on the states in the U.S., the price of minimum wage is different, but the low minimum wage may cause theRead MoreMinimum Wage, And Unemployment1673 Words   |  7 PagesMinimum Wage Hikes and Unemployment Many fast food workers and minimum wage employees have been protesting recently, in hopes of increasing the federal minimum wage. States such as Seattle, that have already increased the minimum wage to $15 per hour, and California, that has approved a bill that will change the minimum wage to $13 per hour in 2017, have already jumped on board with the movement. President Obama and many other protesters around the country who are fighting for the increase in the

Capitalism Good or Evil Essay - 1871 Words

INTRODUCTION: Along with the advance and development of the society, capitalism is acquired by lots of countries among the world. But in the meantime, an increasing number of problems are brought to our attention, one of which is the pros and cons of capitalism. As to whether it is a blessing or a curse, people take different attitudes. Capitalism can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Europe, and this economic system has been contributing to the whole human race for centuries. However, people are attaching more importance to what capitalism is really doing to us, and they start wondering if another world is possible. My paper will focus on the question â€Å"Is capitalism good or evil†, and discuss different views about it. Capitalism†¦show more content†¦American philosopher Jonathan Korman claims in his article that â€Å"Capitalism is an appealing way to try to provide for peoples essential needs because it tends to generate a lot of wealth† (Korman, Apr. 15 2005), and for capitalists, capitalism seems to be just right for them to accumulate as much profit and build their world of prosperity. But then again, Korman also indicates the dilemma that â€Å"It also tends to distribute that wealth so unevenly that you have a number of people who dont get their needs met† (Korman, Apr. 15 2005). Thus, whether capitalism is really positively influencing our society or not needs to be considered carefully. Personally, I side with the latter opinion – it is to some extent problematic. Hence, I want to start with some thoughts of David McNally. In an article of McNally called â€Å"The Invisible Hand is a Closed Fist†, he makes the statement that there has been something wrong inside capitalism in the market economy. Inequality, alienation, degradation of the environment and conflicts between individual rights and public interests are all factors that will potentially make a capitalist society unstable. And his article gives a thorough analysis on these points. Through an economic scope, McNally expounds the concept of â€Å"commodification† which is a part of globalization, and explains the fact that the process of capitalism is turning things that were originally out of a market into commodities, for instance, laborShow MoreRelatedMarxism : A Structural Conflict Theory1718 Words   |  7 Pagesbourgeoisie oppression under capitalism to a socialist and ultimately classless society. There are varying types of economic exchange that all vary dependant on the type of society and economic system the country is in. Namely these are barter, which is the exchange of gods and commodities; merchandise, bartering through the intermediary of money, and capitalism, that uses commodities in order to increase money. For Marx, the latter type of economic exchange (capitalism) is one that is based uponRead MoreThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair The story â€Å"The Jungle† by Upton Sinclair is somewhat of a declaration900 Words   |  4 PagesThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair The story â€Å"The Jungle† by Upton Sinclair is somewhat of a declaration of attention towards the matters of sociopolitical issues, capitalism, political corruption, and the depravedness of corporate personnel, corporatism, and industrialism; it inspires progressivism in its strong and thought-provoking messages and lives by its title. The story is about a recently married Lithuanian couple – Jurgis and Ona, and their ten other siblings who all come to America, as immigrantsRead MoreAnalyze Native American Societies1482 Words   |  6 Pagesholistic Native American beliefs versus dualistic world views, and in so discussing we will illuminate the reader’s knowledge about the differences in views of purity and salvation. The second important aspect is that of the economic ethic: American Capitalism versus Native American subsistence labor ethic. The reasons why these two aspects are so important in explaining change or the lack of change in Native American communities is because everything is linked to religion and the ceremonies that ensueRead MoreThe Societies Of The World1133 Words   |  5 Pagesbe hopeless and have no part in the global economy. Ultimately, Wolf understands that non-Western societies are just as intertwined into the workings of global processes and that they significantly contri bute to history and the global economy. Capitalism has been allowed to emerge as a dominant mode of production, however, Wolf challenges the notion that non-Western cultures and people were isolated and static entities before the advent of European colonialism and imperialism. Before active colonizationRead MoreAnalysis : The Tonic Of The Wilderness 911 Words   |  4 Pagesof seeing the wilderness as an essential value of the Earth is Gladys Swan. Swan clarifies Crà ¨vecÅ“ur’s message about men perceived as plants by analyzing how men have adapted and encapsulated the need of capitalism when coming to America. This need has shifted American Puritans focus on capitalism and has lost hope in valuing the land of Earth. Swan later expressing her reasoning’s through an article â€Å"The Tonic of the Wilderness† supporting that people living in the wilderness adapt to a slower paceRead MoreCapitalism Essay1175 Words   |  5 PagesCapitalism Throughout my duration in college, business has been my major area of concentration. Capitalism is the most central and consequential topic which has to do with business. The ideals of capitalism, over time, have faced much scrutiny. Many great minds within the past two centuries have discredited capitalism, for the virtues of socialism and the whole of society. It is my intent to put forth a moral justification of the ideals behind capitalism. Ayn Rand said â€Å"TheRead MoreCapitalism: A Love Story Essay1063 Words   |  5 Pagespromotes capitalism enables businesses to gain wealth at the expense of the consumer’s wealth. Ultimately this becomes a question of morality as these corporations reap the money from hardworking citizens for the purpose of greed and exploitation of the free market economy. In the film, Capitalism: A love story, the film makers use conventions and point of view to show that capitalism in America is an evil that is better replaced by democracy. Michael Moore warns everyone that promoting capitalism willRead MoreEssay on The Evil of Capitalism1061 Words   |  5 PagesThe Evil of Capitalism An obsession of any kind is usually unhealthy, but obsession with money can destroy the soul. Karl Marx believed that human activity is paralyzed by the capitalist system. To be sure, the all-encompassing passion for wealth and power is unchristian, but is all capitalism evil? If the answer were yes, then abandoning capitalism, with its central goal of profit, would seem to be an obvious solution to the social ills of mankind. Of course, eliminating capitalism isRead More Marx and the Communist Movement Essay922 Words   |  4 Pagescontroversial of stages, is known as capitalism. Here, private or corporate ownership of capital goods is determined by private decisions rather than the state. Price, production and the distribution of goods are determined mainly by competing in a free market. Lastly, the forth stage of human development, is referred to as Communism. This is a final stage of society in Marxist theory in which the state and private ownership is demolished, and econo mic goods are owned and distributed equally. InRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair1525 Words   |  7 PagesThey poured themselves into working under the most horrendous conditions only to make a few pennies an hour and fall victims to the evil schemes of business owners and city officials. Eventually the story turns to what I believe is the most central idea of the novel. Sinclair wanted his readers to believe that socialism was the solution for the injustices of capitalism, which was to blame for the struggle of Jurgis Rudkus and so many other working-class families of the era. The remainder of this essay

Foundation and Empire 22. Death On Neotrantor Free Essays

string(63) " had been here some months ago on a†¦ matter of business\." NEOTRANTOR The small planet of Delicass, renamed after the Great Sack, was for nearly a century, the seat of the last dynasty of the First Empire. It was a shadow world and a shadow Empire and its existence is only of legalistic importance. Under the first of the Neotrantorian dynasty†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica Neotrantor was the name! New Trantor! And when you have said the name you have exhausted at a stroke all the resemblances of the new Trantor to the great original. We will write a custom essay sample on Foundation and Empire 22. Death On Neotrantor or any similar topic only for you Order Now Two parsecs away, the sun of Old Trantor still shone and the Galaxy’s Imperial Capital of the previous century still cut through space in the silent and eternal repetition of its orbit. Men even inhabited Old Trantor. Not many – a hundred million, perhaps, where fifty years before, forty billions had swarmed. The huge, metal world was in jagged splinters. The towering thrusts of the multi-towers from the single world-girdling base were torn and empty – still bearing the original blastholes and firegut – shards of the Great Sack of forty years earlier. It was strange that a world which had been the center of a Galaxy for two thousand years – that had ruled limitless space and been home to legislators and rulers whose whims spanned the parsecs – could die in a month. It was strange that a world which had been untouched through the vast conquering sweeps and retreats of a millennia, and equally untouched by the civil wars and palace revolutions of other millennia – should lie dead at last. It was strange that the Glory of the Galaxy should be a rotting corpse. And pathetic! For centuries would yet pass before the mighty works of fifty generations of humans would decay past use. Only the declining powers of men, themselves, rendered them useless now. The millions left after the billions had died tore up the gleaming metal base of the planet and exposed soil that had not felt the touch of sun in a thousand years. Surrounded by the mechanical perfections of human efforts, encircled by the industrial marvels of mankind freed of the tyranny of environment – they returned to the land. In the huge traffic clearings, wheat and corn grew. In the shadow of the towers, sheep grazed. But Neotrantor existed – an obscure village of a planet drowned in the shadow of mighty Trantor, until a heart-throttled royal family, racing before the fire and flame of the Great Sack sped to it as its last refuge – and held out there, barely, until the roaring wave of rebellion subsided. There it ruled in ghostly splendor over a cadaverous remnant of Imperium. Twenty agricultural worlds were a Galactic Empire! Dagobert IX, ruler of twenty worlds of refractory squires and sullen peasants, was Emperor of the Galaxy, Lord of the Universe. Dagobert IX had been twenty-five on the bloody day he arrived with his father upon Neotrantor. His eyes and mind were still alive with the glory and the power of the Empire that was. But his son, who might one day be Dagobert X, was born on Neotrantor. Twenty worlds were all he knew. Jord Commason’s open air car was the finest vehicle of its type on all Neotrantor – and, after all, justly so. It did not end with the fact that Commason was the largest landowner on Neotrantor. It began there. For in earlier days he had been the companion and evil genius of a young crown prince, restive in the dominating grip of a middle-aged emperor. And now he was the companion and still the evil genius of a middle-aged crown prince who hated and dominated an old emperor. So Jord Commason, in his air car, which in mother-of-pearl finish and gold-and-lumetron ornamentation needed no coat of arms as owner’s identification, surveyed the lands that were his, and the miles of rolling wheat that were his, and the huge threshers and harvesters that were his, and the tenant-farmers and machine-tenders that were his – and considered his problems cautiously. Beside him, his bent and withered chauffeur guided the ship gently through the upper winds and smiled. Jord Commason spoke to the wind, the air, and the sky, â€Å"You remember what I told you, Inchney?† Inchney’s thin gray hair wisped lightly in the wind. His gap-toothed smile widened in its thin-lipped fashion and the vertical wrinkles of his cheeks deepened as though he were keeping an eternal secret from himself. The whisper of his voice whistled between his teeth. â€Å"I remember, sire, and I have thought.† â€Å"And what have you thought, Inchney?† There was an impatience about the question. Inchney remembered that he had been young and handsome, and a lord on Old Trantor. Inchney remembered that he was a disfigured ancient on Neotrantor, who lived by grace of Squire Jord Commason, and paid for the grace by lending his subtlety on request. He sighed very softly. He whispered again, â€Å"Visitors from the Foundation, sire, are a convenient thing to have. Especially, sire, when they come with but a single ship, and but a single fighting man. How welcome they might be.† â€Å"Welcome?† said Commason, gloomily. â€Å"Perhaps so. But those men are magicians and may be powerful.† â€Å"Pugh,† muttered Inchney, â€Å"the mistiness of distance hides the truth. The Foundation is but a world. Its citizens are but men. If you blast them, they die.† Inchney held the ship on its course – A river was a winding sparkle below. He whispered, â€Å"And is there not a man they speak of now who stirs the worlds of the Periphery?† Commason was suddenly suspicious. â€Å"What do you know of this?† There was no smile on his chauffeur’s face. â€Å"Nothing, sire. It was but an idle question.† The squire’s hesitation was short. He said, with brutal directness, â€Å"Nothing you ask is idle, and your method of acquiring knowledge will have your scrawny neck in a vise yet. But – I have it! This man is called the Mule, and a subject of his had been here some months ago on a†¦ matter of business. You read "Foundation and Empire 22. Death On Neotrantor" in category "Essay examples" I await another†¦ now†¦ for its conclusion.† â€Å"And these newcomers? They are not the ones you want, perhaps?† â€Å"They lack the identification they should have.† â€Å"It has been reported that the Foundation has been captured-â€Å" â€Å"I did not tell you that.† â€Å"It has been so reported,† continued Inchney, coolly, â€Å"and if that is correct, then these may be refugees from the destruction, and may be held for the Mule’s man out of honest friendship.† â€Å"Yes?† Commason was uncertain. â€Å"And, sire, since it is well-known that the friend of a conqueror is but the last victim, it would be but a measure of honest self-defense. For there are such things as psychic probes, and here we have four Foundation brains. There is much about the Foundation it would be useful to know, much even about the Mule. And then the Mule’s friendship would be a trifle the less overpowering.† Commason, in the quiet of the upper air, returned with a shiver to his first thought. â€Å"But if the Foundation has not fallen. If the reports are lies. It is said that it has been foretold it can not fall.† â€Å"We are past the age of soothsayers, sire.† â€Å"And yet if it did not fall, Inchney. Think! If it did not fall. The Mule made me promises, indeed-† He had gone too far, and backtracked. â€Å"That is, he made boasts. But boasts are wind and deeds are hard.† Inchney laughed noiselessly. â€Å"Deeds are hard indeed, until begun. One could scarcely find a further fear than a Galaxy-end Foundation.† â€Å"There is still the prince,† murmured Commason, almost to himself. â€Å"He deals with the Mule also, then, sire?† Commason could not quite choke down the complacent shift of features. â€Å"Not entirely. Not as I do. But he grows wilder, more uncontrollable. A demon is upon him. If I seize these people and he takes them away for his own use – for he does not lack a certain shrewdness – I am not yet ready to quarrel with him.† He frowned and his heavy cheeks bent downwards with dislike. â€Å"I saw those strangers for a few moments yesterday,† said the gray chauffeur, irrelevantly, â€Å"and it is a strange woman, that dark one. she walks with the freedom of a man and she is of a startling paleness against the dark luster of hair.† There was almost a warmth in the husky whisper of the withered voice, so that Commason turned toward him in sudden surprise. Inchney continued, â€Å"The prince, I think, would not find his shrewdness proof against a reasonable compromise. You could have the rest, if you left him the girl-â€Å" A light broke upon Commason, â€Å"A thought! Indeed a thought! Inchney, turn back! And Inchney, if all turns well, we will discuss further this matter of your freedom.† It was with an almost superstitious sense of symbolism that Commason found a Personal Capsule waiting for him in his private study when he returned. It had arrived by a wavelength known to few. Commason smiled a fat smile. The Mule’s man was coming and the Foundation had indeed fallen. Bayta’s misty visions, when she had them, of an Imperial palace, did not jibe with the reality, and inside her, there was a vague sense of disappointment. The room was small, almost plain, almost ordinary. The palace did not even match the mayor’s residence back at the Foundation – and Dagobert IX – Bayta had definite ideas of what an emperor ought to look like. He ought not look like somebody’s benevolent grandfather. He ought not be thin and white and faded – or serving cups of tea with his own hand in an expressed anxiety for the comfort of his visitors. But so it was. Dagobert IX chuckled as he poured tea into her stiffly outheld cup. â€Å"This is a great pleasure for me, my dear. It is a moment away from ceremony and courtiers. I have not had the opportunity for welcoming visitors from my outer provinces for a time now. My son takes care of these details now that I’m older. You haven’t met my son? A fine boy. Headstrong, perhaps. But then he’s young. Do you care for a flavor capsule? No?† Toran attempted an interruption, â€Å"Your imperial majesty-â€Å" â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Your imperial majesty, it has not been our intention to intrude upon you-â€Å" â€Å"Nonsense, there is no intrusion. Tonight there will be the official reception, but until then, we are free. Let’s see, where did you say you were from? It seems a long time since we had an official reception. You said you were from the Province of Anacreon?† â€Å"From the Foundation, your imperial majesty!† â€Å"Yes, the Foundation. I remember now. I had it located. It is in the Province of Anacreon. I have never been there. My doctor forbids extensive traveling. I don’t recall any recent reports from my viceroy at Anacreon. How are conditions there?† he concluded anxiously. â€Å"Sire,† mumbled Toran, â€Å"I bring no complaints.† â€Å"That is gratifying. I will commend my viceroy.† Toran looked helplessly at Ebling Mis, whose brusque voice rose. â€Å"Sire, we have been told that it will require your permission for us to visit the Imperial University Library on Trantor.† â€Å"Trantor?† questioned the emperor, mildly, â€Å"Trantor?† Then a look of puzzled pain crossed his thin face. â€Å"Trantor?† he whispered. â€Å"I remember now. I am making plans now to return there with a flood of ships at my back. You shall come with me. Together we will destroy the rebel, Gilmer. Together we shall restore the empire!† His bent back had straightened. His voice had strengthened. For a moment his eyes were hard. Then, he blinked and said softly, â€Å"But Gilmer is dead. I seem to remember – Yes. Yes! Gilmer is dead! Trantor is dead – For a moment, it seemed – Where was it you said you came from?† Magnifico whispered to Bayta, â€Å"Is this really an emperor? For somehow I thought emperors were greater and wiser than ordinary men.† Bayta motioned him quiet. She said, â€Å"If your imperial majesty would but sign an order permitting us to go to Trantor, it would avail greatly the common cause.† â€Å"To Trantor?† The emperor was blank and uncomprehending. â€Å"Sire, the Viceroy of Anacreon, in whose name we speak, sends word that Gilmer is yet alive-â€Å" â€Å"Alive! Alive!† thundered Dagobert. â€Å"Where? It will be war!† â€Å"Your imperial majesty, it must not yet be known. His whereabouts are uncertain. The viceroy sends us to acquaint you of the fact, and it is only on Trantor that we may find his hiding place. Once discovered-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, yes – He must be found-† The old emperor doddered to the wall and touched the little photocell with a trembling finger. He muttered, after an ineffectual pause, â€Å"My servants do not come. I can not wait for them.† He was scribbling on a blank sheet, and ended with a flourished â€Å"D.† He said, â€Å"Gilmer will yet learn the power of his emperor. Where was it you came from? Anacreon? What are the conditions there? Is the name of the emperor powerful?† Bayta took the paper from his loose fingers, â€Å"Your imperial majesty is beloved by the people. Your love for them is widely known.† â€Å"I shall have to visit my good people of Anacreon, but my doctor says†¦ I don’t remember what he says, but-† He looked up, his old gray eyes sharp, â€Å"Were you saying something of Gilmer?† â€Å"No, your imperial majesty.† â€Å"He shall not advance further. Go back and tell your people that. Trantor shall hold! My father leads the fleet now, and the rebel vermin Gilmer shall freeze in space with his regicidal rabble.† He staggered into a seat and his eyes were blank once more. â€Å"What was I saying?† Toran rose and bowed low, â€Å"Your imperial majesty has been kind to us, but the time allotted us for an audience is over. â€Å" For a moment, Dagobert IX looked like an emperor indeed as he rose and stood stiff-backed while, one by one, his visitors retreated backward through the door – to where twenty armed men intervened and locked a circle about them. A hand-weapon flashed- To Bayta, consciousness returned sluggishly, but without the â€Å"Where am I?† sensation. She remembered clearly the odd old man who called himself emperor, and the other men who waited outside. The arthritic tingle in her finger joints meant a stun pistol. She kept her eyes closed, and listened with painful attention to the voices. There were two of them. One was slow and cautious, with a slyness beneath the surface obsequity. The other was hoarse and thick, almost sodden, and blurted out in viscous spurts. Bayta liked neither. The thick voice was predominant. Bayta caught the last words, â€Å"He will live forever, that old madman. It wearies me. It annoys me. Commason, I will have it. I grow older, too.† â€Å"Your highness, let us first see of what use these people are. It may be we shall have sources of strength other than your father still provides.† The thick voice was lost in a bubbling whisper. Bayta caught only the phrase, † -the girl-† but the other, fawning voice was a nasty, low, running chuckle followed by a comradely, near-patronizing, â€Å"Dagobert, you do not age. They lie who say you are not a youth of twenty.† They laughed together, and Bayta’s blood was an icy trickle. Dagobert – your highness – The old emperor had spoken of a headstrong son, and the implication of the whispers now beat dully upon her. But such things didn’t happen to people in real life- Toran’s voice broke upon her in a slow, hard current of cursing. She opened her eyes, and Toran’s, which were upon her, showed open relief. He said, fiercely, â€Å"This banditry will be answered by the emperor. Release us.† It dawned upon Bayta that her wrists and ankles were fastened to wall and floor by a tight attraction field. Thick Voice approached Toran. He was paunchy, his lower eyelids puffed darkly, and his hair was thinning out. There was a gay feather in his peaked hat, and the edging of his doublet was embroidered with silvery metal-foam. He sneered with a heavy amusement. â€Å"The emperor? The poor, mad emperor?† â€Å"I have his pass. No subject may hinder our freedom.† â€Å"But I am no subject, space-garbage. I am the regent and crown prince and am to be addressed as such. As for my poor silly father, it amuses him to see visitors occasionally. And we humor him. It tickles his mock-imperial fancy. But, of course, it has no other meaning.† And then he was before Bayta, and she looked up at him contemptuously. He leaned close and his breath was overpoweringly minted. He said, â€Å"Her eyes suit well, Commason – she is even prettier with them open. I think she’ll do. It will be an exotic dish for a jaded taste, eh?† There was a futile surge upwards on Toran’s part, which the crown prince ignored and Bayta felt the iciness travel outward to the skin. Ebling Mis was still out; head lolling weakly upon his chest, but, with a sensation of surprise, Bayta noted that Magnifico’s eyes were open, sharply open, as though awake for many minutes. Those large brown eyes swiveled towards Bayta and stared at her out of a doughy face. He whimpered, and nodded with his head towards the crown prince, â€Å"That one has my Visi-Sonor.† The crown prince turned sharply toward the new voice, â€Å"This is yours, monster?† He swung the instrument from his shoulder where it had hung, suspended by its green strap, unnoticed by Bayta. He fingered it clumsily, tried to sound a chord and got nothing for his pains, â€Å"Can you play it, monster?† Magnifico nodded once. Toran said suddenly, â€Å"You’ve rifled a ship of the Foundation. If the emperor will not avenge, the Foundation will.† It was the other, Commason, who answered slowly, â€Å"What Foundation? Or is the Mule no longer the Mule?† There was no answer to that. The prince’s grin showed large uneven teeth. The clown’s binding field was broken and he was nudged ungently to his feet. The Visi-Sonor was thrust into his hand. â€Å"Play for us, monster,† said the prince. â€Å"Play us a serenade of love and beauty for our foreign lady here. Tell her that my father’s country prison is no palace, but that I can take her to one where she can swim in rose water – and know what a prince’s love is. Sing of a prince’s love, monster.† He placed one thick thigh upon a marble table and swung a leg idly, while his fatuous smiling stare swept Bayta into a silent rage. Toran’s sinews strained against the field, in painful, perspiring effort. Ebling Mis stirred and moaned. Magnifico gasped, â€Å"My fingers are of useless stiffness-â€Å" â€Å"Play, monster!† roared the prince. The lights dimmed at a gesture to Commason and in the dimness he crossed his arms and waited. Magnifico drew his fingers in rapid, rhythmic jumps from end to end of the multikeyed instrument – and a sharp, gliding rainbow of light jumped across the room. A low, soft tone sounded – throbbing, tearful. It lifted in sad laughter, and underneath it there sounded a dull tolling. The darkness seemed to intensify and grow thick. Music reached Bayta through the muffled folds of invisible blankets. Gleaming light reached her from the depths as though a single candle glowed at the bottom of a pit. Automatically, her eyes strained. The light brightened, but remained blurred. It moved fuzzily, in confused color, and the music was suddenly brassy, evil – flourishing in high crescendo. The light flickered quickly, in swift motion to the wicked rhythm. Something writhed within the light. Something with poisonous metallic scales writhed and yawned. And the music writhed and yawned with it. Bayta struggled with a strange emotion and then caught herself in a mental gasp. Almost, it reminded her of the time in the Time Vault, of those last days on Haven. It was that horrible, cloying, clinging spiderweb of horror and despair. She shrunk beneath it oppressed. The music dinned upon her, laughing horribly, and the writhing terror at the wrong end of the telescope in the small circle of light was lost as she turned feverishly away. Her forehead was wet and cold. The music died. It must have lasted fifteen minutes, and a vast pleasure at its absence flooded Bayta. Light glared, and Magnifico’s face was close to hers, sweaty, wild-eyed, lugubrious. â€Å"My lady,† he gasped, â€Å"how fare you?† â€Å"Well enough,† she whispered, â€Å"but why did you play like that?† She became aware of the others in the room. Toran and Mis were limp and helpless against the wall, but her eyes skimmed over them. There was the prince, lying strangely still at the foot of the table. There was Commason, moaning wildly through an open, drooling mouth. Commason flinched, and yelled mindlessly, as Magnifico took a step towards him. Magnifico turned, and with a leap, turned the others loose. Toran lunged upwards and with eager, taut fists seized the landowner by the neck, â€Å"You come with us. We’ll want you – to make sure we get to our ship.† Two hours later, in the ship’s kitchen, Bayta served a walloping homemade pie, and Magnifico celebrated the return to space by attacking it with a magnificent disregard of table manners. â€Å"Good, Magnifico?† â€Å"Um-m-m-m!† â€Å"Magnifico?† â€Å"Yes, my lady?† â€Å"What was it you played back there?† The clown writhed, â€Å"I†¦ I’d rather not say. I learned it once, and the Visi-Sonor is of an effect upon the nervous system most profound. Surely, it was an evil thing, and not for your sweet innocence, my lady.† â€Å"Oh, now, come, Magnifico. I’m not as innocent as that. Don’t flatter so. Did I see anything like what they saw?† â€Å"I hope not. I played it for them only. If you saw, it was but the rim of it – from afar.† â€Å"And that was enough. Do you know you knocked the prince out?† Magnifico spoke grimly through a large, muffling piece of pie. â€Å"I killed him, my lady.† â€Å"What?† She swallowed, painfully. â€Å"He was dead when I stopped, or I would have continued. I cared not for Commason. His greatest threat was death or torture. But, my lady, this prince looked upon you wickedly, and-† he choked in a mixture of indignation and embarrassment. Bayta felt strange thoughts come and repressed them sternly. â€Å"Magnifico, you’ve got a gallant soul.† â€Å"Oh, my lady.† He bent a red nose into his pie, but, somehow did not eat. Ebling Mis stared out the port. Trantor was near – its metallic shine fearfully bright. Toran was standing there, too. He said with dull bitterness, â€Å"We’ve come for nothing, Ebling. The Mule’s man precedes us.† Ebling Mis rubbed his forehead with a hand that seemed shriveled out of its former plumpness. His voice was an abstracted mutter. Toran was annoyed. â€Å"I say those people know the Foundation has fallen. I say-â€Å" â€Å"Eh?† Mis looked up, puzzled. Then, he placed a gentle hand upon Toran’s wrist, in complete oblivion of any previous conversation, â€Å"Toran, I†¦ I’ve been looking at Trantor. Do you know†¦ I have the queerest feeling†¦ ever since we arrived on Neotrantor. It’s an urge, a driving urge that’s pushing and pushing inside. Toran, I can do it; I know I can do it. Things are becoming clear in my mind – they have never been so clear.† Toran stared – and shrugged. The words brought him no confidence. He said, tentatively, â€Å"Mis?† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"You didn’t see a ship come down on Neotrantor as we left?† Consideration was brief. â€Å"No.† â€Å"I did. Imagination, I suppose, but it could have been that Filian ship.† â€Å"The one with Captain Han Pritcher on it?† â€Å"The one with space knows who upon it. Magnifico’s information – It followed us here, Mis.† Ebling Mis said nothing, Toran said strenuously, â€Å"is there anything wrong with you? Aren’t you well?† Mis’s eyes were thoughtful, luminous, and strange. He did not answer. How to cite Foundation and Empire 22. Death On Neotrantor, Essay examples

Change and Adaptation free essay sample

In the fast mechanical world of today, change is inevitable. In fact your success and failure itself may depend on the changes you face, and your adaptability to those changes. Be it your personal life or professional life, you must be constantly aware of the changes around you and accordingly change yourself. As technology changes with time, it brings benefits to mankind. Newer methods of farming, education, entertainment etc., are brought into use, which either replace or enhance the existing ones. Often such changes are sequential; like a change in one field would affect all related fields. It is no doubt that these changes are always directed towards the improvement of our life. However, in adapting to newer trends, we have to abandon older and more traditional ways. In so adapting, we may sometimes even have to compromise on our cultural or religious values too. For instance, a person’s job might not facilitate his attending the Sunday mass, because the showroom he works for is open on Sundays. We will write a custom essay sample on Change and Adaptation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The way one needs to be dressed, speak or act; need to conform to the requirements of his or her employers, above all others. Perhaps, in this shrinking and competitive world of today, it is very important for organizations to be responsive to the changes. Change is a permanent reality across time. The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, as never before witnessed. The factors necessary for changes are more prevalent and influential today than ever before. Even most manufacturing jobs are connected to services like finance, human resources and engineering and highly dependent in such services that changes in them would affect the manufacturing pattern. Change in an organization involves altering its structure, processes, the behaviour of its management and staff, its strategy, environment etc. Change management requires good planning and careful implementation; and can be effective only when it involves all those people who are to be affected by those changes. The changes targeted must be practical, attainable and evaluative. It should not be forcefully implemented on people, as dumping change on people is not only a wrong strategy for success, but also a disruptive factor of normal functioning. Thus change of technology or introduction of new technology into the work cycle, create certain demands to redesign the work process and work environment. Nowadays, with changes and adaptation to it, being very crucial; the ability to predict changes and acting accordingly is very important.

Kuwait and France Sculpture Comparison

Objectives The main idea of this project is to consider the sculpture in Kuwait and France with the purpose to compare and contrast them referring to the cultural and religious significance of the items. Moreover, the main objective of this research is to consider the historical development of sculpture in France and the availability of the art schools in the country in comparison with relatively young development of sculpture art in Kuwait.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Kuwait’ and France’ Sculpture Comparison specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This information will help to reconsider the attitude of architects in Kuwait to sculpture and will assist in developing a program for improving the sculpture art in Kuwait. Synopsis The research is going to be directed at the development of sculpture in Kuwait and France from time perspective. Therefore, the historical development of the cultural sphere is going to be considered. Furthermore, the places for studying art in the countries are going to be considered as the main aspects which promote the development of sculpture in Kuwait and France. The financing of the spheres should be mentioned. The main public sculptures are to be considered from the point of view of aesthetic look and architectural characteristics. Background The literature review of some of the credible sources has already been conducted. Moreover, I have considered the Internet blogs and similar sources where people expressed their opinion in relation to sculpture in France and in Kuwait. I have also considered the pieces of sculpture in Kuwait and France that helped me understand the weaknesses of sculpture in Kuwait and the strength of sculpture in France. This information will help me direct my research in the necessary flow. Significance The research under consideration is important in many reasons. Firs of all, I will have an opportunity to consider the we aknesses of sculpture in Kuwait. Additionally, I will gain the experience of France in the development of sculpture as the art and I will be able to use this experience for further research directed at creating the program for improving the sculpture development in Kuwait.Advertising Looking for proposal on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Methodology Comparison and contrast of the techniques used in Kuwait and France from the literature sources and consideration of the pieces of sculptures presented in Kuwait and France are going to be incorporated as the literature review methods. Having created a blog with presenting the pieces of French and Kuwait sculpture examples, the questionnaire is going to be created with the questions devoted to personal impression from the sculptures. The respondents will be given an opportunity to share their opinion about the professional performance of the sculptures and their vi sion of the changes which are to be made. The main responsibility of the researcher will be to gather the information and to analyse it from the perspective of the necessary attempts which are to be made to complete the offered changes. Resources The Internet should be used as the main resource for the completion of this research. Moreover, the literature sources are to be considered. I insist on reading the books by O’Shea and Spilling (2009) and DiPiazza (2006) for understanding the general condition of sculpture in Kuwait. The books by Levey (1995) and Eaton (2009) should be considered with the purpose to understand how sculpture developed in France, which stages were completed and at what stage the modern sculpture in Kuwait remains if to compare it with that of France. It is essential to compare and contrast the development of the French sculpture as it has a long history. Much may be said about the development of sculpture in this country, therefore, the artists from Ku wait may use the data about the history of French sculpture as the stages for personal development (Millard 1975). Before creating the questionnaire it is essential to consider such blogs as ‘Public Sculpture in Kuwait’ (2009) and ‘FRENCH SCULPTURE’ (1997) for better understanding modern trends in sculpture in these two countries. Work plan Further selection of the sources should be continued. Moreover, two pieces of sculptures should be selected for presenting in blogs. The links to the created blogs may be shared through the social network and other possible blogs which may help increase the attendance of the online questionnaire (their duration should be about 3 months).Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Kuwait’ and France’ Sculpture Comparison specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Then, the data should be analyzed and the necessary conclusions are to be drawn about the nat ure of the changes which must be made in Kuwait. I am going to attend several museums where the sculptures of some architects are presented. I will search for the works of the masters who lived and worked in Kuwait. I will also consider the Internet exhibitions of the French sculptors to have a better vision of the technologies used in that country. The analysis of the schools of art in France and Kuwait should be completed with the purpose to consider the potential of these two counties. The analysis should be noted and the data is to be presented in the form of tables and discussions. Reference List DiPiazza, FD 2006, Kuwait in Pictures, Twenty-First Century Books, New York. Eaton, DC 2009, A Handbook of Modern French Sculpture, Lightning Source Incorporated, New York. ‘FRENCH SCULPTURE’ 1997, Discover France. Web. Levey, SM 1995, Painting and Sculpture in France 1700-1789, Yale University Press, Yale. Millard, CW 1975, ‘Sculpture and Theory in Nineteenth Centur y France’, Journal of Aesthetics Art Criticism, vol. 34, iss. 1, pp. 15-21.Advertising Looking for proposal on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More O’Shea, M Spilling, M 2009, Kuwait, Marshall Cavendish, Tarrytown. ‘Public Sculpture in Kuwait’ 2009, Kuwait School ­. Web. This proposal on Kuwait’ and France’ Sculpture Comparison was written and submitted by user Gabriella Becker to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

arthritis essays

arthritis essays The theory behind ultrasound for treating knee osteoartritis is that it is used as a passive modality; a supplement to the primary treatment (e.g. exercise). Passive modalities are typically used to relax the patient as a distraction from pain, and/or to warm muscles for exercise. Ultrasound equipment generates high frequency sound waves that are transferred to a specific body area via a round sound head. The sound waves travel deep into tissue (e.g. muscles) creating gentle heat. The clinician usually applies a hypo-allergic gel to the skin, which creates a friction free surface. Using gentle, circular motions with the sound head, the treatment is administered and generally lasts seven to ten minutes. Ultrasound can also be used in phonophoresis. This treatment involves the application of a topical anti-inflammatory that is usually mixed with the ultrasound gel and applied to the area using the probe. The ultrasonic sound waves force the medication to migrate into the tissues reducing inflammation. As the sound head glides over the skin's surface, sound waves penetrate the skin's surface causing soft tissues to vibrate creating deep heat. In turn, the heat induces vasodilation, which is the drawing of blood into the target tissues. Increased blood flow delivers needed oxygen and nutrients to the muscle, and removes cell wastes from the muscles. The deep heat helps to relieve pain, inflammation, reduces muscle spasms, accelerates healing, and in some cas es, depending on the treatment area, range of motion may be increased. Arthritis of the knee is most often referred to as osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease where cartilage in the joint gradually wears away. In rheumatoid arthritis, which can also affect the knee, the joint becomes inflamed and the cartilage is destroyed. Arthritis is particularly devastating because it not only affects joints, but it may also affect supporting structures such as muscles, tendons, a...

The Big Bang Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Big Bang - Essay Example According to scientific findings, the â€Å"singularities† or the core zones of the black holes had been subjected to high intensity of gravitational pressure that they can be thought of to consist of an infinite density. This consequently directed the universe to be understood in the light of the singularity concept in being infinitely hot and boundlessly dense while the universe at its initial state is also infinitesimally small. Nevertheless, the exact source of ‘singularity’ remains unknown beyond nearly accurate speculations. Moreover, based on the Big Bang theory, the universe rapidly undergoes expansion since the beginning of time and â€Å"the more distant the light source is, the greater the rate of expansion and ‘redshift’ is as well. This theory further claims that it is the universe that sustained itself the energy to expand and that it expanded from almost a mathematical point or microbial speck under a closely infinite value of initial temperature and material density. The universe is proposed to have possessed an appearance which gradually inflated, expanded, and cooled, originating from a body of insignificant size yet of extremely hot conditions until these characteristics settle to the kind of universe conducive for our planet’s dwelling. The Big Bang theory holds that the formation of stars, galaxies, and black holes happened during the span of 500 million years when the universe was already in its expanded form, contrary to the conventional story of creation. NASA’s Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite has been able to demonstrate the strongest most reliable evidence for the ‘big bang’ possibility. As such, the 3-Degree Kelvin Background Radiation, otherwise called the Cosmic Background Radiation (CBR) serves as the Big Bang theory’s model of validity, having exhibited the blackbody radiation with

Quality of Service (QoS) in Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Research Paper

Quality of Service (QoS) in Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Applications - Research Paper Example The current levels of available reliability and performance will be assessed for their application to real life business applications. Keywords – Quality of Service, Service Oriented Architecture, QoS, SOA, reliability, performance, mathematical model I. Introduction Service oriented architecture (SOA) environments have gained popularity in recent years given their inherent flexibility and reusability. The typical SOA is structured around methods that promote software creation as interoperable services [1]. The various services used to construct a SOA are well-defined business functions. These business functions are construed as various software building blocks that can be used repeatedly to promote decreased development time and debugging effort [2]. Currently the SOA model is finding great appeal for web application development as well as grid computing [3]. The current speed of SOA architecture development indicates that SOA applications will dominate the future avenues of development. II. Quality of Service (QoS) and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) The most important method of describing a SOA’s characteristics in general is the quality of service (QoS) it offers [4]. The current development of the QoS concept sees divergence and some commonality depending on the various fields that employ SOAs. Most web based application SOAs require real time transfer rates such as for fiscal information transfer or multimedia applications. In contrast, other areas such as mobile grid computing see SOA QoS as a set of non-functional outputs that guarantee reliability [5]. The existing disparity between QoS definitions for SOA implementations in networking, web applications and grid computing mean that QoS needs to be defined in a more comprehensive yet unambiguous fashion. Most previous definitions of QoS promote the idea that only the best possible service levels can be classified as QoS [6]. However, more modern definitions of QoS contend that any leve l of services that meet user requirements can be classified as QoS for that particular application [7]. QoS can also be compared to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) where the user and the service provider agree upon acceptable levels of performance parameters such as functionality, costs etc. QoS for SOAs can be classified in the form of â€Å"request, specification, provision and negotiation† of some particular network features [7]. A typical SOA application may require QoS for the latency, the error rate, bandwidth, availability as well as the network security [8]. However, these characteristics alone should not be seen as describing the entire umbrella for QoS for SOAs. Instead, these characteristics form some of the characteristics of QoS for SOAs. Moreover, the QoS agreements would tend to vary from application to application in SOA depending on user requirements, functional expectations and non-functional expectations of the user [9]. For example, users accessing multime dia content through SOA applications would emphasize more on bandwidth than users dealing with defense applications through SOA who would emphasize more on reliability and security [10]. The classification method provided above for QoS in SOA applications is limited in scope. The QoS may be broken down into smaller metrics for further QoS classification. For example, jitter in network connection could be treated through consecutive difference in jitter or through the average jitter. The results from these metrics would tend to differ

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Human Resource Management - Essay Example The legislation states that redundancy can happen on the part of the employer when he or she ceases to run a business which tends to employ a large number of people. Again the employer may happen to change the place of business activity for which employees residing in one area may turn redundant to the corporation. The employer may also feel that there is less requirement of employees pertaining to a certain segment and thus tends to reduce the number of people in such segments. Finally the employer may also decide to cease the business segment in operation where the employees redundant were previously employed. However the above cases reflect situations which cannot be taken as legitimate from the legal standpoint and hence requires some procedural followings. (Taylor, 2005, p.360-361; Gernard and Judge, 2005, p.329). Process Firstly the employer is asked to consider the different feasible alternatives like conducting layoffs or putting employees in short term contracts rather than making them fully redundant. However if it is felt that redundancy is the only option then the employer is required to act on such in an unbiased manner whether conducted on a group or in regards to some specific individuals. The employer is required to render some salient points or objectives for which redundancy is best chosen. Secondly in regards to making specific employees redundant the employer is required to render a written declaration to them stating the rationale for which the company desires to cease their employment. Such employees are also required to be invited for gaining their views on such. However in cases where in 20 or more employees are made redundant then adequate rationale is required to be put to the body called Department of Business as well... According to the essay findings these happenings of redundancy are often related to the degradation of the productivity factor of the employees. Further the Employment Rights Act of 1996 in practice in United Kingdom states hints many factors which are related to the cause of redundancy. The legislation states that redundancy can happen on the part of the employer when he or she ceases to run a business which tends to employ a large number of people. Again the employer may happen to change the place of business activity for which employees residing in one area may turn redundant to the corporation. The employer may also feel that there is less requirement of employees pertaining to a certain segment and thus tends to reduce the number of people in such segments. As the research declares the best employment practices based on the Civil Rights Law of the European region pertain to abolishment of discriminatory practices in regards to different races, gender differences and also differences based on employment of people pertaining to different religions. Thus the employers of United Kingdom focus on strictly abiding by such legislations to help sustain a clean and productive atmosphere in the work zones. Discrimination based on gender and race differentiations are strictly avoided and also protection is rendered to help minorities work in a productive manner along with other employees.

Soft Sediment Communities

Soft Sediment Communities CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview of Soft Sediment Communities Soft sediments are the most common marine habitat on earth (Wilson, 1990). The habitats include sandy beaches, estuaries, mudflats and salt marshes. The communities consist of organisms which live on, or in, the bottom of a water body. There are generally four types of soft sediment communities which can be classified according to their size. They are microbenthos (1.0 mm) and megabenthos (> 10.0 mm). This study is focused on macrofauna, also known as macrobenthos. They are invertebrates that live on or in sediment, or attached to hard substrates. The common soft-sediment communities that can be found in intertidal areas are Annelida, Crustacea and Mollusca (Munari Mistri, 2008). Estuarine and coastal ecosystems consist of important components of macrofauna (Borja et al., 2000). They connect primary producersand organic matter sources such as phytoplankton and detritus apart from being economically, ecological, and recreationally importantfish and crustaceans (Rà ¶nnbà ¤ck et al., 2007; Bremner, 2008).Soft sediment communities provide many ecosystem services that help to maintain good water and sediment quality (Rà ¶nnbà ¤ck et al., 2007). Filter feeders such as bivalves remove particles from the water column, which may result in enhanced water clarity (MacIsaac, 1996). Given the importance of light in shallow water estuarine ecosystems, filter feeding may improve shallow water habitat for submerged aquatic plants and benthic microalgae. The degradation of some pollutants is enhanced by sediment mixing (bioturbation) of the infaunal macrobenthos due to stimulation ofmicrobial processes. The enhanced coupling of key nitrogen transformations in the presence of benthic macrofauna can lead to the production of nitrogen gas, which escapes to the atmosphere, thereby reducing nitrogen loading in the ecosystem. Macrobenthos have been used for decades asindicators of environmental statusand trends in estuaries and coastal areas because infauna are mostly sedentary organisms and they respond to local environmental impacts (Pearson Rosenberg, 1978; Borja et al., 2000; Wildsmith et al., 2009, 2011). They cover a wide range of physiological tolerances, living positions, type of feeding and trophic interactions (Elliott et al., 2002). Macrobenthic assemblages respond relatively quickly to habitat disturbances (Borja et al., 2000). They are important components of aquaticfood webs (Rà ¶nnbà ¤ck et al., 2007)and they affect transport and cycling of nutrients and toxicants. In addition, there are data on their patterns of variation, their responses to different forms of disturbance are known and they show similar responses at different levels of taxonomic resolution (Warwick, 1988). They form an important component of the estuarine food-web, supporting commercial and non-commercial species. They therefore represent an ideal assemblage to measure environmental change and will continue to be used to represent an important biological component of soft sediments. Understanding how different components of benthos respond to changes in properties of sediments is therefore essential in determining how much, if any, redundancy there is in this system and how much impacts on the sediments themselves are tolerated by the fauna. From this study it is clear that such experiments need replication at multiple scales and across multiple habitats before any general responses will be identified. By knowing the importance of soft sediment communities, the health and quality of an ecosystem can be determined without using any harmful chemical indicators. 1.2 Objectives The objectives of this project are: To investigate the abundance and distribution of soft sediment communities in Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang. To relate the environmental variables with soft sediment communities distribution and abundance in Penang intertidal area. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 The Ecology of Soft Sediment Communities Macrofauna make up a large component of the food web in estuarine ecosystems, connecting primary producers to top producers and playing an important role in system dynamics (Herman et al., 1999; Platell et al., 2006). Bottom macrobenthic communities include a great variety of organisms and generally a large number of species and they are extremely complicated (Meire et al., 2005). In marine macrobenthic organisms, polychaetes is one of the most significant groups and may make up more than half of the organisms in soft bottom habitats. They are often the predominant macrobenthic taxon in these sediments in terms of numbers, both numerically of species and abundance (Wildsmith et al., 2009, 2011). Polychaetes could hence be good indicators of species richness and assemblage models in macrobenthic assemblages (Fauchald Jumars, 1979). Some polychaete species were greatly opportunistic and responded quickly to environmental disturbances (Norkko et al., 2006; Wildsmith et al., 2011). 2.2 The Importance of Soft Sediment Communities Invertebrates constitute part of marine ecosystems and play important roles to support the function and stability of the food chains and ecosystems upon which other animals rely (Snelgrove, 1998). They regulate populations of other organisms (plant and animal) through predation, parasitism and herbivory, and help maintain water quality by filtering large amounts of water during feeding (Ponder et al., 2002). Invertebrates are directly involved in ecosystem stabilization, shoreline protection, energy and nutrient transfer and provision of habitat (Ponder et al., 2002). They also help in climate stabilization and re-mineralization and play an important role in the cycling of nutrients, breakdown of plant matter and other detritus and provide habitat for other species (Ponder et al., 2002). 2.2.1 Environmental indicator Members of the macrofauna community serve as useful biological indicators of environmental change and key elements of many marine and estuarine monitoring programs, due to their sedentary lifestyles and reduced responses to environmental changes (Tweedley et al., 2012). Therefore, the spatial distribution of macrofauna relative to environmental factors is fundamental to the understanding of estuarine ecology (Herman et al., 1999). Polychaetes are valuable marine organisms which can tolerate contamination because they live at the interface of water-sediment (Wildsmith et al., 2009, 2011). This layer is both biologically reactive and chemically active (Rhoads Young, 1970). Polychaetes occupy almost all marine and estuarine sediments (Fauchald, 1977) and are often the predominant constituent of the macrobenthic communities both in terms of individuals and number of species (Hutchings, 1998; Morin, 1999; Mills, 1969; Rhoads Young, 1970; Van Hoey et al., 2004; Ward Hutchings, 1996; Warwick, 1988). Polychaetes carry out an important role in ecosystem processes of macrofauna assemblages such as recycling, pollutant metabolism and in the interment of organic matter (Hutchings, 1998). 2.3 Factors Affecting Soft Sediment Communities The abundance and distribution of soft sediment communities were influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors such as competition and predation (Rhoads Young, 1970) while abiotic factors such as variation in salinity, turbidity, sediment grain size, total organic carbon, and metal contamination, affect estuarine macrofauna (Kinne, 1966; Remane Schlieper, 1971; McLusky Elliot, 2004). 2.3.1 Salinity The influence of salinity in particular is an important factor in estuarine macrofaunal diversity. Generally, studies have reported a positive correlation between biodiversity and salinity (Holland et al., 1987; Jorcin, 1999; Ysebaert Herman, 2002; Gimenez et al., 2005). Because variation in salinity differs in accordance with tidal movements and freshwater inputs into estuaries, the distribution of macrofauna and the macrobenthic community can differ between dry and rainy seasons. 2.3.2 Sediment Grain Size In estuaries, salinity and sediment grain size have been found to be the most important environmental variables controlling the diversity and distributional patterns of macrofauna (Absalo, 1991; Yoo Hong, 1996; McLusky Elliot, 2004). Hong Yoo (1996) suggested that the particle size and disturbance of the sediment may have been the most important factors controlling the macrobenthic community. Soft-sediment communities are unusual in the rate at which the nature of the physical environment can change (Wilson, 1990). Most sedimentary particles are smaller than the resident organisms, infauna (Wilson, 1990). The activities of the infauna can dramatically change the nature of the environment over time periods of hours or days (Wilson, 1990). For instance, burrowing infauna may increase the porosity of the sediment (Rhoads, 1974). 2.3.3 Total organic carbon Population dynamics of benthic suspension feeders, deposit feeders and subsurface feeders are known to respond differently according to nature of inputs, plankton and/or organic food matter (Austen et al., 1991; Beukema et al., 2002). The latter two groups are less affected since they utilize a large pool of organic matter in the sediment, which is constantly being recycled. In tropical region, Wolanski et al. (1992) hypothesized that in mangrove swamp or creek system, the circulation processes are highly complicated leading to novel sediment transport regimes that could in turn account for the chemistry and biology of the recipient water. Abundance and Composition of Soft Sediment Communities The study of soft sediment communities was extensive in certain temperate countries especially Australia while other countries in the tropics are lacking in their data. Further studies have yet to be conducted in tropical coastlines due and increasing human population growth, pollution, urbanization at an alarming rate (Hatcher et al., 1989). Distribution of Soft Sediment Communities in the World In East Antarctica, Stark (2000) had investigated the distribution and abundance of soft-sediment macrobenthos around Casey Station. Two locations were compared – two potentially polluted locations and two control locations in an asymmetrical design (Stark, 2000). Stark (2000) found out that the dominant assemblage were crustaceans while polychaetes’ assemblage was smaller in number, about 3-10% of individuals at the locations sampled. Another study in Brown Bay, Antartic which was carried out by Stark et al. (2005) revealed significant correlations between the presence of contaminants and the distribution and composition of soft sediment-communities over very small spatial scales. Combinations of certain metals, for example Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Tin (Sn) and Lead (Pb) and sediment grain size were the variables that best linked the community patterns at Brown Bay. This is further supported by previous studies in Antartic where benthic assemblages probably patchy due to local environmental conditions (Stark, 2000; Stark et al. 2003). In England, annelids were found to be the most abundant group followed by crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms and others (bryozoans and cnidarians) with 34.5%, 20.0%, 16%, 2.5% and 27% respectively (Bolam et al., 2008). Sediment grain size significantly affects the abundance of macrofauna along the English Channel (Bolam et al., 2008). In Australia, polychaetes were found the highest, and crustaceans were the lowest in macrofauna abundance (Morrisey et al., 1992). In Norway, environmental variables such as productivity, temperature and sediment grain size played a vital role in determining pattern of species richness (Gray, 2002). In Germany, the most abundant taxonomic group was gastropods, followed by oligochaetes, polychaetes and crustaceaans with 87%, 6%, 6% and 2% abundance respectively (Schà ¼ckel et al., 2013). The main causal factors for the different distribution patterns of intertidal macrofauna species which results in characteristic zonation patterns were sediment grain size and food availability, expressed in chloropohyll a contents (Schà ¼ckel et al., 2013). In Italy, the highest numbers of species that were identified were for Annelida which recorded 108 species, Crustacea recorded 69 species, and Mollusca recorded 52 species (Munari Mistri, 2008). Changes in the composition of assemblages of local species and the dominance of annelids species cannot be explained by only one factor (Lardicci et al., 1993). The factors were linked to biotic and hydrodynamic determinants, dissolved oxygen, grain size and organic content of the sediments (Munari Mistri, 2008). Distribution of Soft Sediment Communities in Asia In Qeshm Island of Iran, Nassaj et al. (2010) investigated the abundance and distribution of macrofauna in Salakh coastal region waters (Qeshm Island-Persian Gulf). Nassaj et al. (2010) found that Polychaeta (54.14%) were the most dominant group followed by the Crustacean (27.24%), Amphipods (9%), Gastropoda (8%), Bivalvia (7%), Copepoda (2%) and other groups (4%). In Korea, Yu et al. (2012) carried out a research on the effects of environmental variables on the distribution of macrofauna in the Han River Estuary during summer and spring. The dominant species were polychaetes during July, 2006 and March, 2007 (Yu et al., 2012). The most important factor was salinity and other factors such as sediment grain size and dissolved oxygen being secondary (Yu et al., 2012). Distribution of Soft Sediment Communities in Malaysia In Pulau Pinang, the high percentage of organic matter has shown a positive relation with abundance, diversity and richness of macrobenthic (Gholizadeh, Yahya, Talib, Ahmad, 2012). High percentages of sediment with grain size ≠¥125 ÃŽ ¼m revealed to have an increased in macrobenthic abundance (Gholizadeh, Yahya, Talib, Ahmad, 2012). This may aid in expounding the higher abundance of macrobenthic organisms, particularly for the deposit feeders. It has been reported that the sediment type (sand vs. mud) is one of the parameters responsible for the spatial distribution of macrobenthic families according to feeding kinds (Rhoads Young, 1970; Hutchings, 1998; Van Hoey et al., 2004).

Summer Of 17th Doll Review Essay -- essays research papers

Year 12 Literature SAC Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll The play â€Å"Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll† is a mixture of people’s inability to grow up and let go of dreams, in a typical Australian atmosphere in the nineteen fifties. Ray Lawler focuses on showing the characters finally waking up to their lives and realizing they don’t live in â€Å"heaven, â€Å" within in a simple plot. These techniques allow readers to connect and understand the disillusionment suffered by these Australian’s in this time. Our setting for â€Å"Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll’ is a Melbourne suburb, Carlton. Australia in the fifties had just began massive social and economical development. During the war Australia had relied on the United States of America for support, meaning now in post war Australia’s main partners had swapped from United Kingdom to them. With their support came their influence. Australian’s some-what simpler, laid back lifestyle was being altered. A new unstable Australia full of uncertainty in social values and morals had evolved. â€Å"Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll’ questions the previous Australian dream and asks f it can survive in the new country evolving. Carlton â€Å"a now scruffy but once fashionable suburb of Melbourne† was an industrial, working class area. Our characters find themselves in the working class status. Ray Lawler uses a group of friend’s, lovers, to show the catalysts of change evolving around Australia at the time. For seventeen years Roo and Barney had been traveling down from Queensland for they layoff season. Waiting for them were their â€Å"girlfriends† Olive and Nancy. These four characters each represent a key theme in the play. The ability to link them all together and show their enchanted world crumbling around them is what makes the play one of Australia’s finest. Roo and Barney are the typical Australian larrikins. They rare the representation of mate ship and freedom in Australia are known for. In the play their relationship acts as one of the first things to fall in their â€Å"paradise.† Roo’s position as head cane cutter was taken by Dowd. Roo finds his masculinity diminished. As most larrikins he can’t accept the fact he is not one of the best. Roo leaves early. To add to the reality of things, we learn Barney’s â€Å"girlfriend† Nancy has gone at got married. Their world begins to fall. It is Nancy’s marriage that plays a key role in forcing the group ... ... their world. With nothing left of their once happy world Lawler prepares us for the dramatic end. As Roo feels he can no longer live up to his previous life her scrambles to build a new one, even if it only slightly mimics the old one. He believes by proposing to Olive they will both still have a form of what they had before, by doing this he shows he knows what they had is over and can never return, he understands that he must grow up. Olive wont allow this to happen. She is still clinging to her world â€Å"you’ve got to go back, it’s the only hope we’ve got.† She attempts any thing to piece it back together. Emma enters and sees that Olive is gutted; she can’t accept the new reality. With the rejection from Olive Roo becomes a beaten disheartened figure. Each character now knows they cannot stay here, they must all move on for good. Ray Lawler concludes the play and has expressed the characters as far as they can go. He created Australia compelled by the demand for liberation of women, but killed by the disintegration of mate ship. Lawler leaves the audience knowing their dream, their world cannot survive the new Australia, and we must all allow it, and us to evolve. WORDS: 974

Book Review: the Protector Essay

The Protector is about a firefighter named Jack O’Malley, and his ‘family’ of seven people orphaned as teens who basically adopted each other and who all changed there sir name to O’Malley. Jack O’Malley is a firefighter who has seen so many wrecks and fires he has lost count, but the arsonist who is treading on he, and his fellow firefighters lives, he knows his task at hand, to stop the arsonist in its tracks before he ends up killing one of his own. Cole, the arson investigator is worried, but wont admit that to anyone, but with the arson’s escalating, he has an uneasy feeling of what the future holds. The arsonist is leaving signs, murals painted on the walls with the words murderer, and killer, and popcorn at every scene. When Cassie, a firefighter who took a break from her job after being severely burned at a nursing home fire that had been ruled as the first arson fire, witnesses the arsonist in the act, she is put in danger and it’s Jack and Cole’s job to protect her. After Cassie see’s the arsonist, she decides she has to go back to work, and she has to help in anyway she can to catch this arsonist, starting with trying to figure out who she had seen, knowing she had seen him before. I think that the author, Dee Henderson, wrote this book very well. Henderson has an amazing way of showing the emotion f the characters she is portraying on her writings. I feel as though Henderson has a way of writing that warms your heart, making it seem like you are in the book too, or as though you are watching the story unfold around you. â€Å"The new year is eighteen minutes away. â€Å"†Come kiss me awake in seventeen minutes. â€Å"She blinked at that lazy suggestion, gave a quick grin, and dropped Benji on his chest. He opened one eye to look up at her as he settled his hand lightly on the kitten. â€Å"That’s a no? â€Å"She smiled. She was looking forward to dating him, but she was smart enough to know he’d value more what he had to work at. For example when reading the above excerpt from the book, she writes it so hate you can mentally visualize Cassie sitting with Benji, her cat, on her chest and Jack asking her to kiss him awake for new years. You can really feel what Cassie is saying when she says that she was looking forward to dating Jack, but is making him work for it so he will value it more. I feel as though this book is an overall good read, it shows traces of how God is working in each of the main characters lives and how he is present in there hearts, but it is not in your face about God. The book was definitely a page turner, it took me about a day to read the 333 page book, I was hooked from about the third chapter and just could not put it down until I was finished. I think that this book would be a great book for young adults to read, the book is a really interesting book, and I would recommend any christian no matter where in there walk with God, to read this inspiring book about Jack O’Malley, the main character in this book, and his family of seven orphaned and abandoned teens who became a family, and changed there sir to O’Malley .

Calculating Torque With Examples

Calculating Torque With Examples When studying how objects rotate, it quickly becomes necessary to figure out how a given force results in a change in the rotational motion. The tendency of a force to cause or change rotational motion is called torque, and its one of the most important concepts to understand in resolving rotational motion situations. The Meaning of Torque Torque (also called moment - mostly by engineers) is calculated by multiplying force and distance. The SI units of torque are newton-meters, or N*m (even though these units are the same as Joules, torque isnt work or energy, so should just be newton-meters). In calculations, torque is represented by the Greek letter tau: Ï„. Torque is a vector quantity, meaning it has both a direction and a magnitude. This is honestly one of the trickiest parts of working with torque because it is calculated using a vector product, which means you have to apply the right-hand rule. In this case, take your right hand and curl the fingers of your hand in the direction of rotation caused by the force. The thumb of your right hand now points in the direction of the torque vector. (This can occasionally feel slightly silly, as youre holding your hand up and pantomiming in order to figure out the result of a mathematical equation, but its the best way to visualize the direction of the vector.) The vector formula that yields the torque vector Ï„ is: Ï„ r Ãâ€" F The vector r is the position vector with respect to an origin on the axis of rotation (This axis is the Ï„ on the graphic). This is a vector with a magnitude of the distance from where the force is applied to the axis of rotation. It points from the axis of rotation toward the point where the force is applied. The magnitude of the vector is calculated based upon ÃŽ ¸, which is the angle difference between r and F, using the formula: Ï„ rFsin(ÃŽ ¸) Special Cases of Torque A couple of key points about the above equation, with some benchmark values of ÃŽ ¸: ÃŽ ¸ 0 ° (or 0 radians) - The force vector is pointing out in the same direction as r. As you might guess, this is a situation where the force will not cause any rotation around the axis ... and the mathematics bears this out. Since sin(0) 0, this situation results in Ï„ 0.ÃŽ ¸ 180 ° (or Ï€ radians) - This is a situation where the force vector points directly into r. Again, shoving toward the axis of rotation isnt going to cause any rotation either and, once again, the mathematics supports this intuition. Since sin(180 °) 0, the value of the torque is once again Ï„ 0.ÃŽ ¸ 90 ° (or Ï€/2 radians) - Here, the force vector is perpendicular to the position vector. This seems like the most effective way that you could push on the object to get an increase in rotation, but does the mathematics support this? Well, sin(90 °) 1, which is the maximum value that the sine function can reach, yielding a result of Ï„ rF. In other words, a force applied at any other angle would provide less torque than when it is applied at 90 degrees. The same argument as above applies to cases of ÃŽ ¸ -90 ° (or -Ï€/2 radians), but with a value of sin(-90 °) -1 resulting in the maximum torque in the opposite direction. Torque Example Lets consider an example where youre applying a vertical force downward, such as when trying to loosen the lug nuts on a flat tire by stepping on the lug wrench. In this situation, the ideal situation is to have the lug wrench perfectly horizontal, so that you can step on the end of it and get the maximum torque. Unfortunately, that doesnt work. Instead, the lug wrench fits onto the lug nuts so that it is at a 15% incline to the horizontal. The lug wrench is 0.60 m long until the end, where you apply your full weight of 900 N. What is the magnitude of the torque? What about direction?: Applying the lefty-loosey, righty-tighty rule, you will want to have the lug nut rotating to the left - counter-clockwise - in order to loosen it. Using your right hand and curling your fingers in the counter-clockwise direction, the thumb sticks out. So the direction of the torque is away from the tires ... which is also direction you want the lug nuts to ultimately go. To begin calculating the value of the torque, you have to realize that theres a slightly misleading point in the above set-up. (This is a common problem in these situations.) Note that the 15% mentioned above is the incline from the horizontal, but thats not the angle ÃŽ ¸. The angle between r and F has to be calculated. Theres a 15 ° incline from the horizontal plus a 90 ° distance from the horizontal to the downward force vector, resulting in a total of 105 ° as the value of ÃŽ ¸. Thats the only variable that requires set-up, so with that in place we just assign the other variable values: ÃŽ ¸ 105 °r 0.60 mF 900 N Ï„ rF sin(ÃŽ ¸) (0.60 m)(900 N)sin(105 °) 540 Ãâ€" 0.097 Nm 520 Nm Note that the above answer involved maintaining only two significant figures, so it is rounded. Torque and Angular Acceleration The above equations are particularly helpful when there is a single known force acting on an object, but there are many situations where a rotation can be caused by a force that cannot easily be measured (or perhaps many such forces). Here, the torque often isnt calculated directly, but can instead be calculated in reference to the total angular acceleration, ÃŽ ±, that the object undergoes. This relationship is given by the following equation: ÃŽ £Ãâ€ž - The net sum of all torque acting on the objectI - the moment of inertia, which represents the objects resistance to a change in angular velocityÃŽ ± - angular acceleration

Five Ways to Become More Happy and Develop Positive Thinking

Five Ways to Become More Happy and Develop Positive Thinking How to Develop a Positive Personality To keep fit, you try to follow a healthy diet: you drink a sufficient amount of water, eat vegetables, fruit, nuts, and other nutritious stuff. With such an approach to life and nutrition, your organism will be definitely thankful. However, what about your inner state of mind, or, in other words, your mental health? It also requires a specific diet that will determine how well you feel each day and whether you are able to reach balance in your life. So, what can be called a mental diet? Actually, these are all the thoughts, information, music, films, conversations, people, actions, and affirmations that you let into your life. When you wake up each morning with positive affirmations in your mind, you will more likelyhave a good day rather than a bad one. When you spend some time in the morning and read some inspiring book instead of paying attention to the criminal situation in your district, you will also have more chances to spend a nice day. Thus, as you might have already inferr ed, the proper mental diet consists only of positive affirmations and thoughts, inspiring books, films, and music that determine how you will live your life. With such a positive approach to life, you will be able to develop more confidence and self-esteem and you will learn how to instill them to other people around you. If you take the responsibility for your own thoughts and actions, you will see that its only you who has a complete control over your state of mind. Its your own choice whether to let in negative or positive thoughts. All in all, you should realize that mental health is as important as physical health. Check the following ways of how you can develop positive thinking: Positive Affirmations From the early morning, try to fill your mind with positive thoughts: tell yourself that you are smart and beautiful, that you will succeed today, etc. According to some estimates, 95% of your emotional state of mind is determined by the way you talk to yourself and react to your ups and downs. If you do not talk about positive things, you will by default be programmed to focus only on everything negative. Positive Visualization Positive visualization is even more effective than affirmations. When you visualize your success or a long desired accomplishment in something, you are more prone to get it. Similarly, you can envision a better life, promotion, your own place of dwelling, a family, etc. Positive People Do not surround yourself with people who are constantly complaining about their life, health, work, families, etc. Such people devoid you of positive energy and their talks have a deteriorating impact on your state of mind. Contrarily, try to surround yourself with positive people who will help you to find something positive in each day. Positive and Healthy Lifestyle Dont forget to take care of your physical well-being. Paint a pretty picture of yourself when you are 80 years old and still doing yoga in the evenings or dancing to the music while you are preparing dinner. Eat nutritious food and maintain proper water balance. Such proper diet will have a positive impact on your health and well-being. Apart from healthy eating, involve yourself into regular physical exercising, which can also decrease stress levels. In the evenings, engage yourself in meditations and relaxation practices. Positive Expectations When you expect something positive to come to your life, it will surely do. This is the cornerstone of the Law of Attraction: whatever you expect seems to come to your life. Therefore, try to expect only the best. All in all, if you are willing to change your life for the better, why not try the above-mentioned tips? Be more positive and the world will turn to you.

Policies to Enhance the Safety Measures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Policies to Enhance the Safety Measures - Essay Example The health and social care organisations are often exposed to major health related risks. It is obvious that a workplace should possess its own set of schedules and norms to maintain standard health and safety practices for the service providers. Since, the health and the social workers work in a dynamic and hazardous environment, which is exposed to severe risk, the requirement for safety is at the maximum for these workers (Health and Social Care Board, 2011). Health & Safety measures adopted in health and social care workplace represents that the people working in hazardous situations are protected with negative or adverse consequences. The practitioners providing services are most exposed to the risks rising at the social as well as healthcare centres. It is worth mentioning that effective communication of information about such policies is one of the important practices, which has the potentiality to ensure greater health along with safety of the individuals working in a particu lar workplace. Again, in order to maintain safety at workplace, it should be mandatory for all the employees to follow the legislative regulations laid down by their respective companies to form as well as develop a secured environment (Health and Social Care Board, 2011).. In order to develop the health and safety measures in the healthcare organisations, the Director of such organisations must pass a mandate with written norms of health and safety measures, which need to be followed for enhancing safety at workplace. To maintain greater health and safety at the workplace, the Director should follow the systems and the procedures that entail implementing policies within his directorate, disseminating those within the staff by explaining the area of responsibility and including new staff as a part of induction plan. In order to enhance the overall performance, the policies would also incorporate the measures like providing leadership.

Corporate welfare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Corporate welfare - Essay Example Corporate Welfare takes a variety of forms from indirect to direct subsidizing, grants, loans, reduced tax-rates, and bailouts. The crisis that created the Corporate Welfare program in the 1930s was the Great Depression. This led to the government subsidizing the agricultural as well as other industries. Agriculture has traditionally been the most widely subsidized by the U.S. government (2). The effectiveness of Corporate Welfare is widely debated. Proponents view it as an investment that helps businesses and therefore the economy grow. The welfareinfo.org website states that â€Å"American companies remain competitive leaders in the global business industry and many owe at least a portion of their success to the funding support provided by Corporate Welfare† (3). However, many counter this argument by saying that only big companies and basically those who are â€Å"already rich† are subsidized at the expense of middle-class and poor people (4). They point to the recen t example of General Motors, which was a failing company until the government stepped in simply because they were â€Å"too big to fail.† It is clear from these historical examples and the opinions of experts that big businesses are given preferential treatment to smaller companies when it comes to Corporate Welfare.

Business and economy of contemporary china Essay

Business and economy of contemporary china - Essay Example During the 1950s to 1970s, the government seemed to be in control of the matter but in the early 80s, there was an increase in the number of missing women. Moreover, most institutions and government bodies linked this with the introduction of the one-child policy that is still there today. Naturally, the implementation of this initiative is an effort to control the increased population growth. People that get more than one-child face the set penalties of reduced salaries and limited access to social facilities; however, this takes place after the children are born. In the 1980s, the one-child policy did not work of well because the ratio of male to female was not proportionate leading to the allowance of a second child for families that lived in rural areas. However, this was only if the first-born child was a girl. The government supported this policy for a while but in the late 1990’s the World Health Organization intervened due to a significant number of missing women because of abandonment (Lehmann 2013). Generally, the current abandonment of girls and disabled children has its history with the only difference being the causes and implications for the different periods (Milson 2014). All the same, it has a been an economic and social problem for over fifty years and the different tactics implemented to counter this always end up failing. Significantly, China is in record for having the biggest imbalance between men and women in its population because of the abandonment of infant females that fairly contributes to the increased mortality rate. On the other hand, there are more men in China than any other state in the world, creating more gender issues for the nation. Some of the implications of female and disabled children abandonment include the popular abduction and slave trade market (Young 2014). Today, people refer to the different venues as

Ethics of Compliance Southwest Essay Example for Free

Ethics of Compliance Southwest Essay The purpose of this paper is to present, discuss, and examine the topic of ethical and social responsibility. It will discuss Southwest Airlines failure to comply with the Federal Aviation Administrations rules on inspecting aircraft and what violations occurred. On March 6, 2008, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors submitted documents to the United States Congress, alleging that Southwest allowed 117 of its aircraft to fly carrying passengers despite the fact that the planes were not airworthy according to air safety investigators. In some cases, the planes were allowed to fly for up to 30 months after the inspection deadlines had passed, rendering them unfit to fly. Records indicate that thousands of passengers were flown on aircraft deemed unsafe by federal standards. Clearly, this is an issue tied to social responsibility and ethics at the highest level, ignoring the safety inspections put peoples lives in jeopardy. This situation actually began in 1988, when an Aloha Airlines Boeing 737 suffered an accident that killed a flight attendant. The top of the planes fuselage tore off, opening up a large section of the planes roof, killing the flight attendant. The accident occurred because of cracks in the planes fuselage. Since then, the FAA has required regular inspections of 737 fuselages to ensure an accident like this does not occur again. In 2007, two FAA inspectors began to question documentation and inspections at Southwest Airlines. They had reason to be concerned, because they felt their concerns were being ignored, and their supervisor was not investigating their complaints. FAA inspectors Bobby Boutris and Douglas Peters testified before Congress about their experiences, and asked for whistleblower status, meaning they could not be fired from their jobs because of their testimony. Boutris was the first to question records kept by Southwest about airplane inspections. In 2003, he was in charge of inspecting engines for the 737, and he could validate the Southwests reports. He told an NPR Radio reporter, I had found a lot of inconsistencies with the records, Boutris says. They were different from aircraft to aircraft; it was very hard to determine compliance' (Goodwyn, 2008). He notes that he complained to his supervisor, Douglas Gawadzinski, but he ignored Boutris complaints. In 2006, Boutris took over safety responsibility for the entire 737-700 series aircraft, and when he reviewed Southwest, he found the same recordkeeping problems he had uncovered in 2003. He notified his supervisor and wanted to send a letter of investigation, again his supervisor G awadzinski refused to acknowledge his concerns. Boutris believes it is because Gawadzinski had a close friendship with Paul Comeau, a former FAA employee who went to work for Southwest as their manager for regulatory compliance. Anything to do with Southwest and the FAA went through these two men, and Boutris believes they routinely covered up inspection irregularities or lack of inspections. Boutris continued to complain, and Southwest asked for him to be removed from their inspections. Reporter Goodwyn continues, At first, Gawadzinski refused to remove Boutris. But it wasnt long before the supervisory maintenance inspector told Boutris he was out and that his career was in jeopardy because there had been undisclosed complaints from anonymous Southwest officials (Goodwyn, 2008). At this point, Douglas Peters, another FAA inspector, were brought in to review Boutris investigation into Southwests compliance. Goodwyn notes, The more he looked into the matter, the more he agreed with Boutris that the flying public was in danger. Peters says the situation defied logic. That something so critical would be not addressed I cant explain it. Its a mystery' (Goodwyn, 2008). People from Southwest began to contact Gawadzinski directly, instead of going through Peters. Another reporter states, The whistle-blowers complained repeatedly in memos written in 2007 that their concerns about Southwest were not being taken seriously. The underlying safety concern — the airline was unable to keep up with mandatory inspections — had been raised as early as 2003, one charged (Levin, 2008). Finally, in March 2007, Southwest admitted to flying 47 737s without completing the problem fuselage inspections, which triggered a Congressional investigation. Even more disturbing, the airline continued to fly the planes even after disclosing they had not been inspected – it took almost a week to ground the planes. The two men testified before Congress in April 2008, and the FAA fined Southwest $10. 2 million for the blunders. Reporter Levin continues, Last month, nearly a year after the initial problems were discovered, the FAA levied a $10. 2 million fine against Southwest. The vast majority of the fine was imposed because Southwest had certified that it stopped flying the planes as soon as it learned of the missed inspections, FAA officials said (Levin, 2008). These are the basic facts and timeline of the case. The major overriding issue in this case is that the FAA and Southwest conspired to cover up inspection information, and they did so at passengers and crewmembers expense. The inspections were mandated because the FAA knew this particular plane had critical safety issues. By not inspecting planes and allowing them to continue flying, they were putting everyone on those planes in jeopardy, and they knew it. That is perhaps the biggest ethical concern of this case, that the company knew they had not completed checks, but continued to fly the planes anyway. One of the whistleblowers was told they did not ground the planes because it would disrupt Southwests service and flight schedule (Goodwyn, 2008). Every airline has a social responsibility to keep their passengers and crews as safe as possible. Flying is a relatively safe form of travel, however accidents do occur. Maintaining high maintenance and safety standards is simply the right thing to do in the transportation industry; it is the ethical, moral, and socially responsible choice. For an airline to lower those standards, especially because of worries about disruption of service, is simply incomprehensible. For example, the entire airline would be in jeopardy if one of the planes had crashed, and it was found to have been because of a crack that was not detected because of a missed inspection. Indeed, inspections on the aircraft did turn up cracks in some of the planes in question, cracks that had to be repaired before the airplanes took flight again (Wilber, 2008). Thus, Southwest put people in danger, and that is a major ethical violation that has not thoroughly been addressed in the media or by the airline itself. In addition, the FAA was compliant in this ethical transgression, because they allowed it to happen, calling into question the integrity of the organization that is supposed to be primarily concerned with airline safety and maintenance. If the agency doing the oversight is questionable, it brings the entire system into question. This issue should be studied further because it raises so many moral and ethical questions, and it should be studied because it seems, since there seem to be no lasting ramifications for the FAA, that it could happen again, which is even more disturbing. The stakeholders in this case are the people who fly on Southwest Airlines. Southwest damaged their reputation by letting down their stakeholders, and that is extremely disturbing. They put passenger safety in jeopardy over worries about income and disrupted flights, when their first concern should have been safety and only safety. This calls into question the entire integrity of the company. This is more than just the classical interpretation of right and wrong, it is a moral dilemma that should have had an extremely simple solution. Ground the planes, inspect them as quickly as possible, and get them back in the air. The fact that there was any other solution seen to the problem indicates just how unethical and morally irresponsible Southwest was, and the stakeholders should demand compensation for the threat this decision made to their safety. Southwest simply got lucky that one of the affected planes did not develop more serious issues, and the $10. 2 million dollar fine seems quite low in retrospect, considering the damage that could have occurred to people and property had a plane crashed. The economic responsibility of this situation is clear; Southwest had to pay a large fine and ground the planes, losing revenue anyway. Their reputation suffered, although it did not seem to make a dent in their passenger. Most people did not even seem to care that Southwest had endangered them and only a few spoke out in blogs or in other areas when the news broke. Southwest has a serious responsibility to keep its passengers and crews safe, and they lost the trust of at least some people because of their callous disregard for safety. That is a huge moral responsibility, and Southwest has never really acknowledged their failure, which is an even larger ethical concern, it seems. In a statement before Congress, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said, Our compliance with certain specific Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness directives has been called into question. We have committed to a thorough review and to make any changes necessary to ensure that we are in full compliance with FAA airworthiness directives and our own maintenance programs, policies, and procedures (Kelly, 2008). However, in previous testimony before Congress, Kelly and Southwest Executive Chairman Herb Kelleher both maintained that Southwest did comply with all FAA requirements, and the safety of passengers was never in question (Kelly, 2008). Thus, Southwest maintains they complied with all FAA regulations and did inspect the aircraft, only under a different maintenance directive than the one the two whistleblowers charged had not been done. It seems like a technicality, and that Southwest is not taking true moral or ethical responsibility for the incidents. They also stated that they did not think they would be fined for the maintenance issues, and it seems as if in their testimony, they were attempting to lay groundwork to fight a fine. However, they did eventually back down and stop contesting the fine, probably because they felt they looked bad enough already. Some recommendations for this case have already been completed. The FAA inspector, Gawadzinski, was transferred to another division, without contact with Southwest. Southwest placed several maintenance and safety personnel on leave, and developed new maintenance and safety guidelines. The two top executives maintain they did not know about the 2007 maintenance charges until March 2008, and as soon as they learned of them, they implemented stronger maintenance and communication directives so they would be notified and aware of any problems. These would have been at least some of the recommendations made in this case. Another would be for Southwest to undergo a major campaign to gain back the publics trust, as many people would seem to have trust issues in flying on Southwest planes. This would include a media campaign that would address trust issues, and perhaps even a campaign including top executives flying on their own planes. This would not be too costly or difficult to administer, and it would let people know that the company is actually sorry about its actions and is going to be more responsible in the future. It also seems as if the company should apologize to their stakeholders and their crewmembers, not in front of Congress, but in front of them, and with humility. Frankly, their testimony and apology to Congress sounded defensive and insincere, and a true measure of humility might be to offer anyone who flew on those planes some type of compensation or personal apology to make the situation even a little bit more palatable. Of course, that would entail a large expense, but it would make their intentions a bit more acceptable. Finally, they have to be open and above board with their maintenance issues and they have to make quite certain there is nothing questionable about any of their practices. Their maintenance and safety department must be impeccable, and it must always be open to scrutiny not only by the FAA, but by the public, as well. They owe that, at the very least, to the people that choose to fly on Southwest Airlines. In conclusion, this case indicates how deeply ethical issues can affect a business. Allowing planes to fly uninspected is a terrible disservice to the passengers and crews of this airline. It indicates a deep-seated lack of respect for the public, the employees, and the agency created to maintain air travel safety. It also indicates an arrogance that the company can flaunt the system and win. Southwest Airlines has deeper issues than maintenance and safety. It has to take a strong look at its ethics and principles, and alter them to create a more socially responsible organization that respects and values the people it serves. Without a change, the organization will certainly suffer more ethical violations in the future.