What Should the Media Do to Respect Right for Privacy Essay

What Should the Media Do to Respect Right for Privacy - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that according to â€Å"Things that are not in the U.S. Constitution†, (n.d.), is it reported that â€Å"The Constitution does not specifically mention a right to privacy. However, Supreme Court decisions over the years have established that the right to privacy is a basic human right, and as such is protected by virtue of the 9th Amendment. The right to privacy has come to the public's attention via several controversial Supreme Court rulings, including several dealing with contraception (the Griswold and Eisenstadt cases), interracial marriage (the Loving case), and abortion (the well-known Roe v Wade case). In addition, it is said that a right to privacy is inherent in many of the amendments in the Bill of Rights, such as the 3rd, the 4th's search and seizure limits, and the 5th's self-incrimination limit".  Although the right to privacy is not specifically stated in the text of the Constitution, the 14th, 1st, 4th, and 5th Ame ndments have provided some privacy protection. The right to privacy protects individuals from information that is gathered, collected, and how the information is used.  Individuals have the freedom to decide whether or not to participate in certain acts or to subject himself/herself to certain situations and experiences. This right of privacy is protected by the 14th Amendment.  Unauthorized use of an individual's name or likeness is protected by the Right of Publicity. For commercial reasons and purposes, this gives an individual the right to license the use of their identity. There are four invasion types of invasion of privacy, according to The Restatement Second of Torts. These include an appropriation of name or likeness, intrusion, unreasonable publicity, and false light.

Encounter with God Essay Example for Free

Encounter with God Essay As I recall a moment in my life which I had experienced a liberating and transforming encounter with God, the first thing that came into my mind was my first confession to the priest back when I was in our first year recollection. I can still remember how nervous I am that time because I didn’t really know what to do inside the confession room. But then, before I entered the room, I gave myself a time to just relax and think conscientiously all the sins I have made against God, family, friends and my neighbors. That time, I felt so relieved of the fact that I have realized that I was once wrong. When it was my turn to go inside, the feeling of nervousness lowered down. It’s as if I have accepted and opened myself to what reality with God is – and that’s the act of confession. While confessing my sins to the priest, it seems like I am having my most honest conversation with Him. I can really tell that it was exactly the real me who’s talking to God. With that encounter, I was enlightened that God have transformed me to be the real me. I felt liberated from the barriers that tried to hide the essence of my existence. After that loving encounter with God, I have fully accepted what I really am – a thinking being capable of caring and hurting, but had always acknowledged change. I promised to Him not to do the same mistake twice – and be open to whatever life brings. That was the time when my view of life became clearer, that in however way God shows life to me, it’s always for my own good and for a significant reason and purpose. I can’t say now if I have really fulfilled my promises to Him, but one thing is for sure that I have always been carrying out all His goodness to me.

Saving Birds From Extinction Environmental Sciences Essay

Saving Birds From Extinction Environmental Sciences Essay Now although the number and variety of birds that migrate has decreased over the last two decades, several foreign species continue to visit National Zoological Park during winters. Previously, almost 5,000 migratory birds spread across more than 10 species used to fly down to the Delhi Zoological Park. But now this number has fallen to an alarming 500-odd birds belonging to hardly five-six species. According to the Zoos curator several true migratory birds like Siberian crane, Brahminy duck, Mallard, Red-Crested Pochard and White Stork have not visited the Delhi zoo over the last few years. This decline is due to a number of reasons including atmospheric pollution, hunting by humans, lack of food, global warming etc. Local migratory birds also turn up at the Delhi Zoo, and this place becomes a treat to watch for bird lovers. October end and November are the months when the birds start arriving, and more birds are estimated to come by January and February. STATE WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGING STATE OF BIRDS: Since the year 1500, we have lost over 150 bird species an extinction rate far higher than the natural background. Today, one in eight bird species is threatened with global extinction, with 189 species Critically Endangered, and Red List assessments show that things are getting worse. Particularly alarming are sharp declines in many formerly common and widespread species. This is a signal of wider environmental problems, and of the erosion of biodiversity as a whole. Why birds are declining:irds are declining: Humans are responsible for the threats to birds. Expanding and intensifying agriculture and forestry destroy and degrade habitats. Inadequately managed fisheries, ever-spreading infrastructure, invasive alien species, pollution and overexploitation all pose serious problems. Climate change, with impacts already visible, may be the most serious threat of all. These threats have deeper causes, rooted in our failure to accord wild nature its true value. Sound environment: Over the past few decades, the worlds governments have endorsed many international agreements relevant to the conservation of biodiversity, demonstrating their willingness to cooperate in tackling important environmental issues. The challenge now is to harness this commitment and ensure that concrete actions are taken where they are most needed. In several countries, the engagement of civil society and indigenous peoples organisations has resulted in impressive progress. There are signs of increasing action in the private sector, too. Agriculture and forestry are the key drivers of habitat destruction of birds: In Africa, habitat clearance for agriculture and logging threatens 50% and 23% of Important Birds Areas (IBAs) respectively. In Europe, agricultural expansion and intensification are among the most serious threats affecting IBAs. Proportion of IBAs impacted by different classes of threats in Africa and Europe Analysis of data held in BirdLifes World Bird Database (2004) In Africa, habitat clearance for agriculture threatens over 50% of Important Bird Areas (IBAs), with degradation owing to shifting agriculture an additional pressure (Fishpool and Evans 2001). In Europe too, agricultural expansion and intensification are among the most serious threats affecting IBAs, with a high impact at 35% (Heath and Evans 2000). In Africa, selective logging or tree-cutting affects 23% of IBAs, with degradation owing to firewood collection (including charcoal production) and forest grazing being additional, often related pressures (these threats are of less importance in Europe where little old-growth forest remains). In Africa, ongoing or planned infrastructure development (including dam and road building) is a further key cause of habitat destruction, with 21% of IBAs affected. In Europe this is also a major factor affecting IBAs, with a high impact at 37% . The Effects of Oil on Wildlife: We have all seen pictures and videos of wildlife covered in black, sticky oil after an oil spill.   These pictures are usually of oiled birds.   Many people are not aware that it is not just birds that get oiled during a spill.   Other marine life such as marine mammals can also suffer from the effects of an oil spill.   Even small spills can severely affect marine wildlife. Not all oils are the same.   There are many different types of oil and this means that each oil spill is different depending on the type of oil spilt.   Each oil spill will have a different impact on wildlife and the surrounding environment depending on: the type of oil spilled, the location of the spill, the species of wildlife in the area, the timing of breeding cycles and seasonal migrations, and even the weather at sea during the oil spill. Oil affects wildlife by coating their bodies with a thick layer.   Many oils also become stickier over time (this is called weathering) and so adheres to wildlife even more.   Since most oil floats o nthe surface of the water it can effect many marine animals and sea birds.   Unfortunately, birds and marine mammals will not necessarily avoid an oil spill.   Some marine mammals, such as seals and dolphins, have been seen swimming and feeding in or near an oil spill.   Some fish are attracted to oil because it looks like floating food.   This endangers sea birds, which are attracted to schools of fish and may dive through oil slicks to get to the fish. Oil that sticks to fur or feathers, usually crude and bunker fuels, can cause many problems.   Some of these problems are: hypothermia in birds by reducing or destroying the insulation and waterproofing properties of their feathers; hypothermia in fur seal pups by reducing or destroying the insulation of their woolly fur (called lanugo).   Adult fur seals have blubber and would not suffer from hypothermia if oiled.   Dolphins and whales do not have fur, so oil will not easily stick to them; birds become easy prey, as their feathers being matted by oil make them less able to fly away; marine mammals such as fur seals become easy prey if oil sticks their flippers to their bodies, making it hard for them to escape predators; birds sink or drown because oiled feathers weigh more and their sticky feathers cannot trap enough air between them to keep them buoyant; fur seal pups drown if oil sticks their flippers to their bodiesk birds lose body weight as their metabolism tries to combat low body temperature; marine mammals lose body weight when they can not feed due to contamination of their environment by oil; birds become dehydrated and can starve as they give up or reduce drinking, diving and swimming to look for food; inflammation or infection in dugongs and difficulty eating due to oil sticking to the sensory hairs around their mouths; disguise of scent that seal pups and mothers rely on to identify each other, leading to rejection, abandonment and starvation of seal pups; and damage to the insides of animals and birds bodies, for example by causing ulcers or bleeding in their stomachs if they ingest the oil by accident. Oil does not have to be sticky to endanger wildlife.   Both sticky oils such as crude oil and bunker fuels, and non-sticky oils such as refined petroleum products can affect different wildlife.   Oils such as refined petroleum products do not last as long in the marine environment as crude or bunker fuel.   They are not likely to stick to a bird or animal, but they are much more poisonous than crude oil or bunker fuel.   While some of the following effects on sea birds, marine mammals and turtles can be caused by crude oil or bunker fuel, they are more commonly caused by refined oil products. Oil in the environment or oil that is ingested can cause: poisoning of wildlife higher up the food chain if they eat large amounts of other organisms that have taken oil into their tissues; interference with breeding by making the animal too ill to breed, interfering with breeding behaviour such as a bird sitting on their eggs, or by reducing the number of eggs a bird will lay; damage to the airways and lungs of marine mammals and turtles, congestion, pneumonia, emphysema and even death by breathing in droplets of oil, or oil fumes or gas; damage to a marine mammals or turtles eyes, which can cause ulcers, conjunctivitis and blindness, making it difficult for them to find food, and sometimes causing starvation; irritation or ulceration of skin, mouth or nasal cavities; damage to and suppression of a marine mammals immune system, sometimes causing secondary bacterial or fungal infections; damage to red blood cells; organ damage and failure such as a bird or marine mammals liver; damage to a birds adrenal tissue which interferes with a birds ability to maintain blood pressure, and concentration of fluid in its body; decrease in the thickness of egg shells; stress; damage to fish eggs, larvae and young fish; contamination of beaches where turtles breed causing contamination of eggs, adult turtles or newly hatched turtles; damage to estuaries, coral reefs, seagrass and mangrove habitats which are the breeding areas of many fish and crustaceans, interfering with their breeding; tainting of fish, crustaceans, molluscs and algae; interference with a baleen whales feeding system by tar-like oil, as this type of whale feeds by skimming the surface and filtering out the water; and poisoning of young through the mother, as a dolphin calf can absorb oil through its mothers milk.    Animals covered in oil at the beginning of a spill may be affected differently from animals encountering the oil later.   For example, early on, the oil maybe more poisonous, so the wildlife affected early will take in more of the poison.   The weather conditions can reduce or increase the potential for oil to cause damage to the environment and wildlife.   For example, warm seas and high winds will encourage lighter oils to form gases, and will reduce the amount of oil that stays in the water to affect marine life. The impact of an oil spill on wildlife is also affected by where spilled oil reaches.   For example, fur seal pups are affected more than adults by oil spills because pups swim in tidal pools and along rocky coasts, whereas the adults swim in open water where it is less likely for oil to linger.   Dugongs als feed on seagrass along the coast and therefore be more affected by oil spills. Different resources will be needed to combat an oil spill, depending on the number and type of wildlife that is affected.   Climate Change Linked To Migratory Bird Decrease: Biologists believe that climate change is affecting living things worldwide, and the latest evidence suggests that warmer winters may mean fewer migratory birds. New research shows that as winter temperatures have risen in central Europe, the number of migratory birds has dropped. Ultimately, this may also decrease the number of migratory bird species there. We predict that with increasing winter temperaturesthe number of long-distance migratory bird species should decline, say Nicole Lemoine and Katrin Boehning-Gaese of Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, in the April issue of Conservation Biology. The Earths surface temperature has increased by about a degree F since 1860, and is expected to increase by as much as 10 degrees F more over the next century. Already, climate change is affecting plants and animals in many parts of the world: for instance, plants in Europe have a longer growing season, a North American marmot has a shorter hibernation period, and some migratory birds in Europe are starting to breed earlier. Climate change could also affect the abundance and diversity of birds. The idea is that warmer winters could increase the survival of birds that live in an area year-round, which could give migratory birds more competition for resources such as food and nest sites when they return to breed in the spring and that in turn could decrease the total number of migratory birds as well as the number of species. To see if climate change affects the abundance and diversity of migratory birds, Lemoine and Boehning-Gaese analyzed existing bird census and climate data for the Lake Constance region of central Europe, which includes parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The researchers determined the number of land bird species and the abundance of each species during two recent census periods (1980-81 and 1990-92). The researchers considered 300 species of land birds and divided them into three categories: residents, short-distance migrants (those that migrate an average of roughly 600 to 1,200 miles) and long-distance migrants (those that migrate more than 2,200 miles). There were 122, 80 and 108 species in each category, respectively. While climate change did not affect resident or short-distance migratory birds, Lemoine and Boehning-Gaese found that it did affect the long-distance migrants. Between the two census periods, winters got warmer and the abundance of long-distant migrants decreased. Specifically, the average temperature of the coldest month increased more than four degrees F, and the abundance of long-distance migratory birds decreased by a fifth. Ultimately, warmer winters will probably also decrease the number of long-distance migratory bird species in Central Europe, say the researchers. In addition, the birds migratory behavior will probably evolve. The migratory behavior of bird populations can change in only a few generations, and several populations of wrens, skylarks and other short-distance migrants have stopped migrating in the last 20 years. Migrating Birds Cant Control Themselves: During the spring and fall migratory seasons, sparrows become significantly less capable of resisting temptation. Researchers writing in the open access journal  BMC Neuroscience  investigated impulse control and sleep in white-crowned sparrows during migratory and non-migratory seasons. During migratory periods, the birds slept very little and became more impulsive, but sleep loss itself was not entirely to blame for their impulsivity. University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers studied the effects of migratory status and sleep deprivation on the ability of a group of sparrows to master the urge to peck at a food-giving button. According to study director Ruth Benca, In the wild, despite marked reductions in apparent opportunity to sleep, birds continue to successfully engage in prolonged flight, complex navigation and predator evasion during migration. In the laboratory, weve previously found that birds in the migratory state can learn to peck at a switch for food as well as birds during non-migratory periods. In contrast, in this study we demonstrate that, relative to birds in the non-migratory state, they struggle to learn when not to peck. This apparent hyperactivity during the migratory period may be linked to the fact that the migrating birds sleep periods become divorced from the light/dark cycle they follow during the non-migratory seasons of Summer and Winter; separate experiments showed that sleep deprivation alone does not cause this loss of control. Short sleep duration in the summer is also not associated with increased impulsivity. According to Benca, It is conceivable that the temporal fragmentation of migratory sleep plays a role in the migration-specific loss of behavioral inhibition. Whether the inability to inhibit pecking is related to a general failure of inhibition, a distorted sense of time, inattention to salient cues, or some other underlying mechanism is not entirely clear. How to Prevent Illness in  Birds: Reducing the Risk of Illness in Pet  Birds While it can be difficult to think about, the reality of bird ownership is that there are many things that can adversely affect a birds health in our homes, in the air, and even within the safety of your birds own cage. Reducing the risk of illness as much as possible is a necessity for the majority of bird owners, and can be done by working to eliminate the major risk factors in your birds environment. Pay close attention to the information below to help your bird ward off some of the most common illnesses that affect birds in captivity. As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Practice good hygiene. Practicing good  hygiene  around your bird can go a long way toward preventing the onset of illness in your pet. In addition to washing your hands both before and after you handle your feathered friend, you should also take time to make sure that your birds toys, dishes, and other cage accessories are cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis. Practice good cage-cleaning techniques by changing the liner at least once a day, and doing a deep, thorough scrubbing weekly. Taking these sorts of steps will help reduce the your birds risk of being exposed to viruses and bacteria that may find their ways into your pets living space. Solution: In BriefHuman history has followed a pattern-which began in Africa but is now global in scope-of exploiting nature and depleting resources. As we have expanded our influence over the world, we have also extinguished species and populations at an alarming rate. Despite attempts to reduce biodiversity loss, the trend is likely to continue: nearly 20% of all humans-more than a billion-now live within biodiversity hotspots, and their growth rate is faster than the population at large. This article presents nine steps to reduce biodiversity loss, with a goal of categorizing human-caused extinctions as wrongs, such as the slave trade and child labor, that are unacceptable to society. These steps include developing a system of parks that highlight the planets biological legacy, much as historical landmarks celebrate human history. Legal prohibitions that are fairly and capably enforced will also be essential in protecting rare and declining species. Biodiversity endowments-from national gov ernments, nongovernmental organizations, and private enterprises-can help support parks and native species in perpetuity. Like a good sports team, conservationists need to defend extant wilderness areas, but they also need to play offense by restoring ecosystems, reclaiming keystone and umbrella species, and making human landscapes more hospitable to biodiversity. In the long run, the most effective forms of conservation will be those that engage local stakeholders; the cultivation of sustainable ecosystems and their services must be promoted along with conservation of endangered species and populations. The emerging field of ecological economics can unite these goals by revealing the connections between human well-being and conservation. Key Concepts Extinction is likely to be one of our longest-lasting legacies. To address this crisis, we will need landscape-level management of wilderness and human-impacted areas, community involvement, legislation, economic incentives, bioliteracy, unified conservation science, and attention to the prime drivers of extinction: growth of the human population and its aggregate consumption. The new field of ecological economics, which synthesizes human activities and natural processes, can quantify the costs and benefits of biodiversity protection. We need a social transformation, through education and ecological literacy, to make human-caused extinction a thing of the past, like the slave trade, apartheid, and the Iron Curtain. In 2008, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK announced a final call to find the slender-billed curlew, a one-time resident of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, last seen in 1999. Meanwhile, scientists in Australia pronounced the white lemuroid possum extinct; a native of mountain forests in Queensland, the possum was the first mammalian extinction blamed exclusively on global warming.. Two critically endangered frog species were declared extinct, despite their protection by a Costa Rican national park. More than 140 species of mammals, 24 birds, 6 reptiles, and 5 amphibians deteriorated in conservation status, moving from lower to higher risk categories of concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the global authority on the conservation status of the worlds animals and plants.1  Only 37 mammals improved during this period, along with two birds and one amphibian. Unfortunately, the year 2008 was not exceptional in these respects. The biodiversity crisis is by now as well known as it is tragic. The species extinction rate is of great concern. At least 76 mammal species are known to have gone extinct since 1500, with several others on the verge.2  The baiji, a freshwater dolphin of the Yangtze, will almost certainly join the list soon. The Scimitar-horned oryx and Pere Davids deer now probably exist only in captivity. Marine mammals are in severe danger, especially in northern oceans. Things are even worse for other, less celebrated, taxa. More than 70% of North Americas freshwater mussel species are on the edge of extinction.3  Since the Polynesians first arrived on Hawaii 1,600 years ago, more than 70% of the islands native birds have disappeared.4  Since 1850, the extinction rate for the worlds birds has been about 100 times higher than the background rate in the fossil record. More than 10% of all bird species remain threatened. Seabi rds have been in special jeopardy-rats took out many island colonies, and about 130 of the 450 remaining species are threatened with extinction-but forest birds arent faring much better. If deforestation continues at the present pace, so many birds may disappear that their extinction rate will increase by more than an order of magnitude by the end of the century.5 The problem is much bigger than species loss. The diversity of life spans many levels, from strands of DNA within an individual to entire ecosystems comprising billions of organisms and thousands of species. Extinction occurs adaptation by adaptation, population by population, habitat by habitat. The disappearance of a population is often a prelude to species extinction,6  but species can lose their ecological relevance long before they go extinct, as their numbers dwindle and they no longer remain key players in the system. Many extant species are now absent from more than half of their historic ranges. As organisms disappear, we lose our natural capital-the ecological goods and services that enrich and sustain our lives. That deforestation and overgrazing can lead to erosion and desertification is as obvious as the Sahel, but other connections-such as the rise of malaria and hemorrhagic fevers in disturbed lands-are becoming more apparent as our ecological footprints and understa nding of diseases expand. There is a growing recognition that our natural heritage is at risk, irreplaceable, and central to our well-being. There are potential remedies for these problems, but they will take effort and determination. The financial crisis made front-page news every day in early 2009. The global extinction crisis barely was mentioned. Yet economic recessions are a blip in history, whereas the effects of runaway extinction will linger for millions of years. Paleontologists have identified long lags in the evolution of new organisms following major extinction events, largely because diversity begets diversity. Extinction chips away at the genetic and ecological engines of speciation. With fewer genetic lineages, there is a reduction in the raw material of evolution: variation in DNA. A reduction in ecosystems and unique niches means fewer opportunities for new organisms to evolve. The drop in the number of species, genera, and families on the planet is likely to be a long-lasting legacy of human activities. We will be poorer without a rich store of biodiversity-in spirit, in health, and even in our pocketboo ks. Here are nine tactics that could help moderate human-caused extinctions. Most of these suggestions have been made before, repeatedly, but they warrant our continued and ever-more-urgent attention. Landscape 1. Biodiversity Parks Many countries have national parks that feature special landscapes and geological formations: the volcanic caldera of Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Mount Kilimanjaro. In addition to these traditional and essential parks, there is a need to protect a carefully designed network of reserves on each continent and in every ocean. This global series, or archipelago, of biological refuges-biodiversity parks-will preserve key features of the Earths biological legacy inherited from the evolutionary past into the future. Such parks, in effect, would celebrate and honor the evolutionary heritage reflected in biological diversity, just as traditional national parks and monuments preserve special geological features or honor important historical events in human affairs. Rather than merely constructing museums that memorialize biocide, biodiversity parks would offer explicit protection for endangered species and evolutionarily distinctive ecosystems. The task is not as insurmountable as it might appear. By preserving and endowing just 25 biodiversity hotspots (less than two percent of the earths land area) we could help protect 44% of vascular plant species and 35% of all species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians for $500 million a year7-less than 0.1% of the funds allocated to the United States Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to bail out incompetent financial institutions. One difficulty with many current park systems is that reserves often tend to be on residual lands that are not very valuable for resource extraction or human subsistence. A study of new reserves in Australia showed that they were typically gazetted on steep and infertile public lands, areas least in need of protection.8  Without proper planning, ad hoc reserves can be ineffective, often occupying less productive land, making the goal of protecting biodiversity more expensive and less likely to succeed. Well-placed networks of sanctuaries, designed with an awareness of ongoing climate disruption and the unique biotic facets of the sites, can help shepherd many species through the extinction crisis. In discussing parks, we often think of landscapes, but the biodiversity crisis affects aquatic systems as well. Protection of the oceans requires safeguards against overfishing and networks of marine reserves that include rich nearshore habitats (such as coral reefs and upwellings) as well as deep-sea vents and abyssal plains. As on land, these protected areas should range from strict nature reserves where fishing and extraction are forbidden to seascapes that are managed for their cultural and ecological value. Areas that are open to exploitation should be managed sustainably to meet the long-term resource needs of local communities, while providing natural services such as recreational opportunities and water purification.9 2. Ecologically Reclaimed and Restored Habitats Humans need to play conservation offense as well as defense. Beyond the immediate concern with the loss of a particular population, species, or ecosystem, a focus on long-term recovery and biological revival is also essential. Scientific research can inform the restoration of local habitats and help renaturalize entire ecosystems by uniting scattered fragments. In Costa Rica, scientists, businesspeople, politicians, and the local community helped regenerate 700 square kilometers of a tropical forest system-an area assaulted by ranching, hunting, logging, and fires for almost 400 years. They purchased large tracts of land, stopped the farming and fires, and let nature take back its original terrain.10  Restoration relying on successional recovery is not always so predictable, however. The reintroduction of fire to sand barren prairies that had been overgrown with willow was not enough to restore the prairie. The woody vegetation was resistant to the fire regime.11  For that reason, restoration ecologists are often needed to ensure the recovery of degraded lands.12  Thousands of species have been eradicated or imperiled by the construction of ill-conceived dams throughout the world. It is too late for the many freshwater mussels and fish that have gone extinct, but for others the damage still can be reversed. The removal of the Edwards Dam from the Kennebec River in Maine restored large numbers of eels, sturgeon, and striped bass to upstream habitats, where they had been absent for more than 150 years. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funds competitive grants for private stewardship of lands, with an emphasis on endangered species habitat. Dozens of federal grants support restoration projects such as prairie streams for the Topeka shiner in Iowa, aquatic systems for Arctic grayling in Montana, grasslands for a threatened milk-vetch and other plant species in Oregon, and habitat for sage grouse in Colorado.13 The reintroduction of individual species can play an important role in rewilding parks and their surrounding ecosystems. Large animals are especially prone to extinction, yet they are often key to ecological dynamics. The return of a megafaunal species to its historic range can yield many benefits: undo a population extinction, make habitats more interesting and exciting for locals and visitors, and restore ecological interactions (often with positive system-wide consequences). There have been several successful examples of repatriation, though far from enough. Bald eagles now nest in every state in the continental U.S., and populations have increased by more than an order of magnitude since their lows in the 1960s. Przewalskis wild horse has been reclassified from Extinct in the Wild to Critically Endangered, with more than 300 free-ranging individuals now roaming Mongolia. After several decades of absence from the park, gray wolves released by the Yellowstone Wolf Recovery Team in 1995 produced some surprising changes: survivorship of pronghorn fawns increased fourfold, as coyote densities declined where wolves were present;14  streamside vegetation returned as elk browsing declined; and tourists flocked to the region, spawning a new type of ecotourism-wolf watching-now a $35 million a year industry.15 Some have argued that one way to restore ecological interactions that were lost with the extinction of the Pleistocene megafauna would be to introduce analogs, or modern counterparts, from elsewhere. For example, bringing Asian elephants to North America might provide seed dispersers for certain plants that co-evolved with mastodons.16  There is no scientific or ethical consensus about the wisdom of such expensive and transformative action. Yet the possibility that genetic engineers might one day be able to bring extinct megafauna such woolly mammoths to life from frozen ancient DNA17  should prompt us to consider whether, if such efforts are successful, mammoths are something worth restoring to landscapes that have not seen them in 11,000 years. Community 3. The Fabric of Local Communities As scholars, biologists mostly observe. They build models, experiment, and-on good days-make new empirical or conceptual connections: the effects of pesticides on egg development, the role of disease in amphibian declines, or the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem function. Such studies take place on the modest spatial scale of a Petri dish, a common garden, or perhaps a local landscape, and at the modest temporal scale of a few years. To ameliorate the extinction crisis, though, science must move beyond such focused analyses-i

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION :: essays research papers

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Efforts to improve the standard of living for humans--through the control of nature and the development of new products--have also resulted in the pollution, or contamination, of the environment. Much of the world's air, water, and land is now partially poisoned by chemical wastes. Some places have become uninhabitable. This pollution exposes people all around the globe to new risks from disease. Many species of plants and animals have become endangered or are now extinct. As a result of these developments, governments have passed laws to limit or reverse the threat of environmental pollution. Ecology and Environmental Deterioration The branch of science that deals with how living things, including humans, are related to their surroundings is called ecology . The Earth supports some 5 million species of plants, animals, and microorganisms. These interact and influence their surroundings, forming a vast network of interrelated environmental systems called ecosystems. The arctic tundra is an ecosystem and so is a Brazilian rain forest. The islands of Hawaii are a relatively isolated ecosystem. If left undisturbed, natural environmental systems tend to achieve balance or stability among the various species of plants and animals. Complex ecosystems are able to compensate for changes caused by weather or intrusions from migrating animals and are therefore usually said to be more stable than simple ecosystems. A field of corn has only one dominant species, the corn plant, and is a very simple ecosystem. It is easily destroyed by drought, insects, disease, or overuse. A forest may remain relatively unchanged by weather that would destroy a nearby field of corn, because the forest is characterized by greater diversity of plants and animals. Its complexity gives it stability. Population Growth and Environmental Abuse The reduction of the Earth's resources has been closely linked to the rise in human population. For many thousands of years people lived in relative harmony with their surroundings. Population sizes were small, and life-supporting tools were simple. Most of the energy needed for work was provided by the worker and animals. Since about 1650, however, the human population has increased dramatically. The problems of overcrowding multiply as an ever-increasing number of people are added to the world's population each year. Air Pollution Factories and transportation depend on huge amounts of fuel--billions of tons of coal and oil are consumed around the world every year. When these fuels burn they introduce smoke and other, less visible, by-products into the atmosphere.

Iron Crowned Chapter 8

There was a long pause as I waited expectantly. Volusian was enjoying this, I realized. He wasn't going to elaborate until I asked because he wanted to draw out the agony. â€Å"Damn it! Tell me what happened!† Volusian got this pleased look on his face that I suspected was the closest he ever came to smiling. â€Å"The Oak King is †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I held my breath. â€Å"†¦ alive.† â€Å"Thank God.† Of course, thinking of my own wounds, â€Å"alive† might not mean much. â€Å"Is he hurt?† â€Å"He is well and uninjured.† I sank gratefully onto my bed, knowing I wore my emotions all over my face. I hated to ever show anything like that in front of Volusian. I wanted to maintain an image of power. This situation was too important, though. Fear and worry for Dorian and the battle had been a knot within me, one I only just now dared to loosen. â€Å"What about the others? Who won?† â€Å"Your forces, mistress.† Again, relief flooded through me. We had won. Dorian was okay. â€Å"Casualties?† â€Å"Inevitable, of course.† Volusian didn't seem particularly concerned, but then, he was never concerned about much. â€Å"Death and injury on both sides. The Oak King's lands and towns remained untouched.† That last part was good news. But death and injury? No, I didn't like that. I wanted to know numbers, but for now, that was irrelevant. One death was too much. I'd get all the stats I needed from Dorian soon enough. I started to thank Volusian, but that wasn't the way our relationship worked. â€Å"Go back to the Oak Land. Tell Dorian I'll be there shortly.† Volusian gave a small nod of acknowledgment. I expected him to vanish instantly, but he paused, eyes narrowing slightly. â€Å"My mistress has also been in a battle tonight.† I shifted slightly, becoming aware of the bandages covering my shoulder and back. â€Å"Yeah, I fought a fetch.† â€Å"Who inflicted great injury.† â€Å"It would appear so, wouldn't it?† â€Å"But not enough to kill you.† The look I gave him was answer enough. â€Å"Pity,† he said. He vanished. â€Å"Damn it,† I muttered. I stayed where I was, staring off into space. I needed to cross to Dorian's land soon, but for now, I allowed the news to percolate in my head for a few moments more. Only, a new distraction presented itself. Otherworldly magic washed over me seconds before a voice spoke. â€Å"You could end it easily, you know.† I jumped up from my bed as the ghost from the mountains appeared before me. Silently, I cursed myself for having packed up my weapons. Since my queenhood, attacks at home had dropped off, lulling me into a false sense of security. It was lazy of me. Foolish. With no care for the other carefully packed items, I upended my bag, dumping everything out. I grabbed my wand, expecting the ghost to attack. Instead, she just hung in the air, face blank. â€Å"You shouldn't have come back,† I said, wand ready and pointed. Weary as I was, banishing magic tingled within me. â€Å"You should have stayed away.† She stayed motionless, uncaring of the threat I presented. â€Å"I told you. I can't. I need your help.† â€Å"And I told you, I can't help you.† â€Å"I can help you,† she said. â€Å"I can help you find the Iron Crown.† The magic welling within me paused and then I dropped it altogether. I eyed her warily. â€Å"How do you know about that?† She gave a weak shrug. â€Å"I've been following you.† I began the banishing again, quickly working out her words. Of course she could follow me. She was a strong ghost, one who could likely flit between this and the Otherworld as easily as I saw her move around here. The magic of the Otherworld, which concealed so many spirits, would make her harder to detect there. Following – and spying – would be easy. â€Å"We're done with this,† I said. Power coursed into the wand. Still, she didn't flinch. â€Å"The Iron Crown,† she repeated. â€Å"I know where it is. I can lead you.† Again, I paused the banishing and recalled something Dorian had said. â€Å"The way is blocked to spirits.† â€Å"Yes,† she agreed. â€Å"But I know the starting point. You don't even know that. I can take you there, and you can go the rest of the way on your own.† â€Å"I don't believe you. I have no reason to. You could just get me mucked up in your little investigation and then disappear.† This finally brought about emotion. Anger flickered in those pale eyes. â€Å"‘Little investigation?' This is my family! Their lives! They mean everything to me.† â€Å"Meant,† I corrected. â€Å"You need to cut your ties to this world.† Her lips flattened into a straight line, as though she fought to control her temper. â€Å"I'll take you there first. After you have the crown, you'll help me. I'll be the one taking you at your word. You have nothing to lose.† â€Å"Nothing except my life,† I muttered. â€Å"A crown that does nothing except lead me on some lethal journey is a big gamble. I don't even believe Masthera's crazy logic.† â€Å"Other spirits say it can do what she says,† the ghost said. â€Å"They're old. They remember it.† Well, that at least answered one of my questions. The dubious nature of the crown aside, I understood how a ghost like this would know about something so ancient. The grief that bound her to this world might make her strong, but she struck me as a new ghost, one that would hardly know about some legendary artifact. â€Å"It's all ridiculous,† I said. â€Å"It's time for you to go.† â€Å"It is,† she agreed. â€Å"Think about my offer. Summon me when you're ready. My name is Deanna.† And as easily as she'd come, she disappeared, beating my banishing. Admittedly, it had less to do with my skill than with my own doubt. Her words had struck something in me. A tiny spark of wonder, wonder that maybe there was some wacky way to end this war. If the legends were true. If Deanna wasn't lying. If I didn't die setting out alone on a treacherous journey. Shaking my head, I once more chastised myself for letting her go. Next time. Next time I'd banish her to the Underworld as soon as I saw her face. For now, I had to go to Dorian. I'd wasted too much time. Hastily, I repacked my bag and went on my way. Tim and Lara still sat in the living room. Recognizing what the bag meant, Tim again muted the TV, an uncharacteristic look of concern on his face. â€Å"Eug †¦ don't you think going over to Never Never Land is a bad idea after getting your ass kicked tonight?† â€Å"You should see the other guy.† I shifted the bag, careful to keep it on my good shoulder and away from my back. â€Å"Besides, sad as it is, I think I'm safer there than here.† He sighed, and I couldn't help a smile. I glanced at Lara. â€Å"I'll be back as soon as I can.† Her face was as grave as Tim's. â€Å"I don't think we're charging enough.† I laughed. â€Å"Probably not.† I left them for a gateway that opened up near Dorian's. I had an anchor in his castle too, and crossing over nearby pulled me to it. I appeared in a small, empty chamber that he reserved purely for the anchor. Even injured, I'd had no difficulty making the transition. A long time ago, I couldn't even cross in human form. I'd come over as my spirit's totem: a dark swan. Now, coming here was as easy as stepping through a door. My power had indeed grown, something that Kiyo and my parents feared. I didn't get very far down the adjacent hall before I was spotted by a servant. â€Å"Your Majesty!† he sputtered, managing a clumsy bow. â€Å"The king has been expecting you.† â€Å"Then take me to him,† I said. Dinner had long since ended, and Dorian was in one of his posh sitting rooms, surrounded by a handful of counselors and generals. To my surprise, Masthera sat there too, off in a corner where she observed rather than participated in the meeting. Dorian's face was calm and collected as he spoke to the others, but his expression broke a little when he saw me. â€Å"Eugenie!† In a few strides, he was across the room. Something cracked inside of me too, something that was so, so glad to see him alive and well. Despite Volusian's report, I'd needed to see Dorian alive for myself. My heart swelled, and I let go of my aversion to gentry customs. I dropped the bag and wrapped my arms around his neck, seeking his lips before he could hardly even get his hands on me. He gripped my hips as we kissed, the power of that kiss sweeping my body and filling it with heat as I pressed against him. It was suddenly easy to understand why gentry sometimes felt the need to have sex in public. No such option was given to me because Dorian's hands slid up my waist, freezing when he touched the bandages. He pulled away abruptly, studying me with astonishment. I still wore my tank top, giving a full view of the hospital's handiwork. â€Å"Good grief, woman,† he exclaimed. â€Å"What happened?† I gave as unconcerned a shrug as he might. â€Å"I got in a fight. With a fetch.† He stared. â€Å"She threw a table at me.† Dorian peered beyond me, over at the servant who'd escorted me to the room. â€Å"Get a healer.† â€Å"No, don't,† I said. The guy hesitated, glancing between us, torn between two commands. â€Å"You need your healers for the armies. This looks worse than it is.† That wasn't entirely true. The painkillers I'd been given were wearing off, making the scratches itchy and sore. Yet, I couldn't shake Volusian's words about death and injury. I wouldn't take any healers away from the armies. I gave Dorian a warning look. â€Å"It's fine.† He returned my look, locking us in a brief battle of wills. â€Å"Fine,† he repeated. He glanced over at the servant. â€Å"She says it's fine. Far be it from me to question my lady. Come join us, dear. I assume your despicable little pet gave you the essentials?† A chair was quickly brought over to me, and I joined the meeting. The details of it were a blur. I was no strategist, not for this kind of war. One-on-one fights were my thing. Mostly I listened to the group, not always understanding, as they studied maps and discussed army movement and strategic targets. Borders and areas with resources – like my copper mines – seemed to be a protective priority, which was about the only part I truly understood. The part that really stuck with me was the recap of this battle. It had been long, even though our superior numbers had ensured victory almost from the beginning. The towns and our food were safe. The number of casualties were recounted briefly. Dorian and his advisors seemed pleased by them, considering them low. I supposed, as far as percentages went in the army, they were. Still †¦ people had died. Gentry or not, it didn't matter. They had families, people who loved them. People who would mourn. I felt sick to my stomach. The meeting closed with plans for our next move, plans I agreed to automatically when consulted. Everyone left, off for bed, except me, Dorian, and Masthera. The pleased, laconic look Dorian had worn for his team vanished once the last person was out of our sight. He turned on me, outrage in those beautiful eyes. â€Å"What were you thinking? I was the one who was supposed to be facing an army today. Not you.† â€Å"I didn't,† I countered. â€Å"It was just a fetch. Did I mention the table?† â€Å"You're making a joke out of this.† â€Å"No more than what you usually do.† I frowned. â€Å"And this is nothing †¦ nothing compared to what you and the others faced.† His blase expression returned. â€Å"We had a great victory.† â€Å"We have different ideas of victory,† I said sadly. My eyes landed on Masthera, who watched us intently. â€Å"What are you doing here?† She seemed to read my question as an invitation and moved to a nearer chair. â€Å"Waiting for you, Your Majesty. I sensed that you would come.† I scoffed. â€Å"Volusian came and said I was coming.† The comment didn't bother her. â€Å"You've come to discuss the Iron Crown.† â€Å"Hardly.† Yet, I found myself frowning as crazy thoughts swirled in my head. Dorian arched an eyebrow of surprise. â€Å"Is that true? You made your feelings clear on that last time.† â€Å"They haven't really changed,† I admitted. â€Å"I still don't see it as a convenient end to all of this. Except †¦ well, a ghost came to me today.† â€Å"Ghosts are always coming to you.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah. But this one claimed she could lead me to the crown. Or rather, the place surrounding it. She needs a favor and offered this in return.† Masthera's eyes widened, and she leaned forward. â€Å"This is it! What I've seen. This will bring you to the crown.† â€Å"Presuming this ghost isn't part of some elaborate plan to kill me,† I said. â€Å"Wouldn't be the first time.† â€Å"No, no,† she said. â€Å"This is real. I feel it. I've had a vision of you crowned.† Dorian gave her a sharp look. â€Å"Enough. It doesn't matter if this ghost is telling the truth. I'm not sending Eugenie off into a nightmarish landscape.† â€Å"Hey, you don't send me anywhere,† I retorted. He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Please. Don't start with the mock wounded pride over your capabilities. You're a great warrior; I accept that. You defeat fetches and tables and all other sorts of fiends. But this †¦ no. The risk is too great, and I couldn't help you.† â€Å"But Your Majesty!† exclaimed Masthera. â€Å"You see the opportunity. An end to the war. The power. The fear this would inspire among others.† â€Å"My own fear is more than enough, thank you,† he said dryly. An end to the war. An astonishing thought struck me. â€Å"Gentry would suffer in the iron fields †¦ but I'm not the only half human. I could take Jasmine with me.† Jasmine was almost as unaffected by iron as I was. Touching it caused her no pain, and it was only her cuffs' tight binding that stunted her magic. Otherwise, to my knowledge, simply being near iron wasn't enough to dim her power. â€Å"No,† said Dorian swiftly. â€Å"Absolutely not. I wouldn't have your unstable sister go anywhere near that crown.† â€Å"The queen is right, though,† said Masthera. â€Å"Storm King's younger daughter might be protected by her human blood.† I expected another refusal from Dorian, but he remained silent. He was actually considering this, I realized. Jasmine would be a safe companion – or not. â€Å"No,† he repeated at last. â€Å"If she somehow returned in control of the crown †¦ Well, I wouldn't want to see that. She craves power too much.† â€Å"I thought the crown didn't have power in and of itself,† I said suspiciously. â€Å"It doesn't – but if she possessed it, others would believe she was the daughter to fear. Right now, you carry that honor. I'd like to keep it that way. You can't go with such a dangerous companion.† â€Å"Your Majesty – † attempted Masthera again. â€Å"Enough,† said Dorian, standing up. â€Å"It's late. The discussion is over, and I want to go to bed. You're dismissed.† Masthera looked upset but didn't contradict her lord. After a brief curtsey to each of us, she scurried away. We left as well, staying silent as we walked through the halls, past stationed guards. As soon as we were alone in Dorian's room, I turned on him. â€Å"You have a lot of fucking nerve! Don't ever talk to me like that in front of someone – like you've got the power around here. We're equals in this, remember?† He smiled and took off his cloak and shirt. â€Å"Of course we are. And equals sometimes trade power. When it comes to you making foolish choices, I wield the power.† â€Å"When it comes to making foolish choices, I – never mind. Look, if there's a chance to end this with as little bloodshed as possible, I want it.† â€Å"As do I.† He stood before me and ran a gentle finger along the side of my neck. â€Å"But not at the cost of your life or reputation. Find a better option, and you can go.† He moved his hands down and caught the edges of my shirt, carefully lifting it over my head without disturbing the bandages. â€Å"There you go again,† I growled. â€Å"Acting like you control this.† â€Å"I do. Just as I control this.† He grabbed hold of my waist and jerked me to him, his lips crushing mine in a fierce kiss, one that left me gasping when I managed to pull back. â€Å"You don't control anything,† I said. Yet, that kiss and his closeness made me ache with arousal. Maybe it was my anger or the residual adrenaline from all my fights today. Maybe it was just relief at seeing him, no matter how much he annoyed me now. Whenever I returned from battle, sex was his way of truly confirming I was alive and safe. Today, I shared that. He was alive. I wanted him, and he knew it. â€Å"You see?† His lips moved to my neck, and I felt the edge of his teeth. â€Å"I've got the power here †¦ and you like that †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I †¦ that is †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Forming coherent words was difficult for obvious reasons. His mouth was too distracting, as was the rest of his touch. He moved his lips up near my ear, his hands cupping my breasts. I pushed down his pants, feeling how hard he was as my hands slid over him. â€Å"I know you, Eugenie. I know what you want †¦ and here? You want me in control. Really, those wounds you insist on keeping are all that are stopping me from throwing you against the wall or the bed.† The rest of our clothes fell off, piece by piece, while we still attempted some sort of debate. â€Å"Guess you're not as in control as you think,† I said. We were pressed together, bare skin against bare skin. We managed to stay wrapped up with each other as we moved toward the bed. His hands slid up over my breasts, lingering briefly on my nipples. Then – again avoiding any wounded areas – he gripped my shoulders, and I expected him to throw me onto the bed anyway. Instead, he pushed me down onto my knees, so that my back was barely an inch from the bed, and he stood right in front of me. The tip of his huge swelling erection was right against my lips, just like the last time we'd been together, save that I'd been on my back then. â€Å"I still have the control. I can make you do all sorts of things,† he murmured. â€Å"Now, are you going to do this on your own? Or will I have to make you?† There was no coercion needed. I parted my lips and took him into my mouth. Just like the last time we'd had sex, he felt so large and long that I could barely fit him as I sucked and slid my lips along that shaft. He realized I was holding back and tsked disapproval. â€Å"You can do better than that.† His hands were tangled in my hair, and he pulled my head closer, forcing more of him into me, more than I thought I could take as I felt him touch the back of my throat. â€Å"More †¦Ã¢â‚¬  he breathed. â€Å"Take more †¦ or I'll make you†¦.† I increased my speed and intensity as I took him into my mouth over and over. It was as much as I could do, and he knew it, but that didn't matter. This was a game, a game of power. Deciding where I went and who I fought? No. He couldn't do that. But here? He could play master. â€Å"Still not good enough,† he said. He took over from me, and just as he had last time, he thrust into my mouth as steadily and hard as he might have my thighs. His hold on my hair tipped my face up and made me look into his eyes, just as I was forced to take as much of him into my mouth as he chose. â€Å"I wish we'd done this downstairs. Should have taken you †¦ the instant you walked into the room †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He still had that smooth, controlling tone to his voice, but it was cracking a little as the pleasure of this began to take over. â€Å"I wish the whole court could see this. You're so beautiful †¦ so beautiful with your mouth full of me †¦ more beautiful still when I pour my seed into you †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shivered, making a small groan of desire. He was pumping harder now, almost uncomfortably so for me, yet it was giving me a thrill of my own. â€Å"That was †¦ what you †¦ wanted, wasn't it? Last time?† His voice was low and strained, his whole body suddenly tensing. â€Å"This?† He came, and warm liquid exploded in my mouth. Although he slowed, he still continued sliding in and out as he released himself into me. Then, he pulled out, finishing his orgasm and spilling onto my lips and breasts. I coughed slightly, and he slid a finger across my lips. â€Å"Swallow,† he hissed. â€Å"Swallow it all.† I did, surprised that he'd been able to come so much both in my mouth and on me. The finger toying with my lip slid along my face and down to my breasts, rubbing in his semen. When his finger returned to my lips, I knew what he wanted. I took it into my mouth and licked his finger, sucking on it until there was nothing left. Smiling he helped me up to the bed and laid me down on my side, where he continued massaging my sticky breasts. â€Å"Wasteful,† he said at last. I knew what a big concession it was for him to forgo intercourse. â€Å"Wasteful, but enjoyable.† â€Å"Seeing as this was what I wanted, maybe I had the power here after all,† I teased. â€Å"Hush, woman,† he chastised good-naturedly. He shifted me again, so that my head rested on his chest. His hand slid down my body, his fingers moving between my thighs as deftly as they had under the table. He groaned when he felt how wet I was. â€Å"Wasteful, I say.† I laughed, shifting up to kiss him. â€Å"I've told you before, it doesn't – ah †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Taunting thoughts faded away, and soon all that consumed me was his fingers stroking me harder and faster. He brought his lips back to mine so that we were locked in a kiss when I came. Agonizing pleasure radiated through my body at his touch, and my cries were swallowed into that kiss. He released me only when my shaking stopped and breathing calmed, again letting me rest against his chest. One hand stroked my hair while the one that had just got me off moved to rest on my bare lower back. We both sighed in contentment, and I closed my eyes, exhaustion from the day's battles finally catching up with me. I was nearly asleep – and thought he was too – when quiet words brought me back to consciousness. â€Å"Masthera is right. The crown could solve a lot of problems.† Yes, I was definitely awake now. â€Å"I thought you didn't believe that.† â€Å"Oh, no. I believe it could end this war. I believe it would make Katrice cower in fear.† He sighed. â€Å"I just don't want to risk you. I couldn't cope with losing you.† My heart tightened at his words. I didn't know what to say and simply brushed my lips against his chest. â€Å"And you're both right,† he continued. â€Å"That if I can't †¦ if I can't go with you, then a half-human companion is the ideal choice.† Now I was really surprised. I lifted my head, hardly believing what I'd heard. â€Å"So, what are you saying? I should take Jasmine after all?† â€Å"No. That's still a horrible idea. But not quite as horrible as this one.† He gave another sigh, one that seemed to cause him pain. â€Å"You should bring the kitsune.†

Ops 571 Statistical Process Control

Chase, Jacobs and Aquilano pose questions such as, â€Å"How many paint defects are there in the finish of a car? [and] Have we improved our painting process by installing a new sprayer? † These questions are meant to investigate and apply different techniques that we can use to improve the quality of life. Quality control not only applies to manufacturing techniques, it can also be applied to everyday life. This discussion will focus on a specific method of quality control called statistical process control that will ensure my morning process is effective.One method of quality control can be pursued through process control procedures like statistical process control or SPC. SPC â€Å"involves testing a random sample of output from a process to determine whether the process is producing items within a preselected range†. (Chase, Jacobs & Aquilano, 354) SPC is a method that can be applied to a process in order to monitor or control that process. In week one, I described a personal process of waking up in the morning through to going to work.In addition to my process, I presented several bottlenecks that can slow my process down including the ability of my alarm clock working, weather impact on travel time, and availability of gym equipment. In the examples below, I will focus on how alarm failures have affected my morning process. SPC has shown how statistical data can be charted in order to see how my morning process is affected by my bottlenecks and whether or not it is a positive. Goods or services are observed not as variables but as attributes. Attributes are quality characteristics that are classified as either conforming or not conforming to specification. † (Chase, Jacobs & Anquilano, 354) In example one, a sample was taken 10 times over a 30 day period in which alarm failures were observed. In order to create a visual representation of the statistics, we must combine the data from the sample. Once the data is gathered, we can provide a solution to create a control chart. Control charts are used as a â€Å"component of total quality [in order to] monitor processes†. Green, Toms, Stinson, 37) First, we calculate the fraction of defective alarms from the sample in order to gain a total and a centerline for our graph. p = Total number of defects from all samples/Number of samples ? Sample size p = 25/ 10 ? 30 = . 08333 Next, we can calculate the standard deviation. Sp = vp (1 – p)/ n Sp = v . 08333 (1 – . 08333) / 30 = . 05050 Example 1Sample| Number of Days| Days Alarm Failed to Work| Fraction Defective| 1| 30| 2| . 06667| 2| 30| 2| . 06667| 3| 30| 3| . 10000| 4| 30| 3| . 10000| 5| 30| 2| . 06667| 6| 30| 4| . 13333| 7| 30| 3| . 10000| 8| 30| 2| . 06667| 9| 30| 2| . 6667| 10| 30| 2| . 06667| Total| 300| 25| . 08333| Sample Standard Deviation| . 05050| | | Finally, the control limits are used to measure attributes with a single decision of yes or no, good or bad, and positive or negative. This s imple decision can be translated into a graph with upper and lower control limits. If the sample is plotted and stays in between the limits, then the sample is considered good or working properly. â€Å"Should a sample mean or proportion fall outside the control limits or a series of mean or proportions exhibit a non-random pattern the process is deemed out-of-control. (Green, Toms, Stinson, 37) In order to turn the chart into a graph, we will need to calculate the upper control limits (UCL), the lower control limits (LCL) and z. â€Å"†¦z is the number of standard deviations for a specific confidence†. In this example, we will use the †z-value of 3 in order to represent a 99. 7% confidence† (Chase, Jacobs, & Anquilano, 356). This means that when that the confidence interval â€Å"falls outside the control limits, there is a 99. 7% chance that there is something wrong with the process that must be corrected†. Green, Toms, Stinson, 37) Though not perfe ct, a confidence of 99. 7% is useful. The SPC must also take into consideration the number of data points as well. The more data that is available the stronger your confidence intervals are. UCL = p + z Sp UCL = p + 3Sp UCL = . 08333 + 3(. 05050) = . 23483 LCL = p – z Sp LCL = p – 3Sp LCL = . 08333 ? 3(. 05050) = -. 06817 In the control chart, the data from the sample stays in between the controls. This means that my process in the morning is working properly and is effective.Now, it is important to look to the future trends in order to predict seasonal factors. â€Å"A seasonal factor is the amount of correction needed in a time series to adjust for the season of the year. † (Chase, Jacobs & Anquilano, 533) Seasonal factors may affect the samples by taking into consideration factor based on seasons or time periods. The alarm clock that is used to wake me up in the morning is not dependent on any factors of time or season. Statistical process control is one way to control quality and make sure goals are attained.Statistical methods show that the samples taken can create visual representations that conclude my alarm clock is an effective method to starting my morning process. This ensures that it is operating at its fullest potential. REFERENCES Chase, R. B. , Jacobs, F. R. , Aquilano, N. J. Operations management for competitive advantage (11th ed). New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin. Green Jr. K, Toms L, Stinson T. STATISTICAL PROCESS CONTROL APPLIED WITHIN AN EDUCATION SERVICES ENVIRONMENT. Academy Of Educational Leadership Journal [serial online]. June 2012;16 (2):33-46.

Subprocesses of Assimilation essays

Subprocesses of Assimilation essays The subprocesses of assimilation are processes that occur in order during the assimilation process. The various subprocesses are: (1) cultural assimilation by substitution and cultural assimilation by addition, (2) secondary structural assimilation, (3) primary structural assimilation, (4) marital assimilation, (5) identificational assimilation, (6) attitude receptional assimilation, (7) behavior receptional assimilation, and (8) civic assimilation. Cultural assimilation by substitution is when the subordinate group abandons their cultural practices and takes up those of the dominant group. According to Gordons Theory of Assimilation Subprocesses, cultural assimilation occurs most rapidly. Cultural assimilation by addition is when the subordinate group keeps most of its own heritage and also adopts some from the dominant group. In this type of cultural assimilation, the subordinate group remains distinguishable. Secondary structural assimilation refers to equal-status relationships between subordinate and dominant group members in the public sphere, such as relationships with people at work, in schools, in commercial transactions, at political meetings, and in places of public recreations. Primary structural assimilation refers to close, personal interactions between subordinate and dominant group members in the private sphere, such as relationships within families, friendship groups, and social clubs. Secondary structural assimilation appears ahead of primary structural assimilation, because people typically meet and interact with one another in impersonal settings before they become close and interact in personal settings. Marital assimilation is the subprocess, which refers to the gradual merging of subordinate and dominant groups through intermarriage. Marital assimilation is the fourth subprocess to becoming fully assimilated into American society. Even groups within high levels of intermarriage...

Whirling Logs The Navajo Sandpainting essays

Whirling Logs The Navajo Sandpainting essays According to Navajo tradition, the Whirling Logs sandpainting was a religious item. The Navajo people used the sandpainting in healing ceremony. Also, the Navajos referred to the sandpainting as an iikaah meaning an opening for the gods to enter and leave. The sandpainting was an essential device in the healing ceremony that could last up to nine days. A singer, who also was a medicine man, performed the healing ceremony. During the ceremony, the medicine man directed other Navajos in creating the sandpainting on the ground to illustrate an allegory within the healing ceremony. The sandpainters used crushed stones, flowers, gypsums, and pollen to create and complete the sandpainting in one day. Then, they destroyed it later that night in order to dispel evil and restore health. In the Whirling Logs sandpainting, the Navajos depicted a story of Tsil-ol-ne, a hero who went on a long journey. Tsil-ol-ne floated on a hollow log traveling down the river, which is known as the San Juan River today, and there he learned ritual ceremonies to cure sickness and how to farm. When Tsil-ol-ne turned to his home, he shared all new ideas with his people. The sandpainting got its name as Whirling Logs due to the hero and his logs which were trapped in a whirlpool where the San Juan River and Colorado River meet, and he was rescued by the gods. In the center of the sandpainting is the whirling cross with Yeis, who are the gods of the Navajos, seating in pair on each of the four ends. One is a male dressing in black with a round head mask, and the other is a female dressing in white with a square head mask. The Yeis taught Tsil-ol-ne how to farm and grow seeds. At the four corners of the whirling cross, starting from the top right corner clockwise, there are plants: corn, beans, squash, and tobacco. Figures around the four ends of the whirling cross, clockwise, are also the gods: Talking God, the teacher and the elder of other gods, w ...

Discussion Questions (Business Ethics for Leaders class) Assignment

Discussion Questions (Business Ethics for Leaders class) - Assignment Example Leaders help to establish a culture of an organization and they set example others follow. Employees take their lead from their leaders and if leaders do not behave in ethical manner, employees might not as well. It is not what leaders say that matters, but what they do. Leaders should lead from the front and make sure not to isolate people who voice their moral concerns on business issues. Leaders in business must give life and meaning to these words by acting on them. This means to use every opportunity to stress importance of business ethics and key business decisions that are not only economically viable but make good ethical sense. To further ethical behavior there is a need to build an organization culture that values ethical behavior. The business must unambiguously coherent values that emphasize ethical behavior. One way of doing this is to draft a code of ethics which is a prescribed statement of ethical priorities a business adheres to. Few follow documents such as UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is grounded in right based theories of moral philosophy. Few incorporate ethical statements that express values or missions of employees. Charles Hills (2002) notes that multinational Unilever has code of ethics that includes following points â€Å"Employees: Unilever is committed to diversity in working environment where there is mutual respect and trust and where everyone feels responsible for performance and reputation of company†¦we are committed to safe and healthy working conditions to all employees... we will not use any form of forced, compulsory or child labor†¦we respect dignity of individual and their right to freedom of association.. It is evident that Unilever principles send a very clear message about appropriate ethics to leaders and employees. Few companies employ independent auditors to make sure that company is behaving consistent with its ethical codes. Finally, building an organization culture that places high

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Ronal Dahl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Ronal Dahl - Essay Example These early instances of animals in literature history stood generally imbued with strong allegorical and religious significance. â€Å"Fantastic Mr. Fox† serves as criterions of moral didacticism by use of animals as instances for humans to avoid or follow (Dahl 70). Before we even encounter Mr. Fox, Roald introduces us to three loathsome farmers who go by names of Bunce, Bean and Boggis. Farmer Boggis keeps poultry and is a prime sample of obesity since he eats 3 whole chickens together with dumplings for each meal of the day daily. Farmer Bunce, conversely, has thousands of geese and ducks. He stands a pot - bellied dwarf and his diet consisting of doughnuts bloated with goose liver cream. He seems to continue with this regime although he has a persistent stomach ache and an ill temper because of it. Finally, there is Farmer Bean, a turkey’s keeper and an apple orchard owner. He does not eat turkeys: he simply brews cider from the apples to drink the brew by the gall on. Bean is extremely thin but extraordinary brilliant. These 3 farmers are so contemptible that their local children sing a rhyme about their spitefulness when they come across them. It remains actually quite shocking that they manage to liaise with each other, considering their unpleasantness (Dahl 3). They must liaise, however, if they stand having at any chance at all, to outwit Mr. Fox. The Mr. Fox has a family of a wife and 4 little foxes to nourish, and each evening he asks his wife if she would like a duck, a goose, a turkey or a chicken. He then steals from the appropriate farm and takes back the chosen birdie. He is a cunning creature who approaches farms with the wind propelling towards him, so he can pick up the farmer’s scent lying to wait with a gun and quickly change his direction. The three farmers are furious and eventually agree they should hide proximal Mr. Fox hole to attack him once he emerges. The story continues their frustrated attempts to kill Mr. Fox alongside his family, who always succeed to dig further and escape the farmers. The foxes get horrified when tractors get brought to dig them out. However, Mr. Fox finds a plan to dig several tunnels along to each farm and steal enough foodstuff and cider for a celebration. Help gets solicited from other animals, of that get summoned to a great banquet (Dahl 13). Foxes stay often depicted as antiheroes in children's literature, â€Å"Chicken Liken† being a prime illustration. In 'Fantastic Mr. Fox, conversely, readers find themselves rooting for the foxes family in the aspect of the drastic actions taken by the 3 loathsome farmers. The story continues at a fast pace over chapters of about six pages each, and it is unlikely any child can have the chance to become bored. Quentin Blake delightful illustrations add hugely to bring the tale alive. The animals stay seen as life - size compared to the chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese. Mr. Fox wears a classy jacket and neck tie wh ereas Badger wears a waistcoat. Eyes and snouts are exaggerated, and all animals more have beaming, wholehearted smiles. The farmers, in contrast, are grumpy, glum souls. The illustration of 2 tractors with their headlights grinning makes them appear like two monsters with arrays of fangs, ready to gulp a creature that would get on their way (Sax 55). The tale remains intended for read - aloud tale for children aged 3

Email Marketing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Email Marketing - Coursework Example Transaction emails is always the best as it is based upon customer’s action. An email template is basically a HTML statement. It has several benefits; it allows for the design element to be used in the company’s newsletter, following the company’s web site design and incorporating social media like Facebook. The template also save time creation if well designed hence reducing trafficking. Email template can be created using HTML which can be used to send messages, compose messages, save message and reuse the message when need arises. Office outlook, Images, links and even text can also be added as new information before sending e-mail messages. The following steps are useful in creating the template. Since the creation of template is general form and not directed to specific recipient. The e-mail can be made specific by adding subject line and some key points. The subject line will be free health tips for diabetes awareness. In order to avoid spammed the company should be able to get the specific email address of their recipient. This can be done by allowing different people to register into their website with their email

A Principal of a Suburban School and Disadvantaged Students Essay

A Principal of a Suburban School and Disadvantaged Students - Essay Example Teaching is a noble profession which demands a responsible approach in every aspect of its planning and delivery. It is important that a teacher is aware of his or her ethical responsibility for delivering quality knowledge. In my teaching career with adult ESL learners in..., I realized that for adult learners to acquire maximum knowledge from the teaching sessions, their complete psychological involvement in the learning processes must be ensured. My experience shows that the exhaustive nature of the subjects that I taught makes the students lose attention in due course. I found it as a challenge to keep their attention focused on the learning process. So as to face this challenge, I employed an innovative approach by trying to make the learning process enjoyable. I included a number of activities within the teaching methodology which was integrated with the learning objectives. Activities like games and group activities were tried which made sure that the learners while enjoying t he process were more comfortable engaging in the learning process. The activities were given a competitive nature to entertain the students and to maintain their attention. Prizes were given for the winners, which retained their interest.For long sessions, activities involving physical movements were incorporated. Short icebreakers and warm up activities involving quick movements helped to keep the energy levels maintained. I have found these very useful as it brings in a cheerful atmosphere in the classroom. However, this activity has the limitation that it demands adequate space and facility.

Strategy management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategy management - Essay Example The company is leading independent oil company in Africa and they have increased the penetration of their operation in the continent by exploring new oil basins in Ghana. Average daily production capacity of the group is 78,300 barrels of oil. Production capacity of Tullow Oil plc has increased by 35% over the last one year while at the same time the company has achieved a profit after tax of $689 million in the year 2011 (Tullow Oil plc, 2013). Industry experts have pointed out that completion of $2.9 billion farm down in Uganda has helped Tullow Oil plc to achieve financial flexibility and inorganic growth. Industry Analysis The study will try to analyze the oil and gas sector of UK in order to analyze the business environment in which Tullow Oil plc is operating. Tullow group is basically a British firm hence it will be feasible to analyze the oil and gas industry dynamics of UK. ... large players who have achieved high degree of vertical integration in the field of oil exploration, oil refining, crude oil production, transportation and marketing. Buyer- seller relationship in the oil and gas industry of the country is flexible because a seller can act as buyer in particular stage of the transaction. There is a complex buyer seller relationship which decreases the buyer power significantly. There are two types of buyers such as individual buyer and institutional buyer in the oil and gas industry of UK. Generally institutional buyers such as chemical companies and independent retailers make large purchases from oil and gas companies hence loosing such a client would impact negatively on the revenue of big companies. Presence of buyers who make large purchases has forced oil and gas companies to customize product offering. Price of undifferentiated product portfolio such as crude oil and gas is dependent on the supply and demand equation created by mercantile excha nge of London, New York and Dubai, which has further decreased the buyer power. Overall the buyer power is assessed as moderate. Supplier Power Companies like Smith International, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes and Halliburton are major suppliers for large oil and gas companies in United Kingdom. Generally oil companies need technical supports such as polycrystalline diamond compact bits, measurement while drilling from suppliers in order to continue the operation (Market Line, 2012b). Supplier power is also dependent on demand and supply equation of the industry hence overall supplier power is assessed as moderate. New Entrants It is very difficult to analyze the threat of new entrant in the industry because there is a possibility that a company can work in one or more section of the value

Case Study SECOND NATIONAL BANK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Study SECOND NATIONAL BANK - Essay Example The first step of the strategic process was the CEO’s comment about him thinking now much change has occurred during the last year. The executive mentioned an opinion, but does not provide any evidence of his position. This is one first blunders at Second National Bank. A strategic plan requires documentation of what is been done in order to be able to evaluate the results. A strategic plan determines where an organization is going over the next year or a large period of time, how it’s going to get there and how to evaluate if the company achieved its goals (Mcnamara, 2008). Another deficiency of the organizational practices at this Bank is that the company does not have any data to compare against to determine the efficiency of the strategic plan. The executives at this meeting are supposed to have hard historical data about different aspects of the organizations operations. There was evidence in the case from the comments of various executives that they did not have knowledge of the strategic objectives of the company. They needed a copy to remember the content of the plan, as if they had not done anything during the year to help the company accomplish its strategic goals. A strategic plan is not suppose to be a document that is filed in box, never to be seen again. It requires involvement from everyone in the company in order for the company to achieve its objectives. The executives of the company are suppose to know by memory all the major points of the plan since their job involves working in the strategic objectives of the company. Another example of the inefficiency of the Bank’s strategic plan evident during the meeting was the discussion about the objective to become the friendliest bank. The company created a marketing campaign about the having the most customer friendly tellers and bank officers. Despite the efforts nobody in the firm realized any follow-up work to determine how efficient the marketing campaign was and if at the end of

A Principal of a Suburban School and Disadvantaged Students Essay

A Principal of a Suburban School and Disadvantaged Students - Essay Example Teaching is a noble profession which demands a responsible approach in every aspect of its planning and delivery. It is important that a teacher is aware of his or her ethical responsibility for delivering quality knowledge. In my teaching career with adult ESL learners in..., I realized that for adult learners to acquire maximum knowledge from the teaching sessions, their complete psychological involvement in the learning processes must be ensured. My experience shows that the exhaustive nature of the subjects that I taught makes the students lose attention in due course. I found it as a challenge to keep their attention focused on the learning process. So as to face this challenge, I employed an innovative approach by trying to make the learning process enjoyable. I included a number of activities within the teaching methodology which was integrated with the learning objectives. Activities like games and group activities were tried which made sure that the learners while enjoying t he process were more comfortable engaging in the learning process. The activities were given a competitive nature to entertain the students and to maintain their attention. Prizes were given for the winners, which retained their interest.For long sessions, activities involving physical movements were incorporated. Short icebreakers and warm up activities involving quick movements helped to keep the energy levels maintained. I have found these very useful as it brings in a cheerful atmosphere in the classroom. However, this activity has the limitation that it demands adequate space and facility.

Case Study SECOND NATIONAL BANK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Study SECOND NATIONAL BANK - Essay Example The first step of the strategic process was the CEO’s comment about him thinking now much change has occurred during the last year. The executive mentioned an opinion, but does not provide any evidence of his position. This is one first blunders at Second National Bank. A strategic plan requires documentation of what is been done in order to be able to evaluate the results. A strategic plan determines where an organization is going over the next year or a large period of time, how it’s going to get there and how to evaluate if the company achieved its goals (Mcnamara, 2008). Another deficiency of the organizational practices at this Bank is that the company does not have any data to compare against to determine the efficiency of the strategic plan. The executives at this meeting are supposed to have hard historical data about different aspects of the organizations operations. There was evidence in the case from the comments of various executives that they did not have knowledge of the strategic objectives of the company. They needed a copy to remember the content of the plan, as if they had not done anything during the year to help the company accomplish its strategic goals. A strategic plan is not suppose to be a document that is filed in box, never to be seen again. It requires involvement from everyone in the company in order for the company to achieve its objectives. The executives of the company are suppose to know by memory all the major points of the plan since their job involves working in the strategic objectives of the company. Another example of the inefficiency of the Bank’s strategic plan evident during the meeting was the discussion about the objective to become the friendliest bank. The company created a marketing campaign about the having the most customer friendly tellers and bank officers. Despite the efforts nobody in the firm realized any follow-up work to determine how efficient the marketing campaign was and if at the end of

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay Example for Free

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay In Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo plays the role of father to his son, Nwoye, and his daughter, Ezinma. Okonkwos fear of looking weak like his father, which can be interpreted as his tragic flaw, causes him to expect more from both of his children and to act rashly, similar to the behavior of my father. Although both relationships—the relationship between Okonkwo and his son and the relationship between my father and I—involve disagreements between father and son, I constantly aim to see eye to eye with my father, just like Okonkwo and Ezinma, whereas Nwoye does not attempt to fulfill his fathers wishes. The relationship between Okonkwo and Nwoye is one of disagreement, contretemps, and failure; Okonkwos inflexible expectations are not reached which triggers tension. This conflict commences at the start of the novel but at this point it seems minor: Okonkwo is merely concerned that his son shows some characteristics of his lazy father, Unoka. He is trying to prevent this by all means but it starts to become somewhat undeniable. Okonkwos features being strong, hard-working, and somewhat misogynic conflicts with the impudent, weak, eccentric, and indolent characteristics of Nwoye. Though as the story proceeds, it seems likely that the relationship will be repaired: Ikemefunas involvement in Nwoyes growth puts Nwoye on the path sought by Okonkwo. Unfortunately, this period of healing is disturbed by Okonkwo taking part in Ikemefunas death which results in the fear of Okonkwo by Nwoye and the lack of trust between the two. This instability continues throughout the majority, if not the entirety, of the book. Ezinma, the only child of Okonkwos second wife, Ekwefi, has a relationship with Okonkwo that shows understanding and agreement, unlike Nwoyes relationship. Surprisingly enough, this relationship is rather implicit since Okonkwo doesnt speak to Ezinma a great deal of times, especially when compared to Nwoye. This may be due to the fact that she is a girl and she is generally not involved with masculine tasks that would bring her closer to Okonkwo. Still, Okonkwo believes that she should have been a boy (61) and she continually attempts to carry out masculine duties such as bringing Okonkwos chair to the wrestling match, which is said to be a boys job (45).  This form of complement establishes amplification of the bond that is made between Okonkwo and Ezinma. My father and I have a relationship that consists of clashing points of view, similar to the link between Okonkwo and Nwoye. We have frequent arguments, abundance of miscommunication, and we fail to see eye-to-eye. Both my father and Okonkwo seem to possess this stubborn feature which, in turn, results in senseless disputes. In fact, in chapter 5, Okonkwo initiates an argument about a dead banana tree which actually is alive; he ends up giving Ekwefi a beating because she merely cut off a few leaves to wrap some food (39). Another aspect they both share is their large amount of accomplishments; my dad being a successful translator who has traveled the world and Okonkwo being a famous wrestler and a leader of the Umofia clan has lead to higher expectations in their children, specifically Nwoye and I. This causes us distress while trying to reach that expectation and results in disappointment from our fathers when we dont attain it. This kind of pressure is not asserted on Ezinma because she does not have to meet any expectations, besides doing feminine tasks like cooking, cleaning, etc. Though, Ezinma and I do share the aspect of attempting to see eye-to-eye with our fathers, generally unlike Nwoye; Nwoye seems to make an attempt when he starts grumbling about women, building the walls of the obi, and doing other masculine actions but in reality, he just trying to fit in with the patriarchal clan. Therefore, Ezinma is similar to me when it comes to intention, but different to Nwoye and me when it comes to the circumstances. In conclusion, the novel emphasizes the importance of parental influence on the child, whether positive or negative. The analysis of Nwoye and Ezinma has taught me to generally stay on the path made for me by my ancestors and my parents in order to avoid conflict and I believe that I could teach them that although that path may be tough, the end result will be satisfying to both them and their parents. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Fawcett, 1985.

Business Plan of an International Dance Academy

Business Plan of an International Dance Academy EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Our business idea is to set up an international dance academy called IDA (S.a;r.l) founded by Ms Ikrame Jabre. As it will be established on the 1st January2011, in Moulay Driss 1er with an area of 1000 meter squares, and it is considered as one of the best strategic locations in Casablanca, Morocco which has been one of the most politically stable countries in North Africa. This business will embody 28 rooms including both administration and dance rooms, 6 WCs and viewable garden for relaxation. Our academy will deliver dance courses (13hrs/week) in a period of three years starting from October to June for the academic dance classes, by teaching them 3 types of dances each semester. Apart from this, we will also offer leisure classes by working 11 months a year in (2hrs/week). IDA will target two types of customers based on its market research, who are: beginners and talented people for the academic classes as well as children and adults for the leisure classes. Our mission is to deliver a valuable dancing courses to our customers by providing inspirational quality of services in order to inspire, motivate and enrich everyone in the art of dance. Our prospective business idea is to set up an international dance academy called IDA in Morocco specifically in Casablanca in Mly Driss 1er with an area of 1000 meter square. As the founder of IDA (International dance academy) is Miss Ikrame Jabre who has a wide experience in different types of dances such as Rock in Roll, Cha-Cha, waltz, tango and so many others. Ikrame has a great passion for dancing since her childhood, She was keen on dancing, this is why she benefited from her traveling to different countries to discover the dancing cultures, For instance, when she went to Egypt she was fascinated by the belly dance whose popularity has spread globally. The idea of setting up IDA was inspired from her getting acquainted with different schools of dancing. But her bottleneck was how to finance the business as shes got only 51% of the capital and wants to be a chairman of IDA, for this reason she looked for partners that will support the business. So far, She has found four partners who are: Sophia Amzay with 29% of the capital as a manager of a financial department. Fatima Zahra souiri with 10% of the capital as a manager of the marketing department. Manal el koumani with 5% of the capital as a manager of an Human Resources department. Youssef El Mellouki with 5% of the capital as a silent partner. With respect of a total capital is : 43.025.400 DIRHAMS In this international dance academy we will give classes to both academic and leisure ones. So for the academic classes, we will target talented people and beginners either male or female, as we will deliver 3 different kinds of dances each semester, in a period of 2 years and for the 3rd year we will give the opportunity to our students to specialize in one kind of dance of their choices. These classes will be given in 13 hours per week by 15 professional teachers and coaches both local and foreigners that are successfully ready to give classes in French ; 12 of them for teaching dance classes because each type of dance needs its own teacher as they will also teach the dance culture; and one teacher for visual arts, physical attitude another coach for wellness, and the last one for teaching dramatic arts. In 2011 we will suffice only by hiring 6 dance teachers and 3 ones for the other subjects That Go With The dance classes, which are physical attitude, wellness, dramatic arts. Because we will set a Program of Teaching 6 dances in 2 semesters, so for the first term We Will give courses of Ballet , Chaabi, Salsa and in the second term We Will teach tap dance, belly dance and tango. But for the first term in 2012 we will deliver other types of dances which are: Latino, musical theatre and rock in roll, and for the following term , hip hop, waltz and Cha-cha; so in here we will add 6 other teachers. By 2013 we will classify teachers depending on the students numbers and their selection of the dance specialties. In the fourth year which is 2014 we will add 6 kinds of dances and 6 other professional teachers to give to our students a broad choice for planning the types of dances that will be given each semester and let them to plan in their own ways by keeping the same academic strategies and rules. Moreover, on the fifth year 2015 we will expand our business to other cities in morocco starting by Marrakech, and for the following years we will keep going locally and then we will start globally. Whereas for the leisure side we categorize it upon two kinds of customers: adults and children. Which concerns the adults, we will deliver to them 2 types of dances in their choices depending on the kind of dances that we will begin with, and that are the same as the academic ones excluding the other subjects which are wellness, visual arts and so on the classes will be given twice a week, one hour per session starting from 7 pm. And for children it remains the same, as it differs just in terms of time, because they will have 1 hour dance class On Wednesday afternoon and the other one hour on Saturday morning. In our international dance academy we will also organize competitions to our students internationally once a year starting by morocco in the first two years from 2011 to 2013 and for the coming years well do it abroad. In addition, IDA provides an international diploma that allows their students to have an easy access to work in all over the world. USP of IDA: you can learn a variety of dances academically, that makes you professional dancer internationally. IDAs Vision: IDA will provide a positive and educational dance experience for all community. IDAS MARKETS AND COMPETITORS Our ambition through this first step of setting up this project properly is to Define the situation of dance in the Moroccan market. Based on our research on the secondary data we didnt find any statistics or exact numbers that show the percentage of people who go for dance in the Moroccan market, but we went through our primary data which is a questionnaire that is as follow to find out information that may be helpful to our business. QUESTIONNAIRE: 1-In which sort of dance classes are you interested in? Academic   Leisure Both 2-  Ã‚  Ã‚   What level of dancer do you consider yourself? Beginner Intermediate High level 3. How often do you take classes or go for dancing?   1 2 a week   Ã‚      3 4 a week   Ã‚  Ã‚   Over 4 a week 4. Do you have a friend or family member who you would like to see participate   in the dance classes?  Ã‚      Yes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No 5. What are the kinds of dance classes would you like to take? cha3bi   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   cha cha   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Latino  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oriental  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tap Dance  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Classical dance  Ã‚  Ã‚   Modern jazz  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Musical   theatre   Ã‚  Ã‚   Cha Cha   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Salsa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Samba   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rock in Roll  Ã‚   waltz   Ã‚  Ã‚   Street Dance  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   International Style   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tango   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bolero    Salsa Aerobics 6. What age group are you? -18-  -24-     -36- -49- -60-  -Above-   7. Would you recommend the Academy to others? Yes, definitely Probably Probably Not Definitely Not RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE: 1) In which sort of dance classes are you interested in? Academic 54% Leisure 42% Both 61% According to the results, 61% of Academic and leisure are interesting in dance classes. 2-  Ã‚  Ã‚   What level of dancer do you consider yourself? beginner 57% intermediate 39% high level 28% The graph shows that 57% of beginner has highest level of practicing dance. 3. How often do you take classes a week for dancing? 12 47% 23 26% over 4 15% The majority of people prefer to attend dance classes from 1_2 weeks 4. Do you have a friend or family member who you would like to see participate   in the dance classes?  Ã‚   Yes 21% No 37% The result shows that 37% of people are motivated in dances. 5. What are the kinds of dance classes would you like to take? hip hop 10% valse 8% musical theatre 12% tap dance 14% cha3bi 56% belly dance 54% classical dance 31% salsa 61% latino 34% cha cha 37% Tango 26% rock in roll 41% Based on this result we found out that salsa has high demand than the other types of dances. 6. What age group are you? 18 34% 24 42% 36 22% 49 13% 60 9% The graph shows that the people who got 24 years old are more attracted than the other.   7. Would you recommend the Academy to others? probably 34% maybe 41% probably not 12% definitely not 8% We notice from this graph that 41% of people are interesting to recommend other about the academy. our purpose is to enable young dancers male and female to meet, share and present their talents to new market starting from Casablanca to affirm or confirm their talents, which will guarantee the future of dance in Morocco. Competitors: International dance academy is distinguished from its competitors. As it delivers both academic and leisure dance classes that the others dont. And also it provides different kinds of dances for different levels with a consistent quality of services in a purpose of satisfying the customers needs and encourage them to implement and show their talents. Most of our competitors are giving leisure sessions rather than the academic ones, for instance, Locations and training centers which are Municipal : In Casablanca: Conservatory of Dance, 21, street Najib Mahfouz avenue Gautier, Tel.: 27.59.52, fax: 29.76.86, Zinoun Lahcen, choreographer, ballet and modern In Meknes: Conservatory, 2 street Abou El Hassan, El Marini Apt 5, New Town, Tel.: (05) 52.39.44, Amal Kit, ballet Locations and training centers which are Private Schools Casablanca Dance Workshop Latifa, 1 street Theophile Gautier, Tel.: (02) 27.91.43, Latifa Hajjaj, choreographer, ballet and modern Private School Street Ibn Mounir Maà ¢rif No. 103, Tel.: (02) 25.12.21, Khalid Boulehia, modern dance, jazzÉcouterLire phonà ©tiquement In Rabat Russian Cultural Centre: Eugà ¨nie Nikita, ballet, Russian Cultural Centre, Tel.: 70.73.07 Private school at the top of Hyper market Agdal, Najia El Attaoui, ballet, Tel.: 77.33.14 Private School, 9 Tower Street El Alaouine Hasan Raselli Delcamby, ballet, choreographer, Tel.: 72.76.43 These schools consist only of teaching dances without having neither wellness nor visual art classes and other courses that go with each type of dance. And that leads to a lack of acquiring the real basis and cultures of dances to students. We can say that we are unique in the market, because we teach a variety of international dances academically that makes our students a professional dancers . in addition, we are characterized from others in terms of staff, because we bring professional teachers and coaches from different countries all over the world fitting the dances origins. So depending on the five competitive forces of porter: MARKETING AND SALES SWOT ANALYSIS OF IDA: Strenghts  : Monopoly Offering an academic dance degree offering a scholarship offering a unique programs hiring professional coaches making professional dancers Opportunities  : Dance schools (for leisure) Public relations Awareness about international dance among people Weaknesses  : Not a weakness till now Infant company Threats  : -emerging competition PESTEL ANALYSIS OF IDA: Political  : stable political state. Social  : people are always interested in dance academy, we are offering it for them. Moroccan are open minded and love entertainment. The famous dance in Morocco is Chaabi and we are teaching it in our school. Economical: capability to invest savings Cost of providing resources Teaching staff and support Shortages of materials international and national markets Legal: we took the authorization from the Moroccan ministry to give the Moroccan diploma also we are offering another diploma in collaboration with foreign schools. Environmental: We did a survey and we found out that Moroccan are very open and enthusiastic for this project. It will be located in Mly Driss 1er far from traffic. And its going to have a green space to help students relax Changes to standards/ equipment required. Technological: updating control systems. SALES AND PROMOTION: Strategies to attract new customers: In order to attract customers to our IDA international dance academy we are going to follow some strategies, such as: -Keeping our customers informed about our services that will be provided and published on the website as well as on the social network. -Making conventions with universities and schools to gain customers for leisure dance classes. -Making facilities of payment, for instance every person who brings hisher friend can have discount. -Fill out forms regarding to services and classes that enable as to know the customers wants and improve our services to satisfy them. Customers for academic dance classes: Year Number of customers % growth per Year Price/Year Total current sales in 10 months 2011 100 ____ 35,000Dhs 3,500,000Dhs 2012 150+ 100 150% 35,000Dhs 8,750,000Dhs 2013 215+100+150 86% 35,000Dhs 16,275,000Dhs 2014 270+215+150 36,55% 40,000Dhs 25,400,000Dhs 2015 300+150+215+270 32% 45,00Dhs 42,075,000Dhs 100 represents the first year customers for academic dance classes in 2011, but for 2012, there are two kinds of customers who are: 150 of new customers, 100 people of existing customers and for the following year 215 customers will be added by keeping the same existing ones because, IDA provides 3 years study of dance academic classes Numbers in black colour represents the new customers. Numbers in red colour represents the existing customers. Customers for leisure classes: Year Number of customers Price per month Total monthly sales 2011 25 350Dhs 8750Dhs 2012 42 350Dhs 14,700Dhs 2013 48 350Dhs 16,800Dhs 2014 62 400Dhs 24,800Dhs 2015 75 450Dhs 33,750Dhs Estimation of customers numbers for leisure dance classes: Months Number of customers September 13 October 13 November 16 December 20 January 20 February 25 March 25 May April 25 17 June 25 July 25 as we are new in the market, in the first two months we will begin by 13 customers in leisure classes, Afterward the number of customers will increase to 16 and then to 20 as it will be fixed in December and January after that, new 5 customers will come to register in February and march, whereas, in April and may the number of customers will decrease because of the exams period, and for the following two months that are in summer (June, July) the number of customers will become normal (25 customers in the first year). Offers and discounts: We will Give scholarship for talented people The students who get 98% in the exam will have a discount of 20% in the second year fees. The student who will win in the competitions that are going to be organized in yearly basis he/she z will travel to the original country of a such dance to explore the actual of that dance. Sales persons: We will hire experienced sales persons who take their passions for the challenges and mobility. And are ready to show clearly the charisma and enthusiasm to attract attention, create sympathy, inspire confidence and make memorable business relationships as well as that have a sense of curiosity and confidentiality. These people will work on presenting our services and offers, negotiate with customers and agencies that recruit professional dancers, and they will be involved in every sales activities in Casablanca and among other cities in Morocco as well as outside Morocco. year number of places salary per experiences salesperson person 2011 2 In different areas of 5000 DHS -should have 3 years experience Casablanca. 2012 3 In Casablanca and its 5500 DHS surroundings 2013 3 -In Casablanca and 5500 DHS must have a great ability Its surroundings to persuade 2014 4 -Different cities in 6000 DHS Morocco 2015 6 -In morocco and other From 7000 to 10  .000 DHS 7000 to 10.000 Dhs And some Foreign countries _In the first year 2011 we will have 2 sales persons: The first sales person will be responsible for the conventions with other agencies such as recruiting agencies. Second person: will bring customers from schools and different clubs. _In the Second year 2012we will increase the number of sales persons from 2 to 3 people: 2 people will be a responsible for making conventions with other agencies and the third one bring customers from different areas in Casablanca. _Third year 2013 we will keep the same number of sales people doing the same activities. _ For the Fourth year 2014 we will need four people because of upcoming new dances to our academy as we will need customers from different cities in Morocco. _In the Fifth year 2015, we will hire six sales people as a total, 4 of them are for the local market and 2 others for outside morocco, because we will look for a foreigner customers after setting up franchise in Marrakech. . MARKET STRATEGIES Strategies of promotion and sale services: One of strategies that (IDA) uses is advertisement which is designed to give introduction to people about the different classes and dances that the academy offer by using 4 types of advertising: InternetÆ’Â   advertising through the internet such as: website of IDA, and on the social network websites. MagazineÆ’Â   will be provided by supplement that contains the description of the academy with bright colors and pictures of the academy. NewspapersÆ’Â   the academy will be advertised on the newspapers in a sort of ads. RadioÆ’Â   we go through different radio stations: hit radio, Chada Fm, Radio Sawa and Casa Fm. Marketing mix of (IDA): product: our product is a service, we deliver both leisure and academic dance classes in a period of 3 years. (IDA) is the only academy in Moroccan market that will offer different dance classes academically of different types of dances with diplomas . price: (IDA) charge a reasonable prices, for the customers who want to dance for leisure they will pay 350 Dirhams per month, and for the students who will take the academic classes will pay in a yearly basis with an amount of 35,000 Dirhams as we will afford a payment facilities and give scholarship to talented people. Moreover, we ensure the stability of prices for the first three years then we will work on increasing the price because of upcoming new dances and the diversity of the schools among different cities and countries. PLACE: From 2011 to 2014 the service will be provided in Casablanca after that, we will expand our business in 2015 in Marrakech , and for the following years we ll keep going local and well start going global by opening branches in other countries starting by Tunisia and others . PROMOTION: The main ways of Promotion for (IDA) are internet(social network), media, magazinesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Advertising cost: The cost of advertising for (IDA) is: 2.029.500 dhs: 60% of the advertising costs is for TV and bill boards : 1,217,700 Dhs   20% For newspapers and magazines: 40,590,000 Dhs 20% For radio stations: 40,590;000 Dhs. A Comparison between (IDA) and its competitor casa dance that spent 3.313,200 dhs for advertising: advertising types of (IDA) advertising type of casa dance -media TV internet -bill boards posters -magazine Newspapers magazines Improvement of sales and profit margin for IDAs services: An efficient management skills toward salespeople will participate in the improvement of sales, so in order to make our salespeople having a valuable contribution in our dance academy we will work on providing incentives to them such as, cash bonuses, travel experiences or merchandise rewards. so as to attract a large number of customers and maintaining the existing ones. More than that, we will provide them with the right tools such as cell phones, cars, to ensure a proper work. OUR TEAM SKILLS IN IDA CHAIRMAN Ikrame Jabre is the chairman of IDA; she is a student at university of Sunderland in morocco, majoring in business management as she had dance experience, she wants to combine her studies which concerns management skills with her passion, dancing. MARKETING MANAGER Souiri Fatima Zahra as an associate in IDA Company; she is a student at university of Sunderland in business management branch as she has marketing skills such as communication skills and working in enthusiastic atmosphere to get more relationship in courteous and friendly manner. SILENT PARTNER Youssef Mellouki as a silent partner in IDA company, he is a student at Sunderland university in business management branch. HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Manal khoumani is a bedfellow in IDA, she is a student at university of Sunderland in business management branch as he has human resources skills such as dealing and negotiating with people in order to get more information. FINANCE MANAGER Sophia Amzay is one of the IDA partners, she is a student at university of Sunderland majoring in business management branch as he has financing and accounting skills, she likes dealing with number since she was child. HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT MANAGER: supports the responsibilities in some areas such as recruitment and employment, training and development, and so on. FINANCE ASSISTANT: is dependable on collecting information through overseeing financial regulation and legislation and manages also on supervising income statement, profit and loss, cash flow coming in and coming out of organization of IDA. Dance teachers: highly qualified with a good performances and capabilities to deliver dance lessons in the appropriate manner in order to have good strategies. Maids : 2 women, working for the cleanliness of IDA. Security : strong and energetic man that has experiences in this domain. Sales people: we start up only by 2 people on the first year, that have the ability of communication and marketing skills in order to attract customers for the dance . IDAs OPERATIONS FINANCIAL FORECASTS Numbers Staffs Employees Salaries per person in Dirhams 1 HR manager 10.000 1 HR assisstant manager 3.000 1 Marketing manager 10.000 1 Marketing assisstant manager 3.000 1 Finance manager 10.000 1 Finance Assisstant 3.000 2 Salespeople 5.000 9 Teachers 10.000 2 Maids 2.000 1 Doorkeeper 2.000 1 Secretary 3.000 TOTAL  : 21 148000 Names of partners Partnership in (%) Total per DHS Ikrame jabre 51% 21942954 Sophia amzay 29% 12477366 Fatimazahra souiri 10% 4302540 Manal el koumani 5% 2151270 Youssef el mellouki 5% 2151270 Explanation of the personal funding for all partners: Names of partners Internal funding% I.F in DHS Total  / person in DHS CAPITAL Ikrame jabre 30% 6582886,2 21942954 43025400 Sophia amzay 30% 3743209,8 12477366 43025400 Fatimazahra souiri 30% 1290762 4302540 43025400 Manal el koumani 30% 645381 2151270 43025400 Youssef el mellouki 30% 645381 2151270 43025400 Names of partners External fund(from bank)% E.F/ person in DHS Total in DHS CAPITAL Ikrame jabre 70% 15360067,8 21942954 43025400 Sophia amzay 70% 8734156,2 12477366 43025400 Fatimazahra souiri 70% 3011778 4302540 43025400 Manal el koumani 70% 1505889 2151270 43025400 Youssef el mellouki 70% 1505889 2151270 43025400 Names of partners Amount in DHS Fixed Interest rate(%) years number of months Monthly payment(DHS) Ikrame jabre 15360067,8 6% 10 120 7680,0339 Sophia amzay 8734156,2 6% 7 84 6238,683 Fatimazahra souiri 3011778 6% 5 60 3011,778 Manal el koumani 1505889 6% 3 36 2509,815 Youssef el mellouki 1505889 6% 4 48 1882,36125 The loans will be paid by the proper money of the partners depending on their funding amounts, IDA doesnt have any relationship to the borrowed money. Ikrame jabre needs 10 Years to pay her loan to the bank because its a huge amount of money borrowed, as she is a chairman, she gets a higher salary than others which is 20.000 DHS per month and can pay her loan comfortably with an amount of 7680,0339 DHS  /month. Sophia amzay needs to spend 4087,413 DHS / month out of 10.000 Dhs of her salary for the external funding interests in a period of 7 years. Fatimazahra souiri needs 5 years to pay her loan, with a monthly payment of 3011,778 DHS For Manal el koumani will pay her loan in a period of 3 years. Youssef el mellouki is a silent partner, so he will take only dividends thats why he needs 4 years to pay his loan, even there is an equal percentage of partnership between him and Manal el koumani. INTERNATIONAL DANCE ACADEMY CASH FLOW PROJECTIONS FOR THE FIRST YEAR 2011 IN (DHS): We will take 80% from the profit as dividends and for the rest which is 20% of the profit we keep it as retained earnings. M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 Cash received: 3.504.450 4450 5600 7000 7000 8750 8750 8750 5950 8750 8750 Cash sales: 3.504.450 4450 5600 7000 7000 8750 8750 8750 5950 8750 8750 Additional cash: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tax, VTA received: ________________________________________________________________ NC borrowing: : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 New other abilities: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other current asset: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 New investment: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal cash Received: 3.504.450 4450 5600 7000 7000 8750 8750 8750 5950 8750 8750 Expenditure M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 Expenditure from Operations: Cash spending: 195.080 175.080 175080 175080 175080 175080 175080 175080 175080 175080 175080 Additional cash Spent: 0 0 0 0 0