Saturday, November 30, 2019

Literature Review on Online Voting System free essay sample

Make sure you do understand this topic before you register the topic with your lecturer. Your assignment should be computer typed. The referencing style to be used in this research is the   style. The font type to be used should be Arial, its size should be 10 and line spacing should be 1. 5.   Provide a list of your bibliography, attached as an appendix. The assignment requires you to write a)Background on the area of research, a maximum of one page . b)Literature review own your selected topic, a maximum of five pages. Your literature review should be sectionalized i. e. divided into heading and sub-heading which are logical connected. [30 marks] The report should be well structured, having a cover page, topic numbered, page numbered, table of contents and well referencedmarks. The objective of this Individual Assignment is for students to showcase their skill in ability to a)Gathering relevant information for conducting a literature review b)Critically analyze and evaluate gathered information to construct literature review c)Conclude and recommend Students are expected to write a document on literature review for a topic of their choice. We will write a custom essay sample on Literature Review on Online Voting System or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Student who submits this Assignment later than the deadline date stated above will have marks penalized. (5% of the total mark everyday) †¢Print out the Assignment by using Arial font style and size of 10 by using Microsoft Word. †¢You must submit the work with an assignment cover page stapled together as submission. This Assignment is an individual work and it contributes 30% to your total marks.   The following is the marks deduction: Late submission = -5% per day of your total marks irrespective of reasons and excuses †¢Not following question requirements = 0 % is awarded immediately †¢Plagiarism = 0% is awarded immediately. †¢Let others copy your work = 0% is awarded immediately. †¢Off topic work = 0% is awarded immediately. You are NOT allowed to work with any other students. †¢You are NOT allowed to work together to get a detailed solution, to copy a solution, or to give away a solution other than your group †¢Do NOT let others see your work †¢If someone cheats by using your work, you will all be penalized.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Learn About the Munich Olympic Massacre

Learn About the Munich Olympic Massacre The Munich Massacre was a terrorist attack during the 1972 Olympic Games. Eight Palestinian terrorists killed two members of Israeli Olympic team and then took nine others hostage. The situation was ended by a huge gunfight that left five of the terrorists and all of the nine hostages dead. Following the massacre, the Israeli government organized a retaliation against Black September, called Operation Wrath of God. Dates:  September 5, 1972 Also Known As:  1972 Olympics Massacre Stressful Olympics The XXth Olympic Games were held in Munich, Germany in 1972. Tensions were high at these Olympics because they were the first Olympic Games held in Germany since the Nazis hosted the Games in 1936. The Israeli athletes and their trainers were especially nervous; many had family members who had been murdered during the Holocaust or were themselves Holocaust survivors. The Attack The first few days of the Olympic Games went smoothly. On September 4, the Israeli team spent the evening out to see the play, Fiddler on the Roof, and then went back to the Olympic Village to sleep. A little after 4 a.m. on September 5, as the Israeli athletes slept, eight members of the Palestinian terrorist organization, Black September, jumped over the six-foot-high fence that encircled the Olympic Village. The terrorists headed straight for 31 Connollystrasse, the building where the Israeli contingent was staying. Around 4:30 a.m., the terrorists entered the building. They rounded up the occupants of apartment 1 and then apartment 3. Several of the Israelis fought back; two of them were killed. A couple of others were able to escape out windows. Nine were taken hostage. Standoff at the Apartment Building By 5:10 a.m., the police had been alerted and news of the attack had begun to spread around the world. The terrorists then dropped a list of their demands out the window; they wanted 234 prisoners released from Israeli prisons and two from German prisons by 9 a.m. Negotiators were able to extend the deadline to noon, then 1 p.m., then 3 p.m., then 5 p.m.; however, the terrorists refused to back down on their demands and Israel refused to release the prisoners. A confrontation became inevitable. At 5 p.m., the terrorists realized that their demands were not going to be met. They asked for two planes to fly both the terrorists and the hostages to Cairo, Egypt, hoping a new locale would help get their demands met. The German officials agreed but realized that they could not let the terrorists leave Germany. Desperate to end the standoff, the Germans organized Operation Sunshine, which was a plan to storm the apartment building. The terrorists discovered the plan by watching television. The Germans then planned to attack the terrorists on their way to the airport, but again the terrorists found out their plans. Massacre at the Airport Around 10:30 p.m., the terrorists and hostages were transported to the Fà ¼rstenfeldbruck airport by helicopter. The Germans had decided to confront the terrorists at the airport and had snipers waiting for them. Once on the ground, the terrorists realized there was a trap. Snipers started shooting at them and they shot back. Two terrorists and one policeman were killed. Then a stalemate developed. The Germans requested armored cars and waited for over an hour for them to arrive. When the armored cars arrived, the terrorists knew the end had come. One of the terrorists jumped into a helicopter and shot four of the hostages, then threw in a grenade.  Another terrorist hopped into the other helicopter and used his machine gun to kill the remaining five hostages. The snipers and armored cars killed three more terrorists in this second round of gunfire. Three terrorists survived the attack and were taken into custody. Less than two months later, the three remaining terrorists were released by the German government after two other Black September members hijacked a plane and threatened to blow it up unless the three were released.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Emilia in Shakespeares Othello

Emilia in Shakespeare's 'Othello' From her first introduction, Emilia in Shakespeares Othello is ridiculed and chided by her husband Iago: â€Å"Sir, would she give you so much of her lips/As of her tongue she oft bestows on me,/You would have enough† (Iago, Act 2, Scene 1). This particular line is prophetic in that Emilia’s testimony at the end of the play, relating to how Cassio came by the handkerchief, leads directly to Iago’s downfall. Emilia Analysis Emilia is perceptive and cynical, maybe as a result of her relationship with Iago. She is the first to suggest that somebody is telling Othello untruths about Desdemona; â€Å"The Moor’s abused by some most villainous knave./Some base, notorious knave† (Act 4 Scene 2, Line 143-5).​ Unfortunately, she does not identify her own husband as the perpetrator until it is too late: â€Å"You told a lie, an odious, damned lie† (Act 5 Scene 2, Line 187). In order to please him, Emilia gives Iago Desdemona’s handkerchief, which leads to her best friend’s condemnation, but this is not done out of spite but to garner a little praise or love from her husband Iago, who rewards her with the line; â€Å"O good wench give it to me† (Act 3 Scene 3, Line 319). In a conversation with Desdemona, Emilia does not condemn a woman for having an affair: But I do think it is their husbands faultsIf wives do fall: say that they slack their duties,And pour our treasures into foreign laps,Or else break out in peevish jealousies,Throwing restraint upon us; or say they strike us,Or scant our former having in despite;Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace,Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands knowTheir wives have sense like them: they see and smellAnd have their palates both for sweet and sour,As husbands have. What is it that they doWhen they change us for others? Is it sport?I think it is: and doth affection breed it?I think it doth: ist frailty that thus errs?It is so too: and have not we affections,Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?Then let them use us well: else let them know,The ills we do, their ills instruct us so (Act 5 Scene 1). Emilia blames the man in the relationship for driving her to it. â€Å"But I do think it is their husband’s faults If wives do fall.† This speaks volumes for her relationship with Iago and does insinuate that she would not be averse to the idea of an affair; which corroborates the rumors about her and Othello, although she denies them. Also, her loyalty to Desdemona may belie this rumor too. An audience would not judge Emilia too harshly for her views, knowing Iago’s true nature. Emilia and Othello Emilia judges jealous Othello’s behavior harshly and warns Desdemona off him; â€Å"I would you had never seen him† (Act 4 Scene 2, Line 17). This demonstrates her loyalty and that she judges men based on her own experience. Having said this, it may well have been better if Desdemona had never set eyes on Othello, given the outcome. Emilia even bravely challenges Othello when she discovers he has murdered Desdemona: â€Å"O the more angel she, and you the blacker devil!† (Act 5 Scene 2, Line 140). Emilia’s role in Othello is key, her part in taking the handkerchief leads to Othello falling for Iago’s lies more fully. She discovers Othello as Desdemona’s murderer and uncovers her husband’s plot which she exposes; â€Å"I will not charm my tongue. I am bound to speak† (Act 5 Scene 2, Line 191). This leads to Iago’s eventual downfall and sadly her own murder as her husband kills her. She demonstrates her strength and honesty by exposing her husband and challenging Othello for his behavior. She remains loyal to her mistress throughout and even asks to join her on her deathbed as she herself dies. Unfortunately, these two strong, perceptive, loyal women are killed off but, at the same time, they could be considered the heroes of the piece.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Prospective strategy for Copyfix Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Prospective strategy for Copyfix Inc - Essay Example A lack of communication will also result in management becoming distant from the shop floor, and this is where all the work is carried out. The lack of communication has manifested itself in the management area and the production area. For instance: A look at the organisation chart revealed that the departments were fragmented and isolated from the shop floor. This resulted in the decision making excluding those who knew the processes. This isolation also resulted in inter-departmental conflicts, as each department was not aware of the other's roles and responsibilities, which had led to a series of problems. There are no clear lines of communication between managers with each of them reporting to one individual, and so there really is not much scope for discussion. This organisation is lacking in strategy as decisions are not thought out and rather spontaneous. For instance, a proposal was put forward that 50% of profits go towards shareholders. This figure does seem too high, and there is no mention of any discussion about this issue or where this proposal came from. The main emphasis seems to be on making the shareholders and not on improving products they manufacture. A long term strategy that is focussed is therefore required to help with managing the cash flow problem, as profits have to be diverted to the organisation in the first instance. The lack of a strategy has also resulted in massive quality problems at this organisation, and as a manufacturing organisation, the importance of quality cannot be emphasised (Hall 1987). The organisation is due to pay penalties for environmental standards, as their equipment and production line did not meet the required standards. Whilst this is tied in with strategy, as in value and quality are not built into the process, it is also a communication problem as it has not been addressed and remained undetected. Failure to build in quality will result in financial wastage (Slack et al 1997) which the new executive board are keen to avoid. The previous board also stated that they were old and had been with the organisation for a while and this may have clouded their judgement and affected the organisation. This is a call for new management styles and leadership, and the organisation really needs to look at major changes. The chair of the executive board was rotated on a regular basis and this resulted in an approach to the strategy that was inconsistent as the chair was never stayed in post long enough to see any changes or projects carried through to completion, which impacted on feedback, as the organisation has no way of finding out how well their systems are. The short-term costs also do not build loyalty, trust and are a disincentive to team working (Bartol and Martin 1998). Sales and Marketing This organisation is not maximising its marketing and sales, which is what gets their product sold. The graphs indicate that revenue is evening out, which means it is time to innovate, by either improving the product or introducing a new product (Slack et al 1998). However, this ties in with quality and it is evident that the lack of quality assurance

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

SIM335 Managing Projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SIM335 Managing Projects - Essay Example The direct relationship between the activities was found where ‘Finish to Start’ approach was adopted as per the requirements mentioned before the diagram was to be designed. Determining the total float on the other end means the total amount of time for which the task can be delayed and which does not negatively affect the project whatsoever the conditions are. The formula for the total float is given as follows: Total Float = Late Start – Early Start This means that subtracting the time of the activity which was recorded in case of the early start as well as the late start will provide us the total float that can be recorded in the activities undergoing, but that will not affect the process in negative way. Question 3: The duration of the project as well as the critical path are related to each other in an important sense, i.e. the shortest duration of time that is needed to finish all activities in a task to enhance the efficiency scale. According to the networ k diagram given above, the shortest duration of the project will be 72 days, and therefore that will be defining the critical path. The critical path of the diagram will not be an easy task as the whole task is based on the ES and EF basis except two points, i.e. end of activity 2 and end of activity 8. The critical path will follow the track from A > F > G > H > I > K > L > M > N > O > P > Q. Question 4: The critical path shows it will take 72 days for the task to complete, and that is shortest possible time in which a process can complete. Now if the project will start on 16th January, 2012, on Monday, then it will take 14 weeks and 2 days in the completion of the project. Calculating weeks from the starting date, the project must end on the second day, i.e. Tuesday of the 15th week after the project has started on 16th January. The second day of 15th week becomes Tuesday 1st May, 2012. This will be the earliest date when the project will be completed. Question 5: If activity B de lays for 2 days then that will not make any change in to the final duration of the project, as activity B and F are going on the same time period, rather activity F is going on for 4 more days than the activity B and also activity F is included in the critical path and therefore there will not be any effect on the duration of the project. The delay of 2 days in activity P will straightaway affect the whole duration of the project because it is directly dependent as well as independent activity and any change in duration of this activity will change the duration of the whole project. Therefore, this will result in the delay of 2 days in the duration of project and now it will take total 74 days to complete the project, and it will now finish on Thursday 3 May, 2012. The delay in activity O of 1 day will also follow the same case as was happened in activity P case, but with 1 day delay in the project completion. Therefore the project will now be over on 2nd May, 2012 on Wednesday. Que stion 6: The main limitations in the network diagram are as follows: The toolbar cannot help the elements to be created through the use of dragging and dropping. It is not possible to transfer the elements to the work management view from the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Essay from filipino author Essay Example for Free

Essay from filipino author Essay Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. 3. In a medium bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until smooth. Add the egg, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon; stir into the pumpkin mixture. Finally, stir in the raisins and walnuts. 4. Drop cookie dough by heaping spoonful onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, cookies should be light brown around the edges. Brush with the spice glaze, and transfer to racks to cool. 5. To make the spice glaze, mix confectioners sugar with 2 tablespoons of warm water until there are no more lumps. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more water. Oatmeal Raisins Cookies Ingredients 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup raisins 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup butter 1 cup white sugar 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup chopped pecans 2cupsrolledoats Procedures 1. Combine eggs, vanilla and raisins in a small bowl; cover and let stand for 1 hour. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda; stir into the creamed mixture. Then stir in the raisin mixture, rolled oats, and nuts. 4. Drop by teaspoonful’s onto an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Papaya Cookies Ingredients 3 cups All-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt  ½ cups Papaya ripe 2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup butter 1 egg 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Procedures 1. Pre-heat oven at 40F. 2. Put 1 cup butter in mixing bowl and cream until fluffy. 3. Add sugar and egg. Beat well until well-blended. 4. Add vanilla, flour and salt. 5. Beat thoroughly until smooth. 6. Drop or mold the mixture and arrange on a well-greased baking sheet. 7. Bake for 10 to 15 mins. Or until golden brown. Coconut Drops Ingredients 1 cup margarine 2 cups brown sugar, packed 2 eggs, beaten  ½ cup milk 3  ½ cup flour  ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon nbaking powdert 1 cup shredded coconut Procedures 1. Cream margarine, sugar and eggs. 2. Add milk, coconut, then sifted dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoonfuls on slightly greased cookie sheet, some distance apart. 3. Bake in moderately hot oven. Banana Oatmeal Cookies Ingredients 1  ½ cup flour  ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup mashed ripe bananas  ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 egg  ½ cup chopped nuts  ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1  ¼ cup rolled nuts  ¾ cup shortening Procedures 1. Cream shortening and sugar; add egg and beat until fluffy. 2. Add bananas, nuts and oats. 3. Add sifted dry ingredients and blend. 4. Drop by teaspoonfuls some inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in hot oven. Remove the baked cookies from pan at once. Peanut Beatles Ingredients 2 eggs 2 cups flour 2/3 cup oil 2 teaspoon baking powder 2/4 cup sugar  ½ teaspoon salt  ½ teaspoon vanilla roasted peanuts Procedures 1. Beat eggs until light and foamy; add oil, little by little, vanilla and sugar, beating continually. 2. Sift together dry ingredients and add to first mixture. 3. Drop by teaspoonfuls, some distance apart, on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. 4. Press a peanut in the middle of each cookie, sprinkle with brown sugar 5. Bake in hot oven. Pineapple Cookies Ingredients 2/3 cup margarine 4 tablespoon pineapple jam 1 cup sugar 2  ½ cup sifted flour 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon baking soda Procedures 1. Cream margarine, add sugar gradually, creaming until fluffy. 2. Add egg, jam, and sifted dry ingredients. 3. Drop by teaspoonfuls some inches apart on ungreased baking pan. Bake in moderate oven until golden. 4. Top cookies with bits of pineapple jam and serve. â€Å"Cakes† Orange Blossom Cake Ingredients 1 cup margarine  ½ teaspoon salt 1  ½ cup sugar 4 teaspoon baking powder 3 eggs 2/3 cup orange juice water 3 cup sifted cake flour Grated Orange Rind Procedures 1. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. 2. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 3. Add orange rind. Sift together dry ingredients and all alternately with liquid to creamed mixture. Pour into greased cake pan. Bake in a moderate oven. Pineapple Up Side down Topping: 1 firmly pack brown sugar  ½ cup butter 1 can Pineapple slices Cake: 1  ½ cup all-purpose flour 1  ¾ cup refined sugar 6 tablespoon cake flour 1 cup butter 6 tablespoon ground almonds 4 large egg 1 teaspoon baking powder  ¾ vanilla extract  ¾ cup Sour milk Procedures 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust the position of the rack to the center of the oven. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) pans or 3 (8-inch) pans. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and granulated sugar. Set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, cream margarine and brown sugar on low speed, and then increase speed to medium and beat until well-combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each egg and scraping down the sides of the bowl after the addition of each egg. Add vanilla, sweet potatoes, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts and blend on low speed until thoroughly mixed. 3. Pour batter into pans and smooth the surface with a metal spatula. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; when you touch the center of the cake, it should spring back. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then invert onto a rack and cool completely. 4. For icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Gradually add sugar and beat on low speed until smooth. Icing the cake: Place 1 cake layer, top-side down, on a cake platter. Using a metal spatula, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake. Take the next layer and place it on top, rounded-side up. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. The cake should be refrigerated for about 1 hour to make sure the layers are set. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of cake, if desired. Butter Squash Cake Procedures 1. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs; gradually beat in sugar. Add squash and mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon; add to squash mixture and mix well. 2. Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Spread batter evenly into pan. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake at 375 for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes 3. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel, jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on wire rack. 4. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly over cake within 1 inch of edges. Roll up again. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Just before serving, dust with confectioners sugar if desired Procedures 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Butter and flour a 9-inch round and 3-inch deep cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside. 3. Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside. 4. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour. 5. In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt. 6. With the processor still running drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cake reaches 205 to 210 degrees F in the center. President A company president generally works with mid to senior level managers to devise a strategic plan that will generate revenues, create new opportunities for business and help the company to remain competitive in the market place. Strong emphasis on cost management is a critical component to a company he or she represents. Vice – President Vice-president of the company takes part in directing overall business and corporation operations. The vice-president also heads programs within the company for growth, to promote and generate business. At times, depending on the size of the company the vice president handles a specific department. Board of Directors The primary responsibility of the board of directors is to protect the shareholders assets and ensure they receive a decent return on their investment. The board of directors is the highest governing authority within the management structure at any publicly traded company. It is the boards job to select, evaluate, and approve appropriate compensation for the company’s chief executive officer, evaluate the attractiveness and pay dividend, recommend stock splits, oversee share repurchase programs, approve the company’s financial statements, and recommend or strongly discourage acquisitions and mergers. Marketing Department The marketing department must act as a guide and lead the company’s other departments in developing, producing, fulfilling, and servicing products or services for their customers. Communication is vital. The marketing department typically has a better understanding of the market and customer needs, but should not act independently of product in development or customer service. Marketing should be involved, and there should be a meeting of the minds, whenever discussions are held regarding new product development o0r any costumer related function of the company. Financial Department The finance department of a firm has abroad range of roles to undertake inside and outside its business and came large responsibilities especially in fields such as â€Å"Shareholder Value† which is increasingly gaining in importance. Finance department are important for the smooth operation of the business. The most common function of the finance department comprises the documentation and the controlling of incoming and outcoming cash flows as well as the actual handling of the cash flows. Production Department The production department is the functional area and is responsible for turning inputs into finished outputs through a series of production processes. The production processes are the various stages of production that turn raw materials into finished goods. Although businesses such as bank, insurance companies and internet service providers do not supply physical goods that can be seen or held, they do have to organize their resources to meet customers’ demands as completely as possible. Human Resources Department The people who make up a company’s workforce – its human resources mare considered to be an asset to the company, just like its financial resources and material resources, such as buildings, machinery and other equipment. A company is more likely to be successful if it mangers its entire resources well, including its people. This is why many companies have human resources departments, even though those departments do not directly contribute to the company’s production services, sales or profits. Rather, effective HR departments allow and encourage the company’s employees to do their best, which in turn contributes to the success of those companies. Communication Department This department plays a key role in how investors, employees and the general public perceive a company. They often report directly to a company’s chief executive officer and serve as advisers in managing a company’s reputation. They help leaders prepare for media interviews, develop messages to deliver to investors and employees and suggest new initiatives to keep companies on the cutting edge of communication with their stakeholders.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Toyota Prius vs Honda Insight :: Cars Automobiles Environmental Essays

Toyota Prius vs Honda Insight This paper aims at examining on Toyota and Honda’s current environmental control systems for next century’s energy vehicles, comparing released the echo automobile, Prius, Toyota and Insight, Honda. Specification Prius was released in December 1997 in Japan in order to reduce emissions in urban areas, which startled the world. The Japan-market Prius, which has sold 35,000 units, was optimized for "stop-and-go" driving, so it needed some tuning to meet the requirements of the U.S. market. In the U.S., motorists typically drive faster for longer distances, and vehicles have stricter emissions requirements. The Prius, a four-door sedan that seats five, is designed to minimize tailpipe emissions and get excellent mileage for a car its size. It meets California's very stringent SULEV standard (super ultra-low emission vehicle), which allows only 10 percent of the smog-forming exhaust gases as the ULEV standard. To reduce emissions, the Prius operates without running the gasoline engine at speeds below 13-25 mph. The car decides which driving mode to operate in based on how it is being driven, the charge level in the batteries and driving conditions. It never needs to be plugged in to recharge; the onboard generator automatically charges the batteries when necessary. The retail price is about $23000, which is reasonable price in market now. Honda Insight, two-door seats is a simplified parallel hybrid which is superior in fuel efficiency and is known for being a â€Å"hybrid gasoline-electric propelled car. Fuel efficiency of Insight precedes 7km per 1l of the Prius. Honda jumped to the top of fuel efficiency competition. The Insight also meets California's Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) standards, which measures other emissions. The fuel efficiency is important in reducing consumption of non-renewable resources and green gas emissions, developing future automotive technologies because of limited range problems, battery electric or fuel cell electric cars will need to be very efficient to be successful in the marketplace Honda improved fuel expensive of the gasoline engine itself and developed the motor/generator which becomes auxiliary power, furthermore adopted aerodynamic, light and the aluminum alloy body make inherently low energy vehicles.

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Host Chapter 9: Discovered

I drove quickly through the I-10 junction as the sun fell behind me. I didn't see much besides the white and yellow lines on the pavement, and the occasional big green sign pointing me farther east. I was in a hurry now. I wasn't sure exactly what I was in a hurry for, though. To be out of this, I supposed. Out of pain, out of sadness, out of aching for lost and hopeless loves. Did that mean out of this body? I couldn't think of any other answer. I would still ask my questions of the Healer, but it felt as though the decision was made. Skipper. Quitter. I tested the words in my head, trying to come to terms with them. If I could find a way, I would keep Melanie out of the Seeker's hands. It would be very hard. No, it would be impossible. I would try. I promised her this, but she wasn't listening. She was still dreaming. Giving up, I thought, now that it was too late for giving up to help. I tried to stay clear of the red canyon in her head, but I was there, too. No matter how hard I tried to see the cars zooming beside me, the shuttles gliding in toward the port, the few, fine clouds drifting overhead, I couldn't pull completely free of her dreams. I memorized Jared's face from a thousand different angles. I watched Jamie shoot up in a sudden growth spurt, always skin and bones. My arms ached for them both-no, the feeling was sharper than an ache, blade-edged and violent. It was intolerable. I had to get out. I drove almost blindly along the narrow two-lane freeway. The desert was, if anything, more monotonous and dead than before. Flatter, more colorless. I would make it to Tucson long before dinnertime. Dinner. I hadn't eaten yet today, and my stomach rumbled as I realized that. The Seeker would be waiting for me there. My stomach rolled then, hunger momentarily replaced with nausea. Automatically, my foot eased off the gas. I checked the map on the passenger seat. Soon I would reach a little pit stop at a place called Picacho Peak. Maybe I would stop to eat something there. Put off seeing the Seeker a few precious moments. As I thought of this unfamiliar name-Picacho Peak-there was a strange, stifled reaction from Melanie. I couldn't make it out. Had she been here before? I searched for a memory, a sight or a smell that corresponded, but found nothing. Picacho Peak. Again, there was that spike of interest that Melanie repressed. What did the words mean to her? She retreated into faraway memories, avoiding me. This made me curious. I drove a little faster, wondering if the sight of the place would trigger something. A solitary mountain peak-not massive by normal standards, but towering above the low, rough hills closer to me-was beginning to take shape on the horizon. It had an unusual, distinctive shape. Melanie watched it grow as we traveled, pretending indifference to it. Why did she pretend not to care when she so obviously did? I was disturbed by her strength when I tried to find out. I couldn't see any way around the old blank wall. It felt thicker than usual, though I'd thought it was almost gone. I tried to ignore her, not wanting to think about that-that she was growing stronger. I watched the peak instead, tracing its shape against the pale, hot sky. There was something familiar about it. Something I was sure I recognized, even as I was positive that neither of us had been here before. Almost as if she was trying to distract me, Melanie plunged into a vivid memory of Jared, catching me by surprise. I shiver in my jacket, straining my eyes to see the muted glare of the sun dying behind the thick, bristly trees. I tell myself that it is not as cold as I think it is. My body just isn't used to this. The hands that are suddenly there on my shoulders do not startle me, though I am afraid of this unfamiliar place and I did not hear his silent approach. Their weight is too familiar. â€Å"You're easy to sneak up on.† Even now, there is a smile in his voice. â€Å"I saw you coming before you took the first step,† I say without turning. â€Å"I have eyes in the back of my head.† Warm fingers stroke my face from my temple to my chin, dragging fire along my skin. â€Å"You look like a dryad hidden here in the trees,† he whispers in my ear. â€Å"One of them. So beautiful that you must be fictional.† â€Å"We should plant more trees around the cabin.† He chuckles, and the sound makes my eyes close and my lips stretch into a grin. â€Å"Not necessary,† he says. â€Å"You always look that way.† â€Å"Says the last man on Earth to the last woman on Earth, on the eve of their separation.† My smile fades as I speak. Smiles cannot last today. He sighs. His breath on my cheek is warm compared to the chill forest air. â€Å"Jamie might resent that implication.† â€Å"Jamie's still a boy. Please, please keep him safe.† â€Å"I'll make you a deal,† Jared offers. â€Å"You keep yourself safe, and I'll do my best. Otherwise, no deal.† Just a joke, but I can't take it lightly. Once we are apart, there are no guarantees. â€Å"No matter what happens,† I insist. â€Å"Nothing's going to happen. Don't worry.† The words are nearly meaningless. A waste of effort. But his voice is worth hearing, no matter the message. â€Å"Okay.† He pulls me around to face him, and I lean my head against his chest. I don't know what to compare his scent to. It is his own, as unique as the smell of juniper or the desert rain. â€Å"You and I won't lose each other,† he promises. â€Å"I will always find you again.† Being Jared, he cannot be completely serious for more than a heartbeat or two. â€Å"No matter how well you hide. I'm unstoppable at hide-and-seek.† â€Å"Will you give me to the count of ten?† â€Å"Without peeking.† â€Å"You're on,† I mumble, trying to disguise the fact that my throat is thick with tears. â€Å"Don't be afraid. You'll be fine. You're strong, you're fast, and you're smart.† He's trying to convince himself, too. Why am I leaving him? It's such a long shot that Sharon is still human. But when I saw her face on the news, I was so sure. It was just a normal raid, one of a thousand. As usual when we felt isolated enough, safe enough, we had the TV on as we cleaned out the pantry and fridge. Just to get the weather forecast; there isn't much entertainment in the dead-boring everything-is-perfect reports that pass for news among the parasites. It was the hair that caught my eye-the flash of deep, almost pink red that I'd only ever seen on one person. I can still see the look on her face as she peeked at the camera from the corner of one eye. The look that said, I'm trying to be invisible; don't see me. She walked not quite slowly enough, working too hard at keeping a casual pace. Trying desperately to blend in. No body snatcher would feel that need. What is Sharon doing walking around human in a huge city like Chicago? Are there others? Trying to find her doesn't even seem like a choice, really. If there is a chance there are more humans out there, we have to locate them. And I have to go alone. Sharon will run from anyone but me-well, she will run from me, too, but maybe she will pause long enough for me to explain. I am sure I know her secret place. â€Å"And you?† I ask him in a thick voice. I'm not sure I can physically bear this looming goodbye. â€Å"Will you be safe?† â€Å"Neither heaven nor hell can keep me apart from you, Melanie.† Without giving me a chance to catch my breath or wipe away the fresh tears, she threw another at me. Jamie curls up under my arm-he doesn't fit the way he used to. He has to fold in on himself, his long, gangly limbs poking out in sharp angles. His arms are starting to turn hard and sinewy, but in this moment he's a child, shaking, cowering almost. Jared is loading the car. Jamie would not show this fear if he were here. Jamie wants to be brave, to be like Jared. â€Å"I'm scared,† he whispers. I kiss his night-dark hair. Even here among the sharp, resinous trees, it smells like dust and sun. It feels like he is part of me, that to separate us will tear the skin where we are joined. â€Å"You'll be fine with Jared.† I have to sound brave, whether I feel that way or not. â€Å"I know that. I'm scared for you. I'm scared you won't come back. Like Dad.† I flinch. When Dad didn't come back-though his body did eventually, trying to lead the Seekers to us-it was the most horror and the most fear and the most pain I'd ever felt. What if I do that to Jamie again? â€Å"I'll come back. I always come back.† â€Å"I'm scared,† he says again. I have to be brave. â€Å"I promise everything will be fine. I'm coming back. I promise. You know I won't break a promise, Jamie. Not to you.† The shaking slows. He believes me. He trusts me. And another: I can hear them on the floor below. They will find me in minutes, or seconds. I scrawl the words on a dirty shred of newsprint. They are nearly illegible, but if he finds them, he will understand: Not fast enough. Love you love Jamie. Don't go home. Not only do I break their hearts, I steal their refuge, too. I picture our little canyon home abandoned, as it must be forever now. Or if not abandoned, a tomb. I see my body leading the Seekers to it. My face smiling as we catch them there†¦ â€Å"Enough,† I said out loud, cringing away from the whiplash of pain. â€Å"Enough! You've made your point! I can't live without them either now. Does that make you happy? Because it doesn't leave me many choices, does it? Just one-to get rid of you. Do you want the Seeker inside you? Ugh!† I recoiled from the thought as if I would be the one to house her. There is another choice, Melanie thought softly. â€Å"Really?† I demanded with heavy sarcasm. â€Å"Show me one.† Look and see. I was still staring at the mountain peak. It dominated the landscape, a sudden upthrust of rock surrounded by flat scrubland. Her interest pulled my eyes over the outline, tracing the uneven two-pronged crest. A slow, rough curve, then a sharp turn north, another sudden turn back the other way, twisting back to the north for a longer stretch, and then the abrupt southern decline that flattened out into another shallow curve. Not north and south, the way I'd always seen the lines in her piecemeal memories; it was up and down. The profile of a mountain peak. The lines that led to Jared and Jamie. This was the first line, the starting point. I could find them. We could find them, she corrected me. You don't know all the directions. Just like with the cabin, I never gave you everything. â€Å"I don't understand. Where does it lead? How does a mountain lead us?† My pulse beat faster as I thought of it: Jared was close. Jamie, within my reach. She showed me the answer. â€Å"They're just lines. And Uncle Jeb is just an old lunatic. A nut job, like the rest of my dad's family.† I try to tug the book out of Jared's hands, but he barely seems to notice my effort. â€Å"A nut job, like Sharon's mom?† he counters, still studying the dark pencil marks that deface the back cover of the old photo album. It's the one thing I haven't lost in all the running. Even the graffiti loony Uncle Jeb left on it during his last visit has sentimental value now. â€Å"Point taken.† If Sharon is still alive, it will be because her mother, loony Aunt Maggie, could give loony Uncle Jeb a run for the title of Craziest of the Crazy Stryder Siblings. My father had been only slightly touched by the Stryder madness-he didn't have a secret bunker in the backyard or anything. The rest of them, his sister and brothers, Aunt Maggie, Uncle Jeb, and Uncle Guy, were the most devoted of conspiracy theorists. Uncle Guy had died before the others disappeared during the invasion, in a car accident so commonplace that even Maggie and Jeb had struggled to make an intrigue out of it. My father always affectionately referred to them as the Crazies. â€Å"I think it's time we visited the Crazies,† Dad would announce, and then Mom would groan-which is why such announcements had happened so seldom. On one of those rare visits to Chicago, Sharon had snuck me into her mother's hidey-hole. We got caught-the woman had booby traps every-where. Sharon was scolded soundly, and though I was sworn to secrecy, I'd had a sense Aunt Maggie might build a new sanctuary. But I remember where the first is. I picture Sharon there now, living the life of Anne Frank in the middle of an enemy city. We have to find her and bring her home. Jared interrupts my reminiscing. â€Å"Nut jobs are exactly the kind of people who will have survived. People who saw Big Brother when he wasn't there. People who suspected the rest of humanity before the rest of humanity turned dangerous. People with hiding places ready.† Jared grins, still study-ing the lines. And then his voice is heavier. â€Å"People like my father. If he and my brothers had hidden rather than fought†¦ Well, they'd still be here.† My tone is softer, hearing the pain in his. â€Å"Okay, I agree with the theory. But these lines don't mean anything.† â€Å"Tell me again what he said when he drew them.† I sigh. â€Å"They were arguing-Uncle Jeb and my dad. Uncle Jeb was trying to convince him that something was wrong, telling him not to trust anyone. Dad laughed it off. Jeb grabbed the photo album from the end table and started†¦ almost carving the lines into the back cover with a pencil. Dad got mad, said my mom would be angry. Jeb said, Linda's mom asked you all to come up for a visit, right? Kind of strange, out of the blue? Got a little upset when only Linda would come? Tell you the truth, Trev, I don't think Linda will be minding anything much when she gets back. Oh, she might act like it, but you'll be able to tell the difference.' It didn't make sense at the time, but what he said really upset my dad. He ordered Uncle Jeb out of the house. Jeb wouldn't leave at first. Kept warning us not to wait until it was too late. He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into his side. Don't let 'em get you, honey,' he whispered. Follow the lines. Start at the beginning and follow the l ines. Uncle Jeb'll keep a safe place for you.' That's when Dad shoved him out the door.† Jared nods absently, still studying. â€Å"The beginning†¦ the beginning†¦ It has to mean something.† â€Å"Does it? They're just squiggles, Jared. It's not like a map-they don't even connect.† â€Å"There's something about the first one, though. Something familiar. I could swear I've seen it somewhere before.† I sigh. â€Å"Maybe he told Aunt Maggie. Maybe she got better directions.† â€Å"Maybe,† he says, and continues to stare at Uncle Jeb's squiggles. She dragged me back in time, to a much, much older memory-a memory that had escaped her for a long while. I was surprised to realize that she had only put these memories, the old and the fresh, together recently. After I was here. That was why the lines had slipped through her careful control despite the fact that they were one of the most precious of her secrets-because of the urgency of her discovery. In this blurry early memory, Melanie sat in her father's lap with the same album-not so tattered then-open in her hands. Her hands were tiny, her fingers stubby. It was very strange to remember being a child in this body. They were on the first page. â€Å"Do you remember where this is?† Dad asks, pointing to the old gray picture at the top of the page. The paper looks thinner than the other photographs, as if it has worn down-flatter and flatter and flatter-since some great-great-grandpa took it. â€Å"It's where we Stryders come from,† I answer, repeating what I've been taught. â€Å"Right. That's the old Stryder ranch. You went there once, but I bet you don't remember it. I think you were eighteen months old.† Dad laughs. â€Å"It's been Stryder land since the very beginning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then the memory of the picture itself. A picture she'd looked at a thousand times without ever seeing it. It was black and white, faded to grays. A small rustic wooden house, far away on the other side of a desert field; in the foreground, a split-rail fence; a few equine shapes between the fence and the house. And then, behind it all, the sharp, familiar profile†¦ There were words, a label, scrawled in pencil across the top white border: Stryder Ranch, 1904, in the morning shadow of†¦ â€Å"Picacho Peak,† I said quietly. He'll have figured it out, too, even if they never found Sharon. I know Jared will have put it together. He's smarter than me, and he has the picture; he probably saw the answer before I did. He could be so close†¦ The thought had her so filled with yearning and excitement that the blank wall in my head slipped entirely. I saw the whole journey now, saw her and Jared's and Jamie's careful trek across the country, always by night in their inconspicuous stolen vehicle. It took weeks. I saw where she'd left them in a wooded preserve outside the city, so different from the empty desert they were used to. The cold forest where Jared and Jamie would hide and wait had felt safer in some ways-because the branches were thick and concealing, unlike the spindly desert foliage that hid little-but also more dangerous in its unfamiliar smells and sounds. Then the separation, a memory so painful we skipped through it, flinching. Next came the abandoned building she'd hidden in, watching the house across the street for her chance. There, concealed within the walls or in the secret basement, she hoped to find Sharon. I shouldn't have let you see that, Melanie thought. The faintness of her silent voice gave away her fatigue. The assault of memories, the persuasion and coercion, had tired her. You'll tell them where to find her. You'll kill her, too. â€Å"Yes,† I mused aloud. â€Å"I have to do my duty.† Why? she murmured, almost sleepily. What happiness will it bring you? I didn't want to argue with her, so I said nothing. The mountain loomed larger ahead of us. In moments, we would be beneath it. I could see a little rest stop with a convenience store and a fast food restaurant bordered on one side by a flat, concrete space-a place for mobile homes. There were only a few in residence now, with the heat of the coming summer making things uncomfortable. What now? I wondered. Stop for a late lunch or an early dinner? Fill my gas tank and then continue on to Tucson in order to reveal my fresh discoveries to the Seeker? The thought was so repellent that my jaw locked against the sudden heave of my empty stomach. I slammed on the brake reflexively, screeching to a stop in the middle of the lane. I was lucky; there were no cars to hit me from behind. There were also no drivers to stop and offer their help and concern. For this moment, the highway was empty. The sun beat down on the pavement, making it shimmer, disappear in places. This shouldn't have felt like a betrayal, the idea of continuing on my right and proper course. My first language, the true language of the soul that was spoken only on our planet of origin, had no word for betrayal or traitor. Or even loyalty-because without the existence of an opposite, the concept had no meaning. And yet I felt a deep well of guilt at the very idea of the Seeker. It would be wrong to tell her what I knew. Wrong, how? I countered my own thought viciously. If I stopped here and listened to the seductive suggestions of my host, I would truly be a traitor. That was impossible. I was a soul. And yet I knew what I wanted, more powerfully and vividly than anything I had ever wanted in all the eight lives I'd lived. The image of Jared's face danced behind my eyelids when I blinked against the sun-not Melanie's memory this time, but my memory of hers. She forced nothing on me now. I could barely feel her in my head as she waited-I imagined her holding her breath, as if that were possible-for me to make my decision. I could not separate myself from this body's wants. It was me, more than I'd ever intended it to be. Did I want or did it want? Did that distinction even matter now? In my rearview mirror, the glint of the sun off a distant car caught my eye. I moved my foot to the accelerator, starting slowly toward the little store in the shadow of the peak. There was really only one thing to do.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Special Occasion Speech

Before beginning, I'd like to offer my sincerest gratitude to ChMlotte and Justin for allowing me 10 be pan oflhls special occasion. Aho, I wouJd like to say thank you 10 Charlotte' 1 parenU for . 11 that you've done to make this ! he special day tha! il is. And, of course. my gntefuln~ to Justin' s parentS for all oryour suppon and all that you've done to make this, by all accounts, the perfect day. I love 1 wedding – especially when it happens to such great people. From the moment [ saw you two together, Charlotte, I knew this would happen. Charlotte has been. great rriend in. w many ways. We've come to know one another so wen, that we have an undemanding that goes beyond wOf'ds. We don't judge. and we don't have 10 explain. So. when Clwiotte found her soul-mate, she didn't really have 10 say much to make it clear to me that Justin was the one and only for her. The love in her beart and the joy in ber spirit were obvious from the beginning. I've seen that same Jove and happiness in JUSlin. Charlotte and Justin, I am elCtremely happy for both of you. You truly complement one another. You rod u friends and it evolved into a love that so many people r1U'eIy find today. Love after a1~ doesn't make the world go around †¦ Love is what makes the ride wonhwhile. And it's a wonderful thing when two people who were made for each othefmanage to frnd each other and ! all io love. So, I'd like to make a toast. And I'd like to make it with this thought in mind: If there is such a thing as a good marriage, then it cqmes from unconditional and enduring love that grows from commitment and friendship. So this is to you, Justin and Charlotte, your love Bnd friendship have always been special and your future as busband and wife promises to be bright. Here's to a wonderful, enchanted life together rich with love and happiness . Special Occasion Speech Before beginning, I'd like to offer my sincerest gratitude to ChMlotte and Justin for allowing me 10 be pan oflhls special occasion. Aho, I wouJd like to say thank you 10 Charlotte' 1 parenU for . 11 that you've done to make this ! he special day tha! il is. And, of course. my gntefuln~ to Justin' s parentS for all oryour suppon and all that you've done to make this, by all accounts, the perfect day. I love 1 wedding – especially when it happens to such great people. From the moment [ saw you two together, Charlotte, I knew this would happen. Charlotte has been. great rriend in. w many ways. We've come to know one another so wen, that we have an undemanding that goes beyond wOf'ds. We don't judge. and we don't have 10 explain. So. when Clwiotte found her soul-mate, she didn't really have 10 say much to make it clear to me that Justin was the one and only for her. The love in her beart and the joy in ber spirit were obvious from the beginning. I've seen that same Jove and happiness in JUSlin. Charlotte and Justin, I am elCtremely happy for both of you. You truly complement one another. You rod u friends and it evolved into a love that so many people r1U'eIy find today. Love after a1~ doesn't make the world go around †¦ Love is what makes the ride wonhwhile. And it's a wonderful thing when two people who were made for each othefmanage to frnd each other and ! all io love. So, I'd like to make a toast. And I'd like to make it with this thought in mind: If there is such a thing as a good marriage, then it cqmes from unconditional and enduring love that grows from commitment and friendship. So this is to you, Justin and Charlotte, your love Bnd friendship have always been special and your future as busband and wife promises to be bright. Here's to a wonderful, enchanted life together rich with love and happiness .

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Essays on Plato and Aristotle part 2

Essays on Plato and Aristotle part 2 Essays on Plato and Aristotle part 2 Essays on Plato and Aristotle part 2Essays on Plato and Aristotle part  1Aristotle pays a great portion of attention towards studies of human soul, working out the structure of it. The basis is made with two elements: rational and irrational. Irrational element is the one shared with animals, whereas rational belongs to human beings. It is clear that people need to eat in order to survive in adulthood and to grow in the childhood, thus vegetative faculty belongs to irrational element. Organisms, which do not experience any problems in this relation are said to have nutritional virtue.   The role of the appetitive faculty is more sophisticated, it is responsible for human emotions and desires. This faculty is thus standing between rational and irrational segments; animals are able to experience emotions and desires and it makes it irrational. People in their turn are able not only to experience desires, but to control them with the help of common sense, which makes it rational as well. Exactly this ability to control desires is called morality or moral virtue. â€Å"Aristotle notes that there is a purely rational part of the soul, the calculative, which is responsible for the human ability to contemplate, reason logically, and formulate scientific principles. The mastery of these abilities is called intellectual virtue† (Ferguson, 1972). Aristotle investigated the source of the ability to control the desires and concluded that it comes from practice and learning. However, it is rather important to understand the degree of this control, because over – as well as insufficient control might become the sources of problems. The philosopher compares this process with physical training, when enough training does well to the sportsman and excess of psychical exercises would lead to physical collapse.The virtues, which regulate the desires, according to Aristotle, do not belong to either mental faculties or emotions; rather they are the traits of a char acter. In practice this theory might be applied as in the following example. All people experience fear in various life situations. They should do their best to develop the corresponding response to this feeling. If this response is too little – a person becomes coward; and on the contrary – if it is developed to an extreme – the reactions of such individual would be too rash and unexpected. An important thing here is that the needed rational quantity can not be calculated mathematically. He proves it with a simple example, if to take 200 apples   eating all of them would be too much for a person, at the same time eating zero apples – would be too little, but it doesn’t mean, that eating 100 apples is ok. It is necessary to study the concrete situation in order to conclude, where the needed mean is. Finding the mean between the two extremes is the most difficult task for any individual.The idea of morality is connected to the faculty of moral in sight. â€Å"The truly good person is at the same time a person of perfect insight, and a person of perfect insight is also perfectly good. Our idea of the ultimate end of moral action is developed through habitual experience, and this gradually frames itself out of particular perceptions† (Ferguson, 1972). Moral action is not simply the process of realization of it, neither a result of simple desire, which actually narrows all objects to two groups: those bringing pleasure and those bringing pain. If we are talking about morality, it should be stimulated by desire and controlled by understanding. All the choices, either with good or bad intentions are done with free will. Only those actions might be considered involuntary, which were taken because of other person’s pressure. The views of Aristotle on the notion of morality and the moral choices of people seem to be profound and many-sided. Most of his statements seem to be generally true to life and actual for todayâ €™s society and human beings as well.Aristotle underlined the close connection of politics and ethics, practically naming the politics the verification of ethics. Moral ideas in relation to politics were the same means for achievement of individual happiness, because human beings are in their nature social beings and exist in unions. Thus the smallest units are families, then come cities and finally states. â€Å"The state in fact is no mere local union for the prevention of wrong doing, and the convenience of exchange. It is also no mere institution for the protection of goods and property. It is a genuine moral organization for advancing the development of humans† (Ferguson, 1972). Talking about family relations, Aristotle mentioned the relations between parents and children, husbands and wives and masters and slaves. Slaves here are defined as alive property of their masters and slavery is considered by Aristotle as a kind of natural institution, with the corresponding subdivisions into slaves by nature and those, who became slaves after conquests and wars. Wealth is measured by the quantity of money, or better to say the possibilities to use it. Financial exchange between individuals started with bartering, which further developed into financial relations.If the notions of wealth and finance are more or less acceptable till nowadays, it is necessary to note, that the attitude towards slavery has been changed immensely. Modern societies do not accept any form of slavery and there was a long history for the whole mankind to achieve this goal.Overall, we have studied the general information about the famous philosopher and scientist – Aristotle; discussed his views upon ethics, politics, metaphysics and religion; compared his views to his teacher Plato, as well as commented on their actuality for the modern world and individuals.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Cellphones and Digital Networks

They offer a great amount of convenience, and can be very economically for the busy businessman on the go. Advancements in cell phones are always being made, giving a clearer sound and lighter feel, as well as a longer life. The cell phone industry has been one of the fastest growing in the world. The electronics are fairly simple, but they are so small that they are truly and engineering marvel. This paper will discuss in depth the many different components of the average cell phone, and talk about how it converts your voice into something that can be sent through a digital network. The paper will also look at how the inner workings allow for a phone to act as a microcomputer, with Internet access, address books, and even games. Finally, it will review the many exciting ideas for this growing market and look to the future of the industry, and how the industry plans on overcoming various limiting factors. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, 18 years later Guglielmo Marconi created the first radio. It was only natural that these two great technologies would eventually be combined to create the cellular craze. In the 80’s few people used radiophones, these phones were the precursor to cellular, but they had several limiting factors preventing them from every becoming a major part of everyday society. In the radio telephone system, there was one central antenna tower per major city, and no more than 25 channels available on that tower. Each phone needed a powerful transmitter, big enough to transmit 40 or 50 miles. It also meant that not many people could use radiotelephones due to the lack of channels. With the current cellular system any none adjacent cell can use the same frequency, so the amount of phones that can be used are nearly limitless. These cells also mean that each phone does not need a strong transmitter, so the phone can be a lot smaller. With the innovation of digital phones, many great features are now available, such as caller id, Internet access, and several other new features. It also meant that the phone would need a microprocessor to convert from analog to digital, this complicated the circuitry, but left it with new technology available the industry was able to make the phone as small as possible. The only restriction in size became the user-input devices, and the screen size. Usefulness of the Digital Cell Phone The digital cellular phone offers many advantages to today†s society. The conveniences that it offers over simply not having one are obvious and they vary from person to person. But there are many advantages over other types of phones as well. The cellular phone not only allows people to communicate with others while they are on the go, but it also offers many other features to help people. With the services that digital provides, people can access email and find information almost anywhere in the world for a reasonable fee. In the future, as the integration of phones and computers grow, people will be able to access tutorials in the field, and use them to communicate with specialists saving a great amount of time for many researchers. Today digital cell phones, such as the one shown in Appendix C figure 1, can process millions of calculations per second in order to compress and decompress the voice stream. In order to do this each phone is equipped with a circuit board that contains many different chips. The circuit board of a common phone is shown in Appendix C figure 2. Two chips described earlier are the Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog conversion chips that translate the outgoing audio signal from analog to digital and the incoming signal from digital back to analog. There is also a Digital Signal Processor that is highly customized processor designed to perform signal manipulation calculations at high speed. The microprocessor controls the keyboard and display and deals with command and control signaling with the base station, it also coordinates the rest of the functions on the board. This microprocessor is as powerful as the super computer of the 70’s that took up whole rooms, but is now the size of a finger. By using its arithmetic/logic unit or ALU it can perform all mathematical operation that run many of today features in phones. It is also responsible for the transfer of data throughout the phone. It will also make decisions and then run a new set of instructions. In Appendix C figure 3 a very simple microprocessor is shown. Cell phones use microprocessors that are much more complex, but the use the same idea. The ROM and flash memory chips provide storage for the phone’s operating system and customizable features, such as the directory and various simple games. (Appendix C figure 4) The RF and power section handles power management and recharging, and also deals with the hundreds of FM channels. Finally, the Radio Frequency amplifiers handle signals in and out of the antenna. The Radio Frequency amplifier is the same device as you would find in your car’s radio. The display has grown considerably in size as the number of features offered by cell phones has increased. Most phones currently available offer built-in phone directories, calculators and even games. It some new products that will be discussed later, cell phone counter as PDA’s offering very large screen and offer all of the benefit you would find in today’s hand held computers. The display is a liquid crystal display (LCD). It is made of thousands of tiny crystals with two possible colors. They have recently announced that they will be offering color screens on some new phones that work like the display of a laptop computer. Very small speakers and microphones, about the size of a dime, amplify the analog waves. These devices are just like that of a portable radio and the microphones used on television talk shows. They are both wired to the microprocessor. In order for digital cell phones to take advantage of the added capacity and clearer quality, they must convert your voice into binary information. This means that it must break it down to 1’s and 0’s. The reason that this is so advantageous is that unlike analog, digital is either on or off, 1 or 0, instead of oscillating between the two. For the conversion, the device must first record an analog wave, such as the one in Appendix B figure 1. To create the highest fidelity possible, it records number to represent the wave, instead of the wave itself as represented in Appendix B figure 2. The cell phones analog-to-digital converter, a device that is also found in a CD player, does this process. On the other end a separate digital-to-analog converter is used for playback. The quality of transfer depends on the sampling rate, that controls how many samples are taken per second, and the sampling precision. The precision controls how many different levels are possible in the sample. The better these two are the clearer the sound, but it takes a higher speed processor and requires a greater amount of data transfer. In Appendix B the benefits are shown in figure 3. Most common digital cellular systems use Frequency Shift Keying to send data back and forth. This system uses one frequency for 1’s and another for 0’s and rapidly switching between the two. This requires optimal modulation and encoding schemes for recording, compressing, sending, and then decoding without loss of quality. Because of this digital phones contain an amazing amount of processing power. The cellular network is web of towers covering areas, generally thought of as hexagonal cells as shown in APPENDIX A Figure 1. The genius of the cellular system is because cell phones and base stations use low-power transmitters, so the same frequencies can be reused in non-adjacent cells. Each cell is about 10 square miles and has a base station that consists of a tower and a small building containing the radio equipment. As more people join the cellular world, companies are quickly adding more towers to accommodate them. Every digital carrier is assigned different frequencies, an average carrier may get about 2400 frequencies per city, and this number is about three times the amount as analog. The reason that more channels are available is because digital data can be compressed and manipulated much easier than analog. Each tower uses one seventh of the available frequencies, so none of the surrounding 6 towers interfere. The cell phone uses two frequencies per call, called a duplex channel. The duplex channel allows one channel to be used for listening and the other for talking, so unlike a CB or walkie-talkie, both people can talk at the same time. This system currently allows for about 168 people to talk in each cell, for each system. The cellular approach requires a large number of base stations in a city of any size, but because so many people are using cell phones, costs remain low per user. Every cell phone has a special code associated with it, called an electronic serial number (ESN). It is a unique 32-bit number programmed into the phone when it is manufactured. When the phone is activated another five digit code called a system identification code (SID), a unique 5 digit number that is assigned to each carrier by the FCC, is imprinted in the phones memory. When you first power up a cell phone, it checks a control channel to find the SID. If the phone cannot find any control channels to listen to, it knows it is out of range, and displays a no service message. After finding the SID, the phones check to see if it matches the SID programmed in the phone, and if it does not match it knows that the phone is roaming. The central location that the cell phone is registered to keeps track of the cell that your phone is in, so that it can find you when someone calls the phone. When the phone is turned on it sends its ESN to the control channel. If the phone goes out of range, it will take a short while to locate your phone when it enters back into service. This can cause loss of calls, even though the phone is in service, but this problem is very temporary. When someone does call your phone it is sent to the central tower called the Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO). This office is continually communicating with the cell phone. It sends and receives the calls, as well as telling it what frequencies to use. This is all done through the control channel, so it does not impair any calls. As you move toward the edge of your cell, the cell’s tower will see that your signal strength is diminishing. At the same time, the base station in the cell you are moving toward, which is listening and measuring signal strength on all frequencies, will be able to see your phone’s signal strength increasing. The two base stations coordinate themselves through the MTSO, and at some point, your phone gets a signal on a control channel telling it to change frequencies. There are three common technologies used by cell phone providers. These are Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). In FDMA every call is done on a separate frequency. FDMA separates the spectrum into distinct voice channels by splitting it into uniform chunks of bandwidth. This is very similar to the way that radio stations operate. Each station is assigned a signal at a different frequency within the available band. FDMA is used mainly for analog transmission, so it is slowly being phased out. It is capable of carrying digital information, but it is not considered an efficient method for digital transmission. Time Division Multiple Access gives each call a certain amount of time on a frequency. The Electronics Industry Alliance and the Telecommunications Industry Association use TDMA. In TDMA, a narrow bandwidth that is 30 kHz wide and 6. 7 milliseconds long is split time-wise into three time slots. (Appendix D, figure 1) Each conversation gets the radio frequency for one-third of the time. This is possible because voice data that has been converted to digital information is compressed so that it takes up significantly less transmission space. Therefore, TDMA has three times the capacity of an analog system using the same number of channels. TDMA systems operate in either the 800 MHz or 1900 MHz frequency bands. Some phones have the ability to switch between bands. This function is called simply Dual-Band, and is important when traveling between different band frequencies. TDMA is also the access technology for Global System for Mobile communications. The Global system uses different frequencies in different areas of the world and is not compatible with other TDMA systems. GSM operates in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands in Europe and Asia and in the 1900 MHz band in the United States. GSM systems use encryption to make phone calls more secure. GSM is the international standard in Europe, Australia and much of Asia and Africa. In covered areas, cell-phone-users can buy one phone that will work anywhere else the standard is supported. To connect to the specific service providers in these different countries, GSM-users simply switch SIM cards. SIM cards are small removable disks that slip in and out of GSM cell phones. They store all the connection data and identification numbers you need to access a particular wireless service provider. Unfortunately, the 1900 MHz GSM phones used in the United States are not compatible with the international system. Cellphones and Digital Networks They offer a great amount of convenience, and can be very economically for the busy businessman on the go. Advancements in cell phones are always being made, giving a clearer sound and lighter feel, as well as a longer life. The cell phone industry has been one of the fastest growing in the world. The electronics are fairly simple, but they are so small that they are truly and engineering marvel. This paper will discuss in depth the many different components of the average cell phone, and talk about how it converts your voice into something that can be sent through a digital network. The paper will also look at how the inner workings allow for a phone to act as a microcomputer, with Internet access, address books, and even games. Finally, it will review the many exciting ideas for this growing market and look to the future of the industry, and how the industry plans on overcoming various limiting factors. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, 18 years later Guglielmo Marconi created the first radio. It was only natural that these two great technologies would eventually be combined to create the cellular craze. In the 80’s few people used radiophones, these phones were the precursor to cellular, but they had several limiting factors preventing them from every becoming a major part of everyday society. In the radio telephone system, there was one central antenna tower per major city, and no more than 25 channels available on that tower. Each phone needed a powerful transmitter, big enough to transmit 40 or 50 miles. It also meant that not many people could use radiotelephones due to the lack of channels. With the current cellular system any none adjacent cell can use the same frequency, so the amount of phones that can be used are nearly limitless. These cells also mean that each phone does not need a strong transmitter, so the phone can be a lot smaller. With the innovation of digital phones, many great features are now available, such as caller id, Internet access, and several other new features. It also meant that the phone would need a microprocessor to convert from analog to digital, this complicated the circuitry, but left it with new technology available the industry was able to make the phone as small as possible. The only restriction in size became the user-input devices, and the screen size. Usefulness of the Digital Cell Phone The digital cellular phone offers many advantages to today†s society. The conveniences that it offers over simply not having one are obvious and they vary from person to person. But there are many advantages over other types of phones as well. The cellular phone not only allows people to communicate with others while they are on the go, but it also offers many other features to help people. With the services that digital provides, people can access email and find information almost anywhere in the world for a reasonable fee. In the future, as the integration of phones and computers grow, people will be able to access tutorials in the field, and use them to communicate with specialists saving a great amount of time for many researchers. Today digital cell phones, such as the one shown in Appendix C figure 1, can process millions of calculations per second in order to compress and decompress the voice stream. In order to do this each phone is equipped with a circuit board that contains many different chips. The circuit board of a common phone is shown in Appendix C figure 2. Two chips described earlier are the Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog conversion chips that translate the outgoing audio signal from analog to digital and the incoming signal from digital back to analog. There is also a Digital Signal Processor that is highly customized processor designed to perform signal manipulation calculations at high speed. The microprocessor controls the keyboard and display and deals with command and control signaling with the base station, it also coordinates the rest of the functions on the board. This microprocessor is as powerful as the super computer of the 70’s that took up whole rooms, but is now the size of a finger. By using its arithmetic/logic unit or ALU it can perform all mathematical operation that run many of today features in phones. It is also responsible for the transfer of data throughout the phone. It will also make decisions and then run a new set of instructions. In Appendix C figure 3 a very simple microprocessor is shown. Cell phones use microprocessors that are much more complex, but the use the same idea. The ROM and flash memory chips provide storage for the phone’s operating system and customizable features, such as the directory and various simple games. (Appendix C figure 4) The RF and power section handles power management and recharging, and also deals with the hundreds of FM channels. Finally, the Radio Frequency amplifiers handle signals in and out of the antenna. The Radio Frequency amplifier is the same device as you would find in your car’s radio. The display has grown considerably in size as the number of features offered by cell phones has increased. Most phones currently available offer built-in phone directories, calculators and even games. It some new products that will be discussed later, cell phone counter as PDA’s offering very large screen and offer all of the benefit you would find in today’s hand held computers. The display is a liquid crystal display (LCD). It is made of thousands of tiny crystals with two possible colors. They have recently announced that they will be offering color screens on some new phones that work like the display of a laptop computer. Very small speakers and microphones, about the size of a dime, amplify the analog waves. These devices are just like that of a portable radio and the microphones used on television talk shows. They are both wired to the microprocessor. In order for digital cell phones to take advantage of the added capacity and clearer quality, they must convert your voice into binary information. This means that it must break it down to 1’s and 0’s. The reason that this is so advantageous is that unlike analog, digital is either on or off, 1 or 0, instead of oscillating between the two. For the conversion, the device must first record an analog wave, such as the one in Appendix B figure 1. To create the highest fidelity possible, it records number to represent the wave, instead of the wave itself as represented in Appendix B figure 2. The cell phones analog-to-digital converter, a device that is also found in a CD player, does this process. On the other end a separate digital-to-analog converter is used for playback. The quality of transfer depends on the sampling rate, that controls how many samples are taken per second, and the sampling precision. The precision controls how many different levels are possible in the sample. The better these two are the clearer the sound, but it takes a higher speed processor and requires a greater amount of data transfer. In Appendix B the benefits are shown in figure 3. Most common digital cellular systems use Frequency Shift Keying to send data back and forth. This system uses one frequency for 1’s and another for 0’s and rapidly switching between the two. This requires optimal modulation and encoding schemes for recording, compressing, sending, and then decoding without loss of quality. Because of this digital phones contain an amazing amount of processing power. The cellular network is web of towers covering areas, generally thought of as hexagonal cells as shown in APPENDIX A Figure 1. The genius of the cellular system is because cell phones and base stations use low-power transmitters, so the same frequencies can be reused in non-adjacent cells. Each cell is about 10 square miles and has a base station that consists of a tower and a small building containing the radio equipment. As more people join the cellular world, companies are quickly adding more towers to accommodate them. Every digital carrier is assigned different frequencies, an average carrier may get about 2400 frequencies per city, and this number is about three times the amount as analog. The reason that more channels are available is because digital data can be compressed and manipulated much easier than analog. Each tower uses one seventh of the available frequencies, so none of the surrounding 6 towers interfere. The cell phone uses two frequencies per call, called a duplex channel. The duplex channel allows one channel to be used for listening and the other for talking, so unlike a CB or walkie-talkie, both people can talk at the same time. This system currently allows for about 168 people to talk in each cell, for each system. The cellular approach requires a large number of base stations in a city of any size, but because so many people are using cell phones, costs remain low per user. Every cell phone has a special code associated with it, called an electronic serial number (ESN). It is a unique 32-bit number programmed into the phone when it is manufactured. When the phone is activated another five digit code called a system identification code (SID), a unique 5 digit number that is assigned to each carrier by the FCC, is imprinted in the phones memory. When you first power up a cell phone, it checks a control channel to find the SID. If the phone cannot find any control channels to listen to, it knows it is out of range, and displays a no service message. After finding the SID, the phones check to see if it matches the SID programmed in the phone, and if it does not match it knows that the phone is roaming. The central location that the cell phone is registered to keeps track of the cell that your phone is in, so that it can find you when someone calls the phone. When the phone is turned on it sends its ESN to the control channel. If the phone goes out of range, it will take a short while to locate your phone when it enters back into service. This can cause loss of calls, even though the phone is in service, but this problem is very temporary. When someone does call your phone it is sent to the central tower called the Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO). This office is continually communicating with the cell phone. It sends and receives the calls, as well as telling it what frequencies to use. This is all done through the control channel, so it does not impair any calls. As you move toward the edge of your cell, the cell’s tower will see that your signal strength is diminishing. At the same time, the base station in the cell you are moving toward, which is listening and measuring signal strength on all frequencies, will be able to see your phone’s signal strength increasing. The two base stations coordinate themselves through the MTSO, and at some point, your phone gets a signal on a control channel telling it to change frequencies. There are three common technologies used by cell phone providers. These are Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). In FDMA every call is done on a separate frequency. FDMA separates the spectrum into distinct voice channels by splitting it into uniform chunks of bandwidth. This is very similar to the way that radio stations operate. Each station is assigned a signal at a different frequency within the available band. FDMA is used mainly for analog transmission, so it is slowly being phased out. It is capable of carrying digital information, but it is not considered an efficient method for digital transmission. Time Division Multiple Access gives each call a certain amount of time on a frequency. The Electronics Industry Alliance and the Telecommunications Industry Association use TDMA. In TDMA, a narrow bandwidth that is 30 kHz wide and 6. 7 milliseconds long is split time-wise into three time slots. (Appendix D, figure 1) Each conversation gets the radio frequency for one-third of the time. This is possible because voice data that has been converted to digital information is compressed so that it takes up significantly less transmission space. Therefore, TDMA has three times the capacity of an analog system using the same number of channels. TDMA systems operate in either the 800 MHz or 1900 MHz frequency bands. Some phones have the ability to switch between bands. This function is called simply Dual-Band, and is important when traveling between different band frequencies. TDMA is also the access technology for Global System for Mobile communications. The Global system uses different frequencies in different areas of the world and is not compatible with other TDMA systems. GSM operates in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands in Europe and Asia and in the 1900 MHz band in the United States. GSM systems use encryption to make phone calls more secure. GSM is the international standard in Europe, Australia and much of Asia and Africa. In covered areas, cell-phone-users can buy one phone that will work anywhere else the standard is supported. To connect to the specific service providers in these different countries, GSM-users simply switch SIM cards. SIM cards are small removable disks that slip in and out of GSM cell phones. They store all the connection data and identification numbers you need to access a particular wireless service provider. Unfortunately, the 1900 MHz GSM phones used in the United States are not compatible with the international system.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Conducting a Marketing Analysis for Starbucks UK' Essay

Conducting a Marketing Analysis for Starbucks UK' - Essay Example The company’s management acted promptly, under the leaderships of the CEO Schultz, to resolve internal weaknesses and to adapt to the changing external market environment to ensure the survival of the organization in this industry. The survival of the company in tough market environment depends on the ability of the managers to target new market segments and redesign their products to suit the contemporary market needs. Over the past ten years, the food and beverages industry has shown an exponential growth and the same is expected in future. Currently, the food and drinks market is valued at about $35 billion and the projection shows that this is bound to rise. By the year 2020, the food and beverages industry is expected to have a total value of $60.0 billion. This growth trend of this industry can be linked with the rising demand of these products and services due to increased rise in social class and growth of population (United Kingdom Food & Drink Report, 2014). However, it is clear that the demand for food and beverages in rising in the developing markets such as India more than in settled economies such as the US. Unfortunately, the competition in the food and drinks and beverages is becoming a great threat to this business. The main competitors included McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts, Costa Coffee, Pete’s coffee and mom and pop coffee stores. Over time, the company has faced a strong competition from Costa Coffee, Nestle, Caribou Coffee Company and the Coffee Roasters. This competition has been accelerated by the poor pricing strategies that Starbuck continues to use over its history. The company’s weakness exists in its inability to effect positive price reduction strategies in markets where price is a major influence of demand (Cardenal, 2012). High prices of products have given the company a bad reputation and promises to be limiting factor in the future of this company. Another weakness