American Companies & Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Companies & Globalization - Essay Example The economy of the country has experienced slow growth in the recent past in spite of being the largest single market of the world. The success of the operating organizations depends on the situation that is prevailing within the country and abroad. The multinationals are much more interested in drawing their strategies keeping into account the global perspective. The activity of foreign affiliations is indeed a complement for the key parent activities in the country in terms of employment, compensations towards workers and capital investment. In order to operate globally it is required or the organizations to expand as well as integrate the foreign activities as such activities cannot be substituted. The expansion by the U.S. parents along with the affiliates contributes to increase the productivity and also contributes to improve the standard of living of all Americans. The rising concerns for the U.S. multinationals are mainly focused on the competitiveness. The success of the mul tinationals is very important as these companies have been productive for a long time and form the pillars of economic strength. The companies are engaged in serving the fast growing markets abroad. The following figure reports the share of the private sector economic activities of U.S. that is accounted for by U.S. parents. It can be depicted from the figure above that parent companies of United States perform large shares of the productivity of America which tends to enhance the activities paving the path for high average compensation for the workers of the country. Accessing the foreign consumers is one of the drivers for the global engagements of the U.S. multinationals. The new customers can contribute in strengthening the revenues of the companies as well as the profitability of the company will witness the upward rising curve. The Statistics show a variation in the rate of GDP over the periods. One can held the evolving size of the national markets and the perspective of the consumers as the reason. When a U.S. multinational operates globally, the company can take hold of foreign currencies which they can divert into the economy of the residing country. Therefore, the economy boosts up with foreign inflow and thereby the company contributes in improving the economic structure of the country as a whole. The multinationals involved in producing goods and services are also engaged in exploration of resources and extraction. Following the policy of diversifying the products and global engagements, the U.S. multinationals are reducing the risk of crisis since a slowdown in one of the countries can be nullified by prosperity in the other. Therefore, indirectly, the economy of the country is as well enjoying a shield against the turbulences. The multinationals also contribute in increasing the exports of the country. The Balance of Payments of the country improves being the resultant. The integrated operations that the multinationals follow across borders stim ulate the exports potential of the country. Let us take the example of IBM. Even today when U.S. remains as the largest single market the company earns more than two-thirds of the total profits from abroad. A great deal of sales accrues from the exports of U.S. or the products which are produced or designed in the country. The company annually brings the economy billions of dollars from its global operations. In the last two years, the company repatriated more than 20 billion dollars

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Essay Example for Free

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Essay I have chosen to build a temple for Poseidon in the city-state of Athens. The reason this temple is in Athens is because according to the Greek myth on the website Mr. Donn, the contest of Poseidon and Athena, the two gods compete to prove they are worthy of guarding that city-state. Athena gets the honor to guard that city-state because Poseidon thinks her gift is much better than his, but still is unhappy. To show his unhappiness, he flooded Athens. So, to show thanks to allowing her to be their guardian, I made this temple in honor of Poseidon. Additionally, Poseidon likes receiving temples and gifts from the city-states, especially the coastal city-states, like Athens, since those are closer to his true royal underwater palace. In this temple made especially for Poseidon, I have included some features that would be found in his royal underwater palace. This includes the decorative columns, fountains, and shells to add decoration to his palace above water. In the model of the temple and the drawing, I focused on only one room, the most important room to Poseidon. In this room, there is Poseidons throne, his Tridents holder and a royal fountain with sparkling blue water. He has a view of the city-state of Athens, and of the Aegean Sea. Poseidon will truly be pleased by this temple for many reasons. First of all, he will be pleased because the temple is on a peninsula where he can gaze out to the Aegean Sea. At the same time, he will still be close enough to Mount Olympus so he can travel faster when needed at a meeting of the council of gods. Also, Poseidon will be able to have a private place where he can map out what city-states he still has to take guard over. This would be important to him because he wants to be the guard of the most city-states to prove hes the mightiest.

Understanding of the Self Essay -- Compare Contrast Psychology Essays

Understanding of the Self INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The social constructionist perspective holds the view that the self is continuing "shaped and reshaped through interactions with others and involvement in social and cultural activities" (Wetherell & Maybin, 1996, p 220). Social constructionist is concerned with explicating the processes by which people come to describe, explain, or otherwise account for the world (including themselves) in which they live (Gergen, 1971). Thus, the social constructionist approach implies that the self is shaped by social interaction within historical, cultural and social contexts. Social constructionist's apply an analysis of societal level which explain the self through social relations. Conversely, the psychodynamic perspective approach emphasises that much of the self of what we are driven by is hidden away in the unconscious and a battle for control takes place between the id, ego and superego. It is a very important point as it suggests that our internal representations of the world could be based on some innate propensities and these of course are unconscious. This interrelationship between world and the unconscious seek to rationalise that a self is produced through the internalization of the introjections of external people (Thomas, 1996). The essay will provide a brief introduction to the theory of the self as presented by both perspectives, then compare and evaluate the explanation offered by them. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST AND PSYCHODYMIC PERSPECTIVE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ethnographic accounts of incongruent cultures as provided by anthropologist are used to defend the argument that the self is socially constructed through socialisation processes (Sapsford, 1996). For example, Markus and Kitayama proposed that with the existence of social influence, there is a greater sense of autonomy in western cultures as compared to the eastern (Wetherell & Maybin, 1996). Therefore, the social constructionist point of view is that our personal private worlds are fused with our external environment's social contact. On the other hand, the self will continue to develop through the utilization of multiple internalisation's of social identities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harre believes that this internalisation can occur through language, linguistic practices and conversations. Language can be used for internal symbolisation. (Wetherell and Maybin, 1996). In ... ...y. The different levels of analysis require different methods; the social constructionist emphasizes on cultural studies of anthropologists whereas the psychodynamic focuses on psychoanalysis to explain subjective experiences. Both views concur that internalisation of others is a vital aspect for the development of self identity, which in actual fact is not a unitary self but the buildup of the fragments of others. The social constructionist's postulates that others are internalised through conversations and language influences, which leads to the generalization of others, to become internalised as our self identity. Mead and Vygotsky, however do not propose that self identity is totally developed from the external society, but instead attributes its development to the varying degrees of people interactions with the wider society. As such, our inner world is converged and dispersed to the wider society. On the other hand, the psychodynamic view recognizes that fragmentation of on e self is unavoidable, which will stimulate unconscious disagreement, only to be dealt with defence mechanisms within. This will eventually produce a self identity which is either incomplete or distorted. Understanding of the Self Essay -- Compare Contrast Psychology Essays Understanding of the Self INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The social constructionist perspective holds the view that the self is continuing "shaped and reshaped through interactions with others and involvement in social and cultural activities" (Wetherell & Maybin, 1996, p 220). Social constructionist is concerned with explicating the processes by which people come to describe, explain, or otherwise account for the world (including themselves) in which they live (Gergen, 1971). Thus, the social constructionist approach implies that the self is shaped by social interaction within historical, cultural and social contexts. Social constructionist's apply an analysis of societal level which explain the self through social relations. Conversely, the psychodynamic perspective approach emphasises that much of the self of what we are driven by is hidden away in the unconscious and a battle for control takes place between the id, ego and superego. It is a very important point as it suggests that our internal representations of the world could be based on some innate propensities and these of course are unconscious. This interrelationship between world and the unconscious seek to rationalise that a self is produced through the internalization of the introjections of external people (Thomas, 1996). The essay will provide a brief introduction to the theory of the self as presented by both perspectives, then compare and evaluate the explanation offered by them. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST AND PSYCHODYMIC PERSPECTIVE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ethnographic accounts of incongruent cultures as provided by anthropologist are used to defend the argument that the self is socially constructed through socialisation processes (Sapsford, 1996). For example, Markus and Kitayama proposed that with the existence of social influence, there is a greater sense of autonomy in western cultures as compared to the eastern (Wetherell & Maybin, 1996). Therefore, the social constructionist point of view is that our personal private worlds are fused with our external environment's social contact. On the other hand, the self will continue to develop through the utilization of multiple internalisation's of social identities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Harre believes that this internalisation can occur through language, linguistic practices and conversations. Language can be used for internal symbolisation. (Wetherell and Maybin, 1996). In ... ...y. The different levels of analysis require different methods; the social constructionist emphasizes on cultural studies of anthropologists whereas the psychodynamic focuses on psychoanalysis to explain subjective experiences. Both views concur that internalisation of others is a vital aspect for the development of self identity, which in actual fact is not a unitary self but the buildup of the fragments of others. The social constructionist's postulates that others are internalised through conversations and language influences, which leads to the generalization of others, to become internalised as our self identity. Mead and Vygotsky, however do not propose that self identity is totally developed from the external society, but instead attributes its development to the varying degrees of people interactions with the wider society. As such, our inner world is converged and dispersed to the wider society. On the other hand, the psychodynamic view recognizes that fragmentation of on e self is unavoidable, which will stimulate unconscious disagreement, only to be dealt with defence mechanisms within. This will eventually produce a self identity which is either incomplete or distorted.

A History of Bravery and Conflict Essay

Although many protest against the SWAT team’s use of force, history shows how vital it is for SWAT teams to wield more power than standard police officers. SWAT officers have captured and killed criminals who could not be stopped by conventional methods. Without them, incidents such as the Texas Tower Massacre might occur with more frequency and with a greater number of casualties. Therefore, the SWAT team ought to be applauded for its power of protection and not hampered in its duties.? Although many note that specialized weapons and tactics were used as early as the time of the civil war, special SWAT teams were not created until much later. Chris Pizzo cites William E. Fairbain as the creator of the first SWAT team. Fairbain organized his specialized teams, the Shanghai Municipal Police Force, to defend against riots, guerilla attacks and terrorists in the 1920s. Fairbain’s men were the first police group to use automatic weapons, carbines and high-powered rifles. They also used body armor, armed motorcycles, and chemicals to repel attackers. They countered snipers, used martial arts, and excelled at hand-to-hand combat. While Fairbain’s men originally worked in Shanghai, they brought their methods back to the United States (Pizzo, 2007). In Los Angeles, the need for teams with specialized weapons and tactics was made evident in 1965, when Marquette Frye, a black man, was arrested for driving while intoxicated. His mother tried to stop the arrest, and drew a crowd. The event sparked anger and rioting against policemen in Los Angeles. According to Lee W. Minikus, the rioters threw rocks and gigantic pieces of concrete at patrol officers. The officers were armed only with eleven shotguns – one per car, and batons. After being attacked, they used their batons on the rioters to defend themselves. According to Minikus, â€Å"They were not rioters, as far as I’m concerned, they were gangsters. † The officer’s neighbors, some white, some Latino, defended his wife and children, holding rifles on their front porches. The riots left 25 blacks and nine whites dead. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 others were injured. Rioters burnt businesses to ash and damaged more than 600 properties. Ironically, Minikus and Marquette remained friends after the incident (Reitman & Landsberg, 2005). In the summer of 1966, America’s need for SWAT teams became even clearer when a tragedy struck Texas. A disturbed engineering student and former marine, Charles Whitman, killed his wife and parents, then climbed to a tower on the University of Austin’s campus and began shooting down students. Whitman allowed others to get close enough to aid the wounded victims, and then shot the would-be rescuers as well. He even shot an eight months pregnant woman in the stomach, killing her baby. When police arrived on the scene, they had to plan to reach Whitman or to help the victims. Some tried to bring him down with an airplane, but were repelled by his gunfire. Eventually, the officers were able to bring Whitman down by using an underground tunnel. When they reached Whitman, he fired on them. They returned fire and finally ended Whitman’s attack (Snow, 1996). The tower massacre lead police to the realization that they needed to be more prepared for such attacks. Meanwhile, after the Watts riots, several snipers shot innocent civilians and police were not able to respond efficiently to such disasters. The Los Angeles Police Department was the first to find a way to respond (LAPD, 2008). Officer John Nelson, supported by inspector Darryl Gates, came up with a special weapons and tactics squad, which would enlist a small group of extremely disciplined officers to handle the most challenging and unusual problems faced by the force. The original LAPD SWAT team consisted of fifteen men, who had both police and military experience. They operated once a month, or when they were actually needed. By the 1970s, however, SWAT teams operated on a full-time basis in larger cities. In 1971, they officially adopted the name of SWAT (Snow, 1996).

Branding Essay

Case Study 1: Transaction pricing in a recessionary economy Our client is an FMCG major that sells its products across many large and small retailers. The client is facing pressure from one such large retailer to cut prices across brands and categories. The client is therefore losing money on several products. Our client would like to use analytics to bring in some science into the pricing decision. Our analysis should help the client decide what pricing strategies should be applied to each product. How would you approach this analysis? The data available is weekly price and volume data for all client brands at the retailer for a period of 2 years. Case Study 2: Managing extreme seasonality Our brand is a high end lifestyle brand, famous globally. They however, face an issue of seasonal sales, with over 60% of their sales coming in the holiday period. They would like to understand how best to ensure sales in non seasonal periods as well and make the sales curve more even. Data available includes volume and values sales and usage and attitude studies. Case Study 3: NPD (own label) at a supermarket chain A leading supermarket chain wants to expand its limited portfolio of RTE food products. Transaction data for the past 1 year is available. How would you go about understanding the type of products to be introduced? What is the launch strategy for the products chosen? Case Study 4: Acquisition vs New product development A food major in the market with no chips brand in its portfolio. A decision has been made at the board level to either acquire an existing brand or launch a new one in this space. You are in charge of implementing this. 1. How will you take the decision on acquisition vs. new product development? Which metrics would you evaluate, what analysis would you perform & what data would you require? 2. If you decide to acquire a brand, how would you choose among the existing brands? What info do you require on each brand to make this call? a. Any intangible factors that would influence your valuation of existing brands? In case you decide to launch a new brand, how would you go about it? How would you decide the desired new brand characteristics and the associated marketing mix? Case Study 5: Analyzing brand performance A chips brand has recently been launched, but its performance has not been too good. The large promotional investments put in have not yielded lasting returns. You are told to investigate what’s wrong with the brand. 1. What data would you request to complete your investigation in this case? 2. Can you talk about your analysis roadmap in this scenario? What possible corrective actions would you suggest (you are free to make relevant assumptions on the diagnosis)? Case Study 6: Heritage brand with stagnating growth A very old chips brand (kind of like a heritage brand) is faced with stagnating growth. It continues to perform reasonably well on key equity parameters, and there is no decline compared to previous years. 1. How do you read the situation? What data would you require to make an accurate diagnosis of the issue? What are the potential corrective actions you would suggest? How would you decide between the various options?

AcidsBases essays

AcidsBases essays What substances turned into Acids? Pour about three milliliters of your sample in each of three test tubes. Pour the same amount on a watch glass. In the first test tube put in two drops of methyl orange and record the color. In the second test tube, put in two drops of bromothymol blue and record the color. In the third test tube, add two drops of phenothalein and record the color. Using the watch glass sample, touch the tips of a red and a blue litmus paper and record the colors. Then touch the tip of a piece of pH Paper and record the color and match the color to the chart and record the pH. Methyl O Bromothymol B Phenothalein R Litmus B Litmus pH Paper Color Congo R AA- orange/red yellow clear red red pink(1) purple OJ- red/orange yellow yellow red pink Orange(4) purple HA- red yellow clear red red red(2) purple Bleach-orange yellow clear red red orange(4) purple Vinegar-red yellow clear red red red(1) purple SH-orange blue red blue blue brown(12) orange Mouth wash-red yellow/green sky blue red red red(1) purple Lemon J-red yellow clear red red red(2) purple Windex-Orange blue clear red blue orange(6) red Plax-orange blue lilac red ...

6 summer job opportunities for teachers -TheJobNetwork

6 summer job opportunities for teachers -TheJobNetwork One of the perks of committing your life to the noble profession of teaching is the prospect of a summer off. Yet, many new teachers soon learn that not working during July and August isn’t financially possible. Others just get bored and crave the daily stimulation that comes with holding down a job. No matter what your reason is for taking on summer work, there are quite a few jobs that take advantage of the teaching skills you put to use from September through June. 1. TutorTutoring is probably the most obvious after-school job for teachers; in fact, you might even already provide after-school tutoring sessions for your students. One-on-one instruction can also provide a welcome alternative to the September–June routine if you decide to tutor in a subject different from the one you usually teach. Tutoring tends to pay very well- in the range of $30 to $100 per hour.2. ESL teacherIf you are a foreign language teacher or a multilingual English teacher, a job teaching En glish as a Second Language may be a good fit for you. Like tutoring positions, ESL jobs tend to be one-on-one situations, giving you a break from the difficulties of managing an entire class. You’d also be performing a very valuable service by helping someone communicate better in a country that is still dominantly English-speaking. Part-time ESL teachers tend to make up to $24 per hour.3. Test-prep teacherMost American students are expected to perform well on standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT in order to progress through the educational system. While the classroom is becoming more and more geared toward preparing students for such tests, most students still do the majority of their test prep outside of normal class hours.Since summer is the ideal time for students to get ready for the tests they are required to take, it is also the ideal time for teachers to lead such classes. Instructors for companies such as Kaplan earn about $24 per hour.4. Summer learning program teacherFor many kids, summer learning loss can be a real problem- students forget what they learned during the school year while taking it easy over a long vacation. Summer learning programs can help reduce learning loss by keeping kids in the swing of using their brains. Companies such as Catapult Learning are dedicated to keeping the educational ball rolling during summer months, and they need teachers like you to do the job. The pay is competitive, too- teachers can even earn up to $1,000 a week, depending on the program and subject.5. Camp counselorSo we’ve been focusing a lot on teaching here, but maybe you just need a break from that kind of work for a couple of months a year. Fair enough. You can still take advantage of your ability to communicate with and organize kids as a camp counselor. The activities you plan and perform in the great outdoors may be the perfect alternative to teaching in a cramped classroom during the chillier months. The average camp counselor o nly makes $230 per week, but that figure rises to $310 for head counselors.6. Tour guideLike counseling campers, guiding tours is in the vicinity of teaching without duplicating the work you have to do most of the year. The outdoor parks or sites and museum environments in which tour guides work provide a pleasant break from the typical classroom, yet you’d still be addressing and instructing groups of people. Since there is a wide variety in the kinds of places through which you might guide a tour, there is wide variation in how much you could get paid as a tour guide. The average ranges from $50–$150 per day, which can be a nice supplement to your usual teaching salary.

Biography of Queen Elizabeth I, Virgin Queen of England

Biography of Queen Elizabeth I, Virgin Queen of England Elizabeth I (Born Princess Elizabeth; September 7, 1533–March 24, 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 1558 to 1603, the last of the Tudor monarchs. She never married and consciously styled herself as the Virgin Queen, wedded to the nation. Her reign was marked by immense growth for England, especially in world power and cultural influence. Fast Facts: Queen Elizabeth I Known For:  Queen of England from 1558–1603, known for defeating the Spanish Armada and encouraging cultural growthAlso Known As:  Princess Elizabeth, the Virgin QueenBorn:  September 7, 1533 in Greenwich, EnglandParents: King Henry VIII and Anne BoleynDied:  March 24, 1603 in Richmond, EnglandEducation: Educated by William Grindal and Roger Ascham, among othersPublished Works:  Letters, speeches, and poems (collected in modern times in the volume, Elizabeth I: Collected WorksNotable Quote: I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king and of a king of England too.† Early Life On September 7, 1533,  Anne Boleyn, then Queen of England, gave birth to the Princess Elizabeth. She was baptized three days later and was named after her paternal grandmother,  Elizabeth of York. The princesss arrival was a bitter disappointment, as her parents had been certain that she would be a boy, the son  Henry VIII  so desperately wanted and had married Anne to have. Elizabeth rarely saw her mother and before she was 3, Anne Boleyn was executed on trumped-up charges of adultery and treason. The marriage was declared invalid and Elizabeth was then declared illegitimate, as her half-sister,  Mary, had been, and reduced to the title of Lady instead of Princess. Despite this, Elizabeth was educated under some of the most highly regarded educators of the time, including William Grindal and Roger Ascham. By the time she had reached her teens, Elizabeth knew Latin, Greek, French, and Italian. She was also a talented musician, able to play the spinet and lute. She even composed a little. Restored to the Line of Succession After Henry fathered a son, an act of Parliament in 1543 restored  Mary  and Elizabeth to the line of succession, though it did not restore their legitimacy. When Henry died in 1547, Edward, his only son, succeeded to the throne. Elizabeth went to live with Henry’s widow,  Catherine Parr. When Parr became pregnant in 1548, she sent Elizabeth away to set up her own household, following incidents of her husband, Thomas Seymour, apparently attempting to groom or seduce Elizabeth. After Parr’s death in 1548, Seymour began scheming to achieve more power and secretly plotted to marry Elizabeth. After he was executed for treason, Elizabeth experienced her first brush with scandal and had to endure rigorous investigation. After the scandal passed, Elizabeth spent the rest of her brother’s reign living quietly and respectably,   A Focal Point for Discontent Edward VI attempted to disinherit both his sisters, favoring his cousin  Lady Jane Grey for the throne. However, he did so without the backing of Parliament and his will was patently illegal, as well as unpopular. After his death in 1533, Mary succeeded to the throne and Elizabeth joined her triumphant procession.  Unfortunately, Elizabeth soon lost favor with her Catholic sister, likely due to English Protestants seeing her as an alternative to Mary. Because Mary wed her Catholic cousin,  Philip II of Spain, Thomas Wyatt (the son of one of Anne Boleyns friends) led a rebellion, which Mary blamed on Elizabeth. She sent Elizabeth to the Tower of London, where criminals including Elizabeths mother had awaited execution. With no evidence found against her, and Queen Mary’s husband viewing her as an asset for a political marriage, Elizabeth avoided execution and was released. Mary suffered a false pregnancy in 1555, leaving Elizabeth all but certain to inherit. Elizabeth I Becomes Queen Mary died on November 17, 1558, and Elizabeth inherited the throne, the third and final of Henry VIII’s children to do so. Her procession into London and coronation were masterpieces of political statement and planning, and her accession was treated warmly by many in England who hoped for greater religious toleration. Elizabeth quickly assembled a Privy Council and promoted a number of key advisors: One, William Cecil (later Lord Burghley), was appointed principal secretary. Their partnership would prove to be fruitful and he remained in her service for 40 years. The Marriage Question One question that dogged Elizabeth, particularly in the early part of her reign, was the question of succession. Numerous times, the parliament presented her with official requests that she marry. Most of the English population hoped that marriage would solve the problem of a woman ruling. Women were not believed to be capable of leading forces into battle. Their mental powers were considered to be inferior to men.  Men often gave Elizabeth unsolicited advice, particularly in regards to the will of God, which only men were believed to be able to interpret. Elizabeth I’s Image Despite the frustration, Elizabeth governed with her head. She knew how to use courtship as a useful political tool, and she wielded it masterfully. Throughout her life, Elizabeth had a variety of suitors. The closest she came to marriage was likely with longtime friend Robert Dudley, but that hope ended when his first wife died mysteriously and Elizabeth had to distance herself from scandal. In the end, she refused to marry and also refused to name a political successor. Elizabeth cultivated the image of herself as the Virgin Queen wedded to her kingdom, and her speeches made great use of romantic languages, such as love, in defining her role. The campaign was entirely successful, maintaining Elizabeth as one of England’s best-loved monarchs. Religion Elizabeth’s reign marked a change from Mary’s Catholicism and a return to the policies of Henry VIII, whereby the English monarch was head of an English church. The Act of Supremacy in 1559 began a process of gradual reform, effectively creating the Church of England. As part of her path of reform in the church, Elizabeth famously declared that she would tolerate all but the  most radical sects.  She demanded only outward obedience, unwilling to force consciences. This wasn’t enough for more extreme Protestants, and Elizabeth faced criticism from them. Mary, Queen of Scots and Catholic Intrigue Elizabeth’s decision to adopt Protestantism earned her condemnation from the pope, who gave permission for her subjects to disobey and even kill her. This inflamed numerous plots against Elizabeth’s life, a situation exacerbated by Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary Stuart, Elizabeth’s Catholic cousin, was the granddaughter of Henry’s sister and was seen by many to be a Catholic heir to the throne. In 1568, Mary fled Scotland after her marriage to Lord Darnley ended in murder and a suspicious remarriage,  and she begged for Elizabeths help to be restored to power. Elizabeth didn’t want to return Mary to full power in Scotland, but she didn’t want the Scots to execute her, either. She kept Mary in confinement for 19 years, but her presence in England proved to be detrimental to the precarious religious balance within the country, as Catholics used her as a rallying point. Mary was the focus of plots to kill Elizabeth during the 1580s. Although Elizabeth resisted calls to accuse and execute Mary at first, ultimately, she was persuaded by evidence that Mary had been party to the plots, not just an unwilling figurehead. Still, Elizabeth fought against signing the execution warrant until the bitter end, going so far as to encourage private assassination. After the execution, Elizabeth claimed that the warrant was dispatched against her wishes; whether that was true or not is unknown. War and the Spanish Armada England’s Protestant religion put it at odds with neighboring Catholic Spain and, to a lesser extent, France. Spain was involved in military plots against England and Elizabeth came under pressure from home to become involved with defending other Protestants on the continent, which on occasion she did. The execution of Mary Stuart convinced Philip in Spain that it was time to conquer England and restore Catholicism within the country. Stuart’s execution also meant that he would not have to put an ally of France on the throne. In 1588, he launched the infamous  Armada. Elizabeth went to Tilbury Camp to encourage her troops, declaring: â€Å"I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare invade the borders of my realm†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚   In the end, England defeated the Armada and Elizabeth was victorious. This would prove to be the climax of her reign: Only a year later, the same Armada all but destroyed the English Navy. Ruler of the Golden Age The years of Elizabeth’s rule are often referred to simply using her name- The Elizabethan Age. Such was her profound effect on the nation. The period is also called the Golden Age, for these years saw England rise to the status of world power thanks to voyages of exploration and economic expansion. Toward the end of her reign, England experienced a blossoming literary culture.  Edward Spenser  and  William Shakespeare  were both supported by the queen and likely drew inspiration from their regal leader. Architecture, music, and painting also experienced a boom in popularity and innovation. The presence of her strong and balanced rule facilitated this. Elizabeth herself wrote and translated works. Problems and Decline The last 15 years of her reign were the hardest on Elizabeth, as  her most trusted advisers died and younger courtiers struggled for power. Most infamously, a former favorite, the Earl of Essex, led a poorly-plotted rebellion against the queen in 1601. It failed miserably and he was executed. Toward the very end of Elizabeth’s long reign, national problems began to grow. Consistently poor harvests and high inflation damaged both the economic situation and belief in the queen, as did anger at the alleged greed of court favorites. Death Elizabeth held her final Parliament in 1601. In 1602 and 1603, she lost several dear friends, including her cousin Lady Knollys (granddaughter of Elizabeths aunt  Mary Boleyn). Elizabeth experienced ever more depression, something she had experienced her entire life. She declined notably in health and died on March 24, 1603. She was buried in Westminster Abbey in the same tomb as her sister Mary. She had never named an heir, but her cousin James VI, the Protestant son of Mary Stuart, succeeded to the throne and was likely her preferred successor. Legacy Elizabeth has been remembered more for her successes than her failures and as a monarch that loved her people and was much loved in return. Elizabeth was always revered and seen as almost divine. Her unmarried status often led to comparisons of Elizabeth with the Roman goddess  Diana, the Virgin Mary, and even a  Vestal Virgin. Elizabeth went out of her way to cultivate a wider public. In the early years of her reign, she often went out to the country on annual visits to aristocratic houses, showing herself to most of the public along the road in the country and townsfolk of southern England. In poetry, she has been celebrated as an English embodiment of feminine strength associated with such mythic heroines as Judith,  Esther, Diana, Astraea, Gloriana, and Minerva. In her personal writings, she showed  wit and intelligence. Throughout her reign, she proved to be a capable politician and  she reigned for almost half a century. She consistently maintained her control on government, remaining cordial with parliament and ministers, but never allowing them to control her. Much of Elizabeth’s reign was a careful balancing act between both factions of her own court as well as with other nations. Keenly aware of the increased burdens due to her gender, Elizabeth managed to construct a complex persona that awed and charmed her subjects. She portrayed herself very much as her father’s daughter, fierce if need be. Elizabeth was lavish in her presentation, part of her brilliantly orchestrated campaign to mold her image and retain power. She impresses people even today and her name has become synonymous with strong women. Sources Collinson, Patrick. Elizabeth I.  Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, 2004.  Dewald, Jonathan, and Wallace MacCaffrey. Elizabeth I (England).  Europe 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Charles Scribners Sons, 2004.  Kinney, Arthur F., David W. Swain, and Carol Levin. Elizabeth I.  Tudor England: an encyclopedia. Garland, 2001.  Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. Queen Elizabeth I.  The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women: The Traditions in English. 3. ed. Norton, 2007.

Assesment 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assesment 2 - Coursework Example In a market economy the price system automatically acts as a rationing instrument. With the help of the diagram given above we can easily explain the determination of market price and at the given demand and supply functions and the system will not allow either of the agents to exploit other. The horizontal and vertical axes measure quantity and price respectively. D is the market demand curve showing the one to one correspondence between price and market demand. S is the market supply curve that reflects the producers’ behaviour. S is nothing but the one to one correspondence between market price and supply of it. Equilibrium is achieved at point E where market demand equals market supply. The equilibrium level of price is OP* and quantity is OQ*. Now we consider that producers want to exploit the consumers by charging higher price. What will be the impact$2 Let’s consider that the producer charges new price OP**. At that price level the producers will be willing to supply OQ** amount of output while the consumers are willing to purchase OQd amount of the product. Hence at price OP** the market will face excess demand to the extent AB. This excess demand would cause a downward pressure on price as the producers have the unsold stock in the hand. Price fall would be followed by contraction in supply (movement from B to E) and extension in demand (movement from A to E). This process is continued unless the previous equilibrium is achieved. Here automatic adjustment of price will control the quantity in the market. To answer the aforesaid question we need to know what wealth is. Generally wealth can be defined as something that can generate income or can satisfy human wants. Wealth must be measurable tangible, transferable and scarce in nature. When the goods are produced through the production process it adds to the stock of wealth of the nation. As good is measurable, tangible

Initial personal goals and explain how you achieved them throughout Essay

Initial personal goals and explain how you achieved them throughout the semester.( second part need as jazz dance perforner in dance class) - Essay Example They will boost my performance quality and meet the demand of the audience in entertainment or competitive platform. The goals would also serve to help me achieve my potential in entertainment industry. The goals will help me adhere to the professional codes of conduct and dressing in this dance style, remain physically fit and sustain mental alertness that is influential in attaining pattern of body movement during performance. I have had significant improvement in my endeavor through increased physical fitness practice and dance moves. I have gained significant fitness and mastered dance moves with unique acrobatic techniques that accomplish my efficiency. However, all this was not without challenges. I faced significant huddles in reconciling dance moves with my weight and height. It also took me time to understand the emphasis of my trainer on dress code and consistent physical exercise due to fatigue. Despite such obstacles, I could not believe that I have potential in acrobatic moves that blends well with Jazz dance. I have gained much inspiration through increased mental alertness, physical fitness and personal discipline. This has taught me to remain focused on set goals but also reminded me to incorporate time in regard to set goals. My next challenge would be to overcome fear of the crowd and realize the goal of confidence during

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example ion, in deed brought about transformation of the whole world’s politics resulting into a reformulation of economic, political, and military alliances in the entire world. This is evident from the current events and diplomatic relation that has improved between US and Russia since the end of the cold war. The objective of this paper is to explore the current relationship between US and Russia since the end of the cold war. The paper will also discuss the current US diplomatic approach to Lithuania, a former Soviet nation and provide a comparison of the relationships. Finally, the paper will summarize how the US has changed it relates to other countries over the past 20 years. The climax of Cold War gave Russia and United States a new chance to corporate. In fact, Russia took over the permanent seat which previously had been held by Soviet Union at the United Nations Security Council. It was also invited to join G-7, the world’s largest economic powers making it G-8. This has given Russia, and US and opportunity to cooperate in securing loose ties in the former Soviet Union. Trade has also improved between US and Russia. For instance, it is noted that Russia is the biggest producer of hydrocarbons, which US is the biggest consumer. The two nations have also developed a common bilateral corporation in missile defense as a way of ensuring security in the world (American Association for Advancement of Slavic Studies, American Council of Learned Societies and Ohio State University, 2009). However, U.S and Russia still lock horns in certain diplomatic matters. For instance, the United States has tried to push hard for further economic and political reforms in Russia, something that Russia sees as meddling in its internal affairs. The other area that has raised eye brows is the fact that US has invited other former Soviet Union countries to join NATO, an issue that Russia is opposed to. The two nations have also differed on the approach that should be used to

Contemporary Issues in business and management Essay

Contemporary Issues in business and management - Essay Example Sustainability refers to the voluntary activities of the company, which show that it is committed to environmental and social concerns, according to the ways it administers its operations and in its dealings with its stakeholders (Van Marrewjk & Verre, 2003). This paper will discuss the challenges encountered by the leaders of the organization, in their attempts to incorporate CSR, and particularly that related to the impacts of their business activities, in the light of the models, theory and the analytical tools related to CSR, change and innovation management and leadership. Further, the paper will evaluate the ways in which companies are going green, giving some examples. The era for applauding the economic prosperity of corporations as a stand-alone area has ended, as corporations, societies, governments and agencies are questioning the impacts of corporate activities and actions (Orlitzky, Schmidt and Rynes, 2003). This change of outlook requires firms to redirect and split their attention towards increasing its economic performance, while at the same time filling the position of good corporate citizen. Filling these positions requires companies to keep in touch with global trends on maintaining commitment to the two major goal areas; meeting private and public needs (Henderson, 2007). These new demands have forced corporations to review their rules, frameworks, and business models. Among the most responsible companies, it is a daily practice to review short and long-term plans, so as to stay safe and at the front line in the rapidly changing world. There has been a change in the way that companies consider their place, paying reference to local an d global stakeholders (Holcomb, Upchurch and Okumus, 2007). There has also been a change in the management of the relationships maintained between companies and its stakeholders, particularly with customers, suppliers, investors,

Health Reform Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Reform - Research Paper Example Preskitt (2008) indicates that Clinton’s health reform plan is one that not only affected patients but also other service providers and physicians.. First, studies indicate that about 36 million Americans were uninsured at that time (Preskitt, 2008). This percentage of Americans comprises of the poor and majority depended on aid from other sources. On a realistic point of analysis, it would be extremely tasking for Clinton’s policy to apply among such population brackets. This can be discussed on a cost constraint point of view, since the available resources were not well reorganized. Universal recognition not being the centre of the focus of Clinton’s reform plan, failure of the plan was indeed in the pipeline. Brady & Kessler (2009) indicate that Clinton’s Health Care Reform failed for the reason that this plan was more inclined towards promoting a market for insurance on a long term basis. The administration was of the opinion that expanding then public health sector would be very expensive for the government. Long term insurance care was on a great extent left for the private sector. Investors were at an advantage that was geared towards coming up with a market for private employers, in terms of provision of long term care. The costs of health care rose tremendously, provision of long term care was then laid on the line. Preskitt (2008) indicates that Clinton’s health plan did not receive public support both from the liberals and conservatives. Democrats were opposed to the fact that none of the constituencies was fully for the program. For instance, the aged feared the cutting down of Medicare and nothing would do good to them in return (Starr, 1995). The high costs of health plans were also expected to be expensive; thus, taxing to the common citizens. Generally, Clinton had no back up to support the policies. It is in line to this argument that Oberlander (2002) argues that Clinton’s health plan would have been planned and

Contemporary Issues in business and management Essay

Contemporary Issues in business and management - Essay Example Sustainability refers to the voluntary activities of the company, which show that it is committed to environmental and social concerns, according to the ways it administers its operations and in its dealings with its stakeholders (Van Marrewjk & Verre, 2003). This paper will discuss the challenges encountered by the leaders of the organization, in their attempts to incorporate CSR, and particularly that related to the impacts of their business activities, in the light of the models, theory and the analytical tools related to CSR, change and innovation management and leadership. Further, the paper will evaluate the ways in which companies are going green, giving some examples. The era for applauding the economic prosperity of corporations as a stand-alone area has ended, as corporations, societies, governments and agencies are questioning the impacts of corporate activities and actions (Orlitzky, Schmidt and Rynes, 2003). This change of outlook requires firms to redirect and split their attention towards increasing its economic performance, while at the same time filling the position of good corporate citizen. Filling these positions requires companies to keep in touch with global trends on maintaining commitment to the two major goal areas; meeting private and public needs (Henderson, 2007). These new demands have forced corporations to review their rules, frameworks, and business models. Among the most responsible companies, it is a daily practice to review short and long-term plans, so as to stay safe and at the front line in the rapidly changing world. There has been a change in the way that companies consider their place, paying reference to local an d global stakeholders (Holcomb, Upchurch and Okumus, 2007). There has also been a change in the management of the relationships maintained between companies and its stakeholders, particularly with customers, suppliers, investors,

Comprehensive Australian Programme of Law Reform Essay

Comprehensive Australian Programme of Law Reform - Essay Example This move has been geared towards ensuring that the scope of potential liability is narrowed, for example through the limiting of personal liability borne by medical practitioners who give assistance to those people at a higher risk of injury or who need emergency medical help; and reducing the damages that may be awarded in such cases so as to confine the exposure of underwriters so that they could be able to give better and more affordable cover to those who need it. One important element to point out at this stage is the fact that most of these reforms actually did contrast with the recommendations put forward by the IPP Committee Report, which was in favour of national and uniform law response to the jurisdiction crisis on cases of liability, negligence and award of damages (Ellison, 2005). Indeed various governments that have come up since 2002 have tried to enact and implement law reforms that addressed liability, negligence, and damages. ... 2.0 The law reforms 2.1 Establishing liability The liability laws take into consideration the common law and statutes of federal and states governments. In these provisions, a person who is injured or has suffered a loss or otherwise incurred damage may institute an action aimed at compensation on the basis of the tort of common law of negligence that is based on fault; breach of contract; and breach of the provisions stipulated in the Australian Consumer Law that was effected in 2011 that replaced provisions of the Federal Trade Practices Act 1974 relating to product liability and safety of produce. In establishing the liability of a person in tort, the issue of foreseeability comes into play. A person has a duty of care to another person as per the law of tort. The defendant had a case to answer if he was in a position to see in advance reasonably, that the injured person would suffer loss or was at risk of doing so but the defendant failed to take necessary preventive action (Aust ralian Government Treasury; 2002; 2004; Harlow, 2005). This component of contributory negligence is comprised of two components namely the foreseeability of risk relating to harm and a calculation of the level of negligence also called the ‘negligence calculus’. Based on the above provisions, a person is free from liability for failing to take precautions if the risk in question is unforeseeable and can be established as being so. To know whether a risk is foreseeable or not, it is provided that such a risk should not be so probable to an extent that any reasonable person or someone in his or her common senses would ignore it (Trowbridge & Deloitte, 2002). Having already established the aspect of

Paul Mahajan Rupinder Khabra Discussion Essay Example for Free

Paul Mahajan Rupinder Khabra Discussion Essay Briefly discuss the requirements for effective MRP. The requirements for an effective MRP are having accurate master schedule, inventory records, and bill of materials. If these inputs are not accurate it will be impossible to have accurate MRP results. The results of the MRP are requirements for end items into time-phase requirements for subassemblies, components, and raw materials. So this shows why the accuracy of our inputs is of utmost importance. If we get the accurate inputs then we get accurate outputs. The outputs of MRP can be changes, order releases, planned-order schedules, inventory transaction, performance control reports, and planning reports. 12. 13 Contrast planned-order receipts and scheduled receipts. Planned-order receipts are the quantity expected to be received by the beginning of the period in which it is shown. Scheduled receipts are open orders scheduled to arrive from vendors or elsewhere in the pipeline. So we can see that planned order receipts are supposed to arrive before the scheduled period and scheduled receipts are orders that are open and can show up anytime during the scheduled period. Critical thinking exercise 1 I believe Juan Villa should only use those methods if the required data matches the data needed for the EOQ/ROP methods. We need to follow a method that is best suited for that situation. If we have the forecasted demand and the guidelines follow the ones of the EOQ method then we can think about using that method.

Three-Dimensional Grade Control in Road Construction

Three-Dimensional Grade Control in Road Construction Three-Dimensional Grade Control in Road Construction using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Introduction Contractors have used grade stakes installed on the side of the road at intervals of 100 feet for the vertical grade of the finished ground surface in road construction. The grade stakes are measured based on control points(CPs) which are reference points and markers established by surveyors at the design phase. By using the grade stakes, the contractors align the grade elevation with regulated tolerances which are typically less than 0.05 feet for subgrade and 0.02 feet for roadway surface (Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission 2016). The contractors confirm the final construction layout including as-built cross sections, which are measured by a total station or conventional survey methods such as a level, theodolite, and transit at intervals of 500 feet. The final products should be in reasonably close conformity with the design plans and specifications (Floyd et al. 2013). Figure 1: The conventional grade control using grade stakes (Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission 2016) However, in many cases, the contractors have experienced unsuspected discrepancies between the as-designed model and the as-built model, which cause the project cost and time overrun (Pitman 2001). These discordances could be derived from technical issues or human matters that are issues among people such as a lack of coordination and communication between designers and contractors (Arain et al. 2004). While the problems caused by human issues could be solved easily by involving the contractors and designers as coordinators, the resolving the technical problems, such as a measurement error, still remain challenges because the conventional grade control methods use only a few points to build a final grade layout, which can cause considerable errors at the non-measured area. For this reason, many researchers have studied on the application of new technologies such as a global positioning system (GPS), robotic total station (RTS), and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to obtain dense poi nts for the grade control. Despite all these efforts, the contractors are still using the traditional methods for grade control because of the disadvantages of the new approaches regarding the economic and usability. In this regard, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is the most reasonable way to overcome such shortcomings (Nex and Remondino 2014). The photogrammetry using UAV is a time-competitive method to generate a digital surface model (DSM) which enables contractors to obtain the dense point cloud of the long-strip roadway construction site without intervals (Chiabrando et al. 2009). Moreover, the UAV allows the user to avoid working in hazardous environments (Barry and Coakley 2013). With such advantages, several researchers apply the UAV to roadway construction, especially for surveying earthwork projects (Siebert and Teizer 2014). The current accuracy of the UAV photogrammetry, however, does not completely meet the particular requirements in road construction such as the grading tolerance which is less than 0.05 feet. This study, therefore, reviews the current state of the three-dimensional grade control in road construction and presents a best practice for applying the UAV for the construction by providing a way to develop the accuracy of the UAV photogrammetry. Moreover, this study verifies the improved accuracy through the field test at an ongoing highway construction site in Georgia, the United States. Literature Review This study has reviewed current studies on the 1) grade control methods in road construction using dense point clouds, 2) applications of UAV for highway construction, and 3) accuracy of UAV photogrammetry. Current study on the grade control in roadway construction As mentioned above, the contractors today perform the grade control in a conventional manner using grade stakes and cross sections because those methods dont require a specialty. However, such methods are conducted sparsely at regular but widely spaced intervals, which can give rise to substantial errors when the contractors build a successive three-dimensional as-built model. To avoid this, many researchers have studied on the way to create a 3D as-built model without intervals as below. 3D grade control using GPS installed on the construction equipment The real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS technology provides a location information for a dynamic motion in real time. The advent of the RTK-GPS technology enables the users to control the machines blade systemically and to build 3D as-built model automatically (Stewart, 2006). For this reason, many global GPS manufacturers, such as Topcon, Trimble, and Leica, present automatic 3D grade control technologies as seen in Figure 2. According to a final report on Implementation of GPS Controlled Highway Construction Equipment in the University of Wisconsin, the use of the GPS to guide construction equipment is time-efficient and cuts costs (Vonderohe 2007). Figure 2: GPS controlled roadway construction equipment Accordingly, many Department of Transportation (DOT) have increased the implementation of the automated machine guidance with GPS (Townes 2013). However, the vertical error of RTK-GPS is typically over 1.5 inches, and sometimes a sudden elevation shift caused by a cycle slip or multipath, which can lead to a significant discrepancy between as-design model and as-built model. Therefore, its impossible to fully adopt the GPS to grade control in roadway construction unless there is an enhancement of the accuracy. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) for the highway construction process monitoring The TLS, which measures the location of thousands of points each epoch at ranges of hundreds of meters, is another method to collect high dense point data. The TLS generates more accurate 3D layouts than conventional survey methods (Slattery and Slattery 2013). D. Slattery et al. (2010) demonstrate that the TLS is a feasible means to control the grade in highway construction projects and to calculate earthwork quantities (Slattery and Slattery 2010). Despite the fact that the TLS guarantees accurate point clouds, this new technology faces several operational challenges. One of the primary challenges is that it takes extremely long time to acquire the dense points. In general, the measurement using TLS takes one hour to measure the area of 20,000 square feet. Furthermore, as the scanner is installed on the ground, TLS method forms shadow zones where cannot scan due to obstacles such as trees and hills. In particular, since the roadway construction site is quite long, such drawbacks co uld be fatal. In this regard, the UAV, which is a less time-consuming way of measuring fields, could be an effective alternative. Application of UAV for roadway construction The UAV referred to as a drone, has recently begun to be applied to the construction field with the improvement of the positioning technologies and high-performance digital camera (Turner et al. 2012). With the development of the high-performance UAV, many researchers have successfully applied the UAV for the 3D modeling of the construction site and the measurement of earthwork quantities. S. Siebert and J. Teizer (2014) presents a practice for the application of UAV to construction survey for earthmoving of the construction site. They assert that the UAV technology is a cost- and time-effective alternatives to ground-based survey applications (Siebert and Teizer 2014). Furthermore, M. Daakir et al. (2015) describe that the UAV equipped with GPS receiver can achieve a consistent 3D model with a relatively low cost (Daakir et al. 2015). The studies on the application of the UAV has been limited to the particular construction fields such as earthmoving project and field survey for plan ning the road construction because the accuracy of the photogrammetry using UAV is over two inches which exceed the tolerance for the vertical grade. Thus, the improvement of the accuracy of UAV photogrammetry is required prior to applying the UAV technology to the grade control in roadway construction. Figure 3: The developed UAV systems, S. Siebert and J. Teizer (left), M. Daakir et al. (right) Accuracy of UAV photogrammetry Several researchers have examined innovative ways of improving the accuracy of the UAV photogrammetry. The accuracy of the UAV photogrammetry directly depends on the ground sampling distance (GSD), which is determined by the focal length, flight altitude, and resolution of the camera. In general, higher GSD value indicates that the image would have a lower spatial resolution. Therefore, the altitude of the flight should be performed around 150 m above ground level to obtain images at the GSD of up to 10 cm. (RuzgienÄ- et al. 2015). In addition, the use of geo-referencing methods aligning UAV imagery with known points measured in advance also can improve the accuracy of the photogrammetry. J. Goncalves and R. Henriques (2015) assert that the vertical root mean square (RMS) errors of UAV photogrammetry can be decreased to 5cm by using ground control points (GCPs) as the geo-referencing (Gonà §alves and Henriques 2015). However, a minimum of three GCPs are required for the geo-refe rencing, and generally, more than nine GCPs should be appeared on the imagery to retain redundancy for least squares regression. Moreover, the method that aligns the imagery known as Image registration causes a systematic error which is a cumulative error. In particular, since the road construction site requires extremely long longitudinal measurement, the registration error is theoretically increased in direct proportion to the length of the construction site (Zheng et al. 2016). This study, therefore, proposed a method to correct the systemic error by originating the position of the flying UAV with dual-frequency RTK-GPS and resection method. Figure 4: The GCPs that J. Goncalves and R. Henriques (2015) used Methodology This chapter enumerates the methodology for applying the UAV photogrammetry to the grade control in road construction as follows. Type of UAVs Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) Ground Control Points (GCPs) Positioning of the UAV using space resection method 3D model generation Verification Types of UAV The type of UAVs is classified into three categories: fixed wing type, rotary wing type, and hybrid wing type integrated the fixed wing and rotary type. Fixed wing UAVs have characteristics that they have a simple mechanism and more efficient aerodynamics which allows the fixed wing UAV to fly longer duration at higher speeds than the rotary wing. On the contrary, the rotary wing UAVs have a relatively more complicated structure which may infer that they have lower speed and shorter flight range than fixed wing. The advantages of the rotary wing are that they can conduct vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and hovering. The fixed/rotary hybrid UAV has both characteristics of the fixed wing type and rotary wing type. The hybrid UAVs can perform VTOL and hovering and fly with little power like the fixed wing UAV. Table 1 shows the differences between the fixed wing and rotary drones. Since the roadway construction site is quite long and doesnt have vertical obstacles, the fixed wing ty pe of UAV is most appropriate for the surveying the road construction area. Most UAV for the land survey is equipped with single frequency GPS receiver for positioning of the flying vehicle. In general, the vertical accuracy of the single frequency GPS is compromised. For this reason, this study suggests mounting a dual frequency GPS on the UAV to improve their positioning accuracy. The vertical accuracy of the dual frequency RTK-GPS is known to be lower than 2cm in general circumstances. This study might use virtual reference station (VRS), which facilitate the RTK/GPS based on National Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS). Table 1 The differences between fixed wing type and rotary type Fixed wing Rotary wing Purpose Mapping Small area Mapping Inspection Application Land surveying (rural) GIS Construction Inspection Real estate Surveying (urban) Flight Speed High Low Coverage Large Small Flight Duration Times Long Short Wind Resistance High Low VTOL X O Hovering X O Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) As mentioned above, GSD value is related to the flight level, focal length, and resolution of the camera. Since the GSD value directly affects the results of the photogrammetry, it is important to determine the flight altitude. For a given flying height H, the GSD will be given by Where f is the lens focal length, and H is the flight altitude. Typically, in the case of the GSD of 5 cm, the standard deviation of 1 pixel in the parallax may result in a standard deviation of approximately 5 ~ 10 cm in the elevation error. The flight altitude also affects the overlapping rate which is related to the accuracy of the photogrammetry. That is to say, for a given focal length and resolution of the camera, increasing the altitude will increase overlap rate and GSD. Since it is possible to fly the UAV at low altitude in roadway construction site where is a barrier-free area, this study limits the flight height to 100 m or less to maintain the GSD of under 5cm. Although flying at low altitude can cause little overlap rate, the matter of overlapping can be solved by taking more pictures. Ground Control Points (GCPs) In the photogrammetry for field surveying, establishing a network of the ground control points The GCPs installed on the field is employed for the geo-referencing. Although the bundle image adjustment needs to have at least three GCPs, it is necessary to have 9 or more GCPs for providing enough redundancies for the least square adjustment. The GCP photogrammetric targets should be visible in the pictures and have about 5 ~ 10 times the dimensions of the GSD. Since the accuracy of the GCPs is crucial for the accuracy of the final results, the position of the GCPs should be measured precisely by total station or post-processing GPS. M.Chahbazi et al. (2015) state that although a large number of well-distributed GCPs as seen in Figure 5 (left) guarantees the highest accuracy, if it is impossible due to the field conditions, the best practice is to install the GCPs near the ends of the flight strips to be visible in several images from two closest strips. Furthermore, placing the GCPs with height variation is beneficial for the vertical adjustment of the UAV imagery. Figure 5: The methods to set up the GCPs in the article of M.Chahbazi et al. (2015) (left) when there are enough GCPs, and (right) if not. According to the construction survey manual of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), contractors or sub-contractors should establish control points (CPs), which are semi-permanent reference points built beside the construction site at intervals of 500 feet, to align the horizontal distribution and vertical elevation. Since these CPs are measured from the second-order benchmark, which has a ratio of closure of 1:10000, it is possible to construct accurate GCPs. Positioning of the UAV using space resection method The position of flying UAV has been determined from the GPS embedded on the UAV until now. However, the accuracy of the GPS depends on the satellite signal which sometimes includes serious errors such as cycle slip or multipath caused by the environmental conditions. Moreover, time synchronization between the GPS and images from the Camera can also cause several errors. In this regard, this study proposes a new positioning method that improves the accuracy of the photogrammetric results by applying space resection method. The resection method is to determine an unknown point from two known points. This measurement method is usually used when measuring the location of the device such as total station or theodolite. Figure 7: The concept of the space resection for UAV photogrammetry (Ref. https://dronemapper.com/uas_photo-grammetry_processing) The space resection requires at least two known ground control points per an image, but this study used five ground control points for the least square adjustment. The accuracy of the space resection only depends on the range error of the camera, which is much more accurate than RTK-GPS, and therefore this study expects an improvement in the positioning accuracy of the operating UAV As-built 3D model generation The stereo images extracted from UAV photogrammetry go through the image matching process. The image matching process is usually classified into correlation based method and feature-based method. The correlation based method has various computational processes because they conduct the image matching with all area and pixels. In contrast, since the feature based method adjusts images with edges or corners in the pictures, the processing is faster than the correlation based method. Scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) is one of the most widely used features detecting method. The SIFT algorithm extracts key points from overlapped area, and align the images by using descriptors which are created from the extracted key points. The 3D structure is built by structure from motion (SfM) algorithm, which is a method to generate 3D structure by calculating the pose of the camera from 2D images. Most commercial software today has used the feature-based image matching and SfM algorithm to cre ate a 3D model. One of the commercial software is Agisoft PhotoScan which conduct image matching with the feature-based method. This study generates the as-built model of the roadway construction site based on the DSM generated from the Agisoft PhotoScan. The final as-built 3D model would be compared to the as-design model. An essential issue in this step is to synchronize the coordinates system used in both as-design model and as-built model. For this reason, it is essential that both models should be on the geographic information system (GIS) based on a global coordinate system. Verification Table 2 The whole process of this study Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step5 Objectives Planning UAV operation Establishing GCPs Obtaining images from UAV Generating 3D model Verification Details GSD Flight Altitude Overlapping rate The number Location Resection QC of images SIFT, SfM DSM Field Test Error Assessment

Two Faces in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarlet Letter e

The Scarlet Letter:   Two Faces  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally becoming bewildered as to which may be true†. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, this quote applies to the two main characters of the novel. It applies to Arthur Dimmesdale in a literal way; he clearly is not the man that he appears to be, and the guilt that goes along with such deception consumes his entire life. The quote also applies to Hester Prynne, but in quite a different way because it was not her choice to wear the â€Å"face† that she was forced to wear.   The mark of the scarlet letter on her bosom determined how others perceived her and, in turn, how she was expected to perceive herself. At first, Hester did not consider the sin that she committed as blasphemous and horrible as the people of Boston did, but she was forced to wear the â€Å"face† of a sinner. Neither Hester or Arthur could live their lives concealing their true emotions. Arthur literally could not live with it, while Hester changed the way she felt on the inside to correspond to her guilty external image. At the court house, when Arthur Dimmesdale was pleading for Hester to reveal the name of the man with whom she had an affair, it was clear that a part of him actually wanted everyone to know that it was he who was the guilty one. Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place...better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life†¦(47). When this plea is made, it appears to be quite ironic. The man who participated in the sin is trying to convince his accomplice to do him in. However, this ... ...t with the sin in a completely different way not only because she was a different person, but because there was no additional weight of a secret that went along with the sin. Instead of trying to figure out her identity, the way Arthur had, and clinging onto the belief that what she had done was not a sin, she allowed herself to surrender and believe what the rest of society believed at that time. The people of Boston saw adultery as a sin, and there was no way that any good or love could come out of it. When Arthur's character is tested, he struggles to find the answer but is unable to, and literally dies trying. Hester, on the other hand, does not give such a noble attempt, but rather chooses, whether consciously or not, to go along with society’s views of adultery. Works Cited: Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Oligopoly versus monopoly competition Essay

Differences Between Oligopoly and Monopolistic Competition Market Structures Market structure refers to the interconnected characteristics of a market, which include the number of firms, level and forms of competition and extent of product differentiation (Business Dictionary, 2012). Based on these parameters, several market structures are defined and this essay will focus on two of them, namely monopolistic competition and oligopolistic markets, by discussing the differences among them and their impact on the customers. Oligopolistic market is defined as a market that is dominated by few large firms, and that these firms are mutually dependent, where they have to monitor the actions of other competitors closely and act accordingly in response to that (Ison and Wall, 2007). These firms target bigger markets, at regional, national and even international level. Examples of oligopolistic markets include airline, petroleum and bank industries (Economics Online, 2012). On the other hand, monopolistic competition market refers to a market with large number of firms, each producing slightly different product, i. e. their products are unique in its own right and hence the firms have a certain degree of monopoly power (Ison and Wall, 2007). In general, these firms target a smaller market size, say at a local or regional level (Economics Online, 2012). For example, restaurants, hair saloons and boutiques are all examples under this market structure. Firms in oligopoly market have a certain degree of control over the price of their products (Ison and Wall, 2007). However, there is interdependence in price making between the firms. For non-collusive oligopoly, any price making decision will have to take into account the likely reaction of the other firms to ensure market share (Economics Online, 2012). Hence, there is a potential for price war, where the firms try to beat each other by lowering the price, without any increase in demand for their products, as illustrated by the Kinked Demand Curve (Figure 1; Economics Help, 2012). Such circumstance is undesirable as their profits might be diminished and the consumers will be the only beneficiaries. In contrast, in the case of collusive oligopoly, the firms collude among themselves by agreeing on a price of products to avoid price war. Owing to the significant market share they own, they can set the price high to gain supernormal profit (Geoff Riley, 2006). Figure 1. Kinked demand curve (Economics Help, 2012). In monopolistic competition, the firms have only little control over the price (Ison and Wall, 2007). This is because the extensive differentiation of products means the firms face constant competition from others, and may easily be replaced if their price is deemed unreasonable, despite certain unique features of their products. Oligopoly and monopolistic competition market structures also differ in term of profit making. Firms in oligopolistic can make supernormal profit all the time and there are several reasons to this (Ison and Wall, 2007; Amos Web, 2012). Firstly, they own significant market share in a huge market, therefore the sales volume is high. Secondly, average cost of production is low as they produce in bulk. Thirdly, as discussed before, they have the ability to set price, especially in the case of collusive oligopoly (Amos Web, 2012). For instance, Tesco is a chain supermarket that is found everywhere in the UK (hence huge market size) and as they purchase their products from suppliers in bulk, the cost is kept at minimum, thereby maximising their profits (Mearday, 2009). In contrast, for monopolistic competition, profit making is not for sure. However, theoretically speaking, there are two stages to the profit making by firms in monopolistic competition (Ison and Wall, 2012; Bized, 2001). In short run, the firms can set the price high to obtain supernormal profit (represented by shaded region in Figure 2A). As the abnormal profit they make in short run attracts many potential rivals, the firms must then set the price low to stay competitive in long run (Figure 2B). For example, in Canada, the price of personal computers was very expensive when they were first introduced into the market, but as the number of computer manufacturers increased, the price of personal computers has been declining over the past decade (Figure 3; Statistics Canada, 2011). B B A A Cost Cost Price Price Figure 2. (A) Profit maximisation in short run in monopolistic competition. (B) Normal profit making in long run in monopolistic competition (Bized, 2001). Figure 3. Change of computer price by different purchasers. (Statistics Canada, 2011). Mode of competition is also different between the firms in oligopoly and monopolistic competition. Oligopoly is characterized by imperfect competition, mainly due to high barriers for entry to market (Economics Online, 2012). This is due to various reasons including exclusive resources ownership, extensive relevant knowledge, patent and copyright, other government restrictions, managerial challenge and high start-up cost. (Economics Online, 2012; Amos Web, 2012). Airline industry is a typical example of that, as setting up an airline companies requires huge financial resource and compliance to strict rules and regulations imposed by the authority (Amos Web, 2012). For example, in Malaysia, the second airline, AirAsia was only established in 2001 (AirAsia, 2012), 46 years after the establishment of Malaysia Airline in 1947 (Malaysia Airline, 2012). In contrast, there is near perfect competition in monopolistic competition market, as there is freedom to enter or exit the market due to low entry barrier (Economic Online, 2012; Amos Web, 2012). As opposed to oligopolistic market, the start up cost for firms in monopolistic competition market is much lower, as the market size they target is smaller (Ison and Wall, 2007; Economic Online, 2012). Also, as discussed before, product differentiation in this market means each firm has a somewhat unique product, fulfilling the demand of a certain group of consumers in the market. Moreover, there is less restriction from the government and starting firm does not require exclusive knowledge. For example, one can easily open a restaurant, as long as he or she has a unique menu to offer. In conclusion, oligopoly and monopolistic competition represents two distinct market structures. From consumers’ point of view, monopolistic competition is more preferable. Through monopolistic competition among the firms, consumers enjoy to choose from a wider range of products, which are available at more competitive prices. This is because the firms always try to enhance their products with better innovation and keep their prices down to attract customers. Oligopoly on the other hand is less desirable for consumers as products can often be overly-priced since the firms have a greater control over price. References: 1. Business Dictionary (2012) Market Structure. BusinessDictionary. com. Retrieved on 6th March 2012, from: http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/market-structure. html#ixzz1olN7AqYq . 2. Mearday, J. (2009) Characteristic of Monopolistic Competition – Welker’s Wikinomi. Retrieved on 2nd March 2012, from: http://welkerswikinomics. wetpaint. com/page/Characteristics+of+Monopolistic+Competition 3. Riley, G. (2006) Oligopoly – Overview. Tutor2u. Retrieved on 5th March 2012, from: http://tutor2u. net/economics/revision-notes/a2-micro-oligopoly-overview. html. 4. Riley, G. (2006) Monopoly & Economic Efficiency. Tutor2u. Retrieved on 12th March 2012, from: http://tutor2u. net/economics/revision-notes/a2-micro-monopoly-economic-efficiency. html. 5. Amos Web Encyclonomic (2012) Oligopoly, Characteristics. AmosWeb Encyclonopic Webpedia. Retrieved on 7th March 2012, from: http://www.amosweb. com/cgi-bin/awb_nav. pl? s=wpd&c=dsp&k=oligopoly,+characteristics . 6. Amos Web Encyclonomic (2012) Monopolistic Competition, Characteristics. AmosWeb Encyclonopic Webpedia. Retrieved on 8th March 2012, from: http://www. amosweb. com/cgi-bin/awb_nav. pl? s=wpd&c=dsp&k=monopolistic+competition,+characteristics . 7. Ison, S. and Wall, S. (2007) Economics (Fourth Edition), Prentice Hall, London. 8. Malaysia Airline (2012) Cooperate Info – Our Story. Malaysia Airlines. Retrieved from 12th March 2012 http://www. malaysiaairlines.com/uk/en/corporate-info/our-story. html 9. AirAsia (2012) Company Profile. Airasia. com. Retrieved on 12th March 2012. http://www. airasia. com/gb/en/corporate/corporateprofile. page. 10. Economics online (2012) Oligopoly. Economics Online. Retrieved on 12th March 2012, from: http://economicsonline. co. uk/Business_economics/Oligopoly. html. 11. Economics online (2012) Monopolistic Competition. Economics Online. Retrieved on 12th March 2012, from: http://economicsonline. co. uk/Business_economics/Monopolistic_competition. html . 12. Statistics Canada (2011) Computer prices continue their decline. Statistics Canada. Retrieved on 13th March 2012, from http://www. statcan. gc. ca/pub/11-402-x/2011000/chap/information/information02-eng. htm . 13. Economics Help (2012) Oligopoly. Economics. Help. Retrieved on 13th March 2012, from: http://www. economicshelp. org/microessays/markets/oligopoly. html . 14. Bized (2001) Monopolistic Competition – Short run to long run. Biz/ed. Retrieved on 13th March 2012, from http://www. bized. co. uk/reference/diagrams/Monopolistic-Competition—Short-Run-to-Long-Run.

Debates on Advertising Essay

In the text , introduction to mass communication media literacy and culture, Stanley Baran states specific complaints about advertising. He states that advertising is intrusive , deceptive, exploits children, and demean and corrupts culture. Ads can be intrusive because they are everywhere and interfere with and alters our experience. It can be deceptive because the ads implicitly and sometimes explicitly says that it came improve someone’s lives through a purchase of a product. Ads also exploit children because they are targeted. There are ads that are specifically mind blowing go them. Finally, ads demanding and corrupts culture by appealing to human values and needs. Advertisers accomplish this goal by using the AIDA approach and consumer culture. The AIDA approach is used to persuade consumers and the consumer culture is used to impose new definitions that serve the advertiser and not the cultures important aspects of our lives. The disagreements that are shown by Baran in Chapter 12 are legitimate. The arguments that are provided supports the complaints given. I believe the accusations that support advertising are tolerable. Advertising is everywhere and interferes with and alters our experience. Advertising is all over the world. Ads does not have to be actual billboards or commercials on television. The clothes that we wear and the products that we use are also advertisements. This is also called 360-marketing. Advertising can also be deceptive. There are many products in our society where it is supposed to change out lives. For example, â€Å"AXE† , a male shampoo, is supposed to attract more women if you wear it. These products can be deceiving to our culture because of this. The advertisers know that people in society want an excitement in their lives , so to improve that they create products that excite the consumers. I also think that advertisements do exploit children. Ads specially create ads for children because they are the influence on their parents. This means that the advertisers will use the children to their advantage to get their products brought. For example , when children see a product that’s eye catching to them , they will beg their parents to buy that product which will eventually happen because the parents would not want to keep hearing their children beg. Lastly , advertisements does demean and corrupt our culture. I believe this is true because advertisements come about to seek products that we need. They attract us by producing products that we use everyday. For an example , we use soap everyday to wash our bodies. The advertisers will produce many soap ads to intrigue us to buy a particular soap. Also, producers create many soaps , with different scents to give us the idea that it will make you smell better which leads back to the idea of advertisements being deceptive. This shows that advertisers do demean and corrupt our culture.The article â€Å"Boosting Smoking Among Children† supports the complaint of advertising exploiting children. In the article RJR Nabisco created a new campaign for its camel brand cigarettes. Anti smoking groups accused the company of attacking young smokers as they saw Joe Camel repeating the same path as to smoke go an† untapped market†. It was stated by Dr. Joseph DiFranza that,† children as young as 3 years old could recognize Joe, and more kids could identify him than could identify Mickey Mouse†(page 335). DiFranza researched that Joe camel was the single most recognizable logo in the country. This shows that advertisements connect to children because they can realize a character at the age of 3. The children do not understand what is going on , but the advertisers know that the parents will buy their cigarettes because of the children. Also , when the children get older , the camel on the cigarette box will be more common and if decided to smoke they would buy only that product because they are used to seeing it. The Ad Council and Media Foundation does challenge common practices of the advertising industry by creating â€Å"uncommercials†. Uncommercials are commercials ,at no cost if used, challenge known actual commercials. In the article ,†Challenging Advertising: Ad Busters and Uncommercials† it is stated that ,†those who wish to use them to , as the Media Foundation likes to call it, â€Å"culture jam,† or challenge the prevailing commercial culture†(page 336). This shows that the uncommercials are used to show that the advertisements demean and corrupt out culture. This is done by showing and telling us that we need to buy a certain product to live. It also connects to the complaint that advertisements are deceptive. This is because seeing that we supposedly need a certain product in our life makes us want to buy the product not knowing that it is just for money.In the documentaries â€Å"Consuming Kids† and â€Å"Killing Us Softly 4† shows us the specific complaints against advertising. In â€Å"consuming kids† it was showed that children are targeted in many wa ys. This connects to the idea that advertisements exploit children because in the documentary it is shown that the children do influence parents. For example, a new car was brought because the children were attracted and begged their parents to buy it because of what was inside. The parents do not realize that the children are why their money is spent on unnecessary things. In â€Å"Killing Us Softly 4† it was shown that advertisements demean and corrupts our culture because women are portrayed and used as an object to sell products. Also in the documentaries they tell the society how to prevent the unbalanced advertising. In â€Å"Consuming kids â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. In â€Å"Killing Us Softly 4 † lady name stated that the society should , † become aware and pay attention , teach media literacy in school, protest and speak out about the problem , deface ads, and get involved and change the attitudes that are presented for us†. This shows that there are ways that we can maneuver around the pile up of advertisements. In conclusion , the advertising industries received many complaints on the ways they attack consumers. The reasons stated were because of advertisements being intrusive , deceptive, exploiting children and demeaning and corrupting our culture. AIDA approach and consumer culture helped these complaints conquer their goal. This created a controversy between industries and social groups. The social groups were the ones who complain about these problems.

The Hijras of India

The hijras of India are unlike any you might see in any other part of the world. You might have occasionally come across men dressed as women, wearing garishly bright makeup. They immediately attract attention to themselves for all the wrong reasons and most often win ridicule. We are really not sure if eunuch, transvestite, gay or transgender is actually the right term for a hijra as their social mores are very unique and are almost above classification by western terms.One can attempt to know them by their social mores rather than by classification by taxonomy, so here goes: Who is a hijra? Is there no western classification to this transgender from India? Because of a lack of proper english definition, most research points to hijras associated with a matriarchal, hierarchical clan that encompasses LGBT orientations. Some relevant points here to help you understand who a hijra really is: 1. There are more than a million hijras in India, the largest presence in any country! . Hijras live in clans or all-male hijra communities. The hierarchical head of such a community is called a guru. The followers are chelas. The gurus and chelas live in harmony. 3. In larger cities, like Delhi and Mumbai, hijra communities could coalesce based on language and caste but they are mostly secular in their views on everything. 4. Their sharp clapping conveys their presence and orientation quickly to the normal folks. The clap I demonstrate in the audio is simply limp and incorrect.The hijra’s clap is a distinct horizontal flat palms striking against and perpendicular to each other, with fingers spread, as opposed to the common applause-style, vertical palm & closed fingers strike. I believe this is an extension to their physiological identity. It communicates ‘I am, who I am’. There is a sense of instant identification of the community they belong to. Sociologists actually think there are subtle variations in the ‘taal’ of the hijra’s clap that, apart from controlling the attention of ‘normals’ like us, are also used for internal codified messages.Modern hijras maybe dropping this unique aural identifier to possibly naturalize themselves into the rest of society. Apart from it being somewhat aurally arresting, the visual beauty of the henna design on their hands gets a resounding slap and abruptly snaps it out of it’s intended accent on their femininity. This could well be the reason why an activist, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi discourages the continuing use of the hijra clap, as it has come to only signify begging and extortion. 5. According to Indian surveys, less than 10% of the hijras are castrated . Castration is a hijra’s ultimate form of liberation. Either through a legal gender reassignment by a qualified doctor or an illegal unhygienic, and painful excision by another designated hijra spiritual head. The latter, can often lead to death, but is considered a pure form of nirwaan. Those wh o have undergone and survived the barbaric excision are accorded greater respect in the hijra community. Thankfully, contrary to popular myth, only 10% are actually castrated. Woefully, the deaths due to illegal excisions are not registered. 7.It is believed that because of their unique gender liminality, they have the power to express boon or bane to the recipient. Often called to celebrate weddings and births of newborns. 8. In a successful employment and empowerment scheme, they accompanied Indian tax collectors in the year 2005 and had a revenue share of 4% of the collections attributable to their skills. A euphemism for exhortation, if you ask me, both by the hijras and the tax collectors! 9. Unlike their western counterparts, they are neither men nor women and do not attempt to pass as one.I have a problem with this concept, as they do pick a dominant gender role, when they seek partnership. 10. The Aruvanis of Tamil Nadu have also stated that they do not like to be labeled as ‘hijras’ but as transgendered females. This is cause for some confusion. Was it due to social stigma associated by the term? 11. Most often, hijras are born male but aspire to be women and yearn for a man’s love. 12. Most of the hijras are poor and are discriminated against. They are not gainfully employed and will resort to beg or extort for money and are given to sex work. 3. Because of the lack of jobs many hijras are forced to prostitution and have higher rates of prevalence of HIV within their communities. ** 14. NGO’s employ hijra activists to ensure that their fundamental human rights are not violated. Illegal police custodies and lock-ups of hijras are quickly dealt with by the NGOs. One such promising NGO that has done stellar work with the hijra communities is SANGAMA in Bangalore. ** Sangama was set up in 1999 and is funded by the Bill Gates Foundation and the Fund for Global Human Rights among others.As well as organising protests and rallies, groups like Sangama have been instrumental in establishing community networks with monthly meetings and safe spaces such as drop-in centres for all sexual minority groups. Two thirds of their spending goes towards fighting against the spread of HIV infection through awareness programmes and condom distribution. According to Sangama, approximately 18-20 per cent of hijras are HIV positive. â€Å"Four years ago,† Rex says, â€Å"there were three to four AIDS deaths every month [in Bangalore], now there are three to four deaths every year. † http://petervas. wordpress. com

Case Study on Gender Discrimination Research Paper

Case Study on Gender Discrimination - Research Paper Example In order to deal with the issue, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1968 launched a sex-testing initiative â€Å"to protect women against unfair competition† (Woolum, 1998, 52). The sex-testing program was initiated due to the belief on the superiority of males in sports: female athletes would be at a disadvantaged position over their male counterparts in men’s events, and male athletes taking part in women’s competitions would have an undeniable advantage; hence, female athletes must be safeguarded against male athletes participating in their competitions. Hence, all athletes participating in women’s competitions should be subjected to various tests to identify and make sure of the athlete’s sex. This essay presents a case study of a fictional female athlete undergoing sex test prior to participation in the Olympic games. This female athlete is currently the fastest woman in the world. She achieved world fame due to her feats in track and field. However, suspicions about her true sex arose because of her masculine physical appearance, movements, and voice. Physical Description of the Athlete and Brief Notes about her Performance Jane Doe is 27 years old with a height of 5ft and 7 in and weight of 80 lbs. Her event is 100m sprint. She is single and professes to be a virgin. She says she has not dated any man and did not experience having any boyfriend. She is muscular but noticeably thin. She has short hair. She has very small breasts and no underarm and facial hair. She has a flat abdomen but large muscle formation around the thighs and legs, which is expected of a track and field athlete. She won 35 gold in track and field. She ran the 100 meters in 13 seconds in Madison Square Garden; won a gold medal for Sydney in the Olympics in the 50-yard dash with a first-time record of 12 seconds; and completed 100 yards in 9 seconds. Because of these remarkable performances, Jane Doe became a household name. For 6 years, she won more than 200 medals in important track-and-field competitions. Tests Performed on Jane Doe and Results of the Tests In Jane Doe’s sex test, the examiners obtained cell samples from her cheek’s mucous membrane, or also called ‘buccal smear’, then stain them and check them up for Barr bodies. If the subject is a female, with XX chromosomes, the bodies will appear, resulting in a positive result (Schaffer & Smith, 2000, 135). If uncertainties exist, examiners will scan cells not for Barr bodies, but for the lack of Y chromatin. In the case of Jane Doe, the examiners stain the cells and study them thoroughly. The elongated section of the Y-chromosome comes into view as a clear stain. If this stain did not appear, Jane Doe will be allowed to take part in the competitions. The result for these two tests is both positive, which confirms Jane Doe’s femininity. But the application of these tests became very controversial. Some scholars claim that sex chromatin testing does not identify females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic disorder (Evelyn, 2011). Jane Doe was hence examined for the said disorder. It was found out that she ha s it. She has 22 pairs of autosomes and a pair of X-chromosomes, the normal chromosomal balance in females, yet has an unusual muscle power and masculine physique (Sullivan, 2011). This disorder is caused by a genetic biochemical deficiency that affects the adrenal glands abnormally, making it incapable of transforming