Business: Eating and Finagle A Bagel Essay

1. How has the business cycle affected Finagle A Bagel? * The business cycle has affected the Finagle A Bagel in a positive way. I say this because the business is spreading and opening up more restaurants, so the business cycle has had a successful impact on the business even though running the business is nonstop. 2. What is Finagle A Bagel doing to differentiate itself from competitors that want a share of consumers’ dining dollars? * The Finagle A Bagel restaurant uses high quality, fresh products, courteous and competent employees, clean, attractive and inviting restaurants to differentiate themselves from competitors. 3. Why would Finagle A Bagel donate bagels to local charities rather than give them away to customers or employees? * The Finagle A Bagel would donate bagels to local charities due to the fact of it raising awareness of the businesses name in the community and surrounding areas. By doing this, it will increase peoples interests to eat at the restaurant due to the good they served in the community. 4. If you wanted to open a bagel restaurant in Hong Kong, would you license the Finagle A Bagel brand? Why or why not? * Yes, I would open a business in Hong Kong and license the Finagle A Bagel brand. I would do this because it is a very popular business that has a good name out for them. It would be a great opportunity to spread the greatness of this business. If I opened a business in Hong Kong and licensed the Finagle A bagel brand, it would bring many opportunities into the area such as donated unused bagels in this area of the world.

What Are the Intended Effects of the Opening of Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ and How Effective Are They?

Ridley Scott's ‘Gladiator' was released in 2000 and won five Oscars (Academy Awards); including â€Å"Best Film,† â€Å"Best Visual Effects† and â€Å"Best Director.† Scott cast some well known actors such as Russel Crowe and Richard Harris. Some reports suggest it cost an amazing à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½145 million. The casting of Crowe as Maximus was significant because he is able to portray a very well built, physically strong, battle-hardened leader. The character of Maximus contrasts with the casting of Harris as the ageing Emperor with his gaunt and tired looking features. From the very outset of the film, the director employs a sepia effect coupled with a dark, overcast almost monochrome effect. These combine to give the impression of imminent tragedy as well as conveying that the events are set in the distant past. The director has even asked the production companies ‘Universal' and ‘DreamWorks' to make their logos' sepia to show continuity. The historical information provided helps the audience to place the film in a historical context. The use of old Roman font for the text further reinforces the context and genre. The information is factual, gives names and information of real people. It is clear that this is going a historical, action film but with a central theme about power, control and one man's fight for his freedom from the killing and slaughter. The first shot is an extreme close up, when you would normally expect an extreme long shot to see the scene. The extreme close up is focusing on the actor's hand floating through the grass. The slow quiet music helps to make the shot dreamlike. The main character seems calm because he is stroking the grass and he is wearing a wedding ring to show he is a family man. After the slow close up shot the director shows the character alone on the battlefield which makes the previous scene a definite dream. To establish that it was a dream the director jumps from a slow calm shot to a medium close up on the character in a more dark and gloomy shot. The character's armour and wolf-skin shows that he is an important man. The cut to a robin (a bird usually seen in winter) with a dark background tells the audience that it is winter. After seeing the robin a small smile fights its way on to his face, which shows he is not just a gory, ruthless fighter and that he does have a gentle side. The extreme long shot is good to set the scene of the battlefield, which is a dark and gloomy forest. The name of the location ‘Germania' is Roman for Germany, by using the Roman language it helps to establish the fact that it is an old, Roman film. This shot is more dramatic because it contrasts heavily with the previous dreamlike shot of the hand floating through a calm cornfield. The slow music (adagio) starts off the extreme long shot making the atmosphere calm and gentle, it also makes it ominous because the adagio music is playing in the battlefield shot. When the shot begins to zoom in the music becomes more lively and action packed just as the army starts coming into view so you know that they are going to war. The music includes trumpets and a few drums which makes the shot more martial. The sudden change in atmosphere and music starts to build up the tension and expectation that a great deal of action is imminent. As the shot moves to Marcus Aurelius, the audience can see that he is an important character. He is wearing gold along with a purple cape. The purple cape shows he is royalty because to make the colour purple a tiny sea creature called a Murex Mollusc was required. This creature was very rare and large quantities were required to make a small amount of dye. Therefore, purple garments were highly prized status symbols. Whilst zooming inward the camera shot used is a low angle which makes Marcus Aurelius seem very high on his horse. He is also just watching the war not doing anything and he has got a stern looking bodyguard. The director emphasises General Maximus' authority by using a medium close up as he walks along all of his troops. Everyone is focused on him; they move out of the way, bow down and are always calling him sir to show complete respect. The costume he wears defines his authority, he wears more armour than the rest of his army and he is also wearing wolf-skin. The director stresses Maximus' authority and respect by making his word final, the director shows this in the following quote, â€Å"The range is good† this is the sentence where Maximus cuts off the other soldier, also â€Å"†¦is acceptable†, then, â€Å"agreed†, Maximus speaks in a very low, quiet, considered tone of voice but the soldiers still listen with no question which shows their respect for him. In the pre-battle motivational speech to his men, Maximus uses the type of language that his men can understand to encourage and motivate them. â€Å"Three weeks from now I will be harvesting my crops. Think were you want to be and it will be so.† Here he is making them think positive about the future and set a goal for themselves. He then jokes that if they find themselves all alone they are already in Elysium (Roman afterlife). But then he uses a phrase that seems quite out of character for a tough, brutal general of an aggressive, imperial Roman army, â€Å"What we do in life echoes in eternity.† This line instantly marks out Maximus as having a spiritual and sentimental aspect to his character. There are many differences between the Romans and the German Tribesmen, for instance when Maximus is giving his speech all of his troops are in formation quietly listening and fully concentrating, by contrast the German Tribesmen are shouting and not giving any attention. The fighting style of the Romans is orderly, synchronised and they are in a perfect battle formation, the Tribesmen are in disorganised running around like a rabble. The Romans are equipped with matching armour and similar weapons whilst the Tribesmen have animal skins and rough individual weapons. The Romans appear to have a complete strategy and are disciplined, the Tribesmen just rely on their brute strength, and even their appearance is barbaric. The director helps to establish the difference between the two sides by taking the shots of each side one after the other. Toward the end of the battle the director employs a technique that seems completely unexpected. As the battle is raging, there is loud martial music with lots of trumpets, drums and war cries. However as the battle is coming to a conclusion and the Roman army is on the verge of victory, the director switches to slow motion shots and an adagio score. Instead of seeing triumphant Romans celebrating their victory and listening to triumphant music, the audience is left in a slightly confused state. It is almost as if the director is trying to communicate the futility of the death and destruction. As the last of the Germans are being slaughtered and fires are raging in the background the only human sound is the sound of heavy tired exhalation of breath, Even blood splattered, exhausted Maximus' triumphant cry, â€Å"Roma Victor!† and his soldiers' cheers are almost lost in the adagio. Then in a scene that seals the futility of war, the camera focuses a tired, old, weary Emperor as he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes in an expression that reveals his sad resignation that another battle has been won. At first glance, I just thought â€Å"Gladiator† was simply going to be a â€Å"blood and guts film,† But having watched it with greater attention, I believe it is a truly great film. Ridley Scott has carefully constructed an opening scene that brings out the futility of war and one mans struggle to be free. Scott had used many different effects such as; slow motion photography, quick change in atmosphere and an almost monochrome set with the orange of burning fires and sepia tones. The musical score has switched between triumphant martial music and a slow adagio hinting of imminent tragedy and sadness. Even the minimal dialogue between the characters complements the director's intended effect. Overall this is a magnificent opening scene.

Sms Based E Notice Board

Abstract The goal of this project is to design an embedded device which can control up to 8 devices by sending a specific SMS message from a cell-phone. This controller is extremely handy at places where we have to control the ON and OFF switching of the devices but no wired connection to that place is available. To implement this, a GSM modem is connected to a programmed microcontroller which would receive the SMS from a reference cell phone. The control signal part of the received SMS is extracted and is changed to microcontroller-preferred format.In regular intervals, the modem would also send the local temperature We have selected GSM because the ubiquity of its standard makes international roaming very common between mobile phone operators, enabling subscribers to use their phones in many parts of the world. A PC which is connected to the micro-controller using a serial communication through RS232 can be used for monitoring and transmission of the control signals to the modem. T he monitoring is also done by interfacing a LCD to the microcontroller. AT commands were used for controlling the functionality of modem. Main hardware requirements:Renesas SKP16C62P Starter Kit Plus This contains the micro-controller. (used for controlling the different external devices connected as per the SMS received ) GSM modem (GM28 from Sony-Ericsson) This GSM/GPRS terminal equipment is a powerful, compact and self contained unit with standard connector interfaces and has an integral SIM card reader. It is used for receiving the SMS from the mobile device and then to transmit to the Renesas SKP. A MAX232 chip This converter chip is needed to convert a TTL logic from a Microcontroller (TxD and RxD pins ) to standard serial interfacing for PC (RS232) A DB9 connectorThis takes the signals coming form the MAX232 chip to the PC. The typical applications of this serial modem is for developing a wide range of equipment like Security and alarms devices Monitoring and control devices Vending machines Utilities devices Fleet Management devices Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 3 2. Project Description Renesas SKP16C62P Starter Kit Plus Device 1 Device 2 MAX 232 Device 8 DB9 Connector DB9 Connector GM28 (GSM Modem with SIM card working in 850 MHz /1900 Hz) Antenna Computer (For displaying the received SMS) Figure 1: Block diagram of the project setupInitially the SMS is received from the person authorized to use this setup (destination) by the GSM modem (GM28) & is transferred to the Renesas SKP16C62P SKP with the help of a MAX 232 chip. As per the AT commands given by the microcontroller to the modem, the control signal from the SMS is extracted and is used to control the devices connected to it. We have to convert the ‘septets' of the phone to ‘octets' because the micro-controller need bytes with 8 bits length ( The ‘septet' is 1 byte with 7 bits length and ‘octet' is 1 byte with 8 bits length). All this process is necessary to decode the m essage from SMS.A program (for extracting the control signal part from received SMS) is loaded into Renesas SKP16C62P SKP, and then the circuit is connected to the modem. The microcontroller now tries to read the SMS from the 1st memory location of the modem and it keeps trying again until the modem receives any (programmed for every one second). Before implementing the control signal part of the SMS, the modem extracts the number from the SMS and verifies if this number has the access to control the device or not. For controlling the devices, the message will be sent in hexa decimal format.The hex data is converted to the equivalent binary and the particular output is enabled. For example if the message is â€Å"AB† the equivalent binary is â€Å"10101011† this implies that the output 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 are enabled and the remaining ports are disabled. We have connected LEDs to the ports of microcontroller to show the output and their status indicates whether the ports are set to ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’. The microcontroller is also programmed to read the temperature from the thermistor every 15 minutes and to send a SMS to the destination number. Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 4 3. Device Description 3. 1. Renesas SKP16C62P Starter Kit PlusThe SKP16C62P StarterKit Plus (SKP) is a low-cost environment for evaluating M16C/62P group of microcontrollers (MCU) and Renesas Technology America, Inc. software development tools. The SKP board provides an evaluation and development environment for the M16C/62P group of MCU. It has pushbutton switches, LED’s and LCD for user interface. Standard connector ports are available to expand the range of applications through the use of expansion boards, etc. The kit comes with an integrated software development environment, HEW (IDE, C-compiler, assembler, and linker), KD30 Debugger, and FoUSB (Flash-overUSBâ„ ¢) Programmer.A real-time, source-level debug environment is implemented using the K D30 debugging software with the RTA-FoUSB-MON Flash Programmer/In-Circuit Debugger (ICD). The Flash-over-USBTM (FoUSB) Programmer software, with the ICD, allows in-system programming of the M16C/62P flash MCU. The ICD and firmware provide a convenient USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface between the SKP16C62P board and the host PC. This interface reduces resource requirements on the M16C/62P MCU, allows faster code downloads and, can also be used with many other Renesas Flash MCU’s, SKP’s, and user’s target board.Figure 2: SKP16C62P System Connectivity (From the hardware manual of SKP16c62P ) Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 5 3. 2 GSM modem: (GM28 from Sony-Ericsson) Figure 3. a Figure 3. b Figure 3. c Figures 3. a, 3. b and 3. c show the different views of the GSM modem GM28 (From the Hardware Manual of GM28 Modem) The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. It is the European standard for digit al cellular service that includes enhanced features. It is based on TDMA technology and is used on 850/1900 MHz. We are using the GM28, a GSM modem from Sony-Ericsson.This is a powerful GSM/GPRS Terminal with compact and self-contained unit. This has standard connector interfaces and has an integral SIM card reader. The modem has a RJ9 connector through which a speaker and microphone can be connected allowing audio calls being established, but this feature is not utilized in this project as only data transfer is needed. Following are few technical details of the modem. Interfaces: †¢ Data: RS232 9–way (V. 28) †¢ Power and Extended I/Os: 5 – 32VDC (RJ11) †¢ Audio 4-wire Handset Interface (RJ9) †¢ Antenna: 50 (FME male) †¢ SIM card reader: 3V/5V interface with SIM detectionFeatures: †¢ ME + SIM phone book management – read/write/find, call screening, groups †¢ SIM Application Toolkit Class 2 †¢ Real Time Clock †¢ Softwa re upgradeable †¢ Audio control †¢ Fixed dialing number †¢ UCS2 16 bit data supported. Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 6 SMS features †¢ Supports both Text and PDU modes †¢ MT/MO & CBM †¢ Cell Broadcast †¢ Concatenation – up to 6 SMS The TT4030 (SE-GM28) uses the following industry standard connectors to interface with the external application and the GSM network; †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ RJ11 (plug-in power supply connector). RJ9 (handset audio connector) Integral SIM card reader.FME male (antenna connector). Sub-D socket, 9 pin (RS232 serial port). 3. 3. Power Connections All electrical connections to the TT4030 (SE-GM28) are designed to meet the standard air (4 kV) and contact (8 kV) discharge ESD tests, of EN 301 489-1. Figure 4 RJ11 connector as power supply to the modem (From the Hardware Manual of GM28 Modem) 3. 4. Antenna Connections The used antenna (Figure 4. a) operates at 850/1900 MHz which is suitable for transmit ting and receiving of RF signals for the GSM modem (GM28) used. Some of the key features of this antenna are: †¢ Bandwidth is 280 MHz †¢ VSWR is +3. 0V Signal = 1 (HIGH) < -3. V Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 9 Pin No. Name Notes/Description 1 DCD Data Carrier Detect 2 RD Receive Data (a. k. a RxD, Rx) 3 TD Transmit Data (a. k. a TxD, Tx) 4 DTR Data Terminal Ready 5 SGND Ground 6 DSR Data Set Ready 7 RTS Request To Send 8 CTS Clear To Send 9 RI Ring Indicator Table 1 Pin description of a DB9 connector 6. GM28 in a Communication System Figure 10, Illustrates the main blocks of a wireless communication system using the TT4030 (SE-GM28). It also shows the communication principles of the system. The definitions in the figure are in accordance with the recommendations of GSM 07. 7. The MS (mobile station) represents the TT4030 (SE-GM28) modem plus SIM card. The modem excluding SIM card, is known as the ME (mobile equipment). The TE (terminal equipment) is a micro-controller and is a part of the application. Figure 10. a Main blocks in communication between the GM28 (modem) and the microcontroller (TE) (From the Hardware Manual of GM28 Modem) The end-to-end communication path to be established between the external telemetry/ telematics application and a remote terminal or host, via the GSM network is done through the serial communication.Serial data with flow control according to the RS232 signaling protocol operates between the modem and the external application. The modem performs a set of telecom services (TS) according to GSM standard phase 2+, ETSI and ITU-T. Control of the TT4030 (SE-GM28) is by the external application, via the RS232 serial interface, using a set of AT commands. The TT4030 (SEGM28) supports the full set of AT commands according to GSM 07. 05 and GSM 07. 07. It also supports an extended set of Ericsson proprietary AT commands to add extra functionality. Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 10AT commands are used to operate the modem a nd have a broad range of Functions including: Configuring general parameters of the modem (SE-GM28) Setting up and controlling communications to and from the GSM Network Configuring the modem to communicate across the RS232 serial interface Obtaining GSM network status information. Figure 10. b Interface between the GM28 (modem) and microcontroller (TE) (From the Hardware Manual of GM28 Modem) The modem also supports the Voice, Data, Fax services but since these are not required for the current application, they are not taken into consideration as of now. . AT commands The AT command set is the fundamental interface with the modem. An AT command is simply a string of characters preceded by the AT prefix that is sent to the modem. The commands typically instruct the modem to perform some action or set some characteristic within the modem. The modem has two states: command state and on-line state. In command state, the modem will accept and respond to AT commands. In the on-line state , the modem will transmit data, but ignore AT commands. Typically the modem is in the on-line state after dialing.AT commands has the following format: The command is prefixed with AT (Attention) The command is terminated by a carriage return (except the A/ command and escape sequence). The commands can be entered in upper case or lower case. The AT prefix can be in upper case or lower case, but both the A and the T must be the same case. Characters that precede the AT prefix are ignored. Multiple commands can be strung together on a single line and spaces may be included between commands but are not necessary. The command line interpretation begins upon receipt of the carriage return.These commands are used for request information about the current configuration or operational status of the mobile phone/modem and test availability and request the range of valid parameters, when applicable, for an AT command. Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 11 General Syntax of AT-Commands: Basic AT [=] [] Extended AT+= [] AT*= [] Read command AT+? AT*? AT? Test command AT+=? AT*=? Response command AT+ : AT* : Important AT command used to Test and Design: 1) ATD To dial a voice call from the modem. 2) AT+IPR To set the baud rate for the modem ( here for our application the baud rate is set as 9600) ) ATA To answer an incoming call. 4) AT+CHUP To hang up the initiated call. 5) AT+CFUN To set the phone functionality. Set to 0 to deactivate the modem. 6) AT+CLIP To identify caller number this command is set to 1 7) AT+CLIR For calling line Identification Restriction. 8) AT+CNUM To identify the subscriber number. 9) AT+CMGR To read the message at particular location . The location number is given as index. 10) AT+CMGD To delete the received message 11) AT+CMGS To send the message. 12) AT+CMGF To change the message format to PDU or Text mode. 13) AT+CMGL To see all the list of messages. 4) ATE To enable and disable command echo. 8. Installation and Functionality of modem To install this modem in the communication system to PC, the following procedure is adopted: †¢ †¢ †¢ Select the phone and modem options from the control panel. By browsing the disk for the modem drivers, the modem is selected and configured to a particular port through which it is connected to the PC. The terminal package like HyperTerminal is selected in the initial stage to check the functionality of the AT commands to control the GSM modem and later this hyper terminal is just used to monitor the serially received output.Hence finally a three way communication is established, the modem directly communicates with the micro controller to control the switching of devices externally and the hyper terminal package in PC is used just for monitoring the results (hence only receive and ground of connected to the PC). Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 12 †¢ †¢ The parameters for serial communication can be set in two ways; either by terminal equipment or by serial communicat ion with the micro controller. It should be noticed that the DTR pin should be enabled high in the initial tage to turn-on the modem, for this flow control of hardware is to be taken and the communication initially is 115200 bauds/second with 8-n-1 configuration (i. e. 8-Data bits, Parity none and 1-Stop bit). Later the baud rate can be changed to 9600 bps through the AT command: AT+IPR = . The settings for the hyper-terminal should have the default input translation and ASCII setup, the emulation can be either VT100 (preferable) or Auto-detect. To setup the serial port the following procedure has been followed: †¢ †¢ †¢ Select system from the control panel and thereby select the device manager in the hardware option.Now the exact serial COM port where the modem is configured is selected manually. Select port settings and then bits per second to get the exact baud rate. Now that the modem is configure it’s the task of setting up the volatile profile and enter t he AT commands required to select the SIM memory and then extract the text message. Hence, serial communication is established between GM28 and the microcontroller using a DB9 connector with a level shifter (MAX232). A level shifter is connected between the microcontroller (SKP) and the modem/computer and null modem connection is connected for the DB9 connector.The above discussed points are depicted in the Figure 9. Figure 9 Circuit for connecting the microcontroller to the modem/computer Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 13 9. Short Message Service (SMS) The GSM GM28 Modem supports the following SMS services. Sending, MO (mobile-originated) with both PDU (protocol data unit) and text mode supported. Receiving, MT (mobile-terminated) with both PDU and text mode supported. CBM (cell broadcast message), a service in which a message is sent to all subscribers located in one or more specific cells in the GSM network. This feature is network dependent.SMS STATUS REPORT according to GSM 03 . 40. SMS COMMAND according to GSM 03. 40. It should be noted that the maximum length of an SMS message is 160 characters when using 7- bit encoding. For 8-bit data, the maximum length is 140 characters. The Modem supports up to 6 concatenated messages to extend this function. Before we start working on the application design we should ensure the network subscription status Before the application is implemented, we must ensure that the chosen network provides the necessary telecommunication services. Else, the service provider should be contacted to obtain the necessary information.Since SMS features are used in this application, we have to ensure that these are included in the (voice) subscription. 10. PDU SMS format: There are two ways of sending and receiving SMS messages: by text mode and by PDU (protocol description unit) mode. We can switch from text mode to PDU mode and vice versa by selecting the AT+CMGF command. If AT+CMGF = 0 then PDU mode is selected and if the mode is 1 then text mode is selected. The text mode is just an encoding of the bit stream represented by the PDU mode. If we read the message on the phone, the phone will choose a proper encoding.An application capable of reading incoming SMS messages can thus use text mode or PDU mode. If text mode is used, the application is bound to the set of preset encoding options. In some cases, that's just not good enough. If PDU mode is used, any encoding can be implemented. The PDU string contains not only the message, but also a lot of metainformation about the sender, its SMS service center, the time stamp etc. But as of now for our application we require the phone number of the caller for authentication and the length of the message and the text message which contains the binary message.Let us take a example for the text message of â€Å"abcdef†. This message contains apart from the basic text message a lot of redundant data (meta information about the sender). In PDU mode the SMS looks li ke: 07914140279542F7000B816187220731F700006010413283900A0661F1985C3603 In TEXT mode the SMS looks like: +CMGR: â€Å"REC READ†,†16782270137†³,,†06/01/14,23:56:1720†³,129,0,0,0,†+14047259247†³,145,6 abcdef Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 14 The octets of the PDU message contain lots of information, in the above example the PDU can be divided and different octets signify the following information: 07 Length of SMSC information. 1 Type of address of SMSC. 4140279542F7 Encoded Service center number. 00 First octet of SMS delivery message. 0B Address length of the sender message. 81 Type of address of the sender number. 6187220731F7 Sender number with a trailing F. (number is 16872270137). 00 TP-Protocol Identification Address. 00 TP-Data coding Scheme. 601041328390 TP-SCTS Time stamp. 0A TP-User data length. 0661F1985C3603 Encoded Message â€Å"abcdef†. All the octets are hexa-decimal 8-bit octets, except the Service center number, the send er number and the timestamp; they are decimal semi-octets.The message part in the end of the PDU string consists of hexa-decimal 8-bit octets, but these octets represent 7-bit data. Basically the transformation of the septets to the octets is based on the GSM 03. 38 standard. This is helpful when we try to communicate with the PDU mode but if we use the CMGF command then text mode is activated to get the converted text message. So to get the message in the Text message we need to send the following commands AT+CMGF=1 to activate the text mode AT+CMGS=1 to check whether the modem supports the SMS message or not.AT+CMGR=I to read the message at the location I in the SIM card. 11. Code /*******************************************************************/ /* FILE :main. c DATE : Jan 2nd 2006 /* */ DESCRIPTION :Main Program To receive SMS from GM28 and to extract the control information part, then to control LEDs accordingly. Send the ambient temperature as SMS back to the user. AUTHORS: B. VAMSEE KRISHNA ; B. PRANEETH KUMAR */ /******************************************************************/ #include â€Å"skp_bsp. h†// include SKP board support package #include â€Å"string. h† void uartinit();Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 15 unsigned char result; char sms_text[200],sms_msg[10],num_text[10]; unsigned int f,f1,t,time=0,k=0,count=0,p=0; /* Prototype declarations */ void mcu_init(void); // MCU initialization void main(void); void timer_init(void); void uartinit(void); int map(char); #pragma INTERRUPT rx_isr void rx_isr(void); /* DEFINE QUEUES*/ #define Q_SIZE (200) typedef struct { unsigned char Data[Q_SIZE]; unsigned int Head; // points to oldest data element unsigned int Tail; // points to next free space unsigned int Size; // quantity of elements in queue Q_T; Q_T tx_q, rx_q; int Q_Empty(Q_T * q) { return q-;gt;Size == 0; } int Q_Full(Q_T * q) { return q-;gt;Size == Q_SIZE; } int Q_Enqueue(Q_T * q, unsigned char d) { // if queue is full, abort rather than overwrite and return // an error code if (! Q_Full(q)) { q-;gt;Data[q-;gt;Tail++] = d; Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 16 q-;gt;Tail %= Q_SIZE; q-;gt;Size++; return 1; // success } else return 0; // failure } unsigned char Q_Dequeue(Q_T * q) { // Must check to see if queue is empty before dequeueing unsigned char t=0; if (! Q_Empty(q)) { t = q-;gt;Data[q-;gt;Head]; -;gt;Data[q-;gt;Head++] = 0; // empty unused entries for debugging q-;gt;Head %= Q_SIZE; q-;gt;Size–; } return t; } void Q_Init(Q_T * q) { unsigned int i; for (i=0; iData[i] = 0; // to simplify our lives when debugging q->Head = 0; q->Tail = 0; q->Size = 0; } void timer_init(void) { //Timer initialisation ta0mr = 0x80;//timer mode ta0 = 0x927C;//for 50 msec delay ta0ic = 0x03;//timer priority tabsr=0x01; // starting the timer Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 17 } int map(char c) { int a=(int)c; switch (a) { case 48: return(0); break; case 49: eturn(1); break; case 50: return(2); break; case 51: return(3); break; case 52: return(4); break; case 53: return(5); break; case 54: return(6); break; case 55: return(7); break; case 56: return(8); Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 18 break; case 57: return(9); break; case 65: //returns 10 if ‘A' is entered return(10); break; case 97: //returns 10 if ‘a' is entered return(10); break; case 66: //returns 10 if ‘B' is entered return(11); break; case 98: //returns 10 if ‘b' is entered return(11); break; case 67: //returns 10 if ‘C' is entered return(12); break; ase 99: //returns 10 if ‘c' is entered return(12); break; case 68: //returns 10 if ‘D' is entered return(13); break; case 100: //returns 10 if ‘d' is entered return(13); break; case 69: //returns 10 if ‘E' is entered return(14); break; case 101: //returns 10 if ‘e' is entered Embedded Project- ECE 5101 Page 19 return(14); break; case 70: //returns 10 if ‘F' is entered return(15); break; case 102: //returns 10 if †˜f' is entered return(15); break; default: break; } } #pragma INTERRUPT timer_a0 void timer_a0(void) // the timer is set for every 50 milliseconds

In what manner (if any) does Stonewall Jackson illuminate the ideas Essay

In what manner (if any) does Stonewall Jackson illuminate the ideas and concepts put forth by the classical theorists (Sun Tzu, - Essay Example He was also successful at occasionally playing a defensive strategy when one was needed. Thus, he effectively displayed Clausewitz’ theories of attack and defense strategies. Jackson was also very skilled at mobilizing his troops and getting them to a location with great speed. Because he was able to get to the right spot at the right time, he was able to obtain important victories for the Confederacy (4). His ability to maneuver with great speed is something that Jomini believes is critical to success on the battlefield. In his work, â€Å"Summary of the Art of War,† he explains that â€Å"rapid movement† and â€Å"striking in the most decisive direction† is one of the most important factors in the outcome of a battle (5). Additionally, Jackson and Lee both held that obtaining specific enemy territories was critical to the army’s overall success. This is something that Jomini believed was also critical in determining the outcome of a war. It is obv ious that Jackson and other Civil War leaders studied Jomini and, in fact, his work â€Å"became the text book for the conduct of the American Civil War† (6). Sun Tzu’s work, â€Å"The Art of War,† deals heavily with the importance that terrain plays in the outcome of a battle. Much of Jackson’s success was due to his exceptional knowledge of the surrounding terrain as well as his ability to utilize the terrain to his advantage.

Megamusicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Megamusicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber - Essay Example Musical Theater is an art form that combines the basic elements of speaking, acting, singing and dancing. It is a play that may have all the four elements together in varying proportions or it may utilize pure singing and dancing only and is considered as pure-music or sung-through form. Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats and Phantom of the Opera are almost sung-through musicals, a trademark of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. When story and music are put together, the synthesis is an extremely powerful, expressive and stimulating work of art that is very effective in communicating a message and eliciting a warm response from the audience. All the ingredients of a story including the setting, characters, the plot, the conflict, the resolution and the message contribute to make a good story. It provides a time and place which may be real or imaginary; while a real-life setting is determined by historical facts, an imaginary setting however can make a story very interesting. Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita are based on real-life persons and events while Cats and Phantom of the Opera on fictional stories. A story also provides characters whose personalities, background and visions become the basis of songs. Information about the character becomes the source of the content of the lyrics and the basis of the styles to be used for the music. In Webber's musicals, songs have been written for and about the characters like Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar; Old Deuteronomy, Grizabella and Macavity in Cats; Evita, Juan Peron and Che in Evita and the Phantom, Raoul, and Christine in The Phantom Of The Opera.2 A story also layouts the plot, that is, the series of events arranged in a logical sequence and meaningful format that progresses interestingly to bring a clear conveyance of the musical's idea. The plot provides the structure or outline for the sequencing or ordering of songs and music for the musical while the context of the scene helps the composer to determine the type of melody, rhythm, tempo, dynamics or style of music to be used to suit the scene. Considerations like whether to use vocal or instrumental music, solo or choral; sad or happy music, for example, are influenced by the nature and meaning of the scene. Webber is very successful in this aspect which may be appreciated in some of his works especially in his musical Jesus Christ Superstar.3 The conflict is the core of a story, for without it a story becomes uninteresting and unrealistic. Human life is full of conflict and it is this aspect of a story which people relate and respond to. It is then a rich source of material for lyrics and music; conflict leads to the composition of intense songs and powerful music. Webber's song "I Don't Know How To Love Him" and the Overture of Jesus Christ Superstar are just some of his great works that manifest conflict. The resolution of conflict in a story is also a source of material for score writing. Conflict resolutions create wonderful, victorious and inspiring song and music. "Hosanna" and "Superstar" are examples of inspirational songs written by Webber.4 Lastly, the message of the story is a very important source of material and content for the making of song and music for a musical. A story without a message is useless and a song without a message is devoid of significance and meaning. Webber's musicals have great meanings and messages including love for fellowmen, romantic love, love for country and love for life. His musicals contain deep values like hope, love and loyalty.5 In musical theater, the Story is the ingredient that provides meaning and essence. It is the core and substance that endows the musical its development and evolution. It is the component that carries the message to the audience in a forward movement and making the play comprehensible; it is the constituent of the musical play that makes the mind think. Because of the story, actors and actresses have something to say, act, sing

The Teaching of Foreign Languages Research Proposal

The Teaching of Foreign Languages - Research Proposal Example In the result, one can observe impact of globalization on almost every aspect of different societies around the world, such as immigration, e-commerce, learning and most importantly, language learning. In particular, English has become an international language, and millions of individuals are endeavoring to learn foreign languages to equip themselves with the tools of surviving and competing in this modern global village. In this regard, institutions and organizations (Kirkman, 2010) are putting efforts to ensure effective learning of foreign languages by students and professionals around the world. In such an attempt, huge advancements in the field of information and technology have been playing a pivotal role in enhancing the language learning globally. Moreover, educational institutions are in midst of endeavors to identify the most effective methodology of teaching foreign languages. At the same time, it is an observation that technological tools are currently the most effective and interactive way of ensuring efficient teaching methodology when it comes to teaching of foreign languages. ... Research Statement In this regard, the proposed research will focus on the following research statement: â€Å"To identify and analyze the impact of teaching methodology on the performances of students and teachers toward technological language learning in EFL context† Literature Review In order to carry out research to analyze the impact, it is very imperative to acquire a foundational understanding of teaching methodologies that exist in the area of language learning. In this regard, brief review of the literature (Kirkman, 2010) has facilitated in identification of ‘computer assisted language learning’ that indicates very effective outcomes in terms of efficient teaching of foreign language. In the result, a huge number of organizations and institutions (Johnson, 2008) are in midst of implementing CALL technology for teaching different languages around the globe. In addition, due to effectiveness of CALL, statistics have indicated that due to advancements in th e field of information technology, a higher number of institutions are transferring their teaching environment into a CALL atmosphere that is an effective way of learning foreign languages. Although a huge number of experts (Ruffin, 2000) have carried out researches on the effectiveness of CALL technology; however, it is an observation that a very few has focused on its impact on students’ performance in the subject, and thus, there exists a need of new researches in this area. In this regard, to understand its impact, it is imperative to have an understanding of its different forms. In specifically, CALL technology has come to the present era while passing through different stages where it existed as ‘Structural CALL,

INFORMING PUBLIC POLICY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INFORMING PUBLIC POLICY - Essay Example At first, the authors give us a ‘brief history’ of the journal and examine the role eminent personalities such as Jeremy Travis in conceiving a journal for breaching the gap between policy research and criminal justice policy. According to Clear and Frost (2007), the best thing about the journal was that it sought to â€Å"simultaneously maintain a high degree of academic credibility and inform public policy† (p.633). The journal upheld a dissemination strategy to avoid the confinement of policy-relevant research to the academic world. The American Society of Criminology (ASC), under the presidency of Lawrence Sherman, made the journal its official publication. From 2004 onwards, the journal was fully supported by the ASC. Because of this collaboration, CPP reached out to many policy framers through the organizational network of ASC. Importantly, the journal had a pan-American reach. Certainly, its widespread distribution was the result of an excellent media disse mination strategy involving U.S. Newswire and Rubenstein Associates. Criminology & Public Policy was a notable success in terms both circulation and quality. Among the newcomer journals, CPP holds its head high. The genre of ‘reaction essays’ was the major attraction of the journal, which was solicited from the writers by the editors themselves. The authors are of the view that engaging with the media is a difficult task and put forward the rather interesting statement about criminologists that they are â€Å"very reluctant to offer definitive policy recommendations and frequently include a host of caveats to any of the implications that they do raise† (p.636). They also give account of the difficulties pertaining to drawing concrete policy formulations from empirical researches. This problem arises out of the very nature of criminological empirical research, i.e. empirical

British Airways strategic management Case Study

British Airways strategic management - Case Study Example and Stahl, M.J. (1997, p. 2) that managers of organizations need to anticipate and adapt to change by keeping in touch with the external environment of the organization. The present chapter is focused on British Airways which is one of the world's favourite airlines as it carries more international passengers to more destinations than any other air carriers (Haberberg, A and Rieple, A, 2008:458). Since its establishment in the year 1919, the British Airways has come a long way to be one of the reputed airlines in the world and continuously returning profits at the end of financial years, which most of its competitors are unable to do so. The secret for the success of British airways is attributed to its strategic management decisions (Cole, G.A., 2003:191) and hence the present research is undertaken to study the process of planning, development and implementation of management strategies in order to know the actual success factors like management, human resource, finance, marketing and communication. The British Airways' forerunner company Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T) launched the world's first daily international scheduled air service between London and Paris, way back on 25th August, 1919 (www.britishairways.com). Presently it is the world's largest international airline and has global flight network through USAir, Qantas, and TAT European Airlines serving 95 million passengers a year using 441 airports in 86 countries and more than 1000 planes. (www.fundinguniverse.com) British Airways Ltd came into existence with the merger of many smaller airlines to form Imperial Airlines which was later nationalized into the present original form. (www.bizcovering.com) Cole A.G. (2003, p.192) states that the company has been able to achieve considerable rate of success all these years just because of its effective strategic management decisions including maintaining a sustained marketing campaign, focusing on the requirements and preferences of business customers which res ulted into development of brands like Concorde, First Class, etc; focusing on the needs of private passengers and tourists, marketing the excellent reputation of the company's safety and engineering aspect, providing effective customer service through the use of information technology, promoting an extensive programme of staff training ensuring the efficiency, productivity and awareness of the employees. The company adopted a strategy of alliance and mergers which was advantageous to provide service to more

Water clock Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Water clock - Research Paper Example However this is not the case and many experiments are underway all around the globe to find the best product possible which can wake up an individual as ordinary alarms do not do the trick when it comes to waking them up from sleep. The product that has been chosen for the sake of this paper is that of a water clock which is in the form of a top lamp. It aims to spill water on to the sleeper if he does not get up and avoids using the alarm so that he could get an extra dose of sleep in the early hours of the morning. This paper will discuss the basis of a water clock and how it has been studied from the aspect of four dimensions of the marketing – product, price, place and promotion. The water clock runs with electricity and is basically an alarm clock. It is different from other clocks because it has a water tank fitted inside it. However this water tank is small in size and does not take that much space. The water clock is an interesting idea because it helps the sleeper to wake up and get on his toes immediately. The basic intention is to make him feel all soggy so that shall wake him up quickly. Some people find it hard to digest the fact that they would be spilled with water so early in the morning; however the advantages of such a water clock cannot be denied at all, especially if the sleeper believes in having deep sleep patterns. The water clock acts as a deterrent to sleeping for long period of time, thus offering a chance to the sleeper to be on his toes instantly. As far as comparing it with other products in the market is concerned, the water clock acts as a product that is one step ahead of them. Other products make use of the cell (alkaline battery ) technology while this water clock is run through electricity alone. Hence if the cells go off in the middle of the night, the sleeper can still be assured that his water clock will wake him up early in the morning, at his own designated time. The

How should U.S. define its security interests and implement a plan for Essay

How should U.S. define its security interests and implement a plan for advancing them in the Middle East, Whats the Army's role in U.S. Strategy - Essay Example It is important to note that the model for fighting terrorism in the modern times involves the use of the influence that the US has on other nations as well as the national power. This means that the US employs military power, financial intelligence, diplomatic power and law enforcement operations to protect their home country and promote their defenses, deprive the terror groups off the resources that are required for their activities and end their terror activities. Their strategy should focus on getting a better understanding of the enemy. From the start, the US had acknowledged the fact that the war against terror involves understanding the nature of the terrorist factions in the Middle East region, where they get their strength and resources from (Serena 48). This will contribute positively to their strategy in bringing terror activities to an end as well as fighting the deep-rooted ideologies that result in the establishment of such groups. It has been observed that the US has made significant steps in fighting terrorism in the region by capturing some of the masterminds behind such groups. It should not relent in its efforts to establish effective democratic organizations in the region and work towards establishing human liberty in the region. The foreign aid approach should be employed towards promoting the US interests in the Middle East (Keegan 57). This is because the war torn nations require funds to establish democratic institutions as well as settle its citizens in safe environments. In this way, the US can find a lasting solution for the Middle East. The army is at an important point. This is due to the fact that in the past years it has channeled its processes and resources in two major wars which evolved into stability and counterinsurgency operations. This led to the adoption of the Army Force Generation framework, refocused

Relationships between African Americans and Latinos in the Church of Essay

Relationships between African Americans and Latinos in the Church of Christ - Essay Example How important is a religion to you? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant How important is religion in your family? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant How important is religion in social life? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant Cultural Aspects How much is culture related to religion? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant How much is religion related to culture? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant Which is more important to you? Culture Religion How important is the ethnic difference in the context of religion? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant What is the influence of cross cultural communities on religion? (King, 18) Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant How do you assess the influence of religion in promoting leadership qualities for acculturation? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant How much can the cross culture problems be overcome by the influence of church? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant How much is the influence of the church in the context of language? Very Important Important Marginally Important Not Important Irrelevant Very Irrelevant

Biodiesel in Malaysia Essay Example for Free

Biodiesel in Malaysia Essay In the United States, the majority of biodiesel is made from soybean or canola oils, but is also made from waste stream sources such as used cooking oils or animal fats. Biodiesel is a diesel replacement fuel that is manufactured from vegetables oils, recycled cooking greases or oils, or animal fats. History of biodiesel around the World Transesterification of a vegetable oil was conducted as early as 1853 by scientists E. Duffy and J. Patrick, many years before the first diesel engine became functional. Rudolf Diesels prime model, a single 10 ft (3 m) iron cylinder with a flywheel at its base, ran on its own power for the first time in Augsburg, Germany on August 10, 1893. In remembrance of this event, August 10 has been declared International Biodiesel Day. Diesel later demonstrated his engine and received the Grand Prix (highest prize) at the World Fair in Paris, France in 1900. This engine stood as an example of Diesels vision because it was powered by peanut oil a biofuel, though not biodiesel, since it was not transesterified. He believed that the utilization of biomass fuel was the real future of his engine. In a 1912 speech Diesel said, The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today but such oils may become, in the course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal-tar products of the present time. During the 1920s, diesel engine manufacturers altered their engines to utilize the lower viscosity of petrodiesel (a fossil fuel), rather than vegetable oil (a biomass fuel). The petroleum industries were able to make inroads in fuel markets because their fuel was much cheaper to produce than the biomass alternatives. The result, for many years, was a near elimination of the biomass fuel production infrastructure. Only recently have environmental impact concerns and a decreasing cost differential made biomass fuels such as biodiesel a growing alternative. Research into the use of transesterified sunflower oil, and refining it to diesel fuel standards, was initiated in South Africa in 1979. By 1983 the process for producing fuel-quality, engine-tested biodiesel was completed and published internationally. An Austrian company, Gaskoks, obtained the technology from the South African Agricultural Engineers; the company erected the first biodiesel pilot plant in November 1987, and the first industrial-scale plant in April 1989 (with a capacity of 30,000 tons of rapeseed per annum). Throughout the 1990s, plants were opened in many European countries, including the Czech Republic, Germany and Sweden. France launched local production of biodiesel fuel (referred to as diester) from rapeseed oil, which is mixed into regular diesel fuel at a level of 5%, and into the diesel fuel used by some captive fleets (e. g. public transportation) at a level of 30%. Renault, Peugeot and other manufacturers have certified truck engines for use with up to that level of partial biodiesel; experiments with 50% biodiesel are underway. During the same period, nations in other parts of the world also saw local production of biodiesel starting up: by 1998 the Austrian Biofuels Institute had identified 21 countries with commercial biodiesel projects. 100% Biodiesel is now available at many normal service stations across Europe. In September of 2005 Minnesota became the first U. S. state to mandate that all diesel fuel sold in the state contain part biodiesel, requiring a content of at least 2% biodiesel. History of biodiesel in Malaysia One such fuel, which has been gaining prominence in recent years, is biofuel. Clean and renewable, biofuel has been touted as the answer to the issue of the diminishing of energy reserves. It was led by Yang. Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Dr Yusof Basiron, former Director General of MPOB, MPOB has been the pioneer and is at the forefront in researching into palm biodiesel project. Since the 1980s, MPOB in collaboration with the local oil giant, PETRONAS, has begun to develop a patented technology to transform crude palm oil into a viable diesel substitute. This process involves the transesterification of crude palm oil into palm oil methyl esters or palm biodiesel. It has also been successfully demonstrated in a 3000 tonnes per year pilot plant located in the MPOB headquarters. Palm biodiesel has been systematically and exhaustively evaluated as diesel fuel substitute from 1983 to 1994. These included laboratory evaluation, stationary engine testing and field trials on a large number of vehicles including taxis, trucks, passenger cars and buses. Exhaustive field trials with 30 Mercedes Benz of Germany mounted onto passenger buses have been successfully completed with each bus covered 300,000 km, the expected life of the engines. Biodiesel in Malaysia In Malaysia, biodiesel called the Envo Diesel was launched by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Tuesday 22 March 2006. Malaysia currently produces 500,000 tonnes of biofuel annually and the government hopes to increase this number this year. Envo diesel blends 5% processed palm oil (vegetable oil) with 95% petrodiesel. In contrast, EUs B5 blends 5% methyl ester with 95% petrodiesel. Diesel engine manufacturers prefer the use of palm oil methyl ester blends as diesel engines are designed to handle 5% methyl esters meeting the EN14214 biodiesel standard, which palm oil cannot meet. Malaysia announced that it will build three plants to produce biodiesel from palm oil, as part of efforts to reduce its dependency on foreign oil and increase demand for domestically produced palm oil. Palm biodiesel is set to become a viable alternative to petroleum diesel, Commodities Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui told an international palm oil congress in Kuala Lumpur. Palm biodiesel is attractive when oil is above $43 he added. Crude oil is currently trading around $65 a barrel. With fossil oil fuel becoming lesser and lesser and ultimately depleting the world over, it might be wise for Malaysia to adopt and implement the use of these renewable fuel resources early, as such the national oil company, PETRONAS, must take the foremost initiative first to tap this resource by making research on the blending palm oil diesel with fossil diesel to the best possible combination so that all diesel engines in this country could start using this blend or just purely palm oil bio-diesel which has been found to be an equally efficient and effective replacement. The initiative will be the first in the world on a national scale, since Malaysia is a gross producer and net exporter of both palm oil and also of fossil oil, there is no disadvantage whether Malaysia export less palm oil or more fossil oil which is value added in the form diesel and petrol. Whether or not it is economical or practical to implement this is purely a matter of policy by the government. If export fossil diesel fuel to be consumed ; used in Malaysia alone including subsidies Malaysia could increase their foreign reserves and offset the opportunity cost created by the palm oil price fluctuation and direct export earnings from palm oil. This policy implementation should be long term and will benefit future generations of Malaysians because palm oil diesel cannot be depleted owing to the fact it is a renewable resource and when in use in diesel engines it will be environmentally friendly. Whereas fossil oil diesel can be depleted and also can cause environmental damage. The cost for producing palm oil diesel could be reduced if used cooking oil from big consumers like KFC, Mc Donalds and other fast food chains could contribute used cooking oil for recycling into diesel for consumption by diesel engines. The cost of producing bio-diesel or palm oil diesel could be a fraction compared to producing fossil diesel, as crude or palm oil of the lowest grade such as soap making fats and also palm oil sludge waste could be used and it could be converted easily into bio-diesel for engine consumption on a very large scale and if there is an economy of scale the production cost could be further reduced. much research have been done by others including the King of Thailand; and the results observed have been proven to be viable and positive and therefore Malaysia should pursue this policy of implementation as the first on the national scale to enjoy the economy of scale. In etrol engines, pure bio-ethanol has been found to be an efficient and effective alternative replacement for the petrol fuel or if necessary also by blending both with less of petrol and more of ethanol as engine fuels, the optimum combination ratio to be determined by further research for all types of petrol engines; much res earch have also been done by others who have found this advantage, recently in china, a province which is a renown corn producer has been successfully producing ethanol from old and outdated stock of corn for consumption by petrol engines in its pure form without blending on large scale, that is consumption by the whole province, they are also burning bio-residues ; wastes from the fermentations plants for distilling the alcohol ethanol. Bio-ethanol could be produced by a local company using proven foreign technology on a large scale, by using bio-mass from wood wastes from forest industries, plants wastes from orchard trimmings ; also all types of wastes from sugar, maize, tapioca, palm oil ; rubber plantations ; also from reeds, grass ; rice husks from padi fields; garbage, rubbish and other wastes in the modern waste disposal incinerators could fuel the distilling of the ethanol and also produce electricity if the excess heat could be further harnessed. most of our fossil petrol and fossil diesel to be used ; consumed in the country could then be exported to earn foreign exchange reserves or the fossil oil reserves themselves be preserved for our future generations or whichever way is truly feasible and viable. Savings and conservation of our natural resources and establishing of Malaysia’s own renewable non-depleting alternative resources of fuels could be achieved using the two methods said above if imple mented by the Malaysian government on a large scale basis could result with whole new industries that could offshoot from these initiatives. These initiatives could be realised to produce and distribute bio-ethanol and palm oil bio-diesel on a large scale, from biomass, made available from the said waste resources mentioned above, this will involve investments of about between US$1 billion to US$10 billion which Malaysia can attract outside investors interested in this program because of the large biomass waste resources available in Malaysia. The end products could even be exported to other countries lacking such resources like for example Singapore at a price cheaper than fossil fuel. Disadvantages of Biodiesel in Malaysia Projects requiring Malaysian and Indonesian palm oil as feedstock have been criticized by some environmental advocates. A Friend of the Earth has published a report asserting that clearance of forests for oil-palm plantations is threatening some of the last habitat of the orangutan. Over the past decade, Malaysia has converted large tracts of tropical rainforest to palm oil plantations on the island of Borneo. Recently, several Malaysian firms were implicated in illegal burning in Indonesia that produced a polluting haze that choked residents of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysias remaining old growth forests are, biologically, some of the richest on the planet and are home to a number of endangered species including forest elephants, rhinos, orangutans, tigers, monkeys, and tapir. The government has been working to encourage ecotourism but still struggles policing its own forests.

The Importance Of Sustainable Infrastructure Design Environmental Sciences Essay

The Importance Of Sustainable Infrastructure Design Environmental Sciences Essay Infrastructure is the key to creating a healthy, happy and thriving economic climate in communities around the world. It is important to our future success and plays a critical role in creating and enhancing sustainability based on ESEM principles. By tradition, the leading concern among engineers has been the safety and reliability of major infrastructure entities. Until recently, sustainability has not been included in most infrastructure organisms on any level. However, the engineering organization, along with the community as a whole, is recognizing the importance of sustainable infrastructure design. Yet combining these ideas into the engineering design procedure as a primary goal remains uncertain to many engineers. This research paper seeks to provide a platform for upcoming sustainable engineering of civil infrastructure design. Introduction: The definition behind this research paper is the sustainable design of new infrastructure, re-design, rehabilitation, re-use or optimization of current infrastructure, which is consistent with the ESEM principles of sustainability. Sustainable infrastructure design is a great modern solution that will greatly reduce the life cycle cost of an infrastructure and also less negative effect on the environment. The main goal of this research paper is to define sustainable infrastructure, the need for infrastructure sustainability design, the scope of sustainable design, how to promote and implement it and the impact of it in society. US infrastructure demographic: Lets pull up the infrastructure demographic in the US: $2.2 trillion is the total investment amount needed in next five years to bring the infrastructure up to top,  according to the ASCE recent report. $1.57 is the amount  from each tax payer spent on infrastructure. There is four million miles of  roads  in the U.S and 90,000 miles found to be in dangerous state.150, 000 miles of roads are on the agenda to be repaired under the newly $50 billion infrastructure stimulus. $350 to $750 is the average dollar amount each driver in the US pays in annual vehicle maintenance costs  related to poor road state. 600,000  is the number of  bridges  in the U.S and 71,000  of those bridges are found to be in alarming state. 140,000 miles of  railway track  in the national freight rail network. $8 billion is the dollar amount the U.S.  plans to spend  on developing high speed rail in the next two years. The need for sustainable infrastructure design As you may notice from this infrastructure demographic was conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers recently. The US spends a couple of trillions of dollars every year in building, maintaining, repairing and research in infrastructure. Infrastructure development is a vital part of society and economy which develop the need to develop a sustainable infrastructure design to reduce the life cycle cost of the structure and reduce the negative impact on the environment. Let analyze the definition of sustainable infrastructure which is an infrastructure that enable a society evolution towards the goal of sustainable living. More Consideration should be brought to technical and government policies that allow the engineers to target at sustainable infrastructure design and ingenuities that promote sustainable living in modern society. Rationally, a sustainable design clues to the expansion of sustainable societies. The main purpose is to reduce a persons ecological footprint acco rding to the ESEM principles and sustainable expansion. Commonly speaking, sustainable infrastructure includes public transport, production and distribution of power, buildings for living, office spaces and public utilities, such as airports, stations, roads and marine ports, etc†¦In a metropolitan environment, buildings ingest about 40% of power and thus, they are a main supplier to carbon emissions. Sustainable Infrastructure scope Design and manufacture of sustainable buildings can address climate change matters to a large degree. It is projected that each 1 million sq. ft. of constructed sustainable building area will decrease 12 to 17 thousand tons of CO2 each year. Societies ought to improve their sustainable infrastructure design in order to simplify economic development; and its capability to develop on a sustainable source depends on how positively it pacts with environmental challenges rising from the development of building a sustainable infrastructure. It is very significant for the US to dynamically chase sharp emission reduction goals. There are enormous resources at our disposal; The US can establish the possibility and attraction of low-carbon development to other societies by establishing a sustainable infrastructure design based upon the ESEM principles. Sustainable infrastructure design is critical to a sustainable US. Expansion of the population and economic growth pressure the countrys limited resources of land, water, food, and power. To conserve and develop class of life there is a need to develop sustainable infrastructure design an improvement that meets human necessities for infrastructures while saving and guarding environmental quality and the economic and social resources critical for future growth. Sustainable infrastructure design is not luxurious like some might think. There are many examples that can be cited where sustainable infrastructure design has helped significantly reduce life cycle cost, help the environment and promote economic growth. Todays Infrastructure consist of built facilities and shelter and support most human activities: infrastructures of all types, power supply, water supply and waste treatment and management. Infrastructure is crucial socially and economically. In the U.S building and renovating the current infrastructure totals to about 1/8 of the GDP. To create a sustainable infrastructure design we need applicable practices, training, and study of infrastructure planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and rejuvenation or elimination. The practice, training and study for Sustainable Infrastructure design is one of the creativity of the U.S. infrastructure society. Contribution is exposed to all establishments that harvest, use, study or teach for practices for infrastructure in general. Sustainable infrastructure design outlook supports a great and sustainable quality of life for all individuals in a changing world. Sustainable infrastructure design goal is to progress and integrate ideas and information of sustainability into the principles and practices used throughout the life cycle of any infrastructure structures. ESEM principles will balance, and build upon, significant continuing activities linked to a sustainable infrastructure design such as sustainable building rules and practices for safety from natural, conscious and accidental hazards. Sustainable Infrastructure designs scope is divided in four aspects: -All principles and practices used in the life cycle analysis of all infrastructure organizations from urban and regional development, which mixes infrastructure systems, to those for essential materials and constituents and for process and maintenance; -Involving the private sector establishments that create and maintain the practices used for infrastructure systems and whose affiliates put in place these practices; -Using severe life cycle analysis measures to deliver reliable signs of environmental, economic and social consequences; and -Producing plans for application of top practices, development of practices to use current information, identify research needed to seal serious gaps in knowledge, and training for infrastructure specialists and operators. Figure 1 below represent the main types of infrastructure as well as main topics for research in design. Helping training platforms at college and universities in design, construction, engineering and planning, in integrating principles for sustainable infrastructure design in their curriculum, and reinforce K-12 training to develop a community understanding of sustainable infrastructure design and to invite qualified youth to infrastructure professions. Figure Launch a lasting platform of research to deliver critically wanted information for enhancement of practices for sustainable infrastructure design. Involve the U.S. infrastructure society in a worldwide effort for sustainable infrastructure design. A summary of the scope of sustainable infrastructure design based of ESEM principles using the three spheres of sustainability which are environmental, social and economic. (figure 1) Figure Impact of Sustainable Infrastructure Design Sustainable infrastructure design influences all type of industries today. Even a superficial look at todays environmental defies aids us to recognize that sustainable infrastructure design is a great defy and a crucial one for that issue. The past of industrialization societies shapes us that design of infrastructure continuously leads economic development. A society must develop its infrastructure system to ease economic development; and its aptitude to propagate on a sustainable foundation is subject to on how effectively it treats with environmental defies ascending from the procedure of building infrastructure. The benefits of sustainable infrastructure design increase through incorporating with buildings and across several infrastructure entities. For example, a landscaped exposed space can manage storm water, ease heat islands, deliver shading so that air conditioners need to run less often, and create a public facility. Sustainable infrastructure design can be effective in mixed-use localities. Varied land uses and structure types even out the demand for service. For example, people tend to use electricity, water and other utilities in the early AM and late PM, while commercial use heights in the daytime. Diverse uses also create chances for resource re-use and interactions. The end result is urban localities that are more self-sufficient. Sustainable infrastructure design is efficient. For example, new wastewater treatment machinery combines biological processes with innovative process checking and control to improve efficiency, from both energy and treatment outlooks. There is a necessity to assume a consciousness determination to inform one and all to sustainability and the necessity to improve infrastructure system that can resist a test of sustainability. Its essential to implement a general tactic that should include sustainable infrastructure design growth guidelines and strategies. It should consider eco-efficiency conceptions and comprise systems related to water preservation and control. The methodology should also be comprehensive of public utility services such as mass transportations and production of power. The Federal Government and lawmakers should think about a sustainability financial plan that would offer more incentives for use of minimal natural resources and encourage investments in sustainable infrastructure designs. 64% of Americans are disposed to pay more nowadays for a national sustainable infrastructure that is energy-efficient and less inefficient in order to save money and resources in the upcoming, up from 58 percent last November. About 96% of Americans approve that all new infrastructures should be sustainable designs. Whether its on transportation amenities, like highways and bridges, or in buildings, were discovering that sustainability has turned to be a requirement for many agencies nowadays who are expecting sustainable structures. Nevertheless of the method, most of the US sees the importance in sustainable infrastructure design as an initiative. About76% senses that large-scale infrastructure expansions with sustainability in mind are a significant investment for future generations. The necessity for more well-organized and flexible transportation systems to provision the nations economy and class of life remains to be a main concern in the US. At the same time, climate change, power security, shrinking natural resources, and queries about continuing transportation financing increase fears about the lasting practicality of our present methods to designing, constructing and maintaining our infrastructure. The transportation industrys development to sustainable practices is being led by political and the public, which is asking the industry to get closer with those that, are further advanced in sustainability. The U.S. transportation organizations are attaining sustainability in two methods: -Developing design and construction practices taking more in consideration natural resources, and applying practices that decrease greenhouse gas emissions. In the construction industry, old highways materials are frequently recycled and reused in new highway asphalt and concrete. Reflective orange barrels made of recycled plastic are placed in construction zones nowadays instead of battery-powered flashers. Sustainable infrastructure design practices can offer the data and information needed to make critical resolution, manage risk more efficiently, and eventually work in the direction of sustainable goals. However, sustainable infrastructure design plays a crucial significant part in assisting to generate a sustainable community. Sustainable infrastructure design practices permit us to frequently improve and launch improved control for sustainability. Sustainability today is measured using a diversity of signs, standards, reviews, guides, accounting and reporting organizations, which can be applied at all scales. Some of these measurements, principally the environmental ones, are already based on assessable measurements. These include the Air Quality Index, the Environmental Vulnerability Index. Other measurements such as the Corruption Perception Index, the Education Index, and the Happy Planet Index are more socio-economic, in nature, and are often based on a combination of assessabl e and qualitative measurements. Regardless of the kind of measurement used to assess sustainability, they are all based on some sort of quantitative measurements, and data analysis techniques. Conclusions: The purposes of this research paper on sustainable infrastructure design is be to bring awareness to the engineering community to keep a sustainable design in mind when design, planning and construction of new infrastructure systems. There is an abundant need for research activities related to both new and existing sustainable infrastructure design. New types of sustainable infrastructure design have to be developed which will need less use of resources in the construction phase, more energy efficient buildings, new types of sustainable infrastructure design for construction and supply of power and for transport and communication. There is also a necessity for a more efficient use of resources by development of new sustainable materials, new construction principles and methods and by recycling infrastructure materials using ESEM principles. Also using life cycle assessments and costing to optimized infrastructure prices. Implementing and developing and promoting sustainable infrastru cture design at all level in our society will have a great positive impact in the environment, social benefit and economic growth while preserving our ecosystems.

Client Directed Outcome Informed Therapy (CDOI) Analysis

Client Directed Outcome Informed Therapy (CDOI) Analysis Taryn Slaughter Throughout the years, therapies have transitioned through different theories of change, model development and extensive research. For decades evidence based models of therapy were argued to be the best treatment for clients. Whilst therapy programs continued and expanded the rates of success did not. Slowly the perception of traditional models and treatments began to change and therapists began looking for alternatives to best suit the needs of their clients. Gradually the roles of therapist and client have changed and the client now has more involved in their treatment process. The client is no longer just a recipient of treatment; they are a partner in the planning, implementing and the outcomes. This essay will describe client directed outcome informed therapy and how it benefits clients with consistent positive treatment outcomes. The concept of Client Directed Outcome Informed therapy (CDOI) was developed through collaboration between Scott Miller and Barry Duncan (Duncan, Miller Sparks, 2004). After reviewing years of outcomes research, CDOI therapy was created in an attempt to meet the needs of individuals who had not responded to traditional models of therapy (Duncan, Miller Sparks, 2004; Duncan Moynihan, 1994). Through further studies and collaborations other forms of outcome and client directed models emerged. These other forms of therapy have been called Feedback Informed Therapy (FIT) and Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS) (Miller, Duncan, Sorrell Brown, 2004). All three forms of therapy focus on the same principle of providing treatment for clients that is best suited to their individual needs. CDOI therapy has no fixed treatment, model, practice or intervention. The client directed aspect of CDOI therapy ensures that the differences between individuals are understood (Duncan, Miller Sparks, 2004). Practitioners performing CDOI therapy with clients acknowledge that each individual is different by structuring treatments to meet the needs of each client (Duncan Moynihan, 1994). The process of structuring treatment for each individual requires an understanding of the client’s strengths weaknesses and resources to obtain the best possible outcome (Norcross Wampold, 2010). Once these are understood, the client and therapist are then able to outline the desired goals of the client and implement treatments best suited to the client. The relationship between client and therapist enables the process of establishing goals and treatment options in any therapy. The relationship (or alliance) is built early in the initially stages of therapy (Barber, Connolly, Crits-Christoph, Gladis, Siqueland, 2000). The strength of the alliance is determined on the ability of the client and therapist to work together in a mutually respective, trusting and supportive environment (Klee, Abeles Muller, 1990). A therapist must be able to overcome any early resistance to therapy or formation of alliance to ensure the treatments being provided will meet the needs of the client. Research has shown that the strength of the alliance is a significant indicator to the outcomes of treatment. A meta-analytical review conducted by Martin, Garske and Davis (2000) examined a number of studies which observed alliance and outcomes of treatment. It was found that the alliance formed between therapist and client was the most significant indicator of outcome. These findings are consistent with the other alliance focused research (Klee, Abeles Muller, 1990; Krupnick et al., 1996; Meier, Barrowclough Donmall, 2005) which shows that a strongly built alliance results in more positive outcomes then those client/therapist relationships with inconsistent or weakly formed alliances. The outcome informed aspect of CDOI therapy involves the process of compiling feedback throughout treatment. This process provides indicators on whether the selected treatment is affective for the client and meeting their needs (Duncan, Miller Sparks, 2004). A number of studies have shown the effectiveness of ongoing feedback between counsellor and client and positive outcomes of treatment (Claiborn, Goodyear Horner, 2001; Lambert Shimokawa, 2011). Therapists can use the information gathered through feedback to either continue with current treatments or make adjustments where required to continue to work towards treatment goals (Duncan, Miller Sparks, 2004). The most important aspect of this process is that the client is the one expressing how the treatment is working for them, maintaining to the principle of CDOI therapy. There are many different terms used in professional practise when collecting feedback. There are also a number of different methods used when compiling information transmitted between therapist and client. In CDOI and other client and outcome focused therapies many therapists use the Outcome Ratings Scale (ORS) and Session Rating Scale (SRS) (Miller, Duncan, Sorrell Brown, 2004). Both scales allow the therapist to gain an understanding on the level of alliance formed and the success of the treatment being utilised. Consistent feedback from the client ensures that the alliance is still strong and the treatment is being effective in reaching the clients goals (Shaw, 2014). Other models of treatment and therapies such as Counselling and Medical models have more specific structures and guidelines. These models of therapy use the process of diagnosing a problem and then utilising a specific therapy to treat that problem (Mozdzierz, Peluso Lisieki, 2011). Through evidence based practise, problems and therapies are linked together from previous studies and research in the areas where there have been previous successful outcomes. Therapies such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) are linked with previous results in treating diagnosed disorders such as anxiety and depression (Butler, Chapman, Forman Beck, 2006; Tolin, 2010). These therapies are classified under the medical model of treatment and would be used by therapists after diagnoses of anxiety or depression has been made. The difference between these models and the CDOI therapy model is that there is no distinct diagnoses and treatment structure. Each client is evaluated on their own strengths, weaknesses and ideas about treatment. Goals and treatment options are set by both the client and the therapist to ensure all needs of the client are being met, not just the symptoms of a disorder that may be present resulting in a diagnoses (Duncan, Miller Sparks, 2004). Other models of therapy are more restricted in the types of treatments provided and do not allow for individual characteristics of each client. When adopting the CDOI method there is no need to completely discard other models such as the Counselling Model of treatment. CDOI therapy can draw from these different models and modify the structure to suit the client, instead of following the guidelines that may not be appropriate in every case (Duncan Moynihan, 1994). There have been many cases of successful outcomes for clients using evidence based therapies in the past (Butler, Chapman, Forman Beck, 2006; Tolin, 2010). However CDOI therapy is an alternative to these therapies that can be structured to meet the needs of any client by minimising the risk of negative outcomes. There are a number of strategies that can be used by a professional counsellor to improve their outcomes when using CDOI therapy. The importance of alliance between client and therapist has been proven to be a significant indicator of outcome. To build an alliance a professional needs to build a strong, safe and trusting relationship with the client (Norcross Wampold, 2010). A professional counsellor needs to understand the processes involved to build and maintain a strong alliance throughout treatment. Building strong interpersonal skills is one way a professional can achieve a strong alliance. To assess interpersonal skills, a professional can use the Social Skills Inventory (SSI) and the Facilitative Interpersonal Skills (FIS) Performance task questionnaires (Anderson, Ogles, Patterson, Lambert Vermeersch, 2009). These questionnaires measure social and emotional aspects of individual’s interpersonal skills. These aspects are important in building a successful alliance between professional and client which has shown to be a strong indicator of positive outcome. Building on interpersonal skills can be achieved through continuing regular training and education. By continuing education, a professional counsellor can remain current with ongoing research, therapies and treatments and build on existing skills (Norcross Wampold, 2011). By utilising further education a professional can use new ideas to improve outcomes in future cases. One other strategy relates to the feedback process between therapist and client. A successful indicator of outcome, the feedback process is important (Claiborn, Goodyear Horner, 2001). A professional counsellor needs to use a simple and quick system of collecting feedback so that the process doesn’t become overwhelming for the client (Lambert Shimokawa, 2011). This process can only lead to positive outcomes for the professional and client. Conclusion- No one model has proven superiority over another References Anderson, T., Ogles, B M., Patterson, C. L., Lambert, M. J., Vermeersch, D. A. (2009). Therapist Effects: Facilitative Interpersonal Skills as a Predictor of Therapist Success. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(7), 755-768. Barber, J. P., Connolly, M. B., Crits-Christoph, P., Gladis, L., Siqueland, L. (2000). Alliance Predicts Patients’ Outcome Beyond In-Treatment Change in Symptoms. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(6), 1027-1032. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.68.6.1027. Butler, A. C., Chapman, J. E., Forman, E. M., Beck, A. T. (2006). The empirical status of cognitive-behavioural therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Clinical Psychology Review, 26(1), 17-31. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2005.07.003. Claiborn, C. D., Goodyear, R. K., Horner, P. A. (2001). Feedback. Psychotherapy:Theroy, Research. Practise, Training, 38(4), 401-405. doi:10.1037/0033-3204.38.4.401. Duncan, B. L., Miller, S. D., Sparks, J. A. (2004). The Heroic Client. A revolutionary way to improve effectiveness through client-directed, outcome informed therapy. Sanfrancisco, California: John Wiley Sons. Duncan, B. L., Moynihan, D. W. (1994). Applying Outcome Research: Intentional Utilization Of The Clients Frame Of Reference. Psychotherapy, 31(2), 294-301. doi: 10.1037/h0090215. Johnson, L., Brown, J., Anker, M. Becoming Outcome Informed. In Duncan, B. L., Miller, S. D., Sparks, J. A. (2004). The Heroic Client. A revolutionary way to improve effectiveness through client-directed, outcome informed therapy (pp. 81-118). Sanfrancisco, California: John Wiley Sons. Klee, M. R., Abeles, N., Muller, R. T. (1990). Therapeutic Alliance: Early Indicators, Course and Outcome. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practise, Training, 27(2), 166-174. doi: 10.1037/0033-3204.27.2.166. Krupnick, J. L., Sotcky, S. M., Simmens, S., Moyer, J., Elkin, I., Watkins, J., Pilkonis, P. A. (1996). The role of the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy outcome: Findings in the National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program. Journal Of Consulting And Clinical Psychology,64(3), 532-539. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.64.3.532. Lambert, M. J., Shimokawa, K. (2011). Collecting client feedback. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 72-79. doi:10.1037/a0022238. Martin, D. J., Garske, J. P., Davis, M. (2000). Relation of the therapeutic alliance with outcome and other variables: A meta-analytical review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(3), 438-450. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.68.3.438. Meier, P. S., Barrowclough, C., Donmall, M. C. (2005). The role of the therapeutic alliance in the treatment of substance misuse: a critical review of the literature. Addiction, 100(3), 304-316. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2004.00935.x Miller, S. D., Duncan, B. L., Sorrell, R., Brown, G. S. (2004). The Partners for Change Outcome Management System. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61(2), 199-208. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20111. Mozdzierz, G. J., Peluso, P. R., Lisieki, J. (2011). Evidence-Based Psychological Practices and Therapist Training: At the Crossroads. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 51(4), 439-464. doi:10.1177/0022167810386959. Norcross, J. C., Wampold, B. E. (2010). What Works for Whom: Tailoring Psychotherapy to the Person. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67(2), 127-132. doi. 10.1002/jclp.20764. Norcross, J. C., Wampold, B. E. (2011). Evidence based therapy relationships: Research conclusions and clinical practices. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 98-102. doi: 1037/a0022161. Shaw, S. W. (2014). Monitoring Alliance and Outcome with Client Feedback Measures. Journal of Mental Health Counselling,36(1), 43-57. Tollin, D. F. (2010). Is cognitive-behavioural therapy more effective than other therapies? A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(6), 710-720. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.05.003.

Eulogy for Father :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Father We are gathered here to give Dr. Jerome, my dad, a last formal farewell. We celebrate his life with the theme of "Choose Life". For throughout his life, dad consistently chose life. He has the God given virtue of seeing the possibility of life. In many circumstances when many are blind, he sees possibilities for more abundant life. His vision is so clear that it drives him to action. And he is a man of action. He always tells me that his actions are calculated risks. Only after his death have I come to understand what he means by calculated risk. I believe he weighs the possibilities for more abundant life against the personal risks that his actions might incur. For him, the possibilities for life always out-weigh the risks of personal loss or rejection. His vision gives him the desire and courage to act. When he saw the possibility of a greater life in relationship with another, he married my mother, Theresa, in 1938. His vision was correct and resulted in a fruitful life-long relationship that brought forth 5 children. When he discovered that I suffered from asthma, he chose a better live for me by becoming a pediatrician. The result was not only a better life for me but also for his many patients. In 1947, he saw the possibilities for life in the West. So he came over to study in St. Louis. His father, my grandfather, was blind to the possibilities and refused to send him here. But his mother, my grandmother, sold some of her jewelry to pay for his stay here. In 1949, when the Communists are moving to take over the country, he saw the risks to our lives and come back to get us out. For him the risk of Communism was greater than the uncertainties of immigration. We left one week after the Communists captured Shanghai, with expired passports, and on the only ship to visit Shanghai that year. If dad was only one day late, our lives would have been radically different. When he saw that teenagers needed a special kind of medical care, he left his practice here in order to study at Harvard's adolescent unit. He was the first doctor in St. Louis to practice adolescent medicine. He also authored a book on the subject. Later in life, with considerable personal sacrifice, he chose to fight for the life of the unborn, for medical ethics that protected the aged and infirm, for an end to capital punishment, and for other related causes.

Survival Tips For Small Businesses :: essays research papers

You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail, or you may be a local merchant with 150 employees; whichever, however or whatever... you've got to know how to keep your business alive during economic recessions. Anytime the cash flow in a business, large or small, starts to tighten up, the money management of that business has to be run as a "tight ship." Some of the things you can and should do include protecting yourself from expenditures made on sudden impulse. We've all bought merchandise or services we really didn't need simply because we were in the mood, or perhaps in response to the flamboyancy of the advertising or the persuasiveness of the salesperson. Then we sort of "wake up" a couple of days later and find that we've committed hundreds of dollars of business funds for an item or service that's not essential to the success of our own business, when really pressing items had been waiting for those dollars. If you are incorporated, you can eliminate these "impulse purchases" by including in your by-laws a clause that states: "All purchasing decisions over (a certain amount) are contingent upon approval by the board of directors." This will force you to consider any "impulse purchases" of considerable cost, and may even be a reminder in the case of smaller purchases. If your business is a partnership, you can state, when faced with a buying decision, that all purchases are contingent upon the approval of a third party. In reality, the third party can be your partner, one of your department heads, or even one of your suppliers. If your business is a sole proprietorship, you don't have much to worry about really, because as an individual you have three days to think about your purchase, and then to nullify that purchase if you think you don't really need it or can't afford it. While you may think you cannot afford it, be sure that you don't "short-change" yourself on professional services. This would apply especially during a time of emergency. Anytime you commit yourself and move ahead without completely investigating all the angles, and preparing yourself for all the contingencies that may arise, you're skating on thin ice. Regardless of the costs involved, it always pays off in the long run to seek out the advice of experienced professionals before embarking on a plan that could ruin you. As an example, an experienced business consultant can fill you in on the 1244 stock advantages. Getting eligibility for the 1244 stock category is a very simple process, but one with tremendous benefits to your business. The 1244 status encourages investors to put equity capital into your business because in the event of a Survival Tips For Small Businesses :: essays research papers You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail, or you may be a local merchant with 150 employees; whichever, however or whatever... you've got to know how to keep your business alive during economic recessions. Anytime the cash flow in a business, large or small, starts to tighten up, the money management of that business has to be run as a "tight ship." Some of the things you can and should do include protecting yourself from expenditures made on sudden impulse. We've all bought merchandise or services we really didn't need simply because we were in the mood, or perhaps in response to the flamboyancy of the advertising or the persuasiveness of the salesperson. Then we sort of "wake up" a couple of days later and find that we've committed hundreds of dollars of business funds for an item or service that's not essential to the success of our own business, when really pressing items had been waiting for those dollars. If you are incorporated, you can eliminate these "impulse purchases" by including in your by-laws a clause that states: "All purchasing decisions over (a certain amount) are contingent upon approval by the board of directors." This will force you to consider any "impulse purchases" of considerable cost, and may even be a reminder in the case of smaller purchases. If your business is a partnership, you can state, when faced with a buying decision, that all purchases are contingent upon the approval of a third party. In reality, the third party can be your partner, one of your department heads, or even one of your suppliers. If your business is a sole proprietorship, you don't have much to worry about really, because as an individual you have three days to think about your purchase, and then to nullify that purchase if you think you don't really need it or can't afford it. While you may think you cannot afford it, be sure that you don't "short-change" yourself on professional services. This would apply especially during a time of emergency. Anytime you commit yourself and move ahead without completely investigating all the angles, and preparing yourself for all the contingencies that may arise, you're skating on thin ice. Regardless of the costs involved, it always pays off in the long run to seek out the advice of experienced professionals before embarking on a plan that could ruin you. As an example, an experienced business consultant can fill you in on the 1244 stock advantages. Getting eligibility for the 1244 stock category is a very simple process, but one with tremendous benefits to your business. The 1244 status encourages investors to put equity capital into your business because in the event of a