Geological Hazard

Geological Hazards are naturally occurring or man-made geologic conditions capable of causing injuries or other health impacts, loss of property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage. It had been divided into many types. The two main types of man-made geological hazards are collapsing of buildings and forest fire which happening recently. Now, I’m going to talk about the collapsing of buildings first. The structure of a building actually is fundamental to ensuring the safety of people in or around the existing buildings. However, human’s ignorance, negligence and greed lead to building collapse. Human ignorance has to do with when incompetent personnel are in charge of design, construction or inspection. One of the major areas of negligence is in specification writing where that of a past project is adopted without crosschecking those areas that need improvement, addition or omission. Greed on the part of building contractors like diversion of building materials, cement in particular, the use of sub- standard materials so as to achieve high profit. Moreover, foundation problems, quality management, material and testing variability and unprofessional conduct will also leads to building collapse. The effect of building collapse are the innocent citizens lost their life, many other people has been rendered permanent disable in one form or the other as a result of increasing rate of building collapse in the country. Economic problem of this incidence is immeasurable in that many have been rendered homeless with loss of countless properties. Here is the true incident which happens in Bangladesh when 24 April 2013. At least 76 garment workers have been confirmed dead in Bangladesh after an eight-story building containing clothing manufacturing units collapsed. Moreover, this is another true incident collapse of a 20-metre lighting arrester pole from the UMNO building in Jalan Macalister during a storm and caused casualties is the best example of fallen misfortune which happen on 15 June, 2013 at Penang. It is a man-made disaster, instead of a natural disaster or accident. And a person had been killed in this incident. The other man-made geographical hazard is forest fire. Forests are important to us and our environment, their benefits cannot be measured. Without forests humans cannot survive. Fires can have a positive or negative effect on forests; and its impact on forest health and dynamic change greatly in different ecosystems. Fires are sometimes essential for forest regeneration but also harmful if it is repeated systematically in the same area. Forest fires have terrible environmental, social and economic consequences. The causes of forest fire are including drought, human carelessness, lightning, heat waves, slash and burn farming. The most common cause nowadays is probably due to drought. Tropical forests are quite sensitive to temperature change, thus long dry seasons and higher temperatures can severely damage a healthy forest and leads to forest fire. The next common cause is probably lightning and the last major cause of forest fires is to open oil palm plantation for own benefits. The main consequence of forest fire will be releasing of carbon dioxide which will affect our health and it increases the atmospheric pollution. Furthermore, an increase in carbon dioxide means an increase in global warming. When global warming rise the â€Å"Greenhouse† phenomenon will being increases also. Other than that, shelter for animals is not provided anymore. Animals are immediately affected when they are killed at the duration of fire and indirectly when no more food is available. Lastly, the forest products will be destroyed, such as wood, food and medicines. Recently, smoke from forest fires in Indonesia has choked neighboring Singapore and Malaysia, prompting Singaporean officials to press Jakarta for urgent action against the haze that has pushed the city-state’s air pollution to the worst level in 16 years. Its main air pollution index hit a measurement of 401 at midday Friday, exceeding previous highs of 371 on Thursday and 321 on Wednesday. Those measurements were classified as â€Å"hazardous† and can aggravate respiratory ailments. The reason why the firm burn the forest is to open oil palm plantation for own benefits but they didn’t consider for other.

Religion and spirituality Essay

As Table 4 indicates, the members of admin body (100%) concur that the elderly engaged in religious activities and they did have their own personal devotions. All of them perceived this was a powerful means of coping for the elderly at this point of their life. According to them (67%), the elderly took pride in considering themselves to be religious, and 83% of them observed that prayer or spirituality was a source of strength and peace. The administrators report what the elderly had shared with them at different occasions: The devotion to Mary (the recitation of rosary in the chapel) keeps me busy the whole day†¦I hardly get time to think about the pain on my knees†¦and as pray for all of them†¦my children and grandchildren I know God will keep them safe. Even if I don’t to get to see them it is alright†¦let them be well and happy. I attend mass daily morning and evening†¦if I’m alright. It is there actually we get the strength. Even if I don’t feel alright I go to chapel and spend time there†¦it is so healing†¦after all, all of us (the elderly) have our own burden†¦of the past and the present. So it is a place to unburden all those. God is kind†¦He sees everything. Though life here is comfortable†¦everything is provided†¦we are alone†¦we have only God. Discussion Concept of Subjective Well-Being among the Institutionalized Aged: Administrators’ Viewpoint The findings suggest that the concept of subjective well being among the elderly as perceived by their administrators could be defined as the experience of being at home with their past, at ease with the present and at peace with the future including the inevitable death through a willing surrender to God. It goes with the definition of well-being adopted for the purpose of the present study. Accordingly, well-being is the pervasive sense that life has been and is good. It is an ongoing perception that this time in one’s life, or even life as a whole, is fulfilling, meaningful, and pleasant (Myers, 1993). These findings further ties up with Veenhoven’s (2000) contention that as happiness denotes an ‘overall’ evaluation of life and this appraisal of life can concern different periods in time: how life has been, how life is now, and how life will probably be in future. As perceived by administrators, the elderly at Gladys Spellman believe that when one has no regrets about the past and that they have lived a meaningful life, and having done one’s duties in life, they are at home with the past. This concept of well-being is supported by Butler et al. (1973; 1998), and Knight (1996) that the feeling that one has left undone those things which one ought to have done; and one has done those things which one ought not to have done could lead to sense of guilt, which would negatively affect the sense of well-being. Similarly, when they have satisfaction with the the present stage of life including the acceptance of the pain of growing old and physical decline or to put it differently, when they feel at ease with the present in the given situation, they expereince a sort of contentment and peace in their life. According to Knight (1996) and Butler et al. (1998), the elderly who go through life review and address the unresolved issues in the past (Erickson, 1963) like a righting of old wrongs, making up with enemies, coming to acceptance of mortal life, having a sense of serenity and quietitude, pride in accomplishments, and having a feeling of having done one’s best. And finally, when they are at ease with the future, they experience wellbeing. That is when they are not anxious about what is to come and not distressed about but reconciled with the final reality of death, which primarly comes from their willing surrender to God and absolute trust in Him. According to Westgate (1996), it is the spiritual dimension which is an innate component of human functioning that acts to integrate the other components, and relationship with God forms the foundation of their psychological well-being (Mackenzie et al. , 2000).

The Communist Victory in the Vietnam War

| History | | The SHS History Co. Shahriar Syed | [The Vietnam War]| Describe why the factors which allowed the North Vietnamese Communist to win a war against a far wealthier, technologically superior power of the US. | ContentsPage No. Background2 Introduction2 Logistical Issues3 Causality Tolerance4 Economic Consequences5 Strategy & Tactics5 Communist Strategy5 Guerrilla Tactics6 American Strategy6 Tactical Response7 Vietnamese Terrain Advantages8 Leadership8 Bibliography9 Books9 Video9 Website9Background The Vietnam War is classed under Cold-War military conflict due to the political cause for the war. The conflict was fought between North Vietnam, reinforced by the communist allies and South Vietnam, supported by the US and some anti-communist countries. The military conflict mainly occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia from the 1st of November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on the 30th April 1975. Figure 1 shows the countries on opposing sides of the war Anti-Communists forces| Co mmunists| South Vietnam * United States * South Korea * Australia * Philippines * New Zealand * Thailand * Khmer Republic * Kingdom of Laos * Spain * Taiwan| * North Vietnam * Vietnam * Khmer Rouge * Pathet Lao * Soviet Union * China * North Korea * Czechoslovakia * Cuba * Bulgaria| The U. S. government justified their involvement in the war as a way to prevent the spread of communism to South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese government viewed the conflict as taking what is theirs from the French, later backed by the U.S and South Vietnam itself. Introduction Despite the far wealthier and far more superior powers of the U. S. North Vietnam managed to capture South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, meaning a decisive victory. In this report the factors that lead North Vietnam to victory will be describing each factor in detail. Logistical Issues During the Vietnam War there was a great imbalance of the logistical problems on opposing sides. The American forces were facing difficulties with su pporting combat forces.Not only did they need to support American soldiers but also the military forces of South Vietnam, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Australia and other allied countries. The U. S had over 16,000 km of supply lines that was quite ineffective; it was costing over 200 billion U. S dollars to maintain this supply of food, water and weaponry*. This massive amount of war cost were only realised around the closing of the war. This in addition with the mounting U. S causalities and the fact that victory remained elusive, the American opinion moved from approval to dissatisfaction with the War.The Communist forces however, had little to no worry about logistics, many portions of their supplies originated from themselves or from China. The supply routes were shorter and much more organized. The support made by the Chinese railway network in the Chinese provinces bordering North Vietnam was also a vital importance in importing war material. The American did not strike this n etwork for fear of Chinese intervention, however approximately 320,000 Chinese soldiers served the communist forces in repairing and upgrading miles of track, bridges, tunnels and stations.This made the supply chains cheaper and more effective, creating a major factor that lead to the decisive victory of communist forces. Figure 2 shows the U. S defence expenditure during the Vietnam War Figure 2 shows the U. S defence expenditure during the Vietnam War Causality Tolerance A key factor that leads to the communist takeover of South Vietnam was the numbers of causalities that they were willing to accept. The tolerance showed by the communists was comparably better than the anti-communists, in particular the U.S. The North Vietnamese ideology was very well summed up by a quote by North Vietnamese icon, Ho Chi Minh: â€Å"You can kill ten of my men for everyone I kill of yours, but even at those odds, you will lose and I will win† That quote was upheld by the North Vietnamese for ces, which is proved by the statistics: * 50,000-182,000 civilian dead * 533,000-1489,000 military dead * 600,000 missing This class of ideology was firstly supported by the anti-communists, in particular the U. S, with the quote by the President John F.Kennedy in 1961: â€Å"Let every nation know, whether, it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival of liberty† The U. S. did support this quote highly during the early years of the war but as the time passed many and protests by the public for bringing all the soldiers to home the anti-Communist soon dealt with the fact that it would be cheaper to grant Vietnam independence; the opposite of which the North Vietnamese were doing. Figure 3 (left) shows the American deaths by yearFigure 4 (above) shows the number of deaths recorded by service branch Economic Consequences The Vietnam War had several effects on the U. S. economy, which soon lead to them withdrawing their forces from Vietnam. The requirements of the war effort strained the nation’s production capabilities, which then lead to an imbalance of different sectors within the economy. Factories that produced consumer goods were being used to make war material, which caused controversy over the government’s handling of funding. Additionally the massive amount of defence expenditure was causing several problems within the American economy.The funds were going overseas, causing an imbalance in loan payment and a weak American Dollar, since no funds were returning to the country. Also, military expenditure, joined with domestic social spending created a deficit which fuelled inflation. Anti-war sentiments and dissatisfaction with the U. S government then started to eat into consumer confidence, interests rates rose restricting capital for businesses and consumers. These consequences then lead to an economic meltdown and then th e withdrawal of troops from Vietnam.Strategy & Tactics Communist Strategy The tactics used by the communist and the anti-communists were in different but as time went on tactics used by the belligerents became more of an action reaction style of warfare. The North Vietnamese had firstly made a clear and precise plan on the war and stuck to that plan as said before, deciding on a war of attrition, realising that they couldn’t defeat the U. S which was smart considering it was the world’s superpower at the time. The North Vietnamese decided that they would continue to fight the U.S, planning to make the war as long, bloody and expensive for the Americans, in order to turn the American public opinion of the war against its involvement in Vietnam. This strategy was not too absurd, since it was proven successful against the French during the Indochina war (1950-54). General Vo Nguyen Giap, a principal commander during the war, was a key figure during the formation of North Vietnamese strategy developed a three-phase view into how the war will undergo: 1. Guerrilla bands would be formed and trained, and would establish bases. They would also begin infiltration, creating links with the South Vietnamese peasants.This phase of the Giap’s strategy was proven successful as throughout the 1960s, the majority of fighting was done by the South Vietnamese communists. 2. Ambush and assassination would be used to challenge the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam, also known as the South Vietnamese Army) 3. Conventional warfare would then be partaken by the North Vietnamese army. Giap’s war of attrition was conducted very well providing flexibility and concealment. Most operation’s done by the night they would move troops and supplies, lay mines, set booby traps and arrange ambushes; this became very crucial towards the end of the war.Guerrilla Tactics Guerrilla tactics were used greatly during the war. Guerrilla tactics or guerrilla warfare uses military tactics by a small number of soldier or armed civilians. The North Vietnamese used a tactic known as ‘hit and run’ which involves ambushes with mines and bobby traps to surprise or hinder the Americans, then the aim was to inflict as many casualties as possible by overwhelming them for a short period of time and then withdraw before the Americans or the South Vietnamese could counter attack with artillery support of an air strike.This tactic was used on more supplies than actually men since the Communists Another strategy used by the Vietnamese was known ‘shoot and scoot’, involving attacking a American or South Vietnamese base with mortars or artillery, normally at night, before they could return fire. An hour later, another attack would be made from a different location. This tactic was aimed to draw guards out of the base into an ambush or they’re would be more guards on patrol so they could simply shoot them down with the use of sn ipers, this however was very rare since sniper training was limited to a few guerrilla groups.Figure 5 shows a Punji stick exhibit form the National Museum of the Marine Corps. This pit would usually be covered in natural undergrowth Figure 5 shows a Punji stick exhibit form the National Museum of the Marine Corps. This pit would usually be covered in natural undergrowth The North Vietnamese used booby traps extensively throughout the Vietnam War and very effectively. Not only did the booby traps maim and kill many Americans but psychological reports showed that that they never felt safe.Bobby traps involved not only explosive, like mines and grenade triggering bobby traps, but also non-explosive traps like the deep pits, projectiles, crossbows, spiked mud balls all being triggered by a trip wire. The most famous of the non-explosive traps is known as Punji sticks where fire hardened bamboo stakes were smeared with excrement in a pit so that if the American soldier survived the fall onto the spike that they may die from blood poisoning. American StrategyThe American strategy throughout the Vietnam War was also a war of attrition; however they simply intended to use their vast amount of resources and overwhelming firepower, to make the war too costly for the communist allies to continue fighting. This ideology may have been similar but Ho Chi Minh, leader of PAVN (People’s Army of Vietnam), rightly predicted that the lack of political will would lead the American’s to withdraw from a long and bloody war. Their discipline and morale was not strong enough to sustain them throughout the war.The American forces were also made a grave mistake by measuring their successes in the number of bombing raids they carried out and the body count of Vietnamese communists dead – they believed that there was a crossover point which represented the rate at which the PAVN could be killed, faster than they were being replenished. What they didn’t realis e was most causalities that were dealt were civilians rather than soldiers. There initial strategy was flawed so their basis of their tactics would be useless. Another mistake that the U. S attempted was the ‘Hearts and Minds’ program.Which provided aid of the destroyed villages in wore torn areas, and attempted to gain the support of South Vietnamese people. Despite the obvious destruction caused by the bombs they dropped which resulted in high civilian casualties, the US government still saw the program as necessary. This money could have been used in more effective ways to help them win the war. Tactical Response In response to guerrilla warfare used by the communists the Americans used only one main counter guerrilla tactics which adopted tactics that would kill as many of the enemy as possible with minimum risk to their forces.Search and destroy missions became a crucial US and ARVN tactic. These involved armoured carriers to move through potential enemy hot spots in search of as many enemy bases as possible. Tanks or soldiers were flown in by helicopters and then quickly flown out before any ambushes can take place. This aimed to locate, occupy and destroy as many of the enemy as possible, either in a fire fight using hand held firearms or calling in an airstrike. This tactic had only one major flaw that was the helicopter. Figure 6 shows a CH 47 Chinooks used to delivery of supplies Figure 6 shows CH 47 Chinooks used to delivery of supplies The CH 47 Chinooks was used for troops transport and moving heavy equipment and was the singularly most important tactical weapon the anti-communist used. This technology did allow the tactic search and destroy much easier with air cavalry but the major problem with the tactic was that US and ARVN troops never spent long in the country side meaning that it would always remain under communist control. Vietnamese Terrain Advantages When fighting the Vietnamese had a crucial advantage that they were able to use the terrain in their favour.Forces in America were not fully equipped and trained for the techniques needed for military units to survive and fight in jungle terrain. The forces were to be trained for the limited lines of sight and arcs of fire, logistical training due to know roads for vehicles and the inherent tropical diseases that have to be prevented or treated by medical service. Most men did not go through this training causing the US forces to struggle. The Vietnamese however underwent this training due to the close proximity of jungle and the large likely hood that they would need to fight in the jungle in order to protect their country.The terrain also made guerrilla warfare easier for the North Vietnamese due to dense vegetation. Leadership Leadership by opposing sides by the war were very different and was a great advantage by the North Vietnamese, this was due to the number of allies on the anti-communist. America, South Vietnam, South Korea, Australia as well as o ther countries all had a say in which the war should be carried. The Vietnamese though had a very systematic and organized view of leadership. At the head of the PAVN was Ho Chi Minh both the president and prime minister and below him was trusted generals, commanders etc. these people were the key figures of the war even though the Soviet Union and China was involved). This made this allowed the message of the war for them to become clear on the communist Vietnamese side. It also had very little room for argument since each and every general and leader had a common interest. The anti-communist side was facing numerous problems as many countries did not want to lose men but the US were at first willing to lose men in order to contain communism and the quote made by John F. Kennedy summarises there oint of view (refer to page 4). All in all, the anti-communist were not agreeing on points for the war which made progress very difficult. Bibliography Books Moore, Harold G. , 1922-We were soldiers once -and young : Ia Drang, the battle that changed the war in VietnamMOORE, H. G. , & GALLOWAY, J. L. (1992). We were soldiers once -and young: Ia Drang, the battle that changed the war in Vietnam. New York, Random House. Video JohnSmithTheSecond (2009)  YouTube – First Kill – Vietnam War Documentary 1/8. [online] Available at: http://www. youtube. om/watch? v=ldzld4myS6w [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. JohnSmithTheSecond (2009)  YouTube – First Kill – Vietnam War Documentary 2/8. [online] Available at: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=gwhGzOEtReQ&feature=relmfu [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. JohnSmithTheSecond (2009)  YouTube – First Kill – Vietnam War Documentary 3/8. [online] Available at: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ripjd0FbEJo&feature=relmfu [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. JohnSmithTheSecond (2009)  YouTube – First Kill – Vietnam War Documentary 4/8. [online] Available at: http://www. youtube. com/watch? =0K5vz5UXobs &feature=relmfu [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. Website Awm. gov. au (1962)  Vietnam War 1962–75 | Australian War Memorial. [online] Available at: http://www. awm. gov. au/atwar/vietnam. asp [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. En. wikipedia. org (1955)  Vietnam War – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Vietnam_War [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. En. wikipedia. org (2007)  Jungle warfare – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Jungle_warfare [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. En. ikipedia. org (1946)  Ho Chi Minh – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. En. wikipedia. org (1987)  Guerrilla warfare – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Guerrilla_warfare [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. En. wikipedia. org (1971)  Strategy and tactics of guerrilla warfare – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Strategy_and_tactics_of_guerrilla_warfare [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012].Encyclopedia2. thefreedictionary. com (1869)  Guerrilla tactics definition of Guerrilla tactics in the Free Online Encyclopedia.. [online] Available at: http://encyclopedia2. thefreedictionary. com/Guerrilla+tactics [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. History. com (1960)  Vietnam War — History. com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. [online] Available at: http://www. history. com/topics/vietnam-war [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. Pbs. org (1996)  Battlefield:Vietnam | Guerrilla Tactics. [online] Available at: http://www. pbs. org/battlefieldvietnam/guerrilla/index. tml [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. Rosenberg, J. (1967)  Vietnam War – A History of the Vietnam War. [online] Available at: http://history1900s. about. com/od/vietnamwar/a/vietnamwar. htm [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. Time. com (1998)  Ho Chi Minh – TIME. [online] Available at: http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988162,00. html [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012]. Vietnam-war. commemoration. gov. au (1962)  Australia and the Vietnam War. [online] Available at: http://vietnam-war. commemoration. gov. au/ [Accessed: 18 Oct 2012].

The use of abstract images in advertising design requirements & impact Essay

The use of abstract images in advertising design requirements & impact - Essay Example Hence, the advertisers are taking keen interest in improving the credibility of their advertisements to attract customer attention and influence their purchase decisions by changing their attitudes and perception of the products through effective advertising. The use of abstract images is significant owing to its manifold benefits. It is used by companies as a part of their cognitive message strategy, affective message strategy, conative message strategy, or brand message strategy. The cognitive message strategy strives to rationalize arguments and promote a unique selling point of the products and dismiss competition by attacking the competitor’s product by influencing direct advertising. Affective message strategy is more inclined towards emotionally targeting the customers and establish a link to its products by facilitating the target audiences to recall their personal experiences which influence them in making the ultimate purchase decision. Conative strategies offer huge discounts and free gifts as a means of attracting their target customers while brand building strategies largely focus on enhancing and elevating the brand image of their products (Masterman, Wood, 2006, Pp.143). Visualization is the key to capturing the early attention of the consumers since it has immense potential of enchanting and mesmerizing the consumer’s psyche which lead to the ultimate purchase decision. This tactic is now been increasingly used by advertisers in both digital as well as print media. In terms of advertising – visualization refers to the interpretation of realistic or abstract images which depict a specific set of data. The abstract advertisers have often embraced the use of highly abstract visual metaphors and symbols in various advertising campaigns to put across their point clearly and diligently. According to Goldman and Montagne, (1986), the advertisers today mostly focus on structuring their advertising campaigns which are built

Glyconutrients Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Glyconutrients - Essay Example N-acetylneuraminic acid Breast milk Important for brain development and learning lowers the LDL and inhibits strains of influenza A and B, bacteria and other pathogens Glyconutrients Food sources Main feature Effects of individuals well being as claimed by drug companies Xylose Grains- wheat, rye and barley Carrot, beet, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, lettuce, parsley, rhubarb, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage and asparagus Used as a substitute for sucrose and corn sweeteners Antibacterial, antifungal and prevent cancer Galactose Dairy products, legumes, algae, many fruits and vegetables Found in combination with glucose to form a disaccharide called lactose Inhibit tumour growth, enhances healing of wounds , decrease inflammation and triggers long-term memory formation Glucose Milk, mushrooms, various fruits and vegetables and grains Ubiquitous saccharide Memory enhancement, proper calcium absorption Table 2. Concentration of glycoprotein on different tissues. The graph shows the specific activity of radio labelled glycoprotein administered to rats at 1 and 8 hrs expressed as d.p.m/gm wet weight of tissue. As noted , "only the liver and intestines decrease whereas all the other organs show a 2- to 6-fold increase in specific activity" (Alton et al 1997 Figure 7). Table 3. "Peripheral neutrophil counts and other therapy parameters during discontinuation and resumption of fucose therapy. Peripheral neutrophil counts, fucose doses, serum fucose levels, body temperature, and C reactive protein (CRP) were recorded for each time point as indicated." (Luhn et al. 2001, Figure 1) LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Functions of the Glycoprotein (Nature 1995 cited in GoGlyco 2005) Figure 2. Illustration of...2001, Figure 1) As evidenced by the increasing literature, one of the "hottest" new fields of medical and nutritional break through is glycobiology. Glyconutrients are monosaccharides or carbohydrates that are attached to proteins or lipids and are collectively called glycocongugates. These glycocongugates, found in surface of cells play an important role in biological activities and any imbalance of these glyconutrients would then result to disease. Controlled clinical studies in humans and animals utilizing state-of-the-art analytical and diagnostic are presented in this report showing that glyconutrients 1) play important roles in both normal physiology and disease, 2) can be effectively assimilated when provided as dietary supplements, 3) have biological activities that are beneficial or potentially therapeutic for certain diseases and 4) are safe when provided in the diet. However, the claim of drug companies that glyconutrients "heals" diseases is still vague; more research still needs to be conducted. Glycobiology, dubbed by Science Magazine (2001) as the Cinderella, is now the new wave moving through the walls of modern medicine and science.

Admission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Admission - Essay Example Furthermore, it will help me to serve my country and community with the utmost of commitment and thorough knowledge acquired through my education. Every person learns a second language. The practical aspects of this area of study have been clearly expressed in the book, Understanding Second Language Acquisition (Ortega, 2009). This book has proved to be of immense benefit for those who undertake research in teaching English as a second language. To my great fortune, I read this monumental work on the foundations of second language acquisition. This had a deep impact upon me and strengthened my resolve to work hard with focus towards the acquisition of a Doctorate in Teaching English as a Second Language. I have always been spellbound by original work in the area of linguistics and would be highly satisfied if I could take up research work. I have considerable experience in teaching English and this has always provided me with complete satisfaction. One of the highlights of this pleasurable activity has been the numerous occasions wherein I participated in lectures and had discussions with my peers and professors. Ortega’s scholarly work inspired me immensely and it is now my heartfelt desire to master this subject. Her knowledge and capacity to express complex and abstruse ideas in a lucid manner have inspired me tremendously. As such, I studied the theories of the major scholars in this area and realized that these studies had created a tremendous desire in me for conducting research in this area. Remaining a mere spectator and repeating the wise sayings of these outstanding thinkers failed to provide me with the feeling of undiluted bliss. Consequently, I came to the firm decision to undertake original research in this area. In the early years of my schooling, I fell deeply in love with the English language. Subsequently, in high school, I was extremely fortunate to

Stock investment project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stock investment project - Essay Example The failure of one investment has less chances of hurting my overall performance since I have other investment to depend on for their profitability. Investing in mutual funds enabled me to have a larger number of investments than when I did not consider the option. I was able to exploit the opportunity of dollar cost averaging (DCA) whereby I would invest any amount through the investment manager. I considered that in the absence of mutual funds I would have suffered the risk of higher cost arising from investing in variety of stocks. The management expense ratio (MER) is the same regardless of the amount of stock I had invested in; hence the possibility of investing in large number of stock without dreading the influence of the commission fees (Rowland & Lawson, 2012). The brokerage fee for entering and exiting the market also acted as a percentage loss on my investment thereby calling for investment in mutual funds. Performance I invested in six different stocks in the market inclu ding: SOHU.COM Inc, Packaging Corp of America, Intel Corporation, Yahoo Corporation, Cambrex Corp, GIS. The invested had a net worth of $100,044.46. Net worth for the whole project was $100,044.46; buying power for the stocks was $115039.92 with cash remaining of $14,995. The overall gain was $44.46 while the overall return was 0.04% and today’s gains was 1.39%. On November 2, 2013 the following was how the stock sold in the market for the company I chose with each having brokerage fee of $10 attached. The following is the image showing the overall performance of the stock and that reported by the 6 different stocks in the market. A gain of 1.39% is good for starting a project, and I consider continuing to invest in these market stocks. Influence of economic conditions The prevailing economic conditions impacted on the profitability of my stock portfolio. Uncertainity about current global economic conditions acted as a major aspect in my investment decision (Rowland & Lawson, 2012). I dreaded for the uncertainty since this usually reduces the spending ability of the businesses and the consumers. The companies and the consumers would reduce on their spending especially because of the negative financial news and tighter credit in the market. Tighter credit implies the likeness of higher cost to be associated with any investment conditions. The presence of these conditions made me to hesitate in making investment decision in the market. Further the prevailing uncertainty in global economic conditions also triggered the notion of demand greatly differing among different countries. This means that the action by the companies in raising prices on goods and services to raise their profitability, would have less impact since the wiliness of the consumers to buy is so much different in other countries. Intuitively, the condition subjected the companies to witnessing variability in their income and expenses because of the gains or losses realized from the sale or exchange of financial instruments (Rowland & Lawson, 2012). Consequently, I had made a decision in relation to company’s preparedness towards compensating for the possible losses resulting from the uncertainty in the global economic trend. The above conditions affected the cost associated to investment, especially the starting cost. In my case, the

Project 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project 5 - Assignment Example The tax revenue of the company amount to 12.3 billion dollars plus the excise duty of 2.6 Billion. The ashtray and cigarette indicators for the company indicate that the high-income group will use the product. The competitors for ashtray products are Altadis and Tabacalera. The economic sales of Altadis stood at 1938 million in the first quarter of last years with 50 euros as its market share. The previous year disposals affected negatively the economic sales of the company, whereas the dollar has an average of 8.1% below the previous year, thus the organic growth for the company’s economic sales recorded a 2.2% increase (Pampel, 75). Conversely, Tabacalera recorded an economic sale of 881 million. This was a 7.7% increase from the sales recorded in 2012. The country provided a remarkable growth to the Division sales. The marketing share of the company stands at the market share for the company is 55 Euros as of last year (Hirschfelder,  86). With a view to create an additional value to the customer, the launched company will deliver superior return and growth to its customers. The group target for Earnings before Interest and Tax will be 1 Billion at a fixed consolidation scope (Brown,  64). The group expected sales is anticipated to 5 per cent per annum, with EBITDA growth expectation of 15% annually. The trends will have a positive influence on the launch of my

Ase study of topshop-finding its success factors Essay

Ase study of topshop-finding its success factors - Essay Example The past decade, however, has witnessed the transformation of `topflop’ into an authentic Top-Shop; a shop which is not only â€Å"one of the world’s hottest retailers† (Esfahani, 2006, para. 1) but one which is popularly and consistently regarded as the â€Å"bastion of cool† (Esfahani, 2006, para. 8) by teens and adults. Indeed, in a market where success is an ephemeral goal, Topshop is the epitome of success and, through its electronic storefront, seems posed for greater success. With the aforementioned in mind, the identification of Topshop’s success factors, alongside a determination of whether or not these CSFs have been carried over to its online storefront, will prove integral to the better understanding of the determinants of e-retail success. Over the past decade, Topshop’s success has been predicated on supplier quality, flexible responsiveness to market trends and consumer demands/tastes, employee satisfaction and, ultimately, consumer satisfaction. Analysis of Topshop’s success and, more importantly, its maintenance of that success, indicates that one of the leading CSFs is supplier quality. As Esfahani (2006) maintains, Topshop is extremely selective as regards the clothing lines it will carry in its store, especially its flagship one, and insists that all goods adhere to quality standards while, at the same time, remain affordable. A second, probably as important CSF, is the evident satisfaction displayed by its employees. As both Burney (2004) and Wilson (2005) notes, in immediate comparison to other fashion retailers and High Street shops where attendees and assistance are quite evidently performing a chore when assisting customers and, while unfailingly polite are quite obviously acting and behaving in accordance with management’s instructions, Topshop employees are genuinely interested, helpful and friendly to customers. They appear committed to their

Have technological developments undermined the truthful nature of Essay

Have technological developments undermined the truthful nature of photography or have they provided new creative possibilities - Essay Example In its earliest forms, due perhaps in large part to the fact that exposure times were lengthy as the technology was in its infancy, photography was used as a narrative form, but even this early in its history, technological developments were allowing for more creative expression than simply recording the ‘truthful’ image. â€Å"At the turn of the century [1900], a small group of serious photographers tried to rescue the art form from its low estate by turning their backs on the more blatant forms of narrative photography and its continued reliance on and subservience to painting. They sought a more independent poetic vision based on the camera lens and motivated by a concern with contemporary forms† (Brown, 1971: 31). Thus, while it might be said that â€Å"The new malleability of the image may eventually lead to a profound undermining of photography’s status as an inherently truthful pictorial form† (Ritchin, 1990: 28), the new technological develop ments offered to photography are merely the latest in a long line of photographic tools that can be used to explore new creative possibilities and/or provide truthful representation, based upon the decisions made by the photographer. At no point in its history can photography be said to have been limited to merely ‘true’ forms of capturing images. To understand this, it is first necessary to understand how the development of the digital camera is similar to the early development of the traditional camera and then to take a look at how each works to produce images which can be manipulated in various ways to arrive at an idea of ‘truth’. There is no doubt that the boom of available digital cameras and their immediate integration with desktop computers and other devices has been revolutionizing the photography industry. There are many physical advantages to going digital over more traditional methods. Although

Analyse the attempts by the EU to allievate the inherent problems of Essay

Analyse the attempts by the EU to allievate the inherent problems of establishing a single market within the Financial Services - Essay Example As a result, the integration process had to take a more heightened effort to ensure it was fruitful. The Commission published a White Paper in 1985, whereby the enabling instrument was the Single European Act (the SEA). The aim of this Act was to remove the non-tariff barriers and to encourage free movement of capital and labor by 1993. It was also agreed that discrimination by all means should cease (House of Lords, 2008, p. 33). The non-tariff barriers Although the European Commission was hell bent on establishing a single market, not much had been achieved by 1980s. Furthermore, by the mid - 1980s, most of the aims of the Rome treaty had not been attained despite the first stage of integration having been completed. Actually, non-tariff barriers were reported to have increased between 1975 and 1985 despite all these efforts. It was thereby realized that a strategy was needed to strengthen the integration among members (Canoy, Liddle and Smith, n.d, p. 3). The Single European Act h ad, in mind, three major types of non-tariff obstacles to factor mobility and trade, which inspired its objectives. The first was the physical barriers, whose formation was as a result of controls and customs formalities (House of Lords, 2008, p. 29). Its aim included moving administrative checks away from the borders and ensuring their processes were simplified, development of a common policy on transport, as well as removal of all internal controls and frontiers on capital and people. The second type was technical barriers, which encompasses the various technical product specifications. Its purpose was to harmonize regulations or to create mutual identification of standards of each member country; to institute the correspondence of qualifications; and to dismantle exchange controls. The third type was fiscal barriers, which was characterized by a very complex process of tax rates harmonization particularly in relation to the corporation and indirect taxes. Also, the SEA placed emp hasis on the suitability of allowing free trade on each member country’s public purchasing, which encompassed incorporation of social charter and application of competition. Nevertheless, there was no reliable arrangement for tackling the differences in respect to the external trade policy and a policy on subsidies was not clearly spelt out. It was also not clear, how harmonization could lead to mutual recognition in regards to the achievement of the single market (Eichacker and Amherst, n.d., p. 4). The banking industry The banking industry, among other financial sectors, was greatly regulated and it was characterized by diversified regulatory practices. Essentially, barriers to the supply of overseas services presented more problems than location-related barriers. In some countries, financial institution and non-resident banks were restricted in their rights to do business with residents, by stringent laws and regulations (House of Lords, 2008, p. 36). The first Banking Dir ective instructed members to set up systems for supervising and authorization of banks as well as other credit institutions. This directive, also, led to the requirement that these financial institutions should get licensed to be recognized. In addition, licensing accorded the financial

Journal Review Essay Example for Free

Journal Review Essay The article authored by Lloyd and Craig (2007) describes important factors to consider when collecting a patient’s history.   The rationale behind the procedure is based on the increase in the responsibilities of nurses, which now includes taking the histories of patients.   The assessment of every patient is based on several components, of which medical history plays an essential part.   In addition to a patient’s history importance, the collection of this information by a nurse allows the establishment of a relationship between the patient and the healthcare professional. The article discussed in fine detail the critical stages of patient history taking.   In order to prepare for the collection of information, a nurse should be aware that a patient could come from various environments and show different medical conditions and thus respect plays a critical role the assessment of the patient condition.   The cultural and religious beliefs of every patient may be different and thus a nurse should be competent enough in recognizing such differences.   The importance of privacy and confidentiality is also important in this procedure. Communication skills are also important when taking the history of a patient.   The nurse should also be capable of listening to the answers of the patient.   It is also important to get the consent of the patient to disclose any information pertinent to the assessment of his medical condition.    History-taking also involves an appropriate order of questioning the patient and this generally starts with a question regarding the patient’s identity and then asking what his chief complaint is.   The precise details of the complaint will also influence the choices of diagnostic procedures that will be performed.   The article also enumerated the cardinal symptoms that are important to consider when taking a patient’s history. a. What was done well and what could have been improved in the article? The article was done well because it discusses in length all the important aspects of the topic such as the structure and order of the history-taking process and the list of symptoms that should be checked upon presentation of the patient at the hospital. b. Why did this article interest you? Or did it fail to interest you? The article is interesting because it critically presents the process of history taking and how it could influence the diagnosis and procedures that would be conducted in the hospital.   The article is important because nurses should be aware that history taking is a critical process that should be performed in a standard way in order to fully cover all important aspects of patient assessment. c. Does the material presented in the article relate to you or your area of practice? Yes, the material presented in the article related to me and my area of practice and that I have learned essential points on how to handle the responsibility of collecting information from a new patient. d. Was the health assessment strategy beneficial? Could you adopt it in your practice? Yes, the health assessment strategy is beneficial because I can now follow a better procedure in taking a patient’s history.   I will definitely adopt the important points of this article to my practice in order to better serve the patients. e. Was the health assessment strategy explained clearly? The health assessment strategy was explained clearly and specific examples were also provided that fully clarified any questions that I might have. f. Should more research/articles be written about this area of health assessment? I think that articles of this kind should be written and read because this will effectively help healthcare professionals in improving their skills in taking care of patients. g. What population or individuals does this article apply to (i.e.: who will benefit the most from this article)? Patients will definitely benefit from this article because these are the individuals that healthcare professionals take care of, and this is strongly influenced by the interactions that take place between the two parties.   Knowledge on the proper approaches to history taking will allow healthcare professionals, especially nurses, to perform this task in the most professional way.

Issue of Urban Sprawl in Regina

Issue of Urban Sprawl in Regina Ryan Boychuk Urban Issue of Urban Sprawl in Regina Introduction Urban Sprawl continues to be the trend of city growth in Canada. In the city of Regina, urban sprawl is a problem that needs to be addressed among the city planners. Negative effects of urban sprawl include, but are not limited to, increase in public expenditure, auto reliance, health, environment and social living. The purpose of this paper is to offer an empirical investigation of the factors proposed as generators of urban sprawl. The Auto Eccentric City Many believe as Salingaros (2006, p. 114) that, Sprawl exists only because it is an outgrowth of car activities. Thus, the focus here is on how auto reliance contributes to sprawl in Canada. Regina, like many other Canadian cities, is a very auto eccentric city. Sprawling communities are a major contributor to climate change and air pollution, in part because they require so much automotive transportation, which is heavily dependent on energy consumption from fossil fuels, the biggest source of greenhouse gases. Since 2005 Canadian vehicles have contributed to approximately 170Mt in C02 emissions. This number is due to the sheer amount of people in Canada that rely on vehicles to go virtually everywhere. According to data from the General Social Survey (GSS) on time use, the proportion of people aged 18 and over who went everywhere by car as either a driver or a passenger rose from 68% in 1992, to 70% in 1998 and then 74% in 2005. This rising trend in auto culture inadvertently cause s a push for more roads, more suburbs, successfully created more urban sprawl. As Regina continues to grow outwards and push for suburban development city plans are contributing to this ever growing traffic problem,. Not only is this detrimental to the environment but the lifestyle itself is unsustainable. The excessive use of fossil fuels in this auto reliant culture will eventually cause many irreversible problems in the future. The Increase of Public Expenditure The debate over the base tax proposal has revealed that Regina is a deeply divided city. The building industry, real estate interests, business organizations and people living in more expensive homes pushed the city council to impose a $400 base tax on residential property. The base tax would have shifted some of the burden of property taxation from those in the new suburban areas to homeowners who live in the older areas of Regina and have lower valued property. Low density development in outlying areas requires much higher expenditures on infrastructure and services, and this leads to reduced spending in the older city areas. Regina is following the pattern. Inner City Decline Christopher Leo of the University of Winnipeg has studied the problem of inner city decline and how the city is affected by this process. When a metropolitan area is divided into neighborhoods where poverty predominates and others were comfortable circumstances are the rule, it is inevitable that there will be a concentration of social problems in the poor areas. And where social problems predominate, lawlessness follows. Increasing crime and growing poverty lead to the decay of some downtown neighbourhoods. The neighbourhood profiles for Regina prepared by city staff using 1996 census figures highlight the effects of local urban sprawl development. For the city as a whole, household income averaged $45,000; for the central zone, it was only $29,000 and lower still in the Core and North Central areas. For the city as a whole, only 35% of homes were rented compared to 59% in the Central Zone and 71% in the Core area. Single parent families and Aboriginal people are much more likely to be found in the Central zone neighborhoods. To present date, little has been accomplished in combating this issue at hand. Gang violence has been a problem that the residents of North Central Regina have been constantly at arms with. According to a 2005 study done by the Criminal Intelligence Service Saskatchewan, there are approximately 500 gang members and associates operating out of Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. Not only is the economic viability and safety of the community threatened, but also the residents are left feeling alienated. People living in these areas feel afraid to leave their houses, go to the park or even participate in community reinforcement activities. The NCCA is currently trying to get it’s funding to bring back the RAGS program and hopefully reduce gang violence in Regina. Rise of The Box Store James Howard Kunstler argues in The Geography of Nowhere that the box store is a form of corporate colonialism, going into distant places and strip-mining them culturally and economically†. Economist Tom Muellers studies found that 84% of Wal-Marts sales came from other businesses. For every two jobs created in a warehouse store, three are lost. They dont buy from local manufacturers or producers but larger national firms. Dairyland Foods, our prairie farmer-owned co-operative, recently sold out to Saputo Inc., a large private firm. Dairy farmers were told that if they did not get bigger and faster they would lose access to the national grocery retailers. The most widely-cited study of the box store phenomenon was done by Ken Stone. Ken was an economics professor at Iowa State University and he monitored the impact of Wal-Mart on Iowa between 1983 and 1993. The state lost 555 grocery stores, 298 hardware stores, 293 building suppliers, 269 clothing stores, 161 variety stores, 1 53 shoe stores, and 116 drug stores. A total of 7,326 businesses went under.10 It’s hard to see the positivity in light of this box store epidemic. This was a shocking number for me but taking a drive down victoria you can see this as an evident problem in regina. These stores do not only pose a threat economically but also culturally. Cities characters have been stripped as there unique local business have been outmatched. This in turn has created a very Dull homogenized atmosphere within Regina and cities in other areas of the world. The Effects on Health Sprawl affects us in surprising ways. It cuts into our precious free time and contributes to expanding our waistlines. A commuter who drives just one hour each day spends the equivalent of nine working weeks a year in a car. Researchers have found that people living in sprawling suburbs spend less time walking and weigh up to six pounds more than those living in pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. According to Ontario College of Family Physicians, there are five main health effects due to urban sprawl. These effects of urban sprawl are as follows, Commuting and driver stress, loss of natural environment, loss of social capital, loss of community and negative effects towards childhood development. †In these spread-out communities, homes are separated from schools, workplaces, stores and services, forcing people to drive virtually everywhere. More time driving means less time with family and friends, less time for oneself, and less time to engage in community activities. 1 Research shows that urban sprawl commuters spend 3 to 4 times more hours driving than individuals living in well-planned, dense communities.† 2 Those extra hours that we spend driving in cities such as Regina contribute to more back pain, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, asthma, headaches and stress. There is also research stating that traffic congestion also has adverse effects on ones blood pressure, mood frustration tolerance, illness frequency, work absences, job stability, and overall life satisfaction. Taking all this into account you can see that these additional stresses on our lives can contribute to depression, home abuse and many other damaging social problems prevalent in our society. â€Å"Thousands of pedestrians and drivers die every year in North America. The anguish and emotional scarring caused by the death of a loved one, permanent disabilities and related pain and suffering greatly impacts at every level of our social structure. 14% of traffic accident survivors have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 10 and 25% have psychiatric problems one year after an accident.† 2 Road rage is one example of mental health stress related to driving that has received considerable attention in recent years. Road rage is characterized by violent disputes between drivers that sometime causes serious injuries or even death; often road rage involves people who are not usually violent. The two primary causes for aggressive driving are being rushed or behind schedule, and increased congestion and traffic. Road rage also contributes to higher percentage of accidents as drivers tend to make poor decisions in a heightened mood. Walking or biking are not only healthier alternatives in terms of physique and stress relief but are also generally safer in biker friendly areas. Unfortunately, there is usually little emphasis on walking and biking services in car culture. Environmental Decline The environment that we live in affects our health in both negative and positive ways. Animals, plants, landscapes and wilderness all have a tremendous impact on human well-being, as humans are innately attracted to other living organisms. Positive effects of the natural environment have been documented and include improved social and cognitive functioning, and decreased violence.A study done in Chicago found that people who live in buildings surrounded by greenspace have a stronger sense of community, better relationships with neighbours and less heated domestic conflicts.1 Impact on Social aspects Research today is beginning to gather undeniable evidence that cons of Urban communities definitely outweigh the benefits. Over the past half-century, many writers have addressed the isolating effect of low-density suburban development. The use of vehicles does not encourage the same level of social interaction that could exist if residents met each other on the street (Katz and Bradley 1999). Suburban residents are also less likely to take on additional community responsibilities due to increased commuting times (Putnam 2000). Some writers have gone as far as suggesting that the most common interaction between neighbours in suburbia is through the blinking turn signals on their cars (Holtz Kay 1997). Simply put, low-density suburban developments do not foster the same level of social interaction as dense, walkable, neighbourhoods.2 Regina’s policies to Improve Infrastructure Green Field Development Urban sprawl and greenfield development share only one common trait they both occur on the outskirts of urban areas. Unlike urban sprawl, where there is little or no suburban planning, greenfield development is about efficient urban planning that aims to provide practical, affordable and sustainable living spaces for growing urban populations. The planning takes future growth and development into account as well as seeks to avoid the various infrastructure issues that plague existing urban areas. Regina is currently in a process to formulate the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP), which will shape the way future growth will unfold. The public consultation process, Design Regina, that accompanies the new plan is such a great idea. We all need to be involved in the conversation about the future of our city. Citizens, Community Developers, Builders and Public Officials all need to be engaged in this process. In 2013 The province of Saskatchewan approved the new Official communi ty plan, entitled design Regina and replaced the Regina Development Plan on December 2013. In this Plan they recognized the need for complete communities,thats is, communities that provide all necessary recreational, social and consumer need within close proximity to residential areas.6 â€Å"While the diversity of housing that has entered the market in the past few years has helped to improve housing choice based on location and housing preference, there is still a greater need for residential development in proximity to services and amenities to create complete communities. Similarly, the development of below market and affordable units in greenfield areas creates challenges due to a lack of nearby services resulting in increased transportation costs to meet a household’s everyday needs.† 3 Design Regina In the official city document for the cities future there seems to be many goals aiming towards greener, more pedestrian friendly cities. According to the document, we have have had improvement overall for affordable housing in Regina. They are also making strides to address the increasing homeless population. â€Å"The Cold Weather Strategy is a partnership program with the Ministry of Social Services and service providers to Regina’s homeless population, including shelters, emergency service agencies, the City, and health services. The purpose is to ensure services work together so no one is without a safe place to sleep on cold nights in Regina.† 3 There are also plans to increase housing diversity within the city to grant people more affordable housing that is still within city limits. With this plan we may see more development near inner city areas effectively breathing new life into otherwise stagnant areas. Works Cited 1 Kuo, F., and Sullivan, W., (2001). â€Å"Environment and Crime in the Inner City: Does Vegetation Reduce Crime?† Environ. Behav. 33, pp 343 – 367. 2 SPRAWL, U. Social Mental Health Ontario College of Family Physicians. 2013. http://ocfp.on.ca/docs/committee-documents/urban-sprawlvolume-4social-and-mental-health.pdf?sfvrsn=5> 3 Design Regina. 2011. 9 Apr. 2015 http://www.designregina.ca/> 4 Canadas Emissions Trends 2013. 2015. 9 Apr. 2015 https://www.ec.gc.ca/ges-ghg/985F05FB-4744-4269-8C1A-D443F8A86814/1001-Canadas%20Emissions%20Trends%202013_e.pdf> 5 GUIDE, ACS. Understanding Sprawl David Suzuki Foundation. 2010. http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/downloads/2003/Understanding_Sprawl.pdf> 6 Dont Confuse Greenfield Development with Urban Sprawl 2013. 9 Apr. 2015 http://reginahomebuilders.com/news/view/20> 7 Discourage Urban Sprawl David Suzuki Foundation. 2010. 9 Apr. 2015 http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/reduce-your-carbon-footprint/discourage-urban-sprawl/> 8 Causes and Effects of Urban Sprawl Conserve Energy Future. 2013. 9 Apr. 2015 http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-urban-sprawl.php> 9 Gang Culture in Regina and Saskatchewan | The Carillon. 2013. 9 Apr. 2015 http://www.carillonregina.com/gang-culture-in-regina-and-saskatchewan/> 10 Urban sprawl development in Regina, Canada and the 2005. 9 Apr. 2015 http://www.johnwarnock.ca/sprawldevelopment.html>

Life Cycle Assessment of a Computer Mouse

Life Cycle Assessment of a Computer Mouse TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT This project Life Cycle assessment aims at learning about how to conduct a life cycle assessment of a given product ( in this project computer mouse is the product) using Cambridge Engineering Selector (CES) software. In this document History of the mouse as of when it was invented and what are the developments that took place in years, composition of mouse, raw materials used in the mouse, the manufacturing process and the by products and waste during the manufacturing and extraction of the computer mouse will be discussed. Later on with the help of Cambridge Engineering selector we use the application of Eco audit tool and provide it necessary input into it to achieve the necessary output. The output is the outcome or the result of the project. In addition to that each and every component of the computer mouse will be discussed in detail and the environmental hazards related to the production of each of them will be discussed. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deep appreciation to my supervisor Mr. N.HART, for his guidance, review, suggestions, kindness, valuable time, criticisms and comments throughout my M.sc Project. I am most grateful and thankful to university technical staff Michael Britton for his encouragement from the very beginning of the study and guiding me throughout my M.sc course. I remain indebted and my love goes to my family for helping me accomplish this thesis. My parents have been a constant source of support-emotional, moral and financial during my post graduate years and this thesis would certainly not have existed without them. 1. INTRODUCTION History of computer mouse: Dr. Douglas Engelbart has invented the first device that came out as mouse in the year 1964. During this time the only way the cursor scrolling position in the computer screen was by using the arrow keys on the keyboard and it was really inefficient and awkward to use. It incorporates mechanism which is in the form of small brick with one button on top and underneath two wheels and was made by Douglas. The purpose of these wheels is to detect horizontal and vertical movement and on the whole the unit was little bit difficult to use. For viewing the cursor on the monitor The connection to the computer was established by means of a cable so that the motion signals could be sent out electrically. A long cable tail featured like device like a mouse so the name â€Å"mouse† came into picture.NASA team tried different methods which enables the cursor to move on the computer screen like the devices Light pens, knee switches and steering wheels, albeit, in testing of these devices Eng el arts mouse gained popularity. Engineers thought that the mouse was ideal for drafting and illustration purposes And could build up computer aided designs on the same desk. Slowly mouse began to be called as input/output device. To make the scrolling easier the mouse began to multiply rapidly. The wire coming out from the mouse reminded a tail which is one end and the other end is used for connecting to the central processing unit. 2. BODY AND COMPOSITION OF THE MOUSE: Body of the mouse: The outer surface of the mouse is Hard plastic body which the user guides across a flat surface The tail of a mouse is an electrical cable that leads out from one end and finishes at the connection at the Central Processing Unit It posses one to three buttons at the extremity which are external contacts to tiny electrical switches With a click on the button the electrical circuit is forced to close and the computer receives a command Below the mouse theres an plastic hatch that fits over a rubberized ball which exposes a small part of the ball A support wheel and two shafts hold the ball in place inside the Mouse Rotation of the spokes causes IR light signals from light emitting diode to flick through the spoke which are then captured by a light detector Phototransistors help to translate these light signals into electrical pulses which reach the integrated circuit interface in the mouse These pulses then confirms the IC whether the ball has followed an up down or left right movement The IC commands the cursor to scroll on to the screen consequently. The interface IC is then ascended onto a printed circuit board. This forms the skeleton to which each and every Internal mechanism in the mouse are joined The information from the signals and switches coming out from the phototransistors is collected by a computer chip or IC These are then sent to the computer by means of a data stream The Brain of the Mouse: Every mouse design consists of an individual software known as driver These driver are The external brain which enables the PC to comprehend the mouse signals. The driver commands the PC how to understand the mouses IC data stream including speed, direction, and clicked commands The mouses IC data stream which includes clicked commands, direction and speed. Few mouse drivers permit the user to specify performance to the buttons and vary the mouses resolution ( distance relative to cursor and mouse travel). The Mouse which are purchased as a part of computer packages have built in drivers or is programmed initially in the computers RAW MATERIALS IN THE MOUSE The outer shell of the mouse and the majority of its internal parts, which includes spoked wheels and shafts are usually made up of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic which is usually injection moulded. The ball is basically made of metal which is rubber coated and is usually supplied by a speciality supplier The electrical micro switches which is produced from metal and plastic are of shelf items which are supplied by subcontractors even though the designers of the mouse can specify force requirements for switches to make it easier of harder to click. The chips or IC could be standard items even though individual manufacturer might have proprietary chips which can be utilised in its complete products line. The outside source also supplies electrical cables and over moulds To suit the design of mouse the printed circuit board (PCB) over Which the mechanical and electrical components are accumulated is tradition made Oscillators, integrated circuits, capacitors, electrical resistors and various other components are made of different types of plastic, metal and silicon The raw materials which are used in manufacturing of a computer mouse are as follows: Mouse Design: The basic design of a computer mouse was conceived and prototyped in early 1960s and steriolithography concept is employed efficiently within the concurrent engineering. The concurrent engineering development takes place in two design teams , the electrical team emphasizing on control circuitry and the mechanical team working on casing layout and button geometry. For operating the mouse, the users posture, finger extension needed to reach the buttons, use by both right and left handed individuals, no prolonged static electricity and lastly the requirements safety and comfort They alter widely depending on whether the use of mouse is in home or office computers The brief design of mouse for the proposed mouse is written to explain Which the mechanical and electrical components are accumulated is tradition made an appearance is also proposed in staying along with the probable market. The design team comes back to the table along with foam models; for a single mouse design scores of var ious shapes are made and the user testing on the models are performed whereas the preliminary tests are performed by engineers or the focus may be turned onto groups as typical users or observes one to one testing with user samples. When a suitable selection is chosen, wooden models which are more refined and painted are produced from the winning design. The input of the model is acquired based on the feel, shape and looks and then ergonomist reviews the probable designs and confirms the goal of human factors guidelines to be achieved. After an optimal design is chosen the engineering team starts modelling the internal components. A 3D performance is generated by the computer and same information is used to machine-cut the postures of the exterior shell with every details. Inside the structure the mechanical and electronic engineers fit the printed circuit board and the encoder mechanism. The phenomena of fitting the workings on to the shell are iterative, the changes are then made and then the design and fit process are conducted so long as the mouse achieves the design objectives and the design team is happy. The custom chips are then designed and produced on a trial basis and then tested; for the design to meet the performance objectives and provide it unique, competitive and marketable characteristics the help of custom electronics is required. The fully completed design figures are handed over to the project tooled who then starts the process of modifying machines to manufacture the mouse. To generate the injection moulding of the shell tooling diagrams are made into use. The factors like shape and size, volume of the cavity, the number of gates through which the plastic will be injected into the mould, and the plastic flow in the mould are all diagrammed and studied after analyzing the final plans of tooling the tools are fabricated using computer aided data. Prototype plastic shells are made as try shots to find out the actual flow lines and to make sure that voids are not included. the process is precise. Texture is applied to the external outlook of the shell by sand blasting or by acid etching. The Manufacturing Process: To manufacture a computer mouse several processes are used to make different pieces of the unit. The processes that are used in manufacturing are as follows. First the Printed Circuit board (PCB) is prepared in the journey of manufacturing and assembling steps. This board is a flat, resin coated sheet that can be of surface-mount design or through hole design. The assembly of surface mount version is entirely done by the machine. The other electrical components are placed on to the board in prescribed pattern by a computer controlled automatic sequencer. The connecting wires of the electronic components are induced in the holes of the PCB assembly. Then all the components are placed on the board, the bottom surface is passed through molten lead solder in a soldering machine. This machine removes contaminants by passing the board with flux. The board is gently heated by the machine and the component it induces with infrared heat is to lessen the possibility of thermal shock. The solder raises each line by hair-like activity, seals the perforations and repairs the components in the correct placeAfter this process is done the PCB is cooled a nd is visually inspected before the mechanism is attached. A separate unit is assembled for the encoder mechanism. Injection moulding process is used to manufacture the plastic parts (computer mouse case housing) with proper specifications and the left over scrap plastic material is trimmed off. The whole unit is fastened to the PC Board using screws keeping in view after the encoder mechanism is completely assembled. With set of wires, rubber and shielding cover the mouses tail and its electrical cable attached are manufactured. Overmolds are the additional pieces of the cable to obstruct the cable from separating away from the mouse. We can make our own shapes of design for overmolds, the near mouse overmold is hooked to the At the other end of the tail the connector is then soldered to the wires and the connector over mold is exploded into place. The outer shell pieces are then examined visually after moulding, Trimming and surface finish treatment and before the assembly. The external housing is assembled in four steps. To the bottom of the shell the completed PCB and encoder assembly are inserted. Onto the housing top part, the cable is joined; the bottom and top are joined together using automated screwdrivers. The last electronics and the achievement quality inspection are accomplished, if assembly is complete in the substantial one. Rubber or neoprene feet with the adhesive covering in front-turned at a side is added the lower surface of the mouse. A programming team has been developing; testing, reproducing the mouse driver firm ware, while the tooling designs and physical assembly are in progress. As above said â€Å"firmware† is the combination of software and hardware codes which has the unity of integrated circuit, translated mouse directional movements and micro switch signals which are understood when the mouse is attached. By-products and waste: Computer mice makers do not generate by-products from the manufacturers of mouse, albeit most of them suggest a variety of alike devices for altered applications. In order to avoid the design, tooling, assembly modification costs the new and multiple designs are in corporate when possible. Waste is minimal. The mouses ABS plastic skin is highly recyclable and can be ground, moulded, and reground many times. Small quantities can be recycled using metal scrap and other plastics. 3. LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT: LCA is a holistic tool used to identify the environmental consequences of a product, process or activity through its entire life cycle and to identify opportunities for achieving environmental improvements. Life cycle stages include: Raw materials acquisition, Manufacturing, Use/reuse. Maintenance. And recycling/waste management. For epitome, in the case of computer mouse an LCA involves making detailed measurements during the manufacture of the device. In the design stage of new products LCA information is very useful LCA gives the whole assessment of the point of origin to the end of a product or process, i.e from processing of natural resources to shipping, mining, and also how the material be recycled or reused and till it is disposed permanently. As a system, LCA identifies the whole process and possible environmental effects throughout a products life cycle. The term life cycle refers to the holistic assessment which assess all the operations in the supply chain ,i.e raw material production , production, fabricating, distribution, modes of transport, end product, use and disposal of all the materials or products involved . .LCA method is one of the executive methods for evaluating the environment. It identifies that each and every product has certain influence on the environment during its life cycle, where each product is standardized and is temporarily assigned an environmental annex. For in this regard life cycle assessment is a central tool. The LCA method can be classified into three steps :- Inventory analysis Goal and scope definition Impact assessment The technique which allows the comparison of the environmental impacts of materials and products is Life Cycle Assessment. This assessment allows us to modify the quantitative data and to identify the potential environmental impacts of the material or product on the environment. LCA is common for assessments to be made of more limited periods eg. Cradle-to-gate and cover the entire life cycle life cycle of a material. The entire analysis is referred to as cradle-to-cradle which refers to production from extraction of raw materials, production and delivery and is often broken down into phases of lesser ambition. Goal and scope definition :- Scoping is the most critical component of LCA because it provides a frame of reference for the entire study and helps define interrelationships among the other three LCA components; inventory analysis, impact assessment, and improvement assessment. The goal definition identifies the overall purpose for the LCA and its intended applications. Goal definition and scoping initiates the LCA and then drives the scope, boundary settings, data categories and data needs. This process is continuously revisited during an LCA. Scoping defines the boundaries, assumptions and limitations and should be done before an LCA is conducted to ensure that the breadth and depth of analysis are consistent with the defined goal of the LCA. Inventory Analysis: It is the well-developed component of LCA. A completed inventory analysis provides an overview of the life-cycle inputs and outputs associated with a particular system. The results of an inventory analysis may be used to identify areas to achieve improvement, as baseline information for conducting an impact assessment or some combination of the two. This analysis gives the boundaries of the system to be studied and develop a data questionnaire to collect the appropriate data. Develops, stand alone subsystem data and conducts a peer review to validate the results. This analysis may be used to identify areas to achieve improvement as baseline information for conducting an impact assessment. Impact Assessment: In this phase of LCA, the inputs and outputs of the system identified in the inventory analysis are translated into quantitative and or qualitative descriptions of environmental impacts by using models. A very few LCAs have attempted to include impacts because of the inherent complexities and data requirements of impact assessment. We do impact assessment because it provides the LCA user information that is more useful for decision making. Some of the LCA impact categories: Impacts of land use Climate change Stratospheric ozone depletion Human toxicity Ecotoxicity Photo-oxidant formation Impacts of ionizing radiation Acidification Eutrophication Depletion of abiotic resources Depletion of biotic resources Improvement Assessment: It is the least developed component of LCA. The main purpose of improvement assessment is to identify and evaluate specific actions that target priority impacts within the life-cycle frame work. Identification and estimation of opportunities to achieve improvements in processes that result in reduced environmental impacts, is based on the results of an inventory study or impact assessment. LCA may be utilised for several purposes To develop the environmental aspects of a product and to find out the frail systems in the product chain. For product improvement for environmentally enhanced products. For making executive decisions in governmental organisations. Helps to select and compare among the available products. For mixture of relevant indicator of environmental presentation. 4. ECO AUDIT TOOL Eco audit tool enables the product designers to quickly evaluate the environmental impact of a product, and it helps to reduce the environmental measures. By making use of CES software, this can be achieved by focussing on two environmental stressors To minimize the environmental footprint of a product, identification of the dominant phase is very important and it enables a designer to establish which aspect of the design to target The result of the eco audit forms the objective for the product design. This objective is dependent on both the dominant phase and the product application. Life Cycle Analysis: The Life cycle analysis of the product life cycle is split into three main sections in the eco audit tool: Material, manufacture, and end of life Transport Use 1. Material, manufacture, and end of life This the first section of the product definition which allows us to enter the Bill of Materials'(BOM) for the product, with each line representing an individual component. There is no limit on the number of components that can be added. Reading across the input dialog box, the entries are as follows Quantity This column tells us about the different number of individual components that are used in making of the product. This quantity column enables the specification of duplicate components in a hierarchal order. . The default value is one because there is no product with zero quantity. Component name It is the dialogue box for entering the name of each individual component of the product. Material The material drop-down menu displays the full Material Universe tree of the active database. Materials are selected by browsing the tree and clicking on the record for the material of our interest. Once we have done this, the eco audit tool extracts data from the material record to determine what options to display in the Primary process and End of life menus. Certain products include components that do not contribute to all life phases. For example, the water in a drinks bottle contributes to the transportation phase but not the material and manufacturing phases. This contribution is handled by creating a dummy component with no material, or process, assigned to it. Recycle content We have three recycle contents which can be specified as 0%, 100%, and typical %. As the names suggest, 0% represents the use of virgin material, where all the feedstock is produced from raw materials. 100% represents the other intense, where the material is manufactured entirely from feedstock reclaimed from end of life components. Typical %, lies between these two extremes and accounts for the level of recycled material incorporated back into the supply chain as standard practice. This applies to materials, such as metals and glasses, where end of life recycling has become integrated into the supply chain. This practice leads to standard grades containing significant levels of recycled material. For example, lead alloys generally contain 50-60% recycled material. Although many materials can be recycled, and have recycle fraction in current supply values quoted in the Material universe database, they are not routinely reintroduced into the standard supply. As a result, the typical recycle content option is only displayed for grades of metal and glass that are flagged as recyclable. Primary process The primary process dropdown menu displays the processes that are applicable to the material selected from the tree. This information, and associated data, is extracted from the materials datasheet. The available primary processes in the database are shown in the below table. Table: Available primary processes (Level 1 and 2 database) As electrical components are finished sub-assemblies, the material and process energies (and CO2) have been incorporated into one value [Embodied energy, primary production]. As a consequence, no processing options are available for these components. Mass (kg) Numeric field for specifying the mass of the component. This value is multiplied by the quantity (Qty) field value to determine the total mass for the component. End of Life This drop-down menu displays all possible ends of life options for the selected material. There are seven ends of life options and their applicable materials. Out of these seven, the first four are directly displayed on the datasheet depending on the type of material. The remaining life options are not specified and are added as other possible options for all materials. The end of life option generally defaults to Landfill. The main exception is for toxic materials, which default to the next viable option (usually in down cycle order). Table: describes the possible end life options and their Summaryrelated to the materials 2. Transport Transportation phase is the second part of the product definition. This phase relates to the transport of the finished product from the source of manufacture to the customer Each line in the table relates to one stage of the process journey. There is no limit on the number of stages that can be added. For each stage, three parameters are defined: stage name, transport efficiency (transport type), and distance. The transport efficiency is specified through the transport type dropdown menu, which lists the main methods for transporting goods. Table: transport options and associated environmental burden To determine the environmental impact of each stage the energy usage and the carbon foot print values are combined with the product mass and distance. i.e. Energy usage is given by Transport Energy =Transport energy per unit mass * distance * product mass. And carbon foot print by Transport co2=Transport energy per unit mass*Distance*product mass*carbon foot print. 3. Use The final stage of the product definition is the use phase. Product life Numeric field for specifying the product life, in years. The value for the year is considered to be default (1). Country electricity mix The Country electricity mix drop-down menu enables the particular mix of fossil and non-fossil fuel of the country of use to be specified. This is split into three main groups: global regions, individual countries, and fossil fuel percentage. The default option is World. Compared to the other sources, such as nuclear, hydroelectric and wind power, the environmental burden of electricity generated from fossil fuels is significantly higher. So this specification of country of use is very important phase of the eco audit tool. This is due to the relatively low efficiency in converting fossil fuels to electricity (1MJ of electricity requires about 3MJ of fossil fuel). The impact of a countrys energy mix on the energy equivalence and carbon footprint of its electricity supply is summarized in Figure. The final grouping in the country electricity mix menu specifies the electricity mix based on the proportion derived from fossil fuels (0% to 100% at 5% intervals). The environmental impact of these has been calculated using the following assumptions: The carbon footprint of electricity is dominated by the contribution from fossil fuels, with the proportion derived from other sources having no, or negligible, contribution. And the conversion process for generating electricity from fossil fuels is taken to be 33% efficient. In this use phase we have two modes namely static mode and mobile mode which describes the product energy usage. In static mode the available options are energy input and output which describes the conversion of one form of energy into another, power rating and usage. In the mobile mode, we have fuel and mobility type and its usage. Modes of use The use phase is divided into two modes of operation static mobile. Static relates to products that are (normally) stationary but require energy to function. For example: electrically powered products like electric kettles, refrig

The Meteorologist Metaphor :: essays research papers

The Meteorologist Metaphor Jane Eyre is a novel filled with rich metaphors and foreshadowing that is as detailed as the characters that make up the pages. These metaphors are used to create imagery; but more importantly, Charlotte Bronte makes use of reoccurring metaphors that come together to form themes and symbolism. Think of the novel as a Jello mold. A Jello mold becomes much more interesting and tasty if it has random fruits scattered throughout trapped within the sweet gelatin. These fruits do for the Jello, what metaphors do for a novel. However, if there is one fruit that continuously is found within the Jello, say... bananas, than those bananas become more than just flavor enhancers. The bananas become a â€Å"theme† of the Jello, a â€Å"theme† that could be individually studied if the Jello was allowed to melt. Now I will attempt to melt the Jello that is Jane Eyre. In this case, weather is the bananas. Obviously I’m not as skilled at using metaphors as Charlotte Bronte. In Jane Eyre, good weather is Bronte’s tool used to foreshadow positive events or moods. Similarly, poor weather is her tool used in setting the tone for negative events or moods. This technique is exercised throughout the entire novel, alerting the readers of the upcoming atmosphere. Jane’s mood is, to a degree, determined by the weather mentioned. For example, after Jane was publicly and falsely accused of being a liar by Mr. Brocklehurst, an upcoming positive event is predicted when Jane describes her surroundings: Some heavy clouds swept from the sky by a rising wind, had left the moon bare; and her light streaming in through a window near, shone full both on us and on the approaching figure, which we at once recognize as Miss Temple. (79) After this sentence was read, Miss Temple invited the two girls to her room and treated them with cake and tea, which brings Jane comfort from the public humiliation she had recently endured. Another example of this is Jane’s first morning at Thornfield. A positive mood is foreshadowed when Jane describes the weather as such: The chamber looked such a bright little place to me as the sun shone in between the gay blue chintz window and carpeted floor, so unlike the bare planks and strained plaster of Lowood, that my spirit rose at the view. (105) This not only foreshadows the positive mood of Jane, but also the experience she will have in the near future living in Thornfield.

Atticus as a Wise Father in To Kill a Mockingbird :: Character Analysis, Literary Analysis

Lastly, I think that as a father, Atticus is extremely wise. Atticus’s wise parenting ultimately wins his children’s respect and trust, and their devotion to him runs deep. Atticus way of parenting is not typical, such as scolding and punishing. Instead, he parenting style is unique, different from other fathers and he is able to help the children learn from their experiences and thus they progress through levels of morality until they develop the compassionate ability to consider from others’ perspective and views . For example, when scout takes up cussing, Atticus does not deal with the situation directly by reprimanding and chiding her. Instead, he leaves her to cuss, knowing fully that it would just make her swear more. However in time, Scout realises on her own that it is not a right thing to do. I feel what Atticus did was intelligent as Scout may choose to rebel if Atticus interfered too much, and she might even hate him. However by letting her realise her own mistake, she will tend to mature as an teenager and be a better person. Atticus’s lessons are also taught by setting good examples for his children. By acting the same way that he wants his children to act, he is the perfect role model for them. He is wise as he is able to set ideal examples for his children by his actions such as defending his clients and treating others. By using this method of teaching, he is able to quietly and subtly pass on wisdom to his children about life, moral values and other virtues. Instead of talking more, he prefers to show.(EVIDENCE, ELABORATE) Also, Atticus is not a type of father who would love his children dearly all the time. At times, he will be firm and teach them harsh lessons about life when necessary. This is evident when he took Jem along with him to tell Helen Robinson about Tom Robinson’s death. This way, Atticus allows Jem to learn lessons about prejudice and other principles in life. Also, throughout the novel, Attic us works to develop his children’s respective consciences and character, through teaching vital lessons with objectives, such as though humanity has a great capability of evil and wrong doings, it also has a great capacity for good. Also, the evil can be looked upon as good, if one approaches things with an outlook of compassion and understanding, instead of hatred, thus his objective is to teach them to be more compassionate and gracious towards others in life.

Define the Term Micr

Question 1 Define the term MICR and explain what it is. Using a suitable example, discuss how does MICR readers work and what is it used for? Answer: MICR, or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, is a character recognition technology used primarily by the banking industry to facilitate the processing of cheques and makes up the routing number and account number at the bottom of a cheque. It allows computer to read account number off printed documents. Its different and unlike with barcodes or other similar technologies, MICR codes can be easily read by humans. MICR characters usually contain iron oxide.They are printed in special typefaces with a magnetic ink or toner and in the form of either and E-13B or CMC-7 Font. Each font series is made up of a series of numbers and symbols specifically designed for readability on check sorting machines which read and extremely high rates of speed. The machine can always determine what each series of number signifies quickly, due to the symbols provide a beginning and end pint for each group of numbers. Line placement, character placement skew and quality are several critical components of printing MICR; the line must be precisely positioned in the MICR Clear Band area.The use of magnetic printing allows the characters to be read reliably even if they have been overprinted or obscured by other marks, such as cancellation stamps and signature. The magnetic scanning of a typical check has a smaller error rate than with optical character recognition systems. As for well printed MICR documents, the â€Å"can’t read â€Å"rate is usually less than 1% while the misread rate is in the order of 1 per 100,000 characters. A cheque is a suitable example to discuss how MICR readers work and what it is use for does.When a bank receives a check for payment, is uses an MICR inscriber to print the amount of the check in MICR characters in the lower-right corner. The check then is sorted or routed to the customer’s bank, al ong with thousands of others. Each check is inserted in an MICR reader, which sends the check information – including the amount of the check – to a computer for processing. When you balance your checkbook, verify that the amount printed in the lower-right corner is the same as the amount written on the check; otherwise, your statement will not balance. Some retailers use MICR reader to minimize their exposure to check fraud.Corporations and government agencies also use the technology to speed up the sorting of documents. The banking industry has established an international standard not only for bank numbers, but also for the font of the MICR characters. This standardization makes it possible for people to write checks in other countries. Question 2 Discuss what a laser printer is and how it differs from Thermal Printers. Answer: A laser printer is a high-speed, high quality nonimpact printer. It’s a printer that uses a focused beam or light to transfer text an d images on to paper.Though contrary to popular belief, the laser does not actually burn the images on to the paper. The laser beam will fire at the surface of a cylindrical drum called a photoreceptor instead of as a paper passing through the printer. This drum has an typically positive electrical charge, that is reversed in areas where the laser beam hits it. The laser beam is able to print patterns such as text and pictures on to the photoreceptor by reversing the charge in certain areas of the drum. Once the pattern has been created on the drum, it is coated with toner from a toner cartridge.The positively charged toner clings to areas of the drum that have been negatively charged by the laser. The drum is given a strong negative charge which allows the toner to transfer and stick to the paper when the paper is passing through the printer. Laser printers do not use ink therefore they have less smearing problems that ink-jet printers and are able to print pages faster. While lase r printers typically cost more that inkjet printers, most laser toner cartridges last longer than ink cartridges, which makes their cost per page is about equal.Based on this reason, businesses tend to use laser printers, while consumers are more likely to use inkjet printers. A thermal printer generates images by pushing electrically heated pins against heat-sensitive paper. Basic thermal printers are inexpensive, but the print quality is low and the images tend to fade over time. Self-service gas pumps often print gas receipts using a built-in lower-quality thermal printer. Many point-of-sale terminals in retail and grocery stores also print purchases receipts on thermal paper.Two special types of thermal printers have high print quality and can print at much faster rates than ink-jet and laser printers. A thermal-wax-transfer printer generates rich, nonsmearing images by using heat to melt colored was onto heat-sensitive paper. Thermal wax-transfer printers are more expensive tha n many color laser printers. Both printers have advantages and disadvantages; by comparing we are able to differentiate them. The advantages of a laser printer are it is an accessible and efficient office document printer. The document quality is very high, except for barcodes.There are a few disadvantages for a laser printer. It prints labels in sheets and resulting in waste. Its label and wristband adhesives can ooze from fuser and cause jamming. The barcodes require more ink and the toner is driving up the costs. Lastly, output susceptible to toner flaking and smudging. As for thermal printers it has more advantages than a laser printer, such as it is designed specifically for label and wristband printing, print on demand which does not lead to wastage, it is simple to operate and the best part are its durable, it has low maintenance and its does not have toner expenses.The disadvantages of a thermal printer are, for example they cannot print 8 1/2- by 11-inch documents and the p rinters are not readily available in hospitals today. Referencing List Question 1 – http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Magnetic_ink_character_recognition – http://www. whatismicr. com/index. html – Pg 281 from Discovering COMPUTERS by Gary Shelly Question 2 – http://www. techterms. com/definition/laserprinter – Pg 321 from Discovering COMPUTERS by Gary Shelly -http://www. datarayusa. com/index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=70