Time Compression Essay Example For Students

Time Compression Essay Thousands of years ago, Man created (discovered?) gunpowder. Sixty years ago, he discovered the power of the atom. Twenty-five years ago, computers were primarily tools of universities, large corporations and government agencies. Now a Personal Computer is commonplace in homes; suburban kids have computers with capabilities 100 fold of their corporate ancestors. The Internet was in a similar state not 10 years ago. It has grown so fast that now the original framework is bursting at the seams, no longer able to handle the needs of the burgeoning Internet Community. Technology and the world around us is moving at a breakneck speed, and its getting faster every second. These are examples of a theory known as Time Compression. We will write a custom essay on Time Compression specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Time compression is a simple theory, and it is one that I am in love with, as it effects us all on a day-to-day basis. Think of time as a physical presence that is constantly moving. As a physical thing, it has mass, weight, volume, etc. The longer its been moving, the more momentum it gains, the faster it goes. Be it technology, moral philosophies or social situations, we are affected by time compression in all facets of our lives. As we speed through our post-modern lifestyles, the increasing speed is becoming more apparent. Every day of our lives, something is being created, improved upon and appraised as no longer being relevant, and scrapped for something newer, faster and better to replace it. Whether this is good or bad is not terribly relevant. Change is one of the few constants. Progress has been occurring before man had a word for it. Its been moving along at an ever-increasing velocity before man was, by todays evolutionary standards, classifiable as Man. Even with this apparent truth, some try to grind their heels into the dirt, slow it down just a bit. Sometimes it works out. Thoreau. Sometimes it doesnt. Unabomber. But regardless of the outcome, both suffer from the same symptom, a sort of desperate escapism. If you disregard all the nobler qualities that have been stacked upon Thoreau, he was a simple man living in a complex world, desperately afraid and unable to cop to his bewildering environment. Please dont misunderstand; I am not trying to condescend to the likes of Henry David Thoreau. I believe these are qualities we all have, myself included. But when it comes down to it, the ability to harness this wind and move along with it, using it to your own advantage is a much better expenditure of energy than grinding heels in the dirt.

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips The holiday season is a time when people can become careless and vulnerable to theft and other holiday crimes. People are often in a rush buying gifts, decorating their homes, visiting friends or traveling. There is a big increase in the number of people that are out and about shopping at the malls and grocery stores, packing the parking lots, grabbing taxis, filling up the seats on rapid transit and waiting in lines at ATM machines. Late Nights Many stores extend hours late into the night. People head to the stores after work, then at closing time, you see them emerging with the dazed eyes of sleepwalkers. Amazingly, then the mall parking lots empty out in record time and within minutes become deserted. Without fail, there are always a handful of people wandering the lots alone, looking for where they parked their cars or digging through handfuls of shopping bags searching for their lost car keys. To normal, law-abiding people, all of this kind of holiday hoopla and pressure is just part of the festive mood of the season. And all the gaiety, unfortunately, also tends to cause people to let their innate sense of caution temporarily fall by the wayside. Why Thieves Love the Holiday Season All the hustle and bustle going on over the holidays gives thieves what they want, almost as much as an unlocked bank vault, and that is the opportunity to become invisible. By being as nondescript as possible, they can move through big crowds of rushed and distracted people without anyone noticing them. They can pickpocket and shoplift and when their victims realize that they have been robbed, they will have no idea who did it.   In most communities, the police work additional hours during November and December. They are kept busy the increase in traffic accidents, home fires, bar fights, and family disputes. Also, during the month of December, more people die of natural causes than any other time of the year. Police often have to change their regular routines and leave the nightly patrol through neighborhoods to answer emergency calls. Thieves Feed on Opportunities Thieves know that the police are overloaded during the holiday season and they take full advantage it. They thrive on the fact that the police and stores loss prevention staff have their hands full with amateur thieves who are hauled to jail for trying to steal from the electronics departments or waiting for the parents of pre-teens who pocketed the latest video game. In the meantime, the professional thieves are busy breaking into cars in the parking lots to steal gifts, cell phones, and electronics, or stalking and robbing or scamming the people who are alone. Some thieves prefer burglarizing homes. They spend their time walking neighborhoods, looking for houses that appear that the homeowners are away. Darkened homes nestled between neighbors with front yards bursting with holiday lights will draw their attention. Having the kids off from school is another concern because of the number of unsupervised teens hanging around without anything to do. Homes within neighborhoods are broken in more times by young male teens that live in or near the neighborhood. They often choose a home and then hang out to see when the homeowners leave each day. They might be so brazen and ring the doorbell, then pretend to try to sell something if anyone answers. How to Keep From Becoming a Holiday Crime Victim The following tips can help you be more careful, prepared and aware during the holiday season. Try to shop during the day, but if you do shop at night, do not do it alone.Dress casually and comfortably.Avoid wearing expensive jewelry.Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible. Consider bringing a security travel pouch instead.Always carry your drivers license or identification along with necessary cash, checks and/or a credit card you expect to use.Recognize when you are rushed, distracted and stressed out, and stay alert to what is going on around you.Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible.Keep cash in your front pocket.If you discover that a credit card is missing, notify the credit card company as soon as possible. Dont assume that you misplaced it and will find it later.Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place at home.Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas, terminals, bus stops, on buses and other rapid transit.Av oid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion if you are approached. Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, con-artists may try various methods of distracting you, including working in teams, with the intention of taking your money or belongings.

Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King and Bobby Seale Research Paper

Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King and Bobby Seale - Research Paper Example The difference was the way each man promoted equal rights. Martin Luther King Jr. thought peaceful resistance was the way. He led boycotts to fight Jim Crow laws. He believed in integration. Malcolm X preached hate and segregation from the ‘white devils’. He wanted equal rights without integration. Bobby Seale believed in action. He protected his neighborhood through violence. The Black Panthers incited riots, most notably at the Democratic Convention. Another major difference that impacted each man’s views was religion. King was Christian. Malcolm X was a Muslim. Bobby Seale did not really have a religion. The Black Panthers followed a more Marxist path. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were both assassinated. Bobby Seale is still alive. King and Seale came from the South, but Malcolm X came from the North. King and Seale had fathers that worked and homemaker mothers. Malcolm X was from a broken home and even ended up in foster care. Seale served in the military, but the other two did not. The SCLC helped the Civil Rights Movement most in terms of gathering positive attention to the cause. The Nation of Islam inspired a fear in both black and white Americans. The Black Panthers incited violence that led to the gangs of

Summarize the Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Summarize the Article - Essay Example After which they analyzed each person’s clinical examination result and identified what risk factors have stimulated the syndrome. Through this method, they were able to come up with a conclusion that people who are highly stressed at work usually belong to an industry where the job demand is high. Also, the work environment also played a huge role in adding up to the job strain the participants encounter, with which through time caused heart diseases. Because of this stress they go through based on the nature of work and the environment of their workplace, these people tend to embrace an unhealthy lifestyle as a way of de-stressing such as by smoking and drinking. I would say that considering the motivations and the effects of stress towards a certain person’s lifestyle in this study is one of the strengths of this research. Indeed, this study is not only informational but is very significant today especially when almost everyone deems stress as a normal variable for success. Though this is true, it is more important to highlight the reality that â€Å"health is wealth† and continue on persevering at work with this kind of mindset, so neither success or health is

Bank of America Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bank of America - Assignment Example MBNA is the largest player in the credit industry worldwide. By acquiring MBNA, the Board of Bank of America would be able o acquire a majority market share of 20.2% in the $1.2 trillion credit card business. For this reason, the Board of America has taken a strategic decision to buy out MBNA for $35 billion. The advantages of the acquisition include access to a large share of the worldwide credit card markets (Kumar, 2012, p.37). The Bank of America could make use of its large network of 5800 branches in the US for providing financial services. The customer portfolio of MBNA also comprises of low risk borrowers which would be advantageous for the bank of America. The buyout also involves certain disadvantages. The buy out decision of MBNA has come at a time when the credit card market is saturated and there is a turn-around in the consumer behavior in the credit cards industry. Thus the growth prospects of venturing into the credit card business are likely to be decided with time. . .. Considering the slow down of the credit card business, the shareholders would still expect the bank to leverage on the resources of MBNA. The shareholders view this buyout to have been taken place at a higher value than the market price. The acquisition of MBNA by the Bank of America would tend to kill the competition in the market and the Bank of America would increase its market share. The vigorous strategies of American Express by persuading banks to advise customers to use their credit cards could also be challenged and the Bank of America is likely to move to the higher position in terms of market capitalization (WetFeet, 2008, p.46). An increase in the gamut of financial services would make the shareholders believe that the company is looking to expand its operations and the volume of revenues and earnings would also tend to increase. A high earning for the Bank of America after the buyout and exploring the potentials of the credit card business would mean that the earnings per share for the shareholders would increase. The dividend payout of the bank is also likely to increase and it is viewed positively by the shareholders. The shareholders also foresee a rise in valuation of the shares due to the strategic buyout of MBNA by the Bank of America (Kunitzky, 2010, p.78). Perspective of the shareholders of MBNA The shareholders of MBNA were supposed to be skeptical about the future of business of credit cards of MBNA. This is due to the facts that the credit market has saturated at this point of time and there is change in the consumer behavior in the credit card industry. Due to huge competition in the credit card market, the consumers expect a term of

Heineken Marketing and Business Analysis

Heineken Marketing and Business Analysis Jump to: SWOT Analysis of Heineken | Porters 5 Analysis of Heineken | Heinekens Main Competitors Heading the Heineken Group, Heineken Holding N.V. is no ordinary holding company. Since its formation in 1952, the objective of Heineken Holding N.V., pursuant to its Articles of Association has been to manage and/ or supervise the Heineken Group and to provide services to the Heineken Group. The role Heineken Holding N.V. has performed for the Heineken Group since 1952 has been to safeguard its continuity, independence and stability and create conditions for controlled, steady growth of the activities of the Heineken Group. This stability has enabled the Heineken Group to rise to its present position as the brewer with the widest international presence and one of the worlds largest brewing groups. Every Heineken N.V. share held by Heineken Holding N.V. is matched by one share issued by Heineken Holding N.V. The net asset value of one Heineken Holding N.V. share is therefore identical to the net asset value of one Heineken N.V. share. The dividend payable on the two shares is also id entical. Historically, however, Heineken Holding N.V. shares have traded at a lower price due to technical factors that are market-specifi c. Heineken Holding N.V. holds 50.005 per cent of the Heineken N.V. issued shares. LArche Green N.V. holds 58.78 per cent of the Heineken Holding N.V. shares. The Heineken family holds 88.42 per cent of LArche Green N.V. The remaining 11.58 per cent of LArche Green N.V. is held by the Hoyer family. Mrs. De Carvalho-Heineken also owns a direct 0.03 per cent stake in Heineken Holding N.V. Bondholder information On 4 November 2003, Heineken N.V. issued two bonds for a total of EUR 1.1 billion. In addition, on 26 February 2009 Heineken placed six year Notes of GBP400 million (EUR 450 million) with a coupon of 7.25 per cent, on 25 March 2009 fi ve year Notes of EUR 1 billion with a coupon of 7.125 percent and on 1 October 2009 seven year Notes of EUR 400 million with a coupon of 4.625 per cent. These Notes were issued under the European Medium Term Note Programme established in 2008 and updated in September 2009. The European Medium Term Note programme allows Heineken N.V. from time to time to issue Notes for a total amount of up to EUR 3 billion. As currently approximately EUR 1.9 billion is outstanding, Heineken still has capacity of EUR 1.1 million under the programme. The programme can be used for issuing up to one year after its establishment. The Luxembourg Stock Exchange has approved the programme. Risk Management and Control Process Main risks Under the explicit understanding that this is not an exhaustive list, Heinekens main risks are described below, including the mitigation measures. Risks concerning the Heineken brand and Company reputation, economic downturn, volatility of input costs, exchange and interest rates, availability and cost of capital and increasing legislation (such as alcohol excise duties and anti-trust) affecting the business are considered the most significant risks. The main Company risks have been discussed with the full Supervisory Board. Attractiveness of beer category under pressure Heineken has many operations in mature beer markets where the attractiveness of the beer category is being challenged by other beverage categories. Consumers may also change behaviour following the rise of discount brands and retailers following the recession. In these markets, especially, the on-trade channel is under pressure, which makes adjustments to the cost base unavoidable. Heineken is relatively highly geared to mature markets since their acquisition of Scottish Newcastle. Management focus is on product innovation, portfolio management and costeffectiveness in order to secure market position and profitability. Pressure on alcohol An increasingly negative perception in society towards alcohol and more specifically alcohol abuse could prompt legislators to take restrictive measures including restrictions, on such things as commercial freedom and increased government tax. This perception is fed by critical coverage in the media. Further restrictions of our commercial freedom to promote and sell our products could lead to a decrease in brand equity and potentially in sales and damage the industry in general. Heineken actively participates in the EU Forum on Alcohol and Health and delivered its commitments in the area of consumer information, alcohol consumption at the workplace and commercial communication. In 2009, Heineken continued to work on establishing effective self-regulation in the EU together with the Brewers of Europe. Volatility of input costs Pricing strategies are top priority in all of our markets. This includes assessments of customer, consumer and competitor responses based on different pricing scenarios, which will have different outcomes market by market. In principle, we will pass on increased input costs impacting volume. During the second half of 2008, commodity markets rapidly declined following the world economic climate and remained depressed for most of 2009. In addition, the run of several years poor harvests in key grain and hop markets has reversed and world grain stocks are recovering. Economic downturn The economic crisis has impacted our regular business activities and performance, in particular in consumer spending and solvency. However, the business impact differed across our regions and operations. Local management has assessed the risk exposure following Group instructions and is taking action to mitigate any higher than usual risks. Intensified and continuous focus is being given in the areas of customers (managing trade receivables and loans) and suppliers (financial position of critical suppliers). Also, management attention is given to our relationships with banks (see capital availability risk) and insurance companies (credit worthiness (re)insurance companies). Regional Management and involved Group functions oversee the effectiveness of management analysis and action, supported by input from Internal Auditors. Financial risks Currency risk Heineken operates internationally and reports in euros, which has proven to be a very strong currency over the past few years. Currency fluctuations, relating to the US dollar, South African rand, Polish zloty and, to a lesser extent, the British pound could materially affect overall Company results, considering the size of exports from the eurozone to mainly the USA and South Africa. Heineken has a clear policy on hedging transactional exchange risks, which postpones the impact on financial results. Translation exchange risks are hedged to a limited extent. In 2009, operating results of Operating Companies in countries with currencies that devaluated versus the euro are translated into euro at lower rates. Since the Group attracts funding and pays interest in these currencies as well, the impact of devaluations of such currencies like the Russian rouble, British pound and Polish zloty on our results is mitigated to a certain extent. In addition, Heineken strengthened its risk manage ment regarding the monitoring and managing of currency and interest positions. Capital availability The Company has a strong focus on cash generation to reduce its debt levels and to improve its financing ratios. The Company has a clear focus on ensuring sufficient access to capital markets to refinance maturing debt obligations and to finance long-term growth. The Company aims to further fine-tune the maturity profile of its long-term debts. Financing strategies are under continuous evaluation. Terms and conditions of additional refinancing may be impacted by the changing credit market conditions. Strong cost and cash management and strong controls over investment proposals are in place to ensure effective and efficient allocation of financial resources. Litigation Due to increasing legislation there is an increased possibility of non-compliance. Additionally, more supervision by regulators and the growing claim culture may potentially increase the impact of non-compliance, both financially and on the reputation of the Company. Each half year, all majority-owned companies formally report outstanding claims and litigations against the Company in excess of EUR 1 million to Group Legal Affairs, including an assessment of the amounts to be provided for. There may be current risks that do not have a significant impact on the business but which could at a later stage develop into a material impact on the Companys business. The Companys risk management systems are focused on timely discovery of such risks.   SWOT Analysis (S)trengths Heineken has very different brands in thirteen markets. It is a global brand and established itself in international strategy The company have purchased a lot of national breweries. There is Recognition of bottle (Green bottle) dispenses and different  instruments such as (Mini keg) (W)eaknesses Heineken has a conservative and safe play culture. The company had  struggled to obtain larger Breweries. Young Beer drinkers dont prefer Heineken Prices are costly when compared to domestic market such as $10 would  be for six packs and in the domestic market it is $7 for six packs. (T)hreats Government restriction to drunken driving laws. High competition in the beer industry to increase the market share. Joint ventures and acquisition of other companies which tend to become  larger than Heineken. (O)pportunities The trends of the society changing to consumption of healthy beer with  low calories. In Asia and Russian there is increase in population which the company is  having high market share. In the U.S industry a particular segment the Hispanic are growing  tremendously Porters Five Forces of Competition Threat of substitutes: Very little technical composition of beers The growing segment of wine industry Threats of new Entry: An investment amount of $250 million dollars to build 4 million barrel brewery There is risky entry since there is no alternative use of breweries Top positions have not been cracked by new entrants Bargaining power of buyers No true brand loyal to any particular brand The Demand for the major competitor brand Budweiser is Inelastic Bargaining power of suppliers There were fewer amounts of Brewers and larger plants. High cost of production due to rise in price of products such as grains glass and  aluminium. There were many number of buying supplier of input (Wheat field). Rivalry Between established competitors During 1947 Heineken established itself in top 5 acquired 19% of the market in  U.S. During 2001 Heineken was included in top 5 and generated 87% of the U.S  market share. The beer industry is very highly competitive industry due to this reason many  brewers leave the industry. Main Competitors for Heineken Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Anheuser-Busch, Inc.is 100 percent owned by the holding company Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. The company mostly focuses on domestic beer sales, 75% of its total revenue, 4% from international beer sales, 15% from packaging, and 6% fromentertainment. Corporate level strategy At the corporate level, Anheuser-Busch pursues the dominant vertical business strategy. All ratios (specialization, related and vertical) are well above 70%. The company focuses mainly, but not exclusively, on beer production and is heavily vertically integrated, which sets it apart from most of its main competitors. Value Drivers Anheuser-Busch ranked first in the category quality of products and services. The company also won the first rank in the overall category Beverage Industry. Strength challenges and weakness Anheuser-Busch derives most of its market strength from its overwhelming scale and scope economies. The king of beers uniquely transforms this strength into several unrivalled competitive advantages, including cost efficiencies, exclusive relationships with many of its wholesalers, a dominant presence at the retail level, advertising efficiency and pricing power. A-B is growth limited because the company is operating above 95% production capacity, which already presents seasonal challenges. The overwhelming success of the past decades could potentially lead to complacency among ABs employees and distributors. SAB MILLER PLC SABMiller has brewing operations in more than 40 countries spanning four continents. The company is the second largest brewer in the world by volume and one of the largest Coca- Cola bottlers and distributors of Cokes carbonated soft drinks outside the U.S.79 The primary brands in the U.S. markets are Miller Genuine Draft, Miller Lite, Fosters and Pilsner Urquell, and Henry Weinhards and Leinenkugels. Other U.S. brands include Icehouse, Old English 800, High Life, Milwaukees Best, Mickeys Malt Liquor and a non-alcoholic beer called Sharps. Corporate Level Strategy The SABMiller corporate level strategy is a dominant linked  corporations strategy. The stated corporate level strategy is to optimize and expand its existing positions through acquisition and to seek value-adding opportunities to enhance its position as a global brewer. SABMiller business level strategy is to serve the mass markets for beer and soft drinks with broad differentiation as perceived by consumers. Value Drivers A primary value driver of SABMiller is its brand recognition. The Miller Genuine Draft  and Miller Light brands, for example, have a long established brand equity that drives their  respective sales. Strength and weakness SABMiller has strong brand leadership and it continues to develop new brands through partnerships. The strategy of diversification across currencies and geography makes the company relatively immune to regional changes in beer consumption, tastes, growth trends, and currency fluctuations. The Miller Brewing acquisition required significant management attention and a large investment on the part of SABMiller that will continue to affect profitability over the next two to three years. Coors Aldoph Coors Company was founded in 1872. Coors was family owned until 1975 when  the company first became public. The Coors family continues to be involved in the company  with nine of its members working for the firm.95 All of Coors brewing and packing facilities are currently U.S. based, having divested a brewery in Zaragoza, Spain in 2000.96 Its largest facility, in Golden Colorado, has the ability to produce 20 million barrels of beer in a year and is considered the largest brewing facility in the world. Corporate Level Strategies Coors current corporate strategies focus on improving  operational efficiencies and expansion through acquisition. Coors seeks to grow its markets  regionally. This is evident through its Carling acquisition and its current regional appeal in the U.S. All of Coors revenues come from the sale and distribution of beer and malt beverages. Value Drivers Coors is improving its brewing operations by investing in supply chain management systems, joint ventures with packaging companies and plant upgrades. Strength and weakness Coors has never wavered in its dedication to maintain their access-based position in the market. Its success has been attributed to latching onto a market trend toward health conscious consumers and developing and executing a focused strategy. The companys weakness is in establishing the correct cost basis for their strategy. Coors has the highest COGS per barrel compared to its peers. Further growth may be limited unless the  company seeks global expansion. As of today, Coors is not participating in the fastest growing global geography, China. CORONA AND LABATT Corona beer, a brand of Grupo Modelo de Mexico, and Labatt, a brand of Labatt USA,  are the major competitors to Heineken. In addition to the individual brands of Corona,  Grupo Modelo also owns Pacifico and Modelo Especial. Labatt USA has strong brands with  additional products such as Rolling Rock, and is the distributor of Tecate and Dos Equis. Both companies participated in the beer industry consolidation. Anheuser Busch has increased ownership of Grupo Modelo to 51% after an initial investment of 13% in 1993. Corporate level Strategies The corporate level strategy of Labatt USA is dominant  linked, serving various niche markets throughout the country. Labatts large portfolio of  specialty beers serves different niche markets with widely divergent geographic strengths. Grupo Modelo pursues a dominant linked strategy, however its limited brands serve only  smaller niche group. Both companies focus on the specialty beer market by controlling  manufacturing and distribution channels through vertical integration. Business level strategies. Labatt USAs and Grupo Modelos business strategies are  product differentiation. Both companies emphasize the quality of their products and their  abilities to satisfy customers. Value Drivers The primary value driver for Grupo Modelo and Labatt is their individual brand equity. Corona has been a staple in Mexico since the early 1900s. Many of the brands in Labatt USAs stable, such as Bass and Lowenbrau have been around for centuries. Since Grupo Modelo focuses on only 5 brands with huge production volume, it is able to  exploit manufacturing and production scale and scope economies as cost drivers. Strength and weakness Labatt and Grupo Modelo enjoy strong brand leadership, while Labatt has additional advantages due to its relationship with Interbrew and FEMSA that allows brand  expansion. Regression Analysis Heineken NV Heineken Holding NV Anheuser-Busch InBev Carlsberg A/S Group Modelo SAB de CV SAB Miller PLC Molson Coors Brewing Co.

Distance Education Essay -- Learning Educational School Essays

Distance Education Traditionally, in the field of education, courses have been designed and student/teacher interactions have taken place through the teaching/learning process where the student and teacher are in the same location at the same time discussing the same topic. Students and teachers usually meet in this predetermined location at a predetermined time to interact in a classroom setting. The absence of either party usually has a negative result. Distance education has captured the interest of educators because it removes the restrictions of time and location for the involved learner and the teacher. Distance learning is "taking instruction to the student through technology rather than the student to the instruction" (Cohen, 1999, p. 218). Distance education seems new to many when in actuality it has been around for some time. It began as correspondence learning in the last century and continued into this century, transforming into mass communications through the use of radio and television (Cohen, 1999, p. 218). Distance education further developed in the forms of extended education, open education, and distance learning (McIssac & Blocher, 1998, p. 43). Now, distance education takes on many forms: teleconferencing, electronic mail, web-based instruction, chat rooms, satellite television, computer networks, and virtual classrooms just to name a few. Distance education has evolved from the use of primarily print-based materials into a worldwide movement using various technologies (McIsaac & Blocher, 1998, p. 43). Distance learning can be interactive or non-interactive learning. Interactive learning can be synchronic or asynchronic or a combination of the two. Synchronic learning is where "the teacher and stud... ...can Journal of Distance Education, 8, 2, 30-42. Kearsley, G. (March-April 1998). Educational technology: a critique. Educational Technology, 38, 2, 47-51. McIsaac, M. S., & Blocher, J. M. (March 1998). How research in distance education can affect practice. Educational Media International, 35, 1, 43-47. Moller, L. (1998). Designing communities of learners for asynchronous distance education. Educational Technology Research & Design, 46, 4, 115-122. Moore, M. G. (1990). Recent contributions to the theory of distance education. Open Learning, 5, 3, 10-13. Offir, B., & Lev, Y. (June 1999). Teacher-learner interaction in the process of operating dl (distance learning) systems. Educational Media International, 36, 2, 132-136. Willis, B. (January-February 1998). Effective distance education planning: lessons learned. Educational Technology, 38, 1, 57-59.

Newton Weights Essay

As it is known, different materials have different properties. They act differently under different circumstances. There are a number of properties of matter which can be explained in terms of molecular behaviour. Among these properties is elasticity. Intermolecular forces: these are electromagnetic forces between molecules. The strength and direction of these forces differ in accordance to the separation of the molecules. Materials are often subjected to different forces. Forces can be distorting, that is they can alter the shape of a body. Two distorting forces I shall look at are tension and compression. Tension/tensile stress, more generally referred to as stretch, happens when external forces (larger red arrows) act on a body so that different parts of that body are pulled to go in different directions. In most materials, the intermolecular force (smaller aqua arrows) of attraction shows resistance to these external forces, so that once the external forces have abated, the body resumes its original shape/length. Compression/compressive stress, more generally referred to as squashing, happens when external forces act on a body of material so that different parts of that body are pushed in towards the centre of the body. In most materials, the intermolecular force of repulsion acts against these external forces, so that when the distorting force is removed, the molecules return to their original arrangement and spacing. Materials that do this are known to have the property of elasticity. In short, elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape and size after distorting forces (i.e. tension and/or compression) have been removed. Materials which have this ability are elastic; those which do not have this ability are considered plastic. This always happens when the distorting force is below a certain size (which is different for each material). This point where the body will no longer return to its original shape/size (due to the distorting force becoming too large) is known as the elastic limit (which differs from material to material). As long as the distorting force is below this size, the body that is under the external forces will always return to its original shape. As the body is put under more and more stress (distorting force), the body strains (deforms, extends) more and more. Right up to the elastic limit, the body will continue straining, in accordance to the size of the stress. This is where Hooke’s Law comes in. Hooke’s Law states that, when a distorting force is applied to an object, the strain is proportional to the stress. For example, if the load/stress is doubled, then the extension/strain would also double. However, there is a limit of proportionality (which is often also the elastic limit), only up to which Hooke’s Law is true. Since the strain is proportional to the stress for different materials where Hooke’s Law is true, then there should be a fixed ratio of stress to strain for a given elastic material. This ratio is known as its Young’s Modulus. Young’s Modulus can be calculated from the stress and the strain of an object under tensile/compressive stress. e = change in length/extension of object, in cm p = original length of object, in cm a = cross-sectional area of object, in cm2 f = size of force applied, in newtons For example, the Young’s Modulus of Mild Steel = 2 x 1011 N m-2 Copper = 11 x 1010 N m-2 Hooke’s Law and Young’s Modulus apply to most elastic materials, with the exceptions. A special shape which material can be bent into to in order to optimize use of the elasticity of a material is a spring. Springs are used by us everywhere: in seats, mattresses, cars, toys, and all other sorts of necessary objects and items we encounter in our daily lives. They are normally made from metal, though they can come from plastics, rubber or even glass. When compressive stress is applied to a spring, the spring noticeably ‘shortens’, though the actual length of the body material shortens very little. It is due to this special shape of springs that let it do this. The same occurs when tensile stress is applied. When a spring is being extended or pulled on, it may seem the spring is changing length dramatically, but in actual fact the spring’s body material relatively doesn’t change shape at all, but rather the shape of the body is more spaced out. AIM My objective in this experiment is to find out how a spring varies in length with added load. I also want to witness Hooke’s Law in action, and I want to observe the behaviour of the spring/s even after the load added causes the stress in the spring to exceed the elastic limit. PLAN My experiment is fairly straight forward to set up and carry out. In my experiment the data that I intend to assemble is the extension of the spring each time new/extra load is added to it. It is necessary that I use the most appropriate equipment for my experiment, hence I have chosen to use a retort stand which will hold up the spring and its weights up, a second retort stand from which a meter rule will be suspended. The metre rule will be right up against the spring, so as to ensure an accurate reading. There is no evidence that I can take before hand, other than the material of the spring. This entire experiment has to be as accurate, fair, precise and reliable as can practically be, but it is only possible to make it so to a certain extent. For instance, I cannot be absolutely sure that that all Newton weights weigh exactly 1000 grams, nor is it practical to find a ruler that is absolutely accurate. Hence I am forced to settle for the metre rule, which is accurate to about 1 millimetre, and I will be aware that the Newton weights will be within an accuracy of about i 20 grams. These factors will not really be in my control; however I can reasonably account for them when I construct a graph from my table by using error bars for each point plotted. Another measure I am taking is that I shall not be the only one to take readings from the metre rule; I shall have two other peers who will also be reading off the same metre rule. From these 3 readings I shall draw up averages of level of weight applied to the spring. To be practical and observing at the same time, I must choose an appropriate extent and range, as well as appropriate integers, for the data that I intend to collect. I will be going to take the first measurement as the length of the spring when there is no mass attached to it. The last measurement shall be right up to when the spring can no longer hold on to the weights. I have a rough idea of the spring that I shall use, and I am assuming now that the spring shouldn’t be able to hold much more than 13 kg. I shall be adding the weights one at a time (one Newton/kilogram at a time), and I shall be taking measurements at each of these intervals. The measurements that I shall take of the length of the spring will be in millimetres. So basically, once I have set up the entire apparatus, I shall start off taking the measurement of the spring when it is free of load, then let my peers take theirs. Then I shall add a Newton weight one at a time, taking measurements with my helpers each time I add one. Of course we’ll be wearing our goggles, because I don’t want to take any risks. 1) Collect equipment. 2) Prepare apparatus as shown in diagram. 3) Record the length of the spring when it is load-free, to cm, in the prepared table for results. 4) Add a weight/mass of 1 kg or 1 N, and then take the new length of the spring. Record in the prepared table for results. 5) Continue adding on weights/masses of 1 kg, recording the length of the spring each time in the prepared table for results. This should be carried on until the weights can no longer be attached to the hanging spring. APPARATUS. The apparatus that I shall need set up for my experiment consist of the following items: 1. Retort Stands (x 2) 2. Boss and Clamps (x 2) 3. Metre Rule 4. Spring (length: 50 mm) 5. Newton Weights (x 15 approximately) Other items I shall need are three pairs of goggles. SAFETY I must consider my safety when working in the laboratory. It is common when this type of experiment is carried out that when a weight or anything for that matter is suspended from something as unstable as a hanging spring, the item in being suspended is prone to fall.

Mission Impossiable Essays - Miracles, Of Miracles, David Hume

Mission Impossiable Essays - Miracles, Of Miracles, David Hume Mission Impossiable MISSION IMPOSSIBLE In reading the ideas of David Hume, I have came to believe that he was telling us the miracles dont exist. They are sort of a Mission impossible. We have no evidence that they exist. Some might say that religion gives us examples of miracles. But there are no facts to support their miracles. If there ever was, then they were lost over the many years. People might also say that miracles happen all the time, but its just not true. Everything that happens has some scientific fact or law behind in no matter how small. So to put it all in perspective, Hume's argument against miracles centers around his fundamental position on causality. He claims that the human notion of cause and effect is ungrounded in empirical evidence, but rather given only reasonable probability through continuous reinforcement. I.e., I touch fire I feel pain. This does not eccesitate that when I touch fire I will always have to feel pain, but rather I have no good reason to think that it will not happen. Therefore his argument against miracles says that no one has good reason to believe that events outside of the witnessed laws of nature should ever occur. Miracles are for Hume irrational beliefs where causal belief is not absolute but rather probable. The problem is, what do you define as a miracle? An event that goes against the laws of nature or the fact that we even exist is a miracle... certainly it is highly probable that we shouldn't!

Timeline History Of Russia 1533-1991 Essays - Marxist Theorists

Timeline History Of Russia 1533-1991 Essays - Marxist Theorists Timeline History of Russia 1533-1991 1533-1584 The Russian Empire, covering over one-sixth of the world, is governed by the sovereignty of Czar Ivan the Terrible. The feudal system oppresses every man, woman and child as the Czar releases "Tax Collectors" to maintain support for the nobles in the land. Brigands and financial extortionists persecute any lower class citizen who refuses to help contribute to the Czar's regime. 1682-1725 Under Czar Peter I (Peter the Great), the Russian Empire begins to flourish with traces of traditional social structure modifications in the country. Observing the radical advances of western civilizations, Peter orders the modernization of the army, creation of a navy, encourages mercantilism and foreign trade, and gives women more rights. Nevertheless, the Empire remains stricken in poverty over slow reforms and the overbearing presence of feudalism. 1825-1861 The feudal system begins to fail when the goals and desires of the common peasant cannot be achieved through such an archaic doctrine. Various successive Czars attempt social reforms which do not leave an impact on the country's well-being. In December of 1825, an uprising from the populace occures when they demand changes to the economic system. With the development of the American, French and Spanish constitutions, the serfs now demanded the abolishment of the monarchy dictatorship, communal ownership of land and many other civil and social reforms. Unfortunately, their rebellion was quickly dismantled by the Czar's military faction and the system remained in tact. 1861-1905 Czar Nicholas II finally realized that his current economic monarchy was holding back the development of the empire. He therefore created a parliamentary system in 1905 which would decrease the number of strikes and violent outbursts generating from the peasants. This representative assembly (called a Duma) was convened a total of four times during the first World War and gave legitimacy to other political factions within the empire and would hopefully increase civil rights. 1917-1924 World War I led to the abdication (resignation) of the Czar as the people revolted against his useless monarchy. Famine, disease and death were spreading like wildfire as the Russians aided France against the militia of Germany during World War I. The population lost its faith in the monarchy and installed a provisional government that would keep the country from disintegrating. However, this government refused to intervene during the fragile years of the war and lost its power to a communist party called the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Nikolai Lenin), overthrew the provisional government and implemented their style of authority to the empire. Their objectives were to lead the Russian empire into prosperity while utilizing Karl Marx's proposed doctrine for a communal, classless environment where the workers will be using their abilities to satisfy their own needs. The Union was now born and the Communist Manifesto was finally going to be activated. The C zar and his family were captured and executed, thus ending the oppressive autocracy that had befallen the empire for hundreds of years. Eventually, the central government was overtaken by Lenin and his military leaders, Leon Trotsky and Josef Stalin. Although a minority party, the Bolsheviks decided to implement capitalistic modifications to the fragile economy in order to aid the communistic backlash that would follow. The New Economic Policy (NEP) created by Lenin would allow peasants to keep a certain amount of profit for themselves, rather than having the government subsidize all of it. Unfortunately, Lenin died just as his policy had started to work. 1925-1953 The two apparent heirs to Lenin's regime were Josef Stalin and Leon Trotsky. Although Trotsky was better suited for the position (with his strong political inclinations towards reasonable social adaptability), Josef Stalin assumed controlled and subsequently ordered the exile of all apposing cabinet ministers, including Trotsky. Anyone in the Union who objected to his decisions was sent to Siberian prison camps or murdered. He now had full control without any intervention from other liberal or moderate parties. He decided to concentrate on improving military strength and building on improving the Soviet economy, rather than follow Lenin's revolutionary goal of dominating the world. In order to obtain the immense amount of money needed to maintain his militia, he began a series of five year programs which would force

Strategies for successful writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategies for successful writing - Essay Example That being the Uniform Commercial Code's Section 2 on Sales. I needed to mention this because a sales contract covers many aspects of law, and are governed by different laws. As a contract, it must be governed and validly enforced under the provisions of contract law. First, the chart on slide 2 is indeed based on Exhibit 10.1, page 244 of the textbook, and states elements of a contract. This is slightly inaccurate, since the chart shows the essence of a contract and the steps for creation, rather than elements per se. Second, the same chart is slightly off with regard to Exhibit 10.1, in the sense that sub-box containing the terms, "beween competent parties involving lawful subject matter". In the Exhibit the box is shown as a shared characteristic of both offer and acceptance, showing that this is an essential characteristic that must exist under both the offer and acceptance stage. In the presentation, it is shown only under the offer stage. Indeed this seems a small issue, but to be technically correct, should have been more accurate. Lastly, under the list of circumstances when "a contract may be voided" under slide 6, the last point states that "lawful-not violating state, federal, or common law". This is in effect contradicting the topic at hand, because it states that a contract may be voided because it is lawful, when it should state that a contract is valid when it does not violate law. What did you learn most about this topic that was unclear or unknown before Contract law is always a multi-faceted topic, and states a number of new concepts and principles. This presentation helped me understand more of the definitions of the characteristics within the contract's creation, such as negotiation, offer and acceptance, and consideration. Were any of your questions about this topic left unanswered If so, what are they There were some unanswered questions, which I stated above, relating to the aspects of sales in the presentation. Especially since the topic was sales contracts, the presenter could have economized more on time by minimizing the discussion on contracts and focusing more on sales. *Adapted from Reinking, J. A., Hart, A. W., & Von der Osten, R. (2003). Strategies for successful writing: A rhetoric, research guide, reader, and handbook (6th ed.). Boston: Prentice-Hall/Pearson Custom Publishing.

About real estate in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

About real estate in China - Essay Example Even they have experienced appreciation in price too. In this scenario certain statistics can be encompassed. Prices of high-end real estate have risen up to 54% from September of the year 2009 and the price became $500 per square foot. Even only in November, the housing prices rose 5.7% in 70 major cities. Construction of houses had drafted a nationwide staggering rise of 194 percent (Bloomberg Business week, â€Å"Is China Headed for A Major Real Estate Bubble?†). Not only the real estate but also the economy of China has also been booming. China has experienced a growth of 17.4% in the average annual rate of foreign trade. It has increased up to US$ 2,173.7 billion from US$ 20.6 billion over last 30 years (Xinhua, â€Å"China Ranks 2nd with 8.8% Of Worlds Exports  In 2007†). With economic growth, purchasing power of an individual will also be high and at the same time their consumption level will also enhance. It indicates that they will either opt for luxury or will seek for investment option. In both the situations, real estate industry will be benefited. Being a student of Finance and possessing sound knowledge in economics, I am well aware of the recent economic developments in China. Moreover it has left its footprint in the world economy during the global recession. It will be my privilege to work in such an economy. Even it is a recognized fact that getting involved with an industry in its growth period is a way of enhancing experience level. Real estate business of China is also booming and enjoyed a huge growth in last few years. Therefore being a professional, it will be a great opportunity for me to join your organization of repute and raise my career graph. I have completed my education from United States. I possess an MBA degree with specialization in Finance. Therefore I have a strong background in Finance. Even while pursuing MBA, I was engaged with the study of economics as