The History Of Soccer - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 568 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/04/04 Category Sports Essay Level High school Tags: Soccer Essay Did you like this example? Do different surfaces affect the way a soccer ball bounces? Have you ever wondered if different surfaces affect the way a soccer ball bounces? Three types of turf (or surface) will be used to test the bounciness of a soccer ball. Energy and physics will be examined. Kentucky bluegrass, sand and artificial turf will be used to find out which surface allows the ball to bounce the most. Read more to discover the physics and energy of the soccer ball when dropped on different surfaces. Soccer is played in many places in the world, it has been played for over three thousand years. In Europe and the Americas soccer is one of the most popular sports played. In China, during the second and third centuries people described soccer as, dribbling a leather ball into a small net. In 1815 soccer became popular in Schools and Universities. Soccer is called football in many places around the world. Throughout history, soccer has become one of the most popular sports in the world. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The History Of Soccer" essay for you Create order Soccer is a game played all around the world. The game is played in to teams of eleven. You use a round ball called soccer ball. The object of the game is to get the soccer ball down the field and kick it in the goal. You can not use your hands. The only person on the field who can use their hands is the goal keeper. This is the player who tries to stop the other team from scoring a goal. The team at the end of the game with the most goals wins. Soccer is a sport that can be played indoors or outside. The game soccer is called football in most places around the world. But the word soccer is believed to have originated in Britain around 200 years ago. The sport became very popular in the U.S. Britain started to part from the term soccer because it had become too American. In the U.S the term soccer just stuck and everyone liked it. As the sport grew, more rules were made. Teams could earn a penalty kick beginning in 1891. Referees began giving out red and yellow cards in 1970 during the World Cup finals. Yellow or red cards are given to a player for serious fouls or unsportsmanlike behavior. A player may receive a yellow card for things like delaying the game, breaking rules or subbing without the referees permission. Red cards come with things like violence, spitting, using nasty language or receiving a second yellow card in a game. Soccer is a world renowned sport. Famous players come from places like Russia, Holland and Brazil. With the acception of the Olympics, the World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events viewed internationally. In 2010, more than three billion people watched at least part of the World Cup. Since 2006, the number of Americans participating in watching the World Cup has increased steadily. Locally, since 2015, Louisville, KY has enjoyed a Division 2 U.S. Soccer team called Louisville City. Just recently, the team made history by winning two conference championships in a row (2017/2018). In summary, soccer is a sport enjoyed by all ages around the world. There are many rules of the game, including penalty calls. Soccer includes famous players from around the globe. Not only can soccer be played at any age, it is a sport that brings communities together to cheer on their favorite teams.

Absinence Is the Only Way - 965 Words

Abstinence is the only sure way that you will not get pregnant or STDs. Teenagers only think of sex as being a pleasurable thing. Most teenagers do not realize that there is a great responsibility and consequences for being sexually active. Abstinence has expended in this society and because our country and culture has clinch to loose morals, the result have been demolish. Teens are developing diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis and AIDS and they are having unwanted pregnancy before marriage. Condoms as we all know are not one-hundred percent accurate, therefore abstinence should be practiced in our country. Abstinence should be a regular course taught in school because of these important reasons: to prevent pregnancy, to prevent STDs,†¦show more content†¦Contraception only guard against some STD’s. Abstinence is a guaranteed form to prevent unwelcome disease and pregnancies. Most people lack self-esteem and struggle to overcome the physical desires, however once a person realizes all of the danger and consequences sex can bring to one’s life, abstinence should be put into practice. One of the best ways to stay safe is to wait until after marriage before being sexually active, this will also decrease the rate of disease. According to the Center of Disease Control in 2010 â€Å"about 65 % of STD’s contracted this year will occur in people under the age of 24†. Abstinence-Only Education focuses on the risks to avoid and help youth so that they would not be vulnerable to harm. The program teaches teenagers to wait before having sex until after marriage and remaining faithful afterward is the best choice for physical health and a healthy, happier relationship. Abstinence-Only Education educates us about the realities of STD’s and the best way to prevent them. Most teen mothers who give birth outside marriage live with the childs father at the time of birth. Wedlock childbearing does not occur due to the young parents’ lack of knowledge about birth control or condoms. Wedlock childbearing, in most cases, happens because young people are unable to develop committed, loving marital relationships. Abstinence programs, therefore focus on developing loving and bear hardship relationships andShow MoreRelatedMotivation and the Brain Paper1098 Words   |  5 Pagesmajor impact on the brains functioning and emotional disarrays. Drugs are chemicals, which access the brains communication system and interfere with the method nerve cells send, receive and process information. â€Å"Some drugs can change the brain in ways that last long after the person has stopped taking drugs, maybe even permanently. This is more likely when a drug is taken repeatedly† (NIDA, 2011,para 6). Some drugs can copycat a natural neurotransmitter sending abno rmal messages through the brain

Operant Conditioning free essay sample

Operant conditioning can be used in the work place to help modify behavior of employees through a negative or a positive experience following their actions (___). There are a number of ways to take care of undesirable behaviors as well as enforce good behavior in the workplace. Management can use reinforcement, punishment, and extinction to try to mold their employees into performing better and being better workers all around (_____). Studies have shown that people work better and learn better when reinforcement, punishment, or extinction is used in the workplace. Managers can apply these techniques to their employees actions, rather they be positive or negative actions, which will influence the employ to react in a way that the management is wanting. It is the management’s responsibility to realize which method to use depending on the different situations that can occur on a daily basis. Its important that management is trained to deal with the different situations so that they can be sure to use reinforcement, punishment, and extinction appropriately. We will write a custom essay sample on Operant Conditioning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One way for managers to influence their employees would be by using a method called reinforcement after certain actions they do. Reinforcement is a way in which managers either use negative or positive consequences on an employee following a certain action the employee or employees were involved in (_______). By the managers taking away something or supplying the employee with something as a result of their actions they can begin to mold them into a better worker. For instance, management could use just a simple type of reinforcement on an employee by simply complementing the employee and telling them that they are doing a great job if they are always arriving to work on a timely basis. Sometimes when workers are just acknowledged for their work they are more likely to continue working hard. Managers could also reinforce an employee’s good behavior by offering them promotion for their dedication. Receiving a promotion could motivate them to continue performing to their best ability in order to keep advancing in the workplace and to possibly receive more promotions in the future. Management could also discipline an employee if they are constantly showing up to work late by warning them if they are late again that they will have to fire them. By using reinforcement the employee might be scared to lose their job and would no longer show up to work late. If the employee still shows up late then management would fire the worker, showing others that being late does have consequences. After losing a job the worker would be more inclined to perform better at their next job and to make sure and always be on time so that they do not risk losing their job again. Management could also offer positive reinforcement by offering the employees who always show up to work on time a pay raise. This pay raise would also be a great motivation for other employees to show up on time so that they could be rewarded for their work and dedication and possibly receive a raise as well. By management noticing the good work as well as the bad work it makes for a better environment that motivates employees to work to their best abilities. Another way management could use operant conditioning would be through punishment to their employees. Punishment is a way of discouraging undesirable behavior of an employee by following an undesirable behavior with a negative consequence or following a positive behavior with a positive consequence (_______). Management could use negative punishment on their employees by taking away a bonus that was offered for them to receive if they completed a specific goal. At times punishment can possibly cause a negative effect back onto the manager by the employee. The employee might want revenge for not receiving the raise that they believe they deserved even if they were not performing at their top ability. Sometimes when managers enforce punishment onto their workers, the workers will commit workplace deviance in a way to get back at management for punishing them. However, along with a negative effect, positive effects also occur due to management using punishment. Employees may also use the punishment as a learning experience to make sure that they complete their work tasks to their full capability and they try to work harder in order to not be punished again by their managers. Another way in which management can try to change an employee’s behavior is through a process called extinction. Extinction is used to weaken the workers behavior by not applying any consequences to their behavior (______). Using extinction may not always have as quick of results on the employees that management might want however, over time it usually is very effective. Without receiving a consequence over time the behavior will eventually weaken. Extinction is not used in all circumstances but in certain ones it is the best way of dealing with the workers behavior. Some individuals do certain things just to get a reaction out of someone else. They depending on the reaction they receive from others. Using the extinction method can revolve these actions from people. For instance, when you are dealing with someone who makes rude comments quite often you can ignore the rude comments and act as if you do not even acknowledge what they said. You can even make the extinction more noticeable by making sure complement the coworker when they make nice or constructive comments. Over time they will learn to not even say the rude comments by getting no response from others, and will stick to only making helpful comments. As long as the situation does not seem too dangerous extinction would be a good way of dealing with it. However, if extinction is still not working after some time or if the situation elevated to something dangerous management needs to be trained to know to start taking a different action to resolve the problem. Operant Conditioning is a great way of being able to modify employee’s behavior in the workplace. Operant conditioning can be used in the work place to help modify behavior of employees through a negative or a positive experience following their actions (___). By using reinforcement, punishment, or extinction management has to ability to mold their employees into better and harder workers if done correctly. Simply complementing an employee for doing a good job at work can use reinforcement. By the manager simply acknowledging the employees work they are more inclined to continue to work hard because they know that the manager is watching. Punishment could also be used by taking away a reward or supplying an employee with extra work for example. By taking away a proposed raise for instance the worker would then be motivated to work harder in the future in order to try to earn back the raise. By supplying the worker will a promotion they would be motivated to continue working hard for another promotion in the future. Extinction can take more time to see result then punishment or reinforcement. Extinction is a way to weaken the employees behavior by showing no consequences to their actions. Over time the employees would drop the actions due to getting no feedback from them. Using these three ways to modify behavior in the workplace can make work a more enjoyable environment as well as a more productive place.

Waste and Pollution Essay Example

Waste and Pollution Paper More recently research has revealed that many chemical pollutants, such as EDT and Pubs mimic sex hormones and interfere with the human bodys reproductive and developmental functions. These substances are known as endocrine disrupter. See Occupational and Environmental Diseases. Pollution also has a dramatic effect on natural resources. Ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, coral reefs, and rivers perform many important services for Earths environment. They enhance water and air quality, provide habitat for plants and animals, and provide food and medicines. Any or all of these ecosystem functions may be impaired or destroyed by pollution. Moreover, because of the complex relationships among the many types of organisms and ecosystems, environmental contamination may have far-reaching consequences that are not immediately obvious or that are difficult to predict. For instance, scientists can only peculate on some of the potential impacts of the depletion of the ozone layer, the protective layer in the atmosphere that shields Earth from the Suns harmful ultraviolet rays. Another major effect of pollution is the tremendous cost of pollution cleanup and prevention. The global effort to control emissions of carbon dioxide, a gas produced from the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal or oil, or of other organic materials like wood, is one such example. The cost of maintaining annual national carbon dioxide emissions at 1990 levels is estimated to be 2 percent of the gross domestic product for plopped countries. In addition to its effects on the economy, health, and natural resources, pollution has social implications. Research has shown that low-income populations and minorities do not receive the same protection from environmental contamination as do higher-income communities. We will write a custom essay sample on Waste and Pollution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Waste and Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Waste and Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Toxic waste incinerators, chemical plants, and solid waste dumps are often located in low-income communities because of a lack of organized, informed community involvement in municipal decision-making processes. TYPES OF POLLUTION Pollution exists in many forms and affects many different aspects of Earths environment. Point-source pollution comes from specific, localized, and identifiable sources, such as sewage pipelines or industrial smokestacks. Nippon-source pollution comes from dispersed or uncontaminated sources, such as contaminated water runoff from urban areas or automobile emissions. The effects of these pollutants may be immediate or delayed. Primary effects of pollution occur immediately after contamination occurs, such as the death of marine plants and wildlife after an oil spill at sea. Secondary effects may be delayed or may persist in the environment into the future, perhaps going unnoticed for many years. EDT, a nondurable compound, seldom poisons birds immediately, but gradually accumulates in their bodies. Birds with high concentrations of this pesticide lay thin-shelled eggs that fail to hatch or produce deformed offspring. These secondary effects, publicized by Rachel Carson in her 1962 book, Silent Spring, threatened the survival of species such as the bald eagle and peregrine falcon, and aroused public concern over the hidden effects of nondurable chemical compounds. I A. I Air Pollution I Brown Smog Over Phoenix, Arizona I Smog is caused by industrial and automobile pollution. It is compounded by imperative inversions, which cause the air pollution to be kept in a particular area for extended periods. Continued exposure to smog can result in respiratory problems, eye irritation, and even death. Incarnate Encyclopedia Eric Camp/Photostat NYC Human contamination of Earths atmosphere can take many forms and has existed since humans first began to use fire for agriculture, heating, and cooking. During the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, however, air pollution became a major problem. As early as 1661 British author and founding member of the British Royal Society John Evelyn ported of London in his treatise Fumigants, the weary Traveler, at many Miles distance, sooner smells, than sees the City to which he repairs. This is that pernicious Smoke which fullness all her Glory, superconducting a soot Crust or Fur upon all that it lights. Urban air pollution is commonly known as smog. The dark London smog that Evelyn wrote of is generally a smoky mixture of carbon monoxide and organic compounds from incomplete combustion (burning) of fossil fuels such as coal, and sulfur dioxide from impurities in the fuels. As the smog ages and reacts with oxygen, organic and lobular acids condense as droplets, increasing the haze. Smog developed into a major health hazard by the 20th century. In 1948, 19 people died and thousands were sickened by smog in the small C. S. Steel-mill town of Donors, Pennsylvania. In 1 952, about 4,000 Londoner died of its effects. A second type of smog, photochemical smog, began reducing air quality over large cities like Los Angels in the sass. This smog is caused by combustion in car, truck, and airplane engines, which produce nitrogen oxides and release hydrocarbons from unburned fuels. Sunlight causes the nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons to combine and turn oxygen into ozone, a chemical agent that attacks rubber, injures plants, and irritates lungs. The hydrocarbons are oxidized into materials that condense and form a visible, pungent haze. I Smog over Santiago I Set in an enclosed valley between the coastal range and the Andes Mountains, Santiago, Chile, experiences high levels of air pollution. Vehicular and industrial emissions, street dust, thermal inversions and the citys location all contribute to the problem. Since 1 993 the Chilean government has been working with an agency in the United States to improve air quality in Santiago. I Incarnate Encyclopedia I Robert Fierce/Woodwind Camp and Associates, Inc. Eventually most pollutants are washed out of the air by rain, snow, fog, or mist, but only after traveling large distances, sometimes across continents. As pollutants build up in the atmosphere, sulfur and nitrogen oxides are converted into acids that mix with rain. This acid rain falls in lakes and on forests, where it can lead to the death offish and plants, and damage entire ecosystems. Eventually the contaminated lakes and forests may become lifeless. Regions that are downwind of heavily industrialized areas, such as Europe and the eastern United States and Canada, are the hardest hit by acid rain. Acid rain can also affect human health and man-made objects; it is slowly dissolving historic stone Statues and building facades in London, Athens, and Rome. One of the greatest challenges caused by air pollution is global warming, an increase in Earths temperature due to the buildup of certain atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide. With the heavy use of fossil fuels in the 20th century, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have risen dramatically. Carbon dioxide and other gases, known as roundhouse gases, reduce the escape of heat from the planet without blocking radiation coming from the Sun. Because of this greenhouse effect, average global temperatures are expected to rise 1. 4 to 5. 8 Celsius degrees (2. 5 to 10. 4 Fahrenheit degrees) by the year 2100. Although this trend appears to be a small change, the increase would make the Earth warmer than it has been in the last 1 25,000 years, possibly changing climate patterns, affecting crop production, disrupting wildlife distributions, and raising the sea level. Air pollution can also damage the upper atmospheric region known as the stratosphere. Excessive production of chlorine-containing compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CIFS) (compounds formerly used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and in the manufacture of polystyrene products) has depleted the stratospheric ozone layer, creating a hole above Antarctica that lasts for several weeks each year. As a result, exposure to the Suns harmful rays has damaged aquatic and terrestrial wildlife and threatens human health in high-latitude regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. I B. Water Pollution Major Oil Spills Throughout the World I The demand for fresh water rises continuously as the worlds population rows. From 1940 to 1990 withdrawals of fresh water from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other sources increased fourfold. Of the water consumed in the United States in 1995, 39 percent was used for irrigation, 39 percent was used for electric power generation, and 12 percent was used for other utilities; industry and mining used 7 percent, and the rest was used for agricultural livestock and commercial purposes. I Polluted River in the united Kingdom I I Polluted River in the united Kingdom The pollution of rivers and streams with chemical contaminants has become one Of the most critical environmental problems of the 20th century. Waterborne chemical pollution entering rivers and streams comes from two major sources: point pollution and Nippon pollution. Point pollution involves those pollution sources from which distinct chemicals can be identified, such as factories, refineries or outfall pipes. Nippon pollution involves pollution from sources that cannot be precisely identified, such as runoff from agricultural or mining operations or seepage from septic tanks or sewage drain fields. It is estimated that each year 10 million people die worldwide from drinking contaminated water. I Incarnate Encyclopedia I Ben Osborne/Oxford Scientific Films Sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides are the main causes of water pollution. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (ERA) reports that about 37 percent of the countrys lakes and estuaries, and 36 percent of its rivers, are too polluted for basic uses such as fishing or swimming during all or part of the year. In developing nations, more than 95 percent of urban sewage is discharged untreated into rivers and bays, creating a major human health hazard. I Industrial Water pollution I I Industrial Water Pollution I Industrial pollutants that run into streams, rivers, or lakes can have serious effects on wildlife, plants, and humans. In the United States there are strict rules for the amount and composition of substances that factories can release into bodies of water. These rules are not always enforced, and much industrial water pollution comes from accidental chemical or oil spills. I Incarnate Encyclopedia I Sigma/Corgis I Water runoff, a Nippon source of pollution, carries fertilizing chemicals such as phosphates and nitrates from agricultural fields and yards into lakes, streams, and rivers. These combine with the phosphates and nitrates from sewage to speed the growth of algae, a type of plantlike organism. The water body may then become choked with decaying algae, which severely depletes the oxygen supply. This process, called transportation, can cause the death of fish and other aquatic life. Agricultural runoff may be to blame for the growth of a toxic form of algae called Pastries pesticide, which was responsible for killing large amounts of fish in bodies of water from the Delaware Bay to the Gulf of Mexico in the late 1 9905. Runoff also carries toxic pesticides and urban and industrial wastes into lakes and streams. Erosion, the wearing away of topsoil by wind and rain, also contributes to water pollution. Soil and silt (a fine sediment) washed from logged hillsides, plowed fields, or construction sites, can clog waterways and kill aquatic vegetation. Even small amounts of silt can eliminate desirable fish species. For example, when logging removes the protective plant cover from hillsides, rain may wash soil and silt into streams, covering the gravel beds that trout or salmon use for spawning. The marine fisheries supported by ocean ecosystems are an essential source of protein, particularly for people in developing countries. Yet pollution in coastal bays, estuaries, and wetlands threatens fish stocks already depleted by overfeeding.

Phobic Disorders

Phobic Disorders Phobic disordersClinical CharacteristicsA phobic disorder involves extreme, persistent and irrational fear with lack of control, which is strongly out of proportion with the danger.‚Â ·The feared situations are avoided or responded to with great anxiety‚Â ·Possibly recurrent, unexpected panic attacks‚Â ·Individual recognises the fear experienced is excessive‚Â ·The phobic reactions interfere significantly with the individuals working or social life‚Â ·Exposure to the feared stimulus nearly always produces a high level of anxietyDiagnosisWith panic attacks, substance abuse should be ruled out as a cause.Categories‚Â ·Agoraphobia - Fear of open spaces or public places. Panic disorder starts first; fear of having another attack makes the individual feel insecure.‚Â ·Social Phobias - extreme concern about one's own behaviour and the reactions of others‚Â ·Specific phobias -e.g. zoophobias (animals).BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF PHOBIC DISORDERSGenetic Twin StudiesThe "Little Miss Muffet" scenario explained by Den...Torgersen (1983) - 31% concordance for panic disorder with agoraphobia in MZ twins versus zero concordance in DZ twins. None of the MZ twins shared the same phobias.Family studiesSolyom et al. (1974) - 45% of phobic patients had a family history of the disorder compared with 17% of 'normal' controls.Ost (1989) - 64% of blood phobics had at least one close relative who also suffered from it.Evaluation‚Â ·Related individuals may acquire phobias through imitation‚Â ·Genetic explanations suggest that some individuals are predisposed to form phobias but life experiences are important too.Biological preparedness - Selligman (1971)People have an innate predisposition to develop certain fearsResearch evidenceDe Silva (1988) - 88 phobic patients in Sri Lanka tended to exhibit biologically based fears.EvaluationCan't explain fears of harmless situations or things, such as slugsPSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF PHOBIC DISOR DERSPsychodynamicFreud (1909) - phobias arise, when anxieties are displaced on to the phobic object. Symbolises initial...

Definition and Examples of Singular They

Definition and Examples of Singular 'They' In  English grammar, singular they is the use of the pronoun they, them, or their to refer to a singular noun or to certain indefinite pronouns (such as anybody or everyone). Also called  epicene they and unisex they. Though strict prescriptive grammarians regard the singular they as a grammatical error, it has been in widespread use for several centuries. Singular they appears in the writings of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, Woolf, and many other major English authors. In January 2016,  the American Dialect Society chose the gender-neutral singular they as its Word of the Year: They  was recognized by the society for its emerging use as a pronoun to refer to a known person, often as a conscious choice by a person rejecting the traditional gender binary of  he  and  she (American Dialect Society press release, January 8, 2016). Examples When a person talks too much, they learn little. (Duncan Hines, Lodging for a Night, 1938)If anybody wants their admission fee back, they can get it at the door. (Fiddlers Dram. Spooky South: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore, retold by S. E. Schlosser. Globe Pequot, 2004)She admired the fullness of the dirty net curtains, opened every drawer and cupboard, and, when she found the Gideons Bible, said, Somebodys left their book behind. (Sue Townsend, Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction. Lily Broadway Productions, 2004)She kept her head and kicked her shoes off, as everybody ought to do who falls into deep water in their clothes. (C.S. Lewis, Voyage of the Dawn-Treader, 1952)I know when I like a person directly I see them! (Virginia Woolf, The Voyage Out, 1915)A person cant help their birth, Rosalind replied with great liberality. (William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, 1848) Singular They and Agreement Examples of semantically singular they are given in [52]: [52i] Nobody in their right mind would do a thing like that. [52ii] Everyone has told me they think I made the right decision. [53iii] We need a manager who is reasonably flexible in their approach. [52iv] In that case the husband or the wife will have to give up their seat on the board. Notice that this special interpretation of they doesnt affect verb agreement: we have they think (3rd plural) in [ii], not *they thinks (3rd singular). Nonetheless, they can be interpreted as if it were 3rd person singular, with human denotation and unspecified gender. (Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum, A Students Introduction to English Grammar. Cambridge University Press, 2005) The Growing Acceptance of Singular They The general hesitancy of grammarians towards accepting singular they is not actually matched by many of their academic colleagues who have researched the usage and its distribution (e.g. Bodine 1075; Whitley 1978; Jochnowitz 1982; Abbot 1984; Wales 1984b). Nor indeed is it matched by the lay native speakers of standard English, who show an overwhelming preference for it in contemporary spoken English, non-formal written English and an ever-widening spread of non-formal written registers, from journalism to administration and academic writing. . . . Singular they, in fact, has been well established in informal usage for centuries; until prescriptive grammarians decreed it was grammatically incorrect, and so outlawed it, effectively, from (public) written discourse. The OED and Jespersen (1914) reveal, for example, that right from the time of the introduction of the indefinite pronouns into the language in their present form in the Late Middle English period, the option involving they has been in common use. (Katie Wales, Personal Pronouns in Present-Day English. Cambridge University Press, 1996) The Only Sensible Solution His or her is clumsy, especially upon repetition, and his is as inaccurate with respect to grammatical gender as they is to number. Invented alternatives never take hold. Singular they already exists; it has the advantage that most people already use it. If it is as old as Chaucer, whats new? The  Washington Post’s style editor, Bill Walsh, has called it the only sensible solution to the gap in English’s pronouns, changing his newspapers style book in 2015. But it was also the rise in the use of  they  as a pronoun for someone who does not want to use he or she. Facebook began already in 2014 allowing people to choose they as their preferred pronoun (Wish them a happy birthday!). Transgender stories, from The Danish Girl, a hit movie, to Caitlyn Jenner, an Olympic athlete who has become the world’s most famous trans woman, were big in 2015. But such people prefer their post-transition pronouns: he or she as desired. They is for a smaller minority who prefer neither. But the very idea of non-binary  language with regard to gender annoys and even angers many people. In other words, as transgender people gain acceptance, non-binary folks are the next frontier, like it or not. Who knew a thousand-year-old pronoun could be so controversial? (Prospero, Why 2015’s Word of the Year Is Rather Singular. The Economist, January 15, 2016) Origin of the Concept of the Gender-Neutral Masculine Pronoun [I]t was [Ann] Fisher [author of A New Grammar, 1745] who promoted the convention of using he, him and his as pronouns to cover both male and female in general statements such as Everyone has his quirks. To be precise, she says that The Masculine Person answers to the general Name, which comprehends both Male and Female; as, Any person who knows what he says. This idea caught on. . . The convention was bolstered by an Act of Parliament in 1850: in order to simplify the language used in other Acts, it was decreed that the masculine pronoun be understood to include both males and females. The obvious objection to thisobvious now, even if it was not obvious thenis that it makes women politically invisible. (Henry Hitchings, The Language Wars: A History of Proper English. Macmillan, 2011)

Discuss Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discuss - Research Paper Example Descartes’ inventions in philosophy and mathematics had considerable influence on the art of the 17th century. Previous accounts of the mind-body relationship had mostly been unidirectional, in that, people believed that either the body controlled the mind or vice versa. With Descartes’ dualism concept, people could now think of the relationship between mind and body as being two-way. Artists began to perceive the objects of their drawings as having a body and a mind that affected each other (94). Descartes’ discovery of the Cartesian coordinate system that enabled people to use geometric shapes in the expression of algebraic equations in 2-dimensions also impacted the world of art. Before Descartes’ discoveries, artists created their work without using geometric shapes and this only made it hard for them to achieve multiple dimensions in their artwork. However, with Descartes’ discovery, they could now use geometrical shapes to create 2-dimensional perspectives in their drawings and other artwork (105). Isaac Newton (1643-1727) is inarguably one of the most celebrated inventors in the history of mankind. He was a mathematician, physicist and astronomer from England. His most notable work lay in science and mechanics especially after his discovery of the laws of motion (Tiner 5). He enlightened people about the relationships between motion and force. He also played an instrumental role in the field of prisms. He is credited with discovering the source of colors (35). His discoveries had a profound effect on the thinking of his time, especially in relation to art. Prior to Newton’s discovery of the phenomenon of colors, people used to think that a mixture of light and darkness is what produced color. Newton, through his prism experiments, was able to determine and prove that light was the only element responsible for color. Various artists were

Advanced Project Management unit 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advanced Project Management unit 1 - Essay Example According to British Standards, projects are a unique set of coordinated activities, with definite starting and finishing points, undertaken by an individual or organisation to meet specific performance objectives within defined schedule, cost and performance parameters (Maylor, 2010). Project management can be defined as â€Å"leading a team to achieve project success through team spirit and skills development, in a constrained environment, leading to value creation through appropriate use of tools and techniques†. This definition has been based on several requirements and parameters in achieving project success. Team spirit suggests that the success of the project depends upon the people involved in it. The team members must have certain abilities such as soft skills. They must have the ability to work in teams, be full of enthusiasm and possess good communication skills (McConachy & Caine, 2003). This indicates that organizational culture should be supportive of projects without which it can result in project failure. Other significant elements in the success of projects are interpersonal relationship, management commitment and results-orientation. Skill development is an essential part of any project. Project teams comprise of a unique group of individuals who come together to work in a controlled environment towards a common goal (Atkins and Gilbert, 2003). If the members are brought together at the earliest possible stage, they could be flexible and adaptable, thereby enabling timely decisions, with quicker response to market and technology. The members’ strengths, contributions and interests have to be given due recognition. They must also be encouraged to develop further skills. If top performers are included in the project team, performance will meet or exceed expectations (Hacker, 2000). All projects operate in a

Financial problem in a country or organization of your choice Essay Example for Free

Financial problem in a country or organization of your choice Essay Discuss the causes of a financial problem in a country or organization of your choice and suggest some solutions. Specify the problem and the City/Country and relate to a particular study. Zimbabwe is an agricultural based economy previously known as the ‘bread-basket’ of Southern Africa. In the past decade, the country experienced a drastic economic disintegration due to wide range of factors including: unconstitutional land redistribution, health, decline in foreign investment and hyperinflation. The Zimbabwean economy is strongly intertwined with politics; therefore the political instability subsequently offset the economy. In 2000, the government embarked on ‘the land reform programme’ which removed white commercial farmers from arable lands so that it could be redistributed among black farmers. The experienced farmers were replaced by mostly black subsistence ones, with no farming knowledge, equipment and capital and therefore could not produce at a commercial scale. There was no agricultural export, meaning there was a loss of foreign currency being injected into the economy on a regular basis. This marked the beginning of economic downfall. Richardson (2004:307). The failure of the agricultural sector which is the backbone of the economy led to the economic crisis. This meant that the government could not generate enough revenue to sustain its infrastructures such as the health sector. Health conditions are directly related to the poor economy. Sick workers were not able to work as much or as productively as healthy ones. Labour markets were less efficient and the market was not able to produce as much. Consequently, the economy produced far less per-worker than a similar healthy economy. This was evident in Zimbabwe by the low participation rate that at just over 35 %, as opposed to 51.08 % in the U.S. or 51.97 % in Japan. Richardson (2004:289). Another contributing factor was that foreign investors also fled, due to insecurities and the government policies dictating that 51% ownership of their businesses should be locally owned. Foreign direct investment fell to zero by 2001, and the  World Bank’s risk premium on investment in Zimbabwe shot up from 4 % to 20 % that year as well. Hill (2003: 109). Furthermore, the Zimbabwean economy was brought down by the illegal sanctions (an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with it. Merriam-Webster dictionary 2012:198) imposed by the American and European superpowers. This meant that no trade was to be done with Zimbabwe. There was a sudden death of foreign currency and investment influx to the country. The U.S. and Britain have partially withheld financial support for Zimbabwe and there would be no access to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because they could not pay their debt and the prevailing hyperinflationary conditions. Hill (2003: 102). The causes of Zimbabwe’s financial problem can be mitigated by first achieving a ‘political breakthrough’ that will depoliticize the economy. Then, land should be re-redistributed among experienced commercial farmers and train the less experienced ones to ensure a more sustainable output. There must also be a liberalisation of foreign investment regulations to attract the foreign investors. In conclusion, these suggested solutions will help to rebuild the economy and restore Zimbabwe as the bread basket of Southern Africa. References: Richardson, C,J. 2004. The Collapse of Zimbabwe in the Wake of the 2000–2003 Land Reforms. New York: Edwin Mellen Hill, G. 2003. The Battle for Zimbabwe. Cape Town: Zebra

Lawmakers Should Pass the DREAM Act Essay -- Essays on the DREAM Act

Imagine a world with an educated youth. Now imagine a parallel world where children are fighting to keep a smile on their faces, because, in truth, it is the only thing they have. In reality, this is what is happening. Youth, who have the privilege to be American citizens, are granted a very fulfilling education with a promise of a career. Children of illegal and undocumented immigrants do not have such luck. Some undocumented children in America have very promising futures and even a degree under their belts, but they cannot apply for a job because they have no proof of citizenship. A controversial topic is the matter of the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education, for Alien Minors) which permits undocumented immigrants to obtain citizenship and later get a job. Is this topic really a law†¦ or a lifestyle? Should we really be arguing on the matter of life or death? When the Dream Act is put into play, its positive effects are more numerous than the negative ones. With this act, undocumented children are given an education and a future. What is better than an educated America? With education, America can be even more dominant. Everyone, despite their legal classification, deserves to have the option of success. On the matter of money, taxpayers would not have to pay $16.2 billion annually on behalf of deportation fees. With these children growing to be citizens, they will have to pay taxes which will also help the growing deficit. America was born on the morale that all people deserve a safe asylum and freedom. There are, however, some negatives to this act as well. Some voters speculate that instituting this bill will create a large scale â€Å"chain migration†. They feel that this act is only a â€Å"magnet† for the famil... ...Multiculturalism: Essential Primary Sources. Ed. K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 353-355. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Apr. 2014 Malkin, Michelle. "Lawmakers Should Reject the DREAM Act." The Children of Undocumented Immigrants. Ed. David Haugen and Susan Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue. Rpt. from "Harry Reid's Illegal Alien Student Bailout." Michelle Malkin.com. 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. Valbrun, Marjorie. "Children of Illegal Immigrants Struggle When Parents Are Deported." The Children of Undocumented Immigrants. Ed. David Haugen and Susan Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. At Issue. Rpt. from "Foster Care, Uncertain Futures Loom for Thousands of Immigrant Children." America's Wire. 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

Political and Social Development in Malaysia Essay

It is difficult to picture, whilst analyzing the political and social development of Southeast Asian countries, how this region was completely dominated by European colonialist powers, even six decades ago. Southeast Asia was among the 84 % of the surface area of the earth that stood colonized at the beginning of the Second World War, a process that began in the 16th century and carried on steadily during the next three centuries (Chadda and Others, 1971). European colonialism in the region ended mainly in the decade after World War II, its greatest result being the birth of nine new nations, including Malaysia (Chadda and Others, 1971). Political and social developments in the region, from the mid 1950s, when independent sovereign states emerged after the withdrawal of colonial powers, to the current day, have to essentially be viewed through the prism of colonialism to understand the broader issues that face the countries of the region, and the internal ethnic, social, religious, and political forces that play important roles in the shaping of their social and political progress, and in the choice of their structures of governance. For more than a thousand years before the arrival of the armies from Europe, from A. D. 200 AD to 1500 AD, the complexity and thoughtfulness of Hindu and Buddhist influences from the Indian subcontinent provided the people of Southeast Asia with some commonality and cohesion in areas of politics, governance, religion, arts, and literature (Cunningham, 1990). Numerous developments in the region, like alliances, royal marriages, wars, trade, and population movements brought the people of this region, including the Burmese, the Thai, the Vietnamese, the Khmer, and the Malays into multifarious relationships. Such harmony, commonality, and communication was disrupted and eventually lost after the establishment of colonial hegemony by the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, British, French, and Americans was established in separate parts of the region (Cunningham, 1990). Colonies became connected to their American or European rulers, which competed with each other, economically, culturally and politically, and became distant from each other. Despite their forced oneness with their colonial conquerors, the countries of Southeast Asia retained their unique ecological, cultural, and ethnic diversity (Cunningham, 1990). Whilst the region’s geographical dimensions and population are similar to that of West Europe, it is far more diverse in culture and traditions. â€Å"Southeast Asia’s population and land area are similar to those of Western Europe, but the region has far greater cultural variety. Hundreds of different societies speak mutually unintelligible languages. Many have proud civilizations stretching back over a thousand years. The people grew irrigated rice, traded overseas between and with India and China, and developed many small states and larger empires that allied and warred. From about A. D. 200 to A. D. 400, these societies reshaped Hindu-Buddhist cultural influence from India in statecraft, law, religion, art, architecture, and literature. † (Cunningham, 1990) Malaysia Malaysia, the subject of this essay, is an integral part of Southeast Asia and is a striking representation of the region’s ethnic and religious diversity. A narrow peninsular land mass, Malaysia as it is now known, was ruled from the 9th to the 13th century AD by the Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya. Control of the kingdom passed to the Javanese Hindu kingdom of Majapahit in the 14th century and thence to a local Muslim prince in the 15th century (Gomez, 2004). The peninsula attracted the attention of the Portuguese in the 15th century, who conquered Malacca in 1511, an event that marked the beginning of four centuries of European rule (Gomez, 2004). With control of the area passing from Portuguese and Dutch hands to those of the British in the early years of the 19th century, its first consolidation took place in 1826, when the British settlements of Malacca, Penang, and Singapore were combined to form the Colony of the Straits Settlements (Gomez, 2004). Occupied by the Japanese from 1941 to 1945, the territories of peninsular Malaysia came together to form the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and obtained freedom from the British in 1957 (Gomez, 2004). The present-day Federation of Malaysia came into existence only in 1965, when Sarawak and Sabah joined the Federation of Malaya (Gomez, 2004). Evolution of Regional Democracy in Southeast Asia The beginning of post colonialism in Asia witnessed a significant social, intellectual and political endeavour to establish democracy and make it function in line with Anglo-American thought. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru in India, U Nu in Burma and Ramon Magsaysay in the Philippines, who had receive much of their formative and political education in the west, sought to draft constitutions, form political parties and hold elections (Crouch, 1996). Democratic processes were, during this time, under attack in all of Asia and it is not difficult to imagine the tremendous obstacles that confronted them year after year. Societies were being reconstructed after the devastation left by European and American colonialism, and a devastating war that had nothing to do with the people of Southeast Asia; the leadership was in the hands of inexperienced and untested administrators, there were a myriad social problems like poverty, illiteracy, and disease to tackle, and nations needed to be moulded from confusing and disparate ethnic puzzles (Crouch, 1996). The ideological confusion was even greater. Political leaders in Malaysia and other countries of Southeast Asia needed to choose from the democratic processes that were alive and thriving in the countries of North America and West Europe, and in countries like the UK, the state run communism that controlled the Soviet Union and East Europe, the banana republics of South America, paternal leftist dictatorships like those in Castro’s Cuba and Tito’s Yugoslavia, and the monarchical kingdoms and emirates of the Middle East (Crouch, 1996). The pressures of social reconstruction, nation building and ideological confusion in the region had joined hands, by the 1970s, to remove the essence of democracy from most of Southeast Asia with strongmen like Suharto in Indonesia, and Marcos in the Philippines disregarding democratic norms and consolidating personal power bases (Hill, 2002). The relegation or subversion of democracy in Southeast Asia was however accompanied by the rise of the Asian Tigers, with countries like South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan growing faster than all other countries in the world for over a decade (Hill, 2002). Such astonishing growth was also accompanied by the need for strong governments, which incidentally were headed by small groups of predominantly male leaders, who took decisions in all areas of public life, on issues as diverse economic subsidies, university admissions, foreign worker entry, working conditions and liberation of women (Hill, 2002). Democracy came back strongly into the political picture only in the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War, the deconstruction of the Soviet Union, and the economic crisis in Asia (Hill, 2002). The fall of â€Å"democratic† regimes in East Europe along with the acceptance of the superiority of the market system within a liberal democracy brought home the message to the people of Southeast Asia that economic growth built on political repression was ultimately unsustainable (Hill, 2002). Objective Malaysia has by and large experienced a stable political atmosphere, riding on the back of coalition one party rule and the political dominance of Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad for more than 20 years (Johnson, 2003). Malaysia’s society is multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious. The Malays, who comprise a just over 50% of the population form the majority community, all of them, by constitutional definition being Muslim. About 25 % of the population (down from 31 % at independence) is ethnic Chinese, a group which historically played an important role in trade and business. Malaysians of Indian descent comprise about 7% (again down from 11 % at independence) of the population and include Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians. Non-Malay indigenous groups combine to make up approximately 11% of the population. While national unity as continued to elude the country, its extremely successful industrialisation drive, (since the mid-1980s), has made it into one of the world’s important trading nations. Malaysia has experienced astonishing economic growth in the last two decades. The national poverty rate has fallen from 49. 3% in 1970 to 5. 1 % in 2004, with corresponding improvements in education, literacy, child mortality and disease control (Kershaw, 2004). The country’s political progress has to be viewed in light of the phenomenal economic growth achieved by it as well as the social and political processes of the region. This study aims to study the political and social development of the country, including issues like the process of holding elections, the level and genuineness of political competition, freedom of speech and media, official and unofficial abuse of human rights, punishment regime, the strength of the judiciary and other institutions, the relationship between economic and political development, and the capacity of the state to politically administer its sovereign territory.

A Good Life essay

The Good Life Denise West April 14, 2013 Siena Heights University Gail Ryder Introduction A good life is what everyone desires. But what is actually a good life? Many people have their own interpretation of what a good life is. Society today has a different outlook on what is an acceptable lifestyle. Many people are influenced with the perception of how an individual should live their life. Some often find themselves trying to fulfill their happiness through America’s perception on how they should live. Instead they become disappointed with the disapproval of others and often forget what happiness really means to them.A good life consists of maximizing happiness. Many believe wealth, power, and respect brings happiness. I happen to disagree. I believe wealth and power bring sorrow and problems. The philosopher Socrates did not approve happiness was result of affluence and material consumption. He believed a rich and active mind is happier than a consumer of finer foods and exp ansive clothing (De Botton, 2000). Whether it is positive or negative, as long is the individual accepts and is happy of his or her own life, then they are living a good life.My life revolves around a combination of these six themes: education, work, ethics, relationships, spirituality, and success. In my essay, I will give my expertise of a good life. I will share thoughts of my life and give examples of each theme of why live the way I do. Education I believe education is a lifelong process that consists of both formal and informal experiences that lead to the individual learning something. The setting could be a home, a school, a workplace, a volunteer position, or an internship learning experience.Education is an ongoing mix of experiences; I think an educated person is a one who has made the most of each experience and learned from it. One should possess the general knowledge needed for making informed rational decisions and inferences on familiar and novel situations in person al and intellectual life. An educated person should also master of the general thinking abilities required for making informed intelligent decisions, estimates, assessments, and inferences. Philosopher Montaigne was an educated man with great wisdom. He spent most of his spear time in a circular library reading books (De Botton, 2000).I was raised by a family who is very educated. My mother and father have master degrees. My sister is a graduate student at Kansas State University. My father pushed my sister and I our entire lives of the importance of education. I receive a tremendous amount of support from my parents, family and friends. They continuously motivate me to be successful in completing and continuing my education. My plans for education are to continue to graduate school. Later in life, I am interested in teaching secondary education. I have a lot of inspiration and support from others and I am determined to succeed.I instill the importance of intelligence to my children . I agree with Montaigne’s two categories of knowledge: learning and wisdom. â€Å"In the learning category his placed logic, etymology, grammar, Latin and Greek. And in the wisdom category he places a far broader, more valuable kind of knowledge, everything that could help a person to live well† Montaigne’s intentions were to assist people† live happily and morally â€Å"(De Botton, p 153, 2000). These are two categories that keep me hungry for more. I often find myself harder on my son, because the graduation rate has dropped tremendously and it continues to decline.Depending on what aspiration a person has, having an education qualifies for great employment. Work The will power, motivation, and education are a good start in performing the ideal job in the workplace. The ambition and excitement of commuting to work daily is great feeling. A good work environment improves satisfaction and productivity. When a person is unhappy in the workplace, it is a d rag waking up each day to return to that place of business. Philosopher Epicurus believed the tension starts to show at home and we often point the finger at work (De Botton, 2000).It is important to be able to balance work and home to manage a positive work environment. Having a stress free job as well having fun and believe in your work is part of the good life. A good working environment is important for employee morale. It builds strong relationships between associates and among the biggest motivating factors in the workplace. I enjoy the work I do on a daily basis. It is a challenging job that requires an outgoing personality, sales drive, and patience. The down fall of my workplace is the associates and environment. We lack communication and the ability to coach each other to improve the workplace.The location in an urban area limits the opportunity of sales growth, variety customer base, as well as deepening relationships. At times, I felt the same pain as Epicurus. We both s tarted to wonder if were on the correct career path. One thing I lack in the workplace is empathy. I meet a lot of people each day. Many customers have personal problems they choose to share with me. Many times I can’t relate, because I have not experienced it. I represent my employer, and I am branded by them. I have to maintain a certain image and give great impressions. My supervisor has coached me on empathizing with my customers.We role play each week, and he has given me different conversation tools to better assist my customers. I want to give my customers a great experience each time they visit. To minimize tension, and misinterpretation, I will start utilizing 360 coaching. This is a tool recommended by my employer. Associates coach each including management. We give positive feedback to each other on how we could improve. This should help my team with any disagreements one may have with another associate. After opening up with one another and sharing each other diff erences, the company is great place work.Communication is the key to every success. With our recent suggestions and improvement, I believe everything will work out great. Ethics Ethics is a concept of morality principles. It defines the standard behavior which tells us the most common way of society: good, bad, right and wrong. The book Affluenza written by authors Graff, Wann, and Naylor have great information on living a good life daily minimizing consumption. â€Å"Affluenza is a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, deft, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more† (Degraff, Wann, Naylor, p. , 2001). Afflenza respects those perfectly human desires, and seeks to create ways to make comfort, elegance, and enjoyment more genuine and durables than purchasable, perishable commodities (Degraff, Wann, Naylor, 2001). Unfortunately, I struggle with Affuenza. My finance and I live a certain lifestyle. Our lifestyles boil down to become e xpansive. We often find ourselves caught up in what we feel we have to have or need, such as hair, nails, brand name clothing, jewelry, and restaurants. We also have plenty of unnecessary bills only because they are available resources to us.We are not utilizing the product or service for what it is worth. We have more stuff, less time, and our quality of life seems to be deteriorating (Degraff, Wann, Naylor, 2001). As we move forward in our lives, I try to educate my finance of Affluenza and suggested a variety of ways will can save time and money. I plan to start tracking our daily spending habits more closely. If we cut back on luxury habits we could save thousands a year. We are coming to together and taking it one day at time. It is difficult to change some things you are accustomed to.Overcoming this disease is important to us, because we are embarking on a higher level in our relationship. We are currently testing our new ideas to happiness in our lives. Hopefully the results give us some leeway to plan what matters most to us, and how we will cherish our years to come. Relationships One of my biggest challenges of my life is my relationship. There is nothing more important than the quality of my relationship. My relationship influences the major decisions I make and is a large part of my happiness. Relationships can be very stressful at times. They require at lot of listening, effort, and compromising.Both parties have to be willing to sacrifice in order to move forward. A fundamental to a strong relationship is commitment. Commitment to making a relationship strong and healthy is the basis on which it will mature. Relationships take plenty work and effort. Compared to life itself, relationships are aggressive and intense because we are forever changing. A durable relationship need continuous nurturing and that takes commitment from both parties. Our commitment to the relationship is unconditional caring about maintaining and improving our relationship , even during times of anger or disappointment.There may be times when I am not even sure I like him, but I am committed. My strong commitment reminds me of Epicurus views of friendship. At first he thought pleasure brought him happiness. He eventually had a change of heart and found that the loyalty of friendship is what matters most (De Botton, 2000). I will spend the effort to sustain relationship during tough times. The motivation of keeping our family together saved us. We put our differences aside and our children first. Their security is most important. Our determination led us to our engagement. We are set to wed next summer. Spirituality One doesn’t need either the bible to instruct one in prudence; nor the fear of divine retribution to provide the incentive† (De Bottom, 2000). Epicurus shows us how morality can be founded upon prudent self-interest. I was raised a Christian. Philosopher Nietzsche called Christianity â€Å"the religion of comfortableness† (De Bottom, p. 238, 2000). Until my grandmother died in 1993, my family and I attended church regularly. As an adult, continue to believe in the Christian Religion; however I do not practice it. I currently do not the bible for a number of reasons. I do not want to be put in a category as a hypocrite.I am uncomfortable in committing to a religion if I am not ready to live righteously. I don’t want to find myself going back and forth and continuously repenting to the Lord for sins I have committed. The second reason I do not practice Christianity is because I do have a church home. I have not find a church where I felt comfortable worshiping. In the past, I found myself visiting a variety of churches and none felt right to me. I started to wonder, I am looking in the right religion? Maybe there’s another religion that makes more sense to me and has a place where I could worship and feel comfortable.The significance of any religion lies simply in the answer to the ques tion: why do I exist, and what is my relationship to the infinite universe that surrounds me? â€Å"It is impossible for there to be a person with no religion as it is for there to be a person without a heart. He may not know that he has a religion, just as a person may not know that he has a heart, but it is no more possible for a person to exist without a religion than without a hear â€Å"(Leo Tolstoy, 1879). As I read this statement from Tolstoy Confession, I thought about my current situation.Tolstoy was a philosopher who came to believe that he had â€Å"accomplished nothing and his life was meaningless† (Patterson, p. 5, 1983). The third reason I do not practice Christianity is because my finance study’s another religion. I have taken in to consideration to research his religion and to a common ground and decide which religion is best for me. Either way, we both have to agree on the same religion. It is important we raise our children with the same values to l ive a good and happy life. Success The meaning of Success comes in many forms, and a variety of meanings.It defines what you are searching for in life. It is within the perception of the individual. A large portion of one’s life is spent working to become successful. People are told during the upbringing to work hard so they earn make lots of money. People have a variety of interpretations of what success means to them. Socrates says, â€Å"One who understands the limits of the good life knows that what eliminates the pains brought on by need and what makes the whole of life perfect is easily obtained, so that there is no need for enterprises that entail the struggle for success† (De Botton, 2000).Success is often measured by social status and wealth. I determined success by the amount of happiness one feels. I live my life by planning. This is task that I put in place to organization my life. Time management is important to me. I currently have a blue print for my lif e. It is sectioned in four categories which are three weeks, three months, one year, and three years. This is a tool used to set goals and manage my life. Each year I review my blue print to ensure each goal is accomplished. My goals are similar to the six themes I have discussed.I consider myself to be a successful person. I have managed to complete every major task I have set forth. I have an outstanding family with two beautiful children. I am scheduled to graduate in December 2010, and I have an awesome job. I am in process of simplifying consumption, and we are working toward spirituality. These are important goals that I and my family discuss on a regular basis. I continue to stay open for suggestions and constructive criticism. I am willing to explore whatever is necessary to work toward a wonderful and happy life. This year is a successful year.Conclusion We think happiness is good, therefore we seek it. The search for happiness can be endless if you do not know what you are searching for. Individuals find themselves never accomplishing their goals. We can choose to enjoy the adventure and explore as much as possible. Try to make a conscious resolution to be content. By having a peace of mind and satisfaction means you are happy with what you have and what you are. I received my results of a good life with a history of effectiveness and success. I have a general sense of what I feel are the best ways to get things done.I set of process and principles that has worked well for me over many years. I am a detailed person who manages time, plans for the future, and a fan of great strategy. I choose to ignore the setbacks and I look at the big picture in order to guide myself and my organization to maximum results. A good life is a combination of many things. Everyone has their own interpretation of what a good life is. It starts with self development within individual. Many philosophers such as Epicurus and Socrates believe pleasure brings forth happiness ( De Botton, 2000). I happen to agree.Nothing matter to me more than my happiness. It is up to the individual to decide what pleasures them most. My life has had its many shares of a rollercoaster. I have made and learned from my mistakes. There is not anything that I regret nor wished didn’t happen during the years of my life. Without my mistakes, I would not have the opportunity to learn and grow. As a whole, I cherish my life I believe it is great. I am thankful for awaking each morning and for blessing me each day I have no reason to complain. I have experienced more than I ever dreamed of.Most importantly, I am blessed in being a mother. My family is extremely important to me. They complete each and every accomplishment. In combination of each principle, task, and theme they all relate and evolve around one specific goal which is my family. What a great life! References De Botton, A. (2000). The Consolations of Philosophy. New York: Pantheon Books. Graaf, J. , Naylor, T. , & Wann, D. (2001). Affluenza. San Francisco: Brerrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Tolstoy, L. (1993). Confession. Translated by David Patterson. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Payroll and personnel Essays

Payroll and personnel Essays Payroll and personnel Essay Payroll and personnel Essay This means that companies will have to tap into the psyche of the Gene Y in order to better understand their purchasing decisions and hence better gear their promotional activities in order to attract this cohort. The Gene Y adults sub group contraindicates loyalty characteristics as high in a developing market context against the established wisdom of low loyalty found in developed countries. The results of this paper would help marketers to rethink their strategies in this service industry. Finally, this research reconciles the gap between loyalty, stated preference and distinctiveness of brand personalities. Keywords : Generation Y, Customer loyalty, Influence, Marketing, Consumer behavior INTRODUCTION This is a phenomenological study of the Purchasing decisions of Generation Y (Gene Y) when deciding on which mobile service provider to subscribe to. The study is a qualitative one which was conducted with a convenience sample of students as well as graduates from two different private Universities. At this stage in the research, the attributes of mobile service providers sought by Generation Y will be generally fined as buying decisions made by Generation Y. There has been considerable Generation Y and their shopping behavior but there are still few studies of Generation Y and purchasing decisions in Malaysia. AIMS OF THE STUDY The aim of this study is to seek out the purchase decision made by Gene Y when it comes to making a decision on which mobile service provider to choose from. As such, the expectations (mobile service providers attributes expected) as well as personal values of the interviewees will be looked into. Also, it is interesting to note where they get these expectations from I. E. From their peers, media or family. The main purpose of this study is to further clarify 1083 if there is a existence of a gap between the purchasing decision made by the Gene Y cohort and the what attributes attract them into making that decision to choose a particular mobile service provider. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Brands and branding It is felt that the topic of brands and branding is very much the thing that influences the Gene Y today. As stated by La Ferule and Chant (2008), the decision to get branded products is the need to belong to the group / peers. This is because the peers have become the primary socializing agents for consumption values. La Ferule and Chant (2008) also add that amongst the determinants of materialism among adolescents in Singapore are from marketing communications and social influence factors. These are the main requirements in which a brand can survive in the Asian market. According to Temporal (2001), branding is a sophisticated process that puts together and sustains a complex mixture of attributes and values, many of which are intangible. The objective of branding is to produce a unique and attractive offering that satisfies both the rational and emotional needs of customers in a better way than the competition.

The Surfeit of Weird Exceptions to the I-Before-E Rule

The Surfeit of Weird Exceptions to the I-Before-E Rule The Surfeit of Weird Exceptions to the I-Before-E Rule The Surfeit of Weird Exceptions to the I-Before-E Rule By Mark Nichol In the chaos of spelling of the English language, some rules provide comfort until you realize that the number of exceptions renders a rule nearly useless as a memory aid. Such is the case with the rule that in vowel pairs, i comes before e except when the pairing follows c. The pairing ie is the default setting: Believe, die, and friend are just a few of the many words that follow the rule. However, exceptions are numerous, as exemplified in the sentence â€Å"Seize their eight feisty neighbors being weird.† And although the order after c is often ei (ceiling, deceit, receive), the order is often inverted (science, species, sufficient). To be more useful, the rule should continue, â€Å"or when pronounced like a long a, as in weigh or like a long e.† The rule that i comes before e except after c is contradicted by the fact that more than twenty times as many words have the letter sequence cie as the sequence cei, so that’s not a very useful rule. Also, the sequence ei often does not follow c. This is true in many categories of words, including the following ten groups: proper names, such as Keith chemical names like caffeine words in which ei is pronounced like a long e, such as leisure (many exceptions, such as piece) words in which ei is pronounced like a schwa (a weak â€Å"uh†), such as forfeit words in which ei is pronounced like a long a, such as weigh (this sound is never spelled ie, except in the American English pronunciation of lingerie) words in which ei is pronounced like a long i, such as height (exceptions include die) rare cases of ei pronounced, for example, like a short a, such as heifer words in which the vowel-and-consonant sound rhyming with ear is pronounced, such as weird (exceptions include pierce) words in which the vowel-and-consonant sound rhyming with heir is pronounced, such as their (this sound is never spelled ier) words in which e and i are each part of a separate syllable (albeit, being, reignite) Ultimately, it may be wise to forget that such a rule exists and always check spelling of words that may have an ie or an ei combination. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:60 Synonyms for â€Å"Walk†Telling a Good Poem from a Bad OneMood vs. Tense

The Underlying Theory of Fingerprinting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Underlying Theory of Fingerprinting - Essay Example The underlying theory regarding the practice of fingerprinting is the concept that no two people in the world possessed identical sets of fingerprints (Zhang, 2001; Epstein, 2002; Specter, 2002; Kumar & Shama, 2009; Cole, 2001, 2005; Leibhan, 2003). This particular theory is the guiding principle with which developments pertinent to fingerprinting has been pursued. In this regard, the following are the findings of the research. First, the concept of fingerprinting as a mechanism for purposes of identification has been known since the ancient period (Specter, 2002; Cole 2001). However, the current trend of utilizing fingerprinting for purposes of identifying, investigating and solving crimes is a current advancement in the field, which is brought about by developments in science and technology together with the condition of increased mobility of people (Sombat, 2006; Cole, 2005; Epstein, 2002). This conceptual finding is significant because it highlights the fact that first, fingerprinting is a recognized tool that a can be used for identification regardless of genre or period in history. Second, from the historical rooting of fingerprinting one can impugned that fingerprinting has been adopted as early as the nineteenth century for criminal investigation. Finally, third, the contemporary concept of fingerprinting is a result of the coming together of science, technology, judiciary, increased mobility of peo ple brought about by globalisation and demands in the contemporary society. This figure shows that the current understanding of fingerprinting is a result of the coming together of several factors that can be rooted from the historical tradition that has been traced in this research.

Celebrities in Advertisements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Celebrities in Advertisements - Essay Example Hence, the celebrities have become a strong weapon of influence in the hands of advertisers as they not only help in selling the products, but also help in creating a long lasting psychological association between the product and the consumer, which ensures the future success of the brand. Celebrities In Advertisements As per the modern trends, advertising can be defined as â€Å"a paid persuasive communication that uses nonpersonal mass media –as well as other forms of interactive communication- to reach broad audiences to connect an identified sponsor with a target audience† (Wells, Burnett and Moriarty 5). From the definition, it is clear that advertisers use the advertisement to persuade people to take some action or to take a decision related to the products that are being advertised (Wells, Burnett and Moriarty 5). However, making a consumer to take a decision regarding a product is not as easy as it seems as there are hundreds of different brands selling the same kind of products. Hence, the advertisers have to use a strategy that is highly powerful and highly impacting. This is where the role of the celebrity in advertisements begins. The fact that approximately one sixth of the ads world-wide features the celebrities shows how beneficial it proves for a brand to have a celebrity feature in the advertisements (Shimp 250). Moreover, the salaries the celebrities are paid are huge. According to a report on top endorsement incomes of athletes (2007), professional golfer Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were paid $100,000,000 and $47,000,000 respectively, for the ads (Shimp 251). To endorse the brands, the advertisers use variety of celebrities from the field of television, movies, sports, athletics and even politics (Shimp 250). It is believed that celebrities have the power to influence the attitudes and behavior of the consumer towards the brands as they are respected and loved by the consumers (Shimp 250). The brands pay huge salaries to the celebrities to advertise their products as they think that celebrities can positively influence the consumer and increase the sale of their products (Shimp 250). Studies in the field of advertising have revealed that there is a positive link between the ‘famous people’ in the brand and people’s favorability towards it (Pringle 69). The chances of success of a brand increases when it features one of the likeable celebrities in its advertisement (Pringle 97). Hence, it is believed that celebrities have the power to influence the decision of the people. However, what really works behind the success of the brands featuring celebrities in their ads is the method of ‘mental association’. Psychology Behind Celebrity Advertisements It has been proved that the presence of celebrity in the brand advertisement increases the chances of its success. The explanation for the effect of celebrity advertisements on people’s behavior and thinking can be found in the psychological theory of ‘mental association.’ According to psychoanalysis theory, the principle of ‘association’ governs the mental life of human beings (Richards, Macrury and Botterill 140). The theory states that when a person has any experience, his mind creates an association between the feelings related to that experience and the elements that were involved in that experience (Richards, Macrur

AT&T sales management plan - BODY ONLY no abstract or conclusions Term Paper

AT&T sales management plan - BODY ONLY no abstract or conclusions - Term Paper Example The AT&T organization holds workshops for the different managers in the organization. These workshops enable them to acquire adequate skills in using the sophisticated equipment the organization sells. The management is also able to have a feel of what their customers require. The organization should focus on a few areas such as increasing their negotiations for sales with their customers. They should use online training to enhance support among their users’ performances. The sales team should also been assigned with the task of tracking the results of their sales and reporting them to the organizations management. This will in turn enable the management to make improvements on the products that are performing dismally. The sales team will rely on building more stable and accountable relationships with their customers to ensure their sales remain high. The organization has entered into an agreement with other producers of technology to improve on their product’s quality. This ensures that their sales and profitability levels remain high (Still, Cundiff and Govoni, 2006). An example of such an agreement was entered into with Cisco systems, which was meant to create products that were compatible with their widely used technologies. They should enter into similar agreements in future to enhance their productivities and profitability. The sales management is charged with the responsibilities of planning, controlling, directing and staffing the sales team activities. They are left to plan the strategies the team will use in order to accomplish the organizations objectives. This is because the sales team mingles directly with the customers and understands their needs better. They are left to control the teams activities to ensure their activities reach a wider market. The sales team has experience in the field and should employ methods that increase the

X-ray diffraction

X-ray diffraction INTRODUCTION: X-ray diffraction The diffraction of X-rays as they pass through a substance, usually forming an interference pattern that can be captured on film and used to analyze the internal structure of the substance. The scattering of x-rays by crystal atoms, producing a diffraction pattern that yields information about the structure of the crystal. X-ray diffraction is used in x-ray crystallography . X-ray diffraction the scattering of X rays by the atoms of a crystal; the diffraction pattern shows structure of the crystal . X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with typical photon energies in the range of 100 eV 100 keV. For diffraction applications, only short wavelength x-rays (hard x-rays) in the range of a few angstroms to 0.1 angstrom (1 keV 120 keV) are used. Because the wavelength of x-rays is comparable to the size of atoms, they are ideally suited for probing the structural arrangement of atoms and molecules in a wide range of materials. The energetic x-rays can penetrate deep into the materials and provide information about the bulk structure. X-rays are produced generally by either x-ray tubes or synchrotron radiation. In a x-ray tube, which is the primary x-ray source used in laboratory x-ray instruments, x-rays are generated when a focused electron beam accelerated across a high voltage field bombards a stationary or rotating solid target. As electrons collide with atoms in the target and slow down, a continuous spectrum of x-rays are emitted, which are termed Bremsstrahlung radiation. The high energy electrons also eject inner shell electrons in atoms through the ionization process. When a free electron fills the shell, a x-ray photon with energy characteristic of the target material is emitted. Common targets used in x-ray tubes include Cu and Mo, which emit 8 keV and 14 keV x-rays with corresponding wavelengths of 1.54 Ã… and 0.8 Ã…, respectively. (The energy E of a x-ray photon and its wavelength is related by the equation E = hc/ï  ¬, where h is Plancks constant and c the speed of light) (check out this ne at animated lecture on x-ray production) In recent years synchrotron facilities have become widely used as preferred sources for x-ray diffraction measurements. Synchrotron radiation is emitted by electrons or positrons travelling at near light speed in a circular storage ring. These powerful sources, which are thousands to millions of times more intense than laboratory x-ray tubes, have become indispensable tools for a wide range of structural investigations and brought advances in numerous fields of science and technology. Powder Diffraction Powder XRD (X-ray Diffraction) is perhaps the most widely used x-ray diffraction technique for characterizing materials. As the name suggests, the sample is usually in a powdery form, consisting of fine grains of single crystalline material to be studied. The technique is used also widely for studying particles in liquid suspensions or polycrystalline solids (bulk or thin film materials). The term powder really means that the crystalline domains are randomly oriented in the sample. Therefore when the 2-D diffraction pattern is recorded, it shows concentric rings of scattering peaks corresponding to the various d spacings in the crystal lattice. The positions and the intensities of the peaks are used for identifying the underlying structure (or phase) of the material. For example, the diffraction lines of graphite would be different from diamond even though they both are made of carbon atoms. This phase identification is important because the material properties are highly dependent on structure (just think of graphite and diamond). Powder diffraction data can be collected using either transmission or reflection geometry, as shown below. Because the particles in the powder sample are randomly oriented, these two methods will yield the same data. In the MRL x-ray facility, powder diffraction data are measured using the Philips XPERT MPD diffractometer, which measures data in reflection mode and is used mostly with solid samples, or the custom built 4-circle diffractometer, which operates in transmission mode and is more suitable for liquid phase samples. A powder XRD scan from a K2Ta2O6 sample is shown below as a plot of scattering intensity vs. the scattering angle 2or the corresponding d-spacing. The peak positions, intensities, widths and shapes all provide important information about the structure of the material. Thin Film Diffraction Generally speaking thin film diffraction refers not to a specific technique but rather a collection of XRD techniques used to characterize thin film samples grown on substrates. These materials have important technological applications in microelectronic and optoelectronic devices, where high quality epitaxial films are critical for device performance. Thin film diffraction methods are used as important process development and control tools, as hard x-rays can penetrate through the epitaxial layers and measure the properties of both the film and the substrate. There are several special considerations for using XRD to characterize thin film samples. First, reflection geometry is used for these measurements as the substrates are generally too thick for transmission. Second, high angular resolution is required because the peaks from semiconductor materials are sharp due to very low defect densities in the material. Consequently, multiple bounce crystal monochromators are used to provide a highly collimated x-ray beam for these measurements. For example, in the Philips MRD used in the x-ray facility, a 4-crystal monochromator made from Ge is used to produce an incident beam with less than 5 arc seconds of angular divergence. Basic XRD measurements made on thin film samples include: Precise lattice constants measurements derived from 2 scans, which provide information about lattice mismatch between the film and the substrate and therefore is indicative of strain stress Rocking curve measurements made by doing a scan at a fixed 2 angle, the width of which is inversely proportionally to the dislocation density in the film and is therefore used as a gauge of the quality of the film. Superlattice measurements in multilayered heteroepitaxial structures, which manifest as satellite peaks surrounding the main diffraction peak from the film. Film thickness and quality can be deduced from the data. Glancing incidence x-ray reflectivity measurements, which can determine the thickness, roughness, and density of the film. This technique does not require crystalline film and works even with amorphous materials. Texture measurementswill be discussed separately The following graph shows the high resolution XRD data of the superlattice peaks on the GaN (002) reflections. Red line denotes results of computer simulation of the structure. Texture Measurement (Pole Figure) Texture measurements are used to determine the orientation distribution of crystalline grains in a polycrystalline sample. A material is termed textured if the grains are aligned in a preferred orientation along certain lattice planes. One can view the textured state of a material (typically in the form of thin films) as an intermediate state in between a completely randomly oriented polycrystalline powder and a completely oriented single crystal. The texture is usually introduced in the fabrication process (e.g. rolling of thin sheet metal, deposition, etc.) and affect the material properties by introducing structural anisotropy. A texture measurement is also referred to as a pole figure as it is often plotted in polar coordinates consisting of the tilt and rotation angles with respect to a given crystallographic orientation. A pole figure is measured at a fixed scattering angle (constant d spacing) and consists of a series of -scans (in- plane rotation around the center of the sample) at different tilt or -(azimuth) angles, as illustrated below. The pole figure data are displayed as contour plots or elevation graphs with zero angle in the center. Below we show two pole figure plots using the same data set. An orientation distribution function (ODF) can be calculated using the pole figure data. Residual Stress Measurement Structural and residual stress in materials can be determined from precision lattice constants measurements. For polycrystalline samples high resolution powder diffraction measurements generally will provide adequate accuracy for stress evaluation. For textured (oriented) and single crystalline materials, 4-circle diffractometry is needed in which the sample is rotated so that measurements on multiple diffraction peaks can be carried out. The interpretation of stress measurement data is complicated and model dependent. Consult the reference literature for more details. Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) SAXS measurements typically are concerned with scattering angles SAXS measurements are technically challenging because of the small angular separation of the direct beam (which is very intense) and the scattered beam. Large specimen-to-detector distances (0.5 m 10 m) and high quality collimating optics are used to achieve good signal-to-noise ratio in the SAXS measurement. The MRL x-ray facility has cutting edge capabilities for SAXS measurements with three custom-built SAXS instruments including one 3.5-meter long ultra-small angle SAXS instrument with state-of-the-art optics and area detector for low scattering density samples. X-ray Crystallography X-ray crystallography is a standard technique for solving crystal structures. Its basic theory was developed soon after x-rays were first discovered more than a century ago. However, over the years it has gone through continual development in data collection instrumentation and data reduction methods. In recent years, the advent of synchrotron radiation sources, area detector based data collection instruments, and high speed computers has dramatically enhanced the efficiency of crystallographic structural determination. Today x-ray crystallography is widely used in materials and biological research. Structures of very large biological machinery (e.g. protein and DNA complexes, virus particles) have been solved using this method. In x-ray crystallography, integrated intensities of the diffraction peaks are used to reconstruct the electron density map within the unit cell in the crystal. To achieve high accuracy in the reconstruction, which is done by Fourier transforming the diffraction intensities with appropriate phase assignment, a high degree of completeness as well as redundancy in diffraction data is necessary, meaning that all possible reflections are measured multiple times to reduce systematic and statistical error. The most efficient way to do this is by using an area detector which can collect diffraction data in a large solid angle. The use of high intensity x-ray sources, such as synchrotron radiation, is an effective way to reduce data collection time. One of the central difficulties in structural determination using x-ray crystallography is referred to as the phase problem, which arises from the fact that the diffraction data contains information only on the amplitude but not the phase of the structure factor. Over the years many methods have been developed to deduce the phases for reflections, including computationally based direct methods, isomorphous replacement, and multi-wavelength anormalous diffraction (MAD) methods. METHODOLOGY: X-Ray Diffraction Method At Proto we use the x-ray diffraction method to measure residual stress. X-ray diffraction is presently the only portable nondestructive method that can quantitatively measure residual stress in crystalline and semi-crystalline materials. Our high speed x-ray detector technology enables measurements to be performed easily on metals and ceramics; including traditionally difficult materials such as shot peened titanium. XRD uses the coherent domains of the material (the grain structure) like a strain gage which reacts to the stress state existing in the material. Residual stress and / or applied stress expands or contracts the atomic lattice spacing (d). How do we Measure Stress? Actually, we measure strain and convert to stress. The d-spacings are calculated using Braggs Law: ÃŽ » = 2 d sin . If a monochromatic (ï  ¬) x-ray beam impinges upon a sample with an ordered lattice spacing (d), constructive interference will occur at an angle . Changes in strain and thus the d-spacing translate into changes in the diffraction angle measured by the x-ray detectors. The diffraction pattern is in the shape of a cone for polycrystalline materials. The shape of the diffraction peaks can also be related to the dislocation density and coherent domain size. Why Use Multiple Detectors? Unlike other single detector systems. Proto uses two (2) detectors for stress measurements thus capturing both sides of the diffraction cone. This means twice as much data is collected in the same amount of time simply by virtue of the design. Proto offers a four (4) detector system that can be used for both the four peak % retained austenite method and in multiphase stress measurements. Proto also offers 3 and 5 detector configurations for use in Simultaneous Stress and % Retained Austenite determination. Proto adheres to SAE SP-453 Retained Austenite and Its Measurement by X-ray Diffraction and ASTM E975-84 Standard Practice for X-ray Determination of Retained Austenite in Steel with Near Random Crystallographic Orientation.. Patented Fiber Optic Based Solid State Detectors Longevity and Maintenance Proto uses fiber optic based solid state detectors. The fiber optics allow the detector electronics to be remote from the sensing head making them suitable for measurements in harsh environments. Proto detectors are maintenance free and do not degrade with exposure to x-rays, thus less down time, better productivity and no hidden maintenance costs. Direct expose solid state detectors and position sensitive proportional counters degrade with exposure to x-rays and eventually require replacement which can be extremely costly. Because of x-ray damage, these detectors and counters must constantly be re-calibrated. In addition, some position sensitive proportional counters require periodic (bi-annual) maintenance to refill the sealed gas filled detector housing. Speed Proto detectors are the fastest detectors on the market today. A stress measurement can be performed in less than 0.3 seconds, an order of magnitude faster than any other detector technology commercially available. Position sensitive proportional counters can only detect one x-ray event at a time. In addition, there is dead time associated with their signal processing which slows data collection. Proto detectors have no dead time associated with them. They are multi-channel solid state detectors that collect many x-ray events simultaneously resulting in unmatched data collection speed. This is particularly important for laboratories with high throughput demands and for industrial on-line and audit station applications. Drift Position sensitive proportional counters can drift if there is any fluctuation in the DC bias voltage thus causing errors in peak position determination. Ambient temperature fluctuations, gas pressure and oxides on connections, to name a few, can contribute to detector instability and drift. Proto detectors are solid state, thus there is no positional drift associated with them. This means they are much more stable in harsh environments and at elevated or cold temperatures. Detector width Protos wide 2 detector range, 18.7 degrees 2for the 40 mm goniometer geometry offers increased accuracy on materials with broad diffraction peaks found in hardened tool and bearing steels. Flexibility in Residual Stress Measurement Techniques Most systems, particularly one detector systems, offer only double exposure and multiple exposure sin  ²Ã¯  ¹ techniques. Proto systems offer the double exposure and multiple exposure sin  ²Ã¯  ¹ techniques as well as the single exposure technique and the multiple exposure sin  ²Ã¯  £ techniques. This translates into more flexibility for characterizing samples with complicated geometries. Flexibility in Residual Stress Analysis With Proto equipment, unlike other diffraction systems, diffraction peaks can be fit using a number of mathematical functions including, Parabola, Gaussian, Cauchy, Pearson VII, centroid, and mid-chords. Proto also offers both the difference, and cross-correlation methods for peak position determination. This translates into both improved accuracy and flexibility. Focusing Optics Proto systems operate on a true center of rotation and are delivered pre-calibrated to meet exceed ASTM E915-90 Standard Test Method for Verifying the Alignment of X-ray Diffraction Instrumentation for Residual Stress and adhere to SAE J784a Residual Stress Measurement by X-ray Diffraction alignment specifications. All Proto systems operate using parafocusing optics thus eliminating the need for Sollier slits and allowing very fine positional accuracy in stress measurements inside 90 mm and 120 mm i.d. confinements (e.g. the i.d. of pipes and holes, or between parallel surfaces). The competition cannot offer access to such small holes. Simplicity in Use, Sophistication in Results Proto systems are easy to use and setup: Quick change apertures allow for easy adjustment of the irradiated area and sample setup (apertures can be changed in about 2 seconds) with beam dimensions (irradiated area) available from 0.3 mm to 5.0 mm. Sample positioning and focusing can be performed easily using the standoff pointer provided with all systems and through the collimator laser pointer which allows the user to quickly locate measurement locations. This is particularly helpful when using the Automated Stress Mapping option. The 4-Point bending fixture and Proto strain bridge are used for quick and easy determination of the effective x-ray elastic constant for new materials as per ASTM 1426-91, Standard Test Method for Determining the Effective Elastic Parameter for X-ray Diffraction Measurements of Residual Stress. The Proto Portable Electro Polisher is custom manufactured specifically for x-ray diffraction work, making material removal quick and efficient. Truly portable systems are available weighing less than 18 kg (40 lbs). Custom systems are available for customers with special requirements. Comprehensive turnkey systems are offered by Proto to their customers to simplify and expedite their stress measurement needs. Continuous Research and Development and a commitment to give you the best systems in the world. CONCLUSION:  · Other Sectionsââ€" ¼ Abstract 1.Introduction 2.Purification 3.Crystallization 4.X-ray diffraction data collection and analysis 5.Conclusion References Abstract Human phosphate-binding protein (HPBP) was serendipitously discovered by crystallization and X-ray crystallography. HPBP belongs to a eukaryotic protein family named DING that is systematically absent from the genomic database. This apoprotein of 38 kDa copurifies with the HDL-associated apoprotein paraoxonase (PON1) and binds inorganic phosphate. HPBP is the first identified transporter capable of binding phosphate ions in human plasma. Thus, it may be regarded as a predictor of phosphate-related diseases such as atherosclerosis. In addition, HPBP may be a potential therapeutic protein for the treatment of such diseases. Here, the purification, detergent-exchange protocol and crystallization conditions that led to the discovery of HPBP are reported. Keywords: ABC transporters, missing gene, apoproteins, atherosclerosis, paraoxonase  · Other Sectionsââ€" ¼HPBP was serendipitously discovered from supposedly pure PON1. The structure of HPBP (Morales et al., 2006 ) relates it to prokaryote phosphate solute-binding protein (SBP; Tam Saier, 1993; Luecke Quiocho, 1990 ; Vyas et al., 2003), which is associated with the ATP-binding cassette transmembrane transporters (ABC transporters; Higgins, 1992). Despite the existence of the ABC transporter in eukaryotes, SBPs have never been described or predicted by genomic databases in eukaryotes. The complete amino-acid sequence of HPBP (376 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 38.4 kDa) was assigned from the electron-density map at the 10% error level (Morales et al., 2006). Surprisingly, the deduced HPBP sequence cannot be retrieved from the human genome or other genomic databases. HPBP is related to a family of eukaryotic proteins that are named DING owing to their four conserved N-terminal residues (Berna et al., 2002). Similarly to HPBP, DING genes are also absent from DNA or RNA databases, although they are likely to be ubiquitous in eukaryotes. This raises numerous questions about the peculiarity of DING genes. The HPBP sequence deduced by crystallography is the first complete sequence of a DING protein and provides a precious basis for understanding the genetic mystery associated with DING proteins. We have provided evidence that HPBP is a new apoprotein mainly located on HDL (good cholesterol) capable of binding inorganic phosphate ions. Furthermore, HPBP presents 59% amino-acid identity with a protein named crystal-adhesion inhibitor (CAI) that may prevent the development of kidney stones by inhibiting the adhesion of calcium oxalate crystals to renal cells (Kumar et al., 2004). Thus, HPBP could be tentatively regarded as a potential predictor and as a possible therapeutic protein for treatment of phosphate-related disorders, including atherosclerosis. In this article, we report the purification, detergent-exchange protocol and crystallization conditions that led to the discovery of HPBP. HPBP was discovered by copurification from an apparently pure PON1 preparation. The HPBP/PON1-containing fractions were obtained according to a protocol based on the method of Gan et al. (1991) (Renault et al., in preparation) that was assumed to provide PON1 pure at ≠¥95%. Briefly, out of date plasma bags from blood donors (Etablissement Franà §ais du Sang Rhà ´ne-Alpes) were supplemented with CaCl2 to a final concentration of 10 mM before the resulting fibrin clot was separated by filtration. The filtrate was then submitted to a pseudo-affinity chromatography on Cibacron Blue 3GA-agarose (type 3000-CL; Sigma) using 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer pH 8.0 supplemented with 1 mM CaCl2 and 3 M NaCl to avoid the adsorption of albumin. Elution of hydrophobic plasma proteins, mainly lipoproteins, was performed using 0.1% sodium deoxycholate and 0.1% Triton X-100 in Tris-HCl buffer. The PON1-containing fractions were pooled and separated from the other HDL-bound proteins, mainly apolipoprotei n A-I, by anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow (Pharmacia Biotech) using 25 mM Tris buffer containing 0.1% Triton X-100 as starting buffer with a gradient of NaCl (0-0.35 M). Pooled HPBP/PON1-containing fractions were dialyzed and concentrated in the presence of C-12 maltoside (0.64 mM) using a centrifugation device (Centriprep Amicon, 10 kDa cutoff, Millipore, St Quentin-en-Yvelines, France) to a final absorbance of 2.3 at 280 nm. Light-scattering analysis revealed a homogeneous sample with an apparent molecular weight of about 80 kDa (Josse et al., 2002 ). This molecular weight was attributed to dimeric PON1 because the existence of HPBP was unknown at this point. Some dialyzed fractions spontaneously crystallized overnight. Crystal plates were very numerous and very thin (about 1  µm width). Once useless crystals had formed in the absence of precipitant agent, it was impossible to dissolve them again. Thus, crystallization trials were performed quickly after detergent exchange. Inspection of the resulting electron-density map clearly indicated that the crystallized protein was not PON1. The sequence deduced from the structure was totally unknown and not predicted by the genomic database. The complete amino-acid sequence was determined from X-ray data. This protein is the first inorganic phosphate transporter characterized in human plasma (Morales et al., 2006). The discovery of this protein by crystallography opens new insight into the physiopathology and medical treatment of phosphate-related diseases RECENTDEVELOPMENTS IN POLYMER CHARACTERIZATION USING X-RAYDIFFRACTION In the absence of an orientational force, thelamellae organize into spherulites (1-10 mm indiameter). X-ray scattering can be used to ob-tain structural information at three lengthscales—1, 10 and 100nm—using scattering atwide-, small- and ultra small-angles, respec-tively.A continuum of structures between the ex-tremesof what are generally regarded as amor-phous and crystalline phases are present in areal polymer, and these entities have complexorganization. But, a model that describes thesemicrystalline polymers in terms of two phases, an average amorphous and an averagecrystalline phase, has been found to be ade-quate for many practical purposes. The fractionof the material that is crystalline, the crys-tallinity or crystalline index, is an important pa-rameter in the two-phase model. Crystallinitycan be determined from a wide-angle X-ray dif- fraction (WAXD) scan by comparing the areaunder the crystalline peaks to the total scatteredintensity [12]. The accuracy and the precision ofthese measurements can be improved by draw-ing a proper base-line, using an appropriateamorphous template, and by carefully choosingthe crystalline peaks [13, 14]. The disorder inthecrystalline domains can be evaluated by measuring the crystallite sizes which are relatedto the radial widths D(2q) of the reflections at ascattering angle 2q by the Scherrer equation. Inreality, there are two contributions to the width:one is the size and the other is the para crystallinity or microstrain [15, 16]. A more detailed analysis based on the Warren-Averbach methodis widely used in metals and ceramics, but lessso in polymers [17]. The disorder in the crys-talline domains is also reflected in the unit celldimensions. But, calculation of the unit cell pa-rameters requires an accurate measurement ofthe positions of many crystalline peaks, which can be difficult. Therefore, in practice, relativepositions of selected crystalline peaks are used as accurate measures of the changes unit cellparameters [18, 19].Structures at length scales larger than a unit cell (10nm instead of 1nm) can be investi-gated using small-angle X-ray scattering(SAXS). The methodology for these analysis isnow highly developed and can be found in anystandard literature [9, 20-24]. While WAXD isused to study the orientation of the crystals,and the packing of the chains within these crys-tals, SAXS is used to study the electron densityfluctuations that occur over larger distances asa result of structural inhomogeneities. SAXS iswidely used to study the lamellar structure bymeasuring parameters such as lamellar spac-ing, height and thickness of the transition layer betweenthe crystalline and amorphous domains. In theanalysis of fibers, SAXS can provide informa-tion about the details of fibrillar morphologysuch as fibril diameter and orientation, and large scale inhomogeneity such as microporesand cracks. This information is somewhat simi-lar to that obtained from a transmission elec-tron micrograph, with one important difference:SAXS requires no sample preparation , and thedata is averaged over the area (typically 0.1mm2) of illumination. SAXS is also used for studying conformation, size and dynamics ofpolymers in solutions and in gels. 3. New Methods to Study Polymer Structure The two-phase model for the polymer hasbeen quite useful in providing a qualitative un-derstanding of the polymer properties in termof its structure, but is not adequate for quantita-tive prediction of the polymer properties. For this purpose, a detailed knowledge of the char-acteristics and distribution of soft (amorphous) and hard (crystalline) domains, and the interac-tions between these domains is necessary. New techniques that have been introduced duringthe past decade provide precisely this informa- tion. Some of these techniques will be discussed here. 3.1. Microbeam Diffraction Microbeam diffraction, or microdiffraction,has been used in semiconductor industry for over 25 years [25]. It is now being used to ex-amine polymeric materials. In most routine characterization of polymers, it is assumed thatthe structure is homogeneous. But, this is not always the case. Temperature gradients are pre-sent during injection molding, and both temper- ature and stress gradients are present duringextrusion and drawing. These gradients intro- duce structural inhomogeneities that influencepolymer performance. Even filaments that are only 10 mm in diameter show variations in ori-entation and density across the cross section [5, 26]. These structural gradients, and the changesin these gradients during deformation can now be studied at spatial resolutions as small as1 mm using microbeam diffraction [26]. An ex- ample of the typical structural gradients presentin a shown in Figure 2 [6]. This diffractogram was obtained from KevlarTM fiber with a 3 mm 16 Synchrotron Radiation Facility) synchrotronsource. The data show that the Hermans orien- tation function of the crystalline domains in this12 mm diameter fiber increases from 0.955 at the center to 0.980 at the surface of the fiber.The higher orientation of the skin layer is obvi- ously due to large shear stresses at the spin-neret, extensional forces in the air-gap and the solidification in the coagulation bath. Such astructural gradient implies that the modulus de- creases from the skin to core. It is interesting tonote that these inhomogeneities gradually de- crease and disappear under uniaxial stress.Microbeam techniques have reached a level of sophistication that it is now possible to focus .X-rays on a micron size crystal and follow the changes in the structure from one crystal to t