Lin Onuss Cultural Identity Seen in Fruit Bats Essay Example

Lin Onuss Cultural Identity Seen in Fruit Bats Paper He became a professional artist In the year of 1974, throughout his artistic life he became a exceedingly creative artist and arts administrator. From the very beginning of his days he was portrayed as an Ideal Australian, his cultural identity was clear. As he was born to an aboriginal father and a white mother, he was a living example of the conception that two people, even from different cultures, different upbringings and beliefs could come together as one. Two examples of artworks that demonstrate his cultural Identity are: Fruit Bats (1991 ) and Fruit Bats 1 991 Is a work that shows a combination of the two cultures that make Line Onus. This work visually shows the two societies slowly combining. The mall aspect of the artwork that shows the western cultures identity would be the hills hoist clothesline which is what the bats are hanging from. The Aboriginal aspects of this org that suggest the combining of the two different cultures are those such as the aboriginal symbol for bat droppings (Earner) which is in fact is made from the droppings from the bats hanging in this work. Another aboriginal characteristic of this work is that all ninety-nine fiberglass fruit bats have been painted with a type of Aboriginal pattering called rack. Not only do the traditional techniques used for the fruit bat droppings and patterns on each bat contrast with the current materials of today, they also contrast with the modern inspiration of these installations. The main characters in the work are the fruit bats these are presented as the link between the two cultures within one land. The droppings from these fruit bats could be interpreted to say the aboriginal culture is marking their territory. The fruit bats can therefore be seen to symbolism the will to repossess the land that rightfully belongs to the aboriginal people. We will write a custom essay sample on Lin Onuss Cultural Identity Seen in Fruit Bats specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lin Onuss Cultural Identity Seen in Fruit Bats specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lin Onuss Cultural Identity Seen in Fruit Bats specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Savage Wars Of Peace review essays

Savage Wars Of Peace review essays Max Boots book, The Savage Wars of Peace, is researched and written very well. He brings a new light and importance to the small wars or low intensity conflicts that in time, helped America become a world power. He began writing the book because he wanted to provide a concise history of Americas small wars abroad that...relate[s] the past to problems confronting the United States today. In the end he realized that not only did he write a book about small wars that could relate to present problems, but also a book that shows how the United States has always found itself being drawn into the savage wars of peace. The main theme of this book is that in America's history, war in some variety is the rule and not the exception. Dissimilar to the accepted myth, the United States military has fought several small wars to support the country's interests overseas, often times without a preceding announcement of war. Boot skillfully explains how the country started out as a commercial po wer before becoming a great power in the 1890s and then, finally, a superpower in 1941. Boots book is an informational read providing useful information on small wars, while including a great base for the science, as well as the art, of waging small wars. Along with all the different areas he touches in his book, most importantly Boot's novel contains some very important lessons that may prove to be very useful to the duty-bound Coalition completing its task in Iraq. The book provides information and facts that is not always well known. He mentions many actions, conflicts, and moments in history that are not always mentioned in many of the text books read today. Boots writing is not dry, or uninteresting. On the contrary, he is able to hold interest with his creative titles, and subtitles, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, of different sections within the book, al...

Movie Witness Written by Mark Book in 1985 Essay

Movie Witness Written by Mark Book in 1985 - Essay Example In this movie, we find two characters Rael and her son Samuel, boarding a train to take them to Baltimore to visit Rachel’s sister. This part has a reflection of family ties exhibited by the Amish community. It shows how the community values keeping close with other family members irrespective of the distance. This is because, despite the many challenges they face and delays of the train, they braved themselves and waited for three hours to ensure that they reach the destination and see their sister. The western culture also values family ties as notes Capsi (72). He notes that mothers liked keeping family members close the same way Rael an Amish woman does. He, however, notes that close family ties are getting cut off. Capsi (76) asserts that some Americans express fear that they would soon lose their family members through family cutoffs. According to western culture, a brother-brother relationship is emphasized for rivalry, jealousy, competitiveness, and ambivalence. Howeve r, this is not the case with the Amish Community. The train is divided into compartments with different rooms for men and women. According to western culture, this is not the case as both men and women are expected to share an apartment. There is no differentiation between men and women’s apartments. It is in the men’s room that Samuel witnesses the murder of an undercover narcotics. This is followed by the entry of the detectives among them being John Book. The book is seen receiving a phone call which makes Samuel wander about in the room. He wonders because his Amish community is a conservative community and always avoids phone calls (New York Times 72). The movie, therefore, brings about the change in technology, which has become the mode of communication in western culture. Inside the room, there is a newspaper article that talks of McFee, one of the narcotics officers.

Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports - Essay Example The drama of performance on world scene is so overpowering that athletes sometime fall in the controversy of doping (use of performance enhancing drugs) in sports. A winning athlete is the star of the public eye just as a politician, musician or a literary figure and their image is a delicate balance training, character and publicity. When athlete resorts to taking performance enhancing drugs, they not only hurt themselves but in turn set in motion a chain of events that destroys the sport each time a new case surfaces. The controversy which has been built around athletic doping or use of performance enhancing drug to maximize sport performance can be traced back to 490 BC in the legendary marathon run by Feidipides, which made him a superhero at the cost of his life (Savulescu, et al. 2004). Performance enhancing drugs has been reported to be used even since the Greeks started the Olympics in 776 BC. Olympic athletes were believed to have used herbs and mushrooms in an attempt to improve their performance. However, it was not until the early 19th century that the problem became a menace to the sport. Today, the thrust for winning is so high that there are reports that performance-enhancing drugs have been used in college, high school and junior high/middle school athletics around the world (Kidsource OnLine, 1996). The desire to outperform the other competitors at any cost is so demanding. The performance oriented athletics with result at its core is fuelled by different levels of drugs which enhance shot-term and long-term performance. The progress in technology offers greater lure to administering different levels of biological intervention. ... The progress in technology offers greater lure to administering different levels of biological intervention. The health and the fitness should be the core of rational judgment rather than emotional euphoria of success. The use of doping takes away the human element of ethics and honesty in sports. An athlete stoops down to the level of an animal with no reason, choice or judgment. Some of the performance-enhancing drugs are dangerous; they have multitude physical, mental and emotional side effects ranging from short-term to long-term. Anabolic steroids are associated are associated with a range of side effects, including heart attacks and liver cancer. Some doping substances are permitted in low doses like alcohol and caffeine. Another form of doping is blood doping either by blood transfusion or use of the hormone erythropoietin. In recent times tetrahydrogestrinone(THG) and modafinil are causing controversy throughout the sporting world. The number and variety of drugs use by athletes are rather alarming. Substances used as ergogenic aids are meant to primarily increase size, endurance and strength of the athletes. Performance increasing drugs also include beta-adrenoceptor blockers and beta-adre noceptor agonists, calcium-channel blockers, diuretics, growth hormone and growth hormone stimulants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, iron, theophylline and in some situations, vitamins (Lajis, N.D.). These substances used to boost athletic performance, increase strength and improve appearance present a serious health risk. Use of enhancement drugs violates athlete's autonomy. Besides, such illegal acts questions their confidence, morals, ethics and takes away

Unit 4 Individual Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Unit 4 Individual Project - Essay Example on creates the incentive to trade the products you are good at producing in exporting transitions and the goods and services a country is not efficient at producing are imported into an economy. The end result of the trade activity among nation is a better standard of living of all the participating nations in international trade (Nobelprice, 2008). The Ricardian theory was derived from the principles of the Heckscher-Ohlin theory as far as its objectives. The theory is better than Heckscher-Ohlin because it adds the element of labor theory of value into the demand and supply approach used in the Heckscher-Ohlin economic model (Gontijo, 2000). Another major difference is the inclusion of the concept of competitive advantage into the Ricardian theory. Trade activity among trade partners positively affects the distribution of income of the countries involved in the transactions. The Heckscher-Ohlin model demonstrates the positive outcome of trade which increases the distribution of income the resident of nations. The way distribution of income is improved through trade is due to the appreciation of value as direct consequence of trade transactions. For example Argentina is able to produce apples at $1 a pound, and sells them in the open market at $1.75 per pound. In Brazil it cost $2 to produce the same apples, then Brazil has no incentive to produce apples since it can purchase them at $1.75 from Argentina. In the transaction Brazil acquired value in the form of $0.25 which is distributed in the economy of the nation and which positively affects the standard of living of all Brazilians. Factor endowment theory equalizes the relative costs between nations as well as the prices of factors of production (Csus). The principle assumption of the theory is that price equalization is derived from international activity trade among nations. The applicability of endowment theory is greatly enhanced by Leontief theory. The Leontief theory says that a country specialized in

Systems Engineering: RTV Silicone Sealant Application System

Systems Engineering: RTV Silicone Sealant Application System Abstract As technology advances seemingly exponentially in the 21st century, the need for more and more complex systems grows too. Continuous improvement is key to a successful, growing business. This envelops everything within the organisation and engineered systems are no exception. Complex engineered systems require a level of control, this control is important for producing quality products and services. Considering advancing technology and continuous improvement, organisations need to explore ways in which the performance of engineered systems can be maximised. Multi-agent systems (MAS) are a relatively new theory which is put into practice when monolithic systems cannot solve the problem, so as systems become more and more complex, the need for MAS increase. Glossary of Terms FTT defined as the percentage of engines that pass a process first time. JPH the number of engines which pass through a process per hour. RTV room temperature vulcanisation silicone sealant. MAS Multi-agent systems 1. Introduction At the Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC), Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) manufacture and assemble diesel and petrol engines. The author is a process engineer within the diesel assembly hall, whose main job role is to improve any assembly processes that negatively impact first time through (FTT) or jobs per hour (JPH). Currently, the issue that is causing the largest impact on said deliverables is the automatic application of RTV silicone sealant to the engine block to form a seal with the rear cover (Figure 1, below). This automated process has an average FTT of 61% and a value of 59 JPH over the past thirty days.ÂÂ   The target JPH value across the entire diesel assembly line is 68, which means this process is causing an average deficit of nine engines per hour causing considerable damage towards achieving production targets. The process itself is performed by two autonomous robots whereby one robot applies the sealant and the other robot holds the engine and moves it along a specified path. There are two HMIs present, one to program each robot. The robot holding the engine can be programmed with its position, its movement within the six degrees of freedom and its velocity. Whereas the only programmable functions are the start, end and speed and feed of the sealant. 2. Systems Engineering Life Cycle Stages The role of systems engineering is to ensure the success of a system, judged by how well its requirements and development objectives are met, its operation in the field and the length of its useful operating life. Systems engineering aims to establish a technical approach that will aid the operational maintenance and the eventual upgrading of the system. A system life cycle is a term used to encapsulate the evolution of a new system, where it begins with a concept and grows through development into production, operation and lastly, destruction. 2.1 Concept Development Where there is a desire for a new system, the concept development stage contains the planning and analysis required to affirm the need, the feasibility and the architecture for the new system to best satisfy the needs of the user. There are four main objectives of the concept development stage: Decide whether there is a market and need for a technically and economically feasible system. Design and confirm the system requirements after exploring different system concepts (see figure 3 below). This stage converts the system which has been derived from the needs analysis, into an engineering oriented view for the concept definition and development. When looking at performance requirements it is important to identify the major functions needed to complete the actions needed. In the case of this example, its functional elements should include, power robot, control movement, control speed, and apply RTV. To aid with this activity a systems engineer would use a function category versus functional media diagram (figure 4). Concept selection, agree on its characteristics and plan for the forthcoming stages of engineering, production and operation of the system. It answers the question what are the key characteristics of a system concept that would achieve the most beneficial balance between capability, operational life, and cost?[1]. Develop and validate any technological developments required by the new system. 2.2 Engineering Development Figure 4 (below) shows three stages of engineering development. Firstly, the advanced development stage incorporates two important purposes. One being the identification and reduction of risks, the second being the development of system specifications. Secondly, the engineering design phase is considerably more detailed than any stages preceding it. Usually, this stage offers an opportunity for potential customers to get an early look at the product, who can, in turn, provide valuable feedback to the developers. Lastly, the integration and evaluation phase is where the new system is installed and subsequently checked to ensure that it meets customer requirements. 2.3 Post Development Within the post-development phase there are two sub-phases; the production phase and the operations and support phase. The system is now being produced, for example, for a manufacturing environment. Occasionally there are unexpected issues that arise within the production of the system which requires a systems engineer to solve to prevent disruptions in the production schedule. Once the system is live, system support is critical. Maintenance personnel should be sufficient until more complex problems arise, where they need to call on the experience of systems engineers. 3. Function Block Diagram 4. Control Architecture 4.1 Centralised Control The centralised control system architecture has one component designated as the controller which is responsible for managing the execution of other components. The term architecture is used to suggest a focus on the relationship between the major structural elements in a system. This architecture falls into two classes depending on the execution of the controlled components, either sequentially or in parallel. These are the call-return model, only applicable in sequential systems, and the manager model, used in concurrent systems [3]. The main reasons to use centralised control architecture is that it is simple to conceive and due to its omniscience it can make optimal decisions which take all factors into account. However this architecture does have drawbacks, most notably the expense in which is required to create the control architecture, the control algorithm needs to be very complex. Furthermore, the degradation of any signal path can cripple the function of the entire system, so they can be fragile. 4.2 Hierarchical Control Organised in a hierarchical tree, this control system decomposes the problem and allocates it to separate controllers which take control of a subset of the system functions. This can exist over a number of levels, meaning each function could be controlled individually. Optimal control is still possible within a hierarchical architecture as there is always a path to a top-level node; however, not all information can travel through every path. Commonly some filtering of data occurs between levels. In contrast to centralised control, the control algorithm is much simpler due to decomposition. This means the time and cost of implementation are much lower. Between the different branches of the structure, there is a degree of independence, reducing the effect of system degradation. However, there is usually delay in the processing of each algorithm and in the feedback loop. 4.3 Heterarchical Control Heterarchical control architecture is more robust than hierarchical control and is very flexible and extensible. Additional system functions, such as manufacturing processes and equipment, can be added with almost no added system control cost. However, heterarchical architecture lacks centralised visibility of the system as a whole which means planning can be sub-optimal; this control system is sometimes referred to as being short sighted. Though this does mean that short-term decision making is very good. [4] 4.4 RTV Robot Cell Control System Centralised control is not suitable for the RTV robot cell system. The reason for this being the fact that it is too expensive to create and change. Additionally, the fault tolerance of the control system must be taken into account. A manufacturing line with such high demand for machine availability must not be crippled by the loss of just one signal. The most suitable and, as it happens, the current control system architecture for this system would be hierarchical. The main downside to this architecture is its response time when there are lots and lots of levels. However, its strengths are combines the strengths of the other two control architectures discussed, albeit slightly diluted. Heterarchical control has strengths that would be fantastic for an automated cell in a manufacturing environment, but its weaknesses deem it unacceptable. If one could combine hierarchical and heterarchical architectures and take away the myopic nature of heterarchy, it could be a system which improves how automated cells are controlled. 5. Multi-Agent Systems A multi-agent system is a system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents. For problems that are too difficult or even impossible for an individual agent to solve, multi-agent systems can be used. Commonly thought of as being computerised, the agents within a multi-agent system could also be robots, humans, human teams or a combination of humans and robots. There are three different types of agents: Passive agents, agents without goals. Active agents, agents with simple goals. Cognitive agents, agents containing complex calculations. Agents can also be reactive or deliberative, this can be represented by the BDI model (figure 6- below). BDI stands for Belief, Desire, Intention where belief is knowledge of the environment, desire is the need to satisfy an objective and intention is the ability to command action(s). Deliberative agents extend the BDI model to include a symbolic model of the external environment- including data and relationships, memory, the ability to plan and the ability to choose between alternative actions. One could make a case to incorporate multi-agent systems within an automated robot cell at the present time. There is a need for configurability, for example, when a new derivative of engine is introduced and the robot has to be programmed to function differently. The system will need robustness, so if one agent is lost it does not compromise the whole system. However using a hierarchical architecture provides a sufficient degree of configurability and robustness with less cost and complexity. Multi-agent systems provide dynamic task allocation rather than pre-planned schedules, for an automated robot cell this is not needed, automation needs efficiency in static conditions [5]. 6. Conclusion The automated RTV application robot cell is currently in the operational phase of the system lifecycle, it is in need of improvement however it is not the system that needs improving. The system works as it is meant to, however, it is the incorrect system that is in place which is causing the problems. As automotive technology moves towards electrification and autonomous behaviour there will be a need to include more and more multi-agent systems within the vehicles themselves but also within manufacturing systems. There will be a need for greater flexibility, adaptability, reconfigurability and collaboration.ÂÂ   Unfortunately, incorporating a multi-agent system in this instance would not have a positive impact on this system. 7. References [1] Kossiakoff, Sweet, Seymour, Biemer. (2011). System Life Cycle. In: Sage, A. Systems Engineering Principles and Practice. 2nd ed. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Inc.. 77. [2] Lecture provided PowerPoint slides. [3] Ian Sommerville. (2008). Centralized Control. Available: https://ifs.host.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Books/SE9/Web/Architecture/ArchPatterns/CentralControl.html. Last accessed 14/02/17. [4] J.M. van de Mortel-Fronczak and J.E. Rooda. (1997). Heterarchical Control Systems for Production Cells. . 1 (1), 213-217. [5] Various. (). Multi-agent system. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-agent_system. Last accessed 20/02/17.

If the White House Walls Could Talk :: American America History

If the White House Walls Could Talk They paint over me so many times as if they could cover up my memories. My memories cannot be covered up or erased, just as your memories they go on forever. I will never forget the Watergate scandal and Richard Nixon or women's rights from the mid-1800s to the 1900s. During the Watergate scandal, President Nixon corrupted justice, created a constitutional crisis, and eventually was forced to resign. President Richard Nixon corrupted justice. He led CREEP, which is the Republican committee for the re-election of the President. They sabotaged the Democratic Party. They were the actual burglars. CREEP were the people who really went into the Watergate apartments to wiretap and photograph documents. They raised tens of millions of dollars illegally for Nixon's reelection. Nixon alone without the people who worked under him hid tapes that contained evidence of the Watergate scandal. He only submitted excerpts from the tapes that made him look innocent. I remember when Nixon refused to hand over any of the other tapes. He claimed "executive privilege" and "separation of powers." From what the other walls and I saw after he was forced by the Senate to turn in the rest of the evidence he displayed complete dishonesty. He ignored lawful subpoenas; at leas t that is what the oval walls of Nixon's office told everyone. One of the West Wing's walls told me of speech he made saying he knew nothing of the Watergate cover-up and the nine months after the whole incident occurred he gave a speech taking responsibility and blame for the whole thing. The only good thing that I saw come out of the Watergate scandal was that it made the nation stronger. The United States of America survived a true constitutional test. It proved that impeachment is successful. Connecticut's Judge John Sirica, North Carolina's Senator Sam Ervin, and Professor Archibald Cox prosecuted Nixon for the Watergate scandal.

Domestic Partnership Essay

The advantages gained by providing benefits to domestic partners can outweigh the costs. This report will define domestic partnerships, outline the various benefits available for dependants, provide analysis related to the cost of providing benefits to dependants of domestic partnerships, discuss various benefit package options and related costs, and provide details related to the value the company stands to gain by offering such benefits. Domestic Partnership Domestic partnerships are generally thought of as a relationship between two members of the same sex. While same sex relationships garner most of the attention, domestic partnerships are not always between members of the same sex. California Family Code Section 297 defines domestic partners as â€Å"two adults who have chosen to share one another’s lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring. To establish a domestic partnership in California, a couple must file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership with the Secretary of the State, share a common residence, not be married or in a domestic partnership with someone else, not be related by blood, both are over the age of 18, both are the same sex, or opposite sex over the age of 62 and meet the eligibility criteria under the Social Security Act. Legal Issues Currently, 18 states offer domestic partner benefits for same-sex partners of state employees. Several state and local governments that offer health insurance and other benefits to employees’ unmarried domestic partners are currently facing lawsuits. Proponents of the Defense of Marriage Acts (DOMA) claim these constitutional amendments prohibit governments from offering such benefits to any dependent of a relationship that does not fit the state’s constitutional definition of marriage. Both gay-rights advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union dispute such amendments and are currently engaging DOMA proponents in courts across America in attempts to resolve their differences (Gentile, 2006). The costs associated with defending such legal matters can prove to be very cumbersome. Types of Employer Benefits When seeking employment, benefit packages play a major role in attracting and keeping employees. Employer benefits consist of more than the basic medical, dental, and vision plans. A variety of additional benefits being sought after by potential employees include, but are not limited to, retirement plans, life insurance and the family medical leave act. To qualify for domestic partner benefits, employees may be asked to sign a statement or submit an affidavit asserting they live with a domestic partner and are financially interdependent† (Greenwald, 2003). Health Insurance â€Å"For most nonelderly people in the United States, health insurance and access to health care derive from one’s own or a family member’s employment† (Ash and Badgett, 2006). In all fairness, these types of benefits should be offered to these types of families under the cu rrent guidelines of Domestic Partnership. Two levels of benefits are offered by employers, single coverage and family coverage. Single employees are at a disadvantage when it comes to compensation because some employers offer their employees a flexible benefit to assist with costs. These benefits will include all the same privileges that legally recognized families are currently receiving. The entitlement shall consist of doctor’s visits, prescription drug coverage, hospitalization, and eye exams (Briggs, 1994). Dental Benefits Dental care is an essential benefit which should be available to all family members. Preventive dental care could significantly reduce loss of productivity and catch problems before they become chronic or severe† (Gustin, 2003). Dental benefits are very affordable and valuable. One available option is for this company to offer dental as a voluntary option. This would enable the employees and their domestic partner to take advantage of the dental plan at a group rate, but the employee woul d be responsible for the cost (Gustin, 2003). Retirement/401K Retirement Plans and 401K’s are benefits that are only available to employees; however, choosing beneficiaries is a very important detail to these plans. Although domestic partners cannot be given all of the rights of spouses, plans can be structured to provide them with many of the benefits available for spouses† (Davis, 2007). In addition to being named as beneficiary, a hardship withdrawal can be taken based on the need of the domestic partner, and domestic partners will have the right to rollover death benefits (Davis, 2007). Life Insurance Employee life insurance is available at a more affordable rate through employer plans. Adding family members is an optional benefit. Under this plan, domestic partners and children would be entitled to life insurance coverage for just pennies a day. This would incur no expense for the employer and the employee would benefit from a group rate. Cost to Employees and Employers The cost of healthcare is on the rise and no end to this crisis is in sight. Most people believe all employers should offer health insurance to its employees; however, with the cost of healthcare so high companies who offer these benefits are trying to find ways to offset costs. If all employers did offer health, dental, and life insurance, who would cover the cost? A survey administered by the Commonwealth Fund titled The Public’s Views on Healthcare Reform in the 2008 Presidential Election asked that question to 3,500 randomly selected adults. 70% of people surveyed thought the cost should be shared equally between the employer, employees, and the government. 80% of the people surveyed also thought that if an employer did not offer health insurance they should contribute to the cost of coverage (Lubell, 2008). Tax Equity The Tax Equity for Domestic Partner and Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2007 was introduced March 29, 2007. The act states employers offering healthcare insurance have to provide healthcare coverage to domestic partners, same-sex or opposite sex. This law has been added to stop federal tax inequalities same-sex couples currently face when receiving healthcare benefits offered by their employers (Postal, 2007). The new law significantly affected employers in the Northeast and Western states because 42% of larger companies in the Northeast, and 38% of companies in the West have same-sex domestic partner healthcare coverage. Only 14% of large companies in the Midwest and 10% of companies in the south have this type of coverage (Cohen, 2004). Dual Coverage Because the cost of healthcare has increased 15% since 2003, some states in the U. S. have prohibited employees from claiming their spouses/domestic partners as dependents; thus, prohibiting dual coverage in the workforce. Banning dual coverage for these employees saves the state tax payers several million dollars per year while the employees and their families have suitable health insurance coverage. Employees rely on dual health insurance coverage to cover out of pocket costs resulting from procedures which are not fully covered by their primary carrier. Dual coverage insurance can save families hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per year, but can potentially cost the employer hundreds or thousands more (Employer-Sponsored, 2004). Annual Cost According to a research study performed by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Education Trust in 2006, private employers nationwide spend an average of $4,242 for single coverage and $11,480 for family coverage on employer sponsored health insurance coverage annually (Employer Health, 2006). Whether the employee is a single hetero-sexual or homo-sexual the rate for single coverage remains the same. The same for family coverage, the married hetero-sexual couple and the same-sex or opposite-sex domestic partners family coverage cost also remains the same. Employees are paying an average of $1,860 for single coverage and $4,848 for family coverage annually. These costs are causing employers to raise workers’ insurance premiums or reduce coverage. Some companies perform internal audits to eliminate ineligible dependents, older children, and ex-spouses/ex-domestic partners. If an employer finds dependents on an employees’ insurance that should not have been covered, the employee is required to pay back medical bills and insurance premiums through payroll deductions (Employer-Sponsored, 2004). Using information from these internal audits employers may notice a slight domestic partner enrollment increase: 0. 1%-0. 3% for gay and lesbian partners and 1. 3%-1. 8% for heterosexual partners. The increase in enrollment does not significantly affect the annual cost to the employer for employer-sponsored benefits provided to domestic partners and their families (Ash and Badgett, 2006). Benefits to the Company Healthcare continues to be a concern to both employees and employers. Employers are developing and offering programs and incentives to attract various types of workers, including those in domestic partner relationships, to attract more qualified candidates. Making benefits available to an employee’s domestic partner, a company is likely to hire and retain an employee whose work output is optimal. Employees in a domestic partner relationship appreciate their employer considering their particular need which results in a higher production rate. Davis 2007). Increased Productivity An employee who is healthy and has a healthy family is less likely to call in sick and take unnecessary time off to care for his or her family. In a study conducted by Ipsos-Reid (2004), two main contributors to employee absenteeism are depression and stress. Health benefits made available to an employee and his or her domestic partner can help reduce these factors. Mark Cauthen, benefit manager for the city of Colorado Springs, believes if one’s dependents feel better, the employee is more productive and focused at work (Wojcik, 2007). Preventative Measures Many companies have recognized the importance of helping employees manage their work and personal lives. Some of the more common preventive measure benefits currently being offered to employees, their domestic partners, and other immediate family members residing in the home are: wellness, flu shots, and fitness programs. Offering these various programs help the employee feel the employer cares for the health of his or her family resulting in increased productivity (Meghji 2007). Lower attrition rates An employer must also be concerned with the effect of employee retention. Currently 50% of Fortune 500 companies are providing benefits to employees involved in same sex domestic partnerships and heterosexual partnerships. Conclusion Offering benefits to domestic partners makes good business sense. While providing benefits to domestic partners may slightly increase employer cost, the benefits will prove profitable. As the research has indicated, enrollment will increase slightly which will not pose a financial hardship to any corporation.

Evelution of Satalites

Evelution of Satalites The satellite is probably the most useful invention since the wheel. Satellites have the capability to let you talk with someone across the nation or let you close a business deal through video communication. Almost everything today is heading towards the use of satellites, such as telephones. Att has used this communications satellite (top right) ever since the late 1950s. TVS and radios are also turning to the use of satellites. RCA and Sony have released satellite dishes for Radio and Television services. New technology also allows the military to use satellites as a weapon. The new ION cannon is a satellite that can shoot a particle beam anywhere on earth and create an earthquake. They can also use it's capability for imaging enhancement, which allows you to zoom in on someone's nose hairs all the way from space.Robert Gossard (left) was one of the most integral inventors of the satellite.MILSTAR: A communication satelliteHe was born on October 5, 1882. He earned his Masters and Doctoral degree in Physics at Clark University. He conducted research on improving solid-propellant rockets. He is known best for firing the world's first successful liquid-propellant rocket on March 16, 1926. This was a simple pressure-fed rocket that burned gasoline and liquid oxygen. It traveled only 56m (184 ft) but proved to the world that the principle was valid. Gossard Died August 10, 1945. Gossard did not work alone, he was also in partnership with a Russian theorist named Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. Tsiolkovsky was born on September 7, 1857. As a child Tsiolkovsky educated himself and rose to become a High School teacher of mathematics in the small town of Kaluga, 145km (90mi) south of Moscow. In his early years Tsiolkovsky caught scarlet fever and became 80% deaf. Together, the theoretical work of Russian Konstantin Tsiolkovsky and...

Samsung Essays - Semiconductor Companies, Chaebol, Samsung

Samsung Essays - Semiconductor Companies, Chaebol, Samsung Samsung Samsung Quick Background - 1938 founded as a trading company - in the 50s-60s went into anything imaginable - like insurance- paper- aerospace- property- retailing - used this base to lay themselves out for the semiconductor field Lets Break Down how they did it 1) Entry into semiconductors- 75-83 - bought a smaller semiconductor company in S.K. - wanted to expand out of low end goods - worked with Micron Tech. and other US firms - had American engineers at plants helping them 2) Catching the field - producing goods but wanted to be at the same level - to do this put lots of $ into the department - trial and error learning - accumulated debt- but looked toward the future - by late 80s started seeing sales boom 3) Becoming a Leader - started to overtake the U.S. and Japan firms it learned from in some categories - U.S. and Japan instead of helping out simply bought in huge quantities - first company with 64 bit DRAM technology - continued investment - forged equal partnerships to remain at the front of technology So What are We Supposed to get out of this? - these firms show typical strategies of late- comer firms - to do this they had a assembly learning period, then process development, and began to innovate - they utilized foreign know how - balanced perfectly the rate of growth - organizational innovation - because their learning achievements are cumulative and built upon solid foundations, South Korean firms are well positioned to create new market opportunities and to respond to the fast-changing pace of electronics technology Pats Tid Bits - Hyundai 19 percent sales- Samsung 13 - Brad has a Samsung microwave- 1/5 of US microwaves 92 - Chaebol- the big business groupings - its hard for Korea to be flexible given its culture - my interviews Bibliography Samsung

Management Accounting Techniques and decisions Essay

Management Accounting Techniques and decisions - Essay Example The aspect of erasing the salary part improves the wholesome performance of the managers with the development of workplace initiatives, team work, adaptability, compliance to business policies thereby resulting in increase of the production and the service levels of the organization. The incentives are often linked in the right way to the performance measures with appropriate weight-ages to the several benchmarks of performance measurement (Marr and  Gray, 2012, p.68). The manager’s ability to meet the benchmark standards determine the rewards and the compensation that are received by them. The higher the achievements of the manager in comparison to the benchmark standards, the higher the rewards the managers should be eligible to receive. The benchmarks are set in the various areas of operation of the organization in order to fulfil its organizational objectives. These areas which include benchmark standards of performance of the employees are aimed at fulfilling the financ ial goals of the company, the customer service, the standards of the internal processes and the learning goals of the organization (Tonchia and  Quagini, 2010, p.78). The financial benchmarks of the manager’s performance indicates the desired output from the managers that would contribute to the attainment of certain production volumes in line with the quality standards to be maintained for the products. Thus the benchmarks help in assessing the extent to which the manager has been able to contribute to the production volumes of the company and at the same time maintained the quality of production (Niven, 2010, p.34). The use of benchmarks in measuring the performance helps to identify the short cut approaches adopted by the employees which is aimed at fulfilling the short term goals but do not fulfil the organizational objectives. The benchmark system helps to understand whether the performance of the managers has been up to the mark in all aspects of the manager’s performance, like in this case both product quantity as well as quality. The benchmarks set in the area of customer service is also important to measure the performance of the managers as this is also an important area considered for the sustainability of the business of the organizations. The various benchmarks in the area of performance measures for customer service includes the turn-around time to the customers, the number of complaints that have been lodged by the customers, the time taken for the resolution of complaints by the manager. These benchmarks help to measure the extent to which the manager has been able to respond to the customer requests which is determined the turnaround time. The compromise of any one of the performance measures may lead to complaints from the customer. The benchmarks determine the rate at which complaints have been filed against the work of the managers and thus indicate the gaps with the benchmark standards of performance. The benchmark system a lso provides an insight on the effectives of the manager in resolution of customer complaints. The inputs received from the

War And Civilization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

War And Civilization - Assignment Example Wars have been the violent catalyst for changes throughout history. Wars are, however, part of the agencies that help bring changes and progress in human life and the world. It might sound absurd, but wars are part of the human life activities. Wars simulate national growth, advancement in information technology, medical research, and solve some of the most complex political differences. They evoke bravery and heroism among communities and nations. In medical and health care systems, war has been the subject of appreciation as it has promoted human civilization. It is indeed a catalyst that has brought advances in medical science. Most of the chemical medicines and surgical techniques used in clinics and hospitals were not discovered when people were at peace in their homes. They were discovered and advanced when the need arose particularly when casualties of wars were in dire need of medication. Diseases such as Pestilent that evolved out of the war needed the rapid response with th e appropriate medical treatment (Smith, 2006). There are indeed several contributions of war to human civilization. The US, for example, had economic gains for its people from both World War I and II. If one looks the wars as agents of world peace, they did succeed in promoting peace and keeping the world safe. World War II eliminated Hitler who was a threat to the peace and unity of many people. In the 1973 war, Israel won a battle that enabled it to expand boundaries and acquire land that was previously a forbidden territory.