Technology in Satellite Internet

Technology is getting better each day. The Internet is one of the best, if not the best, technology that was invented on this century. Internet allows us to see the world that we have not seen. Internet widens our knowledge on certain perspectives and information. Internet makes learning easier and more accessible as compared to the past century before it was invented. It allows us to see places that we cannot see physically. In short, it gave us the world of easier and more accessible pool of knowledge. Dial-up Internet access was the first innovation that was used to connect to the Internet. This type of Internet connectivity connects through the Internet using the customary telephone line. The telephone line is then connected to a modem, a device that needs to be attached on the computer to allow internet access. By configuring the computer to dial up a specific telephone number of an Internet Service Provider (ISP), Internet is already accessible. The next innovation used to connect through the Internet was the Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). This type of Internet connectivity was the widely used type of Internet connectivity on these days. Compared to a dial-up connection, DSL is faster as they are designed for use with high-speed DSL connections. Recently, another innovation in Internet connectivity was introduced to the market, the satellite Internet. Satellite Internet, from the name itself, connects to the Internet using satellite. The outgoing and the incoming data are sent and arrive at the computer through the satellite. Hardware that is needed to be installed on the computer to have this type of internet connection includes satellite dish antenna and a transceiver which works in the microwave portion of the radio spectrum. This type of Internet connection is recommended for residents and business establishments that do not have access on DSL or cable internet on their location. This research paper aims to take a closer look on the technology behind satellite Internet. What is satellite internet? Satellite Internet provides Internet through satellite. It is connected to a dish network subscriber service. The speed that satellite internet provides is just the same as those provided by other broadband technologies. However, not all locations have DSL or cable internet providers. Some rural areas lack DSL and cable internet service. Satellite Internet solves this problem for it can be connected anywhere as long as there is electricity to power a computer system. There are three types of services offered in satellite internet: (1) One-way multicast; (2) One-way with terrestrial return; and (3) Two-way satellite access. IP multicast-based data, audio, and video distribution are the usage of one-way multicast satellite Internet systems. This type of service is recommended for TV and radio contents as they need modest user interface. This happens because full interactivity is not possible for this type of service. FCC license is a requirement in the United States for the uplink station though there it is not needed for the users. Because of this, most Internet protocols does not work adequately on one-way access because a return channel is needed. By pushing to a local storage at end user sites, webpage can still be distributed on the Internet. Interface to the Public Switched Telephone Network for squawk box application is a system hardware component needed for this type of service. On the other hand, custom programming at the remote site is needed for the system software component. Filter, store, present a selection interface to, and display data are the tasks needed to be performed by the software at the remote site. While provision of access control, priority queue, sending, and summarizing of data are the tasks needed to be performed by the software at the Teleport. Used with a dial up access to the Internet, together with outbound data traveling with the use of a modem, one-way terrestrial return satellite Internet systems downloads are sent through satellite having the speed almost the same as those offered speed by other broadband Internet services. The transmitting station or the Teleport is needed component of system hardware. This transmitting station has two components: (1) Internet connection and (2) Satellite uplink. Minimum programming that can provide authentication and set Proxy server settings are needed by the remote sites, which is the system software component. Compared to a dial up modem, this type of satellite Internet service’s speed is faster and latency is higher. Speed of download is faster than dial-up modem but slower than terrestrial broadband methods. According to sattellitemaps. om, two-way satellite Internet sends data from remote sites via satellite to a hub, which then sends the data to the Internet. To avoid obstruction with other satellites, the satellite dish must be accurately positioned on each location. Obstruction with these systems can be caused by oscillators in various radar detectors. To adjust the amount of transmit power, each location is required to use power management. TDMA and S CPC are the two types of two-way satellite Internet. Internet speed for this type of service uncommonly exceeds one megabit per second and the latency can reach up to one second. Speed, in general, for satellite Internet can be two-megabits per second (Mbps) for downstream and one-megabit per second for upstream. On the other hand, a typical dial-up Internet connection speed reaches only 53 kilobits per second (Kbps). Therefore, satellite Internet is by far faster than a dial-up Internet connection. Though satellite Internet solves the problem of those who live in areas that do not have DSL or cable Internet services, it still has its drawback. It is generally expensive as compared to dial-up and DSL connection. High latency, which means signal delay, is another drawback of satellite Internet. A request for a webpage from a satellite Internet subscriber travels 22,300 miles to reach a satellite in a geostationary orbit. Another 22,300 miles is traveled by the signal upon reaching the geostationary orbit back to the earth. Lastly, another 22,300 miles must be traveled for the signal to reach the user. All in all, the total distance traveled by the information is 89,200 miles. The total distance is what the user is paying for this type of Internet connection. Average latency, on the other hand, is approximately 500-700 milliseconds. In short, latency cannot be avoided in satellite Internet. Thus, it is not recommended for some Internet activities such as multiplayer online gaming. In general, satellite Internet is by far faster than a dial-up connection but still slower as compared to other broadband technologies such as DSL and cable internet connection. How does satellite internet works? The Technology behind the Innovation The large satellite dish is the hub station. Its average diameter ranges from 6 meters to 32 meters. Receive gain is dependent on the size of the satellite dish. The large size of the satellite dish brings high receive gain and sensitivity. Transmit power is minimized through the large dish. The large size also brings high transmit gain at the same time minimizes the transmitter power at the hub. A router to interface to the external ISP network, DVP-IP encapsulator that will insert the IP data into a format of MPEG-2, DVB multiplexer, continuous modulator, timing clock, up-converter, and high power amplifier are the transmit Hub Common Equipment (HCE). Meanwhile, low noise amplifier, down-converter, timing and distribution of MF-TDMA demodulator unit and multiple MF-TDMA demodulator units for each inbound carrier to be received simultaneously are the components of receive HCE. Having high sensitivity is a requirement for the satellite uplink so it can function well in small dish transmits services. If the uplink beam coverage area is small, high sensitivity is easily achieved. Adequate high gain setting is also a need for the satellite transponder. This will be easily achieved but it should be specified fist before satellite construction begins. Through a remote control of a gain step attenuator, adjustment of the gain of satellite is possible. On the other hand, a lower gain setting is preferable for large dish services. Frequency bands for satellite internet can be any of the following: (A) C band 4/6 GHz; (B) Ku band 10-12/14 GHz; or (C) higher Ka band. Among all the customer terminals, a large outlink carrier from the hub is shared. It has a bit rate of 60 Mbits/s rate. It is also ETSI-compliant for modulation and FEC. Quadrature or 8 Phase Shift Keying (QPSK or 8-PSK) is the format of the outlink carrier. The following are the ways of transmitting digital data. For a particular bit rate, both need the approx and the same power from the satellite but 8-PSK concentrates the power into half the bandwidth (VSAT, 2005). 8-PSK becomes viable with dual satellite transponder bit rate capacity if there is a powerful satellite and maybe larger remote terminals. A series of symbols, where each symbol has four to eight possible states, form the carrier. Thus, each symbol conveys two to three binary bits per symbol. Forward error correction systems are used, which add extra bits to form a higher transmission bit rate, to attain an insignificant bit error rate for the information. A pragmatic Trellis type is the inner code together with the 8-PSK. MPEG-2 with DVB Multi-Protocol Encapsulation (DVB-MPE) format for IP data is the data stream format. The extra forward error correction bits, found at the customer receiver, are utilized to perceive errors and basically correct all of them. Another important component in satellite Internet is the Return Channel Satellite Terminals (RCST) outdoor unit (ODU). The following are its components: (1) Parabolic antenna reflector; (2) Feed; (3) Ortho-mode transducer; (4) Filters; and (5) Transmit/receive radio frequency modules. The received downlink from a satellite is normally collected by the reflector. It is better to have a bigger size of the reflector. Most dishes used are of offset front fed parabolic shape with the feed at the bottom on an arm (VSAT, 2005). Appearance of radio signal from the radio equipment until it reaches the air functions in the feed. To allocate power across the dish area is its primary function. It should also be considered that the position of the dish must be at the focus of the parabolic dish shape. Division of the two polarizations positioned at linear and right angles are performed by the Ortho-Mode Transducer (OMT). The function of the two polarities is for the other to transmit and the other to receive. To avoid the transmitter from obstructing the receiver, filters are inserted. It is also used to attach the transmitter and receiver. Up-converting of the signals to transmit frequencies and amplifying them before transmission is the function of transmit module. Powers are directly proportional to transmit bit rates. The higher the power, the greater is the transmit bit rates. If there is RCST-ODU, there is also Return Channel Satellite Terminal (RCST) Linkstar indoor unit, which is an integrated unit that has connections for two coax cables to the antenna and a CAT5 10/100 Base-T connection for an ethernet cable that is linked to the subscriber’s computing equipment. The received MPEG-2 stream is recovered from the outbound signal by an integrated circuit consisting of a DVB-S demodulator and de-multiplexer (VSAT, 2005). The outbound signal is demodulated by this logic. The IP packets that are aimed for precise customer terminal are recovered by the demux, which is then delivered to the external network via the ethernet interface. RCST is responsible in preparing the data into short packets or bursts that are conveyed according to a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) system. If you are interested in connecting your personal computer or a local area network, the least complex installation will involve a single computer that is connected with ethernet cable. The basic task is to set the IP address and subnet mask. On the other hand, local area network can be connected through the use of a local router. This will allow many computers on a local area network, cafe, and wireless LAN to be connected. Future Trends in Satellite Internet As we all know, satellite Internet is just a recent innovation for Internet connection. Thus, it still needs to be improved and developed further to allow more people to benefit from this innovation. In the near future, IP protocols are expected to improve at the same time compatible to SAT channel. Voice over IP is also a future trend for satellite internet. Since satellite Internet is costly these days, it is expected to have a lower cost specifically in storage devices in the near future. Traffic over satellites is one of the drawbacks of satellite Internet. However, it is an expected trend in the future to have a more advance hardware and software that will handle and improve traffic over satellites. New networks and traffic management systems is also expected. Innovation in antennas, switching, MMIC, and bandwidth use are expected to get better as satellite internet attracts more market share. Lastly, new satellite systems that use new frequencies such as Ka, V, and Optical systems are also expected to occur in the near future for satellite Internet. Companies Involved in Satellite Internet Teleglobe is one of the largest Internet backbone access providers to Latin America. Recently, it just closed the deal of providing satellite access to content located on Teleglobe’s global Internet backbone network to the University of Costa Rica. It is the leading provider of Internet backbone access services to carriers and ISPs all over Latin America. In addition to its services, it also provides access services for research and education networks throughout the world. Another satellite Internet provider is the Panamsat Corporation. It is included among the world’s top three satellite operators. It manages a global fleet of 30 satellites, which 23 of these satellites are owned by the company. It also supports the largest satellite-based business networks in United States. Its services benefits cable television systems, broadcast affiliates, direct-to-home operators, Internet service providers, and telecommunication companies. One of the global leaders in the market of broadband satellite networks and services is Hughes Network Systems. It provides its services to enterprises, governments, small businesses, and consumers. Globecomm Systems Inc. acquired all the shares of Netsat Express Inc. in June 2001 and decided to combine the services offered by both companies. This acquisition improved Globecomm’s position in the field of satellite-based communications and Internet solutions. Another satellite-based company is the Intelsat. It is the largest provider of fixed satellite services all over the world. These are just some of the companies using satellite for the services that they are offering to the market. Another provider of satellite Internet in Australia and other countries in Asia is Orion Satellite Broadband. Generally, Orion is a provider of wide-ranging telecommunications solutions. However, their primary focus is on developing innovations and approaches to some issues and challenges in communications that cannot be solve by conventional providers. Satellite Internet is one of their services to solve the problem of Internet accessibility. It is also developed and operated by HughesNet in the United States. Another provider of satellite Internet is the partnership of Zaksat and Fantastic Corporation. Zaksat is known as one of the leaders in satellite operator in Middle East countries. Fantastic Corporation is a Swiss-American company that focuses on software technology. The partnership of Zaksat and Fantastic Corporation aims to provide broadband multimedia services among businesses and household consumers in the Middle East, India, Asia, and Australia. In Australia and New Zealand, Netaccess Satellite is the leading provider of satellite Internet. It provides high-speed, business-grade Internet connection even on remote areas of the country. The satellite that they are using for their services, which is their own satellite Optus, covers 100% of countries Australia and New Zealand. The benefits that they are offering their consumers include lightning-fast broadband anywhere in the country, wider coverage of Internet access, ideal Internet access backup, trusted and quality performance, 24-hours customer support, and reporting tools. In countries Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon, Cyprus, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Syria, and Turkmenistan iDirect is the leading provider of two-way broadband Internet access. Their services can benefit private consumers, businesses, and institutions. Speed, performance, and flexibility is what they are offering to their services offer the market. There are others that are not mentioned here. These companies are proofs that satellite Internet can benefit and have a large share on the market of Internet providers. Regulatory Issues in Satellite Internet Just like in cable Internet, privacy and speed are the major drawbacks in satellite Internet. Another of its drawback is its susceptibility during bad weather conditions. Redefinition and recasting of 1934 Communications Act is shown in Telecommunications Act of 1996. Its primary goal is to address the emergence of competition in previously monopolistic markets. However, many still believe that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is not enough to solve and address the issues of the continually changing telecommunications environment. Innovations and changes in the technology of telecommunications include the advancement of Internet in supplying data, voice, and video. Convergence in the telecommunications sector is also a factor that is considered for the need of revision of the act. Some of the issues that concerns broadband communications are as follows: (A) Traditional providers who enter new markets, which they do not hold any power; (B) Extent of existing regulations that should be imposed on new entrants while they compete for traditional providers in the same market; (C) Suitable regulatory framework that will be imposed in new and converging technologies which are not classified in the present framework. Broadband technologies are major considerations in the policy debate. Questions on whether the present regulations are enough to address the issues concerning competition and consumer benefits and satisfaction. Global Implications of Satellite Internet The primary implication of satellite Internet is its geographically advantage over other broadband providers. It solves the problem of Internet accessibility, especially in rural areas where there are no providers of DSL or cable Internet connection. Though innovations and technical advances are continuously arising in today’s world, there are still some who do not have the access to these technologies. Internet is one of the best innovations in today’s century. Though, there are still some who do not have access to it. This is where the function of satellite Internet comes in. It offers an alternative to many consumers. However, its price is generally expensive compared to other broadband providers. Other drawbacks include its delay in delivering of data and its susceptibility on bad weather. As compared to dial-up Internet connectivity, it is by far faster in terms of speed. However, when compared to other broadband technologies such as DSL or cable Internet, it offers just the same speed and other benefits with higher price. As a summary, satellite Internet provides an alternative Internet connection to many geographically challenged areas that do not have connection for DSL or cable Internet. It is not recommended for those who have broadband connections in their area for it has higher price and delay in relaying information especially on bad weather conditions. It diversified the market for consumers in terms of Internet connection.

Shui Fabrics Question 1 Ans

Economic factors include economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and theinflation rate. These factors have major impacts on how businesses operate and makedecisions. For example, interest rates affect a firm’s cost of capital and therefore to what extent a business grows and expands. Exchange rates affect the costs of exporting goods and supply and price of imported goods in an economy. There are economic differences that influence the relationship between the partners at Shui Fabrics. Chiu Wai, operated Shanghai Fabrics LTC located in China, before it became a joint venture with Rocky River Industries in the United States. When the companies became a venture, Chiu Wai became the Deputy General Manager for Shui Fabrics in China and venturing company Rocky River Industries located in US. Ray Betzell who is the General Manager for Shui Fabrics came to China from Rocky River Industries. Many companies who do business in others countries and cultures fail miserably. Managers must do their homework and learn the business ethic and culture lifestyles before even considering venturing into markets in different counties. To me it seems like neither of the managers did their homework and are having problems maintaining the economic factors that influence their company. A developing country is a non-industrialized poor country that is seeking to develop its resources by industrialization. A developed country is a country that has a high level of development according to some criteria such as income per capita and industrialization. Political-Legal factors include discrimination, consumer, antitrust, employment, and health and safety law. They also include how and to what degree a government intervenes in the economy. Specifically, political factors include areas such as tax policy, labor law, environmental law, trade restriction tariffs, and political stability. These factors can affect how a company operates, its costs, and the demand for its products. Political factors may also include goods and serves which the government wants to provide or be provided and those that the government does now want to be provided. Furthermore, governments have great influence on the health, education, and infrastructure of a nation. Political officials are going to be a big part of the team because they have strong influence on economic life in China. Ray must reach out to them and understand their goals. Success will depend on the personal involvement of top executives. The partners differ dramatically in terms of what constitutes an acceptable financial return. Chiu Wai is happy with achieving a 5% to 6% profit and believes he is viewed as a local hero. Upon achieving his goal he feels that he has done a good job for his country morally and for their side of enterprise by creating jobs for close to 3,000 people. He wants to grow the scope of Shui Fabrics and establish a national brand. Ray Betzell wants a 20% ROI and will only consider growth if it improves profitability, has no interest in creating employment unless it improves the bottom line, is considering maybe having to layoff employees to improve bottom line. He wants to improve quality, and sees no benefit to creating a Chinese brand because it views China as a low-cost manufacturing platform rather than a market. Social factors include the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, populations growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safely. Trends in social factors affect the demand for a company’s products and how the company operates. With this being said, Ray needs to move outside his personal comfort zone as a manager. There seems to be a lack of clear, shared strategy between the two partners. When the company started 10 years ago, Rocky River has launched Shui Fabrics, a 50/50 joint venture between the U. S. extile manufacture and the Chinese company, to produce dye, and coat fabric for sale to both Chinese and international sportswear manufacturers. Intent seemed clear in beginning after many obstacles, considerable red tape and several money losing years the joint venture was fulfilling China expectations and those of local government and party officials. It seems there was once a clear strategy that has been forgotten over the course of ten year s. Another social factor that is different between the partners would be that a profit over 20% return on investment may be perceived as Western exploitation. When it comes to doing business in China, respect for people’s feelings is paramount – this sensitivity that needs to be taken in respect to people’s ‘face’. Face – a cliche, is the currency of advancement. It’s like a social bank account. You spend it and you save it and you invest. And when you take away somebody’s face you take way someone’s fundamental sense of security. Because of China’s history of exploitation by foreign countries who colonized China or raided China for business purposes, particularly in the business sphere, Chinese do not want to be seen culturally as having been ‘had’ by Western usinesspeople. (http://www. nytimes. com/2010/12/14/business/global/14iht-busnav14. html)Chiu Wai is pleased with the way the company is operating and feels that Shui is generating just the right level of profit especially because many U. S. -Chinese joint ventures are still operating in red tape. He se es no reason why Ray’s American bosses shouldn’t be more than satisfied with their 5% annual return on investment. This tells me that Chiu is unclear of his company’s strategic goals. Without a clear strategy it is impossible to choose right structure and extent of cooperation with a foreign partner. Unfortunately Chiu Wai attitude at Shui Fabrics jeopardizes the success of joint venture investment. As you can see the partners don’t share the same vision or philosophy at Shui Fabrics, the joint venture within China and the U. S. The disparity in viewpoints can dramatically hamper performance. In order for them to make the company succeed they need to come up with a clear, shared strategy that they both can agree and understand. Power Distance is the extent to which a community accepts and endorses authority, power differences and status privileges. In China, social relationships are formal, hierarchical. People mostcomfortable in the presence of a hierarchy in which they know their position andthe customs/rules for behavior in the situation. The Americans social relationships are informal, egalitarian. People mostcomfortable with their social equals; importance of social rankings minimized. 2. Uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which a society, organization, or group relies onsocial norms, rules, and procedures to alleviate the unpredictability of future events. In China, obligation relationships with other people involve reciprocalobligations. In American, obligation people avoid interdependent relationships andsituations that might entail long term obligations. 3. Individualism and collectivism Individualism stands for a society in which the ties between individuals are loose and everyone is expected to look after him/herself and hisor her immediate family only. Collectivism stands for society in which people from birthonwards are integrated into strong cohesive in-groups, which throughout people’slifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. The Chinese are collectivist because they place higher value on groupcooperation and individual modesty. The Americans are individualism because they place higher value on self-reliance. Self-promotion is more accepted. High value on freedom from externallyimposed constraints. 4. Masculinity/femininity indicates the extent to which dominant values in a society tendto be assertive and look more interested in things than in concerning for people and thequality of life. The Chinese are relationship-oriented maintaining a harmonious relationshiphas priority over accomplishing tasks. Americans have task-oriented relationships that are less important than gettingthe work done. 5. Assertiveness is the degree to which individuals are assertive, confrontational, andaggressive in their relationships with others. The Chinese avoid direct confrontation, open criticism, and controversionaltopics. Concern maintaining harmony and with face. Americans are willing to confront directly, criticize, discuss controversionaltopics, press personal opinions about what they consider the truth. Little concernwith face. 6. Future Orientation is the degree to which a collective encourages and rewards futureoriented behaviors such as planning and delaying gratification. The Chinese pay relatively more attention to the past and the longer termfuture. Americans are less interested in the past they focus on the near-term future7. Gender differentiation is the degree to which a collective minimized gender inequality. In China, traditionally a person’s status in the society was based importantlyon inherited characteristics such as age, gender, and family. This is changing. In America, traditionally a person’s status in the society was based importantlyon inherited characteristics such as age, gender, and family. This is changing. 8. Performance orientation

Zara: It for Fast Fashion

Zara: IT for Fast Fashion Identification of issues: The case study, Zara: IT for Fast Fashion, focuses on the retail giant, Inditex, and how its largest retail chain, Zara, has been so successful with their business model of high fashion, product variation, low cost, speed, and flexibility. Several issues are identified in this case study. One glaring issue that is apparent relates to the fact that a long term Information Technology (IT) strategy does not exist. There is no formal system in place to plan and predict for their future needs, including operational and capital expenses.Another issue consists of the retailer not having a centralized distribution system in place, their stores do not share inventory counts, and the managers do not have a system in place to look up their inventory balances in their stores or other stores, (they accomplish this by canvassing the stores). Another significant current issue relates to the fact that their current IT system is unsustainable, as th e equipment is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Their IT system is not wireless, their screens are small, they are using styluses, which can be cumbersome, and older technology such as floppy disks and modems.The last issue involves a lack of shared knowledge of the current system in place; one person is relied upon and depended for knowledge of the systems functionality. Being so dependant upon one person places the whole system at risk. Importance of the key issue: The key issue in this case study involves whether or not Inditex should upgrade the retailer’s information technology infrastructure and capabilities or whether they should continue using their current system. The problem that Zara faces now is that their current system, P-O-S (Point of Sales terminals), runs on DOS, which Microsoft does not support any longer.Any hardware change in the POS terminal would not be compatible with their current POS software. Without an upgrade, they risk that their current sup plier could no longer support them. Investing in IT infrastructure is inevitable as Microsoft DOS is obsolete technology and there is no guarantee that their POS vendor will continue supplying the same terminal without changes to their hardware. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) are currently used in all Zara stores, POS terminals are not connected with Zara’s headquarters or with other stores. here is no system in place to link employees’ daily sales, causing employees to copy this information onto a floppy disk. Zara’s success and main business strategy is dependent upon their ability to respond very quickly to the demands of their customers. By upgrading their current system, they could add functionality and capabilities that could resolve other issues they face, such as sharing inventory, and being proficient at matching supply and demand. They can comfortably meet their mission by keeping current with fashion.Without the infrastructure to support i t, it would be impossible to accomplish, as they would not have the security controls, and back up systems in place. This issue is more important than any other issue to resolve, as Zara’s mission, success and future depends on technology reliability and accuracy. If this issue is not resolved, it is impossible to address all of the other issues identified above. Key Stakeholders: There are numerous stakeholders who are affected by the key issue of whether or not they should upgrade their IT Zara’s customers system want the latest fashions in stock, in their size and color, in a timey fashion.By having an upgraded, efficient IT system, Zara’s customers could experience better inventory controls to meet their needs. This in turn develops customer loyalty which equates to a higher volume of sales. Another key stakeholder is Zara’s employees. Employees want job security. A well defined, upgraded, efficient IT system can assist in sales volume, which turns in to profit for the company. Employees also want to reduce their workload and redundancy. Their current system does not take advantage of functional automation and communication, which can increase their work load.Another stakeholder, Zara’s IT vendor, certainly wants to maintain their business relationship with them, but may find it difficult to continue conducting business with a company who uses such an obsolete, unsupported, vulnerable system. Zara’s managers are also important stakeholders in the decision to upgrade. Their managers want the current POS system to do more, such as look up inventory balances in stores. This basic functionality is lacking. They want to be in a position to negotiate pricing and keep up with their competitors.Zara’s shareholders are interested in maintaining the financial success that Zara has experienced. They want a system in place to assure that their current fashion demands are met, that a system is in place to account for and share merchandise. They want to be able to invest wisely and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Another stakeholder, Zara’s suppliers wants a functional IT system to provide better lead time for orders and materials, and to be able to communicate in a timely, seamless manner. Causes of the issue:There are many causes that contribute to the situation that Zara faces at the moment. Having a mission and vision without having a strategic plan to get there is a contributing factor. Having a decentralized decision making system in place can also be a root cause. Having equipment that is obsolescence is a result of the above factors. Not having staff and systems in place to effectively plan for the future, leads to antiquated equipment and manual, cumbersome, inaccurate, processes. Other factors responsible for the lack of strategic IT planning at Zara include their current business model and leadership complacency.Alternative solutions: There are three alter native solutions. The first would be to purchase the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology, and continue functioning the way they have been. The second solution involves hire a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options. The third solution to the key issue identified is to proceed in upgrading their current IT system and add functional capabilities to meet the needs of their organization.Recommendations: I recommend the third solution, that Zara purchase and implementing a new POS networking system. This recommendation would create a robust system that is more responsive to Inditex’s supply chain network. It also removes the risk of the system becoming obsolete and non- compatible with the vendor’s machine upgrade. It decreases their exposure for system failures, helps to maintain and improve efficiency of decentraliza tion because information flow can be improved between stores, distribution chains and vendors.The most important aspect of Zara’s approach to information technology includes the ability to meet the needs of their customers, whether that involves accuracy, timeliness, marketing, demand, or communication. Their original business model involved linking demand to manufacturing, and linking manufacturing to distribution, this involves a reliable, compatible IT system. Upgrading the POS applications to include additional functionality, such as networking capability, and the ability to share inventory with other stores, only makes their corporation more productive and efficient.The use of larger screens, and keyboards, vs. smaller screens and styluses would also be beneficial to the employees and customers. There are however pitfalls to this recommendation. Above and beyond the obvious capital expense of the equipment and software, implementing the recommended solution in the short term may require restructuring the IT department to include a Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO would also be responsible to conduct a comprehensive review of current industry technologies and determine which IT capabilities and functionalities will best support the company’s strategic mission.This person would also be responsible to initiate a formal IT budgeting process that is part of the broader capital budget, and create a formal process for selecting and prioritizing IT projects that includes both financial and non-financial metrics (Porter, M, 2001). In the medium term, Zara may consider an outside team to initiate this IT change. It is questionable if Zara currently has the time and internal talent to effect the change. An outsourced professional team may accomplish this task, while allowing personnel to focus on their day to day operations.Zara can cross train a few IT personnel to work closely with the implementation team, to assure a seamless transition. A à ¢â‚¬Å"train the trainer† may be beneficial. This may mean that they may have to hire replacement personnel on a temporary basis. In the long term Zara should develop a â€Å"long-term IT renewal plan† as recommended by Feld and Stoddard, 2004, to develop a plan to maintain and sustain their new system; this requires time, money and talent. Incorporating the three principles in executing IT effectively: A long termIT renewal plan linked to corporate strategy, a simplified unifying corporate technology platform and a highly functional, performance-oriented IT organization would benefit Zara (Feld and Stoddard, 2004). Keeping up with technology allows Zara to focus on future fashion trends, with effective IT they will be able to stay ahead of the curve and keep their leadership. They will sustain their business model based on short deadlines, decrease quantities, and updated styles and fashion.If Zara anticipates opening up new stores in the future, they would need to upgr ade their system anyway. If they opened up new stores with new technology, their current technology would not be compatible and the stores could not communicate effectively with one another and share information. The second solution mentioned above, which involves hiring a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options is not in the best interest of the corporation.Hiring consultants takes time and energy and are expensive. They are not familiar with the organizations structure, strengths, weaknesses or capabilities. Financial resources would be better spent on the purchase of new upgraded equipment vs. putting off the inevitable. The first solution described above, purchasing the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology and continuing to function they way they have been is not an option, if they want to remain viable.Change is unavoidable , as this profitable, highly reputable company cannot continue to function with obsolete equipment. Obsolete equipment sets them up for failure in the event the equipment fails or needs repair. It does not allow them to implement a systematic plan to move the organization forward, instead it stagnates their capabilities. The likely outcomes of my recommendation would be an efficient, accurate, timely IT infrastructure that communicates well with all stores, accurately accounts for all inventory, allowing manual processes to dissolve.This creates greater efficiencies on the part of the staff. Changing and upgrading their IT system would compensate for their internal communication weaknesses. Upgrading the POS terminals to modern inventory management software, would allow orders to be made on a daily basis instead of twice a week. This would allow the demand and supply to be matched more accurately, making the production process leaner. Inventory management software would lso allow de signers to follow the sales of garments more closely, instead of relying on manual orders from store managers. Store managers could send new fashion or fabric ideas over the internet to headquarters. This constant monitoring and updating can give designers an advantage over the competition in developing new styles and keeping up with the latest fashions. Updating their communication and IT system sooner, rather than later would overall sustain viability of the corporation and enhance their business success. Zara: It for Fast Fashion Zara: IT for Fast Fashion Identification of issues: The case study, Zara: IT for Fast Fashion, focuses on the retail giant, Inditex, and how its largest retail chain, Zara, has been so successful with their business model of high fashion, product variation, low cost, speed, and flexibility. Several issues are identified in this case study. One glaring issue that is apparent relates to the fact that a long term Information Technology (IT) strategy does not exist. There is no formal system in place to plan and predict for their future needs, including operational and capital expenses.Another issue consists of the retailer not having a centralized distribution system in place, their stores do not share inventory counts, and the managers do not have a system in place to look up their inventory balances in their stores or other stores, (they accomplish this by canvassing the stores). Another significant current issue relates to the fact that their current IT system is unsustainable, as th e equipment is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Their IT system is not wireless, their screens are small, they are using styluses, which can be cumbersome, and older technology such as floppy disks and modems.The last issue involves a lack of shared knowledge of the current system in place; one person is relied upon and depended for knowledge of the systems functionality. Being so dependant upon one person places the whole system at risk. Importance of the key issue: The key issue in this case study involves whether or not Inditex should upgrade the retailer’s information technology infrastructure and capabilities or whether they should continue using their current system. The problem that Zara faces now is that their current system, P-O-S (Point of Sales terminals), runs on DOS, which Microsoft does not support any longer.Any hardware change in the POS terminal would not be compatible with their current POS software. Without an upgrade, they risk that their current sup plier could no longer support them. Investing in IT infrastructure is inevitable as Microsoft DOS is obsolete technology and there is no guarantee that their POS vendor will continue supplying the same terminal without changes to their hardware. Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) are currently used in all Zara stores, POS terminals are not connected with Zara’s headquarters or with other stores. here is no system in place to link employees’ daily sales, causing employees to copy this information onto a floppy disk. Zara’s success and main business strategy is dependent upon their ability to respond very quickly to the demands of their customers. By upgrading their current system, they could add functionality and capabilities that could resolve other issues they face, such as sharing inventory, and being proficient at matching supply and demand. They can comfortably meet their mission by keeping current with fashion.Without the infrastructure to support i t, it would be impossible to accomplish, as they would not have the security controls, and back up systems in place. This issue is more important than any other issue to resolve, as Zara’s mission, success and future depends on technology reliability and accuracy. If this issue is not resolved, it is impossible to address all of the other issues identified above. Key Stakeholders: There are numerous stakeholders who are affected by the key issue of whether or not they should upgrade their IT Zara’s customers system want the latest fashions in stock, in their size and color, in a timey fashion.By having an upgraded, efficient IT system, Zara’s customers could experience better inventory controls to meet their needs. This in turn develops customer loyalty which equates to a higher volume of sales. Another key stakeholder is Zara’s employees. Employees want job security. A well defined, upgraded, efficient IT system can assist in sales volume, which turns in to profit for the company. Employees also want to reduce their workload and redundancy. Their current system does not take advantage of functional automation and communication, which can increase their work load.Another stakeholder, Zara’s IT vendor, certainly wants to maintain their business relationship with them, but may find it difficult to continue conducting business with a company who uses such an obsolete, unsupported, vulnerable system. Zara’s managers are also important stakeholders in the decision to upgrade. Their managers want the current POS system to do more, such as look up inventory balances in stores. This basic functionality is lacking. They want to be in a position to negotiate pricing and keep up with their competitors.Zara’s shareholders are interested in maintaining the financial success that Zara has experienced. They want a system in place to assure that their current fashion demands are met, that a system is in place to account for and share merchandise. They want to be able to invest wisely and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Another stakeholder, Zara’s suppliers wants a functional IT system to provide better lead time for orders and materials, and to be able to communicate in a timely, seamless manner. Causes of the issue:There are many causes that contribute to the situation that Zara faces at the moment. Having a mission and vision without having a strategic plan to get there is a contributing factor. Having a decentralized decision making system in place can also be a root cause. Having equipment that is obsolescence is a result of the above factors. Not having staff and systems in place to effectively plan for the future, leads to antiquated equipment and manual, cumbersome, inaccurate, processes. Other factors responsible for the lack of strategic IT planning at Zara include their current business model and leadership complacency.Alternative solutions: There are three alter native solutions. The first would be to purchase the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology, and continue functioning the way they have been. The second solution involves hire a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options. The third solution to the key issue identified is to proceed in upgrading their current IT system and add functional capabilities to meet the needs of their organization.Recommendations: I recommend the third solution, that Zara purchase and implementing a new POS networking system. This recommendation would create a robust system that is more responsive to Inditex’s supply chain network. It also removes the risk of the system becoming obsolete and non- compatible with the vendor’s machine upgrade. It decreases their exposure for system failures, helps to maintain and improve efficiency of decentraliza tion because information flow can be improved between stores, distribution chains and vendors.The most important aspect of Zara’s approach to information technology includes the ability to meet the needs of their customers, whether that involves accuracy, timeliness, marketing, demand, or communication. Their original business model involved linking demand to manufacturing, and linking manufacturing to distribution, this involves a reliable, compatible IT system. Upgrading the POS applications to include additional functionality, such as networking capability, and the ability to share inventory with other stores, only makes their corporation more productive and efficient.The use of larger screens, and keyboards, vs. smaller screens and styluses would also be beneficial to the employees and customers. There are however pitfalls to this recommendation. Above and beyond the obvious capital expense of the equipment and software, implementing the recommended solution in the short term may require restructuring the IT department to include a Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO would also be responsible to conduct a comprehensive review of current industry technologies and determine which IT capabilities and functionalities will best support the company’s strategic mission.This person would also be responsible to initiate a formal IT budgeting process that is part of the broader capital budget, and create a formal process for selecting and prioritizing IT projects that includes both financial and non-financial metrics (Porter, M, 2001). In the medium term, Zara may consider an outside team to initiate this IT change. It is questionable if Zara currently has the time and internal talent to effect the change. An outsourced professional team may accomplish this task, while allowing personnel to focus on their day to day operations.Zara can cross train a few IT personnel to work closely with the implementation team, to assure a seamless transition. A à ¢â‚¬Å"train the trainer† may be beneficial. This may mean that they may have to hire replacement personnel on a temporary basis. In the long term Zara should develop a â€Å"long-term IT renewal plan† as recommended by Feld and Stoddard, 2004, to develop a plan to maintain and sustain their new system; this requires time, money and talent. Incorporating the three principles in executing IT effectively: A long termIT renewal plan linked to corporate strategy, a simplified unifying corporate technology platform and a highly functional, performance-oriented IT organization would benefit Zara (Feld and Stoddard, 2004). Keeping up with technology allows Zara to focus on future fashion trends, with effective IT they will be able to stay ahead of the curve and keep their leadership. They will sustain their business model based on short deadlines, decrease quantities, and updated styles and fashion.If Zara anticipates opening up new stores in the future, they would need to upgr ade their system anyway. If they opened up new stores with new technology, their current technology would not be compatible and the stores could not communicate effectively with one another and share information. The second solution mentioned above, which involves hiring a consulting firm to review their situation and conduct a strategic financial analysis of their options is not in the best interest of the corporation.Hiring consultants takes time and energy and are expensive. They are not familiar with the organizations structure, strengths, weaknesses or capabilities. Financial resources would be better spent on the purchase of new upgraded equipment vs. putting off the inevitable. The first solution described above, purchasing the current POS terminals from their vendors so they can support their needs in case the vendor changes their machine to new technology and continuing to function they way they have been is not an option, if they want to remain viable.Change is unavoidable , as this profitable, highly reputable company cannot continue to function with obsolete equipment. Obsolete equipment sets them up for failure in the event the equipment fails or needs repair. It does not allow them to implement a systematic plan to move the organization forward, instead it stagnates their capabilities. The likely outcomes of my recommendation would be an efficient, accurate, timely IT infrastructure that communicates well with all stores, accurately accounts for all inventory, allowing manual processes to dissolve.This creates greater efficiencies on the part of the staff. Changing and upgrading their IT system would compensate for their internal communication weaknesses. Upgrading the POS terminals to modern inventory management software, would allow orders to be made on a daily basis instead of twice a week. This would allow the demand and supply to be matched more accurately, making the production process leaner. Inventory management software would lso allow de signers to follow the sales of garments more closely, instead of relying on manual orders from store managers. Store managers could send new fashion or fabric ideas over the internet to headquarters. This constant monitoring and updating can give designers an advantage over the competition in developing new styles and keeping up with the latest fashions. Updating their communication and IT system sooner, rather than later would overall sustain viability of the corporation and enhance their business success.

Autobiography(first love) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Autobiography(first love) - Essay Example On the morning of May 27th, I finally got my chance to do something about the way I felt. It was announced that my school would be starting later than usual that morning, which would give me a chance to go over to her school instead. I thought about what I was going to do for the rest of the day, even during my night-time tutoring session at the Educational Institution, where I was learning English. I saw someone selling flowers, which gave me a tremendous idea. I bought sixteen roses, one for every year of her life, and hid them in my garden so that my parents wouldn’t see them. When I got home, I called a couple of my friends to see if any of them would go with me – I didn’t want to be alone. The next morning didn’t go quite the way I’d planned. I was anxiously waiting at the bus stop for the two friends that said they would go with me and they managed to get there just before the bus to her school. I still regret my choice of clothing for this meeting. I was going to have to go straight from her school to mine, so I was wearing our horrible brown school uniform. We looked like janitors, which was sure to work against me. My planning skills were found to be poor again when we arrived at her school and I realized I had no idea where her classroom was. While we searched from classroom to classroom, we ran into one of the teachers, who recognized that we didn’t belong at that school. He thought we were there to make trouble, so he hit us and banned us from the grounds. One of my friends didn’t want to risk getting in trouble for a girl that wasn’t even for him, so he waited outside while my other friend and I tried to get back through the gates. Although there hadn’t been a guard there before, there was one now and he stopped us to ask why we were trying to get inside. The roses probably should have made it possible for him to guess, but my friend lied and said we wanted to make one of the teachers feel better. He

Health Beliefs of Christian Science Followers Research Paper

Health Beliefs of Christian Science Followers - Research Paper Example In the prior twenty-five years, a resurgence of interest in the spiritual dimensions of human health has given reason and foundation to the thought that the preference of medical science over that of religion may be weakening. Christian Science was founded in 1866 and the founder later founded the Church of Christ, Scientist (Singh, 2009). A 25-year-old pregnant female arrives at the emergency department, accompanied by her husband, with complaints of severe pains and abdominal cramps. Further examination by the physician discovers that she is suffering from an ectopic pregnancy. The diagnosis and plan of care are explained to the patient by the physician. The proposed treatment plan includes the insertion of an IV, pain intervention through the use of medication and surgical intervention. Surgery will remove the developing cells which could potentiate a need for the administration of blood products and IV antibiotics. The couple refuses surgery by their religion and explains that they are Christian Science followers. The physician is insistent and explains ectopic pregnancy and the in inherent risks and cautions that the surgery must take place within the hour. The physician explains fully the implications of an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy develops outside of the uterus and the embryo implants in an area other than where it should, which is the endometrial layer of the uterus. The travel of the embryo through the fallopian tubes is altered in some way in these pregnancies. Up to 98% of these pregnancies develop in the fallopian tubes (Mcqueen, 2011, p 50). It is a leading cause of first-trimester mortality.An ectopic pregnancy is usually not capable of survival through the pregnancy can grow large enough to rupture the area that it is in which can cause severe and heavy bleeding which endangers the life of the mother. These pregnancies damage the fallopian tubes and must be detected and treated early to prevent severe bleeding. One that has ruptured will bleed slowly into the abdomen and is considered a medical emergency.

In Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, Ibsen explores as to why Nora, the Research Paper

In Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, Ibsen explores as to why Nora, the main character and protagonist, lacks such values and str - Research Paper Example Through the ‘ideology of separate spheres’, women became trapped within the domestic sphere, thus isolating them from the world and holding them back from forming complete identities. The reference used by Ibsen for the title, suggests the false and constructed reality of the domestic sphere as it limits women from reaching their potential In Henrik Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll House† Ibsen explores as to why Nora, the main character and protagonist, lacks such values and struggles to find her own authentic identity in the face of a tyrannical male domineering society. During the 19th century a specific ideology in Victorian England emerged that defined the spaces in which the genders were assigned. Women were confined to the dominion of their husband within the domestic sphere, their lives to be lived within the space of home and social experience. Males were in dominion of the public sphere, their lives expanded to include business and politics with women not all owed, by law, to participate in their lives, which included their economic status where financial and real estate was concerned. There is some debate about the representation of separate spheres within literature. ... Some of this might be observed with â€Å"A Doll’s House†, although not outside of a believable relationship between a man and a woman, there is a distinct point made about the nature of male oppression. As Helmer uses diminutive language towards his wife, he sets the nature of their relationship through treating his wife like a child, a ‘doll’ that is coddled and protected into an unrealistic framework in which he dominates all important aspects of their life together. Helmer says to her â€Å"The same little feather head† and â€Å"Hasn’t Miss Sweet-Tooth been breaking rules in town today?† (Ibsen 12, 14). In regard to her spending habits he says â€Å"It’s a sweet little spendthrift, but she uses up a deal of money† (Ibsen 14). He treats her like a child, speaking to her in a manner that is condescending and without any sort of recognition of her adult place within the marriage. Nora is not a complete person to him, but someone who has no sense and must be considered without any regard to the concept of her opinion. He determines what is important within the household and when he fails to see some of the aspects of domestic life that must be attended, she must find ways to manipulate their relationship in order to accomplish what must be done. Her choices are limited because she is not considered to have a valuable place within their household, other than that which he has determined she is qualified to hold. When Helmer addresses her by saying â€Å"Hasn’t Miss Sweet-Tooth been breaking rules in town today†, he is chastising her like she is a naughty child, ‘teasing; her with the idea that she is not in control of her desires and impulses (Ibsen 14). He further diminishes her when he speaks to her without a direct application of her name, the

Critically Evaluate the Progress (or otherwise) Made with Regard to Essay

Critically Evaluate the Progress (or otherwise) Made with Regard to the Implementation of the Coroner and Justice Act 2009 - Essay Example Sections 54 and 55 of the act establish a new partial protection to murder of loss of control, to reinstate the existing partial protection of aggravation, which is revoked by section 56 of the act. Section 57 makes minor modifications to the law connected with the offence/protection of infanticide. A coroner is a government bureaucrat who examines the death of the humans, finds out the reason(s) of death, issues certificates of death, maintains records of death, reacts to deaths in mass tragedies, recognizes the unknown and unidentified body of the deceased, and various other functions on the basis of local laws. At the same time, local laws describe the cases of deaths a coroner must examine, but most frequently they consist of those that are unexpected, unforeseen, and which have no general practitioner to attend, and deaths that are doubtful or aggressive. Registration fees and death tax have major impact on this case. Chapter 5 of the Coroner and Justice Act 2009 talks about the provision regarding the death and investigation. Under this, Schedule 5 builds provision regarding powers of senior coroners and also at the same time the Coroner for Treasure. Schedule 7 builds provision regarding fees, allowance, and expenses of the case. ... (2)The amount of the fees is to be whatever is agreed from time to time by the assistant coroner and the relevant authority for the area. (3)The fees to which an assistant coroner for an area is entitled under this paragraph are payable by the relevant authority for the area† (Coroners and Justice Act 2009). Prohibition of Fees: Except as the certain circumstances permitted by or in the act a senior coroner, part coroner or any assistant of the coroner may not admit or admit any payment or fee regarding anything done by that concerned coroner in the specific performance of his or her duties and functions. Public reaction to the changes in law has guided to numerous interesting circumstances on what is to be considered competent of constituting aggravation. â€Å"The new law is a major shift in government policy and one towards gender equality, but many people have had concerns that these new laws would also allow the courts to be more lenient towards woman that kill abusive hu sbands by now allowing women who suffered from â€Å"slow-burn† to be able to use this defense† (Mubin 2012). Public reaction to the changes is to develop the accuracy and quality of the death certification in England and Wales. It will help to deliver a service that is gave attention on the requirements of bereaved people. Medical Examiners were constituted by the particular Act 2009, to offer better examination of certification of death, more precise data on reasons of death, suggestion to Coroners, and to help input of appropriate information to the clinical governance systems of the health service. The Department of Health is presently running numerous pilot

The Evolution of International Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Evolution of International Tourism - Essay Example hough it is prone to be unbalanced as the issue of price is less considered in long-duration tours but of importance in the shorter route destinations hence the aspect price elasticity (Rossellà ³, 2003). International tourism however has always performed better than other economic sectors as evidenced by past records that reveal that, ‘In the last fifty years, for every 1% rise in the per capita income of the world’s inhabitants, the number of travellers has risen by over 3%’ (Manera and Taberner, 2007, pg.4). In the period between 1950 and 2001, global per capita GDP grew by an average of 2.1 percent while the number of tourists within the same period grew by seven percent hence the UNWTO forecasted growth was a modest 1561 million or an average 1.6 billion ITAs by 2020 dependent on a steady upsurge in per-capita income and population growth patterns (Manera and Taberner, 2007). The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer 2009, all the major tourist designations recorded declines with only Africa depicting a growth of three percent. The world tourist arrivals suffered a sharp decline of negative eight percent in 2009, a downturn that started in the second half of 2008. This have inevitably attributed to the impact of the worldwide economic recession that has spelt doom for the international travellers as most tightened on their budgets. The international tourist arrivals (ITA) had by 2008 reached 922 million which was 1.9 percent appreciation from that of 2007, while the international tourism receipts (ITR) rose to US$944 or Euro 642 billion within the same period a 1.8 percent upsurge. The UNWTO (2009) indicated that approximately US$165 billion was generated from the international passenger transport for the combined total tourism expenditure to US$1.1 trillion that more than US$3 billion daily. The expansionist growth has mirrored the explosion of mass tourism stimulated by the era of packaged tours and the growth of the low-cost flights mainly in short haul

From perspectives of grammar and culture, critically discuss Essay

From perspectives of grammar and culture, critically discuss similarities and differences betwwen English and CHinese with referecne to translation - Essay Example More so, translation may be regarded as the perception of an aspect of a certain language to another. This paper will discuss the similarities and differences between English and Chinese with reference to translation. Translation is essential in understanding different cultures among different races, religious and cultural groups in the world. Translation plays a key role in understanding significant elements of different language groups (Chang 2003. 38). Translation from English to Chinese and vice versa is, however, impaired as the two are of different language families, these are: Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan. We note that word and sentence order, while relaying the same message, varies from one language to another. Both Chinese and English use the Subject Verb Order logic in sentences. Whereas the syntax applied in one language may be smooth and clear, the same a translation of the message in a word-for-word system may result in the message becoming obscure or incomprehensible (Abacus 2006, 27). For instance, in Chinese, adjectives and adverbs are placed before the noun or verb being modified, while, on the other hand, in English, the modifiers are placed after the noun or verb they are modifying. A good example of the illogicalness associated with literal translations: the original English version: We are in the field practicing. The literal translation in Chinese is â€Å"We have football practice field.† The translated version, though acceptable in Chinese, is absurd and wrong in English. Moreover, translation of set statements where the word system is based on traditional use may distort the syntax of the statement when translated into another language. For instance, the traditional Chinese expression â€Å"fan-yan sheng-xi† literary translated to English means â€Å"multiply and live† (Chang 2003, 49). The translated version is incomprehensible in the English language, with a viable option being,† live and multiply†. This, however, dist orts the

Video games affecting children Essay Example for Free

Video games affecting children Essay Video games around the world have become immensely popular, a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry which revolves around the wants and desires of children and teens. An industry with a creation of unique entertainment like no other. An industry that continues to grow rapidly. Hours and hours are spent each day by youths playing these games, but are they really good for them? Are they educational? Games which educate a child’s mind exist but they wouldn’t be as popular as your top seller shooting game. Nowhere even close. Here I am today to tell, to inform, and to enlighten parents on the dangers of letting your child play these violent games. As a child, I found that my parents seemed to push away all sorts of violent games, no matter how badly I wanted them. It didn’t seem to make sense at first but as I grew older, I saw the younger generation getting addicted to games like these and without doubt, showed a different behaviour and attitude. In this modern age, a child or teen is quite likely to have a gaming console or access to the internet or a friend who does. With these, they can play or access games which may contain violent content. As youths play these games in excess, they tend to act out what they may see or hear in front of their friends and family. It gives them a tendency to act aggressive and violent. They learn new things, like bad language. They may use foul language against their friends and possibly repeat violent stunts at home. These games are full of foul language, bloody scenes and criminal behaviour. It gives them a prospect for confrontation with peers, with siblings, with parents and even with their teachers. They engage in fights which in turn could cause possible decline in their studies. They could even brush aside their school work to sit in front of a television because it’s like an addiction to them. The question is: should parents be encouraged to disallow their son or daughter to be entertained by these types of video games? The answer is up to you, as parents. It is up to you to observe whether you see a change in attitude among your kids and if in a negative way, then you should take action in order for your child to behave in an appropriate manner among people. Games like these are everywhere, so your child will grow up in an environment where they will play them. Although, it is always recommended to look at the age rating of the game before you buy it, to see whether or not your son or daughter fits into the category of restriction. You can even set limits on how long they should be allowed to play games, just so they don’t get too involved with the theme of the game. It’s absolutely paramount for a child to grow up in a positive environment. In my opinion, games that involve the likes of drugs, bloodshed, criminal behaviour, foul language and violence should not be banned, but put into higher restriction everywhere. There should be more age limitations and games that involve hostility at a lower level. So parents, do you know what games your children are playing? Have a look.

The Design of a Voltmeter-Ammeter Using PIC Microcontroller

The Design of a Voltmeter-Ammeter Using PIC Microcontroller In electrical or electronic engineering, the voltmeter and ammeter are important devices and are used to measure current and voltage. These devices are very important as they give you an understanding of what is happening in an electrical or electronic circuit. Without these devices we wouldnt be able to determine numerical values of voltage and current therefore we wouldnt have the ability to solve electrical problems. The main objective of this project is to gain experience with the design process covering all aspects of the design process. Two software packages will be used to orchestrate the design process of the circuit and complete build of the project. These packages are OrCAD PCB Editor and Auto-Cad Inventor. This will entail everything from the designing and building of the circuit, using the software package OrCAD PCB Editor the design process will begin designing the circuit by applying all the necessary components for the Volt-Ammeter. The circuit will be built using a PIC microcontroller with a built in LCD screen which will illuminate the voltage and current readings. The second stage will be using the design package AutoCAD Inventor. This is a design software that is used to design the casing of the product with all the specifications needed to give the product the compact finish needed to complete the product before presenting it to the customer. A volt-ammeter is the project designed for Napier University so the students can benefit from an easy to use product having the ability to test, measure and do calculations when measuring voltage and current. The finished product must have certain specifications which will make the device portable, easy to use and compact and also making the device durable so the students can use the device safely without encountering any problems or difficulties. The budget for the project has to be under  £40 per unit so the university can benefit from the finished designed product. 1.2.1 Functionality Electrical measurement devices are used to digitally calculate electrical quantities. Two of the more common quantities are voltage and current. A volt-ammeter is perfect as an addition to any electronic projects like battery chargers or power supplies where it is a necessity to monitor current and voltage consumption. Regarding this project, a PIC16F876A microcontroller will be used to interface the LCD screen. 1.2.2 Engineering requirements The volt-ammeter device will be designed to measure an output voltage ranging from  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   0-70v/0-500V with a resolution of 100mV which will be carrying a current between 0-10A with a resolution of 10mA. The volt-ammeter will have a step up and step down button for added calibration to make it possible to measure voltages over 70V and to measure current over 10A. A PIC 16F876A microcontroller will be used in the volt-ammeter. The microcontroller will have a built in analogue to digital controller with a blue/green illuminated LCD display. Voltage Supply 6V-30V Voltage Input 0-70V / 0-500V Voltage Resolution 100 mV Current Consumption 100mA LCD Backlight Current Input 0-10A (or more) Current Resolution mA Figure 1- performance table 1.2.3 Additional Specifications Because the Volt-Ammeter is designed with very few External components it will be made possible to meet the specifications fitting all the components onto a small PCB making it possible for the finished product to be a very handy and portable meter. The meter will be able to produce readings that are accurate, this is due to the calibrated software that is built in and additionally the 1%metal film resistors. There is only one supply voltage needed and this can be acquired by using any mains power supply. The completed meter will only consume 10mA from the backlight of the LCD screen when switched on and 3mA when not in use. When the 10 Ohm resistor is disconnected the backlight of the LCD display will be switched off   Ã‚   Figure 2 external components 1.2.5 Casing Specifications The casing needs to be compact so it can be hand held for ease of use. Compact with all wires concealed to illustrate a safe finished product. Waterproof for protection from electrocution and to prevent damage to components. Additional fittings for PCB placement. LCD Screen placement on front of casing. (central) CMOS FLASH-based 8-bit microcontroller. Performance speed of 200 Nano Seconds. Flash Program Memory. Program Memory 14 KB. 368 RAM Bytes. 2 x 8-bit, 1 x 16-bit Timers. Analogue to Digital Converter- 5 channel, 10-bit. 2 Comparators. Temperature Range -40 to 125 degrees Celsius. Figure 3 PIC Microcontroller 2.1.1 Voltmeter when measuring voltage between two points in an electrical or electronic circuit a certain device must be used. This device is a voltmeter and is intended to measure either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC). There are two types of voltmeter, these devices are either analogue voltmeters or digital voltmeters. The analogue meter has a current meter in series with a high resistance. This high resistance is needed otherwise the circuit being tested will be disturbed due to a significant amount of current being drawn. A digital voltmeter displays numerical values; these values can range of 1000v to 3000v and can increase in powers of 10. 2.1.2 Ammeter An ammeter is the instrument needed to measure electrical current that flows through a circuit. The ampere or amp is the unit of measure for current. Conclusion The writing and design of this project has been made possible due to the applied theories and practical skills that I have learnt and administered in integrated circuit design. The knowledge I have gained has given me the skills to produce design and construct operating systems that are capable of performing practical tasks. Because of these skills it has given me the confidence to write design and produce this project which is titled The Design of a Volt-Ammeter using PIC microcontroller. http://pic-microcontroller.com/voltmeter-ammeter-using-pic-microcontroller/ http://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/en/PIC16F876A http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/voltmeter http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-an-ammeter-definition-function-quiz.html

Essay --

Phillips, of the Netherlands and Matsushita, of Japan are both companies that focus on electrical technology. With their prominence being located in the consumer electronics industry, it is important to note that the world as a whole is moving towards a more technological focus. As the world is moving in the direction of a more technological society with the consumer electronics industry growing, it was suitable for both Phillips and Matsushita to expand their horizons and operate internationally. The growing demand of technology requires a need for companies to operate on a global scale. Moreover, companies also find foreign operation as a means of cutting costs while still producing quality products through the use of outsourcing. The ultimate financial goes is to meet the needs of a market and generate a profitable turn in the process, which is accessible through foreign commerce. Were both Phillips and Matsushita to decide to stay local, they would quickly lose profit to a large r corporation that is driving to meet the global needs of its consumers and eventually be bought out or simply go bankrupt. Phillips built its success on a worldwide portfolio of responsive national organizations. The company chose to utilize a localization strategy. This means that they focused on altering the properties and characteristics of their product’s to suit the foreign market’s language, political, legal, and cultural differences. In order to concentrate on local responses, they used highly self-sufficient national organizations but further on adopted a strategy of having each singular product be limited to one specialized division. Matsushita on the other hand, built its success on its centralized, highly efficient operations in Japan. Un... ...al for the companies to have all of their resources be independent, rather than relying on other aid through outsourcing. Ultimately, each of these corporations within the consumer electronics industry have come a long way. They have survived in a business society that has readily evolved and moved towards a whole new era of technology. It is still imperative that corporations do business internationally on a global scale in order to better meet the need of consumers within their industry. However, the ways of doing this have altered with a number of strategic possibilities. Phillips and Matsushita each incorporated a different strategy from one another, with each seeing its profits and downfalls. As the economy and industry have evolved, so must Phillips and Matsushita in order to maintain a stance of being a power player within the consumer electronics industry.

Cloning is Not Morally Correct :: essays research papers

For many years now many people have debated over the fact about the moral issues connected with cloning. To begin with, what is cloning Cloning is ?making a living thing from another living thing such as a plant or animal. The process uses the genes of the first so they both have identical DNA.?1 This means that something is being made through a process of copying. This is helpful, no doubt, in many ways. Scientists could use clones to ultimately cure diseases and such. But is it worth ?playing God?2 to achieve things that probably could be done in a different approach? Is cloning truly ethical? Or is it morally wrong? I believe that cloning is morally incorrect and unethical. One of the things that greatly impacts people?s perspective of the answer to this question is religion. Studies have shown that the more religious a person is, the more against cloning they are.3 Religion is one of the things that is the foundation of many beliefs and fundamentals in the lives of many people. This affects me directly because I am Protestant and believe in God. When cloning we are not only opening the doors to ?religion vs. science? debates, but we are also saying that the beliefs of other is incorrect. This may be offense to many people. When cloning animals of any sort it challenges the beliefs of many religions. I believe that cloning is immoral because a very small percentage of the cloning ?beings? actually live. The success rate of cloning is between a mere 0.1% and 3%4 (the famous Dolly [cloned sheep] was 1 successful try out of 276 tries [.36%] 5). This small percentage shows us that the efficiency of cloning is very small. I believe that if we are going to allow something to be ?legal? it should have a greater success rate. Many problems come up when looking at this percentage. The first one is what will happen to all the ?trash? or the failures? A place will need to be built in which the materials of the failed experiments will go. Another problem is what if a couple wants to design their own ?perfect? child. With a small success rate, the length of time in which one child might be completely and perfectly produced might be very long. Cloning might also mess the mind-set of parents because many cloned animals have problems in their later development.

Adjectives :: essays research papers

Writing Minilesson Topic: The importance of including adjectives in writing Grade Level: 3rd or 4th grade Objective: TSWBAT add adjectives to a sentence to make it more appealing and interesting. MO Standards: Goal 2 #2, Communication Arts #1 Students with Special Needs: To serve students with special needs that may not be able to see or write, you could bring objects in to have them touch and feel to describe their detail. Materials: Black and white picture of a person, colored picture of a person, group activity—worksheet of sentences with words written on index card, another worksheet of sentences Procedure:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Introduce the Topic: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was grading everyone’s journals for the week and have been noticing that everyone could use some help or ideas to make their writing a bit more interesting. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One way to add appeal to your story is by adding adjectives. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is an adjective? †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Look at this picture of a person (show black and white picture), is it very interesting? †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How could we make this picture more appealing? †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Add color to the picture and relate this to how adding adjectives in our writing improves it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Share Examples: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Write sentences on the board, leaving spaces for adjective use in the second sentence: â€Å"I ran down the road to the lake.† â€Å"I quickly ran down the bumpy road to the sparkling lake.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Provide Information: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Using adjectives helps us add â€Å"color† to our writing, just like I showed you with the picture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Supervise Practice: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hand out a group activity. This includes a worksheet of â€Å"plain† sentences and index cards with examples of different adjectives. The group as a whole can re-write the sentences using the examples.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reflect on Learning: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is an adjective?

Millennium Development Goals Essay

The term â€Å"sanitation† is applied to a wide range of subjects such as: * Improved sanitation – refers to the management of human faeces at the household level. This terminology is the indicator used to describe the target of the Millennium Development Goal on sanitation, by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation. * On-site sanitation – the collection and treatment of waste is done where it is deposited. Examples are the use of pit latrines, septic tanks, and Imhoff tanks. * Food sanitation – refers to the hygienic measures for ensuring food safety. * Environmental sanitation – the control of environmental factors that form links in disease transmission. Subsets of this category are solid waste management, water and wastewater treatment,industrial waste treatment and noise and pollution control. * Ecological sanitation – an approach that tries to emulate nature through the recycling of nutrients and water from human and animal wastes in a hygienically safe manner. Sanitation can be of three types Personal sanitation Sanitation at home Sanitation at surroundings. â€Å"Wash your hands before you eat†¦ give those germs a clean sweep.† 1) Personal sanitation :- a) Bathing regularly b) Washing your hands after using washroom c) Washing your hands before having food d) Cutting your hairs clean e) Cutting your nails & keeping them clean f) Drinking clean water,using chlorine tablets or boiling it 2) Sanitation at home a) Keeping your home clean b) Keeping washroom at home clean c) Using washroom rather than going in open d) Eating healthy & nutritious food e) Washing fruits before eating 3) Surroundings a) Saniataion at school b) Sitting on clean benches c) Cleanliness while playing at playgrounds d) Dressing/cleaning your wounds e) Don’t play at dirty places f) Stay away from hazardous chemicals Why sanitation is important 1) To keep you healthy 2) You will smell good 3) Waste attracts disease carrying hosts like rats & other scavengers. 4) In our country most of the diseases are caused due to contaminated water and poor sanitation. In tribal areas, there are shortage of water supply and lack of awareness about proper sanitation till today. People depend on the water of polluted rivers or ponds and suffer from lack of sanitation. These cause highly infectious diseases such as – diarrhea, malaria, cholera, jaundice, plague etc. If we follow clean sanitation and use purified water then we can easily control and avoid many of the above diseases.

Network Diagram Essay

2. A medium-sized engineering firm has three separate engineering offices. In each office, a local LAN supports all the engineers in that office. Due to the requirement for collaboration among the offices, all the computers should be able to view and update the data from any of the three offices. In other words, the data storage server within each LAN should be accessible to all computers, no matter where they are located. Draw a network diagram that will support this configuration. 3. A small start-up company has a Web-based customer sales system that is written by using PHP and JavaScript. The company is deciding whether to host the system on its own servers, contract with a hosting company for a virtual server, or go to amazon’s cloud. Volumes are expected to be low at the beginning, and it is hard to predict the growth patterns, although there is a potential for rapid growth. Decide which alternative the company should choose. Defend your decision by giving advantages and disadvantages of each solution based on the characteristics of the start-up company. I would recommend them to get a contract from a hosting company that can suffice all their needs. There are lots of web hosts that support companies for sales system; they even give additional functionalities for a reasonable price. Online threats are emerging nowadays, it is not safe to host a system yourself especially if you’re company is still new and needs more experience. Most hosting companies are almost invulnerable to threats and that should be your priority for your company. 4. Find four separate hosting providers and compare their offerings, including prices. Put your answer in a table showing the results of your research. Add additional row for the sources/references. HostPapa http://www.hostpapa.com/ Price Value At HostPapa, you truly feel like you’re getting the family discount, what with so much being offered for less than $4 a month. Enjoy unlimited storage and bandwidth for unlimited sites, all Softaculous-enabled and equipped with HostPapa Website Builder. Beyond that, you’ll also receive online stats and  reporting tools, full email versatility, developers’ tools and extensive third party web design and multimedia software support. Don’t forget, HostPapa web hosting gives you free domain registration for the first year, and free setup. Reliability HostPapa web hosting guarantees you’ll get maximum uptime (99.9% uptime guarantee and 99.9% network uptime guarantee) and promises to provide around the clock/around the calendar server monitoring. They regularly perform secure and reliable backups of all your data to protect against unforeseen emergencies. Control Panel Joy of joys, all HostPapa customers get the full benefits of the industry’s most popular and user-acclaimed control panel: cPanel. Large, intuitively organized icon-based buttons empower you to perform any number of administrative tasks. The main menu includes a real-time display of every stat and figure relevant to your web hosting account and your website’s activity and performance. Customer Support At HostPapa, you’ll get all the one-on-one help setting up and getting started that you need as well as dedicated customer service any time you need it. Choose from phone, live chat, and email support, or do-it-yourself with the HostPapa library of helpful and easy to follow video tutorials and online help docs. iPage http://www.ipage.com/ Price Value The web experts at iPage.com have managed to compile an eye-popping list of services and value-added extras and package them neatly into a all-encompassing web hosting package. Currently on promotion for just $1.99 a month, iPage.com is proving that sometimes you actually get more than you pay for. Reliability iPage.com uses a system of pooled servers – so there is always server space available to you. The first and fastest machine available will serve your website. A pool of servers provides redundancy, streamlined service, and maximum uptime. Control Panel The iPage control panel offers users tools to create, enhance and manage their websites simple and effectively. iPage.com has also worked closely with Google to integrate the industry-leading Google Tools for Websites right into your control panel. Customer Support iPage.com makes a remarkable promise: when you contact their customer service department, they’ll put you in touch with an agent within two minutes. iPage offers around the clock support via live chat, phone and e-mail. HostGator http://www.hostgator.com/ Price Value Host Gator’s shared web hosting plans start at $3.96 a month (the recently upgraded â€Å"Hatchling† plan) and include unlimited disk space and bandwidth. Their reseller plans are offered for prices ranging from $24.95 to $99.95 per month, and their dedicated server plans range from $174.00 to $374.00 per month. Put it all together and you have one company that wants to remain competitive in the web-hosting market. Reliability HostGator has chosen The Planet, located in Dallas, Texas, to house their data center. The Planet boasts over 35,000 square feet of raised floor space, and features state-of-the-art security, safety, and cooling systems. This facility is accompanied with Multiple TXU electrical grids, 4800 volts of input power, DataTrax monitoring software for the whole data center infrastructure, and a fully meshed and redundant Certified Cisco Network  featuring 10 backbone providers. Control Panel Host Gator employs the industry standard control panel, cPanel. This control panel is one of the best in the industry, and has over 39 scripts that can be installed. It is easy to learn and use, as it provides more than one million end users the ability to install dozens of leading open source programs, accompanied with flash movies for instant tutorials. Customer Support Host Gator is becoming one of the leading companies offering quick responses and a personal touch to their support system. They present 24/7/365 phone support, online chat, fax, peer support forums, and a wide variety of cPanel flash video tutorials. Their knowledgebase is also quite extensive and useful. JustHost http://www.justhost.com/ Price Value Unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited domain hosting, unlimited email accounts, unlimited MySQL databases, has it priced at just $2.25 per month. And that fee includes a free domain for life, a free point-and-click SiteBuilder with templates, a free e-Commerce shopping cart, and a free Spam Assassin for your email. Reliability At JustHost you get a 99.9% uptime guarantee on service. Just Host ‘s reliability is guaranteed, in part, thanks to their unique load balancing technology and super fast backbone connections. With load balancing, your site is available from multiple servers, so if one server becomes unavailable, your site will still be live on the other server, virtually eliminating site downtime. Control Panel If we had to pick just one web hosting control panel to use and forgo all  others, it would be the very same control panel that just so happens to come with Just Host web hosting plan. It’s cPanel, of course, the industry leader for mastering user-friendliness and ease-of use. All the resources, tools, and even web statistics are right there in one place, at your disposal. Plus you can personalize and customize your cPanel for an even easier webmastering experience. Customer Support The JustHost support center offers a full range of help features, from assisted support 24/7 via live web chat, 1-888 toll-free telephone, and email support ticket system to self-guided help via searchable and categorized online FAQ and articles, web tutorials, and an active user community. Source: http://www.hosting-review.com/web-hosting.php?aff_sub=H-R-Revised-Legacy-Hosting-International EN&aff_sub2=web%20hosting%20reviews&aff_sub3=b&gclid={gclid}&gclid=COqOnOXH-sACFYeSvQodIHsAHg

The American Renaissance: An American Style of Writing

The American Renaissance, a period which spanned from the 1830s to the end of the Civil War, is widely acknowledged as the establishment of America’s literary history. Despite their usage of classical styles such as Romanticism and Gothicism, the writers of the aforementioned era (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Herman Melville) succeeded in producing original works that were eventually regarded as the foundations of American literature (Michaels and Pease, 1989, p.127).The writings of these authors were noted mainly for their deviation from the restraints associated with established writing and philosophical disciplines, as well as criticism of prevailing norms and standards. Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter (1850), for instance, spoke out against Puritan hypocrisy (Gedge, 2003, p. 101). Thoreau’s works, which constantly emphasized the virtue of simplicity, challenged the American values of confor mity and success in terms of monetary gain (Kirklighter and Okawa, 2002, p. 60).In the process, the American Renaissance reflected the transition of the United States from being a British colony to a sovereign nation (Michaels and Pease, 1989, p. 10). The independence of their country left the Founding Fathers with the task of creating a political identity that was different from that of Great Britain. The writers of the American Renaissance, meanwhile, felt the need to declare cultural independence from Britain (Madsen, 1998, p. 70). To attain this goal, they came up with an â€Å"American style† of writing. The United States in the Antebellum EraThe 18th century was characterized with immense optimism on the part of the American people. The triumph of the American Revolution instilled in them a buoyant belief in human perfectibility (Cirtautas, 1997, p. 66). They likewise embraced democracy and its lofty ideal of equality regardless of class and education (Dietze, 1995, p. 59). Technological advances such as the telegraph, the railroad, the steamship and the turnpike resulted in immense economic growth by making the exchange of goods and services faster and more efficient (Abrams, 2004, p.17). Innovations like photography and powered presses stimulated the growth of American cultural life through the mass production of inexpensive books, journals and newspapers (Benesch, 2002, p. 56). The above-mentioned achievements, however, failed to address certain needs of American society. Despite its strong emphasis on egalitarianism, democracy failed to improve the lot of many disenfranchised Americans. In addition, several Americans became increasingly disillusioned with their culture’s fixation on material wealth and social respectability.Worse, the institutions that were supposed to guide the American public – religion, government, school and the family – were either too indifferent or perpetuated the materialistic and pretentious natur e of American society. â€Å"Jacksonian Democracy:† Democracy for the White Educated Male Although the Declaration of Independence held that â€Å"all men are created equal,† law and custom reserved this impartiality for the white educated male. Only white men from well-off families were allowed to pursue an education, own property and or vote. Women and African-Americans, in sharp contrast, remained marginalized.White men can batter, rape and or kill slaves with impunity. Furthermore, the lack of incriminating evidence did not spare slaves from punishment for alleged crimes (Stone, Epstein, and Sunstein, 1992, p. 504). Such a flawed model of democracy was later referred to as â€Å"Jacksonian democracy. † President Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) was a leader of contrasting principles – he staunchly advocated popular democracy and individual liberty, as well as slavery and Indian removal (Tyler, 1944, p. 21). Despite his key roles in the War of 1812 and the F irst Seminole War, Jackson’s inaugural speech contained the following words:I believe that man can be elevated†¦and as he does he becomes more God-like in his character and capable of governing himself. Let us go on elevating our people, perfecting our institutions, until democracy shall reach such a point of perfection that we can acclaim with truth that the voice of the people is the voice of God. (p. 22) Jackson’s ascension into high office despite his conflicting values was eventually used as a metaphor to describe the duplicitous form of democracy that prevailed during his time (Haskell and Teichgraeber, 1996, p. 192).In the context of â€Å"Jacksonian democracy,† only the white educated male had the right to life, liberty and happiness. Women, the poor and minorities, on the other hand, had no other choice but to resign themselves to their disenfranchised state. While all human beings are supposedly born free, they are not necessarily equal. Richer an d More Miserable Than Ever Even if the United States managed to obtain political sovereignty from Great Britain, traces of British societal norms are still present in American culture. Foremost among these customs are materialism and the fixation with outside appearances.Many wealthy Americans openly flaunted their wealth by assuming lifestyles that both emulated and rivaled those of the European aristocracy (Craven, 2003, p. 287). In the process, they became the symbol of success, respectability and industry. The poor, on the other hand, were dismissed as lazy and ignorant. Such a way of thinking proved to be very erroneous – most economic opportunities in Antebellum America were available only for white men. This, however, was not an assurance that they would have a decent life. Many entrepreneurs, especially plantation owners in the South, preferred slaves over hired hands.Furthermore, many white laborers were subjected to appalling working conditions. They toiled for near ly 14 hours a day in unsafe workplaces for wages that sometimes come in the form of cheap liquor (Reynolds, 1989, p. 352). Spiritual Emptiness Antebellum America saw the rise of Unitarian Christianity. The latter was a form of Christian humanism – it sought to realize the potential divinity in human nature. Unitarians believed that the highest form of worship was the celebration of human dignity through the discovery and maximization of an individual’s faculties and powers (Howe, 2007, p.614). Thus, many American Protestants during the aforementioned era used the humanistic spirit of Unitarianism to nurture many aspects of their country’s intellectual life and social reform. Schoolteacher Dorothea Dix, for instance, campaigned tirelessly for humane living conditions in insane asylums. Another educator, Horace Mann, instituted several important reforms in the American public school system (Howe, 2007, p. 615). Some thinkers, however, felt disenchanted with the ap parent coldness of Unitarianism.They felt that Unitarianism were so rational that they failed to address the emotional and spiritual needs of their followers. Emerson, for example, called for a creed which was sensuous and integrative but did not rely on tradition. He believed that Unitarianism’s strict emphasis on constitution and institution further divided society by promoting the law of the many. Because Unitarianism neglected the integrated world of the imagination, there was a big possibility that the law of the many would turn into the tyranny of the many (Nigro, 1984, p.45). The American Style of Writing: Breaking Away from the Status Quo The American Renaissance echoed the political, economic and social changes that were taking place in the Antebellum-era United States. Although the writers of the American Renaissance used classical styles such as Romanticism and Gothicism, their works reflected their deviation from the restraints associated with these writing and ph ilosophical disciplines. Their writings likewise criticized prevailing norms and standards in American society.In the process, the authors of the American Renaissance were able to challenge their audiences to confront the changes and responsibilities that are associated with sovereignty. Crossovers Many writers of the American Renaissance combined classical and contemporary styles in their works. As a result, they were able to openly discuss topics that were considered sensitive during their time. The writings of Whitman, for instance, were a blend of â€Å"romanticism (and) the open road of modernist form, vision and experiment† (McQuade, et al. , 1998, p. 1146).Such a bold and contradictory manner of writing complemented his candor about sexuality. Whitman’s poem The Sleepers (1881), for example, candidly discussed the taboo subject of masturbation. Sex manuals in the 19th century warned that masturbation was an indicator of insanity. Clergymen, meanwhile, denounced the act as a sin. Masturbators, therefore, were referred to in the aforementioned poem as â€Å"sick-gray (onanists)† (Killingsworth, 2007, p. 45). The term â€Å"onanist† was an allusion to the biblical figure of Onan, condemned by God for spilling his seed upon the ground (Genesis 38: 8-10).Contrary to popular belief during his time, Whitman regarded masturbation as normal. He hailed the masturbator as the natural man – the â€Å"spontaneous me† who was liberated from the repressiveness of convention. This release (â€Å"The souse upon me of my lover by the sea, as I lie willing and naked†) eventually culminated in the ejaculation of semen (â€Å"It has done its work – I toss it carefully to fall where it may†). Given Whitman’s aforementioned attitude towards masturbation, the poem viewed semen (â€Å"this bunch pluck’d at random from myself†) with nonchalance (Killingsworth, 2007, p. 45). Unmasking the Hypocris ySome writers of the American Renaissance attacked the deceitful norms of their society. The bigoted views of Puritan America on morality are one of the main features in The Scarlet Letter. A young woman named Hester Prynne was made to wear a scarlet â€Å"A† embroidered on her chest as punishment for adultery. Apart from having an illegitimate child as a result of her indiscretion, she also had to endure ostracism from her contemptuous neighbors. Her cruelest tormentors were the community’s Puritan elders, who believed that sin was something that should be punished and suppressed (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 44).Hester’s paramour, Arthur Dimmesdale, made her face guilt and shame alone for fear that his reputation as a righteous minister would be tarnished (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 58). Dimmesdale was Hawthorne’s way of showing audiences that even the most respectable people can be guilty of the worst acts of wrongdoing. Despite his religious background, Dimmesdale ha d an extramarital affair with Hester, who happened to be a married woman. Worse, he refused to take responsibility for his fault. Although their religion espoused forgiveness and compassion towards sinners, the Puritan elders harangued Hester endlessly.Hester and Pearl: Symbols of Change. Ironically, it was Hester and her illegitimate daughter Pearl who served as the symbols of change in The Scarlet Letter. It is revealed in Chapter V that although Hester was free to leave Boston and start a new life elsewhere, she opted not to (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 68). Indeed, leaving Boston for good seemed to be the best option for Hester – she could finally get rid of her scarlet â€Å"A† symbol and live as a respectable woman again. But running away meant acknowledging that the letter was a mark of shame and was therefore something she was trying to escape from.Staying in Boston, on the other hand, meant that she was denouncing society’s power over her by not denying the exi stence of her past sin (Hawthorne, 1994, p. 67). Pearl also served as a reminder of the importance of individuality and honesty to one’s self. In Chapter XVIII, Hester and Dimmesdale finally decided to take Pearl with them and flee to the colony. Before leaving, Hester removed the scarlet letter and tried to throw it into the stream – it landed on the far side instead (Hawthorne, 1994, 172). Pearl however, refused to cross the stream until her mother promised to reattach the scarlet letter (Hawthorne, 1994, p.180). Indeed, dishonesty with one’s self will remove characteristics that a status quo considers to be deviant, but are also integral parts of who an individual is. Conclusion The American Renaissance produced an American style of writing. The works that fell under this style deviated from the restraints associated with established writing and philosophical disciplines, as well as criticism of prevailing norms and standards. In the process, the writers of t he American Renaissance succeeded in challenging their audiences to confront the changes and responsibilities that are associated with sovereignty.As free people, they must create their own national identity instead of depending on British norms and standards. References Abrams, R. E. (2004). Landscape and Ideology in American Renaissance Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Benesch, K. (2002). Romantic Cyborgs: Authorship and Technology in the American Renaissance. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. Cirtautas, A. M. (1997). The Polish Solidarity Movement: Revolution, Democracy and Natural Rights. New York: Routledge. Craven, W. (2003). American Art: History and Culture.New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Dietze, G. (1995). In Defense of Property. Lanham: University Press of America. Gedge, K. E. (2003). Without Benefit of Clergy: Women and the Pastoral Relationship in Nineteenth-Century American Culture. New York: Oxford University Press US. Haskell, T. L. , & Teichgraeber, R. F. (1996). The Culture of the Market. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hawthorne, N. (1994). The Scarlet Letter. London: Penguin Books. Howe, D. W. (2007). What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848. New York: Oxford University Press.Killingsworth, M. J. (2007). The Cambridge Introduction to Walt Whitman. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kirklighter, C. , & Okawa, G. Y. (2002). Traversing the Democratic Borders of the Essay. Albany: SUNY Press. Madsen, D. L. (1998). American Exceptionalism. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. McQuade, D. , et al. (1998). The Harper Single Volume American Literature (3rd ed. ). Harlow: Pearson-Longman. Michaels, W. B. , & Pease, D. E. (1989). The American Renaissance Reconsidered. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Nigro, A. J.(1984). The Diagonal Line: Separation and Reparation in American Literature. Bridgewater: Susquehanna University Press. Reynolds, D. S. (1989). Beneath the American Renaissance: The Subversive Imagination in the Age of Emerson and Melville (6th ed. ). Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Stone, G. R. , Epstein, R. A. , & Sunstein, C. R. (1992). The Bill of Rights in the Modern State. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Tyler, A. F. (1944). Freedom’s Ferment: Phases of American Social History to 1860. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.