Thursday, November 28, 2019

Alternative Meanings for Names of Sense Organs

Alternative Meanings for Names of Sense Organs Alternative Meanings for Names of Sense Organs Alternative Meanings for Names of Sense Organs By Mark Nichol The words for body parts that enable us to perceive stimuli have, sensibly, been applied to other meanings that are extensions of the original connotations. Here are additional meanings of ear, eye, nose, skin, and tongue. Ear An ear is an earlike part of an object or a body or a plant. It also means â€Å"sensitivity to pitch and tone of music or melody or rhythm of speaking,† and it’s a figurative term for a listener or the attention or awareness a listener offers. Eye This word refers to something resembling an eye in appearance or function. It might also denote a glance or a look, or close attention or scrutiny, as well as judgment or point of view or good eyesight or discernment. Eye also refers to the direction from which wind blows or the center of a storm. Nose Nose is employed to mean â€Å"the sense of smell,† or to refer to the aroma or bouquet of something. It also applies, usually in the adjectival form nosy, to curiosity or meddling, though, more positively, one might be said to have a nose, or a knack for comprehending or finding, for something. Also, the forward or projecting end of a tool or any object is frequently referred to as its nose. Skin The covering of a piece of fruit or a seed is called the skin, and any casing or sheathing, or a film or a similar layer, is often referred to as such. It also refers to well-being (â€Å"Save your skin!†) or to one’s self (â€Å"She’s comfortable in her own skin†). Tongue Tongue applies to the power of communication, or to language itself. The word also describes the quality of the tone of something said, or the intention or sense of the message (as when describing someone as having a sharp tongue). In plural form, it refers to meaningless utterances, usually in the context of religious ecstasy (â€Å"speaking in tongues†); tongue also denotes the cry of a hound during a hunt, or a similar sound. It also applies to a narrow projection of an object or of land, or to an object resembling a tongue in form, a projecting edge on a board designed to be inserted into a groove on an edge of an other board (this system of construction is called tongue-and-groove), or a flame. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Handy Expressions About HandsRules for Capitalization in TitlesPrepositions to Die With

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The cost of the death penalty essays

The cost of the death penalty essays The Costs of the Death Penalty in the United States Capital punishment has existed in the US since colonial times. Since then, more than 13,000 people have been legally executed. Today, there are only twelve states which do not have the death penalty: Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as Washington D.C. The locations of these states are important because they illustrate the lack of ideological homogeneity usually associated with geographical regions of the US. The methods of execution are as varied as their locations. The word capital in capital punishment refers to a persons head, as, historically, execution was performed by cutting off the head. Today, there are generally five methods of execution used in the US. Hanging, the gas chamber, lethal injection, the electric chair and the firing squad are all used, some notably less than others. In 1930, the Bureau of Justice Statistics began keeping stats on capital punishment nationwide. From 1930 until 1967, 3859 people were executed in the US, 3334 for murder (www. uaa). Thats an average of almost 105 people per year, three out of five of which were executed in the South. By 1967, all but ten states had laws for capital punishment. Nationally, strong pressure was steadily placed on the federal government by those opposed to capital punishment which resulted in an unofficial moratorium on executions until 1976. Officially, the Supreme Court ruled capital punishment unconstitutional in 1972. In Furman v. Georgia,408 U.S. 238 (1972), a 5-4 Supreme Court decision ruled that CP laws in their present form were arbitrary and capricious and constituted cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment as well as due process of the Fourteenth Amendment (www.aclu). In its decision, the Court voted that the death penal...

Sunday, November 24, 2019

One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich vs. Invictuus the essays

One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich vs. Invictuus the essays In both One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn and "Invictus" by Henley, the speakers are faced with the same raging physical and physiological battles. They both take different existentialist methods to assure survival in different situations. Existentialism is the belief that there is no higher being to rely on, you must guide yourself through life and make your own decisions and rely only on yourself. The narrator of Invictus basically tells of a misfortune that has occurred in his life and how no matter what problems occur you must be dependent on yourself. It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. This is an example of how throughout the poem Henley portrays the existentialist belief. Henley will not let adversity stand in his way, he realizes that to overcome all obstacles he must do it on his own. Denisovich is faced with lots of hardships while being held captive. Ivan Denisovich uses existentialism to make it through the suffering. He admires other inmates who only rely on themselves and always remain dignified. Those who try to cheat there way through life and allow themselves to become savage because they are treated savagely, he looks down upon because they let there unfortunate circumstances run there lives. Both the narrator in Invictus and Ivan Denisovich are characters who are interchangeable because of there beliefs. The idea of existentialism allows both characters to rise above what has made life difficult for them individually. By pushing themselves over whatever is holding them back, they feel better about life and there are able to overcome more than people who sit back and wait for others to help them. Existentialism plays a big part in both the poem Invictus and in One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich. There beliefs allowed the...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

20 Facts About the Chemical Element Silver

20 Facts About the Chemical Element Silver Silver is a precious metal that has been known since ancient time. This is a list of interesting facts about the element silver. 1. The word silver comes from the  Anglo-Saxon word  seolfor.  There is no word that rhymes with the English word silver. It is a transition metal element, with symbol Ag, atomic number 47, and atomic weight of 107.8682. 2. Silver is exceptionally shiny! It is the most reflective element, which makes it useful in mirrors, telescopes, microscopes and solar cells. Polished silver reflects 95% of the visible light spectrum. However, silver is a poor reflector of ultraviolet light. Stocktrek Images/Getty Images 3. Silver can exist in its native state. In other words, nuggets or crystals of pure silver exist in nature. Silver also occurs as a natural alloy with gold that is called electrum. Silver commonly occurs in copper, lead, and zinc ores. 4. Silver metal is not toxic to humans. In fact, it can be used as a food decoration. However, most silver salts are toxic. Silver is germicidal, meaning it kills bacteria and other lower organisms. 5. Silver is the best electric conductor of the elements. It is used as the standard by which other conductors are measured. On a scale of  0 to 100, silver ranks 100 in terms of electrical conductivity. Copper ranks 97 and gold ranks 76. 6. Silver has been known since antiquity. It was one of the first five metals to be discovered. Mankind learned to separate silver from lead back in 3000 BC. Silver  objects have been found dating back before 4000 BC. It is believed the element was discovered around 5000 BC. Early Saxon coins, 5th-6th century. Silver pennies known as sceattas, found in excavations in London area.   Heritage Spanish/Getty Images 7. Only gold is more ductile than silver. An ounce of silver can be drawn into a wire 8,000 feet long. 8. The most commonly encountered form of silver is sterling silver. Sterling silver consists of 92.5% silver, with the balance consists of other metals, usually copper. 9. The chemical symbol for silver, Ag, comes from the  Latin word for silver, argentum, which in turn derives from the Sanskit word  argunas, which mean shining. 10. A single grain of silver (~65 mg) can be pressed into a sheet 150 times thinner than the average sheet of paper. 11. Silver is the best thermal conductor of any metal. The lines you see in the rear window of a car consist of silver, used to defrost ice in the winter. 12. The words for silver and money are the same in fourteen languages or more. 13. The primary source of silver today is the New World. Mexico is the leading producer, followed by Peru. The United States, Canada, Russia, and Australia also produce silver.  Around two-thirds of the silver obtained today is a by-product of copper, lead, and zinc mining. Silver mines in Mexico, such as this now-abandoned one, provided Spain, in the 18th century, with over one third of the silver sent out of the New World.   Danny Lehman/Getty Images 14. Coins minted in the United States prior to 1965 consists of about 90% silver. Kennedy half dollars  minted in the United States  between 1965 to 1969 contained 40% silver.   15. The compound silver iodide has been used for cloud seeding, to cause clouds to produce rain and try to control hurricanes. 16. The price of silver presently is less than that of gold, varying according to demand, discovery of sources and the invention of methods of separating the metal from other elements. In ancient Egypt and Medieval European countries, silver was valued more highly than gold. 17. Some silver compounds are highly explosive. Examples include silver fulminate, silver azide, silver(II) oxide, silver amide, silver acetylide, and silver oxalate. These are compounds in which silver forms a bond with nitrogen or oxygen. Although heat, drying, or pressure often ignite these compounds, sometimes all it takes is exposure to light. They may even explode spontaneously. 18. Silvers atomic number is 47, with an atomic weight of 107.8682. 19. Silver is stable in oxygen and water, but it  tarnishes in air because of a reaction with sulfur compounds to form a black sulfide layer. 20. Uses of silver metal include currency, silverware, jewelry, and dentistry. Its antimicrobial properties make it useful for air conditioning and water filtration. It is used to make mirror coatings, for solar energy applications, in electronics, and for photography. Sources Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-08-037941-9.Hammond, C. R. (2004). The Elements, in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (81st ed.). CRC press. ISBN 978-0-8493-0485-9.Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Managing of diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing of diversity - Essay Example ting the apt workers is not the end of the task, they have to recruit employees from diverse backgrounds in their home operations and importantly in their foreign operations. That is, it is necessary that the management must ensure a constant availability of sufficient number of efficient employees from managers, executives, technical persons to laborers importantly from diverse backgrounds, for the efficient functioning of the organization and also to fulfill Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). So, recruitment of employees from diverse backgrounds will only give the desired results because it will work effectively in the interior environment as well as handle the issues that happen in the external environment of the specific organisation In organizations, workers will be like the five different fingers in one’s hand; different from one another, having different characters, attitudes, education, background and also ethnicity. But, some organizations will not have this diversity aspect, especially the ethnicity aspect, totally or not up to recognizable levels. So, certain organizations will introduce programs or strategies to recruit and assemble ‘collage’ of workers, so that the diversity element is incorporated into their organizational structure and culture. This incorporation of diversity will bring in many benefits and could also raise the image of the organization among diverse group of people. This is what many organizations like Nike, bp, Verizon, etc is trying to do through their Diversity programs. That is, all the companies are recruiting employees from diverse backgrounds through its Diversity programs to improve economically as well as ethically. So, this paper will focus on how divers ity can be managed optimally by an organization with Human Resource Manager (HRM) playing a crucial role, and with the aid of real life examples in the form Nike’s Diversity program as well as Southwest Airlines, Verizon and bp. As different humans could only

English 3 literature Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

English 3 literature - Assignment Example Second definition by Lincoln perceives the literature as a cultural tradition. Lastly, the third perception defines the literature as a bicultural mixture of traditions rather than as bloodline and culture. However, most of all American oral literature authors revolve around a common ground. This is because, in almost all cases the writers attempt to describe how life was then by revisiting their dead ancestor’s old way of living, stories, songs, personal experience and the existing land marks. Additionally, the content and styles of writing portrays great similarities (Ortiz, Tapahonso, and Marmon 4). For instance, the content can only be derived from stories and songs while the most common style of writing is poetry. This makes it possible to describe Native American oral literature in one sentence. Native American oral literature is an exploration of cultural and historical literary work that ever existed in the aim of indentifying Americans identity and origin, as well as, the literatures influence on the current contemporary

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

International Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

International Banking - Essay Example on whereby an organisation or business has immediate cash needs, although it has assets, its trading position is not good enough to honour all cash obligations (Machiraju, 2013). This is described as the risk of overcapitalisation and it occurs when an organisation holds a lot of assets, but lacks the ability to convert the assets into cash in the short-run. In the banking sector, the issue of liquidity risk occurs in a distinct and unique manner. One fundamental assumption of banking is that depositors are not going to withdraw all their money at once (Matz, 2011). Banks are however required to hold assets that are mainly liquid in nature and convert them to cash in a very short term (Matz, 2011). Therefore, in banking parlance, liquidity is defined as â€Å"the ability of an economic agent to exchange his existing wealth for goods and services or other assets without incurring damaging losses† (Castagna & Fede, 2013, p. 18). Liquidity risks include funding liquidity which refers to the risk of settling obligations with the central bank as it occurs. There is also the market liquidity risk which revolves around the ability of a bank to settle its obligations to stakeholders on the market. This is the â€Å"inability to realise assets due to inadequate market depth, or market disruption† (Adalsteinsson, 2014, p. 26). Bank liquidity risks can be measured both internally and externally. Internally, bank liquidity risks are defined by international conventions and practices that are placed on the authorities and directors of the bank. This is to be done through the utilisation of various formulas put forward by international entities like the Basel Conventions. Basel III proposed that bank liquidity risks can be evaluated by assessing: These are insider indices and they are often done through the utilisation of privileged information that allows banks to evaluate trends and processes in their activities and affairs. However, to the ordinary investor, there is likely

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Managing the Safety Function and Psychology and Safety Essay

Managing the Safety Function and Psychology and Safety - Essay Example In terms of directing, safety practitioners do not lead organizations directly but need financial and staff support to implement their safety decisions (Lecture Notes). Finally, some safety directors do have authority to hire staff and, if that is the case, safety officers must ensure legal and regulatory compliance and develop explicit job descriptions (Lecture Notes). The benefits and limitations of safety incentive programs have been described in abundance. Basically, positive feedback and rewards are claimed to reinforce safe behaviors and, consequentially, enhance safety performance in the workplace (Goodrum & Gangwar 24). Simultaneously, safety incentive programs may not provide long-term safety improvements. The fact is that the relationship between incentives and safety behaviors is misleading: as soon as these programs end, the quality of safety behaviors falls below original levels (Goodrum & Gangwar 24). Finally, safety incentive programs often become an object of serious concern, as they drive underreporting of incidents: employees do not report safety incidents and failures in order to qualify for rewards (Goodrum & Gangwar 24). Unfortunately some people prefer to hide the fact of failure in order not to spoil their own reputation. At the same time they do not think about harm that such underreporting may cause. Such cases cause a lot of problems for many modern organizations. Underreporting of incidents is dangerous practice that sometimes leads to undesired results: some unreported incidents may create danger for employees who concealed the fact and their colleges. So, safety managers must take this fact into account while creating safety incentive programs in order to prevent case in which underreporting of incidents take place. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a common instrument of management and safety management

Monday, November 18, 2019

Precise Molded Products Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Precise Molded Products - Case Study Example Also, the company may spend some money on the trainings and additional working hours for the whole department but the results will benefit the company in the long run. It is better to invest on human capital today and have the long-term benefits than save money today and continuously incur losses because of the rejects in the future. The top management will hold a meeting and talk to the members of the quality department and ask them about their problems and concerns about their department, the products, and the company as a whole. After evaluating the problems encountered in the department, professional trainees will hold the training. The training will include team buildings to improve the employees' relationship with each other so that conflicts and communication barriers will be prevented. Second, TQM training will be done because it is now widely used to ensure quality in all aspects of the company. Total Quality Management is also capable of eliminating defects and errors in operations (Stark, 1998). Six Sigma will also be included in the training. This is now a popular trend in management where data-intensive methodology is used to eliminate defects in the company's production ("Six Sigma"). This will help Bob Thomas in lessening the production rejects of the company using systematical approaches. References Six Sig

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Monotheistic Religions Essay Example for Free

Monotheistic Religions Essay In what ways is the Holy Land an important site for all three monotheistic faiths? Jerusalem is a home to holy sites that are sacred to the three religions. The city contains many houses of worship. It is also a place of ongoing tensions between religious and ethnic groups. The three major monotheistic religions are sometimes described as branches of the same family tree. If this is true, how would you describe the trunk of the tree? All three major monotheistic religions claim they began with Abraham. Judaism and Christianity claim that their founders descended from Abrahams son Isaac. Islam claims descent through his other son, Ishmael. How are the three major holy books of the monotheistic faiths both similar and different? All three faiths have the similar messages from the Holy Book that there is only one god. For all three faiths they have different names for their Holy Book; Torah, Bible, Qur’an. How are the basic beliefs of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike? All three religions only believe in one god. Jews, Christians, and Muslims honor the Ten Commandments. Followers of all three religions practice some type of fasting. Typically all three involve in prayer and worship with other followers. Afterlife is believed by the three religions. All three faiths hold that humans have a soul. What types of internal differences and divisions exist within each religion? Major Jewish sects include Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox. Christianity has many denominations but the largest branches are Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. The Islamic world is largely divided between two major groups, Sunni and Shia Islam. What characteristics and beliefs of the three religions make them different? Each have a different main holy book. Religious leaders are a rabbi, priest/minister/pope/, and imam. Their house of worship also differ.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Analysing Case Studies Of Mercedes Benz Tesco Marketing Essay

Analysing Case Studies Of Mercedes Benz Tesco Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION Extremely fierce and highly competitive globalised work environment has intensified the apprehensions of business organisations pertaining to the development and implementation of prudently designed business strategies that can ensure their long-term survival and enduring success in the market. It has been observed, that despite of designing smart strategic plans, many business organisations fail to maintain their survival in the market and this is only because of their inability to operationally devise and enact these strategic decisions (Mills, Platts, Bourne and Richards 2002, p. 112). Operation management is strategically important for the business organisations as myriad day-to-day operational activities are responsible for determining the extent to which the key strategic objectives are executed and thereby, constituting long-term organisational success. It has been studied that operation management is all about defining, organising and directing organisational aims and objecti ves through strategically employed operational procedures concerning the organisation (Slack et al 2004, p.67). Several constituting factors including price, quality, service, flexibility and tradeoffs are meant to develop the operational strategy (Slack and Lewis 2002, p. 221) and in order to improve quality, enhanced organisational receptiveness and cost-effectiveness, a wide-ranging operational paradigms have been emerged in recent times (Anderson 2006, p. 56). Supply chain strategy is the crucial element of operation management through which the core operational processes including transportation, logistics and procurement activities are integrated by pulling materials in response to demand patterns and hence, demand uncertainty is avoided and supply chains, inventories and service levels are significantly improved (Slack and Lewis 2002, p. 226). Business organisations also utilise optimum resources and systemic managerial approaches to support quality and innovation in their products and services for which they integrate key operational, procedural and functional systems. Organisations can achieve total quality within their business operations when positive cultural shift is established by knitting strong relational bonds between human capitals and maintaining long-term partnerships with suppliers (Hayes, Pisano, Upton and Wheelwright 2005, p. 119). Operation management paradigm also encompasses the concept of capacity planning through wh ich the organisational management exhibits its competency to foresee the unprecedented events and strategise in advance to circumvent the chances of protracted fiscal damages (Ferguson 2000, p. 65) whereas, the evaluating the extent of orders and thereby, monitoring and determining the required inventory levels and stock replenishment is covered by inventory management model (Anderson 2006, p. 59). The study is designed to illustrate these concepts in a report format by evaluating the comprehensive operation management paradigm. 1.1 Aims Objectives Organisations can achieve enhanced fiscal benefits and customer satisfaction by triggering the process of transforming inputs into outputs with intent to add value to the organisational goals in terms of producing improved products and services (Giannakis and Croom 2004, p. 28). This not only enables in gaining control over systemic planning and management activities but also results in attaining sustainable competitive advantage by maximising organisational productivity. The main objective of this study is to investigate the key concepts and theories of operation management which is considered as the core contributor to the long-term organisational success. The study aims to analyse the corporate and marketing strategies of one service-based and one manufacturing organisation i.e. Tesco and Mercedes by critically discussing the theoretical principles and frameworks covered in operation management paradigm. Moreover, the study also intends to evaluate the blend of theoretical concept s based on the case studies of each organisation in order to assess the relative impacts on their long-term competitiveness, innovation and sustainability. 1.2 Rationale of the Study Operation management is a multidisciplinary approach encompassing the decision making process pertaining to the design, planning and management of all the factors influencing the operational capacity of an organisation (Ferguson 2000, p. 68). Globalisation has shrunk the geographical boundaries and the consumer world has now been exposed to generous information and alternatives to the products and services which have made it extremely intricate for the business organisations to stand-out (Giannakis and Croom 2004, p. 30). The role of operation management becomes crucial in terms of creating, transforming and controlling the productive resources to generate saleable products or services. The scope of this study is to contribute some value to the existing literature pertaining to operation management as the theoretical underpinnings of the subject and the evaluation of case studies are designed to facilitate in developing advance understanding of managing the deployment of operational resources within the incessantly changing globalised business environment to gain competitive advantage. The significance of studying operation management paradigm is equally beneficial to the academia, operations practitioners and contemporary business organisations. Structure of the Report This segment is designed to explicate the structure of the report that is primarily based on comparing and contrasting the theoretical approaches of operation management by prudently evaluating the corporate and marketing strategies based on case studies of two selected organisations. The report is creatively structured and divided into five distinct segments. Initial segment of the report is the introductory part that is meant to develop the foundational grounds of the study by explaining the key objectives and scope of conducting the research. Second segment of the report begins with presentation of company profiles of two selected organisations i.e. Tesco and Mercedes by critically evaluating core operational and transformational processes to assess the adequacy of their strategically devised corporate and marketing initiatives for gaining competitive advantage in the market. Theoretical concepts and frameworks of operation management including supply chain management, capacity pl anning, inventory management and total quality management are appraised in the third segment of the report which intends to justify the arguments by linking the theoretical underpinning with the information extracted from case studies. Fourth segment assesses the application of theoretical concepts on the case studies of selected organisations, in order to investigate relative impacts on the organisational competitiveness, innovation and sustainability in a longer run. The report is terminated in the fifth segment which is designed to logically conclude the overall arguments in a consistent manner. OPERATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONAL PRACTICES Contemporary organisations ought to adapt with the consistently changing trends of the trade world and globalised economies as consumers buying behaviours are gravely affected by the modern operational and transformational procedures. Today, the entrenchment of innovativeness, technology and advance quality of products and services have become crucially significant to the operation management process for gaining competitive advantage in the market (Anderson 2006, p. 57). 2.1 Case Study I: Mercedes Benz The strategic alliance of Daimler-Benz with Chrysler in 1998 lead to establish DaimlerChrysler AG, which is now recognised as one of the leading and most promising automobile companies across the globe. The luxury German car manufacturing company enjoys its humungous presence by operating in 104 countries whilst selling its products in approximately 200 countries through more than 13,000 sales outlets within the globalised economic arena (Mercedes 2011). Mercedes is primarily engaged in the manufacturing, distribution and sales activities related to its wide range of uniquely designed and technologically advanced automotive products including passenger cars and commercial vehicles and on the other hand, the company also offers financing solutions (Mercedes 2011). In accordance with the key statistics as illustrated in its Annual Report (2002), the company has generated revenues of  £130.80 billion and employs more than 365,600 employees worldwide (Mercedes 2011). The world renowned BMW, Lexus, Toyota, Volkswagen and General Motors are amongst its core competitors. 2.1.2 Analysing the Corporate Marketing Strategies The corporate strategy of Mercedes Benz is focussed on enhanced quality and reliability of its products and services by stressing on The best or nothing strategy (Mercedes 2011). Presently, the company has been observed to raise its profile in fleet car sales by 17% in 2010 and further 11% by 2011 with intent to prevail over every operational segment unlike its premium rivals that are focussed on tax-cutting low CO2 models within market that is tightly up just under 2% (Mercedes Annual Report 2008). Studies suggest that the operations tasks can be articulated by identifying five operations performance objectives as for instance, lowering the pricing strategy necessitates substantial reduction in operational costs or speedy customer services require swift operational procedures and; as improving product quality demands for advancement in the areas concerning innovation, design and technology (Slack et al 2004, p. 119). Mercedes have been experiencing quality control problems due to it s batteries, alternators and brakes integrated in its several models made since 2001, that were quiet obvious especially after the biggest product recalls in 2005, indicating that the company is exceedingly losing its loyal consumer base (BBC 2006). The company has introduced technologically sophisticated gadgetry in its S-class cars range in parallel to its pledge for being the market leader in terms of quality and reliability however; several business analysts have identified the electronic gremlins might further impair companys image by alienating its existing consumer base (Mercedes Annual Report 2007). With respect to its marketing strategy, Mercedes is focussed on Ambition to lead by particularly emphasising on 6Ps of marketing i.e. product, price, promotion, place, people and process. Massive improvements have been observed in its product designs and technologies especially in E and S class ranges by introducing higher-rate springs, stabiliser audio, navigation, trip computer and telephone consoled steering wheels (Bilich and Neto 2000, p. 9). Pricing has also been revised to attract people from middle class and the strategy is complimented by moving its manufacturing and operational units in Asian countries to reduce the production and distribution costs. Aggressive promotional strategy has been embraced by the company whilst targeting wide-ranging consumer base through effective marketing campaigns that are focussed on product features including CLS or Blue-Efficiency campaigns and on the other hand, marketing campaigns are exceedingly supported by comprehensive print, TV, online and media communications (Holweg, Disney, Hines, Naim 2005, p. 514). 2.2 Case Study II: Tesco Plc. Deeply penetrated within the competitive retailing sector in UK, Tesco celebrates its substantial existence by covering approximately 90% of UK market alone with an annual turnover of more than $1 billion which makes it the largest online grocer across the globe (Palmer 2005, p. 25). In accordance with the Nielsen/Netrating audience panel for September (2007), that investigated 25,000 demographically representative households in the UK for the top supermarkets, Tesco leads the online market share by holding 27.1% followed by Asda, Sainsbury and Waitrose holding 10.1%, 6.9% and 4.2% shares respectively (Nielsen/Netrating 2007). On the other hand, Tesco was again spotted at the top position with 30.9% offline market share followed by Asda and Sainsbury having 16.9% and 16.4% shares respectively (Nielsen/Netrating 2007). The company principally deals with food and grocery items and has also diversified into non-food ranges including clothing, books, electronics, dieting clubs, flights a nd holidays, music downloads, gas and electricity (Palmer 2005, p. 27). Asda, Sainsbury and Waitrose are the core competitors of the company. 2.1 Analysing the Corporate Marketing Strategies Unlike others in UK, Tesco is the only retailer that has successfully managed to survive and expand in the contemporary globalised economies by maintaining its corporate strategy closely knitted by a six dimensional approach for enhanced growth in worldwide market (Data monitor 2003). Tesco embraces the strategy of designing its products by carefully analysing the local market needs and remain increasingly adaptive to the environment of indigenous markets. Tesco believes in highly focussed and long-term strategies with multi-format approach and shared knowledge structure. The most crucial aspect of its corporate strategy is the deployment of time and patience to build the brand image without being distracted by its growth pattern in its primary market. Followed by its corporate strategy of aggressively expanding in the international market, Tesco became the first UK retailer to break through the  £2 billion profit barrier (Data monitor 2004). The marketing strategy of Tesco is high ly innovative in terms of introducing reward points to the customers during shopping which can be later exchanged by valued products. In addition to this, the company has significantly acknowledged the need for integrating e-technologies within its marketing campaigns and thereby, launched Tesco applications that has made its products instantly accessible to the targeted consumer base through mobile phones and also keep them updated with new deals and discounted offers (Data monitor 2004). Tesco diet is another interactive web page which is meant to educate the consumers about healthy eating and thereby, unconsciously persuading them to buy the food items offered by the company. Tesco also improved its out-bound logistics by hiring cheerful and highly cooperative staff for online delivery orders, which serve as the face of the company and are also trained to market their products and new offers in a cataleptic manner (Kotler, Armstrong, Saunders and Wong 2001, p. 169). The company a lso employs print and electronic media for the marketing of its products and also utilises social networking websites and blogging as integral tools of promotions in the contemporary business world. The most significant aspect of Tescos marketing mix strategy is its personalisation strategy as the company has maintained a separate online marketing department that is meant to send personalised messages via emails and sms to ensure that their customers never miss their latest offers and new products (Palmer 2005, p. 33). THEORETICAL JUSTIFICATIONS BASED ON CASE STUDIES Operation management is all about interlinking a wide-range of processes and procedures including manufacturing, distribution, marketing and all other significant methods to maximise sales and achieve core organisational objectives. Size and nature of business operations are extremely significant in terms of determining the operational, functional and transformational capacity (Handfield and Bechtel 2002, p. 371). This segment of the report is aimed to critically analyse the theories and concepts pertaining to operation management paradigm whilst analysing the capacity planning, supply chains, inventory control and total quality management in each of the selected organisations. 3.1 Evaluating Supply Chains of Mercedes Tesco Closely knitted web of manufacturing, distribution and other production activities forms the supply chain of an organisation with intent to obtain the manufactured materials, modify them into finished products and distribute them in the targeted market in order to meet the consumers demand (Holweg, Disney, Hines and Naim 2005, p. 512). Literature suggests that business organisations can significantly benefit by creating four dimensional values in their supply chains including customers, planning and performances, processes and intangible resources (Kaplan and Norton 2004, p. 102). Whilst catering condense market segment, Mercedes has been focussed on creating value in its supply chain, primarily by embracing three main supply chain strategies including just-in-time, lean manufacturing and built-to-order strategy for a larger consumer base that is unwilling to wait for two to 3 weeks delivery time thereby, enhancing customer satisfaction (Holweg et al 2005, p. 512). On the other hand, the company has also adopted a plan for catering lower-income customers by producing affordable car ranges and espousing cost-effective manufacturing process. Tesco has also been vigilantly focussing on creating value in their supply chains by low-cost leadership, synchronisation and lean thinking, employee-empowerment initiatives and customer-centric approach (Griffith 2002). Capacity Planning by Mercedes Tesco The continuously evolving business trends of contemporary globalised economies have made it extremely significant for the business organisations to improve their aptitudes for capacity planning. Through capacity planning, organisations gather, maintain and analyse the optimum information regarding the utilisation of its tangible and intangible resources to meet and exceed their core organisational objectives (Anderson 2006, p. 93). However, it is crucially important to determine the investment required for capacity planning (Gox 2002, p. 62), as it has been studied that underinvestment in capacity can substantially reduce revenues whereas, an overinvestment might result in excess capacity which may produce serious consequential effects on the fixed costs (Henderson and Cool 2003, p. 397). Mercedes has successfully employed capacity planning initiatives by investigating North American region for the feasibility of producing luxury sports utility vehicle which significantly minimised c ombined labor, shipping, and components cost and further reduced the penalties associated with currency fluctuations (Holweg, Disney, Hines, Naim, 2005, p. 518). On the other hand, Tesco expanded its order-processing capacity by foreseeing its rapidly growing online sales and integrated BizTalk system that process 5,000 orders per hour which remarkably increased performance efficiency without the need to expand hardware configuration and also reduced system maintenance costs (Norris 2007). Mercedes Tescos TQM Strategies Quality has been recognised as the most critical element of the operation management and is considered to be a macro function of organisations that has to be entrenched within the decision making process, allocation of resources, definition of priorities and most importantly within service delivery (Bilich and Neto 2000, p. 5). It has also been studied, that survival of the organisations in the contemporary business world necessitates total quality management established at all levels (Djerdjour and Patel 2000, p. 26). Mercedes core organisational values heavily rely upon quality, safety and reliability however; the companys image was seriously threatened when its position dropped to 26th spot in quality segment of auto manufacturing (Business Week 2003). It has been observed that the Mercedes significantly deviated from its core strategies and was more inclined towards innovation and technology which has tremendously shaken its loyal consumer base indicating the unfavourable implica tions of undervaluing quality management approaches. The TQM strategy of Tesco is primarily focussed on two main areas including: (i) process improvement by systemic approach and; (ii) development and standardisation of management systems for functional activities throughout the organisation (Delaney-Klinger, Boyer and Frohlich 2003, p. 187). By analysing the TQM strategy of both the organisations it can be instituted that the benefits of TQM can be maximised by entrenching it within the internal and external organisational processes, resources and facilities (Djerdjour and Patel 2000, p. 34). Mercedes Tescos Approach towards Inventory Control The role of inventory management is extremely significant as lower inventory levels can increase the transportation outlays followed by smaller and irregular loads. Business organisations can effectively reduce the costs to logistics through supply chain optimisation by planning to meet the demands of consumer base. It has been studied that ineffective routing and scheduling of orders can adversely influence transport costs (Cooke 2000). In accordance with its inventory management approach, Mercedes identified approximately 100 sites in 35 state of US which is closer to its primary market and since major part of its products were intended to export therefore, the company chose the sites near seaports, rail lines, and major highways to control the costs for transportation (Holweg, Disney, Hines, Naim 2005, p. 523). Studies suggest that transportation is the single most prominent cost category in logistics which can dramatically facilitate in cost saving (Giblin 2001). On the other han d, Tesco being market leader of retail business in UK, necessitates embracing technological advancements in terms of maintaining its position within the extremely concentrate market. Therefore, Tesco has embraced smart shelf technology by adopting RFID system which enables the staff to locate the items in real-time and also improve the on-shelf availability by timely replenishments thereby, saving time and costs for additional staff (Thomas 2003). APPLICATION EVALUATION OF OM THEORIES ON STRATEGIC MIX This part of the report is aimed to highlight the strategic mix pertaining to the concepts and theoretical frameworks of operation management as applied on the competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of selected organisations. The effectiveness of operation management strategies is usually determined by evaluating the key factors like cost, quality, delivery and flexibility (Mills, Platts, Bourne and Richards 2002, p. 130) however, it is important to note that the contemporary business world that has now liberated from the limitations of geographical boundaries needs the integration of advanced technological solutions to stand-out in the global markets (Khamalah and Lingaraj 2007, p. 976). 4.1 Competitiveness Mercedes manufactures high-valued and technically advanced cars by particularly focussing on the development of car engines and producing wide-ranging transport facilities from cars to jeeps and other commercial vehicles which enables the company to cater almost every segment of the market. Merger of European and American companies makes Mercedes well acquainted by the consumer markets belonging to two different tastes and culture (Elvin, Hendricks and Singhal 2001, p. 274). The company continues its competitiveness by its remarkable supply change management as it maintains close ties with its key suppliers for instance, during the worldwide fiscal turmoil in early nineties when organisations were obligated to negotiate pricing strategy, it was quiet obvious that both the company and its suppliers shared equivalent dependability on each other (Hayes, Pisano, Upton and Wheelwright 2005, p. 133). Despite of operating in a highly concentrated market, Tesco has achieved a leading positio n as the company has radically improved its operation management strategies by adopting lower pricing and absolute quality control through compensating full costs of the product, if found damaged (Tesco 2010). The company also maintains its competitiveness by proffering secure transaction opportunities in case of online shopping, timely delivery of products at the door-step and efficient staff that is adequately trained to offer excellent customer services. 4.1 Innovation Mercedes allocates a humungous investment of more than $47billion on its research and development which substantiates its organisational objectives to meet and exceed the consumers expectations pertaining to advanced technology and innovative solutions. The company is also exhibiting keen interest in developing contemporary designs within competitive price whilst maintaining its assertive and risk-taking behaviour which indicates its thirst for improved quality in its products and services (Kaynak 2003, p. 426). The innovativeness of products characterised by radio frequency identification system of tagging its products or advanced data processing system; Tesco exhibits its commitment to enhance the consumer buying experience through innovation (Norris 2007). By introducing highly interactive and advantageous innovations like Tesco club cards, Tesco applications, talking Tesco and Tesco diet; the company has notably penetrated within diversified consumers market segments. 4.3 Sustainability The strong market presence characterised by more than 25-30 dealerships in each of its operational territories, Mercedes ensures that its within the consumers reach (Bilich and Neto 2000, p. 7). In addition to this, a luxurious brand image of Mercedes along with its quality standards, enhanced security and tremendous reliability for many years has established a loyal consumer base. The company principally operates in economies of scale and as the level of sales rises the unit cost decreases which substantially circumvent the threats of new entrants in the market thereby, accentuating its long-term sustainability (Bilich and Neto 2000, p. 13). On the other hand, Tesco has not refrained from diversifying into non-food categories and has expanded its operations into other market segments including clothing, electronics, financing and others which determines that the company has the aptitude to take risk and maintain its survival on long-term basis. Tesco maintains a strong brand value w hich has been indicated by its tremendous rise in profitability by 78% through successful operations in Europe, Asia and Ireland (Usunier 2000, p. 177). CONCLUDING REMARKS The report has critically appraised on the theoretical frameworks pertaining to operation management by explicating its key components including inventory control, supply chains, capacity planning and total quality management. Case studies of one manufacturing company i.e. Mercedes and one service-based company i.e. Tesco; have been profoundly investigated to evaluate the impacts of operation management theories and application; on the innovation, competitiveness and sustainability of these organisations. To conclude, it can be stated that both Mercedes and Tesco are market leaders within their territories and the analytical report suggests that their success lies within their strategic deployment of operational and functional processes.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Language and Literary Techniques in Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework S

Language and Literary Techniques in Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The language and literary techniques used in William Shakespeare's Othello enrich the settings, plot, characters, and themes. Othello is a complex tragedy about good versus evil, loyalty, love, sexual jealousy, appearance versus reality, and intrigue, told in a first person point of view. The play takes place during the Renaissance in Venice, Italy and in Cyprus over three days. It is written in blank verse, usually unrhymed iambic pentameter. The protagonist, Othello, is a Moor well respected by senators for his valiant service in war and married to Desdemona, a Venetian woman. The play is entitled Othello and the plot and action encompass him, thus supporting his position of protagonist. The antagonist, Iago, is an unscrupulous individualist who bitterly despises Othello. Iago's villainous and intricate scheme for revenge results in the deaths of Othello, Desdemona, Iago's wife, and Roderigo, a suitor of Desdemona.    The play begins in Venice where Othello and Desdemona are eloping. Othello is needed to lead the Venetian forces in Cyprus and must leave immediately. Othello is joined at Cyprus by Desdemona, Iago, Emilia (Iago's wife), Roderigo, and Cassio (Othello's lieutenant). Iago falsely informs Roderigo that if Cassio were to die, Desdemona could be Roderigo's wife. Iago then guilefully encourages Cassio to drink an excess of wine and in a drunken fight, instigated by Roderigo, Cassio wounds Montano, the governor of Cyprus, and Othello reprimands him.    Meanwhile, Iago continually plants thoughts of sexual jealousy and suspicion in Othello's mind. He tries to convince Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful to him and she is having an affair with Cassio. In t... ...oston: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1981. Bevington, David, ed. William Shakespeare: Four Tragedies. New York: Bantam Books, 1980. Bradley, A. C.. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Penguin, 1991. Campbell, Lily B. Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes. New York: Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1970. Di Yanni, Robert. â€Å"Character Revealed Through Dialogue.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Literature. N. p.: Random House, 1986. Mack, Maynard. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993. Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Chine and Taiwan Crisis :: essays research papers

The People's Republic of China has recently passed an anti-secession law aimed at the Republic of China whom they still claim is a rogue province still under the law and subject to rule by Beijing. Taiwan for years has walked a very fine line between fully breaking from China which it began after the Communist revolution shortly after World War II, and full independence which it has so sought for more than a generation. With the possibility of Taiwan seceding from China increasing the Chinese have been slowly backed into a very unfavorable position which could erupt into a regional conflict and perhaps even another World War. The Chinese have publicly stated that if the government of Taiwan tries to pass a declaration of independence from the mainland, the Chinese government would be forced into a position where they would have to "rein in" the rogue province through military force. This has set the stage for a possible conflict which could intensify at a moments notice. Washington DC has stated that if any attacks are made by the PRC on the ROC then the United States of America will assist in the defense of the Republic of China. I think this situation will stop at only words and not lead to an all-out attack by the PRC on the ROC. When the idea of a war between China and Taiwan is discussed it is inevitable that someone will quickly point out the fact that the PRC has the world’s largest standing army. This fact is not in dispute however what is in dispute is the PRC's ability to effectively hit Taiwan with a military strike. Most of the PLA troops are infantry with armored divisions being the next largest part of the PLA. This in and of itself presents a problem for the PRC when fighting the ROC, that problem: How to get the troops from the PRC to the ROC through the Strait of Taiwan. The PLA's first and quickest option is an airborne assault dropping large amounts of paratroopers on Taiwan to secure key installations and airports so heavier transports with the armored divisions and land and supply the mass of the troops required for a full scale invasion. The problem with this plan is two-fold. First of all the People's Liberation Army Air Force has just two Airborne Corps and roughly five-hundred transport aircraft which is not big enough to land enough troops on the ground to effectively seize every installation needed for a decisive victory immediately. Chine and Taiwan Crisis :: essays research papers The People's Republic of China has recently passed an anti-secession law aimed at the Republic of China whom they still claim is a rogue province still under the law and subject to rule by Beijing. Taiwan for years has walked a very fine line between fully breaking from China which it began after the Communist revolution shortly after World War II, and full independence which it has so sought for more than a generation. With the possibility of Taiwan seceding from China increasing the Chinese have been slowly backed into a very unfavorable position which could erupt into a regional conflict and perhaps even another World War. The Chinese have publicly stated that if the government of Taiwan tries to pass a declaration of independence from the mainland, the Chinese government would be forced into a position where they would have to "rein in" the rogue province through military force. This has set the stage for a possible conflict which could intensify at a moments notice. Washington DC has stated that if any attacks are made by the PRC on the ROC then the United States of America will assist in the defense of the Republic of China. I think this situation will stop at only words and not lead to an all-out attack by the PRC on the ROC. When the idea of a war between China and Taiwan is discussed it is inevitable that someone will quickly point out the fact that the PRC has the world’s largest standing army. This fact is not in dispute however what is in dispute is the PRC's ability to effectively hit Taiwan with a military strike. Most of the PLA troops are infantry with armored divisions being the next largest part of the PLA. This in and of itself presents a problem for the PRC when fighting the ROC, that problem: How to get the troops from the PRC to the ROC through the Strait of Taiwan. The PLA's first and quickest option is an airborne assault dropping large amounts of paratroopers on Taiwan to secure key installations and airports so heavier transports with the armored divisions and land and supply the mass of the troops required for a full scale invasion. The problem with this plan is two-fold. First of all the People's Liberation Army Air Force has just two Airborne Corps and roughly five-hundred transport aircraft which is not big enough to land enough troops on the ground to effectively seize every installation needed for a decisive victory immediately.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Ambition in Life – Essay

I firmly believe that school is much more than what we understand it to be. Education enlightens a person in the same way a lamp brightens a dark room. But in order to ignite the light of education in a person, a teacher plays the role of the lamp carrier. Through my educational life I've considered education as a process to not only gaining knowledge but also a method of igniting our thoughts, and the process of development of a person starts from his early school age. In the developing country like India where half of the population lives below the poverty line, a movement to give the children their right to equal education is required. Having come across students who dropped out of schools because of lack of interest, I feel the urge to be a part of system where a teacher is not only qualified to teach but who can also be a mentor to the students. Teach for India is one such initiative which is working on motto of ending inequity in education and ideas of educating children beyond the conventional methods of our educational system. I realized that by being a Teach for India fellow not only I will be imparting knowledge to the young ones but will also help them in grooming. So it work not only for education sector it also work for community development. I purposely want to join the fellowship as oppose to working in other education-focused organization are as follow:- 1 . Having received the best education myself, I understood the power of knowledge and the impact it can have on the society. By putting me in the class room of young guns of India , Teach for India provide me the chance to advertise new generation not to make the mistakes which they seems to make in absence of proper resources and guidance. 2 . Prior to and during the two-year Fellowship, Teach For India provides Fellows with adequate leadership training to ensure that they are successful leaders in any field once they complete the Fellowship. 3 . Finally and foremost thing it makes me feel me proud to be a good citizen of India who has contributed to some extent to my motherland.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Library of Congress

Years ago, Martin Luther King had a dream that all men and women would be equal, all students would be equal. Our laws and progression of civil rights and immigration has changed the United States Public Education System. Racial inequality and color prejudice has damaged the United States; affecting the American education system through legislation meant to help students. The differences in culture background and heritage are being traversed. Borders are supposedly being crossed. Educational theories and classroom practices are taking up new forms in order to conform and meet the educational needs of the global societies.Educators and teachers are being expected to share views and recognize values from different cultures, races, societies and ethnic groups. They are expected to move outside the system and custom of the dominant society and incorporate beliefs other than those they are accustomed with. Our laws and progression of Civil Rights and immigration has changed the United Sta tes public education system. The challenges that face our nation’s children relates to the civil right movements and immigration laws that have guided us to a direction of multicultural education.During the civil rights movement, there were two America’s, a black America and a white America. The school, bathrooms, water fountains, restaurants, bus seats, libraries, movie theaters, hospital floors, and even the line to see Santa Clause were all segregated based on the color of skin. African Americans went to school four months out of the year because they needed to help earn incomes the rest of the months. Their schools had no cafeteria, most with outside bathrooms; and their books were passed down from the white schools so they were all out of date (AARP, LCCR, & Library of Congress, 2004).The school building that contained African American students were falling apart. The classes were overcrowded with too many students, and not enough room for all the needed classes a nd materials. For the most part, these students had teachers that were substitutes who didn’t know what they were doing. The teachers that were in these schools had fixed values for these students and did not provide curriculum that was interesting or pertained to the students who were learning.The assumption of teachers was that these African American students did not deserve â€Å"a great deal in life and that a little, even a very little, (a very little) for a Negro child is a great deal more than he or she has earned† (Kozol, 1990). Complaints were being vocalized with the school districts letting white students ride the bus to attend white schools, and black students had to walk to their school when they lived right next to an â€Å"all white† school (Rafferty, 1965).In 1951, the Supreme Court finally had to face and rule on the subject of Civil Rights. A group called the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), created in 1909 to work towards eliminating segregation and discrimination, came together in a court case Brown versus Board of Education. African Americans had started filing suits against the educational systems as early as 1845, but the Supreme Court combined five cases to hear in 1951.The issues brought before the court was because of school conditions, segregation, deficient curriculum, pupil to teacher ratio, teacher training, extracurricular activity programs offered, transportation deficiencies, and of course teacher salaries (Brown Foundation, 1996). The discriminatory environment derived from civil rights and immigration issues unlocked, and then caused the world to see that human tendencies are to prejudge, discriminate against, and stereotype people based on their ethnic, religious, physical, or cultural characteristics.In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (347 U. S. 483), also called Brown I ruled by Chief Justice Warren, acknowledged learning to be the most significant task of state and local government and â€Å"repudiated the separate but equal doctrine†, deciding that â€Å"racially segregated schools were inherently unequal† (Cambron-McCabe et al. , 2004). The decision had great impact and important to the civil rights movement. The Supreme Court ruled that school had no place for â€Å"separate but equal† status (AARP, LCCR, & Library of Congress, 2004).A year later the Supreme Court decision in Brown II defined how and when school desegregation would be achieved because there was no standard or deadline set in Brown I (Orfield & Eaton, 1996). The legal precedence of this time caused far reaching social and ideological implications that brought about changes in the 1960’s and beyond. On the other hand, the legal wrangling did not make immigration and civil right issues disappear because of the ambiguity of the legal decisions. The 1960’s brought about race riots all over the U.S. , deaths because of race, and more laws that declared discrimination illegal (http://www. cnn. com/EVENTS/1997/mlk/links. html%20). On January 20, 1964, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into the Presidency, after the sudden death of President John F. Kennedy. As America mourned the death of JFK, President Lyndon B. Johnson placed his hand on the Holy Bible that was being held by his wife and took the oath of office. On that particular day, Lyndon B. Johnson launched his new program called â€Å"the Great Society.† The agenda was intended to produce a better quality of life for all Americans (Campbell, 1965). Reporters knew the Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson as a â€Å"legislative miracle. † In fact, Dick West of the Dallas Morning News wrote, â€Å"Mr. Truman couldn’t get started on a civil rights bill, because a rebellious congress passed an immigration law over a veto. Jack Kennedy took one whirl at federal aid to education, and then backed off. Then he tried to get Congress to set up a Department of Housing and Urban Development with Cabinet Status and was turned down in the House 264 to 150.† On the other hand, West writes that President Johnson was able to get these laws passed exactly the way he wanted them, thus being named â€Å"The Congressional Magician† (West, 1965 p. 2). President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on July 2, 1964, during a luncheon honoring late President Abraham Lincoln in the East room of the White House. The bill was about discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964).â€Å"The President sat at a small table in the center with racks holding 72 pens, which was an insufficient amount. † He actually used over 100 pens to sign this triumphant bill into law (â€Å"Big Audience†, 1964). Robert F. Kennedy sat in the front row, Martin Luther King sat in the second row, and other senators and cabinet members attended (â₠¬Å"Big Audience†, 1964). President Johnson’s speech was â€Å"swift but had great emphasis as he called on all Americans to close the springs of racial poison and eliminate the last vestiges of injustice in our beloved America† (â€Å"Big Audience†, 1964).The President spoke of the challenge that Lincoln bestowed upon America asking for â€Å"preservation of the union, enlargement of liberties for America and for being true to the Declaration of Independence which gives liberty to all. † The speech was a direct challenge for all Americans to ensure that all people including Black American’s will be a part of a â€Å"complete and equal† society (Negro Due, 1965). In 1968, the Supreme Court decision on Green v. County School Board of New Kent County gave the students the option to transfer from a black to a white school.The ruling states, â€Å"That schools must dismantle segregated dual systems root and branch and that desegregation mu st be achieved with respect to facilities, staff, faculty, extra-curricular activities, and transportation. † Because the Southern United States were fighting against the rulings of the Supreme Court because of their dissatisfaction of desegregation the case Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education in Mississippi ruled that desegregation must be achieved in every district at once (Orfield & Eaton, 1996).Multi-cultural education is a program seeking to revise and reform both schooling and the political and cultural context of formal schooling and studying. It was designed to have a better impact to society by reducing racial tolerance brought about because of immigration and civil right problems that has plagued our nation. Several categories of programs that are designed encompass not only to restructure and reform subjects and curriculums at school but also to generate and increase contact among races.They are designed primarily to bridge the gap among races. However, in stead of harmonious co-existence and peace being attained, the proposed inclusion of cultures to curriculum, poses lots of intriguing questions. The public is uncertain with their thoughts regarding the changing of curriculum. Often times, multi-cultural education has become the topic of numerous debates and disputes, resulting to a further division of the nation. Multicultural education is intended to decrease if not totally abolish race, ethnic and gender divisions.By helping students achieve the necessary skills and by guiding them they are being prepared in facing the challenges they would soon be encountering. Students are trained to equip themselves with the attitudes needed in order to survive in the real world. However, before such programs can be implemented, a thorough understanding of the real issue at hand must first be achieved. Factors such as demography, social class, funding, quality of educators, student’s cultural backgrounds and public interest should be ca refully considered and taken in to account. ReferencesAARP, LCCR, & Library of Congress (2004). Save Our History: Voices of Civil Rights. The History Channel: The Hearst Corporation. Big Audience: Over 200 Guests See Bill Signed (1964, July 3). Dallas Morning News. Section 1 Page 8. Brown Foundation (1996). Brown VS Board of Education: About the Case. Retrieved October 1, 2007 from http://brownvboard. org/summary/. Cambron-McCabe, N. H. , McCarthy, M. M. , & Thomas, S. (2004). Public School Law 5th Edition. Pearson Education Inc: Boston. p. 149 Campbell, M. (1965). President Johnson Chosen 1965 Newsmaker of the Year.Dallas Morning News, December 24: page A12. Kozol, Jonathan (1990). Death at an Early Age. New York: Penguin Group. Negro’s Due Full Rights, Johnson Says. (1965, February 13). Dallas Morning News, Section A Page 1 Orfield, G & Eaton, S. (1996). Dismantling Desegregation: The Quiet Reversal of Brown vs. Board of Education. New York, NY. The New Press. Rafferty, Max (1965). Children Should Be Taught Sweep, Drama of U. S. Past. Dallas Morning News, December 16: Page A29 West, D. (1965). Johnson’s Legislative Miracle. Dallas Morning News, September 26: Section C page 2.

Ban Cell Phones While Driving

Ban Cell Phones While Driving Almost every American has one. Some people use them strictly for business while others strictly for leisure. Most of us use them for both. They are always at our side ready to be answered, receive text messages, check email, or update our Facebook status. Cellphones have almost become a necessity in society. People regularly engage in a wide variety of multitasking activities when they are behind the wheel. Data from the 2000 U. S. census indicates that drivers spend an average of 25. min each day commuting to work, and there is a growing interest in trying to make the time spent on the roadway more productive (Reschovsky, 2004). Unfortunately, this leads to drivers being distracted on the road. I was a victim of an accident caused by a distracted driver on the telephone. I was in a parking lot about to park and a woman backed into me while she was talking on the phone. She profusely apologized and said she didn’t see me. It wasn’t that she couldn’t see me; she wasn’t paying attention because she was on the phone. Luckily, no one was hurt and there was minimal damage to my car.It’s just annoying and disheartening that people can be so careless. Cellphone use while driving needs to be banned in order to protect drivers and pedestrians alike. This isn’t just my personal opinion on the matter. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommends that states to  ban drivers from any non-emergency use of cell phones and other electronic devices that aren't built into their automobile (Alhers, 2011). It also called on wireless companies to create technology that would â€Å"disable the functions of these portable electronic devices within reach of the driver when a vehicle is in motion† (Alhers, 2011).The recommendation came out of an investigation of a 2010 pickup truck-school bus pileup in Missouri last year that killed two people and injured 35. The investigation found that the pickup driver who caused the accident sent 11 text messages in the 11 minutes leading up to the accident, including some just before impact. The NTSB lacks the authority to impose regulations, but its safety recommendations are highly regarded and have led to many state and federal laws and regulations (NTSB 2011). On Oct. , 2009, President Barack Obama issued an executive order banning the use of text messaging while driving for federal government employees on official business or while using government-supplied equipment. He said, â€Å"text messaging causes drivers to take their eyes off the road and at least one hand off the steering wheel, endangering both themselves and others† (Obama, 2009). Texting while driving is banned in 37 states and the District of Columbia. 30 states ban all cell phone use for beginning drivers.Ten states prohibit all hand-held cell phone use while driving; however, no states currently ban the use of hands-free phones while driving. Most people don't put Bluetooth or Sync in their cars anyway because it’s too expensive. Talking on the phone, hands-free or not, puts the driver’s focus on the conversation and not what is going on around them. It’s impossible to accurately gauge how many car accidents nationwide are cell-phone related, but according to the Department of Transportation, distracted driving killed 3,092 people in the United States in 2010. David L.Strayer, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah, stated the following in their Summer 2006 study comparing cell-phone use and intoxication while driving: It is now well established that cell phone use impairs the driving performance of younger adults. For example, drivers are more likely to miss critical traffic signals (traffic lights, a vehicle braking in front of the driver, etc. ), slower to respond to the signals that they do detect, and more likely to be involved in rear-end collisions when they are conversing on a cell phone.In addition, even when participants direct their gaze at objects in the driving environment, they often fail to ‘see' them when they are talking on a cell phone because attention has been directed away from the external environment and toward an internal, cognitive context associated with the phone conversation†¦ (p. 382) Strayer and his colleagues, with respect to traffic safety, found that the impairments associated with cell phone drivers may be as great as those commonly observed with intoxicated drivers.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council have launched the new Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks. This is a public service advertising public service announcement campaign nationwide. All of the PSAs direct audiences to StopTextsStopWrecks. org, a new campaign website where teens and young adults can find facts about the impact of texting while driving, and tips for how to curb the behavior. The website also has an ar ea where individuals can post and share their solutions to stop texting and driving on Facebook.The NHTSA also reported that pilot projects in Syracuse, New York, and Hartford, Connecticut, produced significant reductions in distracted driving by combining stepped-up ticketing with these high-profile public education campaigns. Before and after each enforcement wave, NHTSA researchers observed cellphone use by drivers and conducted surveys at drivers license offices in the two cities. They found that in Syracuse, hand-held cellphone use and texting declined by a third. In Hartford, there was a 57 percent drop in hand-held phone use, and texting behind the wheel dropped by nearly three-quarters (Wellenbach, 2011).There are many arguments against banning cell phone use infringes on the personal rights of motorists. Receiving a cell phone traffic ticket may negatively reflect on your driver record and can increase your insurance premiums. Those opposed to the ban feel it’s impos sible to enforce because a police officer can mistake a driver for texting someone when they are really changing a song on their MP3 player. Another counterargument is that holding a conversation on a cell phone while driving is no more distracting than being engaged with a passenger or rowdy kids in the back seat, eating fast food or messing around with the radio.Motorists know that using a cell phone while driving is distracting and should refrain from doing so. Another argument against banning cell phones is the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Most GPS’s displays three-dimensional renderings of virtual surroundings. At least 10 states that ban texting while driving offer some type of service that allows motorists to get information about traffic tie-ups, road conditions or emergencies via Twitter (DeMillo, 2009). There is also an argument to implement hands free devices in all motor vehicles.Enforcing such advanced technology to be built would be extremely expensi ve. This technology, built-in speaker phones or no use of cell phone if driving over 30 miles per hour is not cheap. It is not cheap for the manufacturers or for the customers. The average prices of cars would rise, and if there are be technical errors, it would cost more to repair the car. Assume that the United States did enforce this law upon manufacturers in their country. What if someone drove to the United States from neighbor countries, where cars are not equipped with this technology?Should those drivers from the neighbor countries, then, be allowed to use cell phones? No. The best thing to do is having a strict law, banning cellphone while driving until such advanced equipment in cars becomes basic technology, and fairly priced. In a survey I conducted revealed that 80% of drivers between the ages of 16 to 24 use a cell phone while driving. 90% percent of 16 to 24 year olds have been on the road and noticed drivers swerving and talking/texting on the phone while driving. My research indicates that only 20% of drivers 55 and over admitted they use a cell phone while driving.This shows that younger people are more at risk to be involved in some sort of collision or accident. The last question of the survey was have you ever been at a red light and have someone honked at you while you were at a red light looking at phone? Even though the survey was anonymous I don’t think people wanted to admit that this has happened to them. Only 40% of all who took the survey answered yes to this question. I think if had a larger survey pool my information would have supported my argument further. Here is a graph of the results of the question Have you used a cell phone while driving:Several technology start-ups will release new products for phones that can detect when a car is in motion and automatically log incoming calls and texts much as a personal assistant would. All the products have provisions that allow both incoming and outgoing calls during emergencie s. The following products are services available to reduce driver distraction. The first one is Key2SafeDriving. Parents can set up a password-protected profile that won't allow calls or texts when a Bluetooth device detects that the car is in motion. Next, there is Aegis Mobility Drive Assist.This is downloaded software will use a phone's GPS to determine whether it is in a moving vehicle, then log incoming calls and texts, and respond with a message that you're driving. And finally the least restrictive of these three products, ZoomSafer, is downloadable software that lets you dictate text messages and updates to social-networking sites while you're driving (Cruz 2009). This is similar to the talk-to-text program that my Droid phone has. I have tried to use it while driving and it hasn’t been too successful. I have to push a button that records what I want to say and then â€Å"listens. The majority of the time the words are totally wrong and I’m more distracted bec ause I have to go back and delete everything. I know technology will evolve and create a safe way to communicate while operating a vehicle. The evidence from studies showing the negative effects of cellphone use while driving is overwhelming. People need to be less concerned with emails, social networks, and texting and be more focused on the road. There is no simple solution to get everyone to agree or follow the rules if such as ban was put into action.It will take a long time to give up their right of cellphone privileges, but the outcome is worth the sacrifice. References Ahlers, Mike. (2011, December 13). NTSB recommends full ban on use of cell phones while driving. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://articles. cnn. com/2011-12-13/us/us_ntsb-c ell-phone-ban_1_smart-phones-texting-pickup-truck-driver? _s=PM:US Cruz, Gilbert. (2009, August 24). Distracted Driving: Should Talking, Texting Be Banned? Time Magazine. Retrieved from http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0, 9171,1916291-1,00. html DeMillo, A. (2009, Sept 19).Mixed Messages on Texting and Driving. Retrieved from Associated Press and Fox News website: http://www. foxnews. com/us/2009/09/19/states-send-mixed-message-texting-driving/ National Transportation Safety Board. (2011). No call, no text, no update behind the wheel: NTSB calls for nationwide ban on PEDs while driving [Press release]. Retrieved from http://www. ntsb. gov/news/2011/111213. html Obama, Barack. (2009, October 1). Executive Order 15313. Retrieved from http://www. whitehouse. gov/the-press-office/executive-order-federal-leadership-reducing-text-messaging-while-driving Strayer, D.L. & Drews, F. A. (2006). A Comparison of the Cell Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 381–391. Reschovsky, C. (2004). Journey to work: 2000, Census 2000 brief. Retrieved May 19, 2012 from http://www. census. gov/prod/2004pubs/c2kbr-33. pdf Wellenbach, P. (2011, Dec. 8) More American drivers are texting while driving despite additional legal measures. New York Daily News. Retrieved from http://www. nydailynews. com/news/national/american-drivers-texting-driving-additional-legal-measures-article-1. 988991#commentpostform

Friday, November 8, 2019

Raccoon Facts (Procyon lotor)

Raccoon Facts (Procyon lotor) The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a medium-sized mammal native to North America. It is easily recognized by its pointed masked face and banded furry tail. The species name lotor is neo-Latin for washer, referring to the animals habit of foraging for underwater food and sometimes washing it before eating. Fast Facts: Raccoon Scientific Name: Procyon lotorCommon Names: Raccoon, coonBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 23 to 37 inchesWeight: 4 to 23 poundsLifespan: 2 to 3 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: North AmericaPopulation: MillionsConservation Status: Least Concern Description A raccoon is characterized by the black mask of fur around its eyes, alternating light and dark rings on its bushy tail, and pointed face. Except for the mask and tail, its fur is grayish in color. Raccoons are able to stand on their hind legs and manipulate objects with their dexterous fore paws. Males tend to be 15 to 20% heavier than females, but size and weight varies dramatically depending on habitat and time of year. An average raccoon is between 23 to 37 inches in length and weighs between 4 and 23 pounds. Raccoons weigh roughly twice as much in autumn compared to early spring because they store fat and conserve energy when temperatures are low and food is scarce. Habitat and Distribution Raccoons are native to North and Central America. They prefer wooded habitats near water, but have expanded to live in marshes, mountains, prairies, and urban areas. In the mid-20th century, raccoons were introduced into Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Belarus, and Azerbaijan. Raccoon natural range (red) and introduced range (blue). Roke, Creative Commons License Diet Raccoons are omnivores that feed on small invertebrates, nuts, fruit, fish, bird eggs, frogs, and snakes. They tend to avoid larger prey as long as their usual food source is available. Many raccoons are nocturnal, but it is not unusual for a healthy raccoon to seek food during the day, particularly near human habitation. Behavior While captive raccoons often douse their food in water before eating it, the behavior is less common in wild animals. Scientists hypothesize the dousing behavior stems from the species foraging pattern, which typically involves an aquatic habitat. Once thought to be solitary creatures, scientists now know raccoons engage in social behavior. While each raccoon lives within its home range, related females and unrelated males form social groups that often feed or rest together. Raccoons are highly intelligent. They can open complex locks, remember symbols and problem solutions for years, distinguish between different quantities, and understand abstract principles. Neuroscientists find neuron density in raccoon brains comparable to that in primate brains. Reproduction and Offspring Raccoon females are fertile for three or four days between late January and mid-March, depending on the duration of daylight and other factors. Females often mate with multiple males. If the female loses her kits, she may become fertile in another 80 to 140 days, but most females only have one litter each year. Females seek a protected area to serve as a den for raising young. Males separate from females after mating and are not involved in raising young. Gestation lasts from 54 to 70 days (usually 63 to 65 days), resulting in a litter of two to five kits or pups. Kits weigh between 2.1 and 2.6 ounces at birth. They have masked faces, but are born blind and deaf. Kits are weaned by 16 weeks of age and disperse to find new territories in autumn. Females are sexually mature in time for the next mating season, while males mature somewhat later and typically start breeding when they are two years old. In the wild, raccoons typically only live between 1.8 and 3.1 years. Only about half of a litter survive the first year. In captivity, raccoons may live 20 years. Baby raccoons resemble their parents. Janette Asche / Getty Images Conservation Status The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes the raccoons conservation status as least concern. The population is stable and increasing in some areas. The raccoon occurs in some protected areas, plus it has adapted to live in close proximity to humans. While raccoons have natural predators, most deaths are from hunting and traffic accidents. Raccoons and Humans Raccoons have a long history of interaction with humans. They are hunted for their fur and killed as pests. Raccoons may be tamed and kept as pets, although keeping them is prohibited in some locations. Pet raccoons are best kept in pens to minimize property destruction and are usually neutered to reduce aggressive behavior. Orphaned unweaned kits may be fed cows milk. However, becoming accustomed to humans may make it difficult for them to adjust if the raccoons are later released into the wild. Sources Goldman, Edward A.; Jackson, Hartley H.T. Raccoons of North and Middle America. North American Fauna 60 Washington: U.S. Deptartment of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1950.MacClintock, Dorcas. A Natural History of Raccoons. Caldwell, New Jersey: Blackburn Press, 1981. ISBN 978-1-930665-67-5.Reid, F. A. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico. Oxford University Press. p. 263, 2009. ISBN 0-19-534322-0Timm, R.; Cuarà ³n, A.D.; Reid, F.; Helgen, K.; Gonzlez-Maya, J.F. Procyon lotor. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41686A45216638. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41686A45216638.enZeveloff, Samuel I. Raccoons: A Natural History Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books, 2002. ISBN 978-1-58834-033-7

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Carl Levin essays

Carl Levin essays Born in 1934 in Detroit, Michigan, Carl Levin has been around through many of the past centuries events. He has been a senator through 4 terms, and has helped pass many acts that have helped people. He is a strong advocate for improved technology in schools to help increase modernize education. He also has a goal to improve prescription drug benefits for senior citizens and another to continue to work with improving U.S. security issues. He should be chosen, as U.S. Senator because he understands what the people and the economy needs. He has the experience necessary to complete the task at hand. Carl Levin believes that education is the most important thing for being a successful individual. He believes that there are many educational issues that have to be dealt with and sets out to complete them. Some of the issues dealing with education that Levin sets out to change are the class sizes, which he intends to reduce. He also wants to modernize schools, meaning that he would like to increase the technology in schools. This is very important to education today because it will help students to keep up with the growing technological and business world. Another topic that Carl Levin would like to improve is prescription drug benefits. He believes that it is very important to have a prescription drug program. With all the economic problems of the current time, it will benefit senior citizens that are retired, and help them to afford their prescriptions. He believes it should be an optional part of Medicare. He also believes that it should be available, but not mandatory. Improving U.S. security is one of Carl Levins main goals. He wants to work for a safer world where the U.S. is part of a coalition against terrorism. He believes that the only way to fight terrorism is to be united, and to fight together. He believes that Saddam Hussein is more interested in his own power than anything else and also believes t...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Battle of Peachtree Creek - Civil War - Atlanta Campaign

Battle of Peachtree Creek - Civil War - Atlanta Campaign Battle of Peachtree Creek - Conflict Date: The Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought July 20, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders Union Major General William T. ShermanMajor General George H. Thomas21,655 men Confederate General John Bell Hood20,250 men Battle of Peachtree Creek - Background: Late July 1864 found Major General William T. Shermans forces approaching Atlanta in pursuit of General Joseph E. Johnstons Army of Tennessee. Assessing the situation, Sherman planned to push Major General George H. Thomas Army of the Cumberland across the Chattahoochee River with the goal of pinning Johnston in place. This would allow Major General James B. McPhersons Army of the Tennessee and Major General John Schofields Army of the Ohio to shift east to Decatur where they could sever the Georgia Railroad. Once done, this combined force would advance on Atlanta. Having retreated through much of northern Georgia, Johnston had earned the ire of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Concerned about his generals willingness to fight, he dispatched his military advisor, General Braxton Bragg, to Georgia to assess the situation. Arriving on July 13, Bragg began sending a series of discouraging reports north to Richmond. Three days later, Davis requested that Johnston send him details regarding his plans for defending Atlanta. Unhappy with the generals noncommittal reply, Davis resolved to relieve him and replace him with the offensively-minded Lieutenant General John Bell Hood. As orders for Johnstons relief were sent south, Shermans men began crossing the Chattahoochee. Anticipating that Union troops would attempt to cross Peachtree Creek north of the city, Johnston made plans for a counterattack. Learning of the command change on the night of July 17, Hood and Johnston telegraphed Davis and requested that it be delayed until after the coming battle. This was refused and Hood assumed command. Battle of Peachtree Creek - Hoods Plan: On July 19, Hood learned from his cavalry that McPherson and Schofield were advancing on Decatur while Thomas men marched south and were starting to cross Peachtree Creek. Recognizing that a wide gap existed between the two wings of Shermans army, he resolved to attack Thomas with the goal of driving the Army of the Cumberland back against Peachtree Creek and the Chattahoochee. Once it was destroyed, Hood would shift east to defeat McPherson and Schofield. Meeting with his generals that night, he directed the corps of Lieutenant Generals Alexander P. Stewart and William J. Hardee to deploy opposite Thomas while Major General Benjamin Cheathams corps and Major General Joseph Wheelers cavalry covered the approaches from Decatur. Battle of Peachtree Creek - A Change of Plans: Though a sound plan, Hoods intelligence proved faulty as McPherson and Schofield were in Decatur as opposed to advancing against it. As a result, late in the morning of July 20 Wheeler came under pressure from McPhersons men as the Union troops moved down the Atlanta-Decatur Road. Receiving a request for aid, Cheatham shifted his corps to the right to block McPherson and support Wheeler. This movement also required Stewart and Hardee to move to the right which delayed their attack by several hours. Ironically, this sidestep right worked to the Confederate advantage as it moved most of Hardees men beyond Thomas left flank and positioned Stewart to attack Major General Joseph Hookers mostly unentrenched XX Corps. Battle of Peachtree Creek - Opportunity Missed: Advancing around 4:00 PM, Hardees men quickly ran into trouble. While Major General William Bates division on the Confederate right became lost in the Peachtree Creek bottomlands, Major General W.H.T. Walkers men assaulted Union troops led by Brigadier General John Newton. In a series of piecemeal attacks, Walkers men were repeatedly repulsed by Newtons division. On Hardees left, Cheathams Division, led by Brigadier General George Maney, made little headway against Newtons right. Further west, Stewarts corps slammed into Hookers men who were caught without entrenchments and not fully deployed. Though pressing the attack, the divisions of Major Generals William Loring and Edward Walthall lacked the strength to break through XX Corps. Though Hookers corps began strengthening their position, Stewart was unwilling to surrender the initiative. Contacting Hardee, he requested that new efforts be made on the Confederate right. Responding, Hardee directed Major General Patrick Cleburne to advance against the Union line. While Cleburnes men were pressing forward to prepare their attack, Hardee received word from Hood that Wheelers situation to the east had become desperate. As a result, Cleburnes assault was cancelled and his division marched to Wheelers aid. With this action, the fighting along Peachtree Creek came to an end. Battle of Peachtree Creek - Aftermath: In the fighting at Peachtree Creek, Hood suffered 2,500 killed and wounded while Thomas incurred around 1,900. Operating with McPherson and Schofield, Sherman did not learn of the battle until midnight. In the wake of the fighting, Hood and Stewart expressed disappointment with Hardees performance feeling that had his corps fought as hard Loring and Walthall the day would have been won. Though more aggressive than his predecessor, Hood had nothing to show for his losses. Quickly recovering, he began planning to strike at Shermans other flank. Shifting troops east, Hood attacked Sherman two days later at the Battle of Atlanta. Though another Confederate defeat, it resulted in the death of McPherson. Selected Sources Historynet: Battle of Peachtree CreekNorth Georgia: Battle of Peachtree CreekCWSAC Battle Summaries: Battle of Peachtree Creek

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Key Facts About Canadas Provinces and Territories

Key Facts About Canadas Provinces and Territories The fourth-largest country by land area, Canada is a vast nation with much to offer in terms of culture and natural wonders. Thanks to heavy immigration and a strong Aboriginal presence, it is also one of the worlds most multicultural nations. Canada consists of 10 provinces and three territories, each boasting unique attractions. Alberta   Alberta is a western province sandwiched in between British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The provinces strong economy relies mainly on the oil industry, given Albertas abundance of natural resources. The province features many different kinds of natural landscapes, including forests, a portion of the Canadian Rockies, flat prairies, glaciers, canyons, and wide tracts of farmland. Alberta is home to a variety of national parks where you can spot wildlife as well. Its largest cities are Calgary and Edmonton. British Columbia British Columbia, colloquially referred to as BC, is Canadas westernmost province, bordering the Pacific Ocean. Many mountain ranges run through British Columbia, including the Rockies, Selkirks, and Purcells. The capital of British Columbia is Victoria. The province is also home to Vancouver,  a world-class city known for many attractions including the 2010 Winter Olympics. Unlike indigenous groups in the rest of Canada, the First Nations of British Columbia have for the most part never signed official territorial treaties with Canada.  Thus, the official ownership of much of the provinces land is disputed. Manitoba Manitoba is located in the center of Canada. The province borders Ontario to the east, Saskatchewan to the west, Northwest Territories to the north, and North Dakota to the south. Manitobas economy relies heavily on natural resources and farming. McCain Foods and Simplot plants are located in Manitoba, which is where fast-food giants such as McDonalds and Wendys source their french fries. New Brunswick   New Brunswick is Canadas only constitutionally bilingual province. It is located above Maine, to the east of Quebec, and along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. A beautiful province, New Brunswick has a prominent tourism industry built around the areas main scenic drives: Acadian Coastal Route, Appalachian Range Route, Fundy Coastal Drive, Miramichi River Route, and River Valley Drive. Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador make up Canadas most northeastern province. Its economic mainstays are energy, tourism, and mining. Mines include iron ore, nickel, copper, zinc, silver, and gold. Fishing also plays a big role in Newfoundland and Labradors economy. When the Newfoundland Grand Banks cod fishery collapsed in 1992, it heavily impacted the province and lead to an economic depression. In recent years, Newfoundland and Labrador have seen unemployment rates and economic levels stabilized and grow. Northwest Territories   Often referred to as NWT, the Northwest Territories are bordered by the Nunavut and Yukon territories, as well as British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. As one of Canadas northernmost provinces, it features a portion of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. In terms of natural beauty, Arctic tundra and boreal forest dominate this province. Nova Scotia Geographically, Nova Scotia is composed of a  peninsula and  an island called Cape Breton Island. Almost totally surrounded by water, the province  is bordered by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Northumberland Strait, and the Atlantic Ocean. Nova Scotia is famous for its high tides and seafood, especially lobster and fish. It is also known for the unusually high rate of shipwrecks on Sable Island. Nunavut   Nunavut is Canadas largest and northernmost territory as it makes up 20 percent of the countrys landmass and 67 percent of its coastline. Despite its tremendous size, though, it is the second least populous province in Canada. Most of its land area consists of the snow-and-ice-covered Canadian Arctic Archipelago, which is uninhabitable. There are no highways in Nunavut. Instead, transit is done by air and sometimes snowmobiles. Inuit make up a heavy portion of Nunavuts population. Ontario Ontario is the second-largest province in Canada. It is also Canadas most populous province as it is home to the nations capital, Ottawa, and the world-class city of Toronto. In the minds of many Canadians, Ontario is separated into two regions: north and south. Northern Ontario is mostly uninhabited. It is rich in natural resources which explains why its economy heavily depends on forestry and mining. Southern Ontario, on the other hand, is industrialized, urbanized, and serves Canadian and U.S. markets. Prince Edward Island The smallest province in Canada, Prince Edward Island (also known as PEI) is famous for its red soil, potato industry, and beaches. PEI beaches are known for their singing sands. Because they are made of quartz sand, the beaches sing or otherwise make sounds when wind passes over them. For many literature lovers, PEI is also famous as the setting for L.M. Montgomerys novel Anne of Green Gables. The book was an instant hit back in 1908 and sold 19,000 copies in the first five months. Since then, Anne of Green Gables has been adapted for the stage and screen. Quebec Quebec is the second-most populous province in Canada after Ontario. It  is primarily a French-speaking society and the Quebecois are very proud of their language and culture. In protecting and promoting their distinct culture, Quebec independence debates are an important part of local politics. Referendums on sovereignty were held in 1980 and 1995, but both were voted down. In 2006, the House of Commons of Canada recognized Quebec as a nation within a united Canada. The provinces most well-known cities include Quebec City and Montreal. Saskatchewan Saskatchewan boasts many prairies, boreal forests, and about 100,000 lakes. Like all Canadian provinces and territories, Saskatchewan is home to Aboriginal peoples.  In 1992, the Canadian government signed a historic land claim agreement on both federal and provincial levels that gave the First Nations of Saskatchewan compensation and permission to buy land on the open market. Yukon Canadas westernmost territory, Yukon  has the smallest population of any province or territory. Historically,  Yukons major industry was  mining,  and it once experienced a large population influx thanks to the Gold Rush. This exciting  period in Canadian history was written about by authors like Jack London. This history plus Yukons natural beauty makes  tourism an important part of Yukons economy.