25 Activities for Customer Service Excellence - 16252 Words

25 Reproducible Activities for Customer Service Excellence Peter R. Garber HRD Press, Inc. †¢ Amherst †¢ Massachusetts Copyright  © 2005, HRD Press, Inc. The materials that appear in this book, other than those quoted from prior sources, may be reproduced for educational/training activities. There is no requirement to obtain special permission for such uses. We do, however, ask that the following statement appear on all reproductions: Reproduced from 25 Reproducible Activities for Customer Service Excellence, by Peter R. Garber. Amherst, Massachusetts: HRD Press, 2005. This permission statement is limited to reproduction of materials for educational or training events. Systematic or large-scale reproduction or distribution—or†¦show more content†¦117 21. The ABCs of Customer Service................................................................. 127 Part 5—Achieving Results................................................................................. 133 22. Self-Fulfilling Prophecies .......................................................................... 135 23. Word Games............................................................................................... 139 24. Winning and Losing with the Customer .................................................... 145 25. Buying Decisions ....................................................................................... 149 v Preface Customers are the life blood of any business, and providing great customer service is critically important. Keeping the customer satisfied needs to be the goal of everyone in the organization. Think about how you feel when you play the role of a customer yourself. How do you feel when you receive poor customer service as you spend your hard-earned money? Would you continue to do business with a company that didn’t understand your needs, or worse yet, didn’t care? Of course not. Similarly, the customers you provide service to expect the same quality that you would expect to receive. The quality process has taught us the importance of meeting the requirements of the customer. Customers rightfully deserve nothing less than excellent service. The emphasisShow MoreRelatedAn Organization Or Brand s Value Proposition1579 Words   |  7 Pagesfragrance-free beauty products and are recognised as a pioneer in the skincare industry (Clinique 2016). Value Creation Customer value as defined by Zeithaml (1988) refers to the benefits that customers receive from the use of a product, relative to their cost or sacrifices. Literary theory widely recognises the ability for organisations to create value for their customers as integral to business success (Woodruff 1997). However, multiple frameworks can be adopted to evaluate an organisation orRead MoreTesco Lotus’ Outsourcing to Linfox (Thailand)1535 Words   |  7 Pagesnon-food grocery, fresh food, apparel, electronics and daily needed items. Tesco Lotus is also operating shopping malls, example of which is so called â€Å"Community Malls platform that emphasizes easy access at 2-5 minutes driving from home for customers. Where customers can come to do their shopping, relax with a cup of coffee, as well as do their personal errands such as make utility payments or mail their letters.[iv] In retail business a retailer buys goods or  products  in large quantities fromRead More Eco Tourism in Australia868 Words   |  3 Pagesenvironment than ever. Therefore, ecotourism has been introduced to customer by many tourism businesses include hotel, resort, airline or safari. 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Human resource focus on the organization empowers andRead MoreEngineering Educational Institutes in India1545 Words   |  6 Pagesother low cost countries. 26% of employable engineers in technology services continues to be a major bottleneck. â€Å"There is a strong correlation between a country’s competitiveness and the quality of higher education provided within that country†, say Borahan and Ziarati (2002). Hence measuring and improving the quality of higher education becomes an essential role of higher educational institutions. In the industrial context the customer is the ultimate judge of quality, and the same applies in the academicRead MoreDialogue Example Essay1233 Words   |  5 Pagesdistrict that did improve and that’s District 5. They went from a 57% to a 57.8%. Congratulations to Joan and the District 5 team. Marlene: You know Mike, it’s so important that we keep our stores in stock for our customers. We have to be sure that we have all of the things our customers are looking for when they are shopping. That way we make sure that, they don’t have to stop anywhere else for what they need. Mike: Marlene you are right. We have to do better with making sure we are getting ourRead MoreLm of Finance1012 Words   |  5 Pages1.0 INTRODUCTION The misc shipping line is a large company. Company is preferred provider maritime transportation and logistics services. It made in 1968 to become integrated maritime, offshore floating solution, heavy engineering and logistics service provider. This made misc become a subsidiary of PETRONAS in 1988, a move that produced synergistic benefits especially in the field of oil and gas transportation. Misc also is the world leading LNG owner operator with over two decades of proven experienceRead MoreQuality And Quality Of Quality1313 Words   |  6 Pages2.2.1 Definition of Quality The meaning quality is based on the point of view that products and services must meet the requirements of the customer or user. The quality is divided into two general aspects: Quality of design and quality of conformity (Montgomery, 2007) Quality is perceived differently such as goods and services occur in varying degrees or levels of quality. These variations in quality levels are intentional and therefore, the appropriate term is quality of design. The Quality ofRead MoreThe New York City Housing Authority Essay1364 Words   |  6 Pagesa low to moderate income public housing initiative consisting of 328 developments throughout all five boroughs of New York City. More than 400,000 residents benefit from these developments through the receipt of not only apartments but additional services provided by each development and New York City overall. Over recent years the NYCHA developments have been experiencing a reduction in government funding, forcing the organization to re-evaluate strategies addressing maintenance of old buildingsRead MoreNegative Consumer Behavior What is negative consumer behavior and what are the characteristics of a bad customer? How can managers address this issue to ensure success?1490 Words   |  6 PagesNegative Consumer Behavior To fully understand what negative consumer behavior is and what makes a bad customer, we first have to understand what consumer behavior is. In their book, Consumer Behavior: Concepts and Strategies, Berkman and Gilson (1981) say that the American Cultural System, which is made of values and artifacts, strongly influences consumer activity in the United States. In the twentieth century, American Culture reflected a distinct consumption ethic based upon affluence

An Reflective Writing On Behavioral Issues And Management

Introduction This reflective writing piece focuses on behavioural issues and management that arose during my first placement at a large, mixed sex secondary school located in Shropshire. During my time at the school, I have observed a number of teaching styles and strategies which have enabled me to reflect and develop my own teaching techniques. The class focussed upon within my report is a middle set year eight; within this class I have 4 SEN students and an extra teaching assistant to provide further support. Focus Socrates (469 – 399 B.C) stated; â€Å"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.† Since the ‘golden age’ the misbehaviour of students have been recognised both within the parental and school environment. This is still a noticeable issue which has been highlighted further by news reports, technological advances and government discussions, leading to many prevention measures being designed and implemented (e.g. Guidance for school staff members has been provided and published by the government entitled Behaviour and discipline in schools). Whilst practicing and attending Edge Hill lectures it was evident that withinShow MoreRelatedOrigins of Behaviorism Essay1714 Words   |  7 Pagesbehaviourism the influence of positivism. One of the goals of positivism was to unify psychology with natural science. Methodological behaviourism is a dominant theme in the writings of John Watson. John Broadus Watson was one of the most prominent psychologist scientists of his era, writing on applied psychology for academic journals, business publications, and popular magazines and is considered to be the founding father of behaviorism. John was born in SouthRead MoreThe Effects Of Effective Communication On Job Performance1680 Words   |  7 PagesWhen asked to write a reflective think piece describing a single communication issue as it pertains to the organization in which I work, the Employment Development Department, I decided to delve into the topic of effective communication, especially in regards to job expectations. I choose this particular aspect of communication because it is one of my divisions biggest complaints in regards to management or the lack there of, and I want to better understand how to avoid miscommunicating with fellowRead MoreThe Importance Of A Reflective Teacher And The Classroom Environment1473 Words   |  6 Pagestaught, and behavior management have all been altered this week to fit the needs of our class. I can see myself becoming more of a reflective teacher that is always focused on if my students are learning or not. However, with several special education students and below grade level learners, the dynamics of our classroom can be challenging. Specifically, Meghan and I have been noticing a lack of motivation within the students which disrupts learning. For example, Monday during writing, several of theRead MoreReflective Individual Reflection : Level 41220 Words   |  5 PagesReflective Individual Reflection: Level 4 Starting my journey through college again was a big decision for me. Being a single parent of two children, a homeowner, and holding a stressful, full-time job left me with little free time. However, I longed to reinvent myself and find a way to advance my career. Meeting personal goals to further my education outweighed the guilt I felt, as my children were not young any longer. I decided to make advancing my education a top priority. Discovering thatRead MoreCh7 Process Management Essay4889 Words   |  20 PagesCHAPTER 7 PROCESS MANAGEMENT TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS 1. Process management is defined as the controlling and improving of processes after they have been designed. Answer: F AACSB: Analytic Skills 2. Support processes generally do not directly add value to products and services. Answer: T AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills 3. Processes must be both measurable and repeatable to be improved. Answer: T AACSB: Analytic Skills 4. A well-runRead MoreEvaluation Of A Team Working Activities Essay2295 Words   |  10 Pagesincremental approach towards issues that arose, preferred the delaying in the action to be taken until enough information and method of solution is obtained. Moreover the relationships that was built through the interaction made was highly valued and considered this are the best network for trust building, before dealing with the problem that is specific. In the meantime, other individuals found conform in what was exactly opposite of this, focus towards the dimensions of the issue was of utmost importanceRead MoreEssay on Critical Reflection on One Nurse-Family Interaction2294 Words   |  10 Pageshow this would contribute to your learning needs and nursing practice. Critical or significant interactions can be defined as situations that make an impression or have a special meaning to an individual. The analysis of such incidents, a useful reflective technique helps us to identify professional capabilities, increase knowledge of self and improve patient care outcomes (Lian, 2001) and lead to practice that is better informed than before the reflection (Usher et al, 2001). Critical reflectionRead MoreCustomer Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers7966 Words   |  32 Pageslife cycle. What type of segmentation does Pendergraff use? A) geographic B) behavioral C) lifestyle D) demographic E) psychographic Answer: D Diff: 1 Page Ref: 194 Skill: Concept Objective: 7-2 7) Through talking to numerous competitors at a regional trade show, you learn that most of them use the most popular base for segmenting markets. What is it? A) demographic B) gender C) psychographic D) behavioral E) geographic Answer: A Diff: 2 Page Ref: 194 Skill: Concept Objective:Read MoreCá »â€˜tmer8950 Words   |  36 Pagesand family life cycle. What type of segmentation does Pendergraff use? A) geographic B) behavioral C) lifestyle D) demographic E) psychographic Answer: D Diff: 1 Page Ref: 191 AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity Understanding Skill: Concept Objective: 7-2 6) Which of the following is the most popular method for segmenting markets? A) demographic B) gender C) psychographic D) behavioral E) geographic Answer: A Diff: 2 Page Ref: 191 Skill: Concept Objective: 7-2 Read MoreThe Values Of The Christian Tradition9036 Words   |  37 PagesIntellectual development focuses on the cognitive aspect of the human; cognitive development incorporates analysis, critical reflection, evaluation, and synthesis of knowledge of multiple disciplines. Social development focuses on the affective and behavioral aspects of the human. Therefore, social development incorporates the ability to interact and communicate with other humans with civility and tolerance. Physical development focuses on the corporeal aspect of the human. Consequently, physical development

Human societ Free Essays

The human society is a very complicated structure. It consists of a huge quantity of members, each of them with their own thoughts, emotions and experiences. The notion of â€Å"society† unifies all those members and therefore, they must correspond to the standards of that society. We will write a custom essay sample on Human societ or any similar topic only for you Order Now They have to elaborate some special mode of living, thinking, behaviour in order to be like other. â€Å"Being like all† – that’s the main motto of human society of all times. Within the complex structure of society one can be happy and rich, other unhappy and poor but everyone tries to be like the rest. But it is well known that each rule can have its exceptions. So, the human society has. There are people who are not able to find their place in the society. Each of them has his own reasons. One just doesn’t want to be like all, the other just can’t behaviour like people around him and so on. In the world literature the notion of the â€Å"outsider† has been rather often discussed. Among these discussions the view of â€Å"outsider† by Thomas Mann and Albert Camus are one of the most interesting. Tonio Kroeger in the novel of the same name by T. Mann is rather a typical outsider. So, what made him to be so? Surely, he is an artist and the real artist is always a little bit different from the crowd. But there are many talented artists which are not outsiders at all in their real life. Tonio is a lonely artist. These two words- â€Å"lonely artist† are able to explain the Kroeger’s problem. The first word is â€Å"lonely† and the second is â€Å"artist†. The â€Å"lonely† is the reason and the â€Å"artist† is the consequence. Kroeger has become an artist because he was lonely and couldn’t find himself in this life. All he can do is creating art describing the reality around him but he is not able to live in this reality. He realizes that his inability and suffers a lot because of that. Some of the events of this story must be perceived in symbolic manner because of Kroeger’s difficulties in being like other. His homosexual sympathy to Hans Hansen hasn’t to be understood as just a physical sexual expression. This sympathy symbolizes the Kroeger’s aspiration for prestige bourgeois life as Hans was the bright representative of same. Kroeger couldn’t find himself in this bourgeois life but was eager of living like his â€Å"ordinary† contemporaries. That’s why Hans attracted him. Kroeger lived in constant paradox within him. His heart was the heart of an artist but in his veins the bourgeois blood was flowing. He wanted to be as easygoing and careless as his friends but he couldn’t be so because his mind was depressed all the time by the events of the life around him and he could only describe them in his art. That was the main reason of Kroegen’s being the outsider. The main thing Kroeger had to learn during his life was that probably his outstanding skills as an artist were conditioned by his withdrawing from the ordinary life. In other words, if he had been an ordinary bourgeois personality he wouldn’t have been a gifted artist. The main reason of his unhappiness was that he didn’t want to understand that simple thing: it is not possible to connect things which can not be connected – the commonplace satisfied life and the delicate, sensitive vision of the artist. Should Kroegen understand that in time, the life would be much easier for him. But he understood that later. Perhaps, that’s the fate of each real talent – to pass through many difficulties in order to find oneself in the art. The ordinary always remains to be ordinary. It is not worth to follow it. We must follow things that we have skills for and there always will be place for the ordinary in our life – it will come into our lives by itself. But if talented person tries to overtake the ordinary or to live between the ordinary and the exalted he or she is doomed to unhappiness and misfortune. Precisely that started to happen with Tonio Kroeger. When he understood that it is not possible to find compromise between â€Å"the Dionysian† (all the passionate and emotional) and â€Å"the Apollonian† (rational and reasonable) he decided to combine them in his art and that was the unique correct decision for him. Albert Camus in his â€Å"Stranger† gives us the other notion of outsider. Meursault – a man of absurd in the world of absurd, – that’s the Camus’ vision of the problem in case. When after the first sentence of the novel -â€Å"Maman died today† follow the indifferent meditations of the protagonist regarding when died his mother – today or yesterday, we understand the Meursault is completely indifferent to the notions of time, place and many other phenomena of our real world. All along the novel new arguments prove that. Meursault lives being ruled by purely physical instincts. His life consists of a number of patterns (ways of behaviour) which he uses every day. For example, he becomes sad because Sunday came and broke the customary way of his everyday life. The heat produced by the sun when he goes back from the funeral of his mother worries him more than the very death of his mother. In other words the Meursault activities look completely paradoxical for other people, but not paradoxically for him. Camus presents in his hero his understanding of life in general and of truth in particular. To say more, Meursault believes sincerely in justice and truth. But he has his own notion of that â€Å"truth†. Yes, he doesn’t cry at his mother’s funeral. But on the other hand he never says lies. He doesn’t see any sense in acting like the rest of people. He just shows his own true emotions or indifference in each particular moment of his life. He is independent in the full meaning of this word. He doesn’t believe in God, he lives by his own motives. Society tries to find some meaning in his behaviour but all in vain. It is not possible to find sense in absurd. Otherwise, it will not be absurd any more. Thus, Meursault embodies the Camus’ notion of so-called â€Å"relative truth†. That is not all society’s truth but the truth of one person. Yes, he guns down the Arab but he believes in justice and doesn’t try to avoid it. Certainly, it sounds terribly but that is Camus’ absurd vision of the truth. On the one hand Meursault’s activities are horrible as that his â€Å"relative truth† makes a lot of harm to other people but on the other hand he is not eager of making harm to anyone, he never lies, he is just living his own life which is right to his opinion. This difference between Meursault’s truth and society’s truth makes Meursault to be the outsider. He can’t understand the sense of the society’s existence (to say it more exactly – he doesn’t even want to understand it as it is not important for him) and the society, in its turn, can’t find out any meanings in the mode of Meursault’s life. Nevertheless, Meursault has learnt his lesson towards the end of the story. When we see him sentenced to death it is already possible to speak about â€Å"new† Meursault. It doesn’t mean that he has completely changed his moral perception. He still doesn’t believe in God and is sure that after death there is nothing but non-existence. But he started using his memory what he has never done before. He remembers his father and understands all the â€Å"advantages† of human memory. He had never resorted to his memories and lived only following his physical impulses. When being in prison he understood how good it can be – to remember something that has happened once. Meursault starts to distinguish the past and the future. His imagination and feelings work like they never did before. He realizes that both imagination and feelings (spiritual, not physical feelings) are rather useful in regular life. Only in prison he begins to perceive each new day like a gift (as there were few left before his death penalty) without classifying them in days which are good and in days which break his customary way of life. In other words he began to understand that his life was not as correct as it seemed to him before. But he started to understand that too late when his life was going to be cut by those who haven’t managed to find some meaning in his life. Both Tonio Kroeger and Meursault realized the mistakes of their existence. Kroeger understood that he was unable to learn living like other people because the problem which was, by the way, created by himself was already too significant and complex for him and he had to find some area in which he could get rid of that immense moral tension. That area became his art for him. Meursault couldn’t change his life because he was already sentenced to death for the actions of his previous egoistic â€Å"self-life†. These two protagonists are similar in this respect as they both realized the necessity to change their lives. Nevertheless, there is a clear difference in â€Å"being outsider† between Kroeger and Meursault. Kroeger was a brightly expressed outsider as he couldn’t find himself in his society and that was hurting him a lot. He really was out of society’s side. He crossed successfully with the society within his professional skills only when he was describing that society in his works. As to the commonplace reality- he was an unhappy man. Meursault, contrary to Kroegen, represents another type of outsider: â€Å"outsider within society†. Meursault was the member of society and that’s why society was astonished by his behaviour. He was a stranger within society and that made his activities paradoxical. Kroeger experienced pain because he was outsider and the society didn’t care a lot about it. Meursault didn’t suffer a lot because of being outsider – but society suffered because of his activities. Speaking about the outcomes made by each of these two protagonists it is necessary to say that Kroeger’s conclusion was more successful than Meursault’s. Kreoger found the decision of his problem in his art and Meursault had not already time for the correction of his mistakes as he realized them under the threat of guillotine. Being outsider means to not coincide with the public’s opinions and norms of life. T. Mann and Albert Camus showed us that the notion of the outsider is poly-semantic. Tonio Kreoger and the stranger Meursault are both outsiders but each in his proper manner. Kroeger is an â€Å"outer outsider† (he wants to be within the society being like all) and Meursault is an â€Å"inner outsider† (he doesn’t feel himself to be outsider but the society consider him to be so). Regarding Mann’s story it would be helpful to conclude that it is not worth to follow the common opinion and try to be like all. The most important thing is to preserve the skills and the lofty given to you by the nature. As to the Camus’ novel, it is possible to learn from it that being honest only for oneself is not enough, it is also necessary to thing about the society you live in and that one’s notions of truth are not always common for all. The society was created by people precisely in order to find the compromise between different people’s opinions. Both Kroeger and Meursault have become outsiders by themselves. The conclusions they have made from their mistakes are rather consoling. So, hope that Mann and Camus’ novels will serve as good examples for many for not being an outsider in the future. How to cite Human societ, Papers

Armenian Genocide Essay Example For Students

Armenian Genocide Essay Why was the Armenian Genocide Essay Forgotten? GENOCIDE By definition genocide is the organized killing of a people for the express purpose of putting an end to their collective existence (Websters dictionary). As a rule, the organizing agent is the nation, the victim population is a domestic minority, and the end result is the near total death of a society. The Armenian genocide generally conforms to this simple definition. FORGOTTEN The Armenian genocide is a hidden, almost lost part of world history, pretty much eclipsed by the more publicized genocide of the twentieth century, the Holocaust. The question is why. I could take a poll of this room and I am willing to bet that 95% of the students have ever even heard of the Armenian Genocide and those who have couldnt tell me more than a couple sentences about it. This is pretty scary, considering the statistics of the Armenian Genocide. OTTOMAN EMPIRE The Ottoman Empire was ruled by the Turks who had conquered the land from across West Asia, North Africa to Southeast Europe. The Ottoman government was based in Istanbul and was headed by a sultan who was given absolute power. The Turks were Islamic and were a harsh disciplinary civilization. The Armenians, a Christian minority, lived as second class citizens subject to legal restrictions (Graber 119). These restrictions denied them normal safeguards. Neither their lives nor their properties were guaranteed security. As non-Muslims they were also obligated to pay discriminatory taxes and denied participation in government. In its prime of the sixteenth century the Ottoman Empire was a powerful state. Its minority populations really benefited with the growth of its economy, but by the nineteenth century, the empire was in serious decline(Graber 121). It had been reduced in size and by 1914 had lost virtually all its lands in Europe and Africa. Although the Turks continued to deny that there was a systematic plan to exterminate the Armenians in fulfillment of a pan-Turkic ideology the events that took place contradict their actions. Three related actions by the Young Turk government diminished the possibility of Armenian resistance(Donald Lorna Tourgan Miller) First those most capable of defending their towns and villages had been drafted and were serving as loyal soldiers of the Ottoman army to fight WW1. By the early part of 1915 the Armenians were disarmed. Also many were put into jobs to work for the war with jobs such as to build roads, and pack war supplies. They were so poorly fed that many dropped from hunger and exhaustion. It soon became evident that the goal was to work the Armenians until they did drop. With almost no exceptions those who did not die from exhaustion at work were taken in groups of fifty or one hundred and shot. Even more horrid than that was they were forced to dig their own graves then were shot and thrown in like old rag dolls doscarded by a child who has no use for the lifeless doll. A second step to secure that the Armenians resistance was reduced was the Turkish took controll of all guns owned by Armenians. The confiscated guns were then photographed and presented as evidenceof Armenian rebellion. These photographs created a political reason that legitimized the inhumane actions that were taken againts the Armenians. When the word genocide is perceived the thought of the Jewish holocaust is what usually comes to mind. Hitlers war against the Jewish population was well published and placed in the eyes of almost all. Yet what of the American and Cambodian genocide. These nations had fallen into the same hell on earth but no one spoke of the horrors that lurked in their everyday life. Before the genocide of 1915 more than 2 million Americans lived in Turkey today only about 60,000 still remain. Historical Armenia covered an area of about 100,000 square miles including parts of what are now the republics of Armenia, Azelbaijan and Georgia. Not only were the population decimated but thousands of Armenian churches, monasteries and monuments were also destroyed in eastern Turkey. Across the border the Republic of Armenia, now about one tenth of the size of historical Armenia, being land locked and isolated from natural resources its fight for its economic life. There had been problems between the Turks and the Armenians but a pattern of extermination was not yet established. As the events of 1915 unfolded most of the Armenians were unaware of a centralized plan of genocide was in process. But by the end of the decade a mere handful of Armenians remained. Although the Turks continued to deny that there was a systematic plan to exterminate the Armenians in fulfillment of a pan-Turkic ideology the events that took place contradict their actions. Three related actions by the Young .

Cheap Amusements Essays (601 words) - Leisure, Quality Of Life

Cheap Amusements Peiss, Kathy. Cheap Amusements: Working Women and Leisure in Turn-of -the-Century New York (Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 1986). Kathy Peiss describes the leisure activities of young working women living in New York during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in her book Cheap Amusements. The book explores the emergence of a young female working class and the conflict the women encountered with the Old World traditions. Peiss also explores the commercialization of leisure and the socialization of female leisure. The results of these changes brought about what Peiss calls: cheap amusements. During the middle nineteenth century, women observed Old World traditions in respect to leisure. Most leisure activities for women were labor oriented and close personal relationships between women were frowned upon as deviant. Peiss explains this during the first few chapters of Cheap Amusements. The emergence of a young female working class caused a strain on the Old World traditions and leisure activities for women became controversial. The traditional role of women was changing due to the economic pressures from industrialization. As more young women began to work in the same conditions as young men, women gained the right to engage in amusement as a man would. Peiss discovers the commercialization of amusement to support the woman's' struggle for leisure freedom. The businessmen in amusement saw the female working population as an untapped market for exploiting. The amusement business was booming due to the industrialization of cities and the need for leisure activities for the large population of workers. Amusement came in a variety of forms such as: social clubs, dances, variety shows, amusement parks, cheap theatre, nickel dumps, and even standing on the street corner. The businessman's goal was to make a profit off of these activities. With the exception of standing on the street corner, most leisure activities were commercialized and turned a profit. In opposition to the businessman were the mothers and fathers that still lived by Old World traditions and did not want their daughters or sons engaging in some of the activities. The exploitation of heterosexuality was extremely controversial and Peiss sites this as a major hang-up in the changing of female leisure activities. The emergence of the dance hall and the attending of these establishments by unattended females were a primary concern for conservatives. The concept of picking up that is, two strangers meeting for the first time and enjoying each other's company for the night, was the new craze. (102). The mothers and fathers saw this as an act of disrespect for ones self and an exploitation of sexuality. The struggle to maintain control over the leisure activities of a young girl became even more difficult whenever she was working. Most mothers had not made money as a bachelorette and balked at the wishes of their daughters to spend their free time at these new activities t hat involved young men. Kathy Peiss makes the world of a young working female in New York City, living around the turn of the century, come to life in less than two hundred pages. The author's book is a success because of the colorful way she describes the conflicts that occur throughout the book. Any reader of history would find this book a good resource for research as well as enjoyable reading. Moreover, a researcher of sociology would find the information in the book to be of interest, especially if they are interested in the women's movement in modern America. Bibliography Peiss, Kathy. Cheap Amusements: Working Women and Leisure in Turn-of -the-Century New York (Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 1986). Book Reports

colored people essays

colored people essays Segregated Peace: an essay on Colored People Integration was a main theme or topic in this memoir. It played an important role in the time when Gates was growing up and had a big affect on him throughout his book. Integration changed the way Gates viewed, whites, blacks, restaurants, hairstyles, church, school, etc. He went from a conformist to a rebel to an Episcopal. His community changed with him and the older generation of course did not take to integration as well as most of the younger generation did. Integration was considered a good thing to most people and others believed that Blacks had lost something through the whole ordeal. They believed that they had lost the close knit family ties that segregation indirectly created. Gates sums up the way the community felt about integration in one of his last sentences in his memoir. He writes, All I know is that Nemos corn never tasted saltier, his coffee never smelled fresher, than when these hundreds of Negroes gathered to say goodbye to themselves, their heritage, and their sole link to each other, wiped out of existence by the newly enforced anti-Jim Crow laws.(Gates, 216) It was hard for blacks to integrate into all white schools after being surrounded by blacks for most of their lives. Whites werent the only ones to critique black attitude and black style, blacks did it to themselves. Gates writes that when he was a child he remembered that when blacks were admitted to all white neighborhoods or schools, Negroes were the first to censure other Negroes(Gates, xiii). His father would say things like, Dont go over there with those white people if all youre going to do is Jim Crow yourselves(Gates, xii). Even Gates writes, I always reserved my scorn....for someone too dark, someone too loud, and too wrong.(Gates, xiii). The way Gates writes it, blacks would scrutinize their own kind. ...

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Court Research Paper

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Court - Research Paper Example This realization led to the Congress coming up with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, an Act, which would give the government an oversight of surveillance against foreigners (Chiarella & Newton, 1997). The Congress established the FISA Court in 1978 as a special court authorizing the Chief Justice to assign seven judges who would be responsible for reviewing any applications concerning investigations on foreign power agents or foreign powers who seemed to pose a threat towards national security. The judges would be drawn from various judicial circuits and a judge was allowed to serve for a seven-year non-renewable term. After the enacting of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (92 Stat. 1783), the government had realized the need to have mechanisms of obtaining judicial warrants before it started to gather any intelligence information involving foreign power’s agents or foreign powers based in the United States (Chiarella & Newton, 1997). Senator Teddy Kennedy introduced the bill to the house on 18 May 1977 and nine other senators supported him. These were James O. Eastland, Storm Thurmond, Gaylord Nelson, John L. McClellan, Charles Mathias, Daniel Inouye, Walter Huddleston, Jake Garn, and Birch Bayh. These resulted from questions about the legality of intelligence activities, which were being carried out in the country. Frank Church and Sam Ervin led two separate committees that wanted to establish the need of legalizing all activities of gathering foreign intelligence information. It had been reported that President Richard Nixon was using federal security agents to spy on activists and political groups and this violated the US constitutions’ Fourth Amendment. FISA was signed into law by the then president Jimmy Carter (Chiarella & Newton, 1997). The Act was created for the purpose of supervising the way the government used its surveillance facilities to spy on foreigners but at  the same time, protect the secrecy of the intelligence agents.  

The positive effects of video games on society Essay

The positive effects of video games on society - Essay Example These changes have made video games realistic, complex, diverse and social and have resulted in an emergence of research on the positive effects of these games (Ferguson, 2007). In this regard, this essay will consider the positive effects of video games on society. The association of violence to violent video games has amplified the view that video games have negative effects on the society. It is for this reason that a vast majority of research conducted on this topic has concentrated on the negative effects of these games on society. Despite the lack of extensive research on the positive effects of video games, the benefits associated with play can be linked to video games. The general benefits associated with play include the ability to experiment social experiences while simulating possible emotional consequences and the opportunity to reproduce real life situations and find solutions. This is essential in the development of social skills (Durkin and Barber, 20002). However, unl ike traditional games, video games are interactive and may not allow physical involvement in the game. Video games allow users to interact with gaming systems and these systems react to the behavior of the player. Video games can be played alone with the physical presence of other players or can be played online with other numerous players. These games can also be played alone, competitively or cooperatively. The games also take various genres and allow the players to interact in different contexts.

Causes of building collapes Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Causes of building collapes - Term Paper Example Three of the main causes of buildings’ collapse are; faulty design of structures by incompetent engineers, overloading of structures, and natural disasters. Design deficiency is an issue which continues to face the engineering and construction industry today. Ishak, Chohan and Ramly (2007) explained design deficiency as a situation where engineers refuse to follow basic principles and elements of construction design in the creation of their design ideas for buildings. This implies that design deficiency is a component of faulty design where the designs put up by engineers cannot be said to have followed acceptable standards of practice. It would however be noted that elements and principles of construction design are in place to ensure both safety and aesthetic outcomes. It is against this backdrop that it can be explained that once such building designs happen, design failure follows, which ultimately results in possible collapse of building. This confirms the relationship between faulty design and building collapse because faulty design creates a situation where the eventual construction that will be made cannot be said to be secured in principle and theory. There are a number of factors that can lead to cases of deign deficiency, which is an aspect of faulty design. Oloyede, Omoogun and Akinjare (2010) mentioned that overdependence and overreliance on contemporary technology is a major factor behind incidences of faulty designs of structures resulting from design deficiency. Indeed when engineers over elaborate the abilities of contemporary technology, they are tempted to think that as far as they have advanced technological tools and equipment on their side, it is possible to bring any design ambition to fruition. Meanwhile, even though technology can present the platform to create whatever design an engineer dreams about, it takes competent engineers to differentiate between the abilities of technology and the scope of design. Once such

Afghanistan Geostrategic Importance

Afghanistan Geostrategic Importance When Allah had made the rest of the world, he saw there was a lot of rubbish left over, bits and pieces and things that did not fit anywhere else. He collected them all together and threw them down on the earth. That was Afghanistan.  [1]   An old Afghan Saying. Introduction The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia,  [2]  South Asia,  [3]  or the Middle East.  [4]  It is bordered by Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the far northeast. The geographic entity now known as Afghanistan has a very long history, and has been an ancient focal point of the Silk Road and migration. It is an important geostrategic location, connecting East and West Asia or the Middle East. The land has been a target of various invaders, as well as a source from which local powers invaded neighbouring regions to form their own empires. Ahmad Shah Durrani created the Durrani Empire in 1747, which is considered the beginning of modern Afghanistan.  [5]   In the late 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer state in The Great Game played between the British Empire and Russian Empire. Due to its strategic placement Afghanistan became the focal point of intense rivalry between Tsarist Russia and Britain during the nineteenth century. On August 19,1919, following the third Anglo-Afghan war, the country regained independence from the United Kingdom over its foreign affairs. During the ensuing conflict, the war-weary British relinquished their control over Afghan foreign affairs by signing the Treaty of Rawalpindi in August 1919  [6]  . In commemoration of this event, Afghans celebrate August 19 as their Independence Day. Afghanistan remained at the centre stage of international politics as a theatre in the cold war games of super powers with Pakistan acting as the frontline state of USA for channelling its financial, material and military supplies to the Afghan Mujahedeen. Since the late 1970s Afghanistan has experienced a continuous state of civil war punctuated by foreign occupations in the forms of the 1979 Soviet invasion and the 2001 USA led invasion that toppled the Taliban government. Afghanistan has assumed importance due to its potential to influence the societies and politics in its bordering countries. (Refer fig 1) Historical Perspective The geography of a nation determines its history, politics and the nature of its people. Afghanistan has been called by many names from being the heart of Asia by the great Indian poet Mohamed Iqbal, to the cockpit of Asia by Lord Curzon.  [7]  The geo strategic location of Afghanistan has been significant since the earliest Aryan invasion it being located on the crossroads between the Arabian Sea and India and between the central Asia and South Asia, the country has indeed stood guard over the land routes to the Indian subcontinent. Even the ruler of Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh, had recognised that the key to the security of the plains of India lay in Kabul.  [8]   Afghanistan has always remained an area of imperial aspirations, differing perceptions and competitions both in medieval and modern times.  [9]  Even before Afghanistan emerged as a geo political entity, the region had seen competition for influence by the Mongols, Persians, the Mughals as well as local tribal chiefs. Though Afghanistan as a state existed since 1747, its current political borders evolved only toward the end of the last century (1880-1901) as an outcome of rivalry between British India and Tsarist Russia. Creation of a buffer state between the two giant powers in Asia was a political and military compulsion. Politically speaking, it was the issue of security between British India and Russia that determined Afghanistan as a state more than the factor of its sovereignty since Afghanistans spatial location denied it the resources for it to be a viable state.  [10]  Successive Afghan rulers have maintained stability by sourcing revenue (i.e. plundering) from its n eighbours  [11]  . Afghanistan played a pivotal role in the security perspective during the era of the great game in the Nineteenth century when Russian and British imperial powers seemed to be on a collision course in Central Asia.  [12]  The history of Nineteenth century is consequently a history of moves and counter moves on the part of the Russians and the British Empire, which ultimately resulted in the emergence of the land locked Afghanistan as a buffer state in the demarcation of frontiers. Thus, it was primarily this Great Game being played out in Afghanistan, which resulted in evolving its current political borders, rather than its need for sovereignty. Since its stability was a key factor in maintaining the fragile security balance in the region, the external powers continued to supply rulers of Afghanistan with assured resources to sustain control and internal stability. Thus, Afghanistan became the only country to hold off both Russian and British expansion in the last century without aligning itself with either. The demarcation of Afghanistans border with Russia commenced in 1887, however Russians never lost sight of the fact that they needed to have their influence in the region, and this led to the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between the two in 1921  [13]  . The British too, carried out the demarcation of the border with Afghanistan by creating the Durand line, named after Sir Mortimer Durand in 1893, without giving any thought to the tribal affinities and traditional affiliations.  [14]   Geographical Location Afghanistan is the worlds 41st-largest country (after Burma) and has an area of 245,000 square miles. It is landlocked and mountainous, with plains in the north and southwest. Afghanistan with a noticeable sizeable chunk of geometrically regular territorial configuration lies at the intersection of the Indian Sub-Continent (Pakistan), the Middle East (Iran), Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) and China (The Wakhan Corridor).  In terms of International borders, the details are Pakistan (2430 km); Iran (936 km); Tajikistan (1206 km); Uzbekistan (137 km); Turkmenistan (744 km), and China (75 km).  The northern and southern portion of Afghanistan is divided by the massive Hindu Kush mountain ranges  [15]  . The Pamir Mountains to the northeast also named the roof of the world by Marco Polo are the junction between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and China. In the east, the passes in Suleiman mountain range like the famous Khyber Pass have provided access to the Indian subcontinent. Geo Strategic Relevance since World War II The post World War II saw the collapse of the British colonial rule in the Subcontinent and Soviet Union emerging as a Super Power with USA led western bloc and Soviet Union led eastern communist block  [16]  . With the British departure from India Afghanistan lost its importance, possibly since the western bloc found an ally in Pakistan to counter the Soviet expansion. However, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 brought the country to the limelight once again and the strategic balance of the subcontinent was altered dramatically with intervention of extra regional powers. The geo strategic relevance of Afghanistan in the above backdrop cannot be overlooked and it gained further importance with the breakup of Soviet Union. Infact the country has emerged as a new centre for terrorism. Post Cold War Era and the New Great Game The withdrawal of Soviet Union from Afghanistan once again altered the geopolitical and geo strategic importance of Afghanistan. The resultant power vacuum, infighting among the Mujahedeen commanders, weak government of Najibulla at Kabul, and the lack of United States support to Pakistan, were to a large extent responsible for the state of affairs in Afghanistan. Coupled with an indifferent world community, it formed a sure shot recipe for disaster. Surrounded by two nuclear states (China and Pakistan), a threshold nuclear state (Iran) and having two other nuclear powers in its near vicinity (India, and Russia) places Afghanistan in a difficult situation with its neighbours as well other powers vying to get a foothold in the region to spread their influence in the region and the subcontinent. The emergence of new States in Central Asia in 1991 brought to limelight the vast Hydrocarbon resources available in the region and once again Afghanistan acquired the critical importance of the land route from Central Asia to Arabian Sea. It could be asserted that despite its landlocked location, Afghanistan is important in geo-economic terms too both in terms of substantial deposits of oil and natural gas (assessed but not tapped) and as a energy corridor for Central Asia energy produce.  The newly independent states of the Central Asian region have been desperately looking for means of communication to export their oil and gas riches, so as to end their isolation and economic dependence on Russia. Turkmenistans hope of reviving plans to lay the pipeline across war torn Afghanistan to Pakistan and then to India revealed the desperation facing these states. Taliban and the Impact on the Geo Strategic Environment When Russia eventually withdrew from Afghanistan, the US-supported Mujahideen took control. Instead continuing the support for the buffer state, Americas subsequent withdrawal from the region caused a power vacuum, allowing sectarian interests (the Taliban) to seize control. As Afghanistan had been abandoned by both Russian and the West, the Taliban had no interest in acting as buffer, and pursued their own agenda. Afghanistan, apart from being the land bridge to central Asia has also become a home to the fundamentalist ranging from the Jihadis from Kashmir to the Uighur separatists and provided a suitable launch pad for such activities in Central Asia. Afghanistans geo-political and historical background further complicated the situation. The Taliban were initially welcomed by the war torn population since they promised an end to the prevailing anarchy. However, the subsequent quest for power and their change in stance from having no political ambitions, to a flat refusal for power sharing pushed Afghanistan into another period of instability. Afghanistan, till Dec 2001, can therefore be described as having been a legally undivided territory of fragmented power  [17]  . Soon Taliban as a Host to Al Qaida and its leader, Osama Bin Laden, turned into reality the threat of Islamic Fundamentalism faced by the Central Asian states since 1991. The strengthening of links between militant organisations like Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al Qaida, the Chechen rebels, Uighur separatists and the Taliban, further compounded the security situation in the region. The bombings of the US embassies in 1998 brought USA and the Taliban on a collision course. However, it was the 11 Sep 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre, which roused the world community and forced them to deal with the menace posed by Taliban and its associates. The Relevance Post 11 Sep 2001 The global war on terrorism (GWOT) launched by USA and its allies has added great deal of turbulence in the region. Presence in Afghanistan provides USA an opportunity to influence the region and keep a check on Russian, Chinese, Pakistani, Iranian and the Indian influence, the nuclear states in the region, a job it has already commenced, as is evident from the pressure on Pakistan and the Iranians.  [18]  The United States however is in a strategic dilemma as it made its Afghanistan strategy totally dependent on Pakistan Armys cooperation.   A strategic denouement is underway presently.  The United States geopolitically stirs a witches cauldron in Afghanistan by giving primacy to Pakistan Armys strategic sensitivities to control Afghanistan  [19]  .  Any US exit from Afghanistan could create a political vacuum which would most likely get filled in by Russia, Iran and India.  [20]  

Frankenstein Movie To Book Essay -- essays research papers

How can we think of Frankenstein and ignore the film classic of 1931? Yet the celebrated film does not follow the novel by Mary Shelley. Although the scene of a futuristic laboratory entrances movie audiences with the mad Dr. Frankenstein and his faithful assistant Igor, the scene is derived from twentieth century imaginations and interests, not the novel itself. For good reason, the novelist chose not to begin her story with the chilling event of the dreary night in November. Instead of a major event, the book opens with a series of letters from Robert Walton. It is not his want for the voyage of discovery, but his obsession with fame, that drives him to the unknown in hopes of being credited with expanding mankind's knowledge and control of the universe. Similarly, Victor Frankenstein is drawn to the mysteries of experiments with the unknown. Early in his education he read about alchemists and early natural philosophers and becomes so impressed with the power of electricity that he makes it his mission to harness it to procure man’s place among the gods. But unlike the familiar films, no faithful Igor helped him rob graves or assisted him in an extravagant, futuristic laboratory. In the novel Frankenstein tells no one of his experiments and worked alone. Specifics concerning the actual experiment are omitted; no account of the actual process of locating, obtaining, and transporting body parts appears in the novel. It just says that he is made up of dead body parts. In t...

CV: software professional Essay

To achieve excellence in working as a software professional offering solutions to business using the best available technology where my analytical abilities , programming quest are used to maximum for growth of the organisation and to grow with the organisation. Professional Qualification: Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Regional Engg. College, Durgapur, India(1992-96). Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications from MCA APEL,India (1996-97). Professional Summary: A Web applications developer with over 5 years experience in software development, primarily using Java related technologies. Have been involved in requirement gathering, system analysis, design and development phases of software development life cycle. Technical strengths include distributed application architecture design, object-oriented analysis and coding (Java), database design and coding, and general dynamic web programming(EJB, Servlets, JSP, XML) I am a good team player possessing Excellent Communication and Inter-personal skills, and a quick learner. Developed an Order Entry System for providing our customers an online application to search and order more 22,000 products offered. Multi-tier architecture was implemented for developing this enterprise level application to guarantee reliable and secure service. WebLogic was used as the application server and Oracle as our database. EJB2. 0 was the middle tier between the front end and the backend Oracle database. 4. Project Title : eOrgMan Environment : JAVA, JSP, Oracle, JavaScript, HTML Role : Coding, design and testing. Description : Java based web-enabled Organizational Management software to facilitate easy day-to-day maintenance of any organization of any size. Some of its features include Time-Management of employees, Leave Management, Salary Calculator, Query based employee information, Sales Tracking system etc. Any specialized function of an organization can be customized for tracking, supports for Product/Project Management, and Bug Tracking system for Software organizations. 5. Project Title : Business Transaction Maintenance and & Report Mailing System Environment : JAVA, JSP, Oracle Role : Design and coding. Description : The project keeps track of all the business transactions of PolyCab Cables such as Introduction letter, Enquiry, Quotation, Orders, Bills and Payments. Daily each representative reports the status of the proposed projects,pending quotations, orders and payments to the branch office and the branch office in turn sends this consolidated weekly report to head office through mail. Reports are generated to estimate the total sales of a cable representative wise, dealer wise, cable wise and about the payments receivable. 6. Project Title : Time Reporting and Tracking System Environment : JAVA, JSP, Oracle Role : Coding. Description : The Time Report and Tracking System Project is WEB-based to allow flexible reporting and data extraction .

Online Resources for Writers You Dont Want to Miss

Online Resources for Writers You Dont Want to Miss As the world transitions online, so too does the profession of writing. Writers used to find their work in newspapers, type their works mechanically, and ask friends to critique their writing. Now there are perhaps hundreds of websites for anything a writer might need to further their career. The spirit and the enjoyment of writing live on in each of them.Below are the best websites for any writer looking to build their skills, share their writing, find a new tool to help them write, and find work that they enjoy.Best websites for skill buildingQuickAndDirtyTips.com/Grammar GirlQDT covers topics in quick and refreshing posts tackling topics like grammar misconceptions and common mistakes, how to communicate effectively, and special interests like etiquette and manners. Readers can either skim the website looking for answers to their burning questions or get caught up and start listening religiously.For podcast listeners, QDT also produces the Grammar Girl podcast, which features prof essional reading of grammar tips much like what readers would find on the QDT website. Whether writers prefer binging these tips online or listening to them while doing laundry, writers can avoid grammar pitfalls while reading these short and sweet articles.Example takeaway: Usage of lay requires an object, while lie doesnt. QDT provides a chart showing the present tenses, past tenses, and past participles of each.Now NovelOf course, a fair amount of writers out there specialize in writing fiction, whatever the genre may be. Others write about the real and tangible. Each of these writers can benefit from tips from Now Novel.Now Novels main site offers a paid service that will help you write a novel, but its blog is filled with useful information and it is completely free.The stories you can find on this blog are extensive and can help you get a good start on finding story topics, writing quality story arcs, making well-developed antagonists, and even using grammar to set a pace. Wri ters may find it surprising that this blog is offered without a purchase of the service.Example takeaway: Only include humor when its effective. Terry Pratchetts Discworld included a prologue that included epic language used humorously, but only because it fit well with the rest of the book.750words.com750words.com is based entirely on the idea that practice makes perfect. It asks writers to draft 750 words, or three pages according to the site, of whatever comes to their minds. It gives users one point for writing anything, then it gives them larger point amounts for longer and more consistent writing.The site is a digitized take on morning pages, which ask writers to write frequently at the start of every day. In addition to helping writers hone their writing, morning pages also help them overcome anxiety about putting pen to paper by making it a daily routine.The description on the site explains that it is not a social network or a blog, but a way for you to write to yourself. It encourages simply initiating the writing stage of content creation, without needing to worry how the work will be received.The site also tracks your writing habits, letting you learn a bit more about your own process.Takeaway: Writing to yourself can be a kind of therapy, letting you get to know about your own anxieties on writing.Best websites for sharing your writingReddit r/writingYes, writers can even visit Reddit, a website that relies on its users, to receive valuable advice. This website can serve as a resource for many aspects of a writers career, but the ability to receive feedback, personal experiences, and writing tips alike makes Reddits r/writing community unique.R/writing functions as a community somewhat akin to social media rather than a blog from an expert. This community focus can allow writers to receive varying viewpoints on their questions and their work, if they choose to post it. There is a weekly critique segment where any user can post examples of their wor k and receive in-depth feedback.Of course, this is also a community where people can come together and appreciate writing. Users often post about their favorite authors.Takeaway: In response to a user looking to get over writers block, user mannotron posted a quote from Dan Harmon that says: My best advice about writers block is: the reason youre having a hard time writing is because of a conflict between the GOAL of writing well and the FEAR of writing badly.ScribophileScribophile is a real-deal community of writers all looking to build each others talents and share their experiences. The site boasts about 898,774 critiques served for 152,579 works. Scribophile offers both a basic and a free account for members.The site even offers a degree of copyright protection, since no one else except members of the community will be able to view your work. Scribophile also offers contests for real money. Learning materials and guides are also provided. The site is a real launchpad for someone looking to get into writing as a career.Takeaway: Scribophiles homepage offers a bit of promotion for their critiques with a quote from Kingsley Amis, If you cant annoy somebody, theres little point in writing.Best websites for starting your writingZenpenYou can go to zenpen.io right now, delete the instructions in the word processor that is presented, hit fullscreen in the top-right, and start writing. Thats it.Zenpen gives users a minimalistic word processor that supports basic text creation. After you hit fullscreen, youre greeted with practically nothing, just a word processor and no distractions. Its wonderful.According to its about text, Zenpen is simply made to get you into the zone of being able to write. Its a great way to just start writing already.Takeaway: Black text stands out on a white background.Power ThesaurusFor writers who wish to at least temporarily ignore Stephen Kings advice against thesauruses, power thesaurus is a great crowd-sourced iteration of the tool s ynonymous (or equivalent, equal, tantamount, or corresponding) with creative writing.Users simply enter a word into a familiar search bar for alternative words. The site is crowdsourced, meaning you can expect increasingly relevant results as this site goes on. After this, you can filter based on the type of word youre looking for. The site remembers every word that you search, so you can easily go back to tricky (or crafty, difficult, or cunning) words.One of the sites biggest pros is its great web design. Everything pops out to the reader and menus are easy to navigate.Takeaway: An idiom for the word resplendent is open-work silk. An expression for constitution is warp and woof.Best websites to further your career as a writerEasyBibEasybib.com may be known worldwide as a service that has helped millions of students generate automatic citations, but the site also provides easy guides that can serve as a quick and free substitute for physical MLA/APA/Chicago stylebooks.The guides pr ovide basic formatting and word usage information along with answers for special cases like making a parenthetical citation for three to five authors.Writers who hone their skills on academic citations can avoid a lot of trouble down the road when writing anything that requires crediting others work. Its a must for nonfiction writers of all sorts.Takeaway: APA style is generally used by those in the behavioral and social sciences while Chicago is most commonly used in history courses.WhoPaysWriters.comSay you want to get paid writing, as most of us do. You could simply enter some search terms into a basic job search website to find local in need of writers in your immediate area, but theres a good chance the search results will be cluttered and include a lot of less well-intentioned employers. If only there was a list of employers somewhere that included a list of all employers who will pay for writing.Those interested in this exact list can go to WhoPaysWriters.com. Spanning from 1 00 Days in Appalachia to Zymurgy Magazine, this list is as diverse as it is extensive. Users can click on any of these names to read a report on what was written for a particular user and how much they were paid. This list is a great way for writers to be selective in their searches.Takeaway: Lighting Sound America paid a user $0.32 per word for a 3000-word feature in 2017. The payment was made in two months. AARP Bulletin was also reported to pay a surprising $2.00 per word for a 200-word fob.

Contemporary Motivation essays

Contemporary Motivation essays As Richard Johnston speaks I realize that he has come across a rare talent of not only immense and drastic amounts of creativity but also the ability to capture and enhance an area like no other artist I have taken interest in. Richard announces that he does not excel in catching realism; however all of his pieces are inspired by actual aspects of his life. I agree that the surroundings that inspire him with insights should and can be seen through the talent of his art. Mr. Johnston is clearly motivated by his experiences, ideas, and environment and there is truly a lot to be learned from his approach to art, his techniques, and finished product. Richard claims that he has an irresistible urge to make things. This however would not be possible if he could not find motivation for new sculptures. There is much to be learned from the motivation that this artist captures from his environment. For example, many companies around the U.S. are recognizing that much motivation can be gained from their environment, i.e. the workplace. I think that if we could convince CEOs of major businesses to understand that on-sight art exhibitions should exist, increased productivity would be an immediate result. In fact experts at Pinker and Damsio argue that the deepest thoughts that account for human behavior are unconscious and primarily visual. By utilizing sculptures like Mr. Johnstons in the grass outside an eating area or in the lobby, we would be forcing workers to stop and analyze the meaning, thus jump starting the creative sections of their brains. As is the case with many contemporary artists there is bound to be someone who does not appreciate their work. Richard Johnstons Untitled Horse is an example of a sculpture that holds true to this scripture. This piece ornamented the main quad at UVSC during 1990. Gilbert Cooke, an UVSC administrator, grew such distaste for the p ...

Industrial Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Industrial Revolution - Essay Example as the Industrial period that changed the face of society from an agrarian one to a society greatly dominated by industry and the manufacture of machines. As Burke puts it, "together with the Industrial Revolution came the modern expectation of progress and a better standard of living made possible by mens skills and the machines they invented...", and goes on to credit the Industrial Revolution with promoting both capitalism and giving birth to socialism among other things and that it changed society, making "modern urban society dependent on mass-production techniques without which we cannot now survive" (1998/1995, page 193). In his book â€Å"The Day the Universe Changed† James Burke gives us a philosophical view of the universe by telling us that our idea of the universe is how each one perceives it, so therefore if we change our perception of how we look at the universe, we have changed the universe itself. Burke goes on to tell us of all the advances in Science and technology and how they affected the lives of the people. Before the 1700s, metals such as copper, tin and brass were used but machines could not be made from them because they were very malleable or brittle. The only durable material was wood, but wooden gears got worn out very soon. Hence, an alternative such as iron came into vogue but to separate the iron from the rock a rudimentary process of smelting had to be used. After a lot of trial and error, the water wheel was devised in order to crank the bellows to produce power. That is why the ancient iron works were constructed near the rivers. Hence very soon things such as ploughs, screws, nails, gates, and swords were made from iron. Very soon there was a great demand for iron and mining turned out to be a huge business. Since the mines were below the water-line, they became flooded during the rains. Due to this there arose the necessity for something to pump the water out. This led to the invention of a steam engine. The very first Steam

What Are Human Rights and How Far are States Concerned to Promote or Essay

What Are Human Rights and How Far are States Concerned to Promote or Protect Them - Essay Example Democracy is the ideology whose main basis is ensuring equality for all and since many countries exercise democracy or its many variations, it means that many attempt to protect the human rights for the people under their protection. There is a direct correlation between the level of human rights protection and democracy, such that the closer to an ideal democracy a country is, the higher its likelihood of upholding high standards of human rights.1 This essay defines human rights, states the role of the state in upholding high human rights standards, and analyses Iceland and Pakistan and their levels of human rights protection. Definition of Human Rights By virtue of being human beings, people are entitled to rights and freedoms that should be universally accepted and available for everyone. In national and international laws, human rights exist as natural or legal rights; if they are not stated in the constitution, they are natural rights; otherwise, they are known as legal rights.2 Most public policies are based on the doctrine of human rights, including international and regional institutions, state policies, and activities of non-governmental organizations. However, due to the strong claims made for ideal human rights, they are hard to implement in they entirety, especially considering that many countries are just emerging from dictatorial and colonial rule. Moreover, it is not even clear what the term right means, mainly because in order to adhere to some of these rights, some people have to be favored over others. For instance, everyone has the right to a decent life; this means that states have to favor the unemployed people in an attempt to give them a life that is comparable to those who are employed. In any case, people believe they are entitled to some rights and privileges by virtue of their age, gender and economic status among other factors. Role of the State The state is responsible for enforcing the human rights of the people within its jurisdic tion, and punishing offenders. It does this mainly by ensuring that people enjoy their human rights without interfering with those of others; laws, policies and Acts are the main tools used for this purpose. However, it does not mean that human rights have to be written; since they are basic rights, it means that if someone infringes into the rights of others, it is clear, though there may be some complications where religion and culture are involved. The level at which a government can enforce human rights is dependent on the structure of the government, with ideal democracies and dictatorships having the most and least respect for human rights respectively. Nowadays many countries lie between these two extremes, and their level of human rights enforcement varies depending on how much they share a characteristic with these two opposite ends.3 Most constitutional republics have a clause of human rights in their supreme law, which is uniform across all states. The level of implementa tion of these rights varies from time to time as governments change, changes in political stability, social factors and other environmental factors. The state ensures that all its people’s rights are protected at all times as conditions may permit. For instance, the basic rights of the people are limited if the country is in a state of emergency or undergoing a military coup. Moreover, the state is charged with ensuring that all local or international individuals, corporates, and other entities respect the human rights of its citizens wherever they may be.4 State Analysis As mentioned above, various states have varied levels of implementation

JACOBSTOWE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

JACOBSTOWE - Essay Example Jacobstowe found it difficult in 2007 to meet its working capital requirements. With low gearing, tight liquidity problems, working capital could not be utilized to its best. But despite all these adversaries, Jacob declared good dividend in order to maintain the market price of its scrips at certain predetermined level. All ventures in the business are executed to earn the profits, and that is one of the most important tasks of business managers. Three ratios are used, namely Net Profit Margin, Return on Assets, and Return on Equity in order to evaluate the profitability of Jacobstowe Plc. a) Net Profit Margins: Jacobstowe Plc.’s net profit margins have gone down to 5.17% in 2007 from 6.42% in 2006. Despite the fact that there is increase in turnover from 5,622m to 5,996m, Jacobstowe has not been able to increase net profit margins. There could be a number of reasons for such a fall in profitability. One would notice that current ratio of Jacobstowe has also fallen in the year 2007 as compared to 2006 even when total ‘Receivables’ have increased; it makes sense here to state that turnover would have increased at the cost of reduction in prices, and thus there are reduction in net margins. Initially with the reduction in prices gross margin would have gone down but as there was also increase in operating costs (those increased from 5099m in 2006 to 5486m in 2007), both factors would have worked together to bring down the net margins. b) Return on Assets (ROA): Another measure to assess profitability is Return on Assets (ROA). Return on assets in 2007 is 4.93 as compared 5.75 in 2006. Assets have performed if not less than their optimum capacity but certainly the performance was what it was in the year 2006. For calculation purposes average capital employed in 2006 is taken as in 2007. This is because of non- availability of information about ‘total assets employed’ in 2005. Profitability on this count was also not very encouraging. The

Mildred Taylor Essay Example for Free

Mildred Taylor Essay The weather plays an important role in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Its importance is emphasised by its presence even in the title. It was also an important part of the lives of rural families. When they ploughed, sowed and harvested all depended on the weather. This importance is included in the book. The weather reflects on events that are happening and the mood in each part of the book. It also indicates what will happen in the future, building up tension and giving warnings of danger. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry begins in October. The Logan children are traipsing to school on a day which Cassie describes as, A bright August-like October morning made for running the cool forest trails Cassie is oblivious to racism and this reflected in the mood of this section. The weather is sunny and cheerful and although the children do not appear to be cheerful, the worst of their problems is school. It isnt until chapter 3, towards the end of October, that the weather begins to change. The rain falls heavily on the dust making it turn to red oozing mud. When they are forced into the slimy gullies by the white schools bus, the Logan children decide to get revenge. They dig a hole into the road, which they hope the school bus will drive into. However when they return after school they find that the rain has turned their hole into a trench that the bus drives into and breaks down. Without the rain, the Logan children wouldnt have been able to get revenge on the school bus. In this situation the weather is used to their benefit. However, the rain also brings the nightriders, which Cassie sees and is frightened by. The Logan children fear that the nightriders are after them, trying to get revenge for the bus incident. The rain is a bad omen and creates an atmosphere of fear and worry. It is during the rain that Mr Tatum is tarred and feathered by the nightriders. In chapter 5, the rain has gone but at the beginning of chapter 6, it says that the night was a thick blackness and smelled of coming rain. This adds tension and anticipation of bad things to come, as last time there was rain the night men rode. The arrival of Uncle Hammer adds friction to the situation, as the whites do not like to see a successful black person. The weather is getting colder, which is indicated by Uncle Hammers gift of a coat to Stacey. At Christmas, it is very cold and the family huddle round the warmth of a fire in their home.

Weather Forecasting with Digital Signals

Weather Forecasting with Digital Signals INTRODUCTION: Digital signal processing (DSP) is concerned with the representation of the signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing. The analog waveform is sliced into equal segments and the waveform amplitude is measured in the middle of each segment. The collection of measurements makes up the digital representation of the waveform. Converting a continuously changing waveform (analog) into a series of discrete levels (digital) Applications of DSP DSP technology is nowadays commonplace in such devices as mobile phones, multimedia computers, video recorders, CD players, hard disc drive controllers and modems, and will soon replace analog circuitry in TV sets and telephones. An important application of DSP is in signal compression and decompression. Signal compression is used in digital cellular phones to allow a greater number of calls to be handled simultaneously within each local cell. DSP signal compression technology allows people not only to talk to one another but also to see one another on their computer screens, using small video cameras mounted on the computer monitors, with only a conventional telephone line linking them together. In audio CD systems, DSP technology is used to perform complex error detection and correction on the raw data as it is read from the CD. some of the mathematical theory underlying DSP techniques, such as Fourier and Hilbert Transforms, digital filter design and signal compression, can be fairly complex, the numerical operations required actually to implement these techniques are very simple, consisting mainly of operations that could be done on a cheap four-function calculator. The architecture of a DSP chip is designed to carry out such operations incredibly fast, processing hundreds of millions of samples every second, to provide real-time performance: that is, the ability to process a signal live as it is sampled and then output the processed signal, for example to a loudspeaker or video display. All of the practical examples of DSP applications mentioned earlier, such as hard disc drives and mobile phones, demand real-time operation. Weather forecasting- is the science of making predictions about general and specific weather phenomenon for a given area based on observations of such weather related factors as atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, precipitation, cloud cover, temperature, humidity, frontal movements, etc. Meteorologists use several tools to help them forecast the weather for an area. These fall under two categories: tools for collecting data and tools for coordinating and interpreting data. Weather forecasting- is the science of making predictions about general and specific weather phenomenon for a given area based on observations of such weather related factors as atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, precipitation, cloud cover, temperature, humidity, frontal movements, etc. Meteorologists use several tools to help them forecast the weather for an area. These fall under two categories: tools for collecting data and tools for coordinating and interpreting data. In a typical weather-forecasting system, recently collected data are fed into a computer model in a process called assimilation. This ensures that the computer model holds the current weather conditions as accurately as possible before using it to predict how the weather may change over the next few days. Weather forecasting is an exact science of data collecting, but interpretation of the data collected can be difficult because of the chaotic nature of the factors that affect the weather. These factors can follow generally recognized trends, but meteorologists understand that many things can affect these trends. With the advent of computer models and satellite imagery, weather forecasting has improved greatly. Weather forecasting- is the science of making predictions about general and specific weather phenomenon for a given area based on observations of such weather related factors as atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, precipitation, cloud cover, temperature, humidity, frontal movements, etc. Meteorologists use several tools to help them forecast the weather for an area. These fall under two categories: tools for collecting data and tools for coordinating and interpreting data. * Tools for collecting data include instruments such as thermometers, barometers, hygrometers, rain gauges, anemometers, wind socks and vanes, Doppler radar and satellite imagery (such as the GOES weather satellite). * Tools for coordinating and interpreting data include weather maps and computer models. In a typical weather-forecasting system, recently collected data are fed into a computer model in a process called assimilation. This ensures that the computer model holds the current weather conditions as accurately as possible before using it to predict how the weather may change over the next few days. Weather forecasting is an exact science of data collecting, but interpretation of the data collected can be difficult because of the chaotic nature of the factors that affect the weather. These factors can follow generally recognized trends, but meteorologists understand that many things can affect these trends. With the advent of computer models and satellite imagery, weather forecasting has improved greatly. Since lives and livelihoods depend on accurate weather forecasting, these improvements have helped not only the understanding of weather, but how it affects living and non living things on Earth. Weather forecasting is the science of making predictions about general and specific weather phenomena for a given area based on observations of such weather related factors as atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, precipitation, cloud cover, temperature, humidity, frontal movements, etc. Meteorologists use several tools to help them forecast the weather for an area. These fall under two categories: tools for collecting data and tools for coordinating and interpreting data. Tools for collecting data include instruments such as thermometers, barometers, hygrometers, rain gauges, anemometers, wind socks and vanes, Doppler radar and satellite imagery (such as the GOES weather satellite). Tools for coordinating and interpreting data include weather maps and computer models. In a typical weather-forecasting system, recently collected data are fed into a computer model in a process called assimilation. This ensures that the computer model holds the current weather conditions as accurately as possible before using it to predict how the weather may change over the next few days. Weather forecasting is an exact science of data collecting, but interpretation of the data collected can be difficult because of the chaotic nature of the factors that affect the weather. These factors can follow generally recognized trends, but meteorologists understand that many things can affect these trends. With the advent of computer models and satellite imagery, weather forecasting has improved greatly. Since lives and livelihoods depend on accurate weather forecasting, these improvements have helped not only the understanding of weather, but how it affects living and nonliving things on Earth. Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a future time and a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since at least the nineteenth century. Weather forecasts are made by collecting quantitative data about the current state of the atmosphere and using scientific understanding of atmospheric processes to project how the atmosphere will evolve. Once an all-human endeavor based mainly upon changes in barometric pressure, current weather conditions, and sky condition, forecast models are now used to determine future conditions. Human input is still required to pick the best possible forecast model to base the forecast upon, which involves pattern recognition skills, teleconnections, knowledge of model performance, and knowledge of model biases. The chaotic nature of the atmosphere, the massive computational power required to solve the equations that describe the atmosphere, error involved in measuring the initial conditions, and an incomplete understanding of atmospheric processes mean that forecasts become less accurate as the difference in current time and the time for which the forecast is being made (the range of the forecast) increases. The use of ensembles and model consensus help narrow the error and pick the most likely outcome. There are a variety of end uses to weather forecasts. Weather warnings are important forecasts because they are used to protect life and property. Forecasts based on temperature and precipitation are important to agriculture, and therefore to traders within commodity markets. Temperature forecasts are used by utility companies to estimate demand over coming days. On an everyday basis, people use weather forecasts to determine what to wear on a given day. Since outdoor activities are severely curtailed by heavy rain, snow and the wind chill, forecasts can be used to plan activities around these events, and to plan ahead and survive them. History of weather control If we dispense with legends, at least Native American Indians had methods which they believed to induce rain. The Finnish people, on the other hand, were believed by others to be able to control all weather. Thus Vikings refused to take Finns on their raids by sea. Remnants of this belief lasted well into the modern age, with many ship crews being reluctant to accept Finnish sailors. The early modern era saw people observe that during battles the firing of cannons and other firearms often precipitated precipitation. The first example of weather control which is still considered workable is probably the lightning conductor. For millennia people have tried to forecast the weather. In 650 BC, the Babylonians predicted the weather from cloud patterns as well as astrology. In about 340 BC, Aristotle described weather patterns in Meteorologica. Later, Theophrastus compiled a book on weather forecasting, called the Book of Signs. Chinese weather prediction lore extends at least as far back as 300 BC. In 904 AD, Ibn Wahshiyyas Nabatean Agriculture discussed the weather forecasting of atmospheric changes and signs from the planetary astral alterations; signs of rain based on observation of the lunar phases; and weather forecasts based on the movement of winds. Ancient weather forecasting methods usually relied on observed patterns of events, also termed pattern recognition. For example, it might be observed that if the sunset was particularly red, the following day often brought fair weather. This experience accumulated over the generations to produce weather lore. However, not all of these predictions prove reliable, and many of them have since been found not to stand up to rigorous statistical testing. It was not until the invention of the electric telegraph in 1835 that the modern age of weather forecasting began. Before this time, it had not been possible to transport information about the current state of the weather any faster than a steam train. The telegraph allowed reports of weather conditions from a wide area to be received almost instantaneously by the late 1840s. This allowed forecasts to be made by knowing what the weather conditions were like further upwind. The two men most credited with the birth of forecasting as a scienc e were Francis Beaufort (remembered chiefly for the Beaufort scale) and his protà ©gà © Robert FitzRoy (developer of the Fitzroy barometer). Both were influential men in British naval and governmental circles, and though ridiculed in the press at the time, their work gained scientific credence, was accepted by the Royal Navy, and formed the basis for all of todays weather forecasting knowledge. To convey information accurately, it became necessary to have a standard vocabulary describing clouds; this was achieved by means of a series of classifications and, in the 1890s, by pictorial cloud atlases. Great progress was made in the science of meteorology during the 20th century. The possibility of numerical weather prediction was proposed by Lewis Fry Richardson in 1922, though computers did not exist to complete the vast number of calculations required to produce a forecast before the event had occurred. Practical use of numerical weather prediction began in 1955, spurred by the development of programmable electronic computers. * Modern aspirations There are two factors which make weather control extremely difficult if not fundamentally intractable. The first one is the immense quantity of energy contained in the atmosphere. The second is its turbulence. Effective cloud seeding to produce rain has always been some 50 years away. People do utilize even the most expensive and experimental types of it, but more in hope than confidence. Another even more speculative and expensive technique that has been semiseriously discussed is the dissipation of hurricanes by exploding a nuclear bomb in the eye of the storm. It is questionable that it will ever even be tried, because if it failed, the result would be a hurricane bearing radioactive fallout along with the destructive power of its winds and rain. * Modern day weather forecasting system Components of a modern weather forecasting system include: Data collection Data assimilation Numerical weather prediction Model output post-processing Forecast presentation to end-user * Data collection Observations of atmospheric pressure, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, precipitation are made near the earths surface by trained observers, automatic weather stations or buoys. The World Meteorological Organization acts to standardize the instrumentation, observing practices and timing of these observations worldwide. Stations either report hourly in METAR reports, or every six hours in SYNOP reports. Diurnal (daily) rhythm of air pressure in northern Germany (black curve is air pressure) Atmospheric pressure is the pressure at any point in the Earths atmosphere. For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). An AWS in Antarctica An automatic weather station (AWS) is an automated version of the traditional weather station, either to save human labour or to enable measurements from remote areas. Weather buoys are instruments which collect weather and ocean data within the worlds oceans. WMO flag The World Meteorological Organization (WMO, French: , OMM) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 188 Member States and Territories. METAR (for METeorological Aerodrome Report) is a format for reporting weather information. SYNOP (surface synoptic observations) is a numerical code (called FM-12 by WMO) used for reporting marine weather observations made by manned and automated weather stations. Measurements of temperature, humidity and wind above the surface are found by launching radiosondes (weather balloon). Data are usually obtained from near the surface to the middle of the stratosphere, about 30,000 m (100,000 ft). In recent years, data transmitted from commercial airplanes through the AMDAR system has also been incorporated into upper air observation, primarily in numerical models. radiosonde with measuring instruments A radiosonde (Sonde is German for probe) is a unit for use in weather balloons that measures various atmospheric parameters and transmits them to a fixed receiver. Rawinsonde weather balloon just after launch. Atmosphere diagram showing stratosphere. Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) is a program initiated by the World Meteorological Organization. Increasingly, data from weather satellites are being used due to their (almost) global coverage. Although their visible light images are very useful for forecasters to see development of clouds, little of this information can be used by numerical weather prediction models. The infra-red (IR) data however can be used as it gives information on the temperature at the surface and cloud tops. Individual clouds can also be tracked from one time to the next to provide information on wind direction and strength at the clouds steering level. Polar orbiting satellites provide soundings of temperature and moisture throughout the depth of the atmosphere. Compared with similar data from radiosondes, the satellite data has the advantage that coverage is global, however the accuracy and resolution is not as good. A weather satellite is a type of artificial satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and/or climate of the Earth. Sounding The historical nautical term for measuring dept h. Meteorological radar provide information on precipitation location and intensity.. Additionally, if a Pulse Doppler weather radar is used then wind speed and direction can be determined.. * Data assimilation Data assimilation (DA) is a method used in the weather forecasting process in which observations of the current (and possibly, past) weather are combined with a previous forecast for that time to produce the meteorological `analysis; the best estimate of the current state of the atmosphere. Weatherman redirects here. Modern weather predictions aid in timely evacuations and potentially save lives and property damage. More generally, Data assimilation is a method to use observations in the forecasting process. In weather forecasting there are 2 main types of data assimilation: 3 dimensional (3DDA) and 4 dimensional (4DDA). In 3DDA only those observations are used available at the time of analyses. In 4DDA the past observations are included (thus, time dimension added). The first data assimilation methods were called the objective analyses (e.g., Cressman algorithm). This was in contrast to the subjective analyses, when (in the past practice) numerical weather predictions (NWP) forecasts were arbitrarily corrected by meteorologists. The objective methods used simple interpolation approaches, and thus were the kind of 3DDA methods. The similar 4DDA methods, called nudging also exist (e.g. in MM5 NWP model). They are based on the simple idea of Newtonian relaxation. The idea is to add in the right part of dynamical equations of the model the term, proportional to the difference of the calculated meteorological variable and the observation value. This term, that has a negative sign keeps the calculated state vector closer to the observations. The first breakdown in the field of data assimilation was introducing by L.Gandin (1963) with the statistical interpolation (or optimal interpolation ) method. It developed the previous ideas of Kolmogorov. That method is the 3DDA method and is the kind of regression analyses, which utilizes the information about the spatial distributions of covariance functions of the errors of the first guess field (previous forecast) and true field. These functions are never known. However, the different approximations were assumed. In fact optimal interpolation algorithm is the reduced version of the Kalman filtering (KF) algorithm, when the covariance matrices are not calculated from the dynamical equations, but are pre-determined in advance. The Kalman filter (named after its inventor, Rudolf Kalman) is an efficient recursive computational solution for tracking a time-dependent state vector with noisy equations of motion in real time by the least-squares method. When this was recognised the attempts to introduce the KF algorithms as a 4DDA tool for NWP models were done. However, this was (and remains) a very difficult task, since the full version of KF algorithm requires solution of the enormous large number of additional equations. In connection with that the special kind of KF algorithms (suboptimal) for NWP models were developed. Another significant advance in the development of the 4DDA methods was utilizing the optimal control theory (variational approach) in the works of Le Dimet and Talagrand, 1986, based on the previous works of G. Marchuk. The significant advantage of the variational approaches is that the meteorological fields satisfy the dynamical equations of the NWP model and at the same time they minimize the functional, characterizing their difference from observations. Thus, the problem of constrained minimization is solved. The 3DDA variational methods also exist (e.g., Sasaki, 1958). Optimal control theory is a mathematical field that is concerned with control policies that can be deduced using optimization algorithms. As it was shown by Lorenc, 1986, the all abovementioned kinds of 4DDA methods are in some limit equivalent. I.e., under some assumptions they minimize the same cost functional. However, these assumptions never fulfill. The rapid development of the various data assimilation methods for NWP is connected to the two main points in the field of numerical weather prediction: 1. Utilizing the observations currently seems to be the most promicing challange to improve the quality of the forecasts at the different scales (from the planetary scale to the local city, or even street scale) 2. The number of different kinds of observations (sodars, radars, sattelite) is rapidly growing. The DA methods are currently used not also in weather forecasting, but in different environmental forecasting problems, e.g. in hydrological forecasting. Basically the same types of DA methods, as those, described above are in use there. Data assimilation is the challange for the every forecasting problem. Numerical weather prediction Numerical weather prediction is the science of predicting the weather using mathematical models of the atmosphere. Manipulating the huge datasets and performing the complex calculations necessary to do this on a resolution fine enough to make the results useful can require some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. Image File history File links NAM_500_MB.PNGà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚ ½ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Numerical weather prediction Block (meteorology) Image File history File links NAM_500_MB.PNGà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚ ½ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Numerical weather prediction Block (meteorology) A millibar (mbar, also mb) is 1/1000th of a bar, a unit for measurement of pressure. Geopotential height is a vertical coordinate referenced to Earths mean sea level an adjustment to geomet ric height (elevation above mean sea level) using the variation of gravity with latitude and elevation. Weather is a term that encompasses phenomena in the atmosphere of a planet. A mathematical model is an abstract model that uses mathematical language to describe the behaviour of a system. A supercomputer is a computer that leads the world in terms of processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation, at the time of its introduction. An example of 500 mbar geopotential height prediction from a numerical weather prediction model Model output post processing The raw output is often modified before being presented as the forecast. This can be in the form of statistical techniques to remove known biases in the model, or of adjustment to take into account consensus among other numerical weather forecasts. For other senses of this word, see bias (disambiguation). In the past, the human forecaster used to be responsible for generating the entire weather forecast from the observations. However today, for forecasts beyond 24hrs human input is generally confined to post-processing of model data to add value to the forecast. Humans are required to interpret the model data into weather forecasts that are understandable to the end user. Additionally, humans can use knowledge of local effects which may be too small in size to be resolved by the model to add information to the forecast. However, the increasing accuracy of forecast models continues to decrease the need for post-processing and human input. Examples of weather model data can be found on Vigilant Weathers Model Pulse. Presentation of weather forecasts The final stage in the forecasting process is perhaps the most important. Knowledge of what the end user needs from a weather forecast must be taken into account to present the information in a useful and understandable way. * Public information One of the main end users of a forecast is the general public. Thunderstorms can cause strong winds, dangerous lightning strikes leading to power outages, and widespread hail damage. Heavy snow or rain can bring transportation and commerce to a stand-still, as well as cause flooding in low-lying areas. Excessive heat or cold waves can kill or sicken those without adequate utilities. The National Weather Service provides forecasts and watches/warnings/advisories for all areas of the United States to protect life and property and maintain commercial interests. Traditionally, television and radio weather presenters have been the main method of informing the public, however increasingly the internet is being used due to the vast amount of information that can be found. * Air traffic The aviation industry is especially sensitive to the weather. Fog and/or exceptionally low ceilings can prevent many aircraft landing and taking off. Similarly, turbulence and icing can be hazards whilst in flight. Thunderstorms are a problem for all aircraft, due to severe turbulence and icing, as well as large hail , strong winds, and lightning , all of which can cause fatal damage to an aircraft in flight. On a day to day basis airliners are routed to take advantage of the jet stream tailwind to improve fuel efficiency. Air crews are briefed prior to take off on the conditions to expect en route and at their destination. * Utility companies Electricity companies rely on weather forecasts to anticipate demand which can be strongly affected by the weather. In winter, severe cold weather can cause a surge in demand as people turn up their heating. Similarly, in summer a surge in demand can be linked with the increased use of air conditioning systems in hot weather. * Private sector Increasingly, private companies pay for weather forecasts tailored to their needs so that they can increase their profits. For example, supermarket chains may change the stocks on their shelves in anticipation of different consumer spending habits in different weather conditions. a) =Ensemble forecasting= Although a forecast model will predict realistic looking weather features evolving realistically into the distant future, the errors in a forecast will inevitably grow with time due to the chaotic nature of the atmosphere. The detail that can be given in a forecast therefore decreases with time as these errors increase. There becomes a point when the errors are so large that the forecast is completely wrong and the forecasted atmospheric state has no correlation with the actual state of the atmosphere. However, looking at a single forecast gives no indication of how likely that forecast is to be correct. Ensemble forecasting uses lots of forecasts produced to reflect the uncertainty in the initial state of the atmosphere (due to errors in the observations and insufficient sampling). The uncertainty in the forecast can then be assessed by the range of different forecasts produced. They have been shown to be better at detecting the possibility of extreme events at long range. Ensemble forecasts are increasingly being used for operational weather forecasting (for example at ECMWF , NCEP , and the Canadian forecasting center). b) =Nowcasting= The forecasting of the weather in the 0-6 hour timeframe is often referred to as nowcasting . It is in this range that the human forecaster still has an advantage over computer NWP models. In this time range it is possible to forecast smaller features such as individual shower clouds with reasonable accuracy, however these are often too small to be resolved by a computer model. A human given the latest radar, satellite and observational data will be able to make a better analysis of the small scale features present and so will be able to make a more accurate forecast for the following few hours. Signal Processing Generating imagery for forecasting terror threats Intelligence analysts and military planners need predictions about likely terrorist targets in order to better plan the deployment of security forces and sensing equipment. We have addressed this need using Gaussian-based forecasting and uncertainty modeling. Our approach excels at indicating the highest threats expected for each point along a travel path and for a global war on terrorism mission. It also excels at identifying the greatest-likelihood collection areas that would be used to observe a target. 1 on geospatial analysis and asymmetric-threat forecasting in the urban environment. He showed how to extract distinct signatures from associations made between historical event information and contextual information sources such as geospatial and temporal political databases. We have augmented this to include uncertainty estimates associated with historical events and geospatial information layers.2 Event Forecasting Spatial Preferences The notion of spatial preferences has been used to find potential crime1 and threat3 hot spots. The premise is that a terrorist or criminal is directed toward a certain location by a set of qualities, such as geospatial features, demographic and economic information, and recent political events. Focusing on geospatial information, we assume the intended target is associated with features a small distance from the event location. We assign the highest likelihoods to the distances between each key feature and the event, and taper them away from these distances. This behavior is modeled using a kernel function centered at each of these distances. For a Gaussian kernel applied to a discretized map, the probability density function à Ã‚  for a given grid cell g and uncertainty estimates u is given by Dig is the distance from feature i to the grid cell, Din is the distance from the feature to event location n, c is a constant, ÃŽÂ ¦E and ÃŽÂ ¦F are the position uncertainty for event and features respectively, I is the total number of features, and N is the total number of events. Figure 1(a) shows a sample forecast image based on this approach, denoting threat level with colors ranging from blue for lowest threat, through red for highest threat. For the same set of features and events, Figure 1(b) shows a more manageable forecast-in terms of allocating security resources-determined by aggregating feature layers prior to generating the likelihood values. Modeling Uncertainty One of the most important aspects of forecasting is having an estimate of the confidence in the supporting numerical values. In numerical weather prediction, there is always a value of confidence assigned with each forecast. For example, predicting an 80% chance of rain implies that numerical weather models given input parameter variations, predicted eight o