Best Schools for Children with Aspergers Syndrome

In recent years, more and more children have been diagnosed with autism or autistic spectrum disorders, including high-functioning autism or Aspergers Syndrome. Students who are non-verbal generally need special-education settings, but when it comes to educating those students who are high functioning yet still on the autistic spectrum, it can often be harder to find the appropriate learning environment due to their specific needs both in and out of the classroom. How Aspergers Students Learn Students with Aspergers or high-functioning autism may seem gifted in certain areas, and many of these children are quite bright. By definition, they have above-average intelligence, and they may also show talents such as a well-developed vocabulary or the ability to do math. Aspergers kids often also have an area of great interest, which may be in a restricted area, such as subway cars or certain kinds of animals. However, they may need a great deal of structure and routine, and they may react negatively to changes in schedules. They tend to have trouble making transitions, and they may need advanced warning when their schedules are going to change, as change can be a trigger that negatively impacts their abilities to cope with a situation. They may also have sensory issues that make them sensitive to loud noises or to smells or textures. Finally, many students with Aspergers have difficulty communicating about their wants and needs. Even though their vocabularies may be sophisticat ed, they may struggle with the practical aspects of language. The Accommodations Aspergers Students Need While Aspergers students are often bright, they may need accommodations or changes in their curriculum or classroom, including changes that are reflected in their Individual Education Plan, or IEP. While public schools are required to grant students with learning issues or other disabilities accommodations, private and parochial schools that do not receive public funding are not required to grant students these accommodations. However, with the proper documentation, including a professional evaluation, private schools may often grant students certain accommodations that can help these students handle the curriculum. Aspergers students may require accommodations such as speech and language therapy to improve their ability to communicate and to help them understand when to use pragmatic expressions such as how are you? They may also need occupational therapy for autism, which helps them make sense of the information coming in through their senses and integrate it. Occupational and speech and language therapists can also help students with Aspergers play better with other kids and understand how to navigate the classroom. In addition, students with Aspergers may benefit from counseling to help them process their emotions. Best Placement for Students with Aspergers Aspergers students can thrive in a range of schools, and to determine the best school you may need the assistance of an educational consultant who has experience working with students with special needs, including Aspergers. Some students may do well in a mainstream private or public school setting, with additional services such as counseling or occupational or speech and language therapy provided in school or outside of school. Other students may benefit from placement in a special education school. There are schools designed to meet the needs of students with autistic spectrum disorder; some special-education schools are for lower-functioning kids, while others are for higher-functioning kids. Placing a higher-functioning child with Aspergers requires parents to visit the school to make sure that the school can offer the right academic program. Often, special-education schools are so small that they can offer individualized instruction to meet the needs of a child with Aspergers. In other words, these types of schools can offer a student a higher-level class in an area in which he or she excels, such as math, while still providing other services the child requires, such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, and social skills training to help students improve their ability to interact with other children and teachers. With these types of services, students with Aspergers and other forms of autistic spectrum disorders can often be very successful in school.

The Six Political Functions of Media Essay - 956 Words

Media plays a crucial role in the dissemination of information from the power-elites to the masses in the United States. Americans today consume news information largely through the use of television, and to a lesser extent newspapers and radio. Those who control the information presented in these mediums enjoy a wealth of influence in relation to the political and social values of ordinary Americans. Elites within the industry accomplish their mission of political and social influence by utilizing the six political functions of mass media; news making, interpretation, socialization, persuasion, agenda setting and framing. â€Å"News making is deciding what and who are newsworthy and allocating precious television time and newspaper space†¦show more content†¦The decision-makers in the media use interpretation to â€Å"provide the masses with explanations and meanings for events and personalities.† (Dye Zeigler, p. 127) Interpretation allows the media to focus on the portion of a story that they find most important, often leaving out other details they find unnecessary or damaging to their message. While watching CNN, a network most Americans would agree is leans left, one would expect to see President Obama shown in a favorable light. A headline on CNN may read; â€Å"Obama Administration Takes Steps Forward on Iraq War.† This headline would be used to make it seem as though President Obama and his administration are making progress in Iraq. At the same time right leaning Fox News might run the headline; â€Å"Obama Failing In Iraq.† A headline such as this is chosen to make Obama look as though he doesnt have the leadership ability to serve as the Commander in Chief. The decision makers in media know who their audience is and will interpret news stories to fit their viewers political affiliations. Elites express their â€Å"preferred political norms and values† with the utilization of socialization in mass media. (127) Media is able to introduce new ideas and attitudes to the masses in a quick and efficient manner. A great example of media socialization in America is the overall attitude towards gays. Thirty years ago being gay was mostly kept secret and hardly spoken of in the media. 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Cutting Weight in Combat Sports free essay sample

Most of these examples, however, tend to focus on a select few professional sports like hockey, football, basketball and amateur sports like figure skating and track and field. Many other sports, are sometimes recognized as being an elite level, but are not nearly as understood because they do not get the exposure from the media, that more ‘popular’ sports do. A lot of combat sports, including wrestling, fall in to this category. Wrestling gets a limited media exposure compared to more popular sports, and as a result, is not well understood. For example, at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, Canada earned its first gold medal by wrestler Carol Hyun at weight 49 kg. Yet wrestling was generally not covered extensively over most television networks, (Yardly, 2008). Because combat sports aren’t generally media-popular sports, they are often not understood, which leads to some misconceptions. For instance, they are viewed as more violent compared to other contact sports such as hockey or football, or that it requires less training, (Bina, 2011). However, one of the biggest misconceptions, and the one I am choosing to focus on is that cutting weight, in a sport such as wrestling, is an unhealthy component of the sport with detrimental consequences. That’s not to say that there aren’t extreme examples of dangerous and reckless weight cutting with dire consequences. However weight cutting, when monitored and executed properly, is just another example of hard work and sacrifices that must be made within the sport. Cutting Weight in General Most combat sports are divided into weight classes. This gives athletes the advantage of competing against someone who is relatively their own size. Rather than having a 190 pound athlete compete against a 130 pound athlete. The competitors attend a weigh- in session in which the athletes are weighed and are grouped in to the listed weight class. This is where the concept of cutting weight comes in. Instead of wrestling someone your own size, why not lose weight and wrestle somebody who is smaller? This thought process has become very popular in recent years with wrestlers, especially in North America. Cutting weight is known as the process of losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time. If it is only a few pounds, losing the weight is fairly easy, but if the athlete is trying to drop multiple weight classes in a few days that is when issues arise. Unfortunately, the small amount of attention from the media that wrestling receives is mainly focused on the most extreme cases and negative cases, where athletes refuse liquids for hours, food for days and wear multiple layers of clothing to sweat out the weight. In some cases athletes are dressed in sweat suits and sit in steam rooms at ridiculously high temperatures in attempts to lose the weight. The media has brought the attention to the deaths and the injuries instead of focusing more on the good of the sport. When the process of cutting weight is only viewed in such a negative way, it’s easy to assume that it can be very detrimental to anyone’s body. Effects of Extreme Weight Cuts These extreme cases that the media has focused on are, of course, very unfortunate. These cuts have very harmful effects on the body. First of all, there is the obvious fact that the body is being dehydrated. Dehydration alone, causes the body to be tired and sleepy, causes the body to have a ard time concentrating and can be easily stressed, (Matheney, 2010). An athlete is also more prone to being injured when they are dehydrated, (Matheney, 2010). Dehydration causes the organs in the body to work harder to continue their bodily functions. Examples of this are the heart and the kidneys. The heart pumps blood all over the body after it has been oxygenized. Without the necessary amou nt of water in the body, the heart has to pump stronger and more often, causing it to be over worked. The kidneys filter waste products from the blood stream and without water it cannot filter properly. As a result, dehydration can cause kidney and heart failure. There are also reports of harming the liver during the process of cutting weight, (McAllister,2011). Aside from the physical effects, there are some mental effects on the body as well. Refusing foods and liquids days before a weigh in can increase an athlete’s risk of an eating disorder. Although, it is not necessarily because of the media and pressures to look a certain way, it is caused by the pressures of the team, coaches and themselves to weigh a certain weight. There is also the possibility of hormone imbalances which cause mood swings and depression in athletes, (Matheny, 2010). Effects on Growth and Development Younger, maturing athletes who cut large amounts of weight are more likely to experience hormone imbalances, which is caused by under nutrition. As a result the body’s growth hormone gets altered, which may cause permanent growth impairment if it is repeated over many seasons of wrestling, (Cochan, 2011. ) Any dietary restrictions in children who compete can also be harmful. Children, especially those who compete in intense levels of physical activity need a variety of nutrients. Since they are still growing and developing, many fats and carbohydrates are needed to keep the body fueled. If not, dietary restrictions may also reduce protein nutrition and muscular performance, (Health Canada, 2011). Proper Techniques Although cutting weight will never be considered something extremely healthy, there are methods of cutting weight that do less harm to the body. People can cut weight properly over a long period of time through dieting and water manipulation. A simple low carb diet can help anybody two to three pounds per week. As long as the diet is still feeding the body the necessary nutrients, like water, only a small and necessary amount carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, it will still have enough energy to exercise intensely and slowly lose weight, (Landry, 2009). For example, after an intense workout or practice, eating a fruit would benefit the body. The simple sugars are carbohydrates that help replenish muscles after being worked very hard. This can be consumed instead of a calorie-high and carb-loaded protein drink. Another way losing weight that is less harmful to the body is known as water manipulation. Athletes are able to â€Å"trick† their body into thinking that it is consuming more water, then it actually is. For example, in the week leading up to the weigh in, for two days an athlete will drink eight litres of water. He or she will let the body adjust to this enormous amount of water being consumed. Naturally, the body will rid the excess water. After the two days, he or she will cut down to four litres, which is still a large amount. The body is still taking in more water than necessary, and is still ridding a large amount. This can help an athlete lose from 5-7 pounds in the days leading up to a weigh in. Effects on Performance After being dehydrated for an extended period of time, the body takes a prolonged time to rehydrate. According to The Wrestler Diet, by Roger Landry and others, the body intakes â€Å"only about two pints [of water] per hour, and takes up to 48 hours for the water balance tissue in your muscles to be restored,†. Different bodies, however, react differently. Athletes who have been dieting responsibly and are used to competing may be more familiar with restoring their bodies before a tournament. Ioannis Barbas did a study on twelve Greco – Roman wrestlers and how they recovered from the average weight cutting process during the tournament. Through his study he discovered a number of things like which matches in the day were the hardest for most athletes – that being the fourth match- , when the athletes found themselves most tired and so on. He did this by recording performance measurements, muscle damage assessments, and blood sampling before and after every match. He also found that these wrestlers were able to overcome weight loss routines before tournaments and preform very well and up to their usual abilities. Another factor that may affect the performances of combat sport competitors may be improper diets. Other professional and amateur sports that do not focus on weight have the advantage of consuming many high calorie and high carb foods that would fuel the body with necessary nutrients during their competition. Meanwhile, athlete who are concerned about their weight are restricting these types of foods so he or she can make the desired weight class. In other words, these athletes are not getting proper nutrients, which may affect the athlete’s performance, (Smith). However, if the athlete loses the weight responsibly and avoids dehydration as much as possible, the recovery should be maximal. If an athlete has been dehydrated for a short period of time, and rehydrates with water and electrolytes after the weigh in the negative effects should be minimal, (Barbas, 2010). Average Cuts The average amount of weight that is cut by athletes strongly depends on the sport, and the level of competition. For example, professional UFC fighters are going to cut more than a rookie high school wrestler. Professional UFC fighters are known to cut anywhere from 20 to 45 pounds, (Wong, 2010). This is an extremely large amount, but most of it is done over a long period of time and carefully, considering this is what they do as a profession. High school and university level wrestlers could drop a simple five pounds to 15 pounds over time, (McAllister, 2011). Prevention of Weight Cutting With the number of deaths and injuries that have occurred from athletes cutting weight, there had to be changes made. The consequences of cutting weight are very extreme, yet many athletes continue to do so in a very reckless way. In the United States, collegiate wrestling competitions have changed the weigh in date from the evening before the competition, to the day of the competition. This helps reduce the chance of athletes cutting weight by giving them less time to recover after dehydration and starvation. The less time to recover, the less likely the athlete will perform well, and therefore an athlete is less likely to cut. The NCAA has also recently taken many steps to reduce the chances of athletes cutting weight. They have banned competitors of practicing in a room that is hotter than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, self – induced vomiting, and extensive fluid and/or food restrictions, (Loma, 2010). Another common restriction that has been made is the banning of sauna suits. This is a decent compromise to athletes because the act of weight cutting can still be done, but in a much less dangerous way. Sauna suits are very dangerous and can easily overheat an athlete. Conclusion Cutting weight is an unhealthy part of combat sports. Nonetheless, it is a part of the sport. Unfortunately, the small amount of attention the media gives to these combat sports, such as wrestling, tend to be more negative and focused on extreme cases of athletes cutting large amounts of weight. As a result of the lack of attention, the sports are not thoroughly understood, particularly the concept of cutting weight. Cutting weight does have detrimental effects on the body, especially young, growing children. But if it is executed properly, then the negative effects are negligible. If athletes do monitor their weight cutting process over time and very carefully, they will be able to compete near their fullest potential. If cutting weight, and other misconceptions about combat sports had more exposure, it would be understood that cutting weight is just another part of the sport that demonstrates hard work and extreme sacrifices. Works Cited Barbas, I. , (Nov 27th, 2010). , Physiological and performance adaptations of elite Greco-Roman wrestlers during a one-day tournament. , Retrieved from http://www. fila-official. com/images/FILA/documents/stages/2010/Barbas_physiological_performance_adaptations_gr. pdf on Feb 20th, 2012. Bina, A. , (Feb 2011). , Why is College Wrestling Unpopular? Retrieve from

Supply Chain Principles

Introduction The supply chain of every organization has an impact on the overall success of the organization. The efficiency of the supply chain is dependent on the structure of the supply chain and the nature of the products that are involved. The technology adopted also has an impact on the overall optimization of the business organization’s revenue.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Supply Chain Principles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This report reviews the article Leagility: integrating †¦ written in 1999 by Naylor, Naim and Berry. The article discusses the application of leanness and agility in the supply chain while making reference to the similarities and the differences. It also highlights the different types of structures of supply chain. This paper will also use DHL Company as a case study on how the RFID technology can improve a company’s supply chain performance and mitigate the bull-whip effect. This will be based on the article by Attaran (2007) RFID: an enabler of supply chain operations. DHL Company has adopted the RFID technology to provide information to its customers. This paper also discusses how the potential implementation of RFID technologies can complement other existing relevant technologies and concepts. Critique of the article by Naylor Naylor, Naim and Berry (1999, p 108) defines supply chain as the network that involves producing, supplying and distribution of the products to the consumers with a feedback of information. A successful supply chain is characterized by an excellent exchange of materials and revenue for the material. They also define the term agility as the use of available information concerning the marketplace to maximize on profits while paying attention to market trends. They also describe the word lean as an expansion to the value stream to save on time, resources and a means to arrive at targets. Understanding the attrib utes of the marketplace have an impact on the supply chain as pointed out by Naylor et al (1999, p. 109). The attributes may be seen in terms of equal importance, similar importance or different importance. Using the term lean and agile they describe the attributes.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The attribute of equal importance applies to both lean together with agile. They are relevant in the manufacturing of the products because they influence the decision made by the supply chain. They can be implemented to maximize on the revenue. The coordination of the supply chain to availing the product to the consumer should be emphasized as revealed by Naylor et al (1999, p. 109). The consumers demand should be adopted through integrated efforts to realize the market demands. Integration encourages the members of a supply chain to share information and overcome barriers that ma y be a hindrance to distribution of material resources and enable making more revenue. Waddington (2008, p. 18) emphasizes that adopting leanness and agility will enable the supply chain to perform the functions assigned efficiently and effectively. This is because both require the constant review of information about customer demand and the market. They allow for adoption of decisions made from the changing environment. Again the terms lean together with agile are used by Naylor et al (1999, p. 110). Lean is applied in the procedure of manufacturing. In the procedures the producers ensures that they utilize the least requirements needed to get a product. They eliminate the procedures that hardly add value. While doing so they ensure that the end product is not rejected by the consumer. The manufacturer may also apply the agile principle. The challenge is to be able to keep up with the changes in the market in terms of stock so that the customers acquire the product. Some processes add no value and cannot be abandoned because they are necessary. The relatively accurate supply of products required may be arrived at using the available information making it possible to cut down on the unwanted, nonprofit making processes. The cost of the product is therefore trimmed down (Naylor et al 1999, p. 110). Naylor et al (1999, p. 109) argues that the information about the consumer must be given attention. The consumer is at the end of the supply chain. Before determining the supply chain, the kind of market that the products end up must be considered. This implies that the supply chain may consider the demand before supplying the products to consumers.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Supply Chain Principles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Waddington (2008, 18) indicates that the other factors other than the customer demand may also influence the supply chain. These include the availability of the raw materials and the beliefs of the customers. The information therefore assists in making the accurate product that the customer needs The benefits of integration and coordination include among others reduction in waste. Resources and materials wasted as a result of consequences of oversupply are minimized. Consequently time is also saved and the overall performance becomes efficient. For this reason the supply chain for a particular market should be designed for the specific market. Thus different supply chains may be adopted for different markets (Naylor et al 1999, p. 110).  The companies that adopt the principle of lean and agile in its operations have the advantage of predicting the possible changes that may be inevitable in the market. Some of the changes are caused by technology which is costly and may require retraining manpower before implementing. Companies with effective implementation of leanness and agility will have a smooth transaction in the application of new te chnology (Waddington 2008, p. 18).  Naylor et al (1999, p. 111) notes that to be effective the supply chain would depend on the coordination and integration created to be able to make necessary changes in a short time. For instance, there can emerge a demand for a wide range of products. The changes will have effect from the production to the presentation of the end product to the consumer. Agility lays emphasis on the service that lead to differentiation. Therefore, the supply chain must have the flexibility to advocate for changes.  Agility in production may be overwhelmed by the instability in demand that may be caused by the market. Although the instability is unpleasant, Naylor et al (1999, p. 111) indicate that the supply chain can be managed to maximize on the revenue by using the available opportunities. Information from the market must be constantly consulted since the demand may be varying from time to time. Naylor et al (1999, p. 112) also note that lean manufacturing differ with agility. Leanness relies on the information obtained to plan assuming the market is stable. If the production of a product is implemented using the lean manufacturing principle, it is likely that some stocks will remain unsold. This is due to the fact that the demand of the market will have shifted.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Different techniques can be applied in the adoption of lean manufacturing as well as agile manufacturing. Depending on the nature of market and the nature of demand adjustments that involve integrating the relevant in the implementation of lean and agile to get maximum benefit. The process will however require constant review of information and the supply chain (Waddington 2008, p. 19). The structure of a supply chain is dependent on the market. There are various structures of supply chain that can be adopted. The first is â€Å"buy- to- order† (Naylor et al 1999, p. 113). This is best suited for highly variable products. The consumers can be assured of a variety of products that emanate from different raw materials. The supply chain can manipulate the availability of the product by holding back a particular line of product to create a shortage. This can be beneficial because the production is minimal and the losses that may be realized if a product fails to sell are minimal. This is because there is over supply. This structure may have limited advantage of changing products due to changes in the market.  The second structure is â€Å"make- to- order† as indicated by Naylor et al (1999, p. 113). The same raw material is used to make a product. Therefore it is possible to adopt to change in the market in different geographical areas. This structure makes it possible to produce according to the demands of consumers with little time wasted in the production. In this structure the challenge is to meet the demand of diverse products and the consumption rates of the product. The absence of the raw material may paralyze the supply chain.  The third structure is â€Å"assemble to order† chain in accordance with Naylor et al (1999, p. 113). Customization of products is rescheduled to a later date. This allows for adjustments in later stage. The chain is important in maintaining a supply. This structure is also suitable in supplying different ge ographical areas. The product is usually standard to meet the demand of the market.  Another structure is the electronic chain of supply. It is very effective and efficient in a chain that characterized by complexity. The supply chain may involve a wide range of products to multiple locations and have diverse members (Naylor et al 1999, p. 116).  Undertakings that may not be of value to the supply chain should be eliminated. Naylor et al (1999, p. 110) indicates that a lot of time and resources as well as other resources may be wasted in the supply chain despite them not adding value. For this reason they suggest that time compression be adopted in the manufacturing stage. Thus time can be saved in the manufacturing and time can be saved when the information on the market is acquired. RFID technology The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that has been used in the supply chain to identify products as pointed out by Attaran (2007, p. 249). The product is given an identification tag that is used to count, to identify the price and can be kept by the consumer for use when they want to claim a warrant service. In line with DHL-usa.com (2011) the DHL Company uses RFID technology in their business. In their parcel delivery, they attach a tracking device on the parcel or shipment. The customer is given a number that they can use to track the progress of the parcel over the internet. This has encouraged customers to use the services offered by the DHL Company. According to Attaran (2007, p. 249) using the technology will enable the supply chain to save on time. The tags can be used to count the items when they are in packet. Therefore, the manual labor, time and cost that would have been incurred are drastically reduced. It also improve inventory visibility and management that benefits all the players in the supply chain network like retailers, distributers, suppliers and others. This benefits could be as depicted in the table below Potential R FID benefits from a supply chain entity perspective (adapted from e-force presentation: â€Å"RFID Solution Lifecycle Management†, https://e-force.com/) Also, RFID avails numerous amount of information about the product. It is possible to share a lot of information about the product with the customer. The information can be used to make decisions on the best product that a particular customer requires (Attaran 2007, p. 251). This is similar to what happens in the DHL Company. The tracker attached to the shipment or parcel gives information on the location and details about the status. Moreover the information is usually in real time, giving it an advantage. More over a lot of details are also offered. The customer can track their shipment or parcel using the receipt number of their pay bill, they can also use the tracking number, and they can use the place of shipment or the destination of the shipment to track. Consequently there is no need to go through the customer service to obtain the whereabouts of the shipment (DHL-usa.com2011).  The RFID technology causes the executive management in the supply chain to increase their involvement. For this reason they can be able to get first hand information within a short span of time. Consequently, they can make informed decisions that are applicable. The performance becomes more efficient with the top management getting involved more often (Attaran 2007, p. 251).  Excellent technology providers are likely to initiate partnership when the RFID technology is adopted. In the long run, the services will become consistent and therefore reliable. Customers as a result may want to get such products that have a warrant attached a RFID tag. The use of RFID technology unlike the use of a bar code and a scanner is easier to use. Moreover, the risk of damages and loss of the bar code is eliminated. Consequently, the labor that may be involved in scanning the entire total number of products is abandoned. This is becau se RFID technology reduces the time spend on counting by identifying and doing the sum of the number of products their prices and obtains more information about the products. Attaran (2007, p. 251) mentions that the integration of RFID technology in the existing information technology structure leads to improved performance. The process of uploading data in the information technology system is integrated with that of the information technology making the process mush simpler. The obtained information can be manipulated so as to be able to track down the supply chain processes. When the supply chain is efficient customers are likely to buy the products that are constantly available in market.  The DHL Company in providing their tracking services integrates with other applications to make the services available. The tracking is available online through their website. It is also available in the mobile phones application. They offer assistance to the customers by offering HTML codes to make the access possible. This encourages more customers to use the services and enable them sustain customers demands (DHL-usa.com 2011).  Besides making the process of uploading information into the system easy and fast, the RFID technology integrates data received into the organizational data bank. The data bank can be used to make predictions on the trends of the supply chain and be used to make future plans. The RFID technology improves the supply chain by making it possible to plan for the future.  In keeping with Attaran (2007, p. 252) the data received from the RFID technology may reveal undesirable elements of the supply chain. They may reveal which products have reduced consumption and information that would lead to quick modification in the supply chain. The RFID technology influences the structure of supply chain that is most efficient for a particular market.  The RFID technology can allow sharing of information. The technology stores a lot of information that is associated with each stage in the supply chain. The information enables the planers to detect any abnormalities in the supply chain. This is because the information aids in the coordination within the organization in every stage of the supply chain. The DHL Company has expanded in their business. Customers prefer using the shipment because of the contact they keep with the progress of their shipment or parcels. The customers get frequent notifications about the progress even up to eighteen times. The company makes it possible to get a lot of information for the lowest rates. The details about the total number of shipment are easily obtained. In cases of emergency, it is possible to respond quickly because the trackers provide details in real time. Besides making it possible to track the shipment or parcel, DHL Company offers security to the information that is obtained through the tracking system. The company allows the customers the permission to get information. They offer cons ent to customers only so that they have access to the tracking information. They give a code to the clients (DHL-usa.com 2011).   Potential implementation of RFID technologies The RFID technology and the internet have partnered as revealed in the DHL-usa.com (2011, p. 1). The RFID technology tracks the customer’s parcels and shipments and can be revealed in the internet. In their website the DHL Company has a slot where the customer can type the secret code they are given by the company to get information on their parcel or shipment. The information is sent to the website and the customer’s needs for information are met.  RFID technology can be used to complement existing technology and concepts. RFID technology provides huge amounts of data that are challenging to manage after a period of time. The existing information technology system integrates with the Enterprise Resource Planning software has been used to make the data manageable. The software aids in making the data useful by proving a means to analyze the data (Attaran 2007, p. 254).  Incorporating the management of the supply chain with the RFID technology is relevant. Attaran (2007, p. 254) mentions that this is because the existing management cannot be faced off. Indeed the RFID technology requires support because it has its own shortcomings that cannot allow complete replacement. Human resources are needed to perform other task. Besides the management of supply chain the management of customers is also significant in the incorporation. Their input remains significant as they are keen to observe and get feedback from the customers face to face. HTML application and RFID technology have partnered to make it possible for customers to track as provided by the DHL Company. The clients can install a direct link to the DHL company website on the tracking page in their applications. The clients have access to the page without any hindrances. The availability of information on- line make s it possible for the customers to get access to the information irrespective of their location. The company receives fewer calls from customers. Consequently, the company as a result has a low number of customer services.  Internet and RFID technology reinforce each other. Customers can use the number provided by the DHL Company to get information via email. More over clients can reply to the company for any queries by sending and receiving emails (DHL-usa.com 2011). The RFID technology complements the barcode system. The bar code system is still relevant in the market because it stores a substantial amount of data that is useful. On the other hand the RFID technology requires large data storage to store cumulative information generated from tracking. Because of the nature of the large amounts the barcode is still, being used. This is because the company will incur large amounts of cost purchasing storage for the cumulative data that is generated. The businesses adopt the barcode for individual products while the entire packet of good is given the RFID technology tag (Attaran 2007, p. 250).  RFID technology has also complemented the Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) in terms of planning. The Decision Makers (2011, p. 1) argues that from the massive amount of data obtained CPRF which is largely involved in planning of business supply chain is significantly impacted by the RFID technology. The information retrieved from the RFID technology gives details on the demand from the customers, the environment of the market and can help in the prediction of future business. What is more, it is possible to detect any change in the market. Accordingly, the information obtained influences decision making in the supply chain. Among the decision made communication is important and this information can be availed and distributed within a few seconds to the manufacturers, distributors, retailers and customers. RFID technology has the potential of complementing e– commerce. With the ability to obtain the massive data through tracking the information can be obtained to inform decisions made in the e-commerce. Products that are being manufactured can be made such that they meet the needs of the customers and inform the distributers to be able to optimize on the goals of business organizations. The significance of collaborating the other technologies and concepts is to be able to share and utilize the available information to maximize on the profits. Collaboration allows the RFID technology to be able to overcome the demerits that are associated with the massive amounts of data that accumulate from the tracking. Furthermore the integration allows quick response to emerging problems that are evident in the market. The operation within the supply chain benefits from the coordination and becomes more efficient and effective. Customer satisfaction increases with the efficiency and more sales are realized. Conclusion The use of agile and lean principles can be applied in a company to maximize on the benefits. Therefore information and the understanding of the market are important and are heavily relied on. The two principles are affected by the instability in the market due to changes in demand and unpredictable market environment. For this reason the supply chain must be quick to adapt to changes in the market (Naylor et al 1999, p 108). There are also different structures of supply chain that include â€Å"buy- to- order,† â€Å"make- to- order,† â€Å"assemble to order† and the electronic chain of supply. The electronic chain of supply is very effective and superior to the others because it can handle complex and massive information. The DHL Company in its supply chain has adopted the use of RFID and has realized increased sales. This is due to the fact that the customers have access to the shipments or parcels they send. The number of clients using the technology has increased b ecause of the availability of tracking services. The RFID technology collect a lot of information, is efficient and provides real time tracking. RFID technology has the potential of complementing other technologies and concepts to become effective. The internet and the use of HTML are examples of collaborations. The supply chain customer management and the supply management have also collaborated. E-commerce, CPFR and the barcode system have also potential of integrating with the RFID technology for realization of goals. The major benefits of collaboration are the sharing of the information and the ability to manage challenges that arise in the course of business. References List Attaran, M., 2007. RFID: an enabler of supply chain operations Supply chain  Management. An international Journal, 12, (4), pp. 249-257. DHL-usa.com., 2011. Tracking solutions. Web. Naylor, J. B., Naim, M., and Berry, D., 1999. Leagility: integrating the  Lean and agile manufacturing paradigms in the to tal supply chain. International journal of production economics, 62, pp. 107-118. The Decision Makers., 2011. Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment. Web. Waddington, T., 2008. Lean agile and Agile Supply Chain Design. Web. This report on Supply Chain Principles was written and submitted by user Alissa P. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Guys And Girls

â€Å"What a girl prefers in a guy† Every man’s dream is to have the perfect companion. However, in order to have one, you must first be able to get one. Most believe such a task can be extremely difficult, yet if done properly, it can be accomplished swiftly and efficiently. In fact, there are only a few basic procedures to getting a girl. The first step of this process is rather quite simple; get her attention. Initiating conversation is half the battle. As well, it is very effective to make frequent eye contact. Let her catch you staring once in a while and smile at every chance you get. Your goal is to be fairly subtle, while still making it obvious that you want her. Once you have succeeded in being noticed, you are ready for the next step. Be funny, be confident, but be yourself. The absolute worse thing you can do when trying to get a girl is to change your personality. Self-assurance is indispensable and by altering your character, you are telling her that you lack confidence. Having a sense of humor is also very important. It is absolutely crucial to make her smile, even if it occasionally requires making a fool of yourself. If you can’t make her laugh, you don’t stand a chance. Now that she’s interested, entice her by making her feel special. Without being too overwhelming, attempt to spend as much time as possible with her. Devote yourself to making her feel different than the rest by going out of your way to please her. Little things count most. For example, cancel a pre-planned weekend with the boys and take her out for dinner and a movie instead. Randomly buy her flowers and she will melt. Let her hear things she wants to hear. Compliment her hair or her outfit, but don’t go overboard. Too much of a good thing gets taken for granted. It’s also essential that you be interested, or pretend to be interested, in things she likes. If she plays sports watch her game, even in the pouring rain. Once she feels a littl... Free Essays on Guys And Girls Free Essays on Guys And Girls â€Å"What a girl prefers in a guy† Every man’s dream is to have the perfect companion. However, in order to have one, you must first be able to get one. Most believe such a task can be extremely difficult, yet if done properly, it can be accomplished swiftly and efficiently. In fact, there are only a few basic procedures to getting a girl. The first step of this process is rather quite simple; get her attention. Initiating conversation is half the battle. As well, it is very effective to make frequent eye contact. Let her catch you staring once in a while and smile at every chance you get. Your goal is to be fairly subtle, while still making it obvious that you want her. Once you have succeeded in being noticed, you are ready for the next step. Be funny, be confident, but be yourself. The absolute worse thing you can do when trying to get a girl is to change your personality. Self-assurance is indispensable and by altering your character, you are telling her that you lack confidence. Having a sense of humor is also very important. It is absolutely crucial to make her smile, even if it occasionally requires making a fool of yourself. If you can’t make her laugh, you don’t stand a chance. Now that she’s interested, entice her by making her feel special. Without being too overwhelming, attempt to spend as much time as possible with her. Devote yourself to making her feel different than the rest by going out of your way to please her. Little things count most. For example, cancel a pre-planned weekend with the boys and take her out for dinner and a movie instead. Randomly buy her flowers and she will melt. Let her hear things she wants to hear. Compliment her hair or her outfit, but don’t go overboard. Too much of a good thing gets taken for granted. It’s also essential that you be interested, or pretend to be interested, in things she likes. If she plays sports watch her game, even in the pouring rain. Once she feels a littl...

The Man,The Myth, and The Morality essays

The Man,The Myth, and The Morality essays Thomas Jefferson: The Man, The Myth, and The Morality Thomas Jefferson was a man of the greatest moral character who has been excoriated routinely over the last 30 years by historical revisionists and presentists. His commitment to America and his vast contributions to the framing of society as it is today are overlooked in favor of base analysis of his character that, while not flawless, is that of a morally upright person who has deeply held convictions and lives by them. Jefferson was born to a prominent family of Virginia tobacco growers. Plantation life is based largely around the work of slaves, so Jefferson was surrounded by them from the time of his birth in 1743 until the day he died. One of the harshest criticisms of Jefferson comes from the fact that, while he vehemently opposed slavery, was indeed a slave owner himself. As historian Douglas L. Wilson points out in his Atlantic Monthly article Thomas Jefferson and the Character Issue, the question ...[T]his was of asking the question... is essentially backward, and reflects the pervasive presentism of our time. Consider, for example, how different the question appears when inverted and framed in more historical terms: How did a man who was born into a slave holding society, whose family and admired friends owned slaves, who inherited a fortune that was dependent on slaves and slave labor, decide at an early age that slavery was morally wrong and forcefully declare that it ought Wilson also argues that Jefferson knew that his slaves would be better off working for him than freed in a world where they would be treated with contempt and not given any real freedoms. Another way that Thomas Jefferson shows his moral character is in his most famous achievement, the drafting of the Declaration of ...

Nike Company and the Targeted Consumers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nike Company and the Targeted Consumers - Essay Example Also, in the year 2008, the company presented the Air Jordan XX3 which was identified to be a high-performance basketball shoe created with the environment in mind (Kapferer, 2012). Some of the Nike Companies’ newest shoes contain Lunarlite and Flywire foams to lessen weight. In addition, Nike Company is well recognized and popular in young adult and hip-hop philosophy for their delivering of city fashion clothing (Kumar, 2009). However, The Company being well recognized for its performance, the question is â€Å"What constitutes the capability of the Company to capture its targeted consumers?† There is a bundle of attributes presented by the Nike Company for their targeted consumer consideration. Some of this attribute is discussed in the following paragraphs in detail. First, is the logo â€Å"swoosh† which is the company’s signature or trademark. With or without the name Nike underneath the logo, the general consumers can perceive the logo and visualize Nike. Regardless of a check of excellence, the flowing nature of the logo has played a vital role in the marketing of the brand. The role of visual rhetoric is to influence the company’s targeted consumers visually.  Ã‚     The logo visually ties into the early gods of sports, elaborating its achievement as a successful, recognizable, and uncomplicated trademark. Second, the attribute is the slogan â€Å"Just Do It† which is the tag-line allied with the Nike logo. Together, the tag-line and the logo feature the importance of Nike’s brand objectives and ideals; victory and athleticism. The design of both logo and the slogan has emerged as a motto and the way of life for Nike’s consumers (Palmer, 2009). The Nike slogan and the logo serve to identify consumers as icons for action and excellence. When the consumers read the word â€Å"Just Do It†, the word is defining content; however, they do not reflect it visually. The slogan provides distinction and identification. The word â€Å"Just Do It† is distinct in its content. It means do not talk about it, do not ask, do not regret it, do not think, but just do it (Hawkins, 2013).

Job Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Job Application - Essay Example Another means that I process requests are the correspondence between PCDUO’s and other Customer Service. The bulk of the correspondences are requests for processing claims and reviewing and or verifying of claims if processed correctly. The tasks also involve me having to write sent back letters to an inquisitor regarding balance billing, letter of credible coverage, or explaining to a provider why a claim is either denied correctly or paid correctly, and to submit an appeal if it’s an appealable denial. Be it a correspondence in STELLENT or PCDUO, I would carefully analyze each requests and cross reference it to the CHAMPVA policy manual and CSC/CPD desk procedures to determine whether to do a send back letter to the inquisitor, or to have the claim reprocessed. If a claim needs to be reprocessed, I would place the request through the â€Å"reprocessing worksheet† to inform CPD why the claim was denied, how much to pay the provider, whether to over ride timely f iling because evidence exist of timely submission, and give the specific instructions on how to reprocess the claim. My dedication to effective communication speaks well during my tenure since all my written correspondence, not once did I received a send back letter from a Supervisor or a â€Å"reprocessing worksheet† from CDP due to inaccurate or incomplete data. I always make sure that I check the policy manual and or CSC/CPD desk procedures and reference it to my correspondence to ensure efficacy and factualness of my judgment. Another example wherein I used my written communication skills to obtain needed information to respond to inquiries and provide information was when I was on active duty as a Guardsman in the Air Force. Being part of the chain of command, I would respond to daily inquiries through email from senior commanders and from junior personnel that involves critical matters pertaining to deployments,

An overview of the conflict resolution theory Essay Example for Free

An overview of the conflict resolution theory Essay Conflict Resolution Theory In conflict resolution, preconceived notions, also called the natural cognitive sorting processes, are the stimuli that unwittingly foment war. By taking a look at individual and intergroup relations, one can better grasp conflict resolution as a way of mediation which may lessen the probabilities of the outbreak of political violence. This essay takes a close examination of the effect of individual-level models of change to inspire change at the social level. The scaling up the process from individual treatment to social has its strengths and weakness. Controlled communication, sensitivity training, Freud’s hydraulic model, complex mirroring and conscious raising psychotherapy are experimented means in conflict resolution to dissolve conflict at both individual and general levels. The natural cognitive sorting mechanism of dividing people into ‘us’ and ‘them’ engenders prejudice and in the long run, political violence. This perspective is typical to The Self and The Other concept in which people and groups are constructed to exclude the other or any entity that is perceived as foreign and to include the self or other entities affiliated to the self. â€Å"Protracted social conflicts typically involve an enduring set of antagonistic perceptions and interactions between communal groups†¦negative attributions of motivations and reciprocal negative images perpetuate the antagonisms and solidify the conflict† (Fisher 1997). This concept breeds the antagonization of groups which turns one group against the other, deepening rifts and sharpening rivalry. Since this type of social cognitive process emphasizes differences between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ an elitism can arise which advantages one group over the othe r and fosters an unhealthy intergroup competition and mutual exclusion. With mutual degradation and demonized motives, each group continues to not only drift apart but rub against each other in a frictional relationship to produce an aggression fire. At the national level, us and them dichotomy leads to jingoism which is a chauvinistic form of nationalism. This ideology promotes the suppression of one and the superiority of a people. Fanatical patriotism and the prejudiced belief propose that another party must suffer in the power imbalance. (Paris 2004) agrees that â€Å"exclusionary forms of nationalism also make enemies of excluded groups.† In other words, one nation categorizes, segregates and disadvantages another. As a consequence, the excluded party harbors resentment toward the opposing group. Resentment begets tension-filled relations, which beget mistrust. The polarizing effect of the ‘us’ and ‘them’ construct leads inevitably to suspicion and in a competitive environment, to perceived inequalities. Inequalities result in the categorization of an oppressed and an oppressor, the victimized and the victimizer. At a particular point, one group arrives at a breaking point, demanding the redr ess of wrongs whether real or perceived and an equalizing of the playing field. (Fisher 1997) also recognizes that some â€Å"conflicts arise when identity groups perceive that they are oppressed and victimized through a denial of recognition, security, equity and political participation.† Imbalances of power stimulate one group to react or even retaliate – hence hostilities erupt. It was a wave of nationalism which provokes WWII in which the Aryan Germans attempt to purge Germany of ‘unwanted elements’ for the sake of the country. Similarly, in the case of Rwanda and other countries, ethnic cleansing or genocide take place because of inequality and a false sense of nationalism. Sorting out the Natural Cognitive Processes To arrive at conflict resolution, one must broach the theme of altering intergroup perceptions. This method is an individual-to-social strategy in which with a third party intervention, both groups can mutually exchange opinions and feelings. John Burton pioneers and implements a â€Å"casework approach,† a term used in social work to explain the methods implemented to solve an in individual or group problem. Controlled communication signifies a way to forge effective communication habits. Burton asserts that the source of conflict is miscommunication and the source of miscommunication is distorted worldviews or perceptions of the other. In practicing controlled communication, groups can share their prejudices and biases in a setting that diffuses anger and sets a more amicable tone for talks would help improve relations. Also, Leonard Doob advocates sensitivity training which progresses the transition from individual-level change to collective change. He puts forward that a s mall representative group ventilates their perceptions, opinions, and concerns to create awareness and better grasping of group processes. The sensitivity training workshop is similar to a psychological therapy conducted by a third party. Ideas and feelings are shared to increase interpersonal effectiveness. (Toft 2010) declares that giving voice to former combatants is a mechanism in conflict resolution to craft negotiation settlements in which â€Å"renewed violence can be averted.† This rule follows the sensitivity training theory which enhances sympathy and increases chances at understanding and positive change. In Sigmund Freud’s group processes theory, he posits that the group’s way of thinking is spawned directly from the individual’s. In Freud’s hydraulic model, the principle is that just as it is dangerous to suppress feelings for fear of compounding them for a more violent eruption, so at the social level, it is risky to continually inhibit ill-feeling by conflict resolution (Strachey 1966); instead, venting would help diffuse tensions and instead of internalizing the resentment, the person finds relief in expression. In his work â€Å"Give War a Chance† (Luttwak 1999) examines the effect of peacekeeping which only temporarily resolves the issue by satisfying parties. However, he advocates war as the means of reaching a more definitive and longer lasting conflict resolution. Complex Mirroring Complex mirroring within the group setting is a way in which the individual change scalps up to the group level change. In remedying traumatized individuals, the victims join themselves to a group and begin to mirror one another’s feelings and experiences. A critic notices that â€Å"by listening to one another’s individual presentation of personal experiences, participants gain a new perspective†¦by listening to the series of such descriptions, they gained the experience of universality† (Herman 1997). As a result, the individual-level change dynamic transmutes into the group-level change. As one witness the effect of trauma, the support group experiences secondary trauma as wounded members relate their experiences and seek emotional support. The incidence of secondary trauma gives rise to empowerment and awareness. Kathie Sarachild formulated the conscious-raising psychotherapy structures specifically for the individual but which could be used â€Å"to ef fect social rather than individual change† (Herman 1997). This method was implemented for rape-victims who were silenced by the violence and trauma inflicted by another. In the scope of social change, political violence is a grave injustice inflicted by one and visited upon the other. A remedial path is a sensitization rather than retaining the silence over the injury. As the public’s consciousness heightens, a cure has to be suggested and taken. The beneficial result is that â€Å"changes at the individual level were being linked with policy processes at the macro level† (Fisher 1997). Conflict Resolution Strengths and Weaknesses In conflict resolution, a strength of the individual to group model application is that groups comprise a conglomerate body in which individual mirroring gradually filters into the group’s ethics. The reasoning is that a group is comprised of individuals and since a group is made up of individuals, then a method aimed at effecting change in an individual can also be applied to the group. However, this method does not factor in the wide diversity of the individuals belonging to a group. One rigid rule utilized for one individual cannot work for a group because this view only facilitates the one-size-fits-all theory which is not socially viable. References: Fisher, R.J. (1997). Interactive Conflict Resolution, Syracuse University Press, New York. Herman, J.L. (1997). Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books Publishers, New York. Anonymous. (1996). Human Rights in Peace Negotiations, Human Rights Quarterly,18(2), 249- 258. Luttwak, E. (1999).   Give War a Chance, Journal of Foreign Affairs, 78 (4), 36-44 http://www.jstor.org/stable/20049362. Accessed 14 December 2011. Strachey, J. (1966). The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, The Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis, Vol. 22, Toft, M.D. (2010). Ending Civil Wars: A Case for Rebel Victory, Journal of International Security, 34 (2), 7-36. Paris, R. (2004). At War’s End: Building Peace after Civil Conflict. Cambridge University Press.

Essay on The Holy Bible - Suffering and The Book of Job -- Holy Bible

Suffering and The Book of Job      Ã‚   Life is difficult. "Suffering...is not an exception to the human condition, it is the human condition" (Gomes 405). The question of why life can be unjustly cruel is asked today and has been asked since the beginning of time.    And where is God in the midst of hardship? Is He non-existent, as the pagan statement, "It's Chance alone that moves and rules our lives" implies (Neiman 442). Or is God only partially in control of situations, as Harold Kushner concludes, writing, "there are some things God does not control" (462). Is all suffering a direct result of our own actions, as David Neiman offers ("He who is suffering and believes in a God of justice, must also blame himself for his state of being"" (438). Moses Maimonides prefers to view the question by focusing not on the external life that surrounds us, but on the internal condition of the heart. He argues that good and evil have their own reward and punishments within the spiritual realm and outward appearances are inconsequential (Behrens and Rosen 434).    For those who believe in a God who is living and active and who believe in the sanctity of the scriptures, the question of God's justice in the Bible does seem a contradiction at times. As Neiman observed, The Book of Proverbs presents a formula for life, promising blessings to the man who lives a moral life (436). But is The Book of Proverbs a collection of promises or is it the wise man's observations of probabilities? One can see the unpleasant consequences of poor choices, as well as the good fortunes of those who have lived a "clean" life, but sometimes this moral law breaks down. As Neiman states, "experience has led men to realize that ... ...t out of self-interest'" (460). Love is not self-seeking. Love is illustrated by a mother who cares for her newborn baby and expects nothing in return. She continues to love and nurture, until the child is an adult, in anticipation of the beautiful person the child will be. God wants us to anticipate the day when we will be made perfect, and trust His ways, like a child trusting its mother. Works Cited Behrens, Laurence, and Leonard J. Rosen, eds. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 7th ed. NewYork: Longman, 2000. -Gomes, Peter. "The Bible and Suffering." 400-405. - Kushner, Harold S. "When Bad Things Happen to Good   People."   452-462. - MacLeisch, Archibald. "God Has Need of Man."  Ã‚   474-480.   - Neiman, David. "An Introduction to Job 435-444. The Bible. Revised Standard Version. 2nd ed. Dallas: Melton, 1971.

Amazon: Online Shopping and Amazon.com Essay

Write a 1-page, single-space, 10-point font case analysis on the Amazon Case making sure to address the following questions: 1. On a scale of â€Å"1† (Very Poor) to â€Å"5† (Excellent), how would you rate Jeff Bezos as an entrepreneur? How would you rate him as an IT manager? 2. Trace the evolution of the Amazon.com business from the company’s launch in 1995 to the dot-com collapse in 2000. How did the company’s strategy change over time? How did capabilities evolve? What value did the company deliver to all stakeholders? 3. Do you agree with the decision to pursue the Toys â€Å"R† Us deal? Why did the company do the deal? Should Amazon.com do more deals like this? What impact does the Toys â€Å"R† Us deal have on Amazon.com’s business model in early 2000? 4. As a member of the Amazon.com board of directors in early 2001, what challenges did the company face and what actions would you take? Amazon.com is a global leader in online-retail. The company was founded by Jeff Bezos in Seattle in 1995, during the period of tech boom era of the 1990’s. Since founding as an online bookseller, Amazon.com drastically grown to expand its product offerings, fulfillment, and customer service. This growth required huge investments in technology and processes to support the complex business. Today, Amazon .com sells, or auctions, books, music, videos, toys, videogames, consumer electronics, software, and home products. On a scale of â€Å"1† (Very Poor) to â€Å"5† (Excellent), I would rate Jeff Bezos 5 out of 5 as an entrepreneur. â€Å"Our vision is to be the world’s most consumer-centric company, where customers can come to find anything they want to buy online.†-Jeff Bezos. In 1994, Bezos was already a successful investment banker with estimated six figure salary. Bezos definitely had huge potential to rise in the company ranking but Jeff had a vision driven by a secret desire for the business of electronic retailing. And just four years after Bezos created Amazon.com, the virtual bookstore became the model for how e-commerce businesses should be run. Now there are thousands of online retailer following his steps. Amazon begun on its strong root by starting up the business in Seattle during the dot com bubble meant Amazon.com was entering a new industry from its earliest beginnings. And being located in Seattle meant the company had e-commerce’s top talent and leading experts nearby. Other thing Bezos drove Amazon as a very successful entrepreneur is that his decision to become a business that offered multiple product lines meeting various consumer needs. The company also created a barrier to entry by being the first large online bookseller and finally a huge online retailer. I would rate Bezos 5 out of 5 as an IT manager as well. The company experienced extraordinary growth during and after the tech boom with customers increasing from 14 million in 1999 to over 20 million in 2000 . But with rising fulfillment costs, the company had not produced profits during these years. The challenge Bezos and Amazon faced was turning the company profitable before cash ran out and operations would have to cease or go bankrupt. In fact, were it not for the $318 million raised through stock options in 1999 and another $680 million borrowed in early 2000, the company surely would have run out of cash. Strengths: Amazon.com strengths begin in its roots. Starting up in Seattle during the dot com bubble meant Amazon.com was entering a new industry from its earliest beginnings. And being located in Seattle meant the company had e-commerce’s top talent and leading experts nearby. The company’s next strength came from its decision to become a business that offered multiple product lines meeting various consumer needs. The talent and industry that Amazon.com was surrounded by made it easy for the company to switch from a bookseller to retailer by utilizing virtual resources versus traditional physical requirements such as store fronts and floor space. The company also created a barrier to entry by being the first large online bookseller. Since its incorporation in 1994, Amazon’s business model had expanded from offering a simple internet marketplace for books to providing web services to online retailers, storage solutions and a dramatically expanded product line. Nevertheless, despite massive sales the company failed to produce a profit for shareholders and Amazon was on the brink of bankruptcy at the beginning of 2001. If I were a shareholder who received the company’s 2000 annual report, I would have strongly agreed with CEO Jeff Bezos that the company must achieve profitability by year-end 2001. I would recommend that the company accomplish this by cutting costs related to fulfillment and inventory and by increasing revenue by capitalizing on the previous year’s investments in infrastructure. While many expenditures in 2000 were related to Amazon’s efforts to implement its strategy for growth, operating costs had also increased. Amazon’s fulfillment costs were 11 11% of sales in 1997 and 1998, increased to 14 14% in 1999. Because e-Commerce was still new and just beginning to establish customer trust, it’s critical that these costs be reduced without negatively impacting quality, speed of delivery or customer service. Because of Amazon’s large scale and repeatable processes, I would recommend a continuous improvement strategy such as lean Six Sigma. Another area of operational cash drain is inventory. After adding multiple new product lines and distribution centers in 2000, inventory management became a challenge for Amazon. In 1999, inventory turnover was 20% that of competitor Barnes and Noble and contributed to negative cash flow in 2000. Amazon would be well advised to use IT technology such as an advanced ERP to better estimate the inventory needed to meet demand without overstocking. In addition to cutting costs, Amazon must increase revenue From its birth in 1994 to the dot com collapse in 2000, Amazon.com implemented a number of changes to its business strategy in attempt to stay on top of the e-commerce industry. Amazon.com started in 1994 as a simple online book retailer. Under this initial strategy, Amazon was receiving all of its revenue from its book sales (sales revenue model), and was  popular because it was the first online retailer to do so. Amazon created value for customers early on by providing a space for customers to purchase a large variety of books in one place, thereby reducing the customers product search drastically from the traditional method of going to brick & mortar book stores. In the early stages, Amazon benefitted from the first mover advantage, and had a dominating market share. This attracted huge investment capital in the late 1990s, and Amazon used this capital to broaden its offerings in order to stay on top of emerging competitors. In 1996, Amazon focused on making the shopping experience on Amazon.com better for its customers. It revved up its browsing and search capabilities, and personalized the whole experience by offering customized layouts and recommendations based on what you had been looking at and purchasing. At this point, Amazon aimed to provide additional value to its customers by providing a personalized shopping experience. By 1998, Amazon started expanding into international markets and new products categories, turning into an online superstore and providing convenience and further reduced search costs to its customers. During 1999, Amazon began exploring complementary business models, such as auctions and marketplaces. Under these models, Amazon did not assume control of the inventory, and as such acted as an agent (generating additional revenues under the brokerage revenue model). In late 2000, Amazon saw additional opportunities to†¦ 1994 : Bezos, a N.Y. investment banker with no book publishing or retail experience, identifies book retailing as an industry segment that could exploit the power of emerging Internet technologies. Chooses Seattle as a location to be close to one of the largest book distributors. Writes the business plan and chooses the company name while driving cross country with his wife. 1995 : Between July 1994, when the company was incorporated, and July 1995 when the Amazon.com online bookstore was officially launched, Bezos and a few employees built the software that powered the website. By September 1995, the company was selling over $20,000 per week out of the founder’s garage. 1996 : Amazon.com focused on enhancing its product and service offerings and capabilities with increasingly sophisticated browsing and focused search capabilities, personalized store layout and recommendations, shopping carts, 1 Click shopping (which was later patented), wish lists, and greeting cards. Efforts to redefine and enhance the online shopping experience continued and, in 1999, Amazon.com was one of the first online retailers to enable shopping through wireless devices. 1997 : By the first quarter of 1997, Amazon.com revenues had increased to $16 million (which was equivalent to the company’s yearly revenues in 1996). Amazon.com went public on May 15, 1997. 1998 : Beginning in 1998, Amazon.com began aggressively expanding into new product categories and into international markets. By early 2001, the company was not just an online bookstore, it was an online superstore selling a wide variety of products in over 160 different countries. 1999 : During 1999, Amazon.com began exploring new business models including, auctions (low-end and high- end) and marketplaces (zShops). For these businesses, Amazon.com provided software and services but did not assume control of inventory. As such, it acted as an agent—not a retailer. 2000

Mission Impossible 4 Movie Review

Agents Gone Rogue (Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol) REVIEW By Joe Bricely The newly released movie Mission Impossible- Ghost Protocol was produced by Tom Cruise and the following companies: Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, Bad Robot, FilmWorks, Stillking Films, and TC Productions. It was directed by Brad Bird who is most commonly known for his role in the movies Up (2009), Ratatouille (2007), and The Incredibles (2004) as well as the long running television series The Simpsons (1989-Present). Those were all animated, unlike Mission Impossible. Overall it was able to not only captivate me the entire time but also was able to demonstrate the beautiful locations that the movie was shot in, such as Dubai’s downtown, Mumbai (Fun fact: the shots supposedly placed in Mumbai were actually shot in Bangalore), Bangalore (These scenes were actually shot in Canada) , and Moscow. (Really). The plot to the new Mission Impossible is basic yet still intriguing. Though it is the classic story of a hero and his team setting out to stop the ultimate destruction of the world; it created a clever background story of how Ethan Hunt’s (Tom Cruise) and fellow teammate William Brant’s (Jeremy Renner) past are intertwined. The only flaw I could find is that they never really established a thorough background to the evil mastermind Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist). With the top billed cast the performances were quite convincing. Specifically the roles of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and Jane Carter (Paula Patton) were captivating. Tom Cruise served his repetitive role as Ethan Hunt the super spy to a tee; through not only his phenomenal stunts, but also in his spy like swagger. Paula Patton, in the role of the only female on the former IMF team, not only played the role of her the spy well, but also had to go undercover in the movie as an international assassin and was mesmerizing seducing an Indian tycoon into giving her what she wanted. Overall the performances in Mission Impossible were top notch. As stated previously, Mission Impossible was an exhilarating thrill ride which utilized its budget of $145 million effectively. There were some new gadgets including high powered suction gloves which Tom Cruise used to scale the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa and a metal suit which allowed Jeremy Renner to levitate over a high powered fan using magnetism. In the movie several effective costumes were utilized including Tom Cruise dressing as a Russian general to infiltrate the Kremlin. Shortly after his exit, the Kremlin exploded leaving a large crater in the building, an example of the brilliant special effects incorporated into the movie. Other than that massive explosion, some other special effects were impressive included the launching of a nuclear missile (and its ultimate deactivation) that lead into it crashing through a LA skyscraper then dramatically plunging into the water. In the new Mission Impossible the key to the humor in the movie is the role of Benji Dunn played by the notoriously funny Simon Pegg (who will forever be known for his staring in the 2004 classic comedy Shawn of the Dead. His comedic antics started off in his first scene when he argued with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt through a security camera feed while breaking the spy out of Russian prison. He continued with his humorous attitude throughout the movie. Especially funny was his untimely entrance into the hotel room in Dubai, gloating how he was able to change a few door numbers in time yet not knowing that just seconds before, the rest of his team had struggled for their lives, dangling out a window over 100 stories up. Though I have been a fan of the Mission Impossible series since I was 6, I have to say that ‘Ghost Protocol’ was my favorite. It not only satisfied my thirst for some top notch fighting and action scenes, but also met my needs for a strong comedic presence, both worked beautifully together. I recommend this movie to any other IMF fans out there, but also to anyone seeking a well written, action packed, thrill ride of a movie.

10 Fascinating Facts About Stink Bugs

10 Fascinating Facts About Stink Bugs Stink bugs arent particularly beloved bugs, but that doesnt mean they arent interesting insects. Take a few minutes to learn more about their natural history and unusual behaviors, and see if you agree. Here are 10 fascinating facts about stink bugs. 1.Stink bugs do, indeed, stink. Yes, its true, stink bugs stink. When a stink bug feels threatened, it releases a pungent substance from special glands on its last thoracic segment, repelling nearly any predator that has a sense of smell (or functioning chemoreceptors). If you want a demonstration of this insects infamous skill, give a stink bug a gentle squeeze between your fingers, holding it along its sides. Before you condemn stink bugs for their pungent habit, you should know that all kinds of insects put up a stink when disturbed, including those well-loved ladybugs. 2.Some stink bugs help control pests. Though most stink bugs are plant feeders and many are significant agricultural pests, not all stink bugs are bad. Stink bugs in the subfamily Asopinae are predators of other insects, and play an important role in keeping plant pests under control. The spined soldier bug (Podisus maculiventris) is easy to identify thanks to the prominent points or spines extending from its shoulders. Welcome this beneficial predator into your garden, where it will feed on leaf beetle larvae, caterpillars, and other problem pests. 3.Stink bugs are really bugs. Taxonomically speaking, that is. The word bug is often used as a nickname for insects in general, and even for non-insect arthropods like spiders, centipedes, and millipedes. But any entomologist will tell you that the term bug actually refers to members of a specific order or group of insects – the Order Hemiptera. These insects are properly known as true bugs, and the group includes all manner of bugs, from bed bugs to plant bugs to stink bugs. 4.Some stink bug mothers (and a few fathers) guard their young. Some species of stink bugs exhibit parental care of their offspring. The stink bug mother will stand guard over her cluster of eggs, aggressively defending them from predators and acting as a shield to dissuade parasitic wasps from attempting to lay eggs in them. Shell usually stick around after her nymphs hatch, too, at least for the first instar. A recent study noted two stink bug species in which the fathers guarded the eggs, a decidedly unusual behavior for male insects. 5.Stink bugs belong to the family Pentatomidae, meaning five parts. William Elford Leach chose the name Pentatomidae for the stink bug family in 1815. The word derives from the Greek pente, meaning five, and tomos, meaning sections or cuttings. Theres some disagreement today about whether Leach was referring to the stink bugs 5-segmented antennae, or to the 5 sides of its shield-shaped body. But whether or not we know Leachs original intent, you now know two of the traits that will help you identify a stink bug. 6.A stink bugs worst enemy is a tiny, parasitic wasp. Though stink bugs are fairly good at repelling predators with the sheer force of their stink, this defensive strategy doesnt do much good when it comes to deterring parasitic wasps. There are all kinds of teeny wasps that love to lay their eggs in stink bug eggs. The wasp young parasitize the stink bug eggs, which never hatch. A single adult wasp can parasitize several hundred stink bug eggs. Studies show that egg mortality can reach well over 80% when egg parasitoids are present. The good news (for farmers, not for stink bugs) is that parasitic wasps can be used as effective biocontrols for pest stink bug species. 7.Stink bug sex isnt particularly romantic. Stink bug males arent the most romantic blokes. A courting stink bug male will touch the female with his antennae, working his way to her nether end. Sometimes, hell head butt her a little to get her attention. If shes willing, shell lift her hind end a bit to show her interest. If she isnt receptive to his overture, the male may use his head to push her bum up, but he risks being kicked in the head if she really doesnt like him. Stink bug mating occurs in an end-to-end position, and can last for hours. During this time, the female often drags the male around behind her as she continues to feed. 8.Some stink bugs are brilliantly colored. While many stink bugs are masters of disguise camouflaged in shades of green or brown, many some bugs are quite flamboyant and showy. If you love to photograph colorful insects, look for the harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica) in its vibrant orange, black, and white costume. Another beauty is the two-spotted stink bug (Perillus bioculatus), wearing the familiar red and black warning colors with unusual flair. For a subtler but equally stunning specimen, try a red-shouldered stink bug (Thyanta spp.), with its faint rosy stripe along the top of the scutellum. 9.Young stink bugs suck on their eggshells after hatching. When they first hatch from their barrel-shaped eggs, stink bug nymphs remain huddled together around the broken eggshells. Scientists believe these first instar nymphs suck on secretions on the eggshells to acquire needed gut symbionts. A study of this behavior in the Japanese common plataspid stinkbug (Megacopta punctatissima) revealed that these symbionts affect nymph behavior. Young stink bugs that didnt get adequate symbionts after hatching tended to wander away from the group. 10.Stink bug nymphs are gregarious (at first). Stink bug nymphs usually remain gregarious for a short period of time after hatching, as they begin to feed and molt. You can still find third instar nymphs hanging out together on their favorite host plant, but by the fourth instar, they usually disperse. Sources Stink Bugs, by Blake Newton, University of Kentucky Entomology Department. Accessed online February 6, 2015.Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, by Eric R. Eaton and Kenn Kaufman.Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.Encyclopedia of Entomology, 2nd edition, edited by John L. Capinera.First cases of exclusive paternal care in stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), by Gustavo S. Requena, Tais M. Nazareth, Cristiano F. Schwertner, and Glauco Machado, Zoologi, December 2010. Accessed online February 6, 2015.Stink Bug Egg Parasitoids, by Blake Layton and Scott Stewart, University of Tennessee   Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. Accessed online February 10, 2015.Symbiont acquisition alters behaviour of stinkbug nymphs, by Takahiro Hosokawa , Yoshitomo Kikuchi , Masakazu Shimada , Takema Fukatsu, Biology Letters, February 23, 2008. Accessed online February 10, 2015.Stink Bugs of Economic Importance in America North of Mexico, by J. E. McPherson and Robert McPherson.

Haym Salomon, American Revolution Spy and Financier

Haym Salomon, American Revolution Spy and Financier Born to a Sephardic Jewish family in Poland, Haym Salomon emigrated to New York during the American Revolution. His work in support of the American Revolution- first as a spy, and later brokering loans- helped the patriots win the war. Fast Facts: Haym Salomon Also Known As: Chaim SalomonKnown For: Former spy and financial broker who worked in support of the American Revolution. Born: April 7, 1740 in Leszno, PolandDied: January 6, 1785 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Early Years Haym Salomon (born Chaim Salomon) was born on April 7, 1740 in Leszno, Poland. His family was part of a group of Sephardic Jews descended from Spanish and Portuguese immigrants. As a young man, Haym traveled all over Europe; like many Europeans, he spoke several languages. In 1772, Salomon left Poland, following the country’s partitioning that essentially removed its status as a sovereign nation. He decided to try his luck in the British colonies, and he emigrated to New York City. War and Espionage By the time the American Revolution broke out, Salomon had already established himself as a businessman and financial broker in New York City. At some point in the 1770s, he became involved in the patriot movement and joined the Sons of Liberty, a secret organization that fought against British taxation policies. Salomon had a supply contract with the patriot army, and at some point in 1776, he was arrested in New York by the British for espionage. Although it is not known for certain that Salomon was a spy, the British authorities seem to have thought so. However, they decided to spare him from the traditional death sentence for spies. Instead, they offered him a pardon in exchange for his linguistic services. The British officers needed translators to communicate with their Hessian soldiers, most of whom spoke no English at all. Salomon was fluent in German, so he served as an interpreter. This didn’t exactly work the way the British wanted it to, as Salomon used his translating as an opportunity to encourage as many as five hundred German soldiers to desert the British ranks. He also spent a lot of time helping patriot captives escape from British prisons. He was arrested for espionage again in 1778, and sentenced to death once more. This time, there was no offer of pardon. Salomon managed to escape, fleeing to Philadelphia with his wife and children. Although he was virtually penniless when he arrived at the rebel capital, within a short amount of time he re-established himself as a merchant and financial broker. Financing the Revolution Once he had settled comfortably in Philadelphia and his brokerage business was up and running, Salomon was appointed to the role of paymaster general for French troops fighting on behalf of the colonists. He was also engaged in selling securities that supported Dutch and French loans to the Continental Congress. In addition, he advanced funds personally to members of the Continental Congress, offering financial services below market rates. Over a three year period, Salomon’s financial contributions to George Washington and the war effort totaled well over $650,000, which translates to upwards of $18M in today’s currency. Much of this money was funneled into Washington’s accounts in the latter part of 1781. In August of 1781, British general Charles Cornwallis and his troops were penned in near Yorktown. Washington’s army had Cornwallis surrounded, but because Congress was essentially out of money, the continental troops hadn’t been paid in some time. They were also low on rations and crucial uniform components. In fact, Washington’s soldiers were close to staging a coup, and many were considering desertion as a better option than staying in Yorktown. According to legend, Washington wrote to Morris, and asked him to send Haym Salomon. Bruce Leighty / Getty Images Salomon managed to secure the $20,000 in finances that Washington needed to keep his men fighting, and ultimately, the British were defeated at Yorktown, in what would be the final major battle of the American Revolution. After the war ended, Salomon brokered numerous loans between other nations and the newly formed United States government. Final Years Sadly, Haym Salomons financial efforts during the war led to his downfall. He had loaned out hundreds of thousands of dollars during the Revolution, and because of the unstable economy in the colonies, most private borrowers (and even government entities) were unable to repay their loans. In 1784, his family was nearly penniless. Salomon died on January 8, 1785 at the age of 44 from complications from tuberculosis, which he had contracted while in prison. He was buried at his synagogue, Mikveh Israel, in Philadelphia. In the 1800s, his descendants unsuccessfully petitioned Congress for compensation. However, in 1893, Congress decreed that a gold medal be struck in Salomons honor. In 1941, the City of Chicago erected a statue featuring George Washington flanked by Morris and Salomon. Sources Blythe, Bob. â€Å"The American Revolution: Haym Salomon.†Ã‚  National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/revwar/about_the_revolution/haym_salomom.html.Feldberg, Michael. â€Å"Haym Salomon: Revolutionary Broker.†Ã‚  My Jewish Learning, My Jewish Learning, www.myjewishlearning.com/article/haym-salomon-revolutionary-broker/.Percoco, James. â€Å"Haym Salomon.†Ã‚  American Battlefield Trust, 7 Aug. 2018, www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/haym-salomon.Terry, Erica. â€Å"Haym Solomon: The Man Behind the Myth of the Dollars Star of David.†Ã‚  Jspace News, 12 Dec. 2016, jspacenews.com/haym-solomon-man-behind-myth-dollars-star-david/.

Consult the facilitator regarding the assignment of one of the Eastern Essay

Consult the facilitator regarding the assignment of one of the Eastern religious traditions studied in the course - Essay Example He wished to eradicate ignorance in society and bring about enlightenment, in order to relieve oneself from distress and escape what Buddha called the cycle of suffering and rebirth. The concept of rebirth in Buddhism states that a being, after death, is reborn into the world in another form as a creature superior or inferior to the one in the previous life, depending on how ignorant or enlightened one has been in one’s lifetime. For example, an ignorant human being is likely to be reborn as an animal in the next life, whereas a human being, who has tried to be righteous and upright in the ways prescribed by the religion, can be reborn as a spirit or an angel. Buddhism is, in a way, in addition to being a religion, a philosophy explaining the nature of life and existence. It talks about suffering, which is an inevitable part of life for all human beings - whether among the affluent in society, or one of the deprived – and further goes on to explain that there is not onl y a cause for that suffering, but also an end of the suffering and a method to end the suffering. These are the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism. The method to the cessation of suffering is the Noble Eight Fold Path, which states that making use of â€Å"right perception, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration† (Calyaneratne, 2011), in that order, leads to the attainment of the state of final liberation called Nirvana (Calyaneratne, 2011). This state is, according to Buddhism, the ultimate purpose of a person’s life. Successfully reaching this stage of liberation requires a human being to forgo all worldly things and desires, as Buddhism declares all worldly objects as temporary. The idea is that these objects hinder a human being from complete liberation of the soul and from reaching the superior state or Nirvana; hence, Buddhism condemns the yearning for such objects. Furthermore, since there is no concept of worldly happiness in Bu ddhism and the only path that deserves focus is the Noble Eight Fold Path (Calyaneratne, 2004). The word ‘religion’ brings to one’s mind a guide defining for its followers a code of conduct, a way of life. All religions, no matter how distinct and unmatched they are in their backgrounds, their beliefs about life and their practices, the fundamental values taught by each religion can, certainly, be penned down as quite similar; the dissimilarity lies in the way those values are taught. At the end of the day, all religions, using the similar means of prescribing various ethics, are working towards the ‘good life’, in the interest of an individual and for the improvement of society. Even though this is a very overarching, umbrella perception on religions around the world and religions are gravely different from each other on many grounds, one can draw links between Buddhism and the various other Eastern religious traditions, which consist of â€Å"Hind uism, Confucianism, Jainism, Taoism, and Shinto† (Calyaneratne, 2011). Hinduism and Buddhism origins belong to the same subcontinent – Indian – and the two faiths are known to share a long and interesting relationship (Religion Facts, 2011). While some even consider Hinduism to have been an offshoot of Buddhism, it is widely acknowledged, despite the fundamental differences, that both religions have influenced each other in some way or the other. Confucianism, prevalent in China, values ethics that complement various other