Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Human resource-Manage industrial relations-report Essay

Human resource-Manage industrial relations-report - Essay Example Human resource management seems to complement industrial relations as it focuses on employers policies in order to manage the employment relation (Gardner & Palmer, 1997, p. 591). In addition to the above strategy the organization will incorporate strong corporate culture along with better management support as it is an ideal industrial relation situation and vital as the management recognizes the value and importance of the workplace. Thus adopting to the above mentioned strategy will lead the organization to have an effective industrial relation policy for its employees and employers in together. Effectiveness of the Policy Adopting the complementary approach organization will be able to emerge in the field of industrial relation. It focuses mainly on the productivity of the industry and will help the organization to achieve competitive advantage. The policy will take care of the employment system in the workplace and includes human resource as well as labor relation practices. The refore the policy will help the organization in both strategic manner and to meet the operational needs. The complementary approach will provide the organization with competitive advantage and the culture of the organization will provide the organization with a well defined policies and industrial relation strategies. Procedures Related To the Policy The policy of the organization is to operate business in a way that will provide as well as preserve harmonious place to work for all its workers within the instrument of industrial relation like agreements and rewards and the management are focused to ensure that the work is carried with minimum disruption and with industrial harmony (Acubis, n.d). When policies are made it is necessary to communicate about the new or revised policy to all the members of the organization and it can be said that communication plays a very important role on the success of the policies in organization. The employees need to know about the benefits of impl ementing the policy such as flexibility of working hours, incentives, training and development. The CEO should be the person to communicate the new industrial policy of the organization to all the employees. In addition to effective communication all industrial relation plans should also include contingency plans. Organization should assess all the potential risk as well as benefits which are associated with negotiation. Risk in relation to the implementation of new policy should be analyzed. Contemporary Industrial Issues Some of the contemporary industrial issue which Australia has been facing and it is assumed that the organization will also face similar kind of contemporary industrial issues. The following is the list of contemporary issues faced by the organization and Australia Globalization Technological changes Casual workplace and part time work place Work place flexibility Collective bargaining Reduction in job security Enterprise bargain in order to gain conditions more t han awards Family friendly working patterns Australia workplace agreement Changing industrial and political landscape (UnionTeach, 2003). Globalization is one of the major issues concerning organization as more and more number of organization have been affected because of

Monday, October 28, 2019

Technology in Education Essay Example for Free

Technology in Education Essay The use of technology in education has brought about great changes in the way we teach and learn. In this digital age it is imperative that technology is embedded into all aspect of learning and teaching. Educators face many challenges when it comes to integrating technology into the classroom due to lack of training, and the availability of technological equipment. Research has shown that to cater to our students who are digital natives, and to remain globally competitive we need to ensure that classrooms spring forward into the 21st century. According to Pelham, Crabtree, Nyiri, â€Å"Education researchers, government officials, and the international development community often have different ideas about the best approach to improving educational attainment across the globe† (2009, p. 74). The same can be said for educators and district leaders; there are a variety of opinions on how important the use of technology is within the classroom, and the necessity of it in preparing students to excel in today’s digital society. In the early 1970s a very small number of schools had access to computers, and usually those schools we home of the elite. However, during the late 20th century the obvious necessity to incorporate computers into the classroom became apparent. Companies such as Apple and Hewlett Packard ran promotions, which allowed more districts the ability to purchase technology for their schools (Nyiri et. al. , 2009). Since then, the integration of technology into education and schools has become paramount in the ability for students to become prepared for the 21st Century workplace. Schools are enthusiastic about introducing technology and computers into the classroom but there are several obstacles that they must overcome. The first obstacle is the lack of funding. Many schools embrace the idea of integrating technology into the classroom but do not have the funding to provide the technology to their students or teachers. President Obama’s charge to facilitate every classroom with computers and wire every school for Internet use can be seen as the light at the end of the tunnel. During the summer of 2009, several educational groups urged congress to spend several billion dollars to improve technology in the classroom, and to ensure that teachers knew how to use this technology effectively. According to Miners â€Å"Recognizing the importance of the matter, president Obama and congressional leaders included $650 million in the federal stimulus package for the enhancing education† (2009, p. 35). It is expected that over 25% of this funding is used to train teachers on the use of this technology. In acquiring technology for schools, and training teachers on the effective use of this technology they will in turn prepare our students to be globally competitive in this digital world. There are a variety of technological tools that can be utilized in the classroom; and although technology is available often times it is not used. The main issue that needs to be overcome is the lack of training that teachers receive on this technology which in turn creates a sense of apprehensiveness in integrating technology into the classroom. As stated by Miners, teachers have desired to use this technology in the classroom but have done so poorly due to â€Å"perhaps an unsatisfactory implementation of poorly conceived programs† (2009, p. 36). In 1997 a group of teachers completed a study on how the integration of technology could be used to enhance student learning. This became known as the Teacher Leadership Program. This program has transformed into a professional development for teachers which train them on the use of technology in the classroom through an intensive summer study and continuous online training. Then these teachers can return to their schools and train their colleagues (Miners, 2009). Modeling the integration of technology into their lesson plans is imperative to emphasizing the ease and effectiveness of this technology in the classroom. Not only this, but educators need to utilize technology when collaborating and communicating with their colleagues. Email, instant messaging, and school websites are just a few of the ways that colleagues can use technology with their peers’ all the while modeling appropriate use for the students. When students walk into the classroom they want to be immersed in the lifestyle they are accustomed to at home. Cell phones, personal computers, IPods, and gaming systems are the norm at home, students have grown up with this technology at their fingertips and know how to operate it in most cases more efficiently than most technology professors. They are accustomed to communication via instant messaging, reading digital books, listening to music on mp3 files, posting their diary on blogs, and making friends with facebook. Entering a classroom that is filled with old books, white boards, and no technology present does not provide them with the type of environment in which they need to learn. As Harris and Rea state, with â€Å"the Google/Facebook generation accustomed to being connected to information sources and social networks all the time and in many forms, how can we best use these technologies to transform, supplement, or even supplant current pedagogical practices† (2009, p. 37). The first issue that needs to be addressed is the use of technological equipment in the classrooms. Smart boards, also known as digital white boards are the wave of the future. According to Corcoran, smart boards are â€Å"are a portal to the digital world† (2009), students can interact with the information on the screen using touch screen technology. Almost one third of classrooms in the United States have Smart boards, which in turn allows students in these classrooms to become actively engaged in learning. Students who have access to smart board technology become â€Å"doers† in the classroom rather than sponges ingesting the information disseminated by the teacher. It allows students of all learning styles the opportunity to learn; given the fact that it is of great importance to differentiate in education, being able to cater to all learning styles whether visual, auditory, or kinesthetic through the smart board leads to a very productive learning environment. However, an interactive white board in the classroom is merely a white board if it is not used effectively. PowerPoint presentations which are interactive are much more interesting than an oral lecture from the teacher, or taking notes from a book. Being allowed to manipulate and interact with the information allows the students to absorb and retain what they are learning. Teachers can create lessons which are visually stimulating, link their lessons with online websites, incorporate music, images, and video into the lesson. They can create online games such as Jeopardy or Millionaire to assess student learning, or use programs such as ClassScape to assess students learning. Teachers can create web quests, which are interactive systems of learning. By allowing students to use the internet as a form of learning rather than constant dictation from the teacher we allow them to attain the information themselves therefore retaining it more easily. Jonassen, Howland, Marra, and Crismond (2008) noted that web activities such as WebQuests or scavenger hunts are common tools that allow for independent thinking, challenge students intellectually and assist with problem solving skills. The integration of technology into the classroom are key in motivating the students to learn, to become active in the classroom, and to use the knowledge that they have in dealing with technology in the classroom. Gone are the days of paper and pencil classrooms, with the integration of technology into the classroom comes the love of learning is rekindled in many of these students lives. With the wide array of websites available online nowadays teachers have no excuse for not utilizing technology into the classroom. These websites can be used in the classroom and also at home. An excellent example is Wiki space which is a webpage where teachers can post their lectures and notes or where they can create an open forum for class discussion. As students are invited to this wiki-space they can edit and add to the discussion online. Students can create their own wikispace, which can greatly decrease stress when working on group projects. Teachers can build their own virtual classroom websites which can be used to as a means to communicate with, and make parents aware of the goings on in the classroom. Students can use these websites to access homework, and to contact their teachers. Through incorporating technology into the classroom and to use it as a form of communication with parents, colleagues, and students, teachers are preparing the students for life in the 21st century and ensuring that when they leave the classroom and enter the workforce they are prepared for the technological challenges that they will face them.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

End-Stage Renal Disease :: Health, Diseases, Hemodialysis Patients

Introduction Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) had higher anemia rate than general population (1). Several studies considered inflammatory markers as predictors of outcome in patients with ESRD and in one of them which was performed on 25000 HD patients, neutrophil count combined with low lymphocyte count were independent predictor of outcome in hemodialysis patients (2). In some of other studies elevated level of C-reactive protein was accounted for higher mortality rate in HD patients (3). In a European study, CRP were presented as one of the uremic syndrome futures and 50% of patients have CRP level >8mg/l and 75% of them had CRP level >3.4mg/l (3). Anemia related increase serum level of pro-inflammatory factors with poor treatment outcomes in HD patients (4). There is relationship between anemia, inflammation and oxidative stress level. Serum level of hemoglobin was increased during 2-3 days after inflammatory response to infection. Inflammation also active macrophages and remove old erythrocytes from the serum of HD patients (5). According to findings of previous studies, ESRD is one of the states that increase pro-inflammatory cytokines and in some of them interleukins (IL) 1, 4 and 6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were 8-10 times higher than general population (6). Statine agents can reduce serum level of CRP in HD patients and decline their need to Epoetin for management of anemia (7). Serum CRP level more than 5-10 mg/l is associated with cardiovascular events and statine agents due to reduce CRP level might decline mortality of HD patients and improve their cardiovascular outcome. Measurement of Serum level of C reactive protein (CRP) in hemodialysis (HD) patients with anemia and their response to lovastatin is aim of our study. Material and methods One hundred fifty hemodialysis patients in Imam Khomeini and Amiralam hospital during 2004 were participated in our randomized clinical trial. Hemodialysis patients had three sessions per week hemodialysis plan with Polysulphone and Hemophane dialysis filters and bicarbonate as dialysis solution. Our study was approved in ethical committee of Tehran medical university and informed consent was obtained from each patient. Our inclusion criteria Our inclusion criterias were more than hemodialysis patients with six months hemodialysis and Hs-CRP higher than 10 mg per liter, without tumors, chronic respiratory disorders, iron deficiency anemia, hypothyroidism, diabetic foot ulcer, total cholesterol more than 200 mg/dl, abnormal liver tests, immunosuppressive, beta blocker and statine usage, and active infection in recent three months.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Global Limited System Essay

Global Limited is a global provider of infrastructure information systems, whose services cater to a wide range of industry sectors. One of Global Limited’s business objectives is information security for their clients. In order to provide their clients with information security, Global Limited has utilized a risk management approach to protect their client’s information. From a security standpoint the step taken by Global Limited are sound and will maximize the security of their client’s information. The main weakness as such will remain at the user level. If the end users both internal and external are not security conscious and vigilant in their security awareness then there is a risk of a vulnerability being exploited. The access controls Global Limited implemented using access tokens and PIN numbers for authentication provides a level of security to protect unauthorized access to data and systems. The additional use of the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) product to manage data across the network is integral to compliance of the CIA triad. Global Limited’s approach of layered security from end- point to end user utilized several different methods of controls thus providing their clients with a single comprehensive strategy. Although there is no real way to have complete security against all threats, Global Limited has provided their clients with a secure solution without being so intrusive that the end users cannot do their jobs. If a company or organization’s data and systems are not secure, be it from lack of proper controls or improper physical security, then they would be out of compliance with industry standards. According to the SOX act a company is supposed to have internal controls in place to prevent and detect unauthorized access of financial data. Global’s risk management approach was a key factor in the success of their efforts to protecting their cl ient’s information assets. By utilizing risk management strategies Global was able to detect vulnerabilities where there were the  most likelihood of threat and implement controls to detect and/or prevent breaches of the security controls. The risk management process ensured Global addressed security measures at all levels of the IT/domain. Having remote external access to Global’s network poses many threats. Lack of physical controls over devices could result in breaches. If a person lost a laptop that ad sensitive data or kept their login credentials stored on their phones, an unauthorized person could gain access. If data is not properly classified and protected it could be compromised through VPN. Some other tools that are comparable to those used by Global are Biometrics and cryptographic keys used for authentication. Titan CMS is similar to Global’s DLP suite in that it classifies, monitors and secures data across a network. Clone Guard provides vulnerability scanning, intrusion detection, and penetration testing to test an organizations defensive countermeasures and identify threats. References Managed Network Security, IDS IPS Solutions Provider – Clone Systems, Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2014, from http://www.clone-systems.com/?gclid=CPCGzpWn1r0CFaVxOgodtEcAeQ Titan CMS content management systems. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2014, from http://titancms.com/home.htm

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Effective Board of Directors

1. Topic: Effective Board of Directors 2. Six Steps to Building an Effective Board By:Bruce R. Evans 3. Summary: The author Bruce R. Evans is a managing partner in Summit Partners’ Boston office. He has also been a member of more than 25 boards, which include 10 public company boards. He claims that when a Board is working effectively it is a big part of the company’s success. However, an ineffective board can be distracting and cause liabilities for the company. Through his experiences he has created six steps to building an effective Board of Directors. The first step is â€Å"find the expertise you are missing†.CEOs of companies that are similar but not in competition with your company can give you information on the industries trend. The second step is â€Å"look for board experience†. This means that getting people that are experienced are key because they know what they are doing and understand critical issues of audit, finance, and strategy. Next is â€Å"do not overlook non-CEO candidates†. Other types of executives can be extremely valuable because most of the time they want board experience and therefore will be willing to serve on smaller company’s boards unlike CEOs. Another step is â€Å"keep your board size manageable†.The smaller and more focused boards are preferred than large ones. The more directors you have the more time you will invest in order to manage them. There should always be an odd number of directors to avoid ties in voting. The next step is â€Å"choose people who can participate fully†. The people on the board should be able to put in time for the company, and not just show up for the meeting. Members that live close to the company are preferable because when problems arise you can meet them face-to-face. The final step is â€Å"divide your board into focused committees†.The Board of Directors work on many issues, such as, compensation, audit, transactions, financing, business strategy, lawsuits, and other problems. To increase the effectiveness of the Board Evans suggest you form focused committees on these critical areas. A diverse and experienced board can be key in the success of a business. It will offer a different perspective on industry trends that can help you avoid liabilities and take advantages of opportunities. 4. I believe that this article very accurately explains the keys of creating a Board of Directors.All of Evans’ steps are very simplistic but are very important. Before I read the article I did not know what exactly a Board of Directors did, but now I know that they work on many key issues in the company. For that reason they need a diverse group of members so they get a different perspective on the issues. Also, it is important that they have focus groups for each issue that way they can go into each issue in depth and in detail. I am sure that the most successful companies have well diverse group of Board of Directors .

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Suicide Bombings on the Dorrat Al Jadawel Compound

Suicide Bombings on the Dorrat Al Jadawel Compound Overview On May 12, 2003 three separate teams of terrorists carried out suicide bomb attacks on the Dorrat Al Jadawel compound, the Al Hamra Oasis Village and the Vinnel Corporation Compound all of which were located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Suicide Bombings on the Dorrat Al Jadawel Compound specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their actions resulted in the deaths of 35 people with well over 160 others injured in the process (The world this week, 2003). It was an attack that was unprecedented in the history of Saudi Arabia since it was ideological in nature and was aimed specifically at foreign nationals (The world this week, 2003). When examining the various aspects of this case the most interesting facet is the motivation behind the actions of the suicide bombers. As seen in the recorded wills that were made shortly before they carried out their suicide attacks, one interconnect ing theme between all of the bombers is their assumption that what they do is for the greater good in that through their actions they would rescue and defend their fellow Arabs from the unjust incursions of foreign powers on both the land and culture of the Arab people. In fact various studies which have examined the psychological underpinnings of suicide bombings have shown that most if not all of the participants involved dont view the potentially dozens of people they may kill as a sin rather for them it is an act of devotion towards the precepts of Islam (Cooper, 2008). When taking such factors into consideration it is thus important to examine the reactions of the general public towards the actions of the suicide bombers. The reason behind this is quite simple, if the suicide bombers are doing this for the people as they say then it is important to understand the whether the general public has a positive or negative reaction towards such violent actions which are supposedly for their sake. Objectives The objective of this report is to investigate the following: 1.) Discern the general impression the selected respondents have on the suicide bombing incidents in Riyadh.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 2.) Determine whether the respondents would be more inclined towards thinking of terrorism in a positive way if it were to occur in another country. 3.) Examine the general impression the respondents have on foreign interests within Saudi Arabia. 4.) Analyze the reactions of the respondents towards the decision making process of the suicide bombers. 5.) Determine the current view of the respondents towards the actions of terrorist groups who radicalize certain elements of the Quran in order to justify bombing public areas. 6.) Examine the general impression the respondents have regarding the possible negative ramifications of correlated to Islam as a direct result of the actions of suicide bombers and terrorist groups. The following questions will also be asked from the respondents: Do you believe that the suicide bombers are being misinformed by terrorist groups regarding the necessity of violent action in order to achieve their goals? What do you believe is the primary reason why â€Å"volunteers† would willingly sacrifice their lives? Is it primarily a religious reason or are their social underpinnings regarding their actions? Do you think that the actions of the Riyadh suicide bombers was justified given the fact that so many innocent people died who had absolutely nothing to do with the U.S. lead invasion of Iraq? Do you harbor any ill will towards the U.S. is general? Or do you believe that it isn’t the American people who are at fault but rather their misguided leadership? From your point of view, do you believe it is justified to kill dozens of people for the sake of getting a point across? Hypothesis The hypothesis of this study is that while the general public within Saudi Arabia dont necessarily like the interference foreign powers (particularly the U.S.) have had on their land, culture and internal affairs most people think that acts of terrorism hinder rather than result in any positive resolution to the issue.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Suicide Bombings on the Dorrat Al Jadawel Compound specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The sub-hypothesis of this study also assumes that the general public within Riyadh thinks the acts of terrorism actually result in global mistrust, apprehension and even vilification of Arabs in general which hinders international efforts towards peaceful relations with other cultures and states. Framing an Interview Schedule Due to the sensitive nature of this investigation the questionnaire results will be completely anonymous with the respondents of the study pick ed randomly within the school campus as well as various members of the local community near the campus or within the proximity of the researchers home. This is done in order to ensure a certain degree of diversity in the answers given. The questionnaires themselves will be handed on an individual basis with the researcher waiting for each participant to finish completing the questionnaire. After completion each respondent will be assured of the anonymity of their responses and that in no way will their identity be disclosed. This particular interview will be conducted on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in order to get the maximum number of respondents for the questionnaire. Several members of the researcher’s friends and family will be asked to deliver questionnaires to various individuals that they know. This ensures that the research results will not be biased since the researcher is merely asking them to recruit respondents and not fill out the forms themselves. 10 respondents will be utilized for this particular study. Data Collection Response to the Questionnaire Positive Negative Impression on Suicide Bombers 5% 95% Impression on foreign interference 20% 80% Impression on the ideology behind suicide attacks 5% 95% Impression on Terrorist Organization’s use of Radical Islam 20% 80% Affect on the views of other countries on Islam as a result of the bombings 0% 100% Data Analysis The data from the respondents show that 95% of the respondents have a generally negative impression regarding the actions of suicide bombers and in fact 100% of them stated that in no way is terrorism justified whether in their country or another due to the loss of innocent life. Of the 5% that had a positive impression regarding the bombings their primary reasoning was connected to their belief that a message needed to be sent. Further examination of the research results showed that 80% of the respondents had a generally negative impression regarding forei gn interference within the internal domestic policies of Saudi Arabia and in fact the 80% regarded foreign interference as one of the main reasons behind the so called corruption of the traditional values within the nation. 20% of the respondents on the other hand a distinctly different impression since they regard western influences as another aspect of the globalization of cultures, business and even governance which people should embrace. When presented with the question regarding their impression of the decision making processes that influenced the terrorist bombers 95% agreed that the reasoning behind such actions were flawed and that it was merely a result of a radicalized interpretation of the Quran which many within the conservative Islamic state consider to be highly unethical and actually against the precepts established by the Prophet Mohammed.Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From their point of view, the bloodshed and grief caused by acts of terrorism can never be truly justified especially when taking into consideration the fact that they are targeting the wrong individuals. On the other hand 5% of the respondents did agree with the actions of the bombers with the justification that the protection of the people justified such actions. Presented with the question regarding their impression of the use of terrorist groups of radicalized elements of Islam in order to convince people to commit acts of terrorism 80% of the respondents indicated that it was a vehement atrocity against the Quran to twist its words in such a way so as to cause someone to give up their life for a false cause. On the other hand 20% of the respondents indicated that the men responsible for the suicide bombings should be held accountable for their own actions since they had the ethical responsibility to not commit such atrocities in the first place yet still went through with it. N ot only that, 100% of the respondents are in agreement that the actions of the suicide bombers does cast a negative light on Islam since it creates a connotation between it and the radicalized actions of a few which is being attributed to the many by various countries all over the world which has resulted in a generally negative view against both the practitioners of Islam as well as Arabs in general. Overall, the results of the study show an overwhelming abhorrence from the respondents regarding the actions of suicide bombers. The primary reason behind this negative reaction is due to the fact that the people they are targeting are often the innocent who never really caused any harm. Interpretation of Findings Based on the findings of the investigation it clearly shows that a vast majority of the respondents for this study are clearly against the concept of suicide bombings. Various studies which have examined this particular issue from various angles indicate that the problem lies in the fact that such attacks dont discriminate against the innocent and the guilty and as such results in more problems than solutions. In fact studies such as those by Witty (2009) indicate that the various suicide attacks that have been occurring within the Middle East have mostly involved the deaths of innocent people which has resulted in public opinion turning against terrorist groups in general due to their non-discriminatory actions (Witty, 2009). It must also be noted that most people within the Muslim community view the actions of suicide bombers as generally originating from radicalized versions of Islamic text and are in no way in accordance with the primary methods of teaching of Islam. In fact various Islamic scholars point out that the way in which radical Islam (referring to the type of Islam espoused by people such as blind Sheik and Osama Bin Laden) is in fact so divergent from the original context that it is apparent that it has been warped by terrorist groups fo r their own purposes (Mohapatra, 2002). Most of the respondents agree that the interference of foreign powers in the domestic issues of states such as Saudi Arabia is disrespectful of the traditions and indigenous knowledge that are the cornerstones of the Arabic culture however they do acknowledge the fact that to resist all forms connectivity with the outside world is a terrible concept and would result in negative repercussions. In fact based on the data from the study, a majority of the respondents agree that the actions of suicide bomber actually creates a negative image regarding Islam and makes it that much more difficult to establish positive relationships with other states (Zuhdi, n.d). Thus, it can be stated that based on the results of the survey most of the respondents don’t agree with the actions of the suicide bombers and as such nullifies the argument of the bombers and terrorist groups who say that they are doing this for the â€Å"people†. If the peopl e themselves don’t want such actions to be done in the first place, how can it really be said that what they are doing is for the people at all? Conclusion The primary and sub hypothesis of this report has been proven to be accurate when it stated that while the general public within Saudi Arabia dont necessarily like the interference foreign powers (particularly the U.S.) have had on their land, culture and internal affairs most people think that acts of terrorism hinder rather than result in any positive resolution to the issue. Not only that, the study has also shown that the resulting image backlash as a direct result of the bombings has in effect adversely affected Islam and the Arabic people. What must be understood is that while people acknowledge the fact that there are problems they believe that the death of innocents is not the way to go about resolving such issues especially when taking into consideration the fact that the methods utilized are based on an aspect of Islam that is not accepted by mainstream leaders of the Islamic world. Reference List Cooper, L. F. (2008). Terrorism and Modernity. New Politics, 12(1), 107. Mohapatra, A. K. (2002). Radical islam: ideology behind global terrorism. India Quarterly,  58(2), 93. The world this week. (2003). Economist, 367(8324), 6. Witty, D. M. (2009). The Last Crusade: Americanism and the Islamic Reformation / Unmodern Men in the Modern World: Radical Islam, Terrorism, and the War on Modernity. Journal  Of Military History, 73(2), 693-695. Zuhdi, J. (n.d). Muslims in the crosshairs. Washington Times, The (DC).

Monday, October 21, 2019

Systems Implementation essays

Systems Implementation essays Big Wheel Auto Insurance Company provides auto insurance coverage for licensed drivers in the state of Indiana. The companys headquarter is located in the city of Speedway where it has two strategic business units located at the cities of Waterloo and Corydon. In all, BWAIC employs approximately 150 people with internal departments consisting of the Policy, Claims, Payroll, Personnel, and Insurance Agents. Currently, BWAIC insures 50,000 policyholders statewide. Last year, BWAICs net profit was $875,000. With certain state regulations, along with related socioeconomic impacts, the company expects an increase of new policies to underwrite. Accordingly, BWAIC is interested in positioning itself in the market where: 1) Internal exchange of information is efficient, 2) It improves its Customer Service, 3) Share information with external business contacts. To stimulate a vision within the company of leading the market in customer service through an efficient information system and to utilize the most current technologies at lowest possible cost. Internal: An improved information process where business applications provide intelligent solutions, secured data, and improved communication exchange between units and offices. External: To provide an advantage over the market where the interactions between the company and its external business environment produces customer satisfaction. Accordingly, this will have a positive impact on customer service where efficiency on the point of contact, through the lifetime of the policy, is evident. Currently, BWAICs network setup doesnt provide an efficient exchange of information between its key departments. Each department utilizes their own business transaction system within a mainframe environment. This input-output process performs the processing of their business transactions. The departments: Policy, Claims, Personnel, Payroll, Legal and Insurance...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Write a Research Paper

Write a Research Paper Write a Research Paper Write a Research Paper If you have to write a research paper, you should start with analyzing the topic.   Sure, your tutor will not assign a topic you are totally unfamiliar with.   Thus, you have some understanding of the issue and can think about the points you will cover.   Your first assignment is to write an outline.   An advantage of a well-constructed outline is that is helps you identify gaps in your reasoning and presentation. Sample formal research paper outline: Main point and a thesis statement Subpoint Example/Explication Example/Explication Subpoint Example/Explication Example/Explication Conclusion you plan to reach Sure, you may not know how to write a research paper prior to reading different articles.   Moreover, your outline will definitely change in the course of writing.   You will come across different ideas, find new facts, and you may even change your opinion.   It happens that by the time half of your research paper is already written, you suddenly realize that you have taken a wrong direction.   Do not panic!   You are given at least two weeks to write a research paper.   You need to leave your work aside and either start writing from scratch or change hypothesis.   In any case, you have to proofread and edit your research paper many times until it can be marked as perfect and ready to be submitted.   Research paper writing is a serious academic project and you should not neglect its importance! Free Research Paper Do you think it is worth to spend time searching free research paper on the Internet? Are you sure that the project you have found has not been already turned in to your adviser? There are many reasons why smart students should not copy/paste works of others and present them as your own.   Unfortunately, most students have no time or simply do not want to waste on research paper writing. offers you an opportunity to order professional research paper writing service.   We guarantee adherence to all instructions and ensure proper formatting.   For example, if you need APA style research paper, we will deliver custom written research paper formatted in APA style! We guarantee high quality of our research paper writing service.   Our writers are educated and have years of writing experience.   Our editors proofread your essay for mistakes prior to sending it to you.   Our customer support representatives provide adequate support and timely feedback.   Our administration is ready to answer all of your questions and address concerns.   We are looking forward to seeing you as our customer!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

U.S economy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

U.S economy - Research Paper Example nce, economic indicators illustrate when the economy falls like in a recession and when the economy grows like during economic development (Griffis, ch.1). This paper will predict the economic future of U.S economy one year from now. In economics, economists develop laws of economic behavior based on the presumption that states do not count, but markets do. In economics, the most important issue is whether the presumptions generate a successful proposition that can be empirically tested and proven to be invalid or reasonable. From this perspective, the major challenge in the economic forecast is the neglect of the function of the state in economic concerns specifically international economic growth. In fact, national activities and policies are significant for economic results (Gilpin, R. & Gilpin, J. 61). Another challenge encountered when making economic forecast is the concept of weak efficiency. Weak efficiency is a theory that assumes that past forecasts play a critical function in establishing present predictions (Dovern 2). In addition, economists are less conversant with the regional cycles and trends hence the problem of predicting changes in these areas. Moreover, the error of incorrect revenue is anot her element that can create a problem in producing accurate forecast on the state of the economy. Also, data revisions pose a challenge to forecasts because when there is a structural change in the economy, the forecasting models need to be changes which may consume much time (Higgins 22). State and national economic predictions assist forecasters to generate an approximation of anticipated revenues from fundamental tax ground on the current price. In addition, other professionals in the budget department use the predictions to plan an expenditure budget and provide recommendations for the next fiscal period (Forsythe & Boyd, memo 3). The economic indicators do not impact the economy in the same manner. Generally, there are three types of economic

Answering questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Answering questions - Assignment Example This is why in the research conducted; the researcher identified both the dependent and independent variables in order to know which factors he cannot manipulate. However, the researcher did not rely on quantitative methods. This is because in quantitative methods, much data is collected which implies that results may be limited as they offer numerical explanations rather than detailed description of results. In addition, research is conducted in unnatural way in order to apply a level of control, which might produce different results from the real world results. Further, results obtained do not reflect how people think and feel about the research topic. The researcher in this research had good grasp of research questions, which allowed him to compare photographs of candidates in different newspapers but in the same race. In this case, Pollock (58) asserts that it is easy to influence information in reproducible and consistent

Friday, October 18, 2019

Legalization of Volunteer Euthanasia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Legalization of Volunteer Euthanasia - Essay Example Is it justified for him to continue suffering in this manner? In this regard, the issue of euthanasia came to my mind. With such deliberations, I considered the use of euthanasia to be the better option. Euthanasia is argued to be one of the contemporary moral issues. Euthanasia is defined as an act of induction of gentle and easy death to people suffering from incurable and painful diseases (Scherer and Rita 13). However, this concept has been debatable for a long time, with its opponents holding to their position that euthanasia should be discouraged and prohibited while its proponents argue that it is the only way to end the agony of pain and distress. Nevertheless, it is apparent that the arguments arising from this debate holds both moral and legal concepts. The initial campaign towards the legalization of volunteer euthanasia has strong bases with the empathy that seeks to put to an end suffering or overwhelming incapacity where the cases are terminal. In fact, it critically qu estions the justification that is connected to euthanasia with regard to permitting life to be continued when the patient is in uncontrollable distress and pains hence the return to health and the life enjoyment is evidently impossible.The major deliberation of opponents of euthanasia revolves around religious beliefs. Under Christian view, it is only God who has the right to determine who to die when and how. Therefore, any concept introduced that tends to contradict this belief is viewed as unwelcoming

Gay Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Gay Marriage - Essay Example Same sex couples consider marriage to be their right owing to the fact that every being deserves liberty. It has also been identified that a person is born with the characteristics of a homosexual. Same sex couples wish to lead normal lives without any societal bias and discrimination. On the other hand, same sex marriages are opposed by religious and moral groups who consider it to be unnatural. It is also argued that it is not a normal way of leading life and they present that same sex marriages should not be permitted. The opponents of gay marriages have important points to make. They argue that same sex marriages should not be promoted and the reasons that they explain are the researches which uphold the fact that gay marriages have very high failure rates and similar drawbacks. A normal heterosexual marriage lasts for a period of approximately 20 years on an average. On the other hand, same sex marriages have a very low comparative average with the lasting period being only one and a half years. It is argued that this low success rate has nothing to do with the discrimination that gays face in the society and this fact is upheld by a research conducted in Netherlands. In this country, same sex marriages have been legalized and the research concludes that despite of this, the same sex marriages only last for one half years there on an average.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Four Freedoms for All Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Four Freedoms for All - Essay Example The first freedom, that of speech is the hallmark of a democratic society where people are free to express their opinions on a variety of subjects. Speech differentiates man from any other form of life and allows humans to communicate, and through this communication to explore and create in fields as diverse as music or art, science or medicine. This freedom of speech and expression is not just a basic right, but also a means to impart ideas that contribute to man’s ever increasing knowledge as well as his growth, happiness, and well-being. The curtailment of this freedom can subdue man for a while but in the end, when he sees others enjoying it, revolt is inevitable. In today’s world of speedy communication, this phenomenon is being increasingly seen in the overthrow of dictatorships around the world. In democratic societies, it is the tool used to keep a watch on the activities of those in power, because unbridled power can lead to corruption. This freedom in the hand s of the media is a powerful tool to place facts before the people so they are in a position to make informed choices while choosing their leaders. However, every right comes with a responsibility and freedom of speech does not mean maligning others or their way of life and customs or traditions. A responsible way to use freedom of speech is to respect the rights and freedoms of others. The second freedom is man’s freedom to worship the god or gods of his choice and in a way, he feels fit for his own peace of mind. Today religious intolerance is what is leading to many of the world’s problems. ... It is important to note that a man’s religion or religious beliefs are his personal choice hence it is important for each one of us to have the freedom to choose whom we worship and how we do it. Ultimately all religions preach the same things and they really are the same except for the names that they go by, which again are given to them by man. Religion and religious beliefs have always been the source of conflict since the time man began to worship nature and the elements. Every religion has gone through phases when people were killed and tortured in the name of religion. Most religious leaders are under the impression that the greater the numbers of their followers, the better their religion or the stronger their faith, little realizing that no religious body teaches its followers to kill or steal or lie. Despite this underlying truth that is self evident, religious persecutions have dogged mankind from time immemorial and persist even to this day. International bodies can pass resolutions and nation states can pass laws, but ultimately unless man is willing to admit that religion is a personal choice and cannot be forced on another through fear, real freedom of worship cannot be attained. The third freedom, that of freedom from want is the vast imbalance between the haves and the have nots. There are some countries in our world where poverty is rampant. The people do not have the basic necessities of two square meals a day or a roof over their heads. Here malnourished mothers give birth to underweight babies who do not have a chance to grow into healthy children or adults. Infant mortality rates are high, and those babies who do survive, fall prey to diseases that are spread due to the unhygienic conditions in

Diurnal Rhythm of Cortisol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Diurnal Rhythm of Cortisol - Essay Example The most reliable way of measuring the amount of cortisol is a technique known as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). There are three forms of ELISA namely competitive ELISA, sandwich and indirect ELISA. Competitive ELISA is the most dependable way of measuring salivary cortisol because it allows for the detection of active cortisol that can compete with labeled cortisol. In this assay, an antibody specific to the antigen being tested is immobilized on a well or a microtitre plate. A mixture containing a known concentration of the labeled antigen and the test sample is then added to the well. The labeled antigen and unlabeled antigen compete for the binding site on the immobilized antibody. Any unbound antigen is washed after which a substrate is added. The substrate reacts with the enzyme to form a colored substance that is then detected and the intensity of the color is measured using an ELISA reader. The intensity of the color is indirectly related to the concentration of t he antigen in the test sample. Competitive ELISA was used to determine the quantity of cortisol in the salivary samples. The wells were coated with anti-cortisol antibody at a certain concentration such that a given quantity of antigen bound to the antibodies. A mixture of a known amount of cortisol antigen labeled with peroxidase and the patient’s saliva was then added to the well. The labeled antigen competed with the unlabelled antigen to bind to the immobilized anti-cortisol antibodies in the well.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Four Freedoms for All Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Four Freedoms for All - Essay Example The first freedom, that of speech is the hallmark of a democratic society where people are free to express their opinions on a variety of subjects. Speech differentiates man from any other form of life and allows humans to communicate, and through this communication to explore and create in fields as diverse as music or art, science or medicine. This freedom of speech and expression is not just a basic right, but also a means to impart ideas that contribute to man’s ever increasing knowledge as well as his growth, happiness, and well-being. The curtailment of this freedom can subdue man for a while but in the end, when he sees others enjoying it, revolt is inevitable. In today’s world of speedy communication, this phenomenon is being increasingly seen in the overthrow of dictatorships around the world. In democratic societies, it is the tool used to keep a watch on the activities of those in power, because unbridled power can lead to corruption. This freedom in the hand s of the media is a powerful tool to place facts before the people so they are in a position to make informed choices while choosing their leaders. However, every right comes with a responsibility and freedom of speech does not mean maligning others or their way of life and customs or traditions. A responsible way to use freedom of speech is to respect the rights and freedoms of others. The second freedom is man’s freedom to worship the god or gods of his choice and in a way, he feels fit for his own peace of mind. Today religious intolerance is what is leading to many of the world’s problems. ... It is important to note that a man’s religion or religious beliefs are his personal choice hence it is important for each one of us to have the freedom to choose whom we worship and how we do it. Ultimately all religions preach the same things and they really are the same except for the names that they go by, which again are given to them by man. Religion and religious beliefs have always been the source of conflict since the time man began to worship nature and the elements. Every religion has gone through phases when people were killed and tortured in the name of religion. Most religious leaders are under the impression that the greater the numbers of their followers, the better their religion or the stronger their faith, little realizing that no religious body teaches its followers to kill or steal or lie. Despite this underlying truth that is self evident, religious persecutions have dogged mankind from time immemorial and persist even to this day. International bodies can pass resolutions and nation states can pass laws, but ultimately unless man is willing to admit that religion is a personal choice and cannot be forced on another through fear, real freedom of worship cannot be attained. The third freedom, that of freedom from want is the vast imbalance between the haves and the have nots. There are some countries in our world where poverty is rampant. The people do not have the basic necessities of two square meals a day or a roof over their heads. Here malnourished mothers give birth to underweight babies who do not have a chance to grow into healthy children or adults. Infant mortality rates are high, and those babies who do survive, fall prey to diseases that are spread due to the unhygienic conditions in

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Great Depression of the 1930's Research Paper

The Great Depression of the 1930's - Research Paper Example The depression not only resulted in loss of jobs, but also resulted in psychological crisis which was attributed to loss of income and property, and the resultant sense of gloom which was endured by the country during those tragic years. Such events put the government and the Federal Reserve under great pressure to safeguard the rapidly deteriorating economy from worsening further and eliminate the social and commercial crisis faced by its people (Campbell, 2008). The exact reasons which led to the great depression are highly complicated in nature, and have been the subject of various debates among historians. Initially during the beginning of 1920s, the nation’s economy was relatively strong and consumer-oriented, with a booming automobile and consumer goods industry which produced products in large numbers to cater to the wide market. This could be substantiated with the presence of large companies such as General Motors and General Electric, which were not only successful i n the consumer goods market but also a major source of investments in the New York Stock Exchange along with other financial markets. The stock markets and financial institutions prospered greatly during those years, which led to a huge investment in those sectors, leading to an unprecedented rise in stock prices. The government concern increased, with the increase in stock prices, and the Federal Reserve along with the government began to introduce and develop policy measures to control the rising stock prices. Such measures taken by the government and the Federal Reserve paved way for the impending crash of the stock market, which began during October 1929. Although historians so far, have failed to pinpoint one single event which led to the collapse of the stock markets, and the resultant economic downturn that followed, resulting in billions of dollars worth of loss, large scale unemployment, failure of banks, and years of economic and social unrest. Timeline history of the peri od Year Events 1929 Feb 2 Federal Reserve Bank bans bank loans for margin trades June 15 - August Agricultural Marketing Act passed, Economic expansion peaks Sept, 3 Stock prices peak Oct 24, Oct 29 Black Thursday, sales of stocks was recorded at an all time high of 12,895,000, and 16,410,000 respectively resulting in a record forty points drop in the New York Times index Nov 13 Stock prices record a new low 1930 October Unemployment rises, Committee for unemployment relief formed Dec 2 Government funds a $150 million public works program. By the end of 1930, nearly 1350 banks suspend their operations 1931 Official report suggests that nearly 4-5 million people were unemployed Oct 16 New York Federal Bank increases its discount rate from 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent Oct 23 New York Federal Bank once again increases its discount rate from 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent Dec 11 New York Bank collapses. By the end of the year nearly 2293 banks shut down Lack of economic safeguards During the depression there was large scale unemployment, various banking and other financial institutions failed and had to shut down, and there was a sharp decline in the GNP leading to disastrous outcomes. Such widespread and negative repercussions were mainly as a result of lack

Monday, October 14, 2019

Personal development planning Essay Example for Free

Personal development planning Essay I am 24 years old and married to my husband Paul we live in Maybole in a two bedroom cottage. I left school at 16 with standard grade level English, maths, history, French and music. My first job was in a nursing home it was then I realised how much I enjoyed working in care and caring for people. I worked in the nursing home for 2 years then left to be an activity’s co-ordinator in a day care centre in Prestwick where I would plan daily activity’s and outings for clients who came for respite day-care the centre sadly closed down after 3 years. I found a part time job in a local pub but I didn’t enjoy it as much as caring I worked in the pub for 2 years until I found a job working for a homecare company I enjoyed but found the hours unsociable it was then I decided to apply for college. I applied for N.C social care and was placed on the reserved list due to the course being full then a week after the course started I got a phone call to start. I attended college from September to june working threw my course studying and passed all my exams. I also attended a work placement at Hansel village respite cabin which I enjoys working with the clients as id never worked with adults with learning difficulties. I was offered a permanent job with Hansel after I left but sadly couldn’t take the job offer up as I had applied to do HNC and Hansel could only offer me 30 hours per week. Whilst doing my NC I enjoyed the subject mental health and decided then that I would like to become a mental health nurse. My hopes are th at I graduate with my HNC and can apply to university and get a degree. Step 2: Broad objective where am I going next? Whilst completing this unit in Personal Development Planning, I have opted to focus on the following area of development my ability to write reports and essays having done an N.C in social care last year I had to do a few reports and essays and realised that I don’t structure them properly this is something I need to practice and develop my skills and abilities in doing this. I would like to progress and graduate from college with my HNC in social care and apply to university of the west of Scotland and do a degree in mental health nursing and work in a psychiatric hospital. Further development of core/key skills Step 3: Self appraisal Personal skills, qualities and contexts Core skill Evaluation Evidence to support evaluation Communication Good When doing an NC in social care one of the tasks I had to do was a presentation in front of the class I became really nervous and didn’t make a lot of eye contact. This is something I would like to work at and concentrate on in the future when delivering presentations. Numeracy Poor Numeracy was apart of my NC course last year and I failed two attempts at an exam working out percentages and doing box plots but I find with extra studying and breaking it down I can complete some numeracy tasks. IT Average I received a standard grade for admin at school this gave me some knowledge on IT skills. On my college course last year I done IT at a higher level where I was shown how to use different search engines and how to type up reports essays and save my work. Problem solving Poor When faced with situations I tend to panic rather than look for solutions to  resolve problems. I feel this is something I can develop in. Working with others Good Threw my recent jobs as a carer, bar maid, activity’s coordinator I have had to work as part of a team to deliver my work and do the best in my job. I also work with others at college to do research on my subjects this is something I enjoy doing. Personal qualities I am a hard working reliable individual. With an NC in social care this has given me a wide knowledge of sociology, psychology and helped me realise my own personal values and principles. I have developed my caring practical skills threw working in in many different care aspects and work placements. I am an honest and trustworthy person who enjoys working as part of team and also on my own initiative. Knowledge and understanding I have a wide knowledge of care and an understanding of my own personal values and principles that I try and introduce when caring for individuals with different needs. I also have a basic knowledge of sociology and try to have an understanding in which way society works. And my basic knowledge of psychology helps me understand peoples behaviours. Technical skills I feel my technical skills can be worked on and developed threw out this course. Threw work and work placements I have a basic knowledge on moving and handling. I also have basic computing skills. Contexts, other factors to consider Step 4: Setting personal objectives Personal objectives — prior to interview with tutor Short-term (this year) I hope to pass my course and gain my HNC in social care. I also hope to gain knowledge and develop new skills threw out the year in all aspects of social care and on college work placement. Medium-term (next year) I hope to be able to apply to university and have enough qualifications and skills and to be able to stay focused on my work and my short and long term goals to be achievable. Long-term I hope to have gained a degree in mental health nursing and be in a job I enjoy doing that helps me stay motivated.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Motivation For Drowsiness Detection Information Technology Essay

Motivation For Drowsiness Detection Information Technology Essay Monitoring the drivers action while driving by examining the manoeuvred of the vehicle can be a very prominent task in order to enhance safety while driving. To differentiate between unintentional and intentional car steering wheel inputs, will be the main key element to be discovered, such as a sudden large steering input could indicate the drivers level of alertness. Almost all the statistics have identified driver drowsiness as a high priority vehicle safety issue. Drowsiness has been estimated to be involved in 10-40 per cent of crashes on motorways [5, 6]. Fall-asleep crashes are very serious in terms of injury severity and more likely to occur in sleep-deprived individuals [8]. Drowsiness influences mental alertness, decreasing an individuals capability to handle a vehicle safely and expanding the possibility of a human mistakes that could lead to deaths and injuries. Furthermore, it has been indicated to slow response time, decreases awareness, and impairs judgment. A drowsy driver is unable to predict when he or she will have an uncontrolled sleep onset [9]. There is an increased interest with respect to the design and advancement of computer controlled automotive applications to overcome those problems by enhancing safety to reduce accidents, increase traffic flow, and enhance comfort for drivers. This thesis presented a way to detect drowsiness in driver non intrusively by warning the drivers, preventing accidents and to improve safety on the motorways. This method is employing Support Vector Machine (SVM) to train the classifier by using steering wheel angle, distance to outside lane and acceleration as an input to the SVM. All the parameters extracted from vehicle parameter data collected in a driving simulator. With all the features, a SVM drowsiness detection model is constructed. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would also like to extend my appreciation to Mr John Mellor Dr Ping Jiang for his assistance in educating, assisting and helping me on the preparation of this thesis and who has supported the work not just financially but also provided very valuable feedback and guiding ideas for the production of this thesis. Chapter 1 This chapter illustrates a general overview of this research. Background information related to the topic of drowsiness detection and support vector machine along with research objectives are introduced. Related literature is reviewed in this section, linking relevant topics to the research presented here. Finally, an outline of the thesis and a brief description on the contents of each chapter are also presented. Introduction The proposed non intrusive drowsiness warning system uses a integration technique comprise of vision sensor to obtain road information and steering wheel angle data logger. Both parameters are taken from road simulation experiment. The system is composed of three main processes; To obtain the road information by calculating the distance of the outside lanes from vision input and extracting the steering wheel angle data. These data are used for training and testing intentions during the modelling of the SVM. To give a proper warning to the driver to eliminate false alarm. It is most important that a drowsiness warning system guarantee safety and reliance. Therefore the system must reliably as well as estimate the driver vehicle state in order to give proper warning. It must also consider driving habits and intention of the driver to be of practical use. Research Aim Objectives The aim of this thesis is to contribute to the study of driver behaviour while driving, through the development and evaluation of a drowsiness driver model system. Non-intrusive is chosen as a method due to comfort to the drivers. The result from the research will be integrated to produce the systems that can be efficient in detecting the drowsiness level at an early stage by giving a warning to them about their lack of attention due to drowsiness or other factors. In other words, they can correct the behavior or stop driving when they in the drowsiness state. This system will need to be robust against model mismatch and disturbances and comfort constraints. The objective of this research is to identify the current drowsiness detection by investigating flexible methods for studying the relationships between drivers manoeuvre performances whiles the vehicle on the move and the physiological driver drowsiness states. This thesis paper outlines the design and development of a system that focuses on drivers drowsiness detection and prediction through the following methods:-. Monitoring the driver behaviour by observing the vehicle manoeuvre stability and performance. Validate and measure the progress by using Specific algorithm. Updating the current performance by comparing with the last action stored in system database. Warning the drivers if the behaviour beyond the thresholds. To increase the detection and its reliability of the prediction, the methods stated earlier will be used. Here we will employ machine learning methods to classify the data of actual human behaviour during drowsiness. This will be done by studying and evaluating the learning phase identification of a driver driving pattern. After that we will look to evaluate the parameters comprehensively. In the detection phase on-line model adaptive identification; model error classification; drowsiness alert model will be studied. By implement a control system mechanism that integrates human and machine for classification of the dynamic model for drowsiness detection using information from various sources for achieving a probabilistic best possible alert. Scope The scope of the thesis is defined as follows: The road manoeuvre will be restricted to simulation environment only. There are no obstacles in the road lane, and thus there is no collision-avoidance aspect to manoeuvre. It is assumed the vehicle will operate with a fix velocity range of 50km/h. Two main parameters will be an indictor for the system detection consists of distance to outside lane and steering wheel angle. Motivation for drowsiness detection. Driver drowsiness is a significant factor in the increasing number of accidents on todays roads and has been extensively accepted [2]. This proof has been verified by many researchers that have demonstrated ties between driver drowsiness and road accidents. Although it is hard to decide the exact number of accidents due to drowsiness, it is much likely to be underestimated. The above statement shows the significance of a research with the objective of reducing the dangers of accidents anticipated to drowsiness. So far, researchers have tried to model the behavior by creating links between drowsiness and certain indications related to the vehicle and to the driver [2,3,4]. Previous approaches to drowsiness detection primarily make pre-assumptions about the relevant behavior, focusing on blink rate, eye closure, and yawning [29,30]. The automobile business also has tried to build several systems to predict driver drowsiness but there are only a few commercial products available today[31]. The systems do not look at driver performance and overlook driver ability and characteristics. Naturally, most people would agree that different people drive differently. The system that being develop able to adapt to the changes of the drivers behaviour. Contributions The contributions of thesis research extend to five areas. The introduction of a fully integrated drowsiness warning system with specific algorithms to detect driver condition. The main contribution of this study is it contributes an algorithm of drowsiness driver detection and tracking which based on incorporation of vision and vehicle performance parameter. The implementation of support vector machine for robust and accurate drowsiness warning system. The input incorporation from vision and data logger provides an efficient method for detecting drowsiness driver under varying mode and road conditions. Consideration of various type of driver with various conditions in order to build the system. Software tool Support Vector Machine In the way classifying things Support Vector Machine is the modern technique in the field of machine learning and has been successfully used in many fields of application. The aim of this thesis is not to give a comprehensive demonstration about the theoretical background but to reveal the fundamental functionality to get an extensive understanding how SVMs work. The thesis also summaries what has to be considered when SVMs are applied, which fields of application exist and what the fields of researches nowadays are. The machine is a learning algorithm for performing classification and regression via a hyperplane in a large virtual feature space. For classification, the SVM is given a set of inputs called the training set, and attempts to automatically determine a hyperplane in feature space that separates these inputs into two classes. The hyperplane allows the machine to make an informed classification on a test vector where the true classification is unknown. Based on the assumption that the test vector and the training set are drawn from the same source, the SVM has predictable bounds on getting the classification of the test vector correct. For regression, the SVM similarly uses training vectors but derives a hyperplane-based function that can estimate a real valued function. One of the things that set SVMs apart from more traditional linear systems is their use of what is known as a kernel function. Kernels functions which allow the SVM to classify features that are nonlinear functions of the training vector attributes. While it performs this classification in a space of very high dimensionality (the feature space), it only requires computation in the smaller dimensional space of the training vectors (attribute space or input space). The other thing that sets SVMs apart is parametrically controlling the capacity of the SVM (its VC Dimension) to avoid underfitting and overfitting. Let take some example what if you do if you have given a collection of oranges and apples, and you being asked to differentiate between the two types of fruit? Within a second, everyone can immediately separate them based on how they look and feel. Although this problem of differentiating orange and apples does not look very complex, automating this process turns out to be fairly complex. What should be the basis for the decision to call an object orange, and another object apple? This problem is called classification in order to assign a new object to one of a set of classes, which are known already. The classifier which should perform this classification operation, is based on a set of example objects. This thesis will not focus on this classification problem though, but on the next problem, the problem of one-class classification. Here an object should be classified as a genuine object (orange or apple), or an outlier object (another type of fruit). The one-class classification problem differs in one essential aspect from the conventional classification problem. In one-class classification it is assumed that only information of one of the classes, the target class, is available. This means that just example objects of the target class can be used and that no information about the other class of outlier objects is present. The boundary between the two classes has to be estimated from data of only the normal, genuine class. The task is to define a boundary around the target class, such that it accepts as much of the target objects as possible, while it minimizes the chance of accepting outlier objects. MATLAB: MATLAB is a matrix-based numerical computing environment and programming language developed by The MathWorks. Simulink was used extensively for modelling, simulating, and analysing the drowsiness detection system. By using the Simulink application such as Hough Transform, Hough Lines and Kalman Filter blocks to create a lane detection and tracking algorithm. Thesis Outline Chapter 2: describes the literature review. Chapter 3: Definitions of variables associated with this particular approach for solving the problem are discussed. Chapter 4: Summarizes the results of this research and presents findings from the parametric study. Chapter 5: Finally, the conclusion of the research and recommendation on future research are provided in Appendix contains the major experiment files used to perform the simulation. Chapter 2.0: Literature Review The initial phase of this thesis was the preparation of a literature review. This review included literature from past research projects, conferences and journals on the drowsiness detection system. A comprehensive search was studied and has been reviewed to identify key studies, reports and researches initiative addressing drowsiness toward driving issues. It is attended to investigate the available knowledge in the field and to distinguish the most encouraging indicators of drowsiness drivers. Most of these methodologies have only been developed in the laboratory or have had a limited application on-road. In the current development of the drowsiness detection system, the possible techniques can be generally divided into the several categories. This category technique includes measures of: The drivers current state, especially relating to the eye and eyelid movements and physiological state changes. Driver performance, with a focus on the vehicles behaviour including lateral position and headway. A combination of the drivers current state and driver performance. We can conclude the methodology can be separated into two sections: Intrusive methods Electroencephalography Some researchers have looked at the use of EEG as a method for detecting drowsiness. Most of these studies have used EEG to verify the existence of drowsiness when other measures are being evaluated rather than as a fatigue-detection measure [12]. For example, a study by [13] demonstrated substantial relationships between an EEG algorithm for detecting fatigue and drowsiness under simulated conditions. The biggest disadvantage associated with EEG as an on-road drowsiness detection device is the difficulty in obtaining recordings under natural driving conditions; making it a slightly unrealistic option for the detection of drowsiness. In summary the transition from wakefulness to sleep can be described as a shift towards slower frequencies in the EEG. The process different between individuals but seems to be consistent within the individual [10, 11]. EEG is widely received as a good indicator of the transition between wakefulness and sleep as well as between the different sleep stages. When a driver gets drowsy a burst of alpha activity can often be seen in the central regions of the brain. An increase in alpha activity is thus the first sign of drowsiness. As the driver gets drowsier, alpha activity is replaced by theta activity. When delta activity occurs in the EEG the driver is no longer awake, this is an indicator of deep sleep [10]. Electrooculography Electrooculography is a method used for measuring the potential difference between the front and back of the eye ball. The EOG can therefore be used for detection of eye movements and blinks. The eye is a dipole with the positive cornea in the front and the negative retina in the back and the potential between cornea and retina lies in the range 0.4 1.0 mV. When the eyes are fixated straight ahead a steady baseline potential is measured by electrodes placed around the eyes. When moving the eyes a change in potential is detected as the poles come closer or farther away from the electrodes. The sign of the change depends on the direction of the movement [10]. EOG is measured by placing electrodes around the eyes. Usually silver-silver chloride electrodes are used as they show negligible drift and develop almost no polarization potentials. The electrodes should be placed as near the eyes as possible to maximize the measured potential. Problems with EOG measurement are artefacts that arise from muscle potentials and small electromagnetic disturbances that can be induced in the cables. To reduce the impedance between skin and electrode, the skin must be cleaned carefully before measurement and electrode paste should be used [10]. When measuring blinks related characteristics, the sampling frequency should be high (at least 500 Hz) as a high resolution is required to measure small differences in for example blink duration. DC recording is preferable, while filtering the low frequency components away makes the detection of long blinks difficult. One problem with DC recording however, is the risk of slow baseline drift, which makes it important to monitor the EOG signal and adjust for the drift during the measurement [14]. Non Intrusive methods PERCLOS PERCLOS (Percent Eye Closure) is a video-based method that measures eye closure. One of the strengths of PERCLOS is that attempts have been made to establish its validity as a fatigue detection device. Satisfactory relationships were obtained between eye closure and lapses in attention, providing some convergent evidence. When a measure correlates with other tests believed to measure the same construct of the systems ability to detect the current state of the driver. Furthermore, PERCLOS showed the clearest relationship with performance on a driving simulator in comparison to a number of other potential drowsiness detection devices including two electroencephalographic (EEG) algorithms, a head tracker device, and two wearable eye-blink monitors. PERCLOS is the most reliable and valid measure of a drivers alertness level between many drowsiness detection measures. According to a study performed by [17], drivers in an automobile simulator exhibit certain characteristics when drowsy, that can be easily observed in eye and facial changes [17]. Alert drivers were reported to have normal facial tone, and fast eye blinks with short ordinary glances. Drowsy drivers were reported to have decreased facial tone and slower eyelid. Gaze Direction Other potentially good fatigue parameters include various parameters that characterize the pupil movement, which relates to the driver gaze and awareness of the happenings in surroundings area. The movement of a persons pupil (gaze) may have the potential to indicate ones intention and mental condition. For example, for a driver, the nominal gaze is frontal. Looking at other directions for an extended period of time may indicate fatigue or inattention. In addition, when people are drowsy, their visual awareness cannot cover a wide enough area, concentrating on one direction. Hence, gaze (deliberate fixation) and saccade eye movement may contain information about the ones level of alertness. Many recent efforts [18, 19] produce a computer vision system that can extract various parameters in real time to characterize an eyelid movement, gaze, head movement, and facial expression. The major benefits of the visual measures are that they can be acquired non-intrusively. Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS). LDWS system is used to determine the position of the vehicle on the road. It is used either to warn the driver when the vehicle is on a white line (like rumble strips) or to predict when the driver is in danger of departing from the road, which rumbles strips cannot do [20]. A vehicle lateral position or lane departure situation occurs when the vehicle runs off the road, either on the left or on the right side of the road. This kind of situation is also called Run-Off-Road (ROR) or Single Vehicle Roadway Departure (SVRD). It is defined in [21] as the crashes where the first harmful event is the vehicle leaving the road high way. The simplest system is the rumble strip in which it alerts the driver when he is in a situation of lane departure in order to avoid ROR crashes. Rumble strips are areas of grooved pavement usually situated under the white lines of the road. When the vehicle drifts to the line, its tire hits a rumble strip, which vibrates the vehicle and makes a loud noise, alerting the driver to take a corrective action. This simple system is efficient since it has been shown to reduce the number of run off road crashes by 70% [22] but requires infrastructure modification. Another approach is to use a system inside the vehicle, which detects when the driver is in danger of departing from the road, and trigger an alarm in time for the driver to react. Steering wheel algorithm. Studies indicate that the steering wheel variability increases with the amount of drowsiness [23]. The steering movements also become larger and occur less often, and the lateral position variability increases as the driver gets drowsier. Also, the speed variability increases and the minimum distance to any lead vehicle decreases. The reaction time to any unexpected events also gets longer with increased drowsiness. Different studies have shown that there is a relationship between various steering related variables and the sleepiness of the driver. The steering related variables have the advantage that they are easy to measure since they require no camera or image processing. The drawback is that these variables are dependent upon the road curvature and are therefore mostly reliable on highways. [24] Other literature review has studied drowsiness detection by using steering angle rotation as an input to detect drowsiness by tracking steering angle by using a camera [25]. It tracks the steering wheel angle by using a single camera system put on inside the car. The approach is based on the modelling of the motion of the steering wheel, as it appears perceptively distorted by the point of view of the un-calibrated camera. The system has some disadvantages such as the steering image being block by the drivers head, light beam that confuses the feature detection algorithm and camera setup that not suitable for a portable application in monitoring steering angle analysis. Another drowsiness detection algorithm is based on the steering wheel. This algorithm works with three kinds of functions [26]: Time based functions (weighting functions developed from the time variations of the angle and the angular velocity), Frequency based functions (weighting functions developed from the variations in the power spectrum) Phase based functions (weighting functions developed from the variations in the angle plotted against the angular velocity). This algorithm is interesting because it proposes new detection ideas, such as the use of the phase diagram. The algorithm was tested on a special track with really drowsy drivers and it seemed to work pretty well. However, it has been created using data from drives on straight roads, so it may only work for straight roads, similar to motorways. Head position monitoring rotation. The advantage of computer vision techniques is that they are non-invasive, and thus are more amenable to use by the general public. There are some significant previous studies about drowsiness detection using computer vision techniques. Most of the published research on computer vision approaches to detection of drowsiness has focused on the analysis of blinks and head movements. It has been studied that these drivers exhibits certain physiological patterns that are expected and detectible. The standard head bobbing movement, where the drivers head drops and then rapidly pulls back upward is one of the patterns that is frequently displayed when an individual is becoming drowsy while seated in an upright position. Head movement like nodding or inclination is a good indicator of a drivers drowsiness or the onset of drowsiness [27]. It could also indicate ones attention. Head movement parameters such as head orientation, movement speed, frequency, etc. could potentially indicate ones level of attention. Finally, facial expression may also provide information about ones attention. For example, a typical facial expression that indicates the onset of drowsiness is yawning. Head monitoring tracking is a significant process for many vision-driven interactive user interfaces. The acquired position and orientation allow for pose determination and recognition of simple gestures such as nodding and head shaking. The stabilized image obtained by perspective de-warping of the facial image according to the acquired parameters is ideal for facial expression recognition [28] or face recognition applications. There are several commercial products capable of accurate and reliable 3D head position and orientation estimation. These are either based on magnetic sensors or on special markers placed on the face; both practices causing discomfort and limiting natural motion. Also, commercial systems based on gaze tracking employing infrared illumination do guarantee reliable detection of eye location, at the cost, however of restrictions placed on head position and orientation Head monitoring system developed by Advanced Safety Concepts, Inc. is the non-contact Proximity Array Sensing System (PASS), is an apparatus designed to record the x, y and z coordinates of the head at electronic rates using three electromagnetic fields. Its development is based on research that indicates a relationship between micro-motion of the head and impairment or drowsiness. It is hypothesized by ASC that changes in the X, Y, Z coordinates of the head may be an indicator of drowsiness onset, and that PASS may detect micro-sleeps based on different head movement patterns. Advanced Safety Concepts, Inc. reports that in laboratory tests, the PASS system has detected changes in head position as little as 0.0 l, while providing absolute XYZ resolution of head position to about 0.1. Disadvantages of current system. PERCLOS Disadvantages. PERCLOS stands for Percent Eye Closure. The technical definition is the percent of time a drivers eyes are closed. Sometimes a driver who is trying to stay awake can fall asleep with his eyes open, this is the disadvantage of PERCLOS. Another problem with this system is that the curve for warning is very steep at the end, which means that no warning is given at an early stage, and then the situation is very serious quickly. LDWS Disadvantages. Lane departure warning systems (LDWS) are system that currently being use to detect drowsiness. If the driver is drowsy, sooner or later the vehicle will drift to the side of the road and when it crosses the lane boundaries a warning signal is given to alert the driver. The problem with this system is that the warning signal is given every time the driver crosses the line, it does not take into consideration that the crossing could be intentional. TLC. Disadvantages. A commonly used variable in the warning algorithm of the LDWS is the Time to Line Crossing (TLC). The Time-to-Line Crossing (TLC), is the estimated time it takes for the vehicle to cross the line, which is based on a predicted path of the vehicle and the speed. The major problem with TLC is its computation in real time while driving on the road. Moreover, the computation is different on straight roads and on curve roads. EEG Disadvantages. To measure this signal while driving causes annoyance to the driver, because multiple sensors have to be attached to the driver. This can affect the driver so much that it changes the driving behaviour, which is not good at all in traffic safety research. Eye Detection Systems Disadvantages. The eye detection systems are good but not perfect, when the driver is wearing glasses there might be errors in the detection, which in some systems lead to false warnings. Sunglasses cause problems that almost none of the systems can deal with, which makes the inattention detection almost impossible when the driver is wearing sunglasses. Different ethnical people are another problem, the eyes of Asian people differ from European people, but most manufacturers claim that it should not be a problem. Research Approach Several elements have been taken into a consideration into designing the drowsiness detection system. Some researchers have already followed this route with encouraging results. By using several hypotheses and finding transformations in vehicle and driver behaviour, three based parameters will be tested for potential to predict the vehicle behaviour characteristic. In the investigation the signal will be recorded for a various driver, therefore data recorded each of the driver will were analyzed. It is important to notice that the data, of each individual driver has his own style of driving pattern. Diameter to Lane. As we all known Lane Departure Warning System can determine the position of the vehicle on the road. This position can then be used either to warn the driver when the vehicle is on a white line or to predict when the driver is in danger of departing from the road, [4]. The technique that we plan to use is to measures the distance between the car coordination toward the road lane border. It is a relevant suggestion because LDWS normally triggered when it reaches the lane. By the way it was too late to notice the drivers. Steering wheel angle. Studies indicate that the steering wheel variability increases with the amount of drowsiness [5]. The steering movements also become larger and occur less often, and the lateral position variability increases as the driver gets drowsier. Changes of velocity. More recent research demonstrated that speed variability was higher for sleep-deprived drivers than for control drivers [6].

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Elegy to and Unfortunate Lady Essay -- essays papers

Elegy to and Unfortunate Lady In Alexander Pope’s poem â€Å"Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady,† Pope uses a great amount of war-like imagery to enhance his vision of the suicide described. He creates allies and enemies, weapons and invasions, as well as the gruesome death that only seems to come from war. These pieces add to the overall meaning of the work and the vision of the event that has occurred, giving the reader an image of a battle occurring. The first images of the war or battle are that of the victim of battle. Starting at line four and extending to line ten, I find that Pope is using a great amount of imagery to depict the woman’s wound and the fate upon which she has fallen. In line four he describes her wound in only three words â€Å"bleeding bosom gor’d,† but he then extends the depiction of her wound into how it was obtained. He describes the knife or the dagger that she must have used to kill herself with as a â€Å"sword†, which is something that would typically be found in battle rather than in the case of a suicide. He also brings in the theory of the ancient Roman justice system for not just war but any crime. It is much greater and braver to die by your own sword than by any other. She kills herself for the simple fact that in her eyes she must be punished for loving some one too much; however, her death is the start of the real war, between Pope and the society and family that abandoned her. Pope sides with the ghost in the poem and criticizes her family and society for her death. In line thirty he states clearly his great dislike for the uncle who he labels as â€Å"Thou, mean deserter of thy brother’s blood!† This is an apparent line drawn between what Pope believed should have occurred and w... ... else, at least through her father or uncle, but once she died, all of her titles, wealth, beauty and honor meant nothing. They are things that could not be carried with her in her death. The lines about her becoming a pile of dust also fit with the image of a soldier who has fallen in battle because she is a pile of dust, which â€Å"all the proud shall be†. Every proud soldier who dies what they believe in becomes a pile of dust just like the lady in the poem. The war imagery in Pope’s poem helps define and clarify the point of view Pope has on the even that has occurred. It also gives Pope a poetic platform on which to condemn the opposite side. He uses the imagery to describe the victim of war, the way death and battle are in war, and the opposing sides of this war and why they are battling; creating a new view of the woman’s suicide and her as a soldier for love.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Beh 225 Appendix D

Associate Level Material Appendix D TV Character Evaluation Part I Write a summary of 350-700 words identifying the contributions of Freud, Jung, and Rogers. Sigmund Freud, is often described as the most famous figure in psychology. He's written books on Hysteria; commonly being referred to as the â€Å"father of psychoanalysis†. His most popular works being highly influential on others that study psychology. unconscious, – Psychosexual development (stages), Neurosis, transference and trauma are theories that Freud has developed over the years.One of Freud's theories was, that the personality is three structures. Another theory of Freud's was that our personality is rooted in the dynamics of the unconscious. He determined that the aggressive and sexual instincts were primarily unconscious drives which could determine our human behavior. Carl Jung is a psychologist that mostly studied the human psyche, dream analysis, and the collective unconscious. Cowgil (1997) refers, He proposed and developed the concepts of the extroverted and introverted personality, archetypes, and the collective unconscious.The issues that he dealt with arose from his personal experiences. For many years Jung felt as if he had two separate personalities. One introverted and other extroverted. This interplay resulted in his study of integration and wholeness. His work has been influential not only in psychology, but in religion and literature as well. She also believed that the unconscious mind had two separate components; the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious. Hall (1997) refers, Carl R.Rogers is known as the father of client-centered therapy. Throughout his career he dedicated himself to humanistic psychology and is well known for his theory of personality development. He began developing his humanistic concept while working with abused children. Rogers attempted to change the world of psychotherapy when he boldly claimed that psychoanalytic, experimental , and behavioral therapists were preventing their clients from ever reaching self-realization and self-growth due to their authoritive analysis.He argued that therapists should allow patients to discover the solution for themselves. Rogers received wide acclaim for his theory and was awarded various high honors . Through Rogers extensive efforts in expressing his theory of personality through the publishing of books and lectures he gained a lot of attention and followers as well as those who strongly disagree with his theory of personality development. Reference Cowgil, Charles. Carl Jung, 1997. Part II Choose three of your favorite television characters; past or present.Complete the following matrix describing the characters’ personalities from the point of view of the three theorists, Jung, Freud, and Rogers. |TV Character |Jung |Rogers |Freud | |1. | | | | |2. | | | | |3. | | | |

Thursday, October 10, 2019

English-language films Essay

Working as a congressional page, I was given the ability to manage my academic success through my own initiative. Dealing with independence was a revealing experience for me, giving me new responsibilities and shaping my work ethics. I didn’t have my parents, now 5,000 miles away, to urge me to finish my homework or to nag about my less than perfect grades, and I couldn’t depend on the support of the teachers or counselor that I knew so well to look after my academic well-being. There was a realization that I was alone in my struggle to succeed and become a responsible student. This independence allowed me to take the situation into my own hands and to work out my own problems, knowing I was the dictator of my consequences and decisions. In this situation, I learned how to set my priorities, a skill that has taken me a step toward preparing for college. Knowing that education would provide the foundation for my future in college and beyond, I placed it at the top of my values, so even in the excitement of new friends and complete independence, I had to maintain it as my first priority. Though it proved difficult to discipline myself without support and accountability alone, I managed to succeed. I’d invite friends over to my room to study, and it eventually became a custom to for us hold study sessions in my room every Monday night and before test days. The entire night was devoted to completing our assignments, studying for exams, and tutoring each other. After the strenuous study session, we’d reward ourselves with a movie and light conversations. These study sessions were an efficient way in which I could balance two of my important priorities, friends and academics. Living on my own and balancing a hectic load of school, work, and dorm life, I gained insight in effectively managing my own time, which was essential in preparing myself for academic success. It wasn’t a rare occurrence for Congress to stay into the thick hours of the morning, debating over a controversial issue, such as the budget or immigration. During these nights, I was required to wait on congressman on the Floor and carry out errands late into the night. Working late did not give us amnesty from the school’s assignments, so we had to make the most use of whatever time we had. Working as a page obviously cut into the precious time I had to concentrate on my school work, forcing me to partition my time wisely. It became an unsaid rule for me to sign myself into an hour of study hall every week night, so that I wouldn’t be distracted by roommates or requests to go out. I had an excuse to delay my friends’ invitations to the movies or to the mall until I felt confident I could do my best on the pre-calculus or history test we would have on Friday. With my packed schedule, I spent my time wisely to get the most out of my experience in Washington, while maintaining my grades and academics. The independence that I was fortunate enough to experience for the first time exposed me to responsibilities has helped me to prepare for college. It has disciplined me to set my priorities and manage my time to be the most effective student possible. Like a young eagle learning to fly, I learned to steer myself in the right direction. And so, I landed a more prepared and experienced person.