New Business Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

New Business Venture - Essay Example In this case, it is advised to look in for a more structured form of finance rather than unstructured financing option like funds from relatives and friends. This is because structured finance has several advantages which funds from relatives may not have. 2. Decision Making: Moreover, just as in the case of "Gift Baskets", the fund giver has to be given a say in the decision making and strategic moves of the business. This may also result in delay in decision making. 3. Partnership: When one approaches a relative or friend for investment in the business, it is generally done by an offer of partnership. This means an additional person would be there to share the profits of the business. However, the other funding options do not require this. 4. No Expertise: The promoters of the business may be well aware of the industry and the market scenario. However, the relative who contributes to the business capital as an investment may not have similar expertise. This will result in hassles, when some necessary move is to be taken in the business and the relative does not agree with it. 5. Revelation of Secrets: The business happens to be the brain child of the promoters. A partner who can fund your business can as well take up your business idea and start his own business, if the matter is money. Banks are one of the known forms of funding the business financ... Let us now view a couple of structured funding options with their working and risks. Banks are one of the known forms of funding the business finance gap. However, banks are normally considered conservative lenders. One can avail long term loans for premises, machinery, furniture etc. with his choice of payment horizon or short term loans renewed per year for working capital with collateral of stock and book debts. Generally, banks prefer to fund the business on the creditworthiness of the promoter's future scope of the business and the value of the collateral. They also expect secondary collateral in the form of some asset like insurance policies, fixed deposits, land, building etc. Positives Funds happen to be less expensive Bank credit happens to build up reputation of the business A choice of variety of loans suiting business requirements. Integration is possible with other financial services No infringement in business decisions Risks Conservative covenants and condition Delay in sanction of loans Paper work and requirement of business paper fulfilling all laws High collateral or mortgage Venture Capital Venture capitalists look for funding businesses with good future prospects and have an aim of having good returns through capital appreciation. This requires a solid and clear business plan with a long term view. However, they would also intend to have certain rights of control over the business. But, it would be right to note that, it would be in the best interest of the business as they are typically intending to make good out of their investment so as to make the business flourish to give them returns on their investment. The positive side of this source of finance is the good amount of availability and the risk involved is that of

Assessing the Essence of Teh Eclectic Paradigm Essay Example for Free

Assessing the Essence of Teh Eclectic Paradigm Essay Aspects frequently highlighted include global media and telecommunications, global brands, worldwide production and integrated financial markets. At the forefront of these phenomena are Multi National Enterprises (MNEs), benefiting from the opening of markets across the globe, and from advances in computing and internet technology, which make it possible to link far-flung activities in global networks. Considering these elements, globalization can further be defined as the process of increasing and deepening interactions between individuals and organizations across the globe, facilitated by advancing communications technology and the opening of markets to trade and investment. Theories of International production have attempted to explain the convergence towards a globalised world, while addressing the different types of international expansions. These theories have focused on MNEs and Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs). FDI can be defined as investment by an organization in a business in another country, with a view to establishing production in the host country. While Raymon Vernon is known for his theory of Product life cycle, Stephen Hymer laid emphasis on the location and ownership advantages of countries, which helped in attracting FDI from MNEs. John Dunning incorporated Internalisation to the analysis of Hymer, which became known as the Eclectic Paradigm (or OLI Paradigm), one of the most comprehensive theoretical explanations with specific focus on FDI. Still the Eclectic Paradigm is being challenged in the modern globalised world, as it fails to take into account the implications of existing modes of entry of MNEs, as well as the advantages of Alliance Capitalism. It is being discussed further in this report. Theories of International production have greatly facilitated the understanding of the globalization phenomenon. Different theorists at different time intervals attempted to justify the expansion of MNEs across the globe. Hymer (1970) was the first one to propose that MNEs are institutions of international production rather than international capital movement. Still he ignored the natural imperfections attributed to transaction costs in an imperfect market. In today’s world, with the proliferation on Internet use, imperfections like bureaucratic hurdles and control of distribution systems (Bain, 1956) are absent. Even the imperfections like price determinism and information transfer are shrinking. Thus it can be argued that Hymer’s major contribution relating to the importance of structural market imperfection in determining FDI activity does not hold good for corporations, which are expanding globally through e-channels (for instance). Vernon (1966) came up with the International Product Life Cycle (IPLC) theory, which explained the locational dimension of FDI. According to him, production first starts in the home country fro local markets, and exporting is used to attain foreign markets. As the product matures and production is standardized, production moves to less developed countries to reduce labour costs. The basic assumption of the IPLC is that knowledge is not equally and universally distributed (Vernon, 1966). This assumption, however, is not applicable in today’s world, as Vernon (1979) himself admits that there is a more perfect distribution of knowledge across the globe. He argues that firms who are global scanners follow a different trend than that of the IPL approach, because such firms have the ability to effectively scan global markets for the best factor endowments. Though, a lot has been discussed and said on the theories of International production, yet none of the approaches (Hymer, Vernon, Barney) simultaneously explains the importance of resources heterogeneity, entrepreneurial competence, network governance and the rise of alliance capitalism. Thus, an overarching analytical framework is needed, that can synthesize these disparate views and account for the importance of location- based advantages and ownership advantages. Such a framework was developed by Dunning (1973; 1988; 1993) known as The Eclectic Paradigm. It is a framework that explains the growth of MNEs by bringing together disparate theories. According to Dunning, the Eclectic Paradigm is less of an alternative theory of International production and more of a framework that synthesizes the essential and common characteristics of each main theoretical explanation on the growth of MNEs. For more than two decades the Eclectic Paradigm (EP) remains a widely used general framework for studying the growth of MNCs and Dunning has also continuously revised and extended the EP to explain changing facets of MNCs. Dunning (1988) has re-stated that the EP is robust and general enough to incorporate future developments like renewed the focus on entrepreneurship and the emergence of global networks (Dunning, 1995). The Eclectic Paradigm explains that the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and growth of multinational corporations (MNCs) is linked to the extent and nature of ownership-specific advantages of the firm, the extent and nature of location bound endowments, and the extent to which markets for these advantages are best internalized by the from itself. In short, it is the configuration of these Ownership (O), Location (L) and Internalization (I) advantages that determines a firm’s international production and growth. In a somewhat updated version, Dunning (1988) describes the three essential factors for international expansion: * Ownership Advantages are unique competitive or monopolistic advantages, typically developed in the home market, that permit the firm to compete successfully in overseas markets. These factors are of two types: Asset Advantages arise from proprietary ownership of unique assets protected by structural market distortions, and Transactional advantages provide a unique capacity to capture value from the transaction benefits of owning a network of assets located in different countries. * Location factors, tied to the local foreign market, which make production in the host country preferable. These are immobile factors, such as cheaper labour, high shipping costs, local image or trade barriers, that can be combined with transferable intermediate ownership assets to generate superior products. Internalisation factors, typically related to the industry, produce transactional market failure in transferring ownership advantages to foreign markets. This also explains the naming of the EP as the OLI configuration as well. The eclectic model, then, pulled together the key elements of neo-classical theory – location, industrial organisation theory – monopolis tic advantage and internalization theory – transactional efficiency. It used this eclectic mix to produce an internally consistent, compelling and testable model of the multinational firm and its strategic processes.

The True Message of Joy Luck Club and The Hundred Secret Senses Essay

The True Message of Joy Luck Club and The Hundred Secret Senses    Alice Walker calls Amy Tan's novel, The Joy Luck Club, "honest, moving, and beautifully courageous."   Publisher's Weekly describes the novel as "intensely poetic, startlingly imaginative and moving ... deceptively simple yet inherently dramatic."   Not only has Amy Tan's fiction been praised for its literary merit, but it also has been included in anthologies of multicultural literature for its portrayal of Chinese and Chinese-American culture.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, critics such as George Tseo vehemently disagree with these and other accolades, particularly regarding the cultural details of Tan's fiction and Mandarin Chinese dialogue.   "I take umbrage at Amy Tan's confused rendition of Mandarin not only because the true beauty of the language is obscured but because by doing so the Chinese culture is misrepresented."   He argues that Tan uses "phony" and "stereotypically wooden and metaphorical" Chinese dialogue, a one-sided over-emphasis on Chinese superstitious practices, and culturally implausible plots (339).     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sau-Ling Cynthia Wong, an associate professor of Asian-American studies at the University of Berkeley, corroborates Tseo's challenge of Tan's cultural accuracy.   Wong points out errors such as Tan's misuse of the term "tang jie" or "sugar sister" in The Hundred Secret Senses, Tan's third novel.   Not only has Tan confused the word "tang" with its Chinese homophone--which does not mean "sugar"--but she has ascribed a metaphorical use, meaning a friend as close as a sister, to a term which only refers to a blood relative in the Chinese kinship system (180-82).   Wong acknowledges that "errors of the 'sugar sister' type [lin... ...s. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 85-7. Schell, Orville. Critical Extract. Asian-American Women Writers. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 82-3. Shear, Walter. "Generational differences and the diaspora in The Joy Luck Club." Women Writers. 34.3 (Spring 1993): 193. Expanded Academic Index. Souris, Stephen. "'Only Two Kinds of Daughters:'" Inter- Monologue Dialogicity in The Joy Luck Club." Melus 19.2 (Summer 1994):99-123. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Ivy Books, 1989. --------- The Hundred Secret Senses. New York: Ivy Books, 1995. Willard, Nancy. Critical Extract. Asian-American Women Writers. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 84-5. Xu, Ben. "Memory and the Ethnic Self: Reading Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club." Melus 19.1 (Spring 1994): 3-17.

Investigate the Cell Sap Concentration of Solute in a Potato Chip using

Investigate the Cell Sap Concentration of Solute in a Potato Chip using Osmosis Aim The aim of the experiment is to investigate the cell sap concentration of solute in a potato chip using osmosis and produce a figure informed by the investigation as to what this is. Background Information A factor that effects how much water moves into a cell is the solute concentration within it. Water moves in and out of cells by diffusion, this diffusion is called osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules from a place with a high water potential or high concentration of water to a low water potential or low concentration of water. If a solution has a high water potential this means it is weak or dilute solution so it only has a small solute (e.g. glucose) concentration. However, if a solution has a low water potential it is a strong more concentrated solution because it has a much higher solute concentration. Osmosis is the diffusion of water in these solutions from a high water potential to a low water potential or in terms of solute concentrations, from a dilute solution to a more concentrated solution as a more concentrated solution would have a much lower water potential that a dilute one. The water passes through what is known as a partially permeable membrane, which basically is what separates living cells from their surrounding. The membrane is called partially permeable and not fully permeable because it only allows water to diffuse through it and not solute. The cell wall is an example of a fully permeable membrane because it allows water and solute to pass through it, it does not block any of these molecules. The diffusion of water molecules by osmosis always flows down a water potential gradient, which basically means from a high to a low water potential this is how the water moves up through a plant in the xylem vessels, once one cell is full of water, the water will move all at once to the next cell. The water is moving from a place of high concentration to a place of low concentration, like the valves in our hearts stop our blood flowing back the other way, the cell membrane of the cell make sure the water only flows up the plant, this is known as the transpiration stream. When water is lost through the stomata this leaves empty cells with low water potentials therefore the water is always moving up the plant from higher water potentials to ... ...nt parts of the potato as they may have different solute concentration and it may be discovered that the point of no net movement will be different in different areas of the potato or even in different areas of the same chip. The smaller the potato slices from the different areas of the potato then the more detailed an analysis could be of which part of the potato has the highest/lowest % solute concentration. The experiment could be done again using smaller concentrations, say with a range of 5%-7% and at intervals of 0.25% this way a figure for the actual % solute concentration in a potato chip could be pin-pointed to a much more exact figure. Finally an experiment could be done using different types of potatoes to decipher whether the type of potato depends on the % solute concentration it has. The trends could be taken for many types of potato and then an average taken of them to give a figure which most represents the solute concentrations in many potatoes. This figure could then be compared or even investigated at the same time as an experiment to see if there were different solute concentrations in different parts of the potato and the links, if any, between them analysed.

Defining Historiography Essay

Historians do not always agree about how to interpret the events and people that they study; this leads to multiple explanations, which at times, are diametrically opposed to each other. As students progress into upper-level courses in the Department of History, they must move from the mastery of facts and analysis of primary sources encouraged by lower-level courses to a richer and deeper understanding of how history is written and the fact that events and ideas are open to interpretation. Within History 420 (Readings in History), students then move into another level of explanation, where they read intensively on a topic and provide their own historiographical explanations for a series of events/ideas. Therefore, historiography can be described as â€Å"the history of history.† What this means in practice is an exploration of a specific topic, and how historians have explained events or people over time, i.e. how their explanations have changed due to their own worldview and/or ideological bent, due to re-interpretation of previously-viewed sources, due to the availability of new sources, previously unexplored, and/or due to the application of different questions and/or methodologies to sources. Revision of prior interpretations of the past is an implicit and important element of historiography. It requires students to not only be able to explain the different schools of thought or interpretations but also potentially to develop their own explanations, based on their assigned readings. The focus of a historiographical essay is not on the event or person itself; rather, it is on the interpretations of the event or person. Process: 1. Read and analyze multiple works independently on the same topic (assigned on weekly or bi-weekly basis), including an exploration of the sources that the authors utilize or do not utilize in shaping their arguments. a. Make sure that you are not merely summarizing the author’s ideas; rather, you are providing analysis of the work’s argument, sources, and conclusions and of the author’s own interpretation of said topic. b. In addition, each author is likely to provide an explanation of the fit of his/her work within the larger historiographical context; take careful note of this as well, particularly when he/she references other assigned works. c. Another element of this process is to have a firm understanding of who the author is; be certain to conduct research into previous publications, ideological background and/or current research interests. Are there any parts of his/her background that are directly related to the subject matter and if so, what are the pr os and cons of this? 2. Questions to consider as you write your historiographical essay: Individual Works †¢ What is the â€Å"main point† or argument made by each work regarding your specific topic? Think particularly about whether or not the author is trying to reinforce an earlier perception of history or argue for a re-interpretation of the past. †¢ What kinds of sources are used, how and why? How does the author deal with counter-evidence, i.e. information that seems to weaken or contradict the thesis? †¢ What are the strengths and weaknesses in terms of argument, analysis and conclusions of the work? †¢ How does this work relate to earlier readings, i.e. do they present similar or dissimilar ideas and how/why? †¢ How do these authors or works, as a group, contribute our understanding of this series of historical events and their outcome? 3. Bring these works together in an integrated analysis that incorporates and explains the different arguments, conclusions and evidence of various authors in order to build your own explanation of a central theme. An integrated analysis is one that not only draws on different books/articles but also explains how the works agree and disagree with each other. A particularly strong historiographical essay will do this by considering multiple points of view within discussion of a sub-topic, all in one well-crafted paragraph or series of paragraphs, which is then connected back to the overall argument. Then you would move on to the next connected sub-topic, again linking back to the overall argument. You want to avoid the temptation to simply discuss one work, then the next, and then another, with little explanation or analysis of how they fit together. 4. Questions to consider as you write your historiographical essay: The Big Picture †¢ How has the historiography of your topic evolved over time? What has changed in terms of interpretation of events and ideas? What was the initial interpretation of this event, idea or person? How has it changed and why? †¢ How have ideological shifts had an impact on your topic? Are the authors under study wedded to a particular â€Å"historical school† i.e. Marxist, Feminist, Neo-Conservative, Liberal, and/or how does the author’s main lens of analysis (cultural, political, military, social, etc.) have an impact on his/her interpretations? †¢ Have the â€Å"discovery† or re-interpretation of sources caused historians to ask new questions or take their research in new directions? †¢ Have historians used different methodological approaches (e.g. quantitative, linguistic) in their work and how was this had an impact on conclusions?

Darwin observed several facts which contradicted his theory of natural- or survival selection The WritePass Journal

Darwin observed several facts which contradicted his theory of natural- or survival selection Introduction Darwin observed several facts which contradicted his theory of natural- or survival selection IntroductionDiscussionPhysical attractivenesCompetitivenessNurturing qualitiesSociabilityStatusConclusionRelated Introduction Darwin observed several facts which contradicted his theory of natural- or survival selection, one of which was the dazzling plumage of peacocks that appeared to have nothing to do with survival, and in fact seemed to be more of an open invitation to potential predators. The fact that peahens prefer to mate with males who have the most brilliant and luminescent plumage, and that males are often larger than females in species in which they need to engage in physical combat in competition over females, (Crawford Krebbs, 2008) lead to Darwin’s second evolutionary theory: the theory of sexual selection. Competition among members of the same species for reproductively relevant resources is the pillar of Darwin’s (1859) theory of natural selection (West-Eberhard, 1979) and he proposed two primary ways in which sexual selection could operate. Firstly, intrasexual competition; consisting of competition between members of one sex, the result of which leads to mating access with the opposite sex, and secondly, intersexual selection or preferential mate choice. Intersexual selection refers to the tendency of one sex to choose as mates certain members of the opposite sex based on specifically desired qualities. Darwin referred to intersexual selection as â€Å"female choice† because he observed that throughout the animal kingdom females were prone to be more discriminating than males in their mating choices, (Crawford, Crebs 2008). In the past several decades the evolutionary perspective on interpersonal attraction and mate selection has gained increased attention and proposes that humans are governed by rules of attraction and mate selection that prioritize the conception, birth, and survival of their offspring. (Mahfouz, et al. 2008). Intrasexual selection in humans appears to operate mostly indirectly, through social hierarchies, rather than through direct competition as can be observed in the animal kingdom, e.g. two antelopes locking horns in com bat over a female. In this way patterns of sexual selection do not immediately involve environmental changes, and neutral or even dysfunctional traits could potentially develop through female choice (Buss, 1986). This begs the important question; what are the preferred characteristics valued by human beings when it comes to mating? One of the main strategies of competition in mating is to make oneself more attractive than others of the same sex by use of specific tactics and displaying certain resources (Buss, 1988).   Trivers (1972) further illuminated Darwin’s theory of sexual selection when he suggested that the one driving force behind sexual selection is the relative parental contribution of both sexes in their offspring. Males should adopt a reproductive strategy which maximizes the opportunity to mate, and females should adopt a strategy that relies on choice, only mating once the best male out of a number has been identified. According to Buss (1986) under conditions of female choice, males are expected to display the traits most valued by females, and may compete for elevation in hierarchies while women tend to favour high-status men. Buss (1988) conducted a number of studies with the hypothesis in mind that patterns of human intrasexual competition can be predicted from knowledge of mate sele ction criteria, and examined preferences in partner choice. He found three replicated sex differences; men more than women preferred mates who were physically attractive, and women more than men preferred mates who showed good earning potential and who were college educated. Thus, it would seem that females can increase their reproductive success by choosing a man of high status with sufficient resources, thereby able to provide material security to successfully raise offspring. Males, on the other hand, increase their reproductive success by choosing women who are receptive, fertile, and possesses characteristics suggestive of being a good mother (Singh, 1993). Where as the reproductive value of a man can be easily assessed by looking at external symbols of power such as social- and economical standing, women’s reproductive value is concealed. However, from an evolutionary based perspective it is assumed that physical attractiveness is primarily a reflection of a womanâ€⠄¢s reproductive success (Buss, 1987), and is portrayed in this way by certain desired physical characteristics like full lips, clear skin, clear eyes, an abundance of hair, symmetry, good muscle tone, youth (Buss, 1993) and lower body mass (Swami and Furnham, 2007). From an evolutionary viewpoint, both sexes should have evolved a preference for mates that possess these desired qualities, increasing levels of competition to project such characteristics and ensure reproductive success. The number of options available when deciding on a mate has become potentially overwhelming in modern times. Not only are there more people in our local environment, but modern dating methods present us with more options than humans have previously had to deal with. However, research suggests that mate qualities valued by people offline are the same as those valued by people online (Lenton, et al., 2008), and that online interaction is driven by the same needs as face-to-face interaction. Thus, online interaction should not be regarded as a separate arena but as an integrated part of modern social life (Wellman Hathornthwaite, 2002). A study by Hitch et al. (2005) which looked at desirable qualities as projected on online dating sites found the most striking difference across gender to be related to earnings and education. Although both sexes show a preference for partners with higher incomes, this preferences is much more pronounced for women, as also found in Buss’ studies. It was also found that although users prefer a partner with a similar education level, men tended to have a strong dislike for a better educated partner, where as women avoided less educated men. In another study focused on the importance attached to physical attractive qualities, Hancock and Toma (2009) studied profile pictures of women on dating websites by looking at self-presentation and in particular at levels of deception in the form of the number of discrepancies as contained in photographs . They assumed that from an evolutionary perspective youthfulness and physical attractiveness would be qualities valued more by women than by men, and found that women’s photographs were indeed less accurate, with discrepancies relating to mentioned weight, hair length and age as preferred by men, and higher incidences of retouching photos. Although earlier studies focused on self-presentation on internet dating websites, researchers have recently shifted their attention to self-pr esentation in less anonymous settings like social networking sites.   A study by Ellison et al. (2006) found that people tend to act differently in social networking environments when compared to those interacting in anonymous settings. This finding had vast implications in identity formation in the online world, as it basically indicated that online self-presentation varies according to the nature of the setting. Along with dating sites, friend-networking websites like MySpace and Facebook have become very popular, and offer a highly controlled environment for self-presentational behaviour- an ideal setting for impression management (Mehdizadeh, 2010). A study by Zhao (2008) examined identity construction on Facebook, with the main hypothesis being that Facebook users would engage in what internet dating sites users engage in- the presentation of their hoped-for possible selves, defined as socially desirable identities an individual aim to construct, in this case online. They dis tinguished between implicit identity claims, which involved the display of photos and profile pictures, and explicit identity claims, involving verbal descriptions of the self under the â€Å"About me† section of facebook. However, it was found that this was the least elaborated of identity strategies and photos were mainly used for identity construction. Results were consistent with internet dating studies and the way in which a self which is more socially desirable was projected. The construction of the self online has been found to differ between the sexes because different kinds of social roles come into play during interpersonal communication (Archer, 1989). Women, unlike men, tend to place greater importance on sexual-interpersonal aspects of self-definition, and a review of gender differences in identity development revealed few gender differences, apart from in the areas of sexuality and family roles, supporting findings that relationships are more important to womenà ¢â‚¬â„¢s identity formation than to men’s (Manago, 2008). Research highlights that it is critical that social scientists don’t view Cyberspace as one generic space, but rather to consider how different spaces online are constructed (Whitty, 2007). Specific characteristics of internet communication may affect gender self-presentation, and the way in which Facebook allows users to present a very strategic presentation of their selves and to control what remains hidden and what is revealed, makes it a fascinating medium to study. The objectives of the current study was to look at the effect of gender and relationship status on the projection of reproductively valued qualities on Facebook from an evolutionary perspective. From an evolutionary viewpoint one would expect similar gender differences as was found in Buss’ studies, with women placing more of an emphasis on physical attractiveness and youth and the way this is projected on Facebook, and men projecting qualities which portray status and competitiveness. The projection of sociability was correlated with â€Å"warmth† and it was predicted that women would score significantly higher on the projection of this characteristic, with single women scoring significantly higher overall. Important to note is that the projection of these mentioned reproductively valued qualities would be of an unconscious- and implicit nature, considering that Facebook is primarily seen as a social networking website, rather than as a virtual arena designed to meet m embers of the opposite sex, as is the case with online dating websites. Both gender and relationship differences in the projection of   physical attractiveness, competitiveness, nurturing qualities, status and sociability were predicted. It was predicted that married persons, already being in a position of long term mating, would project these qualities significantly less than single persons. There were four main hypotheses: Hypothesis one: Single males will score significantly higher on projected status and -competitiveness than single females. Hypothesis two: Single females will score significantly higher on projected physical attractiveness, -nurturing qualities and -sociability than single males. Hypothesis three: Single males will score significantly higher on both projected status and -competitiveness in comparison to married males. Hypothesis four: Single females will score significantly higher on projected physical attractiveness, -nurturing qualities and -sociability than married females. Discussion Darwin’s theory of sexual selection suggests that desirable members of the opposite sex possess reproductively valuable assets over which members of the same sex compete. Gender differences typically exist when it comes to which reproductively relevant resources are valued by men and women. Females seem to increase their reproductive success by choosing a man of high status with sufficient resources, thereby able to provide material security to successfully raise offspring. Males, on the other hand, increase their reproductive success by choosing women who are receptive, fertile, and possesses characteristics suggestive of being a good mother (Singh, 1993). Research suggests that mate qualities valued by people offline are the same as those valued by people online (Lenton, et al., 2008) and studies investigating mating preferences on online dating websites display similar findings, with women going to significantly greater lengths than men to enhance physical attractiveness on    profile photos, and men emphasising their status and income to a significantly greater extend than women. The present study proposed that evolutionary differences between the sexes with regards to sexual selection should also exist in non-dating online environments like the social networking website, Facebook, with females placing more of on emphasis on projecting physical attractiveness, sociability and nurturing qualities, and males projecting competitiveness and status. Most of the hypotheses were confirmed and were consistent with other studies on mating preferences from an evolutionary viewpoint. Several conclusions can be drawn from this study. Firstly, support was found for significantly greater female than male use and perceived effectiveness of projecting physical attractiveness and nurturing qualities. Secondly, support was found that single women perceive the effectiveness of projecting physical attractiveness to a significantly greater extent than married females. T hirdly, support was found for significantly greater male than female use and perceived effectiveness of competitiveness. Fourthly, support was found that single persons perceived the use and effectiveness of projecting sociability as significantly greater than married persons. Finally, the perceived use and effectiveness of the projection of status did not vary significantly for either gender or relationship status. These findings provide evidence that mating preferences are also displayed implicitly in non-dating online environments where the main agenda is social networking, rather than attracting a mate. This implies that the projection of reproductively valued assets could also be an unconscious process, engrained in our evolutionary biological make-up. The results of this study will now be discussed in terms of each hypothesis, after which the practical implications of the study will be highlighted and   suggestions will finally be made on how future studies could utilize and expand these findings. Physical attractivenes As predicted, significant results were found for the projection of physical attractiveness for gender, with women scoring higher overall than men, and also for relationship status, with single persons scoring significantly higher than married persons. These findings provide evidence that pressure on women to appear young and attractive is just as prevalent in today’s society as it was when Darwin wrote his theory on sexual selection in 1871, noting that â€Å"In civilized life man is largely, but by no means exclusively, influenced in the choice of his wife by external appearance†, 1871. (p. 738).   The pressure to be beautiful can be most blatantly observed on dating websites where the intrasexual battle between women ensues as they compete for the attention of a potential partner, and rely solely on photos as a method to project physical characteristics, even lying about age and weight to appear more attractive (Hitsch et al., 2005). One study found that men were mo re likely to respond to an advertisement in which a woman identified herself as a recovering addict than to an ad in which the woman identified herself as obese (Minervini McAndrew, 2005). Findings of this study reveal Facebook to be just as a competitive virtual arena which exhibits similar characteristics to online dating websites, including the strategic way in which one’s projected physical attractiveness is manipulated and enhanced online. Women displayed considerably more of a tendency to change their profile pictures on a regular basis than men, thereby drawing attention to- and emphasizing their looks to a much greater extent than men. This tendency was particularly highlighted along single women. Considering that evolutionary biology rules out beauty for its own sake (Derry, 2008) these findings reflect the unconscious way in which women on Facebook project reproductively valued qualities to the opposite sex through the implicit medium of photography. Although facial attractiveness is expected to predict the popularity of both men and women, and emerged in virtually all dating studies based on real interactions as a powerful predictor of popularity (Asendorpf et al., 2011), women tend to score significantly higher on projected physical attractiveness in comparison to men, as also supported by the findings of this study. Further significant differences were found between single- and married persons, with single users projecting physical attractiveness more than married users. This supports predictions, and reflects that there is less pressure on married couples to emphasise physical attractiveness, which can be attributed to the fact that they are already in positions of long term mating, and there is thus less of a need to project this asset. Another interesting finding in the current study was that only 52% of single women listed their age, followed by 78% of married women, 88% of single men, and finally 94% of married men. This further highlights the pressure on women to appear youthful, and it is interesting to note that it is predominantly single women who do not choose to list their age. Considering that 78% of married females list their age, one can not generalize this finding to women in general. The conclusion which must thus be drawn is that single women tend to de-emphasize elements relating to age in an attempt to appear more youthful. It is also interesting to note that the average age of single women was 24 in comparison to married women who were aged 29 on average. Considering that married women were aged slightly older than single women, one would in fact expect them to be more secretive about their age. However, this research indicates findings to the contrary and highlights the reproductive value of appea ring young for single women. These findings are supported by various previous studies into mating preference that found both physical attractiveness and youth as indicative of health and fertility in women, and as valued significantly by men as sources of reproductive value (Buss et al., 1990; Buss Barnes, 1986; Buss et al., 2001; Buss Schmitt, 1993; Feingold, 1990, 1992; Kenrick Keefe, 1992; Kenrick, Keefe, Gabrielidis, Cornelius, 1996; Singh, 1993; Singh Young, 1995). Competitiveness Human beings tend to live in groups and all groups have status hierarchies, whether formal or informal, with reproductively valued resources usually abundant at the top rather than the bottom, creating steep levels of competition (Buss, 2001). Levels of   intrasexual competition also increase, especially among males, as male resource display is judged as more effective than female resource display when it comes to attracting a mate. Men more than women display characteristics that would lead to the likely acquisition of resources like ambition and industriousness (Buss, 1988). In the current study significant gender differences were found for the projection of competitiveness, with males overall scoring significantly higher than females, as predicted.   Previous studies found that men were more likely to display resources as a tactic of intrasexual competition than women, also linking to studies done on mating preferences as displayed on online dating websites which found that me n tended to project their status in society, as well as their income, to a much greater extent than women   (Hitsch et al., 2005, Toma et al., 2008, Mahfouz, 2008). Although projected levels of competitiveness is not viewed as directly projecting resources or income in the case of this study, it is seen as a powerful indicator of a male’s ability to succeed in allocating valuable resources such as financial income. Levels of competitiveness did not vary significantly between single- and married men as predicted, indicating that the projection of competitiveness is valued by males in general and not just single males. This could arguably be explained by the fact that, from an evolutionary viewpoint, men may have evolved over human evolutionary history a powerful need for sexual access to a large number of women (Buss, 1993) which in combination with the innate ability to father offspring until much later in life than women are capable of biologically, entails higher levels o f competitiveness to suffice throughout a male’s life. In one study men stated that they would ideally like to have more than 18 sex partners in their lifetimes, whereas women state that they would desire only 4 or 5 (Buss Schmitt, 1993), and these findings were replicated twice when 75% of men but 0% of the women approached by an attractive stranger of the opposite sex consented to a request for sex (Clark Hatfield, 1989). From an evolutionary viewpoint, marriage is a relatively modern concept, implying that gender differences with regards to intra- and intersexual competition have not changed dramatically in modern times. In this sense competitiveness leads to a higher position in the social hierarchy, and better chance of providing for one’s offspring, and should not significantly vary between single- and married men, as findings illustrate in this study The importance of physical characteristics in the female choice of a mate is prevalent throughout the animal kingdom, and one benefit of a woman in permanent mating conditions is the physical protection offered by a man, Buss (2003). Considering that levels of competitiveness was correlated with participation in sports, one could further explore the possibility that physical strength as displayed in sports is valued as a reproductive resource by women- supported by studies such as Buss (1995) which found that women valued physical protection abilities more than men, in both short-term and long-term mating. Thus, it is additionally also possible that men project physical strength by appearing â€Å"sporty† in profile photos as the reproductively valued asset of providing physical protection to female offspring. This could also account for the insignificant difference between single- and married males when it came to the projection of competitiveness, seeing that men can father (and thus protect) offspring until late in life. Nurturing qualities The current study predicted that women would score significantly higher on projected nurturing qualities than men, and this hypothesis was supported. Both single and married women projected nurturing qualities to a greater extent than males. Stereotypically women are nurturing, where as men are somewhat more aggressive and less person-centred. Traditionally sex differences have been explained by the process of socialization , and the way men and women are influenced by societal norms to play acceptable gender roles. However, from an evolutionary viewpoint men would need to exhibit higher levels of aggression, and competitiveness, supported by the findings of this study, to protect their positions in society where as women with lower levels of competition and higher investment in their offspring are expected to show more nurturing behaviours (Workman Reader). This study supports findings from previous research which highlight nurturing qualities in women as being innate, as illustrat ed in a study by Bernt (1986) in which it was shown that women are more attracted to intimate relationships than men (Berndt, 1986), and cross-cultural studies which suggests women to be more person-centred, in contrast to men who are more object-centred .There is also evidence that sex differences in nurturance has its origins in infancy, and a study by Simner (1971) found that infant girls more than infant boys were more likely to also start crying when they heard another baby cry,   than when hearing a loud noise (Workman Reader, 2001). Contrary to prediction single women did not score higher on projected nurturing qualities than married women with married women having the highest scores on projected nurturing qualities overall. A possible explanation for this could be that married women, who being married are in a more secure position to either have children- or already have children, are either consciously or unconsciously depicting salient nurturing qualities. This study also illustrates that the biological experiences of pregnancy and lactation generate a strong, instinctual drive in women to nurture (Silverstein, et al., 1999), as illustrated by the higher, although not significantly so, proportion of married women who exhibited nurturing qualities in this study versus single women. Sociability A significant difference between single- and married subjects was noted when it came to sociability, with single Facebook users projecting sociability to a greater extend than married users. This links to previous studies done on Facebook which found that most users attempted to project a socially desired self, claiming that they were â€Å"popular among friends†. Fierce competition was also noted among Facebook users for the size of social networks they claimed to possess, and competition to have the most amount of â€Å"friends†, Zhao (2008). Thus, it would seem that the desire to appear sociable or popular offline, also exists online. There is further   support for the importance of social skills as found in a study by Buss (1989) which studied mating preferences across 37 cultures and found that kindness, intelligence and social skills were listed as the top criteria for a potential mate. This supports the current study’s prediction, that single Facebook us ers would appear significantly more social than married users. However, unlike predicted there was no significant difference between men and women when it came to projected sociability, revealing that the projection of warmth towards others is just as important for single men as it is for single women. Significantly lower levels of projected sociability in married couples could be a reflection of lower levels of social activity as portrayed in profile pictures, perhaps as a result of spending more time with their partners or children, but could also indicate that there is less of a need to exhibit sociability, and thereby project popularity among friends . Status Status is closely correlated to financial income, and it was predicted that men more than women would display their status on Facebook, supporting studies such as one by Buss (1988) in which it was found that men more than women display characteristics that lead to the likely acquisition of resources, e.g. degree attainment.   However, this was not the case, and no significant differences in the projection of status were found between either men and women overall, or single- and married subjects. There could be several explanations for this, one relating to previous studies done on online dating websites which found that both sexes tended to favour members of the opposite sex with similar educational levels. Considering the overwhelming support that previous studies provide with regards to the importance that women attach to resource income as a reproductive value and status as a reflection of financial income, another explanation could lie in the obvious fact that Facebook is a so cial-, rather than dating network, and that popularity as illustrated with regards to exhibiting sociability, is highly valued. Thus, it would be just as important for women than for men to list their status in a virtual social network where one would expect similar levels of education among friends or acquaintances as a general rule. Also, Facebook is arguably not different from online dating websites where users, both male and female, tend to list their status as a formality, but in which one study men stated in a questionnaire that they did have a particularly strong distaste for a better educated partner, while women particularly avoided less educated men (Hitsch, 2005). Conclusion In conclusion, the implicit nature of photography and the unconscious way in which participants use it to project reproductively valued qualities to members of the opposite sex are particularly interesting findings. Facebook as a social networking website, in which users have control over self image and access to many tools with which to present themselves in a favourable way to others makes it a fascinating medium to further explore. Limitations and suggestions for future research should be noted. Suggestions for future studies include conducting a cross-cultural study to see if there are any significant differences to note. Secondly, exploring other functions on the social networking website, such as the number of friends- or social networks a user possess, additional photo albums, qualitative analysis of verbal descriptions under the â€Å"About me† section or status updates of users, etc. The vast amount of additional information available on Facebook could be used to supplement current findings, and other popular social networking sites such as MySpace could be researched in a similar fashion. Thirdly, different age groups could be tested for significant correlations- or differences. Fourthly, data could be collected in combination with questionnaires, supplementing findings. Fifthly, a study looking at specific differences between the explicit and implicit projection of reproductively valued qualities on Facebook could be conducted. Finally, there are many other traits which both sexes highly value in the opposite sex like displaying humour, good manners, sympathy, good grooming (Buss, 1988), similar values, honesty (Whitty, 2007) etc. and future studies could aim to include these. Although this study and its hypotheses were interpreted from an evolutionary perspective, additional theoretical accounts are possible, and it should be kept in mind that evolutionary explanations supplement, rather than replace traditional modes of explanation in psychology (Buss, 1988). These results may seen as the start of an exploration into social networking websites and how resource valued traits are unconsciously and implicitly projected to members of the opposite sex, but current social psychological accounts should also considered.

Physics Speed of Sound Lab Report Essay Example

Physics Speed of Sound Lab Report Essay Example Physics Speed of Sound Lab Report Paper Physics Speed of Sound Lab Report Paper These averages we determined from the trials can be compared to the accepted speed of sound (344. 2 m/s in this specific temperature), and we determine the relative error percentages: 344. 2 302. 64 x 344. 2-318. 25 x These sources of error come from a few specific things: Human Error: Inaccurately measuring the tube, minor calculator errors, misreading the mom thermometer, mishearing resonance equipment Mechanical Error: Inaccurate Going Further: Of the trials we did, Trial #1 proved to be the most accurate speed of sound (the 256 Haze tuning fork). We can say this because it had the lowest percentage of error. Real-World Physics: Resonant frequencies and the size of organ pipes, shown in this lab, two can equal to the are very closely related, and the relationship between the actually be found by the following derivation: wavelength is to 4 times the length of the pip (X = L). Wavelength is also equal elicit divided by frequency (X = v/f), and therefore is equal to previous equation (FL = L ( f = v/L, the open-close equation for frequency). This means for pipes, the longer the pipe, the smaller frequency, and shorter pipes at higher frequencies. Questions/Conclude and Apply: 1 . The next two lengths where the resonance will occur would be at the wavelength being double the length, or 4 times the length. 2. Yes, by extending the length of the pipe, one could find another position where resonance occurs by going to the next octave (8 musical steps away).

Pearl Harbor essays

Pearl Harbor essays On Dec. 7th, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. To retaliate to this act of war, the U.S. dropped A-bombs on Japan. The attack on Pearl harbor was a greater wrong than the A- bombing on Japan. The sneak attack by the Japanese violated core democratic values such as Public/Common Good and The Rule of Law. On the other side, The A-bombing on Japan by the U.S is supported by Core Democratic values such as Justice and Pursuit of Happiness. In the past, it has been clearly visible that when a nation has tried to attack a country for no logical reason, it has faced many problems. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a greater wrong and should not have been conducted. There are many core democratic values that are against the attack on Pearl Harbor. One of them is Common Good. The attack caused many problems. In the 110 minutes of the attack on Pearl Harbor, 2,403 soldiers were killed, 1,178 soldiers were wounded in action and 640 soldiers were never found. Furthermore, 188 planes were lost, 158 were damaged, and every battleship of the Pacific Fleet was either crippled or sunk. The American people faced an emotional situation. Another Core Democratic value against the attack is The Rule of Law. The Japanese Imperial had not declared war against the U.S. They just attacked without any warning. The attack on Pearl Harbor violates both these Core Democratic Values. The A-bombing on Hiroshima by the U.S. is supported by a few Core Democratic Values. One of them is Justice. The U.S. bombed Japan in order to retaliate. There was a justified reason. It is no surprise that the U.S. A- bombed the Japanese as they were attacked without any war declaration. Another Core Democratic Value that supports the retaliation of the U.S. is The Pursuit of Happiness. After the attack, the damage that was done filled many Americans with rage and anger. The only thing that was going to calm them down was attacking the Japanese. ...

The future of e Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The future of e Marketing - Research Paper Example McCole (2012) argues that the current wave of marketing is directly intertwined with such social media through COBRA and eWOM models. Among the prominent ways that such marketing occurs in social media is through campaigns that give discounts or deals to individuals that follow the specific organization on the social networking platform, such as Facebook or Twitter. Among prominent element of such marketing is through mobile technology. In these situations individuals grant marketers their cell phone number, and the specific organization can then engage in texting campaigns. Finally, specifically tailored marketing is occurring through data analysis that is gained through individuals’ interactions on social media networks. While social media marketing constitutes the current wave of e-marketing, this research recognizes that with the rapid pace of technological change current trends will soon change. As such, it’s crucially important for organizations to consider the potential future of e-marketing. One prominent mode of thought has considered the aspects of the current marketing system that are unsustainable. An example of this is the current pay-per-click system. Facebook currently implements an advertising model where marketers pay a set fee every time a consumer clicks on a specific link. These models have been challenged by increasing manipulation of the data results, leaving both marketers and hosting bodies unable to gather accurate results. With this recognitions one can rightly assume that the future of e-marketing will still greatly be intertwined with search portals, leaving search engine optimization a major element of future marketing efforts. Another major consideration in terms of the future of electronic marketing is the current state of email marketing. Email marketing has long been a cornerstone element of marketing efforts. Spam efforts persist, but more

WhatsApp Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

WhatsApp - Case Study Example In addition, WhatsApp has been able to beat existing and new competitors in the instant messaging industry. This success led to its acquisition by Facebook. The main problem facing the future success of the app is the competition and the changing paradigm of the industry. Across the globe, competitors have been steadily increasing with more effective strategies in regards to the creation of new trends and monetization. Given the current market situation, how can WhatsApp adapt its strategy to overcome emerging competition in future? Over the years, the instant messaging industry has been characterized by its massive growth. Consequently, entrants in the market have greatly increased. Regardless of the trend, WhatsApp has been able to position itself as a market leader in the six years it has been in existence. Since the creation of the application in 2009, WhatsApp has been largely preferred by the consumer population in the United States as well in the global market. The success of WhatsApp in the global market is solely based on that these markets lack a cheaper option for text messaging (Page, 2015, 1). The strategy was also effective in beating existing competition in the industry. However, in markets with cheaper text messaging options the application has not been massively embraced. This is due to the few features and products that the application offers to the trendy market. This is a major problem in the future in regards to the creation of a greater competitive advantage over the emerging competition. The ability to compete effectively is created by the development of operational structures based on the strategies implemented by competitors (Porter, 1980, 29). By WhatsApp lacking these structures, the app does not have a competitive advantage over emerging competitors in the future market. The future success of the instant messaging industry is directed by the level of creativity embraced by existing and emerging applications. WhatsApp has not

Leading Health Indicator - Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Essay

Leading Health Indicator - Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity - Essay Example The leading health indicators are meant to help people understand the importance of disease prevention through health promotion and encourage broad participation in improving health over the next decade. The development of strategies and action plans in addressing these indicators will serve a significant role in increasing the quality of life and years of healthy life and in eliminating health disparities. Healthy people 2020 outlines specific objectives that are to be used in tracking the progress of each leading health indicator. The development of these indicators provides a snapshot of the state of health in the U.S and acts as a benchmark in future challenges and achievements. Health indicators are, therefore, fundamental building blocks in community health initiatives. This paper will analyze the leading health indicators of nutrition, physical activity, and obesity and provide an intervention strategy that is best suited for addressing this health issues. Glanz, Rimer and Lewis(2002) emphasize that physical activity, good nutrition, and healthy body weight are essential in the overall health and well-being of a person. A majority of people in The United States do not engage in sufficient physical activities. Healthy People 2020 points out that 81.6% of the adults and 81.8% of the adolescents in the U.S do not get the recommended amount of physical activity. Regular exercise is important in maintaining a healthy body, preventing premature deaths, body weight control and enhancing ones psychological well-being. The risk factors in the lack of physical activity include heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and so forth. Children and adolescents require weight bearing exercises for normal skeletal development and young adults need such exercise in maintaining bone mass. Older adults can also improve their strength and agility through regular exercises. The

Mobile Computing and Social Networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Mobile Computing and Social Networks - Essay Example Quite a few market research studies also forecast a new internet revolution on mobile phones. Some of the new smart phones are more powerful than computers and operate in the ‘intimate’ space, accompanying people throughout the day (Arora 2012: 1). The convenience and capability to access data or do certain tasks with the help of applications from homes or any other public place using mobile devices even without a desktop computer has ensured a considerable increase of convenience and efficiency for businesses and people on the move The smart phone technology research and development wing has become very active in recent years and is improving day by day. Mobile networks are also creating phones that are increasingly better and tougher to intrude into or hack thus correspondingly increasing the capability of mobile devices and its applications. Effectiveness and Efficiency of Mobile Applications: A simple way to describe geolocation is to say that it is a technology that requires data from a computer or mobile phone to pinpoint a person's actual physical position. A better and succinct definition that could be used is as follows: â€Å"A geolocation system is an information technology solution that ascertains the location of an object in the physical (geo-spatial) or virtual (Internet) environment. Most often, the object is a person who wants to utilize a service based on location, while maintaining his/her privacy† (ISACA 2011: 5). This has caught up among today’s youth and social networking sites which they commonly use by providing us the ability to track or let friends know where we are, to identify certain or specific joints frequented by them and book tickets in cinema halls. These types of applications can also be accessed on a desktop system but will not be the same as when available on a mobile device. Most individuals have invariably used Google Maps to get directions from one place to another but again the thrill of using s uch an application from a mobile is unique. Depending on your movement from one place to another, the data sent and received will also change. This is possible due to the GPS (Global Positioning System) chip found inside the device. This chip uses two methods to track your position. In the first method, the chip uses satellite data to calculate a person's exact location but if there are any snags like interference or unavailability of service, then the chip uses data from cell phone towers to calculate location. If the person is driving through rain, cloud cover or even a canopy of trees, there could be a loss of communication but on a clear day, there should not be any problem. Here we should also note that if the software is very sophisticated, the accuracy provided will also be of high quality. Light should also be shed on some concerns regarding this type of application. Sharing of location could lead to personal risk. Anti-social elements like stalkers or even robbers who know that you are out may take advantage of situations. Although all these exist, many application developers are finding ways to counter such disadvantages by providing privacy preferences. If one chooses wisely, the benefits from such an application far outweigh the negative effects though it necessitates a small amount of privacy sacrifice from our side.

Game Programming Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Game Programming - Assignment Example What A* does is generate and process the successor states in a certain way. Whenever it is looking for the next state to process, A-star employs a heuristic function to try to pick the best state to process next. If heuristic function is good, not only will A-star find a solution quickly, but it can also find the best solution possible. Brief Description:: The A* algorithm maintains two sets or ordered lists OPEN and CLOSED. OPEN list keeps a track of those nodes that need to be examined. CLOSED list keeps track of those nodes that have already been examined. Initially, OPEN list contains just the initial node. Start with initial node and insert it in ordered list OPEN list. Create a list CLOSED. This is initially an empty list. Each node 'n' maintains the following: g(n) = the cost of getting from the natal node to 'n' h(n) = the estimate, according to the heuristic function, of the cost of getting from n to the goal node. f(n) = g(n) + h(n); intuitively, this is the estimate of the best solution that goes through n. If OPEN is empty, exit with failure in algorithm. Select first node on OPEN. Remove it from OPEN and put it on CLOSED. This is node 'n'. If 'n' is goal node, exit the program. The solution is obtained by treating a path backwards along arcs in the tree from the node to n. Expand node n. This will generate successors. Read the list OPEN according to heuristic and go back to step 4. Each node maintains a pointer to its parent node, so that later on the best solution if founded can be retrieved. If n is goal node then we are done with solution given by backtracking. For each successor node n, if it is already in CLOSED list and the copy there has an equal or lower 'f' estimate,...Thus, the depths of the graph are first examined. For DFS, a stack can be maintained to keep a record of all the visited nodes, to ease the backtracking process. Given a suitable problem, we represent the initial conditions of the problem with an appropriate initial state, and the goal conditions as the goal state. For each action that is performed, generate successor states to represent the effects of the action. If this continues, at some point one of the generated successor states is the goal state, then the path from the initial state to the goal state is the solution to the problem. What A* does is generate and process the successor states in a certain way. Whenever it is looking for the next state to process, A-star employs a heuristic function to try to pick the best state to process next. If heuristic function is good, not only will A-star find a solution quickly, but it can also find the best solution possible. For each successor node n, if it is already in CLOSED list and the copy there has an equal or lower 'f' estimate, we can safely discard the newly generated n and move on. Similarly if n is already in the OPEN list and the copy there has an equal or lower 'f' estimate, we can discard the newly generated n and move on. If no better version of n exists on either the CLOSED or OPEN lists, we remove the inferior copies from the two lists and set n as the pare

Mobile Computing and Social Networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Mobile Computing and Social Networks - Essay Example Quite a few market research studies also forecast a new internet revolution on mobile phones. Some of the new smart phones are more powerful than computers and operate in the ‘intimate’ space, accompanying people throughout the day (Arora 2012: 1). The convenience and capability to access data or do certain tasks with the help of applications from homes or any other public place using mobile devices even without a desktop computer has ensured a considerable increase of convenience and efficiency for businesses and people on the move The smart phone technology research and development wing has become very active in recent years and is improving day by day. Mobile networks are also creating phones that are increasingly better and tougher to intrude into or hack thus correspondingly increasing the capability of mobile devices and its applications. Effectiveness and Efficiency of Mobile Applications: A simple way to describe geolocation is to say that it is a technology that requires data from a computer or mobile phone to pinpoint a person's actual physical position. A better and succinct definition that could be used is as follows: â€Å"A geolocation system is an information technology solution that ascertains the location of an object in the physical (geo-spatial) or virtual (Internet) environment. Most often, the object is a person who wants to utilize a service based on location, while maintaining his/her privacy† (ISACA 2011: 5). This has caught up among today’s youth and social networking sites which they commonly use by providing us the ability to track or let friends know where we are, to identify certain or specific joints frequented by them and book tickets in cinema halls. These types of applications can also be accessed on a desktop system but will not be the same as when available on a mobile device. Most individuals have invariably used Google Maps to get directions from one place to another but again the thrill of using s uch an application from a mobile is unique. Depending on your movement from one place to another, the data sent and received will also change. This is possible due to the GPS (Global Positioning System) chip found inside the device. This chip uses two methods to track your position. In the first method, the chip uses satellite data to calculate a person's exact location but if there are any snags like interference or unavailability of service, then the chip uses data from cell phone towers to calculate location. If the person is driving through rain, cloud cover or even a canopy of trees, there could be a loss of communication but on a clear day, there should not be any problem. Here we should also note that if the software is very sophisticated, the accuracy provided will also be of high quality. Light should also be shed on some concerns regarding this type of application. Sharing of location could lead to personal risk. Anti-social elements like stalkers or even robbers who know that you are out may take advantage of situations. Although all these exist, many application developers are finding ways to counter such disadvantages by providing privacy preferences. If one chooses wisely, the benefits from such an application far outweigh the negative effects though it necessitates a small amount of privacy sacrifice from our side.

Pediatric Nurse Practive Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Pediatric Nurse Practive - Assignment Example Key word: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP), Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (PNPs) Nurse Practitioner (NP). Historical Background and Certification Requirements Pediatric Nurse Practice (PNP) refers, the practice of nursing concerned with infants, children and adolescents together with their families providing health promotion, illness management and health restoration across the entire healthcare spectrum (Tylor as cited in eHow, 2011). It requires knowledge of both child development and the physiological difference between children and adults. PNP is also family centered requiring the realization of the essential role that the family plays in children lives, growth and development which should be reflected in the children’s care whenever they are ill. It involves collaborative partnership between families and health care professionals built on respect and embedded in the families’ strengths, choices and values (Tylor, 2006). Pediatric nurses also attempts to provide a ttramautic care in order to eliminate or minimize the physiologic and physical distress experienced by children and their families in the health care system. Pediatric nurses may function in many roles that include direct caregiver, educator, counselor, consultant, advocate, care coordinator, or health systems manager (Tylor, 2006). They also work as researchers or pediatric clinical nurse specialists. Pediatric nurses may practice in many locations such as homes, clinics, hospitals, long term care facilities and schools (Schachtel, 2008). The opening of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (the first children’s hospital in the U.S) in Pennsylvania in 1855 formed the cornerstone upon which the specialty of pediatric nursing developed (Tylor, 2006). In colonial America, most children were delivered by the help of midwives and treated with folk medicine. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia goal was to provide excellent healthcare and reduce child mortality. Other children hospitals were later established in different regions but, none would admit children with communicable diseases because of high mortality. In 1895, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia began to admit children. It also started its own nursing school in the same year (Tylor, 2006). The approach enabled the hospital to amass knowledgeable staff that provided the level of care, education, observation and assessment that the children and their families needed. Some private duty nurses of the hospital specialized in care of children. With services for nurses increasingly needed, what followed was an awakening in the nursing practice. The directive on the 1917 standard curriculum for nursing schools to increase some detailed topics in regard to pediatrics and the Rockefeller Foundation publication in 1923 (Nursing and Nursing education in USA), generally impacted positively on the pediatric nursing specialty and the nursing profession as a whole (Tylor,2006). Late r, in the century pediatric nursing moved to advanced degrees and advanced practice. It is not unusual that, the first nurse practitioners were pediatric nurse practitioners. Those who aspire to become Pediatric Nurse Practitioners in the U.S have various options. In order to work as Pediatric nurses, students must first become Registered Nurses (RN)†¦An RN may be achieved through hospitals or educational institutions (PNERCI, 2011). The coursework may differ but graduates from these programs

Pollution Effects and Counter Measures Essay Example for Free

Pollution Effects and Counter Measures Essay The impact of human activity on our environment cannot be denied. Many aspects of today’s environmental problems are only now coming to light as scientists explore the causes and effects of human impact on the world around us. Today’s generation has seen both unwarranted skepticism and exaggeration on both sides of the debate on how close we are to an environmental catastrophe. Although, as Frederick Buell wrote, as of today our world â€Å"has not ended; eco-apocalypse hasnt happened. Yet people today also accept the fact that they live in the shadow of environmental problems so severe that they constitute a crisis† (xii). While it is easier to understand the problems we face today by classifying human activity and its consequences into neatly defined, cause-and-effect relationships, it is important to realize that all of these causes and effects interact in a complex web to bring about an environmental crisis. That said, pollution is one of the most widespread results of human activity, encompassing a broad range of substances with pervasive effects. The effect of pollutants on our environment is one of the most widely publicized factors contributing to its degradation. And deservedly so; pollutants are diverse, and pollution takes many forms, but the effect of unchecked pollution is rapid, extensive, and often dramatic in its visual manifestations. Finally, in many cases pollution defies geographical and political boundaries, making it an international concern, and controlling it will require the involvement of citizens and organizations from all levels of society. Pollution involves the introduction of pollutants into the environment, and it is commonly organized into major categories – air, soil, and water – based on which component of the environment is affected. Other forms of pollution are classified based on the nature of the pollutant, and these include radiation pollution, biological pollution, and noise pollution. Scientists have developed many ways of gauging the level of pollution, or of a specific pollutant within the environment, but when one considers the direct impact of pollution on human health, it is exposure that matters more than the concentration of pollutants. In the environmental pathway, exposure to a certain concentration of a pollutant is what determines the actual dose of the pollutant in the exposed individual, and this is what leads to possible health consequences (Akbar et al., 62). In many cases, pollution is an occupational hazard, posing the greatest danger to people who suffer the most exposure as part of their daily lives. With some pollutants, however, the effects are indirect, not affecting an individual’s health, but impacting a society’s resources and economy in subtle ways. Even with the increased environmental awareness in modern society, it is surprising how many people still see nothing wrong simply because they are not directly affected by pollution. The purpose of this research is to give an overview of the different classes of pollution, how they affect society on different levels, and some of the measures that can help to prevent or reduce its spread. When one thinks of air pollution, perhaps the first image that comes to mind is that of a smog-filled skyline of a major city, through which a hazy sun barely shines. However, exposure to the outdoor smog in a polluted city is not the main source of pollutant dosage. Most of the actual human exposure to air pollution occurs indoors, simply because that is where most people spend most of their time (Akbar et al., 61). Just as the health risks of polluted water can be minimized by treatment, the risks posed by polluted air (namely, cardiovascular and respiratory disease) can be lessened by using proper filters within homes and offices. While it is possible to keep the indoor air quality under control, improving atmospheric air quality will require a collective effort on a much larger scale. Major sources of worldwide pollutant emissions are industrial operations, power plants, road vehicles, forest fires, and the incineration of refuse. Vehicular emissions are not only limited to exhaust, but also include emissions from the wear of tires and brakes and the road surface itself, which makes it difficult to come up with an accurate estimate of total vehicular emissions. Many of these sources of emissions are similarly difficult to quantify, but the overall statistics show that air pollution trends are higher in developing countries, and above the national average in megacities (Akbar et al., 36). This reflects a general trend of better environmental awareness, and environment protection programs that have been implemented for a longer time in well-developed, industrialized countries. For some pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide – a product of the combustion of fossil fuels – the global trend shows a decrease, but for other emissions there is no such evidence (Akbar et al., 49). Clearly, although industrialized countries like America have been consciously reducing some emissions for a longer time than other countries in the developing world, there is much that still needs to be done on an international level. Former United States Vice President Al Gore sums up the nature of the problem regarding the public attitude: †¦Our continued dependence of imported oil†¦is connected to the same pattern that leads us to put 70 million tons of global warming pollution into the earths atmosphere every 24 hours around the world, as if it was an open sewer. And pretending that that doesnt have consequence, when theres signs to tell us it definitely does†¦that’s really the essence of this problem. But because its so pervasive, in order to change it, we really have to have a sea change in public opinion in this country and around the world before the politicians and the government leaders in every nation will have the courage to do what really is necessary. (Interview with Al Gore, 2007) The second major category of pollution is soil pollution. The composition of soil is an important factor in an ecosystem, affecting what types of vegetation are able to take root and survive, and by extension, what species of animals will thrive in the area. Soil also retains water, and pollution of the soil often spreads to ground water tables. When soil is contaminated by pollutants – usually in the form of heavy metals that disrupt the balance and composition of the soil – it is often harder to detect, and difficult to determine the extent of the pollution. Such contamination typically results from direct deposition of pollutants into the soil. Landfills and waste heaps contain pollutants which gradually leach into the soil, and some of the particles in polluted air fall to the ground, where water runoff and seepage can spread the pollutants and lodge them into the soil. Operations in the mining industry, when improperly managed, can cause long-term damage to the soil, and to the environment as a whole. Jared Diamond cites Montana as a case study of the damage that the mining industry can do to the environment, saying it has â€Å"about 20,000 abandoned mines, some of them recent but many of them a century or more old, that will be leaking acid and†¦toxic metals essentially forever† (36). In most cases, these mines have no surviving owners, or the owners are financially unable to reclaim their property and manage its wastes. The relationship between the soil and the rest of the environment is complex, and much remains to be understood before a standard set of indicators and benchmarks can be used to monitor the quality of all soils. While these subtle relationships and interactions are being actively studied by scientists, land management can be improved and better implemented to lessen the impact of activities such as agriculture and mining, by regulating waste disposal and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. As an example, many farmers practice plowing their fields close to the edge of rivers or streams, and letting their livestock graze at the edge. This practice actually contributes to the erosion of riverbanks and diffusion of agricultural wastes into water. Careful management of land and soil resources can prevent soil erosion, which in turn will lessen the deposition of silt in freshwater areas that may be important habitats or breeding sites for species like salmon. (Environment Agency). Public pressure is necessary for the government to pass laws that will enforce mining companies to take charge of cleaning up their mines; the main responsibility lies with the American public, to be more active and vocal in protecting the environment (Diamond, 38). Water’s properties as a solvent are familiar to everyone, thus it should not be surprising that water is particularly vulnerable to contamination. The flow of bodies of water, as well as water runoff from precipitation, can disperse a high volume of pollutants over the course of a year. Water’s cycle in the environment has unique implications for the spread of pollution, and the various pollutants and contaminants of water comprise the third major category of pollution. Bodies of water can be polluted by point sources, such as sewage treatment plants, or they may be polluted through diffusion. Diffuse pollution can come from misconnected drains in households, leaching of surface wastes into groundwater, or runoff of toxic substances that have been deposited on land. Inland precipitation (in the form of rain) creates water runoff, which drains into larger bodies of water, carrying with it some deposited pollutants from the atmosphere and many untreated wastes that have been improperly disposed of. Oil from roadways and motor vehicles, excess agricultural fertilizer, and assorted litter from the land, can be washed into rivers and out to sea, where the scale of dispersal makes it very difficult to treat the pollution. In fact, the volume of pollution deposited by water from runoff can exceed that of an oil spill. In Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest, for example, each year from 2000 to 2006 roughly 22,580 metric tons of oil and petroleum products are deposited by runoff, compared to less than 1,000 metric tons from direct oil spills (Dodge). The deterioration of water quality leads to obvious consequences for human consumption. Freshwater with excessive levels of certain pollutants becomes unsafe to drink, and seawater can lose its ability to sustain biodiversity, negatively impacting the fishing industry. Agricultural runoff contains nitrates and phosphates, which are important nutrients for many organisms, but in excessive concentrations in bodies of water they lead to explosions in the population of certain microorganisms (a phenomenon sometimes known as â€Å"algal blooms†). This leads to an overall decrease in dissolved oxygen content in the water, which harms other species, mainly fish, by disrupting spawning and breeding patterns, and can lead to massive deaths in certain species when oxygen levels are depleted (Environment Agency). Thermal pollution of water can occur when a large volume of water is used for cooling purposes in processes that release large amounts of heat. Electrical stations use water for this purpose, and subsequently release it into the environment. This water is considerably warmer than the rest of the water in the environment, and brings a corresponding rise in temperature to the entire body of water where it is released. This again reduces the capacity of water to hold dissolved oxygen, with the same effects described above (Lourenco and Neves). With most point sources of water pollution under regulation, the biggest source of water pollution is diffusion. If the source of pollution cannot be pinpointed, the processes that create or contribute to diffuse pollution have to be more strictly managed. Since 2003, European legislation has created a Water Framework Directive (WFD) to actively assess the standards of water usage with chemical, biological, and physical tests. The WFD monitors all bodies of water (including ground water reserves and artificial reservoirs) with the ultimate goal of reducing water pollution in the United Kingdom and all EU member states by 2015. The United Kingdom’s Environment Agency summarizes some of its recommendations: Key policy issues, such as the control of diffuse water pollution, land-use planning, the designation of heavily modified water bodies and the role of wetlands†¦must be addressed by relevant authorities. Particular emphasis should be placed on the diverse sources of diffuse pollution†¦These include discharges from agriculture and also from other land-uses such as urban developments, transport infrastructure and abandoned mineral workings. Those who manage the land may have to do things in a different way to ensure that they do not cause water pollution. (1) Some forms of pollution are not classified by the sphere of the environment that they contaminate, but by their nature and properties. Our planet is constantly bathed in radiation originating from outer space, and there are trace amounts of radioactivity scattered throughout the earth’s crust. These do not constitute radioactive pollution; typically, this form of pollution originates from nuclear power processing, or from equipment used in nuclear medicine and radiography, although nuclear fallout from bombs and disasters, such as the 1986 Chernobyl incident, is perhaps the most striking example of nuclear pollution. In the case of Chernobyl, flawed design of the nuclear reactor, combined with personnel errors, led to an explosion which released around 5% of the reactor’s core of radioactive material into the atmosphere. The wind carried fallout composed mainly of the radioisotopes iodine-131, cesium-134, and cesium 137, from the reactor across the former Soviet Union. Among the most heavily affected countries were Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. The radioactive pollution’s immediate effect resulted in the death of 30 people, injury to over a hundred other individuals, and the immediate evacuation and relocation of over 200,000 affected citizens. One of the most studied long term effects of the disaster is a significant increase in the number of cases of thyroid cancer among generations of exposed individuals, due to the accumulation of radioactive iodine-131 in the thyroid gland (International Atomic Energy Agency). It should be noted that Chernobyl was a rare nuclear disaster that is not representative of the more common forms of radiation pollution; rather, it serves as an example of the potential scale and duration of pollution’s ill effects. Much more commonly encountered are the radiation-related risks in the medical field, where exposure to X-rays and radiotherapy practices can lead to an increased risk of developing certain cancers among some groups of patients. However, for the most part, properly observed medical standards will ensure that the risk of developing cancer from medical radiation is low – an estimated 0.05% per rem of radiation. The amount of exposure depends on the medical procedures involved, and although the increase in the risk of cancer induction is small (from zero to one percent), there is no threshold of radiation exposure below which it is absolutely risk-free. Thus, all procedures involving radiation exposure should be decided on the basis of risk versus benefit to the patient (Classic). Homo sapiens is the only species that has succeeded in domesticating other species, and with the spread of human civilization, we have carried our pets (and pests) to new lands. Introduced species constitute a form of biological pollution – when a non-native species establishes itself in an ecosystem, displacing certain native species that play a vital role in that ecosystem, and possibly causing economic damage, they are considered invasive. In ecology, the â€Å"rule of tens† states that one in every ten introduced species becomes invasive (Boudouresque and Verlaque, 1). The most significant direct consequence of biological invasion is the extinction of native species that are not adapted to compete with invaders. Such is the case with the Nile perch (Lates niloticus), a popular commercial fish species that was introduced to Lake Victoria in East Africa around the year 1962. The Nile perch disrupted the lake’s ecosystem by predatory activity, feeding on many native fish species, and spreading parasites which it carries in its gills. An estimated 300 fish species native to Lake Victoria were driven to extinction by the 1980s (Blake). While the Nile perch and some other invasive species have at least had some marginal economic benefit (a boost to the commercial fishing industry and local employment), in many cases the effect of biological invasion has been a complete economic disaster. Australia’s plague of introduced European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) has not only threatened native animals as the rabbits outcompete them for food and shelter; the rabbits have threatened the ecosystem itself by decimating vegetation, causing the soil (arid and fragile over much of Australia) to erode. This in turn has greatly reduced the available land for sheep and cattle grazing – two of Australia’s major industries. Efforts to reduce rabbit populations have only increased the economic cost of the rabbit invasion, as Australians have tried to use poison, traps, dynamite, and expensive biological control agents in the form of diseases such as myxomatosis and the calicivirus (Diamond, 392). Managing an invasion is very difficult once the invasive species has become established. As noted by Oregon State University biologist John Chapman, â€Å"Unlike other contaminants in the world, introduced species dont have a half-life, they can spread from a single point source, and they have a potentially infinite life span† (qtd. in Reiber). An introduced species becomes established when conditions in the new environment are favorable, and it has little to no competition, and natural predators are lacking. Too often, strategies devised to control populations of invasive species backfire – the myxomatosis disease used to exterminate rabbits in Australia did succeed in bringing down the rabbit population by 90%, but the survivors then developed a resistance to the disease (Diamond, 392). Biological or chemical control agents used to eradicate invasive species often are detrimental to native species as well. In most cases, the safest way to remove invasive species from the environment is manually, which can be highly labor intensive and needs to be organized at the local or community level. Increased sound levels in our surroundings can constitute a form of noise pollution. While some people would classify certain genres or styles of music as noise, the most common form of noise pollution comes from transportation and industrial activity. Extreme levels of noise pollution can lead to a deterioration and eventual impairment of the auditory function in humans and other organisms. Noise pollution also affects individuals in other ways that may be less easy to measure or quantify; increasing levels of stress and annoyance, for example, or disruption of normal sleeping routines. States such as Maryland have implemented some form noise control; in Maryland, the Noise Control Program was passed into legislation in 1970, to provide technical assistance and enforcement regarding noise related issues across the state. It has been de-funded since July 2005, as the duty of regulating noise-related issues has been passed down to local government. There are many other forms of pollution that do not fit neatly into this broad classification, and to fully understand the effect of every pollutant would often require time-consuming research into various case studies. The interaction between different types of pollution often contributes to a complex effect acting on a larger scale, such as global warming, which is a phenomenon created by the interaction between the increased levels of various gases (known collectively as greenhouse gases). Pollution affects us on a global scale, but it can be reduced or remediated by efforts at the local and personal level. The easiest way to start contributing to the effort to reduce pollution is to minimize one’s own pollution of the environment. It is this diffuse type of pollution which is much more difficult to catch and trace. Individual citizens not disposing of their wastes properly, or households with misconnected drains, all have a small effect on pollution levels, and collectively this adds up to a large increase in pollution if unchecked or unreported. This is the pollution whose source is often unnoticed, and it is up to each individual to eliminate himself or herself as a source of this anonymous, unaccountable pollution. Many nonprofit organizations and agencies concerned with the welfare of our environment are engaged in activities to counter pollution and its effects. Participating in local community clean-up events can help to not only reduce the level of pollution in a community, but also heightens the awareness of people regarding pollution issues, especially if the organizers have invited an environmental expert to deliver a talk about problems relevant to the community. Recycling gadgets instead of throwing them away is a solution that helps both the consumers and the manufacturing industries. Sony Electronics, Inc. has a recycling program that accepts old or non-working Sony branded products free of charge, and even products of other companies for a small fee (On a higher level, government environmental agencies monitor the major point sources of pollution such as wastes disposed by large factories and industrial companies. With pollution’s far-reaching consequences, nations must help each other to remediate the worst polluted areas. An estimated 1 billion people are affected by pollution issues, and a majority of those people are in the developing world, where a general lack of awareness and local regulation of pollution has reduced the overall life expectancy and quality of life (Hanrahan et al., 2). With minimal financial investment, a number of remediation measures can be carried out in some of the worst polluted areas in the developing world. These measures will help save lives, particularly of children, at an estimated cost of only one to fifty US dollars per person each year. However, implementing such measures often takes a back seat to the basic needs of education and primary health services that local governments often must prioritize (Hanrahan et al., 2-4). This is why it is important to have international intervention and cooperation, not apathy and the selfish attitude summed up by ‘it’s someone else’s problem, let them take care of it’. In dealing with pollution it is important to keep in mind that many of the sources contributing to pollution are industries upon which modern society is dependent. Mining and agriculture are two examples of ancient activities that have helped men to develop their civilizations. Mining enabled us to build better shelters and construct the tools and implements that we use in everyday tasks. Agriculture and the potential to store surplus food has taken us from the lifestyle of hunter-gatherers and brought humans together in the first settlements, which eventually grew into cities and states. Pollution is a byproduct of these activities, and the effort to reduce or prevent pollution is not trying to destroy major industries or cease the production and development of new technology. It is an effort to make the producers and consumers responsible for the regulation of wastes created by these activities, and their proper management and disposal. We live in an age of awareness, and thanks to our awakening and gradual realization of how we affect the world around us, today’s environmental crisis has increasingly become a fact of life in the modern world. Modern governments should no longer be intent on debating the validity of environmental concerns, but focused on finding and implementing solutions. The root of these problems – human degradation of the environment and exploitation of its resources – has been at work ever since the dawn of the civilized age. The environmental crisis of the present, on both the global and local levels, is not a burden that we have borne for only a few generations; it is a result of centuries, even millennia, of human exploitation of available resources without the guidance of modern environmental science, accelerated by the industrialization brought about by developing technology, and abetted by attitudes and sensibilities that have developed in ignorance of how we impact our surroundings. The inertia of these outdated attitudes and accelerating industrial processes is huge and cannot be so easily stopped; it may take decades to realize the full extent of the damage we have done to the environment in every aspect, and perhaps longer to reverse the trend. But for many of us, the fundamental error in thinking has, at least, been corrected. Environmental problems elsewhere in the world are no longer just someone else’s concern. With modern globalization, what we do in our part of the world affects everyone else, and if we continue to act and think with that in mind, the environmental problems facing all of society will be managed by society as a whole. Works Cited â€Å"A slow-moving oil spill.† Ed. John Dodge. 01 December 2007. The Olympian. 04 December 2007 http://news.tradingcharts.com/futures/5/7/101611775.html Akbar, S. et al. World Health Organization. Air Quality Guidelines Global Update 2005. Germany: Druckpartner Moser, 2005. Boudouresque CF, Verlaque M. Biological pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: invasive versus introduced macrophytes. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2002 January; 44(1):32-8. Buell, Frederick. From Apocalypse to Way of Life: Four Decades of Environmental Crisis in the U.S. New York: Routledge, 2003. Diamond, Jared. Collapse. New York: Penguin Books, 2005. Environment Agency, 2003. The Water Framework Directive – not only a question of quality. Bristol: Environment Agency. Environment Agency, 2004. Soil, the hidden resource. Bristol: Environment Agency. Environment Agency, 2007. The unseen threat to water quality. Bristol: Environment Agency. Hanrahan, D. et al. Blacksmith Institute. Cost Effectiveness and Health Impact of Remediation of Highly Polluted Sites in the Developing World. 2007. International Atomic Energy Agency. Chernobyl’s Legacy: Health, Environmental and Socio-economic Impacts and Recommendations to the Governments of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Austria: IAEA, 2006. â€Å"Interview of Al Gore.† Larry King Live. CNN. 05 July 2007.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Invasion Biology Introduced Species Summary Project.† Ed. Jennifer Blake. 10 January 2005. Columbia University. 02 December 2007 http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Lates_niloticus.htm John, E. M. et al. Medical radiation exposure and breast cancer risk: findings from the Breast Cancer Family Registry. International Journal of Cancer: 2007 July; 121(2):386-94. â€Å"Link Between Climate Change and Biological Pollution could Harm Northwest.† Ed. Derek Reiber. 02 July 2001. Sightline Institute. 02 December 2007 http://www.tidepool.org/derek/invasives.html â€Å"Noise Pollution Control.† 2007. Maryland Department of the Environment. 05 December 2007 http://www.mde.state.md.us Path: Programs; Multimedia Programs; Noise Pollution Control. â€Å"Pollution and its effect to the environment: Interview with Ricky Clancy of Sony Electronics Blog.† 27 September 2007. 05 December 2007. http://bdpollution.blogspot.com/2007/09/interview-with-ricky-clancy-of-sony.html â€Å"Risk/Benefit of Medical Radiation Exposures.† Ed. Kelly Classic. 04 December 2007. Health Physics Society. 04 December 2007 http://hps.org Path: HPS Publications; Articles. â€Å"Thermal Pollution.† Ed. Silvia Lourenco and Rute Neves. 05 December 1996. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 04 December 2007 http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/Environmental/THERMAL/tte1.htm United States Environmental Protection Agency. Noise: A Health Problem. Washington, 1978