Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling Essay - 1

Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling - Essay Example Various capacity planning or performance measurement software are distributed in the internet. One of this software is the Schedule It, which has been described as the ultimate software for use in the room, people, or resource planning strategies. The software can be applied in the planning and scheduling of any task, which requires detailed filtering or reporting. The software can also be used in the scheduling of reporting, cost analysis of each instance and also as an expense tracker. The software sends automatic emails and reminders and keep everyone informed if there are any changes in schedule. The software can run on different platforms including Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. Many organizations will have systems that collect information that is related to capacity as well as systems that are employed to solve problems and implement both the capacity and performance functionality. Nevertheless, many organizations will fail to perform a routine check up on the trending and what if analysis. The what if analysis is one of the processes that may be applied to determine the effect of having a network change. Capacity and performance management helps to create an exception management where potential and existing problems can be identified and rectified before the customers or users call in pointing out the

Personal Ethics Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Ethics Statement Essay After taking the Ethical Lens Inventory, I have discovered that my personal lens is the Results Lens. Upon further reading I discovered how that translated into my values, strengths, weaknesses, and my blind spot as well as how to see more clearly. The key phrase for those with the Results Lens is â€Å"I make choices that are good for everyone. † The values and strengths associated with the Results lens are the core values, the classical values, and the definition of ethical behavior, the tools for analyzing problems, and the gift. Core values are autonomy over equality, and protecting individual rights, and prioritizing value of sensibility over rationality. It is better to examine each situation in its own context rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. The classical value is prudence by demonstrating wisdom, foresight, optimism, imagination, and the gift of entrepreneurship. Creating the greatest good is my lens type’s definition of ethical behavior, by seeking win-win results. Experience provides the tool for analyzing problems, by considering multiple perspectives and focusing on what is really happening to consider solutions that make many people happy. Free will is the gift associated with the Results Lens. Because of the value of autonomy, we are self-reliant and accountable. We want this freedom for each person to seek their ideal goals in life. The Results Lens also has its weaknesses such as a blind spot, expedience, risk, greed, and also failure. The blind spot for this lens type is becoming satisfied with too little good. We fail to be accountable to those that are depending on us when we exercise our free will. As long as our needs are met we can become complacent. Our temptation is expedience by not paying attention we can be tempted to base our actions on what is politic or advantageous rather than what is right. Reducing decisions to a cost-benefit analysis is this lenses biggest risk. We need to ensure that all have free will or we run the risk of reducing decisions to narrow and purely financial cost-benefit analysis. The vice for the Results Lens is becoming greedy. If we fail to exercise free will responsibly our pursuit of good for all can devolve into an excuse for taking as much for ourselves as we can get away with. Failure is this lenses major crisis. If we fail to develop the practice of mindfulness and reflection we will face failure. No one can accomplish or acquire everything, and the more you do the less satisfying it can become. Our acquisitiveness could be driving people away from us. In conclusion, in order for people who fall under the Results Lens to see clearly, we must use our head, check to see if our gut and head agree. To find a proper balance we need to explore the gifts of the other lenses such as consistency and concern for the whole community. As we learn to consider other perspectives in our decision-making process, we will live out the best of our ideals with compassion and care for others.

Presidential Candidate Profiles :: essays research papers

Candidate Profiles I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Al Gore   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore, was born on March 31, 1948 in Washington D.C.. His father Albert Gore Sr., a congressman from Tennessee, served in the House of Representatives and his mother Pauline La Fon was one of the first women to graduate from Vanderbilt Law School. Gore, a Baptist, attended Harvard where he received a degree with high honors in government. Even though he was strongly opposed to the war in 1970 Al joined the army where he served his time in Vietnam as an army reporter. After attending Vanderbilt Law School Gore ran for and won Tennessee’s fourth district congressional seat where he served four terms, after which he ran for and won the Tennessee Senatorial Seat. Gore remained in senate until presidential nominee Bill Clinton Chose him as his running mate in 1992, they were elected into office that year and re-elected in 1996. While in office Gore expressed great concern for the envir onment and in 1992 wrote the book Earth in the Balance: Healing the Global Environment. Gore has been married to Tipper Aitcheson since 1969, together they have four children: Karenna, Kristin, Sarah, and Albert III. Al Gore’s running Mate for the 2000 election is Connecticut state Senator Joe Lieberman. As well as being the first Jewish-American ever in the U.S. Senate, Lieberman was the Connecticut state Attorney General and also practiced law in New Haven. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George Bush   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Governor of Texas and Republican Presidential Nominee George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946 in New Haven , Connecticut. Bush, often referred to as simply W. is The eldest son of former President George Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush, his siblings include Jeb (Governor of Florida), Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy. Like his father, Bush attended the prestigious Philips Andover Academy in Massachusetts before going to Yale University where he graduated with a bachelors degree. Upon leaving Yale he went to Texas and joined the Air National Guard, Where he learned to fly fighter jets, he eventually became a lieutenant but was never called on to fight in Vietnam. In 1972 Bush entered Harvard Business School, earning his M.B.A. in 1975. In 1977 he married Laura Welch, a former teacher and librarian, and in 1980 she gave birth to their twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. Shortly after his 40th birthday in July ‘86 Bush reached a turning point in his pers onal and professional life.

Secret Life of Bees

1. Coming of age: A coming of age novel is a novel in which shows the transition of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood through a physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual journey. The Secret Life of Bees is a coming of age novel for Lily because she matures and loses her innocence. For example in chapter two Lily makes a mature decision to leave home because she finally realizes that how T. Ray is treating her is vile and un-fatherly. (Kidd 39-43). When Lily comes to the bee farm, she finds that there is goodness in the world. When she finds this goodness she grows up a little more and adds more experience to her somewhat small view of the world. 2. Literary Allusions: A literary allusion is something in the text that references to something that the audience would recognize. For example the book references Moses delivering God’s people out of Egypt, and the other uses that allusion to tie together how the bees are the one’s that delivered Lily away T. Ray. Lily says that the bees â€Å"were sent as a special plague for T. Ray. God saying, Let my daughter go, and maybe that’s exactly what they’d been, a plague that released me. † (Kidd 151). This allusion is tied to the plot because she is referencing the bees to the classic story of Moses, and also talks about how the bees were her escape from T. Ray. 3. The bees are important to the story because they are the ones who have appeared to guide Lily throughout the entire book. In the beginning of the book she traps a few bees in a jar but feels guilty about leaving them in a jar so she opens the jar to let them free, but the bees don’t leave right away, it takes them awhile to finally leave (Kidd 27-28). The bees continue to be a motif because they signify how each bee has a purpose, just like each character has a purpose. This is important to May’s death because if one bee leaves the hive things go crazy and so May was the bee that left and this left the entire hive in a fury (Kidd 192-214). The bees are also a motif in the title because in the beehive Lily has this big secret that she continues to keep from everyone and this is where the title The Secret Life of Bees has most likely came from. 4. The river is relevant to Lily’s coming of age because with this river Lily sees death and this probably reminds her of her mother’s death. Also Lily gets a more clear understanding of death because of the river taking the life of May. The river is also symbolic because the river makes up the stones that make the Wailing Wall and so Lily finds the sadness in the wall and finds out about May’s pain and sadness (Kidd 80-83). With this information Lily is able to grow up and figure out more about the world itself outside the beehive. 5. Setting: The setting is essential to the story because with the time period first of all if it took place in modern time Rosaleen wouldn’t have gone to prison, nor would those men have been aloud to beat her up without getting in trouble. Sadly this was a time when people treated black people poorly as if they were still slaves in a sense. Something else that would have been different is T. Ray wouldn’t have been able to treat Lily the way he had and this is essential to the plot because if T. Ray hadn’t gotten away with being an awful father than Lily probably wouldn’t have run away from home. The time period is important to how this story plays out for if it had been a different time period this story wouldn’t have happened. 6. 7. 8. Foil: In the story it is obvious in short period of time that June is quite different from her older sister August. While June is cold to people and shuts them out, especially Lily, August is calm, caring, motherly, and the queen bee. June is very protective of her self where August is outgoing and let’s people in no matter who they may be. For example June wants to essentially throw Lily out on the street because she wants to keep things easy, but August says that Lily needs to stay until she is ready to leave (Kidd 86-87). This is one of many times where August and June clash in personalities and this is quite important because it moves the plot along. Secret Life of Bees During the Civil Rights Movement there was a lot of hatred and violence between the black community and the white community all because of skin color. When Whitney Moore Young, Jr. states, â€Å"Together, blacks and whites can move our country beyond racism and create for the benefit of all of us an open society, one that assures freedom, justice, and full equality for all†, Whitney means that if all the hate is put aside, the community, even the entire country, can overcome anything. Racism can make or break a community or just a simple friendship.In The Secret Life of Bees, a novel by Sue Monk Kidd, worlds collide during the time of prejudice and racism. In the novel, a young girl tries to find herself within a black family, and learns more than she expected about herself, then she would anywhere else. She sees how even she, herself, has evidence of slight racism in her mind. When racism takes over of a society, it does not just change the mind of one person. It changes the mind of many, causing relationships and friendships between people to falter or grow.Racism can cause a dilemma with relationships between people and cause them to be at a thin line. When Lily and Zach are eating lunch after a day of work, Zach explains his dream job and what he plans to accomplish in the future. When Lily hears about it she cannot believe it. She has a sense of annoyance. Without even knowing it, she is being a bit of a racist when she states, â€Å"I’ve just never heard of a Negro lawyer, that’s all. You’ve got to hear of these things before you can imagine them† (Kidd 121).Lily does not realize she is putting Zach down by saying the statement above. Zach became defensive and stood up for himself, but surprisingly did not hold a grudge. It was more of him teaching Lily a lesson that the most famous and intelligent people do not get where they are by being unoriginal and uncreative. They get where they are by imagining what has never bee n seen before. Right around when Lily and Rosaleen first get there, Lily has a thought that suddenly seems to prove to her that she does have some prejudice in her and she is not as open-minded as she thought.Her thought after meeting August is, â€Å"Since I want to tell the whole truth, which means the worst parts, I thought they could be smart, but not as smart as me, me being white† (Kidd 78). Lily suddenly feels like she has learned a lesson about herself by meeting August and the Boatwright sisters. Until this point, she has understood racism as an act whites only committed towards color people. Nevertheless, Lily respects and feels devoted to August, and this respect and devotion begins to grow the relationship between August and Lily into something similar to a daughter-mother relationship.This only proves how racism can make or break a relationship, because you can either offend or learn from what you are doing and thinking. Racism does not just go one way and it nev er will. Everyone as different thoughts and everyone feels differently about certain things. It is a way of life almost. Lily discovers this once she begins living in the Boatwright house when June makes a statement, â€Å"But she’s white, August† (Kidd 87). When Lily overhears June make this comment, she becomes angry and thinks how absurd it is to dislike someone for their skin color.What Lily does not seem to realize right away is that it is the same thing when it comes to the discrimination white people have towards color people. This is an interesting moment in the novel because white people do not usually experience this type of discrimination and it confuses Lily at first but later realizes the reason June does not like her is because of the color of her skin and who she is. It only helps prove how racism can cause a relationship to never even be close to a relationship.The prejudice that goes around society also influences the way relationships are made and how they grow because society almost influences everything done and how it is done. An example of this is when Zach tells Lily, â€Å"Lily, I like you better than any girl I’ve ever known, but you have to understand, there are people who would kill boys like me for even looking at girls like you† (Kidd 135). Zach says this to Lily regarding any potential romantic relationship between them. This comment shows how unfair racism can be and is.Young love is typically carefree and easy and something you look forward to. However, as young teenagers, Lily and Zach have to think about the prejudices of the rest of the society because how dangerous it can get. Racism is not something that will ever really go away in this country or anywhere else as a matter of fact. It can break apart an entire nation just because of the way people think and look at things differently. Even though that is how things already are, when it comes to something so serious like racism though, there is a very thin line that people seem to cross a lot.It all just impacts the society and how it works because of a certain group of people see things a different way then it causes people to feel like what they do can be wrong if it is not approved of. People should just respect each other and let everyone be. It can really bring the nation or just a small community together and that moves the generation forward into something so much bigger and stronger. It is how Whitney Moore stated that if we can all learn to move forward as one, it can become an open society, full of all the wonderful things a society should be filled with.

Bloodlines Chapter Eight

â€Å"ARE YOU GOING TO EAT THAT?† asked Eddie. Eddie might not have known about all the shenanigans that went down with Jill on the first day of school, but not seeing her all day had unnerved him. So, when she and I came downstairs for the second day, we found him waiting in our dorm lobby, ready to go with us to breakfast. I pushed my plate and its half a bagel across the table. He'd already polished off a bagel of his own, as well as pancakes and bacon, but was quick to accept my offering. Maybe he was an unnatural hybrid creature, but from what I could tell, his appetite was the same as any human teenage guy. â€Å"How are you feeling?† he asked Jill, once he'd swallowed a mouthful of bagel. Since he'd eventually hear she hadn't been in class, we'd simply told Eddie that Jill had been sick from nerves yesterday. The hangover allegations still infuriated me, but Jill insisted on letting them go. â€Å"Fine,† she said. â€Å"A lot better.† I didn't comment on that but secretly had my doubts. Jill did look better this morning, but she'd hardly had a solid night's sleep. In fact, she'd woken in the middle of the night, screaming. I'd leapt out of my bed, expecting no less than a hundred Strigoi or Moroi assassins to come bursting through our window. But when I'd looked over, there'd only been Jill, thrashing and screaming in her sleep. I'd hurried over and finally woken her up with some difficulty. She'd sat up gasping, drenched in sweat, and clutching her chest. Once she'd calmed down, she'd told me it was only a nightmare, but there'd been something in her eyes†¦ the echo of something real. I knew because it reminded me of the many times I'd woken up thinking the Alchemists were coming to take me to the re-education centers. She'd insisted she was fine, and when morning came, the only acknowledgment she gave of her nightmare was to insist that we not mention it to Eddie. â€Å"It's only going to worry him,† she said. â€Å"And besides, it's not a big deal.† I conceded that point, but when I tried to ask what had happened, she brushed me off and wouldn't talk about it. Now, at breakfast, there was a definite edge to her, but for all I knew, it had more to do with finally facing her first day in a human school. â€Å"I still can't get over how different I am from everyone,† she said in a low voice. â€Å"I mean, for one thing, I'm taller than almost every girl here!† It was true. It wasn't uncommon for Moroi women to push six feet in height. Jill wasn't quite there, but her long, slim build gave the illusion of being taller than she was. â€Å"And I'm really bony.† â€Å"You are not,† I said. â€Å"I'm too skinny – compared to them,† Jill argued. â€Å"Everyone's got something,† countered Eddie. â€Å"That girl over there has a ton of freckles. That guy shaved his head. There's no such thing as ‘normal.'† Jill still looked dubious but doggedly went off to class when the first warning bell rang, promising to meet Eddie for lunch and me in PE. I made it to my history class a few minutes early. Ms. Terwilliger stood at her desk, shuffling some papers around, and I hesitantly approached. â€Å"Ma'am?† She glanced up at me, pushing her glasses up her nose as she did. â€Å"Hmm? Oh, I remember you. Miss Melbourne.† â€Å"Melrose,† I corrected. â€Å"Are you sure? I could've sworn you were named after someplace in Australia.† â€Å"Well, my first name is Sydney,† I said, not sure if I should be encouraging her. â€Å"Ah. Then I'm not crazy. Not yet, at least. What can I do for you, Miss Melrose?† â€Å"I wanted to ask you†¦ well, you see, I have a gap in my schedule because I passed out of the language requirement. I wondered if maybe you needed another teacher aide†¦ like Trey.† The aforementioned Trey was already there, sitting at a desk allotted to him and collating papers. He glanced up at the mention of his name and eyed me warily. â€Å"It's last period, ma'am. So, if there was any extra work you needed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her eyes studied me for several moments before she answered. I'd made sure to cover up my tattoo today, but it felt like she was staring right through to it. â€Å"I don't need another teacher aide,† she said bluntly. Trey smirked. â€Å"Mr. Juarez, despite his many limitations, is more than capable of sorting all my stacks of paper.† His smirk disappeared at the backhanded compliment. I nodded and started to turn away, disappointed. â€Å"Okay. I understand.† â€Å"No, no. I don't think you do. You see, I'm writing a book.† She paused, and I realized she was waiting for me to look impressed. â€Å"On heretical religion and magic in the Greco-Roman world. I've lectured on it at Carlton College before. Fascinating subject.† Trey stifled a cough. â€Å"Now, I could really use a research assistant to help me track down certain information, run errands for me, that sort of thing. Would you be interested in that?† I gaped. â€Å"Yes, ma'am. I would be.† â€Å"For you to get credit for an independent study, you'd have to do some project alongside it†¦ research and a paper of your own. Not nearly the length of my book, of course. Is there anything from that era that interests you?† â€Å"Er, yes.† I could hardly believe it. â€Å"Classical art and architecture. I'd love to study it more.† Now she looked impressed. â€Å"Really? Then it seems we're a perfect match. Or, well, nearly. Pity you don't know Latin.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I averted my eyes. â€Å"I, um, actually†¦ I can read Latin.† I dared a glance back at her. Rather than impressed, she mostly looked stunned. â€Å"Well, then. How about that.† She gave a rueful head shake. â€Å"I'm afraid to ask about Greek.† The bell rang. â€Å"Go ahead and take your seat, then come find me at the end of the day. Last period is also my planning period, so we'll have plenty of time to talk and fill out the appropriate paperwork.† I returned to my desk and received an approving fist bump from Eddie. â€Å"Nice work. You don't have to take a real class. Of course, if she's got you reading Latin, maybe it'll be worse than a real class.† â€Å"I like Latin,† I said with absolute seriousness. â€Å"It's fun.† Eddie shook his head and said in a very, very low voice: â€Å"I can't believe you think we're the strange ones.† Trey's comments for me in my next class were less complimentary. â€Å"Wow, you sure have Terwilliger wrapped around your finger.† He nodded toward our chemistry instructor. â€Å"Are you going to go tell her that you split atoms in your free time? Do you have a reactor back in your room?† â€Å"There's nothing wrong with – † I cut myself off, unsure what to say. I'd nearly said â€Å"being smart,† but that sounded egotistical. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with knowing things,† I said at last. â€Å"Sure,† he agreed. â€Å"When it's legitimate knowledge.† I remembered the crazy conversation with Kristin and Julia yesterday. Because I'd had to take Jill to Adrian, I'd missed the study session and couldn't follow up on my tattoo questions. Still, I at least now knew where Trey's disdain was coming from – even though it seemed absurd. No one else at school had specifically mentioned my tattoo being special, but a number of people had approached me already, asking where I'd gotten it. They'd been disappointed when I said South Dakota. â€Å"Look, I don't know where this idea's coming from about my tattoo making me smart, but if that's what you think, well†¦ don't. It's just a tattoo.† â€Å"It's gold,† he argued. â€Å"So?† I asked. â€Å"It's just special ink. I don't get why people would believe it has some mystical properties. Who believes in that stuff?† He snorted. â€Å"Half this school does. How are you so smart, then?† Was I really that much of a freak when it came to academics that people had to turn to supernatural explanations? I went with my stock answer. â€Å"I was homeschooled.† â€Å"Oh,† said Trey thoughtfully. â€Å"That would explain it.† I sighed. â€Å"I bet your homeschooling didn't do much in the way of PE, though,† he added. â€Å"What are you going to do about your sport requirement?† â€Å"I don't know; I hadn't thought about it,† I said, feeling a little uneasy. I could handle Amberwood's academics in my sleep. But its athletics? Unclear. â€Å"Well, you better decide soon; the deadline's coming up. Don't look so worried,† he added. â€Å"Maybe they'll let you start a Latin club instead.† â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† I asked, not liking the tone. â€Å"I've played sports.† He shrugged. â€Å"If you say so. You don't seem like the athletic type. You seem too†¦ neat.† I wasn't entirely sure if that was a compliment or not. â€Å"What's your sport?† Trey held his chin up, looking very pleased with himself. â€Å"Football. A real man's sport.† A guy sitting nearby overheard him and glanced back. â€Å"Too bad you won't make quarterback, Juarez. You came so close last year. Looks like you're going to graduate without fulfilling yet another dream.† I'd thought Trey didn't like me – but as he turned his attention to the other guy, it was like the temperature dropped ten degrees. I realized in that moment that Trey just liked giving me a hard time. But this other guy? Trey completely despised him. â€Å"I don't remember you even being in the running, Slade,† returned Trey, eyes hard. â€Å"What makes you think you're going to take it this year?† Slade – it wasn't clear to me if that was his first or last name – exchanged knowing glances with a couple friends. â€Å"Just a feeling.† They turned away, and Trey scowled. â€Å"Great,† he muttered. â€Å"Slade finally got the money for one. You want to know about tattoos? Go talk to him.† My thirty-second impression told me Slade was no one I wanted to talk to, but Trey provided no additional explanation. Class soon started, but as I tried to focus on the lesson, all I could think about was Amberwood's apparent obsession with tattoos. What did it mean? When PE came, I was relieved to see Jill in the locker room. The Moroi girl gave me a weary smile as we walked outside. â€Å"How's your day been?† I asked. â€Å"Fine,† Jill said. â€Å"Not great. Not terrible. I haven't really gotten to know many people.† She didn't say it, but Jill's tone implied, â€Å"See? I told you I would stand out.† Yet as the class started, I realized that the problem was that Jill didn't stand out. She avoided eye contact, letting her nerves get the best of her, and made no effort to talk to people. No one openly shunned her, but with the vibes she gave off, no one went out of their way to talk to her either. I certainly wasn't the most social person in the world, but I still smiled and tried to chat with my classmates as we did more volleyball drills. It was enough to foster the sparks of friendship. I also soon noticed another problem. The class had been divided into four teams, playing two concurrent matches. Jill was in the other game, but I still occasionally caught sight of her. She looked miserable and tired within ten minutes, without even having done much in the game. Her reaction time was bad too. A number of balls went past her, and those she did notice were met with clumsy maneuvers. Some of her teammates exchanged frustrated looks behind her back. I returned to my own game, worried for her, just as the opposing team spiked the ball into a zone that wasn't well guarded by my team. I didn't have the reaction time that, say, a dhampir had, but in that split second, my brain knew I could block the ball if I made a hard and fast move. Doing so went against my natural instincts, the ones that said, Don't do anything that will hurt or get you dirty. I'd always carefully reasoned through my actions, never acting on impulse. Not this time. I was going to stop that ball. I dove for it, hitting it into range of another teammate who was able to then spike it back over the net and out of danger. The volley pushed me to a hard landing on my knees. It was ungraceful and jarred my teeth, but I'd stopped the opposition from scoring. My teammates cheered, and I was surprised to find myself laughing. I'd always been trained that everything I did had to have a greater, practical purpose. Sports were sort of antithetical to the Alchemist way of li fe, because they were just for fun. But maybe fun wasn't so bad once in a while. â€Å"Nice, Melrose,† said Miss Carson, strolling by. â€Å"If you want to defer your sport until winter and be on the volleyball team, come talk to me later.† â€Å"Well done,† said Micah, and offered me his hand. I shook my head and stood up on my own. I was dismayed to see a scrape on one of my legs but was still grinning from ear to ear. If anyone had told me two weeks ago that I'd be so happy about rolling around in the dirt, I wouldn't have believed it. â€Å"She doesn't give out compliments very often.† It was true. Miss Carson had already been on Jill a number of times and was now halting our game to correct a teammate's sloppy form. I took advantage of the break to watch Jill, whose game was still in action. Micah followed my gaze. â€Å"Doesn't run in the family, huh?† he asked sympathetically. â€Å"No,† I murmured. My smile faded. I felt a pang of guilt in my chest over exalting so much in my own triumph when Jill was obviously struggling. It didn't seem fair. Jill still looked exhausted, and her curly hair was drenched in sweat. Pink spots had appeared on her cheeks, giving her a feverish look, and it seemed to take all her effort to remain upright. It was strange that Jill would have so much difficulty. I'd overheard a brief conversation in which she and Eddie had discussed combat and defensive moves, giving me the impression that Jill was fairly athletic. She and Eddie had even talked about practicing later that night and – â€Å"The sun,† I groaned. â€Å"Huh?† asked Micah. I'd mentioned my concerns about the sun to Stanton, but she'd dismissed them. She'd just advised that Jill be careful to stay inside – which Jill did. Except, of course, when school requirements made her take a class that kept her outside. Forcing her to play sports out in the full blaze of the Palm Springs sun was cruel. It was a wonder she was still standing. I sighed, making a mental note to call the Alchemists later. â€Å"We're going to have to get her a doctor's note.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† asked Micah. The game was back on, and he shifted into position beside me. â€Å"Oh. Jill. She's†¦ she's sensitive to the sun. Kind of like an allergic thing.† As though on cue, we heard Miss Carson exclaim from the other court: â€Å"Melrose Junior! Are you blind? Did you not see that coming right toward you?† Jill swayed on her feet but took the criticism meekly. Micah watched them with a frown, and as soon as Miss Carson was off picking on someone else, he darted out of formation and ran over to Jill's game. I hastily tried to cover both his and my own positions. Micah ran up to a guy beside Jill, whispered something, and pointed back at me. A moment later, the guy ran over to my team and Micah took the spot beside Jill. As class continued, I realized what was happening. Micah was good at volleyball – very good. So much so that he was able to defend his spot and Jill's. Without seeing any blatant blunders, Miss Carson kept her attention elsewhere, and Jill's team grew a little less hostile toward her. When the game ended, Micah caught hold of Jill's arm and quickly walked her over to a shaded spot. From the way she staggered, he seemed to be all that was holding her upright. I was about to join them when I heard loud voices beside me. â€Å"I'm getting it tonight. The guy I talked to swears it's gonna be badass.† It was Slade, the guy who'd sparred with Trey earlier. I hadn't realized it out in the sun in the middle of the game, but he was the player Micah had swapped places with. â€Å"It better be,† continued Slade, â€Å"for how much he's charging me.† Two of Slade's friends joined him as they began heading toward the locker room. â€Å"When are tryouts, Slade?† one of his friends asked. In chemistry, I'd learned Slade's first name was Greg, but everyone seemed to refer to him by his last name, even teachers. â€Å"Friday,† Slade said. â€Å"I'm going to kill. Like totally destroy them. I'm gonna rip Juarez's spine out and make him eat it.† Charming, I thought, watching them go. My initial assessment of Slade had been correct. I turned toward Jill and Micah and saw that he'd gotten ahold of a water bottle for her. They seemed okay for the moment, so I caught Miss Carson's attention as she walked by. â€Å"My sister gets sick in the sun,† I said. â€Å"This is really hard on her.† â€Å"Lots of kids have trouble in the heat at first,† said Miss Carson knowingly. â€Å"They just need to toughen up. You handled yourself okay.† â€Å"Yeah, well, she and I are pretty different,† I said dryly. If only she knew. â€Å"I don't think she's going to ‘toughen up.'† â€Å"Nothing I can do,† said Miss Carson. â€Å"If I let her sit out, do you have any idea how many other kids would suddenly ‘feel tired in the sun'? Unless she's got a doctor's note, she's got to stick it out.† I thanked her and went to join Jill and Micah. As I approached, I heard Micah saying, â€Å"Get cleaned up, and I'll walk you to your next class. We can't have you fainting in the halls.† He paused and considered. â€Å"Of course, I'm totally happy to catch you if you do faint.† Jill was understandably dazed but was with it enough to thank him. She told him she'd meet him soon and walked to the girls' locker room with me. I eyed the grin on Micah's face, and a troubling thought occurred to me. Jill seemed stressed enough so I decided not to say anything, but my concern grew when we left for last period. Micah walked with Jill, as promised, and told her that later, when evening came, he'd tutor her in volleyball if she wanted. As we stood outside the classroom, a girl with long red hair and a haughty attitude walked by, trailed by an entourage of other girls. She paused when she saw Micah and tossed her hair over one shoulder, flashing him a big smile. â€Å"Hey, Micah.† Micah was engrossed with Jill and barely glanced in the other girl's direction. â€Å"Oh, hey, Laurel.† He walked away, and Laurel watched him go, her expression turning dark. She shot a dangerous look at Jill, whipped her long hair over her shoulder, and stormed off. Uh-oh, I thought as I watched her stalk down the hall. Is that going to come back and haunt us? It was one of those moments when I could have used a lesson in social cues. I went to Ms. Terwilliger's classroom afterward and spent most of that initial meeting setting up the semester's goals and outlining what I'd be doing for her. I was in store for a lot of reading and translation, which suited me just fine. It also appeared as though half of my job would be keeping her organized – something else I excelled at. The time flew by, and as soon as I was free, I hurried off to find Eddie. He was waiting with a group of other boys at the shuttle stop to go back to their dorm. When he saw me, his response was the usual: â€Å"Is Jill okay?† â€Å"Fine†¦ well, kind of. Can we talk somewhere?† Eddie's face darkened, no doubt thinking there was a legion of Strigoi on their way to hunt Jill. We stepped back inside one of the academic buildings, finding chairs in a private corner that enjoyed the full force of air conditioning. I gave him a quick update on Jill and her sunny PE misadventures. â€Å"I didn't think it would be this bad,† said Eddie grimly, echoing my thoughts. â€Å"Thank God Micah was there. Is there anything you can do?† â€Å"Yeah, we should be able to get something from our ‘parents' or a doctor.† As much as I hated to, I added, â€Å"Keith might be able to expedite it.† â€Å"Good,† said Eddie fiercely. â€Å"We can't have her getting beat up out there. I'll go talk to that teacher myself, if that's what it takes.† I hid a smile. â€Å"Well, hopefully it won't come to that. But there is something else†¦ nothing dangerous,† I amended quickly, seeing that warrior look cross his face again. â€Å"Just something†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tried not to say the words that were popping into my mind. Horrifying. Wrong. â€Å"Concerning. I think†¦ I think Micah likes Jill.† Eddie's face went very still. â€Å"Of course he likes her. She's nice. He's nice. He likes everyone.† â€Å"That's not what I mean, and you know it. He likes her. In the more-than-friends way. What are we going to do about that?† Eddie stared off across the hall for a few moments before turning back to me. â€Å"Why do we have to do anything?† â€Å"How can you ask that?† I exclaimed, shocked by the response. â€Å"You know why. Humans and vampires can't be together! It's disgusting and wrong.† The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. â€Å"Even a dhampir like you should know that.† He smiled ruefully. ‘†Even a dhampir like me?'† I supposed I'd been a little insulting, but it couldn't be helped. Alchemists – myself included – never believed dhampirs and Moroi worried enough about the same problems we did. They might acknowledge a taboo like this, but years of training said that only we humans really took it seriously. That was why the Alchemist job was so important. If we didn't look after these matters, who would? â€Å"I mean it,† I told him. â€Å"This is something all of us agree on.† His smile faded. â€Å"Yeah, it is.† Even Rose and Dimitri, who had a high tolerance for craziness, had been shocked at meeting the Keepers, rogue Moroi who intermingled freely with dhampirs and humans. It was a taboo the three of us shared, and we'd worked hard to tolerate the custom while with the Keepers. They lived hidden in the Appalachian Mountains and had provided excellent refuge when Rose was on the run. Ignoring their savage ways had been an acceptable price for the security they'd offered us. â€Å"Can you talk to him?† I asked. â€Å"I don't think Jill has any strong feelings. She's got too many other things going on. She probably knows better anyway†¦ but it'd still be best if you could discourage him. We can stop this before she gets involved.† â€Å"What do you expect me to say?† Eddie asked. He sounded at a loss, which struck me as funny, considering he'd been ready to go make all sorts of demands to Miss Carson on Jill's behalf. â€Å"I don't know. Play the big brother card. Act protective. Say she's too young.† I expected Eddie to agree, but he once more averted his eyes. â€Å"I don't know if we should say anything.† â€Å"What? Are you insane? Do you think it's okay to – â€Å" â€Å"No, no.† He sighed. â€Å"I'm not advocating it. But look at it this way. Jill's stuck in a school full of humans. It's not fair that she be banned from hanging out with any guys.† â€Å"I think Micah wants to do more than hang out.† â€Å"Well, why shouldn't she get to go on a date now and then? Or go to a dance? She should get to do all the normal things a girl her age does. She's already had her life radically changed. We shouldn't make it any harder.† I eyed him in disbelief, trying to figure out why he was so laid back about this. Admittedly, he didn't face the same consequences I did. If my superiors found out I was â€Å"encouraging† human and vampire dating, it'd be more evidence against me and my alleged bias. After all, my reputation wasn't yet restored with the Alchemists. Still, I knew Eddie's people didn't like the idea of dating, either. So what was the problem? A strange answer suddenly came to me. â€Å"I feel like you just don't want to confront Micah.† Eddie looked right at me. â€Å"It's complicated,† he said. Something in his face told me I'd hit the mark. â€Å"Why don't you talk to Jill? She knows the rules. She'll understand that she can be with him without getting serious.† â€Å"I think it's a bad idea,† I said, still unable to believe he was taking this stance. â€Å"We're creating a gray area here that's eventually going to cause confusion. We should keep it black and white and ban her from dating while she's here.† That wry smile returned. â€Å"Everything's black and white with you Alchemists, isn't it? Do you think you can really stop her from doing anything? You should know better. Even your childhood couldn't have been that abnormal.† With that slap in the face, Eddie stalked off, leaving me aghast. What had just happened? How could Eddie – who was so adamant about doing the right thing for Jill – be okay with her casually dating Micah? There was something weird going on here, something connected to Micah, though I couldn't figure out what. Well, I refused to let this matter go. It was too important. I'd talk to Jill and make sure she knew right from wrong. If necessary, I'd also talk to Micah – though I still felt that conversation would be better coming from Eddie. And, I realized, thinking of how I had to go hunt down a doctor's note, there was one more source I could appeal to, one that had a lot of influence over Jill.Adrian. Looked like I'd be paying him another visit.

Free Essays on Mexican Americans

Article Critique: In the essay, LULAC, Mexican American Identity, and Civil Rights, the author Mario T. Garcia discusses the demand for civil rights and the end to discrimination for Mexican- Americans. Garcia of the University of California at Santa Barbara, discusses the efforts of the rising middle class to create an organization. Its purpose is to enable Mexican American to win respect of the Anglo majority and smooth their assimilation into American life. In my opinion, the author wrote this essay to give the history of Mexican-Americans achievements over economic, social and political discrimination. An increase in the economic struggle began in the 1920’s, following World War I. The advancement of agricultural production and capitalism in south Texas, lead to many problems. Texas-born Mexican American ranchers and farmers, as well as sharecroppers found themselves unable to compete with agribusiness. Garcia says â€Å" In their place or alongside of them, came thousands of Mexican immigrants wage workers to pick the crops produced by the new mode of production. Garcia discusses many issues faced by Mexican Ameicans such as discrimination in public facilities. â€Å" Desiring to be intergrated as first-class citizens, Mexican Americans in LULAC, likw their middle class Afro-American counterparts in the NAACP, struggled against various forms of racial discrimination†¦. They did not want to be singled out for discrimination or patronization. All they aspired to was equal acces to the rights enjoyed by other Americans. Lulacers believes that Mexican Americans were entitled to first-class citizenship not only under the Constitution but also under guarantees of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), which ended the Mexican War...†. For example, in the 1940, LULAC protested in San Angelo over the efforts of a new movie threater to segregate Mexicans along with blacks in the balcony. They boycott the theater until segregation ended... Free Essays on Mexican Americans Free Essays on Mexican Americans Article Critique: In the essay, LULAC, Mexican American Identity, and Civil Rights, the author Mario T. Garcia discusses the demand for civil rights and the end to discrimination for Mexican- Americans. Garcia of the University of California at Santa Barbara, discusses the efforts of the rising middle class to create an organization. Its purpose is to enable Mexican American to win respect of the Anglo majority and smooth their assimilation into American life. In my opinion, the author wrote this essay to give the history of Mexican-Americans achievements over economic, social and political discrimination. An increase in the economic struggle began in the 1920’s, following World War I. The advancement of agricultural production and capitalism in south Texas, lead to many problems. Texas-born Mexican American ranchers and farmers, as well as sharecroppers found themselves unable to compete with agribusiness. Garcia says â€Å" In their place or alongside of them, came thousands of Mexican immigrants wage workers to pick the crops produced by the new mode of production. Garcia discusses many issues faced by Mexican Ameicans such as discrimination in public facilities. â€Å" Desiring to be intergrated as first-class citizens, Mexican Americans in LULAC, likw their middle class Afro-American counterparts in the NAACP, struggled against various forms of racial discrimination†¦. They did not want to be singled out for discrimination or patronization. All they aspired to was equal acces to the rights enjoyed by other Americans. Lulacers believes that Mexican Americans were entitled to first-class citizenship not only under the Constitution but also under guarantees of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), which ended the Mexican War...†. For example, in the 1940, LULAC protested in San Angelo over the efforts of a new movie threater to segregate Mexicans along with blacks in the balcony. They boycott the theater until segregation ended...

Abstruse and Obtuse

Abstruse and Obtuse Abstruse and Obtuse Abstruse and Obtuse By Maeve Maddox Some writers seem to be confusing obtuse with the word abstruse, as in these incorrect examples on the web: Believe it or not, the American public wasnt always in love with Alfred Hitchcock. Because his movies were often too intelligent or obtuse, he had more fans in the film elite than he did in the general public. Grizz tends to make Shakespeare-esque, outsider-looking-in type observations about the situations at hand, while Dot Com spouts highly intelligent, yet obtuse references that send you (or maybe just me) to Google. Having finally struggled through Ulysses, and yes it was a struggle, I had no patience at all for FINNEGANS WAKE, which is even more obtuse. Has anyone actually read it? All of it? I chide Brad DeLong all the time for making excuses for Greenspan’s thick, obtuse, obscurant speech. In each of these examples, the context calls for a word that means difficult to understand. That word is abstruse: The mistake of using abstruse where obtuse is intended seems to be less common, but it happens: It is really abstruse to find Avatar not grabbing anything from the Oscars. It was altogether a new theme with a lot of innovations This movie fan seems to be reaching for obtuse, a word that means lacking in perception, stupid. Bottom line: Barely comprehensible language is abstruse. Stupid people are obtuse. Note: Obtuse derives from Latin obtusus, blunted, dull. An obtuse angle is blunt, as opposed to being sharp. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, Whetherâ€Å"As Well As† Does Not Mean â€Å"And†How Do You Determine Whether to Use Who or Whom?

Virginia During the Civil War

Virginia During the Civil War The Confederate States of America (CSA) was founded in February 1861. The actual Civil War began on April 12, 1861. Just five days later,  Virginia became the eighth state to secede from the Union.   The decision to secede was anything but unanimous and resulted in the formation of West Virginia on November 26, 1861. This new border state did not secede from the Union.  West Virginia is the sole state that was formed by seceding from a Confederate state. Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution provides that a new state cannot be formed within a state without that state’s consent. However, with Virginias secession this was not enforced. Virginia had the largest population in the South and its  storied history played an enormous role in the founding of the U.S. It was the  birthplace and home of Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  In May 1861, Richmond, Virginia became the capital city of the CSA because it had the natural resources that Confederate government so badly needed to effectively wage a war against the Union.  Although the city of Richmond is situated only a mere 100 miles from the U.S. capital in Washington, D.C., it  was a large industrial city. Richmond was also the home to Tredegar Iron Works, one of the largest foundries in U.S. prior to the onset of the Civil War.  During the war, Tredegar produced over 1000 canons for the Confederacy as well as armor plating for warships.  In addition to this, Richmond’s industry produced a number of different war materials such as ammunition, guns and swords as well as supplied uniforms, tents and leather goods to the Confederat e Army. Battles in Virginia The majority of the battles in the Civil War’s Eastern Theater took place in Virginia, mainly due to the need to protect Richmond from being captured by Union forces. These battles include the Battle of Bull Run, which is also known as the First Manassas. This  was the first major battle of the Civil War fought on July 21, 1861 and also a major Confederate victory. On August 28, 1862, the Second Battle of Bull Run began. It lasted for three days with over a combined 100,000 soldiers on the battlefield.   This battle also ended with a Confederate victory. Hampton Roads, Virginia was also the site of the first naval battle between ironclad warships. The USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia fought to a draw in March 1862.  Other major land battles that occurred in Virginia include Shenandoah Valley, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. On April 3, 1865, the Confederate forces and government evacuated their capital at Richmond and troops were ordered to burn all of the industrial warehouses and businesses that would be of any value to Union forces. Tredegar Irons Works was one of a few businesses that survived the burning of Richmond, because its  owner had it protected through the use of armed guards.  The advancing Union Army began to quickly extinguish the fires, saving most of the residential areas from destruction. The business district didn’t fare as well with some estimating at least twenty-five percent of the businesses suffering a total loss.  Unlike General Sherman’s destruction of the South during his March to the Sea,  it was the Confederates themselves who destroyed the city of Richmond. On April 9, 1865, the Battle of Appomattox Court House proved to be the last significant battle of the Civil Was as well as the final battle for General Robert E. Lee. He would officially surrender there to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on  April 12, 1865.   The war in Virginia was finally over.

The Power of Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Power of Brand - Essay Example Today, a brand is made out of not one, but a host of cultural ideas. Branding as a strategy involves a multitude of elements such as symbols, words and images; experiences and feelings, patterns of belonging, allegiance and identity; values, belief systems and knowledge; and many, many, many more. (Grant, 2006, p. 90) This study concerns the power of international brands of consumer goods to foster consumer loyalty to the brand. The dissertation proposes to explore the phenomenon of brand communities of international brands in local society, to describe and document how these brand communities distinguish themselves from one another in terms of their common viewpoints, attitudes towards their product brand, their rituals and traditions. It shall thereafter be verified whether this same set of values, representations, behaviour patterns and rituals are replicated in similar brand communities in other parts of the world. In particular, the study shall focus on the existence of brand communities as an element of the market strategy that seeks to foster what may be almost described as a â€Å"cult following† – a phenomenon more persistent than a fad and which has every indication of a subculture that goes beyond merely repeatedly purchasing the product. The study shall examine those brands for which the phenomenon has entrenched itself, such as the following suggested brands: One may argue that â€Å"Harry Potter† or â€Å"Star Wars† may be classified as â€Å"brands† for the purpose of this study, despite both being concoctions of literature and cinema. It cannot be denied that what was one book and one movie have spawned not only into a series of books and movies (commercially successful, one might add), but also several other product lines that have proved profitably franchises because they carried the names â€Å"Harry Potter† and â€Å"Star Wars†. In this manner, it may be said that â€Å"Harry Potter† and â€Å"Star Wars† have evolved into

Philosophy in business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy in business Ethics - Essay Example Some employees are sent away while others are hired at the expense of the existing ones. As per the FCC regulations, these mergers will allow a greater share in the overall print and media industry while at the same time increasing the geographic control within the market. This would further exacerbate the issues that would be a cause of concern for the employees and the BSSl. These mergers and acquisitions allow the companies to gain large shares of the market and become tiny monopolies in their right effectively reducing the competitors’ value in the market to almost non-existent. There are already media giants operating within the media market who are supporting these recommended changes as these mergers have allowed them the position that they have secured in the market today. They effectively control the media and television industry. The ethical and legal implications that can arise from the above situation is the existence of unfair competition, pressure on smaller sized companies to merge with larger ones in order to survive, the monopolization of geographical region which in itself goes against the practice of fair trade and practice and the smaller companies are hence not able to get the important stories due to the lack of resource availability in contrast to the larger companies. For BSSL, the legal ramifications would be huge as it would mean trying to compete with companies which have access to more resources, greater networking and better connections in order to secure important stories, interviews etc. these mergers and acquisitions have made it virtually difficult for BSSL to compete on the same grounds and though the media industry has never been about â€Å"perfect competition†, yet granting 45 percent of the market control to a few giants effectively makes things quite difficult for BSSL. The employees of

Environmental Health and Safety Studies Questions Essay

Environmental Health and Safety Studies Questions - Essay Example Indirect costs that relate to workplace accidents and injuries include the damage to the tools and equipment used by the worker, the loss of time and the cost of hiring and training other new employees that would be a replacement for the injured employee on either temporary or permanent basis. Other costs include the possibility of rise of insurance premiums as a result of the accident. The indirect costs may sometimes rise to as much as 3 to 4 times that of direct costs. This, however, depends on the type of accident that occurred. It is impossible to be accurate in determination of actual costs given the uniqueness of each injury type. The type of occupation will help determine the likelihood of a risk occurring, as some occupations expose the workers to much more risk than others. All the same, all jobs expose the employees to risk to certain degrees regardless of one’s occupation. Employers who employ workers in jobs which expose them to high risk would likely incur much more cost than those who involve in jobs with little risk. In addition, organizations having safety programs have low incidents of accidents, increased productivity and higher worker moral and motivation. Other costs include legal fees in cases where employees sue the company, cost of implementation of accident reduction standards and the cost of conducting investigations. Lastly, since safety training may be instituted following accidents, operations are slowed and therefore profits are reduced. When an employee violates safety rules for the first time, they are summoned and a discussion is held with them over the matter. They are instructed over the proper procedures and the particular hazards that they control. The instance is kept as a notification in the file of the supervisor. The advance of technology is likely to completely change the profession of occupational health and

Social psych Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social psych - Essay Example In this study, the participants were presented with stimuli such as exposure to positive Black situations and negative White situations. The participants’ perceptions were then assessed before the stimuli and a day after the presentation. The results of the experiment that participants who were subjected to â€Å"positive Black and negative white† situations had lesser level of prejudice but their â€Å"explicit racial prejudice† remained the same. President Obama can be regarded as positive African American example, and his electoral win could effect change on attitudes toward African Americans. This is the presumption and has to be proven through a review of the literature and of past experiments by researchers. But the literature cited in Bernstein et al (2010) also cited that stereotypes and prejudices do not succumb to change so easily (Fiske & Neuberg, 1990 cited in Bernstein et al, 2010), which could lead to the conclusion that Obama’s electoral vic tory may not change people’s perception after all. Or, there could be varied perceptions and attitude change as a result of the election. But the authors also cited that there could be positive attitude change with Obama’s electoral victory. 3. General methodology Bernstein and associates (2010) conducted a research study on 40 undergraduates of psychology, performed on two sessions to represent the pre-election and post-election periods. It was therefore divided into Time 1 and Time 2, to design two attitudes for explicit and implicit. The first period was completed during the seven days before election. The participants were made to complete a test known as â€Å"Attitudes Towards Black† (Brigham, 1993 cited in Bernstein et al, 2010). The scale was marked on 1-7, and statements were addressed on perceptions of prejudice or equality towards Black people. Example: â€Å"Black and white people are created equal.† Following this, participants were also made to complete the â€Å"Implicit Association Task†, which is about evaluations on social categories. The participants were also evaluated using the â€Å"Implicit Racial Bias† test. 4. Basic results The results were analysed by determining the implicit prejudice, which was done by subtracting â€Å"the average response latency on compatible trials from the incompatible trials† (Bernstein et al. 2010). The IAT result stated that if there was a big different in the score, called the IAT effect, the participants had greater bias towards Whites as against Blacks. This was compared with the results after the election in which a t-test sample was obtained on the IAT result. It was found that the IAT effect was smaller after the election; meaning the IAT effect was reduced after Obama’s electoral victory. The stats revealed that the mean and standard deviation are M = 330.35, SD = 219.93, after the election, compared to M = 494.70, SD = 307.95, before the electio n. 5. Major conclusions One of the striking results of the study by Bernstein et al (2010) is that implicit associations changed while the explicit prejudice changed, after the election in which Obama had a commanding victory. President Obama’s victory changed the perceptions of the general population towards African Americans. President Obama’

Employee Motivational Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Employee Motivational Strategies - Essay Example Add that to the fact that sometimes, employees think that the compensation that they receive on a monthly basis (or maybe even more frequently, depending on the agreement between the employee and the employer) is just enough or maybe even not enough for their daily needs. Most companies have perceived this problem, realizing that manpower or more specifically the employees themselves are their most important resource. Employers also have realized that like any other resource, manpower should be continually replenished or renewed in terms of loyalty, trust and overall satisfaction from the work they are currently employed in. The concept of employee motivation comes into mind, wherein the company adapts certain policies that will motivate their employees so that they will remain not only financially satisfied but also emotionally, physically and mentally contented. The introduction of fun in the workplace is a welcome idea, and many companies are jumping on this idea for the improveme nt of their employees. Employee motivation techniques are now most often done in many forms in modern workplaces and usually revolve around the concept of rewarding satisfactory effort with the appropriate reward or set of rewards that are given either immediately or at a designated time depending on certain situations. Employee motivation is a new keyword today that states that employees have the need to be motivated and satisfied in order to maintain their level of work and positive attitudes towards the company. This topic is very significant and very much applicable in today's high-stress work environment, as it sees that employees as a very important resource that needs to be nurtured and developed. The relationship between the employer and their employees are also discussed as well as their parts in the creation of solutions pertaining to employee motivation and satisfaction. There are several theories and methods of employee motivation discussed herein, as well as recommendations on how to implement employee motivation methods and improvement of the said system if it is already implemented in the workplace. Employer and employee relationships A very fine line exists between the employer(s) and the employee. One thing for certain is that the employer is the employee's superior and the employee must comply with the work that his or her employer demands. With this, it can be thought of that the employee is bound to the service of his or her employer within the contract that they have agreed between themselves. This is not unlike the relationship between master and slave of yesteryears, in which the slave is not just bound to its master's service but also treated as that person's property. Times have changed and so do employee rights. Treating employees like slaves would not do an employer any good, and this has been shown with the creation of employee rights and privileges laid down upon each country's constitution. One of the basic tenets of this is the provision of salaries to the employee by their employer according to the existing minimum wage rates. Other benefits such as health benefits, bonuses and other financial an d non-financial perks may or may not be given again depending on the agreement set upon between the emplo

Social psych Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social psych - Essay Example In this study, the participants were presented with stimuli such as exposure to positive Black situations and negative White situations. The participants’ perceptions were then assessed before the stimuli and a day after the presentation. The results of the experiment that participants who were subjected to â€Å"positive Black and negative white† situations had lesser level of prejudice but their â€Å"explicit racial prejudice† remained the same. President Obama can be regarded as positive African American example, and his electoral win could effect change on attitudes toward African Americans. This is the presumption and has to be proven through a review of the literature and of past experiments by researchers. But the literature cited in Bernstein et al (2010) also cited that stereotypes and prejudices do not succumb to change so easily (Fiske & Neuberg, 1990 cited in Bernstein et al, 2010), which could lead to the conclusion that Obama’s electoral vic tory may not change people’s perception after all. Or, there could be varied perceptions and attitude change as a result of the election. But the authors also cited that there could be positive attitude change with Obama’s electoral victory. 3. General methodology Bernstein and associates (2010) conducted a research study on 40 undergraduates of psychology, performed on two sessions to represent the pre-election and post-election periods. It was therefore divided into Time 1 and Time 2, to design two attitudes for explicit and implicit. The first period was completed during the seven days before election. The participants were made to complete a test known as â€Å"Attitudes Towards Black† (Brigham, 1993 cited in Bernstein et al, 2010). The scale was marked on 1-7, and statements were addressed on perceptions of prejudice or equality towards Black people. Example: â€Å"Black and white people are created equal.† Following this, participants were also made to complete the â€Å"Implicit Association Task†, which is about evaluations on social categories. The participants were also evaluated using the â€Å"Implicit Racial Bias† test. 4. Basic results The results were analysed by determining the implicit prejudice, which was done by subtracting â€Å"the average response latency on compatible trials from the incompatible trials† (Bernstein et al. 2010). The IAT result stated that if there was a big different in the score, called the IAT effect, the participants had greater bias towards Whites as against Blacks. This was compared with the results after the election in which a t-test sample was obtained on the IAT result. It was found that the IAT effect was smaller after the election; meaning the IAT effect was reduced after Obama’s electoral victory. The stats revealed that the mean and standard deviation are M = 330.35, SD = 219.93, after the election, compared to M = 494.70, SD = 307.95, before the electio n. 5. Major conclusions One of the striking results of the study by Bernstein et al (2010) is that implicit associations changed while the explicit prejudice changed, after the election in which Obama had a commanding victory. President Obama’s victory changed the perceptions of the general population towards African Americans. President Obama’

Inroduction to property law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Inroduction to property law - Essay Example legal right to the property could have been rightfully established, however in the absence of this legal claim, his rights must be established through proprietary estoppel. The commonly accepted definition of proprietary estoppel is as provided by Oliver J in the case of Taylors Fashions Ltd v Liverpool Victoria Trustees Co Ltd2 is that proprietary estoppel may be established in this cases where â€Å"it would be unconscionable for a party to be permitted to deny that, which, knowingly or unknowingly, he has allowed or encouraged another to assume to his detriment.† Therefore, in applying this to the case of Derek, it may be possible to establish that it would be unconscionable for Pam as the legal title holder, to now sell the house and ask Derek to move into an old people’s home to his detriment, when the house was supposed to be a home for all of them, and Derek has been making mortgage payments all the while on the basis of this assumption. Moreover, at the time of purchase of the house, the main objective was not only to provide a home for them but also to enable Derek to be able to take in lodgers so that he could be provided with an income in his old age, which is also the reason why Derek has assumed the primary financial burden in making mortgage payments on the house. Hence, it would be unconscionable to now expect him to vacate the house and move into an old age home. The objective of proprietary estoppel is to establish interest and proprietary interest in providing a remedy in the event of a property transfer where legal formalities fall just short of what is required3. Proprietary estoppel was invoked in the case of Yaxley and Gotts v Another4 in providing just such a remedy. The issue in this case was the dispute over whether an oral contract did indeed exist between the parties and whether this could provide justification for the issue of a remedy. However, as pointed out by Justice Robert Walker in his judgment, proprietary estoppel was

The End of Art Essay Example for Free

The End of Art Essay The end of art is not the death of art, but the wholesale elimination of what used to be considered art and its replacement by a new concept: pluralism. When art has exhausted itself and this concept has been brought into the forefront of the consciousness, this awareness signals the end of art. Art is no longer art in the traditional sense (having a manifesto-aesthetically pleasing, etc. ) because the accessibility to art and to create art has allowed the masses to be exposed to it and to manipulate it. As Danto says any â€Å"art† made after Andy Warhol in the 1960s is not attached to any manifesto, and the art that is produced after the end of art is consider pluralism and cultural artifacts. A shift from the artwork itself evoking an emotional response is no longer relevant. The criterion for which art must stand up to be is gone. Simply, essentially philosophy becomes more important than the art itself. As shown by Hegel, â€Å"We have gone beyond just the emotional response to art, our ideas about the art, our judgments about the art is not for creating art again, but understanding the philosophy behind it. As with Modernism which pushed art to its limit, â€Å"The age of Manifestos is what it took to be philosophy into the heart of artistic production†¦discovery of that philosophical truth† (Danto, 30). An example of common manifesto of the college dorm room: The lava lamp, the Salvador Dali poster, the futon, the psychedelic trinkets overall the place individually, but now it has combined separate manifestos into one manifesto together. What the artist has created become less about the physicality of it and about the philosophy and the idea behind it. He takes the idea that there are no more criterion to what makes â€Å"art† art, that anything can be art, and thus the term â€Å"art† becomes meaningless and needs a new term: pluralism. The freedom that anyone can create something and it may possibly be considered pluralism or a cultural artifact has democratized the whole process and eliminated the critics, the middlemen, in the process. The consumer and the creator are brought together, and the critic is left looking for work. What is considered art is determined by a group of individuals who are involved in the arts either academically, critically, an artist, buyers, sellers, etc. Danto believes that art critics decide what is considered art and then art is assigned a worth. I disagree with Danto. The art critic is obsolete because if anything can be â€Å"art† then there is no real authority on what is art (pluralism) in the post historical phase? What self-respecting art critic would stake his or her reputation on say, beanie babies? But people pay thousands of dollars for something that in an earlier age could only be described as art. It is not that people will not make art, but that â€Å"pluralism† cannot be held up against the traditional criteria of the past historical art, as shown, â€Å"Not that art died or that painters stopped painting, but that the history of art, structured narratively, had come to an end† (Danto, 125). The modernism movement in which art shifted from being about making interpretations of the world to a search for internal meaning. â€Å"Artists were no longer concerned to imitate reality, but to give objective expression to the feelings reality elicited in them† (Danto, 65). Hegel’s idea that art had ended was not accepted widely during his time because much more artwork and the furthering of art would continue for some time. The imitation of reality through painting was mastered when we shifted from the mimesis paradigm in which painting reality as accurately as possible was the goal. The camera was the nail in the coffin. (Danto, 25) Realism was out a job. So what do you do when you don’t have a job? Become a philosopher! Modernism reflects the only thing that taking a brush loaded with paint to a canvas had left to do: make a closing statement. Danto’s claim is fitting because there has not been anything new presented in the ‘artworld’, since Warhol’s paintings, but what about technology. Graphic design was innovative, but is it pluralism or technology? Does technology further pluralism or destroy it? What does Danto mean by the master narrative of history, and how does this explain the end of art? The end of a certain narrative of art and of history as discussed by Danto from the 1400s up until the 1960s had â€Å"progressing innovative development, in which it is only possible when art is preserved, to which the artists can compare their own representations and transform his or her on work beyond the art of their predecessors† (Danto, 66). The imitation of life and reality, in painting, was essential to the furthering of the discipline. The categorical story of painting’s progression, and therefore art’s progression, from classical to medieval to romanticism to renaissance to impressionism, and so on exposed in each period (which is only possible because of history) a new innovation, a new way of representing reality and non-realities. With paintings on the caves to the two dimensional arts to the advent of the camera/photograph which culminated the west’s goal to attain perfection or at least represent reality as closely to the actual object of which it was representing. The master narrative which can only be recognized and understood after enough time has passed is Danto’s idea (Hegel) that the story of Western art and the characteristics of that story include aesthetics, beauty, skill and a certain meaning or statement (manifesto) behind it are rendered meaningless. As Danto describes, â€Å"the master narrative of the history of artin the West but by the end not in the West aloneis that there is an era of imitation, followed by an era of ideology, followed by our post-historical era in which, with qualification, anything goes. . . In our narrative, at first only mimesis was art, then several things were art but each tried to extinguish its competitors, and then, finally, it became apparent that there were no stylistic or philosophical constraints. There is no special way works of art have to be. And that is the present and, I should say, the final moment in the master narrative. It is the end of the story(Danto, 47). This story that Danto says has come to an conclusion. The narrative that art should be beautiful or have a struggle or have a certain technique to it no longer applies. Modern art has culminated in its conclusion. This challenged our ideas of painting, instead of painting objects or the external world to painting a surface or idea, â€Å"They were thinking of Robert Ryman’s more or less all-white paintings, or perhaps the aggressive monotonous stripe paintings of the French artist Daniel Buren (Danto, 4). This shows that art (painting) had become completely exhausted externally and all that was left to discover was the internal. The shift in the master narrative for art from realism to abstract (ideas) was essentially depicting the external world to the internal world of the self (or artist). It became about how the artist’s ideas, about emotions and other realities. The master narrative of art has lost its capacity to continue to further art’s progression, it is like the scriptures of the bible, where it is detached and ironic from current times and the individual. What once existed only for the select few is now an egalitarian experiment, thus so no one save the authoritarian longing for the days when he could tyrannically rule over the masses should mourn the end of art. The view that only the select few, the artists, the critics, the buyers, the sellers have reign over the realm of the culturally significant and beautiful ended. 3. How does the development of pop art and music reflect the answers given in previous questions? According to Danto, Pop-art brought about the end of art. Essentially by taking a common object (artifact) or sound or concept that is familiar or well known to people and putting it in a different circumstance thus making it foreign or unfamiliar. Art (pluralism) is stuck in the cyclical loop that just keeps manipulating the familiar making it unfamiliar thus making familiar again. Danto believes that all that is left are the philosophical ideas. This goes back to the idea. The idea is what motivates the art. As with Josef Albers picture, â€Å"Study in Green†, was a new idea at the time, however anybody can do that now. Once something new has been created then it is done and if another creates a similar piece it will not be original art and it will be considered ‘esque’ of the original artist. With the advent of pop art which turns ordinary objects into art, than all things become art rendering the term â€Å"art† meaningless as a term for defining. Warhol said everything can be art; therefore there is beauty in everything. â€Å"The great traditional paradigm of the visual arts had been, in fact, that of mimesis, which served the theoretical purposes of art admirably for several centuries†¦to extirpate competing paradigms (Danto, 29). It was believed that modernism would continue to carry art further. This was not the case. Roy Lichtenstein’s famous comic-book style paintings were not just brute copies, but much detail and intention went into his paintings, however this is the end. One cannot tell the difference between the actual object and the art that it is representing, in which reality and art imploded in on each other. Once Pop-art hit into mainstream through consumerism and once again the idea of taking a popular object and making it unfamiliar. Andy Warhol broke down elitism of high art/low art dichotomy and made it accessible to all. This allowed for more creativity with applying ideas to different mediums. Danto’s idea that we are currently in a state of a cyclical familiarity-unfamiliarity can be shown often times in individual musicians/artists progression, such as Bjork. The progression of Bjork’s pop music in early recordings to currently, with combinations of genres and possibly unclassified types of composition, in which she fuses two or more mechanical instruments together with technology like micro-controllers and turns it into music. However this does not mean that it is unintentional or lacking complex structure. As shown with early electronic music, such as, Xenakis’s â€Å"Chrome† in which he recorded the crackling of a fire in a fireplace, and he was the first to do it. He took something that is common and made it uncommon. Also, it was considered new music because there is no reference point. Unlike music of today where almost everything is piggy-backed on something else it can leave a feeling that music is homogenous. With the term of â€Å"selling-out† it does not just relate to selling to advertisers, or changing the essence of the music, but even getting popular is considered a form of selling out, for one to be artistic one must stay in obscurity. I believe there still is underground music because as long as there is radio and the big wigs determine who is important/big, there will be big acts and small acts. However, it does not seem likely this will last regardless of how many downloaders are sued. We are currently in a story-less moment in history. There are no definitive criteria, no manifesto, and no parameters. We are in an exciting time where anything can be art (pluralism) and anyone can be an artist. We make look back at this time and it will be labeled post-historical, but for now we are in a time of great change in art and thus so in society.

Building Management System to Save Energy

Building Management System to Save Energy 1. Introduction of BMS Building Management System (BMS) is to control and monitor building services systems in an efficient way by centralizing the control of individual systems ( 1.1). The systems include HVAC, Fire Services Lift, Escalator, Lighting, Electrical Distribution, Steam Hot Water, and Plumbing Drainage. The main function of BMS is centralized control monitoring and fault management. So it has another name call Central Control and Monitoring System (CCMS). The other functions are enhance interface connectivity between systems, service response to customer, operator control of systems and graphical display to make the control of system more users friendly. Improve energy efficiency and operational efficiency. Allow capacity for future upgrades expansions and automation. And related system Building Automation System (BAS) will be use on BMS. 2. Basic BMS Design 3-Levels BMS Architecture ( 2.1): l Management Level User can configure and monitor plant performance. Anticipate future trends, improve efficiency, and analyze management report. l Automation / Controller Level The location with greatest technical control requirement, and differentiate one from others. Controllers automatically perform their tasks from I/P and to O/P. Controllers can communicate with each other (Peer-to-Peer). Event based operation. The devices can function at the highest efficiency and no repetitive information is transmitted. Controllers only react with the Management Level when plant goes out of limits, and adjustments are made through a user interface. l Field / Floor Level Information is gathered through sensors and other intelligent devices. The information will be sent back to the controllers. Third party equipment is integrated into the Automation and Field levels with control at the Management level. Centralized Architecture: Centrally controlled system ( 2.5) A control system in which transmission is to a central computer and the reliance of all controls on a central computer. Distributed Architecture: Distributed control ( 2.6) A control system in which control computations and intelligence are made at different locations and the result coordinated. System Architecture: The constraints of BMS are network expansion, the limited variety of topologies and transmission media. The solutions are mixing of communication media (twisted pair, power line, radio, infra-red, fibre optics, coaxial). Complete implementation of OSI model. Using free topology, user-friendly software and development cost. System Topology Topology affects system redundancy, communication protocol and system response time. The common system topologies such as: Bus, Star, Tree, Ring and Mesh. Bus Topology ( 2.7) All devices are connected to a central cable, call the bus or backbone. The advantage is much less cabling requirements. The brands using include Ethernet, Profitbus, ControlNet, LonWorks. Star Topology ( 2.8) All devices are conned to a central hub. Star networks are relatively easy to install and manage, but bottlenecks can occur because all data must pass through the hub. Cable fault affects one device only. But communication hub fault affects all devices. The brands using include Ethernet, Profitbus, ControlNet, LonWorks. Tree Topology ( 2.9) The topology combines characteristics of linear bus and star topologies. It consists of groups of star-configured workstations connected to a linear bus backbone cable. Tree topologies allow for the expansion of an existing network, and enable schools to configure a network to meet their needs. Device at the highest point in the hierarchy controls the network. The brands using include Ethernet, Profitbus, ControlNet, LonWorks. Ring Topology ( 2.10) All devices are connected to one another in the shape of a closed loop, so that each device is connected directly to two other devices, one on either side of it. Same as bus network with both edges connect. The brands using include Token Ring, FDDI, Profitbus. Mesh Topology (Fig 2.11) Network topology which combines more than one basic topology such as bus, ring, or star. Good for redundancy. It will use lots of cable to connect every device with every device. Considerations in Topology Layout for automating building with vast amount of points require well-designed network segmentation, in order to achieve a good performance infrastructure. Well designed structured network by using repeaters, bridges or even better using routers to improve network reliability and simplify network troubleshooting. Some reasons why segmenting a network is important: Isolation of individual network segments in order to limit the propagation of a single fault to one segment and prevent this single fault from spreading out over the entire network. Different nodes demand different communication media and different network speeds but they all need to communicate with each other, which requires and interconnection between the different networking media. Increase the number of possible nodes in a single network and increase the number of possible nodes in a single network. Keep local traffic within one segment in order to avoid network traffic overload conditions which will make service like HVAC, lighting malfunction. BMS Configurations There are three types configurations using in BMS: 1. Conventional configuration Server workstations daisy chained with DDCs (usually using RS-485). Typical RS-485 Controller Level network ( 2.14) relatively low bandwidth (around 9600 bps). The limited nodes around 100, and the distance is lower than 1200m. Only for data transmission. Controller Level Network 2. Ethernet-Based configuration Use Ethernet as transmission media. Servers, Workstations and DDCs on the same Ethernet platform. Typical Ethernet-Based Network ( 2.15) with high bandwidth (typical 1Gbps backbone). Use IP Technology means open platform for various applications. Virtually no distance limitation. Always use for data, voice video systems. Ethernet-Based Network 3. Hybrid configuration ( 2.16) Non-hierarchy architecture with combination of different independent networks and interfaces. Various network topologies. Hybrid Configuration Networking Protocol Protocol ( 2.17) is a set of rules, which allows computer/controllers/devices to communicate from one to another. Proprietary Protocols developed by systems or computer manufacture to communicate to their OWN hardware and software over a recommended network. Open Protocols opening up protocols means disclosing procedures, structures, and codes and allowing other system developers to write interfaces and share data on their network. Acceptance of an open protocol depends on its quality, features, and services provided. 2.17 Protocol The OSI Seven Layer Model ( 2.18) Each layer has a defined set of functions. The model provides a useful common reference to communicate protocol. Most communication protocols including those used in our field today use either all or some of the seven layers of the OSI model. 1. Network-capable Applications produce DATA. 2. Each protocol layer adds a header to the data it receives from the layer above it. This is called encapsulation. Encapsulated data is transmitted in Protocol Data Units (PDUs). There are Presentation PDUs, Session PDUs, Transport PDUs etc. 3. PDUs are passed down through the stack of layers (called the stack for short) until they can be transmitted over the Physical layer. 4. Any layer on one machine speaks the same language as the same layer on any other machine, and therefore can communicate via the Physical layer. 5. Data passed upwards is unencapsulated before being passed farther up. 6. All information is passed down through all layers until it reaches the Physical layer. 7. The Physical layer chops up the PDUs and transmits the PDUs over the wire. The Physical layer provides the real physical connectivity between machines over which all communication occurs. 2.18 OSI Seven Layer Model The Physical layer provides for physical connectivity between networked devices. Transmission and receipt of data from the physical medium is managed at this layer. The Physical layer receives data from the Data Link Layer, and transmits it to the wire. The Physical layer controls frequency, amplitude, phase and modulation of the signal used for transmitting data, and performs demodulation and decoding upon receipt. Note that for two devices to communicate, they must be connected to the same type of physical medium (wiring). Ether to Ether, FDDI to FDDI etc. Two end stations using different protocols can only communicate through a multi-protocol bridge or a router. The physical layer is responsible for two jobs: 1. Communication with the Data link layer. 2. Transmission and receipt of data. The Datalink Layer is the second layer of the OSI model. The datalink layer performs various functions depending upon the hardware protocol used, but has four primary functions: 1. COMMUNICATION with the Network layer above. 2. SEGMENTATION of upper layer datagrams (also called packets) into frames in sizes that can be handled by the communications hardware. 3. BIT ORDERING. Organizing the pattern of data bits before transmission (packet formatting) 4. COMMUNICATION with the Physical layer below. This layer provides reliable transit of data across a physical link. The datalink layer is concerned with physical addressing, network topology, physical link management, error notification, ordered delivery of frames, and flow control. Network Layer establishes and terminates connections between the originator and recipient of information over the network. Assign unique addresses to each node on the network. The addresses identify the beginning and end of the data transmission packets. Outbound data is passed down from the Transport layer, is encapsulated in the Network layers protocol and then sent to the Datalink layer for segmentation and transmission. Inbound data is de-fragmented in the correct order, the IP headers are removed and then the assembled datagram is passed to the Transport layer. The Network layer is concerned with the following primary functions: 1. Communication with the Transport layer above. 2. Management of connectivity and routing between hosts or networks. 3. Communication with the Datalink layer below. Transport Layer maintain reliability on the network and enhances data integrity by delivering error-free data in the proper sequence. It may use a variety of techniques such as a Cyclic Redundancy Check, windowing and acknowledgements. If data is lost or damaged it is the Transport layers responsibility to recover from that error. Functions: 1. Communicate with the Session layer above. 2. Detect errors and lost data, retransmit data, reassemble datagrams into datastreams 3. Communicate with the Network layer below. The session layer tracks connections, also called sessions. For example: keep track of multiple file downloads requested by a particular FTP application, or multiple telnet connections from a single terminal client, or web page retrievals from a Web server. In the World of TCP/IP this is handled by application software addressing a connection to a remote machine and using a different local port number for each connection. The session performs the following functions: 1. Communication with the Presentation layer above. 2. Organize and manage one or more connections per application, between hosts. 3. Communication with the Transport layer below. The Presentation layer handles the conversion of data formats so that machines can present data created on other systems. For example: handle the conversion of data in JPG/JPEG format to Sun Raster format so that a Sun machine can display a JPG/JPEG image. The Presentation layer performs the following functions: 1. Communication with the Application layer above. 2. Translation of standard data formats to formats understood by the local machine. 3. Communication with the Session layer below. The application layer is the application in use by the user. For example: a web browser, an FTP, IRC, Telnet client other TCP/IP based application like the network version of Doom, Quake, or Unreal. The Application layer provides the user interface, and is responsible for displaying data and images to the user in a recognizable format. The application layers job is to organize and display data in a human compatible format, and to interface with the Presentation layer. Message Frame Format Fig 2.19 Message Frame Format Master-Slave Protocol (2.20) The control station is called master device. Only master device can control the communication. It may transmit messages without a remote request. No slave device can communicate directly with another slave device. 2.20 Master-Slave Protocol Peer-to-Peer Protocol (2.21) All workstations are loaded with the same peer-to-peer network operating system. Each workstation configured as service requester (client), service provide (server), or even BOTH. 2.21 Peer-to-Peer Protocol Client-Server Protocol (2.22) Client workstation are loaded with specialized client software. Server computers are loaded with specialized server software designed to be compatible with client software. 2.22 Client-Server Protocol The CSMA/CE Protocol is designed to provide fair access to the shared channel so that all stations get a chance to use the network. After every packet transmission all stations use the CSMA/CD protocol to determine which station gets to use the Ethernet channel next. CSMA/CD likes a dinner party in a dark room: Everyone around the table must listen for a period of quiet before speaking (Carrier Sense). Once a space occurs everyone has an equal chance to say something (Multiple Access). If two people start talking at the same instant they detect that fact, and quit speaking (Collision Detection). IEEE 802.3 standard covers CSMA/CD. Switched Ethernet nodes are connected to a switch using point-to-point connections, When a frame arrives at the switch, the control logic determines the transmit port. If the transmit port is busy, the received frame is stored in the queue which is a First-in First-out (FIFO) queue. The memory to store pending frames is obtained from a shared memory pool. In case the memory is full, the received frame is dropped. Networking Cables Copper wire pairs are the most basic of the data media. †¢ Two wire untwisted pair The insulated wire conductors run in parallel, often in a moulded, flat cable. Normally used over short distances or at low bit rates, due to problems with crosstalk and spurious noise pickup. Performance in multiple conductor cables is enhanced by dedicating every second cable as a ground (zero volt reference), and by the use of electrically banetworkced signals. 1. A single wire is used for the signal transmission/reception 2. A common reference level/point is existed between the transmitter and receiver 3. It is the simplest connection technique but it is sensitive to noise, interference, loss, and signal reflection 4. It is suitable for short distance and low data rate application (Normally less than 200Kb-meter/s) †¢ Twisted Pair The insulated conductors are twisted together, leading to better electrical performance and significantly higher bit rates than untwisted pairs. UTP is unshielded, like telephone cable, whilst STP is shielded and capable of higher bit rates. Systems using banetworkced signals obtain the highest bit rates. 1. Twisting or wrapping the two wires around each other reduces induction of outside interference 2. 1 to 5 twists per inch is quite typical †¢ Cheap and moderate bit rate applications 3. For a few km distance the bit rate can be up to 10Mb/s, and 100Mb/s can be achievable for short distance applications like 100m 2.23 Two wire untwisted pair and Twisted Pair Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP): †¢Composed of two of more pairs of wires twisted together †¢Not shielded †¢Signal protected by twisting of wires †¢Impedance of 100W †¢Recommended conductor size of 24 AWG 2.24 Unshielded Twisted Pair Cat5e: 100MHz ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.1 Cat6: 250MHz Cat7: 600MHz Undercarpet: †¢Susceptibility to damage †¢Limited flexibility for MACs (move, add and change) †¢Distance limit of 10m †¢Avoid in high traffic areas, heavy furniture locations, cross undercarpet power on top at 90 degrees 2.25 Cat3, Cat5e and Cat6 Cable Screened Twisted-Pair (ScTP): †¢Characteristic impedance of 100 W †¢Four pair 22-24 AWG solid conductors †¢Mylar/aluminum sheath around all conductors †¢Drain wire that must be grounded 2.26 Screened Twisted-Pair Shielded Twisted Pair (STP): †¢Composed of two pairs of wires †¢Metal braid or sheathing that reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) †¢Must be grounded †¢Characteristic impedance of 150 W †¢Conductor size is 22 AWG †¢Electrical performance is better than UTP (300MHz bandwidth) †¢More expensive †¢Harder to handle thick and heavy 2.27 Shielded Twisted Pair Coaxial Cable (Coax): Composed of insulated center conductor with braided shied. It provides high degree of protection against EMI. †¢Because the electrical field associated with conduction is entirely carried inside the cable; problems with signal radiation are minimized very little energy escapes, even at high frequency. †¢There is little noise pick up from external sources. Thus, higher bit rates can be used over longer distances than with twisted pairs 2.28 Coaxial Cable Series 6 (Video): †¢Characteristic impedance of 75 ohms †¢Mylar/aluminum sheath over the dielectric †¢Braided shield over the mylar †¢18 AGW solid-center conductor 2.29 Series 6 Series 11U (Video): †¢Characteristic impedance of 75ohms †¢Mylar/aluminum sheath over the dielectric †¢Braided shield over the mylar †¢14 AWG solid-center conductor or 18 AWG stranded-center conductor 2.30 Series 11U Series 8: †¢50 ohms characteristic impedance †¢Multiple mylar/aluminum sheath over the dielectric †¢Multiple braided shield over the mylar †¢11 AWG solid-center conductor 2.31 Series 8 Series 58 A/U: †¢50 ohms characteristic impedance †¢Mylar/aluminum sheath over the dielectric †¢Braided shield over the mylar †¢20 AWG solid-center conductor 2.32 Series 58 A/U Fibre Optics: Higher bandwidth and much lower signal loss than copper conductors. It used in the backbone or in horizontal runs of huge control network. †¢The data is carried as pulses of light from a laser or high-power LED. †¢Optical fibre is non-electrical, hence is completely immune from electrical radiation and interference problems. It has the highest bit rate of all media. †¢The fibre consists of an inner glass filament, contained inside a glass cladding of lower refractive index, with an outer protective coating. In a step index fibre, there is a sudden transition in refractive index. A graded index fibre has a gradual transition from high to low index, and much higher performance. †¢Most common fibres are multimode, where the inner fibre is larger than the wavelength of the light signal, allowing multiple paths to exist, and some dispersion to limit the obtainable bit rate. In single mode fibres, the inner fibre is very thin, and extremely high bit rates (several Gbps) can be achieved over long distances. 2.33 Fibre Optics Multimode Fibre: Composed of a 50 or 62.5 micron core and 125 micron cladding. It commonly used in horizontal and intrabuilding backbones. It has distance limitation of 2000m. Often uses a light-emitting diode (LED) light source. †¢The center core is much larger and allows more light to enter the fiber †¢Since there are many paths that a light ray may follow as it propagates down the fiber, large time dispersion may occur which results in short distance applications or bandwidth reduction †¢Because of the large central core, it is easy to couple light into and out of the this type of fiber †¢It is inexpensive and simple to manufacture †¢Typical value: 62.5/125 Multi-Mode Graded Index †¢It is characterized by a center core that has non-uniform refractive index †¢The refractive index is maximum at the center and decreases gradually towards the outer edge †¢The performance is a compromise between single-mode step index fiber and multi-mode step index fiber 2.34 Multi-Mode Fibre Singlemode Fibre: It composed of a 6 or 9 micron core and 125 micron cladding (say8/125 or 9/125). It used for distances up to 3000m. It uses a laser light source. †¢Small core diameter so that there is essentially only one path that light may Take care,as it propagates down the fiber †¢ There is minimum time dispersion because all rays propagating down the fiber with the same delay time and results in wider bandwidth (i.e. high bit rate) †¢ Because of the small central core, it is difficult to couple light into and out of the this type of fiber †¢ It is expensive and difficult to manufacture †¢ Typical value: 9/125 2.35 Singlemode Fibre 2.36 LAN Media Technology Analysis Open System The definition of open system is that system implements sufficient open standards for interfaces and services. It is supporting formats to enable properly engineered components to be utilized across a wide range of systems and to interoperate with other components. And that system in which products and services can be mixed and matched from set of suppliers; and supports free exchange of information/data between different systems without inserting gateways or proprietary tools. Some benefits from Interoperability: †¢Devices can be shared among different subsystems. †¢Reduce cost, shorten installation time, and reduce complexity as parts are being reduced. †¢Devices in different subsystems can interact with each other; therefore, new breed of applications can be created easily. †¢Owners can choose the best-of-breed products from different manufacture. †¢Elimination of gateway dependency, especially during system upgrade. †¢Allow move-add-change relatively easy, hence lower life-cycle costs. The characteristics of open system are well defined, widely used, preferably nonproprietary interfaces/protocols; Use of standards which are developed/adopted by recognized standards bodies or the commercial market place; and definition of all aspects of system interfaces to facilitate new or additional systems capabilities for a wide range of applications. The different between proprietary protocols and open protocols; For Proprietary protocols, most manufactures have their own proprietary protocols within their systems, so no communication between Systems unless a gateway is deployed. For open protocols, it allows systems of different manufacturers to communicate. Systems communicate with each other. 2.1 BMS Open System Modbus: A high-level protocol for industrial networks developed in 1979 by Modicon (now Schneider Automation Inc.) for use with its PLCs. It is providing services at layer 7 of the OSI model. Modbus defines a request/response message structure for a client/server environment. It is the most commonly available means of connecting industrial electronic devices. Several common types of Modbus: l Modbus RTU n A compact, binary representation of the data. l Modbus ASSII n Human readable more verbose. l Modbus/TCP n Very similar to Modbus RTU but is transmitted within TCP/IP data packets. 2.37 Modbus 2.2 BMS Open System ARCent: Attached Resource Computer NETwork (ARCnet) was founded by the Data point Corporation in late 1970s. ARCnet was one of the topologies used early on networking and is rarely used as the topology of choice in current LAN environments. ARCnet, however, still is a solid, functional and cost effective means of networking. Each device on an ARCnet network is assigned a node number. This number must be unique on each network and in the range of 1 to 255. ARCnet manages network access with a token passing bus mechanism. The token (permission to speak on the network) is passed from the lowest number node to higher number nodes in ascending order. Lower numbered addresses get the token before the higher numbered addresses. Network traffic is made more efficient by assigning sequential numbers to nodes using the same order in which they are cabled. Choosing random numbers can create a situation in which a node numbered 23 can be a whole building away from the next number, 46, but in the same ro om as numbers 112 and 142. The token has to travel in a haphazard manner that is less effective than if you numbered the three workstations in the same office sequentially, 46, 47, and 48, and the workstation in the other building 112. With this configuration, the packet stays within the office before venturing on to other stations. A maximum time limit of 31 microseconds is allotted for an ARCnet signal. This is also called a time-out setting. Signals on an ARCnet can travel up to 20,000 feet during the 31-microsecond default time-out period. You can sometimes extend the range of an ARCnet by increasing the time out value. However, 20,000 feet is the distance at which ARCnet signals begin to seriously degrade. Extending the network beyond that distance can result in unreliable or failed communication. Therefore, the time-out parameter and cabling distance recommendations should be increased only with great caution. An ARCnet network is used primarily with either coax or twisted pair cable. Most older ARCnet installations are coax and use RG-62 A/U type cable terminated with 93 Ohm terminators. Twisted pair (UTP) installations are newer and use stranded 24 or 26 gauge wire, or solid core 22, 24, or 26 gauge type cable terminated with 100-Ohm terminators. Many ARCnet networks use a mix of both coax and UTP cabling. UTP cable is simple to install and provides a reliable connection to the devices, whereas coax provides a means to span longer distances. Typical ARCnet installations are wired as a star. ARCnet can run off a linear bus topology using coax or twisted pair as long as the cards specifically support BUS. The most popular star-wired installations of ARCnet run off two types of hubs: 1. Passive hubs cannot amplify signals. Each hub has four connectors. Because of the characteristics of passive hubs, unused ports must be equipped with a terminator, a connector containing a resistor that matches the ARCnet cabling characteristics. A port on a passive hub can only connect to an active device (an active hub or an ARCnet device). Passive hubs can never be connecte