Various Perspectives and Opinions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Various Perspectives and Opinions - Essay Example Biometrics technology has been widely employed in governments and corporations worldwide for security, particularly since the terrorist attacks of 9 September, 2001. Travel documents have security features which use biometrics to identify and verify. Airports and government agencies alike have used these technologies to screen passengers so as to ensure security of all passengers and verify their passes. It has also been used in forensics by the police to verify signatures used when signing credit receipts. This technology has been extended to elections, where voters would be barred from voting more than once, a similar application as for those being verified to access welfare benefits (Cole, 2005). Biometrics technology systems have been largely accredited for assuring citizens of their security. With screening at airports and borders of various countries, only persons that do not pose a security threat would be travelling and get to a particular destination as required. Corporation s have also appreciated the importance of this technology in keeping data safe and allowing authorized access only. The citizens who have been susceptible to fraud would better appreciate the importance of fingerprint biometrics technology. ... The FBI later retracted the case and admitted that the results were erroneous despite having been confirmed by about five senior latent fingerprint officers. More so, Opinion Research Foundation (2002) found out in his research that adults were skeptical that information stored in biometrics systems would have been used in ways to threaten their privacy. Since the technology involves use of radiations, health practitioners have had reservations on the eventual implications on the health of the public. For instance, iris biometrics uses near infrared radiation which would be illuminated to the iris so as to obtain the right data. The fear has been that retinal scanning could damage tissues in the eye. This argument has persisted despite the assurance from technologists and radiologists that the radiation is too weak to cause considerable damage to body tissues. Contact sensors have also been widely viewed as being contaminated. Since these sensors would be used by various persons, the risk of contamination by various microbes could be probable. But most organizations regularly irradiate UV light on these sensors so as to sterilize them. There are technologists who have however argued the lack of sense in this argument as the same persons who raise these fears use door knobs and rails on a daily basis which present a similar risk. Workers also feel that these systems have inhibited their movement at work places as their employers monitor their movements in corporations where they have to log in and out of work areas using biometric systems. Albeit the public has its reservations on the use of biometrics technology, it has still been widely utilized with Opinion Research Foundation (2002) finding that 82% of adults in America have at least one ID

Japanese Fishing Industry Essay Example for Free

Japanese Fishing Industry Essay The fishing industry in Japan is considered to be one of the several primary industries along with other sectors such as agriculture and forestry. These sectors employed about one-third of the Japanese population and also provides food for millions of Japanese people. Japan has one of the largest numbers of fishing boats compared to other countries. Many people residing in villages that lie along the Japanese coast have fishing as their main occupation. The Japanese fishermen tend to fish in shallow sea waters. Most of the village fisherman own small boats and function independently. The coastal fishing occupation adopted by traditional Japanese fishermen tends to supply about a quarter of the fish required by the country. Offshore fishing provides more than 50% of the fish and deep-sea fishing provides about 25 to 30% of the fish required by the country. Large Japanese fishing corporations employ thousands of Japanese fishermen, use modern ships, and utilize sophisticated fishing techniques. These ships can hold more than 100 tons of fish, compared to 10 tons carried by local fishermen. Most of the fish caught by the Japanese fishermen and fishing corporations tend to be consumed by the local population. Besides deep sea fishing and costal fishing, the Japanese also harvest fish from fresh water (such as lakes and rivers) and also breed fishes in fish and shrimp farms. Fishing as an occupation was taken up by 1. 5% of the Japanese population. This figure declined to 0. 4% in 2000. Ever since the severe energy crisis in 1973, the deep-sea fishing industry in Japan has seriously suffered. In the 1980’s, the offshore fishing industry experienced a number of up and downs. The Japanese demand for imported fish has increased in recent years (it was 3. 1 million tons in 1999 and rose to over 5 million in 2002). The country is trying to meet a 10 million ton demand annually. 2. Describe the cultural significance of fish to the Japanese society. Fish forms a very important part of the Japanese cuisine. About 70 kgs of fish is being consumed by one Japanese individual in a year. Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish that contains fillings made of seafood. The fish meat may be raw, cooked, marinated or blanched. Vegetables, mushrooms, rice, eggs and even meat form an important part of the dish. Japanese restaurants that dispense Sushi through conveyor belts have become popular. Sushi is placed in a color-coded plate to suggest the rate. Sushi had been originally developed as a process of preserving seafood. There are more than ten to fifteen thousands restaurants in Tokyo that serve Sushi. Usually fresh fish is used to prepare Sushi, as it is consumed raw. The Japanese have also begun to domestic various varieties of fish especially the Koi for ornamental purposes. The tattoos and designs on the Koi fish are considered to be lucky in Japan. Traditional Japanese gardens contain ponds with a number of Koi fish in them. 3. Give statistics of amount of fish consumed, harvested. Over fishing? Fish is considered to be a staple diet of the Japanese, and a source of proteins. Fish has traditionally been a Japanese dish, and the UN-FAO considers that the Japanese consume about 30% of the World’s fish. In fact, the most fish consumed by any country in the world is Japan. The per capita consumption of fish per individual is about 70 kgs. Some of the fish commonly consumed by the Japanese include bright-red sea bream (kinmedai), swordfish, tuna, shark, sardines, mackerels, sperm whale, shell fish, squid, scallops, octopus, puffer fish, shrimp, etc. The Japanese fishing industry collect about 10 million metric tons of fish every year (1992). China catches about 17 million metric tons of fish every year, but that is because it is the most populated country in the World. In 1984, the catch of fish peaked at about 13 million metric tons, but dropped to half that number (6. 4 million metric tons) in 2000. In recent years, fish caught close to the Japanese coasts have been found to be contaminated with toxic substances. Besides, the catch of fish is also decreasing. The Japanese health ministry in fact has warned Japanese pregnant women to reduce consumption of fish. The Japanese feel that commercial whaling should be permitted due to these developments (commercial whaling has been banned since 1986). The demand of fish has decreased in Japan, and the rates have fallen by over 40%, because the people fear consuming fish. The Japanese consider survey demonstrating the quantity of mercury and other poisonous substances present in the fish. 4. Give examples of issue’s Japan has with it neighbors about fishing rights. The Japanese have several issues regarding rishing with their neighbors, such as China, Korea and Russia. The main problem lies in the fact that the Japanese consume about a third of the World’s fish harvested. The demand in the domestic market is so high that it has become a common practice to trespass upon the fishing territories of other countries. The Sea of Japan is considered to be an active fishing zone by Korea and Japan. The UN convention adopted a Sea Law in 1994, which provided an exclusive economic zone of 200-nautical miles to each country, and sovereignty over 12-nautical miles. The imaginary border lines in the sea between both the countries had been ignored, and hence triggered off serious fishing competition in the 1990’s. The natural fishing resources were so extensively exploited such that it could not be restored. The fishing agreement between the Japanese and the Koreans (1965) was being eliminated in 1998, after the UN developed its ‘Laws of the Sea’. International ties were being ruined between both the countries because they had destroyed the natural resources. The issue had to be urgently sorted out before the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Both countries agreed to follow the 135 degrees East longitude as the boundary. They also agreed to reduce the number of ships and the amount of fish caught in their neighbor’s exclusive zone.

Frankenstein as a Non-Epistolary Film Essay examples -- Epistolary Fra

Frankenstein as a Non-Epistolary Film A novel written in the epistolary style is by nature difficult to adapt to film. The director, perhaps already adept at navigating the ragged breakers of length-contraction and visual style, is forced to deal with the additional sandbar presented by a plot format in which no visual action occurs and, more often than not, this difficulty consequently runs the film aground. Kenneth Branagh, in bringing Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to the screen as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, succinctly sidesteps this potential pitfall by completely discarding the epistolary format; rather than existing as a lengthy letter penned to Mrs. Saville, the plot is presented as an overheard conversation between Victor and Walton. It is therefore surprising that the problem of epistemology, which is primarily motivated in the novel by its epistolary form, is still present in the film. Whereas Shelley's Frankenstein creates an aura of distrust regarding the veracity of the narratives originally offered through u se of the epistolary form, Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein illustrates the dilemma of epistemology quite differently; by presenting a flashback in which characters could not possibly possess knowledge of the events upon which they act, the viewer is left to wonder at the authenticity of the whole story as depicted in the film. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein addresses the problem of epistemology by creating within the reader a sense of mistrust regarding the narrative. Presented in the epistolary format, each of the successively burrowing narratives is likelier than the preceding to have been altered in some fashion by its myriad raconteurs. Writing to his sister, Mrs. Saville, Walton suggests to his siste... ...egarding the narratives in both texts, the audience concludes that the events did not occur as depicted, and that multiple characters are guilty of fabricating or altering parts of their accounts. Thus, both Shelley and Branagh utilize the problem of epistemology to reflexively opine about the truth of reality in general; using only characters that are not truthful and spin tales about themselves, Shelley and Branagh both suggest the subjective nature of reality. After all, they seem to suggest, what import does the truth carry anyway if nobody cares enough to tell it? Work Cited Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein. The Mary Shelley Reader. Ed. Betty T. Bennet & Charles E. Robinson. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. 11-72. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perfs. Kenneth Branagh, Robert De Niro. DVD. Columbia TriStar, 1994. Frankenstein as a Non-Epistolary Film Essay examples -- Epistolary Fra Frankenstein as a Non-Epistolary Film A novel written in the epistolary style is by nature difficult to adapt to film. The director, perhaps already adept at navigating the ragged breakers of length-contraction and visual style, is forced to deal with the additional sandbar presented by a plot format in which no visual action occurs and, more often than not, this difficulty consequently runs the film aground. Kenneth Branagh, in bringing Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to the screen as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, succinctly sidesteps this potential pitfall by completely discarding the epistolary format; rather than existing as a lengthy letter penned to Mrs. Saville, the plot is presented as an overheard conversation between Victor and Walton. It is therefore surprising that the problem of epistemology, which is primarily motivated in the novel by its epistolary form, is still present in the film. Whereas Shelley's Frankenstein creates an aura of distrust regarding the veracity of the narratives originally offered through u se of the epistolary form, Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein illustrates the dilemma of epistemology quite differently; by presenting a flashback in which characters could not possibly possess knowledge of the events upon which they act, the viewer is left to wonder at the authenticity of the whole story as depicted in the film. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein addresses the problem of epistemology by creating within the reader a sense of mistrust regarding the narrative. Presented in the epistolary format, each of the successively burrowing narratives is likelier than the preceding to have been altered in some fashion by its myriad raconteurs. Writing to his sister, Mrs. Saville, Walton suggests to his siste... ...egarding the narratives in both texts, the audience concludes that the events did not occur as depicted, and that multiple characters are guilty of fabricating or altering parts of their accounts. Thus, both Shelley and Branagh utilize the problem of epistemology to reflexively opine about the truth of reality in general; using only characters that are not truthful and spin tales about themselves, Shelley and Branagh both suggest the subjective nature of reality. After all, they seem to suggest, what import does the truth carry anyway if nobody cares enough to tell it? Work Cited Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein. The Mary Shelley Reader. Ed. Betty T. Bennet & Charles E. Robinson. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. 11-72. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. Perfs. Kenneth Branagh, Robert De Niro. DVD. Columbia TriStar, 1994.

Future of Professional Nursing Development: Impact of the Institute of Medicine Report Essay

Future of Professional Nursing Development: Impact of the Institute of Medicine Report Future of nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2010) is a report issued by the Instituted of Medicine, which â€Å"calls on nurses to take a greater role in America’s increasingly complex health care system† (American Nurses Association [ANA], n.d., para. 1). It gives an in-depth look into the future of the profession, while addressing four key messages, the first three of which are directly related to the nursing practice, education, and leadership. According to the report, â€Å"Many members of the profession lack the education and preparation necessary to adapt to new roles quickly in response to rapidly changing health care settings and an evolving health care system† (IOM, 2011, p. 25). This is alarming because nurses comprise a large portion of the system and are often those who provide most of the direct patient care. Education is addressed in one of the report’s key messages, which calls for increasing the number of baccalaureate level nurses to 80% by the year 2020 and doubling the number of doctorate degrees (Rosenberg & Pfeifer, 2012, p. 18). New York State (NYS) nursing leaders are lobbying for a bill that can lead this trend, requiring all nurses to receive a bachelor’s degree within ten years of licensure, which, according to Barbara Zittel, former executive secretary of the NYS BON, can ultimately have a cascade effect on other states (Crowley, 2011). As the health care system changes, nurses are providing care outside of the traditional environment and must be able to assume responsibility in a variety of settings. In anticipation of this even greater responsibility, the IOM recognizes the need for improved nursing education, which, with its multiple points of entry, has been a topic of debate for years. As stated by the IOM, ADN programs continue to be the most common start (IOM, 2011). For example, out of every 8,000 new RNs licensed each year in NYS, 5,000 are prepared at the ADN level (Crowley,  2011). This may be due to the shorter length of education, as well as its lower cost. In fact, cost may be a big factor for some nurses deciding to continue to achieve a BSN. However, new graduates do not have much choice but to find a way to fund their education further as having a BSN for entry into practice is becoming a requirement in many places. Being aware of this issue, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has been asked to investigate it further, although, â€Å"In the end, the committee decided not to include detailed discussion of the costs of nursing education in this report† (IOM, 2011, p. 168). Nonetheless, some recommendations are made; one example is that health care organizations offer tuition reimbursement and stipends as an incentive (IOM, 2011). The need for financial assistance is recognized as one of the features needed â€Å"to expand baccalaureate and higher education programs† (IOM, 2011, p. 176). In light of this, the report ascertains the need to reform and improve education, including the belief that â€Å"diploma programs should be phased out over the next 10 years† (IOM, 2011, p. 175). It is becoming undeniable that reaching at least a baccalaureate level is necessary, especially as more research studies highlight the link between higher education and better patient outcomes. Another key message addressed states, â€Å"Nurses should practice to the full extent of their education† (IOM, 2011, p. 85). The suggestion is to â€Å"lift the constraints of outdated policies, including those related to scope of practice† (IOM, 2011, p.85). The IOM advocates for a national standardization of practice that will enable advanced practice nurses (ADRN) to implement care they were trained and educated to provide, regardless of the location. As a result, APRNs will have the same responsibilities across state lines, which will facilitate their ability to meet the nation’s changing health care needs. Many more people have become insured because of the Affordable Care Act. However, reimbursement issues are limiting the progress of APRNs to practice fully of their educational background, thus limiting â€Å"American public access to the care they want,† which is â€Å"to receive care quickly from a competent person† (Hill, 2012, p. 5). Such barriers not only limit the public’s access to care but also fragment the health care system further. This necessitates a creation of environment with a single goal in mind: patient-centered care, which can be achieved by optimizing APRNs’ role in primary care since â€Å"there are simply not enough physicians to care for an  aging population† (IOM, 2011, p.112). By expanding practice, APRNs can spend more time doing what they have been for years: patient education and coordination of care, thereby leading the system towards a collaborative approach advocated by the IOM. The above recommendations are associated with another key message: full partnership of nurses with other health professionals (IOM, 2011). According to the IOM, better patient outcomes can be achieved by working together â€Å"in a context of mutual respect and collaboration† (IOM, 2011, p. 223). To contribute to this outcome, nurses need to acquire strong leadership skills through higher education and become more involved in issues such as those concerning health policy, thereby transforming to â€Å"thoughtful strategists† (IOM, 2011, p. 223). The report strives to empower nurses to lead â€Å"at every level and across all settings† (p. 225). When looking at the future of nursing based on IOM’s recommendations, it is optimistic but it is also â€Å"entirely dependent on the willingness of the profession to develop the role capacities and leadership essential to make a difference† (Porter-O’Grady, 2011, p. 34). Meeting the goals remains in the hands of the profession to play its full role by advocating and participating in the necessary changes that will ultimately create and more skilled and educated workforce. References

Classical Music Essay

Kerala (/ˈkeÉ ªrÉ™lÉ™/), also known as Keralam (/ˈkeÉ ªrÉ™lÉ™m/) is a state located in the south-west region of India on the Malabar coast. Thiruvananthapuram is the state capital among the 14 districts; other major cities include Kochi andKozhikode. At a population of 33,388,000 in 2011, the state has the lowest population growth rate. It also has the highest literacy rate; It is also considered as the â€Å"cleanest state in India. Production of pepper and natural rubber constitute prominent output in the total national output, as well as in the agricultural sector, coconut, tea, coffee, cashew, spices are important. Climate Kerala has a wet and maritime tropical climate influenced by the seasonal heavy rains of the southwest summer monsoon and northeast winter monsoon. Agriculture Kerala produces 97% of the national output of black pepper[180] and accounts for 85% of the area under natural rubber in the country.[181][66] Coconut, tea,coffee, cashew, and spices—including cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg—comprise a critical agricultural sector.[182][183][184][185][89][186] The key agricultural staple is rice, with varieties grown in extensive paddy fields Fisheries Kerala is one of the leading producers of fish in India. about 1.1 million people earn their livelihood from fishing and allied activities such as drying, processing, packaging, exporting and transporting fisheries. Culture-Dance The culture of Kerala is composite and cosmopolitan in nature and it’s an integral part of Indian culture. Kerala is home to a number of performance arts. These include five classical dance forms: Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattom, Thullal andKrishnanattam, Culture-Music: Carnatic music dominates Keralite traditional music. Development of classical music in Kerala is attributed to the contributions it received from the traditional performance arts associated with the temple culture of Kerala. Culture-Cuisine- Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry and meat Elephants Elephants have been an integral part of culture of the state. Kerala is home to the largest domesticated population of elephant in India—about 700 Indian elephants, owned by temples as well as individuals.[324] These elephants are mainly employed for the processions and displays associated with festivals celebrated all around the state. Tourism Kerala is a tourist destination: the backwaters, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism, and tropical greenery are among its major attractions. Kerala’s beaches, backwaters, mountain ranges and wildlife sanctuaries are the major attractions for both domestic and international tourists. The city of Kochi ranks first in the total number of international and domestic tourists in Kerala. RÄ jasthÄ n, ) Known as â€Å"The land of kings†, is the largest state of the Republic of Indiaby area. It is located in the northwest of India. Jaipur is the capital and the largest city of the state. Eastern Rajasthan has the world famous Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, a World Heritage Site known for its bird life. It also has two national tiger reserves, Ranthambore and Sariska Tiger Reserve, and a famous temple in Khatu, Sikar district, Language: Rajasthani is the main spoken language of the state, although Hindi and English are used for official purposes. It is spoken by 13 million peo ple in Rajasthan and other states of India. Economy Rajasthan’s economy is primarily agricultural and pastoral. Wheat and barley are cultivated over large areas, as are pulses, sugarcane, and oilseeds.Cotton and tobacco are the state’s cash crops. Rajasthan is among the largest producers of edible oils in India and the second largest producer ofoilseeds. Rajasthan is also the biggest wool-producing state in India and the main opium producer and consumer. There are mainly two crop seasons. The water for irrigation comes from wells and tanks. The Indira Gandhi Canal irrigates northwestern Rajasthan. The main industries are mineral based, agriculture based, and textiles. Rajasthan is the second largest producer of polyester fibre in India. Rajasthan is pre-eminent in quarrying and mining in India The state is the second largest source of cement in India Tourism: Endowed with natural beauty and a great history, tourism is a flourishing industry in Rajasthan. The palaces of Jaipur and Ajmer-Pushkar, the lakes of Udaipur, the desert forts of Jodhpur, Taragarh Fort (Star Fort) in Bundi, and Bikaner and Jaisalmer rank among the most preferred destinations in India for many tourists both Indian and foreign. Culture: The Ghoomar dance from Udaipur and Kalbeliya dance of Jaisalmer have gained international recognition. Folk music is a vital part of Rajasthani culture.Kathputli, Bhopa, Chang, Teratali, Ghindr, Kachchhighori, Tejaji etc. are the examples of the traditional Rajasthani culture. Rajasthan is known for its traditional, colorful art.wall painting in bundi . The block prints, tie and dye prints, Bagaru prints, Sanganer prints, and Zariembroidery are major export products from Rajasthan. Handicraft items like wooden furniture and handicrafts, carpets, and blue pottery are some of the things commonly found here. Rajasthani clothes have a lot of mirror-work and embroidery. A Rajasthani traditional dress for females comprises an ankle length skirt and a short top, also known as a lehenga or a chaniya choli. Cuisne Rajasthani cooking was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region.[1] Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred. Rajasthani cuisine is a splendid array of colorful, spicy and unique dishes. Rajasthani food is incomplete without the mention of the famedDal-Baati-Churma, a distinctive dish of the state. Amir Khusrau AmÄ «rKhusrow was an Indian musician, scholar and poet. He was an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent. A Sufi mystic and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi, AmÄ «r Khusrow was not only a notable poet but also a prolific and seminal musician. He wrote poetry primarily in Persian, but also in Hindavi. He compiled the oldest known printed dictionary (Khaliq-e-bari ) in 1320 which mainly dealt with Hindvi and Persian words. He is regarded as the â€Å"father of qawwali†. He is also credited with enriching Hindustani classical music by introducing Persian and Arabic elements in it, and was the originator of the khayal and tarana styles of music. The invention of the tabla is also traditionally attributed to AmÄ «r Khusrow. Early life and background AmÄ «r Khusrow was born in Patiyali in Uttar Pradesh. His father, AmÄ «r Sayf ud-DÄ «n MahmÃ… «d, was a Turkic officer and a member of the Lachin tribe of Transoxania, themselves belonging to the Kara-Khitais.[5][6][7] His mother was the daughter of Rawat Arz, the famous war minister of Balban, and belonged to the Rajput tribes of Uttar Pradesh Khusrow the royal poet Khusrow was a prolific classical poet associated with the royal courts of more than seven rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. He is popular in much of North India and Pakistan, because of many playful riddles, songs and legends attributed to him. Through his enormous literary output and the legendary folk personality, Khusrow represents one of the first (recorded) Indian personages with a true multi-cultural or pluralistic identity. Last Days I 321 Mubarak Khilji was murdered and Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq came to power. Khusro started to write theTughluqnama. 1325 Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq came to power. Nizamuddin Auliya died, and six months later so did Khusrow . Khusrow ‘s tomb is next to that of his master in the Nizamuddin Dargah of Delhi. ————————————————- Tulsi Das TulsiDas also known as Goswami Tulsidas), was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion to the god Rama. A composer of several popular works, he is best known as the author of the epicRamcharitmanas, a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayana in the vernacular Awadhi. Tulsidas was acclaimed in his lifetime to be a reincarnation ofValmiki, the composer of the original Ramayana in Sanskrit.[4] He is also considered to be the composer of the Hanuman Chalisa, a popular devotional hymn dedicated to Hanuman, the divine devotee of Rama.[5] Tulsidas lived permanently and died in the city of Varanasi.[6] The Tulsi Ghat in Varnasi is named after him.[3] He founded the Sankatmochan Temple dedicated to Hanuman in Varanasi, believed to stand at the place where he had the sight of Hanuman.[7] Tulsidas started the Ramlila plays, a folk-theatre adaption of the Ramayana.[8] He has been acclaimed as one of the greatest poets in Hindi, Indian, and world literature.[9][10][11][12] The impact of Tulsidas and his works on the art, culture and society in India is widespread and is seen to date in vernacular language, Ramlila plays, Hindustani classical music, popular music, and television series. Tulsidas is believed to be a reincarnation of Valmiki Early life Birth Tulsidas was born on the seventh day of the bright half of the lunar Hindu month Shraavana (July–August). After renunciation, Tulsidas spent most of his time at Varanasi, Prayag, Ayodhya, and Chitrakuta but visited many other nearby and far-off places. He traveled across India to many places, studying different people, meeting saints and Sadhus and meditating Tulsidas died at the Assi Ghat on the bank of the river Ganga in the Shraavan (July–August) month of the year Vikram 1680 (1623 CE). Like the year of his birth, traditional accounts and biographers do not agree on the exact date of his death. Different sources give the date as the third day of the bright half, seventh day of the bright half, or the third day of the dark half.[77][78] ————————————————- Works Kamban Kambar (Kampan in casual address) was a medieval Tamil poet and the author of the Tamil Ramayanam Ramavatharam, popularly known as Kambaramayanam, the Tamil version of Ramayana. He was born in the 12th century in Tiruvaluntur in Tanjore district ————————————————- Life Kambar belonged to the Ochchan or Occhan caste, traditionally nadaswaram players in southern India.[3][4] But he was brought up in the household of a wealthy farmer in Vennai Nellur in south India. The Chola king having heard of this talented bard, summoned him to his court and honoured him with the title Kavi Chakravarthi or The Emperor of Poets. The Ramavataram or Kamba Ramayanam of Kamban is an epic of about 11,000 stanzas as opposed to Valmiki’s 24000 couplets. Kamba Ramayana is not a translation of the Sanskrit epic by Valmiki, but an original retelling of the story of the God Rama. The poetic work is well known for its similes. Many Tamil poets, statesmen, kings and common people have praised Kambar for his Kambaramayanam which has more than 10000 songs forming one of the greatest epics of Tamil. Kambaramayanam has more than 45000 lines. Thyagaraja Kakarla Tyagabrahmam (May 4, 1767–January 6, 1847), was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He was a prolific composer and highly influential in the development of the South Indian classical music tradition. Tyagaraja composed thousands of devotional compositions, most in praise of Lord Rama — many of which remain popular today. Of special mention are five of his compositions called the Pancharatna Krithis (English: â€Å"five gems†), which are often sung in programs in his honor. Tyagaraja was born in 1767 in Tiruvarur, Tiruvarur district, in what is now called Tamil Nadu, to Kakarla Ramabrahmam and Sitamma in a Telugu Brahmin family of the Mulukanadu subsect He was named Tyagaraja after Lord Tyagaraja, the presiding deity of the temple at Tiruvarur. Tyagaraja began his musical training under Sri Sonthi Ramanayya, a music scholar, at an early age. He regarded music as a way to experience God’s love. His objective while practising music was purely devotional, as opposed to focusing on the technicalities of classical music. Tyagaraja, who was totally immersed in his devotion to Lord Rama and led the most spartan way of life without bothering in the least for the comforts of the world, The songs he composed were widespread in their popularity. due to the labour of love by these musicians and researchers, there is a definitive collection of Thyagaraja’s music. However out of 24,000 thousand songs said to have been composed, about 700 songs remain known. Tyagaraja Aradhana, the commemorative music festival is held every year at Thiruvaiyaru in the months of January to February in Tyagaraja’s honour. This is a week-long festival of music where various Carnatic musicians from all over the world converge at his resting place. SAROD The sarod is a stringed musical instrument, used mainly in Indian classical music. Along with the sitar, it is the most popular and prominent instrument in Hindustani (northern Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani) classical music. The sarod is known for a deep, weighty, introspective sound, in contrast with the sweet, overtone-rich texture of the sitar, with sympathetic strings that give it a resonant, reverberant quality. It is a fretless instrument able to produce the continuous slides between notes known as meend (glissandi), which is important to Indian music. The sarod is believed by some to have descended from the Afghan rubab, a similar instrument originating in Central Asia and Afghanistan. The nameSarod roughly translates to â€Å"beautiful sound† or â€Å"melody† in Persian . Design The design of the instrument depends on the school (gharana) of playing. There are three distinguishable types, discussed below. The conventional sarod is an 17 to 25-stringed lute-like instrument — four to five main strings used for playing the melody, one or two drone strings, twochikari strings and nine to eleven sympathetic strings. The design of this early model is generally credited to Niyamatullah Khan of the Lucknow Gharana as well as Ghulam Ali Khan of the Gwalior-Bangash Gharana. Among the contemporary sarod players, this basic design is kept intact by two streams of sarod playing Another type is that designed by Allauddin Khan and his brother Ayet Ali Khan. This instrument, referred to by David Trasoff (Trasoff, 2000) as the 1934 Maihar Prototype, is larger and longer than the conventional instrument, though the fingerboard is identical to the traditional sarod described above. This instrument has 25 strings in all. Sarod strings are made either of steel or phosphor bronze. Early sarod players used plain wire plectrums, which yield a soft, ringing tone. Playing The lack of frets and the tension of the strings make the sarod a very demanding instrument to play, as the strings must be pressed hard against the fingerboard. There are two approaches to stopping the strings of the sarod. One involves using the tip of one’s fingernails to stop the strings, and the other uses a combination of the nail and the fingertip to stop the strings against the fingerboard

Deductive Essay Sample on the Destructive Use of Tobacco

Deductive Essay Sample on the Destructive Use of Tobacco Tobacco smoking is dangerous, and there is much evidence to support this claim. Each year, tobacco is cited as a contributor to the deaths of close to a half a million people within the US and to a higher figure around the world. The number of people who die from complications that can be traced back to the consumption of tobacco is higher than the number of deaths from alcohol, aids, illegal drugs, and fires combined. Tobacco is, therefore, arguably the leading cause of preventable deaths in America and, indeed, in many other parts of the world. Tobacco is considered a slow killer. This is because smoking tobacco does not result in immediate death but slowly erodes the health of the individual who smokes. Some of the undesirable health effects that have been related to smoking tobacco include having bad breath, wrinkled skin, hair and clothing stench, and the staining of the teeth and nails. Although most of these side effects are not life threatening, lung cancer and other serious health conditions that have been associated with tobacco smoking, result in numerous deaths in many parts of the world. One of the major concerns about tobacco use is that it not only affects the individuals who smoke but also individuals who are around those who smoke. The effects of second-hand smoke can even be more significant than for the actual smoker. Lungs are affected from the harmful gases emitted from the tobacco products. A good number of the individuals who smoke tobacco do not have an idea of what they are smoking because apart from the nicotine, there are many other toxic compounds that are included in the smoke that they are inhaling. Once these compounds get into the lungs, they are absorbed into the blood stream which then transports them to body organs such as the heart, spleen, liver, and the central nervous system. People even get brain cancer that originates in the lungs and then spreads to the brain. Cigarette smoke contains fast acting compounds that immediately stimulate the central nervous system, which is what causes feelings of pleasure for the smokers. While feeling the pleasure, the other compounds slowly and progressively affect the functioning of the aforementioned body organs in what eventually results in deadly diseases that cause the eventual death of the individual. The second-hand smoke inhaled by those who are around tobacco smokers is especially dangerous to unborn children, infants, children, and those with respiratory illnesses. When a pregnant woman smokes cigarettes or is frequently exposed to secondary tobacco smoke, the smoke gets to the unborn baby and may later result in conditions such as sudden infant death. Whether it is by smoking or by inhaling secondary smoke, tobacco use is, without doubt, hazardous, as illustrated by the numerous diseases and eventual fatality that are connected to it. Tips for essay writing: Since this is a deductive essay, one is supposed to give several points that can be used to lead to a specific conclusion which, in this case, is that tobacco smoking is a deadly habit. It is a good practice that one should make known what is to be deduced from the content of the essay early enough in the essay so a reader can tell what the point of the essay is. Also, you can order a custom essay on this topic at CustomWritings.com.

Wendys

Wendys WendyWendy's When we think Wendy's, we think of Dave Thomas the founder an older jolly looking man with a big square burger in his hand. Dave Thomas the founder of Wendy's started his square burger empire in 1969 to become the 3rd largest hamburger restaurant franchise. In my analysis of Wendy's, we are going to bring square burgers to the forefront and see why this simple variation in burger shape propelled Wendy's into a burger giant. Dave Thomas started Wendy's in 1969 with his first restaurant opening in Columbus Ohio, and from their started the Wendy's hamburger chain, we all know today. Thomas knew from his experience of owning a Kentucky Fried Chicken, menu variation was a key to success in the fast food business. Thomas developed a limited menu with larger square burgers where its edges protruded over the side of the round bun. This was just one of the distinct menu items Thomas used to distinguish his burgers from burger giant McDonalds. Wendy's also used various condiments, lettuce and tomato at customer disposable and even developed a dairy treat that other fast food restraint could not compete against. All these simple, but distinct differences has propelled Wendy's from a small burger joint with a niche to a competitor against McDonalds and other burger giants. Wendy's has enjoyed enormous growth in the US and Canada and other countries. Know the question is how will Wendy's be able to stay competitive in ever growing state of low margins and where people are starting to eat less red meat? With the domestic market saturated with fast food restaurants and more and more people becoming health consciousness how will Wendy's remain the leader in unique burgers, and keep growing the burger business? These question and others will be explored: What is...

Frozen Vegetables Spark in the Microwave

Frozen Vegetables Spark in the Microwave When I was naming things you shouldnt microwave, I didnt list frozen vegetables. However, WSCH in Portland is running a news story (complete with video) about frozen vegetables sparking when being microwaved. At least two Texas consumers have reported seeing sparks and small flames during the first few seconds of microwaving Green Giant frozen mixed vegetables. The USDA says the vegetables are perfectly safe to eat and that the sparking probably is due to the presence of naturally-occurring minerals found on the produce. Personally Id guess its similar to the plasma phenomenon seen when microwaving grapes. I have never seen flames on my veggies while nuking them, but I dont usually watch them cook, so I might be missing out on some entertainment.Ivory Soap in a Microwave | How to Microwave a CD Safely Comments Stephanie  says: The same thing happened to me when I microwaved frozen Great Value (WalMart brand) mixed vegetables. It also sparked when I microwaved Del Monte green beans. Not sure what the issue is. I even cleaned the microwave completely to be sure it wasn’t because of any build up per the recommendation of other sites. Edward  says: I just bought a new micro as the tech said mine was broke when the Sam’s Club Mixed veggies sparked. I bought a new microwave and it does the same thing. Tried different plates, etc, same thing.I wonder if there is not something in the bags to keep freshness that has some ore in it. I wish the FDA would test this instead of blowing it off. Greg  says: I am having the same thing happen, but just recently. I’ve microwaved frozen veggies for years and this never happened, so why is it all of a sudden nationwide? Elayna  says: Same thing has been happening to me. I thought it was my microwave, as it was a bit old. So, I just got a new, pretty expensive one. Same thing! Plus, what is even more strange is that I use Stop Shop’s Natures Promise organic frozen vegetables. It’s also happened with Cascadian Farm Organic Peas Green Beans. They all spark like I put metal in the microwave plus some smoke and burn. Rebecognize  says: We had peas spark, and then today sweet potatoes that were already cooked and I warmed them up and got sparks. They were fresh and never frozen. Both times for me it was from reheating cooked veggies (for baby food). Weird. Charles  says: This just happened to me with a fresh sweet potato. I steamed it in the microwave with the skin on and it was ok. Later I cut it up into small chunks and re-heated it in the microwave and the sparks flew. Eric  says: This just happened to me while heating up some green beans. I did some playing around with it and found that if I have a a few pieces in the microwave not touching each other, then there are no sparks. If I touch two of them together, then the sparks and small flame fly! Craziness! Lori  says: I just had it happen with a sweet potato that was baked yesterday, but I cut the leftovers into chunks and heated it today. It leaves little black marks where the sparks came from and you can even smell it! It also happened a few days ago with some frozen green beans that I had already cooked but was reheating. It’s never happened before†¦ what is going on Micah  says: I chop fresh serrano chilis en mass and then freeze them to keep later meal preparation more simple. Today my chilis burst into flames when I defrosted them in my microwave! I took off the offending chili the off the plate the first time it happened and tried again – same thing happened! Wild! Tiffany  says: This is really alarming. I’ve had this happen on several occasions when reheating green giant previously frozen vegetables. Vegetables should not contain enough of any ore to cause this sparking. James  says: I used to get this when microwaving Aldi’s cheapest mixed frozen veggies. (Australia).The only thing in my mind that causes this is metal. Yes, you can see the burn-holes in the pieces of carrot and beans! So I just don’t buy them! Jonathan Green  says: I’ve had this same problem, small sparks coming from food (green beans but also potatoes under plastic foil). I wonder if it’s static electricity (the microwave has a turntable inside on plastic wheels). Or simply a microwave antenna which is sending out the wrong kind of waves? Never had this problem with my old microwave (bought 14 years ago, never any problems) but the new one is really scaring me. Don’t think this can be healthy at all†¦. Are microwaves checked by any government body at all before they hit the shelves? Heather  says: I have had the sparking with many frozen veggies and canned green beans. I never have the sparking if they are covered with water. But yesterday I reheated some cooked â€Å"fresh† green beans and the sparking still happened, there was just a small amount of water in the bottom. So I guess fresh, frozen or canned it will still happen. Kelsie Rodgers  says: I think the issue is answered pretty well here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid20060911061259AALYJUE Basically, it has to do with higher mineral contents (iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium) in certain veggies and other factors related to the microwaving process itself. If you read the ingredients on the side of a frozen veggie bag, nothing is listed but the vegetables (no preservatives, etc.). People also experience the same thing with fresh vegetables. I think we are all jumping to â€Å"worse case† conclusions. Yes, it’s scary when things spark and catch on fire, but the reason can be very simple (and benign). Ben  says: I added a cup of water to properly load the microwave and it stopped sparking. Sarah G.  says: This has happened to me with fresh, organic vegetables as well! I have cooked/boiled sweet potatoes and carrots for my young son, and on several occasions afterward when I have gone to reheat them in the microwave for him, they immediately start sparking and have emitted flames! This has never happened in all the years I have used the microwave, and now 3 times in the past 6 months. Steve M  says: We were just heating up some Birds Eye Steamfresh and they sparked started smoking and my Microwave shut down. The Microwave is less than a year old and was not cheap. Anyone else have it break their Microwave? Richard  says: I am having the same issue happening with fresh green beans straight from my garden. We cooked the fresh snapped green beans earlier in the evening. Later I put some in the microwave to munch on before going to bed. They lit up and caught on fire. It is not something coming from the frozen beans or the bags, mine have never seen the freezer or a bag. Monica  says: I am also here because I thought it might be my microwave but guess not! I starting looking into this today since I had FRESH cauliflower that I cooked a few days ago, spark when I reheated it today. In the past this has happened to me with frozen-then reheated veggies and I just assumed it was due to something when they are frozen but now that it has happened with fresh veggies I am stumped. At least I now know I am not crazy and our microwave is just fine. (36)  Debbie  says: I’ve also had it happen with ham. I separated the diced pieces because thought it might be because they were touching, but it didn’t work. Interesting to think that covering them with water seems to be the best solution. Jammin  says: It happened to me with broccoli today. I am thinking that the culprit has either to do with newer microwaves or (conspiracy theory coming straight from my butt) all the increased radio waves due to cell phones and the internet. This didn’t used to happen years ago with old microwaves. The earliest report I can find of this happening is from 8 years ago. I’m stumped! Lora  says: I placed frozen chopped onion, celery, bell peppers (combo) in my microwave last night, on a microwaveable paper plate and sparks and fire and smoke started immediately. I wonder if there’s pieces of metal from the machines at their processing plant Matt  says: I’ve had a few different brands (organic and inorganic) spark and flame in the microwave in the past few months. My mom uses microwaves for everything and has never seen this until now. So, I think the many comments on here stating it is from the minerals in the food are right, but the fact that it is happening more and more and no one had reported it in the past makes me think that they have higher levels of minerals and maybe there is a limit to how high the mineral levels can be (and what types) in order to still be safe. Cooking them in pans instead does not solve the problem, you just don’t get the burning. You still have the high levels of metals that are seemingly a new phenomenon. Hate to say it, but Bill Gates is on the record for funding private geo-engineering to combat global warming, spraying nano particles of aluminum and barium into the air, all over the planet. Organic veggies or not, soil samples have shown an 800% rise in these metals. They are not ben ign in these forms.youtube.com/watch?vjf0khstYDLA James Gast  says: Just had frozen bell peppers arc/caught foam plate on fire. Years ago it was broccoli. Microwaves are now 1000,1100 watts, much more power than earlier ones. Bigger arc nowCombination of natural minerals:iron,potassium,etc in the ice and those edges of piecesbecome â€Å"jump arc gaps† like a spark plug. But sweet potatoes and chicken pieces Why? How?

Moderate Sedation by K2N Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Moderate Sedation by K2N - Assignment Example As K2N points out, everyone will be brought up to the same level of education in Capnography readings and waveforms, and this will include a full listing of the training modules, including PowerPoints, which will be made available, presumably, on the center’s Intranet. K2N, however, does not present a specific initial method of disseminating the information, such as in a roundtable, for the initial overview. Center Leadership should always be included in the first output of dissemination of the information regarding the program, including the Financial Officer, who must make a financial determination of the cost in using this tool more often, and what it will cost to maintain it accordingly. Accordingly, if current staff members, who are already knowledgeable in how to use the apparatus, will be required to conduct the training, then a schedule may need to be designed to allow for such training, so no one person is teaching more than another one (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 201 1).As K2N points out, everyone will be brought up to the same level of education in Capnography readings and waveforms, and this will include a full listing of the training modules, including PowerPoints, which will be made available, presumably, on the center’s Intranet. K2N, however, does not present a specific initial method of disseminating the information, such as in a roundtable, for the initial overview. Center Leadership should always be included in the first output of dissemination of the information regarding the program, including the Financial Officer, who must make a financial determination of the cost in using this tool more often, and what it will cost to maintain it accordingly. Accordingly, if current staff members, who are already knowledgeable in how to use the apparatus, will be required to conduct the training, then a schedule may need to be designed to allow for such training, so no one person is teaching more than another one (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2011). This plan looks to be a very promising addition to the function of the emergency department, albeit that there are some wrinkles that will need to be smoothed out before implementation. The plan, in dissemination of the information, is a bit vague, but implementation will be an important addition to the emergency department. There should also be a review after a certain number of weeks, maybe two, to determine how the program is working, relative to the success in the emergency department, and how finances are affected by the changes.  

Legal System of UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Legal System of UK - Essay Example By the sixteenth century the legal profession in the UK had branched into two categories. The first one was barristers and the other is collective of attorneys and solicitors. The local "common law" was formulated by a specialised legal society known as the Inns of Court, in London. It was in these inns that through lectures and apprenticeship individuals were admitted to practise before the royal courts. With the passage of time these practitioners became sergeants who were considered as the most distinguished among the advocates. These dignitaries were later on appointed as royal judges. The "attorneys," who were authorised by the legislation initially, shared the life of the Inns with the "apprentices" in advocacy, till they acquired the title of barrister. (Branches of the Legal Profession, http://www.pravo.hr/_download/repository/ LEGAL_PROFESSION_IN_ENGLAND_08web.ppt, viewed on 9th April, 2009) In its ultimate growth the English legal profession resembled the European professions, particularly the northern France, where the parliaments (courts) were considered as corporate, and apprentices were trained like that of the Inns. Growth of the law was mainly through precedents based on the judgments of the courts, rather than through legislation. In England, senior practicing professionals were appointed as judges. Apart from this, the partition between barristers and solicitors eventually became more rigid in England. Moreover, England never acquired the profession of notaries and thus the whole burden of transactional work was carried out by the present solicitors with legal advice from the bar. David H. Goodchild, in his work on History of the English Legal Profession in Paris 1850-2000 says, ".in 1880 the picture had changed quite considerably by which time as a result of the Judicature Act 1873 all attorneys at law and solicitors had been merged into one single profession of "solicitor" and those practising abroad were listed under the somewhat charming section entitled "Solicitors practising in foreign parts". (Page 1, http://72.14.235.132/searchq= cache:dhmu KhIOD2YJ:fbls.org/pages/FR/ publications/assets/articles/ English_legal_profession.pdf+History+of+UK+legal+profession&cd=15&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=in, viewed on 9th April, 2009) Change in Status of the Law Professionals Even before the Judicature Act 1873 the status of the solicitors has undergone radical changes. They became the legal advisors of the wealthy feudal and businessmen. In the year 1804 they acquired the monopoly of conveyancing, and just before the end of the 19th century they started dealing with divorce and admiralty cases and obtained the rights of audience in County Courts. The progress they earned since then was tremendous, and at present over 97000 solicitors practise all over UK. Many of them are practising in private firms and governmental bodies as legal advisors doing advocacies, drafting legal documents etc. However, they cannot appear in every court, whereas the barristers are entitled to have appearance in courts. More than 11500 barristers are engaged in practice in England and Wales, now. Some of them are in employed practice. They only represent their employers. Other

My Past, Present, and Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My Past, Present, and Future - Essay Example In order to excel in life one must learn to amalgamate his past with his present so as to have a better future. Remembering the past is a good practice which helps an individual to learn from his mistakes. It is here in this essay that I would put forward my experiences from the past and elaborate as to how these experiences changed my present. Further, everyone has goals in life which they want to attain and my goals would be mentioned here. Beginning from my very early life I learned quite a few things about my family which revolved around the caring nature of my parents. Their caring nature helped me to adjust with many problems of life and it is because of them that I was able to live a life of a normal person. I still remember specific events that took place in my childhood which revolve around my upbringing. This essay would provide all the details about my present, past and future. My Past Present and Future The story of my life begins from my childhood when I was born in a fa mily which belonged to the middle class society. My past is a simple book which revolved around me and my brother who is younger than me. My father belonged to a military background and from the very beginning I saw him in an army dress. It was in my childhood that I developed some interest in the military operations. My parents belonged to two different back grounds. My father was of a African descent whereas my mother was a Hispanic. We lived together as a happy family without facing any sort of family problems. My childhood was a simple one and I only remember specific events that used to take place almost daily in my life. Visiting church was a tradition for our family and I accompanied my parents to the church on every Sunday. My father loved fishing and every now and then he took me to a trip of fishing with him. Altogether I grabbed the skills of fishing through my father who was an excellent fisher. As my father belonged to a military background we had to go through many res huffles in our settlement. We moved through countries after countries because of my father’s transfer in military. It was through these trips that I was able to learn about different cultures. I grasped the skills of diversity and how to handle different situations with different people. My brother at that time did not get along with me well and hence we ended up fighting each other at most instances. However gradually with time we have realized each other’s worth and we love each other till date. Belonging to a middle class family of this sort I never realized the importance of education. If I strived for education at the right moment I could have achieved a better job than I am currently working at. Plato described education in the following strong words â€Å"If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life† (Freccero & Jacoff 1986) While working in military I still ponder on the words of Plato and wonder if I could rewind my life. As I did n ot pay much heed to studies in life I coped up with the burden of life by adapting to different jobs. In order to cope up with my financial crisis I first worked as a waiter in a fast food restaurant. The experience was not something to be proud of as all day it required work with much less respect in return. The job did not have much returns and I finally decided to leave it to find a better future. It was here that I looked forward to driving for a

A self assessment on intercultural negotiating skills Essay

A self assessment on intercultural negotiating skills - Essay Example There are different communication styles that can be used and these will be outlined in the paper. Characteristics of a good intercultural negotiator Cross culture communication and negotiation mainly involve people from different cultural backgrounds and this has a bearing on the way they communicate. The culture of different people shape the way people communicate and exchange ideas (Fujio, 2004). According to Armstrong (1994), culture in the organization refers to shared beliefs, values, attitudes as well as assumptions which shape their behaviour as well as the way they view different things around them. All the people in the organization have shared beliefs as well as values. Dbhaibo & Harb (2010) suggest that the way people communicate and behave is shaped by their cultural values. Hofstede’s framework of cultural diversity mainly influences different types of studies that are related to cross cultural communication and management which include the following four dimensi ons of national culture: â€Å"individualism versus collectivism, power distance which is concerned with how power is distributed, uncertainty avoidance which talks about how uncertainty is found to be uncomfortable, quality versus quantity of life† (Robbins, 1993, p. 75). In order for a person to be a good intercultural negotiator, there are many issues that should be considered by the people involved. In case of a distributive type of negotiation, a good intercultural negotiator attempts to discover the other person’s BATNA. The person who suggests a strong offer is likely to achieve positive results as a result of the fact that the other person is likely to concede certain instances (Thompson 2005). The use of statements or questions is also very important since it helps to establish the quality of the relationship that may exist between the two negotiators involved. Thus, a good intercultural negotiator should establish how the other person communicates as well as to try to establish the relationship that exists between parties involved. The other important factor that should be taken into account about what makes a good intercultural negotiator is to try to differentiate between Utilitarian Discourse System (UDS) which is about the message itself and the Confucian Discourse System (CDS) which is concerned about the quality of relationship that exist between the two people communicating with each other. For instance, the Americans prefer the UDS system when negotiating while the Japanese or Chinese prefer CDS. According to a study conducted by Misa Fujio (2004) entitled â€Å"Silence during intercultural communication: a case study,† it can be noted that styles of communication between the people involved in the communication process differ as a result of the fact that they have different cultures. Silence is used as a way of communication by the Japanese this is a different case with the Americans who do not use silence as part of the ir communication process. In order to avoid unnecessary frustration, a good intercultural negotiator must establish the way another person communicates so as to be able to exchange meaningful ideas. Lin & Miller (2003) suggest that negotiation approach is influenced by factors which include national culture, commitment as well as the quality of relationship that exist between the two. For example, the â€Å"Chinese emphasise on collectivism while the Americans focus on individualism (Hsu, 1985 as cited in Lin and Miller, 2003). A good

CRJS478IP3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CRJS478IP3 - Research Paper Example The focus of this process is on the short tandem repeats (STR) that have short units of DNA that are repeated several times in a row. After the DNA is isolated and amplified it is treated with restriction enzymes. The process cuts the DNA strands at definite sequences called restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). Since everybody’s DNA is different the resulting RFLPs will be of different sizes. These fragments are observed in gel electrophoresis; a process that separates DNA based on the size of fragments (Brown, 2010). RFLP analysis is based on the fact that since everyone’s genetic sequence or the variable number of tandem repeats is different this result in the different sizes of RFLPs. Gel electrophoresis involves separation of the fragments of DNA as they migrate through an agarose gel when an electric current is applied to the gel. The DNA that has separated is then drawn out of the gel with a nylon membrane which is treated to break the hydrogen bonds holding the DNA strands together. The separated strands of the DNA are then incubated using a radioactive probe and cross-linked to the nylon membrane of a strand comparable to the VNTRs. The radioactive probe is visible on a photographic film as a dark spot is left on the film because of the light that is given off when the probe decays. Different people have different patterns and these constitute the fingerprints. This protocol of DNA fingerprinting is called Southern blotting (Brown, 2010). The main objective of DNA analysis is to obtain an observable representation of the DNA from the crime. The DNA profile obtained from DNA fingerprinting must match the DNA from the suspect or a profile in the DNA database. The three possible results from comparing a DNA profile of the sample to the suspects DNA profile and it can either be inclusive, exclusive or inconclusive. Inclusions occur where the suspects DNA

A self assessment on intercultural negotiating skills Essay

A self assessment on intercultural negotiating skills - Essay Example There are different communication styles that can be used and these will be outlined in the paper. Characteristics of a good intercultural negotiator Cross culture communication and negotiation mainly involve people from different cultural backgrounds and this has a bearing on the way they communicate. The culture of different people shape the way people communicate and exchange ideas (Fujio, 2004). According to Armstrong (1994), culture in the organization refers to shared beliefs, values, attitudes as well as assumptions which shape their behaviour as well as the way they view different things around them. All the people in the organization have shared beliefs as well as values. Dbhaibo & Harb (2010) suggest that the way people communicate and behave is shaped by their cultural values. Hofstede’s framework of cultural diversity mainly influences different types of studies that are related to cross cultural communication and management which include the following four dimensi ons of national culture: â€Å"individualism versus collectivism, power distance which is concerned with how power is distributed, uncertainty avoidance which talks about how uncertainty is found to be uncomfortable, quality versus quantity of life† (Robbins, 1993, p. 75). In order for a person to be a good intercultural negotiator, there are many issues that should be considered by the people involved. In case of a distributive type of negotiation, a good intercultural negotiator attempts to discover the other person’s BATNA. The person who suggests a strong offer is likely to achieve positive results as a result of the fact that the other person is likely to concede certain instances (Thompson 2005). The use of statements or questions is also very important since it helps to establish the quality of the relationship that may exist between the two negotiators involved. Thus, a good intercultural negotiator should establish how the other person communicates as well as to try to establish the relationship that exists between parties involved. The other important factor that should be taken into account about what makes a good intercultural negotiator is to try to differentiate between Utilitarian Discourse System (UDS) which is about the message itself and the Confucian Discourse System (CDS) which is concerned about the quality of relationship that exist between the two people communicating with each other. For instance, the Americans prefer the UDS system when negotiating while the Japanese or Chinese prefer CDS. According to a study conducted by Misa Fujio (2004) entitled â€Å"Silence during intercultural communication: a case study,† it can be noted that styles of communication between the people involved in the communication process differ as a result of the fact that they have different cultures. Silence is used as a way of communication by the Japanese this is a different case with the Americans who do not use silence as part of the ir communication process. In order to avoid unnecessary frustration, a good intercultural negotiator must establish the way another person communicates so as to be able to exchange meaningful ideas. Lin & Miller (2003) suggest that negotiation approach is influenced by factors which include national culture, commitment as well as the quality of relationship that exist between the two. For example, the â€Å"Chinese emphasise on collectivism while the Americans focus on individualism (Hsu, 1985 as cited in Lin and Miller, 2003). A good

Canon Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Canon Case Study - Essay Example As going to be discussed below, it can be noted that Canon employs various strategies and has to a greater extent managed to meet the strategic challenges and changes as a result of the key success story in its operation. However, in view of the above explanations, it can be noted that Canon instead has been successful in managing its strategies by virtue of embarking on an open approach in formulation of strategic plans rather than being imposed by the top management. Its strategies are influenced and driven by the strategic vision of Canon’s senior and other managers. This strategy is very flexible in that it promotes an open door policy where views from other equally important decision makers are taken into consideration towards the attainment of the overall organisational goals. In most cases, strategic planning is viewed as bureaucratic in nature where it is often regarded as a preserve for the top management to impose their views and vision about the company on the other work mates. Canon’s policy is flexible and open to accept ideas from other people within the organisation. Through technological differentiation, Canon has managed to grow from strength to strength to catch Xerox which had been a world leader in the photocopying market since the 1950s. They have managed their strategic challenges as well as changes by developing technology that was completely different from Xerox and this offered new features which were not very common by then which gave them the competitive advantage against this rival competitor. Technology is dynamic and is expected to change constantly hence taking into account these changes is one guaranteed way of trying to keep up pace with the new developments in the market which will also ultimately impact positively on any business. Another strategy that was used by Canon was to target the small photocopier niche markets which

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay rganizational goals: Mr. Stonefield, when choosing applicants that will be suitable matches for your limousine service can be accomplish by ensuring that you hire those individual that share similar views, values, and beliefs. By doing this you will not only benefit the company, you will see greater productivity from your employees and most of all loyal, long-term employees that express their satisfaction. If both Mr. Stonefield (the business) and the employee parallel in their thoughts, views, and strategic goals, there will be an aspiration for each individual to see through to the needs of their coworkers as well as the desire to see the business survive and thrive. Mr. Stonefield you will find that an employee will be loyal and give there 100%. Forecasted demographic changes: An analysis of projected workforce needs for the next 5 years will need to be based on the businesses goals as well as demographic changes to both the work force, economy as well as industrialization. By identifying and following the trends of the economy, work force and unemployment rates will assist the business in predicting changes to come. By knowing these trends Landslide Limousine Services may be able to stay one step ahead of its competitors. Workforce diversity objectives: In order for Landslide Limousine Services business to be triumphant and survive the initial start-up, the workforce must be diverse enough to compliment the targeted market and consumer base. With the marriage of the employees and the business goals it shows the consumers of this passenger transportation business that Landslide Limousine Services are striving to match individual interests. A survey and gain insight as to their patrons’ views and patterns. Drivers and chauffeurs will be able to customize and individualize the service they offer by knowing  their clientele. An example that comes to mind would be: a client is in Austin for business. This client enjoys theater productions. If a driver knows the likes and dislikes of his or her client then they can do research on what productions are happening during their clients stay and offer the information about what is going on in Austin. It is the belief that there are three elements in setting the motion for Mr. Stonefield’s business: First, Landslide Limousine should establish a strong commitment to the diversity in the workplace. This commitment needs to begin at the top and weaved within and through all employees who work for the company. It is advisable that Landslide’s senior and upper management model the behavior therefore showing that they are in full support and respect of diversity in the workplace. Second, Landslide will need to understand and gain a precise insight to the businesses eagerness to move forward and keeping in touch with up to date demographics of the industry and the cultural diversity. Mr. Stonefield and his team must develop a workforce profile. By doing this they will gain an understanding of the workforce and the potential hiring pool. By profiling the workforce and the potential hiring pool allows for complete diversity that will be beneficial to all crucial positions and organizational elements. By researching and monitoring trends and workforce reports published quarterly and annually are great resources and sources of data in regards to employment movement. Researching social networks and potential employees can prove to be useful when making employment decisions and offers. Affirming that the employee are of the caliber both personally and professionally that Landslide wants as part of the team. The outcome would be gaining a professional and a precise view of a company’s demographic profile. By combining and comparing this information will assist in planning and Landslide’s workforce model. This information will also assist Landslide in predicting potential future prospects for recruitment, hiring, and retention. Organizational branding: Landslide unlike any other business will need to frequently examine and revisit their organizations corporate strategy, mission, image, and activities which will contribute to their organizational branding. Organizational branding is what a business exclusive and distinctive. This in itself will create distinguishing factors that will set itself apart from the competitors. By using and exploiting these methods and procedures, Landslide will be able to place its  professionalism, persona and look in the mind of its clientele, potential clients and employees and thus creating and establishing an image that is transparent in wh at Landslide is and why it exists. Methods for recruiting candidates: Initially, due to the fact that Landslide is a new business Mr. Stonefield will not be able to utilize the method of internal sourcing. However once the business is established and services are rendered Landslide will then be able to incorporate the process of internal sourcing for recruiting candidates. Internal sourcing consists of posting the vacated or new position in an easily and highly visible area within a business for current employees to view. Internal sourcing is a very valuable tool to use as it utilizes the internal candidate pool and is a cost saving measure for the business as current employees are at present employees of the company and is acquainted and accustomed to the culture of the business and allows the employee a feeling of â€Å"climbing the ladder† thus creating success for the employee as there will be little to no training and orientation for the new position. There is a potential disadvantage to internal sourcing, there may be a chance of stagnation as it does not allow for the potential for fresh new ideas that external sourcing may bring. Therefore it would be post haste of the marketing department to keep up with changes in the market and knowing what other similar businesses are doing. As stated above another potential recruiting method is external sourcing. External sourcing focusing on utilizing outside sources for advertising for candidates. Landslide may want to advertise job openings and postings in the newspapers, local papers, Craig’s list, online,- internet job services, use local job boards and trade publication announcements. Examples of online job posting sites are LinkedIn, Craig’s List, Texas Job Services, Monster.com and CareerBuilders.com. External sourcing has many advantages as it is not limited to a captive audience, meaning current employees. It also allows for new views, thoughts and ideas in this ever changing business market and workforce. External sourcing also has its disadvantages, that starting with a new employee means cost are incurred to train and orient them. It will take time for the new hire to learn the culture, ins and outs of the business. There needs to be a screening process during the initial application process that will screen out the individuals that would not be a fit for the company as well as screen out those individuals that would be a  fit the company and its organizational culture. Another option is third-party sourcing. This sourcing makes use of job placement agency to find qualified job candidates. The similar recruiting processes are used for third-party Sourcing as does external sourcing. However, one major difference is that a job placement agency is not a direct part of Landslide business itself. Landslide contracts with job placement agency(ies) to help identify potential qualified candidates. Third-party sourcing has its advantages: it will save Landslide time and funds by identifying qualified candidates. Another advantage is that Landslide may be able to minimize their human resources department so that HR employees can focus on hiring and training of the new hires. Dependent on the turnover rate of the company’s employees, Landslide may want to entertain the idea of identifying when hiring should be made. This may be a process that is identified after one to two years of operations. By pinpointing norming and trends within the business will assist in recognizing when there is a higher need to fill positions. If possible to limit the times of hiring to only a certain period of time(s) during the year. Landslide will want to take into consideration its growth and level of employee turnover as well as the cost of contracting with a hiring agency that it may be appropriate to fluctuate between internal and external sourcing. There are also a number of other potential avenues of recruiting potential employees such as recruiting individuals that are retired and of retirement ages, contacting vocational rehabilitation services to employ individuals with disabilities, college fairs, job fairs and high school vocational classes. Methods for screening candidates: There and multiple steps in the screening process. The initial screening conducted is during the internal, external sourcing the process is quick and unrefined selection method. Candidates submit applications and references. This screening process reviews the application, references and conducts background checks as well as interviews. Selection of candidates is time intensive as its process is more detailed and comprehensive than the initial screening. The actual selection process gives HR and the hiring managers a fuller view and insight of candidates by observing the individuals behavior. This behavioral screening can be obtained via having the candidate partake in a number of assessments such as job skills test and face to face interviews and gathering information as to the candidates’  character through reference and background checks. Interview methods: There are many types of interview methods that Landslide could use. However the below are some suggested methods: 1) The first being a behavior-based interview: Through behavior-based interviews, Landslide will be able to gain insight about the candidate by asking scenario based or direct questions describing examples and situations they may have experienced and how they handled themselves. These interview questions give light to behaviors in past employment(s) allowing Landslide to potentially predict future behaviors. 2) Situational Interviews: Having candidate answer interview questions of a hypothetical nature. Testing procedures: Below are various testing method suggestions: 1) Ability tests: Tests the mental clerical, mechanical, physical, or technical ability to perform the essential functions of the job. 2) Knowledge tests: Measures candidates’ job-specific knowledge about the position. 3) Personality Inventories: Due to the need for some of Landslide’s personnel to be extraverted. For example an extremely introverted individual may not be a good match in driving individuals to and from their destinations. The position involve one on one human interaction. 4) Performance/Work sample tests: Test the candidate on actual work environment and performance. Interview process considerations: 1.Landslide should avoid illegal discrimination: As Mr. Stonefield stated he expects to hire 25 employees. It will be imperative that Landslide develop a working knowledge of all anti-discrimination laws and rules. Federal law prohibits discriminating on the basis of race, gender, pregnancy, national origin, religion, disability, and age. However Landslide will also become knowledgeable of local and state requirements to protect against discrimination. 2.Applicants have a right to privacy it is advisable that Landslide avoid asking questions that would infringe rights to privacy. Such questions are about race, parentage and marital status 3.Landslide must follow federal and state guidelines and rules in regards to hiring immigrants. Landslide should ensure that they hire individuals that are documented citizens or legal aliens. Applicants must complete federally  required documents such as I-9’s and W-4’s with supporting evidence. Landslide must make copies and inspect employee provided supporting documents to make sure they are legal and binding. Methods for selecting candidates: Since Landslide is a new business in the Austin, Texas area that they should start with advertising their job openings. The applicant selection begins through recruitment, either external sourcing or third party sourcing. At this point all resumes and applications are screened for only those qualified to continue to the next step. Those candidates are then interviewed. The next step begin with making contact with the applicant by telephone asking the applicant to commit to an in person interview. This initial telephone contact is one of many first impressions. Once the applicant interviews and passes they go forward to the testing portion of the hiring process. Building diversity within Landslide Limousine Services will be extremely important. This will potentially widen the clientele base worldwide. When a client knows that the business is multilingual and culturally savvy. The clients will respect and patron Landslides services over and over again. Landslide will also be viewed as being a diverse workplace that honors all races and ethnicities. Various laws that must be considered when hiring – especially in a diverse workforce would be: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Family and the Medical Leave Act of 1993 and Sexual Harassment. References Cascio, Wayne F. (2013). Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits (Ninth Edition). New York, NY. University of Phoenix (2013). Week Six Difficult Concepts. Retrieved on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/Materials/IP/curriculum/sb/HRM531/week_6_video.asp

Risk management by indian banks

Risk management by indian banks Case analysis: Risk management by Indian banks The banking and financial crises in recent years in emerging economies have demonstrated that, when things go wrong with the financial system, they can result in a severe economic downturn. From this perspective, financial sector reforms are essential in order to avoid such costs. These reforms have become the tools for banks to manage risk. Some of the tools are: 1) Interest Rate Scenario The first important issue that I would like to highlight relates to interest rates. Interest rates reflect strongly to inflation rates, there has been a distinct downward drift in the inflation rate during the second half of the 1990s, which is now at around half the level as compared with the first half of the 1990s. Both the popular measures of inflation the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) have shown a definite fall in the recent period. This is clearly reflected in the downward trend in nominal interest rates. The banks have also reduced their deposit rates. But the lending rates of banks have not come down as much. While banks have reduced their prime lending rates (PLRs) to some extent and are also extending sub-PLR loans and effective lending rates continue to remain high (Table 1 and Chart 1). 2) Lending to Small and Medium Enterprises Banks have now understood the problems with lending large organizations. The large organization not only reduces the interest rates by bargaining but also makes default payments by which banks are under tremendous risk, and hence banks are now making a move to provide more loans to small and medium enterprises. 3) Revival of Long-Term Financing The development finance institutions (DFIs) were set up in the 1950s to provide medium and long-term finance to the private sector. Many of these institutions were sponsored by the Government. DFIs were expected to resolve long-term credit shortages and to acquire and disseminate skills necessary to assess projects and banks creditworthiness. The current trend is of DFIs converting themselves into banks. In this context, the future of long-term lending acquires great importance. 4) Non-Performing Assets As of March 31, 2002, the gross NPAs of scheduled commercial banks stood at Rs.71,000 crore, of which the NPAs of public sector banks constituted Rs.57,000 crore. The absolute amount of NPAs continues to be a major drag on the performance of banks. Banks uses the process of securitisation of assets to remove NPAs from the balance sheets. 5) Investing in government securities: In the current interest rate environment, banks are finding it more profitable to invest in government securities. In 2001-02, trading profits of public sector banks more than doubled to Rs.5,999 crore from Rs.2,250 crore in 2000-01. The net profits of these banks during these two years were Rs.4,317 crore and Rs.8,301 crore respectively and this includes an additional Rs.1,365 crore and Rs.1,547 crore from forex operations. The Reserve Bank has been encouraging banks to be proactive in risk management and banks have been directed to maintain a certain level of Investment Fluctuation Reserve (IFR). TABLE 1 : REAL INTEREST RATES Year Weighted Weighted Average Average Inflation Rate Real Interest Rate Ended Average Average Cost of Cost of WPI Manufact- CPI-IW Borrowers Central Depositors March Lending Interest Rate Aggregate Time uring Price Government Rate of of Central Deposits Deposits SCBs Government of SCBs of SCBs Securities 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9=(2-7) 10=(3-6) 11=(5-8) 1990-91 15.0 11.4 8.1 10.6 10.3 8.4 4.6 6.6 1.1 6.0 1991-92 16.5 11.8 7.1 9.1 13.7 11.3 13.5 5.2 -1.9 -4.4 1992-93 16.8 12.5 7.7 9.6 10.1 10.9 9.6 5.9 2.4 0.0 1993-94 16.5 12.6 6.9 8.7 8.4 7.8 7.5 8.7 4.2 1.2 1994-95 16.1 11.9 6.4 7.0 12.5 12.2 10.1 3.9 -0.6 -3.1 1995-96 17.1 13.8 6.9 8.5 8.1 8.6 10.2 8.5 5.7 -1.7 1996-97 16.9 13.7 7.6 9.4 4.6 2.1 9.4 14.8 9.1 0.0 1997-98 16.3 12.0 7.3 8.8 4.4 2.9 6.8 13.4 7.6 2.0 1998-99 15.5 11.9 7.4 8.9 5.9 4.4 13.1 11.1 6.0 -4.2 1999-00 15.0 11.8 7.1 8.6 3.3 2.7 3.4 12.3 8.5 5.2 2000-01 14.3 11.0 6.8 8.1 7.2 3.3 3.8 11.0 3.8 4.3 2001-02 13.9 9.4 7.0* 8.3* 3.6 1.8 4.3 12.1 5.8 4.0 Average 1990-91 to 1995-96 16.3 12.3 7.2 8.9 10.5 9.9 10.4 6.5 1.8 -0.3 1996-97 to 2001-02 15.3 11.6 7.2 8.7 4.8 2.9 6.8 12.5 6.8 1.9 Table 2 : Comparative Position of International Real Interest Rates Country / Money Long-term Prime Rate Inflation Rate GDP Growth Period Average Market Rate G-sec Yield United States 1991 to 1996 1.50 3.71 4.40 3.09 2.58 1997 to 2001 2.73 3.20 5.73 2.46 3.37 United Kingdom 1991 to 1996 4.05 5.30 4.25 3.25 1.92 1997 to 2001 3.40 2.77 3.46 2.57 2.76 Germany 1991 to 1996 3.63 4.09 9.04 2.85 3.20 1997 to 2001 1.99 3.17 7.75 1.57 1.75 Japan 1991 to 1996 2.00 2.78 3.57 1.16 1.74 1997 to 2001 0.09 1.40 2.07 0.13 0.69 Korea 1991 to 1996 7.50 7.21 3.16 5.99 7.35 1997 to 2001 4.79 5.85 6.74 3.82 4.31 Thailand 1991 to 1996 3.71 5.78 7.74 4.97 8.17 1997 to 2001 3.22 4.65 6.98 3.44 -0.20 China 1991 to 1996 N.A. N.A. -2.09 12.32 11.61 1997 to 2001 N.A. N.A. 6.28 0.23 7.93 India 1991 to 1996 3.43 N.A. 6.57 10.52 5.41 1997 to 2001 3.40 5.87 7.62 5.08 6.14 Hungary 1991 to 1996 N.A. N.A. 5.11 25.04 -1.63 1997 to 2001 N.A. N.A. 4.13 12.29 4.52

Natural Born Killers :: essays papers

Natural Born Killers Violence is a constant on our screens whether it be an anvil falling on a cartoon character, a war zone on the news, a fight in an action movie or a pub brawl in a soap opera. But does this screen violence produce behavioural effects in the viewers? This is one of the most frequent and heatedly debated arguments in mass media. Is it the case that audiences are effected by what they see and that the producers of media texts are instigating or increasing violent behaviour, or do audiences have the ability to understand what they have seen without being overly influenced? It has to be ascertained as to whether audiences are passive or active. This subject has caused controversy within several of different schools of thought and ideologies over the years. They have either wide or only slight variations of opinion so it is difficult to come to one definite conclusion as each one also has valid and understandable explanations. It is difficult to deny that 'the whole point of communicating is to influence one another by conveying information' (Vine, 1997), but to what extent does this influence take control? To investigate this matter and come to a conclusion as to whether or not screen violence does instigate violent behaviour in the reader, we will be critically looking at two of the major ideological models as well as using some specific media texts to validate and/or criticise these theories. First there is the Hypodermic Needle or Hypodermic Syringe effect. This theory has it's root in 1950's America when dominant businesses and the then government wanted to discover how far the public were influenced by what they saw on television. The Hypodermic Theory came from this Media Effects model, which had a heavy emphasis in psychology. Businesses and the government alike wanted to know how much 'media is supposedly 'injected' into the consciousness of an audience' via television (Price, 1993). They wanted to know if through this relatively new medium the public could be persuaded unquestioningly to, for example, vote for a certain political party or buy a specific brand of washing powder. The Hypodermic model proposes that the media has a very direct and extremely immediate effect on the general public, who accept the injected message without question due to their passiveness. It is the idea that producers of media texts can persuade us to do what ever they want and we will unquestionably comply. When we bring the subject of violence into this field, a follower of this ideology would say that the violent behaviour witnessed on screen would be influentially accepted by the audience without question.

Null Hypothesis

Why We Don’t â€Å"Accept† the Null Hypothesis by Keith M. Bower, M. S. and James A. Colton, M. S. Reprinted with permission from the American Society for Quality When performing statistical hypothesis tests such as a one-sample t-test or the AndersonDarling test for normality, an investigator will either reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis, based upon sampled data. Frequently, results in Six Sigma projects contain the verbiage â€Å"accept the null hypothesis,† which implies that the null hypothesis has been proven true.This article discusses why such a practice is incorrect, and why this issue is more than a matter of semantics. Overview of Hypothesis Testing In a statistical hypothesis test, two hypotheses are evaluated: the null (H0) and the alternative (H1). The null hypothesis is assumed true until proven otherwise. If the weight of evidence leads us to believe that the null hypothesis is highly unlikely (based upon probability theory), then we hav e a statistical basis upon which we may reject the null hypothesis. A common misconception is that statistical hypothesis tests are designed to select the more likely of two hypotheses.Rather, a test will stay with the null hypothesis until enough evidence (data) appears to support the alternative. The amount of evidence required to â€Å"prove† the alternative may be stated in terms of a confidence level (denoted X%). The confidence level is often specified before a test is conducted as part of a sample size calculation. We view the confidence level as equaling one minus the Type I error rate (? ). A Type I error is committed when the null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected. An ? value of 0. 05 is typically used, corresponding to 95% confidence levels.The p-value is used to determine if enough evidence exists to reject the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative. The p-value is the probability of incorrectly rejecting the null hypothesis. The two possible conclusions, af ter assessing the data, are to: 1. Reject the null hypothesis (p-value ? ) and conclude that there is not enough evidence to state that the alternative is true at the pre-determined confidence level of X%. Note that it is possible to state the alternative to be true at the lower confidence level of 100*(1 – p-value)%. Ronald A.Fisher succinctly discusses the key point of our paper: In relation to any experiment we may speak of†¦ the â€Å"null hypothesis,† and it should be noted that the null hypothesis is never proved or established, but is possibly disproved, in the course of experimentation. Every experiment may be said to exist only in order to give the facts a chance of disproving the null hypothesis. 1 A Helpful Analogy: The U. S. Legal System Consider the example of the legal system in the United States of America. A person is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.We may state this particular decision-making process in the form of a hypo thesis test, as follows: H0: Person is innocent vs. H1: Person is not innocent (i. e. , guilty) The responsibility then falls upon the prosecution to build a case to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It should be borne in mind that a jury will never find a person to be â€Å"innocent. † The defendant would be found â€Å"not guilty† in such a situation; i. e. , the jury has failed to reject the null hypothesis. Decisions Based on Data We must keep in mind, of course, that it is always possible to draw an incorrect conclusion based upon sampled data.There are two kinds of error we can make: †¢ Type I error. When the null hypothesis is rejected, practitioners refer to the Type I error when they present results, using language such as: â€Å"We reject the null hypothesis at the 5% significance level,† or â€Å"We reject the null hypothesis at the 95% confidence level. † †¢ Type II error. A second possible mistake involves incorrectly failing t o reject the null hypothesis. The power of a test is defined as one minus the Type II error rate, and is therefore the probability of correctly rejecting H0. The sample size plays an important role in determining the statistical power of a test.When statisticians address small sample sizes, they often refer to the power to justify their concerns. One may argue that the sample size would be too low to correctly detect a difference from the hypothesized value, if that difference truly existed. Example of a Test with Low Power Consider a test that compares the mean of a process to a target value. The null and alternative hypotheses are, respectively: H0: Process mean on target vs. H1: Process mean different from target Suppose two observations are collected daily to monitor for a change in the process mean (i. e. , n = 2). Assume a one-sample t-test is carried out at the ? 0. 05 significance level (95% confidence level) and the resulting p-value is above 0. 05. Fig. 1 One-Sample t-Test As is shown in Figure 1, there is less than a 50% chance (power = 0. 4944) such a test will correctly reject the null hypothesis even when the difference between the process mean and the target is six standard deviations. This is obviously an enormous statistical difference, yet the test (owing to the small sample size) would not be sensitive to it. The danger in concluding the process is on target with a sample size of two, for this example, is evident. ImplicationsAssessing and relaying findings in a cogent manner is critical for Six Sigma practitioners. In statistical hypothesis testing procedures, this means that investigators should avoid misleading language such as that which implies â€Å"acceptance† of the null hypothesis. Reference th 1. Ronald A. Fisher, The Design of Experiments, 8 ed. (New York: Hafner Publishing Company Inc. , 1966), 17. Bibliography 1. Lenth, Russell V. â€Å"Some Practical Guidelines for Effective Sample Size Determination. † The Americ an Statistician 55, no. 3 (2001): 187-193. 2. Tukey, John W. â€Å"Conclusions vs. Decisions. † Technometrics 2, no. 4 (1960): 423433.