A typical Victorian family Essay

â€Å"We don’t live alone. We are all members of one body. We are responsible for each other. † What is Priestley’s main aim in ‘An Inspector Calls? ‘ How successful was he? It year was 1945 when J. B Priestley created his masterpiece, An Inspector Calls. He set the play in 1912 like a typical Victorian family, the male of the family ruling the rest. He intended the play to be viewed by all but I don’t think he expected it to still be played today. The play has a very important message inside. I think the message is that we have to be careful in what we say to others because without us knowing, we could have a negative impact on whoever it is directed to. The play is designed like a detective style. It has the Inspector interrogating the suspects to try and piece together the clues into the suicide of Eva Smith. As well as the play being educational, Priestley made it entertaining so more people would watch the play closely than if it was just educational. Also more people, I think, would go and read it. Every one of us has an individual role into the way we live. We could choose to ignore the wellbeing of each other and bully every one or we could choose to live in peace with every one and live in peace with them. Society is an important thing. Without order, we could all live in fear as many people try to rule our life. When we are in PSD, our teachers are trying to educate us the important rule of respecting each other and their things. Their things could be anything from their cars to their bodies. We need to treat them as we would like to be treated back. We have all got responsibility to respect each other as we would like to be respected. The Characters involved in the play are: Mr Arthur Birling, Mrs Sybil Birling, Miss Sheila Birling, Master Eric Birling, Mr Gerald Croft, Inspector Goole and Miss Eva Smith Mr Arthur Birling in the play is described as being an arrogant, stubborn man. His view of what had happened to Eva in the play is like he wasn’t interested that a fellow human had died from what he had done. He was more bothered about how he thought the people of Brumley would think of him if they saw the Inspector talk to him about a suicide. He tried, several times in the play, to discourage the Inspector blaming him by saying that he was the Lord Mayor of Brumley or that he is the owner of the company Birling and Co. â€Å"Well I only did what any employer might have done. † I put this in because it shows that Mr Birling is only interested in his business and he’s not interested in any of the workers.

The Constitution fails to meet the needs of a rapidly changing society

When the Constitution was written by the ‘Founding Fathers back in 1787, they intentionally made it so that it could survive over time. They made it flexable so because they envisaged that there were problems that they could not forsee in the future, these are things such as the Depression of the late twenties and early thirties. ‘The Framers' intended for the amendment process to be the main way of updating the constitution and through time this has been evident. An important part of a democratic government is the accountability of those in power, in recent times we have seen the system in America fail, in part this may be due to the fact that the constitution may be outdated. During Bill Clintons' second term of office there were a number of scandals that rocked the White House, the first being the Paula Jones affair. During a hearing about the Paula Jones affair Clinton stated that he had not had â€Å"sexual relations† with Monica Lewinsky, this turned out to be a lie and Congress attempted to impeach him. The impeachment failed due to the wording of the constitution as it was based on the fact that they believed he had committed ‘a high crime or misdemeanour' but Clintons' lawyers asked for a definition of this and Congress could not give one. This shows that the wording of the constitution was outdated or the constitution was badly worded. There was also a lack of accountability during the Watergate scandal as President Nixon was able to escape with no punishment even though he was part of a conspiracy to commit a felony, all charges against Nixon were dropped by his successor Gerald Ford due to the fact that Presidents have the power to withdraw charges against anybody in America. This shows that there is an essential part of the democratic process missing due to flaws in the constitution. When the constitution was first written in 1787 there was a strong possibility of war, so when the founding fathers drew up the constitution they added in an article which said that all people have the right to bear arms. This article has been problematic ever since. Within the last decade there have been many high profile shootings in schools such as Columbine, this has led to a stronger fight against the gun laws. There are those such as the National Rifle Association who say that that right can not be taken away from them as it is one of their constitution rights but there is a problem with that as within the preamble there is the mention of insuring domestic tranquillity, can this be done when there are children who can gain easy access to guns, there are also the problems with the number of deaths due to gun crimes, the right to life is also mentioned in the constitution. The flexibility of the constitution is crucial to its longevity as if it was too rigid it would not have lasted, there may be the problem though that it is too flexible. Over the years there hav been many changes in the federal system, most notably the introduction of Roosevelts ‘New Deal' which saw the power shift more towards the central government, then there was the move back through presidents such as Nixon and Reagan. During this time the efficacy of the government could be questioned as we saw with the ‘Appropreations Crisis' in 1995, during this time government was shut down for two weeks this was ineffect shutting down the country as federal run services such as the postal service were also closed. A solution was found to stop that happening again, that arrived in the form of the ‘Line Item Veto', this gave the President the power to remove unsuitable sentences or paragraphs from a bill. Eighteen months after its introduction it was scrapped as the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional as it gave too much power to one person. Many considered this as a mistake as it made the legislative process faster as it saved the bill being sent back to Congress. This shows that there is room for improvement within the constitution. Through time the main way to update the constitution has been through the Amendment process. As society and its ideals has changed so has the Constitution, when society started to object to slavery and racism the constitution began to follow, the same with womens rights. There are other problems as I have already mentioned the constitution still protects the pro-gun lobby as it is stated in the constitution that all citizens shall bear arms, after a number of atrocities and the significant rise in gun crime, society is begininng to object but still there is no movement on any new amendments in regards to gun laws. The lack of movement may be due to the constitution being outdated but it may also be due to the power that the NRA and other pro gun groups have but we have seen great trides taken through time such as the moves against racism. The constitution was based on what was happening in the eighteenth century and what the ‘Framers' envisaged would happen in the future, but there would seem to be the ability within it, due to its flexibility, to change with modern society. Through time we have seen how society has changed and not far behind is the constitution due to the amendment process.

Celebrity Privacy

How do you feel about celebrities and their privacy? Can you imagine being watched by reporters everyday of your life? Once celebrities reach a certain level of fame, their private lives become the topic of discussion among their fans and foes. Privacy is not guaranteed among famous people due to them constantly being stalked by the paparazzi and their fans. I feel reporters and the paparazzi should respect celebrities right to privacy because at the end of the day they are normal people who are just known by the world that come with the fame and fortune. Celebrities are always being watched because of their fame and fortune. Everything they do from what they eat, what they wear, even their exercise routine is criticized by reporters and foes. According to the Huffington Post, their are two types of reporters. There are red carpet event reporters who are invited to the event and allowed to photograph the celebrities. Then you have the paparazzi, which are the reporters who stalk celebrities and photograph them without their consent. Britney Spears is a good example of why reporters need to back off of celebrities. Back in 2009, she attacked a reporter’s car with a umbrella. At the time of the incident, Britney was in the middle of going to rehab to get her life together. This reporter was very lucky because Britney could have hit him with umbrella instead of his car. Sometimes reporters go too far, when in contact with celebrities. A more recent incident is with Kanye West. Kanye West attacked the same reporter who was in a similar accident with Britney Spears. West was walking through the airport minding his own business, until these one reporter constantly asks him questions. There is a video of the incident, where you can hear the reporter asking Kanye questions. He didn’t respond to the reporter tactics until the end when he pushed he that the reporter was just trying to get a law suit then he pushed the camera and the fight began. As a writer, I can understand what reporters go through when they want to deliver a great story or article. Some reporters take it to the extremes in order to catch celebrities in compromising positions. For example, New York Daily News reporters have captured celebrities at their worst moments. Fans and viewers want to see their idols and favorite people looking good and doing normal things. Reporters have been known to go to some major extremes to capture photographs. Christina Aguilera was photographed doing a singing engagement while her menstrual cycle was on. She is pictured with blood running down her leg. Even when celebrities think the cameras are not on them, they are. Amanda Bynes was seen to be taking drugs while sitting in her car. Can you imagine how much criticism and disrespect she may have endured from people seeing that photo? Reporters catch celebrities some of the simplest things such as getting a wedgie out, picking their nose or even a wardrobe malfunction. Adam Sandler was captured getting boogers out of his nose while Zac Efron was photographed with his hand down his pants. In my opinion, reporters make a big deal about the smallest things when a celebrity does it due to their status and fame. There are very few magazines out there that actually show and embrace celebrities doing normal things without criticizing them. Glamour Magazine has captured celebrities buying groceries, shopping and having lunch,, normal activities. Celebrities have families and loved ones just like we do. There are times when reporters catch them spending time with their families. I feel there should be a boundary when it comes to celebrities’ family members. Talking about the celebrities its one thing but when reporters start talking about their children, spouse and parents, its gone too far. A perfect example of when reporters should have not been in celebrities â€Å"more† personal lives is when they questioned Beyonce actually being pregnant. There were stories that she had a surrogate mother and faked her pregnancy. I feel the reporters crossed the line when publishing those articles because it hurts when people talk about you, but when they bring in your loved ones, it hurts even more. Reporters should not have the right to write articles about celebrities that focus on their personal lives such as pregnancies, deaths, illnesses, even debt. Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown was a prime example of how reporters should have not be allowed to write and photograph some parts of their lives. For example, they should not have been allowed to write articles about Whitney and Bobby’s frequent drug use. That should have been something that was kept out of the public eye and only to those in their inner circles. There are many new television shows that focus on celebrities and their lives. Some of these reality shows show fans that their favorite people are not always sweet and innocent but can be disrespectful and uncaring. The top reality television shows include Jersey Shore, Love and Hip Hop, Real Housewives of Atlanta and many more. Fans get to see their favorite people in a comfortable environment and interacting with other people. Housewives of Atlanta, is a show based in Atlanta following six woman lives. Kandi Burruss is one of my favorite celebrities on the show. She is a very independent woman who takes care of her family by making her own music and she’s also an entrepreneur. On the show, she has been battling with the media concerning her mother and her fiance relationships. Kandi is one of the few celebrities who strays away from always been in the spotlight. She loves her privacy and doesn’t do anything to cause reporters to want to stalk or plaster her business over magazine covers. Celebrities should be granted privacy because at the end of the day, they are still normal people just like we are. Reporters and paparazzi should respect celebrities wishes when they voice their concern about respecting their families. Photographing and criticizing celebrities is one thing but doing it to their children and families has crossed the line. Celebrities are normal people at the end of the day. Just like normal people they make mistakes that can deter their life for a moment but always learn from it. The paparazzi and celebrities have secrets just like normal people do. According to the AskMen. com, celebrities sometimes release their daily schedule in order for them to be photographed by reporters. Celebrities release their schedules to reporters in order for them to photographed and kept in the public eye. To viewers it seems like they are being stalked by reporters but that is not always the case. For example, Paris Hilton is one of the few celebrities who has given her schedule to reporters because she wanted to be photographed in order to stay in magazines and on viewers minds. Some celebrities have acknowledged the fact that their private lives isnt always a guarantee. It is possible for celebrities to keep their private lives a secret and still remain famous. For example, the singer Adele is a very private person who enjoys the limelight but also loves spending time with her family. She stays hidden from the paparazzi and magazines so well that her son’s name has never been revealed to the public.

Company directors and managers goal of maximising profits Essay

Company directors and managers goal of maximising profits - Essay Example Company directors’ and managers’ goal of maximising profits Managers and the directors set objectives which they struggle to attain of which the main objectives are earning profit, adding to wealth of shareholders, growth and customer satisfaction etc. Directors, at times, are more concerned with growth of the company and addition to the wealth of the shareholders while meeting the expectations of the shareholders with considerable profits as they are the ones owning the business. The prime responsibility with which the directors are entrusted is to maximize the profits for the shareholders of the company who are the actual owners of the company and to them the directors are accountable to. Since the directors of the company are the representatives of the shareholders and act on behalf of the shareholders, the onus lies on them to keep the interest of the shareholders in mind to the add to the wealth of the shareholders who have invested in the company for the same. The key purpose of the board of directors along with the managers is to make sure the prosperity of the company through jointly handle the affairs of the company, at the same time meeting the suitable welfare of its stakeholders especially the shareholders. Klaus J. Hopt mentioned in his research that â€Å"Being responsible for the going concern of the company the directors hold themselves liable and accountable to the shareholders and aim at maximizing their returns, where the law also directs them the same.†

Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Rights - Essay Example For better understanding the following explanations relevant to the case under study are noteworthy: 1. Article 11defines assembly as â€Å"a company of persons gathered for some common purpose, for example, a meeting or public demonstration [whereas] freedom of assembly†¦ include[s] organisation of, and participation in marches†¦ processions, ‘static assemblies†¦ sit-ins’ and both public and private events, whether formal†¦ informal (Interights, 2007, p. 7). Based on this definition, Rik’s group and activity qualifies. 2. The right to freedom of peaceful assembly is not an absolute right, but is a qualified right. Meaning, such rights can be interfered with by the Government under specified circumstances. The manner by which Article 11 is constructed clearly manifests this, wherein section 1 defines the rights being upheld, while section 2 defines Government legitimate interferences that may curtail this right. (Ashcroft et al., 1999, p. 22) 3. The general principles as to Government legitimate interferences are set by the European Court of Human Rights following the two cases: Bukta v Hungary [2007] ECHR Application No 25691/04 (17 July 2007) and Makhmudov v Russia [2007] ECHR Application No 35082/04 (26 July 2007), whereby the concerned State parties had been found violating Article 11 (Marauhn, 2007, p. 120). The Court laid the burden of proof on the State, ruling that Government interference against Article 11 is legitimate provided: a. It has legal basis in domestic law. â€Å"In determining the necessity of a restriction, the European Court and Commission have always accorded a certain margin of appreciation to the national authorities† (Rai, Allmond & Negotiate Now [1995]) (Hamilton, 2007, p. 19-20). In Rik’s case the following UK laws apply – for the power of the MP are the Public Order Act (POA) 1986 and the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) 2005 (Norton 2010); while for the re stricted use of the Parliament Square are the Greater London Authority Act 1999, and the Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square Garden (Amendment No. 1) Byelaws 2002 (Greater London Authority, 2002). b. It is grounded on permissible aims, which in Rik’s case as given by the MP is security. Although such given reason was unconvincing especially so that in the past The Parliament Square has been the common centre for demonstrations and no recent security issue had been heard for the use of the Square. Furthermore, the HOOL as an organisation does not connote any violent intention and does not have any violent history in the past. c. It is indispensable in a democratic society, which in Rik’s case to ensure security is necessary for a democratic society to enjoy its freedom and rights. However, the right being curtailed is in fact one of the cornerstone of democratic society. Meaning, the reason for its infringement must be greater. In Rik’s case, the reason is unc onvincing. d. It should be proportionate to the aim being pursued, which in the case of Rik’s, the police ‘kettling’ – which although favoured by the High Court in Austin v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (UKHL, 2009) – of the protesters for four hours did result to the curtailment of the protesters freedom of movement and even put their health, especially the young children, at

Microeconomics College Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Microeconomics College - Research Paper Example b. level of unemployment: the level of unemployment is the number of workers minus the equilibrium employed workers, this will be (12,000 - 7,000)/ 12,000 * 100 = 41.67% c. minimum wage is set at 11 per hour, Waiters will work for 6000 hours per month d. minimum wage set at 11 per hour Unemployment: (12,000 - 6000)/ 6000 * 100 = 50% e. minimum wage at 12 per hour: Unemployment: (12,000 - 8000)/12,000 * 100 = 33.33% Employment: (6000/10000)*100 = 60% f. minimum wage is set at 12 per hour and demand decreased by 2,000 Wage rate to waiters: The minimum wage will be 12 per hour, however the new equilibrium will be be at 11 dollars per hour. Hours of labor unemployed: The employment will be 6000; therefore the unemployment is 6000 hours. CT 1(text, p151) Effect of education on files downloaded each week. The film industry is concerned with the effect of adoption of broadband internet that allow users to download pirated movies, the option is to reduce the number of pirated movies downloaded per week through education, therefore education is expected to reduce the number of pirated movies downloaded per week. CT 2 (text, p151) Imposing tax on downloaded movies: From the above chart it is evident that the a tax will increase the price of illegal downloads, the supply curve shifts from supply curve 1 to supply curve 2, as a result the equilibrium quantity will decline from Q1 to Q2. Chapter 9: P 12 (text, p222) a. average total cost plant 1 plant 2 plant 3 plant 4 1 7.5 6.25 6.363636 6.923077 2 5 5 5.333333 5.882353 3 3.846154 4.66666667 5 5.5 4 4.615385 4.70588235 5 5.454545 b. long run cost curve: c. economies of scale: Economies of scale are realized for the range 60 to 75 units produced. d. number of ovens: the long run average cost curve depicts... Water is a resource and from the article it is evident that the supply level is 23 gigaliters per year, in order to allocate water economically in such a way that we get the water back than the water will come from the lowest value uses, this statement means that the lowest value water users should be discouraged to use the water and the highest value water users encouraged to use the water, therefore the there will be a reduction in the water available to the lowest value water users. From the above table in order to get the water back there should be a reduction in the water used by the lowest value users and this can only be achieved through the increase of the price of water per liter which can be done through taxation. The film industry is concerned with the effect of adoption of broadband internet that allow users to download pirated movies, the option is to reduce the number of pirated movies downloaded per week through education, therefore education is expected to reduce the number of pirated movies downloaded per week. From the above chart it is evident that the a tax will increase the price of illegal downloads, the supply curve shifts from supply curve 1 to supply curve 2, as a result the equilibrium quantity will decline from Q1 to Q2. the long run average cost curve depicts the average cost of production as the firm expands, from the above the long run will help realization of economies of scale and th

PHD proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PHD proposal - Essay Example Although modern literature has perpetrated Islam and Muslims in a violent light, the majority of Muslims do not believe or worship this way. The idea that the fanatic terrorists of 9/11, suicide bombers, and others are the majority is a false perception. Islam does not teach this type of violence. The terrorists who twist their religion to suit their aims are using Islam to achieve their own personal goals. This minority has poisoned Western literature, which shows a stereotypical view of Muslims. This is important for my studies, because an examination for the reasons about the stereotypes of Muslims in Western literature could lead to an answer on how to stop the prejudices against Islam. Maybe this study can shed light on the truth about this misunderstood religion. The influence of the Islamic terrorist minority will be shown. The Western world has fixated on the terrorist and violent aspect of Muslims since before 9/11. An example provided will be Malcolm X (in Alex Haley chapter). Malcolm X did not believe in the non-violent approach of Martin Luther King (a Christian). Although Malcolm X intended the violence to be in self defence, Islam became equal to violence in his writings. The overall theme of this dissertation will be the how these selected writers view Islam and Muslims from their point of view. How are their attitudes toward this religion and its followers? Have they been ignorant? Is their literature a truthful portrayal of Islam? Do any of the writers have certain agendas? Some of these writers are Christian, Hindu, and Muslim. How did the writers individual faith impact their perspective of Islam? All of these questions will be answered, along with what Islam truly is about. In the following chapters I will illustrate how in these texts, the writers show Islam differently according to their experiences. Before moving into my discussion of the cultural differences between nations in The Shadow Lines, I

Human Resources Management Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Human Resources Management Report - Essay Example In 2005 a survey was conducted and it was reported by the management of the company that they had over 275 million hits on their website. The motto of the company is that they are trying to create a better life for many people through their products and the business idea of the company also supports the vision of the company and that is it provides furniture at reasonable and affordable prices so that many people can afford their products. The objectives it to make profit and as well as serve the society and the environment. The turnover for IKEA in 2007 was $26.1 billion. The objective of this paper is to show that how can IKEA increase its market share in the industry through the effective use of human resource management. As we know that this paper is about how to increase market share of IKEA in the furniture industry through effective human resources management. IKEA is a privately owned, international based company. It is an international retail store that sells flat pack furniture, bathrooms, accessories and kitchens all over the world. The company when it started off, it used to sell flat pack designed furniture at reasonable prices but now it is considered to be the world's largest manufacturer of furniture. IKEA has somewhere around 278 outlets in 36 countries, most of the outlets are based in Europe, United States, Australia, Canada and Asia. ... IKEA has somewhere around 278 outlets in 36 countries, most of the outlets are based in Europe, United States, Australia, Canada and Asia. In 2006 IKEA had opened around 16 more stores and by 2008 they plan to at least 30 more outlets or relocate them. The company has somewhere around 12,000 products available on their website, which is very near to their products range. In 2005 a survey was conducted and it was reported by the management of the company that they had over 275 million hits on their website. The motto of the company is that they are trying to create a better life for people all over the world through their products and the business idea of the company also supports the vision of the company and that is it provides furniture at reasonable and affordable prices so that many people can afford their products. The turnover for IKEA in 2007 was $26.1 billion. Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA in Almhult, Sweden by in 1943, when he only a boy of 17 years. The word IKEA is the abbreviation of Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. The company first started out by selling all kinds of products like pens, runners, wallets, picture frames, watches, jewelry, furniture and stockings etc. anything that Kamprad thought that would sell at a reduced but reasonable price. It is the business idea of IKEA that they offer a wide range of home furnishing products at process which are affordable by many people. (IKEA) In 1948 IKEA introduced furniture in their range. The furniture was produced by the local manufactures in the forest closest to Ingvar Kamprad's home. The response to the furniture was a positive one. Kamprad first started to sell the products out of his home and then he used mail order to deliver the products to his

Public presentation thru Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public presentation thru Communication - Essay Example Public speaking can be a powerful tool to use for purposes such as motivation, influence, persuasion, or simply ethos. Becoming good at public presentations entails a number of principles, that one needs to grasp. It is important to know that presentation goes hand in hand with communication skills. Good communication skills lead to a nice public presentation. One needs to put into practice some of the principles of effective communication skills if he or she has to come out as a good orator. For an effective public presentation, one needs to plan effectively the presentation. Planning entail was writing down an objective statement of what one needs to achieve because of the presentation. The objective statement usually answers the question â€Å"who is my audience and what is the purpose of the talk.† Next, one needs to write down what he thinks he will tell the audience. It is crucial to note that public speaking not only share information but also move people’s minds and hearts and provokes them into changing their behavior. Additionally, research on the topic of discussion is also very important. The second principle entails one overcoming his or her public speaking fear. Most people become nervous at the thought of standing before people and presenting a given speech. In America, for instance 43% of adults rank public speaking as a major block bringing about fear compared to death. Being bold during a public presentation enhances information flow and the way one influences the audience’s emotional balance. Overcoming this fear is a choice that one can decide to take. Confidence eventually leads to an improved public presentation. Finally, it is crucial to note that a practice makes perfect. By so doing, one boosts his or her communication skills and the ability to stand before the public and offer a good presentation. Continuous repletion of something until it becomes second nature is important in ensuring that perfection is

Genetically Foods Essay Example for Free

Genetically Foods Essay Genetically-modified foods (GM foods) have made a big splash in the news lately. European environmental organizations and public interest groups have been actively protesting against GM foods for months, and recent controversial studies about the effects of genetically-modified corn pollen on monarch butterfly caterpillars1, 2 have brought the issue of genetic engineering to the forefront of the public consciousness in the U. S. In response to the upswelling of public concern, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held three open meetings in Chicago, Washington, D. C., and Oakland, California to solicit public opinions and begin the process of establishing a new regulatory procedure for government approval of GM foods3. I attended the FDA meeting held in November 1999 in Washington, D. C. , and here I will attempt to summarize the issues involved and explain the U. S. governments present role in regulating GM food. What are genetically-modified foods? The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate. Genetic engineering, on the other hand, can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy. For example, plant geneticists can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that gene into a different plant. The new genetically-modified plant will gain drought tolerance as well. Not only can genes be transferred from one plant to another, but genes from non-plant organisms also can be used. The best known example of this is the use of B. t. genes in corn and other crops. B. t. , or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. B. t. crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer. For two informative overviews of some of the techniques involved in creating GM foods, visit Biotech Basics (sponsored by Monsanto) http://www. biotechknowledge. monsanto. com/biotech/bbasics. nsf/index or Techniques of Plant Biotechnology from the National Center for Biotechnology Education http://www. ncbe. reading. ac. uk/NCBE/GMFOOD/techniques. What are some of the advantages of GM foods? The world population has topped 6 billion people and is predicted to double in the next 50 years. Ensuring an adequate food supply for this booming population is going to be a major challenge in the years to come. GM foods promise to meet this need in a number of ways: Pest resistance Crop losses from insect pests can be staggering, resulting in devastating financial loss for farmers and starvation in developing countries. Farmers typically use many tons of chemical pesticides annually. Consumers do not wish to eat food that has been treated with pesticides because of potential health hazards, and run-off of agricultural wastes from excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers can poison the water supply and cause harm to the environment. Growing GM foods such as B. t.corn can help eliminate the application of chemical pesticides and reduce the cost of bringing a crop to market4, 5. Herbicide tolerance For some crops, it is not cost-effective to remove weeds by physical means such as tilling, so farmers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides (weed-killer) to destroy weeds, a time-consuming and expensive process, that requires care so that the herbicide doesnt harm the crop plant or the environment. Crop plants genetically-engineered to be resistant to one very powerful herbicide could help prevent environmental damage by reducing the amount of herbicides needed. For example, Monsanto has created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be not affected by their herbicide product Roundup  ®6. A farmer grows these soybeans which then only require one application of weed-killer instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste run-off7. Disease resistance There are many viruses, fungi and bacteria that cause plant diseases. Plant biologists are working to create plants with genetically-engineered resistance to these diseases8, 9. Cold tolerance Unexpected frost can destroy sensitive seedlings. An antifreeze gene from cold water fish has been introduced into plants such as tobacco and potato. With this antifreeze gene, these plants are able to tolerate cold temperatures that normally would kill unmodified seedlings10. (Note: I have not been able to find any journal articles or patents that involve fish antifreeze proteins in strawberries, although I have seen such reports in newspapers. I can only conclude that nothing on this application has yet been published or patented.) Drought tolerance/salinity tolerance As the world population grows and more land is utilized for housing instead of food production, farmers will need to grow crops in locations previously unsuited for plant cultivation. Creating plants that can withstand long periods of drought or high salt content in soil and groundwater will help people to grow crops in formerly inhospitable places11, 12. Nutrition Malnutrition is common in third world countries where impoverished peoples rely on a single crop such as rice for the main staple of their diet. However, rice does not contain adequate amounts of all necessary nutrients to prevent malnutrition. If rice could be genetically engineered to contain additional vitamins and minerals, nutrient deficiencies could be alleviated. For example, blindness due to vitamin A deficiency is a common problem in third world countries. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute for Plant Sciences have created a strain of golden rice containing an unusually high content of beta-carotene (vitamin A)13. Since this rice was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation14, a non-profit organization, the Institute hopes to offer the golden rice seed free to any third world country that requests it. Plans were underway to develop a golden rice that also has increased iron content. However, the grant that funded the creation of these two rice strains was not renewed, perhaps because of the vigorous anti-GM food protesting in Europe, and so this nutritionally-enhanced rice may not come to market at all15. Pharmaceuticals Medicines and vaccines often are costly to produce and sometimes require special storage conditions not readily available in third world countries. Researchers are working to develop edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes16, 17. These vaccines will be much easier to ship, store and administer than traditional injectable vaccines. Phytoremediation Not all GM plants are grown as crops. Soil and groundwater pollution continues to be a problem in all parts of the world. Plants such as poplar trees have been genetically engineered to clean up heavy metal pollution from contaminated soil18. How prevalent are GM crops? What plants are involved? According to the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are over 40 plant varieties that have completed all of the federal requirements for commercialization (http://vm. cfsan. fda. gov/%7Elrd/biocon). Some examples of these plants include tomatoes and cantalopes that have modified ripening characteristics, soybeans and sugarbeets that are resistant to herbicides, and corn and cotton plants with increased resistance to insect pests. Not all these products are available in supermarkets yet; however, the prevalence of GM foods in U. S. grocery stores is more widespread than is commonly thought. While there are very, very few genetically-modified whole fruits and vegetables available on produce stands, highly processed foods, such as vegetable oils or breakfast cereals, most likely contain some tiny percentage of genetically-modified ingredients because the raw ingredients have been pooled into one processing stream from many different sources. Also, the ubiquity of soybean derivatives as food additives in the modern American diet virtually ensures that all U. S. consumers have been exposed to GM food products. The U. S. statistics that follow are derived from data presented on the USDA web site at http://www. ers. usda. gov/briefing/biotechnology/. The global statistics are derived from a brief published by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) at http://www. isaaa. org/publications/briefs/Brief_21. htm and from the Biotechnology Industry Organization at http://www. bio.org/foodag/1999Acreage. Thirteen countries grew genetically-engineered crops commercially in 2000, and of these, the U. S. produced the majority. In 2000, 68% of all GM crops were grown by U. S. farmers. In comparison, Argentina, Canada and China produced only 23%, 7% and 1%, respectively. Other countries that grew commercial GM crops in 2000 are Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, Spain, and Uruguay. Soybeans and corn are the top two most widely grown crops (82% of all GM crops harvested in 2000), with cotton, rapeseed (or canola) and potatoes trailing behind. 74% of these GM crops were modified for herbicide tolerance, 19% were modified for insect pest resistance, and 7% were modified for both herbicide tolerance and pest tolerance. Globally, acreage of GM crops has increased 25-fold in just 5 years, from approximately 4. 3 million acres in 1996 to 109 million acres in 2000 almost twice the area of the United Kingdom. Approximately 99 million acres were devoted to GM crops in the U. S. and Argentina alone. In the U. S. , approximately 54% of all soybeans cultivated in 2000 were genetically-modified, up from 42% in 1998 and only 7% in 1996. In 2000, genetically-modified cotton varieties accounted for 61% of the total cotton crop, up from 42% in 1998, and 15% in 1996. GM corn and also experienced a similar but less dramatic increase. Corn production increased to 25% of all corn grown in 2000, about the same as 1998 (26%), but up from 1. 5% in 1996. As anticipated, pesticide and herbicide use on these GM varieties was slashed and, for the most part, yields were increased (for details, see the UDSA publication at http://www. ers. usda. gov/publications/aer786/). What are some of the criticisms against GM foods? Environmental activists, religious organizations, public interest groups, professional associations and other scientists and government officials have all raised concerns about GM foods, and criticized agribusiness for pursuing profit without concern for potential hazards, and the government for failing to exercise adequate regulatory oversight. It seems that everyone has a strong opinion about GM foods. Even the Vatican19 and the Prince of Wales20 have expressed their opinions. Most concerns about GM foods fall into three categories: environmental hazards, human health risks, and economic concerns. Environmental hazards Unintended harm to other organisms Last year a laboratory study was published in Nature21 showing that pollen from B. t. corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars. Monarch caterpillars consume milkweed plants, not corn, but the fear is that if pollen from B. t. corn is blown by the wind onto milkweed plants in neighboring fields, the caterpillars could eat the pollen and perish. Although the Nature study was not conducted under natural field conditions, the results seemed to support this viewpoint. Unfortunately, B. t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae indiscriminately; it is not possible to design a B. t. toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and remain harmless to all other insects. This study is being reexamined by the USDA, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other non-government research groups, and preliminary data from new studies suggests that the original study may have been flawed22, 23. This topic is the subject of acrimonious debate, and both sides of the argument are defending their data vigorously. Currently, there is no agreement about the results of these studies, and the potential risk of harm to non-target organisms will need to be evaluated further. Reduced effectiveness of pesticides Just as some populations of mosquitoes developed resistance to the now-banned pesticide DDT, many people are concerned that insects will become resistant to B. t. or other crops that have been genetically-modified to produce their own pesticides. Gene transfer to non-target species Another concern is that crop plants engineered for herbicide tolerance and weeds will cross-breed, resulting in the transfer of the herbicide resistance genes from the crops into the weeds. These superweeds would then be herbicide tolerant as well. Other introduced genes may cross over into non-modified crops planted next to GM crops. The possibility of interbreeding is shown by the defense of farmers against lawsuits filed by Monsanto. The company has filed patent infringement lawsuits against farmers who may have harvested GM crops. Monsanto claims that the farmers obtained Monsanto-licensed GM seeds from an unknown source and did not pay royalties to Monsanto. The farmers claim that their unmodified crops were cross-pollinated from someone elses GM crops planted a field or two away. More investigation is needed to resolve this issue. There are several possible solutions to the three problems mentioned above. Genes are exchanged between plants via pollen. Two ways to ensure that non-target species will not receive introduced genes from GM plants are to create GM plants that are male sterile (do not produce pollen) or to modify the GM plant so that the pollen does not contain the introduced gene24, 25, 26. Cross-pollination would not occur, and if harmless insects such as monarch caterpillars were to eat pollen from GM plants, the caterpillars would survive. Another possible solution is to create buffer zones around fields of GM crops27, 28, 29. For example, non-GM corn would be planted to surround a field of B. t. GM corn, and the non-GM corn would not be harvested. Beneficial or harmless insects would have a refuge in the non-GM corn, and insect pests could be allowed to destroy the non-GM corn and would not develop resistance to B. t. pesticides. Gene transfer to weeds and other crops would not occur because the wind-blown pollen would not travel beyond the buffer zone. Estimates of the necessary width of buffer zones range from 6 meters to 30 meters or more30. This planting method may not be feasible if too much acreage is required for the buffer zones. Human health risks Allergenicity Many children in the US and Europe have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans was abandoned because of the fear of causing unexpected allergic reactions31. Extensive testing of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies. Labeling of GM foods and food products will acquire new importance, which I shall discuss later. Unknown effects on human health There is a growing concern that introducing foreign genes into food plants may have an unexpected and negative impact on human health. A recent article published in Lancet examined the effects of GM potatoes on the digestive tract in rats32, 33. This study claimed that there were appreciable differences in the intestines of rats fed GM potatoes and rats fed unmodified potatoes. Yet critics say that this paper, like the monarch butterfly data, is flawed and does not hold up to scientific scrutiny34. Moreover, the gene introduced into the potatoes was a snowdrop flower lectin, a substance known to be toxic to mammals. The scientists who created this variety of potato chose to use the lectin gene simply to test the methodology, and these potatoes were never intended for human or animal consumption. On the whole, with the exception of possible allergenicity, scientists believe that GM foods do not present a risk to human health. Economic concerns Bringing a GM food to market is a lengthy and costly process, and of course agri-biotech companies wish to ensure a profitable return on their investment. Many new plant genetic engineering technologies and GM plants have been patented, and patent infringement is a big concern of agribusiness. Yet consumer advocates are worried that patenting these new plant varieties will raise the price of seeds so high that small farmers and third world countries will not be able to afford seeds for GM crops, thus widening the gap between the wealthy and the poor. It is hoped that in a humanitarian gesture, more companies and non-profits will follow the lead of the Rockefeller Foundation and offer their products at reduced cost to impoverished nations. Patent enforcement may also be difficult, as the contention of the farmers that they involuntarily grew Monsanto-engineered strains when their crops were cross-pollinated shows. One way to combat possible patent infringement is to introduce a suicide gene into GM plants. These plants would be viable for only one growing season and would produce sterile seeds that do not germinate. Farmers would need to buy a fresh supply of seeds each year. However, this would be financially disastrous for farmers in third world countries who cannot afford to buy seed each year and traditionally set aside a portion of their harvest to plant in the next growing season. In an open letter to the public, Monsanto has pledged to abandon all research using this suicide gene technology35. How are GM foods regulated and what is the governments role in this process? Governments around the world are hard at work to establish a regulatory process to monitor the effects of and approve new varieties of GM plants. Yet depending on the political, social and economic climate within a region or country, different governments are responding in different ways. In Japan, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced that health testing of GM foods will be mandatory as of April 200136, 37. Currently, testing of GM foods is voluntary. Japanese supermarkets are offering both GM foods and unmodified foods, and customers are beginning to show a strong preference for unmodified fruits and vegetables. Indias government has not yet announced a policy on GM foods because no GM crops are grown in India and no products are commercially available in supermarkets yet38. India is, however, very supportive of transgenic plant research. It is highly likely that India will decide that the benefits of GM foods outweigh the risks because Indian agriculture will need to adopt drastic new measures to counteract the countrys endemic poverty and feed its exploding population. Some states in Brazil have banned GM crops entirely, and the Brazilian Institute for the Defense of Consumers, in collaboration with Greenpeace, has filed suit to prevent the importation of GM crops39,. Brazilian farmers, however, have resorted to smuggling GM soybean seeds into the country because they fear economic harm if they are unable to compete in the global marketplace with other grain-exporting countries. In Europe, anti-GM food protestors have been especially active. In the last few years Europe has experienced two major foods scares: bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in Great Britain and dioxin-tainted foods originating from Belgium. These food scares have undermined consumer confidence about the European food supply, and citizens are disinclined to trust government information about GM foods. In response to the public outcry, Europe now requires mandatory food labeling of GM foods in stores, and the European Commission (EC) has established a 1% threshold for contamination of unmodified foods with GM food products40. In the United States, the regulatory process is confused because there are three different government agencies that have jurisdiction over GM foods. To put it very simply, the EPA evaluates GM plants for environmental safety, the USDA evaluates whether the plant is safe to grow, and the FDA evaluates whether the plant is safe to eat. The EPA is responsible for regulating substances such as pesticides or toxins that may cause harm to the environment. GM crops such as B. t. pesticide-laced corn or herbicide-tolerant crops but not foods modified for their nutritional value fall under the purview of the EPA. The USDA is responsible for GM crops that do not fall under the umbrella of the EPA such as drought-tolerant or disease-tolerant crops, crops grown for animal feeds, or whole fruits, vegetables and grains for human consumption. The FDA historically has been concerned with pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food products and additives, not whole foods. Under current guidelines, a genetically-modified ear of corn sold at a produce stand is not regulated by the FDA because it is a whole food, but a box of cornflakes is regulated because it is a food product. The FDAs stance is that GM foods are substantially equivalent to unmodified, natural foods, and therefore not subject to FDA regulation. The EPA conducts risk assessment studies on pesticides that could potentially cause harm to human health and the environment, and establishes tolerance and residue levels for pesticides. There are strict limits on the amount of pesticides that may be applied to crops during growth and production, as well as the amount that remains in the food after processing. Growers using pesticides must have a license for each pesticide and must follow the directions on the label to accord with the EPAs safety standards. Government inspectors may periodically visit farms and conduct investigations to ensure compliance. Violation of government regulations may result in steep fines, loss of license and even jail sentences. As an example the EPA regulatory approach, consider B.t. corn. The EPA has not established limits on residue levels in B. t corn because the B. t. in the corn is not sprayed as a chemical pesticide but is a gene that is integrated into the genetic material of the corn itself. Growers must have a license from the EPA for B. t corn, and the EPA has issued a letter for the 2000 growing season requiring farmers to plant 20% unmodified corn, and up to 50% unmodified corn in regions where cotton is also cultivated41. This planting strategy may help prevent insects from developing resistance to the B.t. pesticides as well as provide a refuge for non-target insects such as Monarch butterflies. The USDA has many internal divisions that share responsibility for assessing GM foods. Among these divisions are APHIS, the Animal Health and Plant Inspection Service, which conducts field tests and issues permits to grow GM crops, the Agricultural Research Service which performs in-house GM food research, and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service which oversees the USDA risk assessment program. The USDA is concerned with potential hazards of the plant itself. Does it harbor insect pests? Is it a noxious weed? Will it cause harm to indigenous species if it escapes from farmers fields? The USDA has the power to impose quarantines on problem regions to prevent movement of suspected plants, restrict import or export of suspected plants, and can even destroy plants cultivated in violation of USDA regulations. Many GM plants do not require USDA permits from APHIS. A GM plant does not require a permit if it meets these 6 criteria: 1) the plant is not a noxious weed; 2) the genetic material introduced into the GM plant is stably integrated into the plants own genome; 3) the function of the introduced gene is known and does not cause plant disease; 4) the GM plant is not toxic to non-target organisms; 5) the introduced gene will not cause the creation of new plant viruses; and 6) the GM plant cannot contain genetic material from animal or human pathogens (see http://www. aphis. usda.gov:80/bbep/bp/7cfr340 ). The current FDA policy was developed in 1992 (Federal Register Docket No. 92N-0139) and states that agri-biotech companies may voluntarily ask the FDA for a consultation. Companies working to create new GM foods are not required to consult the FDA, nor are they required to follow the FDAs recommendations after the consultation. Consumer interest groups wish this process to be mandatory, so that all GM food products, whole foods or otherwise, must be approved by the FDA before being released for commercialization. The FDA counters that the agency currently does not have the time, money, or resources to carry out exhaustive health and safety studies of every proposed GM food product. Moreover, the FDA policy as it exists today does not allow for this type of intervention. How are GM foods labeled? Labeling of GM foods and food products is also a contentious issue. On the whole, agribusiness industries believe that labeling should be voluntary and influenced by the demands of the free market. If consumers show preference for labeled foods over non-labeled foods, then industry will have the incentive to regulate itself or risk alienating the customer. Consumer interest groups, on the other hand, are demanding mandatory labeling. People have the right to know what they are eating, argue the interest groups, and historically industry has proven itself to be unreliable at self-compliance with existing safety regulations. The FDAs current position on food labeling is governed by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act which is only concerned with food additives, not whole foods or food products that are considered GRAS generally recognized as safe. The FDA contends that GM foods are substantially equivalent to non-GM foods, and therefore not subject to more stringent labeling. If all GM foods and food products are to be labeled, Congress must enact sweeping changes in the existing food labeling policy. There are many questions that must be answered if labeling of GM foods becomes mandatory. First, are consumers willing to absorb the cost of such an initiative? If the food production industry is required to label GM foods, factories will need to construct two separate processing streams and monitor the production lines accordingly. Farmers must be able to keep GM crops and non-GM crops from mixing during planting, harvesting and shipping. It is almost assured that industry will pass along these additional costs to consumers in the form of higher prices. Secondly, what are the acceptable limits of GM contamination in non-GM products? The EC has determined that 1% is an acceptable limit of cross-contamination, yet many consumer interest groups argue that only 0% is acceptable. Some companies such as Gerber baby foods42 and Frito-Lay43 have pledged to avoid use of GM foods in any of their products. But who is going to monitor these companies for compliance and what is the penalty if they fail? Once again, the FDA does not have the resources to carry out testing to ensure compliance. What is the level of detectability of GM food cross-contamination? Scientists agree that current technology is unable to detect minute quantities of contamination, so ensuring 0% contamination using existing methodologies is not guaranteed. Yet researchers disagree on what level of contamination really is detectable, especially in highly processed food products such as vegetable oils or breakfast cereals where the vegetables used to make these products have been pooled from many different sources. A 1% threshold may already be below current levels of detectability. Finally, who is to be responsible for educating the public about GM food labels and how costly will that education be? Food labels must be designed to clearly convey accurate information about the product in simple language that everyone can understand. This may be the greatest challenge faced be a new food labeling policy: how to educate and inform the public without damaging the public trust and causing alarm or fear of GM food products. In January 2000, an international trade agreement for labeling GM foods was established44, 45. More than 130 countries, including the US, the worlds largest producer of GM foods, signed the agreement. The policy states that exporters must be required to label all GM foods and that importing countries have the right to judge for themselves the potential risks and reject GM foods, if they so choose. This new agreement may spur the U. S. government to resolve the domestic food labeling dilemma more rapidly. Conclusion Genetically-modified foods have the potential to solve many of the worlds hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides and herbicides. Yet there are many challenges ahead for governments, especially in the areas of safety testing, regulation, international policy and food labeling. Many people feel that genetic engineering is the inevitable wave of the future and that we cannot afford to ignore a technology that has such enormous potential benefits. However, we must proceed with caution to avoid causing unintended harm to human health and the environment as a result of our enthusiasm for this powerful technology.

Working Mothers And Womens Equality At Work Social Work Essay

Working Mothers And Womens Equality At Work Social Work Essay Due to changing trends in the world, many women continue to enter the workforce day and night performing almost similar duties like men. Motivated by a number of factors ranging from social to economic environment surrounding the move has always sparked debates not only among men but also in women who argue against the idea. The debate revolves around working versus those women who stay at home and take care of their families especially children. These concerns explore existence of any effects of working mothers to their children in terms of academic performance in schools and their emotional development which significantly depends on what happens at childhood. Another concern is the possibility of high stress levels faced by working mothers on a daily basis compared to their counterparts at home. This research analysis utilized findings from experts and surveys aimed at unraveling the truth about working mothers. Introduction Who are working mothers? This is a label name which refers to women who have career jobs and responsibilities apart from taking care of their children and husband at home. The number of this type of women has continued to increase not only in the neither United States, nor Europe but all over the world. Even as immense criticism continues to surround the idea of working women, it is of paramount need to focus on some of the factors which contribute to this phenomenon. It is clear that the world is always at a constant change process in terms of social believes, practices and also economic transformation. Many women have opted to join the work a way of enhancing equality with men who believe that women are supposed to be stationed at home and carry out domestic duties (Randall, 2003). The question that ponders the mind of many is whether the notion of working mothers is the only focal point in addressing the issue of gender equality in the society. Is there a better approach? Definite ly there are considerable realistic and workable ways of establishing a society that recognizes men and women as equal beings. Although viewed negatively by some people, many women believe that by joining the work force, there would be significant ease and improvement in meeting the family needs. Sharing of family responsibilities between men and women is by far a very important idea. With increasing global economic hitches, there is every need for every family in the world to establish ways of making ends meet without extreme straining. As a result, working mothers believe that this is the only way of lessening family crisis which may arise from unsatisfied needs and unmet expenses which can be shared between a husband and wife. This sounds human and acceptable but it has lacked taste in a number of men in the world and other women who still advocate for stay home mothers in the 21st century. It is clear that the question of whether women need to be incorporated in the workforce like men still causes controversy. With growing working opportunities for both men and women, it is very normal for girls to go to school, join colleges and universities and secure jobs just like their male counterparts. This is quite commendable. However, the basis of this argument rests on the opportunity cost incurred when women join the workforce. It is believed that working women make inefficient mothers. Although this varies from one person to the other, sociologists argue that there is usually little or no time left for children brought up by working mothers. Additionally, working women experience a lot of stress compared to non working mothers who spent their entire time with their families (Harper Richards, 1986). This is attributed to overwhelming demands which may arise from work stations and homes. Balancing of time between the two masters, job and family remains a mega challenge amon g working women in the world. Statement of problem According to this research, very little has been done with regard to the effect of working mothers on their childrens emotional development and academic behavior. As a result, the research explores the general impact of working mothers on their children compared to non working women. Research questions What is the negative impact of a working mother on a childs academics and emotions? What is the positive impact of a working mother on the life of her child? What is the impact of non working mothers on their childrens life? Literature review Working mothers has received massive coverage from both individuals and groups of people aimed at unraveling the truth which surround this debate topic. However, many people reckon that the idea is quite open with a wide range of views which may vary from person to person. One of search people who have invested time in sociological research is Elizabeth Perle McKenna. In her 1998 research, McKenna analyses the relationship between work and family as experienced by working women around the globe. She exhaustibly dwells on the issue of work and identity and the dissatisfaction which arises when work does not give intended satisfaction. She argues that many women find themselves ignoring pivotal areas of their lives by devoting their time and concentration to work (McKenna, 1998). This devotion is usually aimed at attaining certain traditional symbols of success like money, challenging jobs and power. As viewed by McKenna, women entered the workforce massively under terms that were designed by men. They were eager and full of passion of leaving the old fashion of staying at home. They did this like immigrants abandoning their natural habitat and adapting to the workforce designed for and by men to suit their lifestyle and nature. Unfortunately, most if not all working systems have been designed to define men based on what they do and not who they are (McKenna, 1998). This system calls for long working hours in order to gain recognition and reward. This is still the case today even though almost sixty percent of women in the United States belong to the working class. In other words, the workforce does not recognize the nature of women with regard to the diverse responsibilities they have at home. It assumes the fact that women belong at home. McKenna writes this book from a personal experience and recalls moments in her life when she found it hard to balance work with growing famil y needs until she had to quit her job after having changed career severally. McKenna admits that women who are unable to quit working find it hard to balance between work and family responsibilities. She poses that although many women want attain success as traditionally defined, it is almost impossible excel career-wise and thrill as a good mother, caregiver and a good wife. She notes that the pursuit of such identity breeds nothing but depression, stress and finally burnout. Research findings This research found out that working mothers have a wide range of impact on their families with special emphasis on their children. Non working mothers have all the time to take care of their families and provide necessary care and love to their young ones. Children born of working mothers experience difficulties during their early stages of development. As young beings, children need enough time from their caregivers who are non other their mothers. In the absence of this care emotional impact is felt which may affect up to the academic capabilities of such children. Working mothers also experience emanating from challenges of time balancing (Peters 1968). On the other hand, working men feel independent and provide families needs including among others, childrens quality food. Both working and non working children may significantly influence the development process of children. Discussion The number of working mothers has continued to rise from about 30% in 1970s to approximately 50% in early 21st century. This has significantly affected the life of many children. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1999). Children from families with working mothers have emotional depressions with measurable difficulties in their academic life. There is also continuing research on the effect of mothers working stress on children. Even as this research continues, the fact is that a child is always hyper sensitive to the emotional status of the mother before and even after birth. Do children born of working mothers receive sufficient attention and care? When mothers spend almost full of their day time at work, many children less effective especially at school. Since most working mothers maximize their working time when children are in their pre-school, these children show wanting and unappealing results (Cavel, 2001). These children feel some form of emptiness which ends up affecting their class concentration and general performance compared to children whose mothers are not working. It is also important to affirm that a childs early stages are very important in shaping his character and personality. Children who spend less time with their mothers as a result of work commitments are likely to experience hardships in language development which goes further to affect a childs academic progress. This is because learning in class mainly depends on communication propagated by language proficiency (Associated Press, 1999). Working mothers also experience a lot of stress which arise from the inability to balance between work and family needs. These two responsibilities appear to be like two jobs which are being handled by one person at the same time. As a result, these mothers are ever in a hurry to catch up with time and attend to unfinished duties at home and at work place. These mothers end up meeting the needs of the family with very few men willing to share the responsibility (Gershaw, 1988). In the event that a child falls sick, mothers find it difficult to fully attend to the child at the expense of her sleeping job. They also feel stressed over their own lives. Many working women are not willing to give birth. In other words, working continues to rob women off their mothering ability. Although working mothers have significant negative impact on their children, these mothers also have all the reasons to smile and the need for them to receive recognition. There are positive impacts generated by these mothers with the baseline of it being provision of basic needs, especially food. Many children brought up by working mothers live in considerably good standards compared to those of non working mothers. Working mothers usually have a wide domain of choices in terms of dietary. This ensures good childcare and healthy upbringing (Booth, 2000). A working mother is also a challenge to her children (Figes, 2001). As the immediate role model, mothers play a mega role in shaping the character of her children. Children admire good character and adorable achievements realized by those people who surround them. Therefore working mothers challenge their children to work hard and experience better achievements compared to what may she has. Conclusion In general, working mothers negatively impact their children. This is mainly witnessed in areas of emotional development and academic performance. This is mainly due to the inability to balance between family responsibilities and demands of the job. Stress is also common among working mothers a trend that is significantly low among non working mothers. It should be noted that working is highly encouraged among family members. However, mothers should devote most of their time to taking care of their children. They can take up less demanding jobs especially at tender ages of their children.

Essay --

The Umayyad dwelling was one of the foremost clans of the Quraysh tribe. Uthman was the the third "Righteous Caliph", was the first Umayyad caliph. Throughout his tenure (644-655), he appointed and provided advantages to the members of his clan for various key positions; in specific, Muawiya b. Abi Sufyan was granted the governorship of Syria. Upon the accession of Ali to the caliphate, Muawiya denied paying him perks, and in 658 the Syrians recognized Muawiya as caliph. That year he retained control of Egypt; following Ali's death in 661, he restrained Iraq and then formally established himself as caliph. The first line of Umayyads were the Sufyanids (descendants of Abu Sufyan) who directed from 661- 684. Under Muawiya (661-680) the capital of the Muslim domain was moved to Damascus. He is credited with raising a highly-trained armed detachment of Syrian fighters which was utilised to elaborate Muslim administration east into Khorasan and west into North Africa. Muawiya furthermore commanded excursions into Anatolia starting in 672 which culminated in a failed three-year control of Constantinople (674-677). He kept the administrative organisations left by the Byzantines and Persians but consolidated his administration by appointing kinsmen to key mails. Before his death, Muawiya protected allegiance to his son, Yazid, therefore introducing dynastic succession to Muslim direct. Muawiya was the child of Abu Sufyan, the foremost of the Abd Shams clan. Most of the constituents of Abd Shams had turned down Muhammad's prophetic objective until Muhammad's conquest of Mecca in 630. Muawiya and his dad are advised to be among those enemies who were reconciled to Islam through gifts. Muawiya then assisted as one of Muhammad's scribes. Thro... ...ng Greek and Pahlavi. For all that, the Umayyads, during the ninety years of their leadership, seldom agitated off their empire's status as a mulk - that is, a worldly kingdom - and in the last years of the dynasty their adversaries formed a mystery organization dedicated to pushing the claims to the caliphate put ahead by a descendant of al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, an uncle of the Prophet. By clever groundwork, this organization rallied to its origin numerous mutually hostile assemblies in Khorasan and Iraq and declared Abu al-'Abbas caliph. Marwan ibn Muhammad, the last Umayyad caliph, was beaten and the Syrians, still trusted to the Umayyads, were put to rout. Only one man of importance got away the catastrophe - 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu'awiyah al-Dakhil, a juvenile prince who with a trusted servant escaped to Spain and in 756 set up an Umayyad Dynasty there.

Distance Learning Essay -- Education Educating Learn Essays

Distance Learning missing works cited Definition and Description of Distance Education Distance education is any academic learning method that lets the teacher and the student participate and communicate in a convenient manner, while sometimes in different places and sometimes at different times. The distance education concept has allowed a diverse set of individuals to continue their education, whether it is for personal or professional satisfaction. The teacher is still able to create, design, and plan with goals and objectives, and the student is able to learn and experience through the distance (Davey, 1999). Another word that is associated with distance learning is multimedia. With the use of multimedia, the learning is literally at the "fingertips" of the teacher and the learner. The long distance allows the multimedia, or the use of video, audio, graphics, images, animation, and text, to let the teacher relay information from one location to the learner in a totally different location. This is a process to use when face-to-face interaction is not possible (H ancock, 1999). A summative definition of distance education is a system of instructional learning in which the student(s), in groups or singly, and the teacher are physically separated. The methods of learning takes place with technology consisting of various combinations of telecommunications, hardware and software (Ely; Foley; Freeman, & Scheel, 1995). This learning promotes change in both business and education. This change has its features, benefits and concerns in both fields, which will be discussed (Holloway, & Ohler, 1999). Business and Instructional Technology Side of Distance Education Inc. magazine reports that in the business and instru... ...mind (Hancock, 1999). Holloway and Ohler suggest to keep talking and reading literature about distance education. Other educational systems and organizations may be willing to share resources and technologies associated with distance education (1995). Also, the technologies need to associate to the learning environment. Blumenstyk, Goldie, and Kelly state that "institutions should not go overboard with technology, but to keep it in perspective as one aspect of a balanced educational philosophy" (1999). At this point, distance education is starting to become an outstanding use of learning in higher education. Distance education can be classified as an innovation that combines theory and implementation in "educational technology", better than other trends (Ely; Foley; Freeman, & Scheel, 1995). Distance education is part of out past, present, and future.

The Life of Tupac Shakur Essay examples -- Tubac Biography Shakur Essa

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16, 1971. Named after an Inca Chief, Tupac Amaru means â€Å"Shining Serpent† referring to wisdom and courage and Shakur meaning â€Å"thankful to God†. Shakurs mother, Afeni Shakur, was a leading member of the Black Panthers, a radical wing of the civil rights movement, with support for hardcore ghettos as well as white patronage. When Tupac’s mother was pregnant with Tupac she was spending time in the Woman’s House of Detention in Greenwich Village for conspiring to bomb several public places in New York City. All growing up his family lived in homeless shelters and run down town houses. Many times his family could not even afford lighting in the house. The only fond member he ever told of his childhood was of a diary he kept. In this diary he recorded his first attempts at poetry, this is where it began. A big moment in Tupac’s intellectual life occurred when he was twelve. At the age of twelve his mot her enrolled him in 127th Street Ensemble, a theater group in Harlem. Even at an early age his mothers political views where confusing, and intriguing him. As he told the January issue of VIBE magazine in 1994, â€Å" She was trying to make me live in the white picket fence lifestyle, but yet we ain’t got no money and no good food and no lights. You want me to go to school? They tellin me all this stuff about fighting the system but they pushin me in the system.† Meanwhile Tupac’s father was serving time in prison, when released Tupac and his mother had moved to Baltimore. Before Afeni Shakur could contact him, he had died of a crack induced hart attack. While in Baltimore, Tupac auditioned for, and was accepted into, the Baltimore School of Arts. This success gave Tupac a goal and ambition. It also exposed him to white people who cared about his life. However, before Tupac could finish high school at this school of arts, his family moved to Marin City, California.. Because of this move, Tupac never did finish highschool. Marin City, at the time, was nicknamed â€Å"the jungle† because it was mainly project housing and had high crime rates. This is the point in Tupacs life where he claimed he â€Å"got off track†. Tupac began selling crack to all the ghetto inhabitants and was soon thrown out of his house. During this time, however, he did receive a positive brake, he was hired as a roadie/dancer for the hip-hop group Digital U... ...f all his problems are â€Å"knawing at my sanity† as if it where a rat or other animal. Hyperbole is an exaggeration, when something is embellished. Hyperbole is also used. At one point Tupac says that the children are â€Å"bred with ruthlessness† This exaggeration makes it sound like they are bred for certain traits, like animals, bred to be hartless and without feelings. This is an obvious exaggeration as that no person is actually bred to be without feelings. The final piece of figurative language is irony. Irony is almost a sort of mockery, or a satire. What I mean is, for example, if a person feared flying all their life, but finally decided to fly, and died in a plane crash. Irony in this poem is when he writes â€Å"scared of being outcast , afraid of common fate.† In this he says that people are afraid of being different than everybody, yet they also scared of being the same as everyone. This is irony. Theme The theme of this poem is that although things may be bad , if you keep your head up, and fight everyday for what you believe in, then you can achieve and make the future better. You must leave the past behind you, and you will achieve what you want in the future.

Elements of Constitutional Democracy Essay

In order for a country to be called democratic, essential elements should be complied with. These elements are popular sovereignty, majority and minority rights, limited government and institutional and procedural limitations of power. One of the essential elements that have a remarkable impact on my life is popular sovereignty. In a democratic country, the authority of usually emanates from the people. The authority is exercised through election or voting of the people who deserve to seat in the government. Popular sovereignty has remarkably impacted my life by being active in exercise my right to vote. Through voting, I have to study or review the background of the candidates as well as the party they represent. Apart from that, I also make myself aware of the political condition of the country and the policies introduced by the public officials. Furthermore, I tried to influence and convince my friends in using and making their right to vote powerful in order to introduce change in the future. As for me, it is rewarding to live in a democratic country because every citizen is part of shaping the future of the country. Another element is the institutional and procedural limitation on powers which covers due process of law. Through the due process of law, I am confident that my rights are protected from any abuses that any government authorities may have against me. Aside from that, through the due process of law, I am secured of achieving justice in case I will face a case one day. More importantly, I have earned confident and trust in the system of the government.

Econ 7002 Tutorial 1

ECON 7002: Semester 1 2012 Tutorial Topic 1 Tutorial Topic 1 CHAPTER 1 Practise Economics: Question 2: In light of your answer to question 1, provide some explanations for the apparent differences in the relative share of government expenditure in the countries listed in the above table. Governments spend money on social security, health services, infrastructure such as roads, bridges etc, and transfer payments such as unemployment benefits and pensions.The disparity within the table is partially a reflection of the strength of the taxation system (without a strong tax system the government will lack the revenue to cover expenditure on the areas noted above); the need for government to replace private investment expenditure and the position of the government within the economy, that is a â€Å"planned† versus a â€Å"free† economy. In the case of Australia, although it is classified as a mixed economy the relatively high level of government expenditure is accounted for by the strong taxation system and broad base of social security payments.Conceptual Questions: Question 4: What are economic resources? Give some examples of each type of economic resource. Economic resources are also termed â€Å"Factors of Production† and can be divided into Physical and Human Resources that can then be broken down further into:  ¦  ¦  ¦ Land: forests, arable land, minerals and water Labour: physical and mental labour Capital; physical capital such as factories, machinery and infrastructure. Remember MONEY is NOT an economic resource as it does not produce anything.Entrepreneurship: the ability to put the various other resources together in an innovate manner- also a risk bearer  ¦ One of the most important points to remember is that all economic resources are scarce and therefore we need to make choices. Analytical Questions: Question 3: Graph the data in the table. Are there constant or increasing opportunity costs for the production of missiles? There are increasing opportunity costs in the production of missiles because the production of cars falls at a higher rate as larger quantities of missiles are produced. ECON 7002: Semester 1 2012 Tutorial Topic 1 40? Guided? Missiles? (thousands)? 35? 30? 25? 20? 15? 10? 5? 0? 0? 2? 4? 6? Cars? (millions)? P1? P2? P3? 8? 10? 12? Question 7: Suppose improvement occurs in the technology of producing guided missiles but not in producing cars. (a) Draw the new production possibilities curve on the diagram that you created in answering question 3. P1 is the original PPC and P2 represents an improvement in the technology of producing guided missiles but not in the production of cars.The production possibilities curve therefore rotates clockwise with the maximum possible production of cars (8 million) unchanged and an increase in the maximum possible number of missiles produced. (b) Now draw a curve that reflects technological improvement in the production of both products. P3 represents an improvement in the technology of producing both cars and guided missiles and therefore an increase in the possible production of both. Discussion Questions: Question 3: Comment on the following statement from a ewspaper: ‘Our secondary school serves a splendid hot meal for a dollar without costing the taxpayers anything, thanks in part to a government subsidy. ’ All government subsidies are ultimately borne by taxpayers. The cost will either result in an increase in taxes to pay for the subsidy or some other government expenditure must be forgone, or the government will spend newly created money, which will be inflationary and thus be paid for by taxpayers through higher prices for other goods and services. Thus, this statement is incorrect. 2

Software Engineering

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING PROJECT – I INTRODUCTION: The goal of this paper is to analyze about three major software projects namely †¢ The London Ambulance System †¢ The Virtual Case File †¢ The Automatic Baggage System By analyzing these software projects and the software engineering principles followed, the key factors responsible for the software projects failure can be understood. Each of these projects has failed miserable as they didn’t follow proper software engineering principles. In this term paper the following projects have been studied and reason for their failures are identified.Finally there is a comparison off all the three software projects studied. The methodology followed in writing this term paper is reading the following reference materials available in the internet and extracting the key points for the failures of the software projects. The papers referenced for writing the following term paper are 1. H. Goldstein. Who Killed the Virtual C ase File? IEEE Spectrum, Sept. 2005, pp. 24–35. 2. Statement of Glenn A. Fine, Inspector General, US Dept. of Justice, 27 July 2005. 3. A.Finkelstein and J. Dowell. A Comedy of Errors: the London Ambulance Service Case Study. 4. Report of the Inquiry into the London Ambulance Service (February 1993), by A. Finkelstein, 5. Richard de Neufville. â€Å"The Baggage System at Denver: Prospects and Lessons,† Journal of Air 6. Barry Shore. â€Å"Systematic Biases and Culture in Project Failures,† Project Management Journal CONCLUSION: The conclusion after studying these three papers, for any software projects the good principles of software engineering should be followed. The software development process should be properly planned with achievable and realistic deadlines. All the three projects had poor planning with unrealistic deadlines. †¢ Great importance should be given to the requirements gathering phase and it should not be changed during the middle of the d evelopment †¢ Developers should develop the projects with proper coding standards so that there is no issue during the integration of different modules. †¢ Time critical projects should require critical and solid reasoning as well as good anticipation of problems and perform risk management. The schedule of the software projects should have good portion of time in testing the software product developed. †¢ Finally, as far as possible keep the complexity of the system to manageable levels and tested effectively. LONDON AMBULANCE SYSTEM In October 1992 the Computer Aided Despatch (CAD) system developed by Systems Options was deployed for the London Ambulance System (LAS). The goal of the software system was to automate the process of the ambulance service for the London Ambulance System (LAS) in the city of London, United Kingdom.The implemented project was a major failure due to variety of factors. The Each component of good state of the art has been ignored, each guid eline of the Software engineering has ignored by the management and authorities’ neglected basic management principles. The working of the LAS can be summarized as: the system gets request by phone calls and sends ambulance based on nature, availability of resources. The automatic vehicle locating system (AVLS) and mobile data terminals (MDT) was used to perform automatic communication with ambulances.Some of the major reasons for the failure of the London ambulance system can be stated as: †¢ The deadline given for the completion of the project was six months. The project of such big magnitude cannot be completed within a small deadline. †¢ The software was not fully developed and incomplete. The individual modules were tested, but the software was not tested fully as a integrated system. †¢ The resilience of the hardware under a full load condition had not been tested before the deployment of the software. The flash cut over strategy was used to implement the system which was a high risk and moreover it didn’t have any backup systems to revert on failure. †¢ Inappropriate and unjustified assumptions were made during the specification process of the project. Some of the few assumptions that were made are : ? Complete accuracy and reliability of the hardware system. ? Perfect location and status information. ? Cooperation of all operators and ambulance crew members. †¢ Lack of consultation with the prospective users of the system and subject matter experts. The Software requirement specification was excessively prescriptive, incomplete and not formally signed off. †¢ The London Ambulance system underestimated the difficulties involved in the project during the project blastoff phase. †¢ Inadequate staff training. The crew members were not fully trained on the operation of the new software and their prior experience was not used in the newly developed software. The Report of the Inquiry into the London Ambulance Service by Anthony Finkelstein also gives us more information about the failure of the system. Some of the are listed below as follows: It states that â€Å"the CAD system implemented in 1992 was over ambitious and was developed and implemented against an impossible timetable†. †¢ In addition, the LAS Committee got the wrong impression, that the software contractor had prior experience in emergency systems; this was misleading in awarding the contract to systems options. †¢ Project management throughout the development and implementation process was inadequate and at times ambiguous. A major project like this requires a full time, professional, experience project management which was lacking. The computer system did not fail in a technical sense, the increase in calls on October 26 and 27 1992 was due to unidentified duplicate calls and call backs from the public in response to ambulance delays. †¢ â€Å"On 4th November 1992 the system did fail. This was cause d by a minor programming error that caused the system to crash†. VIRTUAL CASE FILE SYSTEM The primary goal of the Virtual case file (VCF) system was to automate the process of FBI paper based work environment, allow agents and intelligence analysts to share vital investigative information, and replace the obsolete Automated Case Support (ACS) system.In ACS tremendous time is spend in processing paperwork, faxing and Fedexing standardized memo. Virtual case file (VCF) system was aimed at centralizing the IT operations and removes the redundancy present in various databases across the FBI system. In September 2000 the FBI Information technology upgrade project was underway. It was divided into three parts. †¢ The Information Presentation Component †¢ The Transportation Network Component †¢ User Application Component The first part involved distribution of new Dell computers, scanners, printers and servers.The second part would provide secure wide area networks, al lowing agents to share information with their supervisors and each other. The third part is the virtual case file. The Virtual Case File system project was awarded to a US government contractor, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). The FBI used cost plus – award fee contracts. This project was of great importance because the FBI lacked the ability to know what it knew; there was no effective mechanism for capturing or sharing its institutional knowledge. This project was initially led by former IBM Executive Bob E. Dies. On 3th December 2003, SAIC delivered the VCF to FBI, only to have it declared dead on arrival. The major reasons for the failure of the VCF system can be summarized as: †¢ The project lacked clearly defined schedules and proper deadlines, there was no formal project schedules outlined for the project and poor communication between development teams that was dividing into eight teams to speed up the project completion. †¢ The softwa re engineering principle of reusing the existing components was ignored. SAIC was developing a E – mail like system even though FBI was already using an off – the – shelf software package. The deployment strategy followed in implementing the system was flash -cutover. It is a risky way a deploying a system as the system would be changed in a single shot. †¢ The project violated the first rule of software planning of keeping it simple. The requirement document was so exhaustive that rather of describing the function what it should perform it also stated how the functions should be implemented. †¢ Developers coded the module to make individuals features work but were not concerned about the integration of the whole system together.There was no coding standards followed and hence there was difficulty in the integration process. †¢ The design requirement were poorly designed and kept on constantly changing through the development phase. The high level documents including the system architecture and system requirements were neither complete nor consistent. †¢ Lack of plan to guide hardware purchases, network deployments, and software development. †¢ Appointment of person with no prior experience in management to manage a critical project such as this was grave mistake, appointment of Depew as VCF project manager. Project lacked transparency in the work within the SAIC and between SAIC and the FBI. †¢ Infrastructure including both the hardware and network was not in place to test thoroughly the developed virtual case file system by SAIC which was essentially needed for flash cut off deployment. †¢ The requirement and design documentation were incomplete, imprecise, requirement and design tracings have gaps and the maintenance of software was costlier. †¢ According to the report by Harry Goldstein, â€Å"there was 17 ‘functional deficiencies’ in the deployed Virtual Case File System†.It didn’t have the ability to search for individuals by specialty and job title. All these above factors contributed to the failure of the Virtual Case File System which wasted a lot of public tax payers’ money. AUTOMATIC BAGGAGE SYSTEM The automatic baggage system designed for the Denver International Airport is a classic example of a software failure system in the 1990’s. With a greater airport capacity, the city of Denver wanted to construct the state of art automatic baggage handling system. Covering a land area of 140 square kilometer the Denver airport has 88 airport gates with 3 concourses.The fully automated baggage system was unique in its complexity because of the massive size of the airport and its novel technology. The three other airports that have such systems are the San Francisco International Airport, International airport in Frankfurt and the Franz Joseph Strauss Airport in Munich. This project is far more complex than any other projects, because it has 12 times as many carts as in exiting comparable system . The contract for this automatic baggage system was given to BAE automated systems. In 1995 after many delays, the baggage system project was deployed, which was a major failure.The baggage carts derailed, luggage was torn and the system completely failed. But the system was redesigned with lesser complexity and opened 16 months later. GOALS OF THE PROJECT: The system calls for replacing the traditional slow conveyor belts with telecars that roll freely on underground tracks. It was designed to carry up to 70 bags per minute to and from baggage check-in and checkout at speed up to 24 miles/hour. This would allow the airlines to receive checked baggage at their aircraft within 20 minutes. The automatic baggage system was a critical because the aircraft turnaround time was to be reduced to as little as 30 minutes.The faster turnaround time meant more quickly the operations and it increases the productivity. The installers are quoted has having planned â€Å"a design that will allow baggage to be transported anywhere within the terminal within 10 minutes†. PROJECT SCOPE: The International airport at Denver three concourses and initially it aimed at automating all the three concourses. But later the concourse B was alone designed to be made automatic. The project was later redefined to handle only outbound baggage. It does not deal with the transfer of bags. STAKE HOLDERS:The major stake holders in the project can be identified as: †¢ The Denver International Airport Management. †¢ The BAE Automated Systems. †¢ The Airline Management. The project blastoff according to Robertson & Robertson states that during this phase it has to identify all the stakeholders and ask their inputs for the requirements. In the ABS System the Airline Management was not made to involve in the blastoff meetings to provide their inputs and excluded from the discussions. As well as the risk should be anal yzed properly during the blast off which was also a draw back in this system.This was a perfect example of failure to perform risk management. The cost estimation of the project was incorrect as it exceeded the estimated cost during the development. So, Aspects in which the project blastoffs were not addressed can be summarized as follows: †¢ The underestimation of complexity †¢ Poor stakeholder management †¢ Poor Design †¢ Failure to perform risk management There were only three â€Å"intense† working session to discuss the scope of the project and the agreement between the airport management and BAE automated systems.Although BAE automated systems had been working in the construction of the baggage system in concourse B for United Airlines, the three working session is not sufficient to collect all the requirements for the construction of the automate baggage systems. This shows clearly a poor software engineering principle because requirements are the k ey base factors for the project to be built upon. Reports indicate that the two year deadline for the construction of the automatic baggage system is inadequate. The reports that showed that project required more than two years are as follows: â€Å"The complexity was too high for the system to be built successfully† by The Baggage System at Denver: Prospects and Lesson – Dr. R. de Neufville Journal of Air Transport Management, Vol. 1,No. 4, Dec, pp. 229-236,1994 †¢ None of the bidders quoted to finish the project within two years. †¢ Experts from Munich airport advised that a much simpler system had taken two full years to complete and it was system tested thoroughly six months before the opening of the Munich airport. Despite all this information the decision to continue with a project was not based on the sound engineering principles.ABS REQUIREMENT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION The Automatic Baggage System constructed by the Airport Management was a decision taken two years before the opening of the new Denver International Airport. Initially the concourse B meant for United Airlines was supposed to be constructed by the BAE Automated Systems and all other airlines had to construct their own baggage handling mechanism. Later the responsibility was taken by the Denver Airport Management to construct the Automatic Baggage System.The integrated nature of the ABS system meant that airport looks after its own facility and has a central control. The BAE plan to construct for the concourse B was expanded to the other three concourses which was a major change in the strategy of the airport construction. Moreover the airport management believed that an automated baggage system would be more cost effective than manual system given the size of the massive airport. During the development phase the requirements kept on changing which added additional complexity to the project. Though in the contract there was learly statement no change in requiremen t would be accommodated, they accepted the changes to meet the stakeholder needs. For example the addition of the ski equipment racks and the addition of maintenance track to allow carts to be serviced without being removed from the rails and able to handle oversized baggage. The baggage system and the airport building shared physical space and services such as the electrical supply. Hence the designers of the physical building and the designers of the baggage system needed to work as one integrated team with lot of interdependency.Since the construction of the airport was started initially the building designers made general allowances in the place where they thought the baggage system would come into place. Hence the designers of the automatic baggage system have to work with the constraints that have already been placed. For example sharp turns were supposed to be made due to the constraints placed and these were one of the major factors for the bags to be ejected from the carts. The design of the automatic baggage system â€Å"Systematic Biases and Culture in Project Failures†, a Project Management Journal is as follows. Luggage was to be first loaded onto the conveyor belts, much as it is in conventional baggage handling system. †¢ These conveyors would then deposit the luggage in the carts that were controlled by computers. †¢ The luggage would travel at 17 miles per hour to its destinations, as much as one mile away. †¢ The automatic baggage system would include around 4000 baggage carts travelling throughout the airport under the control of 100 computers with processing power up to 1400 bags per minute. However the design with the above architecture failed as it was not able to handle variable load.It was also suffering from various problems they are identified as: †¢ The software was sending carts out at the wrong times, causing jams and in many cases sending carts to the wrong locations. †¢ The baggage system continued to unload bags even though they were jammed on the conveyor belt. †¢ The fully automated system may never be able to deliver bags consistently within the times and at the capacity originally promised. †¢ In another case the bags from the aircraft can only be unloaded and loaded into the unloading conveyor belt is moving, this belt moves only when there are empty carts.Empty carts will only arrive after they have deposited previous loads; this is a cascade of queues. †¢ Achieving high reliability also depends on the mechanical and the computers that controlled the baggage carts’ reliability. †¢ Errors may occur during reading or transmitting information about the destinations. There may be various scenarios during which these errors can take place. Some of them are listed as below. 1. The baggage handler may place the bag on the conveyor with the label hidden. 2. The baggage may have two labels on it. one from the previous flight. 3. The labels may be muti lated or dirty. . The label may not lie in the direction of the view of the laser reader. 5. The laser may malfunction or the laser guns stop reading the labels. †¢ The reading of information is vital in the automatic baggage system since the whole system is dependent on the information transmitted from reading of the labels and this information must be transmitted by radio to devices on each of the baggage carts. †¢ There is no available evidence of effective alternative testing of the capability of the system to provide reliable delivery to all destinations under variable patterns of load.This variable demand made in the system is famously called as the line balancing problem. That is, it is crucial to control the capacity of the system so that all lines of flow have balanced service. This problem can be avoided by eliminating situations where some lines get little or no service, to avoid the possibility that some connections simply do not function or in other words cont rol the emptiness. This failure also was because the entire system was developed within a two year deadline and hence the automatic baggage system was not testing completely with variable loads.Lack of testing also is a major reason for this failure. These all are the major factors that led to the failure of the automatic baggage system in Denver international airport. Subsequently a much less complex system was design and implemented sixteen months later. This newly designed system had the following functionality as follows: †¢ Serve only one concourse, the concourse B for United Airlines. †¢ Operate on half the planned capacity on each track. †¢ Handle only outbound baggage at the start. †¢ Not deal with transfer bags. COMPARISON OF ABS, VCF and LAS PROJECTS All the management teams of the three projects wanted the software system to be built quickly without taking into consideration of the system requirement. †¢ Hence all the system had unrealistic deadli ne to be met. †¢ Because of these unrealistic deadlines the system didn’t follow proper software engineering standards and principles. †¢ In all the three projects during the project blastoff phase the requirements gathering activity was not proper and incomplete, due to which the requirements kept on changing during the development phase. †¢ Lack of consultation with the stake holders and prospective users. All the three projects Software requirement specification was excessively prescriptive, incomplete and not formally signed off. †¢ All the three systems were not properly tested before deployment due to lack of time and tight schedules. The timeline was not reasonable for any of the projects. †¢ There was poor communication between the developers, customers and the clients in all the projects. †¢ The identification of the stake holders and collecting requirements from the stake holders and subject matter experts was not proper and incomplete. ASPECTS |ABS |VCF |LAS | |DEPLOYMENT STRATEGY |It was deployed in a single phase|Flash Cutover strategy was used in|Flash Cutover strategy was used | | |with a major failure of the |replacing the ACS System |in replacing the existing System | | |system | | | |PROJECT SCHEDULE/DEADLINE |Had a very tight schedule of two |Over ambitious schedule |Had a very tight deadline, two | | |years to implement | |years(1990 – 1992) | |PROJECT PLANNING |Poor Planning, The system was |Poor Planning and constantly |Good Engineering practice were | | |decided to be developed two years|changing milestones |Ignored | | |before the completion of the | | | | |airport | | | |SOFTWARE REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATION |Kept on changing to meet the |Slowly changing design |On the fly code changes and | | |needs of the stake holders |requirements |requirement changes | |PROJECT BLASTOFF |There was only three intense |The project blastoff phase didn’t |It left out the view of the | | |session to colle ct the |collect all the requirements |customers and subject matter | | |requirements which is inadequate |properly |experts | |REUSABLITY |This system didn’t have any back |They already had e-mail like |The existing communication | | |up system to reuse |system which could have been |devises in the ambulance system | | | |reused but new mail system was | | | | |written | | |CODING/TESTING |The system was not tested with |The software system followed the |Backup dispatch system not tested| | |variable load |spiral developmental model and not|and the overall software not | | | |tested as a whole |system tested | |SYSTEM DESIGN |The system design was too complex|The system was not base lined and |The System design was incomplete | | | |kept on changing | | |BUGS |System was unable to detect bugs |59 issues and sub issues were |81 Know Bugs in the Deployed | | | |identified |System | |ASSUMPTIONS/ |It was dependent on computers |No major assumptions were made in |Perfect location information and | |DEPENDENCY |that controlled the baggage cars |this project |dependent on the MDT | | | | |communications | PERSONAL REFLECTION: †¢ After reading all the three projects I now understand that development of software not necessary has to be coding the software properly but there are various aspects apart from coding like requirement gathering, risk analysis, testing. †¢ The requirements gather should plays a vital role in software development and it has to be properly made in consultation with all the stakeholders, customers of the software. †¢ Understanding the complexity of the software being developed. †¢ Proper planning and schedule of events for the development activities. Deadlines for the software development should be realistic and achievable †¢ Use of any of the software engineering models for the development like waterfall model, Bohms’ spiral model, incremental work flow model or agile software development. †¢ Last but not the least the software developed should be thoroughly tested for finding out flaws in the development and fixing them. REFERENCES: 1. H. Goldstein. Who Killed the Virtual Case File? IEEE Spectrum, Sept. 2005, pp. 24–35. 2. Statement of Glenn A. Fine, Inspector General, US Dept. of Justice, 27 July 2005. 3. A. Finkelstein and J. Dowell. A Comedy of Errors: the London Ambulance Service Case Study. Proc. 8th Int.Workshop on Software Specification and Design (IWSSD96), pp. 2–4, Velen, Germany, 1996. 4. Report of the Inquiry into the London Ambulance Service (February 1993), International Workshop on Software Specification and Design Case Study. Electronic Version Prepared by A. Finkelstein, with kind permission from the Communications Directorate, South West Thames Regional Health Authority. 5. Richard de Neufville. â€Å"The Baggage System at Denver: Prospects and Lessons,† Journal of Air Transport Management, Vol. 1, No. 4, Dec. 1994, pp. 229–236. 6. B arry Shore. â€Å"Systematic Biases and Culture in Project Failures,† Project Management Journal, Vol. 39, No. 4, 2008, pp. 5–16.