Private and Public Police

Private and Public 1. Relationship between Private and Public Police Lillie Johnson CJS 250 Gregg Herchek April 11, 2010 Private and Public 2. Abstract In my paper I will be discussing the relationship between private and public police, I will tell you how the conflict regard the definition of the public and private space and how it influence the relationship between the two, and I will tell you ways to maintain or improve the relationship between public and private police. Public and Private 3. In the relationship between private and public police, private police are different. Private officers do not work for us; but they do offer their services for corporations, they basically focus on the corporation that hired them. Private police has three times more than public police does. The private police care less about the due process, civil rights, and the public safety. â€Å"Private police dwells on the protection, immediate deterrence, and commercial enforcement†. Private Security and the Law, 2004). â€Å"Private police have become the most fast growing industries† (Zielinski, n. d. ). Businesses and corporations must hire their own private guards. Private police may be used in certain situations where the public police may have the skills to carry out the job. For example in New York, the private police from the agency went to a place and the private police paid for services, then they brought about affidavits explaining what they had do ne. After that was done then this was a cause focusing on the place to close. Being that these polices was not being honest and they did not represent themselves in the way they should have they was prosecuted for illegal acts. Public police are employed through local towns while private police works for companies. On the other hand, the public police are sometime charged with protecting the citizens and the cities and they have jurisdictions. Now you have a few public police that will overstep their bounds, but I believe only if they feel threaten, but if not then the headquarters are responsible to the public. In each city, public and private police has different ways of relating. Public police help members of communities to help bring about complaints against the private security, but I believe this is only done if something is done wrong. Public police was established back in colonial times and succeeded until the eighteen hundreds. The public police are considered local, state, or federal and their duties are the safety and welfare of the public. Private police has the right to carry a gun, and they also have the right to search and arrest anyone whom they feel has committed a crime†. (Cramer, 2010). Majority of the communities feel that the private police cares more about trying to please their employer than protecting the public, but I believe that they are only doing what they was trained to do. It is certain quality that only allows the private police to do so much. To the average citizens private officers looks like a real police but they do not have the powers to do what a r eal police do. Public police comes with a lot of work, they are trying to protect and serve. I do believe it is hard trying to keep criminals off the streets without enough of force; they can not be everywhere at one time. Private police has the same authority as the city police. Private and Public 4. Conclusions I believe ways to maintain or improve the relationship is to have public meetings where all the force are there and discuss the ways they are similar and how each of them have certain responsibilities. In the article from what I understand private and public police are presented with what is called, â€Å"us versus them† mentality and both are doing their best to protect us no matter if they are private or public police, they are doing what they was trained to do. I also believe that once the public and private police have their meetings they should have one for the community, listen to their views and become their friends and they will probably feel safe calling them if needed. Then the private and public police will know how and what to do to help the community, this to me I believe will help make more room for improvements. Public and Private 4. References Cramer, M. (2010). Police Lend Ear to Worried Tenants. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from Http://www. boston. com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/01/html Http://web-mit. edu/gtmarx/www/private. html Schneier, B. (2007). Schneier on Security. Retrieved from Http://www. schneier. com/private-police. html Zielinski, M. (n. d. ) Armed and Dangerous: Private Police on the March. Convert Action Quarterly. Retrieved from Http://mediafilter. org/caq/CAQ54p. police. html

Hannibal and the Carthaginian Empire Essay

Hannibal was great and famous Carthaginian general. He is remembered for his great strategic skills on the battle field and as a great military chief. Born in late 247 BC, was the oldest son of Hamilcar Barca. In 237 BC, Hamilcar took his nine year old son, Hannibal, to the altar of a Carthaginian god and made him pledge eternal hatred to the Romans. Then Hannibal and his father left for Spain. The headquarters of Carthaginian power in Spain was the city of New Carthage. Hannibal saw immediately his father’s techniques for war . When Hamilcar perished in the battle of 230 BC, his son-in-law, Hasdrubal, became the military leader plus the political leader and continued Carthage’s pressure in Spain. In 226 BC Hasdrubal signed an agreement with the Romans. The agreement stated that neither army could cross the Ebro River in the northern Spain . When Hasdrubal was murdered in 221 BC, the Carthaginians collectively elected twenty-six-year-old Hannibal to be the leader in Carthaginian government and commandant of the army in Spain. After Hamilcar’s death Hannibal became an excellent military leader. â€Å"Under [Hannibal’s] control the Carthaginians made large territorial advances†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I-cias). He learned quickly how to be a leader and with the support of his brothers he was able to succeed through his battles. Hannibal was crossing the Alps and was able to receive rations for a couple days. â€Å"On the third day he captured a Gallic town and provided the army from its stores with rations for two or three days† (Alps). He wanted the best for his army, but had little support from Carthage. Despite the number of men falling from the army due to natural disasters he managed to recruit others. â€Å"Even if many fell from his army during this march because of snowstorms, landslides, and attacks from hostile local tribes, he managed to recruit new personnel along the route. † His strategy was to respond quickly to these natural disasters and it helped him. Hannibal earned his success by enduring hardships with his recruits and reinforcements. Hannibal experienced many challenges including battle delays little amount of military equipment and a small number of reinforcements from home. Other military leaders knew he would not be able to handle a delay due to the lack of preparation he took for each battle. â€Å"He [Fabius, Roman Military Leader] believed that Hannibal lacked the equipment for a prolonged siege and that a delay in the battle would seriously reduce the Carthaginian food supply†. Rome believed that delays would end in the conquering of Hannibal because of the lack of necessities there was little he could do. Hannibal began to suffer during his career due to the lack of food. â€Å"Zama was the only defeat. Hannibal suffered in his military career† . After his defeat his enemies began to discover his weakness. Hannibal was running out of everything during the Battle of Cannae and his help refused to aid him. â€Å"Hannibal needed reinforcements, which the Carthaginian government refused to furnish, and he also lacked siege weapons† . Hannibal’s restrictions could have given him success, had he been willing to bargain with another force greater then his own. Hannibal was the instrument of his own undoing. Hannibal was set on being the conqueror and set on some one else’s defeat, which lead him to his own. His enemy, Rome, was the center of his downfall. He would never settle and there was no satisfaction between them. â€Å"†¦In 218, he clashed with the Roman army. The Romans claimed that this was a break of an existing treaty between Rome and Carthage and demanded Hannibal surrendered to them†¦the Second Punic War started† (I-cias). If Hannibal conquered Romans he would never be able to rule over. â€Å"According to legend, Hamilcar had made the young Hannibal swear on a sacred altar that he would remain an enemy of Rome for life† . Hannibal had made a promise to his father, therefore intending to go on with nothing. â€Å"The loss of the second city of Italy cost Hannibal the allegiance of many of his Italian allies and put an end to his hopes of further replenishing his army from their ranks† . Hannibal had lost it all. His hope had been limited at this point. Hannibal both succeeded and failed. He never won the hearts of the people; therefore he was never able to truly be victorious. Hannibal married a Spanish princess and conquered the surrounding land and took hostages from the adjacent tribes to assure their loyalty to him without crossing the Ebro River, except for the city of Saguntum, an ally of Rome. When Saguntum began trouble between Carthage and Rome in 219 BC, Hannibal invaded the city. This began the Second Punic War . After hearing the declaration of war Hannibal immediately starts off towards Rome. The problem was he had to go by land since Rome controlled the seas. Hannibal began a long and hazardous expedition across the Pyrenees and the Alps in August of 218, with battle elephants walking at the front of his army . In the spring of 218 BC, Hannibal handed over command of the Spanish armies to his brother Hasdrubal. He then led his troops north toward the Pyrenees Mountains and began one of the most famous journeys in history . Hannibal’s army included Libyans and Numidians from North Africa, Iberians and Celtiberians from Spain, and Gauls from Spain, France, and Italy. There were thirty-five thousand foot soldiers, twelve thousand horsemen, and fifty war elephants. Hannibal used the elephants to break infantry lines and to create fear and disorder. The elephants also frightened horses, so they were able to disrupt the enemy’s cavalry . In the Pyrenees, Hannibal encountered resistance from local tribes. He lost a lot of his men to fighting, and some of the mercenaries went home because they were scared of the long journey. With all this, Hannibal continued to move as quickly as possible, but bad luck fell into Hannibal’s lap as early snows and landslides kill many of his men and almost all of his war elephants . He enters Italy with only twenty-six thousand men and five or six war elephants in September 218. Hannibal and his troops spent the winter in Po Valley. In the spring of 217 BC When news of Hannibal’s army reached Rome, the Gauls of northern Italy revolted. They joined Hannibal in fighting the Romans. Now Hannibal had a sufficient army of infantry and cavalry. The Romans had plans to attack Carthage and New Carthage, but they had to be delayed because of the rebelling tribes in Italy and the approach of Hannibal. So the Romans sent troops under the command of Publius Cornelius Scipio, to stop Hannibal at Massilia . Massilia is on the French coast where the Rhone River runs into the Mediterranean Sea. The Rhone is a wide river with a swift current, so it was a great obstacle to Hannibal. Scipio’s troops set up camp by the sea, thinking that Hannibal would reach Massilia in the near future. But he did not realize how fast Hannibal was moving his troops . When Scipio received news of Hannibal, it was too late. Hannibal had moved his entire army across the Rhone, fifty miles north of Massilia . Although Hannibal’s army had been reduced to twenty-six thousand infantry, nine thousand horses, and five or six elephants, it was a great accomplishment to get across the Rhone. To transport the elephants, the men built rafts . When the Alps came into view, Hannibal allowed his army a few days to rest, because he knew that his army had doubts about crossing the Alps. Never before had elephants crossed the Alps. The army did not reach the Alps until late in the year, and many troops and horses were killed. Some troops who came from warmer climates died from the cold. Some troops died of hunger because food was short to come by. Others died in fights with mountain tribes. Some of the mountain tribes rolled big stones down the mountains and caused men and animals to fall from the narrow mountain passage .

Kudler Fine Foods Service Essay

Service Request The manager of Kudler Fine Foods, Kathy Kudler, has requested the development of a system to track customer purchases through a Frequent Shopper Program to award loyalty points for redemption. (Apollo, 2011) Key Stakeholders The key stakeholders are the individuals that are directly involved with Kudler Fine Foods and will have a direct effect on the overall project. These individuals will be the main source of information in the analysis, design, implementation and testing phase of the systems upgrade. Kathy KudlerProject Manager The Frequent Shopper Program for Kudler is specific in addressing current and future customers by rewarding them for shopping with the company. Both business and technical functions will be addressed as well as improved communication between the sales and marketing and purchasing departments. The goal is to provide better response to customer demands while rewarding the customer and accomplishing this in an efficiently fast manner. A marketing plan must be developed to inform current and potential customers of the program and encourage them to participate and take advantage of the benefits offered by the program. In utilizing an outside source for the program, Kudler will be able to provide a good relationship between the IT resources of the outside source and the internal sales and inventory  systems. There is also a need to modify the two different databases and the GUI in order to allow for smooth data transfer and communication. Kudler’s specific goals are to improve customer satisfaction in order to increase brand loyalty, cut costs by increasing supply efficiency, and increase sales which will result in higher revenue and profits for the company. In order to ensure success of this project, certain aspects will be monitored throughout the duration. This will allow Kudler to view what aspects are successful and what aspects are not. The main aspects that will be monitored are: new customer enrollment into the program, tracking of purchases from current and repeat customers, tracking of customer reward points, duration of participation from customers in the program, and total customer redeemed points, and difference in cost of redeemed items versus wholesale/supplier costs. Supporting Measures and Project Feasibility In order for Kudler Fine Foods to continue growth and experience profitability, the design and implementation of a Frequent Shopper Program must be accomplished. The program will need to utilize the best available hardware and software to accomplish their goals and to promote growth as well. The chosen system will need to address both short and long term needs and problems that could arise. This is done through a development phase that will combine all aspects and products that Kudler wishes to incorporate into the program. This phase must address the current budget allocated by Kudler for the implementation of the program while incorporating all needed requirements. Current Business Process Summary Proposed System Requirements The proposed new system must be capable of meeting the requirements set forth by the key stakeholders within the company. This list of requirements will be presented, discussed, and then edited based on what is needed, what is within budget constraints, and what is decided on by the stakeholders. This list of functional requirements proposed to Kudler is below. Functional Requirements System is capable of new customer enrollment System is able to track purchases for all customers System is able to track and store rewards points for individual customers System allows for rewards points to be redeemed System allows for viewing of customer rewards points on POS terminals System allows input changes from POS terminals System will sync with company website for tracking of rewards points System allows for data from each location to be stored and accessed in a central location System must be compatible with current system in place for easy transition. Determine Requirements The determination of the requirements for this system is a key part in the development of the Frequent Shopper Program (FSP). There are many methods that can be used to properly determine the requirements needed for an efficient system. These can range from simple observation of current processes and interviews with employees and management, to Joint Application Design (JAD) procedures. The commonly used methods of observation, interviews, etc., can help analysts pinpoint exact requirements based on user input and business processes. According to Charvat (2003), â€Å"One of the biggest benefits of a proper user requirements specification is that you’ll be able to plan and estimate your project correctly, decreasing the chance of cost and time overruns.† The analyst must listen to the employees and gain a thorough understanding of all business processes before establishing the new system requirements. The Joint Application Development (JAD) is a newer and more organized means of gathering information to base requirements on. This process is conducted by holding sessions in which key stakeholders and other key members of management are present and work together in the outline of the possible requirements. This allows for input from all levels within the organization and can yield better results than other commonly used methods. While this process can be lengthy, it keeps all key members involved up to date on the status of progress during the development phase and analysis. List of Confirmed Requirements System is capable of new customer enrollment Mandatory System is able to track purchases for all customers Mandatory System is able to track and store rewards points for individual customers Mandatory System allows for rewards points to be redeemed Mandatory System allows for viewing of customer rewards points on POS terminals Mandatory System allows input changes from POS terminals Mandatory System will sync with company website for tracking of rewards points Mandatory System allows for data from each location to be stored and accessed in a central location Mandatory System must be compatible with current system in place for easy transition Optional Proposed System Process View Functional Allocation Modeling This aspect is very important in ensuring all software and hardware utilized for the new system is up to date and current as of the time of this service request. Since technology advancements are made almost every day, it is important to stay on the cutting edge. This is why the use of computer systems with an Intel core i7 processor is being chosen. The hardware that will be used wil1l be purchase directly from Dell. This will give Kudler piece of mind with all hardware and full technical support with the warranty provided from Dell. The systems chosen will have 8GB of RAM (memory) and will include 22† LCD monitors, core i7 processors with 4.5GHz speed, and come preloaded with Windows 7.. Each system will also be equipped with 10/100 ethernet capabilities to meet the standards of the current network in place at Kudler. The current server in place at Kudler will be replaced by Unix servers by SPARC Enterprise Software SAP system for retail environments. The POS terminals will be replaced by NCR RealPOS 82XRT terminals which offer scanners, cash drawers, touch screen displays, and built in printing capabilities. VOIP phone systems and HP M521dn and HP 8015 printers will replace the outdated ones currently in use. Logical Model of System Preliminary Design Model Design Trade-off In order for Kudler Fine Foods to have a successful program, an examination of product roll out methodology must be performed. There will need to be a specific balance in regards to the mixture of cost, schedule and performance. It is understood that a program cannot incorporate all three aspects at once which then leads to deciding what the appropriate trade-offs shall be within the requirements. The following depict possible scenarios of combining two aspects but foregoing a third possible requirement. Cost and Schedule By having a program that is inexpensive and keeps to the specified timelines the company will end up with one that is affordable and able to start up right away. If the schedule is large for integration of the system with the current system then the time to capitalize on the customers data would take time. The downside is that cheap is not always best and can result in a low performance record that is fraught with hardware and software failures. If the program cannot function properly there is a decent chance that it will fail outright due to customers not wanting to take part in it. Schedule and Performance Creating a program that is scheduled to finish on time and functions to specified standards will allow Kudler customers to enjoy the program’s rewards with little to no problems. In this instance the design trade-off is cost. The cost of the new proposed system would be quite moderate to high. The cost to get the correct and reliable information at every instance of time is the biggest challenge over the cost incurred in the infrastructure. Not keeping up with costs for the creation though will result in a project that has a finishing cost much higher than was originally budgeted for. The result can pull funding from other much needed programs or can cause the program to change such as the customer receiving rewards that are of a lower  quality than originally promised. Cost and Performance If the project team is able to create the program at manageable costs while maintaining a high quality performance status the customers will be able to enjoy the benefits of the rewards while allowing the company to stay within appropriate budget levels. All the previous customers ‘ data would be inputted and further processed , which would take time The implementation of the new system would reduce costs of data transfer and catering the customers in a suitable manner. The performance of the system would improve with enhanced ability to track information about customers , their preference pattern and any change in their behavior In addition to all the above , the company can reduce the extra cost of hoarding of goods and can only customers preferences. The possible tradeoff is that the program may not be finished as scheduled. This can result in a backlog for future projects. In addition, if the project takes an exceedingly longer amount of time than originally thought, it may become scrapped so a new plan can come in its place. Detailed Design Process The prototype will drive the design of the forms and reports. The forms need to document predefined data in a clear and concise manner. Forms are typically based on one database record and have a stylized form. Reports are business documents that contain predefined data and data from many unrelated transactions or records used for reading or reviewing information. The forms and reports need to be end user friendly and clear to understand. They should not have simple rows or columns. The forms and reports can be designed using online graphical tools. This will help standardize them with other organizations. The forms and reports should have a transparent human computer interface. In designing a form or report there are some fundamental questions that need to be addressed: who will be the form/report user, the purpose, when will they be needed, who should have access to them, and who does it need to be delivered to? Answering these questions will allow the programmer to produce an effective form/report. The hardware and networks used should be consistent with what is already in use throughout the organization. Kudler Fine Foods uses UNIX operating system, HP blade server system and SAP as their software. The UNIX server needs to be upgraded to UNIX SPARC Enterprise software. The organization should upgrade their current version of SAP Retail SW to SAP for Retail. The HP Blade server should be upgraded to a Dell PowerEdge M620 blade server. The HP blade server is obsolete and this may create problems if future support or maintenance is needed. The CM2320nf printer is obsolete and should be upgraded with the HP M521dn printer. The HP 3015 printers, VOIP phones, APC Smart UPS, POS terminals, 22† screens, and the NAS 10 TB storage server should all remain. If the organization is going to upgrade their software they should upgrade their hardware as indicated. This will allow the organization the ability to use state of the art hardware with state of the art software and get the most out of the system. They will be able to utilize the most current technological features currently available and extend the life of their infrastructure. Human Computer Interface The human computer interface should be designed with Microsoft Visual Basic. Net. Microsoft is a universal program that employees are familiar with. Using Microsoft will allow end users to feel comfortable with the software because the commands for Microsoft can be applied. Training is easier for employees using Microsoft because so many of them are familiar with it. Microsoft reports can also be imported and exported to other mediums making it possible for end users to review the information in detail. They currently use Microsoft Windows 7. Using the most current version of software will extend the life of the system. Using outdated software will hinder the use of the most current applications and can make the program prematurely outdated. The organization should continue using Dell computers but they need to upgrade them to Dell XPS 8700 with an i7 processor, and 4.0 GHz. CD drives are no longer necessary, most information is transferred or stored via a memory stick. Physical System Model What are information architecture diagrams? â€Å"A diagram architecture is not necessary an architecture produced through diagrams†¦. Instead, diagram architecture is an architecture that behaves like a diagram, indifferent to  the specific means of its realization.† (Par. 13) When it comes to these diagrams you are taking the knowledge of the architecture and molding it into a visual and understandable aid laid out in sequence like patterns that show direction. And when these diagrams are designed of information architecture the process usually ends up back where it started making a loop back to the requirements. Producing this process of creating an information architecture diagrams can be a bit confusing and people end up getting information confused rather easy. Until a man named Philippe Kruchten came up with a brilliant way to look at the diagram. He introduced the concept of viewing the diagram through the eyes of the stakeholders. This process became known as the 4+1 information view model. The 4 is for the several views in which he describes as the Physical view, Logical view, development view and the process view. And the +1 is added to describe the scenarios. Modeling the architecture of a software system can be presented in two areas known as the High level design and design patterns. High level is the use of the core components who work together for the one mission of fulfilling the requirements. And depending on if the system is large enough it is possible that each component will sustain its own high level setup that will provide descriptions of its smaller parts. Design patterns are used here and there in the particular designs of each of the components. A pattern is a waypoint that will direct you to the end solution of the program in which it is accommodating. If the same pattern is used through the design of separate programs it will act as a money saver as it saves in the purchase of new software and saves time in the design process. Testing Process Summary This phase will be somewhat similar to the installation and implementation phase in some ways. The overall functionality of every aspect within the system must be tested to ensure it meets the requirements of the original project plan. All new software and hardware must go through thorough examination and a system of checks to accomplish this. This phase must be continued throughout the life cycle of the system to continuously check for errors and bugs to keep the system performing at optimum capacity. To properly complete this phase there are guidelines to follow for testing that will cover all aspects of the system. Hardware and Software Installation Process/Training Plan In order to accomplish the implementation of the Frequent Shopper Program Successfully Kudler will need to implement the POS Server database flawlessly into the system in order to avoid data loss or corruption of data. The online Cash Registers and the in-store cash registers will be communicating to the same database and a seamless integration of these three components is crucial during the early implementation phase of the installation. The challenge during this phase of the installation is the software that will be used to bring these three components together. Continuous testing of the POS, The CMS, and the store website are needed to ensure that any bugs in the system are pointed out early. Once this is complete the Kudler will be able to focus on the smaller aspects of the program such as ensuring that all merchandise are coded correctly and the scanners are properly transmitting the data. The timeline for the implementation of this project is 2-3 months. The company should take measures during the implementation and installation regarding marketing to  maintain the competitive edge and afford customers needed time to adjust to the idea of this new system. Time will be needed to train staff on the proper procedures for issuing and Frequent Shopper Cards, and the support teams will need training on how to troubleshoot system errors. The cashiers will need training on methods of marketing the programs and procedures for how to use, issue, and reissue cards to customers enrolling or already enrolled in the program. One of the keys to success of the program is ensuring the cashiers have a clear understanding of how to market the program. Failure to ensure marketing or the cards is upheld and train employees on how to properly process cards will be counterproductive to the program and could lower customer value. Installation Process Installation is the organizational process of change over from the current information system to the new one. â€Å"Managing the change to a new system—whether or not it is computerized — is one of the most difficult tasks in any organization† (George, Hoffer, & Valacich, 2012). After system construction, final acceptance tests performed during systems installation and evaluation ensures the development team has completed all tasks for the project. After determination that system operations are fully functional, the system is ready for installation. During the installation process, the old system becomes disabled and subsequently, the new system activated. The project manager and developers assemble the resources required for installation as the work begins. Resources required for installation of the system includes development team members and their various programming tools, including software. Project constraints in this instance have a comparatively narrow degree because of the streamlined and limited changes. The installation team begins by changing the modems over to broadband, and activating broadband connections at each store. At this stage, the installed applications including updates to the Point of Sale system software, the database management system, credit card interface software, and printer applications undergo testing for appropriate functionality. The entire system is then tested, and confirmed successful for use (George, Hoffer, & Valacich, 2012). The installation of the Kudler Fine Foods Frequent Shopper Program and related plans for training will correspond with the timeline illustrated. Training Plan The training and installation timeline provides a sufficient and organized schedule for installation and system testing, also providing an expedient finish to the system implementation processes. The project team develops training materials and documentation for training classes. The next step in the implementation phase is training system users, managers, and IT staff. Diagram 1: Installation and Training Timeline User training and training documentation should include an overview of system features, capabilities and limitations, data entry and menu screen options, contents, and processing instructions, and procedures for requesting changes and reporting problems. Other important inclusions are troubleshooting examples and error situations including resolutions, and a section on frequently asked questions (Cashman, Rosenblatt, & Shelly, 2013). As illustrated, Frequent Shopper Program System Training, the specific details for training specific groups vary according to employee function and extent. Documentation Plan Summary Documentation needs to be accurate and will also be a determining factor on the software’s success or failure. Documentation needs to include how to work the system, navigate it, its potential, how to use the data, and reporting methods. This should be done early on so the end user has reference materials. The documentation process should begin when developing the system. This will provide supporting material for developers and help develop future training materials. If the end user does not understand how to use the system or recall information for reporting purposes, the software is not serving its purpose. Most systems in place today are for information gathering and storage. If the end user can’t access the collected information, then the software will be rendered useless. The system will need to be maintained so a maintenance manual should be available to guide developers on how to make fixes and update the system. An operational manual should be available for the subject material expert, designers and users. This manual will help when they have questions on a process or how to get a certain part of the program to produce or collect  the proper data. A technical manual will be necessary so the technical writers can refer to the system structure when they have questions. The technical manual should include drawings, flowcharts, and the database structure. The system should have a training manual that has step by step instructions that a user can follow. It should also have a list of any codes, available reports, system outputs, a troubleshooting guide, work a rounds, and be current on updates. The Training manual or user manual will help the user by providing a guide for future reference and for training. The training manual will help decrease questions and improve efficiency. The more information that is available for the user the more proficient they will be at using it. Training end users is very important. This could mean the difference between an efficient and easy flowing system or a cumbersome, difficult to use nightmare. Visuals should be used to make training easier and provide future training material references. If there are inquiries that are not frequently performed, the end user might not recall how to initiate the inquiries and having a visual to refer to, might help the end user be more efficient when conducting these inquires. Support & Maintenance Plan It’s not enough to just implement a system and fully integrate it into the new business system. There must be a support system that covers common mistakes and helps people locate answers to their technical questions. And along with the system support there also must be some type of maintenance schedule that keeps the system healthy, like frequent updates to keep the system up to date and as free from bugs as possible. Software Support In order for a system to operate at full potential the software must remain up to date with all of the bug fixes and security issues that comes with having software. Having your software up to date could very well be the lifeline of your company. If your software fails, then the work production conducted on that system will also fail. Hardware Support Just as important as software support is hardware support. Hardware consists of several critical and physical components of an IT system. These components include but are not limited to; servers, systems used to store data, personal computers (PC) and the networks that tie them all together. When it comes to business communication is the key, and this doesn’t exclude the communication of the IT systems. Network Support Like previously mentioned, networks are the communication for IT systems. Keeping your network up and running can be a little difficult to deal with. When a network goes down then every piece of hardware on that network has no communication. Unfortunately network issues usually get dealt with as soon as they happen. What is recommended is to have a preventative maintenance schedule in increments of monthly, bimonthly, semiannually, annually or biannually to periodically check the condition of the network before it fails resulting in a downed network. When software is merged over into a company system there are user manuals and lists of known and unknown bugs for the system. Each member should have been briefed on the new software and also provided the information included in the user manuals and the known and unknown bug reports. For the hardware and network, preventative maintenance is the best way to avoid a downed asset. And a well maintained support system with frequent updates will ensure your software stays up to  date with the latest security and bugs fixes. Conclusion This thorough analysis and all aspects carefully and fully examined, the proposed project will not only meet, but exceed the request of Kudler Fine Foods for implementing a rewards program. The use of cutting edge technology in both hardware and software aspects will ensure a smooth running system for years to come. The incorporation of the rewards program and the system upgrades should not only increase profitability, but brand loyalty from customers as well. The system meets all required needs of Kudler Fine Foods to include time scheduling, budget, and both short and long term goals. References Apollo Group Inc. (2011). Kudler Fine Foods. Service Request SR-kf-013. Retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/ServiceRequests/index.asp#Kudler Fine Foods Cashman, G. B., Rosenblatt, H. J., & Shelly, G. B. (2013). Systems Analysis and Design (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Thomson – Course Technology. Charvat, Jason. (June 30, 2013). Determine User Requirements Now to Avoid Problems Later. TechRepublic. Retreived from: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/determine-user-requirements-now-to-avoid-problems-later/ Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H., & Roth, R. M. (2012). Systems analysis & design (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Federal Bureau of Investigation (2013). The Insider Threat: An introduction to detecting and deterring an insider spy. Retrieved from: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/counterintelligence/the-insider-threat George, J. F., Hoffer, J. A., & Valacich, J. S. (2012). Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design. Retrieved from: http://www. bau.edu.jo/inst/hamza/SAbook.pdf Riordan Manufacturing Intranet Website (2014). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Riordan/ (2010, 05). Diagram Architecture. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 05, 2010, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Diagram-Architecture-63657523.html

How Internet Addiction Affects Student’s Academic Performance

How Internet addiction affects student’s academic performance Internet addiction in the twenty-first century is as common as the flu. Technology has expanded, and about anyone, anywhere on earth has access to the web and is about to go online. The effect of this addiction may seem harmless but it has a great toll on the body and their academic performance. It can drastically change their life. The addiction, like any other, starts around the first few experiences.In the twenty-first century it starts roughly at the young age as ten to about anywhere in their adult-hood. Internet addiction isn’t only about the famous social media chat sites such as Facebook or twitter. It has a lot to do with v-logging, videos, forums, and various types of internet gaming. Technology nowadays is progressing at such a rapid speed that it makes virtually any task as simple as one click process. When the addiction is in affect, the mind doesn’t think of anything else but that.Especia lly when he/she has found himself online to what may seem a few hours but may actually be the entire day or two before realising. This affects greatly the sleep one needs in order to function on a daily basis, and everyone understands the importance of sleep. The person may also be deprived of food, the nutrition the body needs. The academic performance of the individual decreases tremendously. People in this addiction sub-consciously put tasks aside for another day or plan to do it in the very last minute.Procrastination on homework/assignments lead to marks falling quickly. They also start being late or even start missing classes due to the effect. This will easily lead to failure and/or being laid off work. In conclusion, the last generation has a lot on their plate and also have a lot of issues. The issues of health benefits, life changes, and the effects it has on their academic performances. A lot of something is a lot worse than a little of everything. Majority of the people have a lot to work on but have a lot of assistances on the way.

Luxury and the Montblanc brand Essay

It is generally acknowledged that western consumption of luxury in the 1980s and 1990s was motivated primarily by status-seeking and appearance. This means that social status associated with a brand is an important factor in conspicuous consumption. The baby boom generation luxury consumer has a passion for self-indulgence while maintaining an iconoclastic world view, which is transforming the luxury market from its ‘ old ’ conspicuous consumption model to a totally new, individualistic type of luxury consumer one driven by new needs and desires for experiences ’ . The expression of ‘today’s luxury’ is about a celebration of personal creativity, expressiveness, intelligence, fluidity, and above all, meaning. LUXURY AND POSTMODERNISM Recent arguments have been sounded that aspects of contemporary luxury consumption have reflected the phenomenon of postmodernism. Postmodernity means very different things to many different people’. Postmodernism is essentially a western philosophy that ‘refers to a break in thinking away from the modern, functional and rational’. In terms of experiential marketing, two aspects of the postmodern discourse are most relevant: hyper-reality and image. Hyper-reality refers to ‘the blurring of distinction between the real and the unreal, in which the prefix ‘hyper’ signifies more real than real. When the real that is the environment, is no longer a given, but is reproduced by a simulated environment, it does not become unreal, but realer than real’. The example of Bollywood to illustrate the so-called ‘Disneyfication’ of reality within the context of contemporary Indian society: ‘Bollywood captures not only the imagination in the form of song, music and dance but fairy tale settings, romantic melodrama and heroic storylines immerse the viewer in ‘simulated reality’. Traditional marketing was developed in response to the industrial age, not the information, branding and communications revolution we are facing today. In a new age, with new consumers, we need to shift away from a features- and-benefits approach, as advocated by traditional approaches to consumer experiences. One such approach is experiential marketing, an approach that in contrast to the rational features-and-benefits view of consumers takes a more postmodern orientation, and views them as emotional beings concerned with achieving pleasurable experiences. EXPERIENTIAL LUXURY MARKETING When a person buys a service, he purchases a set of intangible activities carried out on his behalf. But when he buys an experience, he pays to spend time enjoying a series of memorable events that a company stages to engage him in a personal way. Experiential marketing is thus about taking the essence of a product and amplifying it into a set of tangible, physical and interactive experiences that reinforce the offer. Experiential marketing essentially describes marketing initiatives that give consumers in-depth, tangible experiences in order to provide them with sufficient information to make a purchase decision. It is clear that the fact that many luxury goods are almost always experiential puts luxury marketers in a unique position to apply the principles of experiential marketing to their activities. Dimensions of the luxury experience The term ‘involvement’ refers to the level of inter-activity between the supplier and the customer. Increased levels of involvement fundamentally change the way in which services are experienced, that is, suppliers no longer create an experience and pass it to the customer; instead, the supplier and customer are interactively co-creating the experience. The term ‘intensity’ refers to the perception of the strength of feeling towards the interaction. The four experiential zones are not intended to be mutually exclusive; the richness of an experience is, however, a function of the degree to which all four zones are incorporated. Those experiences we think of as Entertainment, such as fashion shows at designer boutiques and upmarket department stores, usually involve a low degree of customer involvement and intensiveness. Activities in the Educational zone involve those where participants are more actively involved, but the level of intensiveness is still low. In this zone, participants acquire new skills or increase those they already have. Many luxury goods offerings include educational dimensions. For example, cruise ships often employ well-known authorities to provide semi-formal lectures about their itineraries – a concept commonly referred to as ‘edutainment’. Escapist activities are those that involve a high degree of both involvement and intensiveness, and are clearly a central feature of much of luxury consumption. This is clearly evident within the luxury tourism and hospitality sector, characterised by the growth of specialised holiday offerings. The launch of the Royal Tented Taj Spa (Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces) at the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur (India) recreates the mobile palaces used by the Mughal emperors of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with chandeliers, royal pennants and Indian love swings. When the element of activity is reduced to a more passive involvement in nature, the event becomes Aesthetic. A high degree of intensiveness is clearly evident within this activity, but has little effect on its environment such as admiring the architectural or interior design of designer boutiques. The six-storey glass crystal design of the Prada store in Tokyo conceptualised by the architects Herzog and de Meuron has become a showcase for unconventional contemporary architecture.

Gis and spatial analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Gis and spatial analysis - Research Paper Example In this paper we will tackle the topic in the order of what the organization has used GIS and Spatial analysis for in the realization of its objectives. We will then proceed to see how the organization uses the two important tools to help them achieve their desired objectives of leveraging their conceptual and empirical research in economics and sociology hence providing analysis that helps in informing both economic and social policy making. We would further look at what the benefits and challenges of GIS and Spatial analysis are to ESRI in the achievements of their objectives (Martin, 2009). Finally, the paper will conclude by making recommendations to help management improve the organization through the effective and efficient use of the two tools in the future. It is wise to note that the users of GIS and spatial analysis do so on the premise that it would help them identify and understand markets better. ESRI customers worldwide have known the products offered ESRI through GIS a nd spatial analysis tools (About ESRI. (n.d.). This organization in Ireland among other things is concerned with providing healthcare information to the government of Ireland and they employ the use of GIS and Spatial analysis to do this. This position is informed by the fact that geographic variation in the population and the need of the population for healthcare provides the foundation for analysis and planning of health services (Longley & Clarke, 1995). The population in Ireland is not spread evenly across the country and such population differs along many dimensions. These dimensions range from gender, age, culture and the economic status. These affect the need of the population need and distribution of healthcare in terms of their ability to travel and obtain healthcare as well as the services they are willing and able to utilize (Kurland & Gorr, 2012). GIS and spatial analysis is hence used to explore and analyze the geographical variations in the need for health services and hence develop the innovative signs of healthcare needed by the population. Through the Health Research and Information Division ESRI has the responsibility of supporting, managing and developing HIPE and NPRS which are the two National Health Databases in Ireland. This data is exhaustively available through the ease of extraction offered by GIS and Spatial analysis (Pfeiffer, 2008). The needed health information by the country and the organization is that which reflects the characteristics of people, their behaviors and their surrounding environments of work and residence. The two tools, GIS and the Spatial analysis procedure has been used for years now for the purpose of linking diverse layers of population and environmental data with the aim of the organization characterizing the main dimensions of healthcare need for the country at large. The organization has since used the two tools to create health profiles for the various communities of Ireland; these include the description of their demographics, economic and characteristics of their lifecycles as well as their exposure to hazards in their environments (Martin, 2009). To create such outcomes for use by the interested stakeholders the able

Modern Accounting Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern Accounting Systems - Essay Example Contrary to ‘paper-based accounting systems’, where older documentations are hard to assess because the amount of paper rises with the passage of time, modern systems can conveniently show old records as well as trends supported by past years. Executives can check with old financial plans and cost data to advance existing estimations. When exterior circumstances modify, modern systems have the capability to forecast outcomes for various situations, letting administration to develop estimating with forecasts for all eventualities. While not capable of eliminating ‘human error’, modern accounting systems have confirmation abilities that lessen the occurrence of such mistakes. â€Å"Once the data is entered correctly, it is permanently captured and reading errors are eliminated† (Turner & Weickgennant, 2008). Programmers can configure fields so that the system just allows information in the right design. They can inflict information confirmation so the s ystem verifies whether the information is rational, and discards it if it is not. These actions perk up the accurateness of information as well as the consistency of management estimates, lessening costly errors within operations based on such information.The objective of nearly all companies is to make a profit. Accounting lets company owners to trace report and evaluate their company’s financial records. Accounting offers information involving â€Å"earnings, the cost of merchandise sold, operating expense, assets, liabilities and owner’s equity†.

A Letter to Explain the Subtleties of Revelations Essay

A Letter to Explain the Subtleties of Revelations - Essay Example Probably the first thing that it is important to understand is that Revelations is grounded firmly in the time of its writing – that is, the first century after the death of Christ, and it can take on a completely new meaning when looked at under that light. Probably the first thing that it is important to understand is that Revelations is not at all unique, but rather part of a â€Å"literary tradition† of apocalyptic literature that was flourishing in the first century (Kirsch 38). This literary tradition was not just Christian, but also Jewish, and in fact expanded to many other groups, including â€Å"shamans† and other religious leaders (38). Many of these works take the form of visions granted by a divine being, said to show the end times and to warn people of the coming apocalypse, so in this way too is the Book of Revelations part of a broad tradition (103). But, I can imagine you saying, this is part of the bible, not just some raving of a Shaman. The fa ct remains, however, that there was a great amount of apocalyptic literature that was coming in and out of popularity during this era, and the decision of what would become canonical (or part of the Bible) and what would become apocryphal (not part of the Bible) would be made only centuries later and through an incredibly complex and fraught political process. So, in some ways, if you are worried about the end of the world as depicted in revelations, you also have to be worried about the end of the world depicted in a wide variety of other literature in this genre. So now that we have understood a little bit about the cultural and literary context that Revelations came from, it is important to delve into the historical realities that surrounded its creation, which have a palpable impact on one’s understanding of it once one is aware that the historical context exists. The first century after Christ’s death was an incredibly uproarious time religiously, and Christianity is in fact part of that uproar. During this time period there was widespread social unrest, especially in Judea, because of the relatively recent conquest of the area by the Roman Empire (45). This was simply the latest in a long line of conquests and enslavements that Jews (at this period Christians might be better understood as a sect of Judaism rather than as an independent religion) had suffered, which was made especially dire by the destruction of the Second Temple. These times of conquest and upheaval have always been accompanied by the emergence of apocalyptic literature (48), which serves several purposes. One is to provide hope and spirit to the people suffering – the end of the world necessarily means the prevailing of the righteous at the hands of the evil, which is an especially appealing idea to a downtrodden people. Another is to solidify the base of believers, whose beliefs might be weakened or who might be tempted to stray from the teachings of their religion based on the persecution that they suffer at the hands of the conquering force. So along with being part of line of literary traditions of apocalyptic literature, Revelations is also a fairly common response to political upheaval. One of the most commonly known prophesises in revelations, for instance, is the â€Å"mark† or â€Å"seal† of the devil (Revelations 13:16) that will become spread widely during the end

Problems in calculating national income Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Problems in calculating national income - Essay Example One of the most common problems that countries, especially developing countries face in this process is lack of expertise, as the methodology involves need highly professional experts, economics, and analysts that may complete the process in an accurate manner while eliminating as much human errors as they can (Bosch, pp. 11-14, 1992). However, a huge number of countries are experiencing shortage of such qualified individuals. Besides, lack of technical equipments is also significant issue exists in this methodology, as many countries do not have access to advanced technologies required for the calculation. Thirdly, determination of depreciation is a complicated step in the process that creates problems for economists. One of the basic reasons behind this is the characteristic of depreciation being estimation rather than an accurate deduction that results in inaccurate figures of the national incomes (Dombusch, pp. 23-25, 2005). In addition, experts (Jain, pp. 52-57, 2008) have identified another problem that relates to decisions regarding inclusion and exclusion of certain products and services. In specific, economists face confrontations while deciding to consider government spending on social welfare, development expenses, interests against debts, etc that often results in wrong calculation of the national income. Moreover, experts (Wall, pp. 39-42, 2008) have noticed that globalization has resulted in existence of huge number of foreign organizations working in a country, and economists face difficulties while determining whether to include income of such companies in their national income or not. However, the IMF has played a vital role in suggesting that economists should include income, as well as production activities in the owning country while ignoring the profits that should go in the national income of the parent country. Furthermore, studies (Jain, pp. 39-41, 2008) related to the calculation of national income have shown that

Environmental Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Environmental Policy - Essay Example information regarding the occurring environmental degradation [Pellegrini &Gerlagh, 2006 page3] witnessed by the soviet union, Asia, Africa and even the Latin America. With democracy, was the ability to protest against the loose grip of the authorities on the optimum use of the resources available. Thus, the democratic setup helped the cause of raising voice high enough to reach the ears of the undertakers. By exploring the link between democracy and environmental policy we can find the nature of effect that each has on other, as for instance, countries with a democratic setup have a political commitment to the people of healthy environment. And democracy is a significant positive determinant of environment protection. The UK initiatives out of region have been in the developing countries, of which the present work will limit it to India. As India is arriving in the developed country arena with the zest never seen before, the sustainability model will be largely dependent on the shoulders of the youth of the nation. The UK s sustainable development projects in India aim at Natural Resource Management, Climate change policy, mainstream sustainable development and production aiming at reduced emissions[UK - SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN INDIA, 2006]. The UK Strategy for Sustainable Development, which uses that definition of sustainable development, has four objectives: - social progress which recognizes the needs of everyone - effective protection of the environment - prudent use of natural resources - maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.[MAPPING COMMON GROUNDS, 2001] UKs latest initiative on the matter of democratization in environment policy making is the... World is changing, and how?, so during this time when the scientists are busy coming out with more statistical â€Å"deadlines† of natural resources remaining on earth and people are busy getting one on one with the â€Å"global warming† glossary of terms, fewer have started the leap toward new ways of living that are less daunting on our planet. People are reminded of a serious â€Å"shift of origin† like condition of the planet when researchers declare that the rising temperatures due to global warming will harm the wine industry in the regions of California or the decreasing ICE CAP for polar bear survival or the melting glaciers of the Himalayas close to India. But still now in times of severe hunger and poverty stricken countries of the world, where survival comes before living, fewer will be courageous to take report of the now termed â€Å"planet in peril†. On the positive side, there is some relief in watching the efforts of international level org anizations and NGOs come to light the way towards a â€Å"prolonged† stay here, on earth. Greenpeace, Care, UN and among others are the forth runners in this task. Scientific knowledge and policy go together hand in hand. Scientists contribute to the framing of issues and the agenda for climate change by defining what evidence they can produce and by making claims about its significance for policy-makers. The future for the environmental policy making through democratization is clearer and it is going to be a key issue for the coming organizational setups. The industrial revolution of the 1900s has had initially profound effect on the global environment which are now showing up. There is a need for table turning policies and stringent actions.

Currency Trading Restrictions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Currency Trading Restrictions - Assignment Example Trade restrictions are widely known to impact negatively on a country’s import and export activities. The establishment of foreign exchange restrictions is often associated with high forex rates to the extent that goods become extremely expensive to export (Dothan, Ramamurti & Ulman, 1996). This in turn implies that fewer goods can be exported and the country’s domestic residence end up with little foreign currency with which to import goods. In this sense, forex restrictions negatively affect import and export trade in many cases. The move by the National Bank of Belarus to lift the forex restriction will benefit multinationals to a great extent. For one, multinationals will have the confidence to make investments in the country knowing that the forex market of the country is transport (Dothan, Ramamurti & Ulman, 1996). The move will also see multinationals that have already invested in the country produce and sell more to foreign markets and remit their earnings to their mother countries. In essence, the change adopted by NBB will encourage foreign direct investment and will boost their exports. Office for a Democratic Belarus (2011). Exchange Rate Restrictions Lifted in Interbank Market. Retrieved March 14, 2014 from

The Future of Energy in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Future of Energy in the UK - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that illustration of the â€Å"Wicked problem† entailed in the subject of the energy crisis and fears with respect to energy management from the supply and demand concepts in the market. Stakeholders including the government through its entities such as OFGEM and the Department of Energy and Climate change among other Community Energy Strategy facilitators are all engaging accordingly in the wake of the fears of the aging energy infrastructure and facilitation. The current energy fleet whose capacity to conform to the energy requirements, climate changes and environmental protection regulations is fading, leading to their facing out from service. Evidently, in conceptualizing the situation in the course of its entire present state, the occurrences such as the soaring of the domestic electricity bills as well as the millions of people living in fuel poverty are the reflection of the â€Å"Wicked problem†. Further, recent uprising s incorporating protestors chaining themselves in the context of the indigenous sources of fuel, particularly since the discovery of the North Sea Oils reflects the spread of the energy crisis fears. The recurrent and persistent warning of power blackout expected to persist in the next three to five years from top government energy officials and related stakeholders such as energy company management reflects the situation at which the UK finds itself regarding the issue of the energy crisis. The evidence of the current aging fleet of power stations, which in effect have the damaging reputation with respect to environmental friendliness in addition to crucial infrastructure aging, all present the support for the course to initiate alternative energy sources, as OFGEM suggests in its campaign. This necessitates the course of the innovation process. The energy sector in the UK is experiencing an uphill task, having faced a combination of dire problems since the inception of the crisis in the 1970s. The establishment of the bright horizon in the name of North Sea oil and gas marked a possibility of an energy sector whose composition and development would secure the energy fears in the country. However, the realization followed accordingly that there is a need to create a new measure for intervening in the case.

Clinical Trial CONSORT evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Clinical Trial CONSORT evaluation - Assignment Example The author was also keen in providing a structured brief on the designs used, settings, number of participants, the intervention, measurements, limitations, results and conclusion. In fact the research was structured in a way that is very easy to read with objectives being very precise and prompt. However, it dint indicate in the abstract section the harm caused to anybody, funding and the registration of the research although they were reported in other sections The author did well in reporting the theoretical part of how Low back pain has been a significant condition worldwide due to its overall effect on work disability, absenteeism and the absolute cost on the victims. The statistical evidence in the theoretical review of the condition globally especially to the low month prevalence which was well reported to be 23.2% with a (standard error of the measurement being quoted at 2.9%) and higher in women and in patients aged between 40 and 80 years (Oliveira, Liebano, Costa, Rissato, & Costa, 2013). The scientific part was well reviewed with all implications of the process on the pain and non-biomechanical and biomechanical effects reported appropriately. The researchers did well in reporting the number of people involved in the study as well as the extended systematic review on changes in pain sensitivity following spinal manipulation. The readers from this review, gets to appreciate clearly the importance/need of this study to the said peo ple as well as the society by extension. He clearly reported how the process works basing his arguments on past studies to point to the rationale of the experiment. The author described well the trial design by indicating that they used a randomized controlled trial with a blinded assessor. He also discussed the software they used in the analysis to reduce statistical differences as windows excel and SPSS. Then he described eligibility

Are humans sinful Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Are humans sinful - Research Paper Example Temptations have existed from the ancient times when the serpent had mischievously tricked Adam and Eve into disobeying God’s command that presented they refrain from the forbidden fruit. Humanity has since been plagued with faults and negligence to present their evil nature towards the society. Murders, robberies and fraud cases have been evident in various cases including the parables presented by Jesus Christ like in the good Samaritan. This has been the argument presented to deduce the true nature of humanity the motive to participate in committing evil that break the supreme law. The slow change from the pure soul is witnessed within the development stages of humanity. Although human beings appear pure when they are born, the seed of sin has been buried inside their mind for generations. Evil has been developed within the society to take effect within the activities performed by humanity and these are found within the law of the land. Jesus himself was crucified for the sins of man upon the rules that had been created by the sinful society. This was the example given in the presence of the ancient evil political regime that incriminated innocent people out of the interest to be gained to deliver selfish ambitions. John the Baptist had been murdered out of a corrupt political regime that was against Christianity. Without Christianity, humanity has been tempted into sin to break the law presented in the land. Humanity had been cursed after the events in the Garden of Eden when the seeds had been cast within the soul. Those who had gone against God’s commandments had been punished, like the Israelites on their pathway to the Promised Land. The prosperous have boasted of finding means to enrich their desires after applying the means to excel in harsh presentation s among the less fortunate. However, the Bible has been extended to explain that those without the

Global Human Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Human Capital - Essay Example Emphasis has also been put upon identifying the importance of international human resource management policies in developing such global skills. The paper is largely based on explorative and qualitative study. Within a globalized business environment, business organizations, employees and structure of operations are required to be set in an open, flexible and synthesized manner. Managers must be able to adjust and adapt themselves with diverse conditions and easily interact with individuals across different cultures. The globalized business environment can be stated to be a product of increased competition and enhanced level of interaction between firms across the globe. Such a diversified business environment facilitates exploring new market opportunities and liberalization of trade and business regulations. One of the prime advantages arising out of globalized business environment is the transmission of technology, human capital and other resources so as to make markets more and more competitive. Although managing global human capital is a huge challenge, it has facilitated distribution of talent and skill effectively. Hence modern day organizations groom managers in a manner such that they can adapt themselves with employees from different nation. Effective talent management is an essential quality global talent mangers are required to possess, in the context of multinational organizations. Much research work has been carried out in the recent decade for understanding the skills and qualities to be possessed by global managers. Most scholars such as Scullion and Collings (2010, 23) have recognized that the main skills to be possessed by global talent leaders areexpansion of scale of activities through effective talent management, establishment of suitable networks for managing talent and developing business models that can effectively exploit

Procurement Management Plan for Laces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Procurement Management Plan for Laces - Essay Example It also throws light on the procedure of endorsement of agreement and decision making strategy. Approach: The plan should define plainly the compulsory stages and duties thought the life of the company. The company manager work with the project team, contract, purchasing department and vendors to go through different stages of the plan, and make sure that the plan should be able to guide the company in the effective termination of the project. Definition: The procurement definition identifies clearly the articles to be acquired and states associated circumstances. Procurement deadlines are also clearly defined which is very necessary for the effective accomplishment of the assignment. Thus in the definition articles to be procured should be listed, justification given, conditions stated and any other specification required must also be described. The names of the persons must also be given who can approve the purchase etc. in the absence of the manager. Table I: Shows the articles/se rvices to be procured, rationalization and deadline. Article/Service Rationalization Deadline 1. Laces Required for the shoes and its preparation is very costly 1 October 2011 2. Studded soles Required for the completion of the shoes and its preparation is very time consuming 1 October 2011 3. ... The articles required in this case are usually procured by firm-fixed price contract. The project team specifies the articles, their amounts, services and deadlines. The purchasing department calls bids from different vendors according to the specifications and deadlines. It also bargains the price of the articles with the selected vendor according to the firm-fixed price. Contract accomplishment procedure: The contract execution procedure varies greatly among different companies but it is very important to specify all the rules for finalizing a contract relating to procurement with the company. The authorities which will be involved in decision making should also be mentioned. First of all it is decided that which articles are to be procured. It can be done through a survey of the cost analysis of the required articles provided internally compared with that procured from different vendors. After making decisions about the items to be procured based on the cost analysis, the purchasi ng department will call for bids from different vendors. Different vendors will send proposals which will be reviewed to see which proposal is according to the criteria set out by the project team and purchasing department and offers lowest price. It is also decided that up to what amount the project manager can approve the purchase and the purchases greater than that amount will require the approval of The Contract Review Board. This Contract Review Board usually consists of agents of the project team, purchasing department, finance and project manager office. Decision making criteria: The standard which is used by the contract review board/project manager for the selection and award of contracts differs from company to company. However, following criteria

Industrial Hygiene Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Industrial Hygiene - Essay Example Also, the United States Code defines toxin as a deadly and poisonous substance that is either produced by plants, animals, or by artificial processes (US Code, 18, 2008). Toxins are classified into two main groups: bio-toxins and environmental toxins. Bio-toxins are toxic materials that unequivocally substantiate biological origin. Common types of bio-toxins are systemic toxins, neurotoxin, cytotoxin, and hemotoxin. On the other hand, environmental toxins are those that include man-made poisons. Most common types of environmental toxins are neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and toxic triggers like pesticides and monosodium glutamate. Exposure to toxins does not necessarily cause disease. The amount or dose of the toxic material and length of time at which a person is exposed to the toxin determine the risk of developing serious diseases (CCOHS, 2009). Parkinson’s disease is considered to be caused by exposure to toxins. However, case studies show that there is no direct correlation between developing the disease and exposure to chemicals. In fact, it â€Å"involves combination of genetic and environmental risk factors, which include exposure to manganese, lead, etc. (Schmidt,

Importance of managing the firms weighted average cost of capital Essay

Importance of managing the firms weighted average cost of capital (WACC) - Essay Example Managing WACC thus means keeping the WACC value lower than the company's after-tax returns, or in other words, reducing the cost of capital.This can be done by financing a major percentage of the purchase with the lowest cost of capital available, secured debts for instance, and the rest with personal equity held as cash, or by means of capital prioritisation, that is, using the cheapest source of capital first. A low WACC means that investors will be interested in the company in case additional capital needs to be raised for expansion or other purposes. Calculating WACC is often tricky because though the cost of debt is easy to track down, cost of equity can be an elusive factor. But it is worth the exercise, because knowing its WACC helps a company to try and restrict the WACC value for projects to levels far below those of its after-tax returns, thus adding to profitability. All firms need to take recourse to loans at some stage of their life cycle. But they need to carefully and critically evaluate their loan agreements, whether in the public or the private sector.

Othello Essay Example for Free

Othello Essay Shakespeares Othello is the study of how a seemingly successful Venetian general, is skilfully manipulated by the cunning Iago, who by exploiting Othello’s insecurities transforms his identity into a jealous murderer. At the beginning of the play, Othello’s identity is that of an assiduous black general who fought exceptionally hard to gain respect in a white dominated society. In marrying Desdemona, Othello adds to his identity by being a lover and husband and his identity is portrayed to be interconnected to his love for Desdemona. Iago is jealous of Othello’s high standing and greatly respected identity and therefore undermines Othello’s confidence in his wives faithfulness and turns his identity into an irrational jealously. Shakespeare utilises a number of key techniques in ‘Othello,’ to indicate the extent of Othello’s identity changes. These changes are effectively conveyed to the audience through the contrast of Othello’s outward appearance with his affable interior. They are further exemplified through the themes of love and jealously and via alterations in Othello’s language, as Othello’s confidence in Desdemona is slowly undermined. In the first Act of the play, Othello’s identity is shaped by a variety of negative images which promote the stereotype of the black African slave in a white dominated society. Although these images are not a true reflection of Othello’s identity, Shakespeare has very effectively done this in order to accentuate how Othello’s identity slowly changes throughout the play to reflect the initial images presented to the audience. In Act One, Othello is not once referred to by his actual name. Rather, he is referred to as â€Å"he,† â€Å"him,† and the derogatory terms â€Å"thick-lips† and a â€Å"Barbary horse. † Shakespeare makes use of this technique to establish Othello’s displeasing physical identity. Brabantio also describes Othello as a â€Å"sooty bosom,† whom his daughter Desdemona would never have agreed to marry without the use of witch craft and magic charms, â€Å"If she in chains of magic were not bound, whether a maid so tender, fair and happy, so opposite to marriage that she shunn’d. Contrastingly, Othello’s elevated status in Venetian society, reflected in his high naval position, demonstrates an identity that is greatly respected, so much so that not even the accusations of Brabantio affect his status. This is clearly demonstrated when the duke says, â€Å"Your son in law is far more fair than black,† thus signifying that Othello’s black skin hides an amiable interior. However, as Ot hello’s confidence in Desdemona is undermined, Othello is driven to the verge of insanity and his identity begins to reflect the negative images initially presented in the first act. This is achieved through the use of imagery, in which Othello is likened to the devil, â€Å"And what delight shall she have to look on the devil. † By the end of the play, Othello’s ‘blackness’ starts to show and his identity changes from a â€Å"War like moor,† to a man characterised by wrath and irrationality. In ‘Othello,’ love acts as a binding force between Othello and his wife Desdemona, and the initial impression portrayed by Shakespeare to the audience is of Othello as a romantic who has complete faith in his wife. Othello’s identity is shaped by his infatuation of Desdemona, â€Å"My soul hath her content so absolute that not another comfort like to this succeeds in unknown fate. † The link between Othello’s identity and his love for Desdemona is further accentuated in, â€Å"But I do love thee; and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again. † However as Iago’s manipulative plan takes shape, Othello grows insecure about his relationship and he begins to question why he married, â€Å"Why did I marry? Othello changes from a confident, in control, self-assured man into a doubtful man weakened by his love for Desdemona. His wives supposed infidelity leaves Othello a tormented broken man who is unable to go on living. Jealously is the most corrupting and destructive of emotions, which when instilled in Othello, drives him to insanity and causes substantial changes to his identity throughout the play. Initially, Othello claims not to be a jealous man, â€Å"Do you think Id make a life of jealousy, to follow still the changes of the moon with fresh suspicions? He possesses a â€Å"free and open nature,† and this exceptional vulnerability allows Iago to manipulate Othello’s trusting character and twist his love for Desdemona, into a powerful and destructive jealousy, â€Å"O beware, my lord, of jealously: It is the green eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on. † As soon as Iago launches his deceptive plan and jealously is roused within Othello, it becomes so self-intensifying that he is taken over by an uncontrollable irrationality and his ability to make coherent decisions is over-ridded. Othello’s identity is transformed from a self-assured man into an envious persona and this is cemented in, â€Å"Trifles light as air, are to the jealous confirmations, strong as proofs of holy writ. There is a significant change in identity, â€Å"The Moor already changes with my poison,† from a smart, sensible person, to one characterised by jealously. A distinct transformation in Othello’s language is used to demonstrate how Othello’s identity changes substantially throughout the course of the play. The identity of Othello is closely aligned to his marriage with Desdemona and he feels that his status in society has been elevated because he is a black man married to a high class Venetian women. As Othello’s marriage is demoralised, Othello’s identity undergoes change and these changes are strongly emphasized through Othello’s choice of language. Initially, Othello is an idealist and romantic who generally speaks in verse throughout the play, â€Å"It gives me wonder great as my content to see you here before me. † His language is quixotic and heightened conveying an affectionate persona; one profoundly linked with his flourishing marriage. However, once Othello is made aware of Desdemona’s ‘infidelity,’ their relationship is put under immense strain and Othello grows increasingly stressed, confused and angry. This is reflected in a change in language, which moves from polite and eloquent at the beginning of the play, to aggressive and exceedingly visual, â€Å"I’ll tear her to pieces. † This alteration in language portrays a character change, from a gentleman, to a violent and belligerent person. By the end of the play Othello’s identity transformation is so substantial, he is unrecognisable, â€Å"My lord is not my lord. Othello is no longer the man he used to be. Shakespeare successfully conveys changes to Othello’s identity throughout the course of the play through the contrast of his outwards appearance with his amiable inner identity. His identity changes are further enhanced by the accentuation of the bond between himself and his wife and the devastating effects the weakening of this bond has on him. The destructive force of jealously and Othello’s naive view on marriage are additionally used to show how Othello moves from a confident, strong and highly regarded naval officer to someone completely broken by his love of another.

Latin America colonial times Essay Example for Free

Latin America colonial times Essay ?4. How does colonialism engage with notions of spirituality, witchcraft, and/or (ritual) intoxication? You may analyze how the distinctions between orthodox and unorthodox practices were distinguished (and oftentimes blurred). You may look at Staden, the readings on witchcraft and â€Å"superstition,† etc. Beginning in 1492 when the Spanish under the crown of Castile invaded the Americas, where their first settlement was in Santo Domingo, their main motivations were trade and the spread of the Catholic faith through indigenous conversions and economic gain. Due to these objectives they intervened and attempted to change every facet of the indigenous way of life including their ‘notions of spirituality, witchcraft, and intoxication’. The indigenous population had formally been removed from the jurisdiction of the inquisition by order of King Phillip the second in 1571, however the native people of Mexico and other invaded lands of the Americas were still prosecuted on accounts of witchcraft or being Nauatil (witches). Colonialism engaged with notions of spirituality and witchcraft by asserting their dominance in attempts to completely annihilate these practices. They attempted to make sense of what they did not understand by attributing these happenings to witchcraft and condemning those prosecuted as witches. Further, as previously mentioned, they attempted to spread the Catholic religion by deeming the religious practices previously ‘inherited’ (treatise on Heathen superstition) by the indigenous population as acts of witchcraft. In his letter to Reverend Don Francisco Manso de Zunga, Hernando Ruiz de Alarcon a Spanish navigator of the sixteenth centaury wrote that the reasons behind attempting to completely eradicate the superstitious ways of the people he regarded as Indians was that some of their practices such as â€Å"drunkenness was not permitted to them even in their heathen state† and was punishable by death. (39) His reasons behind â€Å"scraping of drunkenness from the memory of humanity† (39) is that even to those who are believed to be Pagans or non believers (heathens) (39) it was prohibited, therefore once baptised and accepted as Christians it is was a sin to indulge in these acts. To increase the spread and conversion to Catholicism within the Indians, Alarcon, validates the eradication of their customs. Further in his letter Hernando Ruiz de Alarcon explains how by indulging in these superstition practices the Indians are harming themselves. He states â€Å"This (their drunkenness) is the cause of the total destruction of the health of their bodies, and consequently the sufficient and principal barrier to their preservation and increase† (39). Alarcon explains that the deepness with which these practices have fastened into the native American culture leads him to believe that â€Å"the ministers have entered late into their parishioners’ language. † (40). Here we get an indication that despite their conversion to Christianity, Alarcon believes there is no hope to change the Indians’ superstitious ways. In light of the Spaniards determination to spread the Christian faith they attempted to eradicate all other religious practices within the Americas. In his letter Alarcon states in his letter â€Å"others (superstitions) have a weak foundation, because a traditions of their false gods is hardly found among their stories† (39). He explains their previous religion had no concrete roots, they worshiped ‘false gods’ and it was illegitimate; therefore, all rituals and practices for this cause were superstitious. It is important for us to note that the work of finding and documenting the acts of superstition in Mexico was bestowed on Alarcon and therefore it was in his best interest to exaggerate the evidence he supposedly finds. Further, he admits that he is not fully capable to undertake this task because of his â€Å"defective intellect and small experience with writing† (40). In his Treatise on the Heathen Superstition Alarcon explores many aspects of the Mexican native population’s way of idolizing their god’s or goddesses, he attributes this act to an act of worshiping the devil. This is another example of how the Spanish used the notion of witchcraft to propel the spread of Christianity. In his treatise Alarcon states â€Å"and by this means they usually communicate with the devil, because he usually communicates with them when they are deprived of judgement with the said drink and deceives them with different appearances† (48). In this example we can see how Alarcon uses Christianity and the threat of the devil to abolish drunkenness. Alarcon also uses the Devil to explain phenomenons that were beyond the scope of the Spanish understanding. He states in his treatise, â€Å"they (the sages in Mexico) are always deceitful and ceremoniatic and seek to persuade people that they are consummate in knowledge, since they profess to know what is absent and to foresee what is in the future, which, it may be, is revealed to them by the Devil, who can, through knowledge and conjecture, foresee many future events. † (45). Due to the fact that Alarcon and other Spaniards at that time could not make sense of why the prophecies or futuristic readings of the native Mexican sages were holding true, they declared it an act of the Devil and therefore a form of witchcraft. Another example of the Spaniards condemning the unexplainable acts in the Americas is in the document â€Å"On her Deathbed, Maria de la Candelaria Accuses Michaela de Molina of Casting Spells† produced in Guatemala in 1696. In this text different testimonies of various people that witnessed the sickness of Maria de la Candelaria a girl servant. In the testimony of Dona Juana Gonzalez a Spanish woman and mistress of Maria, she states, â€Å"the reason that she presumes this (that Michaela de Molina had casted spells on Maria) is because her servant, Maria had some fights with [Michaela] and not with anyone else. † (170) The Spaniards and even the natives of Guatemala could not fathom why or how Maria was dispelling such large amounts of blood and various objects like stones, rags and hair from her mouth and nose therefore attempted to reason it by condemning Michaela in the act of witchcraft. It is important to understand why the Spanish were interested in Maria’s sickness. In Spain and other parts of Europe the acts of witchcraft were highly condemned. People were afraid of loosing their power and therefore they feared the unknown. They condemned it by illegalizing all forms of witchcraft. Further, the act of ‘drunkenness’ and other practices not coherent with the beliefs of Christianity were also attributed to witchcraft therefore abolishing witchcraft became a means to spread the Christian faith specially since the indigenous population had formally been removed from the jurisdiction of the inquisition by order of King Phillip the second in 1571.

Genetic Engineering of BT Cotton

Genetic Engineering of BT Cotton INTRODUCTION BT cotton Cotton and other monocultured crops require an intensive use of pesticides as various types of pests attack these crops causing extensive damage. Over the past 40 years, many pests have developed resistance to pesticides. cSo far, the only successful approach to engineering crops for insect tolerance has been the addition of Bt toxin, a family of toxins originally derived from soil bacteria. The Bt toxin contained by the Bt crops is no different from other chemical pesticides, but causes much less damage to the environment. These toxins are effective against a variety of economically important crop pests but pose no hazard to non-target organisms like mammals and fish. Three Bt crops are now commercially available: corn, cotton, and potato. As of now, cotton is the most popular of the Bt crops: it was planted on about 1.8 million acres (728437 ha) in 1996 and 1997. The Bt gene was isolated and transferred from a bacterium bacillus thurigiensis to American cotton. The American cotton was subsequently crossed with Indian cotton to introduce the gene into native varieties. The Bt cotton variety contains a foreign gene obtained from bacillus thuringiensis. This bacterial gene, introduced genetically into the cotton seeds, protects the plants from bollworm (A. lepidoptora), a major pest of cotton. The worm feeding on the leaves of a BT cotton plant becomes lethargic and sleepy, thereby causing less damage to the plant Cotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile, which is the most widely used natural-fiber cloth in clothing today. It is a natural fibre. The English name, which began to be used circa 1400, derives from the Arabic meaning cotton. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, In the Southern United States, cotton was known as King Cotton because of the great economic and cultural influence it had there. Cotton has been spun, woven, and dyed since prehistoric times. It clothed the people of ancient India, Egypt, and China. Hundreds of years before the Christian era cotton textiles were woven in India with matchless skill, and their use spread to the Mediterranean countries. In the 1st cent. Arab traders brought fine muslin and calico to Italy and Spain. The Moors introduced the cultivation of cotton into Spain in the 9th cent. Fustians and dimities were woven there and in the 14th cent. in Venice and Milan, at first with a linen warp. Little cotton cloth was imported to England before the 15th cent., although small amounts were obtained chiefly for candlewicks. By the 17th cent. the East India Company was bringing rare fabrics from India. Native Americans skillfully spun and wove cotton into fine garments and dyed tapestries. Cotton fabrics found in Peruvian tombs are said to belong to a pre-Inca culture. In color and texture the ancient Peruvian and Mexican textiles resemble those f ound in Egyptian tombs. Field trials have n that farmers who grew the Bt variety obtained 25%-75% more cotton than those who grew the normal variety. Also, Bt cotton requires only two sprays of chemical pesticide against eight sprays for normal variety. According to the director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India uses about half of its pesticides on cotton to fight the bollworm menace. Organic cotton Organic cotton is cotton that is grown without insecticide or pesticide. Worldwide, cotton is a pesticide-intensive crop, using approximately 25% of the worlds insecticides and 10% of the worlds pesticides.Organic agriculture uses methods that are ecological, economical, and socially sustainable and denies the use of agrochemicals and artificial fertilizers. Instead, organic agriculture uses crop rotation, the growing of different crops than cotton in alternative years. The use of insecticides is prohibited; organic agriculture uses natural enemies to suppress harmful insects. The production of organic cotton is more expensive than the production of conventional cotton. Although toxic pollution from synthetic chemicals is eliminated, other pollution-like problems may remain, particularly run-off. Organic cotton is produced in organic agricultural systems that produce food and fiber according to clearly established standards. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of toxic and persiste nt chemical pesticides and fertilizers, as well as genetically modified organisms. It seeks to build biologically diverse agricultural systems, replenish and maintain soil fertility, and promote a healthy environment. Bacillus thuringiensis Bacillus thuringiensis is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium of the genus Bacillus. Additionally, B. thuringiensis also occurs naturally in the gut of caterpillars of various types of moths and butterflies, as well as on the dark surface of plants.[1] B. thuringiensis was discovered 1901 in Japan by Ishiwata and 1911 in Germany by Ernst Berliner, who discovered a disease called Schlaffsucht in flour moth caterpillars. B. thuringiensis is closely related to B. cereus, a soil bacterium, and B. anthracis, the cause of anthrax: the three organisms differ mainly in their plasmids. Like other members of the genus, all three are aerobes capable of producing endospores.[1] Upon sporulation, B. thuringiensis forms crystals of proteinaceous insecticidal ÃŽÂ ´-endotoxins (Cry toxins) which are encoded by cry genes.[2] Cry toxins have specific activities against species of the orders Lepidoptera (Moths and Butterflies), Diptera (Flies and Mosquitoes) and Coleoptera (Beetles). Thus, B. thuringiensis serves as an important reservoir of Cry toxins and cry genes for production of biological insecticides and insect-resistant genetically modified crops. When insects ingest toxin crystals the alkaline pH of their digestive tract causes the toxin to become activated. It becomes inserted into the insects gut cell membranes forming a pore resulting in swelling, cell lysis and eventually killing the insect. Genetically modified cotton Genetically modified (GM) cotton was developed to reduce the heavy reliance on pesticides. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis naturally produces a chemical harmful only to a small fraction of insects, most notably the larvae of moths and butterflies, beetles, and flies, and harmless to other forms of life. The gene coding for BT toxin has been inserted into cotton, causing cotton to produce this natural insecticide in its tissues. In many regions the main pests in commercial cotton are lepidopteran larvae, which are killed by the BT protein in the transgenic cotton that they eat. This eliminates the need to use large amounts of broad-spectrum insecticides to kill lepidopteran pests (some of which have developed pyrethroid resistance). This spares natural insect predators in the farm ecology and further contributes to non-insecticide pest management. BT cotton is ineffective against many cotton pests, however, such as plant bugs, stink bugs, aphids, etc.; depending on circumstances it may still be desirable to use insecticides against these. Genetically modified cotton is widely used throughout the world. However, researchers have recently published the first documented case of in-field pest resistance to GM cotton. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) said that, worldwide, GM cotton was planted on an area of 67,000 km ² in 2002. This is 20% of the worldwide total area planted in cotton. The U.S. cotton crop was 73% GM in 2003. Cotton has gossypol, a toxin that makes it inedible. However, scientists have silenced the gene that produces the toxin, making it a potential food crop. Uses Spores and crystalline insecticidal proteins produced by B. thuringiensis are used as specific insecticides under trade names such as Dipel and Thuricide. Because of their specificity, these pesticides are regarded as environmentally friendly, with little or no effect on humans, wildlife, pollinators, and most other beneficial insects. The Belgian company Plant Genetic Systems was the first company (in 1985) to develop genetically engineered (tobacco) plants with insect tolerance by expressing cry genes from B. thuringiensis. B. thurigiensis-based insecticides are often applied as liquid sprays on crop plants, where the insecticide must be ingested to be effective. It is thought that the solubilized toxins form pores in the midgut epithelium of susceptible larvae. Recent research has suggested that the midgut bacteria of susceptible larvae are required for B. thuringiensis insecticidal activity. Genetic engineering for pest control Bt crops (in corn and cotton) were planted on 281,500 km ² in 2006 (165,600 km ² of Bt corn and 115900 km ² of Bt cotton). This was equivalent to 11.1% and 33.6% respectively of global plantings of corn and cotton in 2006.] Claims of major benefits to farmers, including poor farmers in developing countries, have been made by advocates of the technology, and have been challenged by opponents. The task of isolating impacts of the technology is complicated by the prevalence of biased observers, and by the rarity of controlled comparisons (such as identical seeds, differing only in the presence or absence of the Bt trait, being grown in identical situations). The main Bt crop being grown by small farmers in developing countries is cotton, and a recent exhaustive review of findings on Bt cotton by respected and unbiased agricultural economists concluded that the overall balance sheet, though promising, is mixed. Economic returns are highly variable over years, farm type, and geograp hical location Advantages There are several advantages in expressing Bt toxins in transgenic Bt crops: The level of toxin expression can be very high thus delivering sufficient dosage to the pest. The toxin expression is contained within the plant system and hence only those insects that feed on the crop perish. The toxin expression can be modulated by using tissue-specific promoters, and replaces the use of synthetic pesticides in the environment. The latter observation has been well documented world-wide Possible problems The most celebrated problem ever associated with Bt crops was the claim that pollen from Bt maize could kill the monarch butterfly. This report was puzzling because the pollen from most maize hybrids contains much lower levels of Bt than the rest of the plant and led to multiple follow-up studies. In the end, it appears that the initial study was flawed; based on the way the pollen was collected, they collected and fed non-toxic pollen that was mixed with anther walls that did contain Bt toxin. The weight of the evidence is that BT crops do not pose a risk to the monarch butterfly. There was also a report in Nature, that Bt maize was contaminating maize in its center of origin. Nature later concluded that the evidence available is not sufficient to justify the publication of the original paper. A subsequent large-scale study failed to find any evidence of contamination in Oaxaca.