How Helium Works Essay Research Paper How free essay sample

How Helium Works Essay, Research Paper How Helium Balloons Work There is something improbably particular about He balloons! If you buy one at the circus or carnival, you can keep its twine and it will sit along above you. If you let travel of the twine it will wing off until you can non see it any longer. If you have of all time wondered why it flies off, the transitions below can assist you to calculate out the enigma. Helium flotation Helium balloons work utilizing precisely the same jurisprudence of perkiness. In this instance, the He balloon that you hold by a twine is drifting in a # 8220 ; pool # 8221 ; of air. The He balloon displaces an sum of air ( merely like a empty bottle displaces an sum of H2O ) . Equally long as the He plus the balloon is lighter than the air it displaces, the balloon will drift in the air. We will write a custom essay sample on How Helium Works Essay Research Paper How or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It turns out that He is a batch lighter than air. The difference is non every bit great as it is between H2O and air ( a litre of H2O weighs about 1,000grams, while a litre of air weighs about a gm ) , but it is important. Helium weighs 0.1785 gms per litre. Nitrogen weighs 1.2506 gms per litre, and since N makes up approximately 80 % of the air we breath, 1.25 gms is a good estimate for the weight of litre of air. Therefore, if you were to make full a one-liter sodium carbonate bottle full of He, the bottle would weigh about 1 gm less than the same Chan 2 bottle filled with air. That doesn # 8217 ; t sound like much – since the bottle weighs more than a gm the bottle will non drift. However, in big volumes, the 1-gram per litre difference between air and He can truly add up. This explains why balloons are by and large rather big – they have to displace a batch of air to drift. So why is He so much lighter than air? It # 8217 ; s because He atoms are lighter than a nitrogen atom. It has fewer negatrons, protons and neutrons than N atoms do, and that makes it much more lighter. Approximately the same figure of atoms of each of the elements fills about the same sum of infinite. Therefore, the gases made of lighter atoms are lighter. If you put helium in a balloon and allow travel of the balloon, the balloon rises until it pops. When it pops, the He that escapes has no ground to halt # 8211 ; it merely keeps traveling and leaks out into infinite. Therefore, in the ambiance there is really small He at any given clip. The He comes from alpha atoms emitted by radioactive decay. Since the decay of uranium emits tonss of alpha atoms and a natural gas pocket tends to be a certain container resistance. Helium is so carefully distilled out of natural gas to bring forth the He we put in balloons. Helium is safe for balloons pumping because it is a really stable gas ( Noble Gas ) . However, since the cost of extraction of He is so expensive, this explains why a He air balloon costs you quite a luck when you buy it.

A Surprising Tip to Finding Your Ideal Career

A Surprising Tip to Finding Your Ideal Career Embarking on the path to find a new career can be daunting. You can purse anything and everything, which seems  exciting–but for many, the idea of too many choices and directions adds more layers of stress. How do you narrow down the possibilities? Start by making a list titled, â€Å"Professional Activities I Hate.†Seem unproductive? Why be negative from the start? Well, when you can go in only a few of seemingly limitless options, it’s helpful to have a method of elimination. That way, you won’t waste your time pursuing career paths that might ultimately leave you unhappy and unfulfilled.To start your list, think about daily activities you really despise. Do you hate to talk on the phone? Are you not a fan of sitting indoors and a computer for hours on end? Does being on your feet all day make you grumpy and exhausted? Do you love working closely with people, or do you prefer a solitary workspace? Writing down what you don’t  like (and thinkin g about why you don’t like these activities) will help clarify what you do  like.Avoiding from the get-go jobs that will leave you unsatisfied is a smart way to find a career you can thrive in for years to come. Take time now to pare down your options so you don’t waste it in the job hunting process!Trying To Find Your Passion? Figure Out What You HateRead More at idealistcareers.org

Area 51 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Area 51 - Essay Example This place was preferred as it is located far away from the city. Few years later, various lights started appearing and since then heavy security is provided around that area. This made the government to shut down all the places from where the area 51 could be seen. This area is surrounded by Groom Lake on one side and NTs on the other side. Rachel is the nearest place from Area 51.Later people started to believe that the area is used to test aircrafts and other UFOs which caused the lights to appear. This area is comprised of workplaces, houses and runways for the aircraft. Railway facility is enabled as there are some underground lines that connect some of the nearby states. This place is also used as the training centre for the military and security forces. The aircrafts used in the military are tested and experimented in this place. Hence area 51 was helpful in conducting test operations of the proposed aircrafts. normal movements are observed and kept under supervision using the radar. The area surrounding Area51 is acquired by government and it is made sure that no outsider is allowed inside. Since the place is out of the reach of normal population, it is difficult to locate this place easily. Area 51 is considered as the head quarters of the U.S military and Air force. (Strickland 2005).The happenings of this place are maintained as a secret. The officials are divided into groups and assigned to various projects. They would be under the control of group heads and they take care of the ongoing projects. Each time a new aircraft is designed, they are tested to ensure proper working of the system. Satellites play a vital role in these areas. As each and every action has to be under the supervision, satellites are used. Security is the important aspect of this area, as the information regarding the country's military and air force have to be kept intact. Circuit cameras are installed in all the important locations to record the activities. Only few people are given permission to enter the restricted area. Many level of security checks are conducted to make sure only authorized people are permitted. The information pertaining to the aircrafts and their development are also kept as a secret. The project head and the team members are instructed not to disclose any information to others.(Desjardins 2008). Every employee should sign a bond that specifies the details regarding this place will be kept as a secret. A person working in an aircraft is not allowed to gather information regarding another project that is being developed. Even access to information from the system is limited. Unless a person has undergone the highest level of security clearance, he is not allowed to access the details pertaining to each and every system. Since Area 51 is composed of military and security of a country, high security is maintained. Inside Area 51 Since the area is not open for public movement, the officials and employees make use of separate planes. Unique identification numbers are given to each aircraft which are being used specifically for this purpose. Professional trained people are appointed as pilots, so that they can easily handle the specially designed flights. The area is prohibited from trespassers and warning boards are kept at each and every

Essay about a movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

About a movie - Essay Example Her family expects her to marry a Greek man and raise children. His father is over-patronising, according to Toula, as he refuses to let her pursue further education in a computer academy. She manages to achieve it with the help of her mother and eventually takes up an office job and stops working at her family restaurant. Toulaa, played by Nia Vardolas, undergoes sea change in terms of her looks, grooming and fashion in the mean time. At the same time, she falls in love with a young Anglo-Saxon Protestant, Ian Miller, who is a school teacher, played by John Corbett. Toula’s patriarchal Greek family, especially her overbearing father, refuse to accept their relationship and Ian agrees to be baptised as a Greek Orthodox Christian, which earns the family’s approval. The families get introduced and the couple get married eventually. The movie is a portrayal of ethnic-identity, romance and interaction between cultures. For example, while almost everyone in Toula’s large extended family interferes in wedding planning, Ian is surprised at just the size of her family and the number of cousins she has. Especially when the two families come together and interact, the differences are more evident. For instance, Ian’s nuclear family is surprised to see that every single person from Toula’s extended family being present at the introduction and make it a big party. The movie was very interesting to watch and it was pleasant and funny. It was also insightful into inter-cultural marriages. The range of characters and their vastly different characteristics made the movie a great

Illegal Immigration's Destructive Impact on the Economy of the United Research Paper

Illegal Immigration's Destructive Impact on the Economy of the United States of America - Research Paper Example This essay discusses that much debate has raged over immigration policies in the United States. In the past, the United States had reached out with open arms to immigrants coming from distant shores who want to make this country their home. As a result of this, we have seen America become a melting pot of cultures, offering its embrace to the poor and downtrodden. In many instances, however, the picture was far from pretty. The famous book â€Å"The Jungle†, written by Upton Sinclair, was seen by many as a shocking expose into the sordid world of the meatpacking industry and the abysmal working conditions of the meatpackers, who were composed mainly of immigrants desperate for livelihood opportunities in what for them was a completely new frontier. Few saw it for what it was meant to be: a compelling saga of the poverty hopelessness, and crime that attended the lives of the working class immigrants of America from the period spanning the end of the Civil War to the beginning o f the First World War. Unfortunately, that story takes place even today, as illegal immigrants find themselves caught in a life of poverty, dependence and crime. There are plenty of illegal immigrants in the United States, many of whom are from nearby Hispanic countries, most notably Mexico. It has been found that when the purchasing power of the dollar increases in Mexico, illegal immigration increases, suggesting that illegal immigration is brought on by economic reasons.... We refer to those who engage in drug trafficking, in human trafficking, in illegal possession of firearms, in petty crimes. The big debate therefore is what to do with these illegal immigrants. Do we send them to our jails and thus spend taxpayer’s money for their care and upkeep, or do we institute deportation proceedings and send them back to their home countries? This paper will argue that illegal immigrants who have been arrested, charged criminally and found guilty by our criminal justice system should be subjected to deportation proceedings rather than be imprisoned in domestic jails. I will argue first on the resources aspect, and will discuss how keeping them in our jails drains this country of much-needed resources especially during a time of recession. Second, I will argue on the social-economic aspect, and look into how keeping them in domestic jails can possibly worsen the crime problem, because it will still allow them to operate criminal cells here in the country . In turn, this is a problem for the economy because it encourages the black market and the criminal enterprises and syndicates that render markets imperfect. Then, I will also argue how the immigration problem is unduly clogging the dockets of the courts, making it difficult for judges and prosecutors to focus on crimes such as robbery and murder, and thus leaving communities unsafe and vulnerable and affecting local economic activity. Finally, I will argue that on the political- economic aspect, it is only deportation that can send a strong, zero-tolerance message against illegal immigration – of particular importance at a time when illegal immigration is siphoning off much-needed jobs from the local population, and is draining the nation’s coffers by using up

Bioterrorism Threat Weapons

Bioterrorism Threat Weapons Bioterrorism is a real threat to our country. Its a threat to every nation that loves freedom. Terrorist groups seek biological weapons; we know some rogue states already have them.Its important that we confront these real threats to our country and prepare for future emergencies. -President George W. Bush June 12, 2002 Biological weapons are one of the biggest threats we face today. They are potentially as deadly as nuclear weapons and can leave an area contaminated for weeks. Despite this however, the threat of biological weapons does not seem to be a major priority of our current administration. There seems to be a significant rush to implement counter-terrorism policies that focus on more conventional means of attacks and more specifically those attacks that we have already experienced. Consequently, we see much improvement in the screening of airline passengers and the regulation of traditional explosives, but no further regulation of biological weapons, dispersion systems, or the implementation of better response procedures. Therefore, more should be done to prevent biological attacks and prepare our nation to respond in the event there is one. According to the Terrorism Knowledge Base, since nineteen sixty eight there have been a total of thirteen incidents involving biological weapons with forty-six injuries, and six fatalities. Of these thirteen incidents, nine of them have taken place in the United States, with all of the injuries, and five out of six of the deaths all taking place in the United States as well. If these statistics are examined in a general sense and in comparison to other weapons used in terrorists attacks (bombs, fire, firearms, etc) then the trend of biological terrorism does not seem very important. However, the reality is that the more technologically advanced we become globally, the more efficient biological weapons and their dispersion systems become, and the greater the threat is for an attack. We are currently in an age where scientific discovery, and advances in biology are putting us at risk for an attack from a terrorist group, or even an individual with access to biological weapons and a gru dge. In order to repair our current system, revision of our current policies must be done, as well as creation of new policies and procedures to mitigate the threat. This paper will provide information on our current policies, how the problems with out current policies can be fixed, and a risk assessment of the Brazos Valley with specific emphasis on the Texas AM University System. Current Policies: The following are the policies that have been developed in response to the threat of biological weapons. All polices regarding biological weapons should have two parts: prevention of a biological weapon attack, and response after a biological attack. While each is important on its own, together they make a comprehensive plan to create policies around. Before any suggestions can be made, however, our current policies must be known and judged against the threat we currently face. There are three main policies and plans concerning biological weapons that have come from the White House. They are Homeland Security Presidential Directive 10, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21, and Project Bioshield. Together these are designed to provide us with maximum protection and response in the case of a biological threat. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 10 (Biodefense for the 21st Century): Homeland Security Presidential Directive 10 has four major goals as outlined by the White House: threat awareness, prevention and protection, surveillance and detection, and response and recovery. Each of these is an integral part of the overall plan. Threat Awareness In order for our government to prepare for a biological attack, we must know the nature of the threat. This is where the â€Å"Threat Awareness† pillar comes into play. This pillar seeks to provide our government with the ability to use technology and intelligence to provide the most realistic appraisal of our current threat. The concept of threat awareness allows us to create functional policies specially designed around our current threat. There are three totals components of the threat awareness pillar: biological warfare related intelligence, assessments, and anticipation of future threats. Biological warfare related intelligence is the name given to the process of using the intelligence community (Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and others) to gather all information pertaining to biological weapons. This would involve overseas missions for intelligence gathering purposes, development of systems to analyze collected data, and the dissemination of that data to all important parties. Biological warfare related intelligence also incorporates Red Teaming, a term indicating the team in a preparedness exercise (similar to a war game) whose role is to simulate enemy tactics. â€Å"Red Teaming efforts are used to understand new scientific trends that may be exploited by our adversaries to develop biological weapons and to help position intelligence collectors ahead of our problem.† (www.whitehouse.gov) Assessments are the second component of the threat awareness pillar. â€Å"The Unites States requires a continuous, formal process for conducting routine capabilities assessments to guide prioritization of our on-going investments in biodefense-related research, development, planning and preparedness.† (www.whitehose.gov) The Department of Homeland Security will be made responsible for gathering information and production of periodical assessments and making recommendations of division of resources based on the assessment. The anticipation of future threats component asserts that the need to stay current with existing technology is of great importance. It enables the government the government to anticipate and prepare for the emergence of new threats (www.whitehouse.gov). How these assessments are to be done and what exactly is to be included in them, is not stated in the White Houses version of Homeland Security Presidential Directive ten however. Prevention and Protection The first component of the prevention and protection pillar is proactive prevention. As stated by the White House, â€Å"preventing biological weapons attacks is by far the most cost-effective approach to biodefense.† This will be accomplished by limiting access of biological agents and dispersal methods to countries, groups, or individuals seeking to develop, produce, and use these agents. (www.whitehouse.gov) This will be accomplished using law enforcement investigative techniques, diplomacy, and export controls. Agencies responsible for prevention are the Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of Justice, and the intelligence community, but specific duties are not given. The second component of prevention and protection is critical infrastructure protection. The directive explains that protection of critical infrastructure, especially in the case of those that would be important after an attack (public health, food, water, energy, agriculture, transportation, etc.) should be protected. Once again, details as to how this is to be done are not given, only that it should be done. Surveillance and Detection The first component of the surveillance and detection pillar is attack warning. This would entail the development of an attack warning system, similar to severe weather warning systems, â€Å"which rapidly recognizes and characterizes the dispersal of biological agents.† The logic behind this component of surveillance and detection is that an efficient and effective response can be mounted to counter the threat if the biological agent used in an attack is able to be detected and characterized earlier. The second component of surveillance and detection is attribution. The ability to attribute an attack to a particular country, group, or individual can help authorities to deter attacks with the promise of severe repercussions to the group or country that perpetrates the attack. The recently created National Bioforensic Analysis Center of the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasure Center is responsible for the analysis of the biological agent, and interpretation of data to determine responsibility. This concept has been tried for lesser crimes (three-strike laws) with varied degrees of success. Response and Recovery The components of the response and recovery attack are numerous. But this is necessary as the response after an attack is a huge intricate undertaking. This part of the Directive 10 is composed of: response planning, mass casualty care, risk communication, medical countermeasure development, and decontamination. Response planning is the most important part of the response and recovery pillar. Without a reasonable plan of attack, nothing can be accomplished. Evidence of this idea can be seen in the days and weeks following Hurricane Katrina, when recovery efforts were mishandled by Federal Emergency Management Agency due in large part to ill-preparedness. As a part of this component, the plans are also to be tested regularly at the local, state, and federal level. Mass casualty care, decontamination, and medical countermeasure all go together in preventing loss of life after an attack. In order for all of these to occur, there needs to be funding in areas of research pertaining to countermeasures of biological agents, and also funding in the public health arena such that all medical facilities are adequately prepared to handle such an event. This includes stocking medical facilities with countermeasures and keeping them abreast of terrorism activities via a communication network. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 Released October two-thousand seven, Homeland Security Presidential Directive twenty-one in a much more comprehensive version of the response and recover pillar of Homeland Security Presidential Directive ten. It delves into exactly how we go about preparing for the aftermath of a biological attack. The five major priorities / goals when considering preparedness are: preparedness for all potential catastrophic health events; vertical and horizontal coordination across levels of government, jurisdictions and disciplines; a regional approach to health preparedness; engagement of the private sector, academia, and other nongovernmental entities in preparedness and response efforts; and the important roles of individuals, families, and communities. To accomplish these priorities, Homeland Security Presidential Directive twenty-one outlines several actions that must be implemented to mount a successful response to a biological attack. These are mostly the same as those mentioned in Homelan d Security Presidential Directive ten; however, the greatest difference is in the case of Homeland Security Presidential Directive twenty-one, deadlines are established as to when these should be done. Biosurveillance Biosurveillance calls for the establishment of a â€Å"national epidemiological surveillance system for human health.† This would entail an electronic network linking federal, state and local public health assets. This system would also have to protect patient privacy, while giving access to those medical professionals most likely to come into contact with the agents. This network would also include keeping health professionals abreast in what to look for in the way of symptoms. The deadline for this goal was one-hundred eighty days, but only required meetings to examine progress. Countermeasure stockpiling and distribution Countermeasure stockpiling and distribution calls for the creation of a plan to amass a supply of common countermeasures including antibiotics, anti-virals and others. The countermeasure stockpiling and distribution section of the directive mandates that a template or plan for these efforts would be created within nine months of its release date, but once again, does not explain exactly how anything is to be done, only that it should be within nine months. Mass Casualty Care Through a joint effort between the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Defense, Veteran Affairs, and Homeland Security, experts at the state, federal and private levels are to provide feedback on â€Å"high-priority gaps in mass casualty care capabilities.† After this event, there is to be an analysis of the information in order to build a plan for mass casualty care after a biological attack. This plan would call for changes in out public health system specifically geared towards biodefense, and not towards improving our public health system as a whole. Community Resilience Perhaps the most important component of Homeland Security presidential Directive 21, this section encourages engaging citizens in education and risk awareness in the area of biological weapons. Civic leaders, citizens and families are to be educated such that they are able to lessen some of the risk in their respective areas. Project Bioshield The Project Bioshield Act of 2004 was signed on June 21, 2004 by current President George W. Bush. Project Bioshield deals specifically with the development and the procurement of countermeasures from pharmaceutical companies. The signing of the Project Bioshield Act allowed for the production of seventy-five million doses of anthrax vaccines for stockpiling, production of botulinum antitoxin, and production of a safer smallpox toxin. Project Bioshield is not designed to fix all of our problems, but solve a big problem in the lack of response resources. Problems with our current system and policies Our current biological weapons policies consist mainly of Homeland Security Presidential Directives ten and twenty-one and the Project Bioshield Act. Together, they represent the most comprehensive plan we have, but still fall short of providing us with the protection and security from what President Bush describes as a â€Å"real threat to our country.† While our current system provides a good foundation for a biological weapons defense policy, it has several major gaps. Our current policies display one major flaw in our biodefense plan: we know what to do, but not how to accomplish it. In the summary of all three aspects of our biodefense policy, there is no detailed plan of how to repair the holes in our system. Also, despite being released in April two-thousand four, many of the objectives seen Homeland Security Presidential Directive ten, are yet incomplete; particularly in the case of the â€Å"Response and Recovery† objective. What this translates to is we are no t following the plans we have set up to prevent and respond to bioterrorism. In two-thousand one, approximately one-half a billion dollars w as spent on civilian biodefense. Every year since then, the spending has gone up with spending reaching approximately seven and one-half billion dollars. (Schuler 88) We are considerably further than we were in two-thousand one, but still significantly lacking in bio-terrorism security. There are only a few things we currently lack, but they are very important to our security. Firstly we lack a decent public health system. â€Å"The basic needs of bioterrorism preparedness remain the basic tasks of public health- identifying unusual disease events, their cause, and intervening to alleviate the situation† (Avery 284) The federal government is attempting to pump more resources into a flawed system. Without a good public health system, any biodefense plan ultimately falls apart because our public health system is of utmost importance in response efforts. Another big flaw in our system is the lack of talented people. Having great policies and resources but lacking talented employees to put them into practice is unacceptable. Federal agencies are losing potential employees to the private sector when the demand for defense talent will to continue rise by as much as twenty-five percent through the year two-thousand ten. (Partnership for Public Service 224) Policies cannot be put into action without talented people leading them. It is estimated that nearly half of the federal employees in occupations critical to out biodefense will be eligible to retire within the next five years. (Executive Summary 224). An additional significant error with our current system is lack of action. While our current policies are not perfect, they do provide a very good base plan. So why are we not where we need to be? The reason may be budget concerns, or biological weapons are less of a priority than they should be, but whatever the reason, creation of policies without putting them into action leaves us at risk. In Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21, it calls for public outreach and education to inform the general public as to the dangers of biological weapons, and how to reach in the case of the attack, but this has not been done. In Homeland Security Presidential Directive 10, a biosurveillance system is proposed to keep our public health facilities informed as to emerging threats and suspicious events in other parts of the country. While the directive was released in two-thousand four, this has not been accomplished. Proposed Biological Terrorism Prevention and Response Plan Our current policies and recent actions have provided us with a good foundation to build a solid biological weapons prevention and response plan on. However, in order to mitigate the threat more needs to be done. My plan has the potential to fill in most of the holes in our current policy / system. I propose several changes in out current system and policies. My proposed will emphasize all aspects of security (prevention and response). Our current public health seems to be the most important part of the equation, so this is where my biodefense plan will begin. Phase I: In order to mount an efficient response in the aftermath of an attack, we must have a well-organized public health system. This particular part of the plan would call for government-funded upgrades in public health facilities. As stated previously, an analysis of our current public health system shows that â€Å"upgrading public health facilities for broad based-surveillance avoids the threat of tunnel vision that is inherent in the bioterrorism-specific approach.† (Avery 285) Upgrades to our public health facilities should include larger stockpiles of antibiotics, anti-virals, and other countermeasures. According to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21, â€Å"few if any cities are presently able to meet the objective of dispensing countermeasures to their entire population within forty-eight hours after the decision to do so.† These stockpiles should be large enough to aid in the response after most any disaster, and located in such places that they could be sen t to affected areas within twenty-four hours. Proximity to a major metropolitan area should not be a concern in response efforts. This phase would also require coordination with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to coordinate and distribute supplies of counter-measures to several regions in each state. Other responsibilities of our current public health system include vaccination of general public. This would be improved beyond our current status. The next step in upgrading out public health system is personnel training and education. Biological weapons can utilize some of the most deadly bacteria and viruses in the world. Medical personnel should be trained in the recognition and treatment of the most deadly agents. This would necessitate training provided by the Center for Disease Control and other similarly competent private sector facilities and professionals. While many biological agents present with peculiar symptoms, many present with flu-like symptoms and can be easily confused with other less lethal illnesses. All of this information needs to make its way to not only our medical doctors and nurses, but all those involved in public health. The last step of my public health plan is the creation of a centralized network available to all public health facilities. This network would be created and maintained by the federal government with the aid of such agencies as the Center for Disease Control and the National Institute of Health. This network / database would track the progression of illnesses and symptoms throughout the country. It would also serve as a link between facilities. In the event of an attack in one part of the country, all facilities can be put on alert almost instantly. This could lead to significantly less deaths during the aftermath of an attack, and aid in the day to day operations of our countrys public health system. Phase II: Homeland Security Presidential Directive 10 is a general diagram for both prevention and response. While it outlines both aspects, it does not go into great detail as to how its plans are to be accomplished. The same can be said for Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21. Our major policies do not give a detailed picture of what out initial response plan is. We cannot organize a functional response if we do not possess a nation-wide incident response plan for a biological attack. So Phase II would be the creation of a thorough plan that is able to be utilized in all regions of the country. One standardized plan would alleviate any indecisiveness when deciding what to do for a specific region as well as make training much easier. With one standardized plan there is no question of what the local government is to do, everything is planned and only has to be executed. This plan would have three major goals: defining authority after an attack, setup a timeline for when response efforts need to be completed, and provide a basis for training first responders and other charged with response. In the aftermath of an attack authority is always a concern. Because agencies often have different ideas on how response should proceed, authority needs to be defined before an attack ever happens. The two options for authority are federal and state with each having their advantages. Federal agencies have near limitless resources when compared to state agencies. They are usually able to procure and implement necessary resources much faster. State agencies have the benefit of local knowledge. Local knowledge of a particular region and its working is an invaluable asset during times of disaster. Federal agencies cannot possibly all aspects of a particular region and thus this responsibility falls to the state government. State governments also the advantage of being able to react more quickly because of their close proximity to the affected area. So the best compromise between the two would be joint authority shared between the state government (governor, mayors, city managers, etc.), and a representative of the federal government designated by the president. Because a plan will already be in place prior to an attack, the state government would have a definitive game plan within the days following an attack. After the government representative arrives, they can work as a cohesive team to plan the best course of action. Along with defining authority, the national response plan should define timelines as to when certain actions are to be taken. Phase one of this plan would ensure that countermeasures were available in the event of a biological attack. This timeline would establish when these countermeasures are to be given, Phase III Our current president has described biological weapons as a very serious threat. Mitigation of this threat can be achieved, but needs specialized actions from personnel trained in biology as well as investigative techniques. Phase II would call for the creation of an agency dedicated to the threat of bioterrorism. The First step of phase II is finding people with diverse experience (science, investigation, intelligence gather, etc.) to work in this agency. Bioterrorism is a much different threat than most conventional methods of terrorism. To mount a superior defense / offense, it takes a deep understanding of biology, biochemistry, virology, and several other biological sciences. Investigating offenses involving such agents cannot be done without the proper knowledge and practical experience. Most agencies currently tasked with counter-terrorism do not have the requisite personnel with science backgrounds, nor the resources to handle their other responsibilities and the threat from bioterrorism. The need for people with expertise in those areas has been established as is yet unfulfilled. We cannot properly stop a threat if those that are tasked with this responsibility do not know everything there is to know about the threat. The first step would be to obtain the right personnel for the agency. The agency would be made up of doctors, scientists, policy makers, first responders, investigators (law enforcement), security personnel, and any other necessary personnel to mount a comprehensive response. The next step would be to define the responsibilities of the agency. I propose this agency be accountable for investigation of biological weapons threats, regulation of biological agents, working in tandem with intelligence agencies here and overseas, and working with other countries to insure the regulation of said materials there as well. These responsibilities are no small task. They will require countless hours of intelligence gathering, diplomacy, investigation, and law enforcement. The scope of this agency would be extensive, but still well within reach if done properly. This agency would have to utilize techniques used by the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and many other similar agencies in order to reach such massive goals. Phase IV Phase IV would consist of public education / outreach. The group of people most vulnerable to biological attacks is everyday citizens. If we are to protect the public, then they must be educated as to risks, current counter measures, and what to do in the case of an attack. This is where the educational outreach programs would enter. They would have to be non-invasive as in a pamphlet given out to each patient after a doctors visit, or educational videos provided to employers to be shown at employment orientations. Using this idea could save us billions of dollars in expenditures subsequent to an attack by saving much time and effort in organizing and coordinating public actions. Phase V Phase V would consist of training those people responsible for first response. Our first line of defense is not government agencies, but the people who are closest to the attack; this will always be local law enforcement, firefighters, and local public health staff. Current local law enforcement agencies are unprepared and unknowledgeable about probably biological attacks and they of all responders would be well versed in what to expect and how to react after a biological attack. Phase V would mandate training of all probably first responders at least once a year. This training would include simulated attacks in a simulated environment. All those that would be involved in the response efforts would be trained in what to do, and then using that training to a simulated attack. This training would also help the public rest easier knowing that their first responders are prepared for the possibility of a biological attack. Advantages vs. Disadvantages Advantages: The greatest strength of the proposed plan is its comprehensiveness. This plan covers all aspects of biological terrorism (prevention and response) as well as addressing the current holes in our system. It provides us with the best possible response, along with directing preventative techniques prior to an attack. Agencies dedicated to specific purposes have a long history of effectiveness as can be seen in the Center for Disease Control and other similar agencies. This plan could not work if the responsibilities were placed upon another agency already tasked with other unrelated obligations. Biological weapons are too great a threat to be relegated to one of the many responsibilities of an agency with many other missions. Also in comparison to outsourcing these responsibilities to the private sector, this proposal represent a method of maintaining security, but also maintaining faith in out government. Most citizens want to know that their government is more than capable of protecting them from major security threats. This proposal has the advantage of allowing all responsibilities to stay in house such that there is no division of responsibilities between government and private. This proposal also allows for improvements in out current countermeasure stockpiles, a public more concerned with their own safety, and a standardized response plan such that Disadvantages: The greatest thing working against an agency of this type is cost. As stated previously, biodefense funding has gone up significantly every year since two-thousand one. (Schuler 88) A plan of this magnitude would be costly. Also, creating of another agency has the possibility of making an already confusing counter-terrorism more perplexing. Brazos Valley threat assessment All the problems that plague the nation in reference to a biological weapons threat are compounded in the Brazos valley Area. The main industry in the region is Texas AM University, and this is also could be considered a high value target. Risk assessment: A threat assessment can be viewed as having three components: the threat to a target, the targets vulnerability to the threat, and the consequences should the target be successfully attacked. (Willis 16) In this regard the risk assessment regarding the Brazos Valley is three-parted. Threat to the target: According to the CDC, bioterrorism agents are typically divided into three categories: categories A, B, and C (www.cdc.gov). Category A organisms include biological agents with both a high potential for adverse public health impact and that also have a serious potential for large-scale dissemination. Category B agents are moderately easy to disseminate and have low mortality rates. Category C agents are pathogens that might be engineered for mass dissemination because they are easy to produce and have potential for high morbidity or mortality. Based on information gathered from interviews with Assistant Chief Freddy Komar of the Bryan Police Department and Doctor Garry Adams of the Texas AM University School of Veterinary Medicine, the biggest threat to Texas AM and the surrounding areas is the dissemination of a Category A organism, more specifically one that can be easily ported to an aerosol method of dispersal. With an effective dispersal in a highly populated and confined area o r event like a football game at Kyle Field, the destructive potential is massive. As an agricultural staple, the Brazos Valley Area Targets Vulnerability to Threat: The government of the Brazos Valley operates in a continuous state of alertness according to an Interview with Mr. Bill May. Using the Texas AM University Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), the Brazos Valley trains emergency workers from all over the world at the request of their home agency. TEEX uses a large training facility to provide simulated disasters in order to prepare the trainees for any type of disaster. TEEX is different from other agencies in that it provides the most realistic training found in the country, if not the world. However, this only takes care of the aftermath. The front line of defense is the local law enforcement branches. In speaking with the assistant chief of police, I found that while Texas AM is a veritable hub for disaster training, the first line of defense against bio-terror

Essay --

The Effects of Revenue Management in the Hospitality Industry Up until recent years Revenue Management was something that has never been heard of. Now days, it is something that hotel managers cannot go without. They spend numerous amounts of time checking their computers for the nightly rates of the hotel. But what exactly is Revenue Management? â€Å"Revenue Management (RM) is a scientific technique that combines Operations Research, Statistics and Customer Relationship Management and categorizes customers into price bands, based on various services† (Revenue Management, 2010). In other words someone might reserve a room that is at a going rate of $245 per night while their cousin who reserved a room at the same hotel months in advance only has to pay $105 per night. Now you may ask yourself how hotels can get away with doing this? But what it all boils down to is that someone who reserves a room last minute will end up paying the higher amount because his or her demand for the room is higher. This technique of raising or lowering prices based on the demand of the guest is something that airlines have been using for some time now. The first two airlines to use Revenue Management in 1985 were United and American Airlines. They used a series of algorithms to determine the best price to sell their seats (Desiraju & Shugan, 2000). The reason Revenue Management came about in the airline industry had to do with the airplanes only having a select amount of seats. Trying to sell all of the seats at the same price is very difficult to do especially when the airlines needed to at least be able to cover fixed operating expenses. A lot of times the planes would be left with empty seats, which, doesn’t help the airlines make any money. So by a... ...hould not be. Alan Campbell who has been working in the hotel industry for over thirty years believes that there should be more that goes into Revenue Management than just what the computer tells us. Campbell states, â€Å"Revenue managers need to have a feel for the system, not how it works, but what it does, and how it does it.† In other words a Revenue Manager must know all of the events happening in the area as well as all of the other venues in the area. They must have an instinct for knowing if the numbers are right and will bring the hotel the best property rates. Campbell’s views and ideas are something that is spreading within the Hospitality Industry, because when you are aware of the â€Å"human factor† as he calls it, properties are able to increase their Revenue per available room (Revpar), and occupancy percentages, above what the software will predict.

On Social Theory In Social Work Essay

We know where we have been, where we are now and where we need to go – but how do we get there? A map. Theory is a map. It notes any number of known landmarks (previously achieved or applied solutions) and obstacles (issues or problems) and gives us direction so that we are able to navigate intelligently and arrive safely (minimal discomfort to all) at our destination (desired outcome/s). Theory is an attempt to explain the unexplained, to give title to the untitled and to give reason to the unreasonable. It is a combination of existing knowledge and newly acquired knowledge that allows us to make assumptions in order to realise reasonably foreseeable outcomes. It is only in the realms of science, physics and mathematics that the repeated application of a single theory will return a consistent result indefinitely. However, in the social work disciplines, the repeated application of a single theory may very well result in chaos and mayhem due simply to the addition of the vagaries and subjectiveness of human behaviour – individual realism and personality. Mix society with the individual then add a third ingredient – power (political, economic, etc) and you end up with a chameleonic and metamorphosis-like result, what I refer to as the ‘lava lamp effect’ – constant change, confusion, tangentiality, shifts in personal, political and societal values and meanings. Theory is the vehicle of bringing order and making sense of all these things. That an individual on one occasion might respond to certain stimuli in a particular fashion, is no predictor of the individual’s (micro level) responses to the same or like stimuli on subsequent occasions and is certainly not an indication that the ‘collective’ (macro level) will respond in the same manner. It is not possible for one person to comprehend the world as perceived by  another person. The absolute closest we can come to this is to use our own imagination and compare our own experiences as a guide – empathy. Enter theory. Theory gives us the launching pad for action. It is a single starting point for all social work practitioners regardless of their individual methodological preferences. Howe (1987, p48) states, â€Å"The loud claim is that practice is saturated with theory no matter how much the social worker speaks of [their] simple reliance on commonsense or intuition. Each theory and its associated practice holds assumptions about people and their society †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†. However, theory still remains our most valuable agent in facilitating acceptable if not positive outcomes. The nature of social work is in a constant state of flux and what was suitable or successful yesterday may not be today although past theories still have a valid place in our reckoning. There is a constant flow of new and more complex issues introducing themselves to society every day and more often than not, theory will be the only tools available to us as a means of sourcing solutions. When discussing how theories are used in practice, Payne (1997, p48) states; â€Å"There are three approaches to this task: using theories to interrogate, clarify and criticise each other, using theories selectively, and using theories together to modify each other† and Lemert (1999, p20) states â€Å"Social theory is what we do when we find ourselves able to put into words what nobody seems to want to talk about†. Further, Mullaly (2002, p3) cites Reynolds (1971) â€Å"Theory carries out four basic functions: description; explanation; prediction; and control and management of events or changes †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦it describes phenomena; it attempts to explain what causes them; it predicts future events, including what will happen if certain interventions occur (or do not occur); and attempts to control and manage events or changes at all levels of human activity†. Theory also has its place in supplementing existing knowledge – filling in the blanks as it were. There is no divorcing theory from experience nor from assumption as these two  things are the interminably prime ingredients of theory. In order to create a theory we must draw upon our own or others’ knowledge bases, experiences and assumptions – no other source/s exist/s. Whilst most would agree that theory is generally the basis for experiment, quite often the reverse is true – experiment as the basis of theory! There once existed a theory that technological advancements would eventually result in a reduction of the number of skilled tradesmen required. This theory therefore required that there be a reduction in the numbers of (government subsidised) trade apprenticeship places – a huge cost saving exercise, an economic positive! However, we have since learned that this theory was implemented without a great deal of thought as to the possible negatives – those of higher youth unemployment (increased welfare bill), a much sharper decline in the number of skilled tradesmen to adequately service the community (have you ever tried to get hold of a plumber or electrician in an emergency?), and a steep increase in the cost to the consumer (community) in utilising those affected trade services. Some would also argue that the reduction in apprenticeship places would have contributed to increases in various crimes and therefore further unnecessary cost to the community and taxpayers. A more recent theory is that of children in detention centres. Some schools of thought insisted that keeping children in detention was senseless and cruel and that they should be settled into local communities. Others viewed this train of thought as being reminiscent of the ‘stolen generation’ and further theorised that it was wrong to separate the children from their parents and therefore the mother and children should be settled into the community with regular visits to the father who should remain in detention. There was still further argument that cultural matters had not been considered in that further or other yet foreseen problems may result by isolating the father from the family unit. Each discourse here is based only on theory but it encourages discourse that seeks resolutions. A good thing. Not all theory is good and nor is it all bad, it is simply a helpful step  towards finding resolutions where none has previously existed to address issues and problems in society be they real or perceived. As can be ascertained from just a small collection of readings, even theorists differ widely in their interpretations and applications of theory. Every ‘-ist’ of every ‘-ism’ believes that their approach is more beneficial than those of the others. Whether they are aware of it or not, even those social work practitioners who would underrate the benefits of the use of theory in their practice, preferring instead to rely on their own intuition and experience, are still employing theory – empirically. References Howe, D., 1987, An Introduction to Social Work Theory; Making Sense in Practice, Wildwood House. Lemert, C., 1999, Social Theory, Second Edition; The Multicultural and Classic Readings, MacMillan Press Ltd, Victoria. Mullaly, B., 2002, Challenging Oppression; A Critical Social Work Approach, Oxford University Press. Payne, M., 1997, Modern Social Work Theory, Second Edition, PALGRAVE, N.Y.

A Fool-Proof Way to Achieve Any Goal - And Thats a Promise

A Fool-Proof Way to Achieve Any Goal - And Thats a Promise The Temptation of Giving Up A friend of mine set out to make croissants for the first time. For those of you unfamiliar with the art of French baking, these pastries require several stages of preparation over 2-3 days. On the second day of his first attempt, when the batter got too thin and sticky, my friend got frustrated and threw the dough into a bread pan instead of finishing the croissant-making process. I protested that he was giving up too soon, but to no avail. He ended up with some cross between biscuits and croissants, and a learning experience for the next attempt. The Art of Perseverance – A Lesson from Mouse Tales My tendency is not to give up on almost anything until absolutely all options have been exhausted. Part of that philosophy was hammered into me as a child through multiple readings of the book Mouse Tales, by Arnold Lobel. I did not realize it at the time, but I think I learned some of my most important life lessons from that book. In one story, The Journey, a mouse ventures out in his car on a road trip to his mother’s house. After driving for some time, he encounters a slight problem: The car, sadly, falls apart. But, thankfully, just at the right moment, there is someone selling roller skates at the side of the road. The mouse purchases a pair and rolls and rolls until, guess what? The wheels fall off of the roller skates. As luck would have it, there is a person selling boots at the side of the road! The mouse wears through the soles of the boots, and then through a pair of sneakers, and then, would you believe, though a pair of feet. When his feet get too tired to walk, amazingly enough, there is a person by the side of the road selling feet! The mouse makes it to his mother’s house wearing his brand new pair of feet. Excuses, Excuses Many of us in the mouse’s situation would never have made it to our mother’s house with all these breakdowns. Do any of these laments sound familiar? My car broke down! Now I have to take it to the shop. Sorry mom. I tried! I even tried getting there on roller skates! But everything just keeps falling apart. It wasn’t meant to be. My hands are tied. Bad things are always happening to me. No one is there to help me. I have to do everything alone! I can’t let my mother know that my car is so old and broken down. I don’t have time for this. These excuses keep us from being creative, from keeping our eye on the prize, and from noticing that person who shows up just at the right time to help us. They keep us from prioritizing our relationships. And they have us tossing in the towel long before the game is truly over. The Magic Formula for Achieving Any Goal Setting aside all judgment about how important our mother would feel if we gave up on our journey, what this Mouse Tale has to teach us is something about persistence and perseverance. This mouse was not about to give up no matter what. He understood that his commitment to his goal was beyond any limitation on how he would achieve it. And at every juncture where he could have thrown up his paws and said â€Å"I can’t† or â€Å"It’s impossible† or â€Å"It’s too hard,† he found an alternative and went with it. My friend Seth and I, some time ago, identified a surefire and quite simple way to reliably achieve any goal: â€Å"Don’t give up until you achieve it.† You will either achieve that goal or you will die trying. Whether it’s making croissants, getting a new job, or making a visit to mom, the rule always applies. That’s the rule the mouse followed. He reached his goal, he could feel proud of himself, and his mother was very very happy. [By the way, my croissant-making friend did try again. Things did not go perfectly the second time either, but he pressed on until actual croissants, albeit dense ones, came out of the oven. Perhaps the third time will be the charm.]

¡Cállate la boca! Professor Ramos Blog

 ¡Cllate la boca! Top page (tracing paper) with quote from How to Tame a Wild Tongue In How to Tame a Wild Tongue, Gloria Anzaldua reflects on her experiences as a Chicana woman in the United States. According to Anzaldua, there has been a movement of sorts during the 1980’s that has resulted in new terms like â€Å"Chicana† and â€Å"Mestiza† to describe Mexican-American women. While this work also focuses on the dual identity aspect of her experiences, I chose to focus on her assessment of language and linguistic acceptance for my creative adaptation. In the adaptation, I show a top page with the quote, â€Å"Wild tongues can’t be tamed, they can only be cut out.† This quote from the text is accompanied by the word â€Å"callate† written over the woman’s mouth. This is meant to symbolize the attempt of others, whoever those others may be, to silence the woman’s mother tongue or expression of her chosen language(s). I chose tracing paper as the top medium because while you can see the woman, the details are harder to see and she is much less vibrant than the big red lettering of â€Å"callate.† This represents the idea that by silencing the woman, you are also taking away part of everything that she is: her identity, personality, and overall self. This also allows a transitional moment in the art piece wherein the top page can be folded backward to reveal the rest of the drawing which will be further discussed in a moment. In the text, Anzaldua recites memories of growing up and being told, â€Å"If you want to be American, speak American.† Even her own mother encouraged her to speak English and to do so without an accent. She was punished for using her native language and was made to take additional classes in college in order to eliminate her accent. Being Chicana, or Mexican-American, had given her an â€Å"internalized belief that [she] speaks poor Spanish.† She says that instead of being an illegitimate, bastard language, Chicano Spanish â€Å"is a living language† that is still growing and adapting, as are all languages. She explores the idea in which â€Å"ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity.† This means that an attack on the language she chooses to use, is an attack on her entirety. Saying her language is illegitimate or unworthy is the same as saying she herself is illegitimate or unworthy. In a 1999 journal article titled â€Å"Language Choice in U.S. Latina First Person Narrative: The Effects of Language Standardization and Subordination† Holly R. Cashman examines the â€Å"social evaluation of language†. This refers to the tendency of people, especially white colonizers, to judge a person based on an inability to, or choice not to, conform to traditional English language norms. She summarizes that Anzaldua is unique in that she accepts her language proficiency as it is and instead challenges readers to work to understand her writing. She forces readers to meet her halfway by not including English translations in parts of her work. Cashman comments on the ever evolving study of language, saying: previously considered a kind of deviant linguistic behavior which indicated a speakers inability to separate the two languages at her or his disposal, linguists now recognize code-switching as a functional behavior which demonstrates the speakers ability to manipulate the grammar and lexicon of two languages at the same timeCashman, 1999 This is significant to the work because it demonstrates a shift in the social perception of bilingualism that Anzaldua herself has been striving towards. Code-switching, or the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation, has long been looked down upon as a deficiency of language rather than a proficiency. Anzaldua wrote, in How to Tame a Wild Tongue, a powerful and moving ultimatum: Until I am free to write bilingually and to switch codes without having always to translate, while I still have to speak English or Spanish when I would rather speak Spanglish, and as long as I have to accommodate the English speakers rather than having them accommodate me, my tongue will be illegitimate.Gloria Anzaldua, 1987 As previously stated, in my adaptation, the top page represents the attempt to silence certain languages and the stigma surrounding free linguistic expression. Using tracing paper allows a transition to the main portion of the drawing in which a womans face is presented on a floral background that is meant to be reminiscent of traditional Mexican art, beading, or embroidery. The womans face is split down the middle between a young Chicana woman gazing proudly out of the page and an older woman who seems to be smirking because of a triumphantly lived life. The women represent Chicana identity and embody the pride that Chicanas should have in their heritage and culture. Anzaldua writes, Stubborn, persevering, impenetrable as stone, yet possessing a malleability that renders us unbreakable, we [the Chicanas and mestizas] will remain. The bottom page in my creative adaptation represents that enduring quality of these women against the stereotypes, racism, discrimination, or stigma that t hey may face. Cashman, Holly R. â€Å"Language Choice in U.S. Latina First Person Narrative: The Effects of Language Standardization and Subordination.† Discourse, vol. 21, no. 3, 1999, pp. 132–150. JSTOR, jstor.org/stable/41389549. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 9th ed., vol. 2, W.W. Norton Company, 2017.

GUIDED READING ACTIVITIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

GUIDED READING ACTIVITIES - Essay Example They explain their stand and arguments by giving specific examples and referring to the relevant theories. In this regard, the claimed contribution to the current knowledge is the use of the dominant story in furthering ethical business conducts especially by the stakeholders of particular concerned companies. The authors of the article mainly use the dominant theory to discuss the essence of ethics in doing business in the contemporary world. They specifically state that the dominant theory is not consistent with the law in that the dominant theory puts the interests of the stakeholders first before considering the interest of the community, customers, suppliers, and the employers. In addition, the dominant theory is according to the authors resistant to change in that because of the priority given to the shareholders’ interests, the system becomes reluctant to accept change as it firmly believes in a hierarchical system of classifying various interests. Perhaps the most important feature of the dominant theory in this regard is that the dominant theory is inconsistent with the basic ethical rules. In many business environments, business ethics is a fundamental tool for ensuring that corporates operate in accordance with the international best practice. In this regard, it is appropriate to infer that the integration thesis applies to all business decisions and environments. The integration thesis states that nearly all decisions that are of business nature normally contain some element of ethics in them and the opposite is true. This means that ethical decisions also have some business implications. There is also the responsible principle that insists t hat almost everybody either want to or should take individual responsibility for the consequences of their actions. In the conclusion part, the authors offer some arguments for managing the shareholders especially if their interests seam to

Quality management in the education sector Assignment

Quality management in the education sector - Assignment Example It is a methodology of complete quality control that relies on developed metrics and organisational techniques to achieve better quality in a variety of organisational dimensions and departmental divisions (Assadej and Igel 2009). Quality management is the achievement of mutual cooperation of all members of the organisation and the connected processes and procedures needed to produce quality outputs and services which exceed expectations of customers or other related stakeholders (Evans and Lindsay 2005; Dale 1999). It is a holistic organisational philosophy that manages to combine organisation teamwork with a quality management system, using a variety of qualitative and quantitative measurement instruments to improve processes (Creswell 2003), leadership, control costs, increase the organisation’s competitive position, motivate employees, and increase organisational responsiveness in a variety of activities. Having defined quality management and total quality management procedures and ideologies, quality management strategies can be applied to the educational sector in order to improve areas such as team-working, organisational behaviour, leadership and maintain a customer orientation to achieve competitive advantage. In the educational sector, academics are a form of learning that includes improvement of individual student knowledge, skills and competencies that are able to be transferred generationally through a variety of tactics that include training, teaching and even research (Hanushek and Woessmann 2008). Outside of merely teaching quality and the provision of life-long learning, in the university sector, the goal of universities are to improve revenues, enhance the competitive positioning amongst other higher education centres in a market, and ensure top quality professionalism throughout all aspects of the teaching process. In order to accomplish the aforementioned objectives, it is necessary to implement a