Monday, September 30, 2019

How Computers Changed the World Essay

How Computers have changed our world. There isn’t very many people around who can say that their lives have not been changed by computers. Computers †¦ How Have Computers Changed Our World – StudyMode.com Home †º Science The computer has significantly changed our world through advances in science and medicine, business and education. In fact the computer is a wonderful †¦ How Computers have Changed the World: Home Every little bit of technology is controlled by a chip, a computer chip. A computer is †¦ the next level. Truly all I am saying is†¦ computers have changed the world! How Did Computers Change the World? – Ask.com Q&A †º Science †º Environment Computers changed the world especially when the Internet came on the scene. No longer did the world seem so big as people could connect no matter where †¦ Computers have changed our lives completely – short article †¦ www.butterats.org/computers-how-they-have-changed-our-lives/ Aug 21, 2013 – Computers – how they have changed our lives †¦ In the academic world, teaching and learning has shifted from the manual and exhausting †¦ How computer change the world – Wiki Answers Categories †º Technology †º Computers Here is a list why computers have changed the world: †¦. Software used on computers has also changed and they now provide many more facilities which can be †¦ How has computers changed society – Wiki Answers wiki.answers.com †º †¦ †º Categories †º Technology †º Computers Computers have changed society in an infinite number of ways. What used to take †¦ In a sense, the world has become a smaller place because of the computer. How Computers Changed the World – Buzzle Jun 22, 2011 – Fire is known to be man’s first invention. But, little did he know then, that this effort was going to change his world so drastically. Since then †¦ How Apple computers changed the world forever – Catholic †¦ Many share Lun’s opinion that Apple computers’ success was solely the work of Apple’s chief executive officer, Steve Jobs, who has recently announced his †¦ Searches related to how did the computer changed the world

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Beta Blocker in Case of Heart Failure Essay

Introduction : Beta-blockers, also known as beta antagonists, beta-adrenergic blocking agents, or beta-adrenergic antagonists, are drugs that are prescribed to treat several different types of conditions, including hypertension (high blood pressure), angina, some abnormal heart rhythms, heart attack (myocardial infarction), anxiety, migraine, glaucoma, and overactive thyroid symptoms. Beta-blockers block the action of the sympathetic nervous system of the heart, thus reducing stress on the heart. The sympathetic nervous system activates the â€Å"fight or flight† response. It is part of the autonomic nervous system. Beta-blockers block beta-adrenergic substances, such as apinephrine (adrenaline) in the autonomic nervous system (involuntary nervous system). They slow down the heart beat, decrease the force of the contractions of the heart muscles, and reduce blood vessel contraction in the heart, brain, as well as the rest of the body. Generic Names:| Carvedilol / Metoprolol / Atenolol / Bisprolol / Propranolol / Timolol| Brand Names:| Coreg / Lopressor, Toprol XL / Tenormin / Zebeta / Inderal / Blocadren| How it is given:| Oral (tablet or capsule), intravenous (IV)| Indications : Doctors may prescribe beta-blockers for patients with tachycardias (rapid heart rates). They help patients with angina by lowering the amount of oxygen the heart muscles require. Angina pectoris occurs when the heart requires more oxygen than it is getting. Beta-blockers can help hypertensive patients because their effects on blood vessels lower blood pressure. Patients with hereditary tremors as well as those who suffer from migraines may benefit from taking beta-blockers. In other words, beta-blockers are known as beta- adrenoreceptor blocking agents and are used to treat: Commonly * Angina * Heart failure * High blood pressure (hypertension) * Irregular heart beat (atrial fibrillation) * Myocardial infarction (heart attack)   less commonly * Prevention of migraine * Thyrotoxicosis (overactive thyroid) * Anxiety * Tremor * Glaucoma (as eye drops) ————————————————- The first clinically useful beta adrenergic receptor antagonist was called Propranolol. It was invented by Sir James W. Black (born 1924), a Scottish doctor and pharmacologist. Sir James also synthesized Cimetidine (for the treatment of heartburn and peptic ulcers) and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1988. Propranolol revolutionized the medical management of angina pectoris – it is considered as one of the major contributions to clinical medicine and pharmacology of the 20th century. Mechanism of work : The use of beta blockers in heart failure is primarily associated with the medication’s effect on heart rate. The medication, by way of the sympathetic nervous system, decreases the patient’s heart rate, preventing the heart from having to work harder because of the condition. This effect was not considered desirable for heart failure patients when the medication was first studied, however. A lowered heart rate has the risk of worsening heart failure symptoms, but as research continued, beta blockers proved to have benefits that outweighed this risk. The exact etiology of the case of heart failure is of importance when a doctor is deciding whether to use beta blockers. A case that is present because of impaired ventricular filling, in contrast to a case caused by impaired ventricular emptying, seems to respond better to beta blockers in heart failure. In addition to their sympathetic action on heart muscle, beta blockers in heart failure influence the kidney’s renin/angiotensin system. Beta blocking medications cause the secretion of the hormone, renin, to decrease. As renin decreases, a cascade of events transpires that decrease the heart’s demand for oxygen. The cascade lowers extracellular fluid volume and increases the blood’s ability to hold and carry oxygen to body tissues. Beta blocker treatment can be supplemented, and is supplemented in most cases, with diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors that enhance this effect. Patients who have significant dyspnea — shortness of breath — while they remain at rest are among those who may not be candidates for treatment with beta blockers. Having severe dyspnea can increase the risks that are associated with beta blocker treatment. Some patients are considered hemodynamically unstable if their blood does not carry oxygen well, even under normal circumstances; these patients may not be good candidates for treatment either. Heart problems – for a patient with heart problems beta-blockers can reduce the workload for the heart; so that it does not have to work so hard to supply all parts of the body with oxygen-rich blood. For people with angina, heart failure, or after a heart attack, reducing the heart’s workload is crucial. Drugs Used in case of Heart Failure : * Propranolol * Metoprolol tartrate (Lopressor) and metoprolol succinate (Toprol XL)| * | * Carvedilol (Coreg)| * | * Bucindolol (Bextra)| * | * Bisoprolol (Zebeta)| * | Side Effects : The most common side effects are: * Cold feet * Cold hands * Diarrhea * Fatigue * Nausea * Very slow heartbeat The following less common side effects are also possible: * Sleeping difficulties and disturbances * Bad dreams (nightmares) * Erectile dysfunction (male inability to achieve or sustain an erection during sex) References : Myo clinic www.Hearthealthywomen.com http://www.wisegeek.com

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Man of Destiny

The story under the title â€Å"The Fun They Had† was written by a highly prolific American writer, one of the three grand masters of science fiction – Isaac Asimov. The theme is probably â€Å"the influence of technology on the process of teaching. † The story is kind of utopian story, but from the perspective of the children who are the main characters of the story, it is a dystopia, since they thought there was so much more fun back in the days when there were classrooms†¦ but the whole story circles around the theme of technology and how children in this version of the future and how children today interact with that.The key in this text is lyrical, and the narration here is interwinding with the direct speech and the dialogues. To prove that the mood is lyrical let’s look at the descriptions of one of the main character’s feelings related to her mechanical teacher. The author uses colloquial speech and jargonized words, such as â€Å"gee, I guess, I betchaâ€Å" here, to show us that these children are rather ordinary, and looks similar as the children of our age. The text could be divided into three logical parts. The first part of the story begins with the description of two kids who found a real book.It was a little discovery, the girl â€Å"even wrote about it that night in her diary† It should be noted that all the events of the story take place in the future, in the year 2155, that's why a mere book from the past seems quite an interesting object for exploration. And, our heroes, Tommy (13) with Margie (11) read the book, thinking of those who used it many centuries ago. The author uses in this story such feature as pointing out the words by using the italic font. He emphasizes the words, to make us feel deeper and pay extra attention to the very phrase. Margie's grandfather once said that when he was a little boy  his  grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on pap er† as we read this â€Å"the†, we understand that from the point of view of these children it was very-very long ago. From the dialogue of the children we see that they relationship is a friendship. Of course, the author could not avoid from inventing new terms, such as â€Å"telebook†. The second part begins with the picture of the teaching process in the far 2157.From the very beginning of the part, we see the Margie’s feelings to the schooling process. Her attitude to the mechanical teacher leaves much to be desired. Reading the story we come across the problem, tackled by the author. It is a low knowledge level of children, and their uneagerness to study. To prove it we should mention the fact when the County Inspector slowed up Margie's mechanical teacher to an average ten-year level. The girl was 11, but she couldn't or didn't want to cover her own age level, â€Å"she had been doing worse and worse†.And how strong was her hatred towards scho ol! She hoped her teacher wouldn't be back, that â€Å"large and black and ugly† teacher! â€Å"The part she hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers. † – This sentence indicates at her being a usual girl with a usual nature, while this is the exact thing commonly disliked at schools. The third part of the text is the speculation of these children about the teaching process â€Å"Centuries ago†. They argue whether the live teacher better than the mechanical one, or not; could the living one be smarter than the machine etc.The narrator lets us see the criticism of this young girl, she could not believe that the human can teach as good as the machine. The key in this part is rather emotional, we can see this in the dialogue of our story-heroes. The author uses such colloquies as â€Å"sure  he is, I betcha†; and again points out the admiration of Tom – â€Å"a regular teacher† This story, written by I. Asi mov makes the reader to think about the teaching process nowadays. If we remember that it was written in the middle of the 20th century, we can say that the details in this story are well chosen.I think that it has a certain purpose – to warn the reader about the possible future problems, because the era of Internet and wide spread of the computers has certain impact on our generation. Of course the mechanical, or computer teachers is the ideal solution for breeding the very clever people, the caste of self-made people, but from the other point of view, these people wouldn’t be so social, and would expect certain problems in communication with other â€Å"ordinary† people. So, it is for us to decide, which way of education is better.

Friday, September 27, 2019

The advent of new technologies that can treat hearing loss will Essay

The advent of new technologies that can treat hearing loss will ultimately eradicate Deaf culture - Essay Example tanding of speech thereby leading to decline in the perception of deafness as a culture and enhancing the possibility of the eventual eradication of deaf culture in the near future. This is particularly evidenced by current drastically reducing cases of deafness and enrollment in sign language schools. One of the major reasons why deaf culture is currently at risk of eradication by the introduction of new technologies that treat hearing loss is that a number of the deaf people are born of parents who are not deaf. Such parents have in certain situations shown excitement about the advancement in technology as witnessed in the cochlear implants. In most cases, the parents have the belief that the adoption of the implantations is a way to integrate the deaf into the hearing world. Often times, the parents realize the hearing impairments whilst the child is around 2 years, and this finds when they have started developing stronger emotional bonds plus a caring relationship with the child. Consequently, the parent of the deaf child will be fast in soliciting for help from the relevant professionals upon realizing the deaf state. A parent who resorts to cochlear implants then succeeds in integrating his child into the hearing community might lure other parents and this will in the end er adicate the deaf culture. On the other hand, since deafness and loss of hearing are the main criterion for membership into a deaf culture, the eradication of deafness will ultimately erode the culture of deafness of its members thereby ultimately leading to its eventual eradication. This is particularly because it is everyone’s wish to transform individuals from the deaf community to make them form part of the hearing population. If the deaf are made to go through such a transformation, they are less likely to uphold the practices that pertain to the deaf culture, and such a situation is likely to render the deaf culture eroded. In addition, some professionals have attributed their

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Fashion and consumer science Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words - 2

Fashion and consumer science - Term Paper Example The essay "Fashion and consumer science" discovers the consumerism and fashion. The research question would be primarily based on the present consumer perception of the fashion counterfeit industry and the factors influencing their purchase decisions. The research objective would seek to present the benefits which the research would result in. The literature review would throw insight into the global trends in the sector and its implications on society. This is complemented by exploring the impacts of the business in the job market. The research would then conduct a hypothesis testing for the project. The research methodology chosen for the purpose would include both qualitative and quantitative methods. The several contributions that the dissertation would contribute to the literature would be presented as managerial and theoretical contributions or implications. Finally the major learning points from the research would be presented in the project. The project brings forth a compreh ensive view of the counterfeit fashion industry and the menace that it creates across the world. This is not a problem which is limited to few product and product categories, rather it has emerged a global phenomena affecting numerous industries. It can also have devastating effects on the society and its people. The report presents the menacing effects that this phenomenon has on society, the factors influencing the same and the means that may be adopted by the genuine fashion brands for protecting it. The clandestine nature of the activity makes it hard to obtain any accurate statistics on the same. However, copyright industries in USA have claimed that this sector remain subjected to huge losses. Counterfeit clothing and other items in the fashion world have predominantly prevalent in Europe. The most common technique of counterfeiting is by importing clothing and then attaching labels in one of the states which is followed by releasing the product for sales in some other state. The process gains from the goods freely moving across the borders. Most nations have demonstrated transactions in the sector and some of them have even evolved notorious in the field of production and exporting of fake products. Information provided by the European Union and United States have shown insight into the extent of such transactions and their impacts on society (Vithlani, 1997, p.4). Research Questions Since the project seeks to explore the factors influencing consumer’s behavior towards buying counterfeit fashion products, the research question has been developed based on the above idea. Even after having complete knowledge of the counterfeit fashion business, consumers are tempted towards buying the products. Moreover, such behavior of consumers also influences his preference for buying luxury brands. The project tries to explore both of the above aspects of consumer behavior. The research questions are as follows: Why consumers purchase the counterfeit fashion p roducts even after having knowledge of the same? When and how do counterfeits influence the genuine item consumers’ preference for luxury brands? Research Objectives This research would demonstrate that consumers’

The necessary analysis to decide whether to invest in Target Case Study

The necessary analysis to decide whether to invest in Target - Case Study Example Target Plc is not a new name in the retail, food and ingredients industry and is considered analogous to quality and premium branding. The company is a diversified conglomerate having five major strategic segments which are sugar, agriculture, retail, grocery and ingredients. As per the latest financial statements of the company for the annual year 2012, the company is operating in almost all of the major cities of the United States. The vision and mission statement of the company is to achieve strong leadership in the course of business which is sustainable and long lasting. The company always strives to provide quality products to the individuals and other consumers and to become a necessary brand in the people’s day to day active life. Financial Highlight [Annual report Target, 2012 , Pg2] As apparent form the above financial highlight, the company presents a strong financial outlook and appears to be a lucrative company for the investors to invest in. The company has vario us revenue centers through which the company generates most of its revenues. During the financial year 2012, the highest earning revenue center for the company was heath, beauty and households which constituted about 25% of the total revenue of the company. Evaluation of American Retail Market The growth in the American retail market for the financial year 2012 saw an escalation as compared to the previous financial years. During every quarter of the financial year, the retail industry in USA experienced a growth of 1%. The analysts are of the view that this particular growth in the industry is a definite positive sign if it is compared to the last two financial years. The retailing conditions in the past two years remained quite adverse for the companies but now the situation appears fruitful and lucrative for the companies. A Comparison of financial year 2012 with the financial year of 2011 presents that fact that the volume of sales in the retail industry in USA increased by 2.7 percent. Changes in reported retail sales between August 2011 and August 2012 standard reporting periods (by size of business)       Pre-dominantly food Non-specialized pre-dominantly non-food Textile, clothing and footwear House-hold goods Other non-food Non-store retailing Pre-dominantly automotive fuel Total All Retailing including automotive fuel                               increase 107 32 138 72 375 64 23 811 All decrease 97 33 104 77 306 46 50 713    Total 204 65 242 149 681 110 73 1524                               Large increase 66 32 110 42 158 30 n.a. 438 decrease 56 33 73 47 107 19 n.a. 335    Total 122 65 183 89 265 49 n.a. 773 Small increase 41 n.a. 28 30 217 34 23 373 and decrease 41 n.a. 31 30 199 27 50 378 medium Total 82 n.a. 59 60 416 61 73 751 [Ons.gov (1999) Retail Sales: August, 2012] With respect to the sports merchandise business, there were certain hardships that were faced by the retailer. During the year 201 2, costs of both cotton and fuel increased, particularly of fuel which resulted in an escalation in the manufacturing cost of the merchandise. Target has in place an import team which constantly monitors the fluctuation in prices of cotton. For the purpose of reducing the cost of fuel, the retailers are now acquiring the help from the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Pediatric Development Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pediatric Development - Case Study Example Followed are my observations for the study case. At age of 4, child usually have decreased pulse and respiration rate, average weight of 16.7 kg and height of 103 cm. They trends to become independent, selfish and impatient. They are very aggressive physically and verbally. They take Do and Don'ts significantly and frustrate out on parents and siblings. My child knows own sex, age, and last name. As per information of her caregiver at daycare she can use toilet independently and reliably. She can wash and dry hands unassisted. I tried telling her stories. She listened it but with little distraction. Although she plays with other children, she prefers to play alone. Playing in group needs understanding. She is very good at sharing and understands taking turns with any assistance. She love engaging in dramatic and pretend play, especially dressing up. This shows that: About drawing, E. N. copies circles and crosses without difficulty and matched up to 6 colors while naming them. She counts till 10. She spreads peanut butter with knife really good and carefully. She can unbutton larger buttons easily, but buttoning up takes some time. She drew head with facial features, no years though, but added a body and extremities in a "stick mode". This shows that: After established walking, running, climbing, jumping by age of 2 child start riding cycle, taking broad jump, walking on tiptoe at age of 3. At age of 4 children can skip and hop on one foot adeptly, catch and throw ball faithfully.While trying to walk on a line E. N mostly ended up on one side or another of the line. Yet she can Balance and hop on 1 foot without difficulty. I used yarn of approx. 6 feet high, the child jumped with no problem landing on both feet. She tried to throw and catch the ball to her friend in front of me; she threw with direction, but could not catch when it was thrown back to her. Thus: She is reliable in hoping and balancing on one foot and jumping from height. She needs development in calculating relation between direction and speed so as to catch ball with specific speed and direction. Language Language becomes advanced during preschool years. Speech, vocabulary and comprehension are mostly influence by environment and cognitive ability. Child of age 4 can use sentence of four or five words. They have vocabulary of 1500 words or more. They questions more then ever, can tell exaggerated stories, sing simple songs and poems, tell names of different colors. They even can perceive up to four prepositional phrases such as "under", "on top of", "beside"

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Current Health Care Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Current Health Care Situation - Essay Example This applies to all nations with America not left out of the list. The system of healthcare provision to the American people is a problem, which was replicated over past generations of the American history and requires the attention of the involved parties. The United States healthcare system is broken down and no one has the idea of how to fix it. Although the country is an economic giant and a superpower, the situation in the health sector is wanting. A fortunate portion of the American population has insurance cover mostly from their employment that covers their healthcare related costs (Liberty, 2012). However, most of the American people are not lucky enough to have healthcare coverage and as a result, they tend to suffer as they lack the essential access to the services. It is this situation that created questions such as â€Å"why do we keep using the health care system if it does not work?† â€Å"Do we need a universal health care system to act as a single payer and c over the American people in their attempts to get health care services?† These concerns facilitated the drafting of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) a United States federal statue that was signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President Barrack Obama. The act commonly referred to as Obamacare or the Affordable care Act (ACA) is the most significant overhaul of the regulations of the system of healthcare of the country since the Medicaid passing in 1965.the ACA established minimum standards in the policies of health insurance (Pipes, 2013). The guaranteed issue in the act the denial of coverage to individuals by insurers based on pre-existing conditions. This means all applicants with the same age and in the same geographical location offer the same insurance premium prices. The act mandates every individual without insurance cover that is from the employer, public or Medicaid sponsored to secure a private-insurance cover unless the individual is in financi al constraints or is a member of a religious denomination that is recognized and does believe in insurance covers. Failure to comply makes a person liable to a fine. Health insurance exchanges that will serve as an online marketplace for small businesses and individuals to compare and buy policies should commence operations in every state according to the act. The exchanges will provide subsidies on a sliding scale from the federal government for families and individuals with low-incomes ranging from 100% to 400% of poverty level created by the federal government (Liberty, 2012). The act also expanded the eligibility for Medicaid to individuals and families with incomes going up to 133% of the federal poverty level with the inclusion of a 5% income disregard. The employer mandate subjects employers who do not provide health care insurance to at least 50 employees to a tax penalty if there are provisions of subsidies in health care for full-time employees through tax deductions by th e government. The reforms in the system of Medicare payment aim at promoting efficiency in the delivery system of health care through restructuring reimbursements of Medicare to bundled payments and not fee-to-service (Pipes, 2013). It seeks to provide access to Americans to affordable health insurance of high quality while reducing the ever-growing health care bill of the American

Monday, September 23, 2019

Strategic HR Mgmt - Article Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic HR Mgmt - Article Summary - Essay Example Thus to harness this possible collapse of one’s organization, HR specialists have advised against the use of conventional strategies. Instead they have recommended a number of avant-garde approaches, namely, open communication systems, flexibility, new compensation packages and ‘more interesting work, for the older workers. Consequently, in order to maintain and attract the ‘best’ employers would be wise to utilize these recommendations of the HR specialists and change their modus operandi. Hence, organizations may turn their entire company around by ensuring that there is always an open door for these aging workers to relate to their managers. The managers therefore must keep abreast of the requirements of these workers by having continual discussions with them. Another HR strategy is the necessity of flexibility in this modern work environment. Flexibility in terms of duration of work, allotted time/days for work, place of work, compensation packages and the like are extremely important in the life of the aging worker. As a result managers must take these factors into account when developing their HR plans. ‘Phased retirement’ which refers to a gradual process rather than an abrupt end of employment is a new concept that will begin to play a major role in the HR life of an organization. A third strategy is that of empowering the ‘baby boomers’ in the workplace. Employees feel empowered when they have a sense of autonomy in their job function. Further, these employees are motivated to remain with the company that demonstrates the importance of the workers’ role to the overall functioning of the organization. What is more, aging workers want a chance to ‘learn new things.’ Thus, an organization can incorporate training in their daily program to accommodate the needs of their workers. Finally, a high

Sunday, September 22, 2019

A glimpse of Big Data Essay Example for Free

A glimpse of Big Data Essay â€Å"Big data is not a precise term; rather its a characterization of the never ending accumulation of all kinds of data, most of it unstructured. It describes data sets that are growing exponentially and that are too large, too raw or too unstructured for analysis using relational database techniques. Whether terabytes or petabytes, the precise amount is less the issue than where the data ends up and how it is used.†Cite from EMC’s report â€Å"Big data: Big opportunity to create business value†. When explosion happened in mobile network, cloud computing and internet technology, more and more different information appeared. In the past, the numerous terabyte data could be a disaster for any company, because it means high cost of storage and high performance CPU. However, in nowadays, companies discovered many facts they haven’t thought about these data before. Companies started to use data analytics technology to find business values from these terabyte or petabyte data. It seems to be a big opportunity instead of disaster for companies now. Data is not only defined as structured data. When we talking about big data, it could be categorized into three types of data: structured data, unstructured data, and semistructured data (Please see Chart I). Especially when internet and mobile internet developed rapidly, the unstructured data and semistructured data exploded. For example, a bank could draw a conclusion by analyze unstructured data to find out why number of churn increased. Most definitions of big data all talk about the size of data. However, size, or volume, is not the only characteristic of big data. There are other two characteristics, variety and velocity. Variety means big data generates from several of sources. Data type was no longer connected to structured data. According to the EMC’s report, most of big data related to unstructured data. Velocity means the speed of data production. Data was no long structured data which was stored in the structured database. Data could come from anywhere and anytime: mobile, censors, devices, manufacturing machine etc. The stream of data generates in real time. This means company’s action should be taken with this speed. Structured data| Structured data is organized in structure. These data can be read and stored by computer. The form of structured data is structured data base that store specific data by methodology of columns and rows. | Unstructured data| Unstructured data refers to the data without identified structure. For example, video, audio, picture, text and so on. These data also called loosely structured data. | Semistructured data| Semistructured data organized in semantic entities. The data’s size and type in one group could be different. For example, XML and RSS feeds. This data try to reconcile the real world with computer based database.| Chart I. Three types of data. Big data analytics Big data analytics is not a technique. It is a terms that contains a lot of technologies (See EXHIBITION I). Based on enterprise’s different requirement, each program will use different technology to analyze data. However, with the big data’s development, some of these techniques become popular and useful. On the basis of the exhibition II, advanced analytics, visualization, real time, in-memory databases and unstructured data have strong-to-moderate commitment and strong potential growth. The traditional techniques, for example, OLAP tools and hand-coded SQL, have gradually lost their place. When a bank want to find the reason why the number of customer churn increased, or marketing department decide to push precise advertisement to their customer, they need to analyze customer behavior. These data from customer service emails, phone call records, sales interview reports, login data from mobile devices, and so on. Almost all of these data cannot be analyzed by traditional data analytic techniques. That’s why these new techniques development so rapid and fierce. How a company adopt big data analytics? According to the article Big Data, Analytics and the Path from Insights to Value† published on MIT Sloan Management Review, the author categorized the company who used big data analytics into three stages (See Exhibition II). For most companies, it is easy to establish an enterprise data warehouses (EDW’s). However, how to interpret these data and finding the business value from these data become the most crucial factor for companies. Besides, so many techniques and tools behind the term big data. For any company who decide to adopt big data analytics, the leading obstacle is lacking of understanding of how to use analytics to improve their business. From the article, the author gave 5 recommendation to any company who wanted to adopt big data analytics. 1. Think Big. Focus on the biggest and highest value opportunities. Narrow down the options. 2. Start in the Middle. Within each opportunity, start with questions, not data. Company prefer to collect data and information at first place. In fact, start with questions could help company continue to narrow down the scope and define the most valuable direction. 3. Make analytics come alive. When Problem was defined, company need to apply analytics. Choosing the propriety tools to analyze the data. 4. Add, dong detract. Use centralized analytics. Every analysis is connected. 5. Build the parts, plan the whole. Big data from everywhere. The data will become more and more big and complex. Building the data infrastructure is crucial for big data analytics. Big Data, Big Opportunity When company decide to concern big data, it means every department are involved. Big data is not IT department’s or analysts’ responsibility. In fact, big data analytics need information and help from sales, marketing, RD, IT and even external sources. Today, number of companies have entered into big data market. The following chart lists some big organizations who have adopted big data analytics. Besides, some of them provide big data services to other companies These organizations are just the tip of the iceberg. When big data converted from Blue Ocean to Red Ocean, some of these organizations have turned into services provider. This become a future trend in big data area. Big data needs expensive hardware and labor cost. Not every company can afford that. Besides, big data involved so many different computer technologies, not everyone understood all these techniques. For that matter, there will be more and more companies try to seek big data service from external environment. Using the external big data platform or tools could reduce the cost for building a totally new technique teams. What the companies need to do is finding the problem, narrow down the scope and sending the needs to services provider. When they get the analysis result, they could use the valued result to take the next action. Furthermore, these services provider will not only focus on big companies. The new fashion is to provide friendly interface and easy to use product to individual customer. What behind big data will be still mystery for people, however, the face or terminal of big data will become more and more friendly and simple. There is an example: Twithink. Twithink is a program invented by a MIT group. They provide customized twitter behavior analysis for customer. This program could draw some conclusion by analysis the unstructured information on Twitter. They collected the gender, location, time, key words, images, etc. from tweets. Then they analysis these data under certain arithmetic to draw conclusions. The last research was the Election in 2012. The latest research is Gun Control discussion which still in progress. Problem and threats. Although big data has many opportunity and advantage for enterprises, it still has some disadvantages. The first crucial problem is privacy invasion. After you searched one product on Amazon, the next time when you login to Amazon, you will find the products you may interested which was Amazon pushed to you. This is called precise advertisement. However, you even didn’t know when amazon collected your information. Another example was Google Analyst, company embedded code into their website to collect people’s internet behavior. These things happened every day and everywhere. It is hard to argue this action is right or wrong. Maybe some are good. However, if personal data is sold or published by someone, it will affect individual’s daily life. It will become a crucial problem. The Second problem is information’s validity. According to the article â€Å"With big data comes big responsibilities† points out that â€Å"big data sets are never complete†. If data is insufficient, the analysis result would be invalid or distorted. The invalid information would guide company to wrong direction and cause a big loss. Thus, big data also has two side. How to use it to create more value for company is the first consideration for all managers. Reference 1. Office 2013 Brings BI, Big Data to Windows 8 Tablets. ZDNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. 2. Big Recognition for IBM Big Data. Smarter Computing Blog Big Recognition for IBM Big Data Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. 3. Big Data. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Jan. 2013. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 4. Structured Data. Webopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 5. Unstructured Data. Webopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 6. Group of EMC. Big Data: Big Opportunities to Create Business Value. Rep. EMC, n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 7. Philip Russom. Big Data Analytics. N.p.: TDWI, 2011. Print. 8. Lavalle, Steve. Big Data, Analytics and the Path from Insights to Value. MIT Sloan Management Review Winter 2011: 21-31. Web. 9. Ã¥ ¤ §Ã¦â€¢ °Ã¦  ®Ã¥ · ²Ã¦Ë† Ã§ º ¢Ã¦ µ ·Ã¯ ¼Å¸Ã¯ ¼ Ã¥â€¦ ¨Ã§ Æ'Ã¥  Ã¥â€ºâ€ºÃ¤ ¸ ªÃ¥ ¤ §Ã¦â€¢ °Ã¦  ®Ã¥â€¦ ¬Ã¥  ¸Ã¥â€¦ ¨Ã©  ¢Ã§â€ºËœÃ§â€š ¹Ã¯ ¼ . N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 10. IBM InfoSphere Platform Big Data, Information Integration, Data Warehousing, Ma ster Data Management, Lifecycle Management Data Security. IBM InfoSphere Platform Big Data, Information Integration, Data Warehousing, Master Data Management, Lifecycle Management Data Security. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 11. Amazon Web Services, Cloud Computing: Compute, Storage, Database. Amazon Web Services, Cloud Computing: Compute, Storage, Database. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 12. Oracle Big Data Appliance. Oracle Big Data Appliance. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 13. Google BigQuery Feedback on This Document. Google BigQuery. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 14. EMC Greenplum Data Computing Appliance Data Warehousing, Data Analytics (FW).EMC Greenplum Data Computing Appliance Data Warehousing, Data Analytics (FW). N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 15. Teradata. Data Appliance, Data Warehouse, Business Intelligence à ¢Ã‚€Â“. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 16. Twithinks. TwiThinks. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. 17. Eria Naone. With Big Data Comes Big Responsibilities. N.p.: MIT Technology Review, n.d. 2011.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Content-based Image Retrieval With Ant Colony Optimization

Content-based Image Retrieval With Ant Colony Optimization Content-based image retrieval with skin tones and shapes using Ant colony optimization Introduction: Due to the enormous pool of image data, a plenty of data to be sort out has lead the way for analyzing and dig up the data to acquire likely worthwhile information. Heterogeneous fields cover from commercial to military desire to inspect data in a systematic and quick manner. Outstandingly in the area of interactive media, images have the stronghold. There is no sufficient tools are available for examination of images. One of the points at issue is the effective pinpointing of features in the likeness and the other one is extracting them. NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF RESEACH PROBLEM Current techniques in image retrieval and classification concentrate on content-based techniques. It seek survey the contents of the image rather than thedata about datasuch as keywords, label or properties corresponding with the image. The term content refer to shades, appearance, textures, or any other particulars that can be obtained from the image itself. CBIR with skin tones is advisable because most net-based image search engines rely purely on metadata and this turn out a lot of waste in the results.Thus a system that can sifter images rest on their content with additional property i.e., skin tone would serve better list and return more specific outcomes. Various systems like the QBIC, Retrieval Ware and Photo Book etc., have a variety of attributes, still used in distinct discipline. The color features integrated with shape for classification, the color and texture for retrieval. There is no single feature which is ample; and, moreover, a single representation of characterist ics is also not enough. Sonith et al.[1996] describes a fully automated content – based image query systems. Ioloni et al. [1998] describes image retrieval by color semantics with incomplete knowledge. Mori et al. [1999] have applied dynamic programming technique for function approximated shape representation. Chang et al. [2001] describes information driven framework for image. Mira et al. [2002] describes fact content based image retrieval using Qusi – Gabir filler Vincent et al. [2007] have developed a fully automated content based image query system. Heraw et al. [2008] describes image retrieval will an enhanced multi modeling ontology. Taba et al. [2009] have used mining association rules for the feature matrin. OBJECTIVES Moreover, speed changes in industry and databases influencing our view and understanding of the problem over time and demanding alter in problem decoding approach. Consequently, further research is required in this field to develop algorithms for pick out images with skin tone and shapes, able to cope with ongoing technological changes. Investigation of effective images with skin tone and shapes based on pixel algorithms Extracting them based on optimization algorithms. Developing computational algorithms in extracting the images. The main objective is to study the Image Identification and Optimistic method of Image Extraction for Image Mining using Ant colony optimization .ACO, good solutions to a given optimization problem. To achieve this main objective, the goals are formulated as follows: To Study the Image Mining Techniques. To Explore the Approaches used in Selecting the Images To Explore the Extracting of the Features. To apply the powerful Techniques. To Analyze the Experimental Results. To Study the Optimization Techniques. To bring down calculation and taking out time. Work Plan: I will begin my research work by investigating different methodologies available in the literature and measure their applicability in different perspectives for common benefit. After that, I prefer to limit my research interest down from general to even more specific under the guidance of designated supervisor in the course so that it fits into university doctoral program curriculum. The research tasks are grouped year wise as follows. Year-1: Literature survey on various methods to get an idea of pattern matching, shapes and classification. Implementation of algorithms in order to gauge their applicability and scalability. Mathematical modelling of Ant colony Optimization considering new objectives and constraints existing in Image processing. Submission of a paper to a major conference Develop a detailed research proposal and give oral defense to get full registration of the course Year-2 Continue and refine the mathematical model to make the problem more actual Develop single objective optimization algorithms for effective extraction of Images. Start to develop multi objective optimization algorithms for extraction by considering large scale optimization and classification Submission of two papers to international conference and journals Year-3: Implementation of developed algorithms for analysis of images and optimization problems Submission of a paper to a major journal Completing a thesis based on the PhD project Taking part in active research groups. Publication of research work. REFFERENCES Beyer K et al. [1999]: Bottom-Up computation of sparse and Iceberg CUBEs. ACM SIGMOD. Carter R et al.[1983]: CIELUV color difference equations for self-luminoudisplays. Color Res. Appl., 8(4), 252–553. Chang SF et al. [1995]: Extracting multi-dimensional signal features for content-based visual query. SPIE Symposium on Visual Communications and Signal Processing. idoni J et al. [1998]: Image retrieval by color semantics with incomplete knowledge. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 49(3), 267-282. evich V et al. [2008]: Medical Image Mining on the Base of Descriptive Image Algebras. Cytological Specimen Case. In : Proc.of the International Conference on Health Informatics—HEALTHINF, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, 2, 66–73. Huan et al.[2008]: Image Retrieval ++ web Image Retrieval with an enhanced Multi-modality ontology . Kluwer Academic Publishers. Jaba Sheela et al. [2009]: Image mining using association rules derived from feature matrix. ACM, 440-443. Jain A [1991]: Algorithms for clustering data. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall. Jain A et al.[1996]: Image Retrieval using color and shape. Pattern Recognition, 29(8):1233-1244. James D [1993]: Content based retrieval in multimedia imaging. In : Proc. SPIE Storage and Retrieval for Image and Video Databases. Kantardzic M [2003]: Data Mining, Wiley-Interscience. MaW et al.[1997]: Tools for texture/color based search of images. SPIE International conference Human Vision and Electronic Imaging, 496-507. Mira P et al.[2002]: Fast content-based image retrieval using quasi gabor filter and reduction of image feature dimension. SSIAI, 178-182. Mori K et al.[1999]: Function approximated shape representation using dynamic programming with multi-resolution analysis. ICSPAT 99. Niblack W et al. [1994]: The QBIC project: Querying images by content using color, texture and shape. In : Proc. SPIE Storage and Retrieval for Image and Video Databases. Pentland A et al. [1996]: Content based manipulation of databases. Int. J. Comput. Vis., 18(3), 233-254. Rui Y et al. [1999]: Image retrieval: current techniques, promising directions and open issues. Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation, 10(4), 39-62. Shiaofen Fang et al. [2009]: Facial image classification of mouse embryos for the animal model study of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Proceedings of the 2009 ACM symposium on Applied Computing, 852-856. Smith J et al. [1996]: VisualSEEK: A fully automated content-based image query system. ACM Multimedia, 87-98. Vincent S et al. [2007]: Web Image Annotation by fusing visual features and textual information . SIGAPP’07,2007. Zaher Al Aghbari [2009]: Effective image mining by representing color histograms as time series. Journal of Advanced Computational Intelligence and Intelligent Informatics, 13, 109-114. Zaiane O et al.[1998]: Mining MultiMedia Data. CASCON98: Meeting of Minds, Toronto, Canada, 83-96,. Zhang Ji [2001]: An Information-driven framework for image mining. In : Proceedings of 12th International Conference on Database and Expert Systems Applications (DEXA), Munich, Germany. Zhang Ji et al. [2001]: Image Mining: issues, frameworks and techniques. In : Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Multimedia Data Mining (MDM/KDD2001), San Francisco, CA, USA.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Fashion media communication

Fashion media communication â€Å"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didnt do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.†- Mark Twain All my life I have dared to go that extra mile to achieve whatever I have wanted. Now that I have become a part of this industry I am living my dream. Fashion and Style are not mere words but an intrinsic part of todays life. Fashion according to me has limitless possibilities and infinite opportunities for the creativity in an individual. It has a wide spectrum, and still a wider scope for experimentation to express that creative urge. Today fashion has acquired global standing. Its language imbibes in itself a blend of cultures. Fashion is the great leveler, the harmonizer. Fashion is the fusion of artistic tastes, its eloquence may be simply elegant or classic. Whether one feels identified to fashion or not, being indifferent to its massive attack is inevitable. Having had the opportunity to study in one of the most prestigious fashion institutes in the country I have been able to imbibe in me the intricate nuances and skills of the fashion world. But I believe in maintaining an explorative attitude as life is a learning process hence I am keen on exploring other dimensions in this field. The various Industry visits which were a part of my curriculum during my graduation and the internship at one of the leading export houses of India aided me to interface between design and technicalities of production and understand the different arenas of the fashion industry. I also had the opportunity to promote the arts and crafts of India by undertaking projects in the cluster developments of the country. I have a flair for designing and the ability to maximize the resources in hand and the confidence and desire to make a name for myself in the field of Fashion Media and communication. The Fashion Design degree from the National Institute of Fashion Technology has instilled in me high levels of creative awareness. An accentuated penchant for excellence gives me the required patience, which is a prerequisite in the field. I do not get bogged down by deadlines; rather I keenly look forward to meet them. Designing and production are certainly not the end of the design process, with promotion of the fashion products being an equally important part which depends mainly upon the creative use of the diverse media involving communication techniques. My bachelors education in Design has endowed me with lasting inputs in areas like Design Process, Fashion forecasting, Product development, Graphic Design, Styling, Fashion management and branding which I believe will help me to further strengthen my abilities and develop in me the art and acumen to carve a niche for my self in the field of Fashion Media and use the appropriate tools to market fashion as the product of artistic creativity. I desire to become a student at your highly acclaimed institute to polish my skills which I inculcated during my graduation through perseverance and dedication and   focus on the core concept of fashion as an inherent part of our society with the objective of making people aware of the importance of fashion as a way of life. I see HE Diploma (Fashion Media and Communication) offered at the London College of Fashion as a means for enabling me the high expertise and skills required in this field. But most importantly, I see it as a means of evolving my own personality and outlook about the fashion world and directing my energy and knowledge towards the efficient and meaningful culmination of my career objectives.Through this course I would want to focus and develop in me the ability to be part of Fashion Media, and use the appropriate tools to project and market fashion as the right mix of artistic creativity and business. I believe in expression and I have chosen fashion as my medium of self expression and would like to use fashion media and communication as a platform to realize my dreams. I strive to be the best, trained by none other than the best. As Archimedes once said â€Å"Give me a firm place to stand, and I will move the earth†.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Creating a Robot Pet Dog Essay example -- Robotics

Missing Figures Abstract The objective of this project is to build a robotic dog that performs tricks that are determined by the number of times it is petted. The robotic dog would be a perfect toy and friend for a child, especially an only child. It would not require training, since the tricks would already be programmed into the robot. Although the idea of the robot seems simple, the actual construction of this robot is extremely difficult and takes up a lot of time. Three different models of the body structure were constructed until a fully functioning robot was finally discovered. Background/Purpose About 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, human beings had developed signs of relationships with wolves, which are believed to be the ancestors of the modern housedog. The wolves were social animals that traveled in packs that they were willing to defend with their lives. Social ranks existed in these wolf packs, in which all the wolves would submit to one leader. This submission made it easy for humans to raise wolves for beneficial reasons because the wolves allowed the recognition of humans as their leaders. As a result, humans lived in harmony with the human-raised wolf companions, utilizing the wolves for hunting, rounding up their flocks, and protecting them when intruders were a threat. After a long period of time, the wolves gradually evolved into the typical household dogs of today. A household dog would be a perfect companion for an only child of modern times, especially since less people want to have children and since some only want to have one child. An only child with no siblings would sometimes feel lonely or bored and would then resort to begging their parents for dogs. The dog could potentially be ... ...ite a difficult task. Robot construction can sometimes be more difficult than programming itself. As a result, it takes a lot of time to actually construct and program a fully functioning robot. If given more time, I believe I would be able to successfully complete this robotic dog. If I could change anything in the project, I would change the amount of time I am given to complete the project. I would also try to ask for help earlier, since I have no experience with designing my own robots. It would have also been nice if I had chosen an easier robot to make. Reference 1. Animal Freedom. The History of Dogs. Retrieved July 1, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.animalfreedom.org/english/opinion/pets/history_of_the_dog.html 2. DogQuotes.com. History of Dogs. Retrieved July 1, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.dogquotes.com/historyofdogs.htm

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Riordan Manufacturing MRP Evaluation Project Essay -- Information Syst

Overview Scope of the Project Riordan Manufacturing can continue to expand by reducing the inventory cost of raw materials and finished goods. Riordan currently has a legacy MRP Information System (IS) in place, and this project provides an excellent opportunity to upgrade the infrastructure to allow for a more cost-efficient way to track inventory. Goals of the Project Riordan would like to develop or acquire an MRP system that will track and manage raw materials and finished product inventory across all plants to help ensure reduced inventory costs throughout the entire company. Business Objectives The exploratory committee has identified the following as the Business Objectives for this project: • Accurately track and manage raw materials and finished goods • Reduce inventory cost of raw materials and finished goods • Improve MRP infrastructure Measures of Success The following tasks will be performed to measure the success of the project at six (6) months and one (1) year: • An inventory analysis validating the accuracy of tracked inventory • A cost analysis comparing the cost of inventory management to previous reports • Hire an IS analysis firm to analyze the new Riordan MRP system's efficiency Statement of Scope, Objectives, and Constraints Current Needs Riordan Manufacturing needs to reduce the inventory cost of raw materials and finished goods. To reduce these costs, Riordan would like to develop or acquire an MRP system that can accurately track and manage raw materials and finished product inventory across all plants. Objective I am investigating the feasibility of developing or acquiring an MRP/MRPII information system to ensure that Riordan can accurately track and manage raw materials and ... ...w for better tracking of goods, which prevents lost materials. This, in turn, will allow Riordan to reduce the cost of inventory and allow us to gain sales with lower customer prices. The third objective is to improve the MRP infrastructure. Removing the legacy equipment and slow data lines will allow much more inventory to be processed. This will increase productivity throughout all of the plants. Conclusion Riordan Manufacturing will more than recover the expenditures of this IT project within two years of the upgrade. Riordan will experience an increase in sales and a decrease in inventory loss due to accurate and low-cost inventory management. On-going costs will be minimized with an internal IT department handling support and maintenance of the new system. All of the project's objectives have been met, and Riordan's expectations have been fulfilled.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Emission Testing Essay

With this paper I hope to gain a better understanding of emission pollution and the emission testing process. With my research and my visit to the local Clean Air Car Check site, I have compiled information that will prove valuable. I will define emission pollution and the major contributors. I will answer the why we have to emission test. I will also take you through the testing process. My overall goal of this paper is to ascertain whether or not emission testing is an effective way to reduce or prevent emission pollution when one owns a vehicle. Emission Pollution Emissions describe the gases and particles that are released into the air by many different sources, including vehicles. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) web site, the sources of emissions are put into four categories: point, mobile, biogenic, and area. Point sources include factories, mobile sources include vehicles, biogenic sources include gas seeps, and area sources include dry cleaners (EPA, 2006). For this paper, we will focus on mobile sources. Driving is the most polluting thing that we can do. The National Safety Council (NSC) states that motor vehicles release millions of tons of pollutants, classified as toxics, into the air each year. These toxics cause around 1,500 cases of cancer every year. Car emissions also contribute to acid rain and global warming (NSC, 2006). Vehicles emanate three major pollutants: hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. The Coalition for Clean Air (CCA) web site states that hydrocarbons are defined as compounds containing various combinations of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Nitrogen Oxides pertain to compounds of nitric acid, nitrogen dioxide, and other oxides of nitrogen. They are typically created during combustion processes, and are major contributors to smog and acid deposition (CCA, 2007). The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) website displays the text book, Chemicals, the Environment and You. They define carbon monoxide as a colorless, odorless poison gas produced by incomplete combustion of organic matter (NIEHS, 2000). The Clean Air Car Check (CACC) web site says, â€Å"Cars and light duty trucks contribute 30-50 % of the pollution that cause harmful ozone and also contribute significantly to the amount of air toxics and particulate matter in the environment† (CACC, n. d. ). They also state that if our vehicles are properly maintained, there will be less contamination released in the air and ground water (CACC, n. d. ). What effect does emission pollution have on our environment? The Clean Air Car Check answers this by stating, Hydrocarbons are unburned gasoline particles that contribute to the formation of ground level ozone, often referred to as smog. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas formed from partially burned fuel that can adversely affect mental function, visual focus, alertness, and can even cause death. Nitrogen oxides, when mixed with other compounds, can contribute to ground level ozone, acid rain, water quality deterioration and global warming. Ozone is an irritant produced from emissions from gasoline powered vehicles. It can cause eye and throat irritations, respiratory distress, and damage breathing passages, making it difficult for the lungs to work. Ozone is formed near the ground in a photochemical process: 1) Gasoline, paints and solvents evaporate, thereby releasing hydrocarbons. 2) Cars and factories burn fossil fuels, releasing nitrogen oxide and reactive hydrocarbons. 3) Heat and sunlight trigger a photochemical reaction between these emissions, transforming them into ozone (CACC, n. d. ). Emission Testing The time is here again; time to take the car in to be emission tested. What a pain in the neck! You might think that emission testing is a waste of time, and an inconvenience. What some people may not realize is that motor vehicle manufacturers are required to meet more and more severe pollution emission standards, and it is our responsibility to maintain our vehicles (CACC, n. d. ). Recognizing faulty emission control systems and having them repaired has reduced ozone emissions by more than 4,000 pounds each summer day. Testing is just part of the 1990 federal Clean Air Act. The goal of the act is to improve our quality of air by reducing hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides (CACC, n. . ). The testing procedure may differ slightly depending on the age of the vehicle being tested. All vehicles, however, will get a gas cap pressure check. This test is used to see if the vehicles gas cap is keeping fuel vapors from escaping (CACC, n. d. ). Vehicles made from 1996 or newer will receive the on-board diagnostics test (OBD). This tests the vehicles on-board computer to make sure there ar e no malfunctions. The next test is the inspection and maintenance test (I/M 93). Vehicles made from 1981-1995 will be put on a treadmill, called a dynamometer. The exhaust is captured to evaluate the effectiveness of the emission control equipment (CACC, n. d. ). The last test is for vehicles from 1976-1980. A metal probe is inserted into the tailpipe while it is idle and a sensor is put on the hood to measure the engine speed (CACC, n. d. ). Vehicles that were made in 1975 or older are not required to be emission tested. I recently took a trip to my local Clean Air Car Check site to watch the testing procedure. A man told me that having people stand outside the waiting area is not usually allowed, but since I was doing research for school he allowed it. He also did not want his name to be used in my final paper. He did not want me to be in the way so he asked me to stay as far away as possible and he offered me a face mask. The first vehicle to be inspected was a 1990 Ford Ranger. The inspector walked around the vehicle with a long mirror, making frequent stops. I asked him what this step was for and he replied that it was to check for fluid leaks, holes in the exhaust system, or any modifications that may cause a safety hazard. Once the Ranger was inspected, the driver was asked to leave the vehicle and sit in the waiting area. The inspector checked the Ranger for a catalytic converter and then attached a device to the gas cap. This was the gas cap pressure check that makes sure that no fuel vapors are escaping. After that, the inspector drove the Ranger onto a treadmill device and had attached a large hose to the tailpipe. As he watched a screen he drove the Ranger as if he were driving it on the road. Accelerating and braking when necessary. The large hose collects the exhaust to check for emissions. The inspector let the driver return to the Ranger while he gathered the results. With a smile he politely said, â€Å"Congratulations, you passed†. The next few vehicles went through the same process. There was a different test, however, performed on a 2000 Chevrolet Blazer. After the inspector performed the gas cap pressure check, he plugged something into the bottom of the dashboard. I asked him what this process was and he said it was a scan tool and it is plugged into the OBD connector on the Blazer. He said it will read the Blazer’s computer and analyze whether or not the OBD system is working properly. I was at the Clean Air Car Check site for a little over an hour. Unfortunately, I did not see any vehicles that were from 1976-1980 so the probe test was not performed. Before I left, I asked the inspector why diesel engine trucks do not have to be tested. He said, â€Å"Unlike regular gas exhaust, the exhaust from a diesel engine has really low levels of the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. They just aren’t as polluting as regular cars†. Not necessarily agreeing with his last statement, I asked him how long he had worked there. He said with a smile, â€Å"10 long years. I have learned a lot, almost too much†. Effectiveness How effective is emission testing? It is effective enough to reduce emission pollution by 4,000 pounds every summer day. I asked the emission test inspector his opinion on the effectiveness of emission testing. â€Å"If our cars were not tested, the air would be much worse. † He said, â€Å"I think that having your car tested and repaired is keeping that much more crap out of our air†. My friend, who we will call Jan, said, â€Å"Emission testing is a big pain in the butt, and only three counties in Indiana do it, and I think THAT alone is bull. Doesn’t make sense. I think that if they are going to do it, it should be in all fifty states, and all counties. † She continued, â€Å"But, â€Å"if it is helping reduce the pollution in the air we breathe, I guess I will have to put up with it†. I think that testing is effective because if a vehicle does not pass, it has a time period to be repaired or it will not be able to get registered. This car will not be allowed to drive on the road, and that is less emission toxics flowing into our air. Conclusion Emission pollution is a major issue in not only Indiana, but the rest of the country. If these toxics are released from our vehicles, and emission testing can help reduce the flow, then I strongly believe it is a step in the right direction.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Storm Born Chapter Four

We were on each other before we even made it to his room. If our actions on the dance floor had been racy, our grappling in the elevator was downright X-rated. Fortunately no one else rode up with us, which was a good thing, considering the disheveled state of our clothing when we finally made it inside. All the while, some reasonable voice in my mind kept whispering, You don't do this kind of thing. But I was. And I wanted to, very badly. It was a nice room, not surprising in such a nice hotel. A king-size bed offered comfort in the moonlit room, and beyond it, a sliding glass door opened out to a balcony that overlooked the desert. I didn't have time to admire the view because Kiyo pushed me down onto the bed, pulling my shirt off at the same time. I'd already done a fair job at undoing his pants in the elevator, so I had an edge in the race. When we were both naked, I saw him sit up and lean over the side of the bed, fumbling with the grocery store bag on the floor. We'd had to make an unromantic – but necessary – stop for condoms. I was on the pill, but even in the heat of passion, I wasn't so foolish as to trust going into unprotected sex with a stranger, no matter how charming. Kiyo's eager hands practically tore the box apart, causing the little packets to scatter on the floor. He picked one up and opened it, and I helped him put it on. I smiled both at his reaction to my touch and the fact that the condom was a deep scarlet. When it was on, I admired him for a moment. Everything about him was perfect: the shape of his body, the sculpted muscles, the tanned skin. His eyes were dark and demanding in the dim lighting, black depths that wanted to wrap me up. There was an intense quality to him, something primal and feral. He regarded me in a similarly scrutinizing way just before pulling me down onto the bed with him, laying his body across mine. All he did was kiss me at first. Everywhere. He tasted my lips again and then my neck, tracing its shape with his tongue. My breasts held his attention for a long time after that, but then, breasts occupied most guys' attention as a general rule. He held them and kissed them, biting the nipples, keeping his eyes locked on mine the entire time. For me, it was like traces of fire shooting under my skin, like his touch was some kind of drug my body needed to survive. When his face moved between my legs, it was only to nuzzle against the sensitive skin down there, to run his tongue along the place where my thigh connected with the rest of my body. He inhaled deeply, burying himself against me as though he needed to take more of me in. He moved back up so that we were face to face once more, his body again on top of mine. My own body was in agony, uncertain as to why we weren't expediting things. I don't know what look was on my face, but he smiled at me. It was a knowing smile, an animal smile. â€Å"There is nothing in the world,† he said in a soft, burning voice, â€Å"like the smell and look of a woman about to let you have her.† â€Å"‘Have?'† I laughed. â€Å"Are you calling me a possession?† â€Å"We're all possessions during sex, Eugenie.† And then I felt him slide into me, slowly at first as though he would inch his way in and catch me unaware, and then plunging all the way. I thought the earlier delay around the tour of my body might have made him less hard, but if anything, he felt harder and bigger than when I'd put the condom on. He moved at a rough, fast pace that in any other man would probably have ended things in thirty seconds. Somehow I suspected that wouldn't be the case here. It wasn't. I dug my nails into his back, arching myself up as though I could drive him farther and farther into me. Already I was almost painfully full, but it was a good pain, the kind that danced with pleasure, making the two inextricable. He moved with long, rapid strokes, watching my face carefully to see how I reacted to every movement and shift of position. When he hit a spot that made my lips part and cries grow louder, he thrust harder and more fiercely. My cries bordered along the edge of screaming, and he moved his hands to hold my wrists and keep my bucking body from moving. The wrist that had been hurt with the keres complained a little, but it was lost to the building sensation between my legs, that burning liquid heat waiting to explode through me. Besides, I wasn't being gentle either. I slipped my hands from his hold and clutched at his back, letting my nails dig in fierce and deep, almost hard enough to draw blood, I realized. That knowledge didn't make me stop. If anything, I dug deeper until he snatched my wrists back and held me down again. It was the roughest sex I'd ever had. And probably the best. â€Å"Don't close your eyes,† he told me. I hadn't even realized I'd been doing it. Vision seemed a superfluous sense at the moment, compared to everything else I felt. â€Å"Look at me,† he whispered. â€Å"Look at me.† Our eyes locked as the pressure within me finally exploded, sending my body thrashing and shaking. My screams faded to one low moan, the only way I could give voice to the feelings coursing through me. One might have thought Kiyo would slow down after that, but he didn't. He kept up the same ardent pace, still holding me, and it was almost too much after that orgasm. I could see from his face that my reactions aroused him, drove him on further. I was his possession in that moment, just as he had said. My combative, fighter nature flared up just then. I decided that I didn't want to be the possession anymore. Dominance and power ruled my days; it would with sex too. I moved my hands from his back to his upper arms and shoulders. Relying on the element of surprise, I rolled him over, using my legs to pin him down, wrapping them around his hips. Pleased surprise poured over his face. He hadn't expected me to be so strong. He shifted as though he might try to throw me, and I shoved him down. It turned into a rougher motion than I intended, but he didn't mind. If anything, it made the passion on his face grow. â€Å"You submit now,† I growled, pressing my palms down onto his chest. A smile twisted at his lips. â€Å"Sure.† I guided him back into me, exultant that I was the one in control now. I moved my hips up and down, leaning over so I could watch him slide in and out of me. My hair, long since freed from its ponytail, hung over him, grazing his skin. I have hair the color of cinnamon, a tawny russet not dark enough to be auburn, nor light enough to be strawberry. In this lighting, however, it was only a dark veil between us. He brushed it aside and rested his hands gently under my breasts so he could feel their movement as I rode him. Looking up through my hair, I watched his face now that I was the one controlling him. It was exquisite. I moved faster and harder, bringing him all the way into me, watching and adjusting as I did. I wanted to see him come so badly, see the look on his face when he lost control. I knew we were close when his hands dropped from my breasts to grip my waist and hips. His fingers clenched tightly into my skin, just as mine had earlier. He kept his gaze on me, bold and unafraid of me seeing him in climax. I moved more fiercely, urging him on, and then I heard a soft, ecstatic sound issue forth. His eyes never left mine, and his hands slid to the backs my shoulders, suddenly raking down my flesh as his body released itself into mine. I yelled out in surprise at the pain from where he'd scratched me. How sharp were his nails? Did he have talons? I'd dug into him too but nothing like what he'd just accomplished on me. When he'd recovered, and his frantic gasps had returned to normal, he seemed to realize what he'd done. â€Å"Oh my God, I'm sorry,† he said, his breathing still heavy. He pulled me to him, putting his arms around me, careful to avoid the places he'd gouged. I laid my cheek against the warm, sweaty skin of his chest. â€Å"Did I hurt you?† I didn't know which part of sex he referred to – probably that last bit of scratching – but really, it didn't matter. â€Å"No,† I lied. â€Å"Of course not.† When we'd both sort of come back to ourselves, we ransacked the shopping bag again and produced the cheap wine we'd purchased along with the condoms. It had seemed hilarious at the time, considering our earlier conversation on courtship gifts. We sat naked and cross-legged in bed, drinking from the glasses that had already been in the room. We talked a little, and though the conversation was a bit less substantive than in the bar, it still felt comfortable. It was hard to be eloquent after the wild, animal experience we'd just had. I went to the bathroom at one point and peered at my back in the mirror. He'd missed my tattoos but definitely drawn blood and torn skin. It was startling. I wet a washcloth and cleaned my stinging back as best I could, then pulled on one of the plush white robes hanging on the back of the door. Kiyo still sat on the bed, watching me, but I left him there and took my wine outside to the balcony. It was a gorgeous night. The cacti and other desert plants stood painted in shadows and moonlight cast from a full silver moon. Selene was out tonight, and I guessed she'd come through for me just now. Crystalline stars adorned the blackness. I had a telescope at home and mused that it would have been a good night to study the heavens. Except that it looked like the weather would turn on us soon. This surprised me, considering how clear it had been most of the day. Rain was rare this time of year. But dark clouds were tumbling quickly across the sky, blotting out the stars they passed. On the horizon the clouds came from, I saw a faint flicker of lightning. A wind picked up, the kind of wind that rises and falls like one's breath. The air was warm and alive, building up tension and power. It wouldn't be a dismal, glowering storm; it would be the kind of storm that left you awestruck about the power of life and nature. I felt alive too in that moment, as restless and wild as the tempest about to come. I felt pretty confident I had never opened myself up to anyone as much as I had to Kiyo just now. I had let myself go. It was frightening and thrilling at the same time. I heard him step out onto the balcony a few minutes later and then I felt his arms slide around my waist and his chest press against my back. He rested his chin on my shoulder. All was quiet around us. We were far from the highway, and no one else seemed to be awake. There was only the sound of the wind blowing around us and thunder growing louder. Kiyo's hands slipped to my waist and loosened the ties. He then reached up and tugged at the robe so that it fell off, leaving me naked to the elements. I started to turn away, shy, but he held me where I was. â€Å"No one's out,† he murmured, running his hands over my body, grazing my breasts as he moved farther down. â€Å"And even if they were, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You're beautiful, Eugenie. You are so amazingly beautiful.† He buried his face against my neck, and I leaned into him as he kissed me. His hand slid down between my legs and stroked me as the wind caressed my skin. When I whimpered out of desire, he released me for a moment, and I heard a slight rustling. He'd brought a condom outside with him. Presumptuous bastard. He had it on in seconds and then returned his hands to me, positioning me so that I bent over, my hands holding on to the railing. He pressed up behind me, and then that hard thickness was inside me again, once more claiming possession. I was almost rubbed raw from our last round, but as he kept moving into me, I eventually grew wet again, allowing the line between pleasure and pain to blur once more. It seemed crazy, having sex out here in public like this, but it was the kind of crazy that felt pretty damned good. Apparently he had an exhibitionist streak. But no one was out here. It was just us and the desert and the storm. I hadn't thought I could come any more tonight, but he proved me wrong just as the first warm drops of rain began to fall. Thunder and lightning occurred together around us now; the storm had reached us, screaming its own ecstasy to the earth. Still Kiyo moved into me, oblivious of the weather, intent only on me and him. At last, when we were in a full downpour, I felt him shudder and give a few last hard strokes before pulling out. Then he turned me around and drew me to him again. I could hear his heart beating in his chest almost as loudly as the thunder around us. The desert flickered and flared to life in the lightning, and the pounding rain threatened to drown us. But neither of us noticed. I fell asleep pretty quickly after that, lying under the covers in his arms once we'd both toweled off. No insomnia tonight. Yet, I woke up a couple hours later, not entirely certain why. Then I knew. Kiyo's hand was pressed against my mouth, making it hard to breathe. The storm had stopped; all was silent in the dark room. I started to struggle, and then his mouth was by my ear, his voice barely audible. â€Å"Shh. Something's in here.† I nodded my understanding, and a moment later, he released his hold. We both lay perfectly still, and I thought about his choice of words. Something, not someone. Literal and figurative chills suddenly crept over me. Following Kiyo's gaze, I looked up at the wrought-iron headboard and saw ice crystals spreading along it like fine white lace. Our breath came out in small clouds, and my bare skin shivered with the cold. A shape moved into my field of vision, shining in the returned moonlight. I had known what it was before seeing it. An ice elemental. A creature vaguely anthropomorphic and composed of sharp, glittering ice crystals. Technically, however, it was just one of the gentry. Some of them could not pass physically into our world, just as some shamans could not cross physically into theirs. Gentry not wanting to come in spirit but lacking the strength to come over with bodies intact would sometimes cross in an altered, flawed form. An elemental form. Of course, the thing was, any gentry not strong enough to come physically was not even close to being as strong as me. I could kick any elemental's ass easily. Well, if I had the right tools, of course. At the moment, all I had – aside from my own physical strength – was my jewelry, which was more defensive than offensive. All of my weapons had been left at home, save my wand, which was in my purse. Unfortunately, my purse still sat over by the door where it had been dropped immediately upon entering the room, lest it hinder Kiyo and me ripping each other's clothes off. A dilemma, truly. But the ice elemental could see we were awake now, and a cold smile – seriously – crossed its face. Screw this. I was going to have to make a move for the door and hope I was faster than it. I started to tell Kiyo just to stay still, but suddenly he leapt from his lounging position and nailed the elemental squarely with a kick straight to the solar plexus. The elemental flew backward, hitting the wall, and for a moment, I could only stare. I'd barely seen Kiyo move. One minute he was with me, the next he was on the elemental. And was he on it! I mean, I was stronger than a lot of people, but I could not have landed that blow. I knew of few who could. It was my will or weapons that fought a creature like this in the end, not my body. How had Kiyo done that? I stared at him incredulously, then realized I was missing my window here. I sprang from the bed, slipping out of Kiyo's reach. â€Å"No, Eugenie! Stay away!† I made it to the door, but the elemental was getting up. Its eyes focused on me, and my stomach lurched, knowing I had attracted this creature here and possibly put Kiyo at risk. The elemental gave a tinny laugh as it watched me empty out the purse onto the floor. â€Å"Yes, Eugenie Markham, stay away. Stay away, little swan.† It took a step toward me. Frantically, I searched for the wand. Where had all this shit in my purse come from? â€Å"How do you know my name?† I asked, hoping to distract it. Gentry, no matter their form, loved to hear themselves talk. â€Å"Everyone knows your name. And everyone wants you.† I'd never thought a walking chunk of ice could look lascivious, but this one pulled it off. I shuddered and not from the cold. â€Å"But I see someone has already tasted you tonight. No matter. I don't mind following in another's wake, nor will I be the last to spread those soft legs – â€Å" The creature was so fixated on me and what it wanted to do to me that it'd forgotten about Kiyo. Kiyo had surveyed the room during the exchange, and I'd seen his eyes rest on a tall, wrought-iron lamp. His eyes glittered with a dark heat, almost frightening in its ferocity. With the elemental distracted, Kiyo dashed for the lamp, again moving with incredible speed, and then in one motion, swung it at the elemental, hitting it with the force of a tank. A large chunk of ice broke from the elemental's body, and it roared in agony. Iron or steel will always hurt the gentry, regardless of which world they walk. I wondered if Kiyo had known that. The elemental lunged at him, and the two of them wrestled on the floor, rolling over and over as they struggled to land a hit. Kiyo fought savagely, and each time he dug his fingers into the monster, it would hiss in pain. I had my wand now and advanced toward the two of them. I thrust it out, making it an extension of my arm. With alcohol still metabolizing in my body, as well as me being physically exhausted, I knew I couldn't destroy the elemental, but I could sure as hell send it back to the Otherworld. The air tingled around me, and again I smelled ozone. The elemental realized what I was doing and released Kiyo, trying to stop me. Kiyo did not let his prey go so easily, however, and moved forward, his foot again connecting with the creature – this time on the back. The weakened elemental stumbled to its knees. I could usually do expulsions on my own, but tonight I needed a little divine help. â€Å"By Hecate's grace, I cast you from this world. In Hecate's name, I return you to your own realm.† The elemental screamed its fury, but it was already dissolving. â€Å"Leave here, and return no more, you fucking bastard. Go.† The elemental shattered in an explosion of ice. Some of the crystals grazed my skin, cutting it. An onlooker might have thought it had been destroyed, but I had only damaged its elemental manifestation. It had gone to the Otherworld in its own body. I could hear the blood pounding in my ears, adrenaline surging through me. Another creature had known my name. And like the keres, it had seemed terribly interested in me in a†¦Biblical way. Bleh. But I had more pressing problems. Slowly I turned to stare at Kiyo who was watching me with equal caution, taking in my posture and the charged wand in my hand. Kiyo. Dark, sexy Kiyo, who had wooed me in the bar and just given me the best sex of my life. The same Kiyo who had just fought an elemental with more strength and speed than I ever could have mustered – more than any human could have mustered. He had also not turned into a blabbering, shocked idiot like most humans would have – should have – around an elemental. He had seen one before. He knew what it was, just as he knew what my wand and incantations were. What had earlier seemed like a passionate encounter for me suddenly had a vile edge. Fear traced my spine as we stared at each other, neither of us certain what to do. The words were on my lips, but he asked them first. â€Å"What are you?†

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Nothing But The Truth Essay Essay

In the novel Nothing but the Truth, many differences are seen between Thando and Mandisa. These differences are seen through their different cultural understandings and their relationships with their fathers. Thando and Mandisa both also have very different views on the Truth and reconciliation commission (amnesty) hearing. In the play, the character of Thando is presented to us as a loving and caring character. Her father, Sipho, in South Africa, raises her. He is very traditional and has instilled the same teachings into Thando. Thando’s cultural roots are present throughout the play. You can see this in the way she mourns her uncles death and refuses at first to go out with Mandisa to Johannesburg. Sipho and Thando also arrange for a cultural funeral which includes the slaughtering of an ox. Thando’s hospitality towards Mandisa and her constant use of African phrases(â€Å"Ndyintombi†¦,†tata†, â€Å"malome†) displays her traditional African roots throughout the play . Labola is also mentioned which is part of traditional African culture. Mandisa, however, is presented to us as almost the opposite to Thando. Mandisa is shown to us as an modern fashion designer who can be selfish. She, unlike Mandisa is outspoken and isn’t afraid to express her opinions even when she is in a home with people she just met. Mandisa is also insensitive to cultural, South African way of living. This is seen in the play when she says to Mandisa: â€Å"Girl! He won’t allow you!† when Thando turns her down when she was asked to accompany her to Johannesburg. She also turns her â€Å"Makhaya† surname to â€Å"Mckay† and does not understand isiXhosa(she keeps asking Thando to translate what her uncle says). It is evident that her cultural roots are lost. Her fathers body had been cremated which was not typical of South African tradition and Mandisa only mourns her fathers death for 2 weeks. Mandisa does not understand that South Africa is not England and is insensitive to the Sipho when he feels violated that his brothers body had been created. She responded to him by insensitively saying : â€Å"that’s what everybody does in England.† Mandisa and Thando both however  love to be called â€Å"African Princess† The relationship that Thando has with Sipho is that of a very obedient daughter who carries out her duties. She rejects Mandisa’s invitation to Johannesburg because her father wouldn’t allow it and never does anything without the consent of Sipho(â€Å"I’ll have to ask tata first†). The duties that she carries out are seen when she doesn’t leave the house without preparing a meal for her father first. She values her traditions and explains the traditions of mourning to Mandisa saying that her father would expect them to â€Å"show some respect for atleast a month as children†. Her obedience is also shown when she says : â€Å"I live under his roof and for as long as I live here, I have to live by his rules.† Her attitude towards her father is respectful and obedient. Mandisa, having being brought up In Engand, away from her cultural roots is very different from Thando. She is not affected by Sipho feeling violated by his brothers cremation and retorts: â€Å"Oh this is ridiculous!, I didn’t come to argue about the ashes.† Mandisa also tries to change Thandos mind about not going to Johannesburg with her â€Å"You don’t have to do what pleases him.† Her independence and tendency of speaking her mind and not caring about others perception of her, makes her seem to be insensitive and disrespectful towards the older generation. Thando and Mandisa also have different views of the TRC hearing and don’t agree on how the amnesties were being dealt with. Mandisa’s views are unsympathetic towards the TRC because she is angry at the fact thatsomeone can commit murder and still be forgiven without being given justice. Her view is cynical and her talk of revenge shows an unsympathetic side to her character. She thinks that the concept of Ubuntu is â€Å"giving in too easily† and that the amnesty process is too lenient. Her vengeful side is shown when she agrees with Sipho when he says that the minister of security should be judged by a black judge and that he should serve prison for many years when Sipho was drunk. Her answer was always : â€Å"yes†, â€Å"that’s more I like it†, â€Å"Exactly.† Mandisa believes that the government has ‘sold out’ for ‘international approval’ and has not considered the peoples need for revenge  and that full disclosure was not given at the amnesty hearings(she points out that it is still not known who gave Craig Williomson his order) and argues that there was an â€Å"outcry against him receiving amnesty.† Thando on the other hand, works at the TRC and has a very positive behavior towards the process although she can see the dirt to it . â€Å"One gets confused sometimes especially when so many lies are told.† She believes that it was the wrong thing to do to be vengeful-â€Å"Where would revenge get us besides more violence?† She personally believes that re-building the nation is what matters most. Thando embraces forgiveness: â€Å"If all those who suffered can forgive, so can you.† She also contradicts to Mandisa’s accusation of the TRC being too easy by reminding her that some people such as Derby-Lewis had been punished. Although there are many differences between Thando and Mandisa, the sisters also share many similarities. African heritage is important to both of them- they both enjoy being called African princess by their fathers and Mandisa refers to SA as â€Å"home† – â€Å"I am happy to be home.† She also speaks of listening to stories about home. Thando’s defensive and quick response to Mandisa when she disrespects their lifestyle â€Å"show some respect for our tradition† shows her protective and possessiveness of her African roots. Like Mandisa, Thando is also an independent thinker. This is present throughout the play when Thando is always contradicting to whatever Mandisa says about the amnesty â€Å"Some people like Derby-Lewis have been punished† and her open-mindness is shown when she explains to her father that some black people in SA are also practicing cremation in todays times. Both sisters are so different, yet so alike.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Person Centred Counselling

What I understand by the term Person- Centred Counselling Person-Centred counselling was developed by the psychologist Dr. Carl Rogers . It is a humanistic non-directive approach to counselling where the counsellor allows the client to lead the conversation and not try to steer them in a particular direction. A fundamental part of this type of counselling is the therapeutic relationship between Counsellor/Client. An important part of this is providing an environment where a person feels free from threat, both physically and psychologically.This can be achieved by the counsellor providing three ‘core conditions’ genuineness, empathy and warmth which help that growth to occur. The approach relies on the personal qualities of the practitioner to build a non-judgemental and empathic relationship with the client. The objective of the counsellor is to listen without making any judgements, without giving advice, and make the client feel accepted for their own feelings. It trust s the client to find their own answers and direction and of being fully capable of fulfilling their own potential.There are many tools used in person-centred counselling, including active listening, , paraphrasing, summarising, minimal encourages etc. Person-centred counselling recognizes that achieving potential requires favourable conditions and that not having these conditions may lead the individual to not grow and develop in the best ways that are possible. When we are denied acceptance from others or it is made conditional upon the individual behaving in a particular way we may begin to lose touch with their own feelings and not be able to chose paths which are best for ourselves.When a client feels safe and accepted in the relationship they can explore their own feelings and desires and take any steps they feel necessary to self-actualize. This occurs when a person’s behaviour is congruent with the person they would like to be. Person-centred counselling encourages the client to freely look at themselves and accept themselves for who they are or make changes to eliminate the behaviours that they do not like. Positive regard is to do with how other people evaluate and judge us. If a person has not been accepted in life for numerous reasons it can affect their self worth.A person with low self-worth may avoid challenges in life, not accept that life can be painful and unhappy at times, and will be defensive and guarded with other people but a person who has high self-worth, that is, has confidence and positive feelings about themselves, faces challenges in life, accepts failure and unhappiness at times, and is open with people. By providing the client with the core conditions it allows for an environment where they feel accepted for who they are and can change the negative outlook they have on themselves and increase their self esteem.In summary person-centred counselling provides a therapeutic relationship which allows the client to explore their feelings freely. It promotes a person to go on in life and grow to be the best that they can possibly be. The overall aim of person-centred counselling is to help the client self actualise and become a Fully Functioning Person where they are Open to experience , live in the present moment, trust their own feelings, and live a fulfilled life where they are well adjusted and balanced.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Harley Davidson Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Harley Davidson Report - Essay Example The customers of Harley Davidson attend events like posse rider mainly because of the attachment they have with Harley Davidson. It is quite possible that if Harley Davidson name is not attached to these events the outcome of these events might very well be decreased. Moreover, these events provide Harley Davidson an opportunity to market their products in a much more convenient and economical manner. These events put Harley Davidson closer to its customers strengthening the bond they share. Strong customer relationships are maintained and this allows new customers to be targeted as well. When the customer of Harley Davidson even share their experience with others, the prospective customers may have a positive image of the brand and they may also value the relationship that the brand has with its customers via the arrangement of such an event. So, it is recommended that they should continue sponsoring Posse Rider event as it seems a profitable investment. Answer The Posse Ride has been profitable for Harley Davidson but the true potential of the event is still to be realized. To fulfill its true potential the strategic heads need to make few alterations to it so that it becomes unavoidable to organize. A well thought out structure of the event needs to be planned. The first step could be to go back to the basics and identify what mistakes had been made in the past. A proper research work will help in the right preparation for the event. Another step they can take is to offer new deals and packages in an effort to increase the worth of the event. A good route to the coast can be selected that will allow riders to enjoy the event and trust the brand's management towards event organizing. The event may add more segments to it which could attract more audience towards it. Lastly, the promotional strategy should be designed carefully.  Ã‚