Ethical Issues in Pharmacy Research

Ethical Issues in Pharmacy Research Reflection There is abundant evidence showing how easy it is to exploit individuals in the history of medical research in the twentieth century. It was not until the early 1960s when the public began to take notice of the ethical neglect that researchers had for their subjects.The exposure of gross abuses in medical research generated a public furor that was finally noticed by those who administered research funding which enabled changes to policy to begin to take place such as the Declaration of Helsinki which addressed the issue of independent review of research protocols by a committee not associated with the project. It is enough to make one sick when you look at the unethical medical research that has taken place in the United States alone. In the name of â€Å"research† there has taken place many clinical experiments that have been done unethically.In the 1940s several â€Å"research† studies where done using either patients fro m state insane asylums or from prisons. These studies ranged from injecting patients with experimental flu vaccines to malaria and hepatitis. All of these studies were federally funded. The â€Å"Nuremberg Code† was established as a set of international rules to protect human test subjects after the prosecution of Nazi doctors in 1947. However, many American doctors ignored them, arguing that they applied to Nazi atrocities, not to research they were doing.By the 1960s, more than half of the states allowed for prisoners to be used as human guinea pigs for medical research. However, two studies would come to light in the 1960s which would turn public attitude about the use of humans in research. The first study was done at Brooklyn’s Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital in New York. 1 The researchers injected cancer cells into 19 old, debilitated patients to see if their bodies would reject them. The patients were not told what they were being injected with because the resea rchers believed the cells harmless.However, a lawyer who was on the hospital board was upset over the research which led to the state investigating. The second study was done over three years at Willowbrook State School where mentally retarded children were given hepatitis to see if they could then be cured. 2 Then in 1972, the Tuskegee experiment sparked extensive critical media coverage and public outrage. 3 The Tuskegee experiment took place from 1942 to 1972 in Macon County, Alabama. About 400 poor, black men were used under false pretentions by the U.S. Public Health Service. These men were illiterate sharecroppers that were never told what disease they were suffering from or where they give treatment for syphilis. They were deliberately left to degenerate under the ravages of syphilis in the name of research. The public was very sensitive to this type of research due to the publicity that the crimes committed by the Nazi doctors had received. When awareness arose that our own government was capable of carrying out unethical experimentation, fear arose.This led to Federal regulations to express the social values and concerns of the people. The first regulation was the National Research Act in 1974 which established the research proposal with informed consent. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) was also established with this act. The purpose of the IRB is to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects. This is an institution –specific board that is made up of at least 5 individuals of which one must be a nonscientist and one being a member from the public community.To be able to establish the safety and efficacy of a therapy it is necessary to do clinical research. So what is the correct pathway to obtain a patient’s consent in a clinical research project? The National Institute of Health (NIH) requires that clinical testing be done before a product license for that treatment can be given. However, the patient is being put at risk o f any unknown side-effects by taking part in a clinical trial. So how can we protect patients? The strongest protection for patients is his or her consent.According to the NIH website, â€Å"informed consent explains risks and potential benefits about a clinical trial before someone decides whether to participate. † 4 When the researcher obtains consent they are respecting the patient and enabling them to self-governing plus upholding the principle of respect for persons. IRBs have been a good standard for ethical research; however with the advancing fields of research in genetics, reproduction, and neurology, it may be time to develop more regulations.There are four basic principles of medical bioethics. These are autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Autonomy comes from the Ancient Greek which means self-law. It is the ability of an individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision. Justice means to give all persons what is due to them that can refer to tre atment and education. Beneficence refers taking actions that sever the best interests of the patient. And finally, but not least the principle of non-maleficence means to avoid causing harm to the patient.These four principles must be firmly ingrained into the medical research process for the safety and well-being of the patients. As Christians in the medical profession and involved in research we must ensure that we are upholding not only the NIH requirements but also what the Bible teaches us about the sanctity of life. Research is an important part of furthering the well-being of human life but we cannot let it be done at the expense of other humans.As upcoming professionals in the field we need to develop a firm Christian worldview and be not ashamed to stand up for what we know to be moral and ethical. We also need to educate our peers as such as when tainted unethical research is allowed to take place it reflects poorly on the entire medical profession. 1. http://www. columbia . edu/itc/history/rothman/COL476I5027. pdf 2. http://willowbrookstateschool. blogspot. com/p/history. html 3. â€Å"The Deadly Deception† http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ofiOzzfKK84 4. http://www. nih. gov/health/clinicaltrials/glossary. htm

Fundamentals of Business System Development

Fundamentals of Business Systems Development Human Resource Refigure ration Theron A. Wilson December 12, 2007 University of Phoenix BSA/375 Chloris Wright Riordan Manufacturers are looking for the redesigning of their Human Resource department. This will involve the transferring of their legacy system into a more advance human resource networking system. The company is asking for a proposal that will describe the techniques that will be used in order to gather the information that will be needed for the transformation. Also, the proposal will give a detail analysis that will be included in the design methods that will be involve in the configuration of the new system. Within the proposal, there will be a listing of the key factors that reinsure the organization that the information that was obtained was gathered successful. And as the conclusion, an explanation of the scope and feasibility of the project will be exhibited. The process will be implemented a collaboration of phases within the systems development life cycle. The initial process begins with the developing a team that will be design to handle any situation that may come during the course of the project. This part of the process is prudent in order to accomplish the goal of the project; in which is the successfully redesigning the H & R department of Riordan. Therefore, with the collaborated efforts of the team and Riordan's I. T. department, the process will be implemented in a collaboration of phases that is established by the systems development life cycle. The beginning of the cycle involves the planning phase. Defining the problem will be the first agenda that will be address in the proposal. Riordan's Human Resource department is the problem domain. It is currently composed of independently-filed paperwork that is maintained by each managerial personnel. Managers are also responsible for the tracking of FMLA absences. A change to any employees' information is submitted onto special forms by the employee's manager and process by the payroll clerk. Training and developmental files are established on an Excel spreadsheet and is maintained by the training and development specialist. Records about the workers' compensation are maintained by an independent contractor. Each recruiter maintains applicant information for open positions. Resumes are filed in a central storage area, and an Excel spreadsheet is used to track the status of applicants. The compensation manager keeps an Excel spreadsheet with the results of job analyses, salary surveys and individual compensation decisions. Employee relations specialists track information about complaints, grievances, harassment complaints, etc. in locked files in their offices. The problem that exists within the human resource department is the absence of an automated networking system. Second, there is not limitation set on those who should be included in dealing with these confidential files. Next, there is not a centralized hub established that can maintain all of the records that need to be kept about the employees for Riordan. Third, the contracting of a third party provider to maintain confidential records of each individual that work for the Riordan Manufacturers is probably is not the best alternative to maintaining the security of the individuals' information within the organization. The production of a project schedule will be the produced to document the design of the project; the guidelines that they will follow; and the timeline that will be executed in order to meet their goals. The project will begin with the evaluation of Riordan's I. T. department. This information is required to gain information about the company's computer and database system in order to see that system can use or handle the upgrades that will be necessary in order to update the H & R department. In order to establish this goal, the staff will be used to gain information in order to guarantee the successfulness of the project. Information will be gathered by way of completing questionnaires that will be given to users of the system. Once the questionnaires have been evaluated, the team will proceed with determining what will be needed with the H & R department. Once this part of the plan has been executed, the team will developed a proposal to present to Riordan Manufacturing. Once the previous steps has been initiated, there would be a meeting with the corporation is in order to determine the budget for the needed recommendations as well as to determine the length of time the corporation is requiring for the team to be able to finish the proposed upgrades. This is crucial because this will determine the set budget that the team will be obligated to use during the transformation; in which the proposed budget for this operation is set at $150,000. The proposed time will set at three months. The next step is the documenting of the project plan at this stage of project development will help team members adhere to the established strategy, schedule, budget, and definition of quality during the course of a project. The records will reflect the project overview. Within the project overview, there will be a detail description of the project scope and technical information. Then the team will record the project's strategy, schedule, budget, quality definition, and compile the information into a management plan that will be distribute amongst the team member. Once the previous stages of the cycle have been met, the team will decide if the scope of the project, and in conjunction with the set innovation budget established by Riordan, is feasible to achieve the renovations that are required for the H & R department. The team has established that need for the renovation is relevant for Riordan Manufacturing. Second, the team have established that the proposed renovations will is definite a need for the Riordan. A simulation of the proposed system is suggested to be carried out to predict the outcome before the actual project starts. Now the team will develop a written quotation that will acknowledge the quotes from the suppliers and technicians to guarantee that the renovations will not exceed the set budget. Once these conditions have been met, the team will instruct the manufacturer that the conditions have been met and set a date of which the operation will begin. To begin the next phase, the team will design an architectural design to establish the layout of the proposed plan. This process will give a detailed description of how the H's activities will be performed. The system analyst will also include a description of the information system's architecture in accordance of the data, processes, interfaces and network within his or her report. The system analyst's primary goal is to eliminate H&R's processes that is comprise mostly of paper forms or electronic files that scattered throughout different departments that do not link together. The goal is to put in place a fully automated HRIS that achieves improvement in the accuracy and currency of data. Also, the system will allow the tracking of individuals that are moving throughout the Riordan's system. Furthermore, the system will be able to quickly aggregate, analyze, and use data in more of a real-time transaction. It will be able to give projections of potential needs of the workforce; while decreasing the labor requirement that is currently employed within the H&R department. The system analyst's plan is to design the HRIS system using a distributed architecture. This particular architecture is design with the amenities that are required to develop a more centralized H department. The H central location will be at the corporate office. The corporate will be the site of the centralized mainframe computer that is server-based. This will allow user to access date concurrently within a secured environment. Data will be store on a centrally-based database unit. The database unit will allow easier updates, searching and analysis of information collected within the system. Another characteristic of the new system will include web-accessibility. Web-accessibility will allow the interactions amongst the Riordan's HRIS system to be access by way of the Internet. This will eliminate the installation of client applications to each users' individual desktop; and at the same time, reduces the time that is involve in deployment and training requirements. This procedure will allow immediate accessibility for anyone with an Internet or LAN connection. The new system will allow scalability and extensibility. A system of wireless devices will be installed in each location. This will allow the H department to network with the other facilities; hence, developing a LAN. Once this procedure has taken place, a Wan will be developing to connect all of the facilities to the corporate location. Any user or outside entities will have access to information through the Internet. An intranet will be established for those that are employees of Riordan. Password-protected login logarithms will be put in place for security stability. There also will be role-based accounts set up to prevent non-authorized staff from the viewing of confidential data that only should be access by upper management positions. The new system design will provide HRIS with total automation; thus, providing a standardization of all manual processes. The upgrades will be performed on the current network at all three facilities, chronologically, to ensure implementation of the system is accomplished without any issue. Now the design of the new H & R department has been established, the team will now begin the project. Riordan has approved the proposed plans and now it is time to begin the implementation phase of the project. During this process, the team will be implementing the proposed plan using a strict process that will allow them to be aware of any problems that they may face while executing the plan. The process will take an approximately 6 months, allowing the team to deal with the formalities of the process and the geographical areas that the team. This process involves six points of implementation: (1) coding, (2) testing, (3) installation, (4) documentation, (5) training, and (6) support. The application that is being installed will allow the H & R department to communicate by way of the Internet or Intranet. The team will begin at the corporate office first. The team with the collaborated efforts of Riordan's I. T. department, with begin initializing the new applications to one of the servers. This will allow the team and the I. T. department to analyze the performance of the new application within the system. Once the application has been tested, the team will direct the technicians to proceed onto the remaining servers. This process will be documented to assure that it was successful. Afterwards, the process of re figuring each of the desktops will be initiated. During this process, the team will be programming the computers to accept the new that was installed in the servers. A build and smoke test will be use by the programmers to eliminate any errors within the application. Once the programmers have acknowledged that the process has been tested and documented with no errors, then they will proceed onto the installation process. The installation process will involve installing wireless devices among their Ethernet connections. There are two benefits for the installation of these equipments. First, the Riordan organization will be establishing a WAN amongst their companies in America as well as Japan. Second, the processes of the H & R department could be executed through the company's Intranet cite. This process involves connecting the wireless bridge to where the current modem now resides. Afterwards, each computer will be program to accept the new signaling that will be established with the installation of the wireless devices. Once the previous process has been established, the team will finally begin the process of transferring of the legacy files onto the new system. The team will outsource this project. The outsourced team only job will be to gather all of the paper files and old data that was store in the server and apply them to the new application. This procedure will be somewhat timely, but will not exceed the budget. While trying to achieve the expectations of an utomated H & R department, the team will initiate a parallel operation. The team will is using this process to eliminate the risk of system failure and losing all the data that was inputted by the outsourced team. This process will last about two weeks to give the team to analyze and rectify any situation that may happen. The team will now begin to document the response of the new system. If the prev ious process goes according to plan, then the team will begin the training process. The team will train all the users of the new system, as well as some of the I. T. professionals that work for Riordan's corporate office. The training process will take approximately two weeks. The ultimate goal of the training is to allow the users to understand the new system. The employees will be trained on different areas such as setting their login logarithms, as well as the navigation of the website. These training will also be documented. The team with create a support staff for that will be trained for quick response time. The support staff will also be able to initialize performance tests. The staff will be on-call and also can be reached by way of email. Also users can fill out change request and error reports to the support staff. These requests will be evaluated and performed in a sense of urgency manner. Their will be quality assurance personnel embedded within the organization to assure the quality of the new system. The team will place an on-site technical support person to handle situations that may occur with the operation of the new system. Reference Kelly Ph. D. , John C. (2001). A comparison of Four Design Methods. Department of Computer Science, Furman University. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from www. furman. edu/computerscience. University of Phoenix. (Ed. ). (2004). Creating Satisfy Customers [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. American Marketing Association. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/resource/resource. asp. University of Phoenix. (Ed. ). (2005). Project Planning and Feasibility Analysis [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. AllenWeb. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/resource/resource. asp. University of Phoenix. (Ed. ). (1990). Qualitative Educating and Research Methods [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. Sage. Retrieved November 25, 2007 from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/resource/resource. asp. Human Resource Configuration

How Collin Powell Has Contributed to American History Research Paper

How Collin Powell Has Contributed to American History - Research Paper Example He was appointed by the President Kennedy as the military advisor to South Vietnam in 1962. During this era, he polished his leadership skills which were inherent. He is a former secretary of state, national security advisor and chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first African American to serve in any of those positions (Ciment 204). He graduated from a high school without having any definite ambition or direction in life. It was in City College, New York, where he discovered his calling and found his career in Military (Ryan np). This was the beginning of a career that continues to benefit all Americans today. Over the course of his career, he became one of the most popular American figures, representing the possibilities of American dream for millions of people around the world. As Colin Luther Powell said and I quote: â€Å"I was born in Harlem, raised in the South Bronx, went to public school, got out of public college, went into the Army, and then I just stuck with it.† Serving in Vietnam His first assignment was at the Fulda Gap (West Germany), where American and allied groups stood as an obstacle on Soviet Union’s most likely invasion route. In 1960s, Powell served two tours of duty at South Vietnam. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army and was dispatched there along with 16000 military advisors by President Kennedy in 1962. He served as South Vietnamese advisor on his first tour, where he was wounded in 1963 by a Vietcong booby trap. In 1968 to 1969, he served as an Army Infantry officer, where he was also wounded badly in a helicopter crash. Despite of his injuries he managed to rescue two of his comrades from the burning helicopter for which he received a Soldier’s medal. For his valor and bravery in Vietnam, he was also awarded two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit. In 1971, he completed his MBA from George Washington University and was awarded the prestigious White House fellowshi p after being prompted to Major in the succeeding year. During the administration of President Nixon, he was assigned to the office of Management and Budget where he made a lasting impression on Casper Weinberger and Frank Carlucci. Later on, they would consult Powell for advice, when they both served as Secretary of Defense and National Security advisor, respectively, in the Reagan Administration. In 1973, he traveled to South Korea and took command of a battalion and then a year later, he returned as a staff officer to the Pentagon. He completed his military education in 1976 from National War College. He later on took command of the Second Brigade of the 101st Airborne division at Kentucky in the same year. In 1980, he completed his assignments as the Fourth Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado. In 1987, he was in West Germany again serving as the commanding General in Frankfurt when he was called back to Washington to work with Frank Carlucci as a new National Security adv isor. Working with National Security Council Frank Carlucci was chosen to be the head of National Security which was, at that time, troubled due to the aftermath of Iran-Contra Scandal. Powell at that time was not unaware of what was going in NSC under Admiral John Poindexter and Oliver North. He had to face the issue of arms sales to Iran while working under Weinberger at the defense department. Being aware of

Employment Relations in the United Kingdom Essay

Employment Relations in the United Kingdom - Essay Example In fact, by 1910, trade unions had the authority to engage in strikes, industrial actions and mass protests, without running the risk of prosecution for any damages resulting from such acts. At the time, there was minimal regulation of safety and health standards for workplaces, with trade unions taking up the role of championing for such rights. With European nation having colonies around the world, the economic context was quite favourable (McCrudden, 2007:259). Acquisition of raw materials, cheap labour and a huge market for industrial products was the defining feature of the European economy at the time. As such, the rise of trade unions, with minimal control from the respective central governments was a common figure. In the United Kingdom, the law at the time allowed for industrial action between employers and their employees, without any interference by the state (Nick, 2010: 111). Perhaps, this was a sort of â€Å"immunity† from the provisions of the prevalent common l aw, which does not recognise such rights. The United Kingdom was among the very first countries to institute industrial relations in its systems (Lewis, 1983: 271). Since this development, the UK has seen a major turn of events over the time, to the present day state of affairs, in the employment and labour market. Perhaps, modern day industrial relations have their basis and growth in the Great Britain, dating back to the early twentieth century. Right from the start of the industrial revolution, the UK has played a great role in modelling labour and employment relations around the globe. In fact, any literature or study, which does not refer to the industrial revolution, will have difficulties in explaining labour relations in any part of the world. In the early parts of the twentieth century, the relations in the industrial sector relied on regulation for the purposes of controlling the wage conflicts between employers and their staff, and the steep competition between industry p layers as well. The result was creation of the first industrial relations regulation, primarily focusing on addressing the twin problems above (Darlington & Lyddon, 2001: 53). After the world war, there was an increase in the need to produce more for the war-ravaged economy. However, pertinent issues around wages, extraneous working conditions, and deteriorated working environments were a major concern among many industries. With this scenario, in 1968 trade unions came into play, as a channel through which employees in all industries and firms could have level bargaining grounds (Singh, 2005: 165). With these unions, the landscape of industrial labour relation begun to change dramatically, as employees got more power to champion for their rights, especially on wages and working conditions. Trade unions played a major role in determining employment relations in the United Kingdom. The British labour relations fall under three categories, over the last century. Firstly, the volunteer philosophy is an integral aspect of the growth of collective bargaining for workers. Secondly, there was the establishment of trade unions, whose mandate was to champion for the wages, and minimum responsibility of the employers to their employees (Heery, 2010: 80). This was particularly crucial in creation of an independent entity, free from state influence on the affairs of the work place. This development kept the state away from active engagement in the employment

Creative Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Creative Accounting - Essay Example Among the various stakeholders, investors and potential investors constitute the primary group for whom financial statements are basically intended. Investors put their hard earned money with a firm on the basis of the financial information exhibited by statements and their scrutiny. Therefore, accountants are bound to oblige the rules and regulations of accounting practices in the preparation and presentation of financial statements. These rules are framed by accounting bodies of a country in line with international accounting standards. Nevertheless, some accounting standards are violated by accounting professionals/firms for their personal gain. Such practices are illegal and against the ethics of accounting professionalism. Many such practices have been observed from different parts of the world. Such a practice is known as creative accounting. Creative accounting is a sort of accounting scam, which does not follow the accounting rules and principles as such or finds the loop hol es in the accounting rules for the benefit of the preparers and those at the helm of the organization. This essay is meant to detail the basics of creative accounting and the reasons thereof. ... It is the act of using the skill and knowledge of accounting professionals to make advantage of the loopholes of accounting rules so as to manipulate the financial information and thereby deceive the users of such statements. This term is also coined as aggressive accounting since it involves the destruction of current accounting rules and specifications with the intention of deceiving someone. Though, the ultimate intentions of creative accounting are manifold, the fundamental aim is to give unfair and incorrect information about the company and its operational results. Numerous interpretations have been developed on the term 'creative accounting' by eminent authors. In the words of John Blake and Jack Dowds, creative accounting may be defined as a "process whereby accountants use their knowledge of accounting rules to manipulate the figures reported in the accounts of a business" (Blake). Metcalf, L. (US Senate) in his work (The Accounting Establishment, 1977, p.188), interprets " creative accounting is recognized as a synonym for deceptive accounting. Creative accounting methods are noteworthy because they remain in use as generally accepted accounting principles, even though they have been shown to be deceptive in many cases" (Robb, 2007, sl.3). According to Charles W. Mulford, Eugene E. Comiskey in their famous book entitled 'The Financial Numbers Game: Detecting Creative Accounting Practices', "creative accounting practices --a termthe authorschose to encompass any and all steps used to play the financial numbers game -- may be employed in exch ange for a variety of expected rewards. These rewards may include a favorable effect on share prices, lower corporate borrowing costs due to animproved credit rating,

UK Film Industry in 2007 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

UK Film Industry in 2007 - Essay Example 2. Weaknesses - Funding is the most pressing problem in production. Most companies rely on public funding which is very limited. Distribution as a means to cover costs and acquire profit is not significantly considered. What happens is, initially, rights are often pre-sold in order to get the film made resulting to no proportionate rewards for the producers in the event of a success (Is There a British Film Industry). Thus, UK films may be a success at the box office, but little of the revenue reaches the producer and the net profit is too minimal to re-invest into another production (UK Film Industry Structure). Continuing the cycle is very difficult 3. Opportunities - The opportunity to become the second largest producer of films, after the U.S. is open for the UK Film Industry to take on as a challenge. The chance is there primarily because of the talent pool or the expertise, the technology or the facilities, the English language, the worldwide economic positioning of the country and the inward investment prospects for the Industry. 4. Threats - Film Piracy takes away earnings of producers which hinders production of more movies. Another threat is not keeping up with the Global Market. Policies on Global Distribution to generate funds for production should be highlighted. Otherwise, the Industry will not be able to keep up with other Film Industries. B. The Exhibition Sector 1. Strengths - Exhibition Facilities are ample and technology used is of high caliber. There are currently over 2,000 cinema screens in the UK as compared with 1,800 in Japan but 4,500 in France (UK Film Industry Structure). 2. Weaknesses - This sector is not getting enough support and encouragement from the government and the public sectors. The role of distribution and exhibition has been given insufficient attention in that there have been times when more interest and a wider availability of British films were more evident in the major cities of other countries, like Paris, than in Britain (Harvey and Dickinson). 3. Opportunities - To gain economic viability, Cinemas need not be biased in favor of foreign films particularly U.S. films, but instead maintain a balance of locally made and foreign films to be shown. This could be realized by more media exposure of locally made films, public education, and government support through incentives. 4. Threats - Film Piracy is again a major threat to the exhibition sector because it lessens theatre or cinema attendance, thus affecting company earnings. Another threat is the total dependence of this sector to foreign movies. If efforts are not made to support the showing of locally made films in cinemas, it could eventually lead to a domination of foreign films and a loss of a national identity in the film industry. Analysis There is no doubt that the Film Industry has a great impact on the UK economy. A 2005 Oxford Economic Forecasting Report on the economic contribution of the UK film industry showed that the UK Film Industry in 2004 directly employed 31,000 people and supported a total of 97,500 jobs, contributed 3.1 billion to UK GDP and around 850 million to the Exchequer, put in 800 million to the UK economy via the boost to tourism, and added over 300 million to the turnover of the video/DVD retail and rental

Not-For-Profit Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Not-For-Profit Decisions - Essay Example This paper will analyze the functions of Goodwill Industries International Inc, with intent to identify the importance of decision making in non-profit organizations. Goodwill Industries is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Edgar J. Helms in 1902. As reported in Hoovers.com, the organization aims at the welfare of lower class of the society by giving outstanding training on job, employment placement services, and training programs for disabled persons. The organization is highly concerned about the societal issues for it creates opportunities for the people having criminal background. Goodwill promises improved quality life of individuals, families, as well as of the entire communities by converting all difficulties to opportunities. For instance, with intent to create more job opportunities for unemployed people, in 2010 Goodwill launched the Donate Movement which proposed collecting and recycling unwanted and unusable household materials from various places. Goodwill has mor e than 2,500 donation places in United States and Canada. Goodwill seeks help and support from local communities and it currently operates with 165 local communities. ‘Goodwill’ thus came to be known as environmental pioneer as well as a social modernizer because of its reuse and repurposes practice.

Position Paper- Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Position Paper- - Essay Example colleges towards low- income students though the following exposition embarks on the merits and counter arguments from the critiques in order to clear the debacle. Career colleges have increased the number of institutions offering higher education thereby enabling many low- income students to select their career path. The increased number of career colleges has augmented the number of courses offered thereby enabling students from low- income household to undertake their convenient courses that will not burden their pockets. The increased career colleges have led to the development of numerous learning techniques such as on- line learning and flexible hours that have enabled low- income students to access quality education. The increased flexible learning techniques have led to a decrease in the transportation and accommodation cost that otherwise strain the lives of low- income students (Holmes 6). In addition, the notion brings about a strong correlation between training and job requirement, which appeals to a host of scholars. Critiques argue that the career colleges are profit- oriented institutions that do not care on the quality of education they offer as long as they enrich the proprietors. The notion is not true because an increased number of low- income students are graduating from career colleges and upon employment in the various sectors of the economy, they are performing well (Holmes 4). The numerous legislations and lobbying that have occurred in the United States hindering for- profit colleges from exploiting students dismiss the critique that the institutions are profit- oriented. The career colleges are competing with public institutions for quality education rather than profits since public institutions have recently adopted numerous and flexible learning techniques such as on- line learning. Career colleges provide a tangible learning experience that helps in augmenting the connection between training and job requirement thereby motivating

Video Review Control Room Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Video Review Control Room - Essay Example It clearly narrates the motives behind that information gathering and the way the reporters of the news agency strived to present it. The documentary also presents the motives that the US army had created behind the attack that they planned on Iraq. CHANGE OF PERCEPTION ON THE WAR ON IRAQ. The documentary highlighted quite a few points that I, as general public was unaware of earlier. It may also have owed to the propaganda by the US dominated news agencies that the side of the story narrated by the video under discussion was earlier not known to the masses. The only way a person from the general public would look at the war was just what was imposed upon them by the American Media. The video shows that the American media created a hype before the invasion. The military used its nation’s media to tell the general public that Saddam Hussain was a threatening figure. The video narrated that revenge was induced in the American public by increasing the level of danger sometimes fr om yellow to Orange and then to danger level. These terminologies convinced the general public of the USA that what their president was authorizing was just the very right thing to be done at the moment. Thus, the overall scene before the initiation of war was that the American public got threatened from the existence of Saddam Hussain. He was portrayed as being capable of possessing and operating weapons of mass destruction that was a threat to the United States of America and to the entire world on the whole. It was even propagated that Saddam could give those weapons of mass destruction to Osama bin Laden or to anyone else. Instead of letting the American public realize what war actually meant and what was the exact meaning of attacking a Sovereign nation the propaganda overshadowed their realization. This video, on the other hand told the other side of the story. It told clearly that the Americans formulated information in a manner that it would go in their favor. As quoted by a n Al-Jazeera spokesman, â€Å"We want to show that every war has a human cost. We are Arabs like them. We are Muslims like them we are with the common Iraqi man. We care for them.† (Control room, 2008) The point of view about the Iraq-US war has changed in the perspective that thousands of innocent people including women and children both. Thousands of people lost their homes. Numerous innocent of civilian families died. All this was done at the cost of enforcing democracy and that too, for the public that was being devoid of their very basic right of shelter and food. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE VIDEO. The weaknesses of the video are the weaknesses of the organization itself. The organization was an Arab based organization Owing to that they had an emotional attachment with the Iraqi nation as a whole. Though not biased in favor of the Saddam regime the reporters and other team members of Al-Jazeera had their hearts connected to the civilian public that were under the Am erican oppression. Thus they can be termed as being biased in favor of the Iraqi common man. As quoted in the earlier part of the document a spokesman of the Al-Jazeera network quoted that since he was born in Iraqi and grew up in Iraq he had his heart with the Iraqis and recognized well what they talked like and how they felt. In line of the American military and government however, the weaknesses of the organization were that they weren’

What Justice means to me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What Justice means to me - Essay Example mbers since these laws were structured in accordance to the morals of the society and the Bible as well as the sense of justice innate to every individual otherwise known as conscience. However, most of the time, laws are not implemented as intended due to personal biases of implementing officers and external influences that causes authorities of the law to commit injustices to individuals. An example of good laws that are not effectively implemented would be the case of Criminal Justice in the United States. Before stating my view on a good approach on implementing laws in practicing as a Criminal Justice professional, it would be best to examine the laws applicable to Criminal Justice and citing examples of unprofessional conduct in implementing these laws. In the U.S. Constitution, justice for individuals is characterized by protection from unreasonable searches or seizures; ensure that individuals to undergo due process of law; compensation for property acquired from individuals; criminally accused individuals are to be provided with legal counsel and fair trial; and protection from suffering extreme punishment and unnecessary bail. Protection from unreasonable searches or seizures, which are described in the Fourth Amendment under the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution, safeguards individuals from house, property or personal searches and seizure or arrest without a warrant duly issued by authorities who, in turn, had reasonably established a probable cause to issue a warrant (Cornell). This also includes car searches; an example of this would be the case of Rodney Joseph Grant who was arrested on the road for suspected possession of illegal drugs and the arresting officers on the spot, without a search warrant, searched his car. This case was controversial since the police officers were prompted to immediately search the car so the suspect can be taken into custody thus clearly violating the Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Another law that

Financial Ratios and Division Managers Essay Example for Free

Financial Ratios and Division Managers Essay The front desk receptionist routinely takes an extra 20 minutes of lunch to run personal errands. Agency Problem: she took an extra 20 minutes to do her personal errands instead of working, which she puts her own self interests before the best interests of the company. Occurred cost: the salary that the company pays to her. The solution would depend on the boss on her work performance in the past. If she has an important personal errand to do during that time, then boss might need to talk to her and explain the solution for her. This problem can be final dealt by clocking-in and clocking-out even time for lunch hours. B) Division managers are padding cost estimates so as to show short-term efficiency gains when the costs come in lower than the estimates. Agency Problem: Division managers use their authority to mislead information and a problem exists when management and stockholders have conflicting ideas on how the company should be run in short-term. It will mess up the management in order to plan costs. Also it might ruin the number balance sheets and which could affect future gains. This might mean that the division managers who wish to engage in capital expenditures can now secure a short-term benefit from lower estimates. Occurred cost: The solution is management should monitor division managers performance and might give managers the performance shares which result in meeting the stated performance goals. These goals must be more efficient and accurate in order for management to plan goal to generate profit. Agency cost: By reducing and by providing appropriate incentives to align the interests to division managers. C) The firm’s chief executive officer has secret talks with a competitor about the possibility of a merger in which he would become the CEO of the combined firms. Agency Problem: The chief executive officer risks negative behavior because of dealing with the competition and did not involve his company’s best interests. He is putting his needs of planning a secret merger with his competition, which most likely can result potential profit for him, and possibly his company, if the merger is a positive one. Since he knows that his merger will occur (due to the fact of his direct â€Å"under the table† dealings with his competition), he can then go forward openly with his own company to promote the merger. Occurred cost: The CEO should know himself and the risks of CEO overconfidence. His behavior results in exactly this type of good faith mismanagement of the business. It is very important that the company should continue improving both legal and non-legal mechanisms that remedy conflict-of-interest problems by guarding against looting, fraud, and other forms of corporate corruption and disloyalty and by incentivizing managers to maximize shareholder value. The added challenge for corporate governance is to move beyond managerial motives to account more for human psychology and how managers actually behave and make business decisions when they are well-intentioned. D) A branch manager lay off experienced fulltime employees and staffs customer service positions with part-time or temporary workers to lower employment costs and raise this year’s branch profit. The manager’s bonus is based on profitability. Agency Problem: the branch manager created the personal goal to get more bonuses which depends on profitability and did not look into the company’s performance. Occurred cost: the management should be able to see that profitability does not come from sales. The cross section analysis helps the analyst to find out as to how a particular firm has performed in relation to its competitors. Time-Series analysis evaluates performance overtime by comparing current to the past performance. To look at significant year-to-year changes may be symptomatic of a major problem. Time series analysis helps to the firm to assess whether the firm is approaching the long-term goals or not. The Time series analysis looks for (1) important trends in financial performance (2) shift in trend over the years (3) significant deviation if any from the other set of data. So, I will compare the actual year 2007, 2008 and 2009. Liquidity by look at the current ratio and quick ratio that evaluating the speed with which certain accounts are converted into cash and its look at the ability of a company to meet its short-term obligations. As actual year 2009 the current ratio (2. 48) and quick ratio (1. 35) higher than the industry average and the higher is the better for company. If we look at the balance sheet we will see that the current asset and the current liability is decreased which is the big decreased from accounts payable. This shows that Marin Manufacturing Company have enough quick assets to pay off all current liabilities. Activity It shows relationship between the sales the assets. By evaluate inventory turnover, average collection period, and total asset turnover. As the inventory turnover of the Marin Manufacturing Company is less the industry average which I recommends that the company should manage inventory more efficiently. The average collection period is higher than both industry average and the past year which the manager should emphasis on the collection to decrease this number. It means that they have to change their policy of lending business for more efficiency of debt collection. The total asset turnover for the actual year is 1. 6 which more then the past year but it still less than the industry average. So, the company needs to increase sakes to meet the industry average. Debt can analyze by debt ratio and time interest earned ratio. The debt ratio of actual year 2009 is higher than the industry average it continue increasing since year 2007-2008. Its means that the company has high leveraged and might borrows more money in the year 2008. Also the higher debt ratio means higher risk for lenders and investors. For the time interest ratio which decrease from year 2008 at 1. 9 to be 1. 6 in year 2009 and lower than industry average it means the company might facing the risk that cash flows from operations will be insufficient to cover interest and principal payment. Profitability by evaluate gross profit margin, net profit margin, ROA and ROE. Gross Profit Margin is measuring how much amount is left to meet other expenses earn net profit which actual 2009 is at 27% that higher than the industry average (26%). Its mean that the company has high ability to sell goods at intended selling price. At 0. 65 % of net profit margin that decrease from 1. 1 % in 2007 to 1. 0% in year 2008 and less than industry average (1. 2%) that create low safety to the company. The higher risk that a decline in sales will erase profits and might result in net loss. The ROA and ROE both in year 2009 are decreasing to be less than the industry average and decresing from the past year. This show that the managerment is not managing asset effeicincy or assets are not being utilized effectively and lower ROE might caused by high debt. It seem like when this company are not very attractive for invertor if they looking at return on stockholders investment which is decreasing to be lower than industry averange. Market can analyze from P/E ratio and M/B ratio. For P/E in year 2009 is 34. 4 compare with the industry average at 43. 4 which lower and if compare to the past year it lower than year 2008. It means that investors are not perceive good growth potential of Marin Manufacturing Company.

The Prevention Of Electrical Injuries Construction Essay

The Prevention Of Electrical Injuries Construction Essay Electricity is the flow of electrons through a conductor. Electrons flow away from an object through a conductor creates an electric current which is measured in ampheres. The electrical force that pushes the electrical current is the voltage and it is measured in volts. The opposition to the flow of current through a conductor creates a resistance which is measured in Ohm unit. Flows of electricity Some substances such as metals usually have low resistance to the flow of electric current and they are called Conductors. Glasses, plastics, rubber, dry wood are insulators. They slow or stop flow of electricity. Normally air is an insulator but can become a conductor during an arc or lighting stroke. Pure water is a poor conductor but small amount of impurities in water like salts, acids, solvents or other materials present in water can turn it to a good conductor of electricity. Electrical safety is the recognition of hazards associated with use of electricity and taking necessary precautions so that the hazards do not cause injuries or death. No one could overstate the importance of Electrical Safety knowledge. It is essential to know how to stay and work safely with or within the vicinity of electricity because electrical current at home or at workplace have enough power that can be fatal if one is exposed to. An electrical injury will occur when a person comes into contact with the current produced by a source. The source can be touch of any bare wire or electrical appliances with bare hands at home as well as it can be a natural source such as lighting. Hazards of Electricity When electrical systems breakdown, people are exposed to the following hazards: Electrocution Electric shock Electrical burns Falls 1. ELECTROCUTION To electrocute is to be killed by electricity. Electrocution is death by means of an electric current passing through the body. The current usually have the capacity to stop the heart and cause death through heating and destruction of the tissue. Effects of Electric Currents. Current is the killing factor when in contact with electricity. The table below shows the value for Human Resistance Types of Resistance Resistance value (Ohm) Dry skin 100 000 to 600 000 Wet skin 1000 Hand to foot 400 to 600 Ear to ear 100 Source: www.lanl.gov/safety/electricalsafety /docs.pdf 2. ELECTRIC SHOCK Electricity travels in closed circuits through a conductor. When human body (conducts electricity very well) accidentally becomes part of the electric circuit, this results in electric shocks, that is the electric current flow through the skin, muscles and vital organs. The Severity of Shocks depends on: Amount of current that flows into the body Type of current that flows into the body (Direct or Indirect) The currents path through the body The current intensity Duration of the contact Current frequency Voltage The amount of current depends on the potential difference and the resistance. The table below shows the effects current on the human body range from a tingling sensation to death. Amount of current (miliAmphere, mA) Effect on the human body Less than 1 mA Usually not perceptible to human body. Between 1-5 mA It can be anything between tingling or mildly painful sensation 5-9 mA Painful sensation 9-25 mA Muscular contraction 25-60 mA Respiratory paralysis 60 mA or more Ventricular contraction (affects different chambers of the heart, contraction relaxation of ventricles becomes eratic. If last long, it can be fatal) Nerve damage 4A(Amphere) Or more Heart paralysis ( muscles stop contracting relaxing, most probably lead to death) 5A or more Tissue burning ( if tissues are those of vital organ, lead to death.) Source: lecturers class notes 3.Burns Burns are the most common shocks related injury. Direct Contact Burn When somebody direct touch the flow of electrical current, burns occurs. Currents enter the body and exit where the individual is grounded. It somebody suffers from a direct contact with electricity, two skin burns will be noticed: at the site of entry where the electricity leaves the body Also, internal burn may occur where the power traced through the body. Electrical Arc Electric arcing occurs when the potential difference is high enough for current to flow in air. Electrical arcs reach very high temperature causing the individual to receive deep thermal burn where the arc hits the body, consequently causing Flash Blast Arcing. Along with burns, arcing causes electrical shock, explosion if the volume of air is large. It is therefore advised not to approach high voltage line. One of the most common examples of arcing is lighting (electricity travelling onto air). A root is created for the electricity to go earth. Thus, a metal rod is placed as a safe path for the electricity to travel to earth near tall buildings.. The metal rod is a conductor of electricity, it attracts electricity. Several more precautions are to be taken during lighting such as stay indoors, do not venture to the sea, stay away from metal materials and so on. Flash Arcing is a short circuit through air that flashes over from one exposed live conductor to another conductor or to the ground. The high heat energy at a point of the arc is called the arc flash. Arc flash is caused by uncontrolled conditions of electrical current from phase to ground and phase to neutral accompanied by ionization of the surrounding air. Arc flash burns the skin by direct heat exposure and causes ignition of clothing. High intensity flash also causes damage to the eyesight. Flash burns are very uncomfortable, most of those caused by shorter flashes are not serious and usually heal in 12 to 24 hours. However with longer flash of a couple of seconds, a permanent damage may occur from ultra violet light. Arc Blast is the explosive effect caused by the expansion of air and other vaporized materials that are overheated by the sudden presence of an electric arc. Arc blast can result from unintentional contact with electrical system. 4.FALLS Slips, trips and falls are one of the most common accidents at workplace even at home. It cab be that the electric shock is not as fatal but one can fall down and injured if working, standing at height on ladder or cranes. It can also lead to death at times. Prevention of Electrical Injuries. Maintain all electrical installations in good working order with proper grounding. Have al installation, operation, maintenance and repair work done only by a qualified person * and make use of PPE during installation. Regular inspections of electrical systems and make use of a checklist. Properly install ground equipment with proper labeling and coding of wires. Read all instructions, labels and installation manual before operating or servicing electrical equipment. Turn off equipments when not in use. Disconnect the power to the equipment that is left unattended or out of service. High voltage equipment should be discharged to ground through discharge rods after their switching off. Provide enough sockets for equipment in use. Avoid overloading sockets and using adaptors may cause fires. Ensure that equipment is fitted with a correctly rated fuse. Replace damage sections of cable completely and never repair cuts with insulating tape. Use proper connection to join lengths of cable. Do not wrap cables carrying electric current around any part of the body. Do not touch live electrical parts. Make sure that all connections are tight, clean and dry. *a Qualified Person is one who has the skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received sufficient training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved. ELECTRICAL SAFETY AT HOME Electrical safety at home depends on 3 main factors: Safe Electrical Installation a correct earthing system to protect residents from an excess flow of electrical current. encourage residents to make use of the installation in a correct way. For example: if there is enough sockets in the house, individual will have no need to adapters. This eliminates the risk of fire. In short, installation should be designed in such a way that it is safe in itself regardless of how it is used. For instance: separate circuits should be included for higher power appliances. Safe design of electrical appliances devices The use of high quality sound electrical appliances together with electrical safety devices such as surge, residual current device and a proper grounding system eliminates the risk of electrical hazards at home. However, it cannot be denied that there are people who use old appliances which do not meet the standards or they have a tendency to buy appliances manufactured in countries with low safety standards. This may be because of cheap price and insufficient electrical knowledge. The Human Factor Habits of people such as not switching off electrical appliances when not in use, overloading sockets, use of extension cable more often and the use of electrical equipment (hair dryer, electrical razors) in the bathroom may lead to electrocution or fire. If people make an effort to change their bad habits, safety will be ensured at domestic level. Electrical safety at home cannot be thought of without the use and knowledge of certain safety devices. House hold circuits The circuits that are wired into a house by a qualified electrician all start with wires coming in from power lines outside that are connected to a fuse box. Fuse boxes contain safety devices called fused or circuit breakers which are designed to prevent an excess of electric current entering the house by allowing a certain maximum current to flow in. When electrical current flow is high, an electromagnet attracts a spring loaded switch which breaks the circuits and cuts the power supply. The switch must be reset before any current can flow again. Circuit breaker v/s Fuse Circuit breaker is similar to a switch. Domestic circuit beaker usually can withstand a current up to 13 16 Ampheres ( in most cases 13 A). How it works? If a circuit breaker of 13 A current rating is inserted, it will allow 13 A current to flow into the circuit. An automatic switch will open whenever there is a flow of above 13 A of current. This prevents appliances from getting damage. And it re-open again when the current flow is 13 A. Fuse is a piece of metal that has relatively lower melting point than copper wires. It is rated according to the amount of current that affect the fuse. For example: if it is a 13 A fuse, it will allow 13 A flow of current to flow through the fuse. How does it works? As soon as there a current flow of greater than 13A in the fuse, the fuse heats then melts and opens the circuit and current will not flow in the appliance. Circuit breaker and fuse prevent electrical fires and overheating that can be caused by an overload of electricity. However, circuit breaker can be used again and again but fuse need to be replaced. (Melted fused cannot be re-used). Circuit breaker and fuse only prevents appliances from getting damage but they do not protect individuals from getting electric shock. Devices that protects from electric shock are: Residual Current Device (RCD) It is a device that disconnects a circuit when it detects an disproportion of the electric current. It works on the principle that electricity flowing into a circuit must be equal to the current flowing out of a circuit. If the RCD detects an imbalance in electrical current, indicating a leakage to earth, it immediately cut the electricity to supply to prevent electrocution. RCD protection can save lives by protecting from fatal electric shock and can provide some protection against fires. It is usually used on outdoor electrical equipment. RCD should always be used when operating power tools outside or in damp conditions as it ensures that current is switched off automatically if there a fault or accident. Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) It is sensitive enough to detect the even tiny amount of current present in faulty electrical system. It is slightly less sensitive than RCD. It shares the same function as RCD but because of its sensitiveness ELCB is less likely to cause false alarms. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) It is a fast acting circuit breaker that is sensitive to very low levels of current leakage 5m(A) to ground. When leakage becomes hazardous, it interrupts the circuit, turning it off. It is normally used for outside outlets. Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) AFCLs are electrical devices designed to protect against fires caused by arcing faults in home electrical wiring. Arc fault protection will be required for any 15 to 20 ampheres branch circuit to bedrooms, family rooms, living rooms and so on. Arcing faults can occur in damaged or old cords, poorly installed outlets or switch with loose connections and furniture pushed against plugs. AFCIs use unique current sensing circuitry to discriminate between normal and unwanted arcing conditions. Once an unwanted arcing condition is detected, the control circuitry in the breaker will de-energize the circuit. Once a resident is aware of the types of safety devices used at home, he may choose which device needs to be installed at his place depending the conditions of his house and equipments used. ELECTRICAL SAFETY AT MY OWN HOUSE An electrical survey with use of a checklist was carried out in my house by me to detect electrical hazards in my house. A checklist was designed. Checklist Date: 20/10/2012 Inspection Remarks YES NO Are the family members aware of the hazards and the risks associated with the use of electricity? Has the electrical installation undertaken by a qualified electrician? Has the electrician issued a certificate of compliance on completion of all electrical works? Is there any regular inspection or maintenance of the electric system? Switches, sockets ,lightings, plugs Do all the switch for lighting system work properly? Do all sockets have surfaces that cover all wiring? Is there overloaded sockets? Are all the switch cool to touch? Do the bulbs used at home correctly rated? Are the bulbs changed by member of the family? Does she/he crew the bulb tightly? Are the switch circuit breaker turned off before changing a bulb? Do the plugs fit the outlet correctly? Electrical appliances Equipments Are all equipment in good working conditions? Has any family member receive an electric shock while touching any electrical appliances? Are all appliances connected to separate socket? Is proper type of plug used for each outlet? Are all appliances unplugged when not in use? Is there any appliance plugged in area where it may come into contact with water? Are all equipments correctly fitted with a correct rated fuse? Extension cord cables Is there use of extension cord in the house? Are the extension cord used overloaded? Is the extension use for a temporary basis? Is there any cord lying on the floor? Is there any damaged cable in the house? Fuse box Circuit breakers Is the main fuse box accessible to children or other persons? Does everyone in the house know where the fuse box is located and how to shut the power of the entire house off? Is there any accessible bare wire near the fuse box? Is ELCB or any other security device provided in the electrical system of the house? Is the device tested regularly? Are different circuit breaker provided for each circuit? Are circuit breakers appropriate for the power required? Is grounding provided for the whole house? Lightning Do the family members aware of the electrical hazards during lightings? Do they make it a must to take necessary precautions during lightning? Are all sensitive equipment (computer, television) unplugged during lightning? Are surge protectors used on electronic device? Problems detected during the survey Extensions used are not for temporary basis and is overloaded. Extensions cables lying on the floor. There are no separate sockets available for each electrical appliance. No proper type of plug for each outlet. Hair dryer is loosely fitted in a multi-plug. Damaged iron cable Use of electrical equipments with wet hands bare feet and wet hair. Frequent use of knife (metal) to appliances fit the socket. One socket is pushed against furniture in the living room. 2 melted sockets are found. Unplugging of electrical equipments by pulling on the plug not the cord is noticed several times. Electrical devices are covered with cloth so as to prevent dust. Pictures of some of the electrical hazard were taken during the survey. Report of the survey What are the hazards identified can cause and their recommendations. 2 extensions are used in the house The use extensions comprises of several hazards in itself. Starting with the extension used in the bedroom. It is not in good condition as it is wrapped with tape and on top of that it is overloaded, it has mobile charger, fan and mosquito killer heater plugged into it. This can cause overheating of the extension as well as fire. The extension is placed on the floor besides the bed, any family member getting out of the bed may accidentally put his/her leg on the extension and get electrified. the cable lying on the floor can cause falls and injuries. Secondly, in the computer room. All the computer outlets (CPU, UPS, speakers, printer) and the internet live box are connected into the extension. Something fan and Mosquito killer heated are also connected. Though the extension is in good condition, it may overheat and cause fire since it overloaded. Moreover it is placed at the bottom of the computer table, thus any body using the computer may unintentionally touch the extension with his/her feet and receive shocks. It is to be noted that the extensions are not used on a temporary basis, they are used everyday. Thus, the risk of the electrical hazard is higher. What should be done? The everyday use of extension should be eliminated by providing separate sockets for each outlet. If the extensions are still used, the user should be sure that it is in good condition and it is not overloaded. It should be placed in a place where nobody can get into contact to it and its cable and the cable of the outlets should not be lying on the floor. There are no separate sockets for each appliance Television, MBC antenna and Canal Sat decoder are all plugged in the same socket by the use of a multi-plug. These appliances need a quiet high voltage of current and since the multi-plug is overloaded, this can cause the fuse in the multi-plug to heat, melt and then cause fire. What should be done? The best solution is to provide separate socket for each outlet. The multiple used should be in good condition and should be replaced with a new one more frequently. There is no proper type of plug for each outlet. The pins of the hair dryer do not fit into the socket available, hence a multi-plug is used. However the multi-plug used is not in a good condition and the pins of the hair dryer do not fit the multi-plug tightly. This loose connection may cause fire due to overheating and the person using it is at the risk of receiving electric shocks. What should be done? The pins of the hair dryer can be changed to pins which can fit the socket, thus no multi-plug will be required. If the multi-plug is used, it should be replaced with a new one. Damage cable of the iron The defective cable of the iron may cause fire and electrify the one using it. Filling the iron with water while the switch is still on causes electric shock to the user as water is a good conductor of electricity. Regular use of the iron with wet hair and bare feet. What should be done? The damaged cable of the iron should be replaced. The user should make it a must to turn off the switch before filling in water into the iron. Avoid using iron with dry hair and always wear sandal while using iron. Use of electrical equipment with bare hands. In the kitchen, it is found that in rush mother uses mixer with wet hands in the kitchen. This can lead to electrification. It is also noticed that a knife is frequently used to make the mixers and the radios plugs fit into the socket. This cause the person doing this unsafe act to receive electric shock. Moreover slight shocks are often received in fingers when using the iron, hair dryer and DVD which if of metal casing when barefoot or wet hair. What should be done? Make sure hands are dry while using electrical appliances. Do not use knife to make the plug fit in socket, use instead an insulator such as a piece of wood or plastic to do it. One socket is pushed against a furniture This hazard can cause fire and if this socket is used , it may cause the person using the socket to be electrified as he/she can hardly see where the appliances is being plugged. What should be done? The furniture can be moved away. The socket should be removed and placed somewhere else. 2 melted sockets are found. These melted sockets are useless. They simply need to be replaced to prevent fire and prevent anyone from receiving electric shock. Family members unplug the television, microwave, radio and other electrical appliances by pulling the cord not the plug. The cord may at any time come out of the plug and cause the person to be electrified. This unsafe act may also cause fire. The only preventive measure is that this particular unsafe should never be practiced. Electrical devices are covered with cloth so as to prevent dust. Electricity needs proper ventilation particularly with high voltage appliances such as television, computers, refrigerator, and microwave. Dust is generally stored at the back of the electrical appliances. This can result in overheating of the appliances as the fan available on the device cannot work efficiently. Moreover, we have a tendency to cover the appliances with cloth as means of cleanliness to prevent dust on the appliances. This is another hazard that causes overheating and may result in fire usually after long use of the appliances. What should be done? We should make sure that dust is not accumulated at the back of appliances. This can be done by regular cleaning. The appliances should not be covered when in use and after use when still hot. Further recommendations to ensure electrical safety in my house: Review of the electrical system by a qualified electrician to eliminate the risks and hazards detected in the survey. This time the qualified electrician should issue a certificate for the the electrical network installation. Testing of the ELCB device should be done. Key terms and concepts of electrical safety. Ground pin of the plug of an electrical device should never be removed so as to make it fit a 2-pin socket. Never force a 3-pin plug into a 2-pin socket. Good points which I noticed in my survey The main fuse box was found in the corner of the roof of the dining table. There used to have water linkage at that particular corner during heavy rain. 3 years ago the fuse box was shifted to a place on the same roof where there is no water linkage. Correctly rated bulbs (60 watt) are used. A surge protector is provided for the computer to prevent overheating is used. All the switches in the house are in good conditions. No bare electrical wires are found hanging on the roof or walls of the house. CONCLUSION Though electricity is a boon to mankind, it is also one of the natures most powerful and dangerous forces. If electricity enables us to live our lives with ease and comfort, it can take our life away as well. It cannot be denied that electricity is an integral and normal part of our everyday lives. Electrical safety at home becomes a very important aspect. Each and every electrical hazard should be eliminated or reduced as far as reasonably practicable as it takes only one mishap to cause a dangerous occurrence. An electrical safety system protects us from dangers of electricity. In our modern homes, people use several electrical appliances ranging from dishwasher to electrical razor. Everything works electrically with a simple click. It is very easy for people to forget the risks associated with their use. Use of the electrical appliances is not forbidden but provided that people take the and make an effort to stick on the principles of the devices. To stay safe from electrical hazards, good habits based on the knowledge and understanding of the safety measures should be developed. Proper precautionary measures and recommended safe practice should be adopted not only to keep ourselves safe but also people around safe from dangerous electrical occurrences.

The Internet And The Network Society Media Essay

The Internet And The Network Society Media Essay Throughout the past three decades, a plethora of major social, technological, economic, and cultural transformations (Castells, 2010: p. xvii) have combined resulting in the emergence of a new society the network society (see Castells, 2001a, 2001b, 2008, 2009. 2010; Hardt and Negri, 2000; van Dijk, 2006). Despite some commentators suggesting that the etymology of the term network society is extremely vague (Cavanagh, 2007), it is important, at this point, to provide a definition before proceeding to the subsequent discussion of changes which have occurred within and as a consequence of the network society. Manuel Castells (2001a), arguably the most significant theorist in this field, provides in my view the most concrete definition describing the network society as a society where the key social structures are organised around electronically processed information networks (p. 4). In this sense, the infrastructure of the network society is determined by the relationship between so cial, technical and media networks (van Dijk, 2006). It is beyond the scope of this paper to provide an all-embracing, comprehensive review of the network society and all of its components, therefore, the fundamental changes which have occurred vis-à ¡-vis communication will form the focus of this section. In the network society, face-to-face interaction remains the most prevalent and, arguably, the most important form of communication for various reasons. However, a number of technological devices have supplemented and, in part, replaced this form of communication (van Dijk, 2006). It is important to note that the rise in wireless devices, such as the mobile phone, have had a profound effect on the methods by which social beings interact. For example, in 2009, mobile phone use in the United Kingdom was almost ubiquitous (81%) (Office for National Statistics, 2010). In regards to mobile phone use amongst children, it was reported that more than half (56%) of those aged 8 11 had used a mobile device in 2007, primarily for text messaging (61%). Meanwhile, for those aged 12 15, mobile phone use was near ubiquitous (90%) with a significant majority (87%) sending at least one text message per week (Office for National Statistics, 2008). Thus, with the rise of wireless networks have enable d people to apply the telephone for communicatory purposes in alternative ways; for example the mobile phone allows and is increasingly used for text messaging, multimedia messaging, and Internet access. According to Castells (2010), we have witnessed an increasing technological convergence between the Internet and wireless communication and multiple applications that distribute communicative capacity throughout the wireless networks, thus multiplying points of access to the Internet (p. xxvi). A key example of such expansion is the recent proliferation of the iPhone which is estimated to surpass 100 million sales in 2011 (Chen, www.wired.com, 2010), and whose users define it as divine (Campbell and La Pastina, 2010), the Jesus phone, and the holy grail of all gadgets (Danneskjold, 2007; also see Campbell and La Pastina, 2010); as Apple proclaim when advertising the recently launched iPhone 4, This changes everything. Again (Apple, www.apple.com, 2010). However, the iPhone does not fundamentally change communicatory practices, but rather much like the Internet it supplements them offering itself as a tool which one can apply when seeking alternative routes of communication. Thus, communication is supplemented rather than replaced by the rise in technological devices, in this sense, technological devices do not influence social change (Castells, 2010), but rather, create a pathway through which social change can occur. This ideology rests upon the premise that a reciprocal relationship exists between people and technology, after all, technology would cease to exist without the presence of people. Let me now turn to the proliferation in Internet use which has occurred over the past decade, its profound influence on communication, and its position within the network society. Since the turn of the twenty-first century, Internet use has grown exponentially by almost 444 per cent (Internet World Stats, www.internetworldstats.com, 2010). As of this writing, approximately 29 per cent of the global population are currently connected to the Internet; furthermore, in the United Kingdom, a recent survey found that Internet use currently stands at 70 per cent, an increase from 58 per cent in 2003 (Dutton et al., 2009). As a result, the Internets role in the mediation of everyday practices and activities is expanding, for example, various studies have reported that we are increasingly using the Internet for banking (Wood and Williams, 2007), shopping (Wood and Williams, 2007), listening to and purchasing music (Jooyoung Lee, 2008), dating or e-dating (Couch and Liamputtong, 2008), and communication particularly through blogging (Stern, 2007; Ekdale et al., 2010) and social networking (Boyd, 2001, 2007, 2008; Boyd and Ellison, 2008; Houghton and Joinson, 2010; Patc hin and Hinduja, 2008, 2010). In regards to communication, the Internet amalgamates both data communication and mass communication (van Dijk, 2006). In particular, such integration has occurred since the emergence of the World Wide Web which has resulted in the mass communicative character of the Internet becoming increasingly visible, for example, one need only examine the explosion of web pages created by organisations (.org), corporations (.com and .co.uk), governing bodies (.gov), institutions, and the increasing field of user-created content (i.e. blogs, forums, bulletin-board systems (BBS), and non-profit sites such as Wikipedia.org or Wiki Leaks). Thus, under the paradigm of the network society one can posit that the Internet presents itself as an integrated network (Castells, 2001a, 2001b, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010; van Dijk, 2006). EXPLAIN INTEGRATED NETWORK HERE. The Internet thus fundamentally changes the character of communication through the integration of text, images, and sounds in the same system, interacting from multiple points, in chosen time (real or delayed) along a global network, in conditions of open and affordable access (Castells, 2010: p. 356). Despite its fairly recent proliferation, an expansive body of literature has emerged analysing the effects of increased Internet use particularly concerning communication and sociability -, the following section will now engage in a critical overview of the salient arguments put forth. Identity has been subject to widespread theoretical and empirical inquiry for over half a century, dating back to Eriksons (1950) path-breaking work (Schwartz et al., 2010). Eriksons work triggered a wave of academic inquiry into identity development, most of which attempted to delineate personal identity (Cà ´tà ©, 2006). However, despite an expansive database of literature on the subject, identity is still recognised as an ambiguous and slippery term (Buckingham, 2007: p. 1). Its ambiguity arises from its application in many different contexts and for many different purposes (ibid, 2007), as a result, divergent accounts of identity have emerged which lead to confusion over what identity actually constitutes. For the purposes of this essay, the conception of the self will be examined and the ways in which the self is presented and the impression managed in social situations. Primarily grounded in contemporary Western culture, cultural practices (Boyd, 2001), and Western ideology, a plethora of conceptions of the self have emerged. The concept of identity frequently refers to, at least, two conflicting aspects of the self. First, there exists the internalised self, and second that which is the projected version of ones internalised self (ibid, p. 21). This distinction has been constructed by researchers in various ways, for example, political economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith (1976/1760) divides identity into the object self and the acting self, Mead (1934), meanwhile, distinguishes between the I and the me whereby the me connotes an individuals social identity of which the I become conscious in the early psychological development of the child, or as Giddens (1991) puts it, the I is, as it were, the active primitive will of the individual, which seizes on the me as the reflection of social ties (p. 52). Psychoanalysis has also concerned itself wi th conceptions of identity, for example, the pioneering work of Sigmund Freud (1974/1923) . . . insert Freud In spite of the evident differences which persist between these quite divergent accounts of identity, they all recognise that the self is a complex, muddled concept due to its separation between internal notions and external ones. However, an alternative model proposed by French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan (1968) puts forth a suggestion that no internal self actually exists, but rather individuals only possess external selves. Writing in the 1950s, Erving Goffman (1959/1990, 1963) provided a dramaturgical account of social interaction whereby face-to-face interactions, in an array of social settings, were hypothesised as akin to a theatrical performance. Goffmans model suggests that all social interactions can be hypothesised as a series of interactive performances, where the actors and their presentations are in a flux altering their presentation of selves (Goffman, 1990) based upon their assumptions of what is acceptable in a particular situation and the feedback they receive from their audience (Boyd, 2001). Moreover, people perform all aspects of themselves, not just their ideas. An example of this can be located in the writings of Judith Butler (1990) who suggests that whilst sex is a biological trait and thus cannot be altered unless one undergoes a medical operation to remove genitalia people perform their gender (Butler, 1990). Thus, Drawing from Goffmans dramaturgical model, two fundamental components exist concerning the passage of social information between individuals (Boyd, 2001). The ability of an individual to convey information explicitly rests upon the expression that he gives and the expression he gives off (Goffman, 1990: p. 14). The first connotes traditional communication practices such as verbal symbols in order for the actor to convey the information in a coherent manner. The second involves a wide range of action that others can treat as symptomatic of the actor (ibid, p. 14). This may include body language, facial expressions, gestures, or interaction with the immediate environment. Thus, social messages are not simply a set of factual data (Boyd, 2001), but an ongoing negotiation in communication relying on both the signals presented by the actor as well as the signs perceived by the observer (p. 23). A further component of Goffmans theory is the concept of the body. Indeed, in everyday interact ions the body is of integral importance when we perform our identity. Primarily occurring in face-to-face interactions, we utilise our bodies as tools whereby, conveying to other people, we use our bodies to project information about ourselves (Boyd, 2007: p. 11). In doing so, we wear appropriate clothing, make considered movements, make important use of objects or props in Goffmans terminology in our immediate environment, and convey messages through suitable gestures, facial expressions, and body language. Erving Goffman defines these processes as impression management (Goffman, 1959). When one is indulging in impression management, albeit unconsciously at times, they are attempting at best presenting themselves as what the audience Among the most notable developments which have occurred on the Internet over the past decade, and particularly the past few years, is the exponential increase in social network sites (SNSs) (Choi et al., 2010). Sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Netlog, and Bebo have attracted millions of users across the globe, many of whom integrate this form of social networking into their everyday practices (Boyd and Ellison, 2008; Kreps, 2008). In the recent Oxford Internet Survey, for example, social networking emerged as the most popular new application amongst Internet users (aged 14+) in the United Kingdom with almost half (49%) of users reporting the creation or update of a social networking profile, up from only 17 per cent in 2007 (Dutton et al., 2009). In regards to children and teenagers, Lenhart et al., (2010a) discovered that the use of social network sites had increased significantly since 2006 where just over half of teens (aged 12 to 17) (55%) indulged in on-line social networking co mpared to almost three-quarters (73%) as of 2010 (Lenhart et al., 2010). On the basis of such widespread diffusion, commentators have suggested that the explosion in the popularity of SNSs is due to the freedom with which an individual can construct a personal profile page to represent themselves and interact with others (Patchin and Hinduja, 2008, 2010). At a basic level, social network sites allow individuals to create digital representations of themselves (Patchin and Hinduja, 2010: p. 199) through posting biographical information, compiling personal journals and blogs, indicating likes and dislikes, demonstrating their interests, and embedding multimedia (i.e., video, pictures, and music or audio). Thus, SNSs centre on the profile (Tufekci, 2008), within this profile the most significant point where identity is managed and performed is an individuals About Me section. The about me section is a reserved space on a profile where a user can . CONTINUE As has already been noted, in an effort to make a good impression, individuals survey the immediate area, examine how other people are acting, and make a rational choice on the appropriate performance for that particular social situation this rational choice may indeed be drawn from an established repertoire of performances which have been applied in the past (Goffman, 1959, 1967; Boyd, 2007, 2008). During the performance, people mould their behaviour depending on the feedback and reactions they receive, thus attempting to increase the likelihood of being perceived by their audience as they intend. These processes are what Erving Goffman (1959/1990, 1967) defines as impression management and the presentation of self. Mediated environments, such as those that the Internet produces, like social network sites formalise and fundamentally alter the identity processes of self-presentation and impression management (Boyd, 2008: p. 119). As a result, children and teenagers in particular face a complex challenge whereby they must formally write themselves into being (Sunden, 2003: p. 5) through the elaborate task of creating profiles which complicates impression management processes due to the limited nature of feedback in on-line environments such as MySpace and Facebook. In his groundbreaking text, The Presentation of Self (1959), Goffman exquisitely formulates a theory of social interaction in which he details the methods individuals apply to take into account the social environment and the role which they are functioning in it to use body language, gestures, speech, facial expressions, and other people in order to convey an impression. However, primarily due to the time period, what Goffman does not account for or, indeed, foresee is the impact technology would have and the way in which mediated situations will fundamentally impact upon the traditional art of impression management and presentation of the self. A key point here, is, the embodiment aspect of Goffmans theory. In the borderless world (OÃÅ'ˆqvist, 2009) of the Internet, bodies, in the corporal sense, do not exist thus obscuring the immediate, physical identity of the individual in question, moreover, CONTINUE!. Thus, in order to exist in mediated environments, for the first time in history, humans have to write themselves into being (Sunden, 2003). For social network sites, this entails the formation of a profile page and adding and fleshing out the fields as an act of self presentation. The sexual grooming of children is not a new phenomenon, neither is the conceptual application of the term grooming. In fact, the term has been in circulation for a considerable period of time, for the most part applied by psychologists in efforts to analyse patterns of deviant sexual behaviour (McAlinden, 2006). The The findings support the view that the Internet is establishing itself as a powerful tool for the formation of new social relationships by enabling some individuals to meet new people and make new friends, whom otherwise they would not have met. (Dutton and Di Gennaro, 2007: p. 593) For the purpose of this paper I will concentrate on only one component of the network society which is experiencing radical change, that is, communication.

Monopoly :: essays papers

Monopoly The Monopoly a) Using Australian examples describe the characteristics of the two of the following forms: Monopoly Oligopoly The main characteristics of an oligopoly are: Â · The market is dominated by only a few companies, which are relatively large. Â · The production of identical products which are similar. Â · There are significant barriers to entry. Â · The interdependence of production decisions within the market. An Oligopoly market exists in which a small number of firms dominate the supply to an entire market. Each firm producers a very similar product. In Australia the oligopoly is the major market form. It is because Australia is so small market located far from overseas markets and this thus requires producers to be larger, so they are more competitive. There are hundreds of examples of oligopolistic industries, e.g. cars (Holden), breakfast cereals (Kellogs) This market form does not only depend on the larger producers, but the recognition of their interdependence, the action of one producer will affect the actions of others and each oligopoly firm watches their rivals closely. Oligopolies compete fiercely for market share, therefore the competition for existing or new consumes is intense, as each producers products are very similar. As a result oligopolists have little influence over price. For example Shells petrol is very similar to Mobil petrol, therefore these two companies watch each other closely. Oligopoly firms attempt to make their products different in the eyes of consumers. This can be achieved in many different ways. Firstly by providing quality improvements in goods or services such as electrical sound equipment, secondly by different packaging or wrapping, thirdly by bonus offers or prizes on purchase, for example Just Jeans offering free sunglasses. The more product differentiation among oligopoly firms, there is a more chance of each firm has being independent from its rivals when setting price or output. It is hard for new firms with a small market share to enter the oligopoly market and produce enough to make the product cheap for consumers to buy. The small amount of large firms can often produce large amounts of quantity to provide for all consumers to purchase. It is difficult for new firms to win market shares form existing producers, particularly if those firms have large advertising budgets, licenses, design patents or restrict access to raw materials on one way or another.

Democracy Essay example -- essays research papers

Democracy may be a word familiar to most, but still I would like to mention the fact that demos means pertaining to people and kratios means to rule. Thus this word original coined by the Greeks means rule of people as a whole and not by an individual or a privileged soul. It is a concept still misunderstood and misused in some parts of the world where totalitarian regimes and dictatorships have witnessed popular support by usurping democratic labels like in Iraq and Pakistan. By the dictionary definition, democracy is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. In a famous phrase of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.Freedom and democracy are often used in place of each other, but the two are not the same. True, democracy is a set of ideas and principles about freedom, but it also consists of a set of pract ices and procedures that have been founded through a long history. In short, democracy is the institutionalization of freedom. For this reason, any society must possess time-tested fundamentals of constitutional government, human rights, and equality before the law to be properly called democratic. Democracies can be typified into two fundamental categories, direct and representative. In a direct democracy, all individuals, without the elected or appointed officials, can participate in making public decisions. This system however seems to be impractical possible only with relatively small numbers of people, say for example in a community organization, village of a developing country, tribal council, or the local unit of a labor union, where members can meet in a single room to discuss issues and arrive at decisions by consensus or majority vote. In rural India the head of such committees are called pancha and the place where issues for a small population of the concerned area are discussed is called panchayat.These meetings are held mostly under a village tree with the maximum number of people who can physically gather in one place and practice direct democracy.Modern society, with its enormous size, complexities and ramifications offers few avenues for direct democracy. Today, the most common form of democracy, whether for a town of 50,000 or nations of 50 million, is represe... ...titutional provisions to intervene in the administration of the States. The response of the Central Union Government to the growing economic and political crisis in India has been in terms of greater centralization strategies and interventions.Another equally important limitation of the Indian parliamentary democracy has been that below the state level it was not mandatory to have elected bodies at district, sub district or local level till 1994. In other words it was a system of parliamentary democracy at the central and state levels and bureaucratic governance at the lower levels. Grass root level democracy visualized in terms of selfreliant and selfgoverning villages was an important nationalist ideal. When the new constitution was framed, elected local bodies at the local levels were not made part of the mandatory structure of government, but enshrined in the Directive Principles of the constitution. By and large the Indian democracy is still in a phase of evolution and chang e. It seems that the concept of democracy is interpreted in a subjective manner and changes in nations from time to time according to the whims and fancies of the contemporary affluent and powerful people.

Oxygen Essay -- essays research papers

Oxygen Oxygen and its compounds play a key role in many of the important processes of life and industry. Oxygen in the biosphere is essential in the processes of respiration and metabolism, the means by which animals derive the energy needed to sustain life. Furthermore, oxygen is the most abundant element at the surface of the Earth. In combined form it is found in ores, earths, rocks, and gemstones, as well as in all living organisms. Oxygen is a gaseous chemical element in Group VA of the periodic table. The chemical symbol for atomic oxygen is O, its atomic number is 8, and its atomic weight is 15.9994. Elemental oxygen is known principally in the gaseous form as the diatomic molecule, which makes up 20.95% of the volume of dry air. Diatomic oxygen is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Two 18th-century scientists share the credit for first isolating elemental oxygen: Joseph PRIESTLEY (1733-1804), an English clergyman who was employed as a literary companion to Lord Shelburne at the time of his most significant experimental work, and Carl Wilhelm SCHEELE (1742-86), a Swedish pharmacist and chemist. It is generally believed that Scheele was the first to isolate oxygen, but that Priestley, who independently achieved the isolation of oxygen somewhat later, was the first to publicly announce his findings. The interpretation of the findings of Priestley and the resultant clarification of the nature of oxygen as an element was accomplished by the French scientist Antoine-Laurent LAVOISIER (1743-94). Lavoisier's experimental work, which extended and improved upon Priestley's experiments, was principally responsible for the understanding of COMBUSTION and the establishment of the law of conservation of matter. Lavoisier gave oxygen its name, which is derived from two Greek words that mean "acid former." Lavoisier held the mistaken idea that oxides, when dissolved in water, would form only acids. It is true that some oxides when dissolved in water do form acids; for example, sulfur dioxide forms sulfurous acid. Some oxides, however, such as sodium oxide, dissolve in water to form bases, as in the reaction to form sodium hydroxide; therefore oxygen was actually inappropriately named. NATURAL OCCURRENCE Oxygen is formed by a number of nuclear processes that are believed to occur in stellar interiors. The most abundant isotope of oxygen, with mass 16,... ... are observed to exist over a range of compositions all possessing the same underlying structure. A number of these titanium oxides exhibit more than one crystal structure (polymorphism). The most oxidized compound, titanium, is widely used in the RUTILE form as a white pigment in paints. Ternary oxides, consisting of two metallic elements plus oxygen, are of great interest to solid-state scientists. For example, compounds such as the SPINELS and the PEROVSKITES are studied extensively because of their interesting magnetic and electrical properties. Examples of important ternary oxides are the magnetic FERRITES, whose magnetic properties can be tailored, making them useful in computer memory units. The ferrites are prepared by firing compacted mixtures of iron oxide and one or more metal oxides (such as those of nickel, copper, zinc, magnesium, and manganese). Also of importance in inorganic chemistry are the oxides of the nonmetals. Most of the nonmetals are known to form a wide variety of compounds with oxygen. The nitrogen oxides are undesirable by-products of high-temperature combustion in air (as in an internal combustion engine) and can cause serious environmental pollution.