Motorola Press Release

â€Å"Motorola will unveil a host of new groundbreaking products, partnerships and technologies. Motorola, in its consistent effort to innovate and reinvent, is enhancing the experience of what it calls â€Å"seamless mobility† by expanding its line-up of new products †¦ the ultimate combination of cool, cutting-edge technology and fashion-forward design. The new technologies promise to deliver easy, uninterrupted access to the information, entertainment and communications that people want.† (Newswire Association,1996) What is the key challenge or opportunity in this article? The article has talked about Motorola launching new products, partnerships and technologies. Motorola aims to connect people and give them access to information effortlessly anytime and any where.   That is also the main challenge to Motorola, to make that a reality. What are the underlying causes of the situation? People nowadays are busier than ever thus they need more information and data in their work and activities anytime and anywhere.   It is because of these facts that Motorola has decided to launch these new products. What did the company do, or, what strategy did the company employ to address the challenge or opportunity? Motorola saw an opportunity to widen its market and has forged new partnerships and launched new products in order to address the needs identified above. What may be the implication? Implication would be a wider market for Motorola thus more profits for the company. What do you think about this? Motorola has done a good thing by keeping up with the times and most especially with the demand.   A company that doesn’t improve its services and products will stagnate  and sooner or later will die.   That is why it is very important to always identify the needs of the clients and addressed those needs and Motorola has done just that. What is going on in the global and or industry environment? Nowadays, people are busier than ever.   People engage in numerous activities that enhance and enrich their lives.   They are always on the go, rarely sitting still.   People are also more competitive than ever most especially in the boardroom.   These are the developments in the society that Motorola has seen and has addressed.   Also, nowadays, the better the technology, the better.   Price is, most often than not, no object that is why Motorola has focused on creating great products regardless of the price. What may be a competitive response? The response would be that other companies would launch their own products addressing the identified needs.   The products may even be â€Å"identical† to what Motorolla has only repackaged. Bibliography: PR Newswire. (1996). MultiVu Video Feed: Motorola Unveils New Products, Partnerships and Technologies for Second Half of 2006.     Retrieved September 12, 2006, from PR Newswire Website: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi- bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-24-2006/0004402638&EDATE=         

Explanatory Story

You will want to interview more than two people to get good material, but you must include quotations or paraphrases from two people who are identified by name and their university of Illinois affiliation or other local tie. At the end of your story, make an Informal source list. Include websites and background resources. Include contact Information for your Interviewees for possible use In verification. For both direct and indirect quotations, be sure to attribute your information to a primary source document, to your interviewees, or to other sources.Remember that o cannot use information from other news outlets. For example, instead of quoting the Associated Press, track down the sources the AP used and quote those documents or people from your own direct contact, if you want to use the information. Be sure to answer the who, what, when, where and why of your story. And the how. Explanatory stories tell how. You may use a feature lead or a summary lead. Possible outline l. Attenti on-getting lead that uses an anecdote or sets a scene (one or two paragraph II. Nut Graff. Why this is a story now – some sort of news peg that includes 5 Was.Ill. Quotation from source that backs up the lead or nut Graff. IV. More facts about topic. V. Quotation that explains the facts or reacts to them. VI. More facts, reaction, quotations VI'. Strong ending. Telling fact or punchy quotation. What kind of story An Interesting one. Http://www. Washington's. Com/WAP-sir/special/metro/urban- story describes owl encounters and Incorporates quotations. It also builds In natural links too map of the area and a Youth video. Communications Library; Enter 122 Gregory Hall and then go downstairs 2 to 5 Wednesdays and 1 to 5 Thursdays

Online Courses Are Considered for High School in fairfax County Essay

Online Courses Are Considered for High School in fairfax County - Essay Example Of course, the radical and very new concept of an online high school is something which has divided opinion regarding the viability, merits, advantages and disadvantages of the possibility of offering this as an option for high school students. While some educational professionals and parents alike see fantastic potential and convenience in this, many are also concerned that the disadvantages may outweigh the benefits and that traditional high school educational methods and approaches should be enforced without offering alternatives. However, though there are inevitably going to be certain problems with any type of innovative and radical change to educational institutions, the advantages of creating a virtual high school are extremely substantial, both for the students and parents involved and the educational institutions which provide them. Due to this, an online high school course should be offered as an alternative to traditional systems by using other successful courses as models , as this will benefit both students and educational institutions alike. The concept of online education has garnered much research which shows it to be a very effective form of pedagogy, and so the quality of education that students would receive in an online learning environment would not be reduced, but enhanced. While higher education programmes have traditionally been governed by the conventional components of ‘teaching’, recent decades have brought about a re-evaluation of the fundamental premise and function of education. This has led to a significant shift in focus towards a learner-centred approach where autonomy and the facilitation of independent and lifelong learning has become a primary goal (Somekh 20). As a result of this and prevailing socio-economic factors, distance and online education has become an increasingly popular, accessible and valid form of education.

Marketing Process Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Process Questions - Essay Example Even though the customers at the hotel are satisfied with the service that Hydro Tech offers and there is a demand for such service, but the buying power remains in the hands of the manager who has to check for the feasibility of such cleaners. Hydro Tech vacuum cleaners are more costly than the average vacuum cleaners and since the consumers in the hospitality industry usually buy at low bulk price, they are not willing to spend almost double of the price of the average vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, vacuum cleaners by Hydro Tech require initial training before they can be used by the average consumer. Thus Hydro Tech would have train the entire cleaning staff of the particular hotel and for this the manager would have to allocate time for the training. The marketing process allows an organization to understand its target market and to develop marketing strategies that suit that particular target market. When an organization is catering to different target markets, it is imperative that the marketing strategies for different target markets are different. For example, in the airline industry, the marketing tactics for first class passengers differs from that of economy class. In a similar way, when Hydro Tech moved from the health industry and towards the hospitality industry, it was important that they revise their marketing tactics to suit the needs of the target market. Hydro Tech was unable to develop a marketing strategy that catered to the needs of the target market and this is because of lack of understanding of the marketing truths. Firstly, Hydro Tech did not analyze the situation properly, that is, it failed to understand the decision making process of the consumers in that particular industry, Secondly, since Hydro Tech f ailed to understand the target market, they did not produce a marketing strategy that would attract to this target market. Thirdly, they did not make

Marketing plan for agricultural and extension education Assignment

Marketing plan for agricultural and extension education - Assignment Example Agricultural learning has been the key method for farmers to gain an understanding on the contemporary tools in producing agricultural commodities.Moreover,the United States legislators have created policies that will sustain and maintain the agricultural livelihood Weems and Weber (2007) implicated that the United States Congress enacted the Farm Bill every five years in order for the regulations and provisions of the bill to be in line with the current agricultural and nutritional state of the country. Consequently, this marketing plan is a proposal that endeavored on the effectiveness of Farm Bill within the United States. Hence, this marketing plan centers on ameliorating the food sustenance among all classes of American people through health education and providing suitable amount of unlimited healthy food resources (e.g., meat, milk, and fruits) with the help of national organizations such as the American Dietetic Association, Department of Agriculture and its subsidiary agenci es. II. The Marketing Competition Agricultural products refer to the cultivation and production of foods and fibers that are considered as the basic commodities for human sustenance. The importance of agricultural merchandises has raised the importance because these give the needs for both people in the present and also for the future. As a result, the agricultural competition around the world is also increasing in order to generate products exportation and importation for the sustainability of country’s economic development. ... Hence, this marketing plan introduces a list of alimentary products that are important in the human body, and these are bread, grains, rice, fruits and vegetables, milk and dairy products, meat and fish, and also pasta. Accordingly, the prices of these products should be able to allow low income American people to purchase and enjoy a healthy living with healthy food and lifestyle (Morris, Neuhauser, & Campbell, 1992; Stewart & Blisard, 2006). IV. The Distribution Channel Agricultural products should be distributed equally to the American population with a reasonable amount of price. These agricultural commodities should be freshly available among all American people through retail outlets, marketplace, and also directly to agricultural farmers. Moreover, these agricultural products should also be available to government agencies in order to distribute to those low-income American people (Weber & Becker, 2006). V. The Development and Maintenance Agricultural farming and livelihood sh ould be the top priority for development and maintenance in order to cultivate efficiently healthy agricultural products. Moreover, the knowledge and understanding of health foods should also be developed among American public, so they have the idea of the kinds of nutritious foods in order to avoid any health problems (Stewart & Blisard, 2006; Weber & Becker, 2006). VI. The Marketing Strategies Accordingly, media information and non-government organizations can be a useful aid for disseminating to the people the important knowledge and information with regard to having proper and healthy food intake. Hence, agricultural education can be one of the important factors in expanding the agricultural knowledge to the people.

Role of Stakeholder Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Role of Stakeholder Paper - Essay Example Why this is important is because it warrants pull on the part of the customers because if the end users believe that quality is being given to them in terms of the products, they feel attracted to buy it. Two organizations that support such a quality management process include Nestle and Unilever. The manufacturers ensure that the quality management process takes its basis from them alone. What it actually means is the fact that they need to produce goods which will be of value to the customers in the long run. Now how it passes on to the end user is something important and should be taken into consideration. If the manufacturers are unable to derive quality, then this is a problem that needs attention as far as managing the quality regimes are related. Hence their role is of utmost essence under such scenarios. Similarly, the wholesalers are equally significant when it comes to implementing a quality management process. This is because they are the ones who take the products from the manufacturers and give it to the logistics concerns. It is their pertinent duty to make sure that the products are transferred as they are and that the quality premise is not compromised upon at any stage whatsoever. The wholesalers therefore receive attention under the quality management process because they are essentially the second level beneath the manufacturers to ensure that the products reach the relevant markets in an adequately sound way. The third stakeholder comprises of the logistic partners who basically make sure that the products are transferred to the retailers. They pick up the products from the wholesalers and manage it down to the retailer level. They have to ensure that quality is not compromised upon because it is essentially their job. If they do not do so, there are problems in terms of packaging which can get flawed, and then there is the important discussion of product being sent under fixed consignment ratios. It is therefore significant to understand

GMO the Necessary Evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GMO the Necessary Evil - Essay Example There have been many mixed reactions due to GM foods because of the rampant debate surrounding GMO technology. Today, the process of genetic modification is rapidly advancing throughout the planet. In 2004, 8.25 million farmers in 17 nations grew the crops (Ahmed 30). The production and marketing of GM foods are due to the superficial benefits they hold either to the producer or to consumption of these genetic foods. When it was first introduced, GM seeds developers needed their products to be accepted by producers and focus on innovations that have direct benefits to the farmers and the food industry at large. For example, the International Rice Research Institute located in the Philippines manufactured the GM golden rice to help people in South East Asia that were lacking food. Research has shown that GMO presents significant threats because of inconclusive research on their safety and their effects on the environment. However, I believe GMO is a necessary evil that the human race must contend with because it faces an imminent food crisis. GMO is the necessary evil that will solve the world food problem (Specter 34). GMO foods are unavoidable, and we cannot live without them. The World Health Organization (WHO), the Food, Drug Administration, and other scientific bodies in the world have strongly advocated for the use of GM foods, since they do not predispose the human health to any harm. Additionally, research shows that the risks to human health that may be brought about by the consumption of GM foods are the same as those that are produced by the consumption of non-GM foods. Moreover, GM foods are safe to use as they tested for food safety and passed the safety assessment. Some people believe that GM foods should be eliminated due to the risks they have like the health issues. It is a fact that people have eaten some of the GM foods unknowingly, but no complains of serious concerns (Ahmed 18). By 2040, the world’s population is predicted to increase

Violations of Human Rights and Slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Violations of Human Rights and Slavery - Essay Example Upon arrival into America, slaves had to deal with dehumanizing effects that destroyed their African culture. Although slave trade is no longer practiced in America today, Friglich, Kent, Hess, Mclyntyre, & Allen, (1-6)Â   confirm that there still are 10 states in America that deemed to be the worse for African American to live in. The index used to determine the ten states included household income, rates of home ownership, educational attainment costs, educational attainments, and poverty rates. These states are Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, New Jersey, Kansas, Rhode island, Illinos, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In these states, the disparity between the White and Black Americans is very pronounced resulting to uneven accessibility of job opportunities, payment, and better housing. In addition to discrimination, African americans have been stereotyped as lazy and are left to deal with their problems.

Nation-states and colonial regimes have historically managed diversity Essay - 1

Nation-states and colonial regimes have historically managed diversity while creating further diversity in the process. Explain some of these tensions - Essay Example ular media, scholarly literature, professional journals and many more, it is a multifaceted expression, and thus, there is no single definition of diversity. The dictionary definition of diversity is â€Å"a state of unlikeness† or â€Å"the condition of being different.† For many, diversity means inclusion, gender, or racial differences. Since we are all different, diversity is a term that includes everyone. In this essay, diversity refers to individual, group and cultural differences. A nation-state is an independent state in which the majority of the citizens are united by factors such as common descent and language, which are factors that define a nation. JurgenOsterhammel (2005) as â€Å"a relationship between the majority who are indigenous and the foreign invaders who are the minority†, on the other hand, defines colonialism. In the pursuit of interests, the colonial rulers make and implement the fundamental decisions that affect the lives of the colonized people. History has that many examples of colonial regimes rejecting cultural compromises with the colonized population exist. This end up forcing the colonized population believes that the colonizers are the superior. Unsurprisingly, this rejection leads to tensions within the diverse population. A concept that has been propagated to respond and manage the issue of diversity is multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is the ideology of embracing diversity in cultures and formulation of policies to protect the existence of different orientations in a population (Long, 1997). It is all about making people in a society to preserve their different cultures. The idea of multiculturalism is manifested in the approach used to propagate and champion for it. Advocacy groups are formed to push for recognition of the right of people to uphold and practice their culture and religion. Another way it comes out is by creating of policies that promote diversity of cultures. The concept is opposed to the integration of

Judith Beveridge Essay Example for Free

Judith Beveridge Essay Judith Beveridge challenges our understanding of the world by revealing hidden sides of our society through confronting images throughout her poems. The reader is revealed with number of issues such as animal cruelty and psychological torture. These issues are related to the gender of the character with the cruel attitude toward nature and the society. This is evident in the poems â€Å"The Two Brothers† and â€Å"Fox in a Tree Stump†. â€Å"The Two Brother† is a poem which uses natural speech rhythms, tone and informal language is used to create an understanding with the reader. Reader is shown the brother’s cruelty but is also shown their brittleness and insecurity. The brothers’ cruelty is connected with their gender. This is shown in line 3-5 which says, â€Å"Had shown me themselves, grinning queerly as when they’d shown me lizards they’d killed, or sparrows they’d slowly bled with a needle. † These lines show vivid and disturbing images of boys’ violence, this is then enhanced by alliteration of the word ‘S’ in â€Å"sparrows they’d slowly bled. † In the lines, â€Å"shown me themselves† implies that such violence is a characteristic of being a male in our society. This idea of cruelty being a part of male’s characteristic in our society is shown again in line 13 which says, â€Å"Would dare each other any taste, any soft clot, any ugly act. † This line tells the reader that the brother’s would do anything and challenge each other for dominance which also implies that these characteristics of challenging each other for dominance is a part of a male’s life. In the last stanza the reader is given the idea that the brothers haven’t achieved anything and that the reader should feel pity for the brothers rather than looking at them as wrong, heartless human beings. This is shown by persona saying â€Å"Touched themselves through the emptiness of their pockets, scared they’d find the prize of nothing. † This quote evokes sympathy for the brothers through the word choice â€Å"emptiness† and â€Å"prize of nothing†. She also suggests that masculinity to cruelty is ultimately a hollow power. Just like â€Å"The Two Brothers†, â€Å"Fox in a Tree Stump† is a poem with a creature commonly thought of as a pest is projected as the innocent victim of male cruelty. This poem is about an unwanted intruder on the farm. The poem records the memory of a painful loss of innocence for a sensitive nine- year old, who must choose between invoking her uncle’s anger and going against her own mortality. In this poem the uncle has taken it upon himself to teach the child some of the harsher realities in life. Uncle leaves the child to smoke out the unfortunate fox and kill it with a tree branch. Therefore, the child is forced to shed its innocence. The uncle’s dominance is shown over both the girl and the fox. The dominance is linked to the uncle’s gender. Even though the uncle is domineering and cruel, yet Beveridge does not blame him for his act, the poet blames the uncle’s nature as shown in stanza 2 by a quote which says, â€Å"His voice harsh, kelpie- cursing would not understand if I let the fox run to the bush. † This was also shown in The Two Brothers as at the end of the poem the brothers were not blamed for their action but instead were felt pity for. Fox in a Tree Stump ends with â€Å"I was a child praying for the dark each time the sun caught my uncle’s eye. † The persona prays for something like this to never occur in her life again. Children are usually afraid of the dark and hope for sunrise but in this quote dark means release from uncle’s domination and from the fear of further killings. Judith Beveridge has challenged the understanding of the world in which we live. â€Å"The Two Brother’s† and â€Å"Fox in a Tree Stump† both show male dominance over neglected creatures in the society and over females. Beveridge has also challenged my understanding of the society which we live in by raising issues such as physiological torture, animal cruelty, homosexuality and rape throughout most of her poems.

Conventional Sensors and Optical Fiber Sensors

Conventional Sensors and Optical Fiber Sensors ABSTRACT This study deals with the comparison of the two types of sensors which are widely used in civil engineering, namely, conventional sensors and optical fiber sensors. Temperature and displacement are the two principal parameters which are measured with the aid of Fiber optic sensors. Bragg Grating, Interferometric, Intensity Sensors, and optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) are some of the techniques which are used for sensing. In this study, various case studies have been undertaken and have been analyzed. With the aid of these case studies, a detailed analysis and comparison of the sensors is carried out. Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION In the last two decades, the world has witnessed a revolution in the sectors of optoelectronics and fiber optic communications. Various products such as laser printers and bar code scanners which have become a part of our daily usage, are a result of this technical revolution only. The reasons for the phenomenal growth of the fiber optics are many. The most conspicuous reason being the ability of the fiber optics to provide high performance and highly reliable communication links and that too at a very low bandwidth cost. As we see that optoelectronic and fiber communications industry has progressed a lot, and along with these industries fiber optic sensors have also benefited a lot from these developments. Due to the mass production in these industries, availability of fiber optic sensors at a low cost has been made possible in recent years. With their availability at affordable costs, fiber optic sensors have been able to enter the domain which was otherwise being ruled by the trad itional sensors. In recent years, the demand for the development of new materials to strengthen, upgrade and retrofit existing aged and deteriorated concrete structures has increased rapidly. The continuing deterioration and functional deficiency of existing civil infrastructure elements represents one of the most significance challenges facing the worlds construction and civil engineers. Deficiencies in existing concrete structures caused by initial flawed design due to insufficient detailing at the time of construction, aggressive chemical attacks and ageing of structural elements enhance an urgent need of finding an effective means to improve the performance of these structures without additionally increasing the overall weight, maintenance cost and time. In the last 50 years, a large number of civil concrete structures have been built; many of these structures, particularly in off-shore regions have now deteriorated and require repair in a short period of time. Moreover, the increase of traffic volume and population in many developing countries is causing the demand to upgrade existing concrete structures to increase. The damage of reinforced concrete (RC) structures through reinforcement corrosion and residual capacity are the most important issues that concern engineers. These problems occur not only in constructed concrete structures but also in structures strengthened by externally bonded steel reinforcements. In the past, the external steel plate bonding method has been used to improve strength in the tensile region of concrete structures with an epoxy adhesive and has proved to be successful over a period of 20 years. However, the use of steel reinforced plates and bars has its disadvantages including high corrosion rates, which could adversely affect the bond strength and cause surface spalling of the concrete, due to volumetric change in the corroded steel reinforcements. Since the early 1980s, fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) materials have been used as a replacement for conventional steel materials for concrete strengthening applications. In recent years, the interest in utilizing FRP materials in the civil concrete industry in forms of rods, plates, grid and jacket has grown increasingly. When an FRP plate with high tensile strength properties bonds on the concrete surface, it can strengthen the structure with minimum changes to its weight and dimensions. FRP offers substantial improvement in solving many practical problems that conventional materials cannot solve to provide a satisfactory service life of the structure. Unlike the conventional steel materials, FRP is corrosion resistant. The beneficial characteristics of using the FRP in concrete construction include its high strength-to-weight ratio, low labour requirement, ease of application, reduced traffic interruption during repair, cost reductions in both transportation and in situ maintenance for a long-term strategy. Its high damping characteristic also attracts more structural engineers to use these materials for seismic retrofitting. Due to the increasing use of FRP-plate bonding techniques in strengthening civil concrete structures, the interest in finding a suitable means of monitoring the structural health conditions of these strengthened structures has therefore increased substantially. Since strengthened structures are covered by the FRP plates, the mechani cal properties of the concrete may not be measured or detected easily through conventional nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods, such as strain measurements using surface mounted strain gauges or extensometers, radiography, thermography and acoustic emission methods, particularly in areas with microcracks and debonds underneath the externally-bonded plate. Besides, these structural inspection technologies, in certain cases, require special surface preparations or a high degree of flatness in the concrete surface. These requirements may be hard to achieve, particularly for an area that is exposed to a harsh environment. During the 1990s, a multi-disciplinary field of engineering known as Smart Structures has developed as one of the most important research topics in the field.The structure is formed by a marriage of engineering materials with structurally-integrated sensor systems. The system is capable of assessing damage and warning of impending weakness in the structural integrity of the structure. Fibre-optic sensor technology is a most attractive device currently used in the aerospace and aircraft industry for on-line monitoring of large-scale FRP structures. The development of distributed fibreoptic sensors, which provides information on a large number of continuously distribution parameters such as strain and temperature is of great interest in most engineering applications.11,12 The sensors are embedded into a structure to form a novel self-strainmonitoring system, i.e. the system can self-detect its health status and send response signals to operators during any marginal situation during service. The embedding sensor, due to its extremely small physical size, can provide the information to a high accuracy and resolution without influencing the dimension and mechanical properties of the structure. Fibre-optic sensors present a number of advantages over the conventional strain measuring devices: (a) providing an absolute measurement that is sensitive to fluctuation in irradiance of the illuminating source; (b) enabling the measurement of the strain in different locations in only one single optical fibre by using multiplexing techniques;(c) having a low manufacturing cost for mass production; and (d) its ability to be embedded inside a structure without influencing the mechanical properties of the host material. A new development of Smart materials and structures was driven by a strong demand for high performance over recent years. A system integrated into structures and being able to monitor its hosts physical and mechanical properties such as temperature and strain, during service is appreciated as a Smart structural health monitoring system. The term smart material and structure is widely used to describe the unique marriage of material and structural engineering by using fibre-optic sensors and actuation control technology. The smart structure is constructed of materials that can continuously monitor their own mechanical and physical properties, and thereby, be capable of assessing damage and warning of impending weakness in structural integrity. This design concept results in improved safety and economic concerns regarding the weight saving and avoidance of over-designing of the structure in the long run. In Fig. 1, a schematic illustration of the structures possibilities created by the confluence of the four disciplines is shown. In the figure, a structure invested with actuating, sensing and neutral networking systems to form a new class of adaptive structures is shown. A structure with integrated sensor or actuator systems is able to provide a self-structural health monitoring or actuating response, respectively. If both systems are integrated together into a structure, the sensor and actuators can act as nervous and muscular systems, like a human body, to sense the conditions such as mechanical strain and temperature of the structure (a smart structure) and to provide control of such changes of stiffness, shape and vibration mode (a controlled structure). The combination of these two systems into one structure is called a Smart adaptive structure. This structure with a built-in neural networking system, like a brain, is then able to self evaluate the conditions, which are based on changes of structural parameters, thermal conditions and ambient environments to give an appropriate mechanical adjustment. This structure is commonly called an Intelligent adaptive structure. 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY There has been an unprecedented development in the fields of optoelectronics and fiber optic communications. This in turn, has brought about a revolution in the sectors of telecommunication and various other industries. This has been made possible with the aid of high performance and reliable telecommunication links which have low bandwidth cost. Optical fibers have numerous advantages and some disadvantages. The advantages include their small size, resistance to electromagnetic interference and high sensitivity. On the other hand, some of its disadvantages are their high cost and unfamiliarity to the end user. But its great advantages completely overshadow its minor disadvantages. So, in this study an attempt is being made to compare the modern age fiber optic sensors with the conventional sensors. Also, with the aid of the case studies, the impact of fiber optic sensor technology on monitoring of civil structures is studied (McKinley and Boswell 2002). 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT In the past various kinds of sensors have been used in civil engineering for measuring temperature, pressure, stress, strain etc. And as the optical fiber sensors spread their wings, the civil engineering is bound to gain a lot from these modern sensors. Presently, there exist a number of problems with the existing civil infrastructures. These civil infrastructures such as bridges etc. have a pretty long service period which may amount to several decades or maybe even hundred years. Thus, during this time period, these structures suffer from corrosion, fatigue and extreme loading. Since concrete is used mostly in these civil infrastructures, it degradation is a major issue all over the world. The amount of degradation and the time when the degradation starts depends on various factors and is inevitable and unavoidable. Thus, in order to keep these civil structures in good condition, it becomes necessary that their condition be monitored and adequate steps be taken. Thus, we need sensors which can monitor these structures throughout the life of these structures. Thus, in this study the impact of fiber optic sensors is studied on civil structures. 1.3 OBJECTIVES There are a few objectives that are planned to be achieved at the end of this project, these are: A general discussion on the present state of structural monitoring and the need of fiber optic sensors in this field A general study on Comparison between Conventional Sensors and Optical Fiber Sensors Review of Case Studies on Fiber Optic Sensors application in Civil Engineering Structures 1.4 WORK PLAN Discussion, reading and observation Problem identification through reading, discussion and observation of the area studied Understand and identify the background of problem Studying feasibility and needs to carry out the investigation Identification of the Title for the project Identify the aim, objective and scope of the project Literature Review Understanding the background of the problem Understanding the history of the sensor technology in structural monitoring Carrying out literature survey on generic technologies of sensors for concrete structures Identify the types of sensor involved in monitoring the structural in civil engineering Identify the technique used and the working principle for each type of sensors (in particular optical fiber sensors) Case Study Choose the relevant and related case study for discussion Describe important aspects of case study Analyze the use of sensors in the case study Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations Discuss the similarities and differences Discuss the technical facets of sensor application Draw the overall conclusion for this project Give some recommendation for future Chapter 2: APPLICATIONS These days the fiber optic sensors are being used for a variety of applications, the most prominent of them being: Measurement of rotation and acceleration of bodies Measurement of electric and magnetic fields Measurement of temperature and pressure of bodies Measurement of acoustics and vibrations of various bodies Measurement of strain, viscosity and chemical properties of materials Measurement of surface condition and tactile sensing Measurement of sound , speed and proximity of bodies Determination of color and weight of different objects Measurement of linear and angular positions and this is widely utilized in civil engineering structures 2.1 ADVANTAGES OF FIBER OPTIC SENSORS Like with any other technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages using fiber optic sensors. The prominent advantages being: Fiber optic sensors are lightweight and this is of great importance in case of engineered structures Fiber optic sensors are of smaller size as compared to the traditional sensors Also, fiber optic sensors consume less power as compared to the traditional sensors Along with this, these sensors show high resistance to electromagnetic interference as compared to the traditional sensors On top of this, fiber optic sensors have enjoy high bandwidth and high sensitivity as compared to their traditional counterparts Fiber optic sensors are usually embedded in objects and due to this, these sensors can gain access to areas which till date remain inaccessible with the aid of traditional sensors Also, these sensors are accurate over a greater dynamic range as compared to the traditional sensors Fiber optic sensors are also capable of being multiplexed which again is a further advantage over their traditional counterparts Also, fiber optic sensors are capable of distributed measurements which gives them an edge over and above the traditional sensors Last but not the least, they also show greater environmental ruggedness as compared to the traditional sensors 2.2 DISADVANTAGES OF FIBER OPTIC SENSORS But all this is just one side of the coin. Though on seeing these advantages, it might appear that fiber optic sensors are way too advanced as compared to the traditional ones, but it is not exactly true. These fiber optic sensors also have some disadvantages due to which their advancement in todays world has been somewhat curtailed. The major disadvantages of fiber optic sensors are: Fiber optic sensors are quite costly as compared to the traditional sensors. Due to this, many people still consider traditional sensors to be a better option in cases where cost is a major consideration. Secondly, these sensors have come into prominence only in the last two decades. Due to this, people appear to be somewhat less educated regarding their usage and operations. And this unfamiliarity with the usage of these sensors, has proved to be a major hurdle in being able to capture the whole market. Also, these sensors are considered to be more fragile as compared to the traditional sensors which raises a question over their adaptability in extreme conditions Also with the fiber optic sensors there exists the inherit ingress/egress difficulty Fiber optic sensors usually have a non-linear output which is a cause for concern in some applications From the above discussion, we can see that as is the case with any other new technology, there are both merits and demerits of fiber optic sensors. But, what is worth considering here is that the advantages of this technology are much more than its disadvantages and are able to outweigh them. Also, from the demerits which are mentioned here, it is clear that these demerits are bound to wither away as this technology develops and gains more prominence. 2.3 APPLICATIONS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING Now we come to the discussion of the need and applications of the fiber optic sensors in the field of civil engineering structures. The monitoring of civil structures has a great significance in todays world. Today, we not only need to construct reliable and strong civil structures, but we also need to monitor these structures in order to ensure their proper functioning and their safety. Also, with the aid of the monitoring of various parameters of the structures, we can get knowledge about state of the building and by using this data, we can in turn plan the maintenance schedule for the structure (Mckinley, 2000). Also, this data can give us an insight into the real behavior of the structure and can thus take make important decisions regarding the optimization of similar structures which are to b e constructed in future. The maintenance of the structures can be approached in one of the two ways, namely: Material point of view- In this approach, monitoring is concentrated on local properties of the materials which are used in the construction. In this approach, we observe the behavior of the construction materials under the conditions of load, temperature etc. In this approach, short base length sensors are usually utilized. Also, it is possible to get the information about the whole structure with the aid of extrapolation of the data obtained from these sensors. Structural point of view- In this approach of measurement, the structure is viewed from a geometrical point of view. In this approach, long gauge length sensors appear to be the ideal choice. In this approach, we will be able to detect material degradation only if this material degradation has an impact on the form of the structure. In the recent years most of the research work which has been carried out in field of optic sensors has been in the field of material monitoring rather than structural monitoring. It is also worth mentioning here that, more sensors are required in the case of material monitoring as compared to structural monitoring. We know that civil engineering requires sensors that can be embedded in the concrete, mortars, steel, rocks, soil, road pavements etc. and can measure various parameters reliably. Also what should be taken into account is that these sensors should be easy to install and should not hamper the construction work or the properties of the structure in any derogatory manner. Also, it is common knowledge that at the sites of civil engineering, there exist the unavoidable conditions of dust, pollution, electromagnetic disturbances and of unskilled labor. Thus, the sensors to be used in these cases need to be rugged, should be inert to harsh environment conditions and should be easy to install and their installation could be carried out by unskilled labor. Along with all these things, it is imperative that these sensors are able to survive a period of at least ten years so that they can allow for a constant monitoring of the aging of the structure. Thus, we see that the fiber optic sensors ca n prove to be quite handful in civil engineering applications and structures. In the past various kinds of sensors have been used in civil engineering for measuring temperature, pressure, stress, strain etc. And as the optical fiber sensors spread their wings, the civil engineering is bound to gain a lot from these modern sensors (Vurpillot et al., 1998). Chapter 3: LITERATURE REVIEW ON FIBER OPTIC SENSORS Fiber optic sensors are of many kinds, but they can be broadly classified into two types, namely, extrinsic fiber optic sensors and intrinsic fiber optic sensors. There is a great deal of difference between these two types of fiber optic sensors and this difference is discussed in detail below. 3.1 EXTRINSIC FIBER OPTIC SENSORS This type of fiber optic sensor is also known as hybrid fiber optic sensor. As we can see in the figure above that there is a black box and an input fiber enters into this black box. And from this input fiber, information is impressed upon light beam. There can be various ways by which the information can be impressed upon. Usually this information is impressed upon the light beam in terms of frequency or polarization. This light which then posses the information is carried away by the optical fiber. The optical fiber now goes to an electronic processor. (Vurpillot et al., 1998) Here, in the electronic processor the information which is brought along by the fiber is processed. Though we can have separate input fiber and output fiber, but in some cases it is preferred to have the same fiber as the input fiber and the output fiber. 3.2 INTRINSIC FIBER OPTIC SENSORS Intrinsic fiber optic sensors Extrinsic fiber optic sensors In this sensor, the fiber itself acts as the sensor medium In this sensor, the fiber does not act as the sensor medium. It merely acts as a light delivery and collection system In this fiber optic sensor, the light never leaves the medium and always stays inside the medium In this fiber optic sensor, the light leaves the medium, then it is altered in some way and is collected by another fiber. 3.3 INTENSITY BASED FIBER OPTIC SENSORS While there exist various kinds of fiber optic sensors today, but the most common of these sensors is the hybrid type fiber optic sensor which depends upon intensity modulation in order to carry out the measurements (Zako et al., 1995) The functioning of this fiber optic sensor is quite simple. In this fiber optic sensor, light enters from one side. And when this light exits from the other side, it exits in the form of a cone and the angle of this cone depends on two parameters. The two parameters upon which the angle of this cone depends are: Firstly, it depends on the index of refraction of the core Secondly, it depends on the cladding of the optical fiber Also, the amount of light captured by the second optic fiber depends on a number of factors. The prominent factors on which the amount of light captured depend are: It depends on the acceptance angle It also depends on the distance d between the optical fibers Another type of fiber optic sensor is the flexible mounted mirror sensor. The important characteristics of this sensor are: In this case, a mirror is mounted which is used to respond to external parameters such as pressure. The modulation in intensity is caused the shifts in the mirror position. These sensors are used in a variety of applications such as door closures. In a door closure, a reflective strip is used. These sensors are used to measure small variations and displacements 3.4 LINEAR POSITION SENSORS In todays world, linear position sensors have become widely applicable. They are being used for various purposes (Zako et al., 1995). In many of the linear positioning sensors, wavelength division multiplexing is used. An illustration of the linear position sensor is shown in the figure below. The various components of this linear position sensor are: It consists of a broadband light source It consists of various detectors as shown in the figure above It also consists of wavelength division multiplexing element which acts as the principal component of this instrument. It also consists of an encoder card In the example above, a broadband light source is utilized. The light from this broadband source is carried to a wavelength division multiplexing system with the aid of a single optic fiber. The wavelength division multiplexing system is used to determine the linear position. Another linear motion sensing method which is very widely used today and is quite similar to the method discussed above is known as the time division multiplexing method. In this method instead of a broadband light source a light pulse is used. Here, the combination of the returned signals takes place. As a result of this combination of the returned signals, the net signal which is produced moves onto the position of the encoder card. The main areas in which these intensity based fiber optic sensors have found application are: In commercial aircrafts In military aircrafts In these applications these modern sensors have performed quite well and are at par with the performance of the conventional sensors. But, because of the various advantages these sensors enjoy over and above the conventional sensors, these modern sensors are bound to replace the conventional sensors in the years to come. 3.5 LIQUID LEVEL SENSORS This is another type of intensity based fiber optic sensor. In the functioning of this sensor, the principle of total internal reflection is utilized. Thus, in these sensors the refraction index of the glass and the fiber occupy the pivotal role. These sensors can be utilized for a variety of purposes. The most prominent of its applications are: Measurement of pressure changes in gels Measurement of pressure changes in various liquids Measurement of refractive index changes in gels Measurement of refractive index changes in different types of liquids Measurement of the level of a liquid in a vessel and this application is utilized in various industries to measure liquid levels These sensors have an accuracy of about 5 percent and are gaining importance in various industries for their usefulness. 3.6 SOFO SENSORS These are fiber optic sensors which are utilized for strain measurement. These sensors have become quite popular owing to their innate merits. Out of all the fiber optic sensors, these sensors are the ones which are being used most extensively today. These sensors are being used to measure curvature and various other parameters in giant civil structures. These sensors form a part of the interferometric system (Vurpillot et al., 1998). Also, these sensors have the ability of measuring the parameters in an absolute manner using low-coherent light. The important properties of these sensors are: These fiber optic sensors enjoy a high resolution. The resolution of these sensors is 2 Â µm These sensors can be of varied lengths. Their length can be as small as 0.2m or can be as large as 20m. Also, these sensors have the property of being temperature compensated The SOFO system setup consists of a number of equipments. The main components of the SOFO system setup are: It consists of a fiber optic sensor which forms the crux of this monitoring system. It is the most important component of the monitoring system. It consists of a sensor chain with partial reflectors. One terminal of this sensor is connected to the coupler Another terminal of the sensor chain with partial reflectors is connected to the LED. The coupler in turn is connected to the photo diode and a mobile mirror. This whole portable reading unit is connected to portable computer terminal. This ensures that that the whole monitoring system can be taken to the location and can be directly used at site. These sensors can be utilized in two ways. They can either be embedded in the structure at the time of the construction of the structure. Or, they can used to measure the various parameters externally. Though in both the cases, that is, in case of embedding or in the case of external anchoring, the performance of the sensors remains the same, but still, in modern smart structures, embedding is preferred (Perez 2001). .This is because, in the case of embedded sensors, the sensors continuously measure the parameters and are easy to manage. Whereas in the older structures, where embedding is not preferred, external anchoring is used. Chapter 4: CASE STUDIES Case study 1: Monitoring of San Giorgio pier San Giorgio pier is a massive concrete structure. Its length is about 400metres. It is very essential to carry out its monitoring in order to know about its deformation. This in turn, is very useful in determining the safety of this pier. At this pier, it was earlier proposed to use the conventional methods to monitor the deformation. This involved the use of conventional sensors for measurement. But, the problem with this method was that in the case of conventional sensors, we could get the data of the various parameters of the pier for only a short period. And, as we know that in order to determine anything conclusively about such large concrete structures we need data for a very long period. But, here as it was the case with the conventional sensors, we could get data only for short periods. Thus, with the aid of the conventional methods which were employing conventional sensors, we could not say anything conclusively. (Andrea Del Grosso et al.) Thus, there existed the need to emp loy fiber optic sensors in order to determine the deformation of this massive pier. It was possible to measure the deformation of this pier with the aid of the fiber optic sensors because of the following advantages which the fiber optic sensors enjoy over and above the conventional sensors: Fiber optic sensors are long base strain sensors and this property of the fiber optic sensors was very important in this case. This was because, as the pier was a massive concrete structure, therefore, measurement of

Shakespeares Hamlet - The Reality of Appearances Essay examples -- Re

The Reality of Appearances in Hamlet   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within Hamlet the notion of appearances (through apparitions and mental afflictions) lies in direct dichotomy of reality.   This becomes evident through both plot and character.   The continual demise in Hamlet’s mental state is an important issue which leads us to question his actions and motives within the play.   In this essay I shall be attempting to elucidate how the reality of appearances is a central theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The play's plot is full of incidents and events that are not what they appear to be. One such incident is Ophelia's ambiguous death. When, from the Queen, the audience first learns of her passing, the girl's death seems very peaceful, poetic and accidental. But later, during the Graveyard Scene, when the clowns are discussing her death, they classify it as a suicide. Does Ophelia, as it appears, absent-mindedly set foot too far into the murky waters and, held down by her heavy garments, meets with her untimely death? Or, does she, mad with grief caused by Hamlet's "insanity" and her father's death, willingly march to her muddy grave? Another example occurs when Laertes, Ophelia's brother, and King Claudius devise the Triple-Pronged plan. They set up a duel between Hamlet and Laertes. Since both young men are presumably using bated swords, this confrontation appears to be a simple, ordinary fencing match, no one will get hurt. Despite its h armless... ...etations: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York City: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 65-86 Findlay, Alison. "Hamlet: A Document in Madness." New Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. New York: AMS Press, 1994. 189-205. Hopkins, Lisa. "Parison and the Impossible Comparison." New Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. New York: AMS Press, 1994. 153-164. Rose, Mark. "Reforming the Role." Modern Critical Interpretations: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York City: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 117-128 Wiggins, Martin. "Hamlet Within the Prince." New Essays on Hamlet. Ed. Mark Thornton Burnett and John Manning. New York: AMS Press, 1994. 209-226.   

The Real Monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Essay -- Literary Analy

In this essay I will be discussing who really is portrayed as the monster in her gothic horror novel, Frankenstein or â€Å"The Modern Prometheus†. Frankenstein was written in 1816, (thought by many to be the first real science fiction novel) during the age of Romanticism and it tells the story of a selfish man, Victor Frankenstein, whose ambition conducts him to seek for supernatural powers and leads him to death. He is a young scientist, eager to discover something new, the key to life, help to make scientific advances and let other scientists get a better idea of how the body works and who after studying chemical processes and the decay of living beings, gains an insight into the creation of like, leading him to create a monster that becomes malicious, in his attempt to reach a God-like level, to see his name glorified by humanity. However, I will be concentrating mainly on chapter five as this is the point in the novel where Victor’s scientific obsession appears to be a kind of dream but near the end we are left off with the birth of the creature. The horror of his project only strikes him when it is too late, when the creature itself, comes to life. He notices this when he realised that he was trying to take the place of God, and soon, in the shear horror, he abandons him, leaving the creature â€Å"to his own devices† and he gets no nurture, from in one point of view his father. Victor’s actions are what make up This is the most important chapter in the whole novel as this is what we have been leading up to all throughout. Also in this chapter we know that Victor is very obsessive with his work and is convinced that what he is doing will be the best for society. Overall, you can easily tell, that this is a gothic horror novel, m... ...any similarities as this concept still hasn’t been overcome. Mary Shelley uses a very different kind of language techniques throughout the novel. One technique is shown straightaway right at the beginning of chapter 5 â€Å"it was on a dreary night of November†. Here Mary uses pathetic fallacy. Pathetic fallacy is the attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects or to nature. In this case, she describes the night to be â€Å"dreary†, this tells the reader that it was a miserable night and this creates an eerie atmosphere, and the phrase â€Å"accomplishment of my toils† tells the audience that Frankenstein has a plan but we do not know what it is, and this causes tension to rise. This use of pathetic fallacy emphasizes what is about to happen, and gives us a better idea of the mood around, letting us understand what she is trying to say.

True Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

The True Tragic Hero in Sophocles' Antigone    In Master Sophocles' Antigone, the question of who the tragic hero really is has been a subject of debate for a great number years. Creon does possess some of the qualities that constitute a tragic hero but unfortunately does not completely fit into the role. Antigone, however, possesses all the aspects of a tragic hero. These are, in no particular order, having a high social position, not being overly good or bad, being tenacious in their actions, arousing pity in the audience, a revelatory manifestation, and having a single flaw that brings about their own demise and the demise of others around them. Antigone possesses all of these traits therefore qualifying as the tragic hero.    The first qualifying aspect is that Antigone is of a high social standing in Thebes. Creon himself refers to her as a princess though she is technically no longer one. Because of her high standing she is capable of great suffering, in that she has a lot of fame and regard to lose. Those who say Creon is the tragic hero state say that Antigone is no longer in a high position in the society, therefore does not qualify on that account. If the character had needed to be in a high political position this would be true, but they need only have a great deal to lose in their downfall. Although she may no longer hold political power Antigone is still a powerful figure in Thebes, since she was to be married to Creon's son Haemon and the whole city seemed to know how tragic her life had become.    Antigone and Creon would qualify as the tragic hero if the only requirement was not being overly good or bad. Creon shows his negative side when he refuses to bury Polyneices and when he speaks to the sentry. His positive side is shown in his obvious affection for Antigone and Ismene, whom he has attempted to raise since their fathers death. Antigone's ungodly side is shown by her incestuous behavior with her brother Polyneices. Her positive side is shown by the way the she insists on respecting his right to be buried in the religious tradition of Greece so that his soul may live on in the afterlife.    Another aspect of a tragic hero is an unwavering course of action, most likely caused by their flaw, that brings about their demise and the demise of those around them.

Intersections of Race, Class, and Gender in the Tempest Essay

In Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Tempest’, the characters of Prospero and Caliban, represent two different extremes on the social spectrum: the ruler, and the ruled. Their positions on the social hierarchy are largely due to the fact that Caliban responds almost wholly to passions, feelings of pleasure; his senses, while Prospero is ruled more by his intellect and self-discipline; his mind. Within ‘The Tempest’ there are obvious social implications regarding this social hierarchy, with the representations of characters such as Caliban and Prospero. During Shakespeare’s time social classification was much more rigid than today and some members of society were considered superior to other members. Shakespeare attempts to provide an example of this rigid social structure. Shakespeare illustrates how superior men differentiated themselves from lesser beings on the basis of race, class, and gender. Through the characterization of Prospero, Shakespeare pr ovides an example of one, who had reason to feel superior and often did voice his superiority, yet at times treated others on a more holistic level and even forgave other’s wrong doings. In the closing scene of William Shakespeare’s, ‘The Tempest’, through dialogue with Antonio, Prospero states â€Å"This thing of darkness I/ Acknowledge mine† (V.1.275-6). This statement by Prospero is simply stating what Prospero genuinely believes, that he is rightfully the master of Caliban and the rest of the island because he colonized it. Prospero had one attribute many, if not all, of the other inhabitants of the island did not posess; a wealth of knowledge. The source of all his power, in both ways of his magic and his obvious control over the other inhabitants in the play comes from his books. While he firmly believes he has power over almost everyone and everything in the play, Prospero has a very empathetic side as well. In the end he forgives Caliban for plotting against his life and even relates himself to Caliban. This shows that, in a way, Caliban’s rebellion was quite successful because it showed Prospero some of his tyrannical and hy pocritical ways. One such example of Prospero’s tyrannical and hypocritical ways is when Ariel reminds his master of his promise to relieve him of his duties early if he performs them willingly. In response to this deal, Prospero bursts into fury and threatens to return him to his former imprisonment and torment. â€Å"Thou liest, malignant thing! Hast thou forgot / The foul witch Sycorax, who with age and envy / Was grown into a hoop? Hast thou forgot her?† (I.2.16) Instead of Prospero acknowledging that Ariel has indeed lived up to his end of the deal thus far, he bursts into rage only acknowledging exactly what he did for Ariel in the first place. This in turn emphasizes Prospero’s extremely autocratic stance, he puts Ariel down to build himself up. Another example Prospero’s unnecessarily tyrannical ways is the first time Prospero calls for Caliban to enter in ‘The Tempest’. â€Å"But as ‘tis, / We cannot miss him: he does make our fire, / Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices / That profit us. What, ho! slave! Caliban! / Thou earth, thou! Speak!† (I.2.18). While Prospero believes he saved Caliban from the Sycorax, his blue-eyed hag mother, he essentially kills Caliban’s mother and takes away not only his mother and the land that is rightfully his, but most importantly his freedom as well. He takes away Caliban’s freedom and forces him to be his slave. Ariel, who Prospero did indeed save from Sycorax is considered a servant, while Caliban, who was not imprisoned by Sycorax, but instead living with Sycorax as his mother was turned into the lowest form of a being. Essentially Prospero lands on Caliban’s island, takes away everything he has, and then forces him to become his slave proclaiming he saved him from his witch mother. This is yet another perfect example of how Prospero displays the obvious social hierarchy and is also the typical colonizer. These actions and consequent reasoning’s are also prime examples of Prospero’s horrible tyrannical ways from the beginning of the play. Prospero and Caliban’s relationship is strained from the beginning of the play when Prospero’s strong authoritative beliefs begin to surface. Caliban has the right of ownership of the island; however, Prospero firmly believes in the superiority of the white European over the half-devil islander. While this puts a strain on their relationship from the start, the boiling point came when Caliban attempts to rape Miranda, Prospero’s daughter. Even after attempting to rape Miranda, Caliban was brutally honest in not denying his malicious intent. â€Å"O ho, O ho! Would’t had been done!/ Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else/ This isle with Calibans† (I.2.349-51). In response to Caliban’s attempted rape and his obvious total lack of remorse for it, Prospero states, â€Å"I have used thee / with humane care, and lodge thee/ In mine own cell till thou didst seek to violate / The honor of my child† (I.2.345-8). Prospero recounts here that he has cared for Caliban and lodged him and he still has attempted to violate what is most sacred to him, his daughter Miranda. Again, Prospero belief that by killing his mother Sycorax that Prospero essentially freed Caliban so he has the right to claim Caliban as his own slave. He states that he has cared for Caliban and given him a home, while truly he has treated Caliban with no respect or gratitude at all throughout the play. Prospero is essentially riding on the belief that he has ultimately saved Caliban, so he is entitled to treat Caliban however he pleases and Caliban should accept that as well. While Prospero accepts no responsibility for Caliban’s actions, in the end of the play his compassionate side not only comes out, but he also begins to forgive Caliban for the attempted rape and the plot to kill him. â€Å"As you look/ to have my pardon, trim it handsomely† (V.1.93-94). Prospero is essentially stating, just go do a good job on this task and you have my forgiveness. He is finally starting to realize how poorly he has treated Caliban while still holding true to his autocratic ego and not accepting any responsibility. While Caliban’s rebellion was not successful in the terms of his plot succeeding, it was successful in Caliban’s latent goal of wanting Prospero’s genuine respect and not the classic master-slave relationship which Prospero has projected throughout the entire play. While Prospero and Caliban represent two different extremes on the social spectrum, their positions on the social hierarchy are largely due to the fact that Caliban responds almost wholly to passions, feelings of pleasure; his senses, while Prospero is ruled more by his intellect and self-discipline; his mind. Within ‘The Tempest’ there are obvious social implications regarding this social hierarchy, with the representations of the characters Caliban and Prospero. In the end of the play, Prospero finally begins to break this social hierarchy and shows Caliban some much needed forgiveness.

Easter Egg Packaging Research Essay

Please select only 1 response for each question by placing an X in the response you feel most comfortable with unless you are told to select more than 1 response. (1) What is your gender? Male Female (2) What age range do you fit in? Age range is measured in years. 0-16 17-21 22-30 31-40 41-50 51-59 60-64 65+ (3) What is your ethnicity? Please choose the ethnic minority group you feel you best fit in and the ethnic minority groups are measured in the Self Defined Ethnicity (SDE) codes. A1 Indian A2 Pakistani A3 Bangladeshi A9 Any other Asian background B1 Caribbean B2 African B9 Any other Black background O1 Chinese O9 Any other ethnic group M1 White and Black Caribbean M2 White and Black African M3 White and Asian M9 Any other mixed background W1 British W2 Irish W9 Any other white background (4) Do you like Easter Eggs? Yes No (5) Do you shop for Easter Eggs? Yes No (6) What is your current occupation? (7) What is your current annual salary? Please state your current annual salary by using the British currency of pounds (i ). (8) How much are you most like to spend on your Easter Eggs? Please use the British currency of pounds (i ) for the spending of Easter eggs. i 0. 01 – i 2. 99 i 3. 00 – i 4. 99 i 5. 00 – i 6. 99 i 7. 00 + (9) Where are you most likely to shop for your Easter Eggs? If necessary, please select more than one option. Tesco Asda Sainsbury’s Morrison’s Netto Iceland Lidl Aldi Somerfield M&S John Lewis Waitrose Thornton’s WH Smith Other (Please specify below) (10) What Easter egg Company are you most likely to buy? If necessary, please select more than one option. Cadbury’s Nestle Kraft Masterfoods Lindt Other (Please Specify Below) (11) For your Easter egg, which chocolate do you most prefer? If necessary, please select more than one option. White Chocolate Dark Chocolate Milk Chocolate Other (Please Specify Below) (12) What do you like with your egg in the Easter egg box? If necessary, please select more than one option. Novelties Chocolate Bars Toys Sweets Other (Please Specify Below) (13) For your Easter Egg Box, which theme do you prefer? If necessary, please select more than one option. TV & Film Comedy Cartoon Anime Sports Gaming Action Adventure Music Modern Classical Retro Jesus & Old Other (Please Specify Below) What do you look for when buying an Easter Egg Box? If necessary, please select more than one option. Blue Pink Red Metallic Primary Colours Other (Please Specify Below) Small Medium Large What shape do you prefer for your Easter egg box? If necessary, please select more than one option. Cube Cuboid Spherical Pyramid Hemi-Spherical Cylinder Cone Other (Please Specify Below)

Sherman Alexie and Fredrick Douglass 50 Essays

Compare and Contrast Education is something so sacred to some people but there are many people that take it for granted as well. â€Å"The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me† by Sherman Alexie and â€Å"Learning to Read and Write† by Fredrick Douglass, is similar in many ways. Both of these men were so eager to learn when in the meantime so many people that do have the opportunity are so clueless. People are so clueless that there were others, and still are, that wish they were in a position to easily learn. Both of these men were minorities and grew up many years ago where learning was unusual.In their situation it was also forbidden in some ways. Although it was tough for both of them, they both felt compelled to take learning into their own hands. Alexie refused to be like others and Douglass did as well. Both of these men went through an astonishing experience to discover what they did. Not only did they both learn that education is something pleasurable, b ut they learned that it was difficult. Alexie, at three years old, started to teach himself how to read using a Superman comic book. He was quite a prodigy. Native-Americans were stereotypically supposed to fail in the classroom.Although they are different in so many ways, they are also alike in a many ways, Douglass taught himself and Alexie did the same. Although they taught themselves in different ways, they still did. That's what makes them alike. Slaves weren't allowed to read or write and Indians were considered outsiders if they did. Alexie being a Native American and Douglass being a slave, they were both outsiders. Growing up an Indian on a Reservation, not much was expected of Alexie in the knowledge department. â€Å"We were Indian children who were expected to be stupid† (p. 17). Alexie was different.He had a great mind and wanted to put it to use unlike the other Indians. He loved to learn. Alexie was considered an outsider from the Native Americans because he lo ved to learn. Alexie says, â€Å"I was smart. I was arrogant. I was lucky. † (p. 17). Even if it made Alexie an outsider or not getting along with his peers, he was still inspired. Even if it did mean he would fight with his classmates he did not give up his passion for reading. In his joy, however, there was also pain. Alexie writes, â€Å"I read with equal parts joy and desperation. I loved those books, but I also knew that love had only one purpose.It was trying to save my life† (p. 18) . Sherman Alexie didn't just want to be considered â€Å"a dumb Indian,† like all the other Native Americans. He wanted to be smart and have a better life for himself. He wasn't going to let the color of his skin or where he was born stop him from excelling in life. Fredrick Douglass was first introduced to reading in writing by his masters mistress. Douglass was an African-American slave. Although his master didn't let his mistress teach Douglass, he didn't give up. He was de dicated and took matters into his own hands this mistress gave up on him.He started learning to write and read. Douglass figured out how to read and write in the most unconventional ways. He traded bread for lessons from schooled poor white boys, and figured out how to write by looking at letters on timber in a ship-yard. Once he had attained those skills, Douglass was met with great desperation. He explains: â€Å"As I read and contemplated the subject (of slavery), behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish.As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity †¦ I often found myself regr etting my own existence, and wishing myself dead; and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt that I should have killed myself, or done something for which I should have been killed† (p. 132).Through his learning, Douglass soon realized that he was not destined to have the lives of the men he read about in books as he would be a slave for life. He wondered if his education had been a curse rather than a gift, and envied the ignorance of his fellow slaves who did not have to feel the same pain that he did. Both of these men realize that the life they thought the had ahead of them wasn't the outcome. That wasn't what they wanted. These men both hoped for the same thing. Sherman Alexie and Frederick Douglass’s essays both raise the question: In certain situations, is ignorance really bliss?Or is it better to be educated and know the truth, rather than live a life in a vacuum devoid of information or any means of achieving access to the world beyond your immediate c ommunity? This is a question one must learn themselves. Education can be both pleasurable and painful. For Alexie and Douglass both, education opened their eyes to the harsh reality of the world. And yet they contributed greatly to it through their own writings. Whether or not one wishes to keep this world closed, is up to each individual.Only you can decide whether or not to take risk of some pain in acquiring knowledge in order to have the opportunity to contribute to the world. While their circumstances, and even their methods of attaining knowledge were different, both of these men were shining examples of what can happen when you follow your passion to learn, and let nothing stand in your way. Both Sherman Alexie and Frederick Douglass’s essays are inspiring and open-minded to read. It's a realization that many people take education for granted and aren't often reminded the great lengths many people have gone through to learn the things.Some people say that â€Å"ignora nce is bliss. † Trying to find the answer to â€Å"ignorance really bliss† is fascinating. However there are some people who would rather know the truth than to be left in the dark. Works Sited Sherman Alexie's â€Å"The Joy of Writing: Superman and Me† 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. 3rd edition. Samuel Cohen. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011 15-19. Print. Fredrick Douglass's â€Å"Learning To Read and Write† 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology. 3rd edition. Samuel Cohen. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011 129-135. Print.

On the Waterfront Essay

â€Å"Anybody who sits around and lets it happen and keeps silent about something that knows that happened, shares the guilt.† On the Waterfront demonstrates that evil prospers when good men do nothing. Do you agree? Elia Kazan’s black and white film, On the Waterfront, reveals that unrelenting evil and corruption can overwhelm a community, but there are those who have â€Å"the gift of standing up† in the face of injustice. Terry Malloy, the film’s protagonist, is a seemingly morally weak henchman of Johnny Friendly however he is guided on the path to moral awareness after forming positive relationships. Charley Malloy, Terry’s brother, is a prime example of how power can corrupt can individual, though he is forced to reassess his behaviour when faced with the truth. However, the longshoremen’s failure to act out against Johnny Friendly’s control over the waterfront exemplifies how evil can prevail when there is a lack of action to combat the issue of corruption. Terry Malloy, a former boxer, makes the journey from being a character who is motivated by self-preservation to one who possesses an understanding of greater moral truth. He is initially depicted as a person who lives by the code of â€Å"standing with the right people so you have a little bit of change jinglin’ in your pocket†. Like many of the other longshoremen, he understands the importance of loyalty and adheres to the code of â€Å"D ‘n’ D†. Although he is uncomfortable with the role he played in the murder of Joey Doyle, he is aware of the potential repercussions of defying Johnny Friendly. However, once he starts a relationship with Edie Doyle, his view of â€Å"do it before he does it to you† is challenged. Terry begins to empowers himself with Edie’s principles upon trying on her white glove which emphasizes Terry’s slow transition from moral ambivalence towards a more morally righteous path. Later in the film, Terry we ars Joey’s jacket, a symbol of acting in accordance with the demands of one’s conscience, and vows to testify in the trial against Johnny Friendly. Furthermore, Terry’s mission for justice is illustrated when he says, â€Å"I’m gonna go down there and get my rights† confirms the influence that Edie has had on him. His transformation from being a morally weak character who struggles against his conscience, his triumph in defeating Johnny reveals how that evil can easily be eradicated through the course of action and justice. Charley Malloy presents an example of how the desire for power can inevitably lead to corruption; he manages to achieve redemption through him in releasing Terry and protecting him from the wrath of Johnny Friendly. Due to Charley’s harsh upbringing in the grim environment of the waterfront, he is a person who is motivated by money and seeks out relationships for financial benefits. He encourages Terry not to testify and instead accept a more prestigious job offer in where Terry would not â€Å"have to lift a finger†. However, after Terry blames his brother for taking away his opportunities – â€Å"I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum†¦ it was you, Charley† – Charley is forced to reassess his priorities over the last past few years. He manages to redeem himself when he tells Terry that he would tell Johnny that he will â€Å"tell him that I couldn’t bring you in† as an apology for not â€Å"look[ing ] out† for Terry. Charley is aware of the consequences that his choice will bring and the danger that he is placing himself in, but through his acknowledgement of how he prevented his brother from having the chance to be successful, he achieves the ultimate redemption in where he is crucified for his choice to let Terry go. Charley’s death reinforces the notion that although through corruption and injustice provided Charley with opportunities to make a success out of himself, it is by taking a stand in the face of inequality and redeeming yourself for your past wrongdoing which allows goodness to prevail. Despite Terry and Charley’s stand in the face of injustice, a majority of the workers on the docks exemplify the very notion that profound immorality and wicked deeds will dominate when there is a lack of action taken. Even when Joey is found dead at the hands of Johnny Friendly’s men, a majority of the waterfront workers still continue to submit to the will of Johnny Friendly and his henchmen, including Joey’s own father, Pop. Even Pop Doyle’s son’s death does not dissuade him to stray away from the code of â€Å"deaf and dumb† – instead Pop chooses to bemoan that Joey did not listen to his advice about remaining silent. The arrival of the Waterfront Crime Commission investigating Joey’s death is met with resistance signifying their powerlessness against the corrupt world of the docks. During the  congregation meeting at the church, which comprised of Father Barry and the longshoremen, many of the longshoremen refuse to speak out against the mob, which reveals how fearful they are of standing up for themselves. Father Barry is informed of the code of â€Å"D and D† and that â€Å"no matter how much we hate the torpedoes, we don’t rat†. The silence of the waterfront workers in the face of the crime and corruption infiltrating the longshoremen worker unions display how by through the idleness of the workers unwilling to speak out against injustice, it is easy for depravity and wrongdoing to run rampant when there is silence. The notion that corruption and wrongdoing is rampant when there is inaction from bystanders is reinforced in Elia Kazan’s film, On the Waterfront. However, there are those who have the moral strength to assert their beliefs in the face of injustice, which is evident through the character of Terry. Terry makes the dramatic transformation from being a morally troubled man who lives by a code of self-preservation and is afraid to cause trouble, into a person who embarks on a more morally righteous path, guided by Edie. His brother, Charley, has always seeked out relationships for the comforts and benefits it offers him, thus being a prime example of how power can lead to corruption. However, like Terry, Charley manages to achieve a state of redemption by acknowledging his wrongdoings. Charley and Terry exemplify how although evil is evident in the film, it can be eradicated through the course of action and injustice. However, the inaction of the longshoremen in the face of immora lity and their adherence to the code of deaf and dumb emphasise the very notion that corruption and wrongdoing will always exist, when people stand idly by when something is wrong.

The Labour Market Sector UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Labour Market Sector UK - Essay Example From the research it can be comprehended that the demand for labor in the United Kingdom is influenced by the availability of skills, expertise, and knowledge in the country. Different types of labor are required in the country to meet the demand of labour in various sectors. According to HRM in context, a labour market can be described as a mechanism through which labour is purchased and sold as a commodity. Labor demand is the number and types of jobs available in a country, whilst labour supply is the number and types of employees available. Therefore, the labour market of a country consists of a relationship between workers and work. The marketing intelligence of the labor market is important in that, one is able to relate the labor supply and labor demand of a country, and determine how the two aspects correlate with each other. Internal labor market refers to an organization’s internal supply of labour, whereby, employees are assigned specific roles in an organization. T he human resources in that particular firm concerns itself with the needs of employees such as training and development, retention, and job security among others. The external labor market represents the external supply and availability of labour. A country’s eternal supply of labor could be regional or internally, which may involve immigrants relocating into the host country. The main methods that will be used in this report are secondary and primary methods; however, secondary sources are most preferred, as they give accurate data, which cannot be found in primary sources. They are also less expensive compared to primary data that involves questionnaires and interviews. Secondary data already exists, for instance, Euromonitor and UK government statistics will offer genuine information regarding the labour market for several years. It also saves on time and assists in improving primary data by making it more specific; such sources include Euromonitor, keynote, national statistics, and the guardian and other academic sources, which will be applied to this report. According to FAO (N.d), secondary data availability contributes to the fast way of reaching to conclusions due to the quality of information these sources contain. In addition, secondary data is effective in solving problems by assisting the researcher to understand the actual problem. Reid and Bojanic (2006 p209) argue that the advantages of using secondary data sources include less cost, timeliness whereby an individual can access information very fast as opposed to waiting for weeks for the data to be collected and analyzed. In addition, frustration is reduced as the researcher can access the required information from appropriate sources. Primary data collection sources are advantageous, as data is collected straight from the population, for instance, with the use of questionnaires and interviews, hence providing original data and unbiased information. According to Goeldner and Ritchie (2009), primary data sources are original as they involve the actual collection of data; however, secondary data needs to be collected first before collecting primary data. Therefore, secondary data should be exhausted first before opting for primary data collection. According to Weinreich (2006), quantitative research techniques produce quantifiable reliable data especially when generalizing larger populations. Therefore, quantitative research provides a clear picture of the expectations of a research. This

Aggregate Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aggregate Planning - Assignment Example ay decide to offer different services and products to a specific multitude of clients or rather offer different multitudes with the same product and services. This leads to profit maximization to a company (Paley, 2007). Once a collective strategy is effectively applied, a business acquires a competitive advantage over the rival competitors by having a wider variety of goods and services to offer to the customers. This makes the customers have a choice to make regarding the goods that they strongly believe suits their satisfaction. Pet Smart Company is a company that supplies pets and offers all the services for their healthier living. The company supplies its clients with different types of pets regarding the clients’ option (petsmart.com). The pet is usually the customers’ preference and they are supplied according to the orders made. Due to the extensive number of varieties, the company has been able to cater for the rising number of customer demands who are demanding different types of pets. If the rising demand is adequately catered for, it results in profit maximization for the company. Offering the pets at an affordable price makes them more appealing to the clients with different economical background as well as their financial status. Wider pet variety also favors the miscellaneous population with different religious beliefs thus satisfying them with their pet preferences. PetSmart Company also offers pet services such as clinics for the sick pets and pets’ checkup. The company gains profits through the services as they are often charged to the pet owners thus increasing the company’s financial

Strategy of Constellation Brands Literature review

Strategy of Constellation Brands - Literature review Example There is little question that Constellation is truly a diverse global company. According to the company website, the corporate structure of the company is broken into three divisions which are Constellation Wines North America (Which also controls Vincor Canada), Constellation services which is a joint venture with the Gruppo Modello of Mexico under the name of Crown Imports LLC. Lastly, there is Constellation International which controls Constellation Europe, New Zealand and Australia respectively. With Respect to branding within the firm, in terms of the spirits, product offering is varied across product lines but the common trait is that all the spirits on offer are premium and mid-premium brands. (Vedka Vodka, Black Velvet Rye, and Paul Masson Grand Amber Brandy). According to Gershberg & Geller (2009), Constellation had recently sold off its value spirits brand ‘Sazerac Co’ which had accounted for approximately two-thirds of the company’s 2008 spirits sales i n terms of volume however it is the case that this division is estimated only at accounting for 30% of the profit. As was stated on the company website it is the case that the focus remains on well-known brands which in turn provides name recognition to customers. According to the company website (2009), the popular Mexican brands controlled by Constellation through its joint venture are Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Pacifico and Negra Modelo. Other major international brands controlled by the company are St. Pauli Girl from Germany and Tsingtao from China. All of which are considered premium and semi-premium brands. The company also has a number of what it dubs ‘other’ beverages which are malt liquors, ciders, and fortified wine.

Short answer essay questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Short answer questions - Essay Example A perfect example was in 1947 in America by Clyfford Still. In Europe, there was â€Å"Popular Art† that was started in the early 1960s by Lichtenstein, Hamilton, Ramos and Indiana. The movement also was too elitist and celebrated the postwar consumer culture. An example in Europe was Lichtenstein, Drowning Girl in 1963. The responses by the artist in Europe and those in America are similar as the world is viewed but they differ a bit in their expression. 2. Using at least two examples, discuss the way in which the word "freedom" figured for American modernist artist, and critics after 1945, and how this might be understood to compromise these artists identification with the avant-garde. Draw on at least two specific examples in your discussion. Freedom being the state of doing according to one’s wishes was clear in American modernist artists. It is evident that after the World War II in 1945, artist used the freedom they obtained to express their work in a new creative way. This was clear in New York where artist who were freed from Europe came to practice their work. A perfect example was Going West by Jackson Pollock in 1934-5 in America. Another example of works in America at this time is The Betrothal II by Arshile Gorky in 1947. The freedom of expressing art in this era made artist to start portraying the forbidden pictures in the society. This is because of their compromise to the avant-garde. An example in Europe is the forbidden pictures: Homage to Otto Dix by Larry Fink in 2001. Action painting- it is a style of painting where the paint is smeared onto a canvas by the artist. One of the images that action painting is the Photograph of Jackson Pollock Working by Hans Namuth in 1950. Also, Pollock did another art work by the name One (number 31) in

Poverty and Pollution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poverty and Pollution - Assignment Example Keywords: pollution, poverty, businesses, third world country, operations, control, regulation, morality, environment, standards, global, enforcement Poverty and Pollution There are many different moral and ethical considerations that must be addressed when looking at the issue of the pollution of third world countries by businesses who have setup shop in those countries, including but not limited to the implications of the companies who are participating in these actions, the reasons for doing what they are doing, the moral right of human beings to a livable environment, as well as who should be responsible for these actions, and what must be done to improve the quality of life of those who are affected by these practices. There are many different reasons a business may conduct operations in a third world country, including political instability, a need for investment capital, low wages are acceptable, as are low benefits, education levels are low, and environmental regulations are few and not seriously enforced (Encyclopedia of Business 2nd Ed, 2013). Political instability in a developing country ensures that both the powers running the country and those who are attempting to run for the company are both concerned with public image; they want to ensure that the people see that they are attempting to better the country, even if the decisions made do not actually benefit the country, and one key aspect of this is good PR. If the ruling power or the power attempting to be the ruling power shows any indication that they are driving away big businesses, businesses who will bring new jobs to the country, which will in turn strengthen the economy, even if that businesses practices ultimately hurt the country itself, they will be seen as working against the country itself, and not for the country, even if baring that particular business from the country will ensure a higher quality of drinking water in the country, for example. The key is to show a form of immediate gratification for the people in terms of a better economy, even if the environmental concerns are far more severe. The need of the country for investment capital also factors into the decision of the third world country to open its doors to big business. Many big businesses will, for example, work to better the country that they choose to setup shop in, as a means of being able to more efficiently conduct their business. In Mongolia, for example, as a result of the search for rare earth mineral deposits, many big companies are working to build access roads, supporting local businesses and patronizing shipping systems setup in place in the country; Germany signed an agreement with Kazakhstan to be able to gain access to their rare earth minerals in exchange for technical assistance in modernizing railroads, building chemical plants, and other forms of development (Caramenico, 2012). It is because of the desire for technological advancements that the big businesses are able to provide that countries are more likely to overlook the negative aspects of big business in favor of the investment capital that they will provide. Businesses like the arrangement because they are able to get cheap employment, both in terms of the wages that they pay out and

The US Economy vs.International Economy Research Paper

The US Economy vs.International Economy - Research Paper Example The American central bank wants to keep its interest rates low (to almost zero) to spur the economy but Mr. Hoenig thinks otherwise. In contrast, the Australian economy has not suffered as greatly as the US during recent financial crisis because its economy is a bit insulated from the global economy. In fact, its big four banks are trying to hide their profits because the economy did relatively well last year. In addition, the big four banks are suspected of using accounting tricks to manage their earnings and show smaller profits than what they actually were (Potts, 2009, p. 1) because of possible political and social backlash. Moreover, the Australian authorities at its Reserve Bank are not planning to reduce its interest rates because the economy is doing better than expected. To put it another way, the need to reduce rates is not urgent because the recession was not as deep as it had originally feared. The Australian economy has recovered well enough their banks raise interest rates they pay on client deposits (Potts, 2010, p. 1). Its economy is forecast to grow by 3.5% next year and its currency has apprecia ted 20% against the US dollar since middle of the year (Rogow & Glynn, 2010, p. 1). Both economies are fully plugged to a global economy but Australia did not suffer from a housing crisis and demand for its resource exports is strong. Rogow, G. & Glynn, J. (2010, December 15). Australia Welcomes Oprah as Tourism Slumps. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from

Chilrdens Books Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chilrdens Books - Essay Example However over the last two decades quite a few major changes have come into the social structure and more specifically, the family unit. Statistics show that in contrast to the 80s and 90s more that 60% of all children in the United States today have working mothers and the number of mothers in even a two parent family who are employed went up by close on to 40%. Currently around 27% of all children come from families with a single parent and one in every three births in the United States is out of wedlock. This along with new light thrown on methods of helping children to maximize their cognitive skills, has lead to dramatic shifts in education for children, and books which are written and published with children and young adults as the target group. A radical change came about both in the form and content of books as the emphasis shifted from parent or teacher-directed, to student-directed reading and learning. The intention behind this was that children should develop their own understanding and imagination, not by being exposed to facts in isolation, but by having their curiosity aroused without any external stimulus in the form of rewards. Other factors which have begun to be taken into consideration while promoting books for children are multi ethnicity, sex, including gay and lesbian fiction for children and young adults, and books which