Week 14 Experiential Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 14 Experiential Exercise - Essay Example ings had changed significantly in the field of marketing since she first entered it, but the steps to creating a marketing plan remain essentially intact, though they are now somewhat more difficult and require more ingenuity. For instance, the first thing that one does when creating a marketing plan is segment the audience. An organization ahs to have a very clear picture of who they are trying to reach, who they are not trying to reach, and how to divide up groups within their target audience. For instance, hotels spend a great deal of their time and effort trying to market themselves towards business travelers, a demographic that obviously uses hotels a great deal. But this does not constitute a homogenous group: high power brokers are going to want different things than a low level sales person in town for a day; people who need to stay somewhere for weeks want different things than those who can be in and out quickly. So it is essential to segment the market and identify who you want to reach and reach them how best you can. Now there are more opportunities for marketing than ever, ranging from traditional media such as print ads to youtube ads and other social media. I was told that age constitutes a significant difference in social media use, but this seems to be slowly fading with time: though young users outnumber old, more and more middle age and retirement age users are using social media. One important note that was driven home to me is to treat marketing plans like an investment: the key is not how many people you reach, but how efficiently spent marketing money is. Thus, one might, for instance, have to determine whether it would be better to buy minutes upon minutes of television ads in various markets, trying to entice small business travelers and entrepreneurs, or to rather spend less money to fly out and meet a procurement executive and a large corporation, and try to get that compan y to go with your hotel as their standard choice when

I believe Cleopatra Essay Example for Free

I believe Cleopatra Essay It is principally in this way that I believe Cleopatra is more relevant to modern audiences than to Jacobean society. The idea of a female leader would be, after the reign of Elizabeth I, relatively unsurprising; however, women were still regarded as the property of men. It is not hard to see why a modern career woman, having gone through several relationships of her own, would find more to relate to in Cleopatra than would a Jacobean housewife. Women in the 21st century hold a much more three dimensional position than those of Shakespeares time. They were considered then unsuitable for the stage, replaced instead by some squeaking Cleopatra boy playing Cleopatra ithposture of a whore. Female sexuality in Jacobean times was considered, as written by Penny Gay, to be voraciously overwhelming, and since Cleopatra embodies that idea to the core, she would have seemed a dangerous character indeed to her first audiences. Then, she was a strange, exotic creature and an unknown quantity, but her character inspires altogether more empathy in more modern performances. In her portrayal by Judi Dench at the National Theatre in 1987, her suicide represented a grand resignation as opposed to a dark, frenzied retreat; her attachment to Anthony was pathetically touching. It is this, empathy and understanding, which the modern response adds to Shakespeares most passionate female character. Cleopatra is not done justice to by the flat, stylised Egyptian of Glenda Jackson, but flourishes as no more but een a woman. She is the poor maid of Janet Suzman, who beneath her regality is still an emotionally vulnerable character and all the more becoming because of it.  But what of Anthony? As a 21st century observer, I view it as chronically unjust that Anthony is continually referred to as the protagonist; Lord David Cecil described the play as simply the decline and fall of Anthony. Cleopatra is too often seen as the supporting act, when her character is no less rich than Anthonys and her journey no less significant. Antony is generally praised when he abandons her for politics, yet when she does what seems to her the same in the chaos of Actium, we are meant to condemn her. As L.T. Fitz writes, what is praiseworthy in Antony is damnable in Cleopatra; he can pursue power, whilst she must simply dote. It cannot be forgotten that Cleopatra too has a throne to sit upon. She does not bring about Antonys fall; in my view his political demise began before he ever met her. It is no secret that historically, his relationship with Octavius was strained regardless of Cleopatras role. Given Shakespeares reliance on historical sources such as Plutarch, this cannot be disregarded when judging his representation of her character. Furthermore, it is Anthonys choice to follow Cleopatra at Actium, as it was to become her guest when they first meet. Anthony always has the option to leave Cleopatra, for despite her charisma he always holds the greater political power. Thus, if he must be seen to have fallen, it is because he opts to do so. In fact, I see his decision to value Cleopatras love over Roman politics as an ascent rather than a fall, and it is an ascent they make together. There is no one protagonist in the play, unless the couple are viewed in a singular sense. Antony and Cleopatra combine themselves and the best values of their respective worlds. Antony retains his military valour, his ability to bear pain so like a soldier, but abandons the cold political scheming of Octavius and the new Rome. Cleopatra, on the other hand, keeps all her passion and her charisma but loses the worst of her childish wilfulness. Their love is beyond mortality, death is proud to take them, and in their mutual suicide they take on a god-like quality, articulated in Antony by Cleopatras eulogy of his legs bestrid the oceanhe was as rattling thunder. I believe that it is unfair to call this hyperbolic, which removes from its sincerity, when there can be no doubt that in her state of love and grief Cleopatra intends no exaggeration in her description of the emperor Antony. Together, Antony and Cleopatra rise above pragmatism and politics, and it is small wonder that they stun even Octavius, or that he should be moved by a pair so famous. I think it would be a dire injustice to call Cleopatra designing and blame her for Antonys political downfall; it reduces her feverish passion, her wild hedonism and the staggering extent of her love to plotting, cunning and cruelty. To me, she represents a woman of enormous courage, in her leadership but also in her refusal to compromise on emotions, however unreasonable or dramatic they might be. She is foolish, yes, but never a coward; her flight from Actium is not desertion but evidence of military inexperience and genuine fear. Her love for Antony is beyond the ordinary, it is beyond Caesar and Octavia, and how could the play be so poignant a tragedy were that not so? The very sadness of Antony Cleopatra is in the fact that the two lovers can only triumph beyond the grave, in the death of love for the pursuit of politics; an unworthy substitution if ever there was one. Cleopatra is no Iago, she has none of his manipulative malice; she is nothing more or less than a woman passionately and shamelessly in love. Bibliography Egyptian Queens and Male Reviewers L.T. Fitz  A Poem and Two Plays Robin Hamilton  The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Stage Stanley Wells and Sarah Stanton  (specifically Women and Shakespearean Performance Penny Gay)

Negative Effects Of Fertilisers On Our Environment

Negative Effects Of Fertilisers On Our Environment The scope of this report is to examine the negative effects of fertilisers on our environment. It will primarily focus on the Nitrogen Fertilisers, there effects and solutions to combat those effects. Synthetic N fertilisers are one of the biggest cause for eutrophcation. When excess fertiliser runs off to the water, it can causes algal blooms, fish kills etc. Excessive nitrogen in the drinking water also has negative effects on humans. The production and application process is one of the contributing factos to the Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG) as well. The report touches on the other two primary elements in fertilisers, phosphate and potassium, however, we will not go into detail discussions. Fertiliser run-offs, mostly nitrogen, is a matter of great concern in Queensland where the run offs from adjacent sugar cane and cattle farms are polluting the water in the Great Barrier Reef. It is a great threat to the ecosystem of the Reef and measures needs to be considered to reduce this pollution and also ways to rehabilitate and conserve the ecosystem of the Reef. Resultantly, in this report we discuss how an excise policy can help reduce these negative effects of N fertiliser. We look into ways of promoting organic fertilisers and hydroponics with the help of the excise, also keeping in mind that the internalisation of the external cost should be one of the major underlying policy issues. We look into financial rebates and assistance that may be available to farmers opting to use organic fertilisers and switch to hydroponics. Part of the excise revenue should be earmarked for these purposes. We consider regulations that should be introduced to compliment and magnify the effects of the excise. The N-Replacement is a program where the soil is tested and the application of N is confined to only the amount that is required. In the fullness of time, all farmers should have to participate in such programs. Lastly, we examine the benefits and negative effects of the proposed excise on the manufacturers, farmers and consumers. We will also look at any administrative and compliance issues that may arise with the introduction of the new excise. The role of the proposed excise in helping us meet our commitments under the Kyoto Protocol is also examined. Introduction This report is about the effects that fertilizers have on our environment. While the use of synthetic fertilizers has ensured an enormous boom in the agricultural sector, it has had its negative effects on the environment as well. The effects are directly related to issues like global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, and much more. The three major elements of synthetic fertiliser are nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. The damages that fertilisers have on the environment can be divided into three broad categories; natural resources (water, soil and air), wildlife and ecosystem and human health. Nitrogen fertilisers have the worse effect on the environment with phosphate following closely. This report will primarily focus on Nitrogen (N) fertilisers. It is beyond the scope of this report to discuss all the elements in fertilisers and discuss their effects. This is because different elements have different environmental effects and to a varying degree. They all have different use i n the agriculture industry as well. However, once the excise model for the N nitrogen is established, a similar model can be used to impose excise on all the other fertilisers. Nitrogen Fertilisers When applied to the to soil to nourish farming land, nitrate, a compound of nitrogen, can wash off the agriculture fields by means of rain or irrigation and can leach into the surface or ground water. Ground water is one of the sources of drinking water and excess nitrate in the drinking water can potentially cause cancer, respiratory distress in humans. In surface water, extra nitrogen may cause eutrophication, process of nutrient over enrichment. This is the primary cause of depletion in the oxygen level in coastal water. Coastal waters that receive an inflow from polluted rivers are the most affected. Eutrophcation is one of the biggest causes for coastal fish kill; it is also responsible for the harmful algal blooms and imbalance in the coastal ecosystems. In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is highly affected by diffuse pollutants. Most of it comes from nitrogen fertilizers used in cropping and grazing lands in relatively small areas of the adjacent catchments. According to a research conducted by the CSIRO on the Great Barrier Reef, experts found that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Export of nitrogen and phosphorus is high and increased hillslope erosion rates have resulted in increased nutrient and sediment loads reaching and influencing inner shelf reef and benthic ecosystems. These pollutants are generated from diffuse sources and evidence from other geographical locations suggests that by the time their widespread effects are identified, the reef systems will be irreversibly damaged. Lastly, some of the nitrogen from the soil and water enters the atmosphere as nitric oxide and the green house gas nitrous oxide. This has a wide range of negative consequences, starting from acid rain to subtle shifts in dominant species and ecosystem function in forests and grassland ecosystems. Phosphate Fertilisers Phosphate is right behind nitrogen when it comes to negative effects to the environment. Fluoride has been and is the worse environmental liability that the phosphate fertiliser industry has passed on to the environment. Despite new advanced air pollution control technology which is resulting in less and less fluoride escaping into the atmosphere, the impact of fluoride emissions is still being felt. Amongst other things, the fluoride in the air has the potential to cause a number of disorders in livestock, The actual production process of phosphate is also harmful to the environment and humans equally. Potassium Fertiliser Potassium have not directly been related to any environmental pollution, even though it does have minor affect such as magnesium deficiency in crops and soil in the case of excessive application As can be seen, the use of chemical fertilisers is very harmful to the environment. In attempting to protect the Great Barrier Reef, the State Government and the Commonwealth has initiated programs like the Reef Plan, the N Replacement project. However, these government initiatives have been criticised by a many environmental agencies such as the World Wlidlife Fund (WWF) as being slow to achieve any real results. Government initiatives can only be effective when there is a drive from the general population to support those initiatives. The use of fertilisers in farming is essential to farmers as their profitability depends on the yield of the crops, which is predominantly the result of fertilisers. It is an essential resource to the farmers. In such a situation, the introduction of excise on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer and other chemicals used to maximise crop yield, can be one of the tools to discourage the use of such fertilisers and at the same time promote and the use of more environment friendly, non-chemical fertilisers and other farming alternatives. Regulation of the Fertiliser industry using excise Excise tax can be used as one of the tools for the government to influence the agriculture industry and influence the level of demand for synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. By imposing excise, we create an artificial price differential between the synthetic nitrogen fertilisers and its organic counterpart. This has the effect of farmers being more mindful about over application of the N fertiliser and using it sparingly. In case of blended fertilisers, where all three elements are present, the nitrogen component will be excisable. This is turn will promote the production of fertiliser that have a low synthetic N fertiliser content.. Apart from trying to promote consumption of low nitrogen content fertilizers, excise can also promote higher consumption of organic fertilisers. This can be done similar to the fuel excise system in Australia, where excise is imposed on both organic and synthetic fertilizers, however, a full rebate may be available to the users of the organic fertilisers, making the effective rate of excise for organic fertiliser zero. In the fullness of time, when all fertilisers are included in the excise system, i.e. nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, differential excise rates may be introduced, where they all have different excise rate depend on the degree of severity of effects each of them on the environment. The idea is that, if an all purpose fertiliser is high in nitrogen than it will have a higher price tag (nitrogen is the most harmful element of the three) as opposed to an alternative blend that is high in potassium; the higher the content of the most harmful chemical (N), the higher the price of the end product. There is an alternative to introducing fertilisers to the excise system. The government can promote and take active steps to make the agricultural industry consider hydroponic controlled environment agriculture. The principle advantage of hydroponics compared to tradition farming is the isolation of crops from the soil. As there is no soil involved there is no chance of drainage or problems associated with leeching of nitrogen to the ground or surface water. The fertilisers that are not used up by the plants are caught and reused. Excise rates and underlying reasons In setting the excise rate, we need to be mindful of the underlying policy objectives. The objectives are: For the agriculture industry to use fertilisers that are less harmful to the environment. To the use of alternative organic fertilisers To promote hydroponics, an alternative method of farming. Internalise the external cost that the fertiliser industry imposes on the environment The external cost should be the main element that we should try to internalise via the introduction of the excise tax. Charging consumers or producers for external costs, which should induce them to reduce their activities to the socially optimal level, is known as the Pigouvian prescription. This rule states that efficient consumption or production can be achieved through the tax system by imposing an excise on the activity equal to the marginal cost of the damage caused to other people. In trying to internalise the external cost of fertilizer pollution, many governments around the world are considering some form of environment tax. In China, a study was undertaken on the external cost and optimum use of nitrogen fertiliser on the paddy field system of the Dongting Lake are. The research showed that the nitrogen fertiliser application in the region well exceeded the required levels. Such that, an environmental tax was suggested on the excess use of nitrogen fertiliser. In Australia, there is not much information available on the external cost of the agriculture industry. However, figures from other country gives us an idea of the external cost imposed by the industry. A US study estimates the externalised costs of agricultural production (in natural resources, wildlife, biodiversity and human health) to be between $5.7 and $16.9 billion annually is a broad estimate, it is not Australian-specific, nor restricted specifically to agriculture, but it does highlight the need to understand the environmental impacts of agriculture better in the Australian context. In Europe, the estimated external cost of nitrogen fertiliser is about 0.3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬/kg N, bearing in mind that the market price is of the fertiliser is about 0.5 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬/kg N. This effectively means, that if the whole amount was internalised then the price of N fertilisers would rise by about 60%. For the purpose of this report we will use the European figures as, mentioned earlier, there is not much Australian specific data available on the external cost of fertilisers. Now 60% excise on N fertiliser may seem like a staggering figure, however, when this excise is placed is conjunction with other regulation and policies the net effective excise will drop considerably. These issues will be discussed in the next section. Specific vs Ad valorem rate The next issue in the rate setting process is to determine if this rate is going to be specific or ad valorem. The choice between the options depends on the underlying policy, i.e. to raise revenue, discourage consumption, improvement of quality etc. Ad valorem tax creates a price differential between similar excisable good base on quality where the high-quality products are dearer than the low-quality products. This is a good tax mechanism if revenue maximisation is the underlying policy objective. However, if the main focus is to reduce harmful levels of consumption of any product, then specific tax is more appropriate. Specific or volumetric taxation is based upon the number of units sold, irrespective of their value and recognises that the potential for harm falls equally upon consumers or the community irrespective of the price of the item. Coming back to the topic in hand, specific tax is the appropriate rate to use as we are really interested on the internalising the external cost of N fertiliser on the basis of $/kg N. If the tax is imposed on the value or the cost of production of the fertilisers, it will not properly reflect the negative effects that the application of N fertiliser has on our environment. Taxation vs Regulation It is argued that taxation by itself will not always achieve the desired or complete results. Tax can influence the consumption pattern of consumers to a certain extent but regulations are needed to back up the tax. High taxes on tobacco and drink reduce average and usually also excessive consumption. But a tobacco tax cannot deal in a cost effective way with the effects of passive smoking; (inflexible) bans on smoking in public places are necessary to deal with this externality. Similarly, the alcohol excise is an inadequate instrument to restrain people from getting behind the wheel of their car after they have had a drink. Drink-driving breath tests are better targeted to deal with this situation. . Regulations can be in many forms, it can be requirements imposed on the end users, i.e., farmers or it can be regulations on the fertiliser manufacturers. In Germany, farmers are required to calculate and report annual nutrient balances in the soil in order to demonstrate that they have not over or under applied fertilisers. Imposing regulations on the manufacturers may not be of much use apart from quality control. The regulations should focus on the farmers instead, with science based approaches to soil testing, promoting good agricultural practice and optimal use of nitrogen. This approach is in line with the new nitrogen management method N Replacement and in time this along with any other similar programs should be made mandatory. Apart from being environmentally beneficial it is also beneficial to farmers as under this method they will need to purchase and apply only the amount of soil that is required by the soil, resulting in cost savings for the farmers. Another method of regulation, could be the issue of tradeable permits. However, under this system the costs associated is rather uncertain, compared to the excise system. A system of tradable permits guarantees the envisaged quantitative reduction in pollution but at an uncertain cost, while an environmental duty has an uncertain impact on the quantity of emissions but fixes the marginal cost of emission controls for polluters. Price elasticity and excise Fertilisers are a vital part of the agricultural industry. There is a very strong connection between application of fertilisers and crop yield and profitability. Therefore, it will not be wrong to conclude that the demand for fertilisers within the agricultural industry is inelastic. Having said that a 60% excise on N fertiliser is going to affect the farmers the most. Because of the elasticity of demand, the economic incidence of the tax will fall on the farmers, where the fertiliser manufacturers will be able to pass on most of the tax burden to the farmers in form of higher prices. Therefore, it is important to come up with relief policies for the farmers as well, bearing in mind that we are also trying to promote the use of organic fertilisers and hydroponics method of productions at a large scale. This will be discussed in more details in the next section. Exemptions/exception for the excise system and why There should be exceptions, where the tax incidence for the farmers should be nil. Exemptions should be available to farmers in the form of a rebate. As one of the policy issue is to promote the use of organic fertilisers. Farmers should be entitled to a full or partial rebate depending on if the fertilisers are solely organic or substantially organic. Organic fertilisers are largely derived from plan plants or animals. Substantially organic fertilisers are product where some synthetic fertilisers have been added to boost the nutrient content of the fertiliser. A rebate should also be available for farmers who pre dominantly practices or are in the process of adopting hydroponics method of production. There are two reasons behind this exemption. First of all, the nitrogen used in hydroponics has no effect on the environment. The plants are grown in a controlled environment, usually in a greenhouse, therefore, there are no emissions, run offs or leeching. This effectively means there are no external costs associated with the application of nitrogen fertilizer under this system. Secondly, the biggest drawback of converting to hydroponics from the traditional method of agriculture is the high capital set up costs associated. Since we are trying to encourage more and more farmers to consider hydroponics, it only makes sense to provide some sort of relief to them in the form of ongoing rebate to compensate for the high set up costs. Lastly, a partial rebate should also be available to farmers who are participating in recommended programs such as the N- Replacement program. The N-Replacement program has the potential of reducing nitrogen inputs by almost one third. The government can only have this rebate available till the program is fully tested and made mandatory. Till then farmers should be rewarded for voluntary participation in the program. Positive and negative effects from this new excise Positive effects Lower demand for synthetic N fertiliser The introduction of the excise on the nitrogen fertiliser will lower the demand for it. As discussed earlier, because of the low price elasticity of demand, the fertiliser manufacturers will be able to pass on most of the tax burden to the farmers in the form of higher price. Higher prices will mean that farmers will now be more mindful when it comes to the application of the fertiliser. More and more farmers will be forced to practice good farming methods, only applying the amount that is required in order to save on cost of fertilisers. Less emission, leaching as a result As farmers starts to pay more attention to the wastage level and apply the optimal amount of nitrogen required to replenish the soil, there is less leeching and emission. Influx of excise revenue One of the unavoidable effects of imposing excise duty is the inflow of revenue. The revenue that comes in from this particular excise should be hypothecated. It should be used to finance projects that will aid in cutting down the use of N fertiliser application. Some of the funds should also be earmarked for providing assistance to farmers switching to hydroponics. Helps the government to meet other policy issue As the application rate of the N fertilisers reduce, it helps the government meet other environmental related policies, such as Australias commitment under the Kyoto Protocol. This will be discussed in more details in the next setion. Negative effects Higher cost of production for the farmers, which may be passed on consumers As discussed earlier, the imposition of excise will mean that the farmer will pay a higher price to purchase the fertilisers. Even if optimal applications of N fertiliser methods are implemented, there would still be an increase in the cost of production for the farmers. This in turn would mean that the increased cost of production for the farmers will be passed on to the final consumers in form of higher prices for fresh fruit, vegetable etc. Loss of revenue for the fertiliser manufacturers There will a significant loss of revenue for the fertilizer manufacturers, as they are the one who are actually liable for the excise payable. They will pass on the bulk of the tax to the agriculture industry, however, they will still loose out of a significant amount of profit. How will this new excise interact with Australias commitment under the Kyoto Protocol Under the Kyoto Protocol, Australia is committed to reduce its greenhouse emissions to 108 percent of the level we were in 1990. This target has to be achieved by 2012 (2008 -2012 is known as the first commitment period). According to a report on climate change, in 2008 the emissions for the agriculture sector are projected to be 77 Mt CO2 of emission over the Kyoto period. This is a 4% decrease on the 1990 level. Most of the decrease is, however, attributable to the drought. Therefore, introduction of this new excise will ensure that there is a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Apart from gas emission after the application of the N fertiliser, it also emits greenhouse gas during the production process. The production of fertilisers demands much energy and generates considerable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Kongshaug (1998) estimates that fertiliser production consumes approximately 1.2% of the worlds energy and is responsible for approximately 1.2% of the total GHG emissions. Therefore, when demand falls as a result of the new excise and regulations, the supply will eventually fall as well, with reduced production of synthetic N fertiliser. This, again, will result in reduced level of GHG emissions. Impact of the new excise on; Consumers The excise will mean that the price of end products that are heavily dependant on the N fertiliser will increase. When excise is imposed on a commodity, even though the legal incidence lies with the producers, the ultimate tax burden falls on the end users of the finished product by means of higher price. Therefore, we need to be mindful of that while imposing the excise. Business The excise will not affect businesses much. Businesses or in this case, the retail shops are just middle men. Any part of the tax that they do pay in form of higher wholesale prices, they simply pass it on to the consumers. Government revenues At first glance, it can be said that government revenue will also increase with this proposed excise. However, if we are to put the revenue aside, hypothecate the funds for the sole purpose of funding programs and assisting farmers in adopting more sustainable methods of farming, then in essence it will not be wrong to say that the government revenue stays the same. There is not extra gain as such from the revenue perspective to the government. Revenue generated from these policies could have an outcome on the effect of these policies, depending on how it is used. If revenues from a tax are added to the general treasury store then the wellbeing of those affected by the tax is negatively affected as modelled, but if the funds are ring-fenced for a relevant purpose such as assisting the fertilizer industry or farmers, then the welfare of those actors is not diminished by as much. Administration costs There should not be any extra cost related to the administration of the new excise. Currently the Australian Taxation office is responsible for the administration of all excisable and excise equivalent goods. The ATO is already well equipped to deal with excise tax. Moreover, under the self assessment regime where businesses calculate there own excise liabilities, the incremental change on administration cost should be minimal. The taxing point should be fixed as the fertilisers are leaving the factory for delivery to wholesalers and/ or the domestic market. This will further ensure ease of administration of the excise tax. Compliance activities The compliance activities on behalf of the businesses should be fairly straightforward as well. Under the self assessment system, businesses keep records and fill out their own excise return. Another section maybe introduced to the excise return, where farmers are eligible for a rebate. However, it should all be part of the prevailing excise return system that we currently have. Recommendation After examining the effects of synthetic fertilisers on our environment, especially the N fertiliser, it is recommended that the excise tax of 60% at a specific rate should be imposed. It is true that the imposition of the tax may have a large impact on the fertiliser manufacturers and farmers. However, that is the initial impact. Along with the excise, we should also provide rebates for the farmers, who act in accordance with out other policy objective. Farmers who look at alternative organic fertilisers should be entitled to a rebate as negative effects from organic fertilisers are minimal compared to its synthetic counterpart. Further rebates should be available to farmers switching to hydroponics, as the nitrogen content in the nutrient solution has no effect on the environment. Lastly, assistance should be available to farmers who make voluntary participation in good farming practices i.e. take part in practices like the N-Replacement program. Along with these financial laws, we should also implement some non financial regulations, which will ensure a superior result. Here, the goal is not make sure that the farmers are not applying excessive amount of synthetic N fertilisers to the soil and at the same time moving towards organic fertiliser. The tax will bring about that inclination in the farmers, they will want to apply the optimal amount of synthetic nitrogen in order to save cost on fertilisers and also look into cheaper alternatives which are more environmentally friendly. However, in the fullness of time, we need to introduce regulations, specially the one similar to Germany where the farmers needs to annually record and report the nutrient content of their farming land to the authorities. In the long run we should also make a N- Replacement plan mandatory, after it has been fully tested by CSIRO. We should also ear mark, some of the revenue from this new excise to help fund the programs and any similar programs. The new proposed excise policy combined with the proposed regulations is a little step towards Australia meet its commitment under the Kyoto Protocol. It is true the tax might hurt manufacturers, farmers and consumers, financially. However, we need to ensure that the external costs caused by the production and application of the fertiliser are being met, so that it reflects on the price. It is the responsible thing to do, to pay the price for the harm that the industry is causing the environment. It is a trade off we have to make to ensure a better world for the next generation. In order to stop global warming, bring balance back to our ecosystem, protect the Great Barrier Reef, it is a small price to pay.

The People and Landscape of the Welsh Hillcountry :: R.S. Thomas Poems Poetry Essays

The People and Landscape of the Welsh Hillcountry R.S. Thomas writes about the people and landscape of the Welsh â€Å"hillcountry.† By referring closely to at least two of his poems, show how he makes the Welsh countryside and its inhabitants vivid to the reader. RS Thomas was born in Cardiff in 1913. He was a Parish Priest in Wales for more than 20 years. During this time he taught himself the Welsh language in order to understand the remote hill farmers that are under his care. He writes almost exclusively about the people and landscape of the Welsh hill country. The poems that he writes are lacking in mental emotion but they never lack tender or compassion for the massively hardworking farmers he knows so well. The landscape that Thomas describes so well reflects the grimness of the men’s lives. The people’s lives are never sweetened nor romanticized and the poet has no illusions on its harshness. Yet he has a deep understanding for the hill country and its workers. This shows that R.S Thomas can relate to the Welsh hill country very well. The first poem that I am writing about is called â€Å"The Hill Farmer Speaks†. This poem talks about the life of a farmer who has been greatly affected by his work. The first verse of this poem talks about a man who has no love and no friends. This we learn is because of the land as it says, â€Å"I am the farmer stripped of love and thought and grace by the lands hardness.† This shows the hard work that the man has done over the years has taken from him his love, thought and grace it is also a metaphor making this vivid for the reader. But he wants us to know that he is still a human by saying, â€Å"Listen, listen, I am a man like you.† Alliteration is used here (listen, listen), to cause the affect that the man really is talking to you. The same affect is caused when he says, â€Å"But what I am saying.† It shows you that the mans surroundings are very empty and hostile by it saying, â€Å"Desolate areas rough with dew.† This is also a metaphor showing its vividness to the reader. The second verse of this poem tells us of the wind going over the hill pastures, hill pastures being a feature of any hill farm. After this he says, â€Å"Year after year,† making this process seem constant. In the next three lines there seems to be a link between the ewes and the farmer, where it says, â€Å"The ewes starve, milkless, for want of the new

Corporate Governance Essay

In a commercial organisation, the board of directors is typically charged with the key responsibility for corporate governance – protecting the rights of shareholders and creditors, ensuring contractual obligations and regulatory compliance. In the public sector, the elected government is typically responsible for corporate governance, and in semi-government and statutory bodies like State Rail, Sydney Water, the Australian Broadcasting Authority, the University of NSW, etc – and in not- for-profit organisations – governments will usually mandate a body similar to a board of directors with the responsibility for corporate governance. What does corporate governance involve? In a recent article, Gomez & Korine (2005, pp. 739-752) propose that: Corporate governance can be understood as a set of contracts that defines the relationships among the three principal actors in the corporation. To simplify what this actually means, corporate governance is the set of relationships where: †¢A key stakeholder whom they refer to as the sovereign (in the case of commercial organisations this would be the shareholders; in the case of public sector agencies, the elected government; for not-for-profit organisations this is often the ‘members’ or other key stakeholders as defined by legislation) †¢sets in place a governing body (eg, board, council, senate, etc) with responsibility for overseeing the actions of the governer (management, staff, employees, volunteers, players, etc) Increasingly, societies and governments are reacting to a rapidly changing world surrounding them, and modifying the regulations affecting ‘corporate governance’ accordingly. The numbers and interests of stakeholders who are affected by the actions of organisations is expanding. Organisations are being seen to impact on: the economy the natural environment society through opportunities for work and employment conditions of work family life, etc Consequently, there are increasingly complex expectations placed on organisations of all sizes to consider and take responsibility for decisions and actions beyond simply their ‘money making’ or other purposes and goals. Corporate governance covers a large number of distinct concepts and phenomenon as we can see from the definition adopted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – â€Å"Corporate governance is the system by which business corporations are directed and controlled. The corporate governance structure specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation, such as, the board, managers, shareholders and other stakeholders and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions in corporate affairs. By doing this, it also provides the structure through which the company objectives are set and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance†1. From this definition we see that corporate governance includes the relationship of a company to its shareholders and to society; the promotion of fairness, transparency and accountability; reference to mechanisms that are used to â€Å"gov ern† managers and to ensure that the actions taken are consistent with the interests of key stakeholder groups. The key points of interest in corporate governance therefore include issues of transparency and accountability, the legal and regulatory environment, appropriate risk management measures, information flows and the responsibility of senior management and the board of directors. Harshbarger and Holden (2004) point out that while many of the governance issues that organizations face are not new, the environment in which they confront them is more challenging than ever: State and Federal law enforcement have applied significantly increased resources and a more aggressive philosophy toward confrontation of governance lapses; the media spotlight has increased awareness among those constituents directly affected as well as the business community as a whole; shareholder proposals are taken more seriously; and the judiciary has demonstrated its willingness for a more stringent definition of good faith. As well, there are a number of factors that have brought ethical issues into sharper focus, including globalization, technology and rising competition. Van Beek and Solomon (2004) also note the ability to deliver a professional service will necessarily take place in an environment in which there is an increasing tendency towards individuality, while society as a whole becomes more global. The new realities of corporate governance show that no entity or agent is immune from fraudulent practices and have altered the way companies operate; they have re-defined the baseline for what is considered prudent conduct for businesses and executives (Dandino, 2004). CORPORATE STRATEGY Strategy can be developed at many levels – in a multi-layered organisation there may be: †¢Corporate level strategy – decisions made for the whole corporation or organisation to gain the better of adversaries or attain ends. Business unit or divisional strategy – decisions made for the business unit or division to gain the better of adversaries or attain the business units end. Functional strategies – such as marketing/finance/huma n resources/IT/technology/ operational/production/etc. strategies. There would be marketing decisions (or finance or HR decisions, etc) designed to get the better of an adversary or attain a marketing/finance, etc, end. †¢So what do we mean by ends? Other terms that are frequently used here for the same concept are goals or missions or visions. Organisations typically have (or should have) a set of goals, desired outcomes or a view of their purpose (mission), or their future achievements and positions (visions) in mind. Ideally these are clearly articulated and understood by everyone in the organisation. When these ends (goals, mission, vision) are clearly understood, then the board, management, staff and partners of the organisation are able to ‘develop’ strategy to achieve these. What is a strategic plan? A plan, whether strategic, tactical, operational, marketing, finance – or whatever – is really just a set of decisions that have been captured in some form (document, web page, PowerPoint presentation, video, etc) that set out the answer to three key questions: 1. Where are we now? 2. Where are we going? 3. How will we get there? Accordingly, a plan is formed by: †¢analysing the existing and ex pected future trends and factors affecting the organisation/business unit, etc †¢setting down clear statements of the outcomes that will help to achieve the ends that the organisation has set itself (these statements of outcomes are commonly called objectives) †¢describing some tactics and actions that will lead to achieving the outcomes ETHICS IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT The dawn of a global knowledge society with information-driven economies and expansion of cross-border trade as consequences of liberalization and globalization policy is placing new demands on business organizations for more innovative approaches in business ethics at both local as well as global business environment (Nissanke and Thorbecke, 2005). This premise is consistent with Brownlie et al. (1999) who indicate that; â€Å"What is it like to think new thoughts†¦ to undo the fragile web of assumption†¦ to render new images to the familiar†¦ to look anew at the world†¦ to see the ordinary and everyday from a fresh perspective?† Many research scholars today share this view and indicate that what they took for granted, assumed, believed and worked towards has been upended by those who argue that in order to ‘get it right’ in a global business environment, organizations must rethink their business ethics approach. Sheth and Sisodia (1999) also support this hypothesis by asserting that, the context of ethics in global business environment is changing in fundamental ways. The acceptance of law-like generalizations has to be, as they suggest, â€Å"Either enhanced or modified†. The old opinion of business ethics as â€Å"an oxymoron†, or that â€Å"business organizations do not have ethics† (Laczniak and Murphy, 1993) is being re-thought. The business ethics is increasingly being called into question from various quarters (Brownlie et al., 1999) and research scholars are developing the discipline in order to challenge the ethical complacency that existed in the past. Business ethics is ultimately the ethics of power, of how to handle the power of business and how that power is acquired, increased and exercised. The need for ethics in business has never been greater, precisely because the power of business was never so manifold and as extensive as it is today (Mahoney, 1997). The term ‘ethics’ has generally been used to refer to the rules and principles of right and wrong conduct. It therefore boils down to morality and good or bad conduct. Business ethics are a set of rules that stipulate how businesses and their employees ought to behave (Aldag and Stearns, 1991). DiPiazza (2002) says â€Å"I see ethics as a mission-critical issue†¦. deeply embedded into who we are and what we do. Its just as important as our product development cycle or our distribution system†¦its about creating a culture based on integrity and respect, not a culture based on dealing with the crisis of the day†¦We speak to ourselves every day, ‘Are we doing the right things?† Sheth, Gardner and Garret (1988) opine that ethical decision-making in a business environment is very complex, and that allegedly â€Å"guilty business practitioners have quite sincerely stated that they honestly did not realize that their actions could possibly create ethical problems†. Business organizations operating at international levels often find that many countries differ in what is considered wrong or right in a business market. IN TERMS OF SONY: ETHICS Ethical business conduct and compliance with applicable laws and regulations are fundamental aspects of Sony’s corporate culture. To this end, Sony has established a Global Compliance Network comprised of the Compliance Division at the corporate headquarters, a global compliance leadership team, and regional offices around the world; adopted and implemented the Sony Group Code of Conduct; and set up Compliance Hotline systems through its Global Compliance Network — all in order to reinforce the Company’s worldwide commitment to integrity and help assure resources are available for employees to raise concerns or seek guidance about legal and ethical matters. In July 2001, Sony Corporation established the Compliance Division, charged with exercising overall control over compliance activities across the Sony Group, to emphasize the importance of business ethics and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and internal policies. The Compliance establishes compliance policies and structures for the Sony Group and performs crisis management functions. In July 2003, Sony established a regional compliance network comprised of offices in the Americas, Europe, Japan, East Asia*1 and Pan-Asia,*2 which are charged with exercising regional control over compliance activities to strengthen the compliance system throughout the Sony Group. Officers responsible for compliance in each region have the authority to issue instructions concerning compliance to Sony Group companies in their respective regions and, by cooperating with one another, are working to establish and maintain a comprehensive global compliance structure. To further reinforce global compliance efforts, a Compliance Leadership Team was formed in September 2009 as an additional component of the global compliance organization. The Compliance Leadership Team assists the Sony Corporation General Counsel and Compliance Division in identifying, developing and implementing key compliance strategies and compliance-related measures; encourages more active participation in Group-wide compliance activities from a larger group of key Sony personnel by involving not only the Regional Compliance Officers but also experienced legal/compliance personnel from Sony Group companies; and creates a global framework that by its very structure highlights the company’s compliance priorities and commitment to best practices. *1Coverage area of East Asia compliance office: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea *2Coverage area of Pan-Asia compliance office: Southeast Asia, Middle East, Africa and Oceania *3 The Americas Office is responsible for Sony Corporation of America, the Sony Pictures Entertainment Group, and the Sony Music Entertainment Group, in addition to the Electronics Group companies in the America ’s Region. The Sony Europe, East Asia and Pan-Asia Offices are responsible for the Electronics Group companies in their respective regions. The Japan Office is responsible for Sony Corporation, the Sony Computer Entertainment Group, and Sony Financial Holdings, in addition to the Electronics Group Companies in Japan CORPORATE GOVERNANCE: Sony is committed to strong corporate governance. As a part of this effort, in 2003, Sony adopted the â€Å"Company with Committees† corporate governance system under the Companies Act of Japan. In addition to complying with the requirements of applicable governance laws and regulations, Sony has introduced its own requirements to help improve the soundness and transparency of its governance by strengthening the separation of the Directors’ function from that of management and advancing the proper functioning of the statutory committees. Under Sony’s system, the Board of Directors defines the respective areas for which each of the Corporate Executive Officers is responsible and delegates to them decision-making authority to manage the business, thereby promoting the prompt and efficient management of the Sony Group. Sony Corporation is governed by its Board of Directors, which is appointed by resolution at the shareholders’ meeting. The Board has three committees (the Nominating Committee, Audit Committee and Compensation Committee), consisting of Directors named by the Board of Directors. Corporate Executive Officers are appointed by resolution of the Board of Directors. In addition to these statutory bodies and positions, Sony has Corporate Executives who carry out business operations within designated areas. Board of Directors: Determines the fundamental management policies of the Sony Group Oversees the management of Sony Group’s business operations Appoints and dismisses the statutory committee members Appoints and dismisses Representative Corporate Executive Officers and Corporate Executive Officers Nominating Committee: Determines the content of proposals regarding the appointment/dismissal of Directors Audit Committee: Monitors the performance of duties by Directors and Corporate Executive Officers (with respect to processes in place to ensure the adequacy of the financial reporting process, to enable management to ensure the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, to ensure timely and appropriate disclosure, and to ensure compliance with applicable law, Articles of Incorporation and internal policies). Monitors the status of any other items described in the â€Å"Internal Control and Governance Framework† determined or reaffirmed by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Companies Act of Japan. As part of its monitoring, attends the Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee meetings. Oversees and evaluates the work of the independent auditor (including to evaluate the adequacy of its independence and its qualification, to propose its appointment/dismissal or non-reappointment, to approve its compensation, to evaluate the appropriateness of its audit regarding the financial results and internal control over financial reporting, and to pre-approve its engagement for any services other than audit services to be provided) Prepares the Audit Committee Review Report in which the Audit Committee expresses its opinion on the performance of duties of Directors and Corporate Executive Officers, on the Business Report and on the independent auditor’s audit procedures and results based on its review activities including review of the matters subject to the Committee’s opinion in the Audit Committee Review Report. Compensation Committee: Sets policy on the contents of individual compensation for Directors, Corporate Executive Officers, Corporate Executives and Group Executives, and determines the amount and content of individual compensation of Directors and Corporate Executive Officers in accordance with the policy Corporate Executive Officers: Make decisions regarding the execution of Sony Group business activities within the scope of the authority delegated to them by the Board of Directors Corporate Executives: Carry out business operations within designated areas, including business units, h eadquarters functions, and/or research and development, in accordance with the fundamental policies determined by the Board of Directors and the Corporate Executive Officers

Communication And Conflict Example

Communication And Conflict Example Communication And Conflict – Coursework Example Communication and Conflict Frank’s approach toward conflict is very forceful. He tries to force his perspectives on to the other person’s mind, hereReno, and does not want to clarify why he wants something to be done a certain way, e.g. when he says, â€Å"Why can’t he just listen and do what I tell him?† He leaves no room for discussions and clarifications and he does not want to confront resistance. This forcing attitude does not leave any space for communication nor does Frank want to come on a one-to-one confrontation with the other person, which is evident when he says, â€Å"I can’t talk with him†. He believes in wait-and-see policy regarding resolution. Reno, contrarily, though wants to communicate with Frank but wants Frank to start the communication, like when he says, â€Å"I wish he would confront me.† He does not clarify himself when he refuses something Frank says. Also, he thinks he knows everything already, e.g. when he says, â€Å"I know how to be a paralegal†, and needs no lessons. That is why he becomes irritated when Frank tries to explain something to him regarding office work. This conflict is best described by the metaphor â€Å"conflict as competition†. Both the individuals are trying to win the situation, not solve it. This is not a very efficient metaphor. Metaphors can be used to understand conflict since we come to know about what the conflicting parties are trying to come up with (Min, 2005). For instance, the metaphor â€Å"conflict as problem† means that the parties are trying to look out for a solution; while, the metaphor â€Å"conflict as lesson† means that the parties are trying to get a lesson from the conflicting situation (Lenski, 2007). This way, metaphors help us understand conflicts. ReferencesLenski, T. (2007). Three Metaphors for Conflict. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from http://lenski.com/conflictzen/three-metaphors-for-conflict/ Min, X. (2005) . Metaphors. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from beyondintractability.org/essay/metaphors/?nid=6570

The Ins

The Ins "The Black Tower"‚  is a classic example of crime, detective and espionage literature is a thrilling and exciting read. In most books classed into these catagories the writer will always try to out smart the reader, somewhere beneath the novel he, tries to puzzle you and make you confused. They hate us thinking that we are on top of this book, us thinking that we know where and why they did that. Etc. by them, the writer, playing these little games with us, the reader, it creates an effect that will almost always make us adictted or hooked in some way. The idea in hooking us to this book is to enable us to continue reading on without and worries or qualms."The Black Tower"‚  portrays, in an extenvive manner, the different ways in which the writer varies his ways of denying gratification and steering their expectations in a direction so he or she doesn't know how to get back.A calling card of Reverend Edward Wheeler Hall was...

Film in the early 20th Century essays

Film in the early 20th Century essays The Marx Brothers were three American brothers who became famous for their zany antics in motion pictures. Trained as musicians, they began their careers in vaudeville with their mother and aunt as the Six Musical Mascots. Leonard Marx (Chico) Born: 3/22/1887- 10/11/1961- Specialized in distorted logic and Italian dialect routines. He also played the piano, in a brothel. Adolph Marx (Harpo) Born: 11/23/1888 - 9/28/1964- played the harp and chased around girls. He communicated in pantomime. Played a solo tour in the Soviet Union. Julius Marx (Groucho) Born: 10/2/1890 - 8/19/1977- bushy brow, leader of the group, known for his wild wisecracks and puns. He had a caustic wit and appeared with a cigar and moustache. The most independently famous Marx Brother, Groucho was the most human, the one who actually seemed to have emotions Herbert Marx (Zeppo) Born: 2/25/1901 11/30/1979 He sold an invention to the United States Air Force. Milton Marx- (Gummo) Born: 1893-1977- the fifth Marx Brother The feature film debut of the Marx Brothers, taken from their hit Broadway comedy, finds the quartet in a run-down Florida hotel, where owner Groucho insults guests, woos Margaret Dumont, and vainly tries to auction off "choice" resort property. Features the infamous "Why a duck?" routine. The Four Marx Brothers in a zany tale involving high society parties, a stolen painting, African explorers, young lovers, and a manic game of bridge. With Margaret Dumont, Lillian Roth, and the song "Hooray for Captain Spaulding." It's anything but smooth sailing for the Four Marx Brothers when they stowaway on an ocean liner in this, their first comedy written expressly for the screen. Gobs, gangsters and gals galore in this gem of Marxian comedy mania. the pinnacle of Marxian madness. Groucho is ...

World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World War II - Essay Example 6, 600 million towards damages that were caused by the war, Germany would not build their army and the Rhineland area was to be de-militarized, and finally some parts of Germany was to be allocated to other countries. Despite the harsh conditions imposed by the treaty, Germany went ahead and signed the treaty which resulted in acute poverty in the 1920s as the country suffered serious setbacks and could not pay the money. It was at this juncture that the German people voted Adolf Hitler to power as he promised them that he would put an end to all their sufferings. Once in power, Hitler began to build the German army and also stationed troops in the Rhineland area. Though France and Britain kept track of Hitler’s moves they were unwilling to begin another war and instead believed that a stronger Germany would prevent the spread of Communism to the west. Hitler also entered into an alliance with Italy and Japan in 1936. Hitler wanted to expand his territory by acquiring Austria and with about 99% of the Austrian people favoring a union with Germany; Hitler acquired Austria but promised that this would be the end of his expansion plans.

Cotton-topped tamarin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cotton-topped tamarin - Research Paper Example Its face is black and nearly devoid of hair except for brief white brows and short hair on its cheeks. It has the characteristic brown eyes that are found in all tamarins. Its body is a mixture of colors, with the back and shoulders being grayish brown, the rump being rusty brown, the torso being white and the long tail being rusty brown at the base before proceeding to become dark brown or blackish further down. Measuring from nose to rump, the usual length of a cotton-top tamarin is 9 inches [23 cm]. The average length of its tail is 14.5 inches [37 cm]. The weight of an adult differs between males and females with the former being 14.5 ounces [410 gm] and the latter being 15.2 ounces [430 gm] (Durrel.org). Cotton-top tamarins are mainly found in the forests of northwest Colombia in an area between the Magdalena River and the Cauca River. Others are found in several reserves and parks in Colombia, especially the sprawling Paramillo National Park which covers an area of 540 square km (Lang). The average longevity period of a cotton-top tamarin is 13.5 years (Lang). The female [who can be impregnated at the age of 10 months] gives birth to twins after 6 months’ gestation (Peaceriverrefuge.org). The male helps the female at birth by washing the babies. He also carries the babies, only handing them over to the female at feeding time (Zooschool.escd.net). The young ones are fed until they are 8 to 10 weeks old. The female young ones grow up to mature faster than the males [18 months as compared to 24 months] (Peaceriverrefuge.org). Cotton-top tamarins have a typical movement style involving quadrepedal clinging/walking/running along small or medium branches, or bounding up to distances of 3 meters to branches of nearby trees (Zooschool.escd.net). Their modes of movement are aided by their unique claw-like nails [known as tegulae] that resemble those of squirrels (Lang). The diet of cotton-top tamarins

Video reponse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Video reponse - Essay Example An example is the meaning of the Apocalypse. I always thought that the Apocalypse referred to the end of times. However, as it emerged from the video, the term actually refers to the end of evil. A surprising and interesting piece of information is the autonomy that the Jewish community held. This is in reference to the communities at Antioch and Alexandria (PBS 38:45). Finally, I was also perplexed to learn of Caligula, the Roman emperor who wished to set up his statue in the temple at Jerusalem. I really enjoyed the videos due to the graphics and the directing. The scenes portraying the historical lifestyle and nature of the Jews seemed very real and very convincing. It was almost as if they were recordings rather than reenactments. The narration was also very informative in understanding the video itself. I would like to know more about the years between when Jesus attended the Passover feast at 12 years of age and the age of 30 when he began his ministry. I would also like to understand how Rome became the epicenter of Christianity. In particular, it would be interesting to understand exactly how the situation turned

Liberalism in International Political Economy Compared with Marxism Research Paper

Liberalism in International Political Economy Compared with Marxism and Realism - Research Paper Example Liberalism and Marxism (and Gramscianism) In the theory of Liberalism, Adam Smith is one of its well-known proponents. His ideas on liberal capitalism focus more on how behaviors and market competitions are controlled by the â€Å"invisible hand†, believing that merchants or individuals are relying on their own in contributing greatly to economic improvement without the need for the intervention of the government.4Also, the collective individual initiatives are just as important as the contribution of each individual, because morality done on a personal level and through the perspective of others is important in order to maintain order and peace under liberalism.5 In essence, under the theory of Liberalism, there is an assumption of having similar thoughts and ideas among people, which makes it easier to assess whether an individual’s actions will benefit others or not. ...This, in turn, will increase the likelihood that people will start thinking similarly, making it e asier to govern them.6 Also, there will be no inequality because everyone is experiencing similar circumstances, and unless there are problems in the ruling body itself, under Marxism there will be peace, equality, emancipation, and justice because people share the same ideas and beliefs like in Liberalism.7 Liberalism and Marxism may share some similarities such as the importance of equality, but these two theories differ in other aspects. For example, the core belief of Liberalism is that markets wield power over economic growth but does not increase the gaps between various social and economic classes because of morality. However, this is contested by Marxism ideas, saying that while everyone may acquire benefit from participating in trade and commerce, the equality of gains will not be absolute among all parties. Because of this, there can be the unequal distribution of wealth, with merchants gaining more wealth over members of the market or the consumers as the result of differ ing relative gains for the merchants and the consumers.8More often than not if there is the unequal distribution of commodities there is also an unequal distribution of wealth, and vice-versa. Also, Liberalism is highly-idealistic in terms of giving importance to morality, and the fact that the margin between the rich and the poor are not decreased this means that Liberalism does not function as it is supposed to because not all participants in commerce regularly engage in fair trade and fair markets.

Sport obermeyer, Ltd. Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sport obermeyer, Ltd. - Case Study Example Employing use of 1,200 units would also assist in faster production and achievement of the 10 percent capacity target before the end of projected seven months. Choice of 1,200 units remains consistent and convenient for other styles used by Obermeyer. Forecasts of all the individuals in Exhibit 10 range up to 20, 000 units, therefore, affirming consistency with Wally’s production projection. The units would also not face more stringent rules because Hong Kong places fewer restrictions on minimum orders quantities for a given company. Therefore, the company would experience fewer risks in sourcing the units. It is imperative that quality products result from the use of manageable units. Obermeyer should conduct time operational change in the process of sourcing and production of raw materials. Conducting time operational change would involve reducing the period of acquiring raw materials from suppliers. Initially, Obersports suppliers took a longer time of 90 days to supply raw materials that consequently slowed the production process. Time operational change would ensure prompt production and improvement in performance of the company. Consequently, reducing period of sourcing raw materials and production process would effectively help Obersports to meet its market demands. Obermeyer should conduct market research and establish stronger business links with its retailers. Apparently, sale of Obermeyer products remains seasonal with its peak on December and January. Operational change that would ensure timely delivery of products in large quantities to trusted retailers would improve sales. Obermeyer should give its established retailers goods on credit to ensure timely delivery to the market. Obermeyer should conduct publicity campaigns to accelerate the popularity of its produce among retailers and customers. Proper advertisement would solve issues associated with retail replenishment orders. Currently, selling of Obersports products fluctuates throughout the

Michelangelo Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Michelangelo - Research Paper Example helangelo was born in 1475 to a middle class family, in Italy, where he became a trainee to a painter before pursuing his studies in sculpture gardens. His father was working as a magistrate in the small village of Caprese. His family moved to Florence where his mother got ill while he was an infant. He was placed under the care of a stone cutting family where his passion for art developed. Michelangelo was a committed student and admired the works of Dante (Hayun, 210). Michelangelo is renowned for his works, which include Pieta and David statutes and the Rome’s Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings. While still young, his father realized that he had little interest in the family’s financial businesses, and he agreed to put him under the training of the trendy Florentine painter’s workshop. This was after he developed an interest in watching the painters at the near churches, and drawing what he observed while in school. While still at school, Michelangelo was introd uced by his grammar school friend to Domenico Ghirlandaio, a painter (Hayun, 211). Later, while under training at the workshop, an unexpected opportunity begot Michelangelo. Ghirlandaio recommended him to attend Medici Gardens, in the palace of Florentine king Lorenzo, to study sculpture. This provided Michelangelo with a platform to have access to the social elites of Florence. In addition, this gave him a leeway to be taught by the respected and renowned sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni and other well-known scholars, poets and taught fellers (Lerner, 426). He also obtained significant authorization from the Catholic Church to examine cadavers for a deeper understanding of the human anatomy. However, this exposure to dead bodies had a significant effect on his health. With these mixtures of influences, groundwork for Michelangelo’s distinctive style was developed. His style was widely regarded as with a muscular exactitude and authenticity Mish mashed with an almost lyrical magnificence (Lerner,

Liberalism in International Political Economy Compared with Marxism Research Paper

Liberalism in International Political Economy Compared with Marxism and Realism - Research Paper Example Liberalism and Marxism (and Gramscianism) In the theory of Liberalism, Adam Smith is one of its well-known proponents. His ideas on liberal capitalism focus more on how behaviors and market competitions are controlled by the â€Å"invisible hand†, believing that merchants or individuals are relying on their own in contributing greatly to economic improvement without the need for the intervention of the government.4Also, the collective individual initiatives are just as important as the contribution of each individual, because morality done on a personal level and through the perspective of others is important in order to maintain order and peace under liberalism.5 In essence, under the theory of Liberalism, there is an assumption of having similar thoughts and ideas among people, which makes it easier to assess whether an individual’s actions will benefit others or not. ...This, in turn, will increase the likelihood that people will start thinking similarly, making it e asier to govern them.6 Also, there will be no inequality because everyone is experiencing similar circumstances, and unless there are problems in the ruling body itself, under Marxism there will be peace, equality, emancipation, and justice because people share the same ideas and beliefs like in Liberalism.7 Liberalism and Marxism may share some similarities such as the importance of equality, but these two theories differ in other aspects. For example, the core belief of Liberalism is that markets wield power over economic growth but does not increase the gaps between various social and economic classes because of morality. However, this is contested by Marxism ideas, saying that while everyone may acquire benefit from participating in trade and commerce, the equality of gains will not be absolute among all parties. Because of this, there can be the unequal distribution of wealth, with merchants gaining more wealth over members of the market or the consumers as the result of differ ing relative gains for the merchants and the consumers.8More often than not if there is the unequal distribution of commodities there is also an unequal distribution of wealth, and vice-versa. Also, Liberalism is highly-idealistic in terms of giving importance to morality, and the fact that the margin between the rich and the poor are not decreased this means that Liberalism does not function as it is supposed to because not all participants in commerce regularly engage in fair trade and fair markets.

Michelangelo Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Michelangelo - Research Paper Example helangelo was born in 1475 to a middle class family, in Italy, where he became a trainee to a painter before pursuing his studies in sculpture gardens. His father was working as a magistrate in the small village of Caprese. His family moved to Florence where his mother got ill while he was an infant. He was placed under the care of a stone cutting family where his passion for art developed. Michelangelo was a committed student and admired the works of Dante (Hayun, 210). Michelangelo is renowned for his works, which include Pieta and David statutes and the Rome’s Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings. While still young, his father realized that he had little interest in the family’s financial businesses, and he agreed to put him under the training of the trendy Florentine painter’s workshop. This was after he developed an interest in watching the painters at the near churches, and drawing what he observed while in school. While still at school, Michelangelo was introd uced by his grammar school friend to Domenico Ghirlandaio, a painter (Hayun, 211). Later, while under training at the workshop, an unexpected opportunity begot Michelangelo. Ghirlandaio recommended him to attend Medici Gardens, in the palace of Florentine king Lorenzo, to study sculpture. This provided Michelangelo with a platform to have access to the social elites of Florence. In addition, this gave him a leeway to be taught by the respected and renowned sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni and other well-known scholars, poets and taught fellers (Lerner, 426). He also obtained significant authorization from the Catholic Church to examine cadavers for a deeper understanding of the human anatomy. However, this exposure to dead bodies had a significant effect on his health. With these mixtures of influences, groundwork for Michelangelo’s distinctive style was developed. His style was widely regarded as with a muscular exactitude and authenticity Mish mashed with an almost lyrical magnificence (Lerner,

Private funds Essay Example for Free

Private funds Essay The article by Rick Jervis of USA Today, delves into instances surrounding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, two years after the storm hit New Orleans, greatly devastating communities, houses, and the livelihood of its residents. Entitled â€Å"2 years after Katrina, pace of rebuilding depends on who pays,† the tone of the news article immediately shifts to that of a skeptical one, and although such skepticism isnt pronounced without the presence of the routine set of facts and backing evidence to support it, the article nevertheless gives off a certain air of liberal, left wing, of-the-people and for-the-people leaning. But the article starts off with an optimistic note, showing one of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina, whose house once buried deep in muddy water is now pictured in the same house, with new furnitures and freshly painted walls fashioned to look as good as new. The home owner in question, it would turn out, used her personal life savings to have her home get back to looking the way it was and better, and government did not have its hand on the matter. The state of rebuilding in the nearby vicinity, and the rest of New Orleans it would seem, is not going as planned and as in order as that of the previously stated home owner. The article sheds some probably unwanted light on the governments ineffectiveness: the delay in releasing of funds intended for rebuilding and reconstruction, the â€Å"critical priority projects† which has failed to take its form. For the most part, the article was able to show that civilians and residents were not the only victims affected by the delay in the issuance of funds, police and firefighters are forced to work in trailers, and the citys crime labs have no place to conduct DNA testing and similar laboratory analysis. But the news article identifies the lower class bracket of being on the receiving end of much of the rebuilding problems as they depend on government funding to assist them in the restoration of their homes, as opposed to middle and upper class individuals who are able and have been able to rebuild using money from their private funds, insurance, and so on. After the initial pressing issue was shed light on, the article gave brief history and information regarding the root of the devastation, and proceeded to include packets of optimism in the form of interview with civic activists who are volunteering their time and effort into ensuring that improvements can and will be achieved. The news article culminates in the reality that the federal and state government is doing nothing to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina, or if it does, hardly anybody could attest to it. And concludes with the notion that if people are to look for help, they are to find it amongst themselves. Asked about the instance of rebuilding, people reply with, â€Å"if it werent for volunteers, if it werent for the private sector nothing would have been done. † The news article presented the necessary facts, and although it showed bias towards the survivors of Hurricane Katrinas part, this bias was justified because of the apparent inaction on the side of the government. Works Cited Jervis, Rick. â€Å"2 Years After Katrina, Pace of Rebuilding Depends on Who Pays. † 28 August 2007. USA Today. 11 December 2007. http://usatoday. com/news/nation

Spacetime Structure Implications from Quantum Mechanics

Spacetime Structure Implications from Quantum Mechanics Spacetime Structure Implications from Quantum Mechanics and Relativity Abstract Some idea proposed in the recent Penroses Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC) is discussed in this paper. In CCC it is argued that the concept of time looses its meaning in a Universe filled solely with zero rest-mass particles (i.e. photons and gravitons). This particular idea is discussed, because at least conceptually it can have some implication on our understanding of spacetime and a role of rest-mass. Relativity was a great revolution in our understanding of space and time, sometimes leading to paradoxes. Quantum Mechanics introduced quanta of energy. It occurs that the existence of the minimum quanta of energy can has a strong implication on the spacetime structure. abstract should include at the max. 250 words. The abstract should give readers concise and correct information about the material of the article. It indicates what methodology you have used for your results and how you are concluding these results. The abstract should be restricted into a single paragraph with Times New Roman with Font Size 10, with proper justification. Keywords: quantum mechanics; general relativity; conformal cyclic cosmology Introduction Einsteins Relativity theory has been experimentally verified very thoroughly and also Quantum Mechanics predictions are experimentally very well checked. The philosophical or physical interpretation of mathematical equations of Relativity is commonly accepted. However Quantum Mechanics is a very good working operating tool, whereas the interpretation differs widely amongst physicist and philosophers (outlook of various interpretations can be found e.g. in [2]). Basing on the recent Penroses cosmological proposal [9] it seems that some implications to our understanding of spacetime can be derived from principles and as consequences of Relativity and Plancks law. It can also lead to a specific interpretation of a wave function in Quantum Physics. The Penroses selected idea will be presented at first. Then some considerations influenced by this idea will be discussed. Problems with time measurement In [9] Penrose states that in a spacetime filled solely by photons and gravitons no clock can be built (Only the fact that rest-mass is zero is important. Therefore in the rest of this paper only photons will be discussed. Anywhere in the text when a photon is discussed it is important that it is a particle with zero rest-mass.). In order to have any clock a massive particle is needed. A stable massive particle â€Å"ticks† with the specific frequency (It can be derived by combining Plancks formula and Einsteins formula . Detailed discussion is in [9].). (1) . So when there is no massive particles a spacetime looses its metric structure and only the conformal structure remains. On the other hand the black hole evaporation process (known as Hawking radiation) [5] may lead the Universe to such a state in a very long time. Simply speaking if the Universe will be expanding (and therefore cooling) then after some time the background will be cooler than all black holes. Of course the infinite expansion is assumed. There are however some objections, because there may be some matter left, not collapsed to black holes. E.g. some lonely massive particles can resist. Penrose discuses both possibilities: some highly hypothetical process of loosing mass in a very long period and implications of an event horizon. It is not a scope of this paper to discus it more thoroughly. Only to state that a spacetime filled only with zero restmass particles is physically interesting, reasonable and possible. Penrose argument that in such a spacetime no time measurement can be done (and only conformal structure remains) seems true [3, 11]. Briefly â€Å"one can dispense with the geodesics neither of test particles nor of light rays in measurement process† [6]. More discussion on this topic can be found e.g. in [10]. In this paper it is assumed that Penroses proposal is true and if spacetime is filled with zero rest-mass particles or massive particles which cannot influence each other due to event horizon the n time cannot be measured in such a spacetime. Possible consequences of this statement will be discussed. Proper time of a photon, the Observability Principle and tiling a spacetime Let us consider a spacetime filled only with zero rest-mass particles. From Special Relativity it is known that any of such a particle â€Å"feels† no proper time. For example no time passes for a photon between its emission from the Sun and its absorbing on the Earth. Time passes e.g. for people on the Earth, but no time passes for a photon. Sticking to the Observability Principle, which means that anything which cannot be observed does also not exist [7, 8], one can say that for a photon both events take place at the same time (Because time difference between leaving the Sun and coming on the Earth, such as for the people on the Earth, does not exist for a photon and is not observed by a photon.). It means that no time passes in the Universe filled only by zero rest-mass particles just as Penrose concluded in [9]. For the sake of clarity such a Universe will be called a Penroses Universe further in this paper. Fig. 1: To distinguish between different configurations time is needed. In case of no time (inability to measure time) one can say that all possible configurations happen at the same time. Or simply each particle is at the same time in all possible places. It seems important to present some consideration here (which was not stated by Penrose). From the above paragraph it can be concluded that different configurations can be realised in the same time. Here a time is understood as an internal property of a Penroses Universe. The meaning of adjective internal will be clarified throughout the rest of this paper. Of course we are used to measure time for example by comparing configurations of objects (e.g. distance proportions between parts of them, etc.). When we see an egg on a table and next we see smashed egg on the same table we guess that a time has passed. In sake of clarity in a Universe filled with photons solely we should distinct between configurations (able to happen at the same internal time) and events (which happen one after another due to the order of the arrow of time). In a Penroses Universe configurations are possible, but events are excluded by the definitions. So in a Penroses Universe each possible configuration takes place in the same (internal) time. Equivalently they just take place simultaneously. (If there is no time it can be said that everything happens at the same time.) If one considers all possible configurations in a Penroses Universe, one can equivalently say that each zero restmass particle is everywhere at the same (internal) time (Let us notice that we may omit internal because if it is assumed that nothing exists except a particular Penroses Universe then any other reference for some other â€Å"time† cannot exist.). Of course the fact that a photon â€Å"feels† no time when passing from A to B i.e. that it has zero proper time does not imply that it is therefore everywhere in spacetime and, in particular, it does not mean that it is â€Å"simultaneously† on all possible paths between A and B. Indeed, in relativity theory, light moves on well-defined null geodesics. What I am trying to emhasise is that without massive particles it is impossible to discriminate these geodesics [3] and therefore (actually this is the crucial step) following the Observability Principle we identify all situations that are undistinguishable. It may be concluded that this is somehow similar to rather commonly agreed thought that the reality emerges only in relation to the results of measurements. Fig. 2: In A there is no massive particle. In B there are some. Time exists internally in B. A is a tiny Penroses Universe without time (as far as no interaction with B happens). A (global) time for which we can treat A as Penroses Universe is measured in B, because in A no time exists. It means that on A+B there is a time. Such a picture is not valid in our Universe because efficient clocks exist in it. The apparent contradiction occurs only because we imagine a Penroses Universe from the external point of view (experiencing the flow of the time). If we imagine that nothing exists except a Penroses Universe we would not have to use internal to describe time. Simply no device to measure time flow would exist. Now let us think about a spacetime as a manifold (as in General Relativity). One living in the spacetime approximates the global structure of the whole manifold by observing his neighbourhood. However locally there is no â€Å"absolute time† as Relativity states. Consider now a small tiny part of the Universe (an open subset in the manifold). The Universe is filled by both zero and non zero rest-mass particles (as our Universe we live in). But locally we can find small parts of it which are filled solely by photons. We can treat each such a part as a Penroses Universe as far as no interaction with any massive particle takes place. It is due to previous considerations. We can say that no time passes inside such a part as far as no event takes place. It is understood that events take place in the global Universe. And by the event we mean here some act of interaction between a part being a Penroses Universe and a part of the global Universe possessing at least one non zero rest-m ass particle. Then these two parts can be treated as one part (being then not a Penroses Universe). In other words let us find in our Universe as much as possible very small Penroses photon filled local Universes. These small Universes differ from Penroses one big Universe by the fact that they can be treated as such only as far as they do not interact with some massive part. The idea of tiling the spacetime manifold is sketched on pictures. Fig. 3: An interaction happened from part B to part A. A is no longer a Penroses Universe. Fig. 4: Such a timeless Universe cannot be divided into a massive parts and Penroses Universe parts. No matter how we would tile this Universe each component has no time. In a Penroses Universe it is unclear how the different configurations (spacetime paths) are to be defined. Indeed, just as there is no time measure, so there is no spatial measure (with which one can distinguish, for instance the distance between points on two different paths). Therefore due to the Observability Principle particles in such a universe are as if they were everywhere at the same time. What is needed to talk about any time order is an interaction with some massive particles. Only then e.g. before and after are sensible notions. Discussion on the Double Slit Experiment In the famous doubleslit experiment a photon seems to pass through both slits at the same time. Therefore a wave function has been introduced, because a particle behave as if it were a wave. However if one tries to localise through which slit a particle actually passes, interference image is erased and a particle behaves as a corpuscle. Therefore one says about corpuscular-wave dualism. But due to considerations in previous paragraph one should also be able to say that a photon really passes through both slits (because no time passes for a photon, so two event take place for a photon at the same time). And what is called a collapse of a wave function is just a choosing of a particular path out of all possible. Such a measurement is however possible only if non zero rest-mass is involved. It is known that as a particle becomes more massive quantum properties are less clear and lighter particles behaves more like a waves (photons, electrons). The ability to measure time interval can al so be seen from Eq. (1). In such an interpretation a wave function is not an abstract existence in observer mind. It is a physical being. But as such should somehow depend not only on a particle but also on a spacetime in which is considered. Summarising Relativity Einstein once strongly criticised any physical concept which is â€Å"independent in its physical properties, having a physical effect, but not itself influenced by physical conditions† [4]. Just a proposed interpretation of a wave function should therefore be justified if this wave function interacts with spacetime. Basing on General Relativity we know that the spacetime is influenced by gravitation. So the first simple test for the new interpretation is to check whether gravitation changes a wave function. Fortunately such an experiment was done. Firstly neutron beam was scattered into two beams: each influenced by the same gravitational field. Secondly the whole apparatus was placed in a way that after scattering the gravitational fields for the first beam and for the second beam were different. By examining the interference pattern it was observed that the quantum-mechanical phase shift of neutrons is caused by their interaction with Earths gravitational field [1]. One can then also speculate that the gravitational field influences a wave function. It can be objected that the proposed explanation of quantum mechanics is contradicted by the conservation of the energy. A particle really going thorough all possible paths would do infinite work. It is not true in the proposed scheme. No procedure could measure such an energy, because those trips take places in a part of a spacetime where no useful time concept exists. If time is immeasurable then the particle can do the work needed to go through all possible paths. However immediately when a working clock is used, a particular path is localised an the energy conservation is saved. It can also be seen from this argument that the Feynmans Path Integral approach is the most natural formulation of Quantum Mechanics. Conclusions The presented arguments lead to the specific interpretation of quantum mechanics. Conceptually the presented considerations show that one can find some guide towards Quantum Physics starting from Relativity and Plancks law. Especially Feynmans Path Integral Formulation emerges in nice way. Some further implication to Cosmology occurs. The Universe filled solely with zero rest-mass particles should be treated as in a superposition state of all possible states. Occurrence of strictly positive masses not separated by event horizon would give the origin to time and states being in a superposition can be reduced to a particular state. It advocates the concept of the Universe wave function. In a black hole singularity time stops and mass density is infinite as is known from Relativity. If one would look at a singularity from the presented point of view one could say that mass density is infinite only for external observer. Because only such an observer has a meaningful concept of time. Infinite density occurs as a consequence of localising all in-falling particles in a point. However as it was explained in the paper if time stops, all particles can occupy the same point in the same â€Å"time† (which exists only for external observer). A possibility of application of the presented scheme will be explored in the future research.

We Must Work to Prevent Mass School Shootings Essay -- Mass Shootings,

There have been many horror stories in the news about mass shootings at schools. The public, and even the president of the United States, is asking if anything can be done to prevent these tragedies. There are many theories on why students kill their peers at schools; these range from increased violence in video games and movies to bullying troubles at school. Almost always, the perpetrator suffers from some form of mental illness (Khadaroo). Because of this, motives for these crimes are extremely difficult to discern. Although the theories for the causes of this dilemma are tenuous at best, the effects are very perceptible. Can anything be done to prevent these massacres? School shootings are a complex problem that cannot always be prevented, but there are a number of actions we can take to reduce the frequency and extent of the damage caused. These actions include placing more restrictions on firearms, creating detection programs for shooters, hiring more counselors for u nstable students, and placing guards or police in schools. School shootings are a serious problem, and a solution is needed in order to prevent these calamities. Although no one can be entirely sure what motivates teens to commit mass shootings, there are theories that must be examined to develop solutions. One theory states that there are ten factors that contribute to the likelihood of a teen committing murder. These factors include an unstable home life, being bullied at school, obsession with violent entertainment, being suicidal, involvement with drugs or alcohol, involvement with gangs or cults, and mental illness. Usually at least four of these qualities are present in homicidal teens (Khadaroo). While many of these causes stem from home lif... ... Works Sited "Arkansas District Arming More than 20 Teachers, Staff." Herald (Everett, WA): n.p. Jul 31, 2013. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 4 Oct. 2015. Khadaroo, Stacy Teicher. â€Å"Why Do Kids Kill? School Murders in Sparks, Danvers Revive Questions.† Christian Science Monitor. 25 Oct 2013: n.p. SIRS Issue Researcher. Web. 6 Oct. 2015. Ring, Ray. â€Å"Guns R Us.† High Country News (Paonia, Co) Vol. 39, No. 14 Aug. 6 2007:10-17. Sirs Issues Researcher. Web. 6 Oct. 2015. â€Å"School safety Timeline.† Leading Issues timelines, 2013. SIRS Issues researcher. Web. 4 Oct. 2015. â€Å"What Happened in Newtown, Connecticut? Eyewitness Accounts of Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting.† WXYZ. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2015. Zarembo, Alan. â€Å"Teens Plotting Attacks Tend to Tip Their hand.† Los Angeles Times. 24 Dec 2012: A.1. Sirs Issues Researcher. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.

The Strange New World of Virtual Reality :: Computers Internet Technology

The Strange New World of Virtual Reality Virtual Reality is a creation of a highly interactive computer based multimedia environment in which the user becomes a participant with the computer in a "virtually real" world. We are living in an era characterized by 3D virtual systems created by computer graphics. In the concept called Virtual Reality (VR), the virtual reality engineer is combining computer, video, image-processing, and sensor technologies so that a human can enter into and react with spaces generated by computer graphics. In 1969-70, a MIT scientist went to the University of Utah, where he began to work with vector generated graphics. He built a see-through helmet that used television screens and half-silvered mirrors, so that the environment was visible through the TV displays. It was not yet designed to provide a surrounding environment. It was not until the mid '80's that virtual reality systems were becoming more defined. The AMES contract started in 1985, came up with the first glove in February 1986. The glove is made of thin Lycra and is fitted with 15 sensors that monitor finger flexion, extension, hand position and orientation. Connected to a computer through fiber optic cables. sensor inputs enable the computer to generate an on screen image of the hand that follows the operator's hand movements. The glove also has miniature vibrators in the finger tips to provide feedback to the operator from grasped virtual objects. Therefore, driven by the proper software, the system allows the operator to interact by grabbing and moving a virtual object within a simulated room, while experiencing the "feel" of the object. The virtual reality line includes the Datasuit and the Eyephone. The Dtasuit is an instrumented full-body garment that enables full-body interaction with a computer constructed virtual world. In one use, this product is worn by film actors to give realistic movement to animated characters in computer generated special effects. The Eyephone is a head mounted stereo display that shows a computer made virtual world in full color and 3D. The Eyephone technology is based on an experimental Virtual Interface Environment Workstation (VIEW) design. VIEW is a head-mounted stereoscopic display system with two 3.9 inch television screens, one for each eye. The display can be a computer generated scene or a real environment sent by remote video cameras. Sound effects delivered to the headset increase the realism. It was intended to use the glove and software for such ideas as a surgical simulation, or "3D virtual surgery" for medical students.