Project Managment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Managment - Assignment Example The company considered setting up its own Information Systems Department to develop (or adapt) software for the robots to match its customers requirements, but decided instead to outsource this task to companies. Now is one of the largest manufacturers of industrial robots in UK. One robot responds by moving through the warehouse picking appropriate shelving and framework timber for this product and delivering it to the assembly room. (Based on their identification code, appropriate software allows the robot to access a list of components required, and to find where in the warehouse they are stored.) Another robot, in the assembly room, puts these parts together (using glue or bolts where appropriate) to make the bookshelf. It moves the completed bookshelf to a nearby holding area ready for loading onto a truck. The computer system (in addition to controlling the robots) should keep track of the stock of each type of shelf and frame component that has been used and so be able to report when stock replenishment is required. Time - The amount of time required to complete the project. ... The computer system (in addition to controlling the robots) should keep track of the stock of each type of shelf and frame component that has been used and so be able to report when stock replenishment is required. Criteria of Success For success of the project at The Shelf Company Proposal document. In broad terms you will oversee a project that will involve: The delivery, installation and testing of two industrial robots. The installation of a minicomputer system to be used as the centralised storage and processing unit for use by the two robots at TSC. The installation of terminal and peripheral devices in the control centre, and cabling to the mini and to the parts of the warehouse where the robots will operate. Develop documentation for the new system, suitable for use by staff at TSC. Organising and overseeing the training of staff on the new system. Assumption Project Management tries to gain control over some variables: Time - The amount of time required to complete the project. Typically broken down for analytical purposes into the time required to complete the components of the project, which is then further broken down into the time required to complete each task contributing to the completion of each component. Cost - Calculated from the time variable. Cost to develop an internal project is time multiplied by the cost of the team members involved. When hiring an independent consultant for a project, cost will typically be determined by the consultant or firm's hourly rate multiplied by an estimated time to complete. Quality - The amount of time put into individual tasks determines the overall quality of the project. Some tasks may require a given amount of time to complete adequately, but given more time could be

Interior architecture in context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Interior architecture in context - Essay Example s a course assistant with reputed architects like Ludovico Quaroni and Carlo Aymonino, for a while after taking the Degree in Architecture from Polytechnic University in Milan, in 1959. While Rossi taught the subject at various universities, he was internationally famous professor to teach in Zurich, Spain and America................(Aldo Rossi...) However, The Herzog & Demeuron being a commercial firm started making achievements in the building feats, right from their inception, as they designed museums, schools, art centers, libraries and residences as well as stadiums. Their design achievements can be seen in their works of Goetz art gallery at Munich in Germany, Institute for Hospital Pharmaceuticals, at Basel, Switzerland, built in 1998, Technical School Library at Eberswalde in Germany, and the latest one as the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, San Francisco, California (2005). Apart from the Walker Art Center Expansion, designed by them at Minneapolis during the year 2005, there are other famous centers accredited to this firm.....(Herzog...) Herzog& De Meuron impressed the architectural world right from their first building, Ricola Warehouse as they brought in this design, an element of surprise of the fellow architects, although both the architects were young and below the age of forty years at that time. As the building was given a formal restrain that resulted in a canonical form, they established their own logic in this design, although the Ricola warehouse was built with reduced dimensions. While the walls enclosed the space in neutral manner, the handling of materials like the laminated wood panels and other things was done very efficiently to give the walls a traditional pattern that included rhythm and proportion. As many other architects of the later twentieth century tried to bring in originality and proposed new ideas, Herzog&De Meurone did propose new goals that were very refreshing, while solving the problems related to the cornice. While

Parents With Mental Illness Social Work Essay

Parents With Mental Illness Social Work Essay This paper explains the circumstances of a parent living with a mental illness and disclaims the assumption that this dilemma at all times results in abuse or neglect six articles are referenced for this paper, providing related research on the topic. Some authors provide examples of adults who live with a mental illness and the struggles to provide and nurture their family. Others support the notion that mental illness, although a difficult ailment, does not always result in an abusive or dysfunctional home. The author examines numerous claims that living with a mental illness puts a family at risk for neglect. The author maintains that this circumstance does not automatically equal abuse in a home, but rather, present hardships to overcome. Parents with Mental Illness: Arguments of an Abusive Home Many opinions conclude that mentally ill parents are not able to care for their children and often create the outcome of a neglectful home. There is a stigma out there that these children of adults with a mental illness are at risk for growing up in an abusive home. Although this may be true in certain instances, there is much research to counter this argument and provide support that a high percentage of mentally ill parents work very hard to overcome and handle their obstacles, and provide a loving and functional home. To further understand the background of the issue this topic should be looked into with great detail. The purpose of this paper is to do just that, by giving evidence for and against the topic, by looking into ways that some families adjust and how others dont. This paper looks into claims that go along with the assumption of abuse stemming from a home with mental illness and provides statistics against it, and in support of parents being able to deal with these kind s of difficulties. Much research has been done in the area of effects of mental illness in the family. One of which was an article by authors Swartz, Swanson, Hiday, Borum, Wagner, and Burns (1998) that suggests that the presence of a mental illness are often times associated with serious violent acts, according to the Violence and Severe Mental Illness article. It explains how adults with psychiatric problems often times self medicate with alcohol or other substances instead of regularly taking their prescribed medication. The medication noncompliance, substance abuse, and overall mental illnesses create a huge problem within a family. Individuals in this position cannot take care of themselves; much less keep a family healthy. With all the stress stated previously, often times a parent may become violent as a way of coping. It was found that alcohol or other drug abuse problems  combined with poor adherence to medication may signal a higher  risk of violent behavior among persons with severe ment al illness (Violence and Severe Mental Illness). Within this type of a situation children become withdrawn, scared, and depending on the age may begin acting out themselves. There has been other research, like this, that shows a correlation between violent and neglectful homes and parents with a mental illness. These tend to aim more towards the lack of proper medication and instead, the substitute of alcohol or other drugs by the parent. One such article by Danson , Gold, Barreira, and Fisher (2008) indicates that as unhealthy as the mentally ill parent is, the child is as equally effected, if not more so. Research by Danson et al. (2008) revealed that situations with severe substance  abuse by a parent,  there is a high recurrence of less frequent parent-child  contact. The more a parent turns to substances to self medicate, there is less and less contact with their children. This is where most people draw the conclusion that a parent with a mental illness, results in a negl ectful or abusive home. Studies have shown that this results in lifelong problems in kids, such as a feeling of isolation, separation anxiety, boundary issues, anger, and depression. Children need their parents to be present. Even if struggling with a mental illness, a child needs their parent involved in their lives. Although there is much research that views adults with mental illnesses as precursors to neglectful and abusive parents, there is a great deal of studies that argue against it. Rethink is a severe mental illness foundation, aiming to assist those suffering, family who are affected, as well as a goal of clearing up any misconceptions glued to this illness. Their overall conclusions are being a parent with mental illness can be both challenging and rewarding. People often stigmatize and assume that children born to people with mental illness will experience social and emotional difficulties, that they may be abused or neglected. But parents with mental illness can be good parents if they receive appropriate support (Parents with Mental Illness). This is where the argument comes in. The opposing views from earlier in the paper were accurate in the sense that it is difficult to deal with side effects of medications and many parents living with a mental illness self medicate instead. But this is not true in many instances. Numerous studies have shown that many parents dealing with this issue take the proper steps to mend themselves and their families. The main i dea of Rethink seemed to state that despite the stigma attached to psychological illnesses, these families are just as capable of having a functional relationship as those who are lucky enough not to face this obstacle. It was found that often times the family of a loved one dealing with a mental illness, is forgotten. Between all the chaos and stress of helping the hurting individual, the family takes a back seat. The family member with a mental illness is not always able to care for family and both parents tend to focus on fixing the one in pain. It is shown that many mentally ill parents are afraid to lose their children, and because of this work very hard to mend what was broken and create as peaceful of a life as they can. They are getting the help they need to be able to take care of their children. A high percentage are making their family lives thrive, not giving up and neglecting their children. There is support to show that a great number of mentally ill adults are reachin g out to appropriate support. Some of these summarized in the article included the many ways parents try to mend their family and the ways they reach out. Such as, education classes for parenting and support groups, it is important to receive help from outside support to improve the environment surrounding the family, as well as positive friendships and peer relationships. These tactics greatly contribute to helping an individual dealing with the chaos of a mental illness, become balanced again. Talking with others who understand the difficulties and reaching out to those who can help, give a parent peace of mind. And this sets them up for success. In addition to this article, Coping with Mental Illness summarizes the many outlets adults with a mental illness have to helping their children and affected family members succeed, once they are balanced themselves. Numerous instances prove that children of mentally ill parents as well as other family members in these situations do not al ways receive the care and nurturing they need. They may feel ashamed to talk about their situation with others and consequently may withdraw from relatives or friends who could help them or support them. Often unable to articulate their needs, even to themselves, these individuals frequently feel isolated and alone (Coping with Mental Illness in the Family). Its extremely difficult for a child to know exactly whats going on when their parent is breaking down, where to turn for help, or what to do to help the family. In these instances, families who have made it through and made the situation better, have reached out for help. Research shows that these families have discussions about understanding that a parent is mentally ill and acknowledge how this is going to affect the other members of the family. News ways of taking care of each individual are discussed and boundaries are drawn, so that certain people arent being taken advantage of or acting outside of their familial role. Lear ning a new way to deal with old unhealthy family patterns also gives family members a leg up. The cycle of harmful family habits can be broken and new communications started. From these two viewpoints, a conclusion must be drawn that whether or not a family is going to pull through a difficult time as this, it depends on the individuals and the amount of assistance they receive as well as the amount of effort they are willing to put into making their family function. It is clear that mentally ill parents have a tough burden to work through. Living with a mental illness is difficult, and many individuals have a tough time functioning and finding a balance. Because some have a hard time making it, their families suffer. Children may be abused and neglected by a parent who isnt in their right state of mind, but studies show that this is not the norm. Many parents have helpful resources in and outside the family. Many take on the challenge of finding the correct medication. And many work extremely hard to take care of themselves, so they can in turn take care of their family. Evidence shows, a high percentage of families with a mentally ill parent, get throug h life just fine.

Humanism: Dangerous Illusion, Desperate Faith or Duty of Time? :: Education Learning Philosophy Papers

Humanism: Dangerous Illusion, Desperate Faith or Duty of Time? Abstract: In antiquity, the idea of padeia organically joined learning and education. In today's world it remains the essence of culture. However, philosophy is now characterized by a spirit of pragmatism that correlates present-day needs with actual sociocultural trends. Humanism can seem today nothing more than an illusion, an unrealizable utopia. Nevertheless, philosophy in its educative role should shape a attitude to life that is not only deep and universal but humanistic as well. The present congress, developing the themes of the previous one ("The mankind at the turning-point"), concretizes them, marking a special role of philosophy in "education of humanity". In this aspect reference to the antique "paideia" notion, organically combining education and upbringing, is not casual. The motto of the last philosophical congress in this century grasps the tendencies and needs of culture which begun to show of late. That's what is the prerogative of philosophy as "a permanent watchman, guardian of culture". He is so historically, socially and culturally determined that humanity greets a turn of centuries, the so much of millennia, jubilating and worrying at the same time. The situation so fraught with possibilities and dangers if not satisfied may lead to crush of the mankind that has proved bankrupt. We have found ourselves in the bifurcation process admitting as well "the end of history" in its most tragic sense. Philosophy plays the most important part in formation, basing of new values, innoticing emerging trends, choice of arising variants. Reflexing over culture as a whole philosophy allows to correlate the needs and potenties of the current moment with actual trends. Combining the prognostic and projective functions philosophy forms the sprouts of new world outlooks and conditions of "natural" refusal of obsolete, out of date ones. This role is not conspicuous: philosophical thought must be ready for the fact that penetrates public consciousness neither directly nor immediately, but implicitly, gradually, embracing the most diversified spheres of spiritual activity and only in long time achieving the status of the spiritual objectivized. So much more comprehensive, deep and prolonged its impact is. It has been correctly stated that these were Kant and Hegel who had the most influence over their contemporaries' minds (so few of them actually knew their works, at that). Well-known is Martin Luther King's role in stopping the Vietnam war, changing the whole mentality of the American nation, not so long ago allowing "witc hhunt" and racism.

A world without laws

Now, Imagine a world without any laws. No rules, no commands and Just your rules to be followed. It's also crazy Isn't To have a world without any laws means not only to be free but also to be In a world with chaos. For example, the traffic rules, Without any traffic rules, how can we determine whether we are on the go signal or not? Can you Imagine It? A car being smashed by another?What result would that supposed to be? Focuses! What else? It's accidents. Yes I can say that every person has his/her rights to wish for his/her freedom however, this freedom should be limited. In this case, I can also say that even though they can do anything what he/she wishes for, he/she can never wish what a government wishes to have in its institution, to have peace and order. Yet, people wish for their own interest and it doesn't help each other. Imagine the people peeing in different places, different streets? Or how about people who throws garbage anywhere? Do you think it's healthy?A big NO for me because these things exults into floods, typhoons and other natural calamities being held not constant or even worse deceases.. This makes the lives of others to be in danger. What about buildings making their goods at higher price or shall we say doing the act of overpricing? Is it helpful to us? I say, no. How can people with little income buy food with too expensive goods? How can they live their lives without buying it? The tendency would be robbery. They will be forced to rob food shops because they can't afford a high price of goods because they are poor.They will be forced and in such ease would make it a hobby because of that high prices of goods. Imagine the world without any law enforcers; do you think we can live peacefully? To those who have lost their innocent member of the family, do you think without the law enforcers, can they claim their right for injustice? No they can't. What about drugs, a world full of dangerous drugs, do you think it molds people to what ou r present professionals are doing right know? Again, I think not. These things we can imagine if we create a world without laws.A world full of accidents, harassment and such cases that a man can o without making himself or herself put Into Jail. Are you willing to have a world Like that? I guess not. Therefore, Imagine a world with laws. Laws that protects human life, a law that makes a person free with Its Limits, Isn't It wonderful? And Peaceful? We need laws to guide us, we need them because we do. Live a world with laws to be guided, secured and to be protected. A world without laws By Paraphrases Imagine a world without any laws. No rules, no commands and in fact we only follow rules of our own. Try to think of it. Fun! Isn't it?Now, imagine a world without any laws. No rules, no commands and Just your rules to be followed. It's also crazy isn't To have a world without any laws means not only to be free but also to be in a determine whether we are on the go signal or not? Can you imagine it? A car being they claim their right for injustice? No they can't. What about drugs, a world full of do without making himself or herself put into Jail. Are you willing to have a world like that? I guess not. Therefore, imagine a world with laws. Laws that protects human life, a law that makes a person free with its limits, isn't it wonderful? And Peaceful?

An Education in Liberal Arts

Liberal arts is a universal education that provides a strong foundation of knowledge in many subjects. Liberal arts can observe the capabilities as well as the limitations of each field of study. This allows students to find connections between different fields of study, to explore them, and to discover new theories and/or inventions. Liberal arts also allows students to investigate areas of interest and to make new ones by combining diverse subjects. A liberal arts education provides students with a broad spectrum of information enabling them to expand their knowledge and to advance society in a positive direction. It is imperative that a liberal arts posses the basic knowledge of the many fields. With this knowledge, students can combine different subjects to formulate new ideas and concepts. As in mixing colors, a new color can only be created by combining various colors. The same is true for liberal arts education, the resulting idea(s) and/or concept(s) is derived from the combination used to create it. A liberal arts education provides a strong foundation of knowledge in many fields allowing students to create new theories and inventions. With this foundation, there are endless possibilities that students can expand and build on what others have learned rather than wasting time on what has already been discovered. In order to illustrate, I'll use the example of the telephone. The telephone was an ingenious invention that was combined with the innovation of a free thinker, Alexander Graham Bell. Bell created the first working telephone and the impact of the telephone on society, over the past 100 years, is immeasurable. The result of the telephone revolutionized communication, advancing society to another level. Inventions that advance society, such as this, demonstrate the value of a liberal arts education. In years past, more and more scientists, from an array of various fields, have elaborated upon the basic telephone by inventing different components to be used along with the telephone such as the facsimile machine and computer modems which enable communication via the internet. In short, a liberal arts education provides students with a strong foundation of universal knowledge that allows them to think without restrictions or barriers. Liberal arts allow imaginative thoughts to develop freely. Such imaginative thoughts lead to discoveries and inventions which, in turn, advance society to higher levels. It is evident that a liberal arts education is one of society's tools for advancement in a positive direction.

Hang, Hung, Hanged

Hang, Hung, Hanged Hang, Hung, Hanged Hang, Hung, Hanged By Sharon Hang derives from Old English and means to be attached from above without support below. This is one of the core meanings, as shown in the sentence: The picture hangs on the wall. However, there are several other related uses, for example: To let droop or fall – hang your head in shame. To fall in a certain way – this costume hangs well. To pay attention to – I hang on your every word. To hold on tightly – My daughter is hanging onto my skirt. A way of doing something – She couldnt get the hang of it. To be oppressive – a cloud of gloom hangs over him. The regular past tense of hang is hung, which would be used in all the examples listed above. However, there is one difference when it comes to hanging someone by the neck. In this case the past tense is hanged which means killed by hanging. Here are some quotations from the newspapers: before American forces chased him from his capital city and captured him in a filthy pit near his hometown, was hanged just before dawn Saturday during the morning call to prayer. (www.nytimes.com) Secrets,† he printed the pieces of personal data on sheets of paper using a special liquid solution. The sheets were hung in neat rows and columns on a wall. Museumgoers could only see the data under a special light source, and key (www.nytimes.com) Met Breuer in 2016-2017.After it was acquired for McCormick Square, the painting hung in the hallway of the convention center for years with very little protection, making it liable to theft or damage, (www.nytimes.com) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowBroadcast vs Broadcasted as Past FormSentence Adverbs

Cold War History Essay

Cold War History Essay Cold War History Essay Cold War History Essay If you've got the assignment to write an essay about historical events, Cold War for example, you are expected to write a research paper. Your first task is to go to the library and find necessary information for research essay. Find and analyze as many information as you can, Cold War history essay cannot be based on one article. While writing Cold War history essay, you need to discover, interpret, and revise numerous publications, both primary and secondary.   Cold War, as an essay topic, requires deep understanding of the historical period and relations between the United States and Soviet Union. Essay Writing Tips Once you have visited your local library, collected enough information, and arranged your ideas (created an outline), you are ready to start writing an essay.   English essay format has to consist of three components:   introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.   Introduction paragraph should contain general information on the period of Cold War, the causes of conflict, tension and competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, their allies, and the overall political situation in the world in the period of 1940s-1990s.   Introduction should contain a thesis statement aimed at helping the reader to understand the Cold War history essay flow. Body paragraph should show your research work. Each paragraph should contain new idea and should start with new line.   English essay body paragraphs should be used to describe the reasons why Cold War tensions appeared and cover ideological differences between the US and the USSR. The US was a capitalist country at that time and the USSR was a communist country. Thus, you might mention that US was afraid of the spread of communism throughout the world. In addition, you should give other examples and support them with specific facts. Cold War history essay conclusion should summarize the main points of the whole essay.   Do not bring new information in the concluding section.   You may conclude with your own interpretation of the historical period and set the direction for further research.   For example, mention the Iron curtain speech, the development of the Atomic Bomb, etc.   Keep in mind that all sources you used or consulted for Cold War history essay writing have to be properly cited within the text as well as at the end of it. Bibliography list has to be formatted in accordance to the style requested by the tutor. Custom Essay Writing Help If you are not sure in your ability to write a good Cold War history essay, if you cannot decide on the overall direction, if you cannot find enough sources to support your ideas, you are welcome to ask writers for assistance!   In addition to final draft of your custom written paper, you get FREE plagiarism report and bibliography list.

An Unfortunate Incident

Lily was very excited. Her 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle was almost complete. She easily fit the final pieces into the puzzle. She had taken two weeks to complete the puzzle and she proud of her work. As she stared at the puzzle on the dining table,she heard her mother call to her. Her mother announced that dinner was almost ready. She asked Lily to remove her puzzle and set the table for dinner. Lily was about to remove the puzzle when the phone rang. It was her classmate Judy. Lily could not wait to gloat about her newly-completed puzzle. She decided that dinner could wait for a few more minutes and proceeded to chat with her friend for fifteen minutes. Meanwhile her mother had emerged from the kitchen with a pot of hot soup. She was aghast to find the dinner table still in a mess,while Lily chatted happily on the phone. She turned to scold Lily but she accidentally knocked into the chair. The soup spileed over,directly onto the jigsaw puzzle. Lily came running the moment she heard her mothers angry voice but it was too late. The soup had ruined a good portion of the jigsaw puzzle. Lily burst into tears at the sight of the damaged puzzle. She regretted not listening to her mother and realised her mistake,but the damage had already been done. When Lily related the incident to me, I was saddened that my friends hard work had gone to waste. If I had been in her place, I would have placed the puzzle in a safe place before leaving the table. I would also have finished my chores before attending to the phone call.

Devastation of War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Devastation of War - Research Paper Example The poem â€Å"refugee ship† is more explicit about one being a stranger to her own ethnicity. A mother who did not like the idea of her daughter being a slave to the Spanish culture and as such tried to keep the daughter in the darkness about her ethnicity brought up the girl. The mother did not teach the girl about the culture neither did she teach her about the language. The grandmother of the girl tries to do what the mother did not do by trying very hard to teach her the culture and the language so that she can be conversant with the Spanish lifestyle. Though she tries to learn, she struggles to pronounce the words though that was expected, as she had no up bringing on that matter. The girl feels so confused and hence feels trapped between the kind of personality her mother raised her to be and who she is expected to be by the society. She is conflicted because is a refugee from two different cultures and the "ship...will never dock..." because the ship represents her lif e and she must live that life to become what she is to be. In the poem the â€Å"refugee ship†, a picture is painted of one who is confused because of the two cultures she has to deal with. In fact, she does not know what the meaning of the things mean and misuses some words inappropriately. She voices her frustrations while talking about the ship never docking. In fact, it can be deduced that she is culturally homeless. This poem provides a clear picture of what could have happened as a result of immigration. Learning another culture would be difficult as one would not be aware of what he or she becomes as a result of the confusion that emanates from not being able to comprehend the other culture and master it for the sake of survival. The poem â€Å"refugee ship† is a classical picture that tries to paint a picture of the experience of the Vietnamese while using the boat as a transportation mode (Chmidt and Crockett, 5). An in-depth analysis of the poem would paint a picture of what happened from a different perspective. In the poem, there is a granddaughter and the grandmother trying to get along, but one major challenge is that they are not in agreement as they cannot understand one another because of the language barrier. It seems though that the two are in a different world. This paints a picture of the Vietnamese during the time of fleeing the devastations of war. As an immigrant the first challenge one would face is the problem of communication as one is not a position to talk back because they cannot understand. During the war that turned the Vietnamese as refugees and immigrants, majorities were exceptionally affected. The culture shock was one of such that was a big challenge. At that time, racism was also a major issue and thus, they had no choice, but to face the challenges that came with their new status are immigrants. Canada was one of those countries that hosted a number of immigrants from Vietnam. For instance, if any of the refugees or immigrants looked at the poem refugee ship, then it would remind them who they were in the past and how they acquired their status. As refugees, the Vietnamese lost a lot in terms of cultural preservation and development in life. For example, many children missed some important stages of childhood at the time of war, as some could not enjoy or have the privilege of growing up with their friends a factor that is very important for childhood development. Some could not also attend school and it therefore meant they lagged behind as their ability to read and write were not enhanced. A major devastation of was the traumatic experiences of war. War has the staggering capacity to destabilize a society in a short time. Many individuals who we re aware and unaware of the war have felt the devastation of that combat. A lot of people were forced to flee from their native home because the war had become a serious issue and lose of life had become eminent. Almost 2.5 million people were said to have

Foundation of business psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foundation of business psychology - Essay Example Through the exploration of the said concepts, the importance of the attitude and personality of the personnel in an organization can be explored. To be able to achieve the objectives of the study, it is essential to define personality. The concept of personality had been explored by different academic groups and different ways of studying and researching the said concept had been established. The most common definition is that personality can be related to the behavioural component that can be exhibited by an individual in relation to acquired traits from both hereditary and environmental factors (Furnham & Crump 167). Through the exhibited personality factors and components, there are different groups referred to as personality types. Through the said personality types, researchers based personality tests and personality types. Through the procedures that had been developed through the years, personality can be detected in the sense that can be considered sufficient to predict future behaviours in different scenarios and conditions (Boeree 1; Furnham & Crump 167-9). The prediction of behaviour of individuals on the basis of the determination of personality type can be considered essential specifically in cases wherein behaviour is important e.g. in employment. The said point of view is the main consideration of the study undertaken. In business psychology, it can be considered that there are personalities being sought in employment as well as those that are prevented. This can be attributed to the fact that the labour force and the administrative group are key functions that can be greatly affected by the personality and the behaviour of the individuals in a company (Pervin 5). The presented view regarding the concept of personality can be considered as included in the importance of personality. Basically

Human Evolution Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Evolution - Article Example In this case, relating human evaluation with how humans connect to animals is a new idea altogether. This is because in most cases and with most scientists, human evolution is generally considered as a physical change. The author believes that most developments in the evolution of human beings are contributed by the care shown by humans towards other animals. For example, about 2.6 million years ago, when hunting was the main activity among humans, after hunters were attacked by tigers and lions, they developed weapons and advanced tools for defense. Connecting with other animals compel humans to learn more about them, as well as, having a better understanding of one self. This is because, caring for other animals humans is an ecological transition that no other living thing has made. In addition, by doing these, humans are in a position to learn what other living things do, where they are, their way of communication, as well as, the way they move. There are a number of development o bserved as a result of human connection with animals. The first one is development of symbols and language. The author indicates that human beings developed symbols to alert or warn their fellow humans upon a threat by either predators or dangerous animals. The second one is domestication of animals. Roughly 40,000 years ago, human being started rearing animals not only to get food but also with the motive of getting other resources such as clothing and security, therefore, these prompted them start selectively breed certain animals with specific traits. Lastly, evolution in the means of transport where animals are used as an aid in transporting goods. For example, in the arid areas hardly animals such as camels were used in transporting cargo across the deserts. From the article it is clear that the connection of human to animals has led to human evolution. However, the article does not illustrate how human connection to animals influence physical change. Also not all people like o r are close to animals as such. Therefore, how did such people evolve? The second article is driven by the desire to find out the truth claims advanced by some scholars that human beings are still evolving. This article provides an analysis of the research done by a leading scientist Stephen Stearn who believe that human beings are still evolving. This article ascertains that human beings are evolving gradually and over the years an average human being will be 2cm shorter and 1kg heavier. The study was carried out in great caution to eliminate the chances of cultural and social influences. The study also suggests that natural selection in today’s environment is not based on survival but on the fertility levels of women. It asserts that women with high fertility levels are likely to pass on certain traits on to their children and grandchildren. In addition, the physical characteristics of mothers had a direct correlation with the number of children that she gave birth to. The other thing that has emerged from the article is that evolution is a gradual process that is difficult to notice. The author asserts that cultural factors tend to play a larger role in influencing evolution of human beings than natural selection. This makes persons to neglect the idea of evolution, Genetic evidence also proves this assertion by indicating that about 1800 variant genes have spread faster due to their modern day evolution benefits. In addition, it was realized that mutations

Sports Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sports Advertising - Essay Example In spite of the extensive use of athletes as product or brand endorsers, there is a relative be short of published research that examine the power these athletes may have on a objective market. Further, it remains questionable as to whether or not celebrity endorsers really make a difference on the bottom line for advertisers. According to the experts those reported that only one out of five profitable that built-in celebrity endorsers met advertisers' planned prospect. Researchers have finished that celebrity endorsers may not have "linked" or recognized with the intended target market. One can quarrel that this may occur since the celebrity endorser lacked recognition and perceived knowledge with the target market (SLACK, 1996, 48-69). Perhaps one of the mainly significant and sought after target markets for advertisers today is one that represents huge possible yet substantial challenges teenagers. At present, teenagers have been confidential as a part of age group Y those persons born among 1977 and 1994. A current subject of the Journal of Advertising Research tinted and identified the possible and yet confrontation of Generation Y to marketing labors. Authors in this particular subject discussed this require with a call for additional research to recognize the incentive and behaviors of this significant group. This require for research may be chiefly obvious in sports and sports marketing. For years, expert sports such as main league baseball have effort to attract a younger audience to its moribund fan base (CORNWELL, B. 1995, 13-24). Additional lately experts discussed be short of research on the female market for sports marketers. As the passage of Title 9 in 1972, a federal permission to give equal athletic opportunities for men and women, these women, of whom a big group belong to Generation Y, represent an enormous market for sports, sports marketers, and sports celebrities. Though, this main market may be the least investigate section by sports organizations and sports marketers. Do sports celebrity endorsers act as role models to females plus, if so, can they power this segment's purpose and behaviors (CORNWELL, T. B., 2001, 1-52) Hence, the objectives of this reading are to: (1) travel around the notion of sports celebrities as character models for Generation Y, (2) look into whether or not sports celebrity role models pressure this generation's meaning and behaviors, and (3) explore the power of sports celebrity role models (DASGUPTA, P. 1989). Background According to the expert analysis which emphasized that the youth market is one of the mainly coveted of all section due to their: (1) spending power, (2) ability to be trendsetters, (3) receptivity to new products, and (4) tremendous possible for becoming life span customers. On the other hand, others highlight that Generation Y is one who is opposed to advertising efforts, unusual, and anti-corporate. Despite these apparently opposite perspectives, researchers and practitioners argue that this group is an easier aim to market to since they have grown up in a customer oriented society. According to Rob Frankel, writer of The Revenge of Brand X (2000), "... Gen Y is less entrenched in customary social

Substance of a transaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Substance of a transaction - Essay Example According to any international standard,financial statements should present fairly the financial position and cash flows of an entity.The substance of a transaction means the reality of an actual event that has taken place which needs to be accounted for. If information is to represent faithfully the transactions and other events that it purports to represent, it is necessary that they are accounted for and presented in accordance with their substance and economic reality and not merely their legal form.It is, therefore, of absolute importance that the actual substance of the transaction is accounted for in order to meet international regulatory requirements for financial reporting as well as achieve fair presentation standards and a higher level of transparency in the books of accounts to avoid any audit objections.The generally accepted accounting principles, more commonly known as GAAP, have evolved as an important term in accounting and signifies all the rules, from whatever sour ce, which govern accounting. These principles may derive from sources like local company legislation, national and international accounting standards, statutory requirements and stock listing requirements yet they are based on the foundations of common principles, namely the going concern assumption, accrual basis of accounting, materiality and substance over form. The GAAP which lays down the concept of substance of transactions is called "substance over form". The underlying principle is that although substance of a transaction may be the same as its legal form, for a number of transactions, the legal form does not indicate the true substance of a transaction and must make economic sense in the financial statements reflecting the reality of an actual event that has taken place. Such may be the case in various sales purchase agreements, leasing, insurance etc. As an example, some transactions may have the form of an outright purchase of capital equipment, whereas in fact the substa nce of the transactions is a lease of (or perhaps an option to purchase) the equipment. Such transaction also attract audit attention and are important from taxation point of view. Thus we always consider the real substance of a transaction instead of its legal form. In this manner, the concept of substance over form plays a dominant role. Accordingly, it delivers the fact whether the financial statements reflect the financial reality of the entity rather than mere legal form of the transactions and events which bring them about. The underlying principle is relevant to management's contentions that the financial statement items are complete, valid and accurate, and in particular that the financial statement items are exact as to presentation and disclosure. The FASB considered that substance over form was redundant because without it have representational faithfulness cannot be achieved. From auditor's point of view, transactions where the substance of the transaction differs significantly from the form are considered vigilantly. In simpler words, auditors try to find a transaction or groups of transactions that do not make economic sense or emerge as they have been made to change the way in which an account balance appears in the financial statements, rather than reflect the reality of an actual event that has taken place. These transactions are commonly recorded around balance date and often appear overly complex. "A well-known example from the past was Enron group's use of over 3000 Special Purpose Entities (SPEs) structured in such a way as to enable the company to avoid including extensive debt in the consolidated financial statements of the group. This has led to suggested/actual revisions to various accounting standards throughout the world. These revisions require SPEs (such as trusts, partnerships and non incorporated entities) to be consolidated when the substance of the relationship between an entity and the SPE indicates

Human Evolution Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Evolution - Article Example In this case, relating human evaluation with how humans connect to animals is a new idea altogether. This is because in most cases and with most scientists, human evolution is generally considered as a physical change. The author believes that most developments in the evolution of human beings are contributed by the care shown by humans towards other animals. For example, about 2.6 million years ago, when hunting was the main activity among humans, after hunters were attacked by tigers and lions, they developed weapons and advanced tools for defense. Connecting with other animals compel humans to learn more about them, as well as, having a better understanding of one self. This is because, caring for other animals humans is an ecological transition that no other living thing has made. In addition, by doing these, humans are in a position to learn what other living things do, where they are, their way of communication, as well as, the way they move. There are a number of development o bserved as a result of human connection with animals. The first one is development of symbols and language. The author indicates that human beings developed symbols to alert or warn their fellow humans upon a threat by either predators or dangerous animals. The second one is domestication of animals. Roughly 40,000 years ago, human being started rearing animals not only to get food but also with the motive of getting other resources such as clothing and security, therefore, these prompted them start selectively breed certain animals with specific traits. Lastly, evolution in the means of transport where animals are used as an aid in transporting goods. For example, in the arid areas hardly animals such as camels were used in transporting cargo across the deserts. From the article it is clear that the connection of human to animals has led to human evolution. However, the article does not illustrate how human connection to animals influence physical change. Also not all people like o r are close to animals as such. Therefore, how did such people evolve? The second article is driven by the desire to find out the truth claims advanced by some scholars that human beings are still evolving. This article provides an analysis of the research done by a leading scientist Stephen Stearn who believe that human beings are still evolving. This article ascertains that human beings are evolving gradually and over the years an average human being will be 2cm shorter and 1kg heavier. The study was carried out in great caution to eliminate the chances of cultural and social influences. The study also suggests that natural selection in today’s environment is not based on survival but on the fertility levels of women. It asserts that women with high fertility levels are likely to pass on certain traits on to their children and grandchildren. In addition, the physical characteristics of mothers had a direct correlation with the number of children that she gave birth to. The other thing that has emerged from the article is that evolution is a gradual process that is difficult to notice. The author asserts that cultural factors tend to play a larger role in influencing evolution of human beings than natural selection. This makes persons to neglect the idea of evolution, Genetic evidence also proves this assertion by indicating that about 1800 variant genes have spread faster due to their modern day evolution benefits. In addition, it was realized that mutations

Substance of a transaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Substance of a transaction - Essay Example According to any international standard,financial statements should present fairly the financial position and cash flows of an entity.The substance of a transaction means the reality of an actual event that has taken place which needs to be accounted for. If information is to represent faithfully the transactions and other events that it purports to represent, it is necessary that they are accounted for and presented in accordance with their substance and economic reality and not merely their legal form.It is, therefore, of absolute importance that the actual substance of the transaction is accounted for in order to meet international regulatory requirements for financial reporting as well as achieve fair presentation standards and a higher level of transparency in the books of accounts to avoid any audit objections.The generally accepted accounting principles, more commonly known as GAAP, have evolved as an important term in accounting and signifies all the rules, from whatever sour ce, which govern accounting. These principles may derive from sources like local company legislation, national and international accounting standards, statutory requirements and stock listing requirements yet they are based on the foundations of common principles, namely the going concern assumption, accrual basis of accounting, materiality and substance over form. The GAAP which lays down the concept of substance of transactions is called "substance over form". The underlying principle is that although substance of a transaction may be the same as its legal form, for a number of transactions, the legal form does not indicate the true substance of a transaction and must make economic sense in the financial statements reflecting the reality of an actual event that has taken place. Such may be the case in various sales purchase agreements, leasing, insurance etc. As an example, some transactions may have the form of an outright purchase of capital equipment, whereas in fact the substa nce of the transactions is a lease of (or perhaps an option to purchase) the equipment. Such transaction also attract audit attention and are important from taxation point of view. Thus we always consider the real substance of a transaction instead of its legal form. In this manner, the concept of substance over form plays a dominant role. Accordingly, it delivers the fact whether the financial statements reflect the financial reality of the entity rather than mere legal form of the transactions and events which bring them about. The underlying principle is relevant to management's contentions that the financial statement items are complete, valid and accurate, and in particular that the financial statement items are exact as to presentation and disclosure. The FASB considered that substance over form was redundant because without it have representational faithfulness cannot be achieved. From auditor's point of view, transactions where the substance of the transaction differs significantly from the form are considered vigilantly. In simpler words, auditors try to find a transaction or groups of transactions that do not make economic sense or emerge as they have been made to change the way in which an account balance appears in the financial statements, rather than reflect the reality of an actual event that has taken place. These transactions are commonly recorded around balance date and often appear overly complex. "A well-known example from the past was Enron group's use of over 3000 Special Purpose Entities (SPEs) structured in such a way as to enable the company to avoid including extensive debt in the consolidated financial statements of the group. This has led to suggested/actual revisions to various accounting standards throughout the world. These revisions require SPEs (such as trusts, partnerships and non incorporated entities) to be consolidated when the substance of the relationship between an entity and the SPE indicates

How Has The Automobile Shaped American Culture Essay Example for Free

How Has The Automobile Shaped American Culture Essay Vehicles of all sorts have dominated the roads of America in all phases of history. From its early invention till further sophistication, it has been the most convenient means of transport for the common man. With the passage of time this invention made life easier and augmented to bring freedom to all Americans making it a liberal country. The objective of writing this paper is to provide a comprehensive sketch of the automotive history in America. What advancements and upheavals were faced by the American automotive industry and how with deep thought, deliberation and insight, all the problems were resolved. The paper discusses how in different phases of various social and economic ups and downs influenced automotive history the luxury and prestige turned to be a necessity for ordinary Americans. History of American automobile: The first car: The foremost car on American boulevards was a horse buggy with a lone cylinder engine manufactured by Charles and Frank Duryea in 1923. Within few years autos came out of the typical vehicular animal autos and gradually took the form of modern vehicles we see today. o be exact, with a multi cylinder engine in obverse, clutch and transmission on the bottom floor, shaft drive, leaf springs, brakes, wheel gear connections, tires etc. (Michael, 146). Despite these advancements there were some unsettled challenges, as in tires would blow on speed every now and then. Petrol was more like kerosene oil, and lubricant akin to adhesives. Driving in cold weather was virtually impractical. Other spare parts made of steel would repeatedly break and distract journey. The electric cars which were recommended for ladies had heavy clutches making the drive very difficult. Engine protection needed constant care. A lot of parts required regular replacements making automobiles like playthings for the rich in that era, making it a luxury to the common man. Henry’s T model: In 1920s, Henry Ford’s T model revolutionalized and added a milestone in the whole automobile industry. He did not invent the motor car however, but used an assembly line technique which was affordable to all. During mid 1990s his Ford Company manufactured more than fifteen million model T cars. Thus, Henry altered the social and economic outlook of not only US but of the whole world. Here was a car that merged the pits motorized blunders of its manufacturers and yet it was a breakthrough in the history of automobiles. It was amazing to see garbage piles filled with endless filthy lot of interchangeable pieces which anyone could bolt together to upkeep his T model onto the streets indefinitely. Literally, Ford brought America on its steering helm (Brown, 55). Engineers can’t forget 1930s when two major improvements were brought in the ride quality of American cars. Engines were brought between the front two wheels. This helped the car to be spacious for more passengers and engine weight was put forward making the drive easier. As a result the car could bounce less and kept floating instead. Thus, it turned out to act like an American family car also as a result of changes in structure and style. Another boost came in automobile industry in the form of first fully automatic transmission in 1939. All that the driver had to do was leave the shift lever in drive and keep going. After world war two such automatic cars burgeoned everywhere on streets. Gradually these cars were ordered by majority of families since it became much easier to drive for every member of the family. Consequently, people of all ages were seen driving due to the automatic system in cars. People turned more independent and entertainment seeking since they started owning personal cars which became symbols of prestige during those days. As they say that nothing is constant except change, things keep evolving and advancements pave their way with some wild developments. Family automobiles kept evolving with additional amenities such as air-conditioning, power windows, and power seats, automatic headlight dimmers etc. Ride turned to be smoother and silence thus bringing more convenience for those availing the facility. All of a sudden, the federal government intervened in car manufacturing and the circumstances changed from 1970s. they ordered companies how to make cars in order to curb exhaust emissions affecting the environment causing pollution, and new safety measures were introduced to contain highway crashes which were occurring as a result of new cars on streets etc. these regulations came so fast that engineers hadn’t yet kept a track of them and new issues started popping up (Michael, 123). Effects of Arab Oil Embargo in 1973: With this trend came other unforeseen concerns like Arab Oil Embargo in 1973. The entire structure of auto fabric changed overnight. Long run planning was not viable. Petrol prices were increasing manifolds gripped the whole nation in a mode of inflation worst after the great depression of 1930. This embargo was declared by Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC (comprising the Arab members of OPEC, including Egypt, Syria and Tunisia). This was due to America’s decision to resupply forces to Israeli military during Yum Kipur war. The stocks were crashing, people were in panic but there was no way out. Until next year in 1974 when the embargo was lifted when Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had reached a deal to withdraw Israeli forces from parts of Sinai Golan Heights in Middle East (Richard). In addition, to meet federal standards engine modifications were taking place hurting people’s purposes like anything deteriorating the economy. In the upcoming years during 1970s American automotive designs were in total unruliness and bedlam. On the other hand, Detroit has incorporated conventional American luxury and gadgetry into undersized and lighter cars meeting governmental regulations promotion pre-requisites. Effects of automobile on American lives: Automobiles have brought more independence and freedom to the lives of people. With further advancements cars are no more a luxury but a necessity. Almost every other household in America holds a car. People are availing less, the facility of mass transit system. Additionally, families can go on outings and stay late night outside home for recreation and entertainment. Thus, it has given reality to the concept of family vacation. Automatic cars have brought a surge in the number of drivers belonging to different age groups as a result under aged enthusiasts have come onto roads. They go with friends for fun and distances between relations have shrunk. The modern autos have brought people closer and increased personal bonds. Americans are also becoming fond of car racing and love to see speed competitions on shores which have impelled companies to invest on auto racers who are capitalizing on this profession (Brain). Apart from convenience comfort, auto craze has led to accidents, social isolation, environmental and noise pollution. Free parking spaces are installed around d restaurant, shopping centers, commercial buildings etc, which encourages people to drive even for shorter distances. Thus, it resulted in reduction of sidewalks near crowded places endangering the common pedestrians. Moreover, estimates report that an ordinary American car emit s approx 3. 4 grams per mile of carbon monoxide which is really dangerous for environment and its habitat. The annexure of roads has produced a cutback of forest areas disturbing ecological balance (Brain). This is augmenting to global climate change and endangering wildlife. Excessive construction of roads has resulted in surface runoff alteration, which in turn increases the risk of flooding. Social scientists say that automotives have also disconnected communities and increased individualism. Many people don’t even labor to walk or exercise up to their neighbors unless something very urgent occurs. In 1990s many songs were written with cars as their main subjects. Drive through and drive in facilities has made people fond of junk food. Eating without laboring to get out of the car helps breed laziness and obesity. Therefore obesity is increasing in American culture which may lead to diabetes, heart attack and other fatal diseases. Conclusion: Not only Americans but entire world cannot imagine a life without automobiles or vehicles. Though autos are facilitating our lives in a number of ways, nevertheless its detriments outweigh the benefits. Accidents, environmental threats, pollution, individualism and other side effects are such which cannot be overlooked. So, let’s hope for further improvements which would contain these harms and bring more benefits to American citizens without restraining their idea of freedom.

Development of Sediment Reference Sample for Toxicity Tests

Development of Sediment Reference Sample for Toxicity Tests Development of sediment reference sample for toxicity testing using Microtox Solid Phase test and Metal Fractionation using single extractions Abstract Chemical characterisation of pollutants using fractionation techniques and bioassays are useful monitoring tools for sediment quality assessment. However, a common criticism of sediment bioassays is the lack of an appropriate reference sediment sample which sample sediment toxicity can be comparatively assessed. In this study an approach of obtaining a reference sediment sample by cleaning the sediment samples with metals was tested. Metal fractionation was carried out by applying single extraction techniques modified from a sequential extraction scheme proposed by Tessier et al (1979). The total metal concentrations were characterised using nitric acid digestion. The sediment samples before and after the extractions were analysed using the Microtox Solid Phase Test (SPT). Comparison of total metal concentration with various sediment quality guidelines suggests that the sediments are polluted due to higher concentrations of Cu , Ni , Pb , Cd and Zn. The fractionation studies reveal t hat metals are contained mainly within Fe-Mn Oxide phase.The comparison of the results of the SPT with various sediment classification methods suggests that the sediments are moderately toxic to non toxic. However, the results of changes in the toxicity of sediment residues obtained after each extraction compared to unprocessed sediment toxicity results are not statistically significant. But the comparison of toxicity results of sediment residues obtained after HNO3 and NaOAc digestion with the toxicity value of replicate1 of unprocessed sediment suggests a marginal decrease in the toxicity of sediments while the comparison of toxicity values of MgCl2 , NH2OH.HCl, HNO3+H2O2 indicates an increase in the toxicity of sediment residued. The comparison of toxicity values of all sediment residues with that of replicate2 of unprocessed sediment indicates an increase in the toxicity of the sediments after extractions. Get wisdom, get understanding. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding (Proverbs 4: 5,7). Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8: 32). CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Background: With the growing interest in the rules that govern the fate of pollutants in urban environments, the sediments of urban rivers pose a particularly challenging scientific problem as many persistent contaminants (e.g. metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs)) tend to concentrate in river bed sediments. Therefore, the assessment of sediment quality is recognised as a critical step in understanding the risks associated with man made pollution in the riverine system (De Miguel et al , 2005). Depending upon the conditions in the river, pollutants bound to sediment may become bioavailable and impose toxicity on aquatic organisms. Chemical analysis alone is not adequate to explain effects of chemicals present in the sediment (Beg and Ali, 2008) as they do not prove that adverse effects are occurring (Luoma et al , 1995) , thus for optimal characterization and assessment of pollution , issues concerning both concentration and toxicity should be addressed (Mowat et al , 2001). Therefore, because of the need to establish a cause -effect relationship between the concentration of pollutants and consequent environmental damage and to measure the possible synergistic effect of complex mixture of chemicals(Girotti et al , 2008), Microbial toxicity tests based on bacteria have been widely used in environmental toxicity screening due to the similarity of complex biochemical function in bacteria and higher organisms (Mowat et al , 2001) .Among the bioassays solid phase tests are useful and widely used as test organisms are exposed to whole sediments which include water soluble and non polar substances and thus offer a high relative realism for toxicity assessment of sediments. However, sediment toxicity tests require reference sediment exclusive of contaminant with similar physico chemical characteristics as the test sediments (Guzzella , 1998). The microtox test based on bacterial bioluminescence which uses V. Fischeri bacteria as test organism represent one of the most suitable test for sediment toxicity assessment as it can be used on extracts as well as directly to the sediment (solid phase test) ( Calace et al , 2005). As it is now widely recognised that the total concentrations of Heavy Metals indicate the extent of contamination, but they provide little information about the forms in which Heavy Metals are present, or about their potential for mobility and bioavailability in the environment (Lake et al , 1987) , knowledge on metal speciation in the sedimentary environment may be of more importance for hazard assessment than the total metal concentrations( Farkas et al , 2007). For this reason, sequential extraction procedures are commonly applied because they provide information about the fractionation of metals in the different lattices of the sediments and other solid samples (Margui et al , 2004). It is against this background that an investigation into establishing a reference sediment sample for solid phase bioassays was undertaken in relation to Microtox solid phase test utilising single extractions of metal fractions using -same conditions and procedures described in the sequential extraction procedure mentioned in Tessier et al 1979 . Aims and Objectives: The main aim of the study is to assess whether the approach of cleaning the sediment with metals using single extraction steps of sequential extraction is an appropriate alternative to develop a sediment reference sample or not. In order to obtain a reference sample exclusive of metals, the following procedure was adopted: Each extraction step described in the Tessier scheme was applied to separate aliquots of sediment samples using the same extraction conditions and chemicals described in the scheme (see section 3.8 for details). After the extraction step washed and dried residue sediment samples were analysed for toxicity using the Microtox solid phase test. A reduction in the toxicity could be expected as the metals were removed using chemicals. Microtox solid phase test was also conducted on unprocessed sediment so that a relative comparison between toxicity measurements could be made. The objectives of the investigation are summarised as follows : To characterise the sediments for total bio available metal concentration for eight heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu,Fe,Mn,Zn,Pb,Ni) using nitric acid digestion method. To characterise various fractions of metals as described in the Tessier Scheme using single extraction procedures. To determine the level of toxicity associated with unprocessed and processed sediment sample using the Microtox solid phase test. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Urban River Sediments and Pollution: Urban rivers have been linked with water quality issues since the nineteenth century when it was usual practice to discharge untreated domestic and industrial waste into water courses. Since then the situation has been improved due to e.g. the management curtailment of pollution at sewage treatment plants. However, because of high population densities in urban areas due to variety of sources of pollution the degradation of urban rivers is still important today (Goodwin et al , 2003). When released into the river environment many anthropogenic chemicals bind or adsorb on to particulate matter and depending upon river morphology and hydrological conditions such particulate matter along with associated contaminants can settle out along the water course and become part of the bottom sediments(Vigano et al , 2003). Thus , sediments are considered as repositories for physical and biological debris and for many pollutants (Calmano et al , 1996). Further more , under various physical , biological and chemical conditions (e.g. aqueous solubility ,pH, redox , affinity for sediment organic carbon , grain size of sediments , sediment mineral constituents and quantity of acid volatile sulfides) these contaminants may become bioavailable and result in a toxic impact on aquatic biota(Ingersoll et al , 1995). Nowdays, escalating evidence of environmental degradation have been confirmed where water quality guidelines for contaminants are not surpassed but, still organisms in or near the sediments are adversely affected (Ingersoll et al , 1995). Thus, with a vision to protecting aquatic biota, improving water quality and managing problems of resuspension and the land deposition of dredged materials, sediment quality assessment has been a crucial scientific and legislative issue in recent years. ( Calmano et al 1996 ; Nipper et al 1998). 2.2 Water Framework Directive (WFD) : The European Unions(EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD) which came in effect on 22 December 2000, is one of the most important pieces of environmental legislation and is likely to transform the way water quality is being monitored within all member states ( Allan et al , 2006). The main objective of the Directive is to improve, protect and prevent further deterioration of water quality across Europe and it aims to achieve and ensure good quality status of all water bodies throughout Europe by 2015. Thus the necessity of addressing water quality issues associated with urban rivers has been increased within Member States(Goodwin et a, 2003). Under the WFD , three modes of monitoring strategies are specified and at each strategy level chemical monitoring , biological/ecological assessment , physico-chemical and hydro morphological tools have been covered to assess the water quality status of the body(Allan et al,2006). In the WFD, EU commission places emphasis on establishing quality standards related to the concentrations of priority substances and substances which may cause harm in water , sediment or biota . (Crane , 2003). 2.3 Sediment and Pollutants Sources in Urban Rivers : Urban river system is much more complex in its sediments and pollutant sources. Sediments may be released into urban rivers due to erosion of land surface through variety of physical and chemical processes, the rapid run off from impervious surfaces, routing through drainage network, retention tanks and winter gritting roads (Goodwin et al, 2003). These sediments may contain or associated with pollutants such as hydrocarbons , garden and animal wastes , fertilisers , pesticides , oils , detergents , deicing chemicals , street litter (Hall, 1984 ; Chapman, 1996) and trace and heavy metals (Collins et al, 2007). Moreover, Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) events also augment the pollutant and sediment load due to its own contaminant load and the erosion and wash out of in-sewer sediments (Fierros et al , 2002). Due to the wide variety of sources and river dynamics there exist a wide spatial and temporal variation in the properties of sediments. 2.4 River Sediment Composition and dynamics : River sediments are mainly composed of mineral particles originated from the parent rocks due to erosion process, particulate organic matter adsorbed on mineral particles or particle sized organic matter which originates from plant detritus and animal debris, adsorbed nutrients and toxic inorganic and organic pollutants (Chapman , 1996). However , with respect to their behaviour in nature , sediments can be classified in two distinctively different groups a) fine sediments with particles smaller than 50m (i.e silt and clay) and b) coarse sediments with size exceeding 50m ( i.e. sands and gravels) (Salomons et al , 1984). The erosion, transportation and deposition of sediment is a function of river flow velocity, particle size, water content of the material (Chapman , 1996) , channel structure and degree of turbulence(Goodwin et al , 2003). Under certain hydraulic conditions sediments can be transported in suspension or by traction along the bottom which is often called Bed Load. The suspension mechanism initiates the movement of fine particles while the Bed Load causes the movement of coarse particles (Chapman , 1996). More over, within urban catchments rapid runoff and CSO events trigger river flow events with short peak times and high peak flows which step up transport of sediments and associated pollutants (Goodwin et al , 2003). 2.5 Sediment Quality Assessment: Historically, the assessment of sediment quality has often been limited to chemical characterisation. It helps to classify what are the contaminants and what is their concentrations(McCauley et al , 2000) and it provides information about the condition of sediments and processes within them(Wolska et al , 2007). However, quantifying contaminant concentration alone can not provide enough information to evaluate adequately potential adverse effects, possible interaction among chemicals or the time dependent availability of these materials to aquatic organisms ( Ingersoll et al , 1995) because it is impractical to analyze all the compounds and their synergistic/antagonistic effects contributing to toxicity(Plaza et al , 2005). As the bioavailability of pollutants to aquatic biota and their effects on the biota is the key concern in sediment risk assessment , ecotoxicological testing (bioassays) of sediments which study the toxic effects of sediment contaminants on living organisms ( e.g . fish , plants , bacteria , algae) has been extensively used ( Rand et al , 1995). Thus, to understand the fate of pollutants in sediments and their impacts on aquatic biota , a tiered biological and chemical assessment methods have been implemented (Calmano et al , 1996) . The sediment quality triad methodology, one of the most widely used tiered approach based on weight of evidence combines 1) Identification and quantification of contaminants (i.e. chemical analyses ) , 2) Measurement and quantification of Toxicity based on bioassays (toxicity tests) and 3) Evaluation of in situ biological effects(e.g. Benthic community structure) (Calmano et al , 1996 ; McCauley et al , 2000 ). Principal advantages are that it can be used for any sediment type (Calmano et al ,1996) and as both biological and chemical components are used , environmental significance of contaminated sediments is addressed (McCauley et al , 2000). However the cause -effect relations are not always identified due to the synergistic/antagonistic effects of chemicals causing toxicity in sediments (Calmano et al , 1996 ; McCauley et al , 2000) . Furthermore, the assessment is very site specific and does not allow empirical calculations of chemical specific guidelines ( Mc Cauley , 2000). 2.6 Metals in Urban Sediments and Sources : Metals are natural components of biosphere (Luoma , 1983) and they are introduced in to the aquatic environment through many lithogenic and anthropogenic sources(Zhou et al , 2008). Chemical leaching of bedrocks , water drainage basins and run off from banks are considered as the major lithogenic sources of metals (Zhou et al , 2008) while emissions from industrial processes ( e.g. mining , smelting , finishing , plating , paint an dye manufaturing) (Rand et al , 1995) and through urban sewage, house hold effluents, drainage water, business effluents , atmospheric deposition and traffic related emissions transported with storm water (Karvelas et al , 2003) are the major anthropogenic sources of metals in the aquatic environment. Upon discharge to the aquatic environment metals are partitioned between solid and liquid phase (Luoma , 1983) and eventually as a result of settling metals associated with solid phase accumulate in bottom sediments(Farkas et al , 2007).Thus , sediments are m ain sink of metals in aquatic environment(Morillo et al , 2002). A comparison of typical concentration of metals in urban river sediments is presented in the Table 2.1. Table 2.1 : Concentration of metals in urban river sediments(g/g) (reproduced from De Miguel et al , 2005) Cr Cu Fe(%) Mn Ni Pb Zn River Henares, Spain (97-180) (7-270) (0.8-3.16) (150-445) (11-128) (17-1280) River Seine , France 84 2.91 162 429 River Sowe , UK 47.9 164 411 786 Semarang , Indonesia (12.3-448) (5.2-2666) (53.7-1257) Danube River, Austria 43.5 53.9 187 Tiber river , Italy (18.2-54.2) (13.3-45.5) (3.6-33.5) (12.4-43.1) (53.4-417.6) River Po, Italy (118-223) (45.2-179.9) (4.5-5.2) (355-1159) (99-237) (39.3-71.8) (127-519) River Sherbourne 38 71 2.9 481 19 118 196 River Manzanares (18-1260 (11-347) (1.9-9.1) (305-1276) (5-47) (42-371) (70-591) In brackets : minimum- maximum values ; in italic :arithmatic mean values 2.7 Toxic metals and their forms in sediments : Although some metals are essential micronutrients (e.g. Mn, Fe, Cu,Zn) , almost all metals are toxic to aquatic organisms and human health if exposure levels are sufficiently high (Luoma , 1983). Among the toxic metals cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, mercury and arsenic are of prime importance due to their association with anthropogenic inputs. Under different physical, biological or chemical conditions the toxicity of metals in sediments is a matter of bio availability (Jennett et al ,1980). Thus in order to estimate the bio availability of metals and their potential toxicity it is desirable not only to determine the total concentration but also the different chemical forms or ways of binding between metals and sediments(Albores et al , 2000). In sediments depending upon various physical, chemical and biological conditions , metals partitioned into different chemical forms associated with a variety of organic and inorganic phases (Farkas et al , 2007).In river sediments metal can be bound to various compartments e.g. adsorbed onto clay surfaces or iron and manganese oxy hydroxides, present in lattice of secondary minerals such as carbonates, sulphates or oxides, occluded within amorphous material such as iron and manganese oxyhydroxides, complexed with organic matter or lattice of primary minerals such as silicates (Gismera et al , 2004). Due to natural and anthropogenic environmental changes these associations can be altered and metals can become more or less bio available or mobilized within different phases. These influential factors include pH, temperature , redox potential , organic matter decomposition , leaching and ion exchange processes and microbial activity(Filgueiras et al ,2002). Thus in relation to their mobi lity and bioavailability, in order of decreasing interest the major metal fractions are : 1) Exchangeable ,2) Bound to carbonates , 3) Bound to Fe-Mn Oxides , 4) Bound to organic matter and 5) Residual . 2.7.1 Exchangeable Metals : In this fraction , weakly adsorbed metals retained on the solid surface by relatively weak electrostatic forces that can be released by ion exchange processes in the sediment are included(Filgueiras et al , 2002). These metals are considered the most available form of metals present in the sediments (Morrison , 1985). 2.7.2 Metals Bound to Carbonates : Metals in this fractions are co-precipitated with carbonates which exist as cement and coating (Morrison , 1985) and this phase can be an important adsorbent for metals in the absence of organic matter and Fe-Mn oxides (Filgueiras et al , 2002). 2.7.3 Metals bound to Fe-Mn Oxides : Metals in this fraction are associated with Iron and Manganese oxides which exist as nodules , concretion and cement between particles or simply as a coating on particles. Iron and Manganese oxides are considered as excellent scavengers of metals and are thermodynamically unstable under anoxic conditions (Tessier et al , 1979). 2.7.4 Metals bound to organic matter : In this fractions metals associated with various forms of organic materials such as living organisms, plant and animal detritus or coatings on mineral particles are included. This fraction is considered to be less mobile due to their associations with humic substances of higher molecular weights(Filgueiras et al , 2002). 2.8 Sequential Extractions : A sequential extraction procedure (SEP) also known as sequential extraction scheme (SES) can be used to determine above mentioned binding fractions of metals in the sediment. In this process, given sediment sample is subjected to a series of increasingly strong , phase specific reagents under controlled condition which extract our metals from the particular physic-chemical phase of interest(Bird et al , 2005). Depending upon target fractions, a wide variety of chemical extractants can be used (see fig.2.1) and thus in the literature various sequential extraction schemes are available which differ in the use of extractant, target phase and the order of attack to separate particular form of metals. The majority of the schemes are variants of a scheme proposed by Tessier et al (1979). Many researchers have reported difficulties in comparing the results of SES due to their wide variation in the use of chemicals and target phase. Thus, in an effort to harmonize the different methodologies and to make the comparison of results easier , Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) proposed a three step extraction procedure along with a reference sediment material to certify the protocol (Mossop and Davidson , 2003). 2.9 Advantages and problems of sequential extractions : The application of sequential extraction techniques , though time consuming provide valuable information about the origin , mode of occurrence, biological and physic-chemical availability , mobilisation and transport of metals within the sedimentary matrices(Tokalioglu et al , 2000).However, since their initial development, sequential extraction schemes have been criticized for the lack of selectivity of reagents, issues of re adsorption and redistribution of metals solubilised during extraction and changes in speciation due to sample pre- treatment and its general methodology ( Gleyzes et al , 2002). In the sequential extraction scheme, the reagents are expected to attack only the target phase without solubilising the other phases. However, it has been found that the reagents are not selective and may affect other phases also. Thus the sequential extractions are termed as operationally defined fractionation techniques. This lack of selectivity may cause re-adsoprtion and re distribution of metals among the target phases. Moreover, incomplete dissolution of some phases and changes in pH may also lead toward re adsorption and redistribution problems (Gleyzes et al, 2002). Various researchers have reported the problem of re adsorption and redistribution for many sequential extractions for each phase. Despite these limitations sequential extractions are widely accepted for metal fractionation in sediment samples to assess the mobility and bioavailability of metals . 2.10 Single Extractions : To reduce lengthy procedures and thus making sequential extractions a part of routine analysis, various alternatives(e.g. microwave heating and ultrasonic shaking) to conventional extraction procedures have been employed (Albores et al , 2000). One of the alternatives to reduce the lengthy and laborious sequential process is to use single extractions. In single extractions the same reagents and operating conditions as the sequential extractions are applied to different sub- sample (Albores et al ,2000) and, except for first step , the metal concentrations in each individual step can be obtained by subtracting the results obtained in two successive steps(Filgueiras et al , 2002). Initially this technique was suggested by Tack et al (1996) in which first three steps mentioned in Tessiers Scheme were extracted simultaneously while, for organic matter bound metals, it was suggested that the sample should be extracted first for reducing metals and should then be re treated with hydrogen p eroxide step to remove organic matter and thus release metals bound to this phase. 2.11 Bioassays : A useful monitoring tool Bioassays measure changes in physiology and behaviour of living organisms resulting from stress induced by biological or chemical toxic compounds which can cause disruption of e.g. metabolism. Thus, bioassays help to establish cause / effect relationship between the concentrations of pollutants and consequent environmental damage (Girrotti et al , 2008). Historically fish and macro invertabrates bioassays are the first in the series of toxicity bioassays involving animals. As these bioassays were found useful in assessing the acute toxicity of chemicals and effluents and often predicted their effects of aquatic biota and habitat, they have been extensively used in the screening of chemicals and regulatory compliance monitoring (Blaise et al , 1998). However , these conventional bioassays require longer test duration along with additional time(e.g. acclimatisation) for preparations of the test (Ribo and Kaiser , 1987). Moreover toxicity was found a trophic level property and thus it was realized that protection of aquatic resources could not be ensured by conducting bioassays solely at macro organism level (Rand et al , 1995). Therefore an urgent requirement of cost effective , multi trophic and faster bioassays was strongly felt which led to development of micro scale testing procedures involving bacteria , protozoa , micro algae and micro invertabrate (Blaise et al , 1998). Distinct advantages of microbial testing procedures include :1) ease of handling ,2 ) short testing time , 2) reproducibility of results (Mowat et al , 2001) and 4) cost effectiveness (Wadhia and Thompson , 2007). 2.12 Sediment Toxicity Tests : As Van Beelen (2003) stated, toxicity is not a substance property only , but it is the c

Police and Abuse :: essays research papers

POLICE AND ABUSE When discussing police efforts and juvenile delinquency one can only imagine the difficulty officers encounter while performing their primary duty which is to protect the public. But how can or does one (officer) efficiently protect the community while preserving the rights of the juvenile criminals as well. We as a public have become more and more aware everyday of how hard it is for the police to work effectively, but now we are faced with a larger dilemma. The juvenile justice system was enacted to help juveniles who commit crimes learn from their mistakes or actions and to make them better citizens for our communities. The dilemma we face is having a criminal justice system that wants criminals to pay for their actions and a juvenile justice system that wants to help those who commit crimes. And who do we have in the middle of these two remarkable systems†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the police. The concept of proper policing has changed over the years and has incorporated the assistance of concerned citizens. We are leaving the crime fighting to the communities for policing. No we’re not deputizing communities, but we are involving those concerned citizens who see the downfall of not being involved anymore. We are no longer crime fighters, but we maintain order and discipline. We are not necessarily here just to stop an armed bank robbery in progress, but we are more visible in the community whereas this acts as a deterrent to commit most crimes in communities. And we let the members of the community know we are accessible at all times to be the deterrent or visible whenever they should need us. POLICE AND ABUSE Since officers cannot treat juveniles in the same manner as adults the idea of community policing is the greatest tool conceived. Imagine a community who is involved in every child’s life that when this particular child misbehaves in any way members of the community are the first responders and handle this situation without police involvement. Dream on I know, but when we are discussing juveniles and police officers I often believe we are too late in rehabilitating a child. Let’s look at a simple statistic of juvenile arrests in our nation: 1. 500 juveniles are arrested. 2. Of them 320 are referred to juvenile court. 3. 140 are informally handled and released. 4. 25 referred to criminal court. 5. 10 are referred to welfare. 6. 5 are referred to other police department agencies.

The Critical Philosophy of Immanuel Kant Essay -- Kant Philosophical E

The Critical Philosophy of Immanuel Kant Criticism is Kant's original achievement; it identifies him as one of the greatest thinkers of mankind and as one of the most influential authors in contemporary philosophy. But it is important to understand what Kant means by'criticism', or 'critique'. In a general sense the term refers to a general cultivation of reason 'by way of the secure path of science' (Bxxx). More particularly, its use is not negative, but positive, a fact that finds expression in the famous expression, 'I have therefore found it necessary to deny knowledge to make room for faith' (Bxxx). Correspondingly, its negative use consists in not allowing one's self to 'venture with speculative reason beyond the limits of experience' (Bxxiv). Thus, criticism removes the decisive hindrance that threatens to supplant or even destroy the 'absolutely necessary practical employment of pure reason..in which it {pure reason} inevitably goes beyond the limits of sensibility' (Bxxv). Accordingly, the critique guarantees a sec ure path for science by confining speculative reason and by giving practical reason the complete use of its rights: rights that thus far had not been recognised. Place in the History of Ideas Kant, being confronted with the two extremes of rationalism and empiricism, set for himself the task of creating a synthesis of the two. As he saw it, rationalism operates in the sphere of innate ideas, with their analytical and therefore aprioristic ideas; this necessity, however, is not based on experience and consequently does not apply to reality itself. On the other hand empiricism starts completely from experience and thus (it seems) from reality, but it arrives only at a posteriori and therefore synthetic... ... conceal, as it must do for Kant. Again the formal objects of the soul's faculties in Aquinas corresponds to Kant's forms; thus knowledge through categories is not restricted to that which is 'for Man' but opens up to that which is 'in itself'. Finally, the absoluteness of Kant's moral imperative also receives its foundation in being, and thus theory and practice are brought into harmony. Bibliography: Balterson, D. The Philosophy of Immanuel Kant Toronto, 1984 Jewson, M. Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason Rome, 1986 Kant, I. Critique of Pure Reason N.K. Smith tr London, 1929 McConnor, T. The Philosophy of the Enlightenment London, 1989 Tonderson, P. Immanuel Kant: The Critique of Of Pure Reason New York, 1987 Wallis, H. The Thought of Immanuel Kant New York, 1955 O Neill, P., SJ, Kant and Aquinas: A Comparative Study, Rome, 1967

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Film Essay

I am very distressed about living in this dreadful place. I absolutely hate it; I can’t believe we moved from the best house EVER!!! With 5 floors if you included the basement and the top floor with the window where if I stand on the end of my toes I could see the whole of Berlin, to this place which I’m pretty sure is the worst house ever. I miss Berlin so much but most of all I miss you and grandfather. This house is really small too, and I mean it is tiny! It only has 3 floors which means there is not a lot of exploring to be done like in Berlin, in Berlin I had explored every single place I could think of but then I find something new all of a sudden. Also mother and father don’t let me explore in the new back garden because it is ‘out of bounds’. What ever that means. There’s nothing to explore in the front garden either because it’s so small. Perplexed, I stood and gazed through my bedroom window. There were so many farmers working on one huge field with little huts that disappeared into the distance†¦ The thing that horrified me most of all was that even kids starting from the age of about 4 were working and they looked so anorexic. Each time the soldiers shouted the kids would huddle closer and closer together. They all seemed so scared as if they were being forced to, hmmm†¦ All of the farmers looked really skinny, almost anorexic. One of the farmers’ even works in our kitchen peeling all of the vegetables. I found it really tedious with nothing to do so I decided to make a swing. To make the swing I needed some rope which was easy to find, and a tire which was a little trickier†¦ I interrupted Gretel whilst she was flirting so I could ask lieutenant Kotler if he had a spare tire. After a long and boring chat he gave me one and I made my swing. Once I had finished building the swing, I enjoyed it really well. But then I fell and hurt my knee really bad. I thought I would bleed to death but then a farmer called Pavel that worked in our kitchen ran over and helped me. After he had cleaned and bandaged my cut mother had finally arrived. She had figured out what happened almost immediately, she did not look pleased.

Fleet Management System Essay

ABSTRACT The current situation in Kenya demands a good fleet management due to the  rising factors of economy that needs to be addressed in order to have a flourishing economy. Vehicles aid in transportation of goods and services in government offices. Effective use of transportation resources especially in the government we help a great deal in keeping the country’s economy at per with other developing states around the globe. It also helps improve service delivery and good governance. Currently, there are no effective ways of monitoring and managing the government vehicles. In order to have a good method of controlling the vehicles in different government departments, we need a good fleet management system. Fleet management system is focused on maintenance management, and helps people to ensure that fleet assets are maintained properly and on schedule. The system controls the entire operations of a vehicle to enable effective utilization of the vehicles and more so to increase accountability among the civil servants. It is aimed at keeping drivers records, vehicle details and records of bookings made. The system goes beyond maintenance management to offer optional features such as fuel logging, personnel records, route logging and inventory tracking. The system enables you to establish a pre-emptive approach to fleet maintenance management. It helps you prevent costly, unexpected break-fix scenarios and downtime due to neglected fleet vehicles and equipment. It serves as a ready resource for fleet maintenance history, fuel usage, and all expenses associated with operating a fleet of motor vehicles and other mechanical assets. It also help significantly ease your reliance on a pen and a paper. The research adopted a questionnaire driven methodology to gather information and follow-up processes. CHAPTER ONE 1.0 Introduction. 1.1 Background information Fleet management is the management of a company’s transportation fleet. It includes commercial motor vehicles such as cars, ships, vans and trucks, as well as rail cars. Fleet (vehicle) management can include a range of functions, such as vehicle financing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle telematics (tracking and diagnostics), driver management, speed management, fuel management and health and safety management. It is a function which allows companies which to rely on transportation in business to remove or minimize the risks associated with vehicle investment, improving efficiency, productivity and reducing their overall transportation and staff costs, providing 100% compliance with government legislation (duty of care) and many more. These functions can be dealt with by either an in-house fleet-management department or an outsourced fleet-management provider. According to market research from the independent analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of fleet management units deployed in commercial fleets in Europe will grow from 1.5 million units in 2009 to 4 million in 2014. Even though the overall penetration level is just a few percent, some segments such as road transport will attain adoption rates above 30 percent (Maduro M, 2010). Fleet management system enables people to accomplish a series of specific tasks in the management of any or all aspects relating to a company’s fleet of vehicles. These specific tasks encompass all operations from vehicle acquisition to disposal. Software, depending on its capabilities, allows functions such as driver and vehicle profiling, trip profiling, dispatch, vehicle efficiency, etc. It can provide remote control features, such as Geo-fencing and active disabling. Current vehicle diagnostic information can also be related to a management site, depending on the type of hardware installed in the vehicles. New platform, based on Fleet management software, is fleet controlling with higher amount of information available for both drivers and dispatchers of a fleet. At this time (2012) online software platforms are very popular: users no longer have to install software and they can access the software through a web browser  (Lakhani, K. R., & Von Hippel, E, 2003). 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT: Kenyan Government departments face a common challenge of controlling their fleet assigned to them to carry out various functions in the ministries. Vehicles record management is done manually and there is a need to computerize the whole process of assigning a vehicle to a driver, its maintenance and its daily operation. The project will be an online system which will take care of all the vehicles operations and maintenance and also provide security so that only the authorized users will be able to access the data. The system is aimed at improving or rather eliminating all these problems that are encountered during the operations of fleet management. 1.3 THE OBJECTIVES OF FLEET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The objectives of the system will include: To enable accurate and complete data that will be stored in the database about all the government vehicles. To help keeping records of every vehicle i.e. The designated driver of every vehicle. The mechanics Fuelling and mileage Insurance cover To enable in keeping the drivers details i.e. Valid license number. Valid National ID number. Painting of the vehicle Changing of break fluids. Changing tires. To determine whether the vehicle is taking the government at a profit or loss. 1.4 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT The focus of this proposal is to analyse the how a fleet of vehicles have been managed in various government departments and how the current situation is in vehicles management in terms of their job allocation and general maintenance. There has been great controversy about the use of an online  management system. This study therefore wishes to analyse the effectiveness of the Online Fleet Management System. 1.5 PROPOSED SOLUTION Due to the advancement in technology the researcher will develop a computerized system that will be implemented to overcome the old system which the government have been using. 1.6 PROBLEM JUSTIFICATION Fleet Management System will be very appropriate when it comes to management of a fleet of vehicles government. It will help reduce misuse of vehicles and it will more accountability to the drivers and officials assigned to those vehicles. A report about each vehicle will be generated to rate the performance of the drivers and the vehicle itself. Security is also paramount. The system ought to have a controlled access so that no unauthorised persons is allowed to manipulate the data that is in the system. 1.7 CONSTRAINTS OF THE PROJECT Time constraints- time is a limiting factor in the study due the fact that lecturers are on. Limited funds- Finances to carry out an in-depth study are not available to me since am depending on somebody. Shortage of material related to the study- the sample is limited to government departments only. Longitudinal effects: unlike most professors who can take several years researching on a single research problem, the time available to investigate a research problem and to measure change or stability within a sample is constrained by the due date of my assignment making it difficult to carry a proper feasibility study. Lack of prior research on the topic: the fleet management system topic has not been thoroughly researched on making it difficult to find existing work. 1.8 SOLUTION STRATEGY Development of an Online Fleet Management System will find a solution to the problems associated in vehicle fleet management. The system will be developed using PHP, HTML, CSS and java script at the front end and MySQL at the backend. 1.9 WHY THE CHOICE The Kenyan government institutions have been facing so many challenges when  it comes to management of its fleet of vehicles. I considered this system to be appropriate to solving the existing challenges in effectively monitoring the vehicles. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Vehicle Fleet Manager 3.0 Fleet management system works more the same as Vehicle Fleet Manager 3.0 which has been developed by vinisoft through enabling you to record, manage and consult all information concerning your vehicle fleet quickly and efficiently. It is designed not just for large transport firms, but service companies and businesses, too. Whether you have a fleet of 3 or 1000 vehicles to look after, we have the solution to meet your expectations. In terms of functionality, fleet manager 3.0 works more less the same as Fleet Management System. It does the following: It tracks and manages the drivers information Get notified when insurance has expired. Creates group of vehicles. Monitors the petrol consumption Keep a record of the vehicles’ details. However, Vehicle Fleet Management 3.0 does not have a module to cater for the bookings of the vehicles made in different organisation departments. (Kanuka, 2003; Schwegler, 2000; Taylor, 2006) 2.2 Intelligent Fleet Management System This is a system that was developed to control the vehicles in a city. The routing plan of a delivery fleet is usually developed a priori and provides an optimal way of serving customers by taking into account certain constraints, such as delivery time windows. However, such plans may not cope adequately with the dynamics of a city logistics environment, in which unexpected events (e.g. traffic congestions) often occur during delivery execution. We present the development and evaluation of a real-time fleet  management system that handles such unforeseen events. The system monitors the delivery vehicles in real time, detects deviations from the initial distribution plan, and adjusts the schedule accordingly by suggesting effective rerouting strategies. The system has been tested in simulation environment and in real-life cases and the results show that delivery performance is enhanced significantly and customer satisfaction is improved. Gaps in the system: Unlike Online Fleet Management System, the Intelligent Management system, the system does not capture the details of the driver and also the bookings made to deliver commodities and staff members within the city. Online Management System will capture all this data and it will a far much better system as compared to the Intelligent Fleet Management System. 2.3 Fleet Management in defence The United Kingdom Government developed a system managed its army fleet. However, in the long, the government realized that the system had its own shortcomings. Due to these fact these drivers, in the UK the concept of Whole Fleet Management (WFM) was devised as a way of meeting all operational and training commitments with a reduced fleet and reduced equipment. It was proposed that the practice of issuing units and formations with their full establishment of vehicles would cease and instead, units would hold a reduced fleet of vehicles sufficient only for low level collective training. The plan was that their holdings would be augmented from a central pool for higher level training and operations. This process has the potential to improve availability, reduce maintenance costs and allocate diminished resources at the right time, in the right place and in the correct configuration. The operational benefits and efficiency of the WFM concept are such that the UK MOD proposes to extend it to all ground based equipment and vehicles across Defence. As such, the benefits are that there will be a reduction in the number of vehicles procured, which will result in a smaller Total Fleet Requirement (TFR). Quite simply, without WFM the UK MOD will not be able to meet future operational and training requirements. The Management Information System Requirement FM within expeditionary warfare, invariably demands short planning times, so to plan for future operations Commanders need precise and timely information on units, formations and fleets, including: Equipment location. What the state of repair of each asset is. How each piece of equipment configured. When each piece of equipment will be ready for use. Research Gaps: Poor visibility of: Land equipment configuration, locations, ownership, usage, maintenance, reliability and availability; Inefficient maintenance techniques and procedures, which did not implement Reliability-centred Maintenance (RCM) well and involved little data analysis. Few effective logistic support partnerships with Industry. 2.4 Sierra Wireless Fleet Management System Sierra Wireless defines Fleet Management Solutions (FMS) as a system designed for commercial or private vehicles, trailers or similar vehicles that incorporates data logging, satellite positioning and data communication to a back-office application. Within this definition we note the following areas of Fleet Management Solutions: Fleet management (trucking, local delivery, service fleets, utility companies, taxis, rental vehicles, public transit, school buses, emergency service vehicles, heavy equipment, etc.) Container/Trailer tracking User based insurance (Pay as you drive) Stolen Vehicle Recovery / Tracking Track and Trace Driver Behaviour Metrics Fleet Management systems allow companies that rely on transportation in their business to remove or minimize the risks associated with vehicle investment, improving efficiency, productivity and reducing their overall transportation costs. Fleet management can include vehicle financing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle telematics (tracking and diagnostics), driver management, fuel management and health and safety management. Advanced fleet management systems can easily connect to the vehicle’s on-board computer, and gather data for the user. Data collected can vary and can include details such as mileage, fuel consumption, and much more, which are then gathered into a global statistics scheme. Research Gaps Sierra Wireless Fleet Management System only to keeps log of the track of the vehicles without holding both the vehicles and drivers’ details. CHAPTER 3 SYSTEM MODEL 3.0 Introduction This chapter outline the online fleet management system model .It covers the following areas: implementation of the system, system analysis, project design DFDs, ER diagrams case diagrams, case scenarios and UML diagrams. 3.1 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION The online fleet management system is to be developed using PHP scripts and MYSQL database. Java scripts will be used to validate the data captured from the interface as it is a client side scripting language. The system will be on windows platform but once hosted on a server, it can be accessed by anyone using any platform. 3.1 SYSTEM ANALSYSIS The task of system analysis is to establish in detail the proposed system requirements i.e. functional and Non-functional. It aims in understanding the input and output of a system and processing steps necessary to perform inputs into outputs. What interface will be provided for the users to interact with the system, based on the skills and computer proficiency of the intended users and what control measures will be undertaken in the system. 3.1.1 SYSTEM REQUIREMENT Hardware Requirements The online fleet management system should be hosted on a server which has Intel duo core processor of speed 3GHz and above, Ram of 2 GB, Hard disk of 160 GB and above. Functional Requirement These are statements of services the system should provide, how the system should react to particular inputs and how the system should behave in particular situations. The following are modules which aid in implementing  the system functional requirement: i) Security module This module performs login, logout from the system and privileges allocation depending on the type of user who is accessing the system. ii) Vehicle Registration This module captures the details of all the vehicles that are owned by government departments and institutions. iii) Driver Registration This module captures the details of the drivers that are assigned vehicles at department level. iv) Booking Vehicles This module captures the details of the vehicle bookings made by the different people. v) Duties assignment of vehicles. This module holds the assignment for all the vehicles available at department level. Non-Functional Requirement These relates to the behaviour of the system in its operation environment. The system should be safe and secure where it should operate without catastrophic failure and protect itself against accidental and intrusion. It should be reliable and available thus delivering services as specified and when requested for. 3.2 SYSTEM DESIGN Based on the nature of the project I chose the waterfall development model for software engineering. This model will be used to build the Online Voters Registration System. Its paradigm is as shown below.