Food Safety Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Food Safety Management - Case Study Example The first one was to focus on the causative agents and determine the preventive measures of food poisoning. Secondly, the report is supposed to contain the characteristics of food poisoning and foodborne infections. Therefore, this investigation will help determine the primary cause of the incident among the guests. The hotel provides catering services in a number of occasions that include weddings, conferences and other meetings. One of the primary concerns is to ensure that the clients are provided with quality and safe food. However, there are a number of issues in the hotel industry like food poisoning and contamination and the hotel has to ensure that it curbs them. Food contamination may occur when harmful microorganisms are introduced to the foods. It is brought about by handling of the foods poorly as Lawrence, Dobmeier, Bechtel, & Holstege (2007) points out. Most significantly, food contamination can emanate from pathogens or chemicals introduced to the foods during the preparation process or storage. Moreover, handling of food with dirty hands is the leading way globally through which microorganisms get into food. In this case, some bacteria like E. coli can be transferred to food. In addition, there is cross-contamination between food and unclean kitchen tools. Further, fresh fruits can be contaminated by washing them with dirty water containing faecal matter from animals. Food poisoning can cause illness and to some extent death when not contained in time. Mostly, growth of bacteria in food when cooked or poor handling worsens the situation. To reduce  food poisoning  occurrences, a number of conditions have to be met. It is important to understand that food contains bacteria naturally and microorganisms are likely to grow if they are within a conducive environment (Hennekinne, De Buyser, & Dragacci, 2012). Therefore, be the food handlers’ must be responsible to ensure that they do not provide a conducive environment for

Formative Assessment Essay Example for Free

Formative Assessment Essay These methods also enable me, as a teacher to measure success within the classroom. To evaluate whether learning is taking place, there are three assessment methods to use. Initial Assessment: To assess the learning capabilities of the learner an initial assessment will take place. This will enable me to determine whether there are any learning difficulties that may affect the learning and teaching process. Once any difficulties are found the relevant support can be given to the learner. Formative Assessment: This method is used to monitor the learning progress of the learners during the course. It will enable me to provide feedback on their progress and also give the learner the opportunity to give me feedback on my performance. This method can also highlight ant problems that may need o be addressed. Summative Assessment; Summative assessments takes place at the end of each course or learning session. It will assess to what extent learning has been achieved and to enable me to re-evaluate my own teaching methods. This will allow verifiers to assign course grades and certification. 1. 2 EXPLAIN THE USE OF METHODS OF ASSESSMENT IN LIFELONG LEARNING To explain how assessments show progress and achievement, it is essential to learn what an assessment is. Assessment for learning is a term used to describe how evidence of student learning is recorded by me the teacher and is used by both students and teachers to decide where a student is within their learning and what they need to do better or to keep to the level that they are working at. Assessment for learning is a very effective way to put on record that learning and good teaching are being achieved. Assessment for learning is a joint process between student and teacher where both are engaged in an on-going process of student progress and development. The assessment to use will depend on the subject in my case spanish and any requirements of the organisations involved. Although all teachers should use some initial assessment to identify needs of the learner and to see if they have any previous experience in the language work set to them which in my subject would be spanish. Assessment methods can be recorded for group or individualls to reflect on the ability of the students. The student or learning group and the activities you select and the learning outcomes might affect your choice of assessment methods in a lesson. Formative assessment takes place during learning with the purpose of improving learning and involves me as the teacher giving feed back into the learning process to help me as the teacher, to decide whether a student is ready to move on or needs to practice what is being learnt, or has still yet to learn. It is usually the teacher’s final decision as to whether a student is ready to move on to the next stage of the course. Formative assessment can take a variety of forms; peer and self assessment, verbal and written, questioning and marking. Summative assessment happens at the end of a course. To measure and talk to the student/groups about what they have learned so far in the lessons. Summative learning is less about informing and improving the learning process but more about measuring the end result; for example end of year exam. 1. 3 Compare the strengths and limitations of assessment methods to meet individual learner needs. Student questioning is an effective way for engaging students within the learning process, obtaining existing knowledge of the chosen course and demonstrating, thinking and understanding of the students enables me to informally yet formatively assess their knowledge and the understanding of the progress the student is making with their studying. For example; at the beginning of my micro teach session, which was a De-fragmentation learning exercise, I asked the group if any of them had any previous experiences. This aided me in what level to teach the group. A good ice-breaker can be used as a group activity, as in my micro teach i got the group to exchange questions and answers with the person next to them to get the group engaged. I then dealt with each learner individually by asking them how they were getting on and if they understood the subject. This simple but effective method engaged the group, then I could address the learners individually and provide individual needs for the said learner. David Miliband stated: ‘We need to do more than engage and empower pupils and parents in the selection of a school: their engagement has to be effective in the day-to-day processes of education, at the heart of the way schools create partnerships with professional teachers and support staff to deliver tailor-made services, In other words we need to embrace individual empowerment within as well as between schools. ’ References: Milliband,D (2004)’Personalised learning meeting individual learner needs’ Published by The Learning and kills Network. 2. Understand ways to involve learners in the assessment process. 2. 1. Explain ways to involve the learner in the assessment process. Carol Boston says ‘Black and William (1998b) define assessment broadly to include all activities that teachers and students undertake to get information that can be used diagnostically to alter teaching and learning. Under this definition, assessment encompasses teacher observation, classroom discussion, and analysis of student work, including homework and tests. Assessments become formative when the information is used to adapt teaching and learning to meet student need. Where and how do we include students in the formative assessment process? What is the role of technology in this feedback cycle? ’ Formative assessment, as I understand it, is an on-going process where both teachers and students evaluate assessment evidence in order to make adjustments to their teaching and learning. Robert Marzano has called it one of the more powerful weapons in a teachers arsenal. The formative assessment process can strengthen students abilities to assess their own progress, to set and evaluate their own learning goals, and to make adjustments accordingly. Formative assessment can also elicit valuable feedback from students about what teachers are doing effectively and what they could do better. Student Self-Assessment and Reflection Activities which promote meta-cognitive thinking and ask students to reflect on their learning processes are key to the formative assessment process. When students are asked to think about what they have learned and how they have learned it (the learning strategies theyve used), they are better able to understand their own learning processes and can set new goals for themselves. Students can reflect on their learning in many ways: answering a set of questions, drawing a picture or set of pictures to represent their learning process, talking with a partner, keeping a learning log or journal, etc. Goal Sheets Having students set their own goals and evaluate their progress toward achieving them is an effective part of the formative assessment process. Goal setting has a positive effect on student motivation and learning when the goals are specific and performance based, relatively short-term, and moderately difficult. Goal sheets are an effective way to help students set goals and track their progress. It is best to identify specific goals. For example, I will read in English for 20 minutes each night is more specific than I will read more. Also, goals need to be achievable in a short period of time and not impossibly difficult. The teacher can model how to set effective goals and also how to evaluate ones progress toward achieving them by asking students to periodically write or talk about what they have achieved, what they still would like to achieve, and how they will do it. 2. 2. Explain the role of peer and self-assessment in the assessment programme F. Dochy (2006) said ‘The growing demand for lifelong learners and reflective practitioners has stimulated a re-evaluation of the relationship between learning and its assessment, and has influenced to a large extent the development of new assessment forms such as self-, peer, and co-assessment. Three questions are discussed: (1) what are the main findings from research on new assessment forms such as self-, peer and co-assessment; (2) in what way can the results be brought together; and (3) what guidelines for educational practitioners can be derived from this body of knowledge? A review of literature, based on the analysis of 63 studies, suggests that the use of a combination of different new assessment forms encourages students to become more responsible and reflective. The article concludes with some guidelines for practitioners. ’ Principles for using self and peer assessment 1. The purpose for using self and peer assessment should be explicit for staff and students A major reason for using self and peer assessment is for its role in developing students skills in improving learning and in helping students to improve their performance on assessed work. Additionally, it has a place as a means of summative assessment. 2. There is no reason why peer and self assessment should not contribute to summative assessment In many such cases such assessment will not contribute a major proportion of the mark until it has been well tried and tested. However, in a well-regulated scheme, there is no reason to limit the proportion of the marks involved. It is particularly important that the principles below are noted. 3. Moderation For any situation in which the mark from peer or self assessment contributes towards the final mark of the module, the member of staff should maintain the right to moderate student-allocated marks. The initial step in alteration of a student-allocated mark may be negotiation with the student(s) concerned. 4. Instances of unfair or inappropriate marking need to be dealt with sensitively Any instances of collusive (friendship) marking need to be dealt with sensitively and firmly. 5. The quality of feedback on student work must be maintained In situations of self and peer assessment, students are usually in a position to learn more than from situations of tutor-marked work. They learn from their engagement in assessing and frequently from oral, in addition to written feedback. However, the tutor should monitor the feedback and, where appropriate, elaborate it to ensure that students receive fair and equal treatment. 6. Assessment procedures should always involve use of well-defined, publicly-available assessment criteria While this is true of all assessment, it is particularly true where relatively inexperienced assessors (students) are involved. The assessment criteria may be developed by the tutor, but greater value is gained from the procedure if students are involved in developing the criteria themselves. 7. Involvement of students in assessment needs careful planning Many students see assessment as a job for staff, but at a later stage they are likely to recognise the benefits to their academic learning and skill development. Initial efforts will take time and tutor support. For these reasons, it is preferable that the use of peer and self assessment is seen as a strategy to improve learning and assessment across a whole programme. The common situation is for these assessment procedures to appear in isolated modules, often not at level 1. 8. Self and peer assessment procedures should be subject to particularly careful monitoring and evaluation from the tutor and students point of view It can take time for such procedures to run smoothly and for this reason, the initial involvement of relatively few marks or solely formative assessment is wise. Student feedback to the tutor on the procedure will be important. 9. The use of peer and self assessment should be recognised as skill development in itself Such procedures are not just another means of assessment but represent the development of self-appraisal/evaluative, analytical, critical and reflective skills. These are important as employability skills and can be recognised in the learning outcomes of a module. References: Dochy,F (2006) Studies in Higher Education. Published by Web of Science(2006) 3. 1. Explain the need to keep records of assessment of learning. Record keeping is part of the role and responsibility of the tutor and some often these records are required by law or codes of practice in the institution or industry. But there are boundaries and legislation regarding what can be collected and kept and how it can be used. The Data Protection Act 1998 states that records must be kept securely, be relevant and not excessive, accurate and up to date and not kept for longer than necessary. Students can request a copy of all information held about them under The Freedom of Information Act 2000. All important things to bear in mind. The need for keeping records I like that you are forced to think about why there are these records, not just what they are or how they work. Why are these records being kept, to what end? †¢ Track progress †¢ Prove achievement. †¢ Identify issues such as low attendance / learning difficulties †¢ Ensure all sections of course have been completed It could be that a lot of these are required by your institution. But I’m not sure that’s the best answer: â€Å"because I have to†. Take it one step further back and think about why the organisation requires you to keep or submit them. Once you’ve thought about what records you need then it is on to how you collect and categorise that information. The types of records you would maintain A lot of this focuses more on the pastoral side, which I think is nice. Make sure you show a variety of types of records, to show you have thought about the full spectrum: †¢ Attendance and assessment †¢ Everything in between †¢ Tutorials, one to ones, learning reviews / goals / plans 3. 2. Summarize requirements for keeping records of assessment in an organisation. Recording and Keeping Assessment Results Most organisations have a process in place for recording the results of assessments, and so does your Registered Training Organisation. It is not uncommon as well for assessors to maintain their own records in case of any follow up or appeals. A generic approach would be: †¢ Assessor either records or passes on the results for recording †¢ Assessor checks that the result has been accurately recorded †¢ Result provided to learner There are several reasons why the results need to be kept: †¢ Feedback to learner †¢ Legislative requirements †¢ Record in case of appeal †¢ Company records for future training needs Recognition of Prior Learning Another reason to maintain a record is for the recognition of prior learning and credit transfer processes. If outcomes can be matched by different training organisations detailed records of exactly how competency is assessed simplify the process. It also means, the competency a learner has acquired in one environment may be considered in another, different environment. With records a learner can apply to have prior learning recognised often before commencing a new training program. While it is necessary to keep a record of the actual result, it can be useful to also keep details on how the assessment was made. Training Records and Confidentiality Generally speaking, the only way an external person is able to access another persons record is with the written permission of the person involved. |Access to records must be restricted for the sake of confidentiality. | | |Generally, managers and supervisors have limited access to personal files, but consider: | | |Who should have access to assessment records? | | |Why would they need the information? | | |What level of detail do they require? | | Each organisation will have a policy and procedures for access that should comply with ethical and legal obligations. It would be worthwhile checking your store policy and procedures in relation to this area.

Effect of Climate Change on Pollock Population

Effect of Climate Change on Pollock Population The Population of Pollock Under Climate Change as Determined by Age, Distribution, and Prey Energy Content Abstract Pollock, like many other species, respond to the threats of climate change within their home in the Bering Sea. Living in an ecosystem hugely affected by its seasonal ice sheet, pollock are dependent on the timing and extent of its annual movement. The connection examined in this  paper is the relationship between algal blooms, cold water stratification, juvenile pollock predation, and adult pollock fishery recruitment. As the reach and lifespan of the ice sheet fluctuate, so does the amount of cold water habitat and ice algae that juvenile pollock depend on to survive to adulthood. During a year with an earlier retreat of/or less ice a smaller cold water area is established, leaving juvenile pollock open to their cannibalistic adult counterparts. Also, during such a year, ice algae production does not provide the high energy lipids needed to fuel the juvenile pollock population through their growth. This chain effect, while not threatening for the survival of the entire population , does have significant implications for fishery recruitment. Introduction Climate change as a global phenomenon acts uniquely in different environments to a wide range of possible effects on almost every species. In the Arctic, many of these individual systems draw back to the infamous retreating ice sheet, upon which Arctic species live, hunt, reproduce, and die. One Arctic species with major implications to humans may be experiencing difficulties due to climate change as retreating sea ice alters its habitat in the Bering Sea. Walleye pollock, (Gadus chalcogrammus), is a billion dollar industry in the US. This industry depends on the natural seasonal variability of the Bering Sea ice sheet as it annually descends and retreats over the Bering Sea. This is the environmental clock that marks the algal blooms pollock depend on. In this way, as climate change alters the ice landscape the energy content of the lower food chain is also affected, leading to a possible decrease in survival for adult pollock. Physical Oceanography of the Bering Sea There are three hydrographic areas within the southeastern Bering Sea shelf: the coastal shelf, with a depth of less than 50 meters; the middle shelf, with a depth of 50-100 meters; and the outer shelf, with a depth of 100-200 meters (Bering Sea, 2014). Pollock can be found over most of the Bering Sea, but much of the population and studies occur in the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS), where the research is centered. Pollock spend much of their time over the 500 kilometer wide sea shelf, which is generally less than 180 meters deep (Hunt, et. al., 2011; Bering Sea, 2014). The processes that occur within the central shelf are most critical to pollock. (Stabeno, et. al., 2012) A comparison between the -2 degree water in the cold pool during a warm year (2003) and a cold year (Blue) (2007) with depth contours of the EBS marked. Note that the warm year highlight has been  moved down 2 degrees of latitude to show comparison. The middle part of the southeastern Bering Sea shelf is the region within the Bering Sea most affected by climate change. In this area, a well-mixed water column appears in winter due to the strong winds; however, in summer two clearly separated layers appear. The surface layer of the summer water column is mixed by the wind while the bottom layer is mixed by the tide. The nutrient-rich bottom layer is insulated from warming by the surface layer once the water column stratifies. This insulation during the summer months causes the bottom layer to warm only slightly. Because the temperature of the bottom layer, the cold pool, depends on the water column’s temperature during the  time of stratification, the time of ice retreat affects it greatly (Stabeno, et. al., 2012). The cold pool’s temperature stays below two degrees Celsius for the  summer in cold years when extensive spring ice remains through April, while, during warm years with early ice retreat, the cold pool ’s temperature remains above two degrees Celsius during summer. Seasonal Ice Sheet Data According to historical records, the continuous decline of the Arctic sea ice extent began in the late 1800s and has rapidly increased over the last three decades. The rate of ice loss in this period is unequaled by any other sea ice recession in the last thousand years (Polyak et. al., 2010). Additionally, the annual mean temperature in the Arctic is now measured at being more than 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than it was in the period of time between 1971 and 2000. (Overland, et. al. 2013). Compiled historical records relating to Arctic ice margins have shown that a general retreat of seasonal Arctic ice has been occurring since early in the twentieth century. This retreat has particularly accelerated in the last five decades in regards to both seasonal and perennial ice. Though reliable satellite records of ice margins have only been available since 1979, in the three decades of their existence, the recorded data has exhibited generally negative trends in sea-ice extent; the month of September is particularly significant with a decline of 11% per decade. (Polyak, et. al., 2010). Since the 1980s, Arctic sea ice volume has declined by 75% (Overland, et. al., 2013); between 1982 and 2007, perennial sea ice over five years of age decreased by 56%. The general coverage of perennial ice decreased by 88%, and any ice exceeding nine years of age all but disappeared. (Stroeve, et. al., 2008). A seasonally nearly ice free Arctic, an Arctic devoid of almost all perennial ice, should appear within the next fifty years. (Overland, et. al., 2013; Polyak, et. al., 2010; Stroeve, et. al., 2008). This eventuality will increase Arctic warming and may also affect weather systems that range beyond the Arctic. (Polyak, et. al. 2010). Pollock Pollock, (Gadus chalcogramma) was our main species of consideration. These groundfish are a relative of cod that commonly populate the Eastern Bering Sea. During their growth an individual can be expected to reach 30-91cm. Their range of habitat extends from roughly 100 meters below the surface to 300 meters, but they have been spotted at depths as low as 1000 meters. Pollock, with a twelve year life span, go through several life phases based on age that dictate behavior and position on the food chain. These life phases will be referred to as adult; over two years, or juvenile; less than two years. Juvenile can also be broken into age 0, which hatched that year, and age 1. Distribution of pollock is dependant mainly on age and temperature (by season), and predator locations (Benoit-Bird et. al. 2013). Younger fish generally subsist on zooplankton such as copepods, while adults eat euphausiids (krill), tunicates, copepods, shrimp, and other fish as well as sometimes resorting to cannibalism of juvenile Pollock. Juvenile pollock success is dependent on timing and location overlap with their prey copepods, and they enjoy a much greater overlap during cold years than in warm years (Siddon et. al. 2013). Pollock success is also directly linked to the lipid content of copepod prey sources (Heintz et. al. 2013). For age-0 pollock distribution the factors of original spawning ground and subsequent survival, as well as the regular stresses that produce schooling behavior also  determine success (Benoit-Bird et. al. 2013). Overlap of adult and age-0 pollock that allows for cannibalism happens primarily during autumn and winter while cannibalism of age-1 pollock occurs farther Northwest during the summer months (Mueter et, al, 2011). Implications of Climate Change The warm year vs. cold year effect is a key factor in the distribution of pollock based on their age and prey. Earlier sea ice retreat leads to an earlier plankton bloom, juvenile pollock’s main prey and so those pollock move to and feed in those areas where copepods live off that bloom. For juvenile pollock, this creates a spike of surviving juvenile pollock fueled by the temporarily expanded prey source, but later on in the year pollock cannot get enough energy from their food to survive through the winter, and so later age class populations are reduced. In contrast, algal blooms on the ice sheet in cold years create a higher lipid content copepod source, so the population of pollock can be more abundant (Heintz et. al. 2013). There is a 33% increase (Heintz et. al. 2013) in energy of pollock when a cold year produces high-lipid copepods in overlap with juvenile pollock. In this way the success of juvenile pollock determines the success of the species. The success of juvenile pollock during cold vs. warm years also is affected by distribution. Age 1 pollock can take refuge in the cold pool due to their greater temperature tolerance, while the older fish are pushed to outer shelf outside the cold pool. This keeps adult pollock from cannibalizing their juvenile counterparts in excess. The decrease in cold pool size during warm years reduces the availability of this safe habitat, which causes a cannibalism increase as pollock are the best food for other pollock when copepods and other prey have a low energy content (Siddon, personal communication). With more warm years in the Bering Sea due to climate change, the cold pool will be  warmer and lipid content of copepods will decrease. In this way the population recruitment of pollock will suffer. (Stabeno, et. al., 2012). Human Interactions The pollock catch has annually averaged 1.3 million tons ever since the late 1980s when United States vessels first began fishing for pollock. Today, the pollock fishery is the largest in the United States by volume. Since 1998, pollock prices have hovered at approximately one dollar per pound. A table of age two fish caught shows a correlation between year temperature, or previous year temperature and the amount of two-year-old (new adult) fish caught. The pollock fishery is currently the second largest in the world and made up 61.9% of the total Alaskan groundfish catch in 2012 (Walleye Pollock Research, 2012). The U.S. fishery landed roughly 1.26 million tons between 2012 and 2014. In 2012 the products derived from the catch were worth over 1 billion dollars, and the catch itself valued $343 million. This massive resource fuels the imitation crab industry and is the fillet component in fried fillet sandwiches. This use is in part due to the natural oil content which is both higher than the content in similar species and considered more flavorful. (NOAA, 2014) To a much lesser extent, money from the pollock fishery goes  back into native villages on the west coast of Alaska. This happens through jobs, subsidies and money given back to the tribal government (Pollock Provides, 2008). Recommendations As the amount of pollock recruited to adulthood will greatly deteriorate with the increase of warm years in the southeastern Bering Sea shelf, it is to be recommended that fisheries begin to consider the recruitment of other species to serve as a buffer for certain pollock products. Arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), could be a possible alternative to pollock for surimi, which is more commonly known as imitation crab. Though the arrowtooth flounder has not been commercially fished in the past because of an enzyme that quickly breaks down the fish when heated, additives have been developed that can stop the flesh from degrading. These additives will open up opportunities for the arrowtooth flounder’s commercial fishery; its marketability will be greatly benefited as well (Arrowtooth Flounder Overview, 2014; Arrowtooth Flounder Research, 2014). This makes a surimi product that originates from arrowtooth flounder a viable alternative to the current pollock surimi; instituting arrowtooth flounder based surimi products will reduce the human-related strain on the pollock population while also reducing human dependence on the continually deteriorating pollock fishery. Conclusion Pollock is a vital component to the Bering Sea ecosystem, both for the food chain and the humans who fish from it. As the Arctics mean temperature has risen by approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius in the last four decades and the ice sheet volume has decreased by 75% (Overland et. al. 2013), it is reasonable to conclude that the temperature will only rise higher and higher as the Bering ice sheet retreats earlier and earlier. This would greatly affect the southeastern Bering Sea shelf by raising the temperature of the summer cold pool perpetually above 2 degrees Celsius, therefore instituting a repeating cycle of continuous warm years that would be detrimental to pollock population recruitment, as the plankton prey that juvenile pollock depend on would bloom earlier, leaving pollock with less energy during the later months. (Stabeno et. al. 2012; Heintz et. al. 2014). Bibliography Arrowtooth Flounder Overview (2014). Fishwatch.gov. Retrieved from  http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/flounder/species_pages/arrowtooth_flounder.htm Arrowtooth Flounder Research (2014). NOAA. Retrieved from  http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/species/Arrowtooth_flounder.php Benoit-Bird, K. , McIntosh, N. , Heppell, S. (2013) Nested scales of spatial heterogeneity in juvenile walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma in the southeastern Bering Sea. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 484, 219-238. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/BSP_95_BenoitBird_et_al_MEPS_m484p219.pdf Bering Sea. (2014). North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from  http://www.nprb.org/nprb/aboutus/missionresearchprinciples/scientific-foundation/largemarineecosystems/beringsea. Duffy-Anderson, J. , Mueter, F. , Smart, T. , Siddon, E. , Horne, J. (2014) Young Fish in a Warm Bering Sea. North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/B53_Duffy_Anderson_press.pdf Heintz, R. , Siddon, E. (2014) Seasonal Bioenergetics in the Bering Sea. North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/B54_Heintz_press.pdf Heintz, R. Siddon, E. Farley, E. Napp, J. (2013) Correlation between recruitment and fall condition of age-0 pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) from the eastern Bering Sea under varying climate conditions. DeepSea Research II 94, 159-156. http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/BSP_93_Heintz_2013_DSR2.pdf Hunsicker, M. , Ciannelli, L. , Bailey, K. , Zador, S. , Stige, L.C. (2014) Climate, Population Dynamics and Predator-Prey Overlap. North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/BSH_60_Climate,_Population,_Predator-Prey.pdf Hunt, Jr., G. L., Stabeno, P., Walters, G., Sinclair, E., Brodeur, R. D., Napp, J. M., Bond, N. A., (2002). Climate change and control of the southeastern Bering Sea pelagic ecosystem. Deep Sea Research II, 49, 5821-5853. Hunt, G. L., Coyle, K. O., Eisner, L. B., Farley, E. V., Heintz, R. A., Mueter, F., Napp, J. M., Overland, J. E., Ressler, P. H., Salo, S., Stabeno, P. J. (2011). Climate impacts on eastern Bering Sea foodwebs: a synthesis of new data and an assessment of the Oscillating Control Hypothesis. ICES Journal of Marine Science. Mueter, F. Bond, N. Ianelli, J. Hollowed, A. (2011) Expected declines in recruitment of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in the eastern Bering Sea under future climate change. ICES Journal of Marine Science 68(6), 1284-1296. http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/68/6/1284.full.pdf+html   NOAA (2014, April 29). Alaska Pollock. Retrieved from  http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/pollock/species_pages/alaska_pollock.htm Overland, J. E., Wang, M., Walsh J. E., Stroeve, J. C. (2013). Future Arctic climate changes: Adaptation and mitigation time scales. Earth’s Future, . Retrieved from http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/future/bib/EarthsFutureJEO.pdf Pollock Provides (2008) Coastal Villages Region Fund, Volume 11, Issue 3. Retrieved from http://www.coastalvillages.org/sites/www.coastalvillages.org/files/documents/pollock_provides_special_edition.pdf Polyak, L., Alley, R. B., Andrews, J. T., Brigham-Grette, J., Cronin, T. M., Darby, D. A, Dyke, A. S., Fitzpatrick, J. J., Funder, S., Holland, M., Jennings, A. E., Miller, G. H., O’Regan, M., Savelle, J., Serreze, M., St. John, K., White, J. W. C., Wolff, E. (2010). History of sea ice in the Arctic. Quaternary Science Reviews, 29. Retrieved from http://bprc.osu.edu/geo/publications/polyak_etal_seaice_QSR_10.pdf Siddon, Elizabeth. Personal communication, October 27, 2014, at Thunder Mountain High school from 4:00-4:40 p.m. Siddon, E. , Kristiansen, T. , Mueter, F.J. , Holsman, K. , Heintz, R. , Farley, E. (2013). Spatial Match-Mismatch between Juvenile Fish and Prey Provides a Mechanism for Recruitment Variability across Contrasting Climate Conditions in the Eastern Bering Sea. Stabeno, P. J., Kachel, N. B., Moore, S. E., Napp, J. M., Sigler, M., Yamaguchi, A., Zerbini, A. N. (2012). Comparison of warm and cold years on the southeastern Bering Sea shelf and some implications for the ecosystem. Deep Sea Research II Stroeve, J., Serreze, M., Drobot, S., Gearheard, S., Holland, M., Maslanik, J., Meier, W., Scambos, T. (2008). Arctic Sea Ice Extent Plummets in 2007. Eos, 89. Uchiyama, T. , Kruse, G. , Mueter, F. (2014) Understanding Bering Sea Groundfish Populations. North Pacific Research Board. Retrieved from http://www.nprb.org/assets/images/uploads/B75_Kruse_press.pdf Walleye Pollock. (2010). NOAA. Retrieved from  http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Education/factsheets/10_Wpoll_FS.pdf Walleye Pollock Research. (2012, January 1). NOAA. Retrieved from http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/species/pollock.php

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Throughout this semester in philosophy I’ve come to realize one thing for sure, that one thing being that philosophy doesn’t not easily come defined. While reading all the works of Plato one comes to the realization that philosophy as an activity is like trying to see both sides of a door at the same time. There are many different types of doors and way to look at all of them. There are so many different types of ways to define philosophy. Plato had always been worried about the basic philosophical problem of figuring out the art of knowing and living. His goal of the great dialogues was to show the relationship between the soul and the state. This is the compelling theme of the great dialogues; the Republic, Phaedo, Symposium, Phaedrus,and Philebus. In the Republic Plato shows how justice within the individual can best be realized through the likeliness of the operation of justice within the state. Plato continues to set out in his idea of the ideal state. But, he realizes that philosophically justice simply can’t be fully understood unless seen in a spectrum to the concept of the good, which is the supreme principle of order and truth. In the Republic, Plato shows how sometimes philosophy is like trying to look at both sides of a regular door, when maybe you should be trying to look at both sides of carousel swinging door. Plato also argues for the reality of ideas as the only way to be sure of ethical standards and of objective scientific knowledge. In the Republic and the Phaedo Plato suggests his theory of forms. Ideas or forms are the established archetypes of all phenomenon, and these ideas are the only thing completely real and true; the physical world holds only relative reality for the time being. The forms are simply ... ...be hidden. This relates to the philosopher ruling because they understand the Utopia the same way you are able to see and understand all aspects of a uninstalled door. Philosophy as an activity is not simply a way of living like many people have come to believe. It’s a journey, a journey where the philosopher finds them selves constantly thinking. Constantly thinking and questioning authority until you get what you are looking for in a statement. Philosophy in so many ways is similar to trying to look at the inside and outside of a door at once. At first you may think it can’t be done, but then you ask question, which reveal answers and outlets that lead to more question and you realize that there are so many more ways to look at the door, so many more ways to look at the world. So many more ways to look at philosophy. Philosophy as an activity is looking at a door.

The effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water research paper Essay

Project Design Plan Everyone knows that water boils at 212Â °F, but does adding salt to a pot of water make it boil at a higher temperature? Being a person that cooks frequently at home, I wanted to test the debated idea that adding salt to my water will make it boil faster. One of my friends says it does raise the temperature and therefore cooks it faster. My other friend says it only helps it taste better. Literature Review Table salt is often added to water before the boiling process in hopes that the water will boil faster. It has been argued that the boiling temperature difference is insignificant with a small pot of water. However, when adding salt to larger amounts of water, the change is more noticeable. Southwest Research Institute states that the heat capacity of salt water is less than that of pure water, which means that it takes less energy to raise the temperature of the salt water 1Â ° C. than pure water. The time it takes a pot of water to boil is controlled by three things, first is how much heat you put into the pot, second is how fast the temperature rises and third is the boiling point of the liquid (Southwest Research Institute, 2014). Salt elevates the boiling temperature of water using a process known as boiling point elevation. With water being a known solvent and salt a non-volatile solute, when you add salt to the water, it makes the water an impure solvent, and raises its boiling point above that of pure solvents (Effect of Salt on the Boiling Temperature of Water). Experimental Design Steps Water will be boiled four different times as follows: 1.2 cups of distilled water are added to a 2 quart cooking pot a. First run add NO salt – this is the control b. Second run add 1 Tablespoon of table salt – Trial #1 c. Third run add 1 Tablespoon of table salt – Trial #2 d.Fourth run add 1 Tablespoon of table salt – Trial #3 2. For each run, bring water to boil 3. For each run, record the highest temperature reading of the boiling water 4. After first through third runs, allow pot and burner to cool 5. Wash pot after each run to clean salt residue Reasoning A typical recipe will call for a dash of salt in the water. The articles I read made me believe that adding more salt would make the temperature difference more noticeable, I upped the salt to 1 tablespoon of salt to each pot of water per run, instead of a dash. Adding a dash of salt could skew the results, because when adding a dash, you will not have the same measurement of salt to each pot of water as you would when measuring the salt with a tablespoon. In order to reduce error, so I used three trials. Sequence of Events During each trial I will be measuring the temperature of the water with a thermometer. Once it reaches its highest temperature, I will record it in my data table. This will be the process for each trial. Tools, Technologies, and Measurement Units Table Salt Distilled Water 2 Quart Cooking Pot Pint measuring cup Teaspoon and tablespoon measuring spoons Thermometer (Degrees Fahrenheit) Stirring spoon Stove top burner (electric) Variables Independent Variable: Amount of salt added to the water Dependent Variable: Temperature at which the water boils Controlled Variables: Temperature of stove setting, pot, type of water, brand of salt, amount of water, thermometer Threat Reduction to Internal Validity By washing the pot and thermometer between each trial, I will reduce the amount of salt residue that is on the pot that could alter my results. I will use the same heating unit, pot, and thermometer each time to get more valid results. Hypothesis The hypothesis of this experiment is that adding table salt to water will raise the boiling temperature of the water. Process of Data Collection Boiling Point of Two Cups of Water Amount of salt added (IV) Temperature of boiling water in Fahrenheit (DV) No Salt (Control) 212.7Â °F 1 Tablespoon Salt Run #1 214.9Â °F 1 Tablespoon Salt Run #2 215.3Â °F 1 Tablespoon Salt Run #3 215.1Â °F As predicted, adding salt to water does raise the boiling temperature of the water, even if only minimally. Variations in the boiling temperature may be contributed to slight variations in the measurements of the salt added to the water. It is important to measure both the water and salt accurately to ensure accurate results. Appropriate Methods For each run, 2 cups of water were added to a 2 quart saucepan; 1 tablespoon of salt was then added to the water and stirred to mix the two ingredients together. The saucepan was then put on the stove and brought to a boil. Once the water reached a full boil the final temperature was recorded using a Go-Temp thermometer. The tools and methods used in this are appropriate to the experiment. Results The results were larger than anticipated. The average temperature of the water with the salt was 215.1 degrees Fahrenheit, while the temperature of the control was 212.7 degrees Fahrenheit. This was a difference of 2.4 degrees. Conclusion Confirmation of Hypothesis My hypothesis was confirmed. Adding table salt to water causes the water to boil at a higher temperature. The temperature readings were hard to make. Oven mitts had to be worn to keep my hands from getting burned. I had to be sure that the thermometer wasn’t too close to the stove or the temperature would be skewed. Experimental Design as a Key Factor How you design your experiment is key to helping you keep your results reliable and valid. You only need one independent variable. If you have more than one, you won’t know which one is actually affecting your results, it will also be harder to measure. Making as many variables as possible constant will help increase the reliability of the experiment. Replication By following this plan and report, you can replicate this experiment. One might try adding different amounts of salt to see if there is a point at which the amount of salt added stops increasing the boiling point. Evaluation of Validity Replicating this experiment will add to the validity of my results and others results. If the experiment is replicated numerous times this will add to the validity, resulting in a more accurate conclusion. It is important to measure both the water and salt accurately to ensure that the results collected are as accurate as possible. References Does water boil faster if you put salt in the water? (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.swri.org/10light/water.htm EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE PROJECTS: The Effect of Salt on the Boiling Temperature of Water. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.freesciencefairproject.com/projects/effect_salt_boiling_water.html Effect of Salt on the Boiling Temperature of Water. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.actiondonation.org/articles/effect-of-salt.html Post navigation. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2014, from http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/how-does-salt-affect-the-boiling-point-of-water.html

The Jet Stream - An Overview in Geography

The Jet Stream - An Overview in Geography A jet stream is defined as a current of rapidly moving air that is usually several thousand miles long and wide but is relatively thin. They are found in the upper levels of Earths atmosphere at the tropopause - the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere (see atmospheric layers). Jet streams are important because they contribute to worldwide weather patterns and as such, they help meteorologists forecast weather based on their position. In addition, they are important to air travel because flying in or out of them can reduce flight time and fuel consumption. Discovery of the Jet Stream The exact first discovery of the jet stream is debated today because it took some years for jet stream research to become mainstream around the world. The jet stream was first discovered in the 1920s by Wasaburo Ooishi, a Japanese meteorologist who used weather balloons to track upper-level winds as they ascended into the Earths atmosphere near Mount Fuji. His work significantly contributed to knowledge of these wind patterns  but was mostly confined to Japan. In 1934, knowledge of the jet stream increased when Wiley Post, an American pilot, attempted to fly solo around the world. To complete this feat, he invented a pressurized suit that would allow him to fly at high altitudes and during his practice runs, Post noticed that his ground and airspeed measurements differed, indicating that he was flying in a current of air. Despite these discoveries, the term jet stream was not officially coined until 1939 by a German meteorologist named H. Seilkopf when he used it in a research paper. From there, knowledge of the jet stream increased during World War II as pilots noticed variations in winds when flying between Europe and North America. Description and Causes of the Jet Stream Thanks to further research conducted by pilots and meteorologists, it is understood today that there are two main jet streams in the northern hemisphere. While jet streams do exist in the southern hemisphere, they are strongest between latitudes of 30 °N and 60 °N. The weaker subtropical jet stream is located closer to 30 °N. The location of these jet streams shift throughout the year however and they are said to follow the sun since they move north with warm weather and south with cold weather. Jet streams are also stronger in the winter because there is a large contrast between the colliding Arctic and tropical air masses. In the summer, the temperature difference is less extreme between the air masses and the jet stream is weaker. Jet streams typically cover long distances and can be thousands of miles long. They can be discontinuous and often meander across the atmosphere but they all flow east at a rapid speed. The meanders in the jet stream flow slower than the rest of the air and are called Rossby Waves. They move slower because they are caused by the Coriolis Effect and turn west in respect to the flow of air they are embedded in. As a result, it slows the eastward movement of the air when there is a significant amount of meandering in the flow. Specifically, the jet stream is caused by the meeting of air masses just under the tropopause where winds are the strongest. When two air masses of different densities meet here, the pressure created by the different densities causes winds to increase. As these winds attempt to flow from the warm area in the nearby stratosphere down into the cooler troposphere they are deflected by the Coriolis Effect and flow along the boundaries of the original two air masses. The results are the polar and subtropical jet streams that form around the world. Importance of the Jet Stream In terms of commercial usage, the jet stream is important for the airline industry. Its use began in 1952 with a Pan Am flight from Tokyo, Japan to Honolulu, Hawaii. By flying well within the jet stream at 25,000 feet (7,600 meters), the flight time was reduced from 18 hours to 11.5 hours. The reduced flight time and aid of the strong winds also allowed for a reduction in fuel consumption. Since this flight, the airline industry has consistently used the jet stream for its flights. One of the most important impacts of the jet stream though is the weather it brings. Because it is a strong current of rapidly moving air, it has the ability to push weather patterns around the world. As a result, most weather systems do not just sit over an area, but they are instead moved forward with the jet stream. The position and strength of the jet stream then helps meteorologists forecast future weather events. In addition, various climatic factors can cause the jet stream to shift and dramatically change an areas weather patterns. For instance, during the last glaciation in North America, the polar jet stream was deflected south because the Laurentide Ice Sheet, which was 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) thick created its own weather and deflected it south. As a result, the normally dry Great Basin area of the United States experienced a significant increase in precipitation and large pluvial lakes formed over the area. The world’s jet streams are also impacted by El Nino and La Nina. During El Nino for example, precipitation usually increases in California because the polar jet stream moves farther south and brings more storms with it. Conversely, during La Nina events, California dries out and precipitation moves into the Pacific Northwest because the polar jet stream moves more north. In addition, precipitation often increases in Europe because the jet stream is stronger in the Northern Atlantic and is capable of pushing it farther east. Today, movement of the jet stream north has been detected indicating possible changes in climate. Whatever the position of the jet stream, though, it has a significant impact on the worlds weather patterns and severe weather events like floods and droughts. It is, therefore essential that meteorologists and other scientists understand as much as possible about the jet stream and continue to track its movement, to in turn monitor such weather around the world.

The Battle of Waterloo essays

The Battle of Waterloo essays The Battle of Waterloo was the final and decisive action of the Napoleonic Wars that effectively ended the French domination of the European continent and brought about drastic changes in the political boundaries and power of Europe. Fought on June 18, 1814, near Waterloo, in what is now Belgium, the battle ranks as a great turning point in modern history. There are many reasons as to why Napoleon lost this battle. Most importantly it was due to his generals. Napoleon himself abandoned his troops and his throne after his defeat. The main problem as to why Napoleon lost the Battle of Waterloo is because he selected an ill-equipped group of generals to lead his army. He didnt have much control over this though. Berthier was dead; Mortier was ill; Andre Massena showed no interest in joining this conflict, and Baron Jomini was with the Allies. If this was not enough he placed the generals he had in places not suited for them. He put Soult as chief of staff, Ney on his left wing, and Grouchy on his right. A disastrous mistake was putting Ney in charge of the attack on Wellington. Napoleon seemed sluggish and waterloo and this was due to his illness. He failed to follow up on opportunities here and this was fatal due to his steady adversaries, Wellington and Blucher. Fault can be put to Napoleon too. He delayed in attacking Blucher at Ligny, failed to use Lobau in crushing him, neglected to pursue hi after he was beaten, been to attack Wellington on June 18, and failed to assign Ney the Imperial Guard as reinfor cements when they could have made a major difference. Soult had been a disaster as chief of staff, neglecting to coordinate the border crossing and, along with Napoleon, failed to send out orders to subordinates promptly and coherently. As well, Vandamme delayed at Gilly, Drouet wasted a day marching between Quatre Bras and Ligny, while Grouchys tortoise like pursuit of the Prussians was a ke ...

Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace

Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace Free Online Research Papers Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace When you are an employee, you would want to be treated and compensated fairly at all times. Many employees today are aware of all their legal rights that they have at their workplace. They can find all the rights through their employee handbook, and/or through their Human Resources center. But there are still some employees that are not aware about their rights at all. When discussing about employee rights at work, managers and employees seems to have different point of view. Managers want their employees to do their jobs that they are entitling to do. They also want their employees to do their best and not to waste any time on their personal stuff that’s not related to their job. While most employees want to perform their best at work, but still want to be able to have some personal space. Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace are essential because it helps to protect the integrity of the employees and the company. Every employer wants their employees to do well, and to be able to perform their jobs descriptions. That is why many companies are being very strict with their employees about using company’s essentials for personal uses. Most companies don’t even let their employees use the company’s essentials such as telephones, computer terminals, and internet access during their break time. The reason is that when the computers are used for personal purposes, it can cause other computers in the company to run slower, because it might be using a different program, and another reason is that someone can hacked into the company’s computer and steal all the company’s data base, private information, and ect. To avoid any of these things from happening the company can set aside a few old/used computers that employees can use during t heir break times to check their emails, or to use it for personal use. That way the company can feel safe and secure that none of their data, or any business related information can be lost. The company should also have a sign stated that these computers are still being monitored for websites only, which means there will be no monitoring into anyone’s emails, or personal stuff. This will help to ensure that no employees are using the computers for inappropriate usage, such as using the computers to go on inappropriate websites. Every employee wants to do their job well, and to be able to perform their job descriptions, but they do not want their every moved to be logged or monitored. With many new technologies employers are now able to monitor every aspect of their employees. Employers’ can monitor their employees on the telephones, computer terminals, and internet access. In the Employee Issues (2003-2008) states that â€Å"Up to 92% of private-sector employers conduct some type of electronic surveillance on their employees. Most company may do so even without the consent or knowledge of their employees† (para. 1). Every employees should have the right to know if there is any type of monitoring going on, such as computer key strokes and files, internet, web, and email usage, locations, movements, and activities, phone conversations, and phone numbers that have been dialed, and job performances. That way they are informed of what is going on around them, so that they don’t feel l ike they are been invaded at any point. Many employers will record their employee’s phone calls for reasons of quality controls, without having any consent from their employees. How is this invading the privacy of the employees? When the call is being monitored without any knowledge of the employee, it makes it harder on the employee. The reason for that is because when an employee is making a phone call to a customer and it is being recorded without any consent to the employee that is invading the privacy between the employee and the customer. For instances the conversations between the employee and customers are private, and the customer do not want anyone to know what they are talking about. When the conversations are being recorded without informing the employee or the customer the conversations is then isn’t private anymore. That can cause the customers to lose trust and interest in the company and the employee, when the customer finds out that the conversations between them and the employee were n ot private and that they were not being informed about the recorded conversations. But when the company is being honest and letting their employees know that all their phone calls are being monitored or recorded, they can let the customers know before they start any conversation. That way the customers will appreciate the employee and the employee will appreciate the company more by letting them know what is going on. Employers can also let their employees know when there is any monitoring by putting a peep tone on the phone, that way the employee knows that the conversation is being recorded, and they can let the customer know if they need to. Not many employers want their employees to have personal phone calls while they are at work. There are many employees that have kids or their own personal stuff that they have to sometimes deal with even when they are at work. Sometimes employees use their work time to make personal phone calls to check up on things that is going on that they might be worried about because they are at work. Most employees know their limits on personal phone calls. Employers should allow their employees to be able to make personal phone calls if needed, but with a minimal time limit. When the employees know that the company cares about their employees they would want to work harder for them, because they feel like they have some personal space at work when needed. When the employees are making personal phone calls there shouldn’t be any recording or monitoring going on because that’s invading their privacy. In the Privacy Rights Clearing House (1993-2006) stated that â€Å"An imp ortant exception is made for personal calls. Under federal case law, when an employer realizes the call is personal, he or she must immediately stop monitoring the call†. (Watkins v. L.M. Berry Co., 704 F.2d 577, 583 (11th Cir. 1983). Unless the employee chooses to use a specific phone that’s strictly for business to make a personal phone call then they are taking a risk that the call may be monitored. Otherwise every personal phone call shouldn’t be monitored unless told otherwise. To help keep the employees to use the company’s phones, employers should create a policy that states: 1When needed to make any personal phone calls please use your mobile phone first. 2)If you do not have a mobile phone, there is a phone that they can use for personal calls when needed. 3)If they choose to use a phone that’s not designated for personal calls, their call might be monitored or recorded. 4)There are specific computers that employees can use during their break time for any personal use, there will monitor these computers web sites only. There is no monitoring into the employees, email or personal stuff. This will help to ensure that no employees are using the computer for inappropriate usage, such as inappropriate websites. These policies will help the employees understand more about what the company‘s policy on personal phone calls. It will also help to prevent from invading anyone’s personal space or anyone’s personal privacy. Employee Privacy Rights in the Workplace are essential because it helps to protect the integrity of the employees and the company. Every employee should have the rights to know about everything that is going on in the company. They should all be aware of what is happening, what is important that they can learn from, and they should always be updated or informed about any new policies that the company has. It is really important that the employee understands what the company’s point of view is, that will make the employee more knowledgeable about the company. Every company should have a written policy about monitoring employees, the policy should include that every phone in the company are been monitor or recorded, except for specific phones that are for employees to use when needed for personal calls. The policy should be posted where employees are able to see it, and it should also be in their employee handbook. These policies will help to protect the privacy of the e mployees, customers, and the company. Watching Workers (2007) stated that â€Å"respecting the personal lives of your employees is good business. Research Papers on Employee Privacy Rights in the WorkplaceTwilight of the UAWAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceResearch Process Part OneThe Project Managment Office SystemMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy

Applying Of Management Information Systems In Modern System Research Paper

Applying Of Management Information Systems In Modern System - Research Paper Example The role of Management Information Systems (MIS) becomes quite vital. The changing needs of the business in the modern day scenario can be met with the incorporation of MIS in different business-related activities. There are various sections of organizations comprising sales, production, and marketing among others that collectively form the base of organizational operations. MIS enables the flow of information from one aspect of the businesses to the other which further facilitates to stabilize the overall operations. Furthermore, it has also been noted that decision making is one of the important concerns in the modern day business. Without the presence of quality as well as an accurate information base, decisions regarding any aspect of the business operations cannot be effectively taken. However, it is worth mentioning in this regard that organizations can make use of different vital sections of MIS which will be effective in acquiring proper information for taking significant dec isions. All these aspects, as well as their advantages to the business, will be elaborately discussed in the later part of the paper. This paper intends to analyze the potential advantages of MIS and the role it can perform in resolving or rendering quality information for future decision making (Jewadekar, 2006; Coleman, 1996). Management Information Systems (MIS) play an imperative role in today’s business world especially with regard to acquiring quality information for various significant activities of the business. Organizations nowadays depend on MIS for various important functions which essentially decide the direction of the business. From this aspect, it can be affirmed that MIS is quite vital in every department of modern day business.

Placement application form Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Placement application form - Essay Example t ways you meet the College of Social Work’s Professional Capability Framework (PCF) standards and what additional development you will need to undertake to meet the threshold level required by the completion of your placement (i.e. either at the level of End of First Placement or End of Last Placement) – [Please see below) http://www.tcsw.org.uk/pcf.aspx By the end of the first placement students should demonstrate effective use of knowledge, skills and commitment to core values in social work in a given setting in predominantly less complex situations, with supervision and support. They will have demonstrated capacity to work with people and situations where there may not be simple clear-cut solutions. By the end of last placement/ the completion of qualifying programmes newly qualified social workers should have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and values to work with a range of user groups, and the ability to undertake a range of tasks at a foundation level, the capacity to work with more complex situations; they should be able to work more autonomously, whilst recognising that the final decision will still rest with their supervisor; they will seek appropriate support and supervision. Working with children who have special needs is no easy task. It requires a lot of tolerance. But, I always manage to stay calm in situations of extreme stress or tension. I stay professional by not letting myself go berserk with stressful emotions. I would like to be given the opportunity to work on my communication skills. I believe these skills matter the most in effectively dealing with people who are interested in using our services. I would like to work more on these skills to be able to deal with a diverse line of customers. I always respect the importance of patient consent and confidentiality. I have never breached secrecy of patient’s information. I try to act like a confidant to the patient’s family because it is an ethically essential thing to do. I

Management and Leadership Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management and Leadership Paper - Essay Example The founder of Wal-Mart was Sam Walton. He opened up the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962. The goal of the Mr. Walton when he opened up the first retail store was to save people money to help them live a better life (Walmartstores, 2009). The company took off very fast and by 1969 the firm became a publicly traded company. The company’s trading symbol on Wall Street is WMT. Today the corporation enjoys a great level of success. The company is the market leader in the retail industry due to the fact that the service and prices the entity offers are superior to the competition. In fiscal year 2009 Wal-Mart generated $401 billion in global revenues while serving nearly 200 million customers per week (Walmartstores, 2009). Leadership and effective management are two critical success factors that enabled the company to achieve high levels of success. Management and leadership are two completely different business concepts. Leadership can be defined as a special case of interpersonal influence that gets an individual or group to do what the leader wants (Schermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn, 2003, p.286). Management is the act of performing the four managerial functions which are planning, leading, organizing and controlling. In order for a person to become an effective leader the group has to trust the individual. Leadership is not a trait that is limited to the managerial staff. Anybody within an organization can display leadership. It is very common for leadership to manifest itself within a team setting. In such a setting leadership provides the vision to achieve the end state goal (Kumle & Kelly, 2009). I have personally worked in teams in which I became the leader of the team in order to ensure that the team completed the project at hand. Depending on the circumstance a manager has to decide whether to act as a manager or as a

Ibn Roshd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ibn Roshd - Essay Example From 1169 to 1172, he was the judge of Seville and later on being the chief judge of Cordova from 1172 to 1182. He became the physician of the royal court on 1182. He was exiled on 1195 and died in Marrakesh, Morocco in 1198 (Hassan, 1). He was noted to be having a wide range of impact in philosophy not just in terms of Islamic works but also in terms of the works by Jewish philosophers. Saint Thomas Aquinas pertained to him as â€Å"The Commentator† as the saint believed Averroes had a major role in the rediscovery of Aristotle’s philosophical works (Maslaha.Org). He influenced a handful of writers and his name was mentioned in their literary masterpieces. Dante referred to him as the man â€Å"who made the great commentary† (Maslaha.Org). Ibn Rushd’s Tahafut Al-Tahafut (The Incoherence of the Incoherence) is considered to be his most influential literary work. In the said book, Aristotle’s philosophy against Al-Ghazali’s claims that Aristotleanism was inconsistent and was insulting Islam. Here he showed being fair towards religion and not siding thoughts or beliefs that were meant to destroy the relationship of religion and philosophy. He did not turn away from his religious beliefs but instead he is incorporating it into studies in the field of science for the advantage of both fields (Rushd & Van der Bergh, 156-161). His works are still being commended and recognized. It is not because he is an Islam who had a grasped of Jewish Philosophy but because he disregarded one’s religion to accommodate ideas and studies to be able to fully understand what was meant by certain literary works without having a negative connotation. Usually when a literary work is written, bias can be considered inevitable that can oppose or agree because of a writer’s race, ethnicity or

Reading journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Reading journal - Essay Example In chapter three on Carthage, the author sets the stage in Carthage in South Dakota after the discovery of McCandless’ corpse (Krakauer 13-16). McCandless lived in a large house with employees and friends. In the fourth chapter on Detrital Wash, the evidence of McCandless surfacing from Nevada comes up. He was discovered by a ranger from the National Park Service. His journal was also discovered and the past events are clearly outlined in the journal (Krakauer 19). In the Bullhead City chapter, the author explains how McCandless camera was destroyed and how his photographs and other data like writings disappeared (Krakauer 19-24). It is, therefore, not clear on the events of McCandless in the previous years. However, it is possible to tell that McCandless worked at McDonalds, opened a bank account and lived in Bullhead for two months (Krakauer 29-34). In chapter 6 on Anza-Borrego, we see McCandless setting up a camp along Salton Sea. He meets Franz who is addicted to alcohol. Franz attempts to persuade McCandless to leave but he refuses (Krakauer 34-43). From the work, the underlying assumptions/meanings that author intends for the readers to learn include the extent to which individuals do to explore their own limit, assume the concept of civilization towards having direct encounter with nature and even opting for solitude in the quest to achieve individual goals and objectives. This is so going with the example of Chris McCandless that walked into the Alaska and disappeared only to be found four 9 months later (Krakauer 5). The concept of the material world has also been assessed through the work where the author explains how McCandless leaves his parents who gave him a good lifestyle. McCandless even gives out his salary, abandons his car and even burns his money. This is unlike the normal human nature that seeks to have all form of material wealth they can access (Krakauer 16-18). From the reading, I agree with the author’s premises. At times one has to

The disaster recovery plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The disaster recovery plan - Assignment Example The one-story building is constructed of cement block, with no windows, and meets all hurricane-related building codes. The clinic does accept animals for boarding when a hurricane threatens, as public shelters for local residents do not allow animals. When developing a sound disaster recovery plan, there are systematic measures an organization must take to accomplish this task. One of the first such method is developing preventative measures that function to aid the organization ahead of time. In terms of the veterinary clinic adequate preventative measures include ensuring that the building is current with hurricane protection standards and that it is properly insured. While an organization cannot prevent a hurricane from occurring that can prevent further structural damage from occurring by making sure that these building codes are up to contemporary standards, and are insured in case of a potential failure. Special consideration must be given to the nature of the business as hous ing animals. Proper preventative measures will ensure that the structure is either strong enough to withstand a hurricane, and if it is deemed not, that there will be adequate measures developed for animal transportation. In these regards, the disaster care plan will ensure that the animals can be temporarily moved to a veterinary clinic outside the immediate county through the aid of a UHAUL truck.

Ibn Roshd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ibn Roshd - Essay Example From 1169 to 1172, he was the judge of Seville and later on being the chief judge of Cordova from 1172 to 1182. He became the physician of the royal court on 1182. He was exiled on 1195 and died in Marrakesh, Morocco in 1198 (Hassan, 1). He was noted to be having a wide range of impact in philosophy not just in terms of Islamic works but also in terms of the works by Jewish philosophers. Saint Thomas Aquinas pertained to him as â€Å"The Commentator† as the saint believed Averroes had a major role in the rediscovery of Aristotle’s philosophical works (Maslaha.Org). He influenced a handful of writers and his name was mentioned in their literary masterpieces. Dante referred to him as the man â€Å"who made the great commentary† (Maslaha.Org). Ibn Rushd’s Tahafut Al-Tahafut (The Incoherence of the Incoherence) is considered to be his most influential literary work. In the said book, Aristotle’s philosophy against Al-Ghazali’s claims that Aristotleanism was inconsistent and was insulting Islam. Here he showed being fair towards religion and not siding thoughts or beliefs that were meant to destroy the relationship of religion and philosophy. He did not turn away from his religious beliefs but instead he is incorporating it into studies in the field of science for the advantage of both fields (Rushd & Van der Bergh, 156-161). His works are still being commended and recognized. It is not because he is an Islam who had a grasped of Jewish Philosophy but because he disregarded one’s religion to accommodate ideas and studies to be able to fully understand what was meant by certain literary works without having a negative connotation. Usually when a literary work is written, bias can be considered inevitable that can oppose or agree because of a writer’s race, ethnicity or

The disaster recovery plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The disaster recovery plan - Assignment Example The one-story building is constructed of cement block, with no windows, and meets all hurricane-related building codes. The clinic does accept animals for boarding when a hurricane threatens, as public shelters for local residents do not allow animals. When developing a sound disaster recovery plan, there are systematic measures an organization must take to accomplish this task. One of the first such method is developing preventative measures that function to aid the organization ahead of time. In terms of the veterinary clinic adequate preventative measures include ensuring that the building is current with hurricane protection standards and that it is properly insured. While an organization cannot prevent a hurricane from occurring that can prevent further structural damage from occurring by making sure that these building codes are up to contemporary standards, and are insured in case of a potential failure. Special consideration must be given to the nature of the business as hous ing animals. Proper preventative measures will ensure that the structure is either strong enough to withstand a hurricane, and if it is deemed not, that there will be adequate measures developed for animal transportation. In these regards, the disaster care plan will ensure that the animals can be temporarily moved to a veterinary clinic outside the immediate county through the aid of a UHAUL truck.

The BAd Effects Of Alcohol Essay Example for Free

The BAd Effects Of Alcohol Essay Alcohol is harmless when not drinking in mass quantities, even it helps body in some cases, for example wine protects people from heart attacks. However, if you get used to drink alcohol, you can easily abuse. Alcoholism happens when someone engages in frequent alcohol abuse. As time goes on, alcohol starts to alter chemical makeup of brain, resulting in user to depend on alcohol so as to feel good. In the end, their body starts to crave alcohol in order to function properly and alcoholism comes to person with many damages. An addiction to alcohol can have destructive and irreversible effects on a persons health which we can classify as physical, psychological and economic. The initial effects of alcoholism are the physical ones. These are the most important, because these can bring about your death. For instance, alcohol abuse affects the nervous system and then lead to permanent brain illnesses which are dementia and Alzheimer. Furthermore, an abuse of alcohol over a number of years has been linked to developing cancers such as liver, colon, throat and breast cancer. Besides, alcohol is a toxin which affects all body cells and tissues. According to the Jerry Kennard from Mens Health, uncontrollable drinking gives rise to crucial health difficulties (1996). Also Jerry Kennard stated that â€Å"Each year more than 100. 000 Americans die of alcohol-related causes. † (1996). All these physical effects make your life expectancy decrease and cause your premature death. The second results caused by alcoholism are psychological. At first alcohol makes you feel relaxed, but if you keep drinking more and more times, it increases anxiety and causes Oner, Page 2 depression. It also changes your behaviors and you may have some complications with your family and social circle. For example, a drunk man may use violence to even his wife or daughter due to have a blackout which is caused from alcohol. In short, just for pleasure which lasts for a short time, you may lose your family and your good friends forever. The last consequences of alcoholism are economic. Alcohol is not cheap and when people are drunk, they do not care about money which is paid for alcohol or another things. As a result, they do not have enough money for their major necessities. According to Shane Hall, eHow contributor, overindulgence drinking and alcoholism cost community billions each year and this includes the cure payments, prices to get rid of illegal situations and becoming unable to work which results from alcohol-related ailments and in the end untimely death. Thus, alcoholism not only causes your death, but also may result in lost all your wealth which you can leave an inheritance to new generations. In conclusion, the effects of alcoholism which are physical, psychological and economic can bring about many problems that influence your life in all aspects. Alcohol alters your brain, muscles, cardiovasculer system, sexual conditions, digestion process and other disorders that affect your health. In addition it can cause your suicide owing to the depression and other brain damages. Besides, it will leave you in pennilessness, because it costs a lot. Finally, there is no reason to drink alcohol in excess, we can drink just a glass of wine and enjoy it!

Housing development procedures

Housing development procedures A housing development requires ranges of design stages before beginning construction on a site. These include: the clients requirements, construction development, specifications and scheduling and also research. Procedure, designs and changes do occur throughout projects, unavoidably, in this case communication, agreement and understanding. Design/Planning In turn for a project to develop into a success, communication, consideration and concurrence are necessary. Comprehensive consultations relating to requirements in terms of design, practicality and constructability are crucial. A closer look into the clients personal needs and expectations will as well bear out fundamental to sustain success. However clients may not always be exact about specific characteristics of their requirements; therefore professional teams operate as advisors. As opinions change, plans are force to change to accommodate the new requirements. Before a development can begin adequate planning and designs have to be taken. Planning in tells of the early assembly of information and data before a thorough design and construction process is exemplified. In this time the parties concerned in the development should specify any particular requests, talk about important issues, resolve any disagreements if any and allocate tasks amongst other desires. Before beginning the design and development, planning authorities must approve to the anticipated project after comprehensive evaluation. In some cases warrants have to be granted for building work to commence on a site, most contractors need this to tear down or build on a site (Civitelo 2007). As the size and/or scale of a project increases expenses will eventually go up (Ashworth 2005), therefore cost saving solutions have to be implemented into the design of the project. This could mean having to sacrifice in terms of materials used; this will reduce expenses and permit the finances to be transferred in the direction of building a project of a larger magnitude. For this reason alone the stage for planning is extremely delicate as conclusions to how much space is in fact necessary for the development, insufficient and the project could be seen as a failure, too much and it could prove wasteful. There are various standards and legislations in the construction industry; these are put in place for the advantage of the client utilising the development. Other legislations are aimed at protecting the environment and wildlife. The intention of legislation is to provide a regulatory body to guarantee the efficient build of safe places for work. A forthright view held by several is that legislation and standards add to expenses and are not much beneficial at all however these claims need to be cautiously dissected. Legislative needs are aimed at increasing safety and are approved by a professional body having conducted tests and analysis. Projects, on the other hand small, are affected by an immense set of legislations; due to the fact efficient development is profoundly dependent on safe places of work and the safe handling of construction material and plants. This being the case projects will always consist of a large board together with clients, engineers, architects, contractors, government and regulating bodies and labourers (Ashworth 2005). Legal personnel are also a part of this board. When plans and ideas are drawn up for a project the persons involved are required to agree to contracts containing clauses in regards with the development in question. Content of the contract may comprise of articles with contemplation to the budget, time and materials amongst other issues. These require careful examination, as they can provide evidence as to becoming the reason for the downfall of a failed project. During the design process planners and designers must outline the function and suitability of materials whilst taking into consideration economic and ecological consequences (Hinze 2010). Architects for example would be more hands on with the design considerations of a project, however as some parts of a plan cannot be looked at without first getting planning consent, because of this a significant amount of decisions cannot be considered. When designing a project plans handed in must take into account the financial aspect as prices are persistently rising. Today, most projects involve an organization which is able to economically predict costs of not only primary costs but also costs of control services. The establishment also find the most cost-effective ways of ensuring that a development does not run over financial plan. Prior to plans being put forward, a check or review must be taken on the designs to ensure that the information can be implemented in relation to both construction techniques and materials. The aim of these checks or reviews Constructability Reviews is to minimize the amount of changes at a later stage, reduce delays and increasing costs (Palmer 2002). Construction As soon as construction is ready to begin, preliminary work is required to commence to allow initial works carried out. The clearing of the site, a survey to assess the ground conditions, setting up of sanitary facilities, water/power supplies, offices and storage areas are all included in the initial works carried out. Sufficient welfare facilities will need to be established on a site for the use of workers all through a development, this will need to be organised by the project manager in advance. Facilities will include rest areas, toilets, storage rooms as well as changing rooms and washrooms. (Hinze 2010) These facilities supplied will be essential for the duration of a project to avoid interruption to a project. In some situation however, the project manager may not need some facilities and instead be able to utilise permanent services available on site. An example of this would be, the client may permit the construction team to use toilets already installed on the construction site. This will consequently minimise costs which could have been incurred if the welfare facilities were required. When welfare facilities are essential the project manager should endeavour to locate these in various locations and not a particular area, hence them being in one area can cause inconvenience. An example would be, if the site is quite large the project manager may discover that time will be wasted going to and from the welfare amenities instead of constructively using the time. Once the preliminary works have finished, demolition on the site can begin. Since the site is situated on a 10 ha site of old forest 5 miles out of the town centre; appropriate access and transportation is required to be arranged in terms of plant/machinery. The outcome of the demolition will lead to the recycling of materials. The forest trees for example can be recycled for timber use during the construction process. After the site has been cleared, excavation will be concluded to create the required ground conditions fitting the design specifications. In most cases the land in which a project is developed can prove difficult in terms of workability. Loose soil, frequently at a shallow depth, is an foreseeable problem that can be overcome using deep foundations. Nonetheless in this case, shallow foundations will be used as stated in the brief (Palmer 2002). The excavation phase will also prep the site for eventual service fittings and the construction of the substructure. Plants will be necessary during the construction process to enable the increase in production, reduce labour requirements, produce higher standards of constructions and possibly condense overall costs (Cooke 1997). The substructure will have reinforced concrete foundations to permit sufficient support of the buildings by transporting the load to the ground. This will be fundamental for the community hall which will comprise of a steel frame and metal cladding roof. Services will also be required during the substructure stage for pipes/cable routes, drainage systems. Extensive work to the floors, walls and roofs will all be subject to the design specifications. Scaffolding will be necessary when working on raised platforms i.e. first floor levels, roofs etc, these will comprise of steel or aluminium alloy tubes. As the development will consist of a 200 home housing estate, the homes will be of identical layout and size, for this reason pre-fabricated timber roof trusses will be delivered and hoisted into position before being placed on the supporting walls. The floors and ceilings in the homes will be timber constructed where as the community centre will consist of a concrete floor and metal cla dding roof. The walls in the homes will be brick and block masonry fully insulated cavity walls, these will be plastered inside. Completion of both substructures and superstructures will allow the introduction of services to the buildings; these include drainage, pluming, gas and sanitary works. Some services will need installation below ground in particular the trenches. Service works generally cause widespread disturbance to the community, particularly to traffic because of road works. Significantly the impact should be lower however, seeing as the housing project is being developed on an old forest site, local authority permission must be granted before work commences. The inspection of works will be carried out and final tests will be conducted. The plumbing works, installed above ground, will gain from construction after the vital structural works have finish. The finishes require extensive organisation to ensure they are completed accordingly as certain processes will not be able to start until others have been finished. Due to this, workers should be hired to carry out the finishing works at the same time for faster completion of works. Landscaping should not cut too much into the budget as the area for the project specified is an old forest, so trees and greenery should not to be too expensive to plant around the area. The roads and the footpaths will need to be carefully examined to make sure that the methods of circulation and travel are well planned out and do not obstruct each other. Security will need to be in placed in the community centre; this should be a priority as it will be provided for the local community, including children and the elderly. The project will be finalised when the site has been fully cleared and inspected. All left-over material and debris should be transported and disposed of according to the local health regulations or recycled. Plant machinery, temporary accommodation, and offices will need to be taken apart and cleared off the site. The site should be left in excellent condition and allowed to be inspected by the local authority to ensure the development is up to standard, and match es all the relevant health and safety codes. (Cooke 1997). Programme Of Works 3 Bedroom Home (Plan View)

Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare :: Poetry Poem

Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare SONNET 18 William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 is one of one hundred fifty four poems of fourteen lines written in Iambic Pentameter. These sonnets exclusively employ the rhyme scheme, which has come to be called the Shakespearean Sonnet. The sonnets are composed of an octet and sestet and typically progress through three quatrains to a concluding couplet. It also contains figurative language and different poetic devices used to create unique effects in his sonnets. Shakespeare's sonnets consist of words constructed in a certain manner or form, thoughts, emotion and poetic devices. One way to interpret the sonnet is to think of "thee" that Shakespeare is referring to as a person. Following that line of thought the sonnet could read that Shakespeare is in love with someone who is consistently beautiful. He tries to compare this person to summer but summer is not as beautiful or constant. This person in Shakespeare's eyes will never grow old and ugly and not even Death can say that his pers on's end is near. In line 1, he starts the poem with a question. He asks if he should compare the person to a summer's day but ends up not doing so realizing that the person is superior. In the following 7 lines of this sonnet, he begins to show the differences between the person and a summer's day. He explains that the person's characteristics is moderate and comfortable and has favorable qualities in line 2. "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May," (line 3) means that the rough winds of the summer can destroy the buds of the flowers and his particular person has no such trait. In the forth line of the sonnet, Shakespeare justifies how summer is too short and how his lover's beauty does not end like this specific season does. In the next two lines, lines 5 and 6, the superb poet interpret the summer's temperature. He explains how the summer can be extremely hot and uncomfortable. He also describes how the sun can be dulled due to the covering of clouds. It can obscure or sha dow the earth, unlike the shining beauty of his lover. Although Sonnet 18 is an extended metaphor, line 7 has a literal meaning that explains itself: "And every fair from fair sometime declines," With fair meaning beautiful, he is saying that everything that is beautiful must come to an end and that all beauty fades except the one of his lover.

Pollution and Environment Essay - Preserving Our Environment

Preserving Our Environment Many people assume that the environment is in no danger.   They believe that with advancing technology, we don't need to worry about renewing natural resources, recycling, and finding new ways to produce energy. They argue that one person in the world does not make a large difference. In actuality, each individual's contribution greatly affects our environment.   Our natural resources are running low, and we must work together to save them and the Earth from ruin.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Recycling is so important in the effort to preserve our environment for future generations.   We are running out of places to put landfills.   My neighbor, Nick, believes that the U.S. has enough land for our own waste, and we should not concern ourselves with the rest of the world.   However, saving the environment is a team effort.   Everyone in the world must participate and work together in order for it to be successful.   While some have argued that one person does not make a large difference, the fact is they do.   Last year I lived with five other girls.   We set up a system in which everything that could be recycled was.   Between the six of us we ended up taking out the garbage once a week and taking out the recycling two or three times a week.   This year there are only four of us.   We haven't started recycling yet because we are still searching for a location to take all of our renewable garbage.   Without our system in p lace, we take out the garbage on a daily basis.   That is how much extra waste we accumulate without recycling, and these quantities reflect only the garbage of four girls.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The U.S. should follow the example of other nations who have come up with innovative ways to use their garbage ra... ...children about nature.   When these values are instilled at a young age, they stay with the child for life.   These children will grow up with a greater awareness of the plight of the Earth and will be better prepared to help in the fight.   In addition, some universities, such as the University of Michigan, allow students to minor in areas such as global changes which allows them to gain a greater understanding of current environmental issues.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through recycling, the use of innovative new ideas for energy, and education, it is possible to make great advances in preserving our surroundings.   People must first realize that there is in fact a problem, and then make a deliberate effort to contribute to the solution.   By taking the time to recycle and making use of technology such as solar power, we can save the environment for future generations to enjoy.

Baseline Magazine Website Review

Baseline (www. baseline. mag) is an online resource and special interest online magazine for people who are working in IT departments of companies, IT companies, and even mere enthusiasts in the field. As the site describes itself, Baseline is a resource site for information technology, planning, implementation and IT solutions for business.The home page utilizes a three-column, uncluttered layout with a cool-to-the-eyes orange and maroon motif against a white background. Article titles and links, meanwhile, are encoded in blue.The same color scheme is used in all subdirectories although the latter pages are less eye-catching than the main page, usually a simple one-column presentation of text and graphics. The whole home page looks like the usual e-zine but because Baseline is an information-driven site, it does not feature photos and animated graphics to capture the reader’s attention. It focuses on content so that it relies on catchy text presentation in various font sizes to show the readers the level of relevance of a featured article as determined by its editors. I browsed around the site to sample their articles.I read its main headline, â€Å"USEC puts energy into virtualization†, a story about the move of uranium supplier USEC towards server virtualization to optimize its service and offer lower cost. Like most online magazines, Baseline’s articles feature options for the reader to rate, share and download a printable or PDF version of the article. Meanwhile, a Related Content box to the right encouraged me to click on and read more articles. A feature worth mentioning are the eight subject tabs located just below the site banner. Baseline divides the contents of its site into eight categories (Compliance, Intelligence, IT Management, etc.) and I think this is helpful to anyone who would like to read articles on specific categories only. A click on the desired tab generates a list of articles on the category, both new and archived. Another aspect I found interesting was a streaming line of text on top of the page announcing digital events. Furthermore, just when I am ready to conclude that Baseline online magazine is pure boring text, I happen upon news presented in video (a news item about the need for smooth upgrade to Windows Vista, among others) and another one in slideshow format (an article enumerating the 8 ways by which technology has changed sports).Baseline has a printed version. A portion of the homepage shows a cover of its latest issue and the articles inside, which could also be read online. However, even if access to the site is free to readers, the online version obviously earns more for the company judging by the prominent advertisements of well-known IT companies. Some articles are even sponsored or have been produced by an advertiser and not Baseline itself.There are ad boxes, links, texts, and graphics enticing the reader to check out IT-related products or services. There are even Google ad boxes. The site’s major sponsor, IBM, is prominently displayed in an ad box on the home page. Overall, Baseline is a veritable resource for the IT specialist or enthusiast who would like to be updated on the latest on information technology although the site owners specifically aim to reach IT businesses and IT department employees as its articles always tend to relate both IT and business.IT businesses and departments of companies would benefit from reading the articles, keep them updated with the latest trends on the market, and even help them look for their hardware and software system needs for their respective business through the site’s well-known advertisers. The site contains specialized information and has a limited target audience, but Baseline is a complete and very good site for this particular audience group. Reference: Baseline. Electronic magazine. Accessed on May 6, 2009. www. baselinemag. com.