Challenges Faced by the TCL of Household Brands

From the political perspective, China's accession to the WTO, the competitiveness of home appliances market will be growing; TCL will have to accept the challenge of many household brands. These challenges will bring our goods to exchange a big impact. Now farmers are getting richer, the consumption level increases. Later there will be more and more people use appliances. From economic factors, the current domestic economic impact of the economic crisis is not large, but gradually changed the domestic economy was getting better and better, the city people and rural people's spending power is increasing, but because the more tired goods more price increases Fast, so people need the degree of electronic products become low. From technical factors, the people now need more and more domestic TV, the products are constantly updated. However, the domestic production technology of new technologies, is still smaller than the level of international production technology, production technology, we may be big blow, and perhaps only get a small fee. From the social and cultural factors, China's population structure is complex, each of the requirements for electronic products are not the same, especially for mobile phone consumption among young people account for a large position. The consumption level of each person is different; the products are not the same need, so that people differ greatly in need of electronic products. As a large electronics company, TCL has been facing a lot of competitors. Fields in plasma, Panasonic, 20% market share and become market leader, Panasonic is the vanguard of technology with technology. In the LCD TV market, market share reach of first place, Sharp at 28% of the market occupies the second place. The stolen Chang Hong is the first to enter the field, and put the largest companies, in terms of Chang Hong’s rear-projection TV screen, functionality and price point of view still holds in the country's most eye-catching position. For TV, the buyer has a strong bargaining power, because most buyers of TV consumers, individual consumers will be very concerned about product prices. TV is not a necessity in life, is increasingly supported by computers and other electronic information products to replace, consumers are not eager to buy. Many electronics manufacturers, greatly reduced in order to seize the market price of the TV as an electronic information products consumers great choice, convenient channels of information, the information consumers want to know the market very easily. TCL is the internal environment from the following points. TCL lot of resources, from the tangible assets of view, TCL Company continued the production of emerging products. Many people like TCL’s electronics products. TCL latest production of LCD TVs, to protect people's eyes, can also reduce the energy consumption of the TV. From the perspective of intangible assets, TCL won many awards. For example, in 2009, received 60 years in China Brand Image Award; TCL's brand value in 2009 for the first time exceeded 400 billion Yuan. ?(Docin, 2011) TCL has a very good team, TCL of all employees are aware, do not build an internationally competitive corporate culture, can not become internationally competitive enterprises.

Personal Philosophy of Nursing Essay

Belief is the reflection of values that guides one to plan and set goals in their personal and professional Life. With this in mind, and that caring is the essence of nursing practice, my career path goals were outlined and focused on concept of education , health and care. My perspectives and beliefs about nursing as a profession have been gradually developed throughout the years by the influence of many, mentorship, education and by long years of clinical experience. Beliefs Nursing. Nurses help and care for the sick or well, and promote health with skills, expertise and knowledge. The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing as â€Å"the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.† We nurses are focused and educated to provide the most holistic care to individuals and family with actual and/or potential health problem. (ANA, 2009). Our commitment is to assist individuals/clients efforts to reach their optimal health potential. Client. Client can be the individual, family, group, organization or communities that have innate abilities, resources, experiences and values that guide decision-making regarding health issues.† (University of Kansas School of Nursing, 2001). Kings’ theory emphasizes the importance of clie nt participation in the decision-making and deal with choices, alternatives and outcomes of care (cited by Parker, 2006). Nurses need to understand how individual/clients choose and accept responsibility when they are their health decision-maker. Health. Health is the client optimal state of wellness. The World Health Organization defines health as â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.† Leininger defined health as â€Å"state of well-being that is culturally defined, valued, and practiced and reflects the ability of individuals or groups to perform their daily role activities in culturally expressed, beneficial and patterned ways (cited by Parker, 2006). The individual/ client health is intrinsic interacted with his/her environment. Environment. Newman defines environment as â€Å"all internal and external factors or influences surrounding the identified client or client system (cited by Parker, 2006).† Martha Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings proposed that the client and their environment are integral with one another in a continuous process (Blais et al, 2002). When nurses apply Rogers’ theory in their practice, they holistic focus on the person as a whole and promote and integrate care between the client and his/her environment. It is my belief that environment greatly influences a client’s health and her/his perception of health and it is in continuous and creative changes. My career goals were outlined in the perspective of changes and advancement of my profession and a more competent professional nurse. Goals Short-term. My immediate short- term goals as soon as school is over, is to be oriented as day House Supervisor in the facility where I work. It will be a cross-training position, since I am not planning to leave the clinical area anytime soon. This new position will be parallel to my actual position as telemetry charge nurse. My second goal is to finish St David HCA academy leadership classes by the end of this year. I believe that these short-term goals will pave my career path and give me the foundation to accomplish my long-term goals Long-term. I have two long-term goals that I am planning to accomplish by 2012. First, I am planning to be Austin Community College Nurse School’s clinical instructor assistant to start in January of 2010. Also, next year, I would like to apply and be accepted in a â€Å"Developmental Teaching Program† that the University Of Texas (UT), with the collaboration of St David HCA and Seton Hospital, organized to help and assist employees who are interested in advancing their education into a master’s program and be involved with teaching. Each hospital accepts fifteen qualified employees per semester and the program consists of three teaching classes at master level. Planning my career and setting up goals beyond being a bedside nurse was not an easy step. It was finalized/ concreted by the influence and support of friends and my family Critical Analysis Beliefs. My beliefs about nursing were influenced especially by my husband and by one of my lifetime friends. Both taught me that nursing is a profession that one never stops learning and learning is the only way to acquire knowledge to improve and excel as a professional. I also have an enthusiastic mentor that instructs and encourages me to expand my knowledge in other areas of nursing rather than just being a bedside nurse. My beliefs in my career, also, have been greatly influenced by my mother who continuously reminds me to always put myself in the patient’s place before any decision or judgment is done. Through it, she taught me what compassion and true care means. Besides the people mentioned above, there are many others that in one way or another influenced and shaped my beliefs about nursing. Career Choice. Nursing has been my only profession. I got my ADN diploma through Florence Nightingale Nursing School, the only England Nurse School in my country. So, once in the U.S, I went back to nursing school and got my ADN. My career choice happened long before I even finished high school. My father was very sick for a long time and very often I would go with him to the hospital for doctors’ appointments or just to the emergency room. During those times my heart would go to those sick people lying down on the ground outside the hospital waiting for an available doctor or a nurse to see them, and, most of the time it would not happen so soon. Some of these people would stay for a day or two in the heat, hungry, thirsty, dirty and in pain. Against my mother orders, (because we did not have much), I started to bring food, and water to those people and I would apply butter to their wounds to keep them wet ( I had seen the old women in the farm doing it). When I really decided to go the nurse school, I was not sure about it. I told my mother that would try it because I did not want to be anything back then. Once I started nursing school, I was totally in love with it. Indirectly, my father led me to my current career path that I feel fulfilled me as a professional. Current Career Path. I have been a nurse for six years. Since my graduation, I have been working as a telemetry nurse/charge nurse. But through these years I have been working in all med/surg floors, step-down ICU and ER. I like cardiology the most. It is a fast pace unit and can be very challenging. In this unit I am able to advise and encourage patients on health maintenance and disease prevention, and that I work with a team that together provides optimal care to those with cardiac diseases. All these years as an ADN I was comfortable as it was until two years ago, when my husband and my mentor encouraged me to advance my education at least to the BSN level. And, I am glad that I did it. The RN-BSN bridge program was essential in expanding my knowledge and therefore improved my nurse practice. Impact of RN-BSN Program on Nursing and Career The Texas Tech University health Sciences Center School of Nursing program has had a great impact in my profession and career path. Through this program I have been learning more about evidence-based practice, theories and nursing practice than I did in all those years in the ADN schools. Now, for example, when I look at a medication(s), read or do a procedure on a patient , I am more aware of the importance of research and evidence-based practice and why I (we) do things in certain order or way. â€Å"By exploring concepts such as: evidence-based practice, professional development, life-long learning, community health, nursing theories, research, mentorship, current issues facing nursing and many more I now see nursing form a larger perspective (Harmon, 2009).† This program expanded my knowledge, enhanced my practice and thus, effectively improves my patient’s outcomes. Through this program I became a stronger and more complete nurse. It taught me the discipline of nursing practice is guided by theories and models that can be applied to my daily practice. Nurse Model Jean Watsons theory of caring has profound impact in the practice of nursing. Caring is central to nursing; it is the central focus of practice. Foster, 2008 states that †¦Ã¢â‚¬ caring is to preserve human dignity, is to preserve humanity in systems and in society, increasingly awakening in nurses and nursing to realize they have a critical role in sustaining human caring and humanity itself, especially in instances where it is threatened.† Caring in my daily nurse practice underlies human values and beliefs that are essential in an individual/client or/and family basic needs. â€Å"The nursing response is a specific expression of caring nurturance to sustain and enhance the ‘other’ as he or she lives caring and grows in caring in the situation of concern (Buldin, 2005).† Through the theory of caring, I am more sensitive to express feeling of care and allow my clients, family and/or coworkers to express their own feeling of care. â€Å"Nursing can expand its existing role, continuing to make contributions to health care within the modern model by developing its foundational caring healing and health strengths that have always been present on the margin (Cara, 2003).† Caring is not a momentum, but a personal response. Conclusion My beliefs regarding the nursing profession and my goals were paved by people that continue and will continue to greatly and positively influence my personal and professional values. Through this career patch, caring is my daily vision and my response to those that come to my care. References American Nurses Association, 2009. Considering Nursing? Retrieved March 28, 2009 from http://www.nursingworld.org/EspeciallyForYou/StudentNurses.aspx American Nurses Association, 2009. What is Nursing? Retrieved March 28, 2009 from http://www.nursingworld.org/EspeciallyForYou/StudentNurses/WhatisNursing.aspx Blais, K.K., Hayes, S.J., Kozier,B. & Erb,G., 2002. Professional Nursing Practice: Concepts and Perspectives. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. Cara, C., 2003.A pragmatic View of jean Watsons’s Caring Theory. International Journal for Human Caring Vol 7(3). Retrieved March 30, 2009 from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy- ttuhsc.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=9&hid=5&sid=91639aaf-72f3-4082-a574‘6e5a3d0caaaa%40 Buldin, S., 2005. Nursing as Caring Theory: Living Caring in Practice. Retrieved march 30, 2009 From http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com.ezproxy.ttuhsc.edu/spb/ovidweb.cgi?&S=GOPEFPHIG GD DPCDNNCGLPHPLGBLCAA00&Link+Set=S.sh.15.16.46%7c12%7csl_10 Foster, L. R., 2007. Tribute to the Theorist. Retrieved March 30, 2009 from http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com.ezproxy.ttuhsc.edu/spb/ovidweb.cgi?&S=GOPEFPHIG GDDPCDNNCGLPHPLGBLCAA00&Link+Set=S.sh.15.16.18%7c3%7csl_10 University of Kansas School of Nursing, 2001. Mission, Philosophy, Organizing Framework, and Curricular Threads. Retrieved March 28, 2009 from http://www2.kumc.edu/son/vorientation/concept.html Harmon, V., (2009, Spring). Baccalaureate Nursing practice Course Syllabus: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing Undergraduate Program Philosophy. Retrieved March 18, 2009 from http:webtc6.ttuhsc.edu

A Study Of The Theme Of Profiling In Jenifer Thompson Cannino, Erin Torneo And Ronald Cottons Memoir Picking Cotton

A Study Of The Theme Of Profiling In Jenifer Thompson Cannino, Erin Torneo And Ronald Cotton's Memoir Picking Cotton As humans our minds tend to form thoughts based on different aspects towards people without having facts to back them up. It is purely a human tendency sometimes even uncontrollable. This is also known as profiling. Profiling can be based off many things, some for example are age, culture, gender, and race. Almost anything that can set one apart from another sets up the perfect stage for profiling. Profiling or any type of personal judgement in the mind is pure human performance, but said aloud or can cause much harm towards others. Profiling is extremely harmful outside the personal boundaries. Picking Cotton, is a great example of profiling. Its a meaningful story that shows profiling through different aspects. Though sometimes profiling others can simply lead to an argument or fight, this story leads to almost ruining someone’s life. Profiling has negative side effects for all involved, Picking Cotton clearly shows how profiling Ronald Cotton had a major impact on himself, his family, and even the women profiling him, Jennifer Thompson and Mary Reynolds. (As evident by the tragedy of Ronald Cotton’s story, it is imperative that society understands the harmful consequences of profiling a human being based on , to avoid wrongfully punishing or stereotyping innocent people.) (jennifer and ronald) (Cannino et. al 33). Profiling is simply a term defined as the recording and analysis of a person’s psychological and behavioral characteristics, sometimes this is done individually or by placing people in invisible groups. Picking Cotton is most definitely a novel written based off profiling. There is only one road that profiling can be used in good manners. That is purely using good judgement in your mind to profile certain people to test if they are either true friends or people you really want. When in situations where you meet new people and you have to make quick judgements on if they are safe to be around or spend time with; that is when profiling skills come into excellent use. Other than that path, profiling is extremely harmful to all who are involved. Media plays a major role influencing many young adults who take part in watching and listening to profile races and gender among other invisible categories. (because they should not be there in the first place) Growing up under two peopleà ¢â‚¬â„¢s influence for 18 years plays a huge part in the way you profile invisible groups. For example if you were to grow up under parents who were racists, that alone would hugely impact your view towards other races. Some homes force their children to believe what they themselves believe, while others let the children have the freedom to choose for themselves. Either way, the world you grow up in as a child leaves much residue on how your beliefs are formed as you start your adult life. Ronald Cotton was labeled as an African America male in his community due to his negative reputation he built himself growing up. Personally I have profiled others and I have been profiled. It is hurtful judgement that no one should ever have to deal with. Coming from an overseas perspective straight to an American perspective was a huge transition for me. I tried to be the â€Å"American† that I saw all around me, but inside I was the African I grew up as. Many people profiled me as a poor African girl. To make things worse, my parents are missionaries so that only added goody goody two shoes to my list. Yes, I did grow up in Africa and yes I am the daughter of missionaries, but that does not give you the right to profile me as a Christian, poor, African girl. I want people to look at the real me, not just automatically make assumptions due to invisible categories made. When I first moved back, I went in the direction of not telling anyone about where I was from or the family I grew u in, just to see what would happen. People tend to be more intrigued when I let them know where I am from. When they were blind to the fact that I am from Africa they were not as easily intrigued with befriending me, once their eyes were opened they automatically clung to me. It was almost sad to realize that being from Africa helped with the amount of friends I had. When people put me in the goody two shoes category I turned to a rebellion stage just to prove I would not be what they categorized me as. Once they categorized me as a wild child, I again turned back to the goody two shoes. People also profiled me as poor, due to the fact that I attended a name brand school, but instead I wore used or passed down clothing. When I was labeled poor, I automatically jumped to wanting to be the opposite. Realizing that I did not come from a rich enough family to afford name brand I switched to finding used name brand clothing. I was all over the place when I moved here back in 7th grade. Thankfully with those experiences this time around I am a much more grounded and independent person.

Uncle Toms Cabin brief summary and why the novel is so important to Essay

Uncle Toms Cabin brief summary and why the novel is so important to American history - Essay Example He also saved her life when she fell on water causing her father, St. Clare, to buy him from a slave trader (Weinstein 12). Major events in the second are the hunting of Eliza’s family and Tom’s life with St. Clare in New Orleans. While on escape, Eliza met George her husband but could not manage to escape to Canada because Locker, the slave tracker, trapped them. In New Orleans, Eva became ill after Tom had stayed with them for two years. Before she died she saw a vision of heaven which after sharing, it caused the other characters to purpose to change their lives. St. Clare’s cousin Ophelia ended her prejudice against the blacks. The third part is about Tom as Simon Legree’s slave. Legree hates Tom because he refused to whip a fellow slave and decided to beat him viscously and crush his faith in God but Tom persevered. Tom encouraged Cassy, a fellow slave, to escape with Emmeline. He refused to tell Legree where Cassy has gone which caused him to order that Tom be killed. While dying, Tom forgave the overseers who where beating him. This humility caused them to become Christians (Weinstein 26). The final section is about Cassy’s and Emmeline’s ride to freedom where they met George Harris’ sister. On reaching Canada, Cassy discovered that Eliza was her child who was sold when young. Being united again as a family, they travelled to France and finally to Liberia. Mr. Shelby went back to Kentucky and freed all his slaves. According to Grant (267), this novel is of great importance in the American history because it contributed to laying the groundwork for the civil war. The characters were used to personify different views of slavery by allowing those who were not slaves to hold varied views and actions in regard to slaves. For example, St. Clare bought a black slave called Topsy and had him educated by Ophelia his cousin who hated black slaves. The Shelby family related well with their slaves whereas Legree is seen to be inhuman

Write about a time when you failed and what did you learn from it Essay

Write about a time when you failed and what did you learn from it - Essay Example The fact that I was going to join a private school in Nashville only made the whole experience more difficult. My parents felt that joining Ensworth would provide me with better education and a safer learning environment. In addition, they felt that the school environment would give me with the opportunity to develop enriching relationships. I wish they were right, but they were not. It subsequently took a whole year for my parents and me to agree that the school was not the ideal environment for me. I spent my entire freshman year at Ensworth trying to fit in the social circles. I discovered that I was working too hard to fit in. This was made difficult by the fact that I did not agree with conforming to different values from those I believed in, just to fit in. I did not know who to trust or relate to. I slowly realized that the students there had developed their friendships over the years, some since kindergarten. This made me an outsider, and on their part, they had difficulty letting in a new person into their groupings. It was then that I started to talk to my parents to transfer me to a public school. My parents were extremely reluctant to entertain this idea. This made me feel like a failure. I was disappointed in myself and I felt trapped. Over a period of time, my parents came to appreciate my predicament. It took long and painful discussions, some fighting, and frantic begging on my part. Eventually, they let me switch schools to Hillsboro High School. Hillsboro High School is a large, independent public school with a very diverse student population. After moving from Ensworth, I no longer had the gourmet lunches. There were no large spacious classrooms and state of the art fitness centers. However, I felt truly happy at Hillsboro. The refreshing burst of diversity and realness became two key principles in finding many friends and ultimately, my self. I quickly loved the feeling of not being judged or criticized for my thoughts and

Gay rights in america Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gay rights in america - Essay Example While public perception of homosexuality has improved over the years, there are strong political and religious forces that are endeavoring to curtail this progress. As a result, despite nominal changes to the status of homosexuals, there is widespread discrimination and harassment of members of the community. In the year 2004 alone, â€Å"sexual orientation bias motivated 15.6 percent of the 9021 reported offenses within single-bias hate crime incidents in the Unites States. In 1998, Matthew Shepard died after he was tied to a split-rail fence, tortured, beaten and pistol-whipped by his attackers, while he begged for his life.† (Brammer, 2006, p.996) In this context, many of the gay rights movements efforts attempt to address legitimate concerns such as anti-gay violence, anti-gay derogatory speech, discrimination at the workplace and unjust, unconstitutional laws that have held back the community. The gay rights movement has not a gained mass support the way the civil rights movement and anti-war agitations against Vietnam and Iraq wars did. This is because of a few reasons. Firstly, homosexuality is still a taboo in some parts of the country, especially those dominated by Christian orthodoxy. Secondly, gays and lesbians in America only comprise a minority of the population, not amounting to more than 10 percent (which makes their strength as a voting block less than that of blacks and Hispanics). Hence, the push for rights and recognition for homosexuality has happened in a sporadic, uncoordinated manner. The North East region of the United States, which is known for its liberal culture, has been at the forefront of gay emancipation. Some of the landmark legislations and verdicts that would act as legal precedents in the future were issued here. Yet, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans-genders in the country continue to face discrimination and oppression in many areas of lif e. A case in point is the

Business information management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business information management - Essay Example SWOT analysis is a marketing technique used by organizations to understand its external and internal environments. SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The first two is related to the internal environment of an organization while the other two is concerned with its external environment (Stone & Jacobs 2001, p. 35). The quality and impact of information systems with regard to its benefits to both the company and its customers can be looked at according to four perspectives (Symons, 1991, p. 181). These four perspectives are determinist, mechanic, systems, and inter-actionist. In a deterministic perspective, the hardware and software is seen simply as a technological advantage that can speed up routine tasks. This implies that systems were solely used by employees to work faster by automating the different tasks within an organization. There is bound to be widespread fear that it will bring about large scale unemployment through automation of jobs. The mechanistic perspective views an IT/IS system as a set of machines that will make its operations more efficient. It will bring about reliability and accuracy to different levels of operations and tasks. The next perspective views the modern outlook that organizations are dynamic systems made up of people. Hence an IT/IS system should reflect the proved clichà © that the ‘whole is greater than the sum of its parts’. Such a system will more than justify an investment in hardware and software in terms of efficiency and benefit to both the company and its customers. The final inter-actionist perspective reflects the current view of the efficacy of an efficient IT/IS system. It takes into account the concept of human computer interaction (HCI). (Hassan 2008, p. 230). This should ensure that an IT/IS system should be interactive with active participation of all the stakeholders which includes customers. Such a

Visual Arts - The Light Programme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Visual Arts - The Light Programme - Essay Example To understand the influence of this modern technology to the present society, and how it had influenced several past evens, there should be an understanding on how it was discovered. Historical Development of Television History and development of the television was inspired by a chain of attempts to develop the device. It was argued further that in order to reach its full invention, one inventor improved on the works of the other to gain his purpose in the invention technology. The television invention first got inspiration from the development of the telephoneoscope by Thomas Edison. The gadget revealed a technology that enabled pictures and sounds produced to be transmitted to a separate location that was not the initial transmission area. The device used a wire to relay the sounds revealing the images through electric camera-obscura. This marked the onset of the first device to transmit sound and images concurrently. Edison had made the initial step towards inventing a light messa ge machine (Smith & Paterson, 1998, 10). Though he did not directly participate in the invention of the current set known currently, this device greatly inspired a chain of inventions that eventually influenced the television set. Zworyki though his mentor Rosing later did experiments on Braun’s cathode-ray-tube to attempt the production of a television set. His efforts at Westinghouse in 1923 failed as he did minimal to convince his superiors on the importance of this invention. Through Sarnoff, Zworyki got the funding he had desired to develop the iconoscope in 1929; this device was invented with the ability to scan pictures. In 1939, he was given allowance to be able to transmit images and sound concurrently where he made major progress in the field finding competition from other inventors like Philo Farnesworth. Farnesworth was a creative inventor of the time who had no funding but his ideas to govern his desire of developing the set. He later saw progress in his inventio n as he got financial aid from Californian businesspersons to promote his ambitious desire to develop television set. By 1927, he successfully managed to transmit splotches of light from the camera tubes he had invented. Though not entirely successful, his method to relay images produced a not clear product but in turn proved that his concept would be successful with proper developments. The developments made were greatly impaired by World War II that saw the haul of the invention process. The process to advance on the technology that these two inventors created found major boosts over the years and prompted the marketing of the idea to the world. The marketing process, in 1939 conducted by Sarnoff greatly changed individual’s perspective into accepting the new communication gadget. He had managed to introduce the set into the market making profits through purchases of the sets by most America households. Sarnoff saw the importance to have television for individual entertainm ent and to boost the businesses of the merchants as it provided a platform to advertise their products. This development later prompted other advances to the set by the â€Å"Radio Corporation of America† RCA, Sarnoffs’s company completing the television set known presently. Major Developments and influences of Television Ever since its invention, the television

Distance education comparing 2 educationalinstructional websites for Essay

Distance education comparing 2 educationalinstructional websites for use of medium - Essay Example Within the context of the stated, the IHEP (2000) examined existing benchmarks, guidelines, and principles that addressed quality online learning. The examination resulted in a list of 24 benchmarks that are deemed essential to quality online distance learning. Proceeding from the above stated, this research will evaluate two distance learning programs using the 24 benchmarks referred to in the above. This analysis will show that even though Phoenix University's online programs are very well developed, they fall short of Athabasca's. Benchmarks and recommendations for online distance learning were developed by many sources (ADEC, 2001; AFT, 2000; IHEP, 2000). The guidelines represent institutional and faculty controls over many aspects of distance learning and included: (a) program quality and standards; (b) faculty support; (c) student services; (d) evaluation and assessment; (e) role and mission of the university; (f) access to learning resources; (g) quality of faculty; (h) student interaction with faculty and peers; and (i) a comprehensive technology plan. The institutional support benchmarks were defined as: (a) a documented technology plan that included electronic security measures to ensure that the validity, quality and integrity of the information; (b) the technology was as failsafe and reliable as possible; and (c) the existence of a centralized system to maintain and support the technology infrastructure. As regards both Phoenix and Athabasca, no information was provided on either website regarding institutional support. 2.2 Student Support According to the MEP 2000 student support benchmarks for online distance learning were: (a) the availability of information about courses and programs; (b) hands-on training and information for students on the library and its resources; (c) the availability of technical support, instructions on technology, and tutorials; and (d) a system in place to quickly address student questions and complaints with regards to student services. As relates to Phoenix University, the website mentioned the factor of student support but did not clarify the type of support offered. In direct comparison, Athabasca emphasised technology orientation courses, program orientation courses and additional training and support for all enrolled students. 2.3 Online Course and

Describe somene who taught you to read or write and explain this Essay

Describe somene who taught you to read or write and explain this person's significance in your life - Essay Example He exposed me to many narratives, which he liked, and often tasked me to compose narratives and recite to him. My narratives were brief and incoherent but he appreciated them, may be because of his professional background, and motivated me to compose a narrative each time he recited one to me. This became the basis of my writing class as he then tasked me to start writing my compositions and guided me through my mistakes in spelling and word structure. The literature routine perfected my writing potential at the early stage. The approach that my uncle used in teaching me to write identifies his significance in my life. He instilled a culture of creativity in me and demonstrated to me that I can utilize my environment for creativity. While this potential was earlier restricted to narrative composition, I have learnt of its application in real life and utilize it in creativity and innovation for solution of real life problems besides development of artistic work. My uncle therefore empowered me into a social and economic resource in the

An Element of Art and Science Essay Example for Free

An Element of Art and Science Essay Astrology provides a very debatable kind of knowledge that is generally assessed by the intelligent as a useless kind of knowledge, which only makes sense for the ignorant. At the same time astrology is usually associated with gypsies and hucksters, who are known for their deceptive and fake knowledge, as they try to deceive people for their own financial interest. On the other hand, we find people with high education attempting to study astrology and very much respect the kind of knowledge it offers them. Whether such knowledge offered through teaching astrology in universities is worth doing or to be considered an inapplicable knowledge for high education is a critical decision to make, which requires obtaining a great insight about astrology it self as an academic field in order to be able to make a correct assessment. Astrology is actually a combined form of knowledge that both combine both the element of art and of science in its essence. It contains the mathematical element as well as the artistic element o symbolism (Astrology? 891). Scientists usually disregard the art side of astrology and focus on the basic mathematical part of it, as they judge it as useless and insignificant. This actually destroys the wholeness and balance within the realm itself. This may be considered a reason for misunderstanding the real value of knowledge in astrology. It is also a fact that every field is vulnerable to be used by ignorant people who devoid it totally of its meaning and value, in order to sell it as cheap as possible in a market of ignorance that unfortunately have many customers who are wiling to buy, again this helps in misunderstanding Astrology (Astrology? 891); and as there is the presence of the competent and the incompetent in every field, and people usually search for the best in every profession, so why exclude Astrology (Astrology? 896). Astrology requires a sophisticated kind of thinking as it combines artistic and scientific knowledge, it can therefore never be considered as insignificant knowledge. It may not be appreciated by scientists due to the artistic element provided within it, and their total dependence on reason for discovering reality since the onset of the renaissance; thus reviving such forms of knowledge actually, shows the evolution of knowledge and thinking that reflects the significance of intuitive forms of knowledge besides the pure rational ones. The astrological knowledge in itself consists of a natural balance between intuitive and rational knowledge, and disturbing this balance will only lead to the production of inconsistent forms of knowledge that seem to appear on the surface to help in the generation of misunderstandings regarding astrology. The argument of scientists against Astrology reflects the on going disagreement between scientific knowledge and intuitive forms of knowledge. Scientists never admit the truth in any intuitive understanding, and they usually regarded as invalid. They never accept the fact the mystery is part of reality and that the rational mind can never be able to reach full understanding of the universe. Astrology is a balanced kind of knowledge as it respects both forms of thinking, which in fact a respect for nature and for the human being as part of that nature. I feel that the purpose of a reading is to understand ones life challenges And potential, to provide an opportunity for self reflection and life Evaluation, as well as to confirm ones intuitive sense of what ones Life is about (Astrology? 895). Human beings as well as nature are made of matter and soul that can never be detached from each other as long as life is there. How can scientists reach the truth if they are actually altering the natural balance in life by looking for material proof and ignoring the intuitive reality of nature? The soul remains a mystery that can never be explained by scientific truth, and science can not resolve the question of life and death. There fore, accepting astrology as a significant form of knowledge by a scientist is truly a question of him admitting intuition as a part of reality. From another side, if the issue had not been on intuition, regarding astrology, it is still a form of knowledge that surely provides the individual with some insight about life and introduces him to different kinds of thinking; it should be even credited for this reason alone, my studies in Astrology, as well as in other fields, are attempts to understand the grand design of the whole (Astrology? 894). Scientists also accuse Astrological interpretive knowledge of not being exact stars incline but do not compel (A critical? 882), and this fact works against scientific logic which is sharp and determinant. But actually, life in it self is never exact or straight forward and clear as mathematical knowledge entails for instance. Astrology may actually provide the best for of understanding of life and nature; it allows people to understand reality the way it is without trying to alter its nature. The whole issue of prediction and future related knowledge can never be definite or fully explainable, to discuss future probabilities is much like giving a weather report (Astrology? 896). On the other hand, it should be admitted that Astrological knowledge may help in creating dependent and weak individuals, if they used it wrongly. It might lead them to spin in a cycle, which they might not be able to break. People can stress too much on the intuitive knowledge in Astrology and thus once again altering its balance of logic and intuition and thus getting again a wrong insight about life and nature, with an accompanied change in personality and attitude to life Astrology, when practiced as completely as possible, takes away from ach of us our right and duty to make our own personal decisions (A Critical? 882). In the case of a scientist who puts great emphasis on logic and excludes intuition, makes him a rough and rigid person who stands weak in front of the scientifically unexplained mysteries of the world; while in the case of the ignorant who does the opposite to give too much significance to intuition and disregards reason suffers another kind of weakness that creates a dependent and shattered personality. But again we must also admit that this would be the case with any field if wrongly interpreted. All in all, I believe that Astrology is a sophisticated form of knowledge that should be respected for the special thinking abilities it provides an individual who studies it. It also reflects on the importance of providing a balance between Art and Science, and thus between logic and intuition, which is found deep within the nature of man and the universe he lives in. I would very strongly recommend all institutions of high education to teach Astrology in order to correct the misunderstanding entitled to it, and thus expose the rich and deep knowledge it provides. Works Cited Bok, Bart J. A Critical Look at Astrology. The Humanist Costello, Priscilla. Astrology, Science or Abracadabra? Wellesley College.

Why Divorce Is A Good Thing

Why Divorce Is A Good Thing We owe all the wonderful aspects of modern marriage to one thing: divorce. You will hear just the opposite, of course. Religious fundamentalists and politicians will tell you that divorce is crumbling our society, ruining childrens lives, and weakening the moral character of the nation. Dont listen to them. They know perfectly well why divorce is a good thing, they just dont want you to ever find out. Divorce means choice. Divorce means that two people do not have to remain bound to each other until the grave, as society dictated until the 20th century. Divorce means that human beings can determine the path their life will take. And at its very root, divorce provides for that most crucial, most valuable of human experiences: happiness. Divorce is also the great equalizer, and the hallmark of a truly advanced society in terms of womens rights. No woman can ever claim to feel like property or subjugated by men where are there are equitable divorce laws in place. When we look back at ancient civilizations, the ones that stand out are the ones like ancient Egypt which provided equitable treatment for women and the accessibility of divorce as a way to end a legal marriage. Even in the modern world, the best countries for women are those that allow them to divorce freely and without social stigma. But the freedom to live your life how you please, without affecting how others live theirs, is something that a great number of people dont want you to have. Religions in particular seem devoted to making sure that you donà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t live how you please, that your every action is analyzed and criticized and ultimately judged. Whether its a stern and moralistic God or a harsh and judgmental society you claim as your higher power, be aware that both of them have one central belief at their core: personal happiness is bad, and personal choice is worse. The Catholic Church, for example, maintains that if you marry someone while your first spouse is still alive, you are committing adultery and will go to Hell. You are not allowed to put aside one spouse and find another, no matter what the reason. They dont like the idea of your having sex with more than one person in your life, even if you want to marry each person that you have it with. Or do they? If your spouse dies they have put no such hex on you. Widows and widowers are given the full blessing of the church to marry again. The limit seems to be three marriages, although Im not sure how stringently this rule is applied. It may be that the widowed are allowed marrying as often as they wish. But even if the church absolutely forbids a widowed person from re-marrying more than twice, it still means that the church would rather sanction youà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢re having sexual relations with three people in your life, rather than let you be married to two if the first one is merely divorced from you. Its adultery and fornication if you divorce one spouse and remarry even once, but legitimate carnal relations if you marry three times because the other two died. This cant possibly indicate a desire to limit the number of sexual partners you have, or to stamp out the sin of sex. I couldnt understand this breach in logic. As much as I disagree with the premise, if youre going to claim that all sex outside the bonds of your first marriage is sinful, then surely you have to call the widowed fornicators too, as much as the divorced are. But the church doesnt. And for years, neither did the public at large. Widowed people were pitied but respected. Divorced people caused scandal, were looked down upon by respectable people, were shunned and considered morally bankrupt. Now I know why. Its a question of choice, of volition, a unique human quality. The church, and society, simply wouldnt allow you to exercise your volition beyond that first choice of partner you made a choice, by the way, that was often made for you by your parents and had nothing to do with what you wanted. Nothing would justify wanting to make another choice later in life. Only God could do that, it seems. If God took your partner away from you, you had no choice in that, and therefore, you were allowed to choose again. If God decided to take that spouse from you too, that wasnt your choice either. As long as you yourself werent thinking and choosing and making your own decisions about your life, the church would be lenient on you. The minute you decided to affect change in your own life, to undo something you regretted doing or something that no longer served a purpose in your life, you were branded a sinner. So for centuries, miserably married people could only find freedom in the grave. Many people killed their mates to be free of them. It was not uncommon for aristocrats, attempting to climb the social ladder, to arrange for their no-longer-advantageous spouses to fall down stairs or eat poisoned meat so that they, the aristocrats, could marry someone higher up in the echelon of the nobility. For those without the stomach for murder, there was no option. There may have been unofficial separations as there are today, but the medieval mind was so accustomed to accepting discomfort and sacrifice that most unhappily married people stayed together because they felt it was their lot in life to suffer. Its a sentiment that carried through to our grandparents, and even our parents to some extent, many of whom lived out lives of unhappiness and dissatisfaction, bound for life to someone that contributed to the misery of their life, all under the guise of respecting the sanctity of wedlock. It was only when people started believing that their happiness was more important than a vow to God, that they had choice in life and were free to make choices responsibly, that marriage was a voluntary, mutually agreed upon partnership of respect and love that could dissolve if that love and respect disappearedit was only then that people started seeing marriage as an expression of joy and started enjoying the marriages they had. There is nothing sacred about a loveless marriage. Whats sacred is having the freedom to enjoy the best kind of marriage possible, the kind freely entered into by two people who understand that it could end if they neglect or abuse their partner, or that it could last a lifetime if they both want it to. Whats sacred is knowing that a satisfying, happy marriage is always possible, no matter who you find yourself with at the moment or how many times youve tried to make it work and failed. Whats sacred is saying to yourself, and your children, that happiness in love is a crucial component of a healthy life, that sacrificing that happiness for some fuzzy morality is an insult to the human mind. People who divorce and remarry respect the institution of marriage, and respect themselves. As difficult as divorce may be, as painful and unpleasant as it may be, it is necessary to preserve the essential beauty of marriage. People are much more likely to respect and honor each other, to stay in love, when they know that if they dont earn their partners love and admiration, constantly, their marriage could end. People who are bound, inextricably, to each other for life have no incentive to be good to each other. Children and Divorce But what about the children? Its a cry we hear constantly, in protest against everything from adult sites on the internet to garbage dumps to government cutbacks. Future generations, it seems, are far, far more important than this one. But I digress. I will discuss the issue of children and their relationship to marriage in a later page. Yes, children are often hurt by divorce. Yes, it can be painful for a child to see his parents split up. But I believe it is far more damaging for an adult to have grown up in a household where love has disappeared from his parents marriage, and therefore the only experience he has with it is that its a doomed institution, a miserable partnership, something he never expects will give him joy. One of the biggest mistakes parents make in child rearing is in putting their marriage last. It is imperative that you put your marriage first, not only for yourselves, but also for your children. Show your children what a marriage is, what they can expect and look forward to when they grow up. Show them a couple who are deeply in love and committed to each other, show them a man and woman enjoying being in love, respecting each other, living with each other, loving each other. If they see this, they will want and expect this for themselves. They will know what a good relationship is, and wont get drawn into bad ones. So what happens if you arent that blissful couple? What happens if you dont love each other, if your marriage isnt good? Then is that something you want your children to emulate? Even if your partner is the best parent in the world, it will do your child a great disservice if the two of you fight and hurt each other and then turn around and behave sweetly to your child. It will make your child feel uncomfortable, like they are somehow usurping love from one of their parents. Children plainly understand that their parents are supposed to be in love. Its what assures them that when they grow up theyll be in love as well. If you dont have a loving model to show your children, you are doing them no favors by staying married. Divorce. Separate yourselves from each other, and continue to be good, if separate, parents. Marry again, choosing carefully, so that your children can see that it s alright to want happiness for yourself and to go after it. Show them its alright to leave one marriag e if its bad and start another one thats better. Give them some idea of what to expect for their own happiness in the future. Divorce isnt easy. And naturally a happy marriage is preferable to divorce any day. I dont blame anyone for being afraid of divorce or for not wanting their marriage to end. But if we really want to understand what makes free, unfettered, romantic marriage possible, we have to embrace that which makes it possible, and give it the quiet respect it deserves.

Rate of Conversion of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) into Nitrogen

Rate of Conversion of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) into Nitrogen 1.1 Chapter Introduction: This chapter gives some basic information of the thesis. Firstly, some background information about selective catalytic reduction(SCR) technology, aqueous and dry ammonia, NOx gas and its conversion. Secondly the reason and the motivation for choosing this research project. Then the aim, objectives and methodology is described. Finally, the progress of project, plan and the conclusion is given. 1.2 Background Information: 1.2.1 Selective Catalytic Reduction(SCR) Technology: SCR technology is an advanced emission control technology used to reduce the quantity of hazardous gases that come out through the exhaust of a diesel engine. It injects a reducing agent into the exhaust of a diesel engine with the help of a catalyst. The reducing agent is usually automotive grade Urea and it is known as a Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF). A chemical reaction occurs that converts the Nitrogen Oxides(NOx) into Nitrogen, water and carbon dioxide. SCR technology is made to allow the exhaust gases pass through the reducing agent to take place a chemical reaction in an oxidising atmosphere. The Selective word is used because it reduces the amount of NOx using a reducing agent in a catalyst system and the chemical reaction is called as Reduction where the DEF is a reducing agent that sets a chemical reaction with NOx and converts it into nitrogen, water and carbon dioxide (CO2) Figure 1 SCR System (Howard, n.d.) This technology is the most cost effective and fuel efficient technology used to reduce the emission of a diesel engine. The diesel truck engines produced after January,2010 must meet the new EPA standard. SCR reduces NOx emission up to 90% while on the other hand reducing hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emission by 50-90% and particulate matter (PM), 30-50%. More emission reduction for PM can be achieved by attaching this system with the diesel particulate filter. SCR system is widely used in a marine vessel, cargo vessels, ferries, tugboats, large utility boilers, industrial boilers, and municipal solid waste boilers etc. 1.2.2 SCR reducing agent Ammonia: Some reductants are used in the SCR system such as anhydrous ammonia, aqueous ammonia and urea. These three reductants are widely available in the large quantity. Anhydrous ammonia is highly toxic and difficult to store, but it does not need any conversion, it can be used as it is to operate in the SCR. Anhydrous ammonia is a compressed liquid form of ammonia which does not contain water in it. Anhydrous ammonia is an important industrial cleaner that cleans the harmful bacteria and shines the industrial metal. The large amount of anhydrous ammonia stored requires more caution and safety. Stronger concentration of ammonia can cause burning and some fatal issues. In 1947, a ship filled with solid form of ammonia called as ammonium nitrate exploded in the Galveston Bay of Texas, resulting in number of deaths. Hence using anhydrous ammonia is SCR system is dangerous. (Lepore, n.d.) Urea is easy and safe to store but it is required to convert into ammonia through thermal decomposition to use as a reducing agent in SCR. Urea is very safe, stable, non-volatile, non-flammable and non- explosive. It can be safely transported, stored and handled. But the disadvantages of Urea are it may cause an extra emission of a nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide which are harmful gases for environment as well as living organism. It may cause a contamination and corrosion at the point of injection, leakage of Urea may cause a formation of a white precipitate salt and when mixed with a water then the formed Urea solution can cause scaling blockage in SCR system. Aqueous ammonia which is known as ammonium hydroxide must be hydrolysed to be used and it is comparatively safer to store and transport than anhydrous ammonia. Larger volume of aqueous ammonia will be required as compared to anhydrous ammonia to control the same NOx efficiency. Aqueous ammonia is available in a concentration of 19 percent and 29 percent by weight. For the 29% of aqueous ammonia, the volume required 3.4 times that of anhydrous ammonia and for 19%, the volume required is 5.3 times that of anhydrous ammonia. There are some common things between aqueous ammonia and anhydrous ammonia SCR installation. It has storage tanks, pumps and injection valves. The controlling is same that of anhydrous ammonia. (Salib, n.d.) 1.2.3 NOx conversion: SCR technology was established in 1970s and mainly used in stationary sources and still it is measure strategy for the reduction of NO. The high frequency and the ability to react with the NOx selectively to form nitrogen, water and carbon dioxide. When the exhaust gases pass through the SCR system a chemical reaction takes place. The ammonia or other reductant such as urea is injected and mixed with the exhaust gases before entering the catalyst chamber. The following reaction takes place in the conversion of NOx. (Majewski, n.d.) 6NO + 4NH3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 5N2 + 6H2O 4NO + 4NH3 + O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 4N2 + 6H2O 6NO2 + 8NH3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 7N2 + 12H2O 2NO2 + 4NH3 + O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 3N2 + 6H2O NO + NO2 + 2NH3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 2N2 + 3H2O 2nd equation shows dominant reaction mechanism. 3rd to 5th reactions above include nitrogen dioxide reactant. The 5th reaction is very fast reaction. NO2 is responsible for the promotion of the low temperature SCR in this reaction. In diesel SCR system, the level of NO2 is increased to enhance the conversion of NOx at low temperature. In some reaction water is produced that shows moisture is always exist in diesel exhaust. If the NO2 content increases NO level in the feed gas increases. N2O formations are also possible as shown in the reaction below, (Majewski, n.d.) 8 NO2 + 6 NH3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 7 N2O + 9 H2O 4 NO2 + 4 NH3 + O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 4 N2O + 6 H2O Some Undesirable procedures happening in SCR systems incorporate a few focused, nonselective reactions with oxygen, which is copious in the system. These reactions can either deliver optional emissions or, best case scenario, ineffectively consume ammonia. Partial oxidation of ammonia may deliver nitrous oxide (N2O) or elemental nitrogen, individually. Complete oxidation of ammonia, is shown in the following equation 2NH3 + 2O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ N2O + 3H2O 4NH3 + 3O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 2N2 + 6H2O 4NH3 + 5O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 4NO + 6H2O The SCR procedure requires exact control of the ammonia injection rate. A deficient injection may bring about unsuitably low NOx changes. An injection rate which is too high outcomes in arrival of undesirable ammonia to the climate. These ammonia emissions from SCR system are known as ammonia slip. The ammonia slip increments at higher NH3/NOx proportions. As indicated by the prevailing SCR reaction, 2nd equation the stoichiometric NH3/NOx proportion in the SCR system is around 1. Proportions higher than 1 altogether increment the ammonia slip. By and by, proportions near 0.9 and 1 are utilized, which limit the ammonia slip while as yet giving tasteful NOx changes. The alkali slip diminishes with expanding temperature, while the NOx transformation in a SCR catalyst may either increment or lessening with temperature, depending upon the specific temperature range and catalyst system, as will be examined later. 1.2.4 Diesel engine exhaust system: The first motivation behind a fumes framework was to securely course fumes gasses from the motor so they can be depleted into the earth, while additionally giving lessening of burning clamor. Fumes gas, nonetheless, contains parts that are hurtful to human wellbeing or potentially the earth. Thus, emanation levels of these fumes gas parts got to be distinctly directed. Since directed discharge levels are regularly much lower than that which can be accomplished through in-barrel control measures, the fumes gas must be dealt with after it leaves the motor. In this manner, while fumes frameworks keep on serving their unique capacities, they have developed into one of the basic components utilized for contamination control and reduction in cutting edge motors. A fumes framework from a diesel traveler auto is outlined in Figure 1. The fumes framework is regularly associated with the ventilation system, which gathers fumes gasses from the motor chambers fumes ports. In light-obligation applications, exhaust systems and diesel particulate channels (DPF) can be put either in the nearby coupled position to the ventilation system (the converter in Figure 1) or in the underfloor position (the particulate channel in Figure 1). The decision of area is controlled by the accessibility of space and the sought temperature profile, with the nearby coupled area giving introduction to the most noteworthy conceivable fumes gas temperatures. The after-treatment gadgets and their channeling are in some cases alluded to as the hot end of the fumes framework, while the suppressors and the tailpipes are the cold end of the fumes framework. The hot end channeling may incorporate the downpipe or front pipe (not present in the design appeared in Figure 1) which associates the ventilation system with the exhaust system, and additionally funneling between the impetus and the particulate channel. The after-treatment framework is associated with the suppressor by the inside pipe The presentation to high temperature, alongside different components, for example, quality necessities and synthetic introduction, decide the decision of fumes framework materials. Debilitate Brakes. Debilitate frameworks may likewise incorporate various segments. Some diesel trucks are outfitted with a fumes brake, which utilizes the fumes gas weight for vehicle braking, to facilitate the requests on wheel brakes and increment their life span. By actuating a throttle valve put in the fumes framework when the motor is creating no yield and braking is required, fumes backpressure and accordingly the torque required to pivot the motor is expanded. In motors furnished with a variable geometry turbine (VGT), the turbine vanes might be utilized to throttle the fumes stream rather than a different throttle valve. The adequacy of fumes brakes can be enhanced with an element that holds the fumes valve open constantly (bleeder brake). This can be proficient with an actuator that pushes the fumes valve and keeps it open through every one of the four motor strokes. Exhaust Brakes: It can be fitted to an assortment of medium-obligation diesel motors including overwhelming get trucks planned to pull moderately substantial trailers. Their application and adequacy is constrained by the greatest weight that the fumes framework segments upstream of the throttling valve can support. Deplete brakes have little effect on fumes framework commotion. Fumes brakes are just a single approach to utilize the motor to help in vehicle deceleration. Pressure discharge brakes-occasionally alluded to as motor brakes- open the fumes valve close to the highest point of the pressure stroke and discharge the packed air into the fumes framework before it can push the cylinder down amid the extension stroke. Pressure discharge brakes are frequently joined straightforwardly into substantial obligation diesel motors, for example, those utilized on Class 8 trucks. They give a fundamentally higher braking impact than fumes brakes without expanding deplete framework backpressure. They are being that as it may, significantly more exorbitant and require exceptional commotion concealment measures to keep away from intemperate fumes framework clamor. Waste Heat Recovery: Future fumes frameworks may likewise incorporate fumes gas vitality recuperation frameworks. In the diesel motor, the fumes gas enthalpy speaks to a critical portion of the synthetic vitality of the fuel-up to more than 30%-which is a standout amongst the hugest wellsprings of warm effectiveness misfortune. Debilitate warm recuperation frameworks may run from basic warmth exchangers to complex advances, for example, thermoelectric. An illustration vehicle with a fumes gas warm exchanger is the 2006 Citroen C4 Picasso, where squander fumes warm exchanged by means of the cooling framework is utilized to even more quickly warmth the lodge. Consider went for utilizing thermoelectric generators to deliver power from waste fumes warm in light-and substantial obligation diesel motors has been supported by the US Department of Energy 1.3 Reason and motivation for the research: Day by day the use of vehicle is increasing rapidly so that the emission of exhaust gases such as CO, NOx and CO2 are also increasing. Ammonia is basically known for being harmful for the environment, additionally adds to the development of particulate matter that has related to unfriendly wellbeing and environmental effects. In industries, the emission of NOx is rapidly increasing and it has become mandatory to control the impact or the emission of such hazardous gases. It may not be decreased but it can be controlled or converted into non-hazardous gases with the help of some reducing agents. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are an extremely important and essential group of air polluting chemical compound. This clarifies why NOx are critical air toxins and how NOx is formed and react in the air. This notice likewise talks about the standards on which all NOx control and pollution prevention technologies are based; accessible NOx technologies for different combustion sources; and performance a nd cost of NOx technologies. Following are some toxic effect of NOx: It creates photochemical smog It causes acid rain and nitrate particulate It increases the risk of respiratory conditions and increases the response to allergens It causes a formation of ground ozone which is associated with adverse health effect. This thought motivated to design a technology to convert such gases into non-hazardous gases. Because of the expanding awareness with air quality, stricter emission limits have been formed, which will be much further fixed for off-expressway diesel motors in the coming years. Depending upon the application and the area, distinctive emission limits apply. The most stringent emission regulation is as of now forced by the European Union (EU) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in USA. Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and (Particulate Matter) are the main focused pollutant on which the technology is being developed. An extra test emerges from the fact that, depending upon the application, distinctive test cycles must be utilized for the confirmation of engines. The engines are worked just in chosen regions of the engine map during particular accreditation runs. Just steady state test cycles are utilized for heavy vehicle engine with a power output more prominent than 560 kW. For versatile machinery engine with a power output beneath 560 kW. During the steady state test cycle, the engine is worked at steady speed and load while the emission estimation is directed. After every emission estimation, the working point is changed and the following estimation will be performed. At long last, the general test cycle result is calculated by a weighted sum of all estimations. During the NRTC test, the motor is worked completely transient, with a constant estimation of the emission. Along these lines, the after-treatment system has additionally to have the capacity to perform under transient conditions. Thi s reality prompts to requirement, e.g. highly exact urea dosing. This can be obtained by using the SCR technology The aim of this research project is to investigate the rate of conversion of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) into Nitrogen and water when the NOx gas is passed through the reducing agent. Within this aim there are number of objectives: Determine the Mount the test rig. Set temperature and amount of ammonia. Adjust the pressure load of the exhaust gas. Pass the gas through the test rig. Take the 1st default reading without using ammonia and SCR catalytic converter. Attach aqueous ammonia and SCR catalytic converter and again take the readings Testing Conditions at 25%, 50% and 75% of full load of engine The amount of ammonia injection is determined Keep the load of engine constant and increase the flow rate of ammonia and take readings on various flow rate. Increase the load of engine and repeat the same procedure. Compare the readings and plot the graph. The same procedure is repeated to get test results of 5 injection rate and determine the optimum level of ammonia injection. The above procedure is conducted at exhaust gas temperature in range of 300 °C 500 °C and depends on the load of diesel engine. Purchase a SCR catalytic converter and ammonium hydroxide (aqueous ammonia). Second hand SCR catalytic convertor is available on www.for-sale.ie (For-sale, n.d.) Take permission to use the diesel engines and the other required equipment from the college lab. Determine the airflow of exhaust gases based on size of the diesel engine Airflow measurement with the help of U-tube manometer. Measurement of engine speed using RPM indicator. Arrange Rotameter to measure the amount of ammonia released in the chamber. Mount the experimental rig. Solve the errors and find solutions for the problems that will occur during the investigation Hence the progress of the research concludes that the aqueous ammonia is suitable for the conversion of NOx in the SCR system as it is widely available and safest to store. In addition to it aqueous ammonia is inexpensive.

Beowulf Attacks Grendels Mother Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf Attacks Grendel's Mother (A Short Description of the Passage) Beowulf sees Grendel's mother in a cave. He tries to hit her with his sword, Unferth's Hrunting, but it fails to pierce her skin. So he throws the sword away and attacks the mother with his bare hands. He trusts "in his strength, his mighty hand-grip." Beowulf manages to throw Grendel's mother down; however, she quickly retaliates and is soon sitting on top of him. She tries to kill him with a dagger, but Beowulf's armor protects him this time. Beowulf managed to throw her off of himself and sees a sword of enormous size, which he immediately grabs. This sword has a beautiful ornamented handle and a blade that is hinting that this is not an average sword. It is "an old sword made by giants, string of its edges, glory of warriors." Beowulf uses this sword to kill Grendel's mother by hitting her from above, thus breaking her collar-bones and slicing her into two halves. At this moment, the fire brightens and lits the cave from inside, "just as from the sky heaven's candle shines clear." Beowulf looks around and sees dead Grendel, so he immediately cuts monster's head off to present it to Hrothgar. As soon as he does that, the lake becomes stained with blood. The watchers ashore interprets this as a sign of Beowulf's death of the hands of Grendel's mother. GRAPH Meanwhile, the blade of Beowulf's new sword melts because the blood is too hot and poisonous for it. Beowulf does not take anything from the cave besides Grendel's head and the handle of the miraculous sword even though there are many great treasures around. He swims back to the shore and is heartily greeted by his fellow warriors. Grendel's head is car... ...81. Movie. Don, Joe. Joe Don's Baby Cha Page. Online. Internet. October 11, 1998. Available HTTP: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Grid/1308/ Francis, Erik Max. Beowulf. From The Harvard Classics. Volume 49. P.F. Collier & Son, 1910. Etext version by Robin Katsuya-Corbet. Online. Internet. November 26, 1998. Available HTTP: http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/beowulf/ Groceske, Randy. A Classic Adventure: The Adventures of Beowulf. Online. Internet. October 15, 1998. Available HTTP: http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Cabana/2388/beowulf.html MCA Universal. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. 1995-1998. TV Show. Online. Internet. Available HTTP: http://www.mca.com/tv/hercules/siteindex.html Sony Playstation. Spyro the Dragon. Online. Internet. October 11, 1998. Available HTTP: http://www.playstation.com/games/categories/actionadvent/spyro/main.html

Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? :: essays research papers

Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? the major thematic concerns are those involving perception versus reality. In the beginning of the play, both couples seem to be average, loving couples of the nineteen-fifties. Even George and Martha seem to be playful in their insults toward each other. Things do not start to turn until George warns Martha not to â€Å"start in about the bit with the kid†, after which both of them begin to get more hostile toward each other. Even then, their antagonism of each other did not reach the feverish pitch that it had by the end of the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nick and Honey are presented as even more of an ideal couple. They are seemingly devoted to each other and are made uncomfortable by George and Martha’s constant attacks of each other. However, in the following acts, we find that this one is aptly titled â€Å"Fun and Games† when the truth is revealed about the two couples.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the second act, we learn that the idyllic perception of Nick and Honey’s marriage is exactly that: a fairy tale. George and Martha begin to attack Nick and Honey (as well as each other) and force them to admit the false pretenses on which their marriage is based; namely, that Nick only married Honey because he believed her to be pregnant. Also, the fact that Nick is so easily seduced by Martha makes one doubt the love in his marriage to Honey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another perception destroyed in this act is that the men hold the power in the relationships, which was the standard when the play was written. Their sexuality is what gives Martha and Honey their power. Honey used a false pregnancy to force Nick to marry her while Martha, as the daughter of the president of the university, uses sex as a tool to advance the careers of certain professors (although never her own husband).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the third act, we learn that Nick is perhaps not the athletic sexually voracious man we may have thought he was; his failure to consummate the affair with Martha resulted from his failure to maintain an erection. Also revealed in this last act is the fact that George and Martha do not, in fact, have a son; they simply made him up. With this last fantasy purged, George and Martha finally have a clean break with all the lies that have deteriorated their marriage. Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? :: essays research papers Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? the major thematic concerns are those involving perception versus reality. In the beginning of the play, both couples seem to be average, loving couples of the nineteen-fifties. Even George and Martha seem to be playful in their insults toward each other. Things do not start to turn until George warns Martha not to â€Å"start in about the bit with the kid†, after which both of them begin to get more hostile toward each other. Even then, their antagonism of each other did not reach the feverish pitch that it had by the end of the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nick and Honey are presented as even more of an ideal couple. They are seemingly devoted to each other and are made uncomfortable by George and Martha’s constant attacks of each other. However, in the following acts, we find that this one is aptly titled â€Å"Fun and Games† when the truth is revealed about the two couples.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the second act, we learn that the idyllic perception of Nick and Honey’s marriage is exactly that: a fairy tale. George and Martha begin to attack Nick and Honey (as well as each other) and force them to admit the false pretenses on which their marriage is based; namely, that Nick only married Honey because he believed her to be pregnant. Also, the fact that Nick is so easily seduced by Martha makes one doubt the love in his marriage to Honey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another perception destroyed in this act is that the men hold the power in the relationships, which was the standard when the play was written. Their sexuality is what gives Martha and Honey their power. Honey used a false pregnancy to force Nick to marry her while Martha, as the daughter of the president of the university, uses sex as a tool to advance the careers of certain professors (although never her own husband).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the third act, we learn that Nick is perhaps not the athletic sexually voracious man we may have thought he was; his failure to consummate the affair with Martha resulted from his failure to maintain an erection. Also revealed in this last act is the fact that George and Martha do not, in fact, have a son; they simply made him up. With this last fantasy purged, George and Martha finally have a clean break with all the lies that have deteriorated their marriage.

Argumentative Essay: Guns Save Lives :: Gun Control Essays

The NRA argues that the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees individuals the right to own and carry guns. They are concerned that federal regulations will continue to increase until owning a handgun will be difficult to achieve, infringing on their Constitutional rights. They also argue that if law-abiding citizens have guns, they are safer from criminals, bringing crime rates down. Con 1 Freedom has a price. For free speech the price is political dissent like flag burning, for freedom of religion you have to tolerate beliefs that differ from the masses. the right to assemble means that the nazis and clan can assemble too. The founding fathers felt that to protect these freedoms the population had to be armed. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people have died because of cars, and there's no movement to ban them. is the right to drive cars that much more important than protecting our freedom. CON 2 According to statistics there is 1 police officer for every 23,000 people in this country. Now how can that 1 policeman be there to protect me. The constitution does not guarantee us protection from murder or crime. It does provide us with a means to protect ourselves with the right to bear arms. We must stop trying to take hand guns away from law abiding citizens. Hand guns are here to stay and no legislation can rid the world of them. Think about it, there is a law making it illegal to own and use many drugs. Has that law stopped the drug problem we have in this country. CON 3 Even though there are statistics of gun violence, where are the charts of KNIFE violence or AUTOMOBILE violence? Not to mention deaths by screwdrivers, disease, baseball bats, crossbows, and on. IF a person really planned to kill anyone, that person would have found anything that would do the job. A disturbed person is more dangerous than a loaded gun, a gun is predictable, adisturbed person isn't. Two people hijacked a commercial jet liner with nothing beside a $5 box cutter that is readily available at your local hardware store, there is no restrictions on that. We already have over 20,000 gun laws on the books that are being ignored by criminals. In the Columbine High School tragedy, at least eighteen (18) existing anti-gun laws were broken. Does anyone really think the shooters cared they were breaking those anti-gun laws?

Industrial Production and Capitalism Drivers of Social Change

Industrial Production and Capitalism: Drivers of social change in history Ho Xin Qian Louise In this essay, I will illustrate why industrial production and capitalism were major causes of social change in history by stating three main arguments. Firstly, I put forth the case that industrial production and capitalism have changed the role and nature of markets in history. In doing this, I trace how the market has become the central system of social coordination via market instruments, encompassing even the elements of industry like land, labor and money.In exemplification, I explain how industrial capitalism has brought about the rise of mass production and mass markets, enabling the market system to expand its influence. Secondly, I will illustrate how industrial capitalism has changed the social relations of production, as well as the social organization of work, resulting in class struggle and socio-economic stratification in history. Lastly, I touch on the changes in norms and cul ture within institutions due to industrial production and capitalism.For the purpose of this paper, I define industrial production as production brought about by mechanized technology and industrious labor in centralized locations. Capitalism is defined as a system of profit making commerce made possible by the usage of money, decentralized circulation of capital and the market exchange of commodities. I use the term industrial capitalism to denote the amalgamation of both forces. The Role and Nature of Markets in History It is my contention that industrial production has changed the role and nature of markets in history, placing it in the centre of society and economy.It is true that industrial capitalism presupposes the existence of a market system. However, the market system was never the dominant system of social control until the development of isolated markets by mercantilist means, and subsequently the transnational interaction and proliferation of markets into a market econo my, brought about by industrialization in the 18thC. It is due to this transcendence of boundaries and displacement of market activity that gives rise to the â€Å"market† as an abstract mechanism.According to Polyani, before the rise of markets, the society organizes itself via systems of redistribution, house-holding and reciprocity, of which operates on non-economic motives like social prestige and kinship (Polyani 1944: 46-58). After the rise of markets with long distance and local trade, markets have started to take on a more important role in providing necessities; however, they did not function for a majority of the population, who were still dependent upon common exchange and subsistence systems.Thereafter, mercantilism created isolated national markets which consolidated local economic activity and increased trade. However, it was not until the Industrial Revolution in the mid 18thC that the market system became the main driver of social change across different count ries through the creation of mass markets. The industrial revolution has brought about new forms of technology and power, transformed modes of production and created factories as centralized locations for mechanized production to take place.Mass production techniques like specialization, standardization, time-discipline, rational capital accounting and centralization allow for production costs to decrease with volume, thus generating a high amount of output, providing goods more cheaply than one could have done outside of the factory. As a result, people buy their essentials from these mass markets rather than produce by themselves. Also, they produce solely for the market, deriving income to purchase other goods in the circulation of commodities.Moreover, with industrial capitalism, the market mechanism has also come to allocate factors of production such as land, labor and money, which according to Polyani were not real commodities, but merely have exchange value because they beco me privately owned by use of legal contracts and sales (Polyani 1944: 68-76). Since then, mass markets have come to synchronize most economic activities like consumption, production, distribution and even finance in the most efficient fashion (Swedberg 2005:238-240).These markets become far reaching and displaced in light of industrial capitalism because of communicative and transport technology, the mobility of money and relations of free trade, which re-defined the notion of markets from a place to an abstract network of actors across national boundaries. Also, the nature of markets has changed from being state-controlled to being self-regulating. The market system becomes the center of economic and social life as it coordinates most economic activities not by state regulation but by economic instruments like the price mechanism, supply and demand aggregates.Social Relations of Production and Organization of Work Industrial capitalism has, with the change in material means of prod uction, brought about a change in the social relations of production and organization of work. In capitalistic societies, instead of directly interacting with nature in production, human beings depend on each other by exchanging their assets in place of producing for subsistence. Hence, they inevitably enter into social relations of production between those who own the means of production (capitalist) and those who do not but are economically compelled to sell their labor power (worker) for wages.In the circulation of capital, surplus value can be derived from the difference between capital invested and capital retrieved because capital (such as land, factory and machinery), only when combined with labor, transforms products to sell for higher exchange values, thereby generating surplus value and profit. This circulation of capital is durable because capitalists aim to invest their capital to make even more profits while workers can only increase their wages by working harder or by investing in their skills.Since then, the relationship between capitalists have become increasingly competitive due to the drive for profits while the worker-capitalist relation has replaced family (sexual division of labor) as the primary relation of production. According to Marx, as the ownership of means of production is exclusive and alienable, the society becomes separated into two distinct classes – the bourgeoisie (capitalist) and the proletarian (or worker), where between them is a relationship of domination and exploitation.Marx observed that the capitalists tend to exploit the workers by privately appropriating the surplus value produced by the workers, giving them much less than the use value of their time and effort invested in production (Marx 1848: 23). Also, the exploitation goes further by manifesting itself in the working conditions of factories, where workers were forced to work for long hours and children were also engaged as child labor. The exploitation a nd domination over workers exists because of the profit motive of decreasing costs and increasing revenue, as well as the fact that workers have less argaining power over their jobs than their employers. Capitalism has also re-defined the social organization of work by the formation of labor markets and complex division of labor. Prior to the onset of industrial capitalism, work was just defined as any effortful activity which attributes use value to commodities. However, with industrial capitalism, the formation of labor markets constituting workers, employers, jobs and networks is possible, and they function to allocate labor resources and allow capitalists to negotiate labor price and working conditions.Here, there is a clear demarcation of what is considered paid â€Å"work† and what lies outside of the labor market in the informal economy. Within the labor market, the exchange value of labor depends on the quantity and quality of labor, which denotes different labor proc esses and skills. The differentiation in wages is due to the complex division of labor brought about by industrial capitalism.Unlike the simple division of labor, where society is categorized into different occupations as in craftmanship, the capitalistic industry has a tendency to control and divide the mass production process into many simple tasks which all unskilled workers are capable of accomplishing. Workers are subdivided into different capabilities and made to specialize in simple tasks to be able to perform quickly and productively. This organization of work greatly improves the efficiency of the system, bringing costs down with more units of production.As seen in the Fordist model of mass production, workers as such are being â€Å"deskilled† and made interchangeable to the extent that they can be fired or hired according to production requirements (Womack 1990: 19-46). Thus, the market value of such menial labor is very low as opposed to professions (doctors) and skilled labor (technicians). The way work is being socially organized into skilled and unskilled labor has thus brought about socio-economic stratification in production relations. Marx has criticized this form of organization as being â€Å"alienating†, especially for the menial workers.As workers are being made interchangeable by the subdivided nature of production process, their labor is being looked upon only as a commodity, at their employer’s disposal. The worker loses control over his produce, the work process and his ability to creatively express himself. Moreover, their menial labor becomes cheapened in the process of unemployment and labor surplus. On the other hand, professionals are able to safeguard their interests by exclusive job administration channels, keeping their wages high due to marketable specialized knowledge.As a result, socio-economic stratification has also become defined by consumption relations such as occupational prestige and status group s. Norms and Culture Lastly, it is clear that industrial capitalism has brought about important changes in norms and culture. Most explicitly, industrial capitalism has changed the culture of work in the society. Prior to this time, work was characterized by disparate tasks that one is required to do in the day, and is oriented to what is necessary to be attended to. There is little divide between work and life.In industrial-capitalistic societies, work is characterized by a series of jobs which need to be synchronized in terms of sequence and speed. Time-discipline is important for work in the capitalist economies because productivity and time are highly correlated (Thompson 1967, 60:61). People are expected to use time allocated for work efficiently and solely for work. As the stimulus for work has changed from subsistence to wage incentives, there is potential of increasing wages by putting in more effort put into work.Thus, as competition for jobs and within jobs increase, peopl e are pushed to work harder and longer in their jobs. Also, in the 18thC, industrial capitalism has led to the trend of rapid urbanization due to rural urban migration and international migration in seek of factory jobs. This has led to a major restructuration of society within countries like England, where the working class poor tend to congregate near the city centre for employment and the more affluent middle class tend to decentralize away from these city centers, where living conditions are bad.The result is a case of socio-economic polarization within cities, where differences in standards of living are stark between gated communities and urban slums. In all, industrial capitalism tend to generate disparate levels of wealth and poverty amongst the working and capitalist classes. Lastly, industrial capitalism is likely to produce changes in habits and lifestyle which are oriented towards the market. The culture of consumerism is prevalent in many industrial and post-industrial societies, brought about by both producers and consumers.Producers aim to increase the capital return from their investment by either catering to existing needs or by creating new needs and wants. With the use of marketing strategies and production technology, they are able to sell their products at a high profit margin. Consumers, on the other hand, are faced with the proliferation of goods and services available at competitive prices. With the wages they have earned, they are able to afford more goods at a lower price. In all, this paper contends that industrial production and capitalism are major drivers of social change in three ways.Firstly, industrial capitalism has changed the role and nature of markets in history, from an auxiliary mechanism to the main instrument of social coordination. Secondly, industrial capitalism has revolutionized the social relations of production, from humanity’s struggle with nature to dependency on each other. It has also changed the social organization of work, by re-defining what is work and by organizing work into skilled and non-skilled categories with varying consequences. Thirdly, industrial capitalism has influenced the norms and culture of society through â€Å"industriousness†, urbanization and consumerism. (1991 Words)

Equality And Diversity Within The Workplace Essay

When I am supporting the individuals I work with, I find it vital to always reflect on my work. What I do well, what I don’t do well and improve and enhance my performance. It is important for me to think about and evaluate what I do, as I can always improve to fit the customers needs. I like to focus on how I interact with the customers, and how the environment around them is. I have a reflective log/personal development plan which I fill out and give to my manager each year. It contains examples of what I can do to improve and shape ideas. I also write about my strengths and what I do well. Other than a yearly personal development plan, I am always discussing with my manager and colleagues different and better ways in which we can work as a team to better the lives of the customers we support. When I first began working in care and support, I thought, through following other staff who had worked in the industry a long while, that it was okay to prompt customers to say â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you†. Since building up my own way of working and knowledge through others, I know that it is right and better for the customers to let them make their own decisions. My own values and beliefs could affect my working practice, as I work with other people who have different beliefs and values. In a professional environment, I have to accept and support the people I work alongside and work for, if I don’t agree with their values or beliefs, I try my hardest to understand their point of view, and of course if it is a customers point of view, I will support them in what they want to do. For example, one of the ladies I support openly admits she is racist, and she stands by her beliefs. My job is to be kind and supportive, and although I don’t personally agree with racism, it is my job to be open minded and supportive. Diversity means to encompass acceptance for others, and respect all beings as unique individuals. It is important to recognize others as individuals, including their race, sex, religions and beliefs, sexual orientation, age and other concepts that make us the way we are. Diversity is about moving forward and being able to accept everyone for who they are. Equality is about each and every individual being seen as equal to one another. To be fair and give everyone equal opportunities, no matter their race, age,  religion etc. Promoting equality should remove discrimination towards others, and to not victimize or harass others for the way they are. Inclusion is ensuring people are being included, engaging in ‘everyday’ things and having human rights. To have a sense of belonging and feeling respected is a part of inclusion, and valuing all individuals. The effect a person could have by being discriminated could be different to another person. The adults I support should be given choices and chances to join in with activities, and if the were judged for having a disability, this would be discrimination. This could make the individual feel a lot of different things, depressed, stressed, fear, feeling withdrawn, low self esteem and humiliation. I always ensure the two customers I support are involved in everyday activities, such as cleaning their home, cooking their dinner and choosing what they would like to wear. There are many pieces of legislation that have been put in place to ensure equality is promoted and discrimination is reduced, these include: The Human Rights Act 1998, The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and Employment Equality Regulations 2003. These legislations are to promote equality for all, regardless of sex, age, disability or religion etc. Although these legislations are in place, people still may not be able to change their views or opinions, and this is why good practice should be set in place, and others should reflect on how they work and support others. Everyone has a right to be included, and to participate in equal activities and to be valued as a unique individual. One of the customers I support had never been to church at 37 years old, and had told me one day that she would like to go. We walked up to the church and attended a service one Sunday, which she really enjoyed and was extremely happy to join in with singing hymns, praying and interacting with other church goers. She decided that she only wanted to go on special occasions, such as Christmas and Easter, and I respected her choices and updated her ‘This is Me’ document. If I was to witness a discriminatory incident, I would write down what happened in my own personal records, and report the incident to my line manager. If would possibly challenge the person in a calm and professional manner, and tell them that what they are saying or doing is unacceptable, and explain to them why. In my workplace, discrimination towards another person can lead to disciplinary action, and we have policies in place to deal with discrimination. My duties and responsibilities in my job role are to support adults with learning disabilities with good practice, and complying to all policies and procedures whilst doing so. Improving my performance at work is an everyday thing, I always remain focused and keep a reflective journal of which I record daily things, what I could improve, be done differently, how I feel about things and why I do them. Throughout my shift, I keep an open mind, and look at things from different perspectives, for example if a customer wants to go out in the snow without shoes on, I would support them in trying to think of a different way to do this, such as wearing shoes or waiting until it is sunny to wear no shoes in the garden. This way, the customer still has different options, but the potential negative outcomes would be explained to them e.g. catching a cold or something more serious. I have a personal development plan, and I see my line manager as my mentor. She goes through my PDP with me and supports me to achieve my goals. Within my PDP are various things including training I would like to attend, usually optional training that would benefit my knowledge and understanding and the customers I support. I am applying for the senior support worker programme this year, which is a programme my company set up to give support workers guidance and training if they want to become a manager in the future. This includes giving presentations and working extra hours and taking on more responsibilities such as doing rotas, giving other staff supervisions and being the PIC – Person in Charge. My manager reviews my personal development plan yearly, and sets me goals and targets to achieve throughout the year, for example attend MCA training, support a customer on holiday and complete my diploma in health and social care. Monitoring my own practice has changed the way in which I work for the better. By attending more training, for example epilepsy training, I now have a better knowledge about epilepsy, and what to do if someone has a seizure. Completing my diploma will change and advance my job role as I will have learned more about vulnerable adults, practices and standards and more to help me support the best way I can. I have a yearly appraisal which is part of my PDP. My manager tells me what I  am doing well and what I can improve on, and I continue to feedback to her every month during my supervision to ensure I am on my way to achieve my goals and have a successful appraisal. My beliefs and values are something I keep out of the workplace, as some people I support and work alongside have different views to me, which I need to respect in a professional manner. What I believe in and value are a part of who I am as a person, and the same goes for others, therefore as a professional I must provide the same quality of support to each individual, not just those who believe in the same things I do.