Radio Frequency Identification automated Technology

Radio Frequency Identification automated TechnologyIntroductionRFID or Radio Frequency Identification is a contactless automated engineering that makes the usage of wireless moving ridges to place physical objects. It is grouped under the wide class of automatic designation engineerings which besides include saloon codifications, optical character readers and some biometric engineerings, such as retinal scans. All these engineerings are used to cut down the sum of clip and labour needed to input informations manually and to better informations truth. While some of the auto-ID engineerings, like saloon codification systems, frequently require a individual to manually scan a label or ticket, RFID captures informations on tickets and transmits it to a computing machine system without necessitating a individual to be involved. The RFID [ 1 ] system consists of a ticket which is made up of a micro chip with a coiled aerial fixed to an object and a reader or inquisitor with an aerial. The micro chip in the ticket has an integrated circuit for hive awaying and treating information, modulating and demodulating a radio-frequency signal. The bit can hive away every bit much as 2 Ks of informations. The intent of aerial is to have and convey the signal. The reader is needed to recover the informations stored on RFID ticket. It has one or more aerials that emit wireless moving ridges and receive signals back from the ticket. This information is so passed in digital signifier to a computing machine system by the reader. There are three types of RFID Tags- active, inactive or semi-passive. While active RFID ticket usage a battery to power the micro chip ‘s circuitry and broadcast signals to the reader, inactive tickets are powered by the electromagnetic moving ridges sent out by the reader. The 3rd type i.e. semi-passive utilizations both their ain batteries and moving ridges from the reader. Since active and semi-passive tickets are more expensive, they are typically used for higher-value goods that are scanned over longer distances. Though several companies have been utilizing RFID [ 2 ] for more than a decennary, its cost had limited its usage in the yesteryear. For many applications, such as tracking parts for just-in-time fabrication, companies could warrant the cost of tags- a dollar or more per tag- by the nest eggs an RFID system generates. Besides when RFID was used to track assets or reclaimable containers within the company ‘s ain premises, the tickets could be reused doing it cost effectual. But the high cost prevented its big graduated table usage in unfastened supply ironss for tracking goods. In these instances, RFID tickets are put on instances and palettes of merchandises by one company and read by another, due to which they ca n't be reused. However, in recent times due to be efficient production, RFID has started to be used in Retail industry to extinguish long client charge waiting lines, aircraft industry for luggage direction and so on.HistoryRFID Technology has been around for a long c lip about from the early decennaries of the 18th century – its beginning can be approximately traced to around 1920. It was developed in MIT [ 3 ] as a agency of communicating between automatons. The popular predecessors of RFID could be argued to the following two cases:  § Radio frequence was used for designation intents in the IFF transponder installed in aircraft. The IFF [ 4 ] significance Identification, Friend or Foe – was used to place if the winging aircraft was a friend or a enemy. This application was used in World War II by the British to separate between returning flights as enemy occupied the district which was less than 25 stat mis off. This engineering is used boulder clay day of the month in commercial aircraft.  § In 1945, Leon Theremin, created an espionage tool for the Soviet Union. Though this innovation carried no ticket as in RFID, it retransmitted radio frequence with audio information. In 1948, a paper by Harry Stockman titled â€Å" Communication by Means of Reflected Power † ( Proceedings of the IRE, pp 1196-1204, October 1948 ) explored the use of RFID. Stockman predicted that â€Å" †¦ considerable research and development work has to be done before the staying basic jobs in reflected-power communicating are solved, and before the field of utile applications is explored.† [ 5 ] With Uranium and atomic engineering deriving importance in the 1960ss, the deathly nature of Uranium led to safety concerns. So employees and equipments were tagged to extenuate such concerns and RFID came into image therefore. This was done in Los Alamos National Laboratory ( LANL ) on the petition of Energy section of U.S. Government. Transponders were installed in trucks and readers at the Gatess. The gate aerial would wake up the transponder in the truck, which would react with an ID and potentially other informations, such as the driver ‘s ID. In the 1950ss and 1960ss, RF engineering was researched extensively. Scientists from assorted states demonstrated how distant objects could be identified. This was used in electronic surveillance – this is in usage even today. Objects carry a 1-bit ticket which is turned on or off depending on whether the client has paid or non. The first patent to RFID engineering as used today was registered in 1973 by Mario Cardullo ‘s. Detailss of the patent are as follows: U.S. Patent 3,713,148 on January 23, 1973. The patented merchandise was a inactive wireless transponder with memory, powered by the interrogating signal. It was demonstrated in 1971 to the New York Port. It consisted of a transponder with 16 spot memory for usage as a toll device. The basic Cardullo patent covers the usage of RF, sound and visible radiation as transmittal media. The ticket used had rewritable memory. In 1973, Los Alamos National Laboratory ( LANL ) demonstrated the usage of inactive and semi-passive RFID ticket. Around 1977, the engineering was leveraged for civilian intents from LANL – the transferred to two companies – Amtech in New Mexico and Identronix Research in Santa Cruz, California. Therefore, assorted utilizations started acquiring explored. One of the few experiments carried out was put ining a RFID transponder in a diary cow to supervise ID and temperature. This would assist in analyzing the cow ‘s wellness and prevent overfeeding. Railwaies shifted to RFID after unsuccessful use of Bar codification to maintain path of turn overing stock. By the 1880ss, use of RFID shifted to treat betterment. Cost decrease & A ; size decrease were certain illustrations. Over old ages, these devices were commercialized and companies moved to higher frequence range- which offered faster transportation rates. Today, 13.56 MHz RFID systems are used for entree control, payment system and smart cards. In the early 1990s, applied scientists from IBM patented an ultra-high frequence RFID system. UHF offered longer read scope and faster informations transportation. Wide graduated table axial rotation out was initiated by the Army forces – the largest deployment of active RFID was seen in the US Department of Defense. They use active tickets on more than a million transportation containers that travel outside the state.HOW THE TECHNOLOGY WORKSComponents and ProcedureThe basic RFID engineering makes usage of the undermentioned constituents [ 6 ] : 1. Active tags – Active tickets require a power beginning. They are either connected to a powered substructure or utilize energy stored in an incorporate battery. 2. Passive tags – The life-time of a inactive ticket is limited by the stored energy, balanced against the figure of read operations the device must undergo. Passive RFID is of involvement because the tickets do n't necessitate batteries or care. The ticket besides have an indefinite operational life and are little plenty to suit into a practical adhesive label. 3. Tag reader * The ticket reader is responsible for powering and pass oning with a ticket * The reader emits wireless moving ridges in scopes of anyplace from one inch to 100 pess or more, depending upon its power end product and the wireless frequence used. * When an RFID ticket base on ballss through the electromagnetic zone, it detects the reader ‘s activation signal. * The reader besides decodes the information encoded in the ticket ‘s integrated circuit ( silicon bit ) and the information is passed to the host computing machine for processing. 4. Tag Antenna * The aerial emits wireless signals to trip the ticket and to read and compose informations to it. * It captures energy and transportations the ticket ‘s ID. * The encapsulation maintains the ticket ‘s unity and protects the aerial and bit from environmental conditions or reagents. The encapsulation could be a little glass phial or a laminal plastic substrate with adhesive on one side to enable easy fond regard to goods.RFID V BarcodeBarcode RFID RFID Benefit Example Line of sight Required Not Required No demand to orientate scanned points Number of points that can be scanned One Multiple Very fast stock list count Automation and Accuracy Multiple read mistakes and prone to lose floging Fully automated and extremely accurate Error free stock list count Designation Merely series or type Unique point degree Targeted callback Data Storage Merely a meaningless codification Upto several kilobits Real clip informations entree in any locationRFID StandardsWhen an administration trades globally and intends utilizing RFID systems across national boundaries, criterions and ordinances are more of import to guarantee safety and the interoperability of tickets and readers between merchandising spouses. Where an orgainisation wants to run a ‘closed-loop ‘ system which is entirely intended for internal usage within the one administration – so it is comparatively easy to choose and optimize a system for those specific internal demands. RFID is non regulated by one trade organic structure – nevertheless it is in fact influenced by a figure of official organic structures for different facets. Frequencies, power degrees and operating rhythms are regulated in Europe by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute ( ETSI ) and in the UK by OFCOM. Protocols for communicating between tickets and readers are proposed by a figure organic structures and equipment makers. An administration that is new to the topic of RFID frequently believes that there is one criterion engineering called ‘RFID ‘ when in fact there are assorted frequences, criterions, power degrees, protocols, ticket types and architectures with differing operational and public presentation features.Advantage · ?Line of sight? [ 7 ] is non required to read a RFID ticket as against a barcode. RFID tagged points can be read even if they are behind other points. There is no demand for physical contact between the informations bearer and the communicating device.  · Because line-of-sight is non required to read RFID tickets, stock list can be performed in a extremely efficient method. For illustration, palettes in a warehouse can be read, inventoried, and their location can be determined no affair where the ticket is placed on the palette. This is because the wireless waves from the reader are strong plenty for the ticket to react regardless of location.  · Line of sight demands besides limit theruggedness of barcodesas good as thereusability of barcodes. ( Since line of sight is required for barcodes, the printed barcode must be exposed on the exterior of the merchandise, where it is capable to greater wear and rupture. ) RFID tickets can besides be implanted within the merchandise itself, vouching greater huskiness and reusability.  · The readability of barcodes can be impaired by soil, wet, scratch, or packaging contours. RFID tickets are non affected by those conditions.  · RFID tickets are really simple to install/inject inside the organic structure of animate beings, therefore assisting to maintain a path on them. This is utile in carnal farming and on domestic fowl farms. The installed RFID tickets give information about the age, inoculations and wellness of the animate beings.  · Barcode [ 8 ] scannershave repeatedly failed in supplying security to gems and jewelries in stores. But presents, RFID tickets are placed inside jewelry points and an dismay is installed at the issue doors.  · Barcodes have no read/write capableness ; that is, you can non add to the information written on a printed barcode. RFID ticket, nevertheless, can be read/write devices ; the RFID reader can pass on with the ticket, and alter as much of the information as the ticket design will let. The RFID tickets can hive away informations up to 2 KB whereas ; the saloon codification has the ability to read merely 10-12 figures.  · An RFID ticket could place the point ( non merely its maker and class ) . Bar codes merely supply a maker and merchandise type. They do n't place alone points.  · RFID engineering is better than saloon codifications as it can non be easy replicated and hence, it increases the security of the merchandise.  · Human intercession is required to scan a barcode, whereas in most applications an RFID ticket can be detected ?hands off.?  · RFID engineering is a labor-saving engineering. This translates to be nest eggs. Using saloon codification engineering costs, on norm, 7 cents in human labour to scan a saloon codification. In add-on, labour is required to set each label right on each plastic crate holder or panel. Add a cost for label alterations and replacings for â€Å" non clear † codifications. And add another for administrative costs for labels that are n't read decently, which causes stock list mistakes and non-compliant returns and punishments.  · Tags are available in a great scope of types, sizes and stuffs  · [ 9 ] Relatively low care cost  · Highly low mistake rateDisadvantage · Dead countries and orientation problems- RFID works similar to the manner a cell phone or radio web does. Like these engineerings, there may be certain countries that have weaker signals or intervention. In add-on, hapless read rates are sometimes a job when the ticket is rotated into an orientation that does non aline good with the reader. These issues are normally minimized by proper execution of multiple readers and usage of tickets with multiple axis aerial.  · Since RFID systems make usage of the electromagnetic spectrum ( like WiFi webs or cellular telephones ) , they are comparatively easy to throng utilizing energy at the right frequence. This could be black in environments like infirmaries or in the armed forces in the field. Besides, active RFID ticket ( those that use a battery to increase the scope of the system ) can be repeatedly interrogated to have on the battery down, thereby interrupting the system.  · Interference [ 10 ] has been observed if devices such as forklifts and walky-talkies are in the locality of the distribution centres. The presence of nomadic phone towers has been found to interfere with RFID wireless moving ridges. Wal-Mart, the retail sector giant, has installed one million millions of RFID tickets in their merchandises throughout the universe and they have encountered such jobs.  · Security concerns- Because RFID is non a line-of-sight engineering like bar-coding, new security issues could develop. For illustration, a rival could put up a high-gain directional aerial to scan tickets in trucks traveling to a warehouse. From the informations received, this rival could find flow rates of assorted merchandises. Additionally, when RFID is used for high-security operations such as payment methods, fraud is ever a possibility.  · Ghost tickets [ 11 ] – In rare instances, if multiple tickets are read at the same clip the reader will sometimes read a ticket that does non be. Therefore, some type of read confirmation, such as a CRC, should be implemented in either the ticket, the reader or the informations read from the ticket.  · Proximity issues [ 12 ] – RFID tickets can non be read good when placed on metal or liquid objects or when these objects are between the reader and the ticket. About any object that is between the reader and the ticket reduces the distance the ticket can be read from.  · High cost- Because this engineering is still new, the constituents and tickets are expensive compared to barcodes. In add-on, package and support forces needed to put in and run the RFID reading systems ( in a warehouse for illustration ) may be more dearly-won to use.  · Unread tags- When reading multiple tickets at the same clip, it is possible that some tickets will non be read and there is no certain method of finding this when the objects are non in sight. This job does non happen with barcodes, because when the barcode is scanned, it is immediately verified when read by a bleep from the scanner and the informations can so be entered manually if it does non scan.  · Vulnerable to damage- Water, inactive discharge or high-octane magnetic rushs ( such as lightning work stoppage ) may damage the ticket.  · Global Standards: RFID has been implemented in different ways by different makers. There still does non be a individual planetary criterion.  · Consumers may besides hold jobs with RFID criterions. For illustration, ExxonMobil ‘s SpeedPass system is a proprietary RFID system. If another company wanted to utilize the convenient SpeedPass they would hold to pay to entree it. On the other manus, if every company had their ain â€Å" SpeedPass † system, a consumer would necessitate to transport many different devices with them.ApplicationsWAL-MART ( RETAIL )Retail is one country where RFID has been used extensively. It helps in cut downing cost, increasing gross and leads to increased client satisfaction. Increased and accurate information leads to lesser stock list and stock list cost as a consequence goes down. Other than electronic surveillance, stock list trailing, RFID is used for Brand hallmark as good which guarantee that inexpensive replacements are non sold to clients therefore guaranting client satisfactions. Another application of RFID in retail sector is Promotional show deployment. This was a alter nate to analyzing selling impact. Asset tracking applications were besides possible through RFID in retail sector. It is used in the undermentioned applications: In-store stock list Management: Physical stock list is clip devouring – using RFID to take stock of stock list reduces clip taken by physical stock pickings by 90 % . This is more accurate and stock pickings can be done several times a twenty-four hours. Therefore, cost is greatly reduced.Brand Authentication:This is used to look into counterfeiting of high-value cosmetics, electronics, dress and pharmaceuticals. This helps in protecting trade name unity by avoiding inexpensive extras. It enhances client satisfaction by guaranting quality and retaining assurance.Asset Trailing:This is used to happen lost assets and path assets – this would assist in more efficient use of assets. This would take to back uping concern processed with lesser figure of assets.Inventory Visibility in the Supply Chain:The prompt stock list tracking prevents stock outs and loss of client satisfaction. This provides sellers with real-time visibleness of stock list in the supply concatenation, bettering prognosis truth and muff ling the stock list whipsaw consequence. [ 13 ]Case survey of WAL-MARTWal-Mart and U.S. Department of Defence are the chief drivers of RFID engineering. Wal-Mart could drive this engineering to about everyone who did concern with them due to immense graduated table of operations and really high bargaining power. The retail concatenation gave a deadline to all its providers to go RFID enabled by 2005. The quiver of this move was seen in India and package companies in India gained from this move as they got a batch of undertakings. RFID do n't look to be as popular in India because RFID can last in organized retail sector and unorganized retail seems the order of the twenty-four hours in this state.How RFID helped:Wal-Mart implemented RFID in 2005 ab initio in seven shops.â€Å"The company has installed RFID readers at the having docks at the dorsum of the edifice, near the rubbish compactors and between the back room and the retail floor. For the instances of goods that are shipped to the shops with RFID tickets, Wal-Mart records their reaching by reading the ticket on each instance and so reads the tickets once more before the instances are brought out to the gross revenues floor. By utilizing gross revenues informations from its bing point-of-sales system, which is non utilizing RFID, Wal-Mart subtracts the figure of instances of a peculiar point that are sold to clients from the figure of instances brought out to the gross revenues floor. Software proctors which points will shortly be depleted from the shelves. It automatically generates a list of points that need to be picked from the back room in order to refill the shop shelves. By reading the tickets on the instances that are brought out from the back room, we ‘re able to see what points have really been replenished [ 14 ] † says Langford, caput RFID engineering Wal-Mart Supply concatenation is besides expeditiously managed with RFID engineering – Once the client picks the information, the provider is informed about the purchase. This helps cut down BULLWHIP EFFECT. This is achieved through Wal-Mart ‘s Retail Link extranet. Retail employs immense work force in In-Store Receiving, Stocking, look into out and taking stock list. This can be freed with employment of RFID. It would cut down cases of Fraud, stock-outs. It improves supplier-retailer relationship, client service & A ; plus direction – â€Å"The right merchandises are available at the right shops at the right time†WESTERN STAR TRUCKS ( FREIGHTLINER )Freightliner-Western Star Trucks is the taking heavy-duty truck maker headquartered in Portland, USA. The production installations span across united States, which produce a broad scope of heavy responsibility building and public-service corporation trucks, long haul main road tractors, mid scope trucks for distribution and service, and exigency service setup and recreational hauliers.Problems faced [ 15 ] :Freightliner was confronting jobs in footings of increasing costs. It therefore wanted to better efficiency and truth of its resources managing in order to better control fabrication costs. It wanted to follow the motion of assorted parts right from stock list to the mill floor in Portland works. It wanted to accomplish a trailing system that has the undermentioned characteristics: * It should be automatic, so that labor costs associated with stock list handling and trailing could be reduced * It has to be accurate and efficient, so that expensive holds caused by misdirected and erroneous parts managing could be eliminated * It should be easy integrable with bing plus direction databases, in order to farther streamline stock list refilling and resource direction * It should be scalable in order to enable enterprise-wide extension after it is proven in Portland Integration of the bing procedures into the new system was their major job. This called for parts needed on the production line to be put into stock list carryalls, placed on nomadic jerks and so transferred onto the store floor. The empty carryalls were so returned to the warehouse. The Portland installation used about 750 carryalls of different sizes.How RFID helped [ 16 ] :RFID was implemented to work out the above job. RFID tickets were attached to the jerks. The tickets were encoded with the GRAI format that is intended for assignment to single objects and is the corporate criterion for tote designation. The new system identified each carryall and jerk with RFID tickets. Tote and tug motion was so tracked as each passed through one of the two dock door portals equipped with RFID readers and aerials. A dealing reception was so automatically generated and sent to the database on the corporate waiter. The reception inside informations the location, day of the month and clip the dealing occurred, every bit good as the carryall and tug information. The complete parts tracking solution delivered the needful efficiency, truth and ability to pare labour costs. This solution instantly paid off. It reduced labour costs significantly. Inventory pick mistakes reduced in figure and, mis-ships and production lines started having seasonably and right parts.LOCKHEED MARTIN ( DEFENSE ) [ 17 ]Problems faced:Most naval forcess in the US antecedently employed some type of a decoy-launching system, which had been available for many decennaries. The ALEX ( Automated Launch of Expendables ) systems were designed to counter inward enemy anti-ship missiles. When it determined that an anti-ship missile is headed its manner, based on cues from shipboard detectors, the steerers were fired consequently. Decoys deploy stuff such as chaff—aluminum-coated strands of glass or other stuff that emit infrared waves—thus making false marks to confound or counter nearing ASMs, and deviate them from their intended mark. One job naval forcess faced is how to guarantee the right steerer is fired to counter a particular missile menace under conflict condition s. Because there are many types of steerer cartridges, all of a similar size and form, there is a possible for errors being made during the procedure of lading a launcher. Typically, the crew of the combat information centre ( CIC ) room relied on informations provided on paper, or over a voice nexus with the steerer lading crew.How RFID helped:The RFID engineering offered ship ‘s forces real-time visibleness into which types of steerers were deployed, every bit good as which barrels they were installed in, and helped guarantee that the proper unit of ammunition is fired off, potentially in a split-second determination, while the vas is under onslaught. The RFID-enabled automatic round-identification system ( ARID ) had been successful with the naval forcess of some states, motivating Lockheed Martin to supply the same characteristic to all of its clients throughout the universe. Mounted onboard the naval forces ‘s battler vass, the steerer launchers, provided by Lockhee d Martin, were outfitted with RFID readers, and decoy cartridges were fitted with RFID tickets. Each Lockheed Martin steerer launcher ( typically two, four or six launchers per battler, depending on ship size ) had a set of six tubings, leting 12, 24 or 36 steerers per ship to be loaded and fired. Each launcher contained a low-frequency RFID reader with six channel options for redundancy. The reader was wired to six aerials, one at the base of each barrel. Naval forces attach a little discoid ticket, compliant with the ISO 11784/5 criterions and encoded with a alone ID figure, to the underside of each steerer cartridge. Sailors could so utilize a handheld inquisitor to read the ticket ‘s ID figure and associate it to the type of steerer to which that ticket is attached. When the tagged cartridge is loaded in the launch barrel, the reader identifies the ticket ‘s alone ID figure and transmits that information to the ALEX system. â€Å"To guarantee the RFID system would run decently in the strict environment of a vas at sea, Lockheed Martin put the system through heavy testing† , Porter ( Chief Engineer ) says. â€Å"This included quiver, daze, temperature and wet exposure, every bit good as proving for electromagnetic intervention ( EMI ) with other systems on a ship. The maritime environment is really rugged, so the testing had to be rather strict, † he adds.MUNICH AIRPORT ( AEROSPACE ) [ 18 ]picture_rfid_technology.jpgMunich Airport, the 7th busiest in Europe, served more than 15 million riders and moved more than 100,000 metric dozenss of cargo in the first half of 2009. In July 2009, the airdrome began a trial utilizing Aero Scout ‘s T6 GPS-enabled Wi-Fi active RFID ticket to track cargo dollies, and to incorporate that information into its airdrome procedure direction ( APM ) package. The end was to enable directors to turn up dollies immediately, and to cognize instantly which were available for usage. After acquiring positive consequences from a current pilot undertaking using radio frequence designation to track lading and rider luggage dollies as they move about its outdoor incline, apron and gate countries, Munich Airport has decided to go on utilizing the engineering after the pilot ends in December 2009. The trial showed that tracking cargo dollies prevents holds or breaks due to mislay or lost dollies, improves plus management—by enabling the airdrome to be after in progress for the dollies ‘ usage, every bit good as brand sure they are in the right topographic point at the clip they are needed—and optimizes stock list and care procedures by extinguishing drawn-out hunts for dollies that need to be repaired or inspected due to regulative demands. In add-on, the airdrome will besides be able to bear down lading companies more accurately, based on their usage of rented dollies. As portion of its trial, the airdrome outfitted about 80 freight dollies with RFID tickets. In add-on, it attached tickets to 10 dollies for LD-2 containers, which are used to hive away up to 120 three-dimensional pess of lading, and to two luggage dollies. The tickets were attached to a dolly ‘s frame or to the enlistment used to link one dolly to another.The battery-operated tickets include GPS faculties for finding a dolly ‘s location out-of-doorss. This GPS information is transferred to the cardinal database by the airdrome ‘s bing Wi-Fi web, which covers 15 million square metres of the installation, including the terminuss, aprons, Gatess, hangers and track borders. If a dolly is inside the installation, its ticket detects this, and the system switches manners to cipher the plus ‘s location, based on the specific Wi-Fi entree points that receive the ticket ‘s signal.SOUTHEASTERN CONTAINER ( MANUFACTURING ) [ 19 ]Southeast Container was formed in 1982 as a in private owned company under the ownership of a group of Coca-Cola ® Bottling companies. Today the company operates as a fabricating cooperative with 10 fabricating locations bring forthing plastic bottles. Southeast Container handles about 70 per centum of the bottle production for Coca-Cola in the U.S. and besides works with bottle makers outside of the cooperative. The company keeps quality and service high with a focal point on uninterrupted betterment.Problems faced:With roots in the southeasterly U.S. , Southeastern Container now has ten fabricating installations across the East Coast, Illinois and Wisconsin. At the company ‘s three injection modeling installations, bottle spaces called preforms are manufactured. The plastic preforms are blown into bottles at Southeastern Container ‘s blow-molding installations and at bottle makers outside of the cooperative. The preforms are shipped to bottle fabrication workss in composition board containers or bing plastic bins. Ideally, these containers are returned empty to the injection modeling installations to reiterate the rhythm. However, jobs with this return procedure were bing Southeastern Container 1000s of dollars each twelvemonth. Some containers are lost or damaged in theodolite and must be replaced. In add-on, the design of the bing containers prohibits Southeastern Container from maximising the capacity of transporting dawdlers, ensuing in the company paying to transport â€Å"air† for each burden. Finally, composition board containers are frequently pre-assembled to salvage clip, and the to the full assembled containers take up warehouse floor infinite. In the procedure of transporting one million millions of preforms, these issues add up.How RFID helped:Southeast Container planned to turn to these jobs by replacing the bing containers with a new version— a specialised returnable plastic bin. While the new folding bins were designed to significantly cut down costs and increase efficiency, each of them is about 10 times the cost of a composition board container. Therefore, rhythm numeration was introduced to track bin life-times against the figure of rhythms guaranteed by the maker. â€Å"We decided to rhythm count for stock list control, traceability, and to formalize bin life-time, and we chose RFID tracking as the most effectual method, † said John Underwood, Engineering Manager, Southeastern Container, Inc. â€Å"We already use barcoding extensively, and have looked at RFID on a figure of occasions during the old ages. RFID was the right pick now because it ‘s low-cost and the engineering is at a point where it can supply the dependability and truth we need, † he explained. Southeast Container worked with its spouse, Decision Point systems, to architect an full end-to-end solution to undertake this challenge. The system execution started with a pilot RFID system for rhythm numbering the new bins. The solution includes Motorola fixed RFID readers, Motorola RFID aerial, Motorola RFID rugged hand-held readers, and OAT Systems ‘ Oat Asset Track package. In add-on, Southeastern Container relies on the Motorola Service from the Start plan for fix coverage for its Motorola RFID handheld readers. â€Å"We worked really difficult to analyse the RFID ticket choice with the Motorola devices to maximise successful reads for both full and empty bins, † said Gary Lemay Senior Solutions Architect for Decision Point systems. â€Å"We besides had great success custom-making the Oat Systems package to update both the SQL Server database and supply a web service connexion to Southeastern Container ‘s warehouse system.† The pilot at one injection-molding installation was really successful, and Southeastern Container is continuing with a phased rollout across its operations. When the system was to the full deployed, each of the about 30,000 bins were for good identified with an RFID ticket and tracked utilizing Motorola XR440 fixed RFID readers. In add-on to utilizing the handheld RFID reader at Southeastern Container, the company besides supplies them to the bin maker. As bins were produced, the maker captured the barcode and RFID tag information for each one, enabling Southeast Container to associate the two for guarantee trailing and seller enfranchisement. â€Å"The pilot was really smooth, and the system has proved to be dependable. Once this was to the full rolled out, the ROI improved in less than two old ages, † Underwood said.The benefits included:†¢ Salvaging 1000s of dollars a twelvemonth in transit costs †¢ Reducing container loss and guaranting traceability †¢ Achieving ROI within two old ages of full execution †¢ Supplying accurate informations on bin life-times for guarantee contracts †¢ Establishing a successful use-case with RFID engineering to leverage with a broad scope of future warehouse and stock list control attempts Looking in front, they are even be aftering to see a similar RFID system for real-time trailing of outward cargos.SAIPEM ( ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION ) [ 20 ]Problems faced:Saipem is an Italian technology and building company for subsea oil and gas production. It began seeking a solution to cut down labour hours spent seeking for losing points, every bit good as to diminish the incidence of holds caused by equipment non geting at the right location at the proper clip, or traveling losing wholly. The other challenge Saipem wanted to turn to was safety. The company wanted to happen a system that would extinguish the demand for field operators to mount onto equipment in order to visually turn up a consecutive figure on an point, which they would so hold to manually enter.How RFID helped:The house chose an RFID solution that would enable its direction to cognize the location of equipment on offshore sites throughout the universe, every bit good as allow employees to safely place equipm ent. The solution, installed by Milan systems planimeter ACM-e, includes inactive ultrahigh-frequency ( UHF ) ticket provided by Omni-ID, which can be read from a distance of 8 metres ( 26 pess ) or more. The ticket needed to be tough, so that they could non merely be read in the presence of steel and H2O, but besides withstand temperatures runing from -60 grades to +50 grades Celsius. Therefore, the tickets were enclosed in an impact- and crush-resistant proprietary stuff specifically chosen for this application. Saipem fastened Omni-ID Max tags to its ain assets, foremost labeling its steel points, so puting tickets on musca volitanss and buoys. When a piece of equipment was found without a ticket, operators could plan a new one, inputting informations sing the point to be linked to the ticket ‘s alone ID number—such as its consecutive figure, description and manufacturer—and so bolting or welding it to the plus. The information related to that point is stored in Saipem ‘s ain proprietary logistics support package, known as NAMASTE. Saipem ‘s staff used a Motorola handheld computing machine with a constitutional RFID inquisitor around the work site, to turn up losing points and to find which points the company had on site. Using the handhelds, workers were able to identity points without mounting onto hemorrhoids of equipment, or the vehicles onto which they are loaded. When a piece of equipment was needed, it was foremost requested from its storage location ( based on stock list informations maintained in the NAMASTE package ) , where its ticket is scanned with a hand-held reader to make a record of its cargo. When that point reached the shore of the boring site, the plus was once more scanned to bring forth a record of which points have been sent to the offshore site. Once an plus was returned to storage, that same procedure is carried out, with the tickets being scanned as they reach shore, and one time more when they are placed in one of Saipem ‘s storage installations. The Motorola handheld computing machine could hive away the read informations, which was so uploaded to a Personal computer at the terminal of a twenty-four hours via a USB connexion.Saipem ‘s employees could log into the NAMASTE system to see what had been shipped out of storage or to the offshore site, and when. The system could besides alarm users if a requested po int had non been shipped, or if a piece of equipment destined for one location was received at a different one.The tickets were besides scanned when assets were certified by an inspector as safe for usage, and recertified one time they leave the drill site and are once more inspected. In this manner, the company ‘s direction knows when each piece of equipment was last certified, and can supply that record for insurance intents, if necessary. The RFID system went unrecorded in November 2009, with the purpose of tracking 20,000 points, including offshore vass ( used to entree oil boring site ) , every bit good as Cranes, boring rigs, steel pipe, slings, bonds and buoys. Approximately 1,000 points have been tagged. Saipem expects the RFID system to cut down the pattern of geting extra stock list due to points stoping up losing. The company besides expects the system will diminish the sum of waste it generates. Without an RFID-based trailing system, assets frequently had to be scrapped, because it was impossible to follow how old they were, or when they had been inspected and certified. The RFID solution, utilizing Omni-ID tickets, improved safety and security, and helped the employees better perform their occupations in a unsafe environment. That was the biggest benefit gained by Saipem. [ 1 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/1339/1/129/ [ 2 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification [ 3 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rattei.org/CSCI3921W/history.html [ 4 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //members.surfbest.net/eaglesnest/rfidhist.htm [ 5 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFID [ 6 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.aimglobal.org/technologies/rfid/what_is_rfid.asp [ 7 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.activewaveinc.com/technology_rfid_advantage.php [ 8 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.usingrfid.com/news/read.asp? lc=s44325nx1433zg [ 9 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.databrokers.net/body_why_rfid.html [ 10 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.technovelgy.com/ct/Technology-Article.asp? ArtNum=20 [ 11 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.idautomation.com/rfid_faq.html # RFID_Advantages [ 12 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-rfid-technology.html [ 13 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.alientechnology.com/docs/SB_RFID_Retail.pdf [ 14 ] www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/1385 [ 15 ] MIKOH Corp. ( 2007 ) , â€Å"RFID Case Profiles† [ 16 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.aimglobal.org/members/news/articlefiles/3497-Freightliner_cs.pdf [ 17 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/7272/2 [ 18 ] Ref: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/5316/2 [ 19 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.aimglobal.org/members/news/articlefiles/3500-Southeastern-Container-cs.pdf [ 20 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/7432/3

Character Traits of Frair Lawerance Essay

In the play Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence is one of the characters with an amazing personality. Friar Lawrence character is shown as trustworthy, friendly, and a helpful man. The first trait of Friar Lawrence’s personality is him being honest and trustworthy. When talking to Romeo Friar Lawrence says â€Å"But come, young waverer, come, go with me. In one respect I’ll thy assistant be† (A.2.3.96-97). By telling this to Romeo Friar Lawrence is telling him that he can be trusted to marry him to Juliet. Also Romeo and Juliet believe he will keep their marriage a secret, that why they trust him. Friar Lawrence could have told both the Montague’s and the Capulet’s that their children are getting married to each other. Instead Friar had kept his word, and not saying anything because he thought maybe the two households would become closer. â€Å"For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your household’s rancor to pure love†(A.2.3.98-99). Everyone trusts Friar with their secretes, by confessing to him†. This is another way Shakespeare shows that Friar is very trusted. Friar Lawrence is also a friendly man. He is friendly because he cares about Romeo and Juliet’s problems. He is a friend to Romeo because he talks to him daily. In one conversation with Romeo Friar says â€Å"I’ll give thee armor to keep off that word, adversity’s sweet milk. Philosophy, to comfort thee, though art banished† (A.3.3.57-59). This shows that Friar Lawrence is a friend because he tries to comfort Romeo. He also says he will protect him. By comforting and protecting Romeo Friar shows the quality of a good friend. Friar is also a helpful man when Romeo comes to Friar in a desperate need to marry; he helps him by marrying Romeo to Juliet. â€Å"Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast†. Friar Lawrence attempts to tell Romeo to take his decision carefully. Also when Juliet had no one else was left to save Juliet form getting married to Paris. Friar Lawrence was the one who helped Juliet, when she comes to see him, by making a scheme to fake her death so she will not need to marry Paris.

Humans Are Naturally Evil

HUMANS ARE NATURALLY EVIL The question regarding to the nature of human beings being related to the word evil has been a topic for controversial discussion and debate among scholars and philosophers alike. According to the ardictionary. com, the word evil is defined as Having or exhibiting bad moral qualities; morally corrupt; wicked; wrong; vicious; as, evil conduct, thoughts, heart, words, and the like ,anything which impairs the happiness of a being or deprives a being of any good; anything which causes suffering of any kind to sentient beings; injury; mischief; harm; opposed to good.It is natural that criminals and villains are presumed evil by the society as the bad deeds are indicated by their crimes. However, how far is the understanding of the society that actually everyone including priests, monks and even mothers are also evil? The word naturally suggest that evil is present in the human beings by nature and that the evil within someone is not influenced by any other factor s besides the natural existence. In other word, humans are all evil and are inclined to organise evil actions. Incomplete intro) The first proof to support the notion that humans are naturally evil is through the tendencies of human beings to commit crimes. According to Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), who is credited with the development of psychoanalytic theory, all humans have criminal tendencies. Furthermore all humans have natural drives and urges repressed in the unconscious. Through the process of socialisation, however, these tendencies are curbed. http://criminology. wikia. com/wiki/General_Theory_of_CrimeThe primary evidence that people are generally evil is evident by the number of wars. Research discloses not only that the genocide was centrally conceived, planned and directed, but that there were some who worked at providing the intellectual rationale for the genocide and the propaganda which justified and rationalized the slaughter. Most countries have experienced their shar e of wars. World War One was the first war that affected many countries such as Serbia, Germany, Britain, France, and North America.It demonstrated for the first time how brutal people can be to each other. This war was fought because of tension between countries for years that blew up in 1914 with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. The quote, â€Å"Guns don't kill people, people kill people† highlights that machines did not kill all these people, people kill those from different countries in order to further their cause and do not stop unless they are successful. World War One was also known as â€Å"the war to end all wars† obviously this wasn't true. A few years later, another war took place.World War Two demonstrated that people will kill to satisfy themselves. Hitler in World War Two was the main aggressor. He wanted to make his people, the pure Germans, the master race. He was threatened by other countries and wanted his superior to all others. When other coun tries became aware of this, naturally, the war began, killing people by the millions. By the number of wars, we can conclude that the natural human reaction to the threat of war and great power released human evil. Another way to prove the existence of natural evil is via daily activities that humans do.According to Isaac Newton, every action has a reaction. This concept even applies to our daily activities. Humans always disregard the consequences that they consider to be trivial or do not affect them directly. In order to understand this statement, let us take a look at the McDonald – Israel relationship. According to the Chicago Jewish Community Online, McDonalds Corporation whose global headquarters is based just outside Chicago is a major corporate partner of the Jewish United Fund and Jewish Federation.Through its Israel Commission, the Jewish United Fund â€Å"works to maintain American military, economic and diplomatic support for Israel; monitors and, when necessary , responds to media coverage of Israel â€Å". Israel, as the world has already acknowledged, is a nation built illegally on the land of Palestine through wars with the support from United States of America. The rate of consumption of Israel’s product like McDonalds are exceptionally high even though society have acknowledged the evil that the Israeli have triggered upon the Palestinians through the countless wars and discriminations .By refusing to initiate the act of embargoing Israel’s products, the society are directly contributing monetary support for Israel to dominate Palestine and oppressing the Palestinians. People are actually practicing evil because they refuse to conceive the impacts of their actions. As the impacts are not visible, we tend to ignore them. This is clearly unacceptable as by supporting even in a small scale, we are actually permitting evil to be continuously ensued in the world. Humans take Mother Nature for granted. Mankind would take ever ything that she provides beyond their basic needs.In doing so, nature is being stripped to the barren bone in order man could satisfy their undying lust for wealth and power. Man is destroying nature along with the tranquillity and balance of the cosmos. For instance, everyone uses toilet papers. These uses of toilet paper are destroying nature evilly. As more and more companies are going paperless which is a good thing, there is less and less recycled material going into the production of toilet paper. As a result, pulp manufacturing is increasing, requiring the use of more virgin wood – a clean and untreated type that comes straight from forests.With a country using an average of 7 billion rolls of toilet paper a year and a typical tree provides about 1,000 rolls of toilet paper, man is using 7 million trees just to clean after themselves every year. This disaster is never considered as an environmental crime, due to the fact that toilet paper is a claimed necessity. In con trary, toilet paper is not used in required amounts. In fact, the wastage of toilet paper is far beyond the common lay man could comprehend. This monstrous wastage would eventually ravage the earth from its forests.This horrible act is an evil quality mankind towards nature. Some people would still view mankind with hope that man is not naturally inclined to become evil. These idealists would still fight to prove a utopian dream is not entirely impossible. Imagining a world without war, peace in the four corners of the globe and the earth occupied by people who are selfless and pleasant. The claim is that mankind is in fact not naturally evil. Mankind possess a common understanding about positive moral and a natural desire to do what is considered as morally right.Although the interpretation of what is morally good differs from the societies of the world, mankind still stand on common ground to consider that taking a life, lying and stealing is considered as bad. An individual is ob ligated, if not encouraged, to take the necessary precautionary steps to avoid committing such sins. Thus, the consciousness that exists within the social norms of mankind is pure proof that mankind is not naturally evil. However, it is undeniable that evil is still the product of mankind’s nature. A murderer may kill four different victims due to the product of stress and anger.The epic clash between the Trojans and the Greeks were due to the love of Paris, Prince of Troy towards Agamemnon’s sister-in-law. Both World Wars were caused by one man’s ambition to make the world organized under one political administration. The Zionist regime discriminated and denied the Palestinians their due human rights because they claim for compensation of their Jewish ancestors massacred in the Holocaust. The mentioned emotions are actually natural feelings that the common man would experience in everyday life. Many of the sins that man committed throughout history are the prod uct of his natural emotions and instincts.Despite the fact that mankind is capable of doing so much good, human beings are also capable of committing that is far worse. These actions prove that evil is the product of previous evil and genuine human emotions. Determinists have come to the conclusion that we are governed by the laws of science, that there is nothing we can do about ourselves being evil because we naturally are. Evil is simply the act of causing pain. Human beings are born with a natural reaction to â€Å"fear and chaos† to be instinctively evil. We live in a morally fragile world and our moral decisions do not only matter to us.They have consequences for everyone else, and for the world. We have to dig deeper to identify the real world. We are not good as a whole. We are mean to each other. We lie. We cheat. We steal. We don't seem to think this because we just dismiss these things as minor corruptions. Well minor after minor after minor combine, to become majo r. Unless something is changed soon, like we lose our natural instincts, then we always will be. No one wants to hear this, but it needs to be said by someone. Humans are naturally evil. That is what makes humans such fascinating creatures

Application Personal Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Application Personal Statement - Essay Example In line with this, I facilitated the selling of various computer and video games as well as other utility and office software among others. To effectively fulfill this position, one should need to have the passion for the game industry and computer technology in general. From my working experience, I am able to gain substantial knowledge with regard to these subject matters. For instance, I observed that majority of the game software sold in the market are made in Japan. With this, I realized the immensity of the game industry in Japan as relatively more computer and video games are launched from the country than in any other nations in the world. In addition, I observed the degree of specialization of the Japanese game industry as more people are employed to work in developing a particular game as compared to their Western counterpart. After further research, I learned that the United States and Japan are the largest markets for computer and video games in the world as indicated by the popularity of Microsoft's Xbox (US-made) and Sony's Playstation (Japan-made). In this industry, there is intense competition between these products, however, Playstation is still the market leader in terms of sales to date due to the wider selection of teen adult games offered and the creative game design. Given my fascination with the industry, I also learned that in the United States alone, the entire industry is able t... Apart from the game industry, my previous employment has made me well aware of the importance as well as how the quality of life has improved with the advent of computer technology. In this regard, I aspire to make substantial contributions in this field by bringing about the development in information technology as may be required in the future. With my involvement in the game shop, I also learned that the entire industry is plagued with illegal activities such as hacking and piracy. I reckon that these significant issues may be address by the further development of computer technology by computer engineers and scientists of our generation. Moreover, my experience has inspired me to develop new game machines and software that will have positive net effect to the public. My exposure to different types of customers in the game shop helps me understand that one of the primary concerns for computer innovation and technological inventions is their overall impact to the users. This is a vital part of the ethics of computer technology. In order to succeed, one should be aware of this responsibility towards the public and provide them with high quality and beneficial products. With my inclination in the game industry and computer technology as a whole, I believe that it is in my best interest to major in a computer-related course in this University. This academic institution offers comprehensive curricula and rigorous training that bring out the best in its students. Furthermore, it employs highly competitive professors, who are experts in their respective fields, from whom students can learn efficiently. (Word count: 600

Peter and Starcatcher Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Peter and Starcatcher Evaluation - Essay Example I was particularly pleased with the manner in which Peter played his role. Apart from entertaining me, it made me to learn much about acting. To begin with, Peter features as a very energetic actor. He comes out as a very strong actor who sufficiently represents the real traits and conducts of the character. Despite being an orphan, Peter comes out as a very strong leader who is able to work with his peers and ensure that they act accordingly. In case of any problem, he strongly comes out to take responsibility. His interactions with Molly also prove that he is energized especially when discussing about their adoption by the cruel leader. This is a clear indication that he must have spent adequate time to rehearse and prepare for the role. In terms of truthfulness, Peter qualifies to be one. For him to qualify for this role, the actor must have been in a position of representing the actual character. I made this observation when I keenly listened to Peter and watched him as he acts in different scenes of the play. His actions are purely natural and realistic. They do not appear to be exaggerated at all. First, I saw this when Peter develops very strong romantic feelings for Molly. Just like any other man, he fails to declare his intensions because he is too afraid to face her. This shows a natural behaviors of cowardice men who despite being attracted to ladies, lack confidence to let them know whatever they actually want. The other important thing I observed in Peter is that he is has good communication skills. He can audibly project his voice to reach everyone. By projecting her voice in a loud manner, Peter managed to effectively communicate to his audiences. He clearly and audibly pronounced his words for easy understanding by everyone. When watching the play, I observed this while listening to Peter story with his fellow orphans with whom he spent most of the time. I also noticed his audibility while on board and

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

Cruse Ship Managment - Assignment Example A good cruise itinerary must outline the effects of all internal factors at play. These factors are within the control of the management and can be tactfully addressed. Some of these factors as pointed out by Kaulbars (2008) include relations to the prospective host communities and authorities, budget estimations, and overall basics of a journey. Logistics is another internal factor that ought to be taken care of. Here, aspects such as exchange of crew and supply arrangements are looked into. Another factor is the characteristic of the vessel, with key concern to vessels’ capability, amenities, and adaptability to diverse port destinations. Some of these external factors as espoused by Kaulbars include infrastructure and superstructure of the port of call, with finer details to evaluate being the facilities available, bunker services and costs, as well as accommodation facilities (Sun, Gauri & Webster, 2011). Other factors include customer preferences, sea conditions such as winds and tides, as well as weather conditions both at sea and at inland destinations that may have adverse effects on the comfort of passengers. Cruise ships have also been made more comfortable by offering services that are similar to those offered in inland holiday inns. Amenities such as swimming pool, a shopping place where the customers can make light purchases, etc. have been included to make the voyages more exciting. Certainly, these amenities help create a pleasurable environment that provide greater experience to the tourists. A good cruise ship itinerary must also take into concern factors that motivate the customers. These factors can be evaluated based on costs, facilities available within the ship, duration of stay at particular ports during stopovers, among others. Greenwood and Barron observe that most passengers prefer the preservation of individuality, a factor that has been successfully overcome by offering sightseeing tours to

Impact of technology on society Phone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Impact of technology on society Phone - Essay Example People use it in their daily lives for communicating with friends, family and colleagues. In the same way, it is used in business organizations as a most powerful communication tool. The basic purpose of this research is to analyze how this technology has changed the shape of society. This paper will discuss the past, present and future if this technology. In this scenario, this research will outline the applications of this technology in various areas of life and what role it plays in society. What is the technology? It is an admitted fact that the impact of the telephone on society started immediately after Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of telephone system. Basically, the major objective of Alexander Graham Bell was to build a telephone that could provide everyone (whether they are rich and poor) with a way of collaboration and communication and a capability of technology based systems by making use of the telephone. Without a doubt, the phone, which refers to an electri cal setup for copying in remote places the tones and articulations of a speaker's voice, was was basically emerged as the initial communication medium to support us to maintain relationships and dealings over long distances. In addition, Graham Bell also recommended potencies that admittedly sounded utopian. According to his viewpoints â€Å"it is believable that cables of telephone wires could be placed underground, or balanced above your head, allowing the communication with branch wires using private residences, country houses, shops, manufactories, etc." (Greatest Achievements3, 2012; Kang, 2005). History and Evolution In order to launch this product he took the help from the forerunner of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company that later on became one of the largest organizations of that time. However, it was split apart in 1989 in an attempt to resolve an antitrust outfit by the U.S. Justice Department, on the other hand AT&T took the ownership and spent hundreds of bil lions of dollars in purchasing machinery, generated yearly income reaching to approximately 2 percent of the daily used products of the US, and bought by more than a million people. In this scenario, AT&T's division changed the company’s situation radically, however the telephone's basic role in business and personal communications has only increased since the invention of this device. In fact, the current technology is giving Bell's invention a crowd of new powers (Greatest Achievements, 2012; Greatest Achievements, 2012; Kang, 2005). In addition, telephones were used by linking not only through wires but also through microwaves, optical fibers, communications satellites, computerized switching systems and networks of cellular towers that are used to establish connection between two callers on the earth simply and immediately. Additionally, the telephone is currently mediating billions of long distance communications and dealings on a daily basis-eight per person, approximat ely, in the United States. As Bell demonstrated in his catalog and it is a fact that it is "employed for almost every function and in every walk of life where speech is used," and its uses vary from idle chat to emergency calls. Moreover, with the passage of time the emergence of digital data such as text messages and pictures often moves in the same ways and routes as conversation. And it is believed that modern life and the telephone are inextricably tangled (Greatest Achieve

World Religions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

World Religions - Essay Example uism, Jainism, and Buddhism refer to the notion of karma in their principal beliefs, but the meaning of karma introduces some different features in the dimension of this religions and cultures. It is important to mention that there are a number of divergent and similar feature in the concepts of karma regarding this particular religions. It is interesting to investigate the peculiarities each of them and understand is basic features. Hinduism is considered to be widespread religion of South Asian people and karma is regarded as one of the principal notions in this particular belief (Smith, n.p.). The word itself refers to the Vedic texts with the basic meaning â€Å"ritual action or labor† (Smith, n.p.). The matter is that ritual of work belongs to â€Å"the construction of a religiously viable self† (Smith, n.p.). To such extend the notion of action presupposes some consequences in the present and future to the particular person. Jainism represents karma as the â€Å"net of our previous choices† that creates the experience of the present moment (Long, 84). Consequently, our current choices produce the future circumstances of our existence (Long, 84). It is important to mention that according to Jainism beliefs we all create the universe with suggesting our choices in a collective form (Long, 84). Kama consist of people’s mind, speech and body that presupposes his/her proceedings. What is more karma is regarded as an abstract substance that surrounds the soul and people’s consciousness. In the dimension of Buddhism karma first and foremost refers to the people’s intentions as they are regarded as the principal stimulators of people’s actions and proceedings (Jà ¼rgensmeyer, 70). Intention is considered to be an â€Å"essential element in moral decision making† according to Buddhism religion (Jà ¼rgensmeyer, 70). That is why they construct a principal concept of karma in this particular case. What is relevant to mention is one big similarity concerning this

Accounting writing assignments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accounting writing assignments - Essay Example In order to obtain detailed financial information about the company, it is necessary to analyse consolidated balance sheet and other financial statements of the company. The company’s financial data clearly indicates that Ford has achieved $128,954 million in sales for the fiscal year 2010. The company could effectively survive the impacts of 2009 global financial crisis and it attained a net income of $6,561 million in 2010. The annual report 2011 shows that the company’s earnings per share is $1.66 although it has not issued dividends to shareholders. The consolidated balance sheet of the company illustrates that Ford’s total assets/total liabilities for the fiscal 2010 were $164,687 million. In addition, total shareholders’ equity of Ford was $-642 million. According to the â€Å"management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations†, most powerful feature of the Ford is its flexibility to integrate with various market situations (Ford Motor Company). The company distributes its costs and expenses under two categories such as cost of sales and selling, administrative and other expenses. This section clearly reflects that effective cost monitoring and control mechanisms have assisted the company to improve its profitability. The management report indicates that the ongoing global economic recovery has greatly benefited the company to improve its financial condition, which was very weak in the previous year (Ford Motor Company). In addition, the Ford possesses an efficient management team that effectively forecasts changing consumer tastes and specifications and thereby greatly aids R&D team to design innovative car models. The general tone of the management’s comments points that the company is passing through an economic recovery phase, and the micro-macro environments of the Ford offers potential opportunities to the company for the upcoming years (Ford Motor Company). At the same time, intense market competition is

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Case Study - Essay Example Thorough assessment shall be made on the suicidal behavior of the child paying attention particularly on the following major areas: (1) risk for death and repetition, (2) underlying diagnoses – if had already been identified as existing, and (3) the promoting factors. The sources of information can be derived through conducting interviews and observations to the child and her immediate family. Teachers and classmates are good sources of information too knowing that the child mentioned as being teased in class. The necessary information that should be gathered to ascertain the probable risk factors that triggered the child’s suicidal behavior as listed in psychiatric-disorders.com website are the following: (1) a family history of suicide or mental health problems, (2) if the child have runaway from home, (3) physical, emotional, or sexual abuse experienced by the child at home, (4) a recognized psychiatric such as depression, (5) a relationship breakdown, (6) family disturbance such as divorce, (7) bullying in school, (8) poor exam results, and (9) being diagnosed to have a chronic illness. Also, immediate signs and symptoms of suicidal tendencies (e.g. reckless behavior, threats to harm self, becoming distant from friends and family, signs of anxiety and depression, use of alcohol or drugs, giving away possessions) shall be gathered. Information about the child’s background can also be derived from interviewing the child’s boyfriend, close friends, peers, and the family’s healthcare provider/consultant. Books, journals and other types of publications related to adolescent suicide can be a good source of information that will aid in further understanding and management of this case. In managing adolescent suicide, the child, being the major source of information, shall be assessed through therapeutic communication and proper observation. Direct questions of

The Father She Needed Essay Example for Free

The Father She Needed Essay Over time, her relationship with her stepfather strengthens, which in turn gives her the encouragement that she wanted, and the true father figure that she desperately needed. When Stephanie sees a shot-put match take place that her newest stepfather takes her too, she immediately falls in love. She begins to strengthen herself so much that it begins to bother her mother Helen. She is completely against Stephanie’s sport and constantly puts her down. There are many instances in which Helen opposes Stephanie’s steadfastness toward shot-put. As a former Avon consultant, her mother’s view of beauty greatly differs from Stephanie’s. Helen sees beauty as more of an outer aspect rather than inner and this the first step toward extreme conflict with Stephanie. Secondly, Helen simply speaks her opinion on the matter by telling her husband, â€Å"I have to sit alone and watch my daughter, by beautiful Stephanie, do dynamic tension to her neck and arms. Every morning while she chews her toast I look to see if facial hair has started to grow† (Apple, 132). Throughout Max Apple’s â€Å"Stepdaughters,† her mother Helen is antagonizing Stephanie for pursuing a career in shot-put and it’s because of this that her relationship with her new stepfather blossoms. Stephanie has never really developed a relationship with any of her previous fathers. She begins to develop a relationship with her new stepfather when he takes an interest in her life and introduces her to shot-put. There are many instances in the story where her father openly supports her shot-putting. First of all, he ants to develop a real lasting relationship with Stephanie and Helen, and because he openly supports Stephanie, she begins to trust him and consider him a true father figure. One instance of this is that at the beginning of â€Å"Stepdaughters,† he gives her a poster of the band Genesis in hopes that â€Å"it would signify a beginning for the three of us† (Apple, 129). Secondly, he is so steadfast in supporting her dream that at the end of the story he explains â€Å"[Stephanie] has a lot to throw away, this stepdaughter of mine; in eight-pound chunks she might be able to manage it, maybe all the way to the Olympics† (Apple, 135). In the end he supports her and he always will. Despite the confrontation between Stephanie and her mother, he is always there to back her up as she pursues her dream. This was the perfect time when Stephanie needed a father figure; not just to provide for her, but to love, care, and support her in whatever she does. If Stephanie were to start up shot-put, when her mother was single, her dream might have been abruptly ended by her mother opposition to it. Stephanie’s new stepfather was the person to introduce to her a sport that she loves and become the father that she never had. In the sum of it all Stephanie is at a povital point in her life, and her mother may oppose her dream for a long time. But because her new father that she is just getting to know supports her, she may have it a little easier through her new few years than they would be without him. Stephanie tells her father near the end of the story, â€Å"You can pack up whatever you want. You don’t have to put up with us. You must know by now that this not is going to stop. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got for the next three years and you can bet that Mom’s going to fight me every inch. Life around this house is not going to be a picnic† (Apple, 134). Stephanie has seen so many stepfathers come and go that she’s basically saying that she wouldn’t be surprised if he left her too. As he has proved throughout the story, he not going anywhere. He is there to stay because he cares for her and he cares for her mom. She is working steadfastly toward a goal and her father will stand by her side every step of the way. Works Cited Apple, Max. â€Å"Stepdaughters. † The Norton Introduction to Literature. Alsion Booth and Kelly J. Mays. 10th ed. NY: WW Norton, 2010. 129-135. Print. Outline Thesis: In Max Apple’s â€Å"Stepdaughters,† Stephanie, despite constant criticism from her mother Helen, pushes herself to perfect her trade to the best of her ability with her stepfather. Over time, her relationship with her stepfather strengthens, which in turn gives her the encouragement that she wanted, and the true father figure that she desperately needed. Body Paragraph I. Stephanie’s begins to clash with her mother because Helen’s view of beauty greatly differs from Stephanie’s. When Stephanie, starting shot-put, her mother Helen became very critical and annoyed. Her relationship with her father helps her deal with this. A. Helen used to work as an Avon consultant and her view of beauty greatly differs from the narrator’s and Stephanie’s. (Page 132, Paragraph 60) B. Helen disapproves of Stephanie’s love of shot-put. (Page 132, Paragraph 59) C. Helen is also very critical about Stephanie’s choice. (Page 132, Paragraphs 76, 77) Body Paragraph II. Stephanie has never really developed a relationship with any of her previous fathers. She begins to develop a relationship with her new stepfather when he takes an interest in her life and introduces her to shot-put. A. Stephanie’s new father has a desire to make lasting relationships with her and her mother. (Page 129, Paragraphs 11-15) B. Stephanie is introduced to shot-put by her stepdad. (Page 130, Paragraph 15 C. Stephanie’s relationship with her stepdad begins to blossom when he takes a real interest in her life and her activities. The conflict with her mother helps to strengthen the bond between her and her stepdad, because he supports her, when her mother does not. (Page 134, Paragraph 89; Page 135, Paragraph 92) Conclusion

Welfare Myths and Realities Essay Example for Free

Welfare Myths and Realities Essay Society has continued to undergo evolution and change throughout the history of civilization. These are the factors that spell out the dividing line between social classes and castes that are redrawn on an almost daily basis by mankind. This is why there will always be a mixture of fact and fiction surrounding the way present day society views those people who were unlucky enough to end up at the bottom of the societal class chain. These are the people who are forced to survive using welfare to keep food on the table, money in their pockets, and clothes on their backs. It is highly unfortunate that the word Welfare has come to mean a person who does not want to work unless he is forced to work. But this is not always what defines a person on welfare. In todays world, the workplace is a highly competitive environment where people no longer have security of tenure in their jobs. People want to work. The problem is, there are not enough jobs to go around. The reality is that when a person loses his job these days, it is highly unlikely that he will be able to get new regular employment anytime in the short-term future. So, he is forced to take what odd jobs he can while trying his luck at landing regular employment. Realistically speaking, temp jobs wont pay the rent nor keep food on the table. In order to stay afloat, the person must take welfare assistance. This is a not a permanent set up for most, it is just financial aid until the person can get back on his feet. Hey, he paid his taxes and his Social Security dues. Therefore, it is only proper that the system helps him get back on his feet. Nobody in his right mind would want to make welfare his way of life. Welfare tends to affect a person both psychologically and emotionally as he struggles to try to go back to the way of life that he has become accustomed to. Even though they try to get off welfare at the soonest possible time, sometimes, he is forced to go back on welfare for one reason or another. The last thing he wants to become is a welfare cyclist but he is left with no other choice. Psychologically, a man unable to support himself is thrown into despair and self-pity. He thinks less of himself and wishes to feel better by being able to support himself without the aid of welfare. The last thing he wants for himself is to get involved in welfare cycling. This is the act of going on welfare for short periods of time during which a person has lost his job. It is totally unfair to say, the federal welfare program encourages people to stay poor. (Margaret L. Andersen Howard F. Taylor, 2003, p. 200) Man is an ambition driven entity. He pursues lofty goals and ambitions in life and does not deem himself a success or a complete individual unless he has something to show for his existence. It can be in the form of finances, or something solid like real estate. Whatever it may be, there is nothing that can drive a man to have a desire to stay poor. The government does not give enough financial support to the welfare organizations for one to believe that those on welfare would be getting enough welfare checks or food coupons to sustain any kind of lifestyle. These benefits are available only to a limited number of families who must pass a stringent interview and verification process. Neither is it true that only Blacks or Hispanic families benefit from welfare. There are also White families who are down on their luck and also move from place to place or even state to state in search of the elusive jobs. The welfare myth about women is proves to be even most unfair. Women are the light that guides a family. While husbands work and bring home what pay then can in the lower middle class society, the women are left at home to tend to the children. Most of them cannot afford child-care and therefore help their husband earn income in order to improve their basic lifestyle. This is why most women collect welfare for their families. If there were proper child-care assistance provided to these families, both parents would have a chance to work instead of having to line up collecting unemployment checks just to make ends meet. Of the 100% of the total federal budget, only 60% of this it spent on assisting poor families. This provides subsidies for the lowest income families basic living and medical assistance. There is absolutely no truth to the belief that certain welfare recipients are paid benefits that they no longer qualify for. Though the system is not foolproof, as some payments errors are done due to human error, there are still safety measures in place to make sure that overpayments are limited and that any fraudulent transactions are weeded out in the process. Going on welfare was never meant to make any man rich. It is not a status symbol that will make you the envy of others either. Often times, the amount of the checks given to the people involved are below the poverty level. It is really meant only to be a stop gap measure for those who have had a stroke of financial bad luck. It was not meant to sustain any person throughout life. The myths that were created by the fear of going on welfare gave the deserving welfare beneficiaries a bad name. It has branded them in such a way that society tends to be judge and jury of the way they conduct their lives and personal businesses. Welfare was meant to be a helping hand when one needs it the most. Welfare was envisioned, developed and meant to help a person get back on his feet after a devastating financial setback. To believe all these myths that have been handed down from generation to generation would be a disservice to such a humane undertaking that is done for and on behalf of your fellowman. Works Cited Andersen, Margaret L. Taylor, Howard R. (2003). Sociology The Essentials (2nd Ed. ) Welfare Myths: Fact or Fiction? Exploring the Truth about Welfare. 1996. December 22, 2006, Retrieved from http://hcom. csumb. edu/welfare/resources/myths_facts. html Irons, Meghan Erica. Dispelling Myths About Welfare. December 21, 2006, Retrieved from http://www. voice. neu. edu/960215/welfare. html

Essay about Makkah

Essay about Makkah Mecca is a holy place of Muslims in Saudi Arabia where it is believed that the prophet Muhammad lived and taught more than 1,300 years ago. Mecca is the holiest city in Islam. Mecca had become an important place in the history by the time when Prophet Mohammed (peace is upon him)  was born in about 570 AD. Mecca, the holy place has fallen with yearly ebb and flow of pilgrims as a result of growing Muslim community in the World and eventually the spread of Islam. The economic status of the city greatly depends on the large number of pilgrims visiting every year and their accommodation, feeding and transportation. (Ahmed Z.U. 1992). Prophet Mohammed (peace is upon him) was born in Makkah and was descended with the Holy Quran, and since then the propagation for Islam was launched. In the heart of the city is the Holy Mosque in the centre of which the Holy Kaaba is located, The Maqam of Prophet Ibrahim, his son Ismaiels stone (May God bless them), Zamzam well in which water has been pouring from hundreds of years, and Safa and Marwah where Muslims make Saie. There are other holy shrines of Mina, Muzdalifa, and Arafat near Makkah. Arafat is located at the Mount Arafat where pilgrims perform the main ritual of Hajj as the day of Arafat. Hajj is scheduled according to the lunar calendar and so moves 11 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar. Due to seasonal variation over time, the Hajj occurs at different times each year (Yamin M. et al 2009). It becomes difficult in summers as the temperatures in Saudi Arabia are very high. Unlike other Saudi Arabian cities, Mecca retains its warm temperature in winter, which can range from 17  Ã‚ °C at midnight to 25  Ã‚ °C in the afternoon. Summer temperatures are considered very hot and break the 40  Ã‚ °C mark in the afternoon dropping to 30  Ã‚ °C (86  Ã‚ °F) in the evening. Rain usually falls in Mecca in small amounts between November and January. Tourism at Mecca Mecca, the holy city in Saudi Arabia is believed to be the centre of the Islamic world. The journey to Mecca as the Hajj is popular to the Muslims all over the world but the Mecca travel is forbidden for non-Muslims. There are billions of people coming to Mecca for Hajj from all over the world. The Hajj in Mecca is the largest pilgrimage in the world. The Mecca city is Saudi Arabia is increasingly called Makkah. It is similar to the pronunciation of the Arabic word than does the English translation called Mecca. Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter the premises of Mecca, Saudi Arabia at any time of the year due to the fact that the Mecca travel and the Hajj are only intended for Muslims. It has happened in the past that several non-Muslims have entered Mecca; the penalties of it are quite harsh including deportation and jail time. Tourism in Mecca involves some advance planning. There is a special visa required by every Muslim who wishes to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. There is a valid visa required to enter the Hajj grounds. In case of Saudi citizens, permission is necessary. The foreign pilgrims intend to perform Hajj applies for a visa by furnishing information and undergoing some medical examination. The visa is granted by Saudi government by approval of the Hajj management in Saudi Arabia. Each pilgrim is assigned to a group of Hajj management called Munazzim once their visa is granted. Munnazim is responsible for their travel and accommodation arrangements in the Hejaz (Yamin M. et al 2009). In addition, a letter from the local mosque stating that the person is a Muslim is also required. Women who are under 45 years of age must travel with a male or a mahram considered being the head of the family. There should be a proof of their relationship. On the other hand, women over 45 years of age must carry a permission letter from her husband or her father along with the proof her being a part of the Mecca tourism group. The visa to travel Mecca does not permit to travel outside of Mecca and if anyone wants to travel other cities, they must apply for additional visa. The pilgrimage to Mecca commence at the Jeddah airport, a large city in Saudi Arabia. As the tourism in Mecca is very popular during the Hajj month, there are two special terminals for the people arriving to Mecca. There are direct bus services from the airport to Mecca Saudi Arabia. On arrival to the city of Mecca, the Muslims have to follow traditional rituals, called Umrah. These traditions should be followed by all the pilgrims. The rituals that are acted out in the incidents of the Quran are relatively hard to perform or rather complex and takes about a week. It is important that the pilgrims must wear the traditional pilgrimage clothing followed by a walk in the region of the Kaaba in a counter clockwise direction several times. After this ritual, next comes Saey which factually means run whereby the pilgrims walk back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah, the region where the wife of Prophet Abraham ran recklessly in search of water for her son. It has been written in Quran that there is a fountain that appears between the hills (Ahmed Z.U. 1992). Other rituals during the Hajj include going to Arafat. This is the the place where Mohammed gave his final sermon. The ritual is followed by drinking water from the Zamzam well which is inside the Great Mosque. It is believed by all the Muslims that their God provided water to Hajar and Ismail at this well when they were strolling in the desert. These two people are the central figures of Islam. Mecca travel is a meaningful once-in-a-lifetime experience for all the Muslims. Tourism issues There have been many tourism issues in Mecca that arise during the Hajj period. Many incidents have happened during the past years causing loss of hundreds of lives. It is estimated that there are 1.4 billion Muslims in the World and each one must visit Mecca for pilgrimage at least once in his or her lifetime if they can. It is all the way very hard to manage millions of people in Mecca during the month of Hajj. Crowd Stampede Stampedes are likely to occur at the Hajj because of the huge crowd and an extraordinary pressure. The individuals may stumble thereby precipitating an entire stampede. Massive crowds walking from one place to the other place of the pilgrimage, cause a stampede. There is a panic when the pilgrims jostle to avoid being trampled resulting in hundreds of deaths. For example, the ceremony of stoning the Devil is very crowded and dangerous and so can result in serious crowd accidents. The following incidents occurred due to massive crowding at the Hajj. 2nd July, 1990 Arafat plains of Hajj: A stampede inside a pedestrian tunnel leading out from Mecca towards Mina, Saudi Arabia and the Plains of Arafat led to the deaths of 1,426 pilgrims. 23rd May, 1994 270 pilgrims were killed in crowd during the stoning of the Devil. 9th April, 1998 Incident at Jamarat Bridge where 118 pilgrims died and 180 were injured. 5th March, 2001 During the ritual of stoning the Devil, 35 pilgrims were trampled to death. 11th February, 2003 14 pilgrims died in a rush during the stoning of the Devil ceremony. 1st February, 2004 251 pilgrims were killed and 244 people were injured in a stampede during the stoning ceremony in Mina. 12th January, 2006 346 pilgrims were killed and more than 289 were injured in Mina on the last day of the Hajj while performing the ritual ramy al-jamarÄ t. Diseases Disease spread is also a tourism issue in Mecca. This could be explained on the fact that there are millions of people from many countries visiting Mecca, of which some of them may have poor health systems, leading to the spread of epidemics. If there is a disease outbreak during the Hajj, this could make the problem worse when they returned home and passing the infection on to others. There have been such incidents in the past where the disease has spread among the pilgrims causing severe health problems. One such disease, called meningitis has been given a prompted response from the Saudi government. There were many concerns about the disease after its international outbreak at Hajj in 1987. Due to these global outbreaks of certain types of meningitis in previous years, it is now a visa requirement to be immunised with the ACW135Y vaccine before arrival. Every year, the Saudi government publishes a list of required vaccines for pilgrims, which for 2010 also includes yellow fever, p olio, and influenza. Trauma and other fatal events The word Hajj defines movement. There is a lot of chaos in transportation during the Hajj. The pilgrimage moves on foot in dense traffic for hours at a time. During the Hajj season in Mecca, there is inordinate traffic congestion. Other issues in tourism are fire incidents that happened in previous years. December 1975 Fire due to explosion a gas cylinder in a tent resulted in the death of 200 pilgrims. 15th April, 1997 Fire in a tent in Mina killing 343 pilgrims and 1,500 injured. In order to prevent such dangerous incidents, the kingdom has replaced all the tents and the tents are now fireproof with a variety of which are made up of aluminium frames with fibreglass. The risk of fire is now considered much lower (Memish Z.A. et al 2002). Tourism management Management in Mecca during the Hajj, handling millions of people during a specific month is not an easy task. The officials of the government of the Saudi Arabia should have done more to prevent such catastrophes. It is claimed by the government of Saudi Arabia that such massive crowd are very dangerous and difficult to manage, and that they have taken a number of steps to prevent problems. There are improvements of touristic facilities at Jeddah, Mecca and Madinah. There have been number of steps undertaken to overcome the hurdles and the incidents in the past. One of the controversial significant steps in action inculcates new system of registrations, passports, and visas to control the mass flow of pilgrims. This system intends to encourage and accommodate visitors travelling for the first time to Mecca, while restricting repeat visits. Such a system was protested by the pilgrims who have the desire and wishes to perform the Hajj several times and they have been biased about this system, but the Hajj Commission has stated that they see no substitute if further incidents and disasters are to be prevented. As a result of the stampede in 2004, there have been concerns and considerations by the Saudi authorities. The authorities have aboard a big construction work in and around the Jamarat Bridge area. Additional access ways, footbridges, and emergency exits were built, and concrete walls were designed to replace the three cylindrical pillars allowing more pilgrims to have a simultaneous access to them without fighting for position and deprived of crowd. A multi-million-dollar project has been designed and put into action by the government to expand the bridge to five levels. For crowd management, many organizations are using RFID chips to track and monitor people and products. This high technology is an effective way of identifying and helping people in urgent situations (Yamin M. et al 2009). These RFID carry some PDA (readable data) which can be used for medical emergencies and for reporting lost pilgrims with their groups. The device should be linked to the event database so as to facilitate the retrieval and updates as and when required. The disease spreads and recent outbreaks of H1N1 virus (swine influenza and bird flu) have made the crowd management more challenging. For the management of diseases, as mentioned earlier, there are set of medical examinations and immunizations to be undergone by the pilgrims to be registered in the event database. Therefore, the management of Hajj can be sum up in three phases. Phase one is about the necessary planning to organize Hajj and to intend pilgrims before departure to Saudi Arabia. Second phase refers to the Hajj process whereby different management steps are undertaken to control the issues in way of the Hajj process and the last phase directs to the measures undertaken to facilitate smooth return of pilgrims to their respective destinations.

Popular Music Under Seige :: essays research papers

POPULAR MUSIC UNDER SIEGE Beginning in the 1980s, religious fundamentalists and some parents' groups have waged a persistent campaign to limit the variety of cultural messages available to American youth by attacking the content of some of the music industry's creative products. These attacks have taken numerous forms, including a call by the Parents' Music Resource Center (PMRC) for the labeling of recordings whose themes or imagery relate to sexuality, violence, drug or alcohol use, suicide or the "occult," and prosecutions of record companies and storeowners for producing or selling albums that contain controversial songs. After years of pressure from the PMRC and a series of Senate hearings in 1985, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) introduced, in 1990, a uniform labeling system using the logo, "Parental Advisory - Explicit Lyrics." The RIAA initiated this system without providing record companies with any standards, criteria or guidelines for determining what albums should be labeled. That decision is left completely up to the companies, which have chosen to label only selected rock and rap albums and not recordings of country music, opera or musical comedy that may also contain controversial material. Dissatisfied with the RIAA's labels, many would-be censors have demanded even more limits on the sale of music with controversial lyrics. As a result, legislators have introduced bills in more than 20 states in recent years that would require warning labels far more detailed than the RIAA's. Some proposed laws would go beyond mandatory labeling and actually ban the sale to minors of music deemed to be objectionable. Until 1992, none of this legislation had passed, although in 1991 a bill in Louisiana failed by only one vote. In 1992, however, the state of Washington passed a law that required storeowners to place "adults only" labels on recordings a judge had found to be "erotic"; the law also criminalized the sale of any labeled CD or tape to a person under age 18. Fortunately, the law was never enforced because a few months after passage a state court declared it unconstitutional. Even though Washington's "erotic music" law failed, the battle over proposals to label or otherwise restrict certain music sales will probably continue. The groups and individuals who have been attacking popular music want to impose their personal moral and political standards on the rest of us. The American Civil Liberties Union is working hard to prevent the achievement of that goal, which would imperil the First Amendment rights of musicians, and of all Americans, to create, perform and hear music of our own choosing.

Matrix Metalloproteinases Essay -- Biology, Science Experiments

Matrix metalloproteinases are members of a large family of enzymes that can degrade extracellular matrix as well as other molecules [1]. MMPs participate in a broad variety of normal and pathologic states [2], and have been implicated as potential mediators of cardiac dilation and heart failure. Indeed, in culture cells [3,4], animal models mimicking the CHF syndrome [5,6] and CHF patients [7-9], a mechanistic relationship has been demonstrated respect to myocardial MMP expression and left ventricular (LV) remodeling process [3-9]. Likewise, recent reports on endothelial culture cells [10-12] and animal models of CHF [13,14] have shown that the increase of expression and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 (called gelatinases) might also play an important role in the impairement of endothelial function, a key event contributing on morbidity and mortality in CHF patients [15]. However, data respect to the role of MMPs on endothelial dysfunction in the setting of human CHF is completely unknow n. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the association between the activity of gelatinases and endothelial dysfunction in patients with CHF. We hypothesized that a higher plasma MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities correlate with a lower endothelial function in patients with CHF. We included CHF patients, NYHA functional class II-III controlled in a university clinical center. All patients signed an informed consent approved by our institutional Review Board and Ethics Committee. Inclusion criteria were left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ...esented here share new clinical evidence suggesting a possible participation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the genesis and progression of endothelial dysfunction, suggesting an active role of MMPs in this event. The main limitations of the present study were the limited number of patients, the presence of standard pharmacological therapy administered that may influence our results and such a correlations reported here did not demostrate a cause-effect relationship, but there is experimental evidence that could sustain our results. Further studies are clearly required to address this issue for exploring the causal relationships between these proteases and the pathophysiology of endothelial function. Acknowledgements The authors of this manuscript have certified that they comply with the Principles of Ethical Publishing in the International Journal of Cardiology [20].