Tidal energy

1. IntroductionTidal energy is one of the renewable energies that have a promising hereafter as energy beginnings for the whole universe in general and for some states in peculiar. The purpose of this study is to discourse the current position of tidal energy in footings of engineering, runing rule, environmental effects and its hereafter development.The specific aims are: · To sketch the current potency of tidal energy throughout the universe  · To discourse the engineerings up to day of the month  · To place the pros and cons of the current engineerings  · To indicate out the environmental impacts of tidal energy and if any accomplishments so far to relieve this consequence  · To discourse the possible hereafter developments2. BackgroundThe Earth and the Moon continuously produce centrifugal forces on one another. This gravitative consequence creates a bump in the oceans confronting to the side of the Moon. A 2nd bump is produced by the centrifugal force due to the rotary motion of the Earth on the opposite side of it. Those two sides of the Earth are the two countries where high tides are produced. The usage of tidal energy has been started since 12th century for grain milling intents in England and France though it has been barely used due to decelerate gait of engineering developments and other inexpensive energy beginning rivals such as fossil fuels. There were no much researches and developments on the engineering and it did n't acquire adequate attending till recent old ages. But those tidal Millss are the base for the development of modern tidal energy engineerings.3. Tidal energy Status3.1. World Tidal Energy PotentialThe universe ‘s 70 % of its surface covered by H2O has an ability of bring forthing 50000MW tidal current energy yearly ( Atlantis Resource Corporation, 2009 ) . Most of the countries sited in 3.1 are those countries with high potency of tidal energy resources available. But tidal energy is available all over the Earth though the sum of energy to be harnessed is smaller compared to the given 1s.3.2. Current Tidal Energy TechnologiesTidal energy is the energy exploited from the possible and kinetic flow of the tides. There are two presently matured engineerings used to pull out this energy. The possible energy of the tides is exploited utilizing tidal bombardments and the kinetic energy is extracted by the tidal current turbine engineerings ( Fergal O Rourke, 2009 ) .3.2.1. Tidal BarragesTidal bombardments are dams constructed at the oral cavity of estuaries to keep up the coming H2O by shuting the piece gates in either side which builds up a possible energy that can be converted in to electricity by utilizing turbines. This has similar rule like the hydro electric power coevals.Advantages · No demand of fuel  · No waste and nursery gas production  · There is no H2O and air pollution  · Reliable production of electricity  · Predictable and renewableDisadvantage · Expensive for bombardment edifice  · There is deficit of tidal bombardment sites Policy shapers and companies are loath to pass clip and money in research and development for a wider execution of tidal bombardment engineerings because of their high civil substructure costs and environmental issues. Alternatively, they are concentrating on new engineerings such as tidal current turbines which can minimise the cost of dam buildings due to their simpleness in working rule and suitableness to deploy in different countries of oceans.3.2.2. Tidal current turbinesTidal current turbines utilises the kinetic energy of H2O currents to revolve the turbines for electricity coevals. The working rule is the same as the windmills that use the air currents to revolve the air current turbines. The transition of kinetic energy in to utile energy is carried out by two widely used turbine systems viz. horizontal and perpendicular axis turbines. Those are the chief competent right now and they are largely under active research stage with a batch of presentations and trials around the universe ( M.J. Khan, G. Bhuyan, M.T. Iqbal, J.E. Quaicoe, 2009 ) . The blades of Horizontal axis tidal turbines rotate about a horizontal axis which is parallel to the flow of H2O as shown in fig 3.3 below. Those constellations and type of blades are non the lone 1s developed so far. Those are merely samples to demo physically how the horizontal axis tidal turbines look like. The blades of Vertical axis tidal turbines rotate about a perpendicular axis which is perpendicular to the way of the flow of H2O as shown in fig 3.4. There are different blade constellations and types under this class though they are non given in this paper. Tidal current turbines have same advantage as the tidal barrages do but relieve the major disadvantages because of their inexpensive building costs and can be deployed in wider countries of the universe. Those are the grounds tidal current turbines are going more attractive and favorable over tidal bombardments and batch of researches and developments are focussed towards those engineerings.3.3. Environmental impactsAffects the upstream and downstream environment due to the demand of big countries3.4. Future development4. Drumhead and decision5. MentionsAtlantis Resource Corporation. ( 2009 ) . . Retrieved December 27, 2009, from Global Resource: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.atlantisresourcescorporation.com/marine-power/global-resources.html Brooks, R. ( 2008 ) . The World Offshore Renewable Energy Report 2004-2008. DTI. Energy Resources. ( 2009 ) . Retrieved December 05, 2009, from Tidal Power- Energy from the Sea: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/tidal.htm Fergal O Rourke, F. B. ( 2009 ) . Tidal energy update. Applied Energy, 398–409. GCK Technology Ltd. ( 2008 ) . Retrieved December 28, 2009, from The Gorlov Helical Turbine: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.gcktechnology.com/GCK/pg2.html M.J. Khan, G. Bhuyan, M.T. Iqbal, J.E. Quaicoe. ( 2009 ) . Hydrokinetic Energy Conversion Systems and Assessment of Horizontal and Vertical Axis Turbines for river and Tidal Applications. Applied Energy, 1823-1835. Peter Clark, Rebecca Klossner, Lauren Kologe. ( 2003 ) . Tidal Energy.

Enterprise Risk Management

Enterprise / Operational Risk Management IT Audit Manager City National Bank California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Enterprise risk management (ERM) is a relatively new discipline that focuses on identifying, analyzing, monitoring, and controlling all major risk classes (e. g. , credit, market, liquidity, operational risk classes). Operational risk management (ORM) is a subset of ERM that focuses on identifying, analyzing, monitoring, and controlling operational risk. The purpose of this paper is to explain what enterprise risk management is and how operational risk management fits into the ERM framework. In our conclusion, we discuss what is likely to happen in the ERM / ORM environment over the next 5 years. Introduction As the Internet has come of age, companies have been rethinking their business models, core strategies, and target customer bases. â€Å"Getting wired,† provides businesses with new opportunities, but brings new risks and uncertainty into the equation. Mismanagement of risk can carry an enormous cost. In recent years, business has experienced numerous, related risk reversals that have resulted in considerable financial loss, decrease in shareholder value, damage to company reputations, dismissals of senior management, and, in some cases, the very dissolution of the business. This increasingly risky environment, in which risk mismanagement can have dire consequences, mandates that management adopt a new more proactive perspective on risk management. What is Enterprise / Operational Risk Management? Clearly, there is a correlation between effective risk management and a well-managed business. Over time, a business that cannot manage risk effectively will not prosper and, perhaps fail. A disastrous product recall could be the company’s last. Rogue traders lacking oversight and adequate controls have destroyed old well-established institutions in a very short time. But, historically, risk management in even the most successful businesses has tended to be in â€Å"silos†Ã¢â‚¬â€the insurance risk, the technology risk, the financial risk, the environmental risk, all managed independently in separate compartments. Coordination of risk management has usually been non-existent, and identification of emerging risks has been sluggish. This paper espouses a recent concept—enterprise-wide risk management—in which the management of risks is integrated and coordinated across the entire organization. A culture of risk awareness is created. Companies across a wide crosssection of industries are beginning to implement this effective new methodology. 1 Enterprise / Operational Risk Management At first glimpse, there is much similarity between operational risk management and other classes of risk (e. . , credit, market, liquidity risk, etc. ) and the tools and techniques applied to them. In fact, the principles applied are nearly identical. Both ORM and ERM must identify, measure, mitigate and monitor risk. However, at a more detailed level, there are numerous differences, ranging from the risk classes themselves to the skills needed to work with operational risk. Operational risk management is just beginning to define the next phase of evolution of corporate risk management. Should firms be able to develop successful ORM programs, the next step will be for these firms to integrate ORM with all other classes of risks into truly enterprise-wide risk management frameworks. See Exhibit 1 for an example of an ERM / ORM organizational structure representative of the banking industry: ERM Organization Chart CEO Group Risk Director (ERM) Economic Capital (Planning) & Risk Transfer Group Risk Executive Committee Change Program Credit Risk * Market Risk* Operational Risk (ORM)* Corporate Compliance IT Security and Business Continuity Corporate Risk Evaluation (Audit) †¢ Note – the major categories of risk to which financial services firms expose themselves are credit risk, market risk and operational risk. Not surprisingly, financial services firms’ largest risk concentrations—credit risk and market risk are most effectively managed. Exhibit 1 2 Why Enterprise / Operational Risk Management? There are many reasons ERM / ORM functions are being established within corporations. following are a few of the reasons these functions are being established. Organizational Oversight Two groups have recently emphasized the importance of risk management at the organization’s highest levels. In October 1999, the National Association of Corporate Directors released its Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Audit Committees, which recommends that audit committees â€Å"define and use timely, focused information that is responsive to important performance measures and to the key risks they oversee. † The report states that the chair of the audit committee should develop an agenda that includes â€Å"a periodic review of risk by each significant business unit. In January 2000, the Financial Executives Institute released the results of a survey on audit committee effectiveness. Respondents, primarily chief financial officers and corporate controllers, ranked â€Å"key areas of business and financial risk† as most important for audit committee oversight. In light of events surrounding recent corporate scandals (e. g. , Enr on, etc. ), and the increasing executive and regulatory focus on risk management, the percentage of companies with formal ERM methods is increasing and audit committees are becoming more involved in corporate oversight. The UK and Canada have set forth specific legal requirements for audit committee oversight of risk evaluation, mitigation, and management which are widely accepted as best practices in the U. S. Magnitude of Problem The magnitude of loss and impact of operational risk and losses to date is difficult to ignore. Based on years of industry loss record-keeping from public sources, large operational risk-related financial services losses have averaged well in excess of $15 billion annually for the past 20 years, but this only reflects the large public and visible losses. Research has yielded nearly 100 individual relevant losses greater than $500 million each, and over 300 individual losses greater than $100 million each. 1 Exhibit 2 is a listing of major operational losses. Interestingly enough, the majority of these losses have occurred in financial services, which explains the industry’s leading focus on operational risk management especially in the area of asset-liability modeling and treasury management models to manage risks in the highly volatile capital markets activity of derivative trading and speculation. The 1 Hoffman, Douglas G. , Managing Operational Risk (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2002), p. xvi. 3 Top Operational Risk Losses Company Numerous Financial Institutions and Others BCCI Sumitomo Corporation Tokyo Shinkin Bank Banca Nazionale del Lavoro Daiwa Bank Barings Non-Financial Institutions: LTCM Texaco, Inc. Cendant Corporation Dow Corning St. Francis Assisi Foundation Mettlgesellschaft Owens Corning Fiber Glass Orange Count y Atlantic Richfield Kashima Oil Showa Shell Prudential Securities Drexel Burnham Lambert General Motors Phar Mor Loss Amount $20 million. Initial Estimates $17 billion $2. 9 billion $2. 3 billion $1. 8 billion $1. 1 billion $1 billion $4 billion $3 billion $2. 9 billion $2 billion $2 billion $1. billion $1. 7 billion $1. 6 billion $1. 5 billion $1. 5 billion $1. 5 billion $1. 4 billion $1. 3 billion $1. 2 billion $1. 1 billion Date 2001 1991 1996 19901991 1992 19831995 1995 1998 1984 19851998 1994 1999 19911993 1980s1990s 1994 19861990 1994 19891993 1994 19981993 1996 1992 Description Terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center. Over 2000 lives lost. Countless businesses impacted. Regulators seized about 75 percent of The Bank of Credit and Commerce International’s $17 billion in assets in a major fraud. Sumitomo Corporation incurred huge losses through excessive trading of copper. The manager of the Imasato branch forged 19 deposit certificates, which were used to raise money for stock deals. Former employees plead guilty to conspiring to arrange $5 billion in unauthorized loans to Iraq. Loss due to unauthorized trading by an employee. This catastrophic loss has become a benchmark for operational risk. Losses due to lack of dual control and checks and balances. Huge market losses due to inadequate model management and inadequate controls at Long Term Capital Management. Pennzoil sued Texaco alleging that Texaco â€Å"wrongfully interfered† in its merger deal with Getty. Largest and longest-running accounting fraud in history. Former executives conspired to inflate earnings. The company agreed to pay settlements to 18 women who indicated breast implants made them ill. Insurance fraud case in which Martin Frankel allegedly stole as much as $2 billion from this foundation. Loss due to liquidation of oil supply contracts. Settlement of asbestos-related claims. Largest people risk class case in financial history. Largest investment loss ever registered by a municipality. Settlement of North Slope oil royalties dispute with Alaska. Disguised losses on FX forward contracts. Major oil refiner in Japan faced losses from forward currency contracts. Settled charges of securities fraud with state and federal regulators. Former employees filed a class action suit charging the company with fraud, breach of duty and negligence. Heavy losses suffered due to 3 strikes. A former president of the firm defrauded in an embezzlement scheme. Exhibit 2 Source: Hoffman; Managing Operational Risk 4 Increasing Business Risks With the increasing speed of change for all companies in this new era, senior management must deal with many complex risks that have substantial consequences for the organization. A few forces currently creating uncertainty are: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Technology and the Internet Increased worldwide competition Free trade and investment worldwide Complex financial instruments Deregulation of key industries Changes in organizational structures from downsizing, reengineering, and mergers Increasing customer expectations for products and services More and larger mergers Collectively, these forces are stimulating considerable change and creating an increasing risk in the business environment. Regulatory The international regulators clearly intend to encourage banks to develop their own proprietary risk measurement models to assess regulatory, as well as economic, capital. The advantage for banks should be a substantial reduction in regulatory capital, and a more accurate allocation of capital vis-a-vis the actual risk confronted. In December 2001, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision submitted a paper â€Å"Sound Practices for the Management and Supervision of Operational Risk† for comment by the banking industry. In developing these sound practices the Committee recommended that banks have risk management systems in place to identify, measure, monitor and control operational risks. While the guidance in this paper is intended to apply to internationally active banks, plans are to eventually apply this guidance to those banks deemed significant on the basis of size, complexity, or systemic importance and to smaller, less complex banks. Regulators will eventually conduct regular independent evaluations of a bank’s strategies, policies, procedures and practices addressing operational risks. The paper indicates an independent evaluation of operational risk will incorporate a review of the following six bank areas:2 †¢ †¢ Process for assessing overall capital adequacy for operational risk in relation to its risk profile and its internal capital targets; Risk management process and overall control environment effectiveness with respect to operational risk exposures; 2 Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Sound Practices for the Management and Supervision of Operational Risk, (Basel, Switzerland: Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, 2001), p. 1. 5 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Systems for monitoring and reporting operational risk exposures and other data quality considerations; Procedures for timely and effective resolution of operational risk exposures and events; Process of internal controls, reviews and audit to ensure integrity of the overall risk management process; and Effectiveness of operational risk mitigation efforts. Market Factors Market factor s also play an important role in motivating organizations to consider ERM / ORM. Comprehensive shareholder value management and ERM / ORM are very much linked. Today’s financial markets place substantial premiums for consistently meeting earnings expectations. Not meeting expectations can result in severe and rapid decline in shareholder value. Research conducted by Tillinghast-Towers Perrin found that with all else being equal, organizations that achieved more consistent earnings than their peers were rewarded with materially higher market valuations. 3 Therefore, for corporate executives, managing key risks to earnings is an important element of shareholder value management. The traditional view of risk management has often focused on property and iability related issues or internal controls. However, â€Å"traditional† risk events such as lawsuits and natural disasters may have little or no impact on destroying shareholder value compared to other strategic and operational exposures—such as customer demand shortfall, competitive pressures, and cost overruns. One explanation for this is that traditional risk hazards ar e relatively well understood and managed today—not that they don’t matter. Managers now have the opportunity to apply tools and techniques for traditional risks to all risks that affect the strategic and financial objectives of the organization. For non-publicly traded organizations, ERM / ORM is valuable for many of the same reasons. Rather than from the perspective of shareholder value, ERM / ORM would provide managers with a comprehensive overview of other important items such as cash flow risks or stakeholder risks. Regardless of the organizational form, ERM / ORM can be an important management tool. Corporate Governance Defense against operational risk and losses flows from the highest level of the organization—the board of directors and executive management. The board, the management team that they hire, and the policies that they develop, all set the tone for a company. As guardians of shareholder value, boards of directors must be acutely attuned to market reaction to negative news. In fact, they can find themselves castigated by the public if the reaction is severe enough. As representatives of the shareholders, boards of directors are responsible for policy 3 Tillinghast-Towers Perrin, Enterprise Risk Management: Trends and Emerging Practices. (The Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation, 2001), p. xxvi. 6 matters relative to corporate governance, including but not limited to setting the stage for the framework and foundation for enterprise risk management. Right now, operational risk management is a â€Å"hot topic† of discussion for regulators and in boardrooms across the US. In the wake of the 2001 releases from the Basel Risk Management Committee, banks now have further insight as to the regulatory position on the need for regulatory capital for operational risk. Meanwhile, shareholders are aware that there are means to identify, measure, manage, and mitigate operational risk that add up to billions of dollars every year and include frequent, low-level losses and also infrequent but catastrophic losses that have actually wiped out firms, such as Barings, and others. Regulators and shareholders have already signaled that they will hold directors and executives accountable for managing operational risk. Best-Practice Senior managers need to encourage the development of integrated systems that aggregate various market, credit, liquidity, operational and other risks generated by business units in a consistent framework across the institution. Consistency may become a necessary condition to regulatory approval of internal risk management models. An environment where each business unit calculates their risk separately with different rules will not provide a meaningful oversight of firm-wide risk. The increasing complexity of products, linkages between markets, and potential benefits offered by overall portfolio effects are pushing organizations toward standardizing and integrating risk management. Conclusion It seems clear that ERM / ORM is more than another management fad or academic theory. We believe that ERM / ORM will become part of the management process for organizations in the future. Had ERM / ORM processes been in place during the past two decades, a number of the operational risk debacles that took place may not have occurred or would have been of lesser magnitude. Companies are beginning to see the benefit of protecting themselves from all types of potential risk exposures. By identifying and mapping risk exposures throughout the organization, a company can concentrate on mitigating those exposures that can do the most damage. With an understanding of risks, their severity, and their frequency, a company can turn to solutions; be it retaining, transferring, sharing, or avoiding a particular risk. Our thoughts on what will happen in the ERM / ORM environment in the next 5 years are: In the next 5 years, it is likely that companies will no longer view risk management as a specialized and isolated activity: the management of insurance or foreign exchange risks, for instance. The new approach will 7 keep managers and employees at all levels sensitized to and concerned about risk management. Risk management will be coordinated with senior management oversight and everyone in the organization will view risk management as part of his or her job. The risk management process will be continuous and broadly focused. All business risks and opportunities will be covered. In the next 5 years, the use of bottom-up risk assessments will be a standard process used to identify risks throughout the organization. The self-assessment process will involve everyone in the company and require individual units to focus and report on the threats to their individual business objectives. Through the selfassessment process, the organization will be able to understand loss potential and risk control by business, by profit center and by product. The individual line manager will begin to understand the loss potential in his or her own processing system. In the next 5 years, the use of top-down scenario analysis will be another standard method used to identify risks throughout the organization. Top down scenario analysis will determine the risk potential for the entire firm, the entire business, organization, or portfolio of business. By its very nature, it is a high-level representation and cannot get into the bottom-up transaction-by-transaction risk analysis. For example, because Microsoft has a campus of more than 50 buildings in the Seattle area, earthquakes are a risk. 4 In the past, Microsoft looked at silos of risk. For example, they would have looked at property insurance when they considered the risks of an earthquake and thought about protecting equipment and buildings. However, using scenario analysis they are now taking a more holistic perspective in considering the risk of an earthquake. The Microsoft risk management group has analyzed this disaster scenario with its advisors and has attempted to quantify its real cost, taking into account how risks are correlated. In the process, the group identified risks in addition to property damage, such as the following: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 4 Director and officer liability if some people think management was not properly prepared. Key personnel risk Capital market risk because of the firm’s inability to trade. Worker compensation or employee benefit risk. Supplier risk for those in the area of the earthquake. Risk related to loss of market share because the business is interrupted. Michel Crouhy, Dan Galai, and Robert Mark, Making Enterprise Risk Management Payoff (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001), pp 132-133. 8 †¢ †¢ Research and development risks because those activities are interrupted and product delays occur. Product support risks because the company cannot respond to customer inquiries. By using scenario analysis, management has identified a number of risks that it might not have otherwise and Microsoft is now in a better position to manage these risks. The future ERM / ORM tools such as risk assessment and scenario analysis will assist companies in identifying and mitigating the majority of these risks. In the next 5 years, companies will be using internal and external loss databases to capture occurrences that may cause losses to the company and the actual losses themselves. This data will be used in quantitative models that will project the potential losses from the various risk exposures. This data will be used to manage the amount of risk a company may be willing to take. In the next 5 years, companies will allocate capital to individual business units based on operational risk. By linking operational risk capital charges to the sources of that risk, individuals with risk optimizing behavior will be rewarded and those without proper risk practices will be penalized. In the next 5 years, internal audit will become even more focused on how risks are managed and controlled throughout the company on a continuous basis. Internal audit will be responsible for reporting on integrity, accuracy, and reasonableness of the company's entire risk management process. In addition, Internal Audit will be involved in ensuring the appropriateness of the company's capital assessment and allocation processes. Furthermore, audit will influence continual improvement of risk management and controls through the sharing of best practices. In the next 5 years, management will be looking for individuals who are skilled in risk management. Professional designations such as the Bank Administration Institute's Certified Risk Professional (CRP) and the Information and Audit and Control Association's Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) will demonstrate proficiency in the risk management area and will be in demand. In the next 5 years, external auditors will be required to report on the efficiency and effectiveness of a company’s risk management program. These companies will be required to disclose the scope and nature of risk reporting and/or measurement systems in their annual reports. Overall, companies will be better positioned in the next 5 years to deal with the broad scope of enterprise-wide risks. By implementing the ERM / ORM process now, companies will begin to maximize their overall risk profile for competitive advantage. 9 Bibliography Barton, Thomas L. ; Shenkir, William G. ; Walker, Paul L. Making Enterprise Risk Management Pay Off. New Jersey: Financial Times / Prentice Hall, 2002. Basel II Mandates a Nest http://web2. infotrac. galegroup. co Egg for Banks† US Banker. (July 1, 2002) 48. July 2002. BITS. BITS Technology Risk Transfer Gap Analysis Tool. Washington, D. C. : BITS, 2002. Bock, Jerome T. , The Strategic Role of â€Å"Economic Capital† in Bank Management, Wimbledon, London: MidasKapiti International, 2000. Business Banking Board. RAROC and Operating Risk. Washington, D. C. : Corporate Executive B oard, 2001. Business Banking Board. Risk Management Structure. Washington, D. C. : Corporate Executive Board, 2001. Consultative Document Operational Risk. 2001. Bank for International Settlements and Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. July 2002. http://www. bis. org/publ/bcbsa07. pdf Crouhy, Michel; Galai, Dan; Mark, Robert, Risk Management. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. â€Å"Elements of a Successful IT Risk Management Program†. Gartner. (May 2002. ) 9. July 2002. http://www. gartner. com/gc/webletter/bindview/issue1/ggarticle1. html Ernst & Young, Integrated Risk Management Practices. Unpublished PowerPoint slides, Ernst & Young: 2000. Hively, Kevin; Merkley, Brian W. ; Miccolis, Jerry A. Enterprise Risk Management: Trends and Emerging Practices. Florida: The Institute of Internal Auditors Foundation, 2001. Hoffman, Douglas G. Managing Operational Risk. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. , 2002. â€Å"In Brief: Ferguson Urges Investing in Risk Control†. American Banker. (March 5, 2002) 1. July 2002. http://0proquest. umi. com. opac. library. csupomona. edu James, Christopher, RAROC Based Capital Budgeting and Performance Evaluation: A Case Study of Bank Capital Allocation. Pennsylvania: The Wharton School, 1996. Jameson, Rob; Walsh, John, â€Å"The Leading Contenders,† Risk Magazine, (November 2000). 6. July 2002. http://www. financewise. om/public/edit/riskm/oprisk/opr-soft00. htm Insurance Industry – Participating companies: Allianz, AXA, Chubb, Mitsui Sumitomo, Munich Re, Swiss Re, Tokio Marine and Fire, Xl, Yasuda Fire and Marine and Zurich. Insurance of Operational Risk Under the New Basel Accord. Insurance Industry, 2001. Lam, James, â€Å"Top Ten Requirements for Operational Risk Management† Risk Management (November 2001) July 2002. http://0-proquest. umi. com. opac. library. csupomona. edu Marks, Norman, â€Å"The New Age of Internal Auditing† The Internal Auditor (December 2001) 5. July 2002. http://0-proquest. mi. com. opac. library. csupomona. ed McNamee, David; Selim, George M. Risk Management: Changing the Internal Auditor’s Paradigm. Florida: The Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation, 1998. National Association of Financial Services Auditors. â€Å"Enterprise Risk Management,† National Association of Financial Services Auditors. Spring 2002. 12-13. netForensics is a Web site that discusses those regulations that govern information security in financial services, healthcare and government. http://www. netforensics. com/verticals. html 10 Ong, Michael; â€Å"Why bother? Risk Magazine, (November 2000). 6. July 2002. http://www. financewise. com/public/edit/riskm/oprisk/oprcommentary00. htm Practice Advisory 2100-3: Internal Audità ¢â‚¬â„¢s Role in the Risk Management Process. March 2001. The Institute of Internal Auditors. July 2002. http://www. theiia. org/ecm/guide-frame. cfm? doc_id=73 Santomero, Anthony M. , Commercial Bank Risk Management: an Analysis of the Process. Wharton School, 1997. Pennsylvania: The Sound Practices for the Management and Supervision of Operational Risk. 2002. Bank for International Settlements and Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. July 2002. http://www. bis. org/publ/bcbs86. htm The Financial Services Roundtable, Guiding Principles in Risk Management for U. S. Commercial Banks. Washington D. C. : The Financial Services Roundtable, 1999. Verschoor, Curtis C. Audit Committee Briefing – 2001: Facilitating New Audit Committee Responsibilities. Florida: The Institute of Internal Auditors, 2001. Working Paper on the Regulatory Treatment of Operational Risk. 2001. Bank for International Settlements and Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. July 2002. http://www. bis. org/publ/bcbs_wp8. pdf 11

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Globalization - Essay Example The increase of emission of green house-gases to the atmosphere has been the current global environmental challenge since it is a reality that global temperatures are increasing and it is a fact that human activity has been a major cause of this environmental problem since the atmosphere is getting concentrated with green house gases (Kemp, 1994). Climate change is a fundamental issue that will continue to affect the health of the future generations. Most of the natural resources on earth are non-renewable while their demand is overwhelmingly high and as a result of increased human activity to balance this phenomenon; technology has been implemented to overcome the challenges presented by this threat but not without some consequences of green house gas emissions which have eventually resulted to global warming (Kemp, 1994). Recent research has proven that the world temperatures are rising due to the human-induced green house emissions especially carbon dioxide, which is emitted as a result of combustion of fossil fuels, agriculture, and land clearing (Hams, 2004). Even though this effect was discovered in 1824, it has with time increased to intricate levels thus raising an international environmental concern. The sensitivity of climate is commonly rated according to the response of the equilibrium level of the green house gases and it is usually measured according to the response of temperature with reference to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A minute increase in temperature can result to several global consequences like an increase in sea level as well as a dramatic change in precipitation patterns hence resulting to extreme weather conditions such as heat waves, draught, floods, tornados among others (Hams, 2004). As a result of environmental degradation, global warming is expected to continue even beyond 2100 and the rise of sea levels is also expected to continue past that time (Houghton, 1997). The effects of global warming negatively affe ct both the environment and human life through the rising sea levels, agricultural setbacks, ozone layer depletion, increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather conditions, as well as the spread of diseases. It has been observed that the intensity, frequency, and power of hurricanes have increased annually from the 1970s and there has been a strong direct correlation between the tropical sea-surface temperature and the strength of the hurricanes. However, the relationship between global warming and hurricanes is still under controversy. A report released by the IPCC Working Group II confirmed that the consequences of global warming as a result of globalization has caused several deaths through extreme weather events like heat waves and flooding (Houghton, 1997). Primary and secondary consequences of global warming have been observed to influence human activities as well as ecological systems since some species have been forced out of their natural habitats as a result of unf avorable conditions presented by climate change (Hams, 2004). The life timing patterns have also changed thus affecting migration dates which create a predator-prey balance. As a result of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the ocean PH is reducing and this eventually leads to severe negative effects on coral reefs. The thawing of the tundra is another global environmental problem which has been on the

Airport Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Airport Security - Research Paper Example His function is also to undertake or appraise automated ID access control system specifically for regulatory compliance and accuracy (Elias, 2010). In this case, he also programs and even monitors computer systems that are designed specifically for controlling security access. The Airport Security Coordinator also performs TSAR 1542 compliance inspections and Security Program on top of reporting discrepancies and taking or initaiting corrective mechanisms. He also maintains records relating to security guard supplies and services. Furthermore, he reviews the process of the threat assessments, criminal history background checks, issuance of airport identification and revewing of retention process particularly for regulatory compliance. Airport Security Coordinator also establishes contact with local, state and federal law enforcement organizations and key security staff to establish lines of communication. In this context, he also sets up and maintains records of every action taken in relation to law enforcement. He is also responsible for conducting briefings, training sessions as well as presentations for tenants and management staff on revisions made to the ASP. In this regard, he specifically works with tenants in solving problems and coordinating security issues relating to airport security. The Federal Security Director (FSD) FSD is mandated with the responsibility of offering security directions on behalf of the federal government and is usually at airports that are perceived to have few checkpoints, a small workforce, as well as those that are directly involved or directly connected to the national interest. When it comes to TSA security matters, the FSD is responsible for providing necessary leadership and coordination. In short, these roles and associated authority comprise tactical planning, implementation, and operating management specifically for coordinated security matters. Airport adminstration The airport administration comprises of team that en sures the smooth, safe as well as consistent operation of airports (Price & Forrest, 2013). They also interface with appropriate local and federal agencies in relation to the airport security in addition to direct the daily operations in airports. In short, the airport administration is an independent entity that is responsible for carrying out daily operations and oversight of airports particularly in the context of security. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) The TSA is an organization of the United States Homeland Security department that oversees the security particularly of the traveling public in the country (Poole, 2006). The organization is also charged with developing regulations to protect United States transportation, particularly when it comes to the security of airports in addition to preventing the hijacking of aircrafts. In general, the TSA is manaded or responsible for passenger checking and screening at over 450 United Sttaes airports. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) The FAA is the national aviation authority of the USA. It falls under the transportation department and has exclusive authority to regulate and even oversee virtually all aspects of civil aviation in the US. In short, the FAA ensures the safety of passengers by not only regulating or controlling the air transportation industry, but also

Brighton Pebbles Ltd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Brighton Pebbles Ltd - Essay Example The increase or decrease in the cash is important in the sense that it clearly established where the money i.e. cash has been utilised. If we analyze a cash flow statement of any firm, we will notice that it is divided into three different parts i.e. operations, investing and financing. The operating activities section mentions the movement of cash flows into those areas which are mostly related with the generation of profit therefore this section of the cash flow clearly indicates the increase or decrease of cash flows into those activities which can be attributed to the earning of profit therefore the movement or increase of decrease of cash into those areas define how much cash has been spent or earned in those activities. This is more significant than profit and loss because profit and loss changes do not indicate whether and how the money has been spent into operating activities. Similarities, increase or decrease of cash into the investing activities suggest the actual cash out lay been made into investing activities made by the firm. It also further indicates that the cash put into investing activities would clearly define how and where the investment have been made and in what quantity- changes and profit and loss do not indicate such information to the shareholders.

Management Issue Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Issue Paper - Essay Example These areas of diversity bring a challenge to managers when they try to rally every employee to offer his or her best to the organization due to influence from their backgrounds. Some of the challenges that managers face includes resistance of some employees to the organizations diversity plan. Some of these employees present a challenge to the management as they try to sabotage the management efforts of ensuring that all employees relate well to each other and understand the organization’s demand. Employees’ negative attitude reduces productivity as they slow down positive change and damage moral of other employees. Secondly, communication in organizations with workforce diversity poses a challenge since there are people from different sexes, age groups among others are represented. Due to these differences, a challenge of dealing with different communication styles employees and between employees and management arises. There is also misunderstanding leading to poor of fice relations and misinterpretation of each other’s intentions. Thirdly, workplace diversity runs the risk of causing disorganization in the work place. People from the same background tend to form their own subgroups since they present the same ideas and viewpoints. This poses a challenge to the management, as they cannot rally all the employees to take a common stand through consensus building. Due to the disorganization in the workplace, the organization suffers as production is lowered when all employees and management cannot come together to champion a common course (Douglas 46). Fourthly, diversity in the workplace comes with stereotypes on how different groups of people work in the organization. Stereotyping increases stress and anxiety as the worker faced with such a challenge feels discriminated upon leading to low output levels (Konrad & Pringle 27). The main problem mangers face is coming up with strategic measure that will ensure effective management of people th rough creation of an organizational environment that attracts and retains diverse workforce by responding to changes in the demographic and social patterns in the workplace. Managers have a role to play in creating an organization that attracts workforce from diverse background while at the same time being supportive of their aspirations, promotes equality, and ambitions, (Cornelius 147). Several strategic plans can prevent crises that may come up in the organization due to the diversity of its workforce. Firstly, setting targets for diversity in the organization can help manage employees. In this regard, the management needs to come up with plan that determines the recruitment targets for various groups whether women, men, disabled, ethnic minority. Through such initiative, the organization is able to determine its progress towards workforce diversity and further practices and policies can be evaluated against the set targets (Cornelius 152). In order to manage diversity at the wor k place, managers need to create flexibility practices and policies that will ensure all employees are treated fairly in the workplace. Creating flexible time schedule ensures that all employees are available and offer their best to the organization. Other than cultural

Criminal Justice Organizations- Assignment 2 Essay

Criminal Justice Organizations- Assignment 2 - Essay Example I worked for a few months in the year 2011, before the store closed in 2012. All the sales representatives reported to the sales manager. He is one of the best examples I have on leaders with some of the most effective skills. He would encourage all sales staff members to meet their set goals and related to most of us on a personal level. He would join us on strategy planning meetings and accept decisions that we reached based on consensus. Behavioral models are a set of theories on leadership used to explain leadership in terms of conduct of an administrator and his subordinates. It is an approach that lays emphasis on how a leader gets their subordinates to achieve goals and tasks in an organization (Stojkovic, Kalinich & Klofas, 2014). This approach also studies how employees in an organization are also able to attain personal goals while also accomplishing tasks allocated to them by their leaders. The behavioral approach is thus an approach based on initiation of structures and subordinates welfare considerations. Leaders who are keen on these two concepts are effective leaders (Stojkovic, Kalinich & Klofas, 2014). The behavioral approach originated from the Ohio and Michigan research studies on effective leadership. The Ohio research studies concluded that there is effective leadership in an organization if the organization’s leaders put structures in place and they also have high consideration of employees. The Michigan research studies divided supervisory behavior into production oriented and employee oriented approaches. The sales manager at Best Buy was very concerned with the welfare of all employees under his department. He was also not dictator when it came to making decisions. His effective leadership skills were also reflected in the productivity levels of sales representatives. In my opinion the leadership style employed by the sales manager was effective for the sales department. The leadership style used by the sales

Sherry Turkle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sherry Turkle - Essay Example But this means many things are lost. For one, people have lost the ability to actually converse with each other in person. People in work spaces â€Å"feel they are bothering† each other when they actually go and talk in person, but don’t get that same sense of intrusion when they send an email or send a text (Turkle). This means that people are creating â€Å"personal bubbles† around themselves at all times (Kakutani). People might spend more and more time together, in both physical and digital spaces. But this does not mean that they are actually communicating the things that are important – rather, they are spending time adjacent to one another while really spending time only with themselves. I see this a lot in day to day spaces. One of the most frustrating things in the world is when people say they want to â€Å"hang out† but then don’t actually want to do anything together during their hangout times. They want to consume media while ad jacent to each other, for instance, or hang out while constantly checking their phones or doing other things. This means that they are not truly interacting – they find it convenient to share physical space for a brief period of

Population Distributions - statistics lab report Essay

Population Distributions - statistics lab report - Essay Example This theory is based on the concept that a heart with small size will have smaller cardiac output as compared to the larger heart. Hence, this scientific theory proposes that the heart beat of the larger individual will beat slowly to meet the metabolic requirements. The above hypothesis will be examined by collecting a sample of short and tall individuals and identify whether there are significant differences in their heart beat rates. To prove this, an experiment will be conducted which will find out whether there are considerable differences in the heart rate of tall and short subjects. The experts in the field8 as have also emphasized that individuals who are physically fit have a higher stroke volume as compared to inactive individuals. This means that individuals having a poor physical condition will reach their maximum heart beat rate at a lower work level than individuals who are physically fit. Based on the above belief, a theory has been put forward that since physically fi t individuals have a higher aerobic capacity before reaching maximum heart rate therefore they will have a slower rate of increase in heart beat and a faster return to the resting return after the exercise. For the verification of aforementioned hypothesis, a controlled experiment will be conducted in which the subject’s heart rate before exercise and 15 minutes after exercise and then 30 minutes after exercise will be measured to know whether there are significant differences in the heart rate of individuals in the group. Null Hypothesis 1: Measurement of heart rate. Analysis of the data: a) Number of Subjects in each class Range Frequency 40-50 0 50-60 3 60-70 10 70-80 19 80-90 8 90-100 2 >100 0 b) Histogram Figure 1: Histogram of Heart Beats per Minute Median = 76 Mode = 80 Both the median and mode lie in the 70-80 subject group of the variable. c) The data for the given variable is spread symmetrically around the central location. It has a modal class. I expect the data t o be modal since most of the individuals will have a common heart beat rate with few exceptional cases. My expectations are supported by the graph of histogram as majority of the frequency of the data lies in the middle of set. d) Null Hypothesis: (There is no difference in the mean heart rate of the tall and short subjects) Alternative Hypothesis: (There is a difference in the mean heart rate of the tall and short subjects) Significance Level The hypothesis is to be performed at 5% significance level or 95% confidence level, so Critical Value The critical values for the two tailed test for with confidence level of are If the value of the t test statistic is lesser than -2.02 or greater than 2.02 than reject; otherwise do not reject. T-test Value: The data values for the small subject group and tall subject group are attached in the appendix (Table 1 and Table 2) Where By using formulas we calculate that (All the calculations are given in appendix) Where The value of t-test statisti c is -0.339 and it does not fall in the rejection region thus we do not reject the null hypothesis. The test results are not statistically significant at the 5% level; that is, at the 5% significance level, the data do not provide sufficient evidence to conclude that there is difference in the mean heart rate of the tall and short individuals. Null Hypothesis 2 and 3: Heart rate and recovery after exercise. a) Mean heart rate These are the class mean heart rates (beats per minute) Before Exercise 75.2 Directly After Exercise 124.8 After 1 Minute 105.9 After 5 Minutes

D22 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

D22 - Essay Example Learning is individual in a group setting. The Kids’ Choice Academy (KCA) provides the children with ample opportunities to play outdoors where there is sunlight and fresh air. Outdoor activities nurturing the physique of the children is no less important than the indoor education and exercises of the mind, so there should be equal emphasis on both in an ideal school for children. The classrooms are capacious, well-lit with natural sunlight, and have plenty of practical exercises and activities that are very interesting, engaging, and constructive for the children. At Bambini Creativi, there is enough space to dedicate particular portions to specific activities; art studio, water exploration, and food investigation lab to name a few. Of the three institutions, Bambini Creativi is the best for children because it tends to provide children with insight into different sorts of professions at a very preliminary stage so that they start developing skills in the field of their inter est right from the start. The other two schools are also good but Bambini Creativi takes the

Trayvon Martin Essay Example for Free

Trayvon Martin Essay On February 26, 2012 Trayvon Martin died because George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, shot him. Today many debate on how this happened. Did this happen because of racial issues or because of the Stand your ground law? Isaiah Muhammad explains in his article that Trayvon martin didn’t die due to the Stand Your Ground Law, he died because he was murdered for being a black guy with a hoodie on. Bill Cosby thinks otherwise, he believes that it had to do with the stand your ground law and the fact that Zimmerman had a gun. Although Bill Cosby has a valid point, the real issue in the Trayvon martin case is racism. Racism has caused the reason why Trayvon Martin is dead today. Geraldo Rivera appeared on FOX News to explain his views on the whole Trayvon Martin case. In his words he said â€Å"I think the hoodie is much responsible for Trayvon Martin’s death as George Zimmerman was†. Many were hurt by his opinion because how is one to say that the reason why a 17 year old teenager, going home from a liquor store with skittles, dies because he was wearing a hoodie? I’m sure if it was a white teenager with a hoodie, that would be a whole different opinion for Geraldo. Many don’t begin to understand how racism starts and Geraldo saying what he did, is the reason why there is racial discrimination ,still, today. As the NRA said â€Å"Guns aren’t the issue, it’s racism†, and I agree with this opinion. The NRA is national rifle association and they didn’t believe that it was the Stand your ground law that got trayvon Martin killed, it was the fact that theres so much racism going around that people end up getting hurt from that. They also believe that because of Zimmerman, people with guns are all the sudden bad people. The NRA says that â€Å"Guns don’t kill people, people kill people†, to emphasize that one shooting should not overshadow the fact that millions of people who own guns in the United States have never had a violent altercation. There’s more to this than just a gun, it’s the fact that we see people so different. My point is that, Zimmerman saw a black guy with a hoodie, and all the sudden pointed into one conclusion, that was; he’s up to no good. On the other hand, could it be because of the Stand Your Ground Law? Bill Cosby tells us his perspective by saying it had to do with the Stand Your Ground law, and it had nothing to do with racial discrimination. Bill Cosby made some valid points, he connected with his own life by telling us how his son died from a accident like this. He believes that guns are the issue here not racism. Bill Cosby says, What is solved by saying, Hes a racist. Thats why he shot the boy. What solves that? Cosby made some valid points to his argument on why he believes it’s to blame the guns not the race because at the end of the day it was a gun that killed Trayvon. Even that being said, I still begin to believe that it was because of race and that’s the real issue we need to focus on. So many would say that Bill Cosby has a valid point but doesnt Isaiah Muhammad bring up a more valid point? Isaiah behind to explain the difficulty of his memories as a teenager living in Los Angeles. In his blog he be Gibbs to say that there were so many altercations and racism. It bright him back to the time when LA had a huge riot because of what happened to Rodney King. He also explains how a teenage girl walked in a liquor store to buy something and the clerk , which is Asian, assumes shes there to steal. So the clerk starts to tell her things so the girl defends herself. Them the clerk shot her right in the head. Takes you back to the Trayvon Martin case, and we begin to ask why? The leading climax leads to racisim. In conclusion, ask yourself, how can we fix this racism mess as Americans? Weve tried but whether we like it or not , its always going to be around. Trayvon Martin was a tragedy but also a heads up to us. I was one to realize that not only is this a serious issue but we have to accept one another for us ,not our color. Nevertheless, yes Bill Cosby made some good arguments about the Stand Your Ground law being the main issue here , but Isaiahs point stood out there to me. Its one thing to call 911 because you feel uncomfortable with somebody but to assume right away that this 17 year old teenager ,who was black with a hoodie on, is up to no good, its just being racist.

Exploring An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

Exploring An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge The short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge has received more critical attention than any other single work written by Ambrose Bierce. This is most likely because of the way the story combines into one text the best components distributed among much of Bierces fiction such as narrative, plot, imagery, the exposure of human-deception, and a surprise ending (Stoicheff 1). In An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Bierce differentiates between internal and external worlds and illustrates that the mind can create its own realities and escapes. He does not tell the reader that Farquhar is hallucinating, but instead expects the reader to evaluate the story and realize the impossibility of events described in the final events of the story. With such literary techniques, Bierce opposed many of the literary trends of his day in both his journalism and his fiction. He believed any view of life which ignored the unconscious processes of mind could not call itself realistic (Davidson 2). Bierc es works reflect his obsession with ironic, unnecessary, and strange death, as well as his cynical, disillusioned attitude on the meaninglessness of life (Habibi 2). He detested war and saw firsthand the absurdity and insanity of it. This emerges as a connecting theme in several of his writings. His protagonists are usually antiheroes and they make conscious decisions based on flawed thinking, which ultimately lead to tragic predicaments (Habibi 2-3). Bierce is known for his use of literary elements and skillfully uses third person narrative, a quickly paced plot, realistic detail, and blends fantasy and reality to lead the reader into believing in Farquhars escape. Therefore, the reader is unable to interpret Farquhars true fate until the very end of the story. Bierce cleverly chooses to write this story in third person narrative. By using third person narrative, the author is able to do a variety of different things to capture the readers attention and keep them guessing. He most likely chooses this course of action to convey to the reader the main characters feelings and emotions and to conceal his death. This perspective, often called limited omniscience, tells the story from an observers standpoint (Samide 1). By definition, this narrator knows all things important in the story, even a characters own thoughts. Therefore, the reader is able to get a more in depth look into how the main character is feeling, as well as tell the reader the outward world of the story (Samide 1). In this story, the author chooses to focus on the mind of only one main character, Farquhar, and enters it extensively throughout the course of the story. At any given time, the narrator may also move in and out of the chosen characters mind and thoughts, or inform the reader about what is happening in the outer world of the story. Because the author chooses this point of view, it is difficult for the reader to know Farquhars escape is unreal until the last line of the story, when the narrator emerges from his mind to tell the reader Farquhar is dead (Samide 1). Bierce skillfully forces the reader to believe in Farquhars hallucinated escape and therefore, is able to surprise the reader with Farquhars death. It enables Bierce to take the reader inside Farquhars mind to demonstrate how emotional confusion alters not only the way the mind interprets the reality of a situation, but also the way it perceives the passage of time. Bierce also uses a rapidly paced plot to keep the reader from figuring out the surprise ending. He quickly paces the plot in order to distract the reader from closely examining Farquhars unlikely escapes from death. Before the reader has time to consider the likelihood of a broken neck from the rope or some other injury, Bierce has Farquhar struggling not to drown. He sinks deep into the water, his hands still tied together and the noose still wrapped around his neck. So instead of thinking about his broken neck or suffering from another injury, the reader focuses on his new problem of drowning. Then, somehow, Farquhar is able to free his hands from the rope and slips off the noose. But again, the reader is relieved that Farquhar escapes drowning that he does not fully examine the likeliness of this escape. Then, Farquhar bursts to the surface of the water for air and must start dodging bullets, diverting the readers attention once more from the previous escapes from the ropes and dr owning (Samide 3). Therefore, by using a rapid paced plot, Bierce is able to distract the reader from examining the likeliness of the escapes by creating new diversions, making it more believable for the reader. Another literary device Bierce uses in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is the element of imagery. Bierce relies heavily upon imagery throughout the story, centering on sight and sounds to make his tale more convincing. Bierce goes to great lengths to describe the opening sequence in terms of its military arrangement. He provides vivid images of group formations and soldier stances such as a single company of infantry in line, the barrels inclining backward against the right shoulder, the hands crossed upon the stock, at parade rest the butts of the rifles on the ground (Bierce 72). These descriptions show Bierces past military experience in various wars and battles, giving the story a sense of realism. Also by using such realistic details, Bierce is able to make Farquhars escape more believable to the reader. After the first round of shots from the soldiers, when he hears the captain give orders to fire, Farquhar dives deep into the water. Some of the bullets, still warm from the g uns, spiral down into the water beside him (Samide 3). One lodged between his collar and neck; it was uncomfortably warm and he snatched it out. (Bierce 75) These few examples of realism lead the reader to believe that Farquhar is really escaping. When he comes to the surface again, the current has taken Farquhar out of shooting range of personal weapons, but he must now worry about the cannon being used. The first shot misses, but sprays him with water. The second shot is a much better shot that will surely hit him, but suddenly, the current whirls him around a bend in the river and throws him up on the bank, out of aim of the cannon (Samide 3). While the rapid series of dangers has caused the reader to consider the probability of each escape, the authors use of imagery and realistic detail convinces the reader that he is out of danger and is now on his way to finishing his escape by losing himself in the dense forest and getting back home to his wife and family (Samide 3). The res t of the story goes on to describe Farquhars long trip home. He continues on his journey through the forest and finally arrives to the gate of his own home. He sees his wife and she holds out her hands in joyous welcome. As Farquhar reaches out to embrace her, he feels a stunning blow to his neck, sees a blinding white light, hears a sounds like the shock of a cannon-then all is darkness and silence (Bierce76). At this point in the story, the limited narrator moves out of Farquhars mind and returns to the objective world on the bridge, revealing to the reader the shocking last line and revelation that, all along, the escape was Farquhars hallucination (Samide 3-4). Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge. (Bierce 76) One of the literary elements Bierce uses that he is most known for is his blending of fantasy and reality. Bierce mixes the external world of death with Farquhars internal world, resulting in the success of his hallucination. Farquhar, in his mind, is imagining his incredible escape when he is actually dying. Bierce skillfully uses metaphors and similes in order to secretly describe the true fate of Farquhar. For example, Bierce uses the pendulum not only as a significant metaphor for time, but also as a simile for Farquhars body, which swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge (Bierce 76). Farquhar is conscious of motionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ of a vast pendulum because his body literally traces, and therefore senses it. Similar intrusions of other objective stimuli into Farquhars experience occur throughout the rest of the story. The sharp report of the firing gun, its slightly later dulled thunder, and the alleged explosion of the cannon that was cracking and smashing the branches in the forest beyond are all Farquhars hallucinated revision of the sound of his own neck breaking. Bierce successfully emphasizes the association, describing the literal event of Farquhars neck breaking as occurring with sound like the shock of a cannon. Farquhars sensation of rising rising toward the surface of the water is the dreamers understanding of the slight bounce the body experiences after reaching the extremity of its flexible rope; the feeling of almost drowning in the creek modifies the fact of strangulation itself; the horribly aching neck and the uncomfortably warm bullet impossibly lodged between his collar and his neck under the water reinterpret the pain of hanging; the counter-swirl that spins him around in the current refers to the twisting at the end of the rope; the projecting point which concealed him from his enemies transforms the bridge now above him; the sensation of his own tongue thrusting forward from between his teeth into the cold air registers its grotesque protrusion during strangulation; the inability to feel the roadway beneath his feet is a similarly accurate feeling, dutifully revised into an understandable fatigue, thirst and numbness near the end of his narrative of escape (Stoicheff 3). Thus, a key element in the story is the distention of time and the blending of fantasy and reality. The reader is left with a range of reactions: the element of surprise, the promise and loss of hope, the tragedy of death, the ultimate coherence of objective reality, and acknowledgment of Bierces carefully constructed deception (Habibi 1). Bierce skillfully blends the third person point of view that conceals Farquhars death until the very end, a rapidly paced plot of narrow escapes from death that distract the reader, concrete details that make the final escape seem real, and the technique of blending fantasy and reality (Samide 4). Bierces usage of narrative, plot, imagery, and blending of fantasy and reality make it hard for the reader to detect Farquhars true fate until the final line of the story. In An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Bierce distinguishes between the internal and external worlds of Farquhar and shows the reader that the mind can create its own realities and its own escapes. He expects the reader to evaluate the story and realize on his own the impossibility of events described in the final events of the story (Davidson 2). Bierce purposely uses these elements of fiction in order to create a suspenseful ending that connects with the central theme of the human need to escape death. Work Cited Welty Bierce, Ambrose. An Occurrence at Owl Creek. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. 9th ed. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009, 71-76. Samide, Daniel E. Anatomy of a Classic: Ambrose Bierce Cleverly Used Some Key Literary Tools in Crafting His Civil War Tale An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. The Writer May 2005:42. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 5 Apr. 2010. Habibi, Don Asher. The experience of a lifetime: philosophical reflections on a narrative device of Ambrose Bierce. Studies in the Humanities 29.2 (2002): 83+. Academic OneFile. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. Davidson, Cathy N. Ambrose (Gwinett) Bierce. American Short-Story Writers Before 1880. Ed. Bobby Ellen Kimbel and William E. Grant. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 74. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 10 Apr. 2010. Stoicheff, Peter. Something Uncanny: The Dream Structure in Ambrose Bierces An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Studies in Short Fiction 30.3 (Summer 1993): 349-357. Joseph Palmisano. Vol. 72. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 10 Apr. 2010.

Effect of Alcohol on Reaction Times: Experiment

Effect of Alcohol on Reaction Times: Experiment The experiment tested whether alcohol had any effect on reaction time. Abstract Objective: The experiment tested whether alcohol had any effect on reaction time. Method: Subjects were required to identify the threshold at which a flickering light became constant (critical flicker fusion threshold) using a computerised flicker fusion system.   Frequency increased at a rate of 4 hertz per second.   Critical flicker fusion threshold is a well accepted and documented non-invasive measure of reaction time.   Ten female subjects were tested under control conditions and following ingestion of 2 units (80 mg) alcohol.   It was hypothesised that alcohol would cause an increase in reaction time, which would translate to a delay in recognising the critical flicker fusion threshold, thus higher frequency results. Results:   Ingestion of 2 units (80mg) of alcohol was associated with an increase in mean critical flicker fusion threshold from 14.6 hertz to 15.4 hertz (p Conclusion:   2 units of alcohol had the effect of increasing reaction time by an average of 0.2 seconds, which has serious implications for the consumption of alcohol prior to tasks involving complex motor skills such as driving. Introduction Alcohol and its effects Alcohol is believed to be the oldest drug used by humans, predating even the use of opium by 2000 years to around 8000 BC (Kerr, Hindmarch 1998).   Whilst legal age limits exist for the purchase of alcohol in the United Kingdom, it is widely regarded within the Western world as an acceptable drug. In recent household studies in the UK it was found that 75% of men and 60% of women consumed at least one alcoholic drink per week.   In addition, 40% of men and 23% of women were found to have exceeded the national recommendations on alcohol consumption within the previous week (Office for National Statistics 2005).   The Institute For Alcohol Studies ranks the United Kingdom as 9th in per capita consumption of pure alcohol within European Nations, with 9.6 litres of pure alcohol being consumed per capita in 2002 (Institute for Alcohol Studies 2005). Alcohol is known for its psychoactive effects, which include alterations in vision, motor tasks and skills such as car driving and flying.   In addition it is repeatedly shown, whether anecdotally or via scientific measurements, that a strong correlation exists between alcohol consumption and violence. Alcohol is known to be a contributory factor in road accidents, with 9% of casualties showing evidence of alcohol consumption, this figure rising to 31% when considering pedestrians (The Scottish Office Central Research Unit 1998).   Research carried out in the 1980s by the Transport Research Laboratory indicated that alcohol was involved in 35% of fatal road traffic accidents, with the figure falling slightly to 31.5% in a similar study completed in 2000 (Tunbridge, Keigan James 2001).  Ã‚   However neither of these reports explained why the association existed between alcohol and road traffic accidents, whether resulting in death or not.   Of import for this report is the association between alcohol and reaction time.   The majority of alcohol consumers can identify a slowing down of their faculties following alcohol consumption, regardless of claims to the contrary.  Ã‚   Research has shown that alcohol impairs the ability of individuals to carry out complex motor tasks. One example involved bus drivers being asked to drive a vehicle through a narrow space, or highlighting the fact that the gap was too narrow if necessary.   It was shown that alcohol consumption was correlated with a reduced ability to accurately guide the bus through the gap, coupled with an inability to accurately gauge the width of the gap.   Hence bus drivers who had consumed alcohol were more likely to judge a gap as to be wide enough when it was not, than those who had not consumed alcohol and whose spatial awareness remained intact (Rang, Dale Ritter 1999a). Recommended stopping distances at 30 miles per hour are 23 metres / 75 feet, of which 9 metres / 30 feet are the ‘thinking distance’.   This is based on an average reaction time of 0.7 seconds when the car is travelling at 44 feet / second.   Therefore if reaction times increase, stopping distances will do so also, with serious implications in an accident. It has been indicated by some research that low levels of alcohol consumption have very little effect on reaction time if attention could be focussed on a single objective (Jaaskelainen et al. 1996).   Where attention needs to be divided between task objectives, even low blood alcohol levels were found to impair performance.   This suggests that alcohol is not going to greatly impair reaction time during simple tasks, but complex tasks which require several aspects to the performance would be much more likely to be impaired.   This was further supported by the research of Bartholow et al which found that response times per se were relatively unaffected by the presence of alcohol but the ability to respond appropriately to tasks that required complex attention were (Bartholow et al. 2003).   Indeed the authors implicate alcohol in impairments of cognitive processing, rather than the motor responses that result from these processes.   They cite data from studies that have sho wn that alcohol acts to reduce the ability to respond to stimuli as well as interpret and process the correct relevance of these stimuli.   This inability to respond fully to cues from the environment is described as the attention-allocation model, as the brain is selective in which cues are actually attended to and processing within the brain.   Further research has indicated that alcohol can sometimes actually improve the ability of subjects to resist distraction from a task (Erblich, Earleywine 1995) but this is not in keeping with the majority of research. Given the existing data this experiment was designed to assess the ability of female subjects to respond to a change in a single form of stimulus.   There was no distraction, nor a divided attention focus required, in an effort to ensure that the effects of alcohol on reaction time, if any, were more obvious. Flicker fusion threshold The human eye is capable of distinguishing between intermittent stimuli such as flickering light, up to a threshold, which is usually around 16 Hertz.   The frequency at which the human eye is no longer able to distinguish individual stimuli is defined as the critical flicker fusion threshold.   It is at this frequency that the individual stimuli have fused to form a single continuous stimulus.   The flicker fusion threshold will vary between individuals depending on their eyesight, hence the use of a number os study participants.   It will also vary between an individual’s readings depending on their reaction time at each stage – ie the time at which they actually consciously register that the hitherto flickering stimulus has now become constant and are able to respond to this knowledge.   The purpose of this experiment was to use the measurement of critical flicker fusion threshold as a correlate to reaction time.   For this experiment the experimental hypothesis was that alcohol acts to increase the reaction time of female subjects. The null hypothesis was that alcohol has no effect on the reaction time of female subjects.   Thus it would be expected that an individual with a slower reaction time would give results indicating a higher critical flicker fusion threshold, measured in hertz.   In other words it would be expected that the frequency at which subjects indicated that the flickering light (for full details of methodology please see below) had fused into a single light would be higher under alcohol conditions than control.   This would not be due to an enhanced ability to differentiate between flickering and constant light, rather a delay in the ability for this change to register and be processed by the brain, and the subject to press the button. Method Ten female subjects aged from 18-35 years, with a body mass index of 19-28 were selected as part of an open experiment into the effect of alcohol on reaction time.   All subjects were informed of the purpose of the experiment prior to taking part and were required to complete medical questionnaires to exclude medication that might affect the results of the experiment.  Ã‚   Known negative effects of alcohol consumption were also excluded and subjects all had a history of regular alcohol consumption of at least 2 units, once per week. Subjects were required to refrain from eating or drinking for the 2 hours prior to each test, which took place on consecutive days, with the control (no alcohol) test taking place prior to the alcohol test.   The 2 hour nil by mouth regulation was put in place in an effort to standardise the absorption of the alcohol by reducing stomach contents to a more uniform amount, thus providing a similar surface area available for alcohol absorption in each study participant. On arriving at the test room subjects were required to complete a health and safety questionnaire and were again reminded of the aims and purposes of the experiment.   Subjects were free to leave at any time, and signed consent forms to allow their results to be used.   Following the initial briefing subjects were given a training briefing on the specialised equipment and allowed to take a small number of practise tests to familiarise themselves with the equipment requirements.   Following this training period a five-minute break was allowed. For the test itself each subject was required to drink 250ml of pure orange juice, with a five-minute timespan being allowed for the drink to be consumed.   Forty minutes after the drink had been consumed subjects critical flicker fusion threshold was tested using the Model 12021 Flicker Fusion System (Lafayette Instruments). This time scale was used as the 2 units of alcohol would have reached a peak blood alcohol concentration of approximately 80 mg/100 ml 45 minutes following ingestion (Wilson, Benjamin Sreenivasan 2003).   Assuming absorption and metabolism at the accepted 4 mmol/l per hour (Rang, Dale Ritter 1999b), the alcohol would be expected to have been removed completely from the body within 6 hours (Wilson, Benjamin Sreenivasan 2003). Subjects were requested to look in to the binocular eye piece at two white simultaneous lights.   The use of a separate light for each eye was used to prevent differences in eye focussing from causing conflicting critical flicker fusion thresholds. The initial flash frequency of 4 hertz was set to ascending at a rate of 4 hertz / second.   The subject was provided with a push button connected to a 1 metre cable and was required to push the button when the flickering ceased and the lights became fused to a single light emission.   The point at which the button was pressed was taken as the critical flicker fusion threshold.  Ã‚   Each subject was required to undertake ten reaction time recordings. The experimental procedures on day 2 were identical to day 1, except that 2 units of alcohol (vodka), approximately 80mg of pure alcohol, had been added to the 250ml of pure orange juice that the subjects were required to drink.   A further ten reaction time recordings were made using the flicker fusion system. Results Each subject was able to provide 10 reaction time recordings, which ranged from a minimum of 11.5 Hertz (subject 9, recording 6, no alcohol) to a maximum of 19.4 Hertz (subject 3, recording 8, with alcohol).   The mean for the control / no alcohol test was 14.6 + 3.6 Hertz.   The mean for the alcohol test was 15.4 + 4.0 Hertz. Tables 1 and 2 below show the individual reaction times of each subject participant on the two tests. Table 1. Reaction times of 5 female subjects with and without alcohol, as measured by critical flicker fusion threshold Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3 Subject 4 Subject 5 Reaction test number None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol 1 15.0 17.2 14.3 16.9 18.2 18.1 13.4 17.5 12.5 13.1 2 14.1 13.6 15.5 17.2 17.9 19.3 14.4 14.9 12.9 12.5 3 16.2 16.2 15.8 16.7 16.5 18.5 14.8 14.5 12.3 12.8 4 13.6 16.1 16.3 17.9 17.7 17.9 14.3 14.8 12.8 12.6 5 12.5 14.3 14.9 15.5 16.9 18.9 14.9 13.5 12.4 12.4 6 13.8 15.5 15.7 16.1 17.4 18.3 14.1 14.6 12.6 12.9 7 12.0 14.8 15.4 18.5 16.0 17.6 15.1 14.9 13.1 13.5 8 11.8 12.9 14.8 17.1 17.3 19.4 15.3 15.1 13.9 13.2 9 12.9 12.7 15.7 16.7 18.0 17.9 13.3 13.5 12.8 12.6 10 13.0 15.8 15.0 17.8 16.7 18.9 16.7 14.7 14.1 11.9 Mean 13.5 14.9 15.3 17.0 17.3 18.5 14.6 14.8 12.9 12.8 Median 13.3 15.2 15.5 17.0 17.4 18.4 14.6 14.8 12.8 12.7 Table 2. Reaction times of 5 female subjects with and without alcohol, as measured by critical flicker fusion threshold Subject 6 Subject 7 Subject 8 Subject 9 Subject 10 Reaction test number None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol None Alcohol 1 13.9 15.1 16.5 15.6 12.8 14.5 13.6 15.5 16.5 15.4 2 16.5 15.9 14.3 15.1 12.6 13.5 14.9 14.2 15.9 18.1 3 14.2 14.6 12.9 14.0 12.4 12.4 15.0 14.8 15.7 14.6 4 14.9 15.5 13.9 16.8 12.0 12.6 15.8 14.8 15.2 16.8 5 14.1 15.6 13.5 16.7 13.1 13.8 14.7 13.9 16.4 16.5 6 16.5 15.8 13.4 18.1 13.5 14.2 11.5 16.7 16.2 16.4 7 13.2 13.3 13.9 15.1 12.3 14.2 15.4 14.6 16.8 15.8 8 14.5 15.6 14.2 15.8 12.9 14.6 15.3 16.1 17.1 16.2 9

The Four Political Parties Of Canada Essay -- Canadian Politics Politi

The Four Political Parties of Canada   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a country as vast and as culturally diverse as Canada, many different political opinions can be found stretched across the country. From the affluent neighbourhoods of West Vancouver to the small fishing towns located on the east coast of Newfoundland, political opinions and affiliations range from the left wing to the right wing. To represent these varying political views, Canada has four official national political parties to choose from: the Liberals (who are currently in power), the Progressive Conservatives, the New Democrats, and the Reform Party. What is particularly interesting is that none of the latter three parties compose Her Majesty's Official Opposition in the House of Commons. The Bloc Quebecois, a Quebec separatist party who only ran candidates in the province of Quebec in the last federal election in 1993, won 54 seats in that province, and claimed the title of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition over the Reform Party, who garnered only 52 seats. Because the Bloc ran candidates only in Quebec, it would be difficult to think of them being a national political party, even though they hold a significant number of seats in the national legislature. This paper will examine the significant early history of Canada's four main national political parties, and then will analyse their current state, referring to recent major political victories/disasters, and the comparison of major economic policy standpoints, which will ultimately lead to a prediction of which party will win the next federal election in Canada.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starting on the far left, there is the New Democratic Party of Canada. Today's modern New Democratic Party was originally called the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), and was founded in 1932. Originally led by a man by the name of James Shaver Woodsworth, the CCF was formed by several radical farming groups who found out that they had more similarities with each other than just their destitution. The 1920's had been a dark period for radicals and unions within Canada; poverty and significantly lower wages for workers were prevalent, and apathy regarding these issues was rampant. When the depression wove its destructive web across Canada in the 1930s, proponents of capitalism were staggered, but their left-wing opponents were too busy coming to the aid o... ... into the 21st century, however, will be made in the soon-to-be- called Canadian federal election. Democracy will speak out once again. BIBLIOGRAPHY (1996) A Fresh Start for Canadians [Online]. Available: http://www.reform.ca/FreshStart/summary.html [1997, Feb.25]. Guy, John J. People, Politics and Government. Scarborough: Prentice Hall, 1995. Harrison, Trevor. Of Passionate Intensity. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1995. (1996) Liberal Party of Canada [Online]. Available: http://www.liberal.ca/english2/policy/red_book/chapter1.html [1997, Feb.25]. Macquarrie, Heath. The Conservative Party. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1965. McMenemy, John, Winn, Conrad. Political Parties in Canada. Montreal: McGraw- Hill Ryerson, 1976. Morton, Desmond. The New Democrats, 1961-1986. Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman Ltd., 1986. (1996) New Democrats of Canada [Online]. Available: http://www.fed.ndp.ca/fndp/fairtaxnow.html [1997, Feb.25]. Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Designing a Blueprint for Canadians. Ottawa, 1997. (1996) Progressive Conservative Youth [Online]. Available: http://www.openface.ca/PCU/library4.html [1997, Feb.25].

Essay on the Oppression of Ophelia in Hamlet -- Essays on Shakespeare H

Male Oppression of Ophelia in Hamlet  Ã‚   In The Tragedy of Hamlet, Shakespeare developed the story of prince Hamlet, and the murder of his father by the king's brother, Claudius. Hamlet reacted to this event with an internal battle that harmed everyone around him. Ophelia was the character most greatly impacted by Hamlet's feigned and real madness - she first lost her father, her sanity, and then her life. Ophelia, obedient, weak-willed, and no feminist role model, deserves the most pity of any character in the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the play opened, Hamlet and Ophelia appeared as lovers experiencing a time of turbulence. Hamlet had just returned home from his schooling in Saxony to find that his mother had quickly remarried her dead husband's brother, and this gravely upset him. Hamlet was sincerely devoted to the idea of bloodline loyalty and sought revenge upon learning that Claudius had killed his father. Ophelia, though it seems her relationship with Hamlet is in either the developmental stage or the finalizing stage, became the prime choice as a lure for Hamlet. Laertes inadvertently opened Ophelia up to this role when he spoke with Ophelia about Hamlet before leaving for France. He allowed Polonius to find out about Hamlet's courtship of Ophelia, which led to Polonius' misguided attempts at taking care of Ophelia and obeying the king's command to find the root of Hamlet's problems. Ophelia, placed in the middle against her wishes, obeyed her father and brother 's commands with little disagreement. The only time she argued was when Laertes advised her against making decisions incompatible with the expectations of Elizabethan women. Ophelia tells him, in her boldest lines of the play:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "But, my good brother, ... ...She had lost her father and her lover while her brother was away for school, and she was no longer useful as a puppet in a greater scheme. Ophelia was displaced, an Elizabethan woman without the men on whom she had been taught to depend. Therein lies the problem - she lacked independence so much that she could not continue living without Polonius, Laertes, and Hamlet. Ophelia's aloneness led to her insanity and death. The form of her death was the only fitting end for her - she drowned in a nearby river, falling beneath the gentle waters. She finally found peace in her mad world. That is how Ophelia is so useful as a classic feminist study - she evokes imagery of the fragile beauty women are expected to become, but shows what happens to women when they submit as such. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. David Bevington. New York: Longman, 1997.

Educational Programs In Prisons Essay examples -- essays research pape

Educational Programs in Prisons   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It is not a surprise to see that prisoners all have a low education level. I guess a more educated person has enough sense not to be involved with crime†¦the relationship between crime and education is easy to see when viewing these facts† (Cordes 1). This is the view of most people when asked why people are in prison. People simply say that criminals were ill educated. As hard as we may try, we cannot do a lot about what happens before they enter prison, but there are many programs inside prisons to help rehabilitate them for when they leave the prison.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The New York Theological Seminary for Afro-American male prisoners (NYTS) runs a program at Sing Sing Prison that allows inmates to get their master’s degree. This program meets five times a week and has only about fourteen to sixteen men admitted every year. The program has become so popular that there is a waiting list of one or more years. The NYTS program helps these men prepare for community service. Forty-two credited hours must be completed in order to receive the degree. Students must also complete a minimum of fifteen hours of field service within the prison. Since the program was established, more than two hundred men have received their degrees. The program is offered in other prisons, and inmates are allowed to transfer to Sing Sing in order to complete the program. Everyday men and women alike challenge themselves, but none as much as those men and women living behind bars. â€Å"Freedom is a struggle that begins in one’s mind. These Af rican American men [in Sing Sing Prison] behind bars challenge themselves daily to live as free human beings. Their courage should inspire us to do the same† (Marable 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is another federal program that is called Credits for Cons. This is a program proposed by the Clinton administration. They proposed a â€Å"fifteen hundred education income tax credit† (Stanglin 1). This would allow volunteers to get the credit if they sponsored an inmate who took college courses. Many believe church members would take part in this plan, as many have done in the past to help drug addicts. Though the proposal has not yet been passed, many people have said they would be an active member in a program like this one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  North Carolina also... ... Write Way’ is a wonderful program held at the Stillwater Correctional Facility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, educational programs in prison range from very good with programs like â€Å"Reaching Out the Write Way† and the programs North Carolina has to the ones that aren’t all that good like credits for cons. â€Å"Education, in combination with work programs, can give inmates the skills they need to be successful when they return to their communities...It can enable them to do a job that reduces prison costs, such as taking messages, running a library, like Andy in Shawshank Redemption, or reading recipes to work in the kitchen† (Young 2). Many people think that educating prisoners is â€Å"being soft on crime,† but when you think about it, all it really is doing is working to make sure that the â€Å"revolving door† will stop revolving (Young 1). If this door keeps going around in the circle it is now, it will come to cost the taxpayers up to if not more than one hundred dollars a day. â€Å"The cost of education is mi nute in comparison to its benefits† (Young 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Texting Phenomena

Interpersonal communication is vital to humans and is used in everyday situations. â€Å"Interpersonal communication refers to face-to-face communication between people† (35), according to West and Turner (2007), authors of Introducing Communication Theories. West and Turner explain that exploring how relationships form, the upholding and continuation of these relationships, and the end of relationships, are the main characteristics of interpersonal context.Interpersonal communication began as face-to-face communication between two people, but as technology advanced, it expanded to include new communicative technologies such as telephone calls, email, instant messaging, chats, social media networks, and text messaging. Text messaging through cells phones, also known as texting or SMS (Short Message Service), is a form of interpersonal communication that can be represented through the Linear Model of Communication: A message is sent from a source to a receiver through a channel , which may be interrupted by some form of noise.Texts are person-to-person messages received from and sent to known individuals. Text messaging provides a one-to-one, personalized, and individuating social medium (Reid and Reid, 2007). The phenomena of text messaging, has researchers and scholars questioning whether this new communication technology adds or takes away from interpersonal communication and people’s learned communication skills. Review of Literature Texting as a New Phenomenon of Communication Everyday social arrangements and interpersonal contact are now routinely affected by mobile technology (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010).As opposed to 15 years ago, today’s youth have a greater variety of options to choose from when communicating with their peers. â€Å"Communication, via cell phone and the internet, are now widely available and very popular with the young† (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010, 197). The global cell phone market now stands at approximately 1. 8 billion subscribers, and is estimated to reach 3 billion by the end of 2010, by which time nearly half of all human beings on the planet are expected to own and use a cell phone (Reid and Reid, 2007).A recent survey of 2,000 teenagers in the United States revealed that 80% of teens, or approximately 17 million young people, have a cell phone. 96% of those teens use the texting function, and of that 96%, 1 out of 10 teens say that they text for 45 minutes a day (Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, and Simkin, 2010). Over 900 billion messages were sent in 2005, with expectations that this will rise to more than two trillion messages in 2010 (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). Text messaging has become a common means of keeping in constant touch with peers, especially among young people all over the world.The phenomenon of texting is continuing to increase, raising substantial awareness of the â€Å"new† texting language. Researchers are proposing to treat electro nic communication as a distinct mode of intermediate communication, in between the oral and the written medium (Fandrych, 2007). According to Ingrid Fandrych (2007), author of Electronic Communication and Technical Terminology, â€Å"Online conversation takes place on the written level, while using specific stylistic conventions which are very similar to oral communication, especially abbreviations of frequently used phrases and emoticons to replace facial expressions† (148).Fandrych (2007) claims that acronyms, blends, and clippings are responsible for the characteristic style of Internet English, and that offline usage is increasingly influenced by Internet usage (148). Some new and creative word formations have even found their way into everyday usage including the acronyms â€Å"btw† (by the way) and â€Å"ttyl† (talk to you later), as well as the blending of certain words like â€Å"all right† into â€Å"alright. † Fandrych (2007) predicts som e changes in general (â€Å"off-line†) English due to texting language as well (151).People â€Å"talk† via text messages: using the keyboard, they make use of abbreviations, they omit non-content words, and they do not capitalize. Fandrych (2007) explains that: Electronic interlocutors replace contextual cues which would have been present in face-to-face communication with abbreviations and emoticons, which are, of course, consciously employed and sometimes intended to entertain, a feature which internet English shares with other jargons and in-group registers (151).Electronic communication, as a medium, shares characteristics with the written language and the oral language. Letters and symbols are used through typing which are displayed on a screen, but at the same time, it is very informal and conversational which replaces the linguistic context with special cues that do not exist in the traditional written mode (Fandrych, 2007, 151). Text language is neither identi cal to speech nor writing, but adaptively features characteristics of both.Fandrych (2007) titles this electronic communication language as â€Å"Netspeak,† and categorizes it as a fourth medium alongside written, spoken, and sign language (152). Communication through text is informal and characterized by new elements. Fandrych (2007) concludes that the electronic medium can be considered to constitute a separate level, between the spoken and the written modes and overlapping, to some extent, with both of them (152).The new texting phenomenon not only creates a new form of language between oral and written mediums, but it also develops a globalized texting standard. English language texts produced by bilingual speakers share many of the features which have been reported for English SMS communication internationally, and provide evidence for what one might call a global English SMS standard (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). English messages are strongly represented in all communi cative functions of text messaging by bilingual individuals.Deumert and Masinyana (2008), co-authors of, The use of English and isiXhosa in text messages (SMS), study how English is combined with isiXhosa, one of the official languages of South Africa, in text messages between native South Africans. Deumert and Masinyana state that â€Å"The historical and continuing dominance of English on the world-wide-web has supported the popular belief that the language of electronic communication in general is English, and in some cases, English can replace a user’s first language in this medium† (123).In studies focusing on bilingual texting, most messages were written in English combined with the local language. Researchers concluded that there is the existence of a global English SMS norm because of brevity and speed, paralinguistic restrictions with the medium and local language, and the restriction of texting characters (Deumert and Masinyana, 2008). The phenomenon of texti ng has transformed individual’s lives by creating the possibility of being in constant communication at all times, as well as creating a tendency towards cross-cultural homogeny.Texting as a Negative Form of Communication Although texting provides the opportunity for constant and immediate contact with others, it tends to have a displacing effect on face-to-face communication. Similar to face-to-face communication, texting allows for conversational turn-taking, but excludes intonations, emotions, and the ability to send long messages. Llana Gershon (2008), author of, Email my Heart: Remediation and Romantic Break-Ups, performed a study looking at how Americans are experiencing and using new technologies to end relationships.Gershon (2008) discusses, through the use of American college student’s break-up narratives, the ways in which certain social media create new possibilities for disconnecting with others (15). Although a break-up may be happening, an individual has the opportunity through text messaging to hold separate or multiple conversations simultaneously with the break-up. This takes away from the personal aspect of intimate relationships and tends to enforce the displacement of face-to-face communication.Teens especially use instant messaging and texting in particular as substitutes for face-to-face communication with people from their physical lives, therefore, feeling less psychologically close to their instant messaging and texting partners (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). This may also damage the emotional quality of a relationship. Online interactions lack important features of face-to-face communication, such as gestures, eye contact, and body language, making them less rich than offline interactions (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008).Although texting is still communication, social anxiety and anti-social behaviors can be an effect of the lack face-to-face communication with teens today. â€Å"Reports in the press and survey s from parents find points of view that range from exuberant, discussing how socially-interactive technologies can save youth from social isolation and depression, to alarming, focusing on how constant use of these technologies fosters anti-social behavior† (Bryant, Sanders-Jackson, and Smallwood, 2006, 557).The reality is that texting and other forms of social technology lie between these two extremes. A recent survey revealed that cell phone owners declaring a generalized preference for texting on their cell phones were both lonelier and more anxious than those who preferred talking (Reid and Reid, 2007). People who have social anxiety will not come to terms with their fears without experiencing face-to-face communication and, as an effect, use texting as a divergent, to kill time or avoid some other activity.Texting allows users to disengage from the demands of immediate interactive involvement, releasing time and attentional resources to compose and edit messages (Reid and Reid, 2007). Although texting may be an outlet and a preferred mode of communication for people with anxiety problems, it also may give others a false sense of the persons’ real personality. Along with peers, there is a growing concern that adolescents’ extensive use of electronic communication to interact with their peers may impair their relations with their parents, siblings, and other family members (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008).Subrahmanyam and Greenfield (2008) show how peer relationships are being enhanced at the expense of family relationships in an example role of technology in modern family life: When the working spouse, usually the father, came through the door at the end of the day, the other spouse and children were often so absorbed in what they were doing that they greeted him only about one-third of the time, usually with an obligatory â€Å"hi. † About half the time, children ignored him and continued multitasking and monitoring their var ious electronic gadgets (135).Parents are having a much harder time breaking into their children’s world because of the distance and privacy established through text messaging. Teens are using cell phones to institute generational boundaries, such as screening calls from parents into voicemail, as well as undermining family rituals, such as mealtimes and vacations (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). Cell phones give adolescents the power to control the people with whom they talk and have more room into which they can share thoughts freely and privately from their family members.The landmarks of the electronic transformation stage include greater teen autonomy, the decline of face-to-face communication, enhancement of peer group relations at the possible expense of family relations, and greater teen choice (Subrahmanyam and Greenfield, 2008). According to Raymond Williams (1997), author of Mobile Privatization, new technologies only serve to further aggravate the modern human condition of â€Å"mobile privatized social relations† (129). This seems to be a concern that is provoked further by new mobile communication technologies with people talking of â€Å"detached presence† (Lin and Tong, 2007). Adolescent’s constant use of mobile communication can be seen as a symptom of a general loss of human connectivity in the modern condition† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 305). Texting as a Positive Form of Communication Although many studies have shown the negative effects of text messaging, other research has shown that this new form of communication has positive aspects as well. Text messaging is a form of communication that has many uses: coordinating plans, multi-tasking, friendship maintenance, information, and romantic relationships. Text messages are convenient, immediate, less disturbing, and have no constraints.Since there are so many communicative functions, text messaging has become a common means of keeping in constant touch, espec ially among young people in many parts of the world today (Lin and Tong, 2007). Today’s youth use text messaging especially to keep in touch and maintain either close or distant relationships. Recent research studies have explored how text messaging can offer a sense of intimacy between friends as well as between strangers. This is especially appealing to youth because they can be bonded to all of their social networks through one device. The virtual presence (or ‘absent presence’) of ‘persons elsewhere’ through mobile communication facilitates networking, deeper relationships, or simply increased contact. People who are physically far away can be brought into immediate cyber presence† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 305). Mobile texting allows people to be in constant social contact, which therefore gives them a sense of co-presence at all times. Lin and Tong (2007) explain that text messaging has created new kinds of modalities for co-presence and commu nication, which contributes to a sense of virtual intimacy (305).Text messages, rather than standard telephone calls, allow for total individual communication; there is no chance of anyone overhearing the conversation and thus supports a sense of security and privacy. It is appealing because the text is expected to reach a specific person directly, no matter where they are or the time of day. This form of communication is very popular between adolescents and their peers because they feel as if they can communicate privately, not under the supervision of their parents.Teens travel between their homes, school and nearby places that are all under a high degree of regulation by adults. â€Å"Mobile text messaging has thus fulfilled an important function which provides a sense of co-presence for young people who lack the means to share some private physical space free from adults’ surveillance† (Lin and Tong, 2007, 306). Because this form of communication is relatively free from adult supervision, teens often use texting to maintain romantic relationships as well as friendships.A study found that texting is used to negotiate â€Å"gender relations,† especially among couples (Lin and Tong, 2007). For instance, after a fight, couples may not want to directly speak to each other or hear one’s voice, but texting avoids the embarrassment of making romantic advances or even when saying ‘no’ to these advances. The informants of the study also expressed the fact that some messages are highly private and very meaningful, which can be saved and stored in the mobile device.Since the conversation remains private, even in public location ns, individuals tend to reveal more about their emotional selves through texts. Thus, youth text messaging end on an optimistic note about the positive uses of SMS by young people for gaining freedom from surveillance by adults and for negotiating subtle gender relations (Lin and Tong, 2007). Relationshi ps can actually be strengthened through text messaging because of its convenience, intimacy, and privacy among users. Another strength of text messaging is that it allows people to keep in touch with friends who are separated by physical boundaries.Although other forms of communication such as telephone, email, and written letters allow people separated by distance to keep in touch as well, texting allows both sender and receiver to keep in contact at both of their conveniences. The message is sent and received immediately regardless if the other person is â€Å"online. † It allows for multi-tasking while holding other conversations or tasks, and also is less disturbing, by far, than other forms of communication such as phone calls or face-to-face communication.While people may interact frequently in person with people who are in their lives every day, it may not be possible to meet other friends, family, or acquaintances face-to-face on a regular basis. To fill in-person com munication gaps, people used text messaging to stay connected and make plans to meet when convenient (Quan-Haase, 2007). Text messaging is a more suitable fit to maintaining distance relationships as opposed to other forms of communication.Aside from convenience, some people actually prefer text messaging because it gives them a chance to think about what they want to say, which is not always possible during face-to-face communication. â€Å"Text messaging gives people time to think about the wording of their messages, allowing them to be more informal and candid, even with close friends† (Reid and Reid, 2007, 425). Some people, due to SMS and other forms of text based communication, even develop an entirely separate, â€Å"brave SMS self,† which contrasts with their more reserved real-life personality (Reid and Reid, 2007).Text messaging can be used as an outlet to help expand communication and closeness with peers. For instance, in an essay that discusses the relatio nship between texting and social anxiety, Donna Reid and Fraser Reid (2007) write: By delaying or eliminating the audience reactions that normally accompany real-time spoken interaction, SMS may offer anxious individuals a way of making social contact without fear of immediate disapproval or rejection, allowing attention to be refocused away from the observer’s perspective and towards the composition of messages that more effectively achieve self-presentational goals (425).Interactive media, such as texting, allow people to individuate themselves, communicate with peers, and accomplish stages of intimate contact that they could not achieve in other interactional settings. Research Questions Texting helps maintain social relationships in modern society, and affords resources to achieve a sense of co-presence and intimacy with both existing friends and new acquaintances, while avoiding having to deal with face-to-face interaction or the intrusive disturbance of a phone call (Li n and Tong, 2007).Although texting may be a convenient source of communication that is direct, individualized, and private, it also may be taking away from the importance of face-to-face, interpersonal communication. If people are relying on a text based communication exchange, they are not experiencing or learning interactional conversations involving tonal inflection, reactions, and especially body language. Nonverbal communication is a big part of interpersonal communication because it shows the reaction of the individual after receiving the message, therefore giving the sender a form of feedback that strengthens the communication process.As technology continues to advance, there is rising concern that social, interactional, and communication skills of today’s youth and future generations will consequently decline. As a result, this study will address the following questions: RQ1: Is texting taking away from or adding to interpersonal communication and individual’s learned communication skills? RQ2: Will texting affect how children and adolescents communicate with one another? RQ3: Do people rely on texting to fulfill their emotional, psychological, and other forms of needs as opposed to other types of communicative technology or face-to-face communication?