The Beginning Of The Vietnam War Essay Example For Students

The Beginning Of The Vietnam War Essay IntroductionThankyou for deciding to continue to read. Here I am not trying to be a complete guide to theVietnam War, but what I think about this hugely misunderstood war. If you want to know about theVietnam war, I highly recomment the book Nam, The Vietnam Experience 1965-75Its an excellentresource, and after a ling time I am still reading it myself, learning new things and understanding more. How it StartedA lot is misunderstood by many people about the Vietnam War. There are a lot of politocs behindthe war, but on the military side, the following is quite an accurate account of the immediate effectswhich started the war. It started on the 8 August 1965 when American Troops stormed ashore at Da Nang, South ofVietnam, ready to fight the bloodiest war known to man. of Vietnam, ready to fight the bloodiest warknown to man. The reason was simple: there was a communist threat and their job was toresist it. We will write a custom essay on The Beginning Of The Vietnam War specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In 1960, President John F Kennedy saw that South East Asia was under imminent threat, so decidedto increase aid to South Vietnam. This was received by Lyndon Johnson in November 1963. Hedeclared that he would not let Vietnam fall the same way as China. The above lead to more corruption, instead of military success; so consequently the US becamemore and moe involved in politics in the South. In January 1964, plans were drawn up for operationsagainst North Vietnam. These included sabotage and spying for the North, and bombing raids andNaval attacks for North Vietnams coast. There were attacks on US Naval vessels by the North Vietnamese (NV). Torpedoes were launchedbut missed, and no American casualties were suffered. After this, Johnson decided to act. He sentout vessels. As the two destroyers approached the coast, a terrible storm broke out: They wereconvinced that and attack was imminent. Crusaders flew over from. They could see the vesselszig-zagging about: They were under attack. Sonars detected 22 incoming torpedoa and they air craftpilots claimed to have hit three enemy craft. As soon as these reports got to Johnson, he ordered airstrikes against coastal targets in the North, and appeared in television commercials announcing hispositive reply. First BloodAfter that, it was all quiet fr the soldiers at Da Nang. They would go out all day, getting hot, sweatyand bored. Every now and then a monkey would set off the alarms, but no real action washappening, it was very frustrating. For a full five months after they had swept the beach, nothing hadstill happened, until now About about 0130 hours (1:30am), a Marine sentry a strange noise outside camp. He threw anillumation grenade into the direction of the sound, and as it exploded so did half the airbase. Afurious VC (Viet Cong) mortar barrage swept accross the field. A team of VC sappers chargedthrough a hole theyd clipped in the fence and lobbed in explosions on the parked aircraft. As quicklythey had come, they had gone The damaged caused was not too extensive, and one American was killed. This hardened theMarines, so they decided to kill them, before they kill us. They did not have to wait long, as in Julythere was a build up of VC near the Marines. There was another VC build up about 60 miles awayat Chu Lai. The Marines went there. On the the 15th August, a VC desertor (who turned up out ofthe blue) revealed that the 1st Viet Cong Regiment (a force of about 1500 men) had set up base only12 miles from the Marines base at Da Nang. Up until now the Marines had not fully used the powerof their weapons, so they took up the offer immediately. .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b , .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .postImageUrl , .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b , .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b:hover , .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b:visited , .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b:active { border:0!important; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b:active , .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1259be2aad4d70461c038b4274dc189b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Perseverance in Mother to Son and The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes EssayA Marine batallion was organised to be highly self sufficient it could move at high speed and couldhave close air support withing minuetes if they ran into anything big. Their air support would be anHH-34 helicopter, loaded with heavy artillary. This was how the marines decided to take the VC onthe Van Tuong peninsula. For the operation to succeed, they had to move fast. Staff officers assembled and the Plan of Action(POA) was drawn up: The Marines were to surround the enemy before they could make a getaway. So they decidedto launch the attack from three separare directions. One Marine company would move overland and dig in along side of the Tra Bong river to block any VC attempts to break out north,while a whole batallion of men would be put ashore on the southern side of the peninsula at AnCuong. The final part would be lifted in helicopeter. With their backs to the sea, the VC wouldbe trapped. Operation Starlite was set to go ahead on 18th August. A Wall Of FireWith the plan ready, they set out as planned. The giant 40 tonne vehicle clawed their way up the AnCuong beach. The Marines poured out their transport towards the huts of the nearby hamlet. Suddenly, the Marines up front walked into a wall of Viet Cong machine gun shooting and mortarsheels exploding fire. The War Had Begun.

Shouldice Hospital Case Essay Example

Shouldice Hospital Case Essay Example Shouldice Hospital Case Essay Shouldice Hospital Case Essay â€Å"Shouldice hospital, the house that hernias built, is a converted country estate which gives the hospital ‘a country club’ appeal. † A quote from American Medical News Shouldice Hospital in Canada is widely known for one thing-hernia repair! In fact, that is the only operation it performs, and it performs a great many of them. Over the past two decades this small 90-bed hospital has averaged 7,000 operations annually. Last year, it had a record year and performed nearly 7,500 operations. Patients’ ties to Shouldice do not end when they leave the hospital. Every year the gala Hernia Reunion dinner (with  complimentary hernia inspection) draws in excess of 1,000 former patients, some of whom have been attending the event for over 30 years. A number of notable features in Shouldice’s service delivery system contribute to its success. (1) Shouldice accepts only patients with the uncomplicated external hernias, and it uses a superior technique developed for this type of hernia by Dr. Shouldice during World War II. (2) Patients are subject to early ambulation, which promotes healing. (Patients literally walk off the operating table and engage in light exercise throughout  their stay, which lasts only three days) (3) † (p. 8) -â€Å"We don’t have an organization chart. A chart tends to make people think they’re boxed into jobs. † (p. 9) â€Å"The hospital relied entirely on word-of-mouth advertising [†¦]† (p. 10) Shouldice Hospital is focused on good working conditions. It tries to meet people’s needs and makes the hospital as good of a place to work as possible; not only for the patients, but also for the members of the hospital staff: For example surgeons, assistants and nurses were rotated every few days or weeks that they get as much experience as possible. Furthermore each secretary is trained to do another’s work and in an emergency is able to switch to another function immediately. In spite of the fact that the pay scale for the staff is higher than the union scale for comparable jobs, there is also a high bonus pool and profit-sharing plan for all of the employees. The hospital also provides some free services for parents, who accompany their children and also provides free annual checkups for past patients. As a conclusion, Shouldice Hospital is doing well in capacity, service, quality, efficiency and performance. What performance exactly means and how you account performance will be answered in the next question. 2. How do you account for its performance? To answer this question we looked at the literature of performance management and tried to relate the theoretical background with the information provided in the â€Å"Shouldice Hospital Limited† case material. In business literature several different approaches to performance exist. In organizational development, performance can be thought of as actual results vs. desired results. Any discrepancy, where actual is less than desired, could constitute the performance improvement zone. Performance management and improvement can be thought of as a cycle: 1. Performance planning where goals and objectives are established. 2. Performance coaching where a manager intervenes to give feedback and adjust performance. 3. Performance appraisal where individual performance is formally documented and feedback delivered. A performance problem is any gap between desired results and actual results. Performance improvement is any effort targeted at closing the gap between actual results and desired results. Other organizational development definitions are slightly different. The US Governments Office of Personnel Management indicates that performance management consists of a system or process whereby: 1. Work is planned and expectations are set, 2. Performance of work is monitored, 3. Staff ability to perform is developed and enhanced, 4. Performance is rated or measured and the ratings summarized and 5. Top performance is rewarded. In Business performance management literature, performance is described as a set of processes that help businesses discover efficient use of their business units, financial, human and material resources. The definition of  performance in Operational performance management literature focuses on creating methodical and predictable ways to improve business results, or performance, across organizations. The answer to question 1 of our paper focuses on actual performance of the Shouldice hospital and the answers to questions 4, 5 concentrate on ways to improve hospital’s capacity, which covers the operational management approach to performance. Since the case material is short on data as far as desired results are concerned, we will take historical and comparative approach in order to account the performance of Shouldice Hospital. Since the number of operations is considered by us as the most important measure of performance, from historical perspective we can see that performance on this measure has been increasing steadily since year 1982. â€Å"[†¦] the volume of activity continued to increase, reaching a total of 6,850 operations in the 1982 calendar year. † The average number of operations per year reached 7750 (please see question 4 for reference) at the time of interview. Increased number of operations indicates the higher number of patients, which could also indicate a high customer satisfaction level. Since the hospital in not using any marketing strategy to attract clients, and â€Å"relied entirely on word of mouth advertising† , we could presume that satisfaction reached desired results and increased the number of new patients. We could also look at the performance from financial perspective in terms of employees’ salaries â€Å"we try to maintain a pay scale higher than the union scale for comparable jobs in the area† . Ability to pay above average market salaries indicates reaching target revenues and non-existent or minimal gap between desired results and actual results for financial performance. From the facts in Shouldice hospital case material, high involvement of experienced surgeons in coaching and giving feedback in order to maintain high quality of operations could be also observed. â€Å"Training in the Shouldice technique was important because the procedure could not be varied. It was accomplished through direct supervision by one or more of the senior surgeons. The rotation of teams and frequent consultation allowed for an ongoing opportunity to appraise performance and take corrective action. † The above example of training program gives us insight on personnel management at Shouldice hospital. Here we can refer to The US Governments Office of Personnel Management approach to performance. Holistic approach to personnel performance management including planning, monitoring, development, performance evaluation and reward system (â€Å"bonuses to doctors were voted by the board of directors twice a year, depending on profit and performance† ) are integral parts of this approach and all of them, according to data from case material, exist (and are of great importance to Shouldice hospital’s management. We looked at different performance measures and approaches from comparative and historic perspective in order to answer this question. With the data given in the case and the facts outlined in the answer to question 1, we can conclude that in all discussed fields, i. e. customer satisfaction, capacity, financial performance and personnel management Shouldice Hospital is performing with no gap between actual results and desired results. 3. Develop a process flow chart for Shouldice Hospital. In this answer, we will provide a process flow chart for patients, who have had their hernias repaired at Shouldice Hospital. A process flow chart deals with a schematic diagram for describing a process. From our point of view, the real process starts when the patient arrives at Shouldice Hospital. That’s the reason why we do not have the previous steps (filling out questionnaires (1), patients getting their operation dates (2), information logged into the computer (3), patients sent their confirmation cards (4), patients contacted by phone (5)) in our process flow chart. Our process flow chart starts at 1:00-3:00 P. M. , when the patient arrives at Shouldice Hospital with 30 to 34 other patients. As you can see from the process flow chart, after four days, a patient is ready for discharge. This multi-stage process flow chart also includes a lot of buffers , where the patient has to wait till the next step in the process flow chart can be processed. As you can see on the last slide of the process flow chart, there is only limited information available about the third and fourth day. Finally, patients can leave Shouldice Hospital after four days. 4. What is Shouldice Hospital’s capacity? First of all, to make more clear how we interpreted this question, we will give a definition of capacity: â€Å"Capacity means the number/throughput of  units a facility can hold or produce in a period of time. † If we adjust this explanation to the Shouldice case, we assume that the capacity of the hospital is the maximum number of patients who can have an operation during one year. Referring to the case, the peak activity occurs in September when as many as 165 operations per week might be performed. Each year has 52 weeks, however according to the text: â€Å"For many of the same reasons, the hospital closed for two weeks late in December each year,† this means to a total of 50 work weeks each year. Using this information we can assume that the weekly capacity would be 165 patients and the yearly capacity being 8,250 operations. Alternatively, using an average figure of 155 weekly operations performed, this will result in a yearly average capacity of 7,750 operations. Also the capacity could be the number of beds, â€Å"Initially, a 36-bed capacity was create in Thornhill, but after some years of planning, a large wing was added to the house to provide a total capacity of 89-beds. † 5. As Dr. Shouldice, what actions, if any, would you take to expand the hospital’s capacity? In order to create further opportunities to expand the hospital’s capacity, and secure future growth, Dr. Shouldice should expand the hospital’s facilities into the U. S. This notion supported by the case, which states, â€Å"Approximately 42% of all Shouldice patients came from the United States† (p. 3). As of now, these patients are forced to pay â€Å"roughly $200 to $600† (p. 10) to travel to Toronto and patients from the U. S. must now have passports when travelling to Canada. Having a hospital in the U. S.  could reduce some of the costs of travelling for these patients, decrease some of the anxiety of travelling to a foreign country, and make the facilities more accessible for potential patients. Additionally, it would be in the best interest of the hospital to diversify its practice and pursue â€Å"opportunities such as eye surgery, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids† (p. 11). An expansion to the U. S. is an enormous undertaking and since opening a facility in the U. S. is akin to starting anew this is an opportune time for Shouldice Hospital to diversify their opportunities. Based upon Exhibit 4 in the case study, â€Å"it is quite clear that others are trying to emulate us,† which means that Shouldice Hospital is the premier hernia care provider. Now that they have mastered the hernia care and procedures, they must now transfer that knowledge of patient care to other areas of medicine. A staggering 86% of the attendees of the 1983 Shouldice Hospital Annual Reunion responded that Shouldice Hospital most definitely cared for them as a person (Exhibit 3, p. 16). With numbers like these and given Shouldice’s record of accomplishments, it is time for Shouldice to move forward and expand their opportunities. Furthermore, it would be in the best interest of the hospital to patent its world-renowned hernia procedure. Currently the procedure is available to all hospitals who, â€Å"may copy our technique and misapply it or misinform their patients about the use of it. This can result in failure, and we are concerned that the technique will be blamed for the recurrences. † (p. 11). Occurrences such as these can denounce the Shouldice name and can hinder potential patients from looking into Shouldice’s procedures. Shouldice should also look into advertising its procedures in order to increase its capacity. Presently, Shouldice is â€Å"afraid to send out this new brochure [they’ve] put together for fear it will generate too much demand† (p. 11). Advertising, in correlation with the expansion into the U. S. , would greatly increase the awareness of Shouldice because â€Å"the hospital relied entirely on word-of-mouth advertising† (p. 10). With the expansion into the U. S. Shouldice would be able to support the extra demand generated by an advertising campaign. The main types of advertising Shouldice should consider are direct mailings, magazine/newspaper ads, and infomercials. The atmosphere at Shouldice in Toronto is definitely one of a kind. The patients, nurses, and surgeons all have a special bond rarely seen in a hospital, which greatly contributes to the success of Shouldice. In such a quaint working environment, it is important to consider the needs of everyone involved when contemplating facility expansions and work schedule changes. With this in mind, and seeing that there are only a small number of workers, all of whom do not agree on a work schedule change to add Saturdays, Shouldice should continue its present work schedule and not add Saturday operations. Additionally, adding a floor to the current facility would greatly change the working dynamics of the hospital and the quaint environment in which the patients and staff thrive. Adding a new floor and Saturday operations may add revenue but it would take away from all that Shouldice stands for. As the case states, â€Å"‘I’d hate to see the practice split over the issue’† (p. 12). Finally, Shouldice should look into updating and digitalizing its computer systems. This will not only expedite the administrative process but would also lower patients’ waiting time and reduce the stress attributed to masses of paperwork. Patients should be able to fill out all the necessary paperwork one time on a computer and then not be bothered until the procedure. In addition, digitalizing Shouldice’s system would make the brochure sent out to patients (Exhibit 1) a more fluid process. If the form was available on the Internet then there would be faster response times and fewer mistakes. 6. How would you implement changes you propose? Based upon the information provided in the case, it seems as though Dr. Shouldice already has a few places in the U. S. in mind for the hospital (p. 11). We would encourage him to do further research to determine where the best geographic region is according to demand for hernia operations as well as the other opportunities mentioned (eye surgery, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids). Dr. Shouldice must also consider the cost of building a new facility and future revenues derived from greater capacity. In order to protect the surgery that has made the hospital so famous, Dr. Shouldice would need to apply for patents through the provincial government. Moreover, it would be wise for Dr. Shouldice to apply for patents in the U.S. as well before he begins operations there. Taking the necessary steps to obtain a patent would secure Shouldice’s unique surgical procedure and their future success. Although Shouldice currently handles all of their own operations, it is necessary for them to hire an advertising agency to launch a new campaign. An advertising agency has much more experience and knowledge about best practices and with the guidance of the administrative staff they could work together to achieve the desired outcome. Shouldice should consider advertising for their U. S. facility as soon as an expansion plan is completed and for their Toronto facility as soon as the U. S. facility is open. This would promote awareness among U. S. patients prior to the opening of the facility and give the Toronto facility enough time to phase out some existing U. S. patients. A test period of six months should be implemented and if the advertising proves successful then further implementation and changes can be made. The first step Shouldice should take to implement a new computer system is to find a company who provides the services they are looking for. Then the two sides would need to work together to develop computer software that fits the specific needs of Shouldice. Next, employee training would be required to familiarize all necessary parties with the new system. Then, a test period would be needed to ensure that the computer software was working properly and that all employees knew how it worked. Finally, the old system Shouldice currently uses would cease to exist and the new system would be fully implemented.

Early Civilizations of the Non essays

Early Civilizations of the Non essays Civilization: A civilization has advanced and complex structures of the four components that define a culture being social, economic, political, and creative threads. A civilization has a natural environmental advantage; a civilization has nothing to do with the people in the group. A civilization has an environmental advantage leading to surplus and experimentation. The three aspects f these theories are environmental advantages, surplus, and experiments leading to new discoveries. A civilization is a complex culture, which is a small minority of 15 out of every hundred of groups that have roamed the earth. Smith's theory of civilization is the "Lucky bastards who stumble upon environmental advantages who can then take risks." A group of people who have evolved complex, political, economic, social, and intellectual activities because they enjoy the benefits of an unusual advantage in an environment. An enviernmental advantage is what causes a civilization to be complex. Because they have an environmental advantage they will soon have a surplus. Which provides them with the opportunity to take risks and experiment providing them with knowledge. Hallmarks of an actual civilization are a surplus, literacy, and sedimentary. A surplus is goods, which is material possessions food, clothes, weapons, and raw materials, Labor being specialization in production of some kind? Also time leading to intellectual breakthroughs. Types of environmental advantages are rich land, and cross roads of trade. Egypt - An environmental advantage allows a culture to advance to a civilization. Groups that live in an area that have an environmental advantage will obtain a surplus. A surplus is when you have an extra amount of time, goods, and labor. Having these will allow the Egyptians to engage in risk taking experiments, which lead them to progress and change. The Egyptians environmental advantage was the Nile River. In March, and Apr...

Atomic Mass Unit Definition (AMU)

Atomic Mass Unit Definition (AMU) In chemistry, an atomic mass unit or AMUÂ  is a physical constant equal to one-twelfth of the mass of an unbound atom of carbon-12. It is a unit of mass used to express atomic masses and molecular masses. When the mass is expressed in AMU, it roughly reflects the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus (electrons have so much less mass that they are assumed to have a negligible effect). The symbol for the unit is u (unified atomic mass unit) or Da (Dalton), although AMUÂ  may still be used. 1 u 1 Da 1 amu (in modern usage) 1 g/mol Also Known As:Â  unified atomic mass unit (u), Dalton (Da), universal mass unit, either amu or AMU is an acceptable acronym for atomic mass unit The unified atomic mass unit is a physical constant that is accepted for use in the SI measurement system. It replaces the atomic mass unit (without the unified part) and is the mass of one nucleon (either a proton or a neutron) of a neutral carbon-12 atom in its ground state. Technically, the amu is the unit that was based on oxygen-16 until 1961, when it was redefined based on carbon-12. Today, people use the phrase atomic mass unit, but what they mean is unified atomic mass unit. One unified atomic mass unit is equal to: 1.66 yoctograms1.66053904020 x 10-27 kg1.66053904020 x 10-24 g931.49409511 MeV/c21822.8839 me History of the Atomic Mass Unit John Dalton first suggested a means of expressing relative atomic mass in 1803. He proposed the use of hydrogen-1 (protium). Wilhelm Ostwald suggested that relative atomic mass would be better if expressed in terms of 1/16th the mass of oxygen. When the existence of isotopes was discovered in 1912 and isotopic oxygen in 1929, the definition based on oxygen became confusing. Some scientists used an AMU based on the natural abundance of oxygen, while others used an AMU based on the oxygen-16 isotope. So, in 1961 the decision was made to use carbon-12 as the basis for the unit (to avoid any confusion with an oxygen-defined unit). The new unit was given the symbol u to replace amu, plus some scientists called the new unit a Dalton. However, u and Da were not universally adopted. Many scientists kept using the amu, just recognizing it was now based on carbon rather than oxygen. At present, values expressed in u, AMU, amu, and Da all describe the exact same measure. Examples of Values Expressed in Atomic Mass Units A hydrogen-1 atom has a mass of 1.007 u (or Da or amu).A carbon-12 atom is defined as having a mass of 12 u.The largest known protein, titin, has a mass of 3 x 106 Da.AMU is used to differentiate between isotopes. An atom of U-235, for example, has a lower AMU than one of U-238, since they differ by the number of neutrons in the atom.

Film Production Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film Production - Essay Example In order to be able to learn more about the film production process, all of the previously mentioned issues need to be discussed, as well as any and all other key and related matters in this regards. The aim of this paper is to allow for an attainment of a better understanding on the issue of film production in general, particularly of its more technical aspects, and as well on how film production is used in the world today. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Film production basically involves four major steps, which are: development, preproduction, production, and postproduction. During the development stage is when the idea is actually beginning to be developed, and usually a summary of the actual story will be given in a few pages. Then, through several different iterations, these few pages will eventually end up becoming a detailed prose piece which will better tell the story of the film. Concept art is also developed more during this process, and character descriptions are worked on more thoroughly. This particular process, as with every single other that is included within the film production process, is incredibly important and takes some time, and is usually gone over two, three or even more times before being considered as being complete, and even then often times workers involved will go back and edit or add on. The development process is also the time during which the script is composed, and this again will go through several drafts as the writer and others involved make their comments and opinions about it. Then there is the preproduction stage, which is the stage that takes place before the actual production stage, and it is during this stage when a storyboard is created from the script, which basically means that writers and illustrators work together using the script as their guide in order to be able to create a visual storyboard including words and illustrations, which will be the basis of the production image that they are going to create. From an initial written version, this will then end up progressing into a series of images, of which are either created in a 3d software or drawn by hand, and then they are turned into a moving video, which is known as the 'animatic', and it is this animatic which will actually serve as the major blueprint for the film itself. Next is the production stage, which is where most of the action takes place, as it is where the filming begins. There are many more crew members which need to be recruited at this stage, and that includes, for example: property master, script supervisor, assistant directors, stills photographer, picture editor, and sound editors. These are the most common roles that are involved in the filmmaking production process, although there are many others which may need to be taken into consideration as well, depending on the specific type of film that you are making. A typical day will begin with "an assistant director following the shooting schedule for the day. The film set is constructed and the props made

Product and Price Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Product and Price - Essay Example The core product cannot be touched because it is not the tangible physical product. It is the benefit that customers will get from using the WBC’s product. The actual product is the physical product produced WBC. Finally, the augmented product is the intangible part of the crystal clear, granite filtered mountain water. It is the added value of the product which can be in the form of the after sales services provided by WBC after making purchases. Another value is the customer service support provided by the company. The product life cycle theory divides marketing into four sections or stages. The stages include the introduction, growth, maturity, and decline stages. The crystal clear, granite filtered mountain water developed by the company has not yet sold the product. It means that the product is at its introductory stage. The Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BSG) is a marketing theory helps in determining the group in which a product is based on how it is doing. The matrix assesses the product on two dimensions. The first dimension looks at the growth of the product in this market. The product produced by WBC can be described as being a basic need. It means that the growth in the market is expected to be high. The second dimension measures the product’s market share as compared to the largest competitor in the industry. The crystal clear, granite filtered mountain water has a low market share because it is new in the market. According to the analysis of the product, it can be classified as a Problem Child in the matrix, especially because it is a new product in the market. Service marketing includes the of selling services provided by a company (Pride, 2010). WBC is currently selling a product, but it can gain a competitive advantage by providing after sales services. These forms of services help WBC market itself to its consumers. It will also help the computer gain a reputation of providing the best

Growth MatrixWestinghouse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Growth MatrixWestinghouse - Essay Example First, it is important for the company to consider its cost of products and services. A drastic reduction in prices of similar goods and services is sure to yield massive impact because of prevailing economic situation. It is common knowledge that economic hardship presently prevails in most economies where Westinghouse has offices. To this end, any move to make customers save little monies would be highly appreciated by them. Secondly, it is important to focus on customer satisfaction. The reason why this cannot be overlooked is that the competitive advantage that needs to be built will be built mainly to attract customers. If these customers are given services that make them satisfied then surely their first option among existing companies is going to be Westinghouse. Unlike market penetration, market development has to do with the creation of new market. This may be quite costly for Westinghouse as compared to the penetration of existing markets. However, this has its own merits. For instance after studying the prevailing market for a while, the creation of new market gives marketers the opportunity introduce new line of products that meet the demands of customers. The challenge however has to do with the cost of starting the business and market research analysis to identify new customers. On the introduction of new line of products and services, Westinghouse as a multi-purpose company may have greater advantage. It is important however to go about this with a common strategy that has to do with the integration of advanced technology. Looking at the fact that the line of products of Westinghouse has to do with electronics, the introduction of new line of products that integrate modern and advanced technology would score lots of points for the co mpany (Business Ball, 2012). For example it is common knowledge that the ordinary user of a tape recorder would today want a technological advancement that features the use of a USB port that will make

Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Project - Research Paper Example These feelings, thoughts and actions are influenced by all the elements existing in the environment (Solomon, Bamossy, Askegaard, and Hogg, 2010). Consumer behavior is changing with the passage of time as feelings, actions and thinking of individuals, and consumer groups are changing continuously (Hawkins, &Mothersbaugh, 2009). Since the advancement in information technologies, a consumer’s daily life and activities have changed a lot. Today, consumers from around the world are aware of information technologies and the majority of them adopt these information technologies (Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel, 2006). The behavior of consumers has changed due to the advancement in information technologies (Evans, Jamal, and Foxall, 2009). The process of adopting information technologies is fairly low but once it is adapted, there consumers become highly used to technology and its usage. Statistics reveal that since 2004, the use of the internet has been doubled each year. At the beginning of 2008, it was estimated that almost half of the world’s population have been engaged in using the internet (Weber, 2008). There are numerous theories that explain what affects the adoption of information technologies and behavior of consumers. For instance, the most vital elements are the following: The purchasing attitude of a consumer could be influenced by various factors fluctuating from social, economical and psychological to cultural. Though, it cannot be claimed clearly that whether information and communication technology do affect the behavior of a consumer and if it has an influence then to what extent. A study has been conducted to identify this phenomenon where one hundred respondents were chosen, and the study has revealed that out of these hundred respondents 30 were the producers and 30 were consumers. The results concluded that the buying behavior of the consumers

Services Marketing Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Services Marketing Master - Case Study Example Thus, companies should focus on establishing and implementing an efficient marketing needs which considers the needs of its various customers. Companies provide either tangible or intangible products to their clientele. Tangible offerings are often classified as goods while intangible ones are services. In coming up with an efficient marketing mix, the nature of a company's products should be taken into account. Goods require the identification of four Ps which go into the marketing mix. These essential elements are product, price, place, and promotion. Services, however, are very much different from tangible products as they have four special characteristics: intangibility, inseparability, variability, and perishability. Thus, these also necessitate the application of an extended marketing mix which further incorporates people, physical evidence, and process to the four Ps (The Services Marketing Mix n.d.). This section will briefly outline and define these essential concepts is developing a marketing mix. For further clarification, the discussed elements will be applied to the operation and marketing activities of Cutting Edge Hair and Beauty Salon. Product. ... Instead of looking at the capabilities of a business organisation, it first opts to deeply consider its target market, locating their unsatisfied needs and preferences. From here, the company develops solutions and offer them to the customers as their products. As competition heats up in the global market, companies are further differentiating their products to their competitors. Nowadays, it is notable how market players differentiate their products from the common offering. In the hospitality industry, Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is not just giving customers a place to stay but the Ritz-Carlton experience which "enlivens the senses, instills well being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests." The service offered by the Cutting Edge Hair and Beauty Salon is fully and directly expressed in its mission statement: "It is our goal to provide superior hairdressing in an efficient, profitable manner within the confines of a caring, quality environment." However, we can see that the company is far from a typical player in the same industry as it continuously tries to impart excellent service. The saloon can be seen to offer high-end luxurious service. These efforts, which will be discussed below, help the company in improving its overall product image. Price. The price of a company's product is often dependent on its chosen pricing strategy as well as the image that it wants to project in the industry. As companies incur costs from their operations, it is important that they also charge their customers an amount for their services. Prices often determine whether the company pursues more for less or more for more strategies. High prices may enhance the image of a service offered to the

In this report I will start by exploring Essay Example for Free

In this report I will start by exploring Essay In this report I will start by exploring the history of the Computerised Tomography (CT) scanner and the technological advances which have made this type of medical imaging one of the most successful in its field. In addition, I will give a detailed explanation of the physics used to generate and manipulate a three-dimensional image. These images are used by physicians to diagnose cancers and vascular diseases or identify other injuries within the skeletal system, which can cause millions of deaths each year. This area of research has been chosen because I plan to enter the world of medicine in the next academic year. Medicine is constantly changing and developing. Cost containment and limitations reimbursed for high-tech studies such as CT and Magnetic Resonance imagining (MRI) are part of the future for the health care system. For CT to grow, or at least survive, it must provide more information than other imaging modalities in a cost-effective, time-efficient manner and at this present time it is able to achieve its aim. History: Computed Tomography (CT) imaging is also known as CAT scanning (Computed Axial Tomography). Tomography is from the Greek words tomos meaning slice and graphia meaning describing. The first CT scanner was invented in Britain by the EMI Medical Laboratories in 1973 and was designed by the engineer Godfrey N Hounsfield. Hounsfield was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to medicine and science. Figure 1. 0 (below left) show the first ever CT scanner produced, with its designer Hounsfield: Foster E. (1993) and Imaginis. com state that: the first clinical CT scanners were installed between 1974 and 1976. The original systems were dedicated to head imaging only, but whole body systems with larger patient openings became available in 1976. CT became widely available by about 1980. According to Imaginis. com, at this present time there are approximately 6,000 CT scanners in the United States and about 30,000 worldwide. However, it should be noted that many third-world counties do not have the financial capability to purchase CT scanners and as a result do not posses them. The first consignment of CT scanners developed by the EMI took several hours to acquire the data for a single scan. In addition, it would take days to reconstruct a single image from this raw data. Bell J.(2006), suggest that modern CT scanners can collect up to 4 slices of data in about 350ms and reconstruct a 512 x 512 matrix from millions of data in less than a second. Since its development 36 years ago CT has made advances in speed, patient comfort and resolution . A bigger volume can be scanned in less time and artefacts can be reduced as faster scans can eliminate faults caused from patient motion. Another advance took place in 1987. Bushong C. S (2004) suggests that, in the original CT scanners the x-ray power was transferred to the x-ray tube by high voltage cable; however modern CT scanners use the principle of slip ring. This is explained in more detail under advances. Figure 1. 1 (below right) shows what a modern CT scanner looks like. CT examinations are now quicker as well as being more patient-friendly. Much research has been undertaken in this field, which as a result has led to the development of high-resolution imaging for diagnostic purposes. In addition, the research has also reduced the risk of radiation by being able to provide good images at the lowest possible x-ray dose. Principles and Components of CT: CT scanners are based on the x-ray principle; x-rays are high-energy electromagnetic waves which are able to pass through the body. Roberts P. D (1990) states, that as they are absorbed or attenuated at different levels, they are able to create a matrix of differing strength. In x-ray machines this matrix is registered on film, whereas in the case of CT the film is replaced by detectors which measure the strength of x-ray. To understand how a CT scanner works in more detail, I shall start by looking at the equipment used. Firstly, we must analyse the basic components which make a CT scanner work. These are the gantry, operating console and a computer. Figure 1. 2 shows the order in which the information passes. Figure 1.2 shows only basic components; other components will be explained later in the course of this report. Arguably, the most important part of a CT scanner is the gantry. Gantry: According to Foster E (1993) and Impactscan. org, the gantry consists of an x-ray source. Opposite the x-ray source, on the other side of the gantry, is an x-ray detector. During a scan a patient will lie on a table which slides into the centre of the gantry until the part of the body to be scanned is between the x-ray source and detector. The x-ray machine and x-ray detector both rotate around the patients body, remaining opposite each other. As they rotate around, the x-ray machine emits thin beams of x-rays through the patients body and into the x-ray detector. Figure 1. 3 shows the inside of a gantry. The detectors detect the strength of the x-ray beam that has passed through the body. The denser the tissues, the less x-rays pass through. The x-ray detectors feed this information into a computer as shown is Figure 1. 3. Different types of tissue with different densities show up in a picture on the computer monitor as different colours or shades of grey. Therefore, an image is created by the computer of a slice (cross- section) of a thin section of a body. Before advancing any further we must understand the physics behind this process. X-ray tube: The X-ray tube inside the gantry (figure 1. 4) produces the X-ray beams by converting electrical energy into an electromagnetic wave. Graham T. D (1996) and Bbc. co. uk/dna/h2g2 suggest that, this is achieved by accelerating electrons from an electrically negative cathode towards a positive anode. As the electrons hit the target they are decelerated quickly, causing them to lose energy which is converted into heat energy and X-rays. The anode and cathode form a circuit which is completed by the flow of electrons through the vacuum of the tube. The basic layout of an X-ray tube is shown below (figure 1. 4). Figure 1. 4 shows that a high voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode. This very high potential is supplied by a high-voltage generator. The high voltage is the provider of the electrical energy needed for conversion and thus production of X-ray beams. A generator is a device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. The process is based on the relationship between magnetism and electricity. In 1831, Faraday discovered that when a magnet is moved inside a coil of wire, electrical current flows in the wire. Three-phase Generator: Three-phase generators are typical of CT scanners. Ogborn J. (2001) and koehler. me. uk, state that this process can be thought of as three phase AC generators combined into one. The poles of the permanent rotating armature magnet swing past each of the non-permanent stator magnets. This induces an oscillating voltage across each of the three coils. Figure 1. 5 shows a three phase generator. As we can see from figure 1. 5, each of the three coils has a wire leading from it. These three wires join together to form the purple wire that leads to the purple terminal see from figure 1. 5 As the three separate coils are arranged 120i apart, the oscillations of each of these are 120i out phase. This means the purple (or neutral) wire can be quite thin since the different phases add up to approximately zero. The potential difference generated needs to be high; high potential difference has a number of advantages in CT scanners. High potential difference reduces bone attenuation (greater penetration) allowing wider range of image (larger grey scale as bone is not merely white as on normal x-ray- (this will be explained later). In addition, the higher the radiation intensity at the detectors in the gantry, the better the information acquired. Gantry: The Collimator: In this section we shall look at the gantry (figure 1. 3) in more detail. Figure 1. 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of the inside of a gantry. According to Foster E (1993), inside the gantry is a beam restrictor called, collimator. Beam restrictors are lead obstacles placed near to the anode of the X-ray tube (figure 1. 4) and are used to control the width of the X-ray beam allowed to pass through the patient. Beam restrictors are needed as they keep patient exposure to a minimum and also reduce scattered rays. This is very important as X-rays are produced by a centre spot on the anode; they are not all produced at the same point. In addition, restrictors also maintain beam width travelling through the patient, which as a result affects the image quality (stronger beam means better image). The most effective form of a beam restrictor is a collimator. This is situated in front of the X-ray tube and consists of two sets of four sliding lead shutters which move independently to restrict the beam. The Filters: By looking at figure 1. 6 we can see another apparatus positioned between the collimator and the X-ray tube. This is the filter and its job is to remove the long wavelength X-rays produced from the X-ray tube. Impactscan. org suggests that, the X-ray tube produces radiation which consists of long and short wavelengths. However, the filter removes long wavelength radiation as this does not play a role in CT image formation, but increases patient dose. We know that long wavelength radiation is less energetic, and as a result passes through the body and cannot be detected. Furthermore, a person who is very large may not fit into the opening of a conventional CT scanner or may be over the weight limit for the moving table. This could possibly be the next technological advancement in CT scanners. Advantages: The main advantage of CTs is that a short scan time of 600 milliseconds to a few seconds can be used for all anatomic part of the body. This is a big advantage especially for people who are claustrophobic. In addition, it is painless, non-invasive and accurate. As CT scans are fast and simple, in emergency cases they can reveal internal injuries and bleeding quickly enough to help save lives. Also, in this period of economic recession the CT has shown to be cost-effective imaging tool for a wide range of clinical problems. Comparing CT to its competitors the MRI scan, CT is less sensitive to patient movement and can be performed even if the patient has an implanted medical device, unlike MRI. At the present time the CT scanner is superior to the MRI scanner. MRIs are bigger machines, with much more sensitive electronics in addition to requiring bigger support structures to operate them. To sum that all up- MRI machines cost more and this could be the underlying reason that CT are used more than MRI scans. Finally, a diagnosis determined by CT scanning may eliminate the need for exploratory surgery. Risks: The main risk of CT is the chance of cancer from exposure to radiation. The radiation ionises the body cells which mutate when they replicate and form a tumour. However, the benefits of an accurate diagnosis outweigh the risks. In our recent study of ionisation radiation we have learned about the unit of Sievert. Radiologyinfo. org states that a radiation dose from this procedure ranges from 2 to 5 mSV, which is approximately the same as the background radiation received in 4 years. The main risk of CT scanner is cancer; however this is only if they are used excessively. Research for the New Scientist suggests that the risk is very small and the benefits greatly weight it. Summary: In this report I started by looking at the history behind the CT scan and how this medical imaging has taken the science world by storm. I then explained the basic principles behind the scanner. As understanding of these principles grew, we were then led into the physics and a more in depth explanation. The different components of the CT were explained in detail such as the three-phase generator and how an x-ray tube works. This links in with our recent study of physics. During the report we were also able to understand how slip ring and thus helical scanning has proven to be a major advance is this field. Once again, the physics behind this was explained in some detail. The report concluded by looking at the various applications, advantages and risks. The medical imaging world is constantly changing and improving like any field of medicine. Companies are always trying to produce imaging machines which are faster, more accurate, more economical and present less risk to the patient. Therefore, the life span of the CT scanner could be limited with its competitors waiting to emerge in the background. The information in this report is very factual and accurate. I used a variety of sources to obtain the information. Most of the information in this coursework is attained from universities and radiology books. In addition, well-known articles were used from the monthly radiology magazine, Synergy as well as information from the New Scientist and Nature. Synergy is the biggest radiography magazine in the UK, which makes me believe that the information obtained it accurate. In addition, New Scientist and Nature are well established titles which more often than not provide accurate information. The websites I used are all recommended by The University of Hertfordshire to its undergraduates in radiography. This means they are also reliable sources of information. In addition, I also used a number of well recognised radiology books. By using different sources of information, I was able to eliminate any bias or inaccurate information provided in some sources. To sum up, I believe the information provided is accurate and reliable. Bibliography: Book References Allday J, Adams S (2000) Advanced Physics. Oxford University Press Ball J, More D. A (2006) Essential Physics for Radiographers. Blackwell Publishing Bushong C. S (2004) Radiologic Science for Technologist. Mosby Inc Duncan T, (1987) Physics; A Textbook for Advanced Level Students. John Murray Elliott A, McCormick A (2004) Health Physics. Cambridge University Press Foster E (1993) Equipment for Diagnostic Radiographer. MTP Press Limited Graham T. D (1996) Principles of Radiological Physics. Churchill Livingstone. Ogborn et al (2000) Advancing Physics A2. Institute of Physics Roberts P. D, Smith L. N (1990) Radiographic Imaging. Churchill Livingstone Thompson C, Wakeling J (2003) AS Level Physics. Coordinate Group Publication. On Line References Figure 1. 0 obtained from, www. catscanman. net Figure 1. 1 obtained from, www. mh. org. au Figure 1. 3 and Figure 1. 4 obtained from, www. impactscan. org/slides Figure 1. 5 obtained from, www. koehler. me. uk Figure 1. 6 and Figure 1. 7 obtained from www. impactscan. org/slides Figure 1. 8 obtained from, www. itnonline. net. Figure 1. 9 and Figure 2. 0 obtained from www. sprawls. org/resources Figure 2. 1 obtained from, www. csmc. edu Figure 2. 2 and Figure 2. 3 obtained from, www. sprawls. org/resources Figure 2. 4, Figure 2. 5 and Figure 2. 6 obtained from www. impactscan. org/slides www. radiologyinfo. org (25 February 2009) www. imaginis. com/ct-scan/ (12 March 2009) www. bbc. co. uk/dna/h2g2 (15 February 2009) www. impactscan. org/slides (12 March 2009) www. sprawls. org/resources (14 March 2009) Other References Synergy Magazine New Scientist Magazine Nature Magazine.

Response to Hip-hop Feminism

Response to Hip-hop Feminism Let Me Blow Your Mind: Response to Hip-hop Feminism In Let Me Blow Your Mind: Hip Hop Feminist Futures in Theory and Praxis, Lindsey explores the origins of hip-hop feminism, its relation to Black feminism(s), and its application to urban education. She also challenges the centralization of the African American male perspective in hip-hop by focusing on the Black and Brown girls and womens, transgender people of colors, and queer people of colors lived experiences. In this essay, I will examine the social context of the writer, how she describes current realities, how she analysis these realities, her vision and strategy for the future, and how the historical contacts affects this theory. I will end by sharing how this theory has relevance to my own life. Dr. Treva Lindsey is currently a professor at the Ohio State University in the Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College and her Masters and Ph.D. from Duke University. She specializes in Black feminist theory, womens history, and popular culture studies along with work in critical race and gender theory, sexual politics, and African diaspora studies (Treva Lindsey). Lindsey is a self-described diva feminist, which she describes as being audacious, vibrant, passionate, and fierce in [her] dedication to eradicating racism, poverty, sexism, homophobia, religious intolerance, and other forms of socio-historical, political, and cultural oppression and exploitation (Lindsey), who is informed by Black feminist theory, hip-hop feminism, and her position as an African American woman in academia. In her publication, Lindsey states that women and girls not only play an integral role in the formation and sustaining of hip-hop culture(s) but also provide distinct standpoints, perspectives, and interventions into one of the most powerful cultural movements of late-20th and early-21st centuries (Lindsey 53). This idea is the base of hip-hop feminism that argues these contributions and perspectives are ignored or exploited by hip-hop culture. Lindsey describes several key theoretical interventions of hip-hop feminismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦including bringing wreck, kinetic orality, sonic pleasure, percussive resistance, and Black girl standpoint theory (Lindsey 55) to challenge the devaluation of womens and girls engagement with hip-hop (Lindsey 53). This devaluation benefits the African American male perspective in hip-hop which, as hip-hop feminism has argued against, has led to pervasive sexism and misogynyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in rap music (Lindsey 62). Lindsey starts her analysis of this reality by first exploring the relationship, and the differences, between Black feminism(s) and hip-hop feminism. She explains that there are material and discursive differencesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦between second-wave Black feminists and women of the hip-hop generation (Lindsey 56). While both feminisms address sexism and the patriarchy, Black feminists do not believe it is possible to base a feminist epistemology in a movement where sexism and misogyny thrive. Hip-hop feminism argues for a feminism that considers the messiness and lived contradictions of human experience (Lindsey 56), such as the women who participate in a culture such as hip-hop, to better understand the reality of women and girls. Lindsey describes this argument perfectly stating if we do not take seriously the pleasure girls and women derive from music, even misogynistic and sexist music, we miss an opportunity to theorize the complexities of women and girls pleasure and enjoyment (L indsey 63). The analysis continues with her challenging the African American male as the subject of hip-hop. As stated, she used the theoretical interventions of bringing wreck, kinetic orality, sonic pleasure, percussive resistance, and Black girl standpoint theory to argue Black and brown womens and girls roles in creating and sustaining hip-hop culture. Activities such as hand-games, Double-Dutch, and childhood chants are ways girls learn to preform race and gender, while constructing a musical Blackness, that then becomes a pivotal part of hip-hop (Lindsey). However, this musical Blackness is also vilified in the hip-hop community as shown by Lindseys twerking example. The co-optation of twerking coupled with its decontextualized deployments in mass media also mirrors histories of cultural appropriation, hyper-sexualization of Black women and girls, and the demonization and devaluation of Black cultural forms and social practices performed by Black people (Lindsey 60). While Lindsey never explicitly states her vision, it is clear that she wants hip-hop to move away from the misogyny and sexism it is known for and for women and girls to both develop new music and to think critically about the music they listen to. She discusses hip-hop education as a possible strategy to address these concerns. Its been shown that the problematic lyrics and images of rap music were secondary to the beat of the music for the girls, even as the girls critiqued the music for its derogatory content (Love 91). This means that teaching women and girls media literacy will help them recognize the misogyny and sexism in music but not stop them from enjoying the genre; which may lead to more of these women and girls to either move towards music, in the same genre, that is less or not misogynistic or to create music that does not have these themes of misogyny. Creation of new music in the hip-hop genre is where hip-hop education can play an important role. Brown argues that we do not hear Black girls or their truths because their sound is at best misunderstood, and at worst, framed as problematic. According to Brown, the tonality of Black girls is the core of their expressivity, but often receives admonishment because of its juxtaposition to acceptable performances of girlhood' (Lindsey 61). Some hip-hop education organizations, such as Saving Our Lives Hear Our Truths (SOLHOT), demand that grown-ups not tell Black girls to quiet downà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to experience Black girls unique voices and articulations (Lindsey 62). Giving space for these girls to think critically about the messages around them and to develop their own voice and sound will enable them to influence the world and music around them in ways they could not before. Hip-hop feminism has its roots in the hip-hop movement of the late 20th century and Black feminism(s). In 1999, when cultural critic and journalist Joan Morgan coined the term hip-hop feminist, she did not imagine how instrumental her framing of her standpoint as someone simultaneously rooted in both hip-hop and Black feminism(s) would be for the emergence of the scholarly subfield, women in hip-hop (Lindsey 55). Lindsey uses hip-hop feminism to analyze women and girls contributions to the hip-hop genre, to challenge the centering of the African American male perspective in hip-hop, and to suggest possible ways to change the misogyny and sexism in the genre. Hip-hop feminism was created when women of the hip-hop generation felt Black feminism(s) did not apply to their lives because it did not view them as both empowering and problematic. This context created what Morgan called a functional feminism that focused on the unique lives and experiences of the women of the hip-hop generatio n. Unfortunately, I could not discuss every topic Lindsey addressed in this response. I chose to focus on Lindseys descriptions of musical Blackness and hip-hop education because those ideas have the most relevance to my current time and location. As a science educator, I am passionate about minority representation in and access to the sciences. I want the content I teach to be accessible to anyone who walks into my classroom but that is only possible if I ensure my classroom environment is safe for everyone. There are several aspects of hip-hop education that I could bring into my classroom, such as experience Black girls unique voices and articulations (Lindsey 62) as it applies to scientific discovery and inquiry, that would make the space more welcoming to students. By applying hip-hop feminist pedagogy to my classroom, I could help students see themselves as scientists. Lindsey uses hip-hop feminism to challenge the idea that the subject of hip hop is the African American male and to inform educational techniques to empower girls of color. While the theory itself does not have much relevance to my life, its application in the classroom could help me introduce the world of science to students in a way that is enjoyable. Hip-hop feminism may be generationally specific with a focus on critical race theory but it is applicable to many situations as Lindsey showed by applying it to both the hip-hop community, the classroom, and violence against transgender and queer individuals. Work Cited Lindsey, Treva. Blog post. A Diva Feminist. Blogger.com, 30 Apr. 2009. Web. 4 Mar. 2017. . Lindsey, Treva. Let Me Blow Your Mind: Hip Hop Feminist Futures in Theory and Praxis. Urban Education. 50.1 (2015): 52-77. Web. Love, Bettina. Hip hops lil sistas speak: Negotiating hip hop identities and politics  in the New South. Peter Lang. 2012. Treva Lindsey. Womens Gender and Sexuality Studies. N.p., 5 Feb. 2015. Web. 4 Mar. 2017. .

La Cosa Nostra Essay -- essays research papers fc

La Cosa Nostra Perhaps one of the most poignant moments in American cinema is the closing scene in the film â€Å"The Godfather† when Don Vito Corleone’s son Michael takes over his father’s position... and one of the most unforgettable moments, a severed horses’s head lies bloody in a man’s bed. It is this tradition and brutality that characterizes the Mafia, a secret Sicilian society that lives and functions just as much today on American soil as it did and does still in Italy. To understand this organized crime, one must begin to understand how it came to be organized in the first place. During the medieval times in Sicily, Arabs invaded the land and native Sicilians fled and took refuge in the hills. Some of these refugees formed a secret society that gave protection to the people in exchange for money. This group took their name, â€Å"Mafia† based on the Arabic word for refuge. In America today, one can hear it also be called â€Å"La C osa Nostra†, or â€Å"This Thing of Ours.† In the 1700s,Wealthy people would receive a card with a black hand drawn on and if they did not pay the money, they could expect murder, theft, and violence. During the time Mussolini was ruling Italy, this secret society was under heavy persecution and many fled to the United States. â€Å"Don (term for the boss or head of a Mafia family) Vito Cascio Ferro fled to the United States in 1901 to escape arrest. He is known as the Father of American Mafia.† (La Cosa Nostra) Many Italian immigrants came to the United States through Ellis Island in New York, which is today the most important center of organized Mafia crime in the United States. The new American Mafia came to power during the Prohibition by organizing the sale of outlawed alcohol, but after Prohibition was revoked, the Mafia needed a new â€Å"racket.† During the war, the Mafia got government issued ration stamps and sold them on the black market. These days the Mafia is involved in running prostitution, unions, construction, and gambling. New York, also called the â€Å"City that never sleeps,† houses the Five Families of New York. These Families are highly influential and powerful crime families and each holds claim to certain â€Å"rackets.† The Five Families are: Gambino, Bonano, Lucchese, Colombo, and Genovese. While all people in the Mafia are required to maintain certain silence about the workings of the Family, a code of silence called â€Å"Omerta,† d... ...si in America as it was in Sicily. â€Å"Say what you will about me, but don’t think it applies to my family.† (Godfather II) The Mafia, a group of stylized criminals, exists as a hidden power in our world today and shall remain to do so into the new millenium by controlling underground markets and making this world an offer they can’t refuse. Bibliography The Godfather. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan. Paramount, 1972. The Godfather, Part II. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Al Pacino, Robert Duvall. Paramount, 1974 â€Å"La Cosa Nostra.† Online. World Wide Web. 4 June 1999. Available http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/9880/index.html La Vien, Douglas and Papa, Juliet . (1993) The Mafia Handbook. Penguin Books. Machi, Mario. â€Å"Mario’s Mafia Page.† Online. World Wide Web. 4 June 1999. Available http://www.naxs.com/people/mmachi/mafia Malta, J. Geoff. â€Å"The Godfather Trilogy.† Online. World Wide Web. 1 June 1999. Available http://www.jgeoff.com/godfather.html Wiseguy & Company, Inc. â€Å"Unofficial Homepage of the New York Mafia.† Online. World Wide Web. 4 June 1999. Available http://www.users.aol.com/whizkid01/index.html Word Count: 1132

Comparing Cantebury Tales and The Decameron Essay -- Papers

Comparing Cantebury Tales and The Decameron There are many different roles for women shown in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† and â€Å"The Decameron†. Both books take place around the same time frame, 1300AD. â€Å"The Canterbury Tales†, takes place in London, England and â€Å"The Decameron† takes place in Florence, Italy. It would be just to think that since both books take place in a western civilization, both books would reflect the same morals and daily life styles. This is not the case at all. Throughout this paper I will attempt to show how these two books portrayed a totally different lifestyle. In â€Å"The Decameron†, by Giovanni Boccaccio, the rolls of men and women are what you would expect of a western society in the 1300’s. Women are generally seen as gentle beings that were somewhat naà ¯ve. There was a very distinct line that separated men from women. Through out the stories I noticed a consistent story line of women being very loyal to their men. The men would end up doing terrible things to the woman. In some cases the husbands would actually put the wife through massive suffering and n... Comparing Cantebury Tales and The Decameron Essay -- Papers Comparing Cantebury Tales and The Decameron There are many different roles for women shown in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† and â€Å"The Decameron†. Both books take place around the same time frame, 1300AD. â€Å"The Canterbury Tales†, takes place in London, England and â€Å"The Decameron† takes place in Florence, Italy. It would be just to think that since both books take place in a western civilization, both books would reflect the same morals and daily life styles. This is not the case at all. Throughout this paper I will attempt to show how these two books portrayed a totally different lifestyle. In â€Å"The Decameron†, by Giovanni Boccaccio, the rolls of men and women are what you would expect of a western society in the 1300’s. Women are generally seen as gentle beings that were somewhat naà ¯ve. There was a very distinct line that separated men from women. Through out the stories I noticed a consistent story line of women being very loyal to their men. The men would end up doing terrible things to the woman. In some cases the husbands would actually put the wife through massive suffering and n...

James Randolf in China Essay

I. Overview The case focuses on James Randolf, a first-time expatriate manager from Controls Inc. He is sent abroad to help establish a joint venture (VC) with a Chinese subsidiary of the firm. Controls is a Chicago-based company which specializes in design of production of temperature control and filtration systems. Controls has already established operations in various parts of the world – Europe, Asia and South America. By investing in China, they are exploring the untapped Asian market, a key market with potential customers. Chong Ming Electro-Assembly is the company they are negotiating with in Shanghai. Despite the previous expansions of the US firm, the management has no experience working with Chinese firms before and they made a number of managerial mistakes that I am going to cover in this paper. But what the company did, was to negotiate an agreement with Chongming to jointly run a manufacturing plant on Chongming Dao island, north of Shangai. Controls sent James Randolf to co-manage the facility. J. Randolf was 51 years old at the time and had work in managerial positions in Engineering, Quality and Customer Support for 15 years. But what made him a perfect candidate for the position was that his wife was born in Shanghai. That made him the most culturally empathetic to his co-workers in the new facility. II. Preparation Prior to being sent to China, Randolf underwent an orientation training. There, points about his duties, obligations and assignments were discussed. The matter of payment was also settled, while his new position provided him with benefits such as convenient moving arrangements. Randolf then proceeded to visit the plant in Shanghai where he would be working for the next 3 years of his contract. Having committed to the assignment, he then received a supplemental orientation course which lasted 2 days. In this course he was supposed to become accustomed to the cultural differences of Chinese workers, to exchange information with other co-expatriates. All this supplemented with language learnings. Randolf then went on to work in the new facility for 13 months after which he was recalled to the home office by phone.

Foreshadowing “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”

â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† is a story of tragedy about a family planning a vacation against the grandmother’s better judgment. The grandmother wishes to take a trip to Tennessee, because of a convict on the loose. Bailey is planning a trip to Florida even though the grandmother warns him that the â€Å"Misfit† is heading toward Florida. Before their long journey to Florida, the Family decides to stop at a diner to eat. During the visit at the diner, the family discusses the Misfit with the diner’s owner. The diner’s owner’s wife expresses her fear of being robbed by the misfit. After eating their food and ending their conversations he family leaves for Florida. Outside of Toombsboro the grandmother remembered an old plantation she once visited when she was young. She describes the house and tells them about the secret panel. The Children have never seen a house with a secret panel and throw a fit to see it. Bailey is not willing to go to the house, but the children insist. The grandmother shows Bailey the road and he turns down it. As they were traveling the road, the grandmother jumps as she remembered the house is in Tennessee not Georgia. When she jumped she caused Bailey to lose control of the car and runs into a ditch. No one in the family was hurt, but the ehicle was too damaged to drive leaving the family stranded. The family had no other choice but to sit and wait for someone to drive by. As they were sitting on street, they saw a car coming over the hills. The car stopped at the accident and out stepped three men carrying guns. The grandmother notices that one of the men look familiar, but she cannot put it together. As she realizes who he is the grandmother asks him if he is The Misfit. The Misfit tells the other two men two take Bailey and his boy to the woods. As the grandmother is reasoning with , she hears two gunshots. When the men come back they are alone. The Misfits tells he men to get Bailey’s wife, little girl, and the baby. They take them to woods and three gunshots echo in the woods. The grandmother screams hysterically and tells the Misfit to pray. The grandmother touches the Misfit on the shoulder and he shot her three times. From the beginning of the story, it is obvious the Misfit is being setup to come into the story later on. Foreshadowing built the suspense causing the reader to wonder what would happen next. This information did not tell how or where the story would end. Knowing about the Misfit from the beg inning pulled it all together and made the story much more interesting.

The Effects of Steroids on the Human Body and Steroid Abuse

The Effects of Steroids on the Human Body and Steroid Abuse by Athletes For many years, the use and abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids have been linked closely to athletes. Steroids come in different forms. They can be taken in pill form or injected straight into the user’s muscles by a needle. There are many sports that are associated with steroid abuse like weightlifting, basketball, and track and field. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic forms of male sex hormones, like testosterone.They speed up the growth and development process of muscles in the body. Steroids were originally developed around the 1930s in order to treat hypogonadism, which is a disease that prevents the male testes to not produce enough testosterone for its functions. Once scientists began to test steroids on animals, the same effect of increased muscle size was present in the animals. This immediately led to the abuse of steroids by body and weight lifters, and then closely followed by athletes from all kinds of different sports to enhance their performances.Whet her the user is male or female, certain sexual mannerisms of the male body will begin to produce in their body. There are several temporary and permanent side effects of abusing steroids. Temporary side effects include acne, increased breast size in men, and aggression. The sebaceous glands in the skin become inflated with excessive steroid use. Once this happens, the oils in the glands are increased which causes the skin to break out with acne. Another effect would be gynecomastia (increased breast size in men).This occurs when the body converts extra testosterone into female hormones, like estrogen, and female breast tissue is sometimes formed creating breasts on the man. Females will also experience male characteristic changes to their bodies. They might notice that their voices may be deepening because the testosterone from the steroids sends male signals to the brain. Facial hair and body hair with begin to grow rapidly on the female’s body, along with coarse skin and sh runken breasts. Both men and women will experience â€Å"roid rage† which is a heightened aggression for no certain reason.This anger can lead to irritability, stress, and violence. The long term side effects can include HIV, cardiovascular problems, stunted growth, and weight problems. HIV, not taken very seriously by must steroids abusers, is one of the most dangerous and deadliest side effects of steroids. This is because people don’t think they can get HIV even though most of the time they are sharing their needles with a numerous amount of other users. HIV could be spread from one person to another just by using one needle.Using steroids can increase one’s blood cholesterol which can lead to heart problems, heart attacks, and even strokes. The new weight of the user’s muscles puts an unnecessary strain and pressure on the heart, because it has to pump more blood to so much more tissues in the muscles. Stunted growth mainly affects teenagers going thr ough puberty because once the brain senses a certain amount of hormones in the body; it sends a message to the bones to stop growing to the teenager will most likely be shorter than the average height for their gender, ge, and weight. One last long term side effect of using steroids would be weight gain and other weight problems. People who eventually stop abusing steroids often end up having a weight problem. If they bulked up with lots of muscle, these muscles will turn to an absurd amount of fat on their body. They also have an issue with losing the excess fat because the muscles were so used to being injected with steroids. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has written a list of banned drugs that all athletes are not allowed to use to enhance their performance.The list includes steroids that can be taken orally or steroids that can be injected by a needle into the abuser’s muscle. There have been thousands of athletes that have been banned from the respective sports bec ause of doping (using steroids) while training and/or participating. Several doping scandals in the athletic world have unfortunately come up in the past. One example would be the steroid scandal of Marion Jones. She had won the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and the 4Ãâ€"1 meter relay in the Sydney Olympics.Around 2005, there was an investigation to see whether she was doping or not. Marion denied ever using steroids before or during the Summer Olympics. But in 2007, she admitted in court that she lied to the investigators and two grand juries saying she had in fact used steroids during the Summer Olympics. Because of this confession, she was sentenced to six months in 2008 prison for lying to the prosecutors who were investigating her case. In an interview with Oprah, Marion Jones admitted that she most likely could have won in the Sydney Olympics without the use of steroids.Honestly, if she was confident enough to know that she was going to win without doping, what was the poin t of taking steroids in the first place? It makes me sad to hear that there are hundreds of thousands of doping scandals like this and even in other sports. If you’re good enough in what you’re doing, I think that you don’t need to over-do it by adding steroids into the mix. Marion was stripped of her gold medals from Sydney. Nowadays, WADA and other anti-doping agencies are cracking down harder on drug testing athletes several times before and after games and races.If you know you’re not good enough and you feel like you have to take steroids, don’t bother wasting your time because sooner or later someone is going to find out and you’ll end up embarrassing yourself and your family. It feels better to win knowing that all you did was work hard, keep to eating a healthy diet, and train as much as you could, instead of getting lazy and buying steroids. I understand people need to see that they are â€Å"the best† instead of just believi ng it, but there are other ways to improve your performance and do well in whatever sport you play.

A Conspiracy Of Silence essays

A Conspiracy Of Silence essays Conspiracy of Silence by Lisa Preist is the life of four boys after murdering a native girl just outside of The Pas. There were many pieces of evidence presented in the book to prove who killed Betty Osborne. The evidence was small and limited but it was eventually for a trial. There was a lot of racism in the book that had a lot to do with the outcome of the trial. Racism isnt always apparent in the book but it is a never-ending problem. In this book there are many pieces of evidence that can prove who did or did not murder Betty Osborne. Evidence will assure that justice is served by anyone involved in the murder. One of the first pieces of evidence found was a cabdriver seeing a car leaving the area of the murder that night. He managed to remember two numbers of the numbers on the license plate; 42. The police used a method very rarely used is a police investigation, they hypnotized him in order to recall that night to find new information. It worked and he remembered four numbers of the license plate in sequence; 5342. This led them to the second piece of evidence, the death car. This was substantial evidence seven months after the murder. They only found a few hairs with similar characteristics of Betty Osbornes proving that maybe sometime before her death she had been in the car. They also found a small bloodstain but they could only prove that it was human blood. Also they found their third piece of evidence, a bra strap under the back seat of the car. They got an expert to fit the strap with the correct size and got the match 32AA, style 122. That was the exact size found at the murder scene that the victim was wearing. Now they had very good physical evidence that Betty Osborne had been in the car that night. One of the very last pieces of evidence ever discovered was probably the most important piece of information in the trial. In 1985 Andrea Wiwcharuk told police what ...

buy custom History of Solar Power in the United States essay

buy custom History of Solar Power in the United States essay Solar power is seen as one of the renewable energy that would reduce the United States, overdependence on oil as a source of energy. The technology of harnessing energy has grown over the years, with the use of photovoltaic in generating electricity and solar thermal for heating water. The latest technology, which is still under development, is the use of CSP systems to generate electricity. The United States is advancing in the use of this technology, and currently it is the leading in the generation of power using CSP technology. This paper will discuss the history of solar power in the United States, the technologies used in the production of power using CSP, and the benefits of using this technology. The paper will also explore the barriers to large-scale production of CSP power and possible intervention, and discuss the future for CSP in the United States. History of Solar Power in the United States In 1970s, there was there was a first environmental regulation in the United States, but first, there was a Clean Air Act, that researched on air pollution and emission standards for automobiles. During this time, the Council on Environmental Quality was set up by the NEPA to carry out a national environmental impact assessment for projects funded by the federal government (Cohen 103). These developments led to the creation of limits to emissions from industrial plants, fuels and electric utilities. In 1074, there was an embargo that shook the US, which depended more on oil for energy; this made the United States to think of alternative ways of meeting its energy demands. In 1977, the power behind CSP emerged with the development of the DoE, which was put in control of the federal energy agencies. More research was carried out by the DoE and other research groups on energy activities, which led to the development of policies and incentives for renewable energy resources such as CSP (Cohen 123). California led the nation in pushing for renewable energy resources, it used the DoE research and the attractive incentives provided by the PURPA to build SEGS; a 354 MW plant using a trough design was installed in Majove Desert (Cohen 147). This gave way to the construction of other CSP projects in California, and today, California has the first 80 MW plant, and this plant has remained the largest CSP in the United States. The CSP Technology CSP is a technique that is used for generating electricity using heat from the sun, this is a technology that is expanding quickly and is commercially viable. It requires a strong and direct solar radiation, which is used as a centralized source of power for many utilities, and produces more power in the late afternoon when the demand is high. The CSP technology uses mirrors to focus the sunlight on a heat transfer medium, the heat transfer medium is then heated to produce steam to power and engine or a generator that generates electricity (White 219). This technology has a potential of producing close to 300MW and supply approximately 100 megawatts; however, this value depends on the type CSP used. An effective CSP requires approximately 5.5 kWh/m2 of solar radiation per day; in California, the average solar radiation for an effective CSP ranges from 6.75-8.25 kWh/m2/ day, and its best performance is realized in flat and arid locations. The worlds best performance of CSP is realized in Australia, Sahara Desert and the U.S Southwest. The largest CSP in the United States was built in the 1980s and 1990s, in California desert, and today they are among the largest and most powerful solar generating systems around the globe. The United States has a number of plants, which have been operating since 1980s, and are located in the Southwest (Johnson 142). The United States is planning to install many more of CSP systems, and others are in construction states. Types of CSP Systems CSP has different technologies of power production, however, they all involve concentrating sunlight at a focal point located at a tube with a heat transfer material, the material is usually molten salt or synthetic oil. The synthetic material is usually pulled together and stored in a unit, and later used to produce steam to power conventional generators. All systems have arrays of mirrors for concentrating the sunlight. Parabolic Trough Parabolic troughs are long, curved mirror pivoted to focus sunlight on tubes with a heat transfer medium, which is generally water or oil, and the steam produced after heating the heat transfer medium is directed o move a power generating turbine. The parabolic troughs are installed in a way that allows they to track the suns path, and this increases the amount of heat reaching the heat transfer material (Price 261). The parabolic trough CSP system is the most developed system, and it has been in use in the United States ever since. The maximum capacity size for this system ranges from 150MW to 250MW, the power within this range can power close to 44,000 homes; however, today, the largest parabolic trough CSP plant is 80 MW. Solar Power Towers In this technology, flat mirrors are used to focus sunlight on a central receiver containing a heat transfer fluid, which is often molten salt that can keep thermal energy for a long time. Solar power towers, unlike parabolic dishes, they concentrate heat energy at higher temperature, and this makes to have a higher efficiency when it is compared to parabolic dish CSP systems. This system had 10 MW facility, which operated between 1996 and 1999 in California, this system had a storage tank could store electricity for 3 hours after a sunshine (Price 124). In 2009, a 20MW power tower was put online in Spain; this is largest power tower demonstration plant. Dish System In this system, mirrors are organized in a parabolic shape, which is like the shape of a satellite dish. The mirrors focus the heat on a central receiver that is mounted above the dish center. The receiver has a Stirling engine, which translates heat energy to mechanical power through cold fluid compression; the fluid can either be synthetic oil or water. The fluid is heated and allowed to expand through a turbine or a piston to produce mechanicl power, which is converted to electricity using an alternator or a generator (Price 169). This system can be utilized to produce electricity in large scale by arranging many dishes in a large array. The newest system that uses this technology has 31.5% energy conversion efficiency, which is the highest efficiency of CSP technology plants. However, this system has a smaller production capacity, which ranges from 0.003 to 0.025 MW. Recently, this system has been approved in California for construction. Linear Fresnel System This system is among the new CSP technologies. This system resembles the parabolic trough system; however, it utilizes multiple flat mirrors arranged in rows to focus sunlight on a set of tubes, which increases the heat of the fluid inside the tubes. When this system is compared to the systems that use curved mirrors, it is less expensive; the flat mirrors are less expensive to manufacture. However, this system is less efficient when it is compared to other CSP systems. Generation CSP systems generates power during daytime, this is the time when electricity demand is high. The heat transfer process used in generation ensures a stability time of 15 to 30 minutes; this time is enough for the system to endure a passing cloud. The systems are affected by extended cloud cover and night, when the sun is not shining; therefore, they need thermal storage and supplemental fuels (White 284). Most of CSP systems are supplemented with natural gas for them to provide baseload power all the time. Most plants that use natural gas use steam engines in power generation and since the CSP also use steam engines in power generation; the two systems are easily hybridized. CSP systems can also be made to meet baseload demand using thermal storage technology; this storage can help the CSP system to operate for 70 percent of 365 days without fuel backups (Price 302). The thermal storage technology is a great improvement of the CSP system, which can only run for 15-30 percent of 365 d ays when it is generating without storage. Production Capacity In 2008, the solar power produces only 0.09 percent of energy supplied in the United States; however, the production capacity is growing. Today, the United States have 429 MW installed CSP capacity, which makes it the leader in CSP generation, and the nation is still developing more generating plants, which totals to 7,000 MW. By 2020, the United States is sure of powering 2 million homes using CSP; this is from the projects that are under development. CSP Projects under Development in the United States California has 34 projects, which are planned to produce 9,183 MW; this is a potential capacity that includes 1600 MW to be produced from Stirling engine systems, 177 MW produced using Linear Fresnel System, 747 MW to be produced using power tower systems, and 8 projects with a potential of 4228 MW that are still in review process. The Mojave Desert has some CSP projects that are planned for construction; there is one project of 553 MW potentials that are still under construction since 2009. In 2007, there was a 25 year agreement between Pacific Gas and Electric and Solel to purchase power. In Florida, there is a hybrid of parabolic trough and gas systems with a potential capacity of 75 MW solar power. This power is projected to power Martin county and 11,000 homes will benefit from this project. Florida Power and Light and Lauren Engineers have an agreement of power purchase and this would benefit the nation. Costs of CSP The construction of a CSP plant takes approximately two years, it requires concrete, plastic, copper and steel. The cost of construction is about 80% of the plants total cost, this is higher when it is compared to a fossil fuel plant. However, unlike natural gas or coal power plants, CSP plants have zero fuel cost, the operational costs are 30 percent less when they are compared to those of gas and natural gas plants (U.S. Department of Energy 412). An installed CSP plant generates power for decades; in 1984, the first CSP plant was installed and this plant still generates power efficiently. These power plants might be expensive to construct but the benefits are huge and like the CSP plants, these benefits last for decades. The Benefits of CSP Economic Benefits The United States average price of electricity generated from Coal and natural gas costs 6 and 9 cents/kWh respectively, and the cost of CSP electricity is 14-16 cents/ kWh. This shows that CSP is expensive when it is compared to Coal and natural gas, however, during peak demand, the CSP becomes more cost effective; this means that those who use the CSP generated power save a lot during this time, remember that the peak demand is during afternoon, and this is when generating using CSP is high (Sioshansi and Denholm 176). According to research, as the industry mature, the cost of building CSP system would come down, and the prices of power generated using these system would reduce to about 5 cents/ kWh. The economic benefits of producing power using the CSP system might not be realized soon because the high cost of product of construction, however, if a nation continues to construct such plants, it would realize the benefits in a major way (Sioshansi and Denholm 179). For instance, the United States requires much power and its needs continues to increase as the population increases, as they are installing the CSP systems, their future costs of power generating are reducing because the nation will spend less of coal and natural gas power production (Kolb et al 197). The savings from the use of CSP would be used to fund other important developmental projects. The development of CSP systems has created employment opportunities in the United States. The construction of the systems requires different expertise such as the engineers, geologists and the unskilled labor, and after it has been installed it requires the administration to facilitate its operations, therefore, the Americans with the skills in the respective field are employed in the CSP plant (Sioshansi and Denholm 181). This is bound to increase with the other projects that have been planned for construction in California as well as other parts of the country that have CSP potential. Most of the CSP projects in the United States are constructed in areas that have less agricultural potential, and initially such areas such as Mojave Desert had little economic contribution to the nation, but now with the CSP projects, this region has a large economic contribution to the nation (Kolb et al 238). The energy produced from these projects has help residents around Mojave deserts and other citizen who use energy from this region to power their businesses; this has helped them extend their operation time, which has improved their earnings. The residents have also managed to put up businesses that use machines that depend on electricity for their operation. The companies producing CSP energy has managed to sign power purchase agreements such as the Florida Power and Light and Lauren Engineers, which help the company to sell its extra power and gain from the funds received. Environmental Benefits The CSP projects produce energy with no harmful gas emissions, this is as opposed to natural and coal based projects which emit green houses gases. The United States which consumes much power, and has had many problems with complying with the Kyoto protocol, has managed to produce more energy adding extra green house emissions to the environment. The nation is investing more in CSP projects, and if the country continues to produce more of CPS, it will reduce its dependence on coal and gas producing plants, and thus reducing the CO2 and other green houses to the environment. The construction of the projects does not require heavy digging of the ground, and this does not destruct the land, this is as opposed to coal and gas power production, which require heavy digging and installation of heavy machines that destructs the land. The Barriers to large-Scale Deployment of CSP Production The United States of America plans to produce power using CSP systems, but the projects are later converted to PV projects; recently, more than 2,500 MW that was planned for CSP projects was reconverted to PV projects (Kolb et al 292). This is because the CSP projects are costly to construct when they are compared to PV projects as well as the gas and coal power projects, and most countries such as the United States are shying away from deploying the CSP project for large-scale production. According to research, CSP projects can be made more efficient and produce more reliable power through dispatchability and storage, but this approach does not produce a more competitive power when it is compared to the oil-parabolic CSP hybrid systems (Johnson 216). Therefore, the nation is still afraid of investing in a technology that has high cost of construction, and the electricity produced is not competitive enough. The problem of high cost f electricity from CSP technology can be solved by i nvesting in research to find better ways to come up with the technology to reduce the production costs using gas or coal to supplement CSP systems. More research on advanced CSP concepts such as molten salts and solar trough, direct steam and Fresnel, and molten salts and solar tower; this approaches have a potential of reducing the CSP cost of power production (Johnson 231). If a more efficient technology is used and the cost of producing electricity lowered it will result in the development of the CSP technology The future prospects of CSP in the United States The United States has a potential of CSP production with the planned CSP projects and more in places that has a potential, and with the ongoing research to reduce the cost of energy produced using CSP systems, as well as its efficiency, CSP is expected to be a key player in the nations future. Solar energy is the biggest resource not only in America, but around the globe and if efforts are not made to commercialize it, then regions with the potential might not realize its importance (Johnson 163). The cost of construction of CSP system is very high; therefore, many private investors shy away from investing in such projects. The government of the United States should find a way to cut the construction costs to easy the investors investment costs (Hamilton 215). This can be done by giving incentives to those wishing to invest in CSP production; building infrastructure in areas of potential solar power production and reducing or eliminating import duties on CSP construction materials. T his would help the CSP industries to produce power that is competitive in the market by offering lower prices. The government should also come up with a tariff that will increase the consumption of power produced, for instance, for those who consume CSP power during the time when the CSP plants are generating more power are charged less; this will increase the market for CSP (Hamilton 217). The increase in market will attract many investors to invest in CSP, and more regions with energy solar resources will be exploited giving the nation more clean and cheap energy. The United States should also invest more in research on efficient ways of CSP production and solar energy exploration; this will ensure that the solar resource is fully exploited in the United States. The future for solar energy in the United States is promising, but any further achievements will depend on the governments efforts to make it exploit and commercialize the resource. Conclusion CSP technology is a technology that utilizes a free energy resource, which is the sun, this technology has been proved to be viable in United States; there are several projects that are already generating and supplying energy. There are several projects, which are still under construction, others planned for construction, and there are some areas that are still unexploited; this shows its future potential in the United States. However, the low efficiency and cost of constructing the plants hinders its exploitation and production in large-scale. The hindrances can only be eliminated by doing more research on efficient and less costly techniques for CSP production. This technology should not be quickly assumed because of it costs, however, the government of the United States should provide incentives to investors in this industry to encourage them to exploit the CSP. Buy custom History of Solar Power in the United States essay