Wednesday, October 30, 2019

MANAGING FINANCIAL INFORMATION ( part 2 ) Essay

MANAGING FINANCIAL INFORMATION ( part 2 ) - Essay Example The results are also analysed for the prospects of growth and the ability of further development. The major competitors with which the company has been compared are J Sainsbury Plc, Morrisons and Marks and Spencer. The company secured net revenue of  £60,931million for the 2011 financial year end. The revenue grew from  £56,910 million as the company showed a growth in revenue of over 7% for this particular year. The gross profit of the company also increased from  £4,607 million to  £5,060 million indicating a growth in the gross profit of 9.8% compared to last year where the growth in the gross profit was marginally over 10%. The following chart sheds light on the growth in revenue and gross profit of the company for the past 5 years (in millions). (Tesco Plc, 2011) The company was able to secure a net profit before tax of  £3,535 million for the year ended February 2011, which rose from  £3,176 million in 2010. The net profit after tax saw a considerable growth as the company sustained a net profit after tax of  £2,655 million for 2011 which was an increase of 14% since 2010 from  £2,327 million. The adjacent chart shows the trend of the net profit before and after tax for the past 5 years (in millions). The total current assets of the company amounted to  £11,438 million which rose from  £11,392 million for the previous year. On the other hand, the total current liabilities were  £17,731 million which rose considerably from the previous year as they were  £16,015 million in 2010. This shows that the company’s ratio of current assets to current liabilities indicates a lack of liquidity to finance the current liabilities. A trend of current assets and liabilities is shown which indicates that the current liabilities have always been over and above the current assets of the company, due to the nature of the company’s business which is a retail business. The

Monday, October 28, 2019

English A Language And Literature Essay Example for Free

English A Language And Literature Essay These notes to examiners are intended only as guidelines to assist marking. They are not offered as an exhaustive and fixed set of responses or approaches to which all answers must rigidly adhere. Good ideas or angles not offered here should be acknowledged and rewarded as appropriate.  Similarly, answers which do not include all the ideas or approaches suggested here should be rewarded appropriately. SECTION A Candidates are required to compare a letter from John Steinbeck to his eldest son Thom with an â€Å"advice† comic strip by Ken Cursoe, both of which explore the virtues (or not) of being in love. An adequate to good analysis will: †¢ note the commonalities of the two texts, such as Thom and Luke both seeking advice about love, the â€Å"expert’s† opinion about love, male/female distinctions, etc †¢ note some of the differences between the two texts, such as father / Tiny Sepuku, sincerity / humor, letter / advice column/cartoon, etc †¢ comment on the different text types, noting some characteristics of each. (For example, the letter observes the conventions of the form and responds to a letter on a personal level and addresses the issues it raises in a clear and logical fashion. The cartoon, posing as an advice column, opens with a brief letter of two questions answered by Tiny in a â€Å"tongue-in-cheek† fashion through seven vignettes of the â€Å"super powers† that love gives to either the male or female in the relationship) †¢ comment on the differences of context as deduced from the times and situations in which the texts were generated and from issues and references made within the texts themselves, such as the vignettes of the cartoon, the implications of the gestures and language of the cartoon characters, as well as the relationships revealed in the letter and the attitudes expressed by Steinbeck †¢ comment on the differences of audience and purpose as deduced from the two text types. A good to excellent analysis may also: †¢ consider further the differences in the attitudes to â€Å"love† †¢ consider more closely the purposes of the writers as viewed through their choice of text types, considering closely the differences between seriousness and humour †¢ offer a more in-depth analysis of both the letter and the cartoon, looking  closely at the stylistic features and showing some familiarity with terms appropriate to each †¢ offer a more careful consideration of audience and purpose, for example, the original recipient of the letter and, now, the wider audience interested in the life and writings of John Steinbeck, and, for the cartoon, those who follow the comic strip (and write in) or the general public who are amused by the cartoonist’s treatment of the subject. –4– N13/1/AYENG/HP1/ENG/TZ0/XX/M SECTION B Candidates are required to compare the poem Eyepiece by Judith Beveridge with a message from the Yahoo forum Microscope – Microscopy as a hobby or profession, which present, respectively, figurative and literal views of the world seen through a microscope. An adequate to good analysis will: †¢ note the commonalities of the two texts: the viewing of the world through a microscope, the identification of what is being looked at in each case †¢ comment on the two text types exploring some characteristics of each (the blend of personal and scientific comments in the message, as well as the nature of observation, both general and specific, the use of scientific language, the global nature of the â€Å"group,† etc as opposed to the more refined qualities of the poem: stanzas, lines, enjambment, simile, extended metaphor, alliteration, etc) †¢ comment on the â€Å"view of the world† that is offered by these writers and how distinctions between their purposes, contexts and audience shape their use of language, style and technique †¢ offer a recognition of the distinction between literal and figurative. A good to excellent analysis may also: †¢ offer a more in-depth analysis of both text types, showing how choice of text type influences both the structure and style of the content †¢ offer a careful consideration of the world view that is presented in each text: looking at the distinctions between describing an evening as though it  were a vision seen through a microscope compared with the reality of looking at water through a microscope and the impact (such as â€Å"fascinating†, â€Å"shocked and horrified†) on the observer †¢ consider more closely the two speaking voices (the scientist and the persona of the poem), how they are characterized and to what effect †¢ offer a cogent comparison of the two text types that offers a clear understanding of purpose, context, content and audience.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Ethics and Education :: Free Essays Online

Ethics and Education Before one decides whether or not morals should be a standard part of American public school education, one first must figure out what the purpose of education is. This is a difficult question to answer. Some would say that the purpose of education is to learn facts. Others would add to that and say that one's education should include facts and ideas. Perhaps the goal of education is to create well rounded people who are prepared to face the world around them. Perhaps education should be the pursuit of truth, however, in order to pursue truth, one must also define verity. How do you say which, or who's morals are true or untrue? An important aspect of defining education is deciding what areas of a person's education must be acquired in school, and what areas should be learned elsewhere. The area of morals is sticky in this respect. It is very difficult to know where to draw the line. When deciding this one must figure out where the responsibility of parents ends and where responsibility begins for teachers. One could argue that teachers have the task of being educators and parents the job of care-giving, so therefore all learning, including morals should occur within the schools. This is difficult to say though, because the line between teaching and care-giving is also fuzzy. Part of care-giving is making sure that one's child does not hurt him or her self or others, and that involves teaching. Similarly, part of teaching is making sure that the child is able to learn, which involves care-giving. In modern day society children spend a very large percentage of their time in school, and perhaps to enough time at home for their parents to effectively instill all the morals they need to learn in order to be ethical human beings. Because of this it could be argued that it is the responsibility of schools to teach morals in order for their to be any kind of ethical society at all. By not actively teaching morals it is possible that schools are passively teaching to be immoral. Another question to be raised is whether or not morals need to be learned in order ro function in other areas of education. If this is the case, then another question is whether or not the schools should be responsible for instilling those morals, or if they should expect the Ethics and Education :: Free Essays Online Ethics and Education Before one decides whether or not morals should be a standard part of American public school education, one first must figure out what the purpose of education is. This is a difficult question to answer. Some would say that the purpose of education is to learn facts. Others would add to that and say that one's education should include facts and ideas. Perhaps the goal of education is to create well rounded people who are prepared to face the world around them. Perhaps education should be the pursuit of truth, however, in order to pursue truth, one must also define verity. How do you say which, or who's morals are true or untrue? An important aspect of defining education is deciding what areas of a person's education must be acquired in school, and what areas should be learned elsewhere. The area of morals is sticky in this respect. It is very difficult to know where to draw the line. When deciding this one must figure out where the responsibility of parents ends and where responsibility begins for teachers. One could argue that teachers have the task of being educators and parents the job of care-giving, so therefore all learning, including morals should occur within the schools. This is difficult to say though, because the line between teaching and care-giving is also fuzzy. Part of care-giving is making sure that one's child does not hurt him or her self or others, and that involves teaching. Similarly, part of teaching is making sure that the child is able to learn, which involves care-giving. In modern day society children spend a very large percentage of their time in school, and perhaps to enough time at home for their parents to effectively instill all the morals they need to learn in order to be ethical human beings. Because of this it could be argued that it is the responsibility of schools to teach morals in order for their to be any kind of ethical society at all. By not actively teaching morals it is possible that schools are passively teaching to be immoral. Another question to be raised is whether or not morals need to be learned in order ro function in other areas of education. If this is the case, then another question is whether or not the schools should be responsible for instilling those morals, or if they should expect the

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Overcoming Gender Differences Essay -- Papers

Overcoming Gender Differences Men and women come from different worlds. Let's face it, they simply can not communicate. Take the following story for example: Tom and Mary were going to a party. Tom was driving and after about twenty minutes and going around the same block many times, it was clear to Mary that Tom was lost. She suggested that he call for help. Tom became silent. They eventually arrived at the party, but the tension form the moment lasted the entire evening. Mary had no idea why Tom was so upset. Mary, on one hand thought that she was offering Tom help. Tom, on the other hand "heard" that he was incompetent and couldn't get them there, (Gray, 20). In most instances, men and women interpret each other wrongly as well as attempt to make amends in the same mistaken manner. Communication has become the source of our problems. Men expect women to think and react the way men do. Women expect men to feel and communicate the way that women do. Both are mistaken. If we could understand each other better, many conflicts could be prevented. But more importantly, if we could only understand each other better, when conflicts do arise, we could overcome them a lot quicker and easier. Men and women have different values. Men and women cope with stress differently, and are motivated differently. Men and women speak different languages and commonly misunderstand each other. Finally men and women keep score differently and have different needs for support. Painful arguments, regardless can be avoided. Understanding these differences are crucial in day to day situations, but they become even more crucial when dealing in situations when c onflicts must be resolved. "If we recognize and understand the difference... ...portant role due to the fact that negotiations are based solely on the need for good communication. With good communication along with empathy, and a little luck the connections we make and the negotiations we encounter will be successful ones. Bibliography: Author Unknown. "The Economic and Societal Context" (article from Professor Umana in section) Birkoff, Juliana. "Gender, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution," 5-28-2000, *http://conflict-resolution.net/articles/birkoff.cfmplain=t* Edelman. "Divorce: From Pain to Peace" Reader Gray, John, Ph.D. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Harper Collins: New York, 1992. Tannen, Deborah. You Just Don't Understand. Balentine Books: New York, 1991. Ury, William. Getting to Yes. Penguin Books: New York, 1991.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Comparing and Contrasting Thomas Hobbes and John Locke Essay

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were two of the great political theorists of their time. They both provided wonderful philosophical texts on how our government should govern us. This paper will show the largest differences and some of the similarities between Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan and John Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government. Although they do have some similarities, Hobbes and Locke have different views on most of their political arguments, and I will expand on their differences on the state of nature, government, and social contract. Hobbes’ view of the state of nature and Locke’s view of the state of nature offer remarkable differences. Hobbes believed people act on their own self-interest, and they would go to any extreme to help themselves. He believed we are always in competition with each other for the best food, shelter, money, and so on. Hobbes believed the best way to protect citizens would be to have a sovereign that is intimidating and all-powerful. The view Locke had on the state of nature is conceptually different. Locke’s view of the state of nature says that humans have limits as to what we should or should not do, but he believed that humans are generally nice to one another, and we will not bother one another. Therefore, in Locke’s state of nature, humans are peaceful. Hobbes, however, believes that humans live in a state of war and fight with each other constantly. Hobbes and Locke did not have many of the same views on government. Though it is not directly stated in his text, most historians believe Hobbes was a supporter of absolute monarchy. He believed the government should have absolute authority over all the citizens. He believed if such a government did not exist, we would live in a world of turmoil. The sovereign (government) has the obligation of keeping the peace and, when need be, national defense. The sovereign establishes all the laws, and has complete legislative, judicial, and executive authority. Locke’s view of government is very different from Hobbes’. Locke believes  people should have a say in government, and Hobbes would disagree with this statement. Hobbes believes that the sovereign should own all the land, but Locke believes that property is private–God gave us this property, and we should use and enjoy it. Locke is also a supporter of the market economy. He believes that when one invests his own labor, whatever he makes should become his own private property. Government is very much linked with Hobbes’ and Locke’s views on social contract. Social contract binds the people and the government together. Hobbes thinks that citizens should relinquish all of their rights to the sovereign, because the sovereign knows what is best for them. Theoretically, in Hobbes’ view, there actually is no contract, because the citizens have no rights. His view of social contract is more like a covenant. The only time the citizens can say â€Å"no† to a sovereign is when the sovereign threatens self-preservation. For example, citizens may be interrogated for a crime, but they do not have to confess. Locke’s view of social contract is fundamentally different from that of Hobbes–his view is not as well defined. Locke believes a social contract is an agreement made between citizens who institute a government to prevent people from occasionally violating the natural laws. Locke believes the contract between the people and the government should be conditional. For the government to have the obedience and loyalty of the citizens, the government must perform certain functions and act appropriately. Although they have several differences, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke do share some of the same beliefs. Both Hobbes and Locke were passionate about politics, and they both wanted to promote the common good. Both theorists believed in the state and laws of nature; they just had different interpretations of it. Also, both Hobbes and Locke both believed that people are free and equal in the state of nature. Hobbes and Locke both believed that the primary purpose of the government is to protect people. However, if the government does not protect the citizens, the citizens can revolt and go against or above the sovereign. The most important similarity between Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, however, is that their works were influential in  shaping people and government in regards to how a society should operate. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were the two most influential political theorists of their time. However, they had opposing views on almost every political issue. Their theories stem from their dissenting opinions about who should be the center of government: Hobbes believed there should be a monarch, while Locke supported Parliament. Examples of both men’s thoughts and opinions can be found throughout history. France and some other European countries sided with Hobbes and had absolute monarchies, while England and later the American Revolution used Locke’s thoughts in developing their governments. Hobbes and Locke wrote about and educated the citizens about the two extremes of running governments, and their opinions were so valuable that we still study them today, hence this paper.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Third World War will be Over Water

Third World War will be Over Water Introduction According to Robert et al. (1027), the quest for a cleaner and sustainable environment is ongoing. The reason for the growth of environmental activism is that the resources that are vital for the sustenance of human life, like water, have been declining at a quick pace. Taking an example from the issue of climate change, it is noted that one of the impacts of the degradation of the environment is growing desertification.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Third World War will be Over Water specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This denotes a decline in the supply of water to the population in areas that are affected by desertification. The rate at which clean water sources are declining is quite high, leaving populations exposed to waterborne ailments. Cases of waterborne diseases are often reported in the developing world. The severity of the case of water scarcity can be best explained by the inclusio n of the problem of water as one of the main goals of one of the greatest development frameworks in the world- the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The issue of access to safe drinking water occupies goal seven in the millennium development goals (UNICEF and World Health Organization 5). According to Third World Academy of Sciences (6), approximately 75 percent of all diseases in the developing world emanate from the consumption of unclean water. According to the United Nations Report of issue of sanitation and safe drinking water, there is still a large gap between the demand and the supply of safe drinking water. While the efforts of meeting the demand for clean drinking water are ongoing, the report revealed that approximately 780 million people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water (UNICEF and World Health Organization 5). This denotes an improvement on the research that was conducted by Basani, Isham and Reilly (953) in the year 2008, which showed that over a billion people across the world did not have access to safe drinking water. This implies that there is still a need to speed the efforts of assuring the global population of the supply of clean and safe water. The implication of the observation that was made by the UNICEF and WHO is that most people in the world still use contaminated water for drinking and accomplishing a series of other domestic chores, irrespective of the risks of using that water. It should be noted that these people use contaminated water out of desperation. They cannot access clean and hygienic water, while at the same time they cannot do without this basic necessity. By extension, this means that people are caught in desperate situations, implying a smouldering crisis. In this paper, it is argued that the demand for clean water far much surpasses the ability of governments to offer clean water to their citizens, leading to the struggle for access to clean water.Advertising Looking for research pape r on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The continued contamination and the subsequent usage of clean water are likely to compound the problems that are associated with the demand and supply of clean water. This paper explores the issues surrounding the scarcity of drinking water and the implications. The paper brings out findings on the problems and trends of demand and supply of clean water to the global populace and the likely impacts of the quest for clean water. Health Issues Water Borne Diseases The provision of clean and safe drinking water is part of the initiatives of most governments, especially in the developing world. Governments are often backed by international agencies and non-governmental organizations in fulfilling the obligation. As observed in the introduction, there are a substantial number of people in the world today who do not have access to clean drinking water. As people continue to strive for clean and safe water, the usage of unsafe water continues to cause harm to millions of people around the world. Unclean water, as noted in the introduction, is the cause of most of the maladies in the developing world. Cases of the spread and prevalence of waterborne diseases in the world cannot be overemphasized. Millions of people in the world succumb to diseases that emanate from the consumption of polluted water. Common waterborne diseases that are reported include cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid, and dysentery (Tulchinsky and Varavikova 339). The question that ought to be asked is what the source of contamination of the water is and the reasons to whether people are informed of the risks of consuming such water. What happens is that people often find themselves in dire need of water, while the environment in which they inhabit cannot offer them clean water. Thus, they are forced to utilize the available water, which is often contaminated, thence, a health hazard. The prevailing conditions of hygiene in the world are a predisposing factor for waterborne diseases. This makes water borne diseases as one of the main epidemics in the developing regions of the world.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Third World War will be Over Water specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Natural sources of water are often polluted through exposure to un-hygienic compounds that come from sewers and poor disposal of refuse. The state of health and productivity of the affected populations is put in jeopardy, thereby exposing the global population to economic problems (Basani, Isham and Reilly 954). Water-Washed diseases While a lot of efforts are directed towards treating the conditions that emanate from the consumption of unclean water, research reveals that the main means of controlling the spread of diseases that are caused by consumption of polluted water is by ensuring that populations are suppli ed with adequate volumes of clean water. This mainly applies to the water-washed diseases, where patients require to be supplied with adequate volumes of cleans water. Water-washed diseases are another complication that emanates from the prevalence of poor conditions of hygiene, which comes from insufficient supply of clean water to a given population. Contamination with a number of diseases is caused by contact of the infected people with the healthy population. The diseases are spread by virtue of direct contact of the skin, mucus membrane and conjunctiva. Amidst the rise in the cases of disease transmission through contact, there is a clear pointer to the fact that the supply of clean water to populations is paramount if a stoppage it to be put to the break-up and spread of water-washed diseases. However, attending to such a situation is quite hard, bearing in mind that most populations, especially in the developing regions of the world, are still struggling with food insecurity. This makes the issue of clean water supply a secondary issue, meaning that water-washed diseases are likely to prevail within these populations (Webber 72). Water based diseases Water is one of the most common mediums of passage of infectious diseases from one person to the other. Given the nature of the social environment in which global populations prevail, water-based diseases cannot be easily stopped because the conditions of water supply are poor. This predisposes the global population to poor hygienic conditions and the spread of water based diseases. The socio-environmental characteristics of the global population make it difficult to plan and maintain the required standards of hygiene. The carrying capacity of most ecosystems in the world surpasses the recommended standards, yet there are no better plans to maintain the recommended size of population. This leaves the populations prone to water-based diseases (Yang et al. 1484).Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Water storage According to Juuti (136), water storage comes out as one of the means of preserving water and guaranteeing populations of supply of water. However, the main concern is whether populations have the capacity to safely store water. There have been a lot of cases on the capacity of populations to store water. The means of water storage is a critical issue. While the developed world is doing well in terms of developing technologies of storing water, a different scenario is witnessed in the developing world. The capacity to safely store water is quite low, which in most cases increases the vulnerability of the populations. The mechanisms of water storage are hazardous. For instance, dams are left exposed, making them harbour other disease causing vectors like mosquitoes. Malaria, which is spread by mosquitoes, is one of the ailments that affect a substantial number of lives of people in the developing world and the tropics. The stored water is also not properly treated, thus it is contaminated with other disease causing pathogens (Juuti 136). Agriculture Shortage of water and food Food security is one of the main problems that are crumpling development in the world. Most households in the developing world cannot afford food, which is one of the basic needs for human beings. There is a close relationship between scarcity of food and the shortage of water supply. This issue can be approached from two perspectives. One perspective is the issue of lack of food, which makes most of people to concentrate on the search for food, leaving out the issue of seeking for clean water. Shortage of water has been termed as the main impediment to the practicing of agriculture. The second issue, which is perhaps more broad, concerns the scarcity of water. This scarcity jeopardizes the production of food. Reliance on primary agriculture in most parts of the world makes water an essential factor in the production of food. In most parts of the developing world, there is a lot of reliance on the rain as a source of water for agriculture and the production of food. With the changing patterns of rainfall as a result of climate change and the effects of environmental pollution, the sequence of rainfall keeps changing, thereby impeding the practice of agriculture. Secondary means of water supply are impeded by the lack of technology and resources. This results in the problem of food insecurity. Conflicts over natural resources also arise as a result of the strife for favourable land for agriculture (Behnassi, Draggan, and Sanni, 25). Farming/ toxic farming Farming cannot be done without supply of water. The growth in the challenge of water supply results in the constriction of farming activities in most of the regions of the world. The shrinkage in farming has several implications for local communities in different parts of the world. One of the main implications of minimal farming activities is reduction in the amount of food supply. The other notable th ing is that the lack of active farming weakens the economic base of communities, thus predisposing them to a series of other social derived conditions. However, different tactics of producing food are deployed by population in the regions with scarcity of safe water. Some of the methods that are deployed in farming are argued to be unsound for agriculture production since they result in the production of food that has toxic substances and unfit for human consumption. This is what is referred to as toxic farming (Schulzov, HajÃ… ¡lov, Botek and Peroutka 2763). According to Bilibio, Hensel and Selbach (356), more than ten percent of the global population consumes food that is produced using toxic water. This is a critical observation as people continue to seek for alternative means of enhancing the production of food. An example is the use of sewer water in urban areas to irrigate vegetables. The toxic chemical compounds in the water are often deposited in the food that is produced, m aking the food harmful for human consumption. Also, the natural sources of water like rivers that are deemed to have clean water are no longer safer sources of water since the water is contaminated with chemical deposits that are released from industries that are mushrooming across the world. Animals are also affected by the population of water, thus they are also exposed to diseases (Bilibio, Hensel and Selbach 357). The seemingly solutions to water shortage in agriculture As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of efforts that have been directed towards attaining a solution to the problem of water shortage in agriculture. The most critical question that ought to be posed at this point is how sustainable the solutions are, amidst the growing challenges of environmental conservation. One of the solutions to the scarcity of water for agriculture has been the construction of water reservoirs like dams in the tropics. However, dams have outstanding negative impacts on water ecosystems. A mong the impacts is the increased concentration of mud/sand flats, which encrypts on the survival of the animal species like fish. This implies that the solutions that are devised are not workable since they result in other complexities that hinder food security. The balance of flora and fauna in ecosystems where dams and other water reservoirs are built cannot be guaranteed. (Thorpe 244). Population Growth and urbanization Demand for energy The growth of population results in population pressure. Population pressure means that the carrying capacity of the ecosystem is far less than the amount of the population that is accommodated in by ecosystems. A common example of this problem is witnessed in urban centres. The growth in the number of people in urban centres results in the increase in demand for resources in the urban centres. Resources that are demanded for in the urban areas include water, food and energy. The scarcity of water in the urban centres is attributed to the popula tion pressure, which supersedes the capacity of the institutions that are responsible for supplying water in the urban areas. As observed earlier, scarcity of water results in unhygienic conditions, which brings about water-based diseases. The other angle to the issue of urbanization and water scarcity is that the demand for energy in the urban centres keeps growing with the increase in the number of people moving into urban areas. These cases are common in the developing world (Mathew et al. 7444). Growth in urbanization and pollution According to Mathew et al. (7445), urban centres are deemed to be the main location for industries, which give people employment. With the reliance on water as the main source of energy in the urban areas of the developing nations, it becomes quite challenging to meet the demand for energy. The rationale behind this observation is that the need for energy keeps rising amidst a constant or even in some cases a reduction in the main resource that is use d to generate energy- hydroelectricity. The number of industries in the developing world is growing. The number of people is also growing. This denotes a swell in the demand for energy. The available options of power generation seem to be expensive, leaving the water-drawn power as the main source of power for industries and for domestic consumption. Increased industrialization puts pressure on the available water resources by virtue of the number of people who reside in the urban centres. The other dimension to the problem of increased industrialization is that the amount of pollution rises with the rise in the level of industrialization in a given country. A proper mechanism of disposing of toxic waste gases and other substances from industries has not been fully developed. This case prevails both in the developed world, which has a higher number of industries, as well as the developing world, which has fewer numbers of industries. Water is often on the receiving end when it comes to contamination from industries. There are other direct impacts of industrial actions on water resources. An example that can be given in this case is the BP Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Both industries and population pressure combine, resulting in massive pollution of the available sources of clean water. These two factors are the primary sources of pollution of water resources (Mathew et al.7445). Urge to save water in urban areas Urban populations are encouraged to save water as a means of conserving water resources in the urban areas. Water saving is used a means of augmenting the supply of water amidst the problems of water shortage on urban areas. The main concern over the usage of water in the urban areas is whether the demand can meet the needs of the urban population. This is what can allow the urban populations to save water, thus conserving this precious resource. Water conservation is a misnomer, considering the rate at which urbanization and industrialization are taking place and the scale of pollution that results from households and industries in the urban populations. Initiatives of saving water have materialized in a substantial number of the developed countries (Thoren, Atwater and Berube 1202). Ways of Conserving water Cooperating in water conservation Water conservation has been one of the main areas of focus by a substantial number of environmental scientists across the world. The reason why researchers focus on the area of water conservation is that it is the main means of conserving water resources amidst the rise in the demand for clean water across the world. The level of participation of diverse groups in conserving water is quite pleasing. This denotes the scale of the impact of the destruction of the global ecosystem, which calls for the application of ecological economics in the attendance of the desired state of the ecology. The cooperation in the conservation of water is quite broad. It ranges from collaboration in the deve lopment and exchange of water conservation technology to the support in capacity building of populations. Both technology and the creation of awareness among the population are playing out well in as far as the conservation of water is concerned. Different stakeholders, among them national governments, local populations, local organizations, non-governmental organizations and academic institutions are working together to ensure that there is a high level of water conservation (â€Å"Public Participation in Water Demand Management and Conservation† 60). Water infrastructure and training Part of the efforts of dealing with the impacts of unsafe water consumption ought to be directed towards the development of water infrastructure. Part of the initiatives in dealing with such problems is ensuring the delivery of clean water through the construction of water lines in order to deliver clean and safe water to populations in both rural and urban areas. The other critical thing in cu rbing the problem of safe water scarcity is the training of populations on water purification and conservation techniques. However, a number of challenges are witnessed in training and empowerment. The challenges revolve around the scarcity of resources to sustain such initiatives (Heare 24). Conclusion Water is one of the most critical resources for the sustenance of human beings and other living creatures. Scarcity of water has been termed as one of the main problems that are facing people in the world. The scarcity of clean water has a negative connotation on the supply of other human necessities like food, energy and sanitation. The problem of scarcity of clean water is compounded by a number of activities like industrial development and urbanization, which result in the pollution of the available clean water sources. From the research conducted, it can be concluded that shortage of clean water remains to be one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Most of the efforts that are directed at solving the problem do not target the underlying issues like pollution, which is one of the key factors in limiting the availability of safe water for consumption. Therefore, a number of issues need to be addressed in order to limit the problem of clean water shortage, which causes a lot of pressure in human population groups. The first thing that needs to be done is paying attention to the root causes of the problem of scarcity of safe water. The main problem of water scarcity is the pollution of the environment. Addressing the issue of pollution is one of the means of curbing the pollution of the available sources of clean water. A lot of efforts have been directed towards the development and application of water conservation technologies. There is need for increased cooperation in the minimization of pollution, which is one of the means through which water resources become unfit for consumption. There is also need to increase research in the field of ecolog ical economics to develop more solutions and better techniques for utilizing water for production like it is used in agriculture. Such solutions have to be built around the populations in areas that have water problems. Basani, Marcello, Jonathan Isham and Barry Reilly. â€Å"The Determinants of Water Connection and Water Consumption: Empirical Evidence from a Cambodian Household Survey.† World Development 36.5(2008): 953-968. Print. Behnassi, Mohamed, Sidney Draggan, and Yaya H. Sanni. Global Food Insecurity: Rethinking Agricultural and Rural Development Paradigm and Policy. Dordrecht: Springer, 2011. Print. Bilibio, Carolina, Oliver Hensel and Jeferson Francisco Selbach. Sustainable Water Management in the Tropics and Subtropics -And Case Studies in Brazil. Vol. I. Fundacao Universidade Federal do Pampa: Brazil, 2011. Print. Heare, Steve. â€Å"Achieving Sustainable Water Infrastructure.† American Water Works Association Journal 99.4(2007): 24-26. Print. Juuti, Pe tri S. Environmental History of Water: Global Views on Community Water Supply and Sanitation. London: IWA Publ, 2007. Print. Mathew et al. â€Å"Fracking vs Faucets: Balancing Energy Needs and Water Sustainability at Urban Frontiers.† Environmental Science Technology 46.14(2012): 7444-7445. Public Participation in Water Demand Management and Conservation. Civil Engineering: Magazine of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering 16.11(2008):59-62. Print. Robert, B. Jackson et al. â€Å"Water in a Changing World.† Ecological Applications 11.4(2001): 1027-1045. Print. Schulzov, VÄ›ra, Jana HajÃ… ¡lov, Petr Botek and Radek Peroutka. â€Å"Furanocoumarins In Vegetables: Influence of Farming System and Other Factors on Levels of Toxicants.† Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 87.15(2007): 2763-2767. Print. Third World Academy of Sciences. Safe Drinking Water: The Need, the Problem, Solutions and an Action Plan, 2002. Web. Thoren, Ryan I, Jim Atw ater and Pierre Berube. â€Å"A model for analyzing water reuse and resource recovery potential in urban areas.† Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering 39.11(2012): 1202-1209. Print. Thorpe, Gary S. Ap Environmental Science. Hauppauge, N.Y: Barrons Educational Series, 2009. Print. Tulchinsky, Theodore H, and Elena Varavikova. The New Public Health. Amsterdam: Elsevier / Academic Press, 2009. Print. UNICEF and World Health Organization. Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation 2012 Update, 2013. Web. Webber, Roger. Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Control: A Global Perspective. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: Cabi, 2009. Print. Yang et al. â€Å"Global Distribution of Outbreaks of Water-Associated Infectious Diseases.† PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 6.2(2012): 1483-1490. Print.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Financial Analysis of Pakistan International Airlines Essays

Financial Analysis of Pakistan International Airlines Essays Financial Analysis of Pakistan International Airlines Essay Financial Analysis of Pakistan International Airlines Essay Submitted by Chemical Engineer Adnan Khalid Submitted to : Dr rashid Ahmed Institute Of Business and Management, UET, Lahore. PAKISTAN INTERNATION AIRLINES Back ground and History Airline Industry General Environmental Analysis The airline industry is very stable and unlikely to change in the near future. There are many reasons for this. Air travel continues to grow and will continue in this fashion as long as the economy stays in an upward trend. US domestic air traffic grew 2. 3% in 1999 and 3. 5% in the first six months of 2000 according to Air Transportation Association. The percentage of flyers has increased an average of 2% each year and the percentage of people who have ever flown before increased from 73% in 1993 to 81% in 1997. (Airport Transport Association, Internet). The top three reasons that people fly are business trips (47%), visiting relatives (38%) and going on vacation (13%). Most airline revenues are gained from the fares they charge these passengers, but they also earn ancillary revenues from transporting mail, shipping freight, selling in-flight services and from serving alcoholic beverages (Airport Transportation Association, Internet). The primary target market of airline passengers today is the business traveler because business trips account for the majority (47%) of airline flights. Airline industry has been subject of intense price competition since it was deregulated, and the result has been a number of new carriers which specialize in regional service and no-frills operations. These carriers typically purchase older aircraft and often operate outside the industry-wide computerized reservations system. In exchange for these inconveniences, passengers receive low fares relative to the industry as a whole. This research examines two low fare air carriers, ValuJet and Southwest Airlines. By investigating these air carriers, we can better understand the economic impacts of price versus service in the airline industry as a whole, as well as, the impacts on passenger and investor confidence. Until 1978, air transport rates were approved by the government, which meant that price was not a primary competitive factor. Instead, airlines would compete on service and image. : The airline industry was dominated by giants (American, United, and TWA) which offered nationwide and some international service, and by regional carriers, such as Southwest, which offered short trips between airports not served by the nationals. 1 MARKET INFORMAITON DIRECTORS REPORT TO THE SHAREHOLDERS The Directors are pleased to report that the airline has earned a pre-tax profit of Rs. 1. 5 billion in the first quarter of 2003 as against a profit of 1. 1 billion in the first quarter of 2002. Total revenue for the quarter amount 13. 05 billion as against Rs. 197 billion in the corresponding quarter showing an over all increase of 9% over the same period last year. Expenses for the current quarter amounting to Rs. 11. 07 billion indicate an increase of 8% over Rs. 10. 2 billion expenditure last year. This is mainly due to increase in fuel prices in the international markets and an ad hoc provision for increase in employees salaries and allowances. Issue of Term Finance Certificates (TFCs) As reported in the Annual Report 2004 the airline launched Term Finance Certificates (TFCs) for Rs. 15. 14 billion in February 2004. The issue was the largest in the history of Pakistan financial market. Despite the size, the issue was over subscribed up to the extent of 40% showing confidence in the policies followed by the airline Management. The airline has utilized the money wised through TFCs to pay off bridge financing of Rs. 7. 73 billion borrowed earlier. The airline has also liquidated its liabilities towards employees fund over due creditors amounting to Rs. 4. 27 billion Market Development In the first quarter the airline has increased passenger capacity by 10% over same period last year. In the international markets passenger capacity has been increased by 6% and domestic markets by 8%. Capacity for Hajjis for Hajj 2003. This year airline was successful in operating Hajj flights for 108,000 Hajjis as compared to 91,000 in 2002. The airline achieved passenger growth of 7% in the first quarter of 2003 over the same period last year. Increase in the international as well domestic markets excluding Hajj was up to the extent of 4%. The airline has also been able to float excess cargo capacity and increase its utilization. Cargo capacity was increased by 9 % whereas its utilization was 23% over last year the same quarter. PIAS SUBSIDIARIES + ASSOCIATED COMPANIES PIAS SUBSIDIARIES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. PIA Holdings (Pvt. ) Limited Duty Free Shops Limited International Advertising (Pvt. ) Limited Skyrooms (Pvt ) Limited Airport Hotel, Karachi Airport PIA Shaver Poultry Breeding Farms (Pvt) Limited Midway House (Pvt. ) Limited Hotel Midway House, Karachi Airport ASSOCIATED COMPAN IES (Overseas) 1. 2. 3. 4. PIA Investments Limited Minhal incorporated Pakistan Pakistan Services Limited Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation Limited. 3 PIA Domestic Route Map 4 WEIGHTED AVERAGE COST OF CAPITAL Capital Assets Pricing Model CAPM is a model based on proposition that my stocks required rate of return is equal to the risk free rate of return plus a risk premium, where risk reflects diversification. Portfolio Returns: The expected return on a portfolio k^p is simply the weighted average of the expected returns on the individual stocks in the portfolio, with the weights being the fraction of the total portfolio invested in each stock K^p = W1K^1 + W2K^2 + W3K^3 + - + WnK^n The portfolio return of Askari Bank is as follows K^p = 0. 16(88. 67%)+ 0. 16(1. 4%)+ 0. 16(7. 2%) + 0. 16(2. 716%) = 15. 9 % 5 Correlation Co-efficient (r): A measure of the degree of relationship between the two variables The stock will be perfectly negative correlated when one stock move up and other stock or security move down, move in the opposite direction R = -1. 0 Perfectly positively correlated stocks would move up and down altogether R = +1. 0 Cost of Debt Financing Debt financing is when a creditor decides to loan funds in exchange for reimbursement in the future with accumulated interest. Debt financing is generally considered smart because debtors to not surrender any ownership interests in their business. Debt financing comes in two forms, secured and unsecured A secured loan is an agreement to pay the debt back at a later date. If the debtor ever defaults on the loan agreement, then the creditor can recover their money by confiscating the property or asset used to secure the debt. An unsecured loan is also a promise to payoff a debt. An unsecured loan differs from a secured loan because u don’t have to grant the creditor interest in any specific property to support the promise. In case if bankruptcy, the unsecured creditor is frequently the last to be paid if the borrower runs into difficulties. 6 Cost of Debt financing In Pakistan Outside Pakistan 006 15,532,870 370,185 15,903,055 2005 11,038,399 422,535 11,460,934 Particulars of borrowing from financial institutions In local currency In foreign currency 15,532,870 370,185 15,903,055 11,038,399 422,535 11,460,934 Details of bowering from Financial Institutions In Pakistan local currency Secured Borrowing from State bank of Pakistan under export refinance scheme Unsecured Call borro wings 90,000 15,532,870 220,000 11,038,399 7,328,515 8,114,325 3,392,329 7,426,070 Outside Pakistan – foreign currency Overdrawn accounts unsecured 370,185 15,903,055 422,535 11, 460, 93 7 Cost of Equity Financing Equity financing employee’s stock ownership plans. The company issues stocks to get the money. In return the company gives dividends and interest to them. Authorized Capital 150,000,000 ordinary shares of Rs. 10 each 2006 1,500,000 2005 1,500,000 Issued, subscribed paid up 67,500,000 ordinary shares of Rs. 10 each issued for cash 675,000 675,000 46,667,943 ordinary shares of Rs. 10 each issued as fully paid Bonus shares 466,680 1,141,680 412,314 1,087,314 GROWTH ANALYSIS OF PIA 8 TOTAL ASSETS Rupees in million 90,000 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,980 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 70,313 5,387 Assets 2004 2005 2006 Total assets of PIA in 2004 were 50,980 million which increased to 70,313 million in 2005 which further increased to 85,387 million in 2006. The growth rate was about 38% in 2004and was about 21. 44% in 2006. TOTAL LIABILITIES 9 Rupees in millions 90,000 80,340 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 48,402 66,140 Liabiliies 2004 2005 2006 Liabili ties in 2004 were 48,402 which increased to 66,140 in year 2005and they further increased to 80,340 in year 2006. The growth rate in 2005 was 36. 65% and in 2006 it was about 21. 50 %. Although there is increase in liabilities in these three years but the growth rate reveals that as compared to 2005 the percentage increase is quite low in 2006. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Rupees in million 10 1,160 1,142 1,140 1,120 1,100 1,080 1,060 1,040 1,020 1,000 980 1,036 1,087 Equity 2004 2005 2006 Shareholders’ equity in 2004 was 1,036 and there was a slight increase in 2005 up to 1,087. The equity increased to 1,142 in 2006. The growth rate shows 4. 92% increase in 2005 and about 5. 06% increase in 2006. The percentage increase in 2005 is more than the percentage increase in 2004. NET INCOME 11 Rupees in Million 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2004 2005 551 687 1,103 Net income 2006 Net income means the income or the profit available to shareholders after taxation. Net profit in 2004 was 551 which increased to 24. 68% i. e. to 687 in 2005 and 60. 55% i. e. 1,103 in 2006. OPERATING INCOME 12 Rupees in million 2,000 1,500 1,244 1,000 500 0 2004 2005 1,008 1,902 Operating income 2006 Operating in come means earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT). EBIT in 2004 was about 1,008, in 2005 it was about 1,244 and in 2006 it was about 1,902. Growth analysis reveals 23. 1% increase in earnings in 200 and 52. 89% in 2006. 13 EARNINGS PER SHARE Figures in Rupee 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 9. 66 6. 32 5. 3 Earnings per share 2004 2005 2006 EPS= NP / Numbers of equity share Earnings per share (EPS) in 2004 were 5. 3 which increased by 19. 24% in 2005 and 52. 85 % in 2006, which is due to 60. 55 % boost in the net profit in year 2006. 14 TAXATION Rupees in Million 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2004 2005 458 557 799 Taxation 2006 Taxation in 2004was 7, 99 which is 43. 45 % more than 2005. And taxation in 2005 was 557 which was 21. 62 % more than 2006. The increased rate of axation is due to increase in net profit. 15 RATIOS OF PIA Liquidity ratio CURRENT RATIO = CURRENT ASSETS CURRENT LIABILITIES = 4. 48 TIMES = 4. 18 TIMES 2004 2005 This ratio shows that the current ratio of PIA decline and the difference of 0. 3 comes up . DEBT MANAGEMENT RATIOS DEBT RATIO = TOTAL DEBT TOTAL ASSETS 2004 2005 = 17. 8 % = 20% The debt includes both current liabilities and long term debt . This debt ratio shows that PIA has taken more loans as compared to previous year. TIMES INTEREST EARNED (TIE) RATIO = EBIT INTEREST CHARGES 16 2004 2005 = 1. 36 times = 2. 98 times The TIE ratio measures the extent to which operating income can decline before the firm is unable to meet its annual interest costs. PROFITABILITY RATIO Profitability is the net result of a number of policies and decisions . The profitability ratios show the combined effects of liquidity, assets management and debt management on operating results. BASIC EARNING POWER (BEP) = EBIT TOTAL ASSETS 2005 2006 =2. 1 % = 2. 79 % This ratio shows the raw earning power of the firm’s assets before the influence of taxes and leverage and it is useful for comparing AIRLINE with different tax situations and different degrees of financial leverage. There is increase in earning power ratio because in 2005 it was 2. 1 percent which in 2006 increased to 2. 79 percent. RETURN ON TOTAL ASSETS = NET INCOME TOTAL ASSETS 17 2005 2006 = 1. 1% = 1. 4 % RETURN ON COMMON EQUITY = NET INCOME COMMON EQUITY 2005 2006 = 20. 3 % = 23. 9 % The return on the total assets and common equity has increased . MARKET VALUE RATIOS PRICE / EARNING (P/E) RATIO = PRICE PER SHARE EARNINGS PER SHARE 2005 2006 = 4. 46 TIMES = 5. 33 TIMES 18 RATIOS OF PIA Liquidity ratio CURRENT RATIO = CURRENT ASSETS CURRENT LIABILITIES = 2971418 1171755 = 2. 53 TIMES . AEROASIA current ratio is below average . Its liquidity position is relatively weak . DEBT MANAGEMENT RATIOS DEBT RATIO=TOTAL DEBT TOTAL ASSETS = 13589590 67328388 = 20. 1 % TIMES INTEREST EARNED (TIE) RATIO= EBIT INTEREST CHARGES =10 TIMES. The AEROASIA is covering its interest charges by a high margin of safety. 19 PROFITABILITY RATIOS BASIC EARNING POWER (BEP)= EBIT TOTAL ASSETS = 153588 2608454 = 5. 8% RETURN ON TOTAL ASSETS = NET INCOME TOTAL ASSETS = 669447 67328 = 9. 9 % The AEROASIA return on total assets is perfect. RETURN ON COMMON EQUITY = NET INCOME COMMON EQUITY = 669447 4125711 = 16. 2 % 20 MARKET VALUE RATIOS PRICE / EARNING (P/E) RATIO= PRICE PER SHARE = 10 EARNINGS PER SHARE 2. 63 = 3. 8 TIMES. CORPORATE ACHIEVEMENTS FOR ACBL Winning isnt everything, its the only thing. Amidst tough competition, our efforts to go an extra mile in providing superior services to our customers have been acknowledged at the national as well as international levels. These acknowledgements serve as a great source of encouragement and appreciation at one hand and inspire us to perform even better, on the other. PIA has been honored with the THE BEST AIRLINE 21 Common size balance sheet For the years Ended December31,2005and2006. DESCRIPTIONS 2005 % Assets: Cash and balances with treasury banks Balances with other banks Lendings to financial institutions Investments Advances Other Assets Operating fixed Assets Defferred tax assets Liabilities: Bills payables Borrowings from financial institutions Deposits and other accounts Sub-ordinated loans Liabilities against assets subject to lease Other liabilities Deferred tax liabilities Net Assets Represented by: Share capital Reserves Unappropriated profit Surplus on revaluation of assets- net of tax Note: Percentages are calculated by taking group total as base . . 82% 3. 10 6. 75 25. 80 52. 44 1. 67 2. 31 1. 21 19. 75 76. 74 0. 040 1. 190 1. 007 2006 % 7. 59% 1. 85 4. 85 38. 02 42. 7 2. 58 2. 36 0. 91 17. 32 78. 21 0. 0024 1. 493 1. 96 22. 62 54. 67 22. 65 26. 05 46. 47 27. 40 22 Common size profit and loss account For the years Ended December31, 2005and2006 DERIPTIONS 2005 % Mark up/ return/ interest earned 170. 76% Mark up/ return/ interest expense 57. 8 Net mar k up/ interest income 112. 53 Provisions against non performing loans and 12. advances Provisions for diminution in the value of investments 100 Bad debts written off directly Net mark up / interest income after provisions 21. 95 Non mark up /interest income: 1. 57 Fee, commission and brokerage income 4. 72 Dividend income 11. 67 Income from dealing in foreign currencies 39. 97 Other income Total non markup/interest income 60. 20 Non mark up/ interest expense: Administrative expenses 0. 051 Other provisions/ written offs 60. 25 Other charges Total non mark up/ interest expenses 36. 2 Profit before taxation: Taxation – current (3. 16) prior year`s deferred Profit after taxation: 46. 23 Unappropriated profit b/f Profit available for appropriation Appropriation: 9. 24 Transfer to: 9. 57 Statutory reserves 4. 70 Proposed cash dividends (Rs 2 per share) 22. 63 Capital reserves(reserves for bonus shares issuance) Revenue reserves Note: Earnings per share has increased by 62% as compared with previous year. And percentages are calculated by taking net mark up/ interest income as 2006 % 325. 5% 202. 6 123. 53 23. 5 0. 002610 100 27. 97 1. 80 12. 20 14. 77 56. 75 73. 15 0. 143 73. 25 29. 50 8. 060 46. 009 9. 21 14. 50 3. 23 19. 05 23 Conclusion Although there is a NOW A LOT OF COMPETITION IN AIRLINES BUT EVEN THAN IN PAKISATN PIA IS LEADING AIRLINE It is successfully achieving its targets and that is the main reason that this airline is growing day by day and doing a profitable business. They should provide good services to their costumers. Better food Re commendations 24

Sunday, October 20, 2019

last mohicans essays

last mohicans essays The French and Indian War of the eighteenth century had uniquely complex qualities, matched by the gravity of its outcome. The myriad of cultures involved the French, Canadian, American, English, Algonquians, and Iroquois whom make this era fascinating. The multi-ethnic element made it a war built upon fragile alliances, often undermined by factional disputes and shifting fortunes. Violent as it was, its battlefields encompassed some of the most beautiful country to be found anywhere. Its richness in diverse cultures, the severity of its bloody violence, and the beauty of its landscape, all combine to make this an era with great depth of interest. It is entertaining and educational to witness a re-enactment event of a historical film and novel called The Last of the Mohicans. In the wake of the 1992 debates about Columbus, the discovery of the Americas, and whether terms such as 'holocaust', 'genocide', and 'racism' should be applied to what happened to Native Americans, Michael Mann's film remake of James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans continues a process of historical erasure or forgetting that Cooper and his contemporaries began. The sentimental racism expressed in Cooper's novel involves the ideas of the auto-genocide of 'savagery' and the inevitable extinction of all Native Americans. Though Mann purported to take great pains in his film to be historically accurate, the film is only accurate in relation to trivial details. It thoroughly scrambles major aspects of Cooper's text, including converting the aging Natty Bumppo into a young sex symbol (Daniel Day-Lewis). More importantly, the film completely erases Cooper's sentimental racism by, for instance, turning Chingachgook rather than his son, Uncas, into the 'last' of his tribe, and t hereby overlooking the motif of the futureless child central to that racism. But in eliminating Cooper's racism, the film in a sense perfects the novel, because the sentimentalis...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Essay Assignment 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Essay 2 - Assignment Example When parents decide to have a child through surrogacy, they are the ones who benefit since they feel that they are satisfied with the decision they make. If the decision is because of a genetic defect in the parents, then she argues that surrogacy is not a solution because the child would still develop the complication since it is in the genes of the parents. It is also difficult to totally decide the kind of child to bear hence we should learn to incorporate all kinds of children and help them accept their situations. The society at large should also discourage commercial surrogacy for reasons posed by parents that there is improper allocation of jobs for disabled. Since some parents consider surrogacy for fear of delivering disabled children, the governments should create slots for employment of such people in the society. This can help such mothers to know that any child borne has a role to play despite his or physical appearance (Anderson, 1997). In his article, Buchanan argues that most human body alterations through biotechnological means have negative effects on the clients that try them. He says that these alterations may either terminate the human nature or make it almost difficult to differentiate between a good and a bad looking person since such judgements are normally done according to natural appearance. These conclusions are just interrelated in a way with the second supporting the first one which is against human enhancements. Although most biotechnological enhancements techniques have been made available, there is still no clarity as to whether these techniques are best solutions for the public. These scientists only talk about how the procedures are possible, they evade to give further advice n such procedures, maybe for commercial purposes. Therefore the public should take it an obligatory role to weigh the shortcomings by considering whether they will still be attractive in their enhanced looks in the future. It might even be true that

Friday, October 18, 2019

Online Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Online Banking - Essay Example Banks have had to adopt current technology in order to remain competitive, retain their customers and lower operation costs. Online banking was started in the 1980s by a few banks in the United States. Four major banks in New York adopted online banking to allow customers maintain electronic checkbook registers, check account balances, make fund transfers and other banking related activities. Online banking, also known as Internet banking, is part of virtual banking that began with telephone banking and automatic teller machines (ATMs). Virtual banking is a banking system that is non-branch based. Services are provided through various electronic media such as telephones, personal computers, ATMs and the Internet. Virtual banking has existed for quite some time and its transactions costs are quite low as compared to branch transaction costs. Banks are investing in various forms of banking systems to expand their geographical and market coverage with regards to banking systems. However, they are using different forms of banking, for example, some invest in bricks and mortar while others adopt the current ba nking system that uses the Internet (Cronin 42). The Internet is becoming the main channel of communication since its inception in 1969. Internet has recently gained popularity in the U.S. as the main medium for e-commerce. Its potential growth has come with opportunities and threats to businesses. The Internet is on the verge of becoming the main delivery and distribution channel. The growth and rapid diffusion of the Internet has made banking online an alternative banking system at the expense of traditional branch-based banking. Banks in the United States have started providing services via the Internet including Internet banking. Currently, the Internet has revolutionized the banking system and it is considered as an alternative strategic weapon that changes the operation system of banks. Banks are able to deliver services to customers in

Celebrity Interventions - Government Class Essay

Celebrity Interventions - Government Class - Essay Example Some of the interventions by such celebrities have seen the establishment and shaping of policies that have enhanced the lives of the people in the rest of the world who suffer from illnesses, poverty, and injustices. For example, the activism by Bono, to have the African countries relieved off its debt is an act of honor by a top celebrity (Nelsen, 2). Such intervention is for the interest of thousands of millions living in the African continent, whose country’s economic status cannot survive without debts from other countries and from the World Bank. Through such an intervention, millions of people benefit by having the money that would have been committed to debt repayment be invested in other social and economic projects that can directly benefit the people. His concern for the uncontrolled spread of HIV in Africa is yet another major intervention worth recognition, in that, it enhanced the participation of the developed countries to offer free medical equipments and drugs for the control and intervention of HIV in Africa. This way, the celebrity has played an active role in saving the lives of many people in the African continent who would have otherwise succumbed to HIV and die. Celebrities are in a better position to make such interventions, since they can easily mobilize, persuade, and influence people and leaders in positions of authority to indulge in interventions for addressing humanity problems (Liza, Christos, and Asteris, 59). For example, the call for relief of African debts by Bono saw a meeting of highly ranked world leaders to discuss the issue. Such intervention was a success, since it saw the world’s most developed country make a decision to relief debts for African countries, which were perceived to be most affected by worse economic situations, to the point of making them unable to service such debts. In support for justice

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Human Resources Management Journal summary and analysis Research Paper

Human Resources Management Journal summary and analysis - Research Paper Example The article discusses that the mechanical failure was not attributed to the product design, onboard computers or faulty machines but the failure occurred due to the inefficiency of the employees. The employees failed to perform as per the expectations of the managers. Factors like improper training and faulty mechanization process were also the cause behind the product failure (Sullivan, 2010). The root cause of the error caused by employees, which led to the corporate catastrophe, could be the result of faulty human resource process. The employees at Toyota had received improper training for the particular assignment. Toyota follows the four step cycle which includes plan, do, check and act but clearly in this case the manager did not focus on the last two phases. The training to the employees was not effective and moreover the managers and the employees were not ready to take the accountability of the fault. Improper training and development can decrease the employee performance an d have a negative impact on the employee behaviour. The managers of the Toyota should have taken the accountability for the incident and conducted a review meeting with the employees responsible for the product design. If the managers of the company had taken responsibility and apologized publicly then the brand image would not have been tarnished to a large extent. The managers of Toyota should conduct a meeting with the car design team and the engineers of Toyota for their new car model. The management at Toyota should lay emphasis on two key elements like scrutiny of design and ensuring that the employees have thorough product knowledge. Article 2 Figure 2: Wal Mart Gender Biasedness Incident (Source: Biskupic, 2011) Summary The article focuses on the gender discrimination faced by the women employees working in Wal Mart. The women employees of USA had filed suit against the company in April, 2011 claiming that the management of the company promoted the male workers at a less sen iority position over the women employees at a senior position. The women employees even claimed that they were paid less and were denied promotions. It was also pointed out that the women employees were denied training which would help in advancement in their career (Biskupic, 2011). Analysis Discrimination by an employer on the basis of the gender is not only unlawful but promotes negative working environment. It is one of the crucial contemporary human resources challenges faced by most of the organizations. In the year 2004 it was claimed by an US district judge that there were disparities in the payment of the women and men employees working in WalMart. Gender discrimination not only promotes a negative and hostile work environment but also reduces the employee performance. WalMart should have clearly communicated the human resource policies designed for women employees and also addressed to their needs and demands. The management of WalMart should have implemented policies for the betterment of the women employees like prevention of discrimination at pay, sexual harassment and offensive behaviour (Lepak, 2009). Implementation and clear communication of the human resource policies for women would not only help the women employees to increase their organizational commitment but would also promote a congenial work

Analysis of Globel Warming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of Globel Warming - Essay Example It forms an invisible umbrella that reflects back radiation onto the earth instead of radiating it out into space. This causes gradual warming of the planet, as the consequence of‘greenhouse warming’ or ‘global warming’ indicates. Starting in the late 19th century, this journey towards increasing climatic crises and ecological imbalances started. The average temperature of the planet has increased. Sea levels have increased due to arctic glacier melting. Every year the sea level rises by millimeters and the trend seems exponential, posing a threat to all coastal cities. The chief cause of behind the menace of greenhouse gasses is the compound ‘chlorofluorocarbon’. This is the compound used for cooling purposes in domestic and industrial refrigerators and massive coolers. It is used in most of the cooling solutions like cold storages, ACs etc. These gasses break up the ozone layer. Similarly, other agents like vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide contribute to the greenhouse effect. The causes of rising in greenhouse gases are due to industrialization, agriculture, deforestation, incineration of several materials including waste and natural decomposition. Since the industrial revolution in the early 1900s, the rate of industrialization increased 40 fold and with it multiplied the emission of greenhouse gasses. ...the temperature of the earth, rise in sea level due to glacial melting and ozone hole What effect is predicted if greenhouse gas levels continue to increase at the present rate? If greenhouse gas levels are allowed to increase at their present rate it might initiate several natural catastrophes. The most fatal consequences for the earth and all forms of life on it would be an increase of sea levels, flooding of islands and coastal destinations. A dramatic effect could be submersion of entire coastal cities. The argument that Al Gore makes in the documentary ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ is not s ubstantial and I completely disagree with i. He says that the increase in greenhouses gas levels in the atmosphere due to an increase in carbon dioxide level is behind rising in the surface temperature of the earth. This is causing abnormal glacier melting every year, resulting in the disintegration of polar habitats of animals like polar bear, arctic seal, penguins, sea-lions, walruses etc. The truth, however, is that this is a natural cycle of warming up and cooling down of the earth’s temperature. The earth’s temperature, in truth, is ever-changing, always dynamic and either going up or down in a span of weeks, months or years. The very base of Al Gore’s argument that the earth’s surface temperature changing is detrimental to the environment and ecology is faulty. The world has witnessed an Ice Age when the temperature was below freezing point. Greenhouse gasses have nothing to do or a very small role to play in what we perceive as global warming. The earth is going through a warming up phase. For instance, Green Land was in its prime green phase in pre-history and its name sounds quite inappropriate in the present day.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Human Resources Management Journal summary and analysis Research Paper

Human Resources Management Journal summary and analysis - Research Paper Example The article discusses that the mechanical failure was not attributed to the product design, onboard computers or faulty machines but the failure occurred due to the inefficiency of the employees. The employees failed to perform as per the expectations of the managers. Factors like improper training and faulty mechanization process were also the cause behind the product failure (Sullivan, 2010). The root cause of the error caused by employees, which led to the corporate catastrophe, could be the result of faulty human resource process. The employees at Toyota had received improper training for the particular assignment. Toyota follows the four step cycle which includes plan, do, check and act but clearly in this case the manager did not focus on the last two phases. The training to the employees was not effective and moreover the managers and the employees were not ready to take the accountability of the fault. Improper training and development can decrease the employee performance an d have a negative impact on the employee behaviour. The managers of the Toyota should have taken the accountability for the incident and conducted a review meeting with the employees responsible for the product design. If the managers of the company had taken responsibility and apologized publicly then the brand image would not have been tarnished to a large extent. The managers of Toyota should conduct a meeting with the car design team and the engineers of Toyota for their new car model. The management at Toyota should lay emphasis on two key elements like scrutiny of design and ensuring that the employees have thorough product knowledge. Article 2 Figure 2: Wal Mart Gender Biasedness Incident (Source: Biskupic, 2011) Summary The article focuses on the gender discrimination faced by the women employees working in Wal Mart. The women employees of USA had filed suit against the company in April, 2011 claiming that the management of the company promoted the male workers at a less sen iority position over the women employees at a senior position. The women employees even claimed that they were paid less and were denied promotions. It was also pointed out that the women employees were denied training which would help in advancement in their career (Biskupic, 2011). Analysis Discrimination by an employer on the basis of the gender is not only unlawful but promotes negative working environment. It is one of the crucial contemporary human resources challenges faced by most of the organizations. In the year 2004 it was claimed by an US district judge that there were disparities in the payment of the women and men employees working in WalMart. Gender discrimination not only promotes a negative and hostile work environment but also reduces the employee performance. WalMart should have clearly communicated the human resource policies designed for women employees and also addressed to their needs and demands. The management of WalMart should have implemented policies for the betterment of the women employees like prevention of discrimination at pay, sexual harassment and offensive behaviour (Lepak, 2009). Implementation and clear communication of the human resource policies for women would not only help the women employees to increase their organizational commitment but would also promote a congenial work

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Armstrong Gets Dumped by Shelly Banjo Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 27

Armstrong Gets Dumped by Shelly Banjo - Article Example This article gives the reader an insight into Armstrong’s doping scandal. It shows how this issue began, and its final implications, which leave Armstrong in a negative light. Most importantly, the US-Anti Doping Agency (USADA) declares Armstrong guilty of doping, based on a 200-page report with intensive details, which point to the fact that Armstrong ran a complex doping operation. It is decided that he is a drug cheat when he fails to defend himself against these allegations. What follows is the stripping off all his seven Tour de France wins. Different organizations he collaborated with deny him and promise to cut business relations with him. For example, Nike terminates his contract abruptly, while some cycling chiefs from International Cycling Union (UCI) require Armstrong to repay all the prize money from the stripped winnings from 1998-2005, and he resigns as the chairperson of Livestrong, his cancer foundation (â€Å"The Wall Street Journal†).  In this articl e, the author takes a neutral stand, as she neither supports nor condemns any of the parties involved in this whole issue. The author only reports on the facts as they are, and does not give a personal opinion on the overall issue. This is a commendable approach, essential in reporting, for bias avoidance.  Armstrong’s doping scandal raises many concerns in the cycling sport, as doping is mentioned as a trend among some cyclists. Nonetheless, doping, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency is illegal. One of the reasons is that it adversely affects the health of the involved athletes, and is considered cheating in sport (Porterfield, 2007).  

Valu of Time Essay Example for Free

Valu of Time Essay â€Å"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why its called the present† . Gifts of God to Human being. Yesterday is a canceled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is the only cash you have so spend it wisely†. Time is like an ice cream -use it before it melts. Time is very important in our life; it helps us to plan our daily lives and activities, so that we can live more organized, productive lives. We all are just dependent on time. With out time we are nothing. Time applies in our every walk of life. From womb to tomb life is a journey in the lap of time. Time never wait for any one. We have to move with the time. Everybody has 24 hours in whole day. Its our duty to manage the whole time. If we are not managing our time table or working in a proper schedule, we will face the problem in the end. So time management is very important. Luck always knocks the door of that person who realizes the value of time. Try to be punctual in every thing. Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it. God has created this world for a reason and if we closely observe the nature, we would find plenty of things that come on time. The sun, moon, stars and planets continue their motion in specific orbits and in fixed times. Sun rises from east at fixed time on every day and then sets in the west. Similarly a child is born in this world and dies at its time. If we follow the principles of God we will be successful. The time is the most important factor of all. If we abide by it, we can never be penalized. Take an example of our daily life. Our whole day activity if performed at time will be fruitful and results will be magnificent. Our name will be called in the School Annual Function Day. We must attend our school, in time to make the most out of it. If we take our breakfast, lunch and dinner in time, we shall have good health. If you reach your goal in time, you will be rewarded. If you sleep and get up in time, it will enhance your ability to work effectively. Your punctuality is the key of your success. The person who follows the principles of nature does always feel satisfied, content and above all victorious. Time is a key of success. If you do not give the importance of time than time will not importance to you. Time is something we do not realise when it is with us but when we realise it is very late as it has fled away. Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity. † Time waits for none and time once lost cannot be re-created so it is important for everyone to make the best use of the present time. What we do today, determines where we will stand tomorrow and the person who makes the best use of time today gets the best of life in the future. Time has created kings as well as beggars. Riches turn into rags and rags to riches over a matter of time. Every wok that we do requires time and time cannot be negotiated or replaced. The best use of time will most likely give you the best in life. Realizing the value of time is perhaps one of the primary things which all successful people in the world stress on. They know how important contribution the right use of time has attributed to their success in life. You know what is the difference between Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Bill Gates, Kalpana Chawla, Sunita William, Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa with any common people; why they made a great achievement in their life while some of others make average. The answer is time; those great people know the importance of time management for their life achievement. Time is the school in which we learn, time is the fire in which we burn. Time is important because Time is limited. The time can not be stopped. The time is irreversible. The time is abstract. You should know the importance of time management since time is the resource that you cannot see, you can not hear, you cannot touch, you can not store it in a place nor you can secure it as you wish. But its existence is real, have no time means you do not have life. The time is precious. The time is a gift from god to every one free. That is why; many people did not realize its preciousness for their life until they missed many precious things in their life due to lack of time. Time = life; therefore, waste your time and waste of your life, or master your time and master your life. Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by medicine, but lost time is gone forever. When a work is delayed, definitely somewhere time is wasted. Time once lost is lost forever. Many cases of poverty which are due to lost opportunities and deferred tasks. Sometimes we have to pay a heavy price for the time we wasted. For example delay in the treatment of a disease may lead to something very serious. The student who keeps postponing his studies will regret at the eleventh hour. Rather than burning the midnight oil, we must make proper use of the time. Slow and steady wins the race, Story of Tortoise and Hare is known to every body. It will avoid mental strain during exam time. There a few similar proverbs which indicate the value of time such as â€Å"make hay while the sun shines† â€Å"strike when the iron is hot† and â€Å"a stitch in time saves nine†. Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves. It is always said never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. If man takes care of his minutes then the hours and days will take care of themselves. Time is more precious than money. Time is universal and eternal. We all grow in time, live in time and ultimately perish in time. Time may not be defined exactly, but we all know what it is and how valuable. We all want fame, success, happiness, and prosperity but only a few are able to achieve this because only they make the best use of their time. Time and tide wait for none. They cannot be commanded. They are to be used in the best possible manner. We should be prepared to make the best use of an opportunity when offered. Time once lost can never be recovered. â€Å"Trust no Future, how’re pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, act in the living Present! Heart within and God overhead! † Be like the clock. Always keep on ticking by involving yourself in various things and learning new things. These small knowledge and experience modules will perhaps one day take us to our bigger goal. Make use of time for positive, social, innovative work. Live for others as â€Å"they alone live who live for others, rests are dead than alive. † They say Time and Tide waits for no man. If so, now stop brooding over past and utilize your time effectively! Take the time to work, for it is the price of success. Take the time to think, it is the source of strength. Take the time to play, it is the secret of youth. Take the time to read, it is the seed of wisdom. Take the time to be friendly, for it brings happiness. Take the time to dream, for it will carry you to the stars. Take the time to love; it is the joy of life. Take the time to be content, it is the music of the soul. Prepared By –Prarthana Das IX A, Sacred Heart School, Jamshedpur..

Monday, October 14, 2019

Introduction To Computer Components Computer Science Essay

Introduction To Computer Components Computer Science Essay A keyboard is a computer hardware input device. keyboard is similar to the mechanical typewriter design, if we compare to keyboard with other computer hardware it is technological advance.New ergonomic keyboards can cost as much as a central processing unit or quality computer monitor. Instead of mouse the keyboard is often the principal input device on home and office computers.the basic functions of keyboards are it is used for text input,keyboards are also used to precise image, interface manipulation such as sending special commands to the operating system even controlling characters and objects in computer games. Due to advance technology now adays some keyboards includes other input and output devicessuch as card reader,usb ports or integrated trackballs. Although there are pseudo-standards regarding key arrangement, the manufacturer of keyboards are free to create original arrangements and designs. While most keyboards intended for use in English-language environments use the QWERTY layout, many keyboards are available with alternative layouts such as Dvorak. Some specialty keyboards have two or more layouts or languages printed on the keys, while others have no layout printed at all. The blank keyboards are designed for a specific purpose such as this can be use by the touch typists only, who have no need to look at the keyboard while entering informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..till here Most conventional keyboards are built using dome-membrane technology. In these models, keys are mounted on a tray which affords them up and down movement only. The keys are supported in the up position by rubber membrane domes on which they rest. The domes are easily collapsible, and quickly return to their upright positions when released from the collapsing force. The underside of each dome houses a graphite bullet, which completes an open circuit underneath the dome when the dome is collapsed. Special circuitry senses the completed circuit, and translates this to a key press which is then transmitted to the computer. Complex circuitry grids and patterns allow most keyboards to support over one hundred different keys with only about two dozen different circuits. In fact, careful layout of specific meta keys allows two- and even three- key-press combinations to be registered. More complex key-press combinations require very specialized circuitry, which few keyboards today support. Special features of the keyboard include: Numeric keypad: In numeric keypad is a portion in keyboard whichs allows to use keyboard like a calcuclator and input numbers into application program.it has an option of numlock key when this key has been pressed it activates the portion of the keyboard so that numbers can be entered in the computer. When the num lock key is not on, there are arrow keys on the keyboard which then work to move the cursor in different directions. The NUM LOCK key is a toggle key which switches back and forth between these two modes. Caps Lock: The CAP LOCKS key works in this same manner as the NUM LOCK key. If the Caps Lock is pressed on the keyboard whatever alphabets type from keyboard will type only in capital letters. If the Cap Lock light is not lit it will type only in small letters. Function Keys: The function keys are used to initiate commands on help menus or database programs especially before the development and use of computer pointing devices. They are still used extensively today as options on the keyboard to pull down menus or to be programmed to do specific functions in application programs. Ctrl or Shift keys also work with Function keys to add more commands to programs and what are called shortcuts, ways to operate functions like saving and deleting without going through elaborate features and steps. Short cuts speed up typing and input into the computer. Escape Key: One of the most important keys is the escape key. It usually use to cancel the command or to takes you back to the previous step ina a program. Main Types Of Keyboard: Keyboards are available in various shapes and sizes . they can be large and small almost like a custom car. They come in various colours and can be designed specifically for the user especially in a case of disabledà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦done QWERTY: The most popular is the standard QWERTY keyboard. The newer keyboards can have a trackball built into the keyboard. This allows the user the convenience of a built in pointing device. The trackball acts as the mouse and saves time and space in the work area. Ergonomic: This keyboard is built so that the keyboard is divided into two parts. One half fits the right hand and the other half fits the left hand. This split keyboard arrangement is built to fit the natural positioning of the hand and to help with repetitive motion hand injury which occurs when a job is carried out over and over again, such as in keyboarding. History of the Computer  Keyboard Keyboarding has 2 references nowadays; the first being typing with an alpha-numeric keyboard or typewriter, and the second of playing a piano, organ, or electronic keyboard. Keyboarding (typing) started in form with the invention of the Printing Press in the 1600s. Manual typewriters came some time later (with the keyboard layout of letters that we are accustomed to now). Additionally, there was another simple form of mono-keyboarding in electronic for with the advent of the telegraph (developed by Samuel Morse Morse Code) wherein a series of dots and dashes created letters, which spelled out words, which then composed a telegram to someone. There is another niche of keyboarding, which involves a courtroom recorder using a stenography machine. This machine has less character than a standard keyboard, and involves a system of shorthand in conjunction with fewer keys. A good example of shorthand is the use of abbreviations, such as Mfr stands for manufacturer. The invention of the computer keyboard begins with the typewriter The invention of the modern computer keyboard began with the invention of the  typewriter. Christopher Latham Sholes patented the typewriter that we commonly use today in 1868. The Remington Company mass marketed the first typewriters starting in 1877. Sholes and Glidden Type-writer: The first typewriter to be commercially successful was invented in 1867 by C. Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel W. Soule in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, although Sholes soon disowned the machine and refused to use, or even to recommend it. The working prototype was made by the machinist Matthias Schwalbach. The patent (US 79,265) was sold for $12,000 to Dens more and Yost, who made an agreement with E. Remington and Sons (then famous as a manufacturer of sewing machines) to commercialize the machine as the Sholes and Glidden Type-Writer. This was the origin of the term typewriter. Remington began production of its first typewriter on March 1, 1873, in Ilion, New York. It had a QWERTY keyboard layout, which because of the machines success, was slowly adopted by other typewriter manufacturers. Because the type bars of this typewriter strike upwards, the typist could not have seen characters as they were typed. This was the case in most early keyboard typ ewriters, however, as the type bars struck upward against the bottom of the platen and what was typed was not visible until a carriage return caused it to scroll into view. The difficulty with any other arrangement was ensuring that the type bars fell back into place reliably when the key was released. This was eventually achieved with various ingenious mechanical designs and so-called visible typewriters, such as the Oliver typewriter, were introduced in 1895. The older style continued in production to as late as 1915. Inventions Leading to the Computer Keyboard A few key technological developments created the transition of the typewriter into the computer keyboard. The teletype machine, introduced in the 1930s, combined the technology of the typewriter (used as an input and a printing device) with the  telegraph. Elsewhere, punched card systems were combined with typewriters to create what was called keypunches. Keypunches were the basis of early adding machines and IBM was selling over one million dollars worth of adding machines in 1931. Early computer keyboards were first adapted from the  punch card  and teletype technologies. In 1946, the  Eniac computer  used a punched card reader as its input and output device. In 1948, the Binac computer used an electromechanically controlled typewriter to both input data directly onto magnetic tape (for feeding the computer data) and to print results. The emerging electric typewriter further improved the technological marriage between the typewriter and the computer. Typewriter/printer hybrids: Towards the end of the commercial popularity of typewriters in the 1980s, a number of hybrid designs combining features of printers were introduced. These often incorporated keyboards from existing models of typewriters and printing mechanisms of dot-matrix printers. The generation of teletypes with impact pin-based printing engines was not adequate for the demanding quality required for typed output, and alternative thermal transfer technologies used in thermal label printers had become technically feasible for typewriters. IBM produced a series of typewriters called Thermotronic with letter-quality output and correcting tape along with printers tagged Quiet writer. Brother extended the life of their typewriter product line with similar products. DEC meanwhile had the DECwriter. The development of these proprietary printing engines provided the vendors with exclusive markets in consumable ribbons and the ability to use standardized printing engines with varying degrees of electronic and software sophistication to develop product lines. Although these changes reduced prices and greatly increased the convenience of typewriters, the technological disruption posed by word processors left these improvements with only a short-term low-end market. To extend the life of these products, many examples were provided with communication ports to connect them to computers as printers. The increasing dominance of personal computers, desktop publishing, the introduction of low-cost, truly high-quality, laser and inkj et printer technologies, and the pervasive use of web publishing, e-mail and other electronic communication techniques have largely replaced typewriters in the United States. Typewriter erasers: The traditional erasing method involved the use of a special typewriter eraser made of hard rubber that contained an abrasive material. Some were thin, flat disks, pink or gray, approximately 2 inches (51 mm) in diameter by 1à ¢Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾8 inches (3.2 mm) thick, with a brush attached from the center, while others looked like pink pencils, with a sharpen able eraser at the lead end and a stiff nylon brush at the other end. Either way, these tools made possible erasure of individual typed letters. Business letters were typed on heavyweight, high-rag-content bond paper, not merely to provide a luxurious appearance, but also to stand up to erasure. Typewriter eraser brushes were necessary for clearing eraser crumbs and paper dust, and using the brush properly was an important element of typewriting skill; if erasure detritus fell into the typewriter, a small buildup could cause the type bars to jam in their narrow supporting grooves Computer Keyboards Send Direct Electronic Impulses Earlier computer keyboards had been based either on teletype machines or keypunches. There were many electromechanical steps in transmitting data between the keyboard and the computer that slowed things down. With VDT technology and electric keyboards, the keyboards keys could now send electronic impulses directly to the computer and save time. By the late 70s and early 80s, all computers used electronic keyboards and VDTs. Nevertheless, the layout of the computer keyboard still owes its origin to the inventor of the first typewriter, Christopher Latham Sholes who also invented the QWERTY layout. However, the computer keyboard does have a few extra function keys. Present Keyboard technologies Solar Keyboard: Two solar panels at the top of the keyboard work to keep the internal battery charged, even in low indoor ambient light. When I took it out of the box, the battery was more than 50 percent charged after spending just 15 minutes in direct sunlight. After dark, the light from a 100-watt overhead bulb was able maintain the charge. The thing is anorexic when it comes to power consumption Wireless keyboard: (With Bluetooth Device) The Apple Wireless Keyboard is a wireless keyboard built for Macintosh computers and the iPad. It interacts over Bluetooth wireless technology and unlike its wired version, it has no USB connectors or ports. Both generations have low-power features when not in use. Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard This is tiny device laser-projects a keyboard on any flat surface, it can type away accompanied by simulated key click sounds. It really is true future magic at its best. With 63 keys and and full size QWERTY layout the Laser Virtual Keyboard can approach typing speeds of a standard keyboard. in a size a little larger than a matchbook. Gaming Keyboard When it comes to video game input devices, the keyboard is probably the furthest from ideal. Lets face it, keyboards were not designed to serve as game peripherals. However, PC gamers have bent their gaming habits to fit the restrictions of the standard keyboard for so many years that most prefer keyboard controls to a gamepad. The WASD control scheme for shooters has long been the default but as games have become more complex shooters especially the need for quick access to the surrounding keys has become more and more evident. Hardware manufacturers recognized the need for faster, smoother and more-precise mice as gaming became more popular and many felt they could improve on the keyboard design as well. The problem is that the keyboard is not a finesse device. Either the keys are there or they arent and either you can reach them or you cant. Multimedia Keyboard A multimedia keyboard is designed to make it one-touch simple for the user to access often-used programs. There are special keys used to access the Internet, music, and other frequently used programs such as email. A typical multimedia keyboard contains buttons that control various computer processes, such as turning on the computers power, putting the CPU to sleep, and waking it up again.