Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Essay on Why Is Evolution True - 1951 Words

In recent years, the political and religious movement that sought to integrate theories competing with the theory of evolution into the curriculum of various schools in the US. The theory that was offered was the theory of â€Å"intelligent design†, which even though not explicitly religious, makes for a theory much more compatible with religion than evolution. The danger of this move was that it was trying to dismiss a legitimate scientific theory as just one among the existing theories – an equal rival in pursuit of true explanation. However, what the advocates of this measure were actually doing is to equate scientific theory with a vastly inferior narrative about the world. It was, therefore, necessary for an author like Coyne (2009) to†¦show more content†¦For example, the evolution of an eye went through a large number of intermediate steps all of which had some incremental changes when compared to the previous ones. The idea that all evolution was gradua l is contested by some authors claiming that some evolutionary changes of profound type happened in only one or two generations when organisms containing some profound genetic mutations found them very useful and established a whole new species (Theißen 2009). Theißen (2009), for instance, claims that the emergence of some features of some organisms cannot be explained any other way than postulating these sudden profound changes. However, gradualism should not be excluded and it can be regarded as a normal mode of evolutionary progress, while these sudden â€Å"saltations† provided an alternative mode. Finally, the definition states that the mechanism that drove all these changes was natural selection. Natural selection is the crucial concept in the theory of evolution and Charles Darwin devotes perhaps the central chapter in his landmark book On the Origin of Species to this notion. Some authors before Darwin discussed the possibilities that life could have evolved, but they approached the issue in a rather philosophical manner without reference to particular facts. What Darwin did was to use the theory of evolution as a powerful way of explaining aShow MoreRelatedWhy Evolution Is True?1079 Words   |  5 PagesWhy is Evolution True Essay - Final Over the past few centuries, humans have been questioning and debating over what makes evolution true. In Jerry Coyne’s work, Why Evolution is True, he noted two kinds of evidence from Darwin’s theory of evolution. The first evidence includes the six testable predictions of evolution: evolution, gradualism, speciation, common-ancestry, natural selection, and nonselective mechanisms of evolutionary change. The second evidence that Coyne noted in his work is theRead MoreEssay on Why Evolution is True, by Jerry A. Coyne 2482 Words   |  10 Pages Why Evolution is True is a book by Jerry A. Coyne about how modern man slowly evolved from single cell organisms. This book has changed my whole perspective of evolution. Before I read this book I was a strong believer in creation but while reading this book I realized that there are to many connections between all of earths animals. I am unable see a scenario where we could share so much of our genes with other creatur es and still say that we did not evolve from other animals and were justRead MoreJerry Coyne s Why Evolution Is True?3477 Words   |  14 Pages Jerry Coyne’s Why Evolution Is True? Sainte Leo University Mallory Ansel Abstract In this paper, I will discuss the theory of evolution and the concepts applied throughout the chapters of Jerry A. Coyne’s, Why Evolution is True. In each section, I will summarize the chapter, explain what the contents of that chapter mean to me, and explain how I apply them to my belief system. You may notice throughout the paper I switch between support of evolution and support of creationism; andRead MoreWhy Evolution Is True. Oakley T. Lowe. St. Leo’S University.1263 Words   |  6 PagesWhy Evolution Is True Oakley T. Lowe St. Leo’s University Abstract Throughout history, there has been a major debate on the theory of evolution. Is it true? The term evolution has been defined many ways, and for the purpose of this paper, I will use the fourth definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary. â€Å"Evolution is the descent with modification from preexisting species:  cumulative inherited change in a population of organisms through time leading to the appearance of new forms:  the processRead MoreCreationism in Public School Science Class Essay923 Words   |  4 PagesShould history teachers teach that the Holocaust happened and that it didnt happen? If not, then why should science teachers teach that life evolved over billions of years, and that it was created as it is now just six thousand years ago? Creationism should not be taught in science class because it has no supporting evidence, it is not equal to evolution, and religious myths can not be taught in public schools in an officially non religious nation. ...[I]ndividual scientists andRead More Evolution vs. Creation Essay915 Words   |  4 Pagescovered in this piece is that of whether or not evolution should be taught in classrooms. Also, if it is to be taught, should it be taught as fact or theory? It is also intended to present enough evidence to disprove evolution altogether and, as a result, make it much less than a theory, but actually the vain opinions of a man who chose not to accept the truth. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The entire point of this essay is to breakdown the theory of evolution, invalidate its scientific reliability, andRead MoreEvolution : Fact And Theory1649 Words   |  7 PagesEvolution What is evolution? Is it a theory or is it based on facts? Many people think that it is both a fact and a theory. We all seek to find an explanation for life as we know it. We all want to understand how it all began. Creationist believes that the world was created in six days by a supreme being referred to as God. Many scientists report that there is plenty of evidence to prove that all living things have evolved, and reference examples such as evidence from fossils that indicatesRead MoreDarwinists and Dissenters1535 Words   |  7 Pagesthe universe create itself? Ever since Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was first published in 1859, the debate between those that believe life was brought into existence by supernatural means and those who believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution has been fierce. Each side presents compelling arguments that may sway any uneducated reader to agree with their position based solely on the confidence they portray in their writings. However, because of the vastness and strength of evidence presentedRead MoreFaith and Reason: Creacionists and Evolutionists1249 Words   |  5 PagesMany people believe that Christians have to reject evolution in order to believe in the biblical account of creation in Genesis 1. Scholar and author John Walton, as well as physician, Francis Collins argue that this is not necessarily true. Walton reminds us that we have to read the Bible carefully, as it was not written for us but for the Israelites. Walton also argues that observing natural effects does not mean that we have to remove God from our thoughts. He cannot just reveal all the scientificRead MoreIn The Article The Fossil Record Supports Evolution, Writer,938 Words   |  4 Pages In the article The Fossil Record Supports Evolution, writer, David A. Thomas argues his position. He favors Evolution over Creationism. In the article David explains how there are gaps in fossilization. He tells how creationists expos e those gaps and claim that because of those gaps evolution is not proven to be true. However Thomas explains that there are many difficult steps in the process of uncovering fossils, but those difficulties don’t disprove anything. He says that creationists say that

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Wuthering Heights - Narrative Structure Essay - 712 Words

How effective is the narrative structure in Wuthering Heights? Wuthering Heights has a unique and complex narrative structure. There are the two main narrators, Lockwood and Nelly, they each are eyewitness narrators as they have took part in the story they describe. The novel is organised in such a way that it is a narrative within a narrative, what some critics would call â€Å"Chinese boxes† or frame narrative. Lockwood is used to open and end the novel, Bronte uses him to represents the outer frame of the story in which the readers can relate to, and this cleverly draws us into the hostile and bewildering environment of Wuthering Heights, â€Å"... a wilderness of crumbling griffins, I detected a date â€Å"1500†, and a name â€Å"Hareton Earnshaw†. I†¦show more content†¦I know, by instinct, his reserve springs from an aversion to showy displays of feeling† shows the reader how easily it is to misinterpret the characters complexity, and our similar position to Lockwood becomes a warning that suggests we too should not rely on our instincts when passing judgement on characters. As the novel progresses there is a narrative shift to Nelly Dean who is the binary opposite of Lockwood and represents the inner frame of the narrative structure. Initially this creates a sense of relief as we understand Nelly to have been part of the story itself, giving the reader a true and reliable insight, â€Å"Very old, sir, and Hareton is the last of them, as our Miss Cathy is of us – I mean, of the Lintons. Have you been to Wuthering Heights? I beg pardon for asking but I’d like to know how she is?† However, the use of the possessive and collective pronouns such as â€Å"our† and â€Å"us† shows how she is emotionally involved to the characters and also herself correction shows that she has a blurred view of who she is and what family she is a part of, suggesting to us that she too is unreliable similarly to Lockwood. Moreover, Nelly Dean’s role as confidante to almost all the characters in the story placed her in a position of power. In a feminist reading she is the most powerful as she has the ability to manipulate and direct the story. However, the use of the epistolary form shows a weakness in women as Bronte presents Isabella’sShow MoreRelated The Narrative Structure of Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness1152 Words   |  5 PagesThe Narrative Structure of Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness      Ã‚  Ã‚   Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was first published in 1847, during the Victorian Era. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was first published as a complete novel in 1902, beginning what is referred to as the Modernist Era in literature. Each of these compelling stories is narrated by an uninvolved character who is quoting a story told to them by a character who actually participated in the story being told. There areRead MoreThe Depth of Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights884 Words   |  4 PagesWuthering Heights was written by Emily Bronte’. It would be the least to say her imagination was quite impressive. Through imagination as a child, Bronte’ and her sisters would write children stories, which inspired some popularly known novels. Wuthering Heights contains crossing genres, changing settings, multiple narrators, and unreliable narrators. George R. R. Martin wrote the book Game of Thrones, which is one of the modern day novels that contain several of Em ily Bronte’s writing techniquesRead MoreEssay on The Depth of Emely Brontes Wuthering Heights1345 Words   |  6 PagesWuthering Heights was written by Emily Bronte’, although she first published her novels under a gentleman’s name. Her famous novel has become a classic in English literature. It would be the least to say her imagination was quite impressive. Through her child imagination, Bronte’ and her siblings would write children stories. â€Å"Emily’s childhood created an imaginary nation, originating from the numerous poems devoted to the doings of the Gondals† (Bradner 129). The ‘Gondal’ poems they wrote inspiredRead MoreThe Victorian Society of Wuthering Heights637 Words   |  3 Pagesseriously. Consequently, to counteract this Emily Bronte published her novel Wuthering Heights, under the male pseudonym of Ellis Bell. Wuthering Heights is the story of domesticity, obsession, and elemental divided passion between the i ntertwined homes of the Earnshaw’s residing at the rural farmhouse Wuthering Heights, and the Linton family of the more genteel Thrushcross Grange. This essay will discuss how the language and narrative voices established a structural pattern of the novel, and how these differingRead MoreThe Erl King1374 Words   |  6 PagesGreen Man. The Erl-King is the personification of nature, as traditions embark this in the Green Man, ‘when he combs his hair that is the colour of dead leaves’, emphasising as though he is a tree. Therefore this can be linked to Emily Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ as it too is associated with nature, in the sense of the wild and desolate moors, representing the wilderness and the isolation of nature. The folkloric traditions of the Green Man perceive him as peaceful as he does no harm, embodying him asRead MoreWuthering Heights by Emily Brontà «1111 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: Catherine and Heathcliff grow up together at Wuthering Heights, Catherine family home on the northern English moors. Heathcliff arrives as a gypsy founding. Catherine father Mr. Earnshaw raises him as a son. Catherine is a strong and wild beauty who shares Heathcliff wild nature Alone together on the moors Catherine and Heathcliff feel as if they are soul mates. But to Heathcliff despair outside forces begin to pull them a part. After falling in love with Catherine .She reject himRead MoreStructure and Narrative Technique in Wurthering Heights and Return of the Native1154 Words   |  5 Pagesnovel was originally intended to be of a five book structure, with monthly instalments, ending with a final, devastating climax, coupled with the numerous classical references to Hades. Hercules and Prometheus, shows even further Hardys desire to create an immensely tragic novel, void of a desire to please societies middle-class novel reading public. Although it was to be this novel which eventually underwent serious revision, `Wuthering Heights would have ultimately appeared as more bafflingRead MoreTragic Family Relationships in Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 1018 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: In 1800 Century, Catherine and Heathcliff grow up together at Wuthering Heights, Catherine family home on the northern English moors. Heathcliff arrives as a gypsy founding. Catherine father Mr. Earnshaw raises him as a son. Catherine is a strong and wild beauty who shares Heathcliff wild nature Alone together on the moors Catherine and Heathcliff feel as if they are soul mates. But to Heathcliff despair outside forces begin to pull them a part. After falling in love with CatherineRead MoreWuthering Heights By Charlotte Bronte1137 Words   |  5 Pagesin the Victorian period, built unbreakable embankments against the patriarchal flow, paved the way for the free flow of matriarchy and establishes gender equality and above all sets stage for humanity through their works. Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights, Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre and Anne Bronte wrote Agnes Grey. They wrote these novels based on their own experiences and close observation of life and conditions of women in male dominated society. Their works of fiction depict the sagaRead MoreLockwood and Nelly as the Obvious Narrators in Wuthering Heights2538 Words   |  11 PagesLockwood and Nelly as the Obvious Narrators in Wuthering Heights Although Lockwood and Nelly serve as the obvious narr ators, others are interspersed throughout the novel-Heathcliff, Isabella, Cathy, even Zillah-who narrate a chapter or two, providing insight into both character and plot development. Catherine does not

Monday, December 9, 2019

Cost Planning Project Report Business Tender

Question: Describe about the Cost Planning Project Report for Business Tender. Answer: Introduction Cost plan for the particular cottage project is prepared by the quantity surveyors or in the loose sense we often call them as cost consultant. By the concepts of the cost consultants it includes details like nature of design , actual prizes , contractors details, suppliers details, specialist contractors involved in the process from the preparation of the blue print to the stage of the complete construction till the end. Here for the cost plan in terms of the structure, finishes and the different fitments used in the cost estimation. The basic terms and the cost which generally includes in the cost plan for any construction are as follows Feasibility study or the initial cost appraisals for the tender passed. Study of the elemental cost plan for the brief study of the detailed design of the construction site. Approximate quantity cost plan for the estimation of the accurate cost and the resources used in the construction. Pre tender estimate process for the preparation of the price quotation for the different resources used in the construction. Tender pricing document for collecting the tender documents for the new contractors for the contractors process. Contract sum, it is amount of the amount which generally agreed during the initial of the construction period. Contract sum analysis, it is the analysis or the basic total pay for the contractors for the starting of any process. Final account agreed as per the vendors is the final amount agreed or fixed to complete the project in the estimated time period. The basic procedure for this is dependent upon the defects liabilities period for the project tenure. As per the estimation of the price for the different appraisals used for the initial cost for the project. Excluding the cost which is incurred for proper execution of the project on the construction side, some other costs do add on the project such as the civil equipment fees, furniture cost fees. Cost incurred in the staff s moving, different secondary contracts for the outside of the main works. And also in the estimation of the tender cost, the cost of the initial cost appraisals is carried for the benefit of the complete design of the project. For the project tender the cost involved in the project estimation is totally based on the project cost and the method upon which the process is monitored by the client organization. For the approximation of the basic cost of the project different published rates is estimated and then only any new cost plan is initiated. Bill of Quantities It is the document prepared by the registered quantity surveyor or the cost consultant for providing the different project specific measured quantities. The basic method and the process involved in the following process should be such as the drawing for the blue print of the construction design, notable specifications and the adjustments in the tender documentation. In the drawing practice for any project the basic parameters and the quantities used are number , length , area , volume and the date and time. The basic requirement used for the preparation of the bill of the quantities for any construction projects demands complete design and also the specification should be in the aligned format for the study. The basic need of the BOQ(Bill of quantities) is issued for the different tenderers in order to prepare for the price carrying cost for the works used in the construction process. Under the BOQ, the tenders cost is mentioned for the cost of all the items used during the projects, its quotation. And also the basic cost involved in the following process includes a detailed specification of the tenders specification, its background, quality standards offers by the tenders. Based on the following fact only the negotiations with the tender will done. Tender Pricing Document As per the tendering contractors, the tendering pricing documents sets the way out under which the whole design team and the client thoroughly review the breakdown in the prices quoted in the tender. The quotation for the any new project in the building construction is totally based on the sheer study of the project. In the shorter way it can be estimated to be like the unpriced Bill of the material used in the initial of any project. Here in the tendering pricing the cost plan for the project is done in the pre-tender estimates. Some preliminary staff cost and the basic working of the project may be broken in the more details. The basic objective of the tender pricing document for the following project are as It is used to enable the comparison in between the tender cost plan or the tenders. It is method to allow the cost consultant or the quantity consultant in order to assess the values for basic value of the different tenders, by which we can assess the complete value of the money. Identify any significant changes in the pricing of the tenders to ensure the design has been executed and done properly. To check the financial outcomes from the tenders report. In the simple way, the completed tender pricing document is effectively a priced bill of the material in which complete in and out details about the project is present. By the help of the following document only, the tenders rates, costs, and the complete offer related to the project is used. Pre- Tender Estimate for the Contracts The Pre- tender estimate (PTE) is the final estimate of the complete cost incurred in the project, or the complete cost of work which is described in the completed tender documents. By the help of the such documents only the any project seek supplier for the construction tender. And the details of the pre-tender estimate is not included in the tender documents. By the help of the following document before releasing any tender all the estimates of the project is checked and all the parameters is done accordingly. By the help of the following estimate, one can compare the budget of the project to its tender. And also in such scenario, the basic cash flow estimate from the client end is done properly.and for the estimation of the following estimate New Rules of Measurement (NRM) techniques is used. Cost saving methods for construction projects The basic methods to save the cost for the project, is the method of the measurement used in the tenderers and the client end. Measurement is the transformation of the drawn data into the description and the quantity information of the project. By the help of the measurement tool, one can check the terms like cost, complete pricing of the construction work, and also it can effectively assist the flow of the effective management. Under this process, the complete detailing of any task is done in order to enable the efficiency in the positive respect. Figure Basic design used for the construction process By the help of this technique, we can easily estimate the complete cost of the project by the help of the pre-cost and the post cost method. And also it helps in producing of the bill of quantities by using the technique of the tendering and also it helps in estimating that what is the amount paid to the contractors and to the sub-contractors for their respective work done. Pre-Contract Measurement By the help of the early data used in the different stages, the cost consultant will measure the dimensions of the construction project to produce the budget estimates for the project. Now during this process it is used to create a benchmark for the similar building of its kind. This process continues with the flow of the project and continues till the end of the project. As per the design develops , the cost consultant ot the quantity surveyors measure the approximate units for the cost planning and also ensure that the design is maintained with the budget. After this cost consultant thoroughly measures the completed working drawing to estimate and produce new BOQ( Bill of Quantities). Post-Contract Measurement For the post contract measurement, the contractor can use the measurement and these are Estimating the construction methodology for the preparation of the tenders quotes. Orders for the inventory for the project. Sales and the procurement for the different sub-contractors and the outsource works. Calculation the effect of the variations in the parameters such as inventory , work force, shifts as per the demand rate of the construction project. Payments making timely to the sub-contractors and the contractors Rapid assessment for the valuation of the quality of the work done Complete cost control for the project in the mid of the project and in the end of the project. Estimation of the cost if there is any variation in the work. Providing the complete structure for the information by which maximum analysis of the project can be done. Defining the unit of the measurement for the respective item , in the standard way so that the condition of the interchangeability can maintain . Provides the rule for the include and the excluded item. Define every terms to avoid disputes. Order of the cost estimating and the cost planning The condition like the cost hikes, overheads, profit , risks allowances for the product can be easily maintained by the method of the market survey. There should be the proper updating in the documents, there should be proper brainstorming with every issues and problem seen during the process. By doing such things only one can meet the need of the client, can provide more up front detail, can apply better consideration of the full cost used in the project. By using the above documents it can quantify the risk of the market in a better way, the value of the time management can also be used by the help of the updating in the documents. Completion of the project As per the given techniques the base cost of the product cost, equipment, capital investment almost every revenue is dependent on the year of the starting of the project. As the project is going to be end on 2017, so because of this scenario the major estimation such as inventory control, capital investment , work force management, machinery and the equipment is maintained such that if there is any hike in the cost of among this, then there should be no bottlenecking in the process. Cost escalation In order to avoid the cost escalation of the product , for any project there should be market survey for the product time to time such as on the monthly, yearly, on the weekly basis. By such way one can adjust proper inventory control for the mandatory product, Cost planning For any cost planning involved the basic planning is done for the investment which generally escalated as per the time. The provisional sum allocation of the project used here is done by the estimation of the units (cost) involved for the various fields. These are Here during the construction time the basic cost involved is classified on the basis of the parameters which changes as per the time Tasks Cost involved in ($) Boundary fencing cost 3,000 driveway 7,000 Road crossing 3,500 Septic system installment 10,500 Solar Electricity System 7,000 Outdoor spa and pergola 7,000 Landscaping 3,000 Total 41,000 Conclusion By the process of the cost planning ,one can estimate and maintain construction, management ,and the procurement process in the best way. Under this process, the complete detailing of any task is done in order to enable the efficiency in the positive respect.By the help of this technique, we can easily estimate the complete cost of the project by the help of the pre-cost and the post cost method. And also it helps in producing of the bill of quantities by using the technique of the tendering and also it helps in estimating that what is the amount paid to the contractors and to the sub-contractors for their respective work done. This process continues with the flow of the project and continues till the end of the project. As per the design develops , the cost consultant ot the quantity surveyors measure the approximate units for the cost planning and also ensure that the design is maintained with the budget. References An introduction to cost planning. (1976). London: R.I.C.S. Analytical methods and approaches for water resources project planning. (2004). Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. Boussabaine, H. (2007).Cost planning of PFI and PPP building projects. New York: Taylor Francis. Browning, C. (1961).Building economics and cost planning. London: Batsford. Burke, R. (1999).Project management. Chichester, England: J. Wiley. Cartlidge, D. (1973).Cost planning and building economics. London: Hutchinson. Civil engineering. (1800). [Place of publication not identified]: [publisher not identified]. Cost planning estimating for facilities maintenance. (1996). Kingston, MA: R.S. Means. Eyres, D. (2007).Ship construction. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann. Ferry, D., Brandon, P. and Ferry, J. (1999).Cost planning of buildings. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Science. Indian courts and the future. (1978). Washington, D.C.: National American Indian Court Judges Association. Kerzner, H. (2001).Project management. New York: John Wiley. Kirkham, R., Brandon, P. and Ferry, D. (2007).Ferry and Brandon's cost planning of buildings. Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Lester, A. and Lester, A. (2007).Project management, planning and control. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann. Mitchell, C. and Nield, D. (1963).Mitchell's Advanced building construction. London: B.T. Batsford. Nash, K. (1967).Civil engineering. London: R. Hale. Ostrowski, S. (2013).Estimating and cost planning using the new rules of measurement. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. Scott, J. (1969).Civil engineering. [London]: Longmans. Smith, J. and Jaggar, D. (2007).Building cost planning for the design team. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann. Smith, P. (1993).Civil engineering. Hampton, Middlesex [England]: Key Note Publications. Sutton, S. and Lovelock, B. (n.d.).Construction. Taylor, J. (2008).Project scheduling and cost control. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.: J. Ross Pub.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Jetblue Airways Marketing Mix free essay sample

JetBlue Airways Corp. is one of the major American low-cost airline and one of the best examples of a succeeding business because of excellent customer service based on low operating cost relative to the superior product offering (offer a product superior to competitors at affordable prices). JetBlue is established in 1999 by David Needleman and commenced operation only February 11, 2000 with new Airbus A320 aircraft operating between Buffalo and Ft. Lauderdale (Nasdaq 2011). In 2001 during the sharp decrease in airline travel that followed the terrorist attack company could survive the competition of the major airlines and even become one of the airline companies that made a profit (Denison Consulting 2005). Nowadays, JetBlue is the largest passenger carrier in the United States operating 115 Airbus A320 and 45 EMBARE 190 – the youngest and most fuel-efficient aircrafts serving 66 cities with an average of 650 daily flights throughout US and eleven countries in the Caribbean, South America and Latin America. JetBlue has the idea to â€Å"bring the humanity back to air travel†, including friendly, customer-service oriented staff, new aircrafts, with leather covered seats, build-in flat-screen monitors with in-flight movies, over 30 channels of DIRECTV, and 100 channel of XM satellite radio without any additional charge, providing the excellent service product in airline industry with reasonably priced optional upgrades and offering the simple and low fares (JetBlue Airways 2011). We will write a custom essay sample on Jetblue Airways Marketing Mix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Marketing mix Marketing mix a framework describing the combination of marketing tools that the marketers blend to create a desired response in the target market (Kotler 2011). It is made up from everything the firm can do to stimulate the demand for its product. Traditionally the marketing mix is made up 4 main elements: product, promotion, place and price. Product Author Elliot (2009) defines product as anything that company offers to the market to satisfy customer requirements. In the marketing mix, the product variable is related to making an offering that anticipates and meets the needs and wants of consumers. Because the product is main element of the marketing mix – marketers should carefully design product strategies to achieve marketing goals. Product strategies consist of product quality, packaging, branding, support services, product variety and features which benefit the target customer wants. JetBlue offers its customers air transportation with its productivity, in-flight features and customer service. If we look upon the productivity of the JetBlue, we will come to know that the company buys only 2 planes types (JetBlue Airways 2011), which allows keeping its planes in the air more time, reducing the ground time, holding the highest in-air average in the airline market. JetBlue terminals provides kid’s play area, work spaces, cozy lounge zones, retail stores, excellent restaurants with high end dishes, making travelers feel themselves comfortable during the waiting. On boards it installs in-seat LCD monitors as a key product feature during the flight with 36 channels of DirectTV or over 100 channels of Sirius XM Radio (Wikinvest website 2011). Additionally, it covers seats with leather, add more legroom inches comparing to the average airline seat, accompanying with best selected beverages and snacks, and all of these are free of charge. Due to these features, time in JetBlue aircrafts seems shorter because there is more to do during the flight. With the regard to the customer service, JetBlue concentrates at attracting and motivating a talented personnel, how fit company’s values, such as caring, integrity, passion, safety and fun. The values then provide motivated, productive employees who focus on customer satisfaction and exceed their expectations (Dodds 2007) Price Elliot (2009) explains the term price as the amount of money firm charges for its offerings. Certainly, the price has to match the customer’s willingness to pay in order to obtain the product. Otherwise, all the marketing efforts are useless. Additionally, pricing strategies usually adjust prices the business will take from resellers and wholesalers, before fixing prices for the end user. Cost, demand or the competing products’ prices with the consumer’s feelings about the product’s value may be the base of pricing strategies. We can see that the core strength of the JetBlue airline is in its low fare (Online shopping website 2007). Therefore it is important to think carefully about how company can make this low cost affordable for its customers. The solution lies in the control of operational costs. JetBlue does not offer meals during flights but they offer snacks and drinks to their customers. It also saves money by reservation system that employs part-time working at home and using technology to automate tasks (Carton 2001). Another interesting strategy is booking sales through the website and issuing only e-tickets, saving paper, employee time and postage. In addition, JetBlue have only Airbus A320 and EMBRAER 190 (JetBlue Airways 2011), and all of their workers are qualified to fly these type of planes, thus there is no necessary to provide more training to the staff and further having these type of aircrafts allows being more efficient and saving for maintenance processes. These strategies help JetBlue to charge low prices from users and provide significant advantages for success in such a keen competition (Dodds 2007). Place Place is the marketing activity that makes the product available to the target market at the right time and place (Elliot 2009). The development process of distribution strategy includes the decision either to sell straightforwardly to the public through website and catalogues or through partners as retailers and wholesalers. And the choosing of the retailers should be determined by the product, promotion and pricing decisions. JetBlue serves 66 destinations in 21 states, including Puerto Rico and eleven countries in the Caribbean and Latin America and still continues to broad the market (JetBlue Airways 2011). Until 2008 JetBlue mainly served destinations in the United States, but in October, 2007 it announced to enter to high-demand Caribbean and Latin America markets, because this market is, doubtless, one of the most beloved resorts for vacation in the United States. In 2010 about over 25 percent of company capacity was in these regions (JetBlue Airways 2011). JetBlue by combining service with existing courses in company with its loyal customer base allows increasing significantly company presence there very soon. Airline is planning to continue to gain advantage of changing competitive landscape by extended its presence and adding new routes and frequencies. Promotion Marketer Elliot (2009) considers promotion as the marketing activities that communicate to potential buyers, partners and market the advantages of the offering and persuade them to purchase it. Firms use promotion strategies to create the product’s message that will include slogan, strengthening the product benefits and helping company to develop positioning strategy. Also marketers use the combination of advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales promotion, and personal selling through which message delivers to target market. With regard to Promotion, JetBlue uses Internet, TV and print media as a main source of advertising its product and services (Wikinvest website 2011). The most distinguishing characteristic of JetBlue that it uses social network and online marketing, such as Twitter and Facebook to affect consumers and motivate positive feedbacks from users around the world, creating surprisingly quickly satisfied flyers’ loyalty (Dodds 2007). In addition to regular promotion efforts, airline also launches the special campaigns such as The Flyer’s Collection, the highly entertaining slideshow illustrating gadgets that all travelers really wished existed, decided that laughter really is the best way effort to increase ticket sales during holidays, supported by advertising mediums such as 35,000 gift guides (Lambrano 2010). One of the gifts in the guide is a â€Å"knee jockey,† for instance. It’s like a bra for your knees,† said JetBlue advertising message. â€Å"It holds your knees up so they don’t have to be smashed in [by] the seat in front of you. † The point here is to emphasize that JetBlue has a lot of legroom. (JetBlue Airways 2011). All of these helped the company to build a brand power and create loyal consumers. JetBlue, undoubtedly, changing the way of promotion should be implemented by any kind of companies.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Themes Of Invisible Man Essays - Literature, Fiction, Free Essays

Themes Of Invisible Man Essays - Literature, Fiction, Free Essays Themes Of Invisible Man David Horowitz Period 7 Quinn Invisible Man Themes 1) Balancing social and personal responsibility The central problem the narrator encounters throughout his life deals with the balance between social and personal responsibility. The public and private self of a black man come into continual conflict. Most often, the personal nature of the man is forced to give up his morals and or family values in order to present himself in better light to the white society. Trueblood said, But what I don't understand is how I done the worse thing a man can do in his own family and 'stead of things gittin' bad, they got better. The nigguhs up at the school don't like me, but the white folks treats me fine (68). Sometimes the split between the two halves is not even visible to the Invisible Man. Racist stereotypes and other people's schemes confound his attempts to know himself. Here within this quiet greenness I possessed the only identity I had ever known, and I was losing (99). On the other hand, Dr. Bledsoe's personality is revealed in the open at a school assembly as he gives a swift glance carrying a threat for all (115). He is subordinate to the white guests out of necessity but exerts his authority brutally over all of the blacks at the school. He will later say, I've made my place in it and I'll have every Negro in the country hanging on tree limbs by morning if it means staying where I am (143). At a low point, the Invisible Man even thinks, If you made an appointment with one of them [white persons] you couldn't bring them any slow c.p. (colored people's) time (163). He feels that he needs to somehow measure up to the white man's society by working on his own habits. Finally, the separation between his social progress and his attempt to stay in touch with himself became so distant, that I realized that I no longer knew my own name (239). 2) An attempt at Social progress The dream of social progress for black Americans offered by the college's ideology breeds treachery and division. Dr. Bledsoe betrays the entire community with his surrender to the white nation, and the entire college turns its back on Trueblood. It also gives an implied acceptance of second class status for blacks. This hypocrisy betrays the narrator and the entire Harlem community. Rather than unite various oppressed groups, it divides them. The college hated Trueblood out of fear that the white community would also dismiss him as a disgrace to society. I didn't understand in those pre-invisible days that their hate, and mine too, was charged with fear.... We were trying to lift them up and they, like Trueblood, did everything it seemed to pull us down (47). Because blacks were judged as a whole group and not as individuals, the blacks closer to the white man began to hat those that were farther away. They were viewed as impediments to their effort. This dream continues and grows into a desire to move forward, to move to New York. New York! That's not a place, it's a dream. When I was your age it was Chicago. Now all the little black boys run away to New York. Out of the fire and into the melting pot (152). 3) Black v. White The ideology of the 'model black citizen' is present ever since the Invisible Man's grandfather speaks at his deathbed. Even the college that he attends that its followers shun the heritage of black Southern folk culture. It demands that its followers try not to be too black. They should break completely with their pasts and assume new identities. In the first chapter, the Invisible man is submissive to white charity in this demeaning manner. After the battle royal, he is presented with a scholarship and told to take this prize and keep it well...some day it will be filled with important papers that will help shape the destiny of your people (32). This show's how blacks were thought of as only products of whites' deeds. When Mr. Norton asks to speak with Trueblood, the Invisible Man responds with this question, Why couldn't he leave them alone? (50). It presents the idea of

Saturday, November 23, 2019

New SAT vs Old SAT Changes You Must Know

New SAT vs Old SAT Changes You Must Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In 2016, the SAT changed drastically from the old SAT. In terms of content, no other SAT changes in the past few decades have been this dramatic. If you're familiar with the old SAT, here's what you must know to do well on the current version of the SAT. In this article, I'll summarize the largest, must-know changes of the SAT. But for those of you who are serious about taking the test, it'll be well worth your time to read some of our more in-depth SAT guides. After all, a few minutes of reading through our expert guides is nothing compared to the sweet payoff of a high SAT score andan acceptance to the college of your dreams! How to Study for the New 2016 SAT- This guide starts with a detailed comparison of the current and old versions of the SAT, and then fleshes out a full SAT study plan. We also have individual section guides for SAT vocabularyand theSAT Reading Section. Finally, don't miss our in-depth new SAT vs old SAT comparison. New 2016 SAT: What's a Good Score?- Before you take the SAT, it's a smart idea to figure out what a good score is, both in general and for you specifically. This guide explains what a good SAT score is based on percentiles and your own college preferences. The Main Differences Between the New SAT and Old SAT The current version of the SAT is pretty different from the old version of the SAT. Below, I go over the major changes made to the overall SAT and to each section. General Changes to the SAT We'll start generally. This chart offers a broad overview of the biggest differences between the two versions of the SAT: Old SAT New SAT Administration 2005-January 2016 March 2016-present Score Range 600-2400 400-1600 Length of Test 3 hours 45 minutes 3 hours (w/out Essay)3 hours 50 minutes (w/ Essay) Total # of Questions/Tasks 171 154 (155 w/ Essay) Sections Critical Reading Writing + Essay Mathematics Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) Math Essay (Optional) Guessing Penalty Minus 1/4 point per incorrect answer None 75th %ile Score (Good)* 1720 1190-1200 50th %ile Score (Average)* 1480 1050-1060 25th %ile Score (Poor)* 1260 910-920 *All percentiles for the new SAT come from the College Board's 2017 percentiles, and all percentiles for the old SAT come from the College Board's 2015 percentiles. As you can see, the current SAT is slightly longer than the old SAT if you opt to take the Essay, but significantly shorter if you don't take the Essay. It also combines your Reading and Writing section scores into a single Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score. Perhaps the biggest change most students know about is the score range: on the old SAT the max score was2400, but on the current SATthe max score is just1600. Finally, there is no longer a score penalty for incorrect answers on the SAT. Therefore,it's best to answer allSAT questions, even if you have to guess on some of them. Now that you've seen the overall changes, let's look at the differences on each section of the test. SAT Reading Changes The SAT Reading section has undergone some massive changes since early 2016. Here are some of the biggest differences to note: Old SAT Reading New SAT Reading Section Name Critical Reading Reading Scoring 200-800 (separate from Writing score) 10-40 test score, which is then combined with Writing to get Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score on a scale of 200-800 # of Sections 3 1 Order on Test Random 1st # of Questions 24, 24, 19 (in random order)Total: 67 52 Total Time 25 minutes, 25 minutes, 20 minutes (in random order)Total: 70 minutes 65 minutes Time per Question 63 seconds 75 seconds Content Tested High-level vocab in isolation, Sentence Completions, passage-based questions All passage-based questions, medium-level vocab in context, evidence support, data interpretation Subscores None Words in ContextCommand of EvidenceAnalysis in History/Social StudiesAnalysis in Science Overall, you now have fewer questions on SAT Reading and more time per question. The biggest change to be aware of, though, is that SAT Reading is now entirely passage-based. All questions, even vocabulary ones, are based on passages, so it's imperative to havea solid passage-reading strategyto use on test day. In terms of content, you'll still see vocab questions, but these are more focused on medium-level vocab words and your ability to figure out their meanings in context.In addition, you need to be able to identify specific areas in passages you found your answers in. SAT Writing Changes SAT Writing has undergone some noticeable changes since the test's redesign in early 2016. Here are the most important ones to note: Old SAT Writing New SAT Writing Section Name Writing Writing and Language Scoring 200-800(separate from Reading score) 10-40 test score, which is then combined with Reading to get Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score on a scale of 200-800 # of Sections 3 (one essay and two multiple-choice sections) 1 (essay = separate section) Order on Test Random 2nd # of Questions 35, 14 (in random order)Total: 49 44 Total Time 25 minutes, 10 minutes (in random order)Total: 35 minutes 35 minutes Time per Question 43 seconds 48 seconds Content Tested Improving Sentences, Identifying Sentence Errors, Improving Paragraphs, grammar rules in isolation All passage-based questions, grammar and punctuation, logic and expression of ideas Subscores None Expression of IdeasStandard English ConventionsWords in ContextCommand of EvidenceAnalysis in History/Social StudiesAnalysis in Science As the chart shows, the SAT Writing section is no longer scored on its own butin conjunction with SAT Reading(to give you a combined Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score). Additionally, the Essay is now a separate (optional) section and is not considered part of the Writing section. You also now have fewer Writing questions, giving you slightly more time per question. In regard to content changes, all questions are now based on passages (like the Reading section), and there is a bigger emphasis on sentence style, logic/flow, and punctuation. SAT Math Changes Though the SAT Math section has changed the least of all SAT sections, it still looks quite different now than it used to before the redesign. Here are the major differences between the current SAT Math section and the old SAT Math section: Old SAT Math New SAT Math Section Name Mathematics Math Scoring 200-800 200-800 # of Sections 3 2(No Calculator Test and Calculator Test) Order on Test Random 3rd =No Calculator Test4th = Calculator Test Calculator Permitted? Yes Yes, but only on Calculator Test (not on No Calculator Test) # of Questions 20, 18, 16 (in random order)Total: 5444 multiple choice, 10 grid-ins No Calculator Test: 20Calculator Test: 38Total: 5845 multiple choice, 13 grid-ins Total Time 25 minutes, 25 minutes, 20 minutes (in random order)Total: 70 minutes No Calculator Test: 25 minutesCalculator Test: 55 minutesTotal: 80 minutes Time per Question 75 or 83 seconds (depending on section) No Calculator Test: 75 secondsCalculator Test: 87 seconds Content Tested Arithmetic, numbers and operations, algebra, functions, geometry, some data analysis Arithmetic, algebra, functions, advanced algebra, data analysis, word problems; 10% = geometry, trigonometry, complex numbers Subscores None Heart of AlgebraPassport to Advanced MathProblem Solving and Data Analysis You now get more time on SAT Math and four more questions in total. The section is also divided into two subsections: a No Calculator test (on which you may not use a calculator) and a Calculator test (on which you may use a calculator). Content-wise, you're still being tested on many of the same fundamental topics, including algebra, functions, and arithmetic. However, there is now less emphasis on geometry and more emphasis on data analysis, graphs, and word problems. Moreover, the old SAT Math section did not test any trig whatsoever, whereas the current SAT has at least a few questions on trig. SAT Essay Changes Finally, we get to the SAT Essay section. Here are the biggest changes to know: Old SAT Essay New SAT Essay Section Name Essay Essay Optional? No Yes Scoring 2-12 (based on two scores by two readers, each on a scale of 1-6) One score for each dimension on a scale of 2-8 (based on two scores by two readers, each on a scale of 1-4) Dimensions None Reading,Analysis,Writing # of Sections 1 1 Order on Test 1st 5th (if taking SAT with Essay) # of Prompts 1 1 Total Time 25 minutes 50 minutes Essay Prompt Answer a theoretical prompt by citing your own evidence Analyze a passage and the author's argument by citing evidence from the passage As you likely already know, the Essay section is optional with the current SAT, while before it was a mandatory section (and part of Writing). Essay scoring has also changed dramatically: test takers now get three scores, each on a scale of 2-8 (so a perfect Essay score would be 8|8|8). Before you had to provide your own evidence and answer a theoretical prompt, but now you must read a short passage and analyze the author's argument using textual evidence. Note that you are not expected to insert your personal viewpoint into your essay. New SAT vs Old SAT: 1-Sentence Summary For those of you who are interested in a summary of big-picture changes, here it is: the current SAT is a lot more like the ACT in that it tests more skills considered relevant to college success and relies less on trying to trick you. What's Next? Got more questions about how the current and old SATs differ from one another?Then check out our detailed examination of all changes between the two. In addition,our guide to the new SAT formatgives you tips on how to prep for the current version of the test. Not sure what SAT score to aim for on test day?Get a step-by-step guide on how to find your goal score based on the schools you're applying to. Looking for a detailed SAT resource to help you study for the test?Our ultimate SAT study guide contains links to our very best SAT articles and guides. And the best part is it'sfree! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Google Apps Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Google Apps - Essay Example The number of domains the Google owns may range to dozens providing services like stock quotes, news headlines, images, email service and many more. The request for information is generally in forma of query and in just fraction of a second the query gets processed and is displayed on the users' screen (Google Inc). The Google which we see today has begun its project as a research project. It was hypothesized by Larry Page and was later assisted by Sergey Brin. The techniques over which search engines were based in 1996 used to display results according to the number of times the search term appear on the page. Larry and Brin worked on the concept that that for better results if the search engine analyze the relationships between the websites. The website and the page with the most links from other relevant sites, is considered as the most relevant site related to the query entered. With this thesis Google came into existence using Stanford website with the domain name being google.stanford.edu. Later in 1997, the domain google.com came into existence and in 1998 the company Google Inc became a reality (Wikipedia). The main business of Google is to generate revenue through online advertising. It provides the advertisers the most deliverable and cost effective online advertising opportunity through pages which are most relevant to the product which are being advertised. These advertisements are displayed according to the query searched for and hence are beneficial for both user and the advertiser. The Google AdWords program helps advertisers to promote their products and the Google AdSense program helps many website managers to generate revenue with ad participation though Google (Google Inc). Among all the services Google provides its users, Google Apps is the one which can have a major impact on usage of Office software. In complete sense Google Apps can be said as a service being hosted by Google for business purposes. The communication and collaboration feature of Apps makes it good enough of businesses of any size. This Web based service of Google provides its users tools to ensure collaboration on documents and spreadsheets. The documents can be shared and modified. The libraries for the reference materials can be built. Google provides this service in three different forms. The standard edition is free and has fewer features. It can be used for both normal users as well businesses purposes. The educational version contains all the available features but is available for the colleges and institutions. The condition for being a part of this is that the institute should use for educational purposes, sharing and research. The premium edition of Google Apps is available at a cost of $50 per user account per annum. This edition provides all features that are present in Google Apps. Charging money for its product is something very unique in case of Google. From the beginning Google has generated revenue through advertising tools. Almost all of the soft wares right from searching tool in late 90s of the last century to till date have been made available by Google free of cost. Even Google Apps launched in August 2006 providing services like webmail, calendaring, VoIP, word processing, spreadsheets has been free of cost. Only the premium edition launched this year with target market ranging from small

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Macro &Micro Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Macro &Micro Economics - Essay Example 16). Within the vast arena of macroeconomics, the development of the model of Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply generally known as AD-AS model is of immense importance as it has been developed and applied for determining and evaluating the factors that are very useful in realizing the effects of Real Gross Domestic Product which is i.e, GDP deflated by the general price level. As a consequence the model also acts as a useful indicator for the determination of the inflation level of the economy (Taylor & Weerapana, 2009, p.695). The AD-AS model also incorporates the notion of micro economic concepts like demand and supply framework including equilibrium analysis (Karl, E, 2007, p. 409) and thus setting up a platform in accordance with the demand of the paper. Focus of the paper The paper will focus on the underlying mechanism of the aggregate demand (especially) and aggregate supply along with the concepts of volume of money demand and supply and its application and importance in the economy of the United States of America (US) with its recent financial crisis within the backdrop of the article, â€Å"It’s the Aggregate Demand, Stupid† written by Bruce Bartlett who has held senior policy roles in the administration of Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and served on the staffs of Representatives Jack Kemp and Ron Pau. Crux of AD-AS model Before entering into the AD-AS model a short purview of the notion of law of demand and law of supply requires to be mentioned. The law of demand has been developed by the economists out of several criticisms (various exceptions like Giffen goods, Veblen effect) and the law basically states that for a normal commodity, there is an inverse relationship between the price of a particular commodity and the quantity demanded keeping all other things constant. The demand function can be stated as,signifying the inverse relation between price and quantity. A short mathematical and graphical explanation will m ake it clearer (Maurice & Thomas, p.43). Let, , (where a, b>0) be a linear demand curve which is taken for our purpose. Differentiating the above function with respect to Q we get, Therefore the slope of the curve is negative. The graphical representation is as follows: Fig.1 The law of demand (Maurice & Thomas, p.43) In the above diagram, at the price level P2, the quantity demanded was at the level Q2 when the price fell down to the level of P1, the quantity demanded rose to the level Q1. Thus the inverse relationship between the price and quantity as given by the law of demand is represented. The demand comes from the consumer’s angle in an economy that purchase goods and services in an economy for the maximization of their utility (Bhide, 2010, p. 313). The theory of supply on the other hand represents the positive relationship between the quantity and the price keeping all other things constant (Hussain, 2010, p. 214). It comes from the producer’s angle. More the commodity the producer sells more the price will it charge. Let a linear supply curve be considered as, . Now differentiating the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Classroom Observation and Reflection Paper Essay Example for Free

Classroom Observation and Reflection Paper Essay Curriculum Constr. and Assessment: Reading and Language Arts, I had the opportunity to not only observe but teach a lesson that I created for Mrs. Watsons Class at Little Rascals Daycare and Afterschool Program. Throughout this paper I will reflect on my lesson plan experience. First, I introduced the concept of letter blends to the students. I explained to the students that letter blends can be at the beginning, middle, or end of a word to make specific sounds. I then explained to the students that I was going to be teaching them beginning letter blends. I went n to explain to the students that since there were several beginning letter blends that I chose five to teach about In the lesson. The blends that I chose were dr, n, bl, gl, and Ch. I went over each beginning letter blend, demonstrated the sound each make and provided several examples for each letter blend for the students. Next, I gave the students an opportunity to participate In the lesson. I held up picture flashcards that had different objects on them. The students had to raise their hands and tell me what the object was and the letter blend for that object. I repeated this process until ach student in the class had a chance to participate. Once we finished, I answered any questions or concerns the student had. I noticed that the students were actively engaged in the lesson and seemed to have really enjoyed. Most of all they seemed to have understood the lesson with ease. Lastly, the students were given a cut and paste blending worksheet to complete. The worksheet had 1 5 different picture objects and letter blends on it. The students had to color (if they wanted to), cut, and paste the correct picture to its letter blend. Once the students finished the worksheet we went over it as a class. Again, I answered any last questions or concerns and wrapped up the lesson. In conclusion, this was my very first time teaching a lesson. I have done several lesson plans before but never had to actually teach them. I believe the lesson went pretty good. The teacher and the students were both very welcoming and provided positive feedback. Although the lesson went well, the one thing I would change if I had to do it all over again would be to pick two or three blends at a time to teach instead of all five. Sometimes when a lot of information is thrown at the students it makes it harder to understand.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Odyssey, Learning About Himself :: essays research papers

In the Odyssey, written by Homer, Odysseus learned a lot about himself and what he had to do to become a better overall human. The adventures he goes on, I think, opens his eyes to a world in which he thought he was invincible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the Odyssey, Odysseus learned a big lesson in humility. The greatest example of this is in the last five books or so within the story. He has to dress, act, and live like a beggar in order to regain everything he had lost. While he was a beggar, the suitors treated him horribly. Antinous, leader of the suitors, was the worst of them all. He was the first to mistreat Odysseus and planned to kill Telemachus. He was also the one that would abuse him physically and verbally for some time to come. Also, if that weren’t enough, he planned a boxing match for Odysseus to be in to watch him get beat up. All this was happening and the other suitors were most likely following their leader in whatever he was doing. Odysseus had to control himself the whole time this was happening. If he had lost his temper, the suitors would have killed him, his son, and most likely taken over the kingdom. That didn’t happen though. Odysseus learned self -control and humility. He may not be perfect at it, but going through all the humility made him a better man. Along the same topic, he was a king going through this humility. It would be one thing for a peasant to go through it, but a king? This made it even harder for Odysseus. He had rank above all the suitors and could rightly kick them out of his kingdom. Instead he waits for the right time and kills them all. The â€Å"pre-journey† Odysseus would of thought of himself invincible and probably would have died trying to get his kingdom back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Along the same line as humility comes pride. Odysseus had more pride and cockiness than any of the characters I have read about this semester. He didn’t seem as bad in the Iliad, but the Odyssey really showed him in a different light. He had to swallow his pride when he had to come back to his home and get it back. Just in the fact that he came back at all was pride swallowing. He lost all of his men.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Personalized Medicine Essay

â€Å"Introduction† In today’s world DNA sequences are frequently and constantly improving, modern instruments can analyze DNA by the millions within a twenty-four hour period (Mader, 2010, P.178). Because of technology, these instruments have been made available now and in the future for the use of personalized medicinal products. This paper provides an overview of how modern genetic technology may lead to personalized medicine, and to give examples two or more specific benefits of personalized medicine: a discussion of its drawbacks and limitations of the approach to human medicine. â€Å"Modern Genetic Technology and Personalized Medicine† Modern technology is constantly growing in our world, for us to understand how modern genetic technology may lead to personalized medicine and the importance personalized medicine. Personalized medicine is the tailoring of medical treatment for an individual with the unique characteristics for each patient. This approach is a scientific breakthrough for us to understand how a person’s unique molecular and genetic profile makes them susceptible to certain diseases. This same research is increasing our ability to predict and recognize which medical treatments will be safe and effective for each patient (Consumer Health, 2007). The Human Genome project of 2003, enlighten our understanding of the genetic component of disease that will continue to shape the medicine practices in the near future. Detailed according to the â€Å"Human Genome Project† with all the DNA sequence that will give researchers the tools to explore the genetic variation across the world (Phillips, 2007). Technology has been a growth for advancement and rapidly changing, it has been made possible for the doctors and geneticists to find out the kind of diseases in a person DNA and to help prevent the diseases. â€Å"The Benefits of Personalized Medicine† Personalized Medicine has numerous benefits on an individual’s health, for example; * Shift the emphasis in medicine from reaction to prevention * Predict susceptibility to disease, improve disease detection, preempt disease progression * Customize disease-prevention strategies * Prescribe more effective drugs and avoid prescribing drugs with predictable side effects * Reduce the time, cost, and failure rate of pharmaceutical clinical trials. (Jackson Laboratory, 2012). â€Å"The Societal Impact of Personalized Medicine† In our society personalized medicine are questionable, there are legal and ethical questions, some of these questions are as follows; * Who should have access to a person’s genetic profile? Is it the Employers, the government, Life insurance companies or the insured? * How can we protect genetic privacy and prevent genetic discrimination in our workplace and in our health care? * How consumers use genetic information as a health benefit? (Jackson laboratory, 2012). â€Å"The Limitations and the drawbacks of personal medicine† The limitations of technology are not yet known about personalized medicine and how to translate genetic information successfully. This poses a significant barrier to achieve the promise of reliable clinical information of personal genomes. Additionally the ethical and social issues surrounding the eugenic specter and the risk involving the breach of privacy and other stigmatism such as racism is yet to be addressed, as well as the guide to successful applications of the genetics will be needed for criminal research and medicine (Vernez, 2011). According to Mayor Clinic, â€Å"Personalized medicine† also have some drawbacks in which many people today are willing to pay a high amount of money for a personalized approach to their health, which creates a problem in the genetic discrimination by the insurers and employers because; the insurers tend to charge a higher premium to those individuals who is at risk of being perceived of having bear genes that are life threatening. With this approach those individuals would not be able or have the ability to meet their medical demands, there would be limited access to services among most individuals because of the higher cost for further development to this approach (Consumer Health, 2011). Conclusion: In my opinion personalized Medicine is a medical model that involves patient’s genetics and vital information with benefits that outweighs its drawbacks, personalized medicine allows individuals with a short expectancy span to live far longer, there the whole idea is that the limitation to the approach may lead to discrimination of an individual’s gene. REFERENCES Consumer Health, (2011).Retrieved November 7, 2012 from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/personalized-medicine/CA00078. Mader, S. (2010). SCI 115: Essential of Biology: 2009 custom edition (2nd ed.). New York: Mc Graw Hill. Personalized Medicine, (2011). Retrieved, November 7, 2012 from http://healthusnews.com/health-conditions/cancer/personalized-medicine Vernez, S. L. (2011). New York Times Magazine. Making Sense of the Genomic Revolution. American Scientist P. 266. Jackson laboratory (n.d.). Free Research Paper on Personalize Medicine – Rabranch40. Free Essays, Research Papers, Book Reports | Anti Essays. Retrieved November 4, 2012, from http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/229557.html

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Bad Credit Can Hurt Your Job Seekers

Monica Cotallat, Hudson Community College Professor Sakina Laksimi-Morrow English 102 March 17, 2013 BAD CREDIT CAN HURT JOB SEEKERS I am a student majoring in Graphic/Web Design. This is my 4th semester at Hudson Community College. A large number of employers use credit checks to make employee selections. A study made by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 2010 reported that 47 percent of respondents only use credit background checks for job applicants in certain types of positions, for example, positions with fiduciary and financial responsibilities (SHRM, 2010).Thirteen percent of those surveyed conducted credit checks on all candidates while 40 percent in the SHRM study reported that they did not utilize credit checks on any job candidates (SHRM, 2010). Almost half of employers are running credit checks. What are they looking for? Is it an invasion of privacy? Is it fair? What can be done about? Are people with a blemished financial past scarred for life? The purp ose of my paper is to understand why this is happening, examine its reasons and what one can do to help themselves in a competitive work force.There is an array of tools employers use to examine and decide on job applicants and employee job promotions. Typically they will contact references, verify educational and/or professional history, request a criminal history report and in certain situations obtain an individual’s credit history. For some this can create a barrier in the search for employment. A study made by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 2010 reported that 47 percent of respondents only use credit background checks for job applicants in certain types of positions, for example, positions with fiduciary and financial responsibilities (SHRM, 2010).Thirteen percent of those surveyed conducted credit checks on all candidates while 40 percent in the SHRM study reported that they did not utilize credit checks on any job candidates (SHRM, 2010). This show ing almost half of employers are using credit checks on job applicants which economic downturn has made it harder for some people to get a job due to bad credit. It’s a catch 22. You need a job to pay your debit down but because of your bad credit you can’t land a job. There is also the question of invasion of privacy.Many job applicants have concerns with employers asking questions or requesting an explanation on why they are behind on their bills. Whether tarnished credit is due to medical bills or a messy divorce is it really necessary to explain personal matters to an employer? Is this a violation of rights? From my readings it appears NOT to being a violation. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), employers are allowed to obtain and use employee’s credit report. However there are guidelines for requesting this information.An employer must inform the applicant about checking into their background and the applicant must sign giving permission to the emp loyer to access the credit/background check. One has the right to refuse such a background check but most likely a spot for candidacy will go out the window. Employers use it as a measure of character. Poor credit history may cause a potential boss to question your dependability, decision making skills, constancy and follow through abilities. Also presumably this helps employers prevent theft or embezzlement for fear of lawsuits.However, there is no concrete evidence connecting people’s credit histories to their on the job performance or productivity. In 2010, Eric Rosenberg, director of state government relations for Trans Union, one of the country’s largest reporting companies told Oregon legislators â€Å"At this point we don’t have any research to show any statistical correlation between what’s in somebody’s credit report and their job performance or their likelihood to commit fraud. † Oregon since then is one of 7 states who had passed a bill prohibiting/limiting the use of credit histories in job screening with certain exceptions.Other states who share this law are: Washington, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, California and Maryland. But some of the laws still need reinforcement and exemptions slimmed. For example Illinois allows employers to continue to do credit checks on managers and minor retails workers. Sixteen other states are considering legislation to limit employer use of credit checks: Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, Wisconsin and District of Columbia.While these states propose limiting the use of credit check none of the statutes imposes an out right ban. Besides the question of violation rights there is also the question of discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says, â€Å"Employer credit checks are legal, but can be discriminatory if they disproportionately exclude minorities, women or people older than 40 and are not essential to a hiring decision. A 2007 report conducted by the Federal Reserve Board found out that African-American and Hispanics had considerably lower credit scores than non-Hispanics whites. The last 10 years attractive lending schemes zeroed in on communities of color who lacked in wealth and assets. During the housing boom, minority borrowers were lured into subprime (high interest) loans when in reality they qualified for prime loans. In result after the crash, African Americans, Latinos and Asian-Americans lost half of their family wealth. Employment credit checks are hitting these families hard.This is why organizations like the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, National Council of La Raza and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) have publicly opposed the use of employment credit checks. Another factor is age discrimination. Perhaps an elderly person carries poor credit due to medical bills. As I mentioned earlier, it can be an invasion of privacy by feeling obligated to explain reasons for unpaid bills but to explain bills due to health issues can make the job seeker uncomfortable discussing personal medical histories.This brings fear of losing a job opportunity to a younger, healthier credit worthy applicant. Contrary to Americas strong belief in a right to privacy of their medical histories and an amended act in 2003 to the Fair Credit Reporting Act that requires medical debt to be masked on credit reports and the Americans with Disability Act, which prohibits employers from inquiring about medical history prior to making a job offer. Courts have recognized the discriminatory impact of employment credit screening.The Department of Labor won a verdict against Bank of America stemming in part from the bank’s use of credit checks to hire entry-level employees, which had a discriminatory impact on African-Americans. The country’s challenges with con stant layoffs and mortgage foreclosures leave many Americans struggling with maintaining healthy credit. As of April 2010, one-quarter of U. S. consumers, nearly 43. 4 million people, had poor credit. These people should not be omitted from the chance of recovery. Laws need to be tightened and screening should only be applied depending on the nature of the job.Even if hired with a less than desirable or acceptable credit post-employment credit checks can be used to facilitate promotions and transfers. If one has signed the credit consent document when started employment, the employer does not need your signature again. As per the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), if an employer denies you employment or promotion due to credit they must give you a copy of the report used to determine your worthiness and a document called A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act before taking adverse action.Of course for companies to be forth coming is different story. They can easil y say they opted for a different more qualified candidate. Nevertheless, I have listed below steps and tips to help with the job application and interview process. Until those states without credit screening laws pass a bill to protect job seekers we must learn to deal with the issue and voice our rights. †¢ Request your report from the three reporting agencies: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. You may request a free annual credit report by visiting www. nnualcreditreport. com or you may call 1-877-322-8228. Review your credit report to ensure its error free. Dispute any errors if found. It takes seven years to remove negative credit off your report but to improve a credit score the sooner you start improvement immediately shows. This is a good way to sell your self to employers as you can promote yourself as one who is aware of mistake and imperfection but you have taken steps to rectify and reestablish yourself. †¢ Do not be afraid to confess immediately.Not as quickly as stating it in your cover letter but when meeting face to face. This may eliminate you from consideration but in early process the company is still looking for reasons to eliminate candidates. Better to be forthcoming in the front to avoid 5 interviews down the road and having to hit that credit history bump. †¢ If you avoid mentioning early regarding your credit usually one knows the final stages of the interviewing process. At this point inform them about your credit. Most people do not like surprises especially companies ready to make an offer.This will add value and removes the surprise. †¢ Also how you address it influences how the information will be received. The bigger the deal you make of it, the more attention they’ll give it. Share the information with a smile and positive outlook off-handedly. You are communicating that it’s no big deal. May use this approach for example â€Å"I wanted to let you know that during my time unemployed I was juggli ng my bills and ruined my credit. Since you will be running a credit check I wanted to alert you. Will my temporary bad credit be an issue? In short words you have given them the â€Å"why† which would have put them on edge and eased them with the problem being â€Å"temporary†. In my opinion if credit screenings for employment is a must then only allow looking partial history. Perhaps just for the last 12 months. Companies should only be allowed to view history once at the hiring point and not during the life of the employed at the company. If a position is rejected to a candidate for credit reasons the company must be required to confess this to the unemployed.This gives the job seeker awareness to the issue. Fraud happens often in many institutions. Just because one hold bad credit does not make them a poor employee. In turn they maybe a superior employee as they need and value their job which helps pay their debit. Chris Ball, operations manager for the Jackson, Mi ss. , branch of Express Employment Professionals said â€Å"he understands that hiring managers who use credit scores are trying to protect their companies from people who might be desperate and turn to embezzlement or theft to cover their bills. But he also says he’s not sure that using credit reports is all that useful: â€Å"In this day and age, it’s hard to find anyone with perfect credit† I completely agree with the above statement. We have done just fine with regular criminal background checks. I do not find the need to also use credit screening with the exception of finical institutions. I ask the question â€Å"Did Bernie Madoff have bad credit? Surely not but was he not responsible for the largest financial fraud in U. S. history? Did someone run a credit background check on him? † I am sure NASDAQ did but did this prevent embezzlement?

Thursday, November 7, 2019

How To Use Marketing Performance Metrics To Improve

How To Use Marketing Performance Metrics To Improve Peter Drucker once said, â€Å"What gets measured gets managed.† And he was right. When you  have numbers and data, you  study them; you  wonder how you can make them better, especially if they involve sales. And in the world of content marketing, measuring blogging productivity has become a critical piece of any strategy that results in visits, return visits, lead generation, and, ultimately, conversion. The marketing performance metrics- or tools you  use to measure the value of the content you  write- have become quite sophisticated. And you  can use  them to inform all of the decisions you  make about the content on your blog. This is exciting stuff to help you reach your goals and improve  the content youre already publishing. Lets take a look! How To Crush Your Goals With Marketing Performance Metrics via @AndyPreislerBonus! Get your free Google Analytics dashboard  custom-built to complement this post to help you quickly spot many of these marketing performance metrics at a glance. It's complete with tons of links to related reports to explore your data even more in-depth to help you understand how your marketing is performing today and how you can improve your blog. Begin With Your Marketing Goals You users are publishing content because you have big goals to reach.  Figure out  your general marketing goals first, something like: Grow your trafficGrow your leadsGrow your customer base Once you have your foundation- the understanding of what you want to achieve with your marketing- you can then look into the  marketing performance metrics that will guide you toward actual data you will use to measure those goals. A super effective and easy way to define your goals is with the SMART goal setting process: Specific: What, when, and why.Measurable: This is where your marketing performance metrics come in to help you know when you accomplish your goal.Attainable: Requirements necessary to achieve your goal.Realistic: Acknowledge the road blocks that would prevent you from reaching the goal.Time-sensitive: Start and (most importantly) end dates. So, a format like this is what you're looking for: Beginning, January 1, 2016, we will increase our blog and website traffic to 1 million monthly page views by December 1, 2016, to help marketers plan better content while establishing ourselves as  an authority in our niche. The rest of this guide will walk you through choosing the marketing performance metrics you’ll use to measure your progress toward your goals. Recommended Reading:  How To Leverage Your Best Content To Meet Your Marketing Goals Understand The Basic Marketing Performance Metrics Your content creator should be an expert in two things: Creative and engaging writing.Using  analytics tools to measure the effectiveness of content that is created and published on your blog that will help you reach your goals. The basic metrics are all available through Google Analytics, a free tool that will provide huge amounts of data and deep insight into how your  content is really doing. Pro Tip: Setting up Google Analytics is pretty easy. Just follow this handy guide brought to you by the search engine itself. These are all about quantity and can be used to tell a big story in the following ways: Users: This number is a total of how many separate visitors come to your blog over a set period of time. The same visitor is not counted twice. This is the first step in a longer process of analyzing what you are doing right and wrong- the more, the better.Number of pageviews: Once a visitor lands on your blog, are they accessing other pages of your site from your blog? This is important information to have because it demonstrates that a visitor is impressed enough with a post to then check out your site as well.Bounce rate: When someone visits your blog and opens a post, do they stay or do they bounce out within the first 10 seconds? If the number is high, at least the first part of that post content is  not what they expected to see- an opportunity for you to improve.Inbound links: How many visitors are coming in from outside places via an external link? This means people think your content is important enough that they have provided a link to it in something they have written. All of these metrics give you important data that should tell you if your posts are doing the job or not. And Google Analytics does a great job of generating this kind of data for you, although some content marketers use other tools that may go a bit deeper, such as Whoopra or Clicky. The data should tell you specific things.  Low traffic and low â€Å"staying power†- as seen through pageviews and bounce rate- means that your content may need  a major facelift. Either you are not capturing visitors with your titles and first 100 words, or the content in the remainder of the post is not engaging them enough to stay, read, and, ultimately, share. On the other side, if traffic is good and there is high â€Å"staying power† and movement from a post to other pages, you have a winner. The content is good and is well suited to be  repurposed and recycled. Recommended Reading: 3 Hidden Google Analytics Reports To Help You Understand Your AudienceHow To Unlock Quality Content From Your Low-Performing Posts Create Better Content With Audience Performance Metrics These metrics are often called the â€Å"feel good† or â€Å"vanity† measurements. It’s nice to see good numbers of views and comments, because you feel like  other awesome folks appreciate your content. Yay for us! Numbers of views within a set period of time:  Track the number of views (usually in a month), along with the amount of time spent once a post is opened. You could also combine the number of comments a post receives or the decline of views as a post ages.Comments per views:  If, for example, you are getting a comment for every 50 views of a post, you have a winner. That content should be used again, in a different way.Views vs. users: You will also want to know who among your visitors are unique repeat visitors. The repeat visitor number is an important one, because research shows that conversions often come from visitors who view between 5–9 times. These people are highly active- the visitors you have managed to engage well. It's a solid goal to increase the numbers of your  highly engaged audience. You can determine the type of content they enjoy and plan for more of it by analyzing the posts that your highly engaged visitors view.Number of shares per article:  When you get the data on share numbers from each post, and even better, to which social media sites those shares are going, you have some pretty valuable information. Now you can choose the networks where you may want to expand your presence because your audience is clearly using certain networks more than others. It also gives you  an understanding of what content is the most popular  so you can replicate your success. Your marketing calendar shows you which blog posts are getting the most shares right in your top posts page. shows the social shares for every blog post you publish. Find ways to build upon the popular  blog posts you publish that  generate tons of long views and comments, and engage your visitors. You could possibly: Publish  new posts covering related ideas.Repurpose the blog posts  into different media.Optimize that existing content with better graphics  to increase time on page.Add  downloads  into your posts to convert that traffic  into email subscribers. Google Analytics does a fine job of generating vanity data, although some marketers prefer to use Mint, a tool that can also tell you from where your viewers are coming. A Word Of Caution: There is a growing group of content marketing experts who believe that bloggers spend too much time (and money) and give too much importance to vanity metrics analysis. Jason Amunwa is the director of products at Filament, who warns: Vanity metrics do nothing for your actual website objectives, but make your marketing efforts look good. This is problematic, because oftentimes they siphon effort and focus away from the things that could really move the needle for you. Engagement metrics tell you what content is truly performing for you, what’s just â€Å"meh†, and what’s ripe for enrichment and optimization;  in short, engagement metrics tell you where the real opportunities are for growth. Consider  your vanity audience metrics as a learning tool to understand what is popular to create better content. That said, if your main goal is to grow your customer base, let conversions be the metric that influences your content creation process the most. Recommended Reading:  What Really Is Your Social Media ROI? Optimize For Conversion With  Content Performance Metrics This is the truly actionable part of your marketing performance metrics, because you will get invaluable information about how your blog is doing and what you specifically need to do to improve your blogging productivity. Check out three types of marketing performance metrics for your content- content life, content engagement, and content conversions. Content Life (Longevity) Every post has a shelf life. You need to track this so you know how long each post continues to receive views. How many views do you get the first 6 hours, the first day, the first week, and the first month? And what times and days are are you getting the most views?  With the right analytics, you can understand  the longevity of individual posts and an average longevity of all of your posts combined. This kind of information can drive your decisions about what content ideas work well and how to flesh out your blog schedule and social media promotion: Which posts are the most popular? The style and content is obviously right, so you will want to mimic that as much as possible.Which posts are the least popular? You know what style and content not to post again.Which posts have the greatest longevity? Is there a particular common aspect of those? Do you have embedded videos, infographics, etc. on those with a longer shelf life? Again, this tells you what to mimic in future posts.What is your average longevity number?  Your average longevity number is the number of days your posts typically have a lot of interaction before fading. If  your posts  are getting the most views within the first three days, and then viewership is dropping off, you know you need to post every three  days to keep your  blog filled with fresh content. Alternatively, you could use  a tool like to share your content more on social media to extend the life of your content. You can use these Google Analytics reports to understand when you are getting the most pageviews, visits, and leads to help you publish  and share content at the best times when your audience is most engaged. Do you look at content longevity? The metric can help you plan  a better #blogschedule.Recommended Reading: When Is The Best Time To Publish A Blog Post?What 10 Studies Say About The Best Times To Post On Social Media Content Engagement Part of evaluating engagement, of course, includes some of the vanity metrics you just learned about. How many comments and shares are you getting? High numbers indicate that your viewers are actually taking the time to check out  your entire post and are so  engaged that they want to comment or to share that content with others. Which  types of media  complement your posts the best?  So you're blogging, but you're probably including different types of content into your posts. When you share that advanced media like infographics and videos to your social networks, what is performing better for your audience?  This kind of information will tell you which types of posts you want to link to which social media.Measure the time spent on each post by each visitor. If a visitor stays 3 minutes or more, that visitor will most likely return, and studies show that you need to capture a visitor within the first 10 seconds if they're going to stay. If you're getting lots of bounces within that first 10 seconds, you need to do something about your headlines  and your blog post introductions.  You can also get data on whether a visitor is actively engaged with your content or whether the page is open by sitting on a background tab right in Google Analytics.Are viewers scrolling through other posts  after they spend time reading one? This is clearly engagement, and the longer they spend doing this, the more likely they are to come back again. And if you really want to dig deeper, you can track the specific posts a visitor views and collect data on that, so that you know which posts of the past are still piquing interest- review that content and see how you can repurpose it. Personalized content is trending now, so this is a great way to prepare for it!Viewer Loyalty: Google Analytics calls this â€Å"frequency† or â€Å"recency.† How often does the same viewer come and how many days before they come back? Chartbeat  conducted a loyalty study and found that anyone who comes 5 times in a month will keep returning regularly after that.Recommended Reading: 4 Lessons From Psychology That Will Help You Grow Your Blog Content Conversions Conversions are any action  you want a viewer to take, whether that is a sale or an action that may funnel that conversion to an eventual sale. You need to know the percentage of visitors that take some action after having been on your blog- giving an email address signing up for a newsletter, taking a free trial, etc. Lead generation metrics: Are they converting before they read your content or afterward? This will tell you if your posts are productive or not. If conversions are occurring after your content is read, your inbound blog posts are doing their job.Sales generation metrics: If specific content is generating purchases on the part of viewers, you will know that you want to get that type of content into as many posts as possible. Google Goal Analytics can give you great data through conversion reports, and these are pretty critical, because, after all, marketing exists for one purpose- to sell. Create your goals in Google Analytics now: Create, edit, and share goalsCreate and customize dashboards You can request conversion rates per page on your entire site, which will include your blog, and then compare the percent  of conversions for each page. And, if you dig deeper, you can get a report that shows the page that was the original view of that conversion. If you find that a healthy percentage of conversions begin with a view of a blog post, then these posts are paying off well. If you have lots of views, comments, and shares but not a good conversion rate, then all you have are vanity views. Analytics tools are sophisticated, rather amazing, and can really help you make some big  decisions about  your blog content. Turning your marketing performance  metrics into actionable ways to improve your blog will help you create better content and focus that content on achieving your goals.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Using Microwave Astronomy To Explore the Cosmos

Using Microwave Astronomy To Explore the Cosmos Not many people think about cosmic microwaves as they nuke their food for lunch each day. The same type of radiation a microwave oven uses to zap a burrito helps astronomers explore the universe. Its true: microwave emissions from outer space help give a peek back at the infancy of the cosmos.   Hunting Down Microwave Signals A fascinating set of objects emits microwaves in space. The closest source of nonterrestrial microwaves is our Sun. The specific wavelengths of microwaves that it sends out are absorbed by our atmosphere. Water vapor in our atmosphere can interfere with the detection of microwave radiation from space, absorbing it and preventing it from reaching Earths surface. That taught astronomers who study microwave radiation in the cosmos to put their detectors at high altitudes on Earth, or out in space.   On the other hand, microwave signals that can penetrate clouds and smoke can help researchers study conditions on Earth and enhances satellite communications. It turns out that microwave science is beneficial in many ways.   Microwave signals come in very long wavelengths. Detecting them requires very large telescopes because the size of the detector needs to  be many times greater than the radiation wavelength itself. The best-known microwave astronomy observatories are in space and have revealed details about objects and events all the way out to the beginning of the universe. Cosmic Microwaves Emitters The center of our own Milky Way galaxy is a microwave source, although its not so extensive as in other, more active galaxies. Our black hole (called Sagittarius A*) is a fairly quiet one, as these things go. It doesnt appear to have a massive jet, and only occasionally feeds on stars and other material that pass too close. Pulsars  (rotating neutron stars) are very strong sources of microwave radiation. These powerful, compact objects are second only to black holes in terms of density. Neutron stars have powerful magnetic fields and fast rotation  rates. They produce a broad spectrum of radiation, with the microwave emission being particularly strong. Most pulsars are usually referred to as radio pulsars because of their strong radio emissions, but they can also be microwave-bright. Many fascinating sources of microwaves lie well outside our solar system and galaxy. For example, active galaxies (AGN), powered by supermassive black holes at their cores, emit strong blasts of microwaves. Additionally, these black hole engines can create massive jets of plasma that also glow brightly at microwave wavelengths. Some of these plasma structures can be larger than the entire galaxy that contains the black hole. The Ultimate Cosmic Microwave Story In 1964, Princeton University scientists David Todd Wilkinson, Robert H. Dicke, and Peter Roll decided to build a detector to hunt for cosmic microwaves. They werent the only ones. Two scientists at Bell Labs- Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson- were also building a horn to search for microwaves. Such radiation had been predicted in the early 20th century, but no one had done anything about searching it out. The scientists 1964 measurements showed a dim wash of microwave radiation across the entire sky. It now turns out that the faint microwave glow is a cosmic signal from the early universe. Penzias and Wilson went on to win a Nobel Prize for the measurements and analysis they made that led to the confirmation of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Eventually, astronomers got the funds to build space-based microwave detectors, which can deliver better data. For example, the Cosmic Microwave Background Explorer (COBE) satellite  made a detailed study of this CMB beginning in 1989. Since then, other observations made with the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) have detected this radiation. The CMB is the afterglow of the big bang, the event that set our universe in motion. It was incredibly hot and energetic. As the newborn cosmos expanded, the density of the heat dropped. Basically, it cooled, and what little heat there was got spread over a larger and larger area. Today, the universe is 93 billion light-years wide, and the CMB represents a temperature of about 2.7 Kelvin. Astronomers consider that diffuse temperature  as microwave radiation and use the minor fluctuations in the temperature of the CMB to learn more about the  origins and evolution of the universe. Tech Talk About Microwaves in the Universe Microwaves emit at frequencies  between 0.3 gigahertz (GHz) and 300 GHz. (One gigahertz is equal to 1 billion Hertz. A Hertz is used to describe how many cycles per second something emits at, with one Hertz being one cycle per second.) This range of frequencies corresponds to wavelengths between a millimeter (one-thousandth of a meter) and a meter. For reference, TV and radio emissions emit in a lower part of the spectrum, between 50 and 1000 Mhz (megahertz).   Microwave radiation is often described as being an independent radiation band but is also considered part of the science of radio astronomy. Astronomers often refer to radiation with wavelengths in the  far-infrared, microwave, and ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio bands as being part of microwave radiation, even though they are technically three separate energy bands.