Organizations Performance Essay

An organization’s performance is vital for their success and it is important that all employees are on board with making sure the performance is of high quality. It differs from other evaluations within the company because the performance evaluation â€Å"focuses on the organization as the primary unit of analysis† (Evaluating the Performance of an Organization, 2012). Within an organization’s performance it helps determine the actual output or end results of an organization against the intended outputs or goals for the organization (businessdictionary.com). The product market performance is also included in an organizations performance. Some tools can help the organization change or â€Å"improve their policies on behalf of greater preparedness for the many futures ahead† (NYUWagner, 2011). Different areas and tools are used to determine the organization’s performance and how well they either are doing or how much improvement the organization needs to bring their performance up. â€Å"Organizations are constantly trying to adapt, survive, perform and influence† but that does not always mean they are successful at doing what they do (Evaluating the Performance of an Organization, 2012). One way that an organization can better their performance is by conducting an organizational assessment to diagnose their current performance to see what is working and what could use a little bit of improvement. This â€Å"tool can help organizations obtain useful data on their performance, identify important factors that aid or impede their achievement of results, and situate themselves with respect to competitors† (Evaluating the Performance of an Organization, 2012). The main four tools for organizational performance are effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, and financial viability. â€Å"Effectiveness is the capability of producing a desired result† (businessdictionary.com). This means that if something is considered to be effective then it has an intended or expected outcome which is what is used in the organizations to determine if what is set in place is working effectively or if additional changes need to be made. There is sufficient reason and means with effectiveness and that is to accomplish a purpose. Without a purpose there is not an effective meaning behind conducting business or maintaining a successful organization. Effectiveness is a very good tool for organizations and managers to understand and become familiar with to be on the right track for success. Another tool that management should be familiar with and make sure the organization is doing is efficiency. Efficiency is not to be confused with effective even though sometimes they are mixed up and confused. â€Å"Efficiency describes the extent to which time, effort or cost is well used for the intended task or purpose† (businessdictionary.com). Typically efficiency is used with the specific purpose of relaying the capability of a specific application of effort to produce a specific outcome effectively with a minimum amount or quantity of waste, expense, or unnecessary effort (Evaluating the Performance of an Organization, 2012). Relevance is a basic tool but one that can help in the success of an organization. It is â€Å"the ability to retrieve material that satisfies the needs of the user† mostly in the terms of an informational retrieval system (businessdictionary.com). Management need to have relevance in order to be successful because they need to be able to pull the necessary information from production, departments, and other sources to see if what is being produced or utilized is satisfying their requirements or not. For a business to be effective they need to â€Å"strive for the best possible economic results from the resources currently employed or available† (Drucker, 1963). Having an effective business is the key for the business to be able to grow and establish themselves as a company and within the community. Several different techniques are used to allow the business to become effective. One of the keys for successful management â€Å"is to examine the marketplace† and focus on the process of management versus the output (Drucker, 1963). When focusing on the process of management it is important for the company to look at strategy, planning and budgeting and understand the difference between each of them yet understand how each one works with each other to make it successful. â€Å"Strategy is a high level plan to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty† (businessdictionary.com). For a business to be successful they need to implement some sort of strategy. Strategy is important because it helps to utilize all of the resources that are available or could be available for the project at hand. Most of the time resources are usually limited and in order to achieve the goals that the company has set in place making sure the strategy is set in place will help the process flow more smoothly. â€Å"Strategy is also about attaining and maintaining a position of advantage† over the opponents, or competition that is able to have flexibility instead of having to stick to any specific fixed plan. By allowing there to be slight flexibility that allows the company to try to keep an advantage over the competition and stay ahead compared to the other organizations. Planning â€Å"is the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to achieve a desired goal† (businessdictionary.com). Strategy could be considered the first step and then planning would be the second step in achieving the desired goal for organizational su ccess. Planning involves the construction and maintenance of a plan. â€Å"This thought process is essential to the creation and refinement of a plan† or combination of it with other plans (NYUWagner, 2011). Planning typically combines forecasting of development with the preparation for how the organization should react to these situations. For the organization to remain successful it needs to understand the importance and relationship between planning and forecasting. â€Å"Forecasting can be described as predicting what the future will look like† or what the future might hold for the company and â€Å"planning predicts what the future should look like† (NYUWagner, 2011). Organizations that do not understand the difference between planning and forecasting will not be as successful as the organizations that do. This is because looking at the numbers of what something might look like and what it should look like are two different ways of planning. For a business to be successful the need to focus on planning so their predictions are what the future should look like to be successful and stay on the right path. Budgets are also incorporated with strategy and planning, they all intertwine together. â€Å"A budget is a quantitative expression of a plan for a defined period of time† (businessdictionary.com). Several different factors can be associated within a budget such as sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities, costs and expense, assets and liabilities, and even cash flows. The budget â€Å"expresses strategic plans of business units, organizations, activities or events in measurable terms† (Evaluating the Performance of an Organization, 2012). For a company to have success in their daily operations they need to make sure the stay on budget and current with all of their projects. Many organizations create a budget for each plan however they do not follow through with the budget. It is one thing to create a budget for a product and it is another thing to actually follow through with the budget and make sure everyone stays on track. If the company goes over budget then the planning and strategy process were not calculated correctly. Everyone involved within the project needs to be familiar with the strategy, plan and budget aspects to keep the organization successful and continue moving forward instead of always having to back track. It is easy to get off of track or to change the plan in the middle of the project. It is up to the organization and the team responsible for the project to keep the budget that they were assigned. Works Cited NYCWagner. (2011). Retrieved August 21, 2013, from http://www.NYCWager.com Evaluating the Performance of an Organization. (2012). Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www.smallbusinessnotes.com/managing-your-business/business-ethics.html#ixzz2afud6KU0 Business Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved July 30, 2013, from http://www.businessdictionary.com Ferrell. (2011). Business Ethics. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kirby. (2012). Accounting Principles. McGraw. Zain, B. (2011). Strategic Management. Pittsburg: McGraw.

Emily Dickinson Essay

Emily Dickinson’s poem â€Å"I like the look of Agony† focuses people’s attention on great suffering and death. I personally find it to be cold and extremely cruel yet naturally truthful. Contrary to what it may seem, liking the look of agony is not a sadistic manner. It artistically implies how people respond to emotional sufferings and heartache. The poem itself shows the dramatic device of literature, which could be one way of showing her uniqueness and weirdness entertaining herself to go beyond the social norm. The author puts the sentence â€Å"I like the look of agony† at the beginning not because she likes looking to people who is in agony but rather, she is just having the intense interest of the way we absorb emotional sufferings, pain and the agony especially when death of a love one occurs. And it is so surprising to the reader to read the first line being so direct with extreme cruelty. Different emotions occurs and may be expressed inappropriately when we come to realize that death is unavoidable. Some people tend to control their emotions and try to have a full power on them. They feel comfortable out of it. It is called defense mechanism. Refer to the second line, which I personally believe that it is the heart of the poem, â€Å"Because I know it’s true. † She must have gotten a lot of untrue looks and hated them because she was a painfully shy and homely woman. We can speculate that the untrue looks are looks of interest or even attraction to her: looks of friendship, admiration and love. She doesn’t trust all those things, only the agony of dying, â€Å"Homely Anguish† -the personification of love. We know that most people often fear death, whereas we should be aware of the fact that everyone of us will come to an end and death is close to us. Suffering does not have to be associated with fear. We have to perceive that death is an event and it’s happening to everyone of us. We just have to stand and be prepared to face it. Agony is somewhat like having a cancer. How an excruciating pain of someone who is suffering from severe cancer feels like. This is the moment were we can be genuinely honest on how we truly feels. We don’t assume or pretend, but just live the moment and don’t even know how to gain control of it. None of us can deceive the physical appearance to go along an agony. In my view, death is something that we have to be prepared. It is unstoppable and beyond anyone’s control. We just have to accept that each one of us is uncertain when coming to an end. Lastly, I agree with what the author has trying to tell us, to be ready to face the last pace of life death. Analyzing this poem of Dickinson is one way of seeing the positive look of agony and death, which is to express the deepest emotions on a highly emotional incident involving the lost of someone.

Mental wellbeing and Mental Health Essay

1. Understand the different views on the nature of mental  well-being and Mental health and the factors that may influence both across lifespan: It is a well known fact, that everyone is one of kind unique if you like. There for there will be always different views on this as well as other matters. ( diet, fitness ect)  while † this and that † is working for some, it may not work for the other. However there is a basic so called skeleton form which we can build up what is the best for the individual. Mental well-being can be very unstable thing and it can be tipped either way at any time by trauma or excitement. Influencing factors: – childhood – own believes – education – lifestyle – status of body and mind – reasons for mental well-being/ or illness ( stress, death of loved one ect) – other known/ unknown influencing factors 1.1 Evaluate two different views on the nature of  mental well-being and mental health As already stated every individual is unique and we cannot assume of otherwise. There for every individual. However there is a basic skeletons from which we can build on ( assessment, diagnosis and therapy) If we would go to total basics then we would find two directions from which to start. Positive- People in that state of mind having † can do attitude†, find easy problem s solving, their physical health is usually very good or healing of injury or other goes much faster then at negative thinking individual. – In case of diagnosis and care positive verbalisation helps to encourage a positive process and to keep on track in order to get well HOWEVER: every individual is unique and there for the carer/ doctor or other must must always let client find best path which is best for the client. ( his own way at his own time) Negative- individual sees all as † all hope lost/ no other way† , due lack of hope   and motivation lets thing spin out of hand to make things worse.  Problem to acknowledge a problem or willingness to accept helping  hand is a big issue. ( various reasons like shameless, loss of hope,other). – with the negative mental state you may find that physical signs are at  present ( lack of sleep, aggression, nervosas, other) Mental health – linked to medical model which focuses on treating illnesses establishing diagnosis and treatment as well as prevention, providing medical and other support ( various groups sessions ect) mental well-being- take holistic view of the individual experience. eg. How clients friends and family react to him and his illness, providing moral and social support. – Also nutrition and area client lives plays great role – various activities with the friends and family – Rather than providing medical treatment it is more about helping getting better and supported or not sick at all 1.2 explain range of factors which may influence mental well-being and mental health across the life span including ( 3 factors): – individuals past history- childhood and teenage hood are the vital parts of our lifes. They makes us who we are, makes our believes or other. ( hobbies, mind set, likes not likes other) whether we like it or not nearly whole life we will compare new outcomes or solving new problems base on our past. – biological factors- heath problems run in family at the present or in past. ( usually heritage illness) – male or female – brain or other injury not related to family ( accident or other) – poor nutrition or drug abuse – intake of toxins in body Social factors- family ground indiv. grown up – various social believes ( religion or other) – group of people who socialise with, how they observe you (example heath or drug oriented groups) – state or community you life in and how they accept you psychological factors- already ongoing psych. Illness – stress or shock – loss of loved one – lack of self esteem 1.3 Explain how following types of risk factors and protective factors influence level of resilience in individuals and groups in relation  to mental health and well being: In quantum physics as well as in various ancient civilisation there was/ is believe that all is corrected including people. It my my believe, that it is really so. We all creating each other reality as well as improving/ destroying one to another ( helping or acting badly in order to make a harm) Small thing, action or word can have huge positive or negative impact on us. There for it is important to identify that it is mostly actions of other which may resolve in to improving/ sustaining our mental health or the opposite( too much letting down may resolve in not trusting people or lack of self-esteem) – Risk factors including inequalities, poor quality social relationships: constant discrimination, putting down, rejection or not acceptance are examples of high risk factors. These behaviours of other towards us have not just negative impact on us, but may have potentially deadly consequences for others as well( recent shooting in schools, which were flamed my humiliation or bad rejection of killers ) – protective factors including socially valued roles, social support and contact: Inclusion, full or part acceptance as well as learning about individuals, their habits, believes and other has great positive impact and well as it is great prevention of above stated risks. It was this strategy ( were all nation united against nazi example) managed to achieve great goal to win both world wars as well as in today’s climate to prevent or quickly end another. The same result is achieved when dealing with individuals. Example of risk factors- understaffed care home may have a problem with staff having enough time to spend  with client to ensure proper job done and to avoid any distress on clients as well as carer’s side. Carer feeling under pressure to do it all in hurry may send signals to client( by actions, voice tone or body language) â€Å" u again/ I want you off my back† despite it may not be so. Example of protective action- providing enough staff in to care home as well as management taking time to re ensure staff that they value staff opposition, time and afford can provide furtherer creative thinking on staff side. ( suggest improvements, proper problems records and correction ect) This can resolve in calm and happy staff and their happy feeling can transfer on client ( client being more positive, calm more co-operative, health problems stabilized) Also, the more respect and interest in client carer shown ( within the reasons) the more open, happier and co-operative client is. 2. know how to implement an effective strategy for promoting mental well-being and mental health with individuals and groups: 2.1 Explain steps that an individual may take to promote their mental well-being and mental health- -take himself/ others with reserve ( not too seriously, not  everything is as bad as it seems) – if problem which cannot be solved by your own doing  seek advice ( also helps to stop problem from getting worse) – socialise with people you feel good with and minimize contact with those one who may cause stress or worse. ( no worth of your anger, or damaged health) – regular sport, indoors/ outdoors activities, meditation, relaxation, find a hobby ( doing things you love have great healing properties) – sometimes animals can provide great comfort and relaxation ( so called animal therapy is used on daily bases. Given love= received love) – Find goal who want to achieve as a reason to be.  ( having a goal can be great engine to keep you going on the road you want to be) – Volunteering can provide great satisfaction, boost up self believe and self-worth ( by doing something good and make a difference, makes you feel better about yourself.) – Love frequency- every emotion has a frequency which resonates. Frequency of love is 528 MHz. In Switzerland used to heal damaged tissue. Can be also used for emotion balance restoration 2.2 Explain how to support an individual in promoting their mental well-being and mental health- – showing by practical example, that anything can be done.  ( someone just got new will never use leg again and there for run, visit with him army heroes centre to visit people with similar injury, but still doing what they love) – re-ensure client you and everyone else involved will be always there for him and there is nothing he cannot ask or do. -listen the problem and act as a middle man to find the right solution, comfort or just show that † not all is lost† – make people aware/ organise various events meetings or programs where everyone is welcomed. ( cancer UK research run, Macmillan coffee  morning. You never know what it can give to the individual) – together visit or to do all kind of sport/ other indoors/ outdoors activities – introduce all options how to stay happy and healthy ( books, youtube videos, talks) – Radiate happiness and positivity- in order to help other you must be ok. If people sense from you negativity, may not accept your help and support. 2.3 evaluate a strategy for supporting and individual in promoting their mental well-being and mental health- – Assessment- gather all info available about client ( friends, family, medic. Professionals, other) – make- up your own pre- picture of client, but use it ONLY as a guideline ( so you know what you stepping in to ) – meet up with client and talk ( than you can make final picture, which will need gradual and frequent adjustments- every day is different) – support- finding the best optional choices for client based on your assessment and introducing them to client. ( make sure he knows there are just options he makes final call) – Let client choose the best one for him with explanation it may be changed at any time if needed. – proceed to chosen program providing constant support, re-ensuring, assistance, example and guidance – revaluation- this part should be done on regular bases to see how client view all what is happening also to see his state of well- being and mental health In past have worked with client who was very linked to his wife. She regularly visited him on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. However, between these days he was angry and wanted to see her or leave the care home. In order to ensure his calamines and better management of his behaviour, lady wrote by herself days and times on small peace of paper when she is due to come. So when she was due on Wednesday and on Tuesday he was angry, I just shown the ticked for Wednesday to him. He recognised the writing of his wife and under written promise on Wednesday visit he calmed down. To make it feel like â€Å" it’s just in few moments†, I have converted ? day in to hours minus sleep( giving feeling it will be here soon) and than doing various activities in order time to pass more quickly and waiting to feel much bearable. 2.4 Describe key aspects of a local, national or international strategy to promote mental well-being and mental health within a group or community- -Raising awareness about the problem and identification of consequences ( supporting various groups, meetings, internet media other media, explaining consequences of mental illness and importance of mental health) – Education and physical education- providing knowledge to people and promoting various activities -Promoting inclusion and fighting discrimination and various stigmas – improving mental health of- infants and very young children – children and young people – well- being in working life – well-being in later life – in communities – improving mental health promotion and prevention in local services – promoting research and education as well as international/ national co-operation – regular evaluations of status of national/ international Mental health and well being – Promoting inclusion and comunity spirit ( mix meetings of various religious or other groups) 2.5 Evaluate a local, national or international stratedy to promote mental well-being and mental health within a group or comunity: In last decade have been finaly recognised how important well-being and mental health is. So much so, that comunal, local, national and international tratedies have been developed and implicated to fight growing problem of mental health. ( more and more people have well- being or mental health issues or physical illneses directly linked to mental health) Most of the strategies are directed on young people where problem is the worst. Promoting equality and conclusion is one of the important part of promoting mental health as well as preventing mental health related illneses. Regular meeting on local, national or international level have been held in order to tackle problem more effectively. There are lot of support groups/ organisation supported by goverments or just run as charities. Also great finances have been put in to education and prevention programs in order to esure healty future and current generation.

Social Settings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social Settings - Essay Example use it is the group in which I feel I am most myself, most relaxed and most able to explore those elements of my interactions with others without expectations or strict boundaries. However, there is another world in which I operate that would be classified in terms of the organic as my association with business people is based on an interdependent web of specialized skills. I would consider this my secondary group because I have less personal emotion tied up in this group and my time spent with this group is a matter of necessity for the welfare of my primary group rather than primarily being a matter of choice. This also falls in line with Durkheim’s theories as the mechanical organization is primarily within kinship ties and the organic organization is within the larger sphere of my life in the city of New York. It was Ferdinand Tonnies who suggested much the same sort of distinction between social groups as that offered by Durkheim, namely that people tended to form social groups around either shared emotion and beliefs or around more intentional codependence on speciality and proximity. He also indicated that these groups had more specific settings in which to form. In terms of the emotional group, the rural setting or the small town seems to be what he had in mind, where each individual shared much of the same lore, mythology and concepts of self-preservation for the community at large while the other group was more abstract and distant, focused more on the welfare of the city or state. While I see how these ideas may be valid, I feel my personal life falls more within Durkheim’s system in which both systems might exist simultaneously within the same context. My family and friends are a close-knit group who share many of the same interests and sometimes the same background while m y co-workers are equally close based upon our shared interest in the welfare of the organization for which we work. While I gain my sense of status within both of my

BASICS OF COMPUTER AND PROGRAMS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

BASICS OF COMPUTER AND PROGRAMS - Essay Example This means that, without software, a computer cannot be able to carry out any command hence useless. Different categories of software are installed in computers to enable them do tasks as given by the user. This softwares work hand in hand with each other for the computer to carry out its given tasks effectively, below are the two common softwares. Application software is a computer program that is widely known and used for commercial purposes whereby it carries out all regular and specific assignments that a user wants it to do, like calculations, data processing, word processing, communication, games, database management, spreadsheets and other related tasks. Application software is the main reason why the user buys a computer, whereby, it makes the work easier and faster than it could be done manually. The application system is widely used in business, medical and educational fields across the world as it has made the work and assignments in these fields easier. The softwares are known and seen by the end user, and through this, the user create shortcuts that enable him or her to access easily the documents in the machine (Stair, Reynolds and Reynolds, 2008). System software is the main computer software that directs the essential purposes of a computer and it is usually preinstalled within the machine; they are not seen by the user. It allows communication between the hardware and other categories of software; it includes utilities which safeguards and upholds the computer and its operating system. Utilities include software like anti- viruses, disk defragmenters and firewalls, their main purpose is to protect and maintain the computer system from breakdowns. Computer driver devices also fall under system software; in other words, system software gives support to the physical elements of a computer and synchronizes all the external devices like keyboards, printers, displays among others (Nithyashri, 2010). System softwares enables the machine to function ef fectively and accessibly; it protects the machine from any internal and external damages that may cause breakdown. It also ensures that there are servers and workstations that make the tasks easier; on the other hand, application software are tools available in the computer that enable the user‘s work cheaper. Both system and application softwares are beneficial to me as a business end user because through them, I know that my computer will function the moment I turn it on (system software) and that I will complete my calculations and balance my budget easily and faster (application software). Application software will enable me create shortcuts on my machine so that I can access the documents faster and effectively; likewise, the system software will protect my machine from breakdowns in that I will not lose any information or distort my information. Therefore, they will enable me to deliver high quality and quantity services to my clients in time. Types of software packages There are several types of software packages but the eight most popular ones are, word processor; this is a package that enables people to use a computer and to carry out their tasks. These programs enable the user to check out and correct spellings, make some characters italic, bold and underline show the difference and importance of the characters from the rest of the document, standardize the document to the required page layout, save the document for later use or

Discuss the impact of fear and anger (in patients) when caring for Essay

Discuss the impact of fear and anger (in patients) when caring for clients in the health care setting - Essay Example â€Å"Anger is a HEALTHY EMOTION. It is a WARNING SIGNAL that something is wrong† (Middelton-Moz, Ph.D., 2009) Fear and anger even though are common in most of the living things and also in normal cases it may not create much harm to the person who was afraid of something or feeling angry at something, it’s effect is not the same as far as patients are concerned. Fear and angry can complicate the conditions of a patient because of the psychological and physiological changes it can develop among the patients. Patients irrespective of their nature of disease definitely need a peaceful mind for the speedy recovery from the disease. Fear and anger can worsen the conditions of a patient. Frustrations can creep up among the minds of the patients because of their inability to lead a normal life which they may demonstrate in the form of fear or anger. Nurses who are taking care of the patients often confused with, how to deal with such patients in order to settle them and to regain their lost mental balances or psychological equilibriums. â€Å"Fear of not being in control, fear of uncertainty and the unknown, fear of pain and change, fear of not being able to meet your obligations to family and job. Fears can mask themselves in anger and hostility, which is often directed at those youre closest to, as well as doctors, nurses, and technicians† (Schimmel, 2009) Dry Mouth, Heart Palpitations, Numbness, Heightened Senses, Breathlessness, Feeling Dizzy, Muscle Tension, Hyperventilation etc are the most visible symptoms of fear and anger (Duffey, 2009) First and the foremost thing the nurses must concentrate in dealing with such emotionally distracted patients are to develop strategies to regain the patient’s normal mental condition. Nurses must know that medications alone may not yield 100% recovery of such patients and psychological approaches also required to

Wal-Mart Stores Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wal-Mart Stores - Essay Example The company was incorporated On October 31, 1969, as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Sam Walton died in 1992, since then the Company has progressed tremendously, transforming from being just the largest American retailer to securing the top spot as the largest company of the world on Fortune 500 list. (Lichtenstein, N. (2006). Business: The CEO of Wal-Mart U.S. believes that tremendous oppertunitunies are waiting to be seized by growing the Company through setting up Walmart ExpressTM and similar new formats in urban as well as minority areas of the United States of America. Walmart has a total of 4,700 retail stores in American, making it the America’s largest retailer. Site to Store ®, Fed-Ex Site to Store ® and Pick up today ® are Walmart’s leveraging innovations which ensures shopping flexibility for customers. Walmart offers web services across 15 countries which do not require the physical presence of the store to provide large discount services. The Company aims to o rganize its web efforts and meanwhile expand the services to many other countries of the world. The professional leadership of Walmart stores is fully prepared to launch financial plans to strengthen important financial issues regarding growth, returns to shareholders and leverage. Profit: Wal-Mart began as a dream which was nurtured with determination, passion and the desire to expand and resulted in being one of the most successful ventures in the American history. Like always, a strong solid financial performance was delivered by Walmart in the fiscal year 2011.Walmart’s net sales showed an increase of 3.4 % and therefore the net sales were increased to $419 billion. In addition, the overall operating income increased by 6.4%. Hence, the operating income was increased to $25 billion. The Company’s diluted earnings from continuing operations showed a rise of 12%, thus increasing the diluted earnings to $4.16 per share. The company, through dividends and share repurch ases was able to return $19.2 billion to its shareholders. The great results of the fiscal year of 2011, reflects the strong basis of its underlying business and the ability to deliver shareholder value. The success of Walmart is due to the fact that it strives hard to maintain a momentum in areas of success, while simultaneously work on weak areas to bring a change. Business Environment: Warlmart owns a total 8000 retail stores worldwide whose global sales are approximately $400 billion annually. Wal-Mart team proposed the idea of forming a supercenter in low income community area near Los Angeles in 2004. The idea behind the construction of large discount supercentre in Inglewood was to introduce the Californians with Wal-Mart’s supercentre project. Due to the consistent efforts of the Walmart team, the Company is the greatest positioned retailer of the world. Wal-Mart Supercenters were first established in the early 1980s and are characterized by a full grocery line and ma ny specialty departments which offer products at large discounts. Thus, accomplishing Wal-Mart’s mission which states: â€Å"We save people money, so they can live better.† The company now intends to expand its supercenters and introduce new formats across many countries of the world. (Fishman, C. (2006). Economy: The 4,700 Wal-Mart departmental stores across America have provided employment to more than 1.3 million individuals. However, the Company is blamed for causing serious economic impacts such as net loss of jobs. Some economists believe that a single

THREAT ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

THREAT ANALYSIS - Essay Example Firstly, the process requires a source of the integral fissionable explosive that is in the right amounts and quality; also, it requires a terrorist with the knowledge of the science and technical works for execution. With a person, that has ample knowledge in the field, fabrication of the nuclear weapon is possible depending with the materials acquired and the target location of the terrorists. After the manufacturing, the complex and last parts involve successfully delivering the weapon to the target location and detonating the explosive. In these occasions, the terrorists need to be knowledgeable about the security policies in the target location and come up with plans of transporting the weapon without causing alarm. Without people that are conversant enough, the terrorist attacks fail due to complications such lack of communication and network blocks i.e.in the Iranian infiltration in 2012, the saboteurs did not succeed because the threat was identified early enough, and the aut horities had possible suspects . Definitely, the terrorists should be conservative and willing to risk or lose their lives like the common suicide bombers, in order for the attacks to succeed; furthermore, the people detonating the weapons should avoid accidents such as spontaneous ignition or early detonation. Today, there are only a limited number of terrorists groups with the capabilities of making successful nuclear weapon attacks. This is due to the lack of resources and advanced security in nuclear facilities. Al Qaeda and Al Shabab are today’s popular terrorist groups that have managed to conduct attacks in parts of the world with complex tactics. Al Qaeda is very resourceful as it divides into two groups based in Yemen and the core in Pakistan (Jonas &Swift 2008). Moreover, it has resourceful organizations and other terrorist groups like Al Shabab as its associates; typically, this

Business IT AND SERVICES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business IT AND SERVICES - Essay Example Human Clouding is a concept that has emerged because of such kind of advances in information technology. Human Clouding refers to a situation whereby employees of an organization do not have a distinct working place. They only rely on the internet and tools of information technology to receive and send large volumes of data. This paper analyzes this concept of human clouding and its various models. When talking about the concept of cloud, people tend to talk about it, in terms of its technological nature, and the impact that it has had on how business personalities and people are able to access data, and communicate with each other (Rountree and Castrillo, 2013). Through an adoption of cloud computing technologies, business organizations are able to provide better flexibility to its employees, and they manage to change when, how, and where they work (Bellavista, 2010). However, cloud computing has not had a vigorous change on the manner in which people work, in a business organization. This is because people are still talking about employee relations in terms of their work place (Rountree and Castrillo, 2013). An individual’s place of work is equated with the business operation that an individual undertakes or is employed with (Bellavista, 2010). This is based on the misconception that the physical place of the business itself is the actual business itself. However, exp erienced and good business managers have the knowledge that a business organization does not consist of mortar, or bricks (Kaganer, Carmel, Hirscheim and Olsen, 2013). It consists of people, who are its employees. On this basis, a new concept of cloud has emerged, which is referred to as the human cloud. Under this concept, wherever place an employee chooses to work from, then that place is his or her work place. This concept further goes on to denote that the work force of an individual is the employer’s business organization. One of the major issues that emanates concerning

The Illiad Book 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Illiad Book 1 - Essay Example Agamemnon, who was the commander of the Achaean army, had attacked Troy in the tenth and final year. During the war, Agamemnon captured two Trojan beautiful maidens called Briseis and Chryseis. Agamemnon distributed the two women and other possessions among the Greek soldiers. Agamemnon as the leader of the army valued Chryseis and aimed at using her to amuse his army after the victory while Achilles took Briseis. Chryseis was actually the daughter of Chryses, the priest of Apollo. Chryses after realizing the capture of his daughter offers Agamemnon a mammoth payment in exchange of her only daughter. The pride of Agamemnon as an Army commander compels him to decline the priests request. Chryses gets furious and prayers dearly to Apollo the god for help and divine intervention. Apollo responds to Chryses request by sending a death plague into the Greek army camp (Johnston 10). The disease caused suffering of the Greeks soldiers and later caused their death. At the end of the suffering, Achilles quest for truth of army suffering and death enables a powerful seer reveals the source of the plague. Calchas, the seer, explains that Chryses caused the plague because of vengeance to her detained daughter. Agamemnon gets angry with Chryses and commands that he will only release Chryseis after Achilles compensates him with Briseis, who was the latter’s’ prized possession from the war. Achilles who was a respected hero, brave soldier, and commander of Myrmidons army gets humiliated and becomes furious. He threatens to abandon the Greeks soldiers in Troy to fight for the selfish Agamemnon. Agamemnon promises to invade Achilles camp and take Briseis for personal honor a thought that provokes Achilles, who raises his sword ready to kill the army commander. However, before he strikes Agamemnon, goddess Athena intervenes and calms him after command form Hera (Johnston 210). Agamemnon affirms that he will take Briseis

Video games Essay Example for Free

Video games Essay Today, video games have become the most popular means of entertainment throughout our world. More than three-quarters of American youths have video-game consoles, and on a typical day at least 40 percent play a video game. Moreover, recently there has been a wide range of studies by professors throughout the world all focusing on the idea of whether or not video games are causing the youth to become a more illogical violent society in the future. Moreover, some people believe they are just a waste of precious time. However, they have been proven by many scholars that they are not only the best means of entertainment, but also one of the best sources of learning and improving brain performance and strategies, speed of alertness and decision making, and problem solving skills. Coming up with good strategies can be very handy for our lives whether it be in business, learning, teaching, etc. Nowadays video games have been proved to make people smarter towards creative strategy thinking. For example, it has been stated that â€Å"While there are many games that place a premium on strategy, most set an overall goal and give the gamer numerous ways in which he or she can achieve that goal. † Vila, Monica. 7 Reasons Why Your Son Should Play Video Games. http://www. babble. com/. N. p. , 04 Feb 2013. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Video games teach kids to think objectively about both the games themselves and their own performance. In addition, players also get instant feedback on their decisions and quickly learn their own strengths and weaknesses through try and error since they get unlimited lives in a video game. Video games have a great effect on the youth regarding decision making. Some researchers compared action video-gamers and non-gamers with a series of simple decision-making experiments. Gamers devoted at least five hours weekly in the year before the experiment to playing action video games, such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Halo 2. They presented volunteers with arrays of dots, asked them to identify which way the dots were moving, and varied the number of dots moving in the same direction to make the task easier or harder. Video games get kids to think. There are dozens of video games that are specifically geared towards learning, but even the most basic shooter game teaches kids to think logically and quickly process large amounts of data. Rather than passively absorbing content from, say, a TV show, a video game requires the player’s constant input to tell the story. Moreover, well known sources such as the video games CQ research proved this characteristic about video gaming â€Å"Games stress taking your knowledge and applying it. That’s pretty crucial in the modern world,† says University of Wisconsin Professor of Reading James Gee. † Glazer, Sarah. Video Games. Congressional Quarterly, 2006. 939. Print. Indeed, the argument that video and computer games are superior to school in helping children learn as gaining currency in academic circles. Claimed benefits include improved problem-solving, mastery of scientific investigation and the ability to apply information learned to real-life situations. In conclusion, as you have seen, there is more than just killing and violence in video games. Our future children should be more exposed to video games not only for ways of entertainment, but also for the sake of improving their intelligence whether it be in creating new strategies, enhancing problem solving skills, or even allowing them to make better life decisions.

Benefits of Electric Vehicles Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Electric Vehicles Essay 1: Problem Statement The market for plug in vehicles is growing more competitive since variety of manufacturers are increasingly offering plug in hybrid and battery electrical vehicle. However, the initially adopted two key drivers, lower operating cost and zero emission driving, are not proving to be as effective as expected. The market for Electrical Vehicle is still struggling to expand towards more mass-market. The purpose of this research is to acquire knowledge and get a better understanding of the cost- benefit of plug in electrical vehicles as well as its’ impact on environmental and financial policies. Questions!! What are the cost and benefits of Electric Vehicles? What is the environmental impact of electric vehicles? How can environmental and financial policies influence on consumer support? 2: Popular sources [IF USED—THESE DON’T COUNT TOWARD THE FIVE SOURCE REQUIREMENT] Write a brief summary of the key information found from your bridge sources and popular source phase of the research. Source cited Give the key points and issue that have broadened you understanding into the problem you are researching 1. Green vehicle. http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Electric_vehicle An electric vehicle is any motor vehicle that uses one or more electric motors or traction motors as a driving force. There are three main types of electric vehicle exist, those that are directly powered from an external power station, those that are powered by stored electricity originally from an external power source, and those that are powered by an on-board electrical generator, such as an internal combustion engine (a hybrid electric vehicle) or a hydrogen fuel cell. These vehicles are environment friendly as they release almost no air pollutants at the place where they are operated. They also have less noise pollution than an internal combustion engine vehicle. EV gives the greater degree of energy resilience as electricity is a form of energy that remains within the region where it produced. 2. Green Cars and Todays Economy. http://www. consumerenergyreport. com/green-cars-and-todays-economy/ According to this article, plug-in hybrid electrical help the economy and personal expenses can determine which green car to buy. The article specifies the pros and cons of having an electric vehicle. Among the advantages are low insurance cost, low gas cost, job creation and better air quality. The disadvantages include maintenance, initial cost and battery life. 3. Negative Environmental Impacts of Hybrid Vehicles. http://greenliving. lovetoknow. com/Hybrid_Vehicles_Negative_Environmental_Impact This article describes the negative environmental impact Hybrid vehicles. It defines different kinds of hybrids. It questions the source of electrical power for hybrids. According to the article hybrid cars are not emission free. The batteries contain nickel in them and are considered toxic. Two other negative aspects that are covered include the negative impact of high voltage wiring and the initial cost associated with the green Car. 3: Scholarly sources List of sources broken down by discipline: Source cited Research process Qualitative/quantitative Framing or norm/post/critical Key insights/theories/points How does this understanding conflict with any other insight/theory or concur 1. Ecology a) R. Socolow, V. Thomas (2000). The Industrial Ecology of lead and electrical vehicle. Journal of Industrial Ecology. Volume 1, issue 1, Pages 13-36, January 2000 b) Title, author? Journal of Environmental Planning Management; Jan 2009, Vol. 52 Issue 1, P79-96. According to this paper, a common risk analysis of electric vehicles is misguided, because it treats lead batteries and lead additives in gasoline on the same footing and implies that the lead battery should be abandoned. The authors stated that â€Å"The use of lead additives in gasoline is a dissipative use where emissions cannot be confined: The goal of management should be and has been to phase out this use. The use of lead in batteries is a recyclable use, because the lead remains confined during cycles of discharge and recharge. † Clean recycling of the lead batteries should be the goal.. A management system closely approaching clean recycling should be achievable. The lead battery has the potential to become a hazardous product managed in the world. The tools of industrial ecology are helpful in identifying the key criteria that an ideal lead-battery recycling system must meet maximal recovery of batteries after use, minimal export of used batteries to countries where environmental controls are weak, minimal impact on the health of communities near lead-processing facilities, and maximal worker protection from lead exposure in these facilities. This research paper explores quantitatively Californians interest in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) based on a statewide phone survey conducted in July 2004 by the Public Policy Institute of California. The paper develops factors that summarize beliefs about energy and the environment using principal component analysis. This study result concludes that the Californians concerned about the environment, energy efficiency, global warming and recent increases in the price of gasoline state a higher interest in hybrids. Another important reason for considering hybrid electric vehicles, however, is the possibility of using high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes while driving alone, especially for people with potentially long commutes to work. The findings also suggest that beliefs about energy and the environment should be included in vehicle type choice models. First article is emphasizing on the negative impact that electric vehicle has on the environment whereas the latter one highlights on the eco-friendliness and the popularity of the EVs. Source cited Research process Qualitative/quantitative Framing or norm/post/critical. Key insights/theories/points How does this understanding conflict with any other insight/theory or concur 2. Technology. c) Systems for hybrid cars. Otmar Bitsche et. al. Journal of power sources 127 (2004) 8-15. d) The state of the art of electric, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles. C. C. Chan. Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol 95, No 4, April 2007. The Otmar article gives us a detailed understanding of what plug-in hybrid electrical are and how their drive trains offer a wide range of benefits such as multifaceted performance improvements, reduced emissions and reduced fuel consumption compared to the internal combustion engine. It demonstrates how important the battery is in different hybrid cars for the right specific automotive application. It describes the cost and safety aspects in terms of battery type and performance of such vehicles. Competition alongside with legislation is pushing hybrid technology towards the future. The paper describes different types of hybrid vehicles and their advantages. It should therefore be considered to have a positive perspective to the reader. However one weakness to the article is that is is relatively technical and may not be appeasing to the general reader in order to understand hybrid cars in a nutshell. Also, the kind of hybrid that would be considered the best in terms of performance is not mentioned. The most significant aspect of the article is it describes all the different modes of hybrid operation and how regenerative braking affects the performance of the battery hence the author develops an important concept. The author approaches the subject matter through a unique method in which he describes stop-start hybrids followed by mild hybrids and full hybrids before focusing on purely electrical cars. The author argues while safety comes first, it is the cost that determines the most important factor to buying a hybrid. In contrast, the Chan paper describes the different state of the art hybrid vehicles in particular. These include Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, Ford Escape, Saturn vue, ISE transient buses and Honda FCX. Chan describes a detailed history of Evs, HEVs and FCVs which the Otmar paper tends to lack. The article describes the differences among Electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles and points out the advantages and disadvantages of each. The paper describes how a better understanding of control theory is essential for the future development of these vehicles. This article is useful in order to choose the right green car for ones individual needs. It describes the hybrid system car by car and is therefore very useful for understanding what is available in the auto market and what to expect from each individual model. The paper is more geared towards the general reader and offers a positive perspective. The most significant aspect of the article is that it is focused on individual car model. It is also in agreement with other sources on hybrid vehicles. The author makes a informative comparison in the form of a table where he compare and contrasts battery electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles in terms of propulsion, energy system, energy source and infrastructure, characteristics and major issues. These factors may arise to a debate on which type of green car is superior in overall performance. Source cited Research process Qualitative/quantitative Framing or norm/post/critical Key insights/theories/points. How does this understanding conflict with any other insight/theory or concur Economics. e) Fredrik Carlsson (2003) Costs and Benefits of electric Vehicles. A 2010 perspective. . Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, volume 37, part 1, January 2003, pp. 1-28. f) Consumer support for environmental policies: An application to purchases of plug-in hybrid electrical vehicle. Alex Coad et. al. Ecological Economics 68 (2009), 2078-2086. The Fredrick paper describes a social cost-benefit analysis with respect to the increase in electric vehicle number within the Swedish transport sector by the year 2010. According to the paper electric cars are socially unprofitable in spite of having a lower life cycle cost compared to their gasoline counterparts. This is due to government subsidies on electric cars which outweigh the benefits related to low fuel consumption. Despite the environmental advantages, electric vehicles are not very common and different means of financially supporting them is often subject to debate. The paper uses a cost benefit model to determine consumer welfare or utility and can be looked upon as having a normative perspective. The weakness of the paper is that it assumes too many assumptions which is not always realistic. It is a technical paper and therefore the mathematical section is not suitable for the general public. The most significant aspect of this research is to answer the question as to whether governments should subsidize electric vehicles and the conclusion is negative. In his conclusion the author states that due to too many uncertainties the case for public subsidies becomes uncertain. In contrast, the Alex paper describes how consumer motivation can be used to encourage the adoption of cleaner technologies. According to the author intrinsic motivation such as energy labels for cars and extrinsic motivation such as subsidies or fines can be used to encourage the adoption of cleaner technologies. The paper analyzes a survey data set of Swiss households. The results of this survey are of particular interest to policy makers who are keen on guiding consumers towards cleaner technology. This paper gives us a better understanding of intrinsic motivation which is the kind of motivation that comes from within ourselves and not from an outside source that rewards money or grades. Extrinsic motivation is guided by some type of external subject or reward. The paper analyzes to what extent consumers are willing to support public policies in order to promote energy efficient cars. The nature of the article is of normative perspective. The weakness of the article is that the survey was conducted on 1500 Swiss households. Nothing about the age or nature of these households are mentioned in the serve. The most significant aspect of the paper is that it gives one a better understanding of different motivation to get a job done. Although both these papers discuss about the economic perspective of plug-in hybrid electrical, they do so in very different way. While the former article is a cost benefit description of electric vehicles by utilizing an economic model, the latter can be considered as an article that describes the motivation that drives consumer support towards the purchase of a green car. 4: Disciplinary Overlapping: In all sources except for the Cost and benefits article it is mentioned that plug-in hybrid electrical are more cost effective than their gasoline counterpart. However, Fredrik Carlsson in his article mentions that electrical vehicles are socially unprofitable in spite of having a lower private life cycle cost and external cost compared to petrol cars. All six articles do however agree that plug-in hybrid electrical are more fuel efficient and environmentally friendlier than gasoline cars. give us a better understanding on what plug-in hybrid electrical are like and how they have evolved with time. mentions the different systems in hybrid vehicles while describes specific models helping us to choose which green car to buy. The cost benefits of buying a green car is discussed in, however, the source is based on many assumptions and the paper itself is very technical. focuses on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation that leads to support of environmental policies. The articles in general give us a better understanding of the problem statement. However one aspect that was overlooked by all the sources involves the environmental effect of different kind of battery systems, their waste and disposal. Category /Element Criteria Range: (Na)(No)(A)(M) Purposefulness (20) identifies a clear research problem and explains it; Readings chosen are relevant to the problem as defined (10-12),(13-15), (16-18),(19-20) 15 Grounding (40) identifies and adequately summarizes the constituent elements of each source: insights, theories or concepts, methodologies, sources of evidence; connects each source to a part of the problem that it helps illuminate (10-12),(13-15), (16-18),(19-20) 0 The selection of sources gives appropriate â€Å"coverage† of the problem (10-12),(13-15), (16-18),(19-20) 17 Critical Awareness (20). Student recognizes and explains how the different elements of each source affect the findings—methods, theories, concepts, assumptions; Student identifies meaningful conflicts or commonalities among different sources (10-12),(13-15), (16-18),(19-20) 17 Integration (20) Student makes intelligent comparisons between insights, theories, methods or data across disciplinary lines to support an improved understanding or cognitive advancement; explains how different ideas could be applied to an improved understanding (10-12),(13-15), (16-18),(19-20) 16 Total: 65.

Distortion effect for electric guitar

Distortion effect for electric guitar Distortion Effect For Electric Guitar Using FPGA Introduction Project Goals And Objectives The goal of the project is to implement distortion effects for electric guitar on an FPGA board. The algorithm that is going to be used is The Extended Karplus Strong Algorithm (Jaffe Smith, 1983). The analog audio signal from the electric guitar is captured by the analog to digital converter (ADC) module of the board. The FPGA is going to send the digital audio signal to a speaker to be played. The algorithm is going to be implemented on FPGA instead of using ASIC design approach. The pros and cons of FPGA design and ASIC design are discussed on the Xilinx website. The design advantage comparison of FPGA and ASICand the design flow comparison of FPGA and ASIC (Xilinx Corporation, 2009). ASIC design has more steps to complete as can be seen . Also, it is suitable for very high volume designs. For a single unit, using FPGA is a better solution. FPGA has no upfront non recurring expenses. It is faster to implement. Manufacturing of ASIC design chips take long time. However, a design can be downloaded to the FPGA and programmed very fast. Considering all these, using FPGA design is more suitable for this project. Project Deliverables The deliverables include the Verilog HDL code of the design. It is going to be synthesizable and can be used with suitable FPGA boards. The final project report is going to be delivered. It is going to include the details of the hardware algorithm, the design process and the results obtained from the functional verification and the hardware validation of the system. A demonstration of the project is doing to be done with the developed prototype of the system. The electric guitar is going to be the input of the system. The output from the board is going to be played through speakers. Technology Trends Before the invention of FPGAs, CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Device) were the most complex programmable logic devices. And before CPLDs, PALs (Programmable Array Logic) were used frequently. PALs were introduced in March 1978 by Monolithic Memories, Inc. They are only one time programmable. PALs are consisted of PROMs (programmable read-only memory). They were mostly used in minicomputers. These devices have fixed OR and programmable AND arrays. This enables the implementation of sum of products logic. A simplified programmable logic device. Typically, PAL devices have a few hundred gates. CPLD devices have higher complexities compared to PAL devices. They have similar features to both PAL devices and FPGAs. Like PALs, they dont have external ROMs, which enable the CPLDs to start functioning just after startup. They have much higher number of gates compared to PAL devices. They have around thousands to tens of thousands of gates. However, this is low compared to FPGAs, since the number of gates inside the FPGAs can go up to a few millions. FPGAs have the most number of gates and flip-flops compared to the others. They are more flexible but their design is more complex. The first distortion effect for electric guitar wasnt produced on purpose. It was mostly caused because of damaged guitar amplifiers. One example was a recording by Johnny Brunette Trio, which caused a fuzz tone effect. (The Train Kept Rollin, 2009). Electronic based distortion and overdrive effects came to scene in 1960s and 1970s. The effects were achieved by diodes, transistors and amplifiers and most of these pedals were analog. With the improvement in the digital signal processing techniques, digital processors became an important part of the technology in the last decade. Market Research The digital products in the market nowadays feature more adjustable effects than just a distortion effect. Typically, they have parallel effect modules that can run simultaneously. They also have advanced software. They have preset tones and effect libraries, tuners and even more features. Also, most of them have USB interfaces with a PC or MAC for compatible recording software. So, the projects features arent going to be able to match the products features in the market. Boss, Line 6, Zoom, Korg, Digitech are among the major companies which produce digital guitar effects processors. The bestselling multieffect electric guitar processors on Amazon.com. It can be observed that Zoom and Digitech have the most market. Requirements Functional Requirements The electric guitar will be connected to the FPGA boards analog to digital converter input. The analog to digital converter is going to convert the incoming analog signal to an 8-bit digital signal. The sampling frequency is going to be 44100 Hz, which is the standard for most of the digital audio files. The reason for choosing this sampling frequency is the human ears ability. The human ear cannot perceive frequencies above 20 KHz. According to the Nyquist Sampling Theorem, a signal can be exactly reconstructed from its samples if the sampling frequency is greater than twice the highest frequency of the signal. If the highest frequency that the human ear can perceive is considered to be 20 KHz, anything above 40 KHz is going to be enough for sampling frequency (Schulzrinne, 2008). The signal is going to be processed inside the FPGA using The Extended Karplus Strong Algorithm (Jaffe Smith, 1983). The processing should be fast enough so that the human ear cannot understand the delay between the time when the player hits a note on the guitar and the time that the output is played by the speakers. After the processing, the 8-bit signal is going to be converted to analog. Finally, this analog signal is going to be sent to the speakers and played. The hardware functionality that the system is going to provide. Nonfunctional Requirements The most of important constraint on the system will be the time constraint. The delay between the input and output audio signals must be minimized. This requires the design to be fast. For this purpose, the resources available on the FPGA should be used efficiently. The most of important constraints on the timing of the design is going to occur due to the algorithm. Floating-point arithmetic might be needed to use according to the algorithm. This might cause the calculations to take longer. Also, another constraint on the system is the speed of the FPGA. The speed of the FPGA is not going to cause a problem for sampling the incoming analog audio signal. However, the speed of the FPGA is going to put a constraint on the speed of the algorithm. A pipelined algorithm might be used in order to satisfy the requirements for the speed and the timing of the system. There are going to be feedback loops, filters and saturator blocks in the system. So, a pipelined algorithm is going to increase the utilization of these blocks and this is going to result in the increase in the throughput. If there is a pipelined algorithm, more resources are going to be needed to implement the pipelined system. The limited amount of the resources such as memory blocks and arithmetic units might put a constraint on the design. Also, another constraint is going to be the data width of the ADC and DAC. Due to the limited number of bits on ADC and DAC, the quality of the digital audio signal is going to be limited. Product Requirements Analysis The product requirement analysis is done using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) technique. The most important criteria for customer satisfaction are low delay time and distortion effect level. Also, good sound quality is very important too. Implementation of additional effects is the least important feature of the product. Low power consumption, low cost, effect adjustability, good bass and treble sounds, good feedback are also expected to have good standards by the customer. In order to meet the customer expectations, most important step is choosing the distortion effect algorithm correctly. The use of external resources should be kept to minimum level in order to meet the speed requirements of the system. Any use of external memory is going to cause additional memory access time and cause the system to function slower. This is going to result in an unwanted delay time. Bit resolution is also important. It is going to affect the sound quality. The higher number of bits is going to increase the quality. It might also help us get rid of using floating point arithmetic for implementing the saturation algorithm. However, the higher number of bits might cause a problem with the pipeline implementation. Project Requirements FPGA has to capture the analog sound and this signal is going to come from the output of an electric guitar. The FPGA board that is going to be used is chosen to be Spartan-3A Starter Kit board because of its built in analog to digital converter and digital to analog converter modules. The board also has a stereo mini jack for audio. These features make this board very suitable for audio processing and thus, very suitable for this project. Also, the FPGA chip has 700 K gates (Xilinx Corporation, 2009). In order to play the output, stereo speakers are going to be connected to the board pin to which the output signal is connected. The design is going to be done in register transfer level (RTL). The RTL design of the system is going to be described using Verilog HDL. In order to do this, Xilinxs design tool Xilinx ISE Webpack 11.3, which is free a program, is going to be used. Before prototyping the system, functional verification has to be completed successfully. For this purpose, Modelsim, which is develop by Mentor Graphics, is going to be used. Before starting the hardware design of the system, the algorithm is going to be simulated and verified using functional blocks in MATLAB Simulink. The hardware requirements for the system are and the software requirements for the system. Design Architecture As discussed earlier, the algorithm that is going to be used is The Extended Karplus Strong Algorithm (Jaffe Smith, 1983). The algorithm extensively uses filters. The algorithm is modeled and simulated under MATLAB Simulink. The model consists of functional blocks. The filters are defined by their discrete transfer functions. There is also a feedback loop. The sound is amplified by a gain block and passes through a saturation block. The saturation block basically causes the signal to saturate if its amplitude goes over or below specific thresholds. So, the higher the signal is amplified by the gain block, the more the signal is going to get distorted; since it is going to be saturated from lower amplitude compared to its new peak value. The model of The Karplus Strong Algorithm. Since there are consequent filter blocks, the signal is going to be delayed. To overcome the problem, the level of parallelism should be increased. Since there are 20 block RAMs in the FPGA, these can be used for increasing the pipeline depth and the level of parallelism. When an 8-bit sample passes though the first filter, it is going to go to the second one. Instead of waiting and doing the second operation using the same hardware, we should maximize the use of the resources and send the data that passed through the first filter to another resource. During that time, the other sample can pass through the first filter. Usage of block RAMs might be very beneficial here, in order to increase the throughput and the speed of the system. Since the data that is going to be processed isnt going to be large, only the internal block RAMs might be enough. Also, use of an external RAM is going to put more delay on the line because of the longer memory access time. This is highly undesirable since the most important criterion for the system is its speed. Structure The system consists of four main parts. First part is where the user interacts with the system. The user is going to generate an output from the guitar and that output is going to be captured by the FPGA board. FPGA is going to the process the output and pass it to the third part of the system, speakers. The stereo output is going to be played by the speakers. Also, a PC is needed to send the .bit file to program the FPGA. The FPGA board. It has an audio output port on the right top. If needed, DDR2 SDRAM can be used as external memory. The analog digital circuitry is used for capturing the analog signal to the board. The circuitry has 2-channel 14-bit analog to digital converter and 4-channel 12-bit digital to analog converter. The switches can be used for turning the distortion on and off. Also, they can be used for the same purpose if additional sound effects are added to the system. Rotary knob can be used for adjusting the level of the distortion or the gain or the volume. The quantity that is going to be adjusted can be determined by the switches since there is only one rotary knob. Interface There are three interfaces in the system. The first interface is for programming the FPGA. The connection between the FPGA and the computer is going to be achieved with USB 2.0. Xilinx iMPACT tool is going to be used to program the FPGA. The second interface is for capturing the analog audio signal from the electric guitar to the FPGA board. The on board analog to digital converter is going to be used for that purpose. Analog to digital converter unit on the board. The third interface is going to be between the FPGA and the speaker. The digital signal is going to be converted to analog signal using Xilinxs digital to analog converter module and it is going to be sent to the audio jack port of the board. The stereo audio jack module. Implementation Implementation Scope As discussed in Section 3.2, the system consists of four main parts. The module for sending the .bit file from the PC to the FPGA is already given with Xilix iMPACT tool, so no implementation is required for this. The second module is the audio input to the board. This is the input module. The input module is going to be implemented with the help of on board analog to digital converter. As discussed earlier, the sampling rate and the bit resolution are the most important parts of the input module. The sampling rate is going to be 44100 Hz and the resolution is planned to be 8 bits. The captured analog signal is going to be converted to digital signal and sent to FPGA module for processing. FPGA module is going to be responsible for processing the digital signal. For faster and efficient processing, pipelined implementation is going to be done. This is going to be done using RTL description of the hardware with Verilog HDL. The output module is going to convert the processed digital signal to analog and send it to the boards audio jack port for playing the processed signal using speakers. Xilinxs DAC module is going to be used for the implementation of this module. Implementation Coverage The algorithm that is going to be used for implementation is The Extended Karplus Strong Algorithm (Jaffe Smith, 1983). The block diagram of The Extended Karplus Strong Algorithm. The output is going to be sent to gain and saturation blocks. There are filter blocks and delay blocks in the system. These functions are going to be implemented inside the FPGA. The first functional block is a pick-direction low pass filter (Smith III, Pick-Direction Lowpass Filter, 2009). The second functional block before the feedback loop is a pick-position comb filter (Smith III, Pick-Position Comb Filter, 2009). In the feedback loop, there is a delay block on the top. The other blocks are again filters. After the delay block, the signal goes through a two-zero string damping filter (Smith III, Two-Zero String Damping Filter, 2009). Before the addition operation in the feedback loop, another pick-direction low pass filter is going to be used. After the loop, there is going to be dynamic level low pass filter (Smith III, Dynamic Level Lowpass Filter, 2009). After these filters and delays, there is going to be a gain block which is used for increasing the level of distortion. Distortion effect is going to be generated by a saturation block. The saturation can use either hard clipping or soft clipping. Soft clipping has higher complexity. It is a third order polynomial. It results in a smoother sound. However, for more distorted and fuzzy sound, hard clipping is preferred. Since it has a heavier sound and is easier to implement, hard clipping is going to be used. The input-output relations of hard clipping and soft clipping Develop Or Adopt Decision The most important part for the project is the FPGA board. It is going to be adopted. If I wanted to design the circuit with a PCB design tool in which I am not experienced, I would have paid a lot of money to get it manufactured. And the design has to be perfect before getting the chip produced. The decision of choosing whether to use FPGA design or ASIC design was discussed earlier in Section. So, buying and using an FPGA board is the best option here. Spartan 3A Starter Kit is going to be used for the project. For the output interface of the design, Xilinx has a module described in Verilog and is available for free. For DAC and output purposes, that module is going to be used. If there is an available module for the input port of the system for free from Xilinx, it is going to be adopted. Otherwise, the ADC module is going to be developed according to the ADC hardware available on the FPGA board. The design on the FPGA is going to be based on an algorithm but it is going to be designed by me. Also, an electric guitar and speakers with amplifiers are needed for the project. They were already available before the start of the project. For software, Xilinx ISE, Xilinx iMPACT, Modelsim XE and MATLAB are going to be used. MATLAB is already available and the others have free versions for students. Implementation Process Three modules are going to be implemented. Each module can be implemented independently from each other. Finally, all the modules are going to be connected under a top module. DSP module is the main part of the design where the algorithm is going to be implemented. The functional verification of the design is going to be independent from the other modules. Implementation Resources The resources for implementation can be grouped into two. First, we need hardware resources. The second group is the software resources. The most important resource for hardware is the FPGA development board. Spartan 3A Starter Kit is going to be used. This specific board is chosen due to some reasons. This board is suitable for DSP applications. It has ADC and DAC modules. It also has a stereo audio jack for outputting the processed signal. So, this board is going to be used for implementation. FPGA is going to be programmed from a PC. The hardware of the system is going to be described using Xilinx ISE tool, which requires a PC. So, we also need a PC for implementation. The connection of the board with the PC required a USB cable, which is provided with the board. We also need an electric guitar and speakers. The required hardware resources for implementation. Besides the hardware resources, some software resources are going to be needed too. First, before starting writing the code for the hardware, the algorithm is going to be tested and the functional blocks are going to be made clear using MATLAB Simulink software. For synthesis and implementation, Xilinx ISE is going to be used. It is going to synthesize and implement the hardware described by Verilog HDL. It also includes Xilinx iMPACT tool which is used for sending the .bit file to the FPGA for programming. For functional verification, Xilinx Edition of Modelsim, developed by Mentor Graphics is going to be used. Implementation Activities The project group consists of only one person. So design, verification, implementation and testing are going to be done by me. During the project, additional training and study is going to be required in digital signal processing and filters. Also, digital filter design should also be studied. Another thing that needs improvement is writing testbench to verify the designed system. Testing Testing Scope The testing of the system consists of two parts. There is a functional verification part and a hardware validation part. For functional verification, Modelsim XE software is going to be used with Verilog HDL. The parts that are going to be tested are the input module, the output module, the DSP module. After the integration of the modules in order to form the system, the whole system is going to be tested. Also, the hardware validation of the DSP and output modules can be done without a working input module. A randomly generated signal in FPGA can be processed and sent to output module for playing and this can be tested. Testing Coverage As explained in Section, the modules are going to be tested individually at first. The input module is going to get an analog signal from an external source. This might be coming from the electric guitar or directly from a PC. If the input signal is coming from PC, the signal can be adjusted to be simple and therefore testing can be simpler. After the conversion, the signal is going to be observed. Also, if the output module is working, the input signal can be directly transferred to the output module without any signal processing done on it. A randomly generated signal inside the FPGA is going to be enough to test the output module. DSP module is going to be tested by functional verification. The filters, the gain and the saturation blocks are going to be tested. After these, the whole DSP module is going to be tested. An example of input and output of the system with hard clipping. Pass/Fail Criteria The pass/fail criterion for the input module is going to be its analog to digital conversion performance. If a given analog input can be correctly converted to digital signal, it is going to pass the test. Digital conversion operation with its input and expected output. The module, the expected output is going to be the signal on the bottom (Azima DLI , 2009). In order to pass the test, the module has to give the correct output for each stimulus applied. The output module has to do digital to analog conversion and send the signal to speakers. For that, a signal is going to be generated inside the FPGA. This signals amplitude and frequency is going to be changed. According to the changes, we are going to expect different outputs. The output is going to be listened through the speakers. In order to pass the test, the output module should correctly respond to every amplitude and frequency change. The DSP module is going to be tested with functional verification. A reference model is going to be constructed in behavioral level. Randomly generated stimulus is going to be applied to the design and to the reference model at the same time. In order to pass the test, the results from the DSP module and the reference model have to match 100%. Another important criterion for the DSP module is its timing. The delay between the input and the output has to be below a determined quantity in order to pass the test. Testing Approach In order to test the DSP module, a self checking testbench is going to be written using Verilog HDL. There is going to be a behaviorally modeled reference unit inside the test bench. The test bench is going to generate random stimuli. These stimuli are going to be applied to both a design under test unit (DUT), which is a module from the design, and the reference model. Then, the results are going to be compared in a scoreboard. The verification approach. Also, the timing of the system is going to be considered since it is one of the most important parts of the project. After the functional verification, the timing analysis of the implemented system must be done using Xilinx ISE. Testing Resources First, in order to test the algorithm, MATLAB Simulink is going to be used. In order to test the input module, preferably a PC or an electric guitar is going to be needed as discussed in the second paragraph. To test the output module, speakers or headphones are going to be needed. For functional verification of the DSP module, Modelsim XE is needed. Also, for the timing analysis of the design, Xilinx ISE is going to be used. Test Cases After these inputs are applied, the outputs from the reference model and the DUT are also going to be stored in response file, which is going to be in .txt format. Finally, a log file is going to show where the errors occurred, if there are any errors or it is going to show that no errors occurred in the simulation. Looking at the log file and the response file, we are going to able to see where exactly the errors occurred. Test Activities Since the group has just one member, every part of testing is going to be done by me. More training about writing self checking test benches using Verilog HDL should be done. 6. Schedule If we look at the PERT chart, we can calculate the critical path. The critical path consists of the following activities: A-F-G-H-I-J-K. This path leads to a completion time of 133 days. If the most optimistic and the most pessimistic completion of each activity is estimated, we can calculate the expected completion time and the variance of the project. The expression for the expected completion time is given in Equation and the expression for variance is given in Equation. Using these equations, the completion time and the variance are calculated. The activities in the critical path are highlighted and the calculations are done according to the critical path. PERT calculation gives almost the same result with the CPM result. CPM result was 133 days. PERT calculation gives an estimated project completion time of 133.166 days. Also, the variance turned out to be 26.58. This means the project can be completed 26.58 days earlier or later. The Gantt Chart of the project is given. The estimated start date of the project is December 27, 2009. The project is planned to be completed on May 9, 2010. Bibliography Azima DLI . (2009, February 8). Analog to Digital Conversion. Retrieved November 29, 2009, from Azima DLI Corporation Web Site: http://www.azimadli.com/vibman/analogtodigitalconversion.htm Collicut, M. (2009, March 3). Extending the Karplus-Strong Algorithm to Simulate Guitar Distortion and Feedback Effects. Retrieved November 29, 2009, from McGill University Web Site: http://mt.music.mcgill.ca/~collicuttm/MUMT618/KSA_distortion_and_feedback.html Jaffe, D. A., Smith, J. O. (1983). Extensions of the Karplus-Strong plucked string algorithm. Computer Music Journal , 56-69. Schulzrinne, H. (2008, January 9). Explanation of 44.1 kHz CD sampling rate. Retrieved November 27, 2009, from Columbia University Web Site: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~hgs/audio/44.1.html Smith III, J. O. (2009, March 21). Dynamic Level Lowpass Filter. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from Stanford University Web Site: https://ccrma.stanford.edu/realsimple/faust_strings/Dynamic_Level_Lowpass_Filter.html Smith III, J. O. (2009, March 21). Pick-Direction Lowpass Filter. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from Stanford University Web Site: https://ccrma.stanford.edu/realsimple/faust_strings/Pick_Direction_Lowpass_Filter.html Smith III, J. O. (2009, March 21). Pick-Position Comb Filter. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from Stanford University Web Site: https://ccrma.stanford.edu/realsimple/faust_strings/Pick_Position_Comb_Filter.html Smith III, J. O. (2009, March 21). Two-Zero String Damping Filter. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from Stanford University Web Site: https://ccrma.stanford.edu/realsimple/faust_strings/Two_Zero_String_Damping_Filter.html Sullivan, C. R. (1990). Extending the Karplus-Strong Algorithm to Synthesize Electric Guitar Timbres with Distortion and Feedback. Computer Music Journal , 26-37. The Train Kept Rollin. (2009, November 21). Retrieved November 21, 2009, from allmusic: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amgsql=33:jjfoxzq0ldte Xilinx Corporation. (2009, April 8). Getting Started with FPGAs FPGA vs. ASIC. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Xilinx Corporation Web site: http://www.xilinx.com/company/gettingstarted/fpgavsasic.htm Xilinx Corporation. (2009, October 6). Spartan-3A Starter Kit. Retrieved November 27, 2009, from Xilinx Corporation Web site: http://www.xilinx.com/products/devkits/HW-SPAR3A-SK-UNI-G.htm

Offensive Lyrics Essay -- Music Censorship Essays

Offensive Lyrics Intro Ben, a child no more than the age of eight, adores his older brother James. James is in his mid-teens and is a huge fan of rap music. One of his favorites is Eminem. Ben, wanting to be as much like his brother as possible, does everything to become a complete copy of James. Ben dresses like him, eats the same food as he does, and even tries to mimic the way he walks. Ben even tries to listen to the same music that the older brother does. He asks his mom to buy one of the CDs that James has. His mother objects by telling him that the music that his brother listens to is not appropriate for someone his age. Ben, not knowing the meaning of what his mother says dismisses her comment and heads home with the intent to try to listen to the CD of James’ that his mother refused to buy him. After the car ride home Ben anxiously sneaks up the stairs to sample a clip of his brother’s collection. Ben turns on the CD and is immediately bombarded with a barrage of swearing, sexually explicit references, racial and homosexual slurs. Not knowing any better the boy, so excited to have been able to listen to music like his big brother, goes downstairs and repeats some of the words to his mother. In turn she explodes and sends Ben to his room where he sits not knowing what he did wrong. The next day Ben goes to school and repeats those same words to his classmates and teachers and proceeds to get himself expelled. All of this is due to the content of his big brother’s music. Although this is an antidote it is very possible that something like this could happen or has already happened. Inappropriate lyrics need to be either completely eliminated from artists songs or they need to be better censored by the... ... Biography. Available online: http://www.davidallancoe.com/bio/html (accessed October 24, 2002) Eminem Web (2000). Main Biography. Available online: http://www.eminemweb.com/bio.html (accessed October 25, 2002) Eminem World. Biography. Available online: http://www.eminemworld.com/bio.html (accessed October 25, 2002) Taylor, P. Lawmakers, Citizen Group Step up Efforts to Monitor Entertainment Industry. Available online: http://www.feedomforum.org/pakcages/first/ratinggame/part1.html (accessed October 27, 2002) Veinotte International. Ozzy Biography. Available online: http://www.veinotte.com/ozzy/madness.html (accessed October 25, 2002) Wiederhorn, J. (2002). Sex, Violence, Cursing: Explicit Lyrics Stickers Get Explicit. June 3, 2002. Available online: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1454956/20020603/may_lady.jhtml (accessed October 17, 2002)

Japanese Alien and Japanese-American Poets In U. S. Relocation Camps Es

On February 19, 1942, Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued the infamous Executive Order 9066, which resulted in the internment of 110,000 Japanese Aliens and Japanese Americans in concentration camps because of the so-called "military threat," they posed. In 1945, poet Lawson Fusao Inada wrote the following poem, titled "Concentration Constellation," which refers to the various relocation camps that were used to contain these people: In this earthly configuration, We have, not points of light, but prominent barbs of dark†¦ Begin between the Golden State's highest and lowest elevations and name that location Manzanar. Rattlesnake a line southward to the zone of Arizona, to the home if natives on the reservation, and call those Gila, Poston. Then just take your time winding your way across†¦ just make yourself at home in the swamps of Arkansas. for this is Rohwer and Jerome. But now, you weary of the way. It's a big country, you say. It's a big history, hardly halfway through - with Amache looming in the Colorado desert, Heart Mountain high in wide Wyoming, Minidoka on the moon of Idaho, then down to Utah's jewel of Topaz before finding yourself at northern California's frozen shore of Tule Lake†¦ Now regard what sort of shape this constellation takes. It sits there like a jagged scar, massive, on the massive landscape. It lies there like the rusted wire of a twisted and remembered fence. As Inada points out with his analogy to a constellation, the United States government had constructed many camps and scattered them all over the country. In other words, the internment of Japanese-Americans was not merely a blip in American history; it was instead a catastrophic and appalling forced remov... ...bstone Publishing Company, 1983. Matsura, Artist. "Impressions of Gila, 1." Gila News Courier. 7 October 1942: 4. Mori, Taisanboku, et al. Poets Behind Barbed Wire. Eds. Jiro Nakano and Kav Nakano. Honolulu: Bamboo Ridge Press, 1983. "My Gila Diary." Gila News Courier. 17 October 1942: 4. Nelson, Cary. "Japanese American Concentration Camp Haiku." [Online] Available at http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g_l/haiku/haiku.htm, 2003. Okihiro, Gary Y. Whispered Silences: Japanese Americans and World War II. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996. Roripaugh, Lee Ann. Beyond Heart Mountain. New York: Hudson Books, 1999. Tule Lake Committee. Kinenhi: Reflections on Tule Lake. San Francisco: The Tule Lake Committee, 1980. Uchida, Yoshiko. Desert Exile: The Uprooting of a Japanese American Family. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1982.

Rome :: essays research papers

Occultists the world over believe that, once a symbol is created, it acquires power of its own, and more power is generated when such symbol(s) are created without the profane [uninitiated] knowing about it. And, the greatest power of all is created in the symbol(s) if the uninitiated NEVER discover that the symbol exists. In this article, we shall demonstrate positive proofs of conspiracy to achieve the ends of Freemasonry, i.e., achieving the New World Order. And, these proofs exist right under your eyes, in Washington, D.C., the Capital district. Prepare for the unexpected. Before you read this article, you might want to go to a map store to buy a street map of Washington, D.C. The New World Order is coming! Are you ready? Once you understand what this New World Order really is, and how it is being gradually implemented, you will be able to see it progressing in your daily news!! Learn how to protect yourself, your loved ones! Stand by for insights so startling you will never look at the news the same way again. YOU ARE NOW ON THE CUTTING EDGE We will demonstrate that the street design in Government Center in Washington, D.C., has been cunningly laid out in such a manner that certain Luciferic symbols are depicted by the streets, cul-de-sacs and rotaries. This design was created by an Masonic architect in 1791, just a few years after Freemasonry assumed the leadership of the New World Order, in 1782. Remember, occult leaders in Europe were told by their Familiar Spirits as early as the 1740's that the new American continent was to be established as the new "Atlantis", and its destiny was to assume the global leadership of the drive to the New World Order. From the beginning, the United States of America was chosen to lead the world into this kingdom of Antichrist, and Washington, D.C. was to be its capital. You will need to have your maps of Washington, D.C., opened in front of you as we proceed. As we proceed through this discussion we will answer the great question of "Why" these streets have thus been laid out. Before we begin our discussion of this Washington, D.C. map, let us lay some important groundwork which will enable us to better understand the occultic meaning behind what we are about to show you. This information was given Cutting Edge Ministries by a born-again Christian who was once a medium level Satanist, Doc Marquee. At the time of his conversion, Doc was in charge of several Satanic covens West and North of Boston.

Film and Popular Cinema Essay

After reading this week’s assignment and researching different types of film and popular cinema, I have realized some of the differences between the two. I always thought they were the same thing but found that to be far from the truth. Film is a way of putting art into motion. I viewed several pieces on different websites, in particular, on YouTube. I watched one called White Noise. It had no plot or storyline, but showed very interesting art concepts and pieces. Many artists made work addressing social, sexual and racial issues, renewing links with what survived of the ‘community video’ movement of the 1970s. By 1990 video installations had featured in several large international exhibitions and were a familiar presence in galleries and museums, assuming fresh authority through the work of such artists as Gary Hill and Marie-Jo Lafontaine. Read more:  Philippine Cinema Analysis Essay Artists making single-screen work exhibited increasingly on television, and the medium of video was merging with that of the computer. Film, no longer novel nor wholly dependent on a gallery context, had become part of an increasingly elaborate network of electronic communication (Mick Hartney, 2009). Popular cinema is designed around selling tickets and making money at the expense of catering to the demands of global audiences. An example of popular cinema is any of the Twilight movies. They are movies produced from the novels written by Stephanie Meyer. The first movie was a huge success, making audience demand for a sequel a high priority of the producers and distribution companies. The same result came of the sequel and they made the third. Originally, the deal was to make a movie for each book, but if the movies did not succeed in the box office the projects would have been terminated. As, a matter of fact, it is so successful that the last movie based on the last book has been split in half to make two more subsequent movies instead of one. I find myself appreciating both of these forms of art. I have opened up when it comes to  the appreciation of art because I have learned the subtle, and some not so subtle differences between different art forms. References Hartney, M. (2009). Video Art. Retrieved from http://www.moma.org/collection/details.php?theme_id=10215 Sayre, H. M. (2010). A World of Art (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.