Supermarine Spitfire in World War II

Supermarine Spitfire in World War II The iconic fighter of the Royal Air Force in World War II, the British Supermarine Spitfire saw action in all theaters of the war. First introduced in 1938, it was continually refined and improved through the course of the conflict with over 20,000 built. Best known for its elliptical wing design and role during the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire was beloved by its pilots and became a symbol of the RAF. Also used by British Commonwealth nations, the Spitfire remained in service with some countries into the early 1960s. Design The brainchild of Supermarines chief designer, Reginald J. Mitchell, the Spitfires design evolved during the 1930s. Utilizing his background in creating high-speed racing aircraft, Mitchell worked to combine a sleek, aerodynamic airframe with the new Rolls-Royce PV-12 Merlin engine. In order to meet the Air Ministrys requirement that the new aircraft carry eight .303 cal. machine guns, Mitchell chose to incorporate a large, elliptical wing form into the design. Mitchell lived just long enough to see the prototype fly before dying of cancer in 1937. Further development of the aircraft was led by Joe Smith. Production Following trials in 1936, the Air Ministry placed an initial order for 310 aircraft. To meet the governments needs, Supermarine built a new plant at Castle Bromwich, near Birmingham, to produce the aircraft. With war on the horizon, the new factory was built quickly and it began production two months after the ground breaking. Assembly time for the Spitfire tended to be high relative to other fighters of the day due to the stressed-skin construction and the complexity of building the elliptical wing. From the time assembly began to the end of World War II, over 20,300 Spitfires were constructed. Evolution Through the course of the war, the Spitfire was repeatedly upgraded and altered to ensure that it remained an effective frontline fighter. Supermarine produced a total of 24 marks (versions) of the aircraft, with major changes including the introduction of the Griffon engine and varying wing designs. While originally carrying eight .303 cal. machine guns, it was found that a mixture of .303 cal. guns and 20mm cannon was more effective. To accommodate this, Supermarine designed the B and C wings which could carry 4 .303 guns and 2 20mm cannon. The most produced variant was the Mk. V which had 6,479 built. Specifications - Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb General Crew: 1Length: 29 ft. 11 in.Wingspan: 36 ft. 10 in.Height: 11 ft. 5 in.Wing Area: 242.1 sq. ft.Empty Weight: 5,090 lbs.Max Takeoff Weight: 6,770 lbs.Power Plant: 1 x Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 Supercharged V12 engine, 1,470 hp at 9,250 ft. Performance Maximum Speed: 330 knots (378 mph)Combat Radius: 470 milesService Ceiling: 35,000 ft.Rate of Climb: 2,665 ft/min. Armament 2 x 20mm Hispano Mk. II cannon4 .303 cal. Browning machine guns2x 240 lb. bombs Early Service The Spitfire entered service with 19 Squadron on August 4, 1938. Successive squadrons were equipped with the aircraft over the following year. With the beginning of World War II on September 1, 1939, the aircraft commenced combat operations. Five days later, Spitfires were involved in a friendly fire incident, dubbed the Battle of Barking Creek, which resulted in the first RAF pilot death of the war. The type first engaged the Germans on October 16 when nine Junkers Ju 88s attempted to attack the cruisers HMS Southampton and HMS Edinburgh in the Firth of Forth. In 1940, Spitfires took part in the fighting in the Netherlands and France. During the latter battle, they aided in covering beaches during the evacuation of Dunkirk.   Battle of Britain Spitfire Mk. I and Mk. II variants aided in turning back the Germans during the Battle of Britain in the summer and fall of 1940. While less numerous than the Hawker Hurricane, Spitfires matched up better against the principal German fighter, the Messerschmitt Bf 109. As a result, Spitfire-equipped squadrons were frequently assigned to defeating the German fighters, while the Hurricanes attacked the bombers. In early 1941, the Mk. V was introduced, providing pilots with a more formidable aircraft. The advantages of the Mk. V were quickly erased later that year with the arrival of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Service Home Abroad Beginning in 1942, Spitfires were sent to RAF and Commonwealth squadrons operating abroad. Flying in the Mediterranean, Burma-India, and in the Pacific, the Spitfire continued to make its mark. At home, squadrons provided fighter escort for American bombing attacks on Germany. Due to their short range, they were only able to provide cover into northwest France and the Channel. As a result, escort duties were turned over to American P-47 Thunderbolts, P-38 Lightnings, and P-51 Mustangs as they became available. With the invasion of France in June 1944, Spitfire squadrons were moved across the Channel to aid in obtaining air superiority. Late War After Flying from fields close to the lines, RAF Spitfires worked in conjunction with other Allied air forces to sweep the German Luftwaffe from the sky. As fewer German aircraft were seen, they also provided ground support and sought out targets of opportunity in the German rear. In the years following the war, Spitfires continued to see action during the Greek Civil War and the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. In the latter conflict, the aircraft was flown by both the Israelis and Egyptians. A popular fighter, some nations continued to fly the Spitfire into the 1960s. Supermarine Seafire Adapted for naval use under the name Seafire, the aircraft saw the majority of its service in the Pacific and Far East. Ill-suited for deck operations, the aircrafts performance also suffered due to the additional equipment required for landing at sea. After improvement, the Mk. II and Mk. III proved superior to the Japanese A6M Zero. Though not as durable or as powerful as the American F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair, the Seafire acquitted itself well against the enemy, particularly in defeating kamikaze attacks late in the war.

The Bowen Reaction Series in Geology

The Bowen Reaction Series in Geology The Bowen reaction series is a description of how magmas minerals change  as they cool. The petrologist Norman Bowen (1887-1956) carried out decades of melting experiments in the early 1900s in support of his theory of granite. He found that as a basaltic melt slowly cooled, minerals formed crystals in a definite order. Bowen worked out two sets of these, which he named the discontinuous and continuous series in his 1922 paper The Reaction Principle in Petrogenesis. The Bowen's Reaction Series The discontinuous series starts with olivine, then pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite. What makes this a reaction series rather than an ordinary series is that each mineral in the series is replaced by the next one as the melt cools. As Bowen put it, The disappearance of minerals in the order in which they appear ... is of the very essence of the reaction series. Olivine forms crystals, then it reacts with the rest of the magma as pyroxene forms at its expense. At a certain point, all the olivine is resorbed, and only pyroxene exists. Then pyroxene reacts with the liquid as amphibole crystals replace it, and then biotite replaces amphibole. The continuous series is plagioclase feldspar. At high temperatures, the high-calcium variety anorthite forms. Then as temperatures fall it is replaced by more sodium-rich varieties: bytownite, labradorite, andesine, oligoclase, and albite. As the temperature continues to fall, these two series merge, and more minerals crystallize in this order: Alkali feldspar, muscovite, and quartz. A minor reaction series involves the spinel group of minerals: chromite, magnetite, ilmenite, and titanite. Bowen placed them between the two main series. Other Portions of the Series The complete series is not found in nature, but many igneous rocks display portions of the series. The main limitations are the state of the liquid, the speed of cooling and the tendency of mineral crystals to settle under gravity: If the liquid runs out of an element needed for a particular mineral, the series with that mineral gets interrupted.If the magma cools faster than the reaction can proceed, early minerals can persist in partly resorbed form. That changes the evolution of the magma.If crystals can rise or sink, they stop reacting with the liquid and pile up somewhere else. All of these factors affect the course of a magmas evolution- its differentiation. Bowen was confident that he could start with basalt magma, the most common type, and build any magma from the right combination of the three. But mechanisms that he discounted- magma mixing, assimilation of country rock and remelting of crustal rocks- not to mention the whole system of plate tectonics he did not foresee, are much more important than he thought. Today we know that not even the largest bodies of basaltic magma sit still long enough differentiate all the way to granite.

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

Nutrition - Essay Example in the for of triglycerides, proteins in the form of amino acids, nucleotides in the form of nucleic acids after being absorbed and transported into individual cells may undergo metabolism, thus releasing ATP or free energy to sustain the activities of the organ system and the whole body collectively. The extra glucose will be converted by the liver as stored glycogen and the extra lipids will be stored as fats. In case of additional intake of food when cells needs are just satiated or satisfied, the liver takes care of the storage of the extra materials. In increased respiratory function brought about by exercise, stored glucose and fats will be tapped to produce replacement ATP’s. Increased respiratory functions through exercise then must be good because in excessive storage of fats, according to the study conducted by Ziccardi P. et al (2002), concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines are higher which are found to be tumor necrosis factor ÃŽ ± (TNF- ÃŽ ±) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). On the other hand, weight loss resulted to reduced fats, reduced concentrations of ÃŽ ± (TNF- ÃŽ ±), reduced interleukin-6 (IL-6), reduced P-selectin, reduced ICAM-1, and reduced VCAM-1 (Ziccardi P. et al 2002). Thus, weight loss through exercise would bring down the level of endothelial dysfunction such as inflammations as a consequence of the lowered level of the most likely trigger factors, cytokines, consequently, reducing also the risk of artherothrombosis (Ziccardi P. et al 2002). Furthermore, exercise and weight loss are the closest mean s by which inflammatory process impact may be lessened (Visser 1999). 2. Blundell and Hill (1992), showed a diagram explaining the biological regulation which starts with the brain including environmental adaptation driving eating behavior for the body to gain the nutrition needed for physiologic function. Hunger and thirst normally drives food intake, which are basically stimulated by Ghrelin molecules that relays the message to the

Marketing Management Consulting Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing Management Consulting Report - Essay Example Weird Products is a slimming pills company, which provides an opportunity where people can positively improve their lives. The company will deal in producing healthy food supplements, which help provide people loose weight the healthy way. The tablets have been tested and are safe with a number of through studies to back up the effectiveness and the benefits of the food supplements. Weird Product slimming pills use simple and natural products to develop the slimming and beauty pills and these ingredients are mainly from unroasted coffee, which have been studied to be very effective for slimming. The ingredients of the products have been carefully thought out and the potential harms of coffee due to high consumption have bee reduced. The amounts of caffeine that are contained within the pills are less than a quarter cup of coffee, hence ensuring that the product is free of harmful ingredients like cafestol and kahweol (which could in a number of ways be dangerous for the human body). Weird Products at present is available only in the UK. The company has just been developed and the launched in the United Kingdoms and has developed an e- Commerce website. This website caters to mostly Europe. The company at present has a number of different strategies that are being used in terms of marketing. However, the main source of marketing for the company is online and via the web. Since Weird Products has most of its business online mostly, hence this is the best mode of marketing for the company at present. However the business does also sell the products to pharmacies across Europe. The various sources that are currently being used for the company is mainly, e Mail marketing, pay per clicks, banner ads and link building, all these along with a strong emphasis on search engine optimization as well (Jobber, 2004). These are the main marketing media that are being used by the company. The current marketing of the company

I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing Essay Example for Free

I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing Essay 1. In the memoir the passage reveals Ritie’s self image. She characterizes herself as unappealing she does not see beauty within who she is. Ritie’s childhood led to her insecurities. When she was younger her parents took her to move with her grandparents. She believed her parents dishonored her. Ritie did not find her skin beautiful. She believed white was beauty. She was an uncomfortable in her own skin. She tried to become someone she is not because she knew how everyone view and felt about her. Since her childhood she received her appearance. Ritie kept her identity intact by not letting peoples judging and views influence her. 2. After years of separation Ritie’s relationship with her mother is respected. She respects her mother for who she is. Ritie sees her mother as a strong women, she knows her mother will also love her for who she is. Ritie admires her mother she looks up to her. Her love for her grandmother is more of mother daughter bond. Ritie’s role model is her grandmother and she is proud to say it. She sees her momma as a strong powerful person. She is tough but loving. Ritie’s wants to become like her grandmother, she loves her. 3. Maya knew she was different. She knew she did not fit in with the other girls in school. She did not feel that she was equal with everyone else she felt as she did not belong with the other children. She did not associate with anyone. She would isolate herself in a store. She barely socialized with any children. She stayed away from children her age even others. A comparison to race was when she was younger her tooth ached. The dentist was not willing to work with her. He was very racial and only worked with white patients. Ritie’s family copes with racism by not letting it affect them. They ignored, they maintained their dignity. 4. At the end of the memoir Ritie learns what might seem right to you will not always be viewed the same with others. For one to hare greatness they must go through obstacles. She learns everyone has the own definition on what is wrong and right. Ritie applies this when she had her baby she grew up and it gave her confidence in her baby. She always did what was best for her baby. 5. Why the Cage Bird sings shows that there is always a light at the end of a tunnel. When there’s darkness and disadvantages there is always hope to find your path. It shows they had to deal with negativity and racism but they took that and turned it into positive. The title relates they went through many struggles but in the end they can be free. 6. Adversity in the story delt with abandonment, racism, childhood trapped, unacceptance, also religion. In Mayas case she and her brother were sent to live with their momma in Stamps, Arkansas. She always had it in her mind that her parents were not alive. When she found out they were she had the feeling of abandonment she felt that they did not want her. When Mayas dad comes to get them she does not want to leave. She got use to Stamps. She overcomes her adversity by realizing her parents were going through a difficult situation. 7. Lessons can be learned about the South. Situations are never easy but you have to make the best of it. In life we are always going to struggle but we must stay strong and not let it get the best of us. There are always going to be people who judge you or don’t accept you. But if you know who you are and where you come from that’s all that matters. Another lesson is when should not try to be. Someone we are not we must appear ourselves because no one is perfect. We all have insecurities about ourselves but we should love who we are. Natasha De La Cruz Grade: 10 Title: â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† Author: Rudolph Anaya 1. During the World War 2 actions occurred in this novel. In the novel a women lost her sons due to the war. Gabriel had both of her sons fighting in the war which was also significant hat occurred was a veteran shoot Chavez because he was affected by the war. 2. The characters adapt to the landscape because of the family’s different life livings. Antonio had to live two different life styles. His mother’s families were simple farming people. It was easier for them to farm everything was more nourishing. His father’s family was rougher around the edges. They were more independent and the land was harder to work with. Both families had their own values. 3. A movie that relates to this novel is Ruby Bridges. Both Ruby and Antonio go through struggles in their life to make something out of them. The film is about a young six year old African American girl who had enough potential to get into a better school for a better education which was in an all Caucasian school. Around that time racism was still around. Ruby was the only African American girl in her class, which then led problems to the parents of the children in her class. No one accepted her in the new school except her teacher. Throughout the beginning she had faced crowds of white citizens against her physically and emotionally. One day she was encouraged by her teacher and her mother who gave her strength and she made it through. She became significantly important in the civil rights movement.

How MTV Maintains Its Dominance Essay -- essays papers

How MTV Maintains Its Dominance Music Television, a basic cable service known by its acronym MTV, remains the dominant music video outlet utilizing effective marketing and competitive business practices throughout its nineteen year history. The creation of the "I Want My MTV" marketing campaign and use of the campaign throughout the 1980's helped the cable outlet secure a substantial subscriber base. MTV dealt with competition from cable mogul Ted Turner's Cable Music Channel by creating a fighting brand, sister cable service VH-1, along with facing challenges by numerous other music video programming services. Through exclusivity agreements with record labels for music videos and limiting access to cable systems owned by MTV's parent company, MTV exercised anticompetitive and monopolistic means to fend off competition. From its launch, MTV successfully applied these marketing and competitive business practices. The board of the Warner - AMEX Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC), a partnership between Warner Communications and American Express, gave approval in mid-January 1981 for the creation of a cable service that would broadcast music videos . Music videos, song length visual depictions used in the promotion of a musical act's latest release, were already popular on European television since the mid 1970s. A deadline of August 1, 1981 was set for the launch of this new cable service as programs featuring music videos were beginning to appear on cable outlets such as Home Box Office and USA Network. The set-up and programming of the entire operation was to be established in approximately six-and-a-half months. Bob Pittman, a WASEC programming executive with a background in radio, wanted to ensure the new music video outlet delivered programming that appealed to its target audience of twelve to thirty-four-year-olds. This age demographic was both desirable and difficult for advertisers to reach as young adults typically did not watch much of what television offered at the time. He determined that, with little exception, the cable service would have no distinguishable programs. Video upon video would be presented by on-air personalities dubbed video jockeys, veejays for short, who would also provide entertainment news and conduct artist interviews. The absence of scheduled programming was, as stated by Tom McGrath in MTV: The Maki... ..., Tom. MTV: The Making of a Revolution. (Pennsylvania: Running, 1996), p. 47. Ibid., p. 53. Ibid., p. 47. Ibid., p. 48. Ibid., p. 48. Ibid., p. 50. Banks, Jack. Monopoly Television: MTV's Quest to Control the Music. (Colorado: Westview, 1996), p. 34. McGrath, Tom. MTV: The Making of a Revolution. (Pennsylvania: Running, 1996), p. 62-63. Ibid., p. 80. Ibid., p. 80. Ibid., p. 81. Ibid., p. 81. Ibid., p88. Ibid., p. 88-89. Ibid., p. 89. Ibid., p. 124. Ibid., p. 124. Ibid., p. 125. Ibid., p. 125, 129. Ibid., p. 129. "Ted Turner Turns off the Music." The Economist. 8 December 1984: 77. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Denisoff, R. Serge. Inside MTV. (New Jersey: Transaction, 1988), p. 155. Ibid., p. 155. Ibid., p. 155. Ibid., p. 156. Bibliography: Banks, Jack. Monopoly Television: MTV's Quest to Control the Music. Colorado: Westview, 1996. Denisoff, R. Serge. Inside MTV. New Jersey: Transaction, 1988. McGrath, Tom. MTV: The Making of a Revolution. Pennsylvania: Running, 1996. "Ted Turner Turns off the Music." The Economist. 8 December 1984: 77. How MTV Maintains Its Dominance Essay -- essays papers How MTV Maintains Its Dominance Music Television, a basic cable service known by its acronym MTV, remains the dominant music video outlet utilizing effective marketing and competitive business practices throughout its nineteen year history. The creation of the "I Want My MTV" marketing campaign and use of the campaign throughout the 1980's helped the cable outlet secure a substantial subscriber base. MTV dealt with competition from cable mogul Ted Turner's Cable Music Channel by creating a fighting brand, sister cable service VH-1, along with facing challenges by numerous other music video programming services. Through exclusivity agreements with record labels for music videos and limiting access to cable systems owned by MTV's parent company, MTV exercised anticompetitive and monopolistic means to fend off competition. From its launch, MTV successfully applied these marketing and competitive business practices. The board of the Warner - AMEX Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC), a partnership between Warner Communications and American Express, gave approval in mid-January 1981 for the creation of a cable service that would broadcast music videos . Music videos, song length visual depictions used in the promotion of a musical act's latest release, were already popular on European television since the mid 1970s. A deadline of August 1, 1981 was set for the launch of this new cable service as programs featuring music videos were beginning to appear on cable outlets such as Home Box Office and USA Network. The set-up and programming of the entire operation was to be established in approximately six-and-a-half months. Bob Pittman, a WASEC programming executive with a background in radio, wanted to ensure the new music video outlet delivered programming that appealed to its target audience of twelve to thirty-four-year-olds. This age demographic was both desirable and difficult for advertisers to reach as young adults typically did not watch much of what television offered at the time. He determined that, with little exception, the cable service would have no distinguishable programs. Video upon video would be presented by on-air personalities dubbed video jockeys, veejays for short, who would also provide entertainment news and conduct artist interviews. The absence of scheduled programming was, as stated by Tom McGrath in MTV: The Maki... ..., Tom. MTV: The Making of a Revolution. (Pennsylvania: Running, 1996), p. 47. Ibid., p. 53. Ibid., p. 47. Ibid., p. 48. Ibid., p. 48. Ibid., p. 50. Banks, Jack. Monopoly Television: MTV's Quest to Control the Music. (Colorado: Westview, 1996), p. 34. McGrath, Tom. MTV: The Making of a Revolution. (Pennsylvania: Running, 1996), p. 62-63. Ibid., p. 80. Ibid., p. 80. Ibid., p. 81. Ibid., p. 81. Ibid., p88. Ibid., p. 88-89. Ibid., p. 89. Ibid., p. 124. Ibid., p. 124. Ibid., p. 125. Ibid., p. 125, 129. Ibid., p. 129. "Ted Turner Turns off the Music." The Economist. 8 December 1984: 77. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Denisoff, R. Serge. Inside MTV. (New Jersey: Transaction, 1988), p. 155. Ibid., p. 155. Ibid., p. 155. Ibid., p. 156. Bibliography: Banks, Jack. Monopoly Television: MTV's Quest to Control the Music. Colorado: Westview, 1996. Denisoff, R. Serge. Inside MTV. New Jersey: Transaction, 1988. McGrath, Tom. MTV: The Making of a Revolution. Pennsylvania: Running, 1996. "Ted Turner Turns off the Music." The Economist. 8 December 1984: 77.

Affirmative Action Plan Essay

Affirmative action is a plan to promote the efforts of employers, schools and other organizations to recruit and hire groups that have previously been discriminated against. It is important to note that affirmative action programs do not require employers to hire unqualified people for a job. Equal employment opportunity is used to describe policies that prohibit discrimination of any kind. Affirmative action is a program that analyses the make up of the current workforce, establishes guidelines to insure an employer is not underutilizing certain groups and identifies and removes barriers for employment. Equal employment is the legislation that provides the oversight and investigates any allegations of discrimination and unfair treatment. To effectively implement an affirmative action program is important to have management support. This is not the type of program that can be successful at the grass roots level. The first step is to designate a high level manager as the champion. This person will be responsible for setting the overall tone for the program and will ensure that his managers at all levels throughout the organization take part in the implementation process as well as ensuring that the program is being effectively managed. The next decision is what kind of plan will be implemented from the two basic strategies, good faith effort or quota. Good faith focuses on changing the hiring practices that have created these inequities. It is also aimed at removing any obstacles that might be in the way of hiring minorities, women or disabled persons. Quotas are focused on the results and getting certain groups hired by implementing restrictions. Employers are required to meet specific numbers to be successful. Good faith is the preferable strategy because it focuses on a more positive approach while still hiring the best candidate for the job. There are many steps that are needed to roll-out an affirmative action plan. The following are the steps necessary in the development and implementation: 1. It is extremely important to develop the policy statement that will guide the entire program. In many instances this policy statement is also used as a clause on contracts as well as company newsletters and advertisements. Once the policy statement is completed the specific goals and objectives of the affirmative action program need to be established and disseminated throughout the organization. The goal of the program is to remedy the past and continued discrimination in hiring based on race, ethnicity and gender. The goal also addresses creating a work place that embraces the differences. Questions that must be answered are: What is the strategy to obtain the goal and what are the timelines associated with reaching our goal? 2. All the HR processes and job qualification standards to make sure that the job qualifications are consistent with the business need. Job analyses and job descriptions must be reviewed as well to ensure that they too are structured accordingly. Another aspect that should be done to ensure that the right protected groups are being targeted is the workforce analysis. What is the breakdown and make up of the employee population. This will help in the initial efforts. It is also necessary to audit this on an ongoing basis. 3. Detailed program initiates need to be written and communicated. The program should include details on recruiting, hiring and training employees as well as the company’s position on fair employment practices. 4. Develop the training program for HR managers as well as line managers at all levels. All employees must understand their responsibilities as they relate to an effective affirmative action program. How to effectively recruit and hire based on the program. Information should also be included in the company’s code of conduct booklet. Affirmative action should also be covered in employee orientation. 5. Training is the first step in forming a better understanding within the company, however unless the corporate goals and objectives are aligned with each department, the program will be harder to enforce. It is important to tie the affirmative action objectives to an individual’s performance and  part of the review process. This will ensure adherence. 6. The communication plan is another crucial part of the program and involves many steps. Employers should get the word out that they are an equal opportunity employer. Communicating this message is great publicity. Unless it is communicated effectively no one will know. Communications must be used to promote implementation internally. Posters can be put up throughout the facility or special edition newsletters to create enthusiasm for the program. The next level of communication is to go out into the communities by placing advertisements in local papers, talks with the local officials to gain support. Perhaps by establishing an arrangement to get applicant referrals through various state agencies, college placement offices and labor organizations perspective employees can be canvassed. Develop the appropriate communication strategies to target the right candidates for openings. If women are being sought after, then perhaps placing advertisements in a journal or periodical that has a higher female readership. Provide written notification of company affirmative action policy to subcontractors, vendors and suppliers and make sure that the company is partnering with the right mix. Today it is very important to align with other organizations that are minority owned. 7. Establish a training program for incumbents and current employees to supplement their skill set. An on the job training program as well as access to higher education will provide create the environment needed to be successful and will further eliminate obstacles for minorities and women. It is important not only to provide minorities and female employees with the educational opportunity, but to actively encourage participation. 8. Establish programs such as flex hours, child care and working from home to assist working mothers and or fathers with child care issues that would have precluded them from being successful in the past. 9. Design and implement an audit and reporting system to measure the effectiveness of an affirmative action program. If an affirmative action program is found to be deficient, actions must be taken to fix the problems. It is important to monitor an organization’s success on an ongoing basis and provide the necessary coaching when necessary. Diversity goes a long way to enrich our lives. People bring varying levels of experience and knowledge based on their individual backgrounds. It is important to encourage employees and managers to view these differences in a positive light. Affirmative action should have a positive view in the workplace for it to be successful. In avoiding the use of a quota system, employers remove the negative connotation that has historically been associated with a program like this. The diverse culture in our workplace is about finding the right person for the job, not hiring based on a person’s gender or color. The plan will be successful because it will become part of the corporate culture. When management endorses a program such as this and is dedicated to its success, line managers at all levels are also determined to make it work. It is important to communicate the details of the program in a manner that is understandable as well as non-controversial to gain the maximum amount of support. Ensuring that the hiring process removes all obstacles as well as working with contractors and outsource providers that also have affirmative action plans will further the success of the program. References Go to: http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/HowAffirmActBenAmerica.pdf Go to: http://www.fca.gov/Download/AEP%20Inspection%20Report.pdf Go to: http://hr.dop.wa.gov/wfd/guidlines.pdf

EU-Belarus Relations

This paper will utilize 5 articles from around the world on the question of the relations between Belarus and the European Union. The purpose here is to unmask the propaganda, the unsubstantiated rumors and western-sponsored attacks on Belarus and specifically, its president, Alexander Lukashenko, wildly popular in Belarus itself. The Moscow Times (May 4, 2009), speaks of the possibility of Lukashenko boycotting the EU’s summit in Prague that same week. There are two reasons given for this.First, that the visit might â€Å"irritate† some EU members, and secondly, that part of the agenda of the meeting is to promote the â€Å"economic integration† of eastern Europe within a EU run framework. Both of these reasons are telling. First, the economic success of Belarus outside of the system financed by the International Monetary Fund has threatened the European Union and the United States. The endless accusations of vote rigging and oppression are belied by the fact th at Lukashenko is overseeing a huge expansion of the post-Soviet economy of Belarus, and that he holds to a solid popularity rating of 80%, this after over 10 years in office.The Los Angeles Times (September 25, 2005) has said: â€Å"even [Lukashenko’s] fiercest opponents don’t question the accuracy of independent polls that rate him the most popular politician in this country. † Yet, the major papers and agencies here do not make reference to it at all. From the Financial Times (May 2, 2009), the Belarussian foreign Minister, Sergei Martinov, fears that the Prague Summit would have turned into a competition for Belarussian support. In other words, that the EU was using this summit to lure Belarus away from Russia.Martinov said that â€Å"We are not going to make a choice between the EU and Russia. We are not going to develop relations with one at the expense of relations with the other. † It seems that the fears of Lukashenko and his government are justif ied here. The only rational reason why the EU, whose public contempt for Lukashenko is daily made clear, would want Belarus to attend the Prague summit is so that they can take Belarus away from the protection of Russia with the aim of altering her highly successful political system.What other government would tolerate this? It seems more that the EU seeks the cooperation of Belarus, at least partially because Russian oil pipelines and much refining capacity goes straight thought Belarussian territory. While the EU publically condemns Belarus for vague crimes, the Belarussian foreign trading regime has been heaving tilted towards the EU and away from a dependence on Russia. Belarus is skillfully playing both sides, making herself indispensable for both the Russian and the European sphere of influence.The fact is that, vague denunciations aside, Belarus still sports a large trade and budget surplus, high economic growth rates and an unemployment rate of around 1%. These numbers are d ifficult to argue with, and hence, the EU’s approach has now been directed more towards dialogue rather then confrontation. In April 29, 2009, the Euro-Business newspaper from Brussels came out with a scathing article attacking Belarus from a Polish point of view.It relates the president of the European parliament’s condemnation of Belarussian policies while speaking in Poland, and reminds readers that Lukashenko was under a EU imposed travel ban lifted only in October. But what are the facts here. Again, the president of the rather toothless EU parliament attacks Belarus for a lack of democracy. But Belarus has 14 independent and rather large political parties, some pro-Lukashenko, some opposed. Belarus has dozens of privately owned newspapers of diverse backgrounds, including the large anti-government Charter 97 news agency.Apparently, the issue is not over â€Å"democracy† but Belarus’ strong sense of national independence, including in terms of econom ic integration with the EU. Pro-Belarussian professor Matthew Johnson had this to say about the situation in Belarus: In Belarus, a country the size of Kansas, there are about 800 newspapers. Of this, about 600 are privately owned. There are about 450 magazines are various kinds. Of these, about 300 are owned by private investors or entrepreneurs. In television, there are 9 state owned stations, and about 40 stations owned by private investors (Johnson, 2006).On April 30, 2009, the Soros owned Radio Free Liberty newspaper wrote that â€Å"Czech President Vaclav Klaus has said he would neither shake Lukashenko's hand nor invite him to the Prague castle if he comes to the Czech capital. † No reasons for this immature overreaction are given. It does strongly suggest that the EU and the US are putting quite a bit of pressure on European leaders to freeze out the independent Lukashenko. His economic success and thriving democracy are a threat to the west where democracy is synonym ous for â€Å"integration with the west.† Lukashenko’s independent course and economic success far and above either Poland and Czech Republic in terms of incomes and unemployment (cf. World Bank Report, 2009). The Russian News and Information Agency wrote on February 18, 2009, that â€Å"The EU plans to include Belarus in its new program, Eastern Partnership, on the condition that Minsk complies with EU demands on the country's democratization. † In other words, Belarus can be a part of Europe so long as she ceases to be an independent country and permits Brussels to restructure her domestic policy.And would Great Britain like it if Belarus refused to ship any oil to Europe unless she pull out of Northern Ireland? This is about power, and the foreign policy independence of Belarus. Refusing to follow any western line, Belarus has strong economic and military ties with Iran, China and Vietnam, hence standing in the way of western foreign policy. This seems to hav e more to do with the EU’s contempt for Minsk than anything else. But often, the newspapers dealt with here refuse to deal with the major issues.First, none of the above papers ever dealt with the economic success of Belarus, even when such success is seconded by the World Bank statistics themselves. Second, they refuse to deal with Lukashenko’s popularity and, lastly, refuse to deal with the long history of the CIA in attempting to destabilize that country, hence prompting Lukashenko’s paranoia about foreign manipulation. Paul Labarique writes in the Non-Aligned Press Network: The Bush administration’s many attempts to overthrow Alexander Lukashenko and destabilize Belarus to bring it to the North Atlantic orbit (NATO) have failed.Not precisely because the extremely authoritarian president has had the support of Russia, but because it has relied on his voters. Appreciating the country’s good economic performance and the maintenance of their indepe ndence, the Belarusian distrusted an opposition too openly submitted to Washington’s interests (February 18, 2005) While this is a dated reference, it does show that many are suspicious about the so-called anti-Lukashenko opposition and the CIA’s long running interference in Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Georgian and Belarussian elections.But none of this is spoken of in the major media outlets in America or the EU. The more recent articles dealt with in this paper refuse to deal with any of the major issues involved with the west’s irrational attacks on Lukashenko. But what are the newspapers leaving out? Apparently they are under a great amount of stress to paint Lukashenko in the most dire colors possible. But this is a problem: if the major newspapers worldwide are refusing the report the truth, than what does this say?It says that, especially in more obscure parts of the world, CIA involvement can lead to distorted reporting for reasons of â€Å"national se curity. † Or it may be merely that the reporters involved do not want to be thrown out of the country club, or that, even more, the Radio Free Europe report is motivated by the fact that the Soros NGO’s were thrown out of Belarus some years ago as agents of the CIA. Either way, the fact remains that newspaper reporting is highly suspect, and yet, the issues here are tremendous: Russia is a nuclear armed country, and pushing Belarus too hard is, to some extent, pushing Russia.To re-create the Cold War is likely not the best idea in the world, and the fact that Belarus is reaching out to China and Venezuela suggests that an alternative trading and military bloc is being formed. The picture the newspapers paint of Lukashenko is an unrestrained tyrant. Yet that is not backed up by facts in any forum. Hence, in reading papers about the relations between Lukashenko and the EU, one must be wary of the bias of the authors. The issues that the authors are not bringing up either because they are too ignorant of the subtleties, or they are under pressure, are that first, Belarus is an economic and political success.Lukashenko enjoys wide popularity and has controlled the effects of both the breakup of the USSR and the current economic crisis. But Lukashenko’s policies have been driven by state independence and the desire for a multi-polar world. This has led to threats from the west that has led further to the realignment of Belarussian politics towards anti-western centers throughout the world, including the crucial area of nuclear power (Kommersant, 2006). The west’s policies in this respect have been failures.But it is also clear that the media is also a major power behind the attacks on Lukashenko, often without the facts and research necessary to make sense out of the complex political situation of small states in a hostile environment. Obviously the media is misreporting the situation in Belarus. It seems to this writer that the real reas on Belarus is a threat is that they are an economic successful nation outside of the integrative structures of the west and its banks.Luskahenko has refused to permit his country to come under the control of the west, and has pursued a strategy of international equality, seeing all states as equal and as contributing to global justice. As a result he is vilified in the press, as some of the newspaper reports mentioned here show. History is in the making indeed, and it is being made by a handful of reporters and journalists in elite newspapers. References: Barber, Tony. â€Å"Belarus Fears Battle for Regional Influence. † The Financial Times. May 2, 2009. Moscow Times. â€Å"Lukashenko Expected to Skip EU’s Prague Summit.May 4, 2009 EU Business. â€Å"European Parliament Chief Calls for Democracy in Belarus. April 29, 2009. Radio Free Liberty. â€Å"Belarussian President Will not Attend Prague Summit. † April 30, 2009. Labareque, Paul. â€Å"Belarussians Defen d their Interests. † Non Aligned Press Network. February, 15, 2005 Johnson, Matthew Raphael. Belarus: A New Look. The American Journal for Russian and Slavic Studies, 2006. Kommersant. â€Å"Lukashenko Speaks Chinese. † May 24, 2006 World Bank. Belarus. 2009. (Cf www. worldbank. org/by) for all the statistical information on the Belarussian economy.

Router Simulation Essays

Router Simulation Essays Router Simulation Paper Router Simulation Paper Assignment 2: Network protocols numbers 1. What organization has been given the responsibility for assigning protocol numbers? ICANN – The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers 2. Determine the protocol numbers for the protocol names: Protocol| Number| IPv4| 4| IPv6| 41| TCP| 6| UDP| 17| ICMP| 1| VRRP| 112| IPSEC ESP| 50| L2TP| 115| OSPF| 89| EIGRP| 88| 3. Determine the correct ICMP type based on the description provided: ICMP Message Description| Type| Code*| Echo| 8| | Echo Reply| 0| |Time Exceeded| 11| 0| Port Unreachable| 3| 3| Fragmentation Needed| 3| 4| 4. What are the valid ranges of protocol numbers? 0-65535 5. What protocol number(s) is/are specified for experimentation and testing? 253 and 254 6. What organization has been given the responsibility for assigning port numbers, sometimes referred to as Well Known Ports or Registered Ports? IANA 7. Determine the protocol numbers for the protocol names: Port| Application / Protocol| TCP -23| telnet| TCP -443| HTTPS| UDP -53| Domain name system|UDP -123| Network time protocol| TCP -110| Post office protocol v3| TCP -25| Simple mail transfer protocol| TCP -80| HTTP| UDP -88| kerberos| TCP -22| SSH| UDP -161| Simple network management| 8. What numeric range is commonly referred to as the well-known ports? 0 to 1024 9. What numeric port range is commonly used by clients in a client -gt; server communication session? 0 to 1023 10. What do you believe would be the result of installing and configuring a web server to listen on ports other than 80 and 443? 80801. icann. org/en/about/learning/g lossary2. iana. org/assignments/protocol-numbers/protocol-numbers. xhtml3. nthelp. com/icmp. html4. tcpipguide. com/free/t_TCPIPApplicationAssignmentsandServerPortNumberRang-2. htm5. networksorcery. com/enp/protocol/ip. htm 6. http://technet. microsoft. com/en-us/library/cc959828. aspx7. https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_TCP_and_UDP_port_numbers#External_links8. webopedia. com/quick_ref/portnumbers. asp

The Haunting Truth Behind The Lake by Edgar Allan Poe

The Haunting Truth Behind The Lake by Edgar Allan Poe Poe first published â€Å"The Lake† in his 1827 collection Tamerlane and Other Poems, but it appeared again two years later in the collection Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems with a mysterious dedication added to the title: â€Å"The Lake. To–.† The subject of Poes dedication remains unidentified to this day. Historians have suggested  Poe wrote the poem about Lake Drummond- and that he might have visited Lake Drummond with his foster mother, but the poem was published after her death. The lake outside Norfolk, Virginia, also known as the Great Dismal Swamp, was said to have been haunted by two past lovers. The supposed ghosts were not thought of as malicious or evil, but tragic- the boy had gone mad in the belief the girl had died. A Haunted Lake Lake Drummond was said to be haunted by the spirits of a young Native American couple who lost their lives on the lake. The young woman reportedly died on their wedding day, and the young man, driven mad by visions of her paddling on the lake, drowned in his attempts to reach her. According to one report, local legend says that if you go into the Great Dismal Swamp late at night youll see the image of a woman paddling a white canoe on a lake with a lamp. This woman became known locally as the Lady of the Lake, which has given inspiration to a slew of famous writers over the years. Robert Frost was said to have visited the central Lake Drummond in 1894 after suffering a heartbreak from splitting up with a longtime lover, and he later told a biographer that he had hoped to get lost in the wilderness of the swamp, never to return. Although the haunting stories may be fictional, the beautiful scenery and lush wildlife of this Virginia lake and surrounding swamp draw many visitors every year. Poes Use of Contrast One of the things that stands out in the poem is the way Poe contrasts the dark imagery and danger of the lake with a feeling of contentment and even pleasure in the thrill of his surroundings. He refers to the loneliness as lovely, and later describes his delight at waking to the terror on the lone lake. Poe draws on the legend of the lake to tap into its inherent dangers, but at the same time he revels in the beauty of the nature surrounding him. The poem closes with Poes exploration of the circle of life. Though he refers to death in a poisonous wave, he describes its location as Eden, an obvious symbol for the emergence of life. Full Text of The Lake. To In spring of youth, it was my lotTo haunt of the wide world a spotThe which I could not love the less–So lovely was the lonelinessOf a wild lake, with black rock bound,And the tall pines that towered around.But when the Night had thrown her pallUpon that spot, as upon all,And the mystic wind went byMurmuring in melody–Then–ah then I would awakeTo the terror of the lone lake.Yet that terror was not fright,But a tremulous delight–A feeling not the jewelled mineCould teach or bribe me to define–Nor Love- although the Love were thine.Death was in that poisonous wave,And in its gulf a fitting graveFor him who thence could solace bringTo his lone imagining–Whose solitary soul could makeAn Eden of that dim lake.

The Career Aspirations of Michele Terry Case Study - 44

The Career Aspirations of Michele Terry - Case Study Example Last year, after discussions with her family and bank officer, Michele dropped the ambition of being the Executive Vice President. This led her to carefully reflect on her reasons for being a senior bank officer. These reasons are; money, status, and ability to develop financial policies that favor the community. This is the reason she decided to attend training on community reinvestment. The training enabled her to chair the new market development taskforce. She also used her experience to mentor young bank managers on career issues. The new work responsibilities have enabled Michele to effectively handle family matters. Her work motivation and satisfaction has also improved, as illustrated through her increasingly positive performance appraisal (Collings & Wood, 2009). The analysis of Michele’s work illustrates poor remuneration. This is because one of her reasons for the promotion if to get more monetary benefits. Her job design is appropriate; she has the opportunity of hiring new management staffs at the bank. The bank has a training and development program. Michele had the opportunity of improving her competencies through attending the community reinvestment training. Compensation and rewards are offered according to seniority at the company. The executive officers at the bank get the most competitive remuneration package (Conaty & Ram, 2011). The bank implements appropriate performance management measure. This is through the regular performance appraisal sessions. After the community reinvestment training, she received positive performance appraisals. The bank values positive employee relations. Michele illustrates the relations through guiding and counseling junior staffs, who eventually get promoted.  

Role of Stock Market and Banking System in Promoting Economic Growth Assignment

Role of Stock Market and Banking System in Promoting Economic Growth and Ensuring Financial Stability - Assignment Example In the given project different theoretical factors will be discussed to understand how banks and stock exchange influences the economic growth of a nation. After conducting the required literature review, some case studies will be discussed to critically verify the role of banks and stock market. On the basis of this research final conclusion will be drawn. Literature review Walter Bagehot (1873) and Joseph Schumpeter (1912) emphasised on role of banking system in economy growth and productive investment in a nation. However, there are economists like Robert E. Lucas (1988) who stated that â€Å"the economists have badly over-stressed the role of financial system† (Levine & Zervos, 1998, p.1). Similarly Joan Robinson (1952) also critically pointed out that banks respond passively to the economic growth. No doubt these critics were not wrong but one cannot deny the role of banks in economic growth. To have a healthy economic growth, it is quite essential for a nation to maintai n different businesses and industries operating in a harmonised manner. Bank acts as an intermediary that facilities fast and secure flow of capital within the domestic market as well as in international market. A healthy and well developed banking system is one of the core factors which are taken into consideration by foreign investors while making investment in a country. To attract foreign investment in a country, the government provides special changes in the monitory policy. Cameron (1972), pointed out that banks should vigorously search for ideal funds that can be used, mobilised and circulated in the economy. To attract the investors, high interest rate on deposits is a good tool, as that will attract more saving (Badun, 2008, p.122).... This paper outlines the crucial role of banks and stock markets in promoting growth and development in the modern world. After conducting the required literature review, the case study, pertaining to a global financial crisis, is discussed to critically verify the role of banks and stock market. The root cause of financial crisis was the loose monitory policy followed by the financial institutes of developed country like US and UK. The main aim of the banks was to provide easy loans at comparative lower rates. As soon as this strategy was introduced, the flow of capital increased and the liquidity position went high. Though the global economy was performing well but on the side the credit growth in the balance sheet of financial institutions also increased Banks paid less attention towards risk associated with loans at sub-prime rate. They used highly complex hybrid debt instruments without developing a proper method to analyse the risks. The policy of extensive use of sub-prime rates resulted into a bubble that burst in 2007. The poor condition of many banks created a state of liquidity crisis in the international stock market. Till mid of 2007, the stock market of US and UK was too bullish. People had ample capital to invest and thus liquidity was high. The failure of the banking system along with decline in the stock market performance created a state of harsh liquidity crisis in international market. The result was economic crisis in developed countries followed by fall in economic growth in developing nations.