The Virtual Tutoring Owl

Introduction The Virtual Tutoring Owl is a product that has come when it is most needed. The Virtual Tutoring Owl, is founded by, Educational Concepts Inc., located at 2400 Calculus Blvd, Knowledge Rock, MD. Our company has chosen the test marketing area of Prince George County, a growing affluent county in Maryland. However, despite its affluent growing population, it has a declining under achieving school system.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Virtual Tutoring Owl specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Our in depth research shows that this is a unique situation, that has created a need for the school system to implement a tool that can drastically help improve their students performances. Introducing the Virtual Tutoring Owl, in that area will aid the school system and parents with a much needed supplement to enhance student’s academic performance. Research indicates that students learn more with online tutoring systems and intelligent systems than by using the paper and pencil format. This means that this product has been developed to fill the learning gap needed and also to supplement traditional teaching(Beins, 2004). The Virtual Tutoring Owl has been designed follow the trends of recent past of technological products. It has been constructed to mimic in design devices like the ipad or smartphones which are already familiar with the targeted clients. This will also give the product a more likely acceptance in the market place. This report will show the demand and necessity of the Virtual Tutoring Owl, based on the analysis of situational and external factors in the chosen test market area of PG County, MD school system. Purpose and Mission The purpose of this product is to introduce a supplemental educational device that will assist students in homework, hence achieving better test scores, without attending a traditional sit-in tutoring class. The product’s appeal is that it is: durable, wireless, less time consuming, user friendly, and lastly fun to use because it is voice activated and yields voice responses. The product reduces the amount of time that students would otherwise spend in going for after class tutorials. This is important as some students do not learn much from these after class tutorials as in most cases they are normally already tired. Classes are tiring to the mind. Therefore, if one is to have an after class learning session; it should be fun to the student to benefit him or her. The device also saves time for parents who have to look for a credible tutor and inspect the tutors past in order to establish their credibility. The product thus kills two birds with one stone. Apart from time, the product also save the client money in the long term as they will not have to keep paying the tutor who normally demand regular payments that may be inconveniencing to the parent. Buying this product which has a price range $150-200 do llars, will include all the basic subjects like Math, English, Communication and others learnt by students in the school and also be onetime payment opposed to the regular payments demanded by the traditional tutors.Advertising Looking for research paper on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The product is also advantageous since it is portable, durable, wireless, convenient and computer friendly. Since computers are a big part of our lives, it would be beneficial for the students to learn using this product which will help them to become computer literate(Beins, 2004). Situational Analysis Current Product What is the Virtual Tutoring Owl? The product is a hand held voice activated device which is meant to assist students in their studies and in the process make the learning process easier and more fun. It is portable, easy to carry around, convenient, and yet affordable. Its database will have all major subject taught at public elementary, middle and high schools. Therefore, the product will have the ability to assist students in most any homework study situation and makes it even more convenient. The device can also help the student store questions in the device which he or she may ask during class. This gives students learning aids that help them capture every moment in the learning process (Krugman, 2009). How Does the Virtual Tutoring Owl Work? The Virtual Tutoring Owl is operated by speaking into the device, which also can be operated by hand application. The operator chooses a subject such as math, then sub category algebra. The student asks the device the equation. The equation is then displayed on the screen. Now, the virtual tutor will proceed to help assist the operator along with the answer, yet not automatically giving the answering. It will talk the students through the question step by step, asking rational questions, and confirming correct assumptions to help the students s olve problems for themselves. As an incentive, the Virtual owl has a unique built in feature that motivates students to use it frequently and longer. For every 30 minutes of use, the student earns 10 minutes of game time if they have 3 correct answers in any subject at the end of the session. (Krugman, 2009) Therefore, it will help pupils learn more, without feeling it is a chore. This will also make parents happier to know their children are spending more time studying, which is a goal of most parents. Target Market As an onset point, the product is going to target majorly in a rising affluent income area, where parents are seeking to save time, but still can afford to give quality education to their children (Blanchard, 2008). The marketing strategy to introduce the Virtual Tutoring Owl, in the Prince George County, is simply to find an area where it is most needed and fill it.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Virtual Tutoring Owl specifically fo r you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Demographics of Test Area Educational Concepts Inc., research shows that, the county has a unique socio-economic status and has great potential for launching the product in that area. According to Blanchard, the census bureau 2011, it is the 70th most affluent county in the nation per capita and the wealthiest county in the nation for Afro-Americans. The population in the area is well structured with a good number being in schools. Prince George’s County has a population with over 300,000 people and it has the third largest school system in the state. Yet, it has one of the lowest student performances rating in the country. This disparity gap has been created from a progressive transitioning of the status quo from earlier years in 90’s. In the past, the county had a high crime and poverty rate. However, since 2004, white collar workers have migrated to the area, and there have been decreases in crime an d the poverty rate. However, somehow the educational system has not keep up with the growing increase in the rise of the community. This may also be due to, high turnover rate of the schools superintendent (Blanchard, 2008). Marketing Strategy However, the increasing demands for higher scholastic achievement from the pressures of parents, school boards and teachers are still ongoing. If students do not achieve the minimum standards on state test, it will greatly reduce funding for schools in the county among other problems in the community. Studies have shown, in an area where the median household is $71,000 dollars, and 36 percent have bachelor degrees, the concern for a better school system is greatly in demand. It has caused some families to relocate or enroll their children in private schools. However, our organization understands that it is the concern of all parents, regardless of income status to have a competitive standard performing school system. Therefore, the Virtual Tut oring Owl will be made affordable, and collaborations will be made with the school system based on the family’s income, to either supplement, or partially reimburse parents for purchasing the Virtual Tutoring Owl. In addition it will be marketed for its likeable attributes. It is hand held, voice activated and portable as a cell phone. Therefore, it will be tagged as the ’’hip or cool† device to own, in which is a major concern among youths. Our organization anticipates by introducing the Virtual Tutoring Owl to schools and parents in the PG County area, it will be a very beneficial profitable venture (Blanchard, 2008).Advertising Looking for research paper on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, the product will first target elementary, middle and high school students. This is because of the ease to inculcate the syllabus at these stages of learning. Students of these ages are most affected by the traditional learning process of tutoring, therefore giving the product good launch target in its take off stages. To be relevant, the product had to focus on the portion of the market that needed it the most which is the learning stages mentioned above. The product also targets parents seeking to save time and money but still give quality education to their students (Blanchard, 2008). Distributor Network The target distribution network will be in two segments. First it will be sold through a wholesale-retail-consumer format. The product will be delivered to all big boxes stores and big electronic stores the product and enable its development. The price range will be 150- 200 dollars (Krugman, 2009). Secondly, the company will collaborate with the school district directly to have them introduce it to parents and students. This device will be out sourced to be manufactured. This way the product will have maximum potential to be as competitive as possible. Competitors The products competitors include smart phones, online tutoring services and the traditional tutoring services. The competing edge against the smart phones is the lack of regulation that comes with smart phones. Parents are not able to monitor the contents being viewed by their children using the smart phone. This gives Virtual Tutoring Owl a competing edge since Virtual Tutoring Owl is all educational. The traditional tutors are an expensive option in the long term in both financial and time terms. The competing edge against online tutoring services is the tempting view of non-educational views like pornography. This means that the product stands at a good position in the competition edge (Krugman, 2009). Profitability The ability for the product to make a good profit margin will depend on the market uptake. Speculation is that the market especially where the product is launched is an affluent area meaning they have a huge purchasing power. According to a sample survey conducted in The PG County area by CFO Melvin Blount, out of 48 participants, 37 felt their child would have interest in a hand held learning tool, 36 felt their child needed academic help, 41 felt their child would have interest in a cell phone device, 33 would purchase it if recommend by their child’s school, 43 would purchase it if the school reimbursed their purchase, and 32 would be willing to pay between $150- 200 dollars for the product. Analyzing this survey report shows that the Virtual Tutoring Owl will be well received by its audience. If the tutoring device is successful in help raising the student’s performances, this could be used to enhance marketing for the product in other areas to widen the potential of making sales nationally. By using an aggressive marketing campaign , such as big scale advertising and collaborations with school districts, a key component in turning this product into a potentially very profitable venture. A narrow manufacturing cost and a widened marketing which will lead to increased sales and therefore increased revenue will ensure a profit margin (Blanchard, 2008). Market Expenses Market expenses would include the amount of money spent in promoting the product through the media and in the distribution. The product since it is a new product will require a lot of marketing and advertising in order to be known by the consumers. The product will need introduction to the consumers and therefore marketing in almost all forms of media for good results will be necessary. This marketing would include use of billboards, TV adverts, the radio and also the newspapers. Taking the product for review will also give it a good attention and thus promotion. This means a lot of market expenditure for the new product (Krugman, 2009). For a more detail look at marketing expenditures, find the attached financial report. External Forces Cultural Factors The ethnical background of the population is also going to provide the product with a positive edge. It is important to note that the area has a relatively mixed racial residence and has a 59% African-American population, and therefore if any common cultural factors in terms of ethnicity arise, at that time it will be addressed. However, because it is a common technology, and universally used, there should be no need for cultural adaptations to the product. The area has a good technological intake and therefore gives Virtual Tutoring Owl an ease in the adaptation process. Most of students residing in PG County are already employing technology in their education process and as such are at a good position to partake this new technology. (Blanchard, 2004) The higher quality life style perhaps gives them a common cultural Legal Regulatory The legal environment for the product is r anging fare. There is no legal barrier that the product faces which will give it ease in the marketing stage. Technology has been well taken by the government and has been a part of life nowadays. This means that the development of Virtual Tutoring Owl will receive a positive acceptance legally. Conclusion Educational Concepts Inc. believes that the Virtual Owl is an innovative technological product that will have a great positive influence in the education sector. The test area chosen gives the product marketing edge because it will be launched in an area of great demand for increased educational achievement. If the public accepts the concept of the Virtual Tutoring Owl, the company plans to expand into more broad fields such as SATs testing and colleges and universities. Our company feels that we tapped into the heart of what make students attentive in their studies. Learning needs to be fun, innovative and intriguing in order for students to retain and maintain progressive learni ng status. It has been our company’s mission to not only build an affordable device that will generate a high profit margin, but also give back to the education community, by making donations from sales to improve our schools. Educational Concepts Inc., feels that Virtual Tutoring Owl is an unique product, and is highly anticipated to be well received by the public, and therefore being a profitable venture. References Beins, B. (2004). Research Methods: a tool for life. Michigan: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Blanchard, O. (2008). Macroeconomics. California: Pearson Hall. Krugman, R. W. (2009). Macroeconomics. New York: Worth Publishers. This research paper on The Virtual Tutoring Owl was written and submitted by user Mekh1 to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Pheonix Essays - Decepticons, Autobots, Micromasters, Red Alert

Pheonix Essays - Decepticons, Autobots, Micromasters, Red Alert Pheonix Transformers : The Phoenix War story by M Sipher Part One Deception, Subterfuge, Treachery and Other Methods of Getting Your Way or (Since You Joined) The Corporation ********** We have red alert! We have red alert! Klaxons wailed throughout Mining Station 48. The planetoid was a valuable source of numerous metals used in Cybertronian armor plating... metals mined by what was politely referred to as Non-Wage-Earning Labor. Otherwise known as slaves. The stocky, humanoid mine workers came from the planet Juliwa, and were perfectly suited for backbreaking labor in the planetoid's thin atmosphere... valuable

Vietnam Country Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Vietnam Country Report - Research Paper Example After achieving independence in 1945, the French nation did not offer financial support to Vietnam; furthermore, Americans intervened into the matters of this nation. The nation was divided into two; the northern socialist and the southern communist. Both sides faced major challenges despite the effort put by the first president to stabilize the whole nation. However, in 1976, the two regions merged and became one nation of Vietnam. This was a big step, which later led to economic development. The major vices faced by this country included dictatorship and corruption, even though in the recent past, the government have put efforts to negate these attributes, so as to rise more in terms of economy, hence gaining recognition by international communities. Keywords: Vietnam, Government, Colonial Powers, Colony, France, Rule, America, Independence, Nation, Socialist, Communist, Dictatorship, Corruption, International Community Political History of Vietnam Vietnam is a country that had bee n under colonial rule for a long time. It was ruled by the Chinese for around 1053 years, before the rule of Japan and some other regions by France. However in 1945, Vietnam was declared a free state by the then leader, Ho Chi Minh. In his independence declaration, he tried to sooth the Americans so as to support the move against France, from reclaiming any territory of Vietnam. After the Second World War, America associated itself with France to reclaim some of its territories in Vietnam. This was to the disappointment of Ho Chi Minh, and although this attempt failed, the Americans tried to colonize the Vietnamese, in a move to ensure that Vietnam was transformed to a western oriented nation. Vietnam had lost most of its valuables and could neither have freedom to have its own government, nor develop its own economy; instead it was constantly in war. This angered the then American president Roosevelt in 1944, who complained that France had milked Vietnam for many years (Bradley & Y oung, 2008). All along, with the separation of Vietnam into communist south and socialist north, the country could not make any substantial development. Instead it was a fight for supremacy, and there were many militias and foreign aggressions. However, in 1974, Vietnam was united, although it further faced segregation from the international community. It had been accused of invading Cambodia, faced cold war and had been granted sanctions by America. It was a difficult situation given that the currencies were controlled by these nations. The leaders struggled to progress with the limited freedom and with the unstable economy. Nevertheless, their effort began to bear fruits in 1986, when it adopted economic reforms, which saw the economy grow substantially. This is the country that had been affected most my political instability. Had such a nation been granted its independence earlier, then it would have grown long ago and reached greater heights in its economy. Its growth due to the independence is enough evidence to show that it had potential, but lacked the opportunity. Its restoration is also attributed to the Paris agreement of 1991, where it established diplomatic and economical relations with other nations. Vietnam Political system Vietnam is a presidential state. It is headed by the chief of state, who is the president, and the head of government is the prime

Project Management- MGMT412 - 1304B - 01 unit 1 Essay

Project Management- MGMT412 - 1304B - 01 unit 1 - Essay Example The project sponsor in this project should be the company’s Finance manager since he is in charge of the organization’s financial expenditure. The finance manage is in a position to decide on the budget and liaise with all project stakeholders on the implementation of the project. The project manager in this case will be the marketing manager since he/she is in charge of the department that initiated the project. The marketing department understands the market and the product functionalities inside out and they should be in charge of this project (Wiener, 2011). The project is supposed to introduce a new plastic product that will make the company competitive in the realization of its goals. The project is expected to take a period of nine months in the process lay a foundation for the inception and production of new products. The project will be implemented through the use of a project charter which is a program that highlights the major requirements, scope, deliverable s and timelines to be met by the project. The project charter is important due to various reasons such as: a) It aligns the goals of the project with major players such as stakeholders and sponsors. b) It ensures the project is run on schedule and budget since it acts as a guide on the specifics to be achieved by the project. c) In case the project charter is not followed the project might run into problems such as being over budget, run out of scope and eventually stall or halt. Project Charter The document below highlights the major milestones and work that the project will intend to achieve through the project charter. Project Background: Winsome Manufacturing Company intends to come up with a huge room-sized outdoor plastic container that will be sold to its loyal customer base. This product concept idea was initiated by the marketing department after conducting research and testing the market (Gido, 2009). Project Rationale: This project is expected to add more products to the ones currently produced by the company. Moreover, the project will meet the needs of consumers who are in need of outdoor home storage that is cost effective and efficient (Lewis, 2010). As a result, the company has a business opportunity of meeting the needs of the consumers while increasing its product catalogue and revenues. Project Goals: This project is intended to come up with a finished product which is room-sized container to be produced in mass to be marketed to consumers. The marketing department wants to counter competition from a rival company that produces a similar product although no with superior features of the intended project (Wiener, 2011). Future goals of the project include production of add-on products as a result of the follow up on this project. The major goals are to generate additional revenue to the based on multiplicity of new products derived from the current project. Project Scope: The major highlights that will mark the success of this project are: a) Come up with new designs based on requirements identified by the project stakeholders. b) Agree with stakeholders and project sponsors on appropriate budget. c) Ensure project timelines and budget is achieved. d) Come up with a product marketing and sales strategy. e) Plan and prepare for add-on products that will support the main product. Project Assumptions: In the implementation of this project, various assumptions will be made such as; a) Designs and product

Financial Analysis Wonderful Home Plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Analysis Wonderful Home Plc - Essay Example The organization headquartered in Wales operates with 30 branches in Scotland and Wales.  The organizations related to the home and office furniture retail industry deals with the number of factors. The management of the home and office furniture retail firms deal with two types of environments i.e. external environment and internal environment. The slight change of these two types of the environment may affect the company’s profitability and wealth creation. The project report mainly deals with the financial position as well as the performance of the home and office furniture retail industry. Financial performance analysis mostly interrelated with the ratio analysis. The key fundamental of the ratio analysis is the annual report of the concerned company. There are different ratios that indicate the financial performance of different sectors of the specific organization.  Here the research report is totally based on the financial performance of Wonderful Home Plc. (WH). Th erefore, the study will significantly analyze the different key ratios which indicate the financial position of the company. The ratio analysis is the mechanism that highlights the financial and operational performance of the chosen company. The primary objective of this report is to ensure the stability of the home and office furniture retail industry and developing new export markets in order to promote national economic development significantly.  It is feasible that Wonderful Home Plc. (WH) is approaching one of the leading European banks in order to take loans for business. Moreover, the reason for approaching the bank is to avail the market research data points. It will help the organization to invest in two different projects in order to attain high return. The first projects which the organization is aiming for is to establish a factory of home furniture.

Exploring whether are Criminals Born or Made

Exploring whether are Criminals Born or Made A criminal can be defined as a person who has committed a crime. It does not matter whether one has committed a crime once or numerous times. Offences that may make one qualify to be called a criminal may include, robbery with violence, murder and so on. One may wonder why is it that some people have the habit of continually committing such crimes while others dont? Is it a matter of inheriting some genes from the family or is it ones on desire to do so? These questions and many more are some reasons that have brought about a fiery argument from the subject of criminology in the expedition to find the source of criminal behaviour in our society today and also ways of dealing with such kind of behaviour in our society. This essay will bring out factors that may lead to answering some of these questions looking at both approaches whether one is born a criminal or is forced to become a criminal because of some other factors like environment. Nevertheless, the essay will take a position and argue that these criminals are made and that no one is born a criminal. This is a behaviour some people obtain due to either by their own choice or factors from their environment. Psychologists have come up with many assumptions and intentions as to why individuals commit crimes. The two main clarifications lie in genetic and environmental factors, which conveys to the nature and nurture debate. Some argue that criminals are born, these are philosophers and scientists who believe that the genetics play a role in a persons behaviour and thus criminals are as a result of the same; these are twin and adoption studies. On the other hand there are also studies that have been conducted to prove that criminals are made by society, these are scientist and philosophers who consider that it is the environment, such as a persons interaction with the society that models behaviour of the individual. Some psychologists and medical researchers have come to the theory that criminal behaviour is hereditary just as other medical conditions, such as heart disease and high cholesterol. This gives a conclusion that criminals have a tendency to commit crime and are indeed born (Wasserman D (2004). On the other hand, an individual who is not genetically inclined to criminal behaviour can be forced by the environment to get involved in to the same. Peer pressure is one of best illustration in such cases. Most of the criminals today are from big cities where living conditions are somehow hostile. One of the major factors that drive such individuals to criminal behaviour is poverty, which in this case lies in the nature side of the debate. That is to say, poverty, which is an environmental factor, also plays a huge role in producing criminal behaviour (Baatz, Darrow, 2009).. A study on identical twins in a University in Florida carried out in 2007 shows that the relationship of criminal behaviour of identical and fraternal twins were evaluated with each other in these studies; it was concluded that rates of participation in criminal acts to be more alike for pairs of identical twins compared to fraternal. However, critics dispute that reasons other than that of hereditary could be the cause for the result. Contrasting to other family members identical twins normally spend more time collectively, frequently having the similar instructors and associates, thus sharing allot of experiences. Identical twins are more often than not closely emotionally involved to each other because of the aforesaid factors, making them similar in approach and behaviour including, involvement in criminal activity. A question may be raised in relation to genetic factors leading to criminal behaviour, that why should one be penalized if it is genetically inherited? The answer to such a question rely in part on whether one believes that factors reducing but not getting rid of ones ability for willpower ought to reduce moral accountability for ones behaviour. Moral philosophers differ on this subject, with some requiring an impairment of normal deliberative processes or at least a denial of the desires that the person finds so hard to manage before they would accept an argument for improvement. However, poverty is not the only environmental factor that may lead an individual to crime. One may notice that though poverty is a factor in criminal behavior, not all people leaving in poverty indulge in crime (Raine, 1993). This is to say that criminal behavior can be controlled by the environmental factors like what lessons one is taught. Still, not all criminals come from modest background or from big cities, some also come from well-off families living in outer edge. These are mostly peer influence, naturally human beings are sensible, and they freely make decisions even though they understand the outcome of their own choices. Thus criminals are not born but made. The old proverb says that wicked group damage decent principles. Relating with criminals can make an individual to end up as a criminal. This may be the major motive why children from well-off families obtain criminal behaviour. Petty crimes committed by children may appear to be a tale to friends who may also be involved the same for pleasurable. Over duration of time, this behaviour may prove to become a permanent thing. Peer pressure is mainly clear in the slums where houses close to one another. Among other factors, this explains why crime rate is on the higher on average in poor vicinity. According to study, families in inner cities are facing many challenges. There is extremely huge number of single parent families where mostly the father is missing. A family where father is missing lacks that unity that a father brings in a family. Boys need a father figure in the family to help them grow and learn how to control their manhood. In Addition to this domestic hostility that is ra mpant in families and the circumstances that become apparent is an rising number of youth brought up in such homes. Another good example is the high rate of criminal activity associated with African Americans as compared to the whites. This can only be explained by the peer influence acquired from one another in these neighbourhoods. A family mingles an individual to the exterior world. It introduces the prospects of society on each individual. When the individual is brought up in a family set upwhere there is respect for authority and personal possessions, there is affection, and hard work is appreciated; this individual assumes the similar principles. A father figure in the family symbolizes authority. Children brought up in single parented families where they were battered may utter their antagonism on the public and become criminals (Ferri, 2008). The importance of rearing children in normal families cannot be contradicted. Thus most single parented families play a major role to crime in that they do not instil the best of the children they bring up by bringing out the mandatory morals. This evidently illustrates why a family is the heart of every society, and everything that takes place in it will eventually resound transversely in the whole society (Miller, Gaines, 2008). The same relates to schools. A sch ool not only implant helpful morals, but also authorize children to lead straightforward lives. Failure to this, its graduates may be prone to crime. From the above-mentioned situations, the environment also plays are the crucial task in initialling criminals. Therefore, criminals are made. This is to say, criminals realize this behaviour from their neighbourhood or they are forced by living conditions. Similarly psychologists frequently say things like Families with inadequate communication and poor family attachment have been shown to have a connection with a childs development of hostile/criminal behavior.   Or children are at a bigger risk of involving in crimes, if they were abandoned or neglected (Caspi A. (2002). There is sharp turn of events in out societal principles concerning earning a living currently. We are instructed that in order to be wealthy, you dont need to work hard, but rather work smart.. The meaning of the term work smart is vague. In the real sense, an individual a little less hard but earning significantly extra than generally individuals would be termed to be working smart. Reasonably speaking, there are careers where people receive plenty of money for working fewer hours; compared to r the majority plenty of cash is a result of tolerance and hard work. Since chances for working smart are scarce or rather imaginary, some people end up devious and other deceitful activities that border on crime to get money (Baatz, Darrow, 2009). In societies where people like this obtain and hold on to their corrupted wealth, who would be willing to stick to usual ways of earning a living. Everyone will be on the look for a shortcut to develop living standards. This habitually means turni ng to corruption. When such circumstances exist in any society it will eventually crumple, particularly if the leaders are implicated. To conclude therefore, it can be argued that, though studies have found that both genes and environment play a role in the criminality of the individual, the environment plays a key role in stemming or spreading such behaviors. Criminals are therefore made and not necessarily born

National Missile Defense Essay -- Weapons War Cold War American Histor

National Missile Defense Historical Perspective On March 23, 1983, through a nationally televised address to the nation, then President Ronald Reagan envisioned a †Star Wars† defense system to replace the existing element of mutual deterrence between the two Cold War superpowers. The system calls for a high-tech impenetrable ballistic missile shield for the United States. The speech marks the birth of the Strategic Defense Initiative1 (SDI). It came about when the Soviets then had numerical advantage over the United States in ballistic missiles that are increasingly accurate and powerful. In fact, the Soviets has the ability to overwhelm the United States' missiles on the ground should a conflict ever occur. Arms race is a vicious cycle in itself and will not contribute to the cause of world peace. Therefore, to render this advantage impotent and obsolete, President Reagan directs the nation’s talented and government agencies to begin exploring and researching programs that will achieve the ultimate goal of elim inating threats due to weapons of mass destruction now and for the years to come. In less than a decade after setting the vision, the United States was grossly reminded of the necessity of employing a capable missile defense system during the Gulf War. On February 25, 1991, in a missile attack on Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, an Iraqi-launched Scud missile’s warhead hit a warehouse that served as a United States barrack, killing 28 soldiers and injuring scores of others in the process. Apparently, one Patriot battery was not operational while the other was not able to track the incoming missile due to a software problem. Immediate Perspective The number of nations possessing ballistic missiles has increased ov... ...ense What Does It All Mean?" Missile Defense Issue Brief. Center of Defense Information. 17 May 2002. <http://www.cdi.org/Hotspots/nmdissuebrief/nmd32.pdf> 10. Antonia Handler Chayes and Paul Doty. Defending Deterrence. Virgina: Pergamon- Brassey's International Defense Publishers, Inc., 1989. 11. "Commentary: The Moral Necessity of Missile Defense." Reason, Individualism, Achievement and, Freedom. Mar. 2001. The Objectivist Center. 17 May 2002. <http://www.objectivistcenter.org/articles/jrobbins_moral-necessity-missile- defense.asp> 12. Lieutenant Ron G. Jacobson "Morality of Nuclear Deterrence and Missile Defense." Military Philosophy and Ethnics. Feb. 1999 National Security Affairs. 18 May 2002. <http://nsa.nps.navy.mil/Publications/Micewski/Jacobson.html>

A study on motorcycle rider characteristic and behavior in Dhaka City Essay

This study presents essential information relating to motorcycle rider driving behavior resulting from the questionnaire survey for riders. This survey was conducted along the top 5 roads in Dhaka city with the most number of recorded motorcycle road crashes in the past 5 years. This study also provides valuable information about their experiences when learning to drive, as well as providing a detailed examination of factors, past and present, which may have contributed to their current driving behavior. The questionnaire has eight (8) sections that focus on rider’s personal details, driving experience and training, riding habit, opinion on road safety, road crash experience, motorcycle preference and anger and aggression test. The anger examination was made using the Deffenbacher Driving Anger Scale (Deffenbacher et al. , 1994) and the aggression examination was made using the Aggression Questionnaire of Buss & Perry (1992). The results of the rider survey were analyzed to yield significant variables influencing motorcycle road crash experience and frequency. A total of 200 motorcycle rider participated in the survey. A video survey is also done to cross check the information given by the riders which is done along 3 important roads in Dhaka city. The purpose of this survey addresses a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of passing maneuver of motorcycle. The characteristics of passing maneuver of motorcycle include (i) individual speeds and speed differences between passing and passed motorcycles; (ii) lateral spacing of passing and passed motorcycles; (iii) longitudinal distances from beginning and ending of passing event. These findings can be used to develop more accurate procedures for the analysis of the quality of service of motorcycle paths as well as to develop a comprehensive simulation model. It is also hoped that this information will be used to understand the factors that place a rider at risk of becoming involved in a crash, committing traffic violations, and/or engaging in â€Å"risky† driving practices and inform road safety programs aimed at preventing rider from engaging in potentially dangerous driving behavior.

Amber Mileski Essays (810 words) - Neurochemistry, Neuroscience

Amber Mileski Essays (810 words) - Neurochemistry, Neuroscience Amber Mileski English 111 Compare and Contrast 26 March 2017 Fighting the Battle Against Drugs The utilization of med ications has expanded , as indicated by various articles in medicinal diaries. They debilitate groups everywhere throughout the world in view of how influence the organs of the body and their capacities. Split and cocaine are two of these risky medications. In this way, it is imperative for social insurance experts to know about them keeping in mind the end goal to manage any issues identified with their utilization that patients may involvement . Crack and cocaine have three comparative consequ ences for the human body. Although crack is warmth safe and cocaine is obliterated by warmth, both ca use hypertension. Likewise, crac k and cocaine achieve physiological and mental harm, contingent upon prior conditions and the degree of medication utilize. For instance, fantasy, psychosis, suspicion, and forceful conduct may happen, and an overdose of either may bring about cardiovascular crumple or writhing. At last, utilization of both medications can prompt fixation . The high from smoking crack and cocaine can be outweighed by numerous amount of negative effects. The most common side effects that have been reported are i rritability , anxiety, headache, depression, a ggressive, paranoid behavior , a bdominal pain , and sudden death due to a heart attack or stroke (The E ffects of Crack Use, 2017). They both have short term and long term effects on the body. The short-term physical and mental effects of using crack and cocaine are generally more intense than the effects from snorting powdered cocaine and are like what is experienced when injecting cocaine. These effects are also like other commonly abused stimulants such as methamphetamine . Individuals who utilize it frequently don't eat or rest appropriately. They can encounter significantly expanded heart rate, muscle fits and shakings. The medication can make individuals feel jumpy, furious, antagonistic, and restless notwithstanding when they aren't high. Regardless of how much of the drug is used or how frequently, crack cocaine increases the risk that the user will experience a heart attack, stroke, seizure, or respiratory failure (The E ffects of Crack Use, 2017). Long haul impacts from utilization of rocks incorporate serious harm to the heart, liver, and kidneys. Clients will probably have irresistible ailments. Proceeded with every day utilize causes lack of sleep and loss of craving, bringing about ailing health. Smoking rocks likewise can bring about forceful and neurotic conduct . Regardless of crac k and cocaine's likenesses, they have three noteworthy contrasts. In the first place, albeit split and cocaine are gotten from the coca plant, they contrast in frame. The real compound impacts of split versus powder cocaine are not diverse . However, the chemical makeup of crack vs. powder cocaine does differ. Powder cocaine is the hydrochloride salt form , this is how is exists in nature. Powder cocaine is a white powdery substance that is abused by snorting and which can be dissolved in water . Crack is one the form bases of cocaine. Crack is essentially powder cocaine mixed with water and baking soda which is dried into a solid mass. This mass is cracked' into rocks that are smoked. Another difference is that the criminal punishment associated to their use and possession are very different. P ossessing 500 grams of powder cocaine carries the same penalty as possessing 28 grams of crack (Cocaine.org, 2014). Regularly, the cerebrum discharges dopamine in these circuits in light of potential prizes, similar to the possess an aroma similar to great nourishment. It then reuses once more into the phone that discharged it, stopping the flag between nerve cells. Cocaine keeps dopamine from reusing, making over the top sums develop between nerve cells. This surge of dopamine at last upsets typical cerebrum correspondence and causes cocaine's high. Another significant distinction is by which how they enter the body. Powder cocaine is usually snorted through the nose and absorbed through nasal mucosa membranes, and also can be injected (Cocaine.org, 2014). Crack is t he crystal that is heated to produce vapors that are inhaled into the lungs. This form of cocaine is called Crack, which refers to the crackling sound of the

North American River Otter Facts

North American River Otter Facts The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal in the weasel family. While it may simply be called the river otter in North America (to distinguish it from the sea otter) there are other river otter species throughout the world. Despite its common name, the North American river otter is equally comfortable in either coastal marine or freshwater habitats. Fast Facts: North American River Otter Scientific Name: Lontra canadensisCommon Names: North American river otter, northern river otter, common otterBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 26-42 inches plus a 12-20 inch tailWeight: 11-31 poundsLifespan: 8-9 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Watersheds of North AmericaPopulation: AbundantConservation Status: Least Concern Description The North American river otters body is built for streamlined swimming. It has a stocky body, short legs, webbed feet, and a long tail. In contrast to the European otter, the North American river otter has a longer neck and narrower face. The otter closes its nostrils and small ears when submerged. It uses its long vibrissae (whiskers) to find prey in murky water. North American river otters weigh 11 to 31 pounds and range from 26 to 42 inches long plus a 12 to 20 inch tail. Otters are sexually dimorphic, with males about 5% larger than females. Otter fur is short and ranges in color from light brown to black. White-tipped hairs are common in older otters. River otters use their tails as rudder while swimming. Hailshadow / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution North American river otters live near permanent watersheds throughout North America, from Alaska and northern Canada south to the Gulf of Mexico. Typical habitats include lakes, rivers, marshes, and coastal shorelines. Although largely exterminated in the Midwest, reintroduction programs are helping river otters reclaim part of their original range. Diet River otters are carnivores that hunt fish, crustaceans, frogs, salamanders, waterfowl and their eggs, aquatic insects, reptiles, mollusks, and small mammals. They sometimes eat fruit, but avoid carrion. During winter, otters are active during the daytime. In warmer months, they are most active between dusk and dawn. Behavior North American river otters are social animals. Their basic social unit consists of an adult female and her offspring. Males also group together. Otters communicate by vocalization and scent marking. Young otters play to learn survival skills. River otters are excellent swimmers. On land they walk, run, or slide across surfaces. They may travel as much as 26 miles in a single day. Reproduction and Offspring North American river otters breed between December and April. Embryo implantation is delayed. Gestation lasts 61 to 63 days, but young are born 10 to 12 months after mating, between February and April. Females seek dens made by other animals for giving birth and raising young. Females give birth and raise their pups without aid from their mates. A typical litter ranges from one to three pups, but as many as five pups may be born. Otter pups are born with fur, but are blind and toothless. Each pup weighs about 5 ounces. Weaning occurs at 12 weeks. Offspring venture out on their own before their mother gives birth to her next litter. North American river otters reach sexual maturity at two years of age. Wild otters typically live 8 or 9 years, but may live 13 years. River otters live 21 to 25 years in captivity. Baby river otter. ArendTrent / Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies North American river otter conservation status as least concern. For the most part, the species population is stable and otters are being reintroduced into areas from which they vanished. However, river otters are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) because the species may become endangered if trade is not closely regulated. Threats River otters are subject to predators and disease, but human activities are their greatest threat. Otters are highly susceptible to water pollution, including oil spills. Other important threats include habitat loss and degradation, illegal hunting, vehicle accidents, trapping, and entanglement in fishnets and lines. River Otters and Humans River otters are hunted and trapped for their fur. Otters pose no threat to humans, but in rare cases they have been known to attack dogs. Sources Kruuk, Hans. Otters: ecology, behaviour and conservation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-856586-0.Reid, D.G.; T.E. Code; A.C.H. Reid; S.M. Herrero  Food habits of the river otter in a boreal ecosystem. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 72 (7): 1306–1313, 1994. doi:10.1139/z94-174Serfass, T., Evans, S.S. Polechla, P. Lontra canadensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T12302A21936349. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T12302A21936349.enToweill, D.E. and J.E. Tabor. The Northern River Otter Lutra canadensis (Schreber). Wild mammals of North America (J.A. Chapman and G.A. Feldhamer ed.). Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982.Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.

Production and Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Production and Growth - Essay Example On the other hand, explaining differences relating to growth and productivity among countries around the world required significant understanding of their determinants. It also important to note that, growth rates among different countries around the world are not constant; in fact, they are highly dynamic (Zhihua and Kai, 4). Moreover, countries that are considered poor are not destined to a state of poverty; for instance, countries such as Singapore had low incomes during 1960, but currently her incomes have significantly increased. Therefore, economic stability of a country is not taken for granted since; there are increased chances of being overtaken by other poorer countries that are growing more rapidly. FACTORS AFFECTING PRODUCTIVITY AND GROWTH GDP and income in a country increases due to workers’ productivity, thereby leading to increased living standards for the citizens. Productivity and growth rate in a given country is also facilitated by technological knowledge si nce it enhances the production process. Furthermore, in order to understand productivity and growth in a country, human capital is understood based on perspective through which people contribute to expansion of knowledge acquired in the field of production. Furthermore, there is need to understand policies, which influence determinants of growth in a country. Some of these growth determinants include international trade, health, nutrition, health, property rights and political instability and others; In fact, it is also vital to understand investment, savings and the policies that affect them. Output per unit labor is also one of the major determinants of living standards among citizens in a country. Therefore, the discussion in this paper focuses on comparing productivity in different countries depending on physical and human capital per worker, and natural resources. Moreover, evaluation of growth among different countries is based in technological advancement, which improves livi ng standards. INCOMES AND GROWTH AROUND THE WORLD Rates of growth among countries across the world are highly dynamic due to numerous underlying factors. Therefore, numerous changes occur over a period of time, whereby poor countries acquire chances of improving their productivity and growth to an extent of surpassing other countries. On the other hand, decisions made by various political actors in a given country can affect their growth negatively or positively; thus, leading to decline or increase of productivity. The graphs below show GDP per captial during 2009 and growth rate from 1970 up to 2009 for different countries in order to compare their growth and productivity rates. DETERMINANTS OF PRODUCTIVITY Physical Capital per worker (K/L) In any country, the physical capital refers to the tools and machinery used for production and infrastructure such as roads and ports, which facilitates mobilization of factors of production. In fact, physical capital is an attribute of growth and productivity in a given country since it is applied in production of output. However, there is a profound difference between physical capital and technology since it constrained, thereby being used by particular workers. In this case, productivity and growth is caused by substantial difference in physical capital between developed and developing countries. For instance, a survey conducted in 2000

Survey Development Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Survey Development Project - Assignment Example The beginning of Boston included events such as the Boston massacre, Boston Tea Party, Boston Siege, and the Battle of Bunker Hill. After the establishment, Boston attracted many settlers from without because it became an interregional center for education, medicine, socialization, and business (Chowdhury, 2012). The city was a regional leader in innovation and economic development. The changes that occurred in Boston made the population grow very fast with the influx of immigrants and investors. The groups that migrated to Boston included Germans, Syrians, French, Canadians, and Haitians, among others. This migration made a blend of many ethnic communities, which changed the operations and interactions of the city drastically (Byrne & Deane, 2011). Boston has a population of 645,966 people, about 10% of Massachusetts’ population, which is 6,708,874 (Love & Sajatovic, 2011). Over half of Boston’s population is made up of Caucasian people, a quarter African-Americans, Hispanic Latinos 17.5, and 8.9% Asians, and American Indians 0.4 (McCuskee, 2012). This makes Boston a blend of many cultures with variations in belief systems and values. The Boston Haitians started to migrate to Boston in the 20thcentury. They were fleeing the dictatorship of Francois Duvalier (commonly known as Papa Doc). Today, the population of Haitians in Boston is only third in United States after Florida and New York (Johnson, 2015). In 2005, for example, there were 40,000 Haitians in Massachusetts. The paper illustrates how Haitians are treated in the medical sector in Boston. The focus is specifically on mental health with a specific focus on the contributions of cultural beliefs. This study will be done among the Boston Haitians with the involvement of professionals in medicine, sociology, and history. This survey explains the approaches to the treatment of the Haitians by the healthcare providers in Boston. The research aims at finding the disadvantages that