The American Dream By Martin Luther King Jr. - 943 Words

The American Dream is a theory that is controversial and has many different prospects for each individual. America is the land of the free. It comes with many struggles that are faced by the people who choose to settle here. From the very beginning, the settlers who came to escape from Great Britain and start a new life started the standard life in America. The treatment of African Americans was one example of how the American Dream can be taken away from a group of people, but it also shows how much the American Dream is wanted by that same group of people. â€Å"The Declaration of Independence† by Thomas Jefferson, and the â€Å"I Have a Dream† by Martin Luther King Jr., speech are just small beginnings to something as great as what America is today. When the liberation of America came from Great Britain, it came with many struggles that the settlers had to face. They had the idea â€Å"that all men are created equal,† (327) and each man has the right to the a lienable rights of â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness† (327). It was the idea that settlers wanted their freedom, because of the unfair treatment from the King of Great Britain. In the Declaration of Independence, it talks about the tyranny the King has over the States and how the King stopped the American Dream from being developed. The King †refused his Assent to Laws...necessary for the public good†(327). The King vetoed many laws that would provide a fundamental government for the people in America. The King alsoShow MoreRelatedMartin Luther King, Jr.s American Dream Essay763 Words   |  4 Pagesexplanation of the American dream is Martin Luther King, Jr. speech; I Have a Dream. Dr. King speech is more like a testimony of truth, rather than a speech. At the time of his speech African Americans were not free, while the Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal. Dr. King’s movement established the way for the idea that there is an American dream. The idea that somebody can be anything they would like to be. This idea is still relevant now in America. Americans pursue theirRead MoreI Have A Dream By Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.1102 Words   |  5 PagesAfrican Americans we have been unable to embrace this concept without severe punishment. From being sprayed with high powered water hoses to being brutally beaten by those that are supposed to protect and serve. In the speech, I Have A Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he elaborates on the fight African Americans have endured and sets the path for freedom and equality while We Shall Overcome by L.B Johnson speaks on providing equality for all Americans. According to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speechRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Research Paper1430 Words   |  6 PagesCommunications Essay DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SPEECH â€Å"I HAVE A DREAM† Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15 , 1929 and died on April 4, 1968. He was born Michael Luther King Jr. but decided to change his name to Martin. Both Martin Luther’s grandfather and father were pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Martin Luther carried on the tradition and served as pastor from 1960-1968 (Nobel Prize, 1). He was a big part of the civil rights movement for his raceRead MoreRhetorical Analysis of the I Have a Dream Speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.1219 Words   |  5 Pagesthroughout Washington D.C. August 28, 1963 as Martin Luther King Jr. paved the path to freedom for those suffering from racial segregation. It was the day of the March on Washington, which promoted Civil Rights and economic equality for African Americans. In order to share his feelings and dreams with the rest of the nation, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech encouraging all to overcome racial segregation. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Drea m speech was very effective due to the use ofRead MoreMartin Luther King Pathos and Ethos of Speech895 Words   |  4 PagesDr. Martin Luther King Juniors use of Ethos Pathos in his â€Å"I have a dream† speech. On August 28, 1963, people around the nation tuned into hear several civil rights speeches going on in Washington. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those civil rights speakers, and that day he gave his famous â€Å"I have a dream† speech. In Dr. Martin Luther King Juniors speech, he spoke about unifying the nation, to create a place where Americans â€Å"will not be judged by the color of your skin but by the contentRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr.1046 Words   |  5 Pagesactivist, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his memorable â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech while standing at the feet of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. His uplifting speech is one of the most admired during the civil rights era and arguably one of the best in American history. On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about the true American dream: equality. Although the video of his oral spectacle is powerful, the written document portrays exactly how brillia nt Martin Luther King Jr. reallyRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr., A Political Icon Essay1441 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause they and their accomplishments have forever changed society and the world. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those individuals. Martin Luther Kings contributions to history place him in this inimitable position. One of the great figures in the march of human history, Martin Luther King Jr., like Gandhi before him, lived by a heroic credo of non-violence. More than two decades since his death, Martin Luther King ideas; his call for racial equality, his faith in the ultimate triumph of justiceRead Moreâ€Å"I Am Happy To Join With You Today In What Will Go Down1420 Words   |  6 Pagesnation.† (Lerone Bennett Jr. pg.125) Being a hero means to be a leader. To be a leader you have to have strength, courage, and commitment. In the 1960s, there were many leaders fighting for what they believe is the right of freedom and equality of all people. A major leader, Martin Luther King Jr. was involved in the Civil Rights Movement during the 60s. King was influenced by advocates of nonviolence such as Mahatma Gandhi. He wanted to seek equality for African Americans that were underprivilegedRead MoreEssay on The Life of Martin Luther King Jr.1244 Words   |  5 Pagesworld. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born to Alberta and Martin Luther King. Alberta Williams King was born September 13, 1904 in Atlanta, Georgia. Martin Luther King, Sr. was born December 19, 1899 in Stockbridge, Georgia. Martins dad was a pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. His mother was a school teacher. His siblings were Christine King Farris born September 11, 1927, and Alfred Daniel Williams King born July 30, 1930. Martin was the middle child. Martin Luther KingRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.: How Society Changed859 Words   |  4 Pagesroles. The most prominent and persistent activist of African American rights movement was Martin Luther King Jr. King’s ideas sparked the ideal perspective of equality. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for equality by organizing marches, giving powerful speeches, and staying positive through adversity. Martin Luther King Jr. knew of the constant racism and cruelty in Birmingham, Alabama and decided to lead a march in 1963. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy, treasurer of the SCLC, led a group of

Energy Resources And Renewable Energy - 1240 Words

Everyone uses a lot of power for lighting, heating, machines, movements, and so much more. All of that energy has to come from an energy supply. Some energy resources are renewable, while others are non-renewable. Energy has various forms and is a very essential part of our everyday lives. In my house, I always try to conserve energy when I can. I try an hot water by using a lower flow shower head and very rarely use the bath tub which does waste a lot of hot water. When buying light bulbs, I only buy LED light bulbs for the lights in my house. I keep the thermostat below 75 degrees when it is cold out even if that means needing to use extra blankets. There are many other things that I can do to conserve energy. Some of these things would be to turn off any electrical devices when I am not using them and upgrading some appliances that may be out of date, as the newer ones are usually more energy efficient. It is fascinating to imagine how much energy I do use in one day. I have to ch arge my cell phone everyday, as it also acts as my alarm clock. My furnace keeps the house warm when it gets cold outside. I use the hot water heater one to three times a day when I shower or wash my face. I use the microwave, George Foreman grill, and stove to makes my meals everyday. The refrigerator keeps my food and drinks cold. I use my iPad and computer to do schoolwork and attend school seminars. I use my car to drive myself to work and any other places I need to go. I do have centralShow MoreRelatedRenewable Energy Resources928 Words   |  4 Pagesfact that 86% of our energy comes from nonrenewable, polluting, costly fossil fuels and only 14% is renewable is diabolical. Why must we harm our environment to contribute to our energy production when renewable energy sources are so abundantly present so that we may be symbiotic with nature? To lessen our environmental impact and be able to avoid the high expenses of non-renewable fossil fuels in the near future it should be obv ious that we start to use more renewable energy sources than we do nonrenewableRead MoreRenewable Energy : Renewable Resources1944 Words   |  8 PagesRenewable energy: energy in which comes from natural resources that are naturally replenished, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat (Bhatia, 2014). This essay is focused on the main three renewable energies, wind, sunlight, and water. Renewable resources are well on the way to out rule the fossil fuel industry because of the diminishing amount of fossil fuels left in the world and increase of renewable resource use, the damage fossil fuels do to the environment, and the variousRead MoreRenewable Resources For Renewable Energy1438 Words   |  6 Pagesdefinition, energy is power that is harnessed from physical or chemical resources, often utilized in order to produced light, heat or fuel. It can be extracted from various renewable or non-renewable sources and has become a necessity for day to day life. Currently non-reusable resources account for the majority of energy production. The prominence of fossil fuels in the energy sector validates this claim. At the same time this statement reveals a major world issue in regards to energy sustainabilityRead MoreRenewable Resources For Renewable Energy Essay1157 Words   |  5 Pages Renewable Resources used to be a source that was futuristic and far beyond the time period. Fossil Fuels are damaging to the home that is named Earth. Americans should support the production of renewable resources because they are more efficient, the world will experience a decline in the emission of Fossil Fuels, and the use of of WWS (Wind, Water, Solar) Resources will produce a more resilient source when compared to the sources that in effect now. WWS Resources produce more efficiently thanRead MoreAlternative Energy Resources : Renewable Energy Source848 Words   |  4 PagesAlternate energy resources are being developed to compete against the fossil fuel power stations. Fossil fuel such as coal and oil are drilled and shoveled out of the ground and then processed to be turned into electricity. Problems with fossil fuels are that they produce hazardous air emissions and give off by-products that will harm the area. Some well-known alternate renewable energy resources are wind, solar, and hydro power. 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There is a significant difference in CO2 release between burning a fossil fuel and burning biomass. Burning a fossil fuel releases CO2 that has been locked up for millions of years in the ground, affecting the natural CO2 cycle and resulting in an increase in the CO2 concentration inRead MoreNon-Renewable Energy Resources1458 Words   |  6 PagesNon-Renewable Energy Resources This Project will be in two Parts. The first part is about Non-renewable energy. Non-renewable energy is a resource that will some day we will run out of. Non-renewable energy is a resource that will some day we will run out of. The second part is on Renewable energy. Renewable energy is a resource that we will never run out of because it is continually being replaced. The sun is the source of all our energy resources. The suns energy reaches Earth andRead MoreRenewable Resources For Solar Energy1387 Words   |  6 PagesSolar Energy is something that the entire world relies on every day. Without energy, the earth would be dark, and nothing will be able to operate. Lately, there has been many concerns with the various types of resources that are used to generate energy. Many resources that are used are non-renewable resource. This means that the resources such as oil and coal are not grown or produced, they are found in regions in specific sections of the world. These resources are also recognized as fossil fuelsRead MoreEnergy Resources : Renewable And Non Renewable Ones1225 Words   |  5 Pagesa discovery of the ability to transform the energy into the electricity. In today’s modern world it is hard to imagine that there was a world without the electricity and that electricity was gifted to the humanity just 400 years ago. As George Gobel said once: â€Å"If it weren’t for electricity, weâ€⠄¢d all be watching television by candlelight†. Electricity is the gift granted to humans and it is our generation’s duty to use the electricity energy smartly and pass it to future generations. For

Cheat Sheet MDM Risk analysis Free Essays

Decisions based on them are dangerous! A single point only ever tells us what the average of two cases is, never what happens between the two cases! Poor understanding of downside risk poor understanding of upside opportunity 2) Scenario analysis: Define your scenarios; best-worst-base There are a range of results! Check if risk makes a difference 3) Use distributions for the uncertainties to describe key risk drivers Choose distribution based on historical data or expert opinion Distribution is important for the simulation; based on the given distribution, the simulator ill be more/less likely to pick numbers in specific ranges Uniform: same probability of all numbers in a given range Triangle: point within the range is much more likely than the other points Normal: you know the middle point but it could be off by X in either direction 4) Run (at)Risk (Monte-Carlo simulation) Define distributions (step 3) Define output cell fir which to simulate results Things to look out for Mean of objective variable (usually NAP) Compare results with scenario results (atria’s will give better indication of the range than the scenarios! Look at full range of outcomes Look at standard deviation and at confidence range Look at downside risk and upside potential. What is % of being above/below specific n umber? What is breakable probability? What is the distribution like? Perform Monte-Carlo simulation to Evaluate different possible outcomes Determine expected result, range of results, probability of results (e. G. We will write a custom essay sample on Cheat Sheet MDM Risk analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Probability of break-even), downside risk, etc.. Advantages: avoid the Flaw of Averages, understand the risk, test your intuition 5) Sensitivity analysis Purpose Examine sensitivity of results when model parameters are varied Observe change in results due to change in assumptions Identify main uncertainty drivers / key risk drivers Methodology What-if analysis (simple changing of numbers to see what happens) One-way two-way sensitivity analysis Tornado diagrams One-way two-way sensitivity analysis Use one-way sensitivity analysis (data table) to check how changes to a variable effect the output variable. Use Goal Seek to find breakable point of that variable. Use two-way sensitivity analysis (data table) to check for changes in two different variables at the same time Tornado diagram Check for impact of each variable / parameter, sorted in order of magnitude Shows you on which variables you should focus most, where the most important risks lie! Some Excel info points: Simulation settings: EXAMPLE QUESTIONS ON RISK ANALYSIS 1 . In what type of decision context could risk analysis be useful and why may it be dangerous to rely on single point forecasts? What techniques can you use to overcome the problems of such forecasts? How do you decide what technique is most appropriate to use? Every business decision entails risk dangerous! A single point only ever tells us what the average Of two cases is, never what happens between the two cases! Example answer for this part: These numbers are based on the average scenario which is not necessarily representative of the true value (argue why could over- or underestimate). Furthermore, they do not tell us anything about the risk. Technique: scenario analysis or simulation 2. Explain in your own words how Monte Carlo Simulation could be useful to a decision maker Evaluate different possible outcomes Averages, understand the risk, test your intuition 3. Explain how the simulation process works to produce results that are useful to a decision maker Example answer: This is different from the E,250 that Carolina’s predecessor estimated because the original estimate was made using only single-value estimates for each of the variables. However, by using a Monte Carlo simulation that allows for a range of possible values (with a triangular distribution to account for the higher likelihood of the values Of 5% and 20% for economy and business, respectively). This means that, based on 1 ,OHO iterations of possible combinations for each of the variables as per the arranging definition of the potential values for each variable under each iteration, the mean of the cost is E 10,277. 4. A friend of yours has just learned about simulation methods and has asked you to conduct a complicated risk analysis to help her making a choice. She said she would be happy to let you solve the problem and then recommend what action she should take. Explain why she needs to be involved in the analysis and modeling process and what kind of information you need from her. Risk analysis requires information about the characteristics of a particular uncertainty (e. G. Shape of probability striation function, range of likely values etc) 5. A simulation model has produced the following three risk profiles displayed below. What advice would you give to the decision maker on the basis of this output? Choice depends on risk attitude, personal wealth, importance of project success and cost of investment alternative. Alternative C has the highest associated payoff. However, range of possible payoffs is quite large. The steeper the shape of the probability distribution function, the smaller the range of possible expected payoffs (look at standard deviation of outcomes). Consider 5% confidence interval of most likely payoffs. Alternative A has quite a big confidence interval with relatively flat slope at the edges. Look at intersection of B and C and argue which one is less risky. 6. Your boss has asked you to work up a simulation model to examine the uncertainty regarding the success or failure of five different investment projects. He provides probabilities for the success of each project individually (numbers given). Because the projects are run by people in different segments of their investment market, you both agree that it would be reasonable to believe that, given these probabilities, he outcomes of the projects are independent. He points out, however, that he really is not fully confident in these probabilities and that they could be off by as much as 0. 05 in either direction on any given probability. (a) How can you incorporate this uncertainty about the probabilities in the simulation model? Use normal distributions for each project with Sd= 0. 05 (b) Now suppose he changes probability to include ranges. How can you update your simulation model to take this additional information into account? Update probability distributions – triangle, discrete, uniform, normal Example answer: He should use historical data and his expert judgment to estimate the distribution of inputs. He should apply a normal distribution if the different values are independent of each other. Example for normal distribution argument: However, since the number of high quality applications is the sum of the individual decisions â€Å"whether or not to apply/’ of a substantial amount of high caliber young professionals, and since this decision is taken by each potential applicant to a large extend independently of each other, the normal distribution with mean 630 seems reasonable. Moreover, given the potential range of high quality applications is between 51 0 and 750, a standard deviation of 60 seems reasonable; that is, the range of 240 students corresponds to 4 standard deviations. Since the proportion of offers accepted is again the sum of many individual decisions, the normal distribution with mean 58% and standard deviation of 2% might be reasonable. 7. Interpret the following risk analysis result tables ask at: Minimum, expected, maximum, P(loss) = x % (downside risk), P( X) = Y% (upside potential) 8. Interpret sensitivity analysis Describe how output variable is sensitive to given assumptions/parameters. Describe how output variable minimizes and maximizes with the different scenarios; what is the upside potential and downside risk Example answer: The total cost decreases by El ,800 for each 5% increase in the business class no-show rate from 15% to 20% (at which point it is minimized), but then increases by E,700 per percentage point increase from 20% to 30%. The rate Of increase is consistent regardless of the rate of economy no-show. (could include more insights!!! ) The two-way sensitivity table and the accompanying chart show us that in the lower ranges of the possible no-show rates, the total cost is sensitive to both variables in fairly similar proportion, until the optimum combination (I. E. The minimized cost) is reached at 5% economy and 20% business. After this inflection point, the total cost becomes much more sensitive to changes in the business class no-show rate. 9. Describe, compare and explain the shape of a distribution. Risk profile: probability of making a loss vs. a profit Minimum versus maximum Variance Size of 90% confidence interval around the mean Expected return mean average) Include arguments why distributions might differ with different scenarios 1 0) Make recommendation based on the results. Will usually be trade-off between high risk for higher return on average and lower risk for lower return on average Include risk profiles, probabilities, maximum and minimum numbers†¦ Example answer: The policy that we have recommended is better than the others, because it has the lowest average total cost. Furthermore, the 95% confidence interval has the narrowest range of possible values, as well as the lowest probability that costs will exceed El 7,000. However, even though our recommended policy is better overall, it is not necessarily going to be the best on each individual flight. However, this doses t matter since the average cost is the single most important criterion when choosing a policy because you have 365 * 4 flights per year. One additional insight you could generate is the simulated cost difference between the current and suggested policies. The new policy is worse than the original policy 6% of the times. 1 1) What can be further done to improve profitability and manage the risks involved? How to cite Cheat Sheet MDM Risk analysis, Papers

Artificial Intelligence Report Essay Example For Students

Artificial Intelligence Report Essay Recently, the media has spent an increasing amount of broadcast time on new technology. The focus of high-tech media has been aimed at the flurry of advances concerning artificial intelligence (AI). What is artificial intelligence and what is the media talking about? Are these technologies beneficial to our society or mere novelties among business and marketing professionals? Medical facilities, police departments, and manufacturing plants have all been changed by AI but how? These questions and many others are the concern of the general public brought about by the lack of education concerning rapidly advancing computer technology. Artificial intelligence is defined as the ability of a machine to think for itself. Scientists and theorists continue to debate if computers will actually be able to think for themselves at one point (Patterson 7). The generally accepted theory is that computers do and will think more in the future. AI has grown rapidly in the last ten years chiefly because of the advances in computer architecture. The term artificial intelligence was actually coined in 1956 by a group of scientists having their first meeting on the topic (Patterson 6). Early attempts at AI were neural networks modeled after the ones in the human brain. Success was minimal at best because of the lack of computer technology needed to calculate such large equations. AI is achieved using a number of different methods. The more popular implementations comprise neural networks, chaos engineering, fuzzy logic, knowledge based systems, and expert systems. Using any one of the aforementioned design structures requires a specialized computer system. For example, Anderson Consulting applies a knowledge based system to commercial loan officers using multimedia (Hedburg 121). Their system requires a fast IBM desktop computer. Other systems may require even more horsepower using exotic computers or workstations. Even more exotic is the software that is used. Since there are very few applications that are pre-written using AI, each company has to write its own software for the solution to the problem. An easier way around this obstacle is to design an add-on. The company FuziWare makes several applications that act as an addition to a larger application. FuziCalc, FuziQuote, FuziCell, FuziChoice, and FuziCost are all products that are use! d as management decision support systems for other off-the shelf applications (Barron 111). In order to tell that AI is present we must be able to measure the intelligence being used. For a relative scale of reference, large supercomputers can only create a brain the size of a fly (Butler and Caudill 5). It is surprising what a computer can do with that intelligence once it has been put to work. Almost any scientific, business, or financial profession can benefit greatly from AI. The ability of the computer to analyze variables provides a great advantage to these fields. There are many ways that AI can be used to solve a problem. Virtually all of these methods require special hardware and software to use them. Unfortunately, that makes AI systems expensive. Consulting firms, companies that design computing solutions for their clients, have offset that cost with the quality of the system. Many new AI systems now give a special edge that is needed to beat the competition. Neural networks have entered the spotlight with surprisingly successful results. A neural network is a type of information processing system whose architecture is similar to the structure of biological neural systems (Butler and Caudill 5). The neural network tries to mimic the way a brain and nervous system work by analyzing sensory inputs and calculating an outcome. A neural network is usually composed of simple decision making elements that are connected with variable weights and strengths. .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a , .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .postImageUrl , .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a , .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a:hover , .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a:visited , .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a:active { border:0!important; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a:active , .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uaf6f09645dd7fd2d0f1207d74481894a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Sexual Harassment Essay Each one these elements is called a neurode. The term neurode is similar to the biological neuron. The term was modified slightly to indicate an artificial nature. Memory is stored by a certain pattern of the connection weights between the neurodes. Processing information is performed by changing and spreading the connections weights among the network. Before it can be used a neural network must be trained. Some can learn by themselves, some require training by doing, and oth! ers learn by trial and error. A computer learns by naturally associating items the computer is taught .

A Night On Ice Essays - Sports, Ice Hockey, Hockey, Goaltender, Goal

A Night On Ice Essays - Sports, Ice Hockey, Hockey, Goaltender, Goal A Night On Ice 3 March 1999 A Night on the Ice Many people in the U.S. have gained an interest in the rapidly growing sport ice hockey. Fans these days pack out stadiums to see their favorite teams battle for victory on the ice. A hockey game can have a wide variety of spectators. A few examples are dating couples, families, partying guys (usually drunk singles), parents of the players, etc. Its 7:30 on a Tuesday night February 23 1999 and Des Moines Metro Sports Ice Arena is packed out with fans waiting to see their Des Moines Buccaneers take on the North Iowa Huskies. Walking into the arena one cant help but notice the cold, thin air that results from the ice. This is definitely sweatshirt material. Fans of all different shapes and sizes pushing to get into the small arena. As one would walk through the halls of this sports facility to get to their seats they would have to notice the old worn walls looking much like an unfinished basement that is a result of years of fans abuse. A loud roar fills the narrow halls as vendors that line walls are all competing and shouting for your business. These ammeter business people are selling anything from food and beer to hockey paraphernalia. Coming through the hallway into the stands one would notice the pin ups all around the walls that brag of the Bucs past victory. The lines on the ice are freshly painted and the stands have been cleaned and are ready for night of hockey craze. After the rush is over the fans take their seats and wait for the announcing of the teams and then stand for the national anthem. I noticed three kids in front of me mocking the national anthem, which seemed suitable for a 12-14 year-old maturity level. The mother quickly grabs the closest one to stop the behavior. If you dont settle down thisll be the last game you come to with me! she said while squeezing the eldests arm. The referee drops the puck and the team captains battle for possession and that begins the first period. Already five minutes into the game and the Bucs score their first goal and fans go crazy as the announcement booth sounds the siren. But that wasnt enough the Bucs are really giving the crowd a show as they score their second goal at 9:17 into the first period. Once again the fans are going crazy, chanting thing like Go Bucs! and Defense!! as their team begins to seal their victory. The Bucs have played a very physical game so far and finally get called on it. The official calls a 2:00 minute penalty on the Bucs for high-sticking. Just ten minutes into this action packed game and already these guys in front of me are drunk and disagree with the referee so they begin to shout and swear. You blind son of bitch theres no way that was high sticking he shouts angrily to the ref as if it would have an affect on the officiating. Finally it gets so out of hand that a security guard hears the commotion and warns the not so gentlemen if they dont calm down theyll be asked to leave. As the second period nears the Huskies attempt their comeback with their first goal. Now the fans are pissed off and booing the officials because it wouldnt have happened if the Bucs werent shorthanded. Even the mother and father of the boys in front of me are yelling obscenities. On that note the first period ends and the restrooms and the concession stands are flooded with impatient fans that want to get back to their seats. Spilt popcorn fills the hallway, as the janitors cant even keep up with the mess. The second period begins and Huskies of North Iowa have really tightened up their defense creating a real struggle for the Bucs to get the puck in the defensive attack zone. The vendors trying to sell all of their concessions constantly interrupt my focus on the game. Period 2 seemed to be really boring because it was mainly shots on goal. But at the last minute the Bucs put one away and scored putting them

Can money buy you happiness

Can money buy you happiness Can money buy you happiness? Can money buy you happiness?Do you feel happy? What does make you feel happy? What are the keys for being happy? Well, people all over the world try to provide themselves and their families with happy life. But each person sees happiness in different aspects. Some may feel happy for getting a highly paid job, some are happy because they have overcome a hard illness and others are happy to have a place to live in. If we ask people from different societies about happiness, so we will be surprised to know about so varied answers. If we speak about those people who live in poverty; let’s take African tribes or Indian people in slums – what is happiness for them? They live in bad conditions, but they have very big families; there are many children who should be provided with food and attention. But in these places, parents cannot send the kids to school; so boys and girls do not get any education. Instead of it, children go to the street in order to save money for the whole family. Can you imagine? But in spite of it, people do feel happy. What make them feel so? If taking into consideration a European person or an American one, they wouldn’t ever survive in such conditions, as they are used to have a luxurious house and the ability to travel all around the world. So is money the key of happiness for them? You may see two different worlds: the one, where money doesn’t have any matter and the second one, where people cannot live without having enough hard cash. So what people from these worlds can feel happy? Telling the truth, no European could get used to a poor society after living in prosperity; and no Indian would know what to do with money. But these poor people who live in big families in humble houses know what happiness is better, than the others. What is the reason for that? Well, it is quite simple. They just see this world from other point of view. They do not corrupt yet, they are not spoiled. They are real; they are honest an d fair. But someone would say: how do they live? How do they provide the family with all necessary things? Well, of course, they do not have an opportunity to buy brand clothes, to fly to another countries or to eat everyday outside. But exactly because poor people don’t spend money on entertainments, they have much love and respect towards each other. Their heart is full of real emotions; they do care about the children, as parents spend a lot of time with them. Instead, rich people usually hire a baby sitter who becomes the parent, friend and teacher of the child. The world of the kid is surrounded around the baby sitter – and that’s it. Yes, maybe, he will have a possibility to watch cartoon all day, but he will be alone. Will it make him happy? The main problem of people of Earth is feeling loneliness. There are many cases when parents who need to spend much time at work, forget about the kids. They try to work hard in order to earn money, but soon they do n ot have any other activity to do except the job. But at this time the child is dreaming about having a friendly and tight family; to have parents who will spend with him the weekends playing football or watching him riding the bike. Such dreams of kids sound silly for adults, but this is the truth. In our modern society the children are lack of attention. So how do parents compensate it? The common thing is to buy something: a lollypop or a toy; sometimes, they just give money and say: here you are, go and buy something. The child will accept the gift, but will it really offset him the love of his mom and dad? From another point of view, poor children dream about having those toys, as they do not have any opportunity to play with such one. The kids are sure that this piece of plastic is the key for joy. We can understand them, as they have never seen something of the kind: it is colorful, bright and it can move or talk – incredible! But how these kids spend their free time? T hey do not watch the TV, they do not go to restaurants. They have a ball or a bicycle – they take them and go outside; call for some friends and can invent all sorts of games with the two subjects. But all of you should agree that living in the 21th century without big income is a problem. Many couples divorce because they cannot earn for living. According the last research of scientists people really feel happier with money. Nowadays this index shows us how much the person is satisfied with his life. It sounds pity. But just think over it: what can be bought or where is it possible to go for free? Even for staying in parks you have to pay. Imagine the situation when you have to buy a gift for your friend’s or child’s birthday. The kid has a dream to get a guitar; but you don’t have money to buy it. In this case both of you will be upset and you even will be irritated, asking yourself: why don’t I have enough money? Why my salary is so poor that I cannot buy even a present for my child’s birthday? It is a sad situation. Or you want to spend your holiday in some beautiful place in nature; you have to spend money on accommodation, meals and transport. After you have counted all costs, many of you will be surprised, as the number will be very high. Do you agree? So, the question of money can affect on the happiness of a person, unfortunately. But still we have to try not to make this problem the one which will destroy our relations with other people.

International Price Escalation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Price Escalation - Essay Example The rise in the prices of all these commodities started in the year 2006, when the international markets faced a steep hike in the prices of all the eatables around the globe. This essay shall discuss the concept of price escalation along with its causes and the course to be taken to improve it. Price Escalation According to the definitions given by the economists, the concept of price escalation refers, more or less, to the concept of inflation in the economy. It is defined as the tendency and ability of prices to reach the supernormal heights when the products are being marketed. Taking this concept further, international price escalation occurs when the goods are particularly being marketed internationally. The companies, due to the affects of escalation, the companies normally engage their activities and resources in re positioning and establishing their brand overseas (ECLAC, 2006, Online). The major causes that contribute to such price hikes include import duties, trade barrier s, added transport, warehousing and freight costs, insurance, international lawyer’ charges, and other necessary charges. Causes There are various causes for the price escalation of the commodities on international level. There may be many imbalances between the demand and supply side of the products and services which causes prices to rise globally without any assurance of coming down \again. More clearly, these causes include: Structural Factors The structural causes of the global price hike include: Rise in the cost of production The implication of the price rise is possible due to the fact that the oil resources are decreasing and getting scarcer with the passage of time. The consumption patterns have been shifting and though, the newer technology is deployed to increase the efficiency but the economic crunch and recession has brought further obstacles. This, in turn, has impacted the prices of food and other bi-products of oil to increase thus, giving shocks to the price s of the related products (Dessus & Hoyos, 2008, Pp. 201). Change in consumption patterns in various countries and sustained rapid growth One of the major reasons for the international price escalation is the change in consumption patterns and trends of the population in various countries. The growing economies such as India and china account for the changing consumption trends of various products. One of the contributing factors to this structural spiral is the continuous expansion and thus, growing demands for the foods and services in various countries (Dawe, 2008, Online). Moreover, the translation of growing economies has increased the per capita income of the consumers, and so they are capable enough to improve their standards of living. This has helped push up the demand of the consumption baskets with higher rates (Dasgupta & Serageldin, 2000, Pp. 111). Temporary Factors The temporary factors accounting for such price escalation include the following: Natural disasters and p oor weather The world has experienced bad weather, natural disasters and other avalanches which results into the inevitable damage of the natural products. These adverse events have resulted into an extreme rise in the prices of natural products such as wheat, rice, cotton and other crops (Temple & Johnson, 1998,

Electric car Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Electric car - Research Paper Example There is not a single category of cars manufactured by the automobile manufacturing companies; rather they are categorized into many types based on mechanical specifications, shape, performance, and size. Any new model of a car brand includes some technical, mechanical, and technological enhancements, which make that specific model of car superior to earlier models. Apart from difference in brands, there also exist some differences in the types of cars. Some of the most renowned types include electric car, gasoline cars, and hybrid cars. All these types of cars have some advantages and disadvantages, which make the people switch from one car type to another. In this research paper, we will discuss those reasons that make people switch from gas cars to electric cars. Along with that, we will also take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of different types of cars which include gasoline cars, electric cars, and hybrid cars in order to get a better understanding of why peo ple’s choice shifts from one car to another type of car. What are Electric Cars? An electric car is a vehicle that makes use of electric motors and batteries instead of engines used by the gasoline cars. The rechargeable batteries control the main parts of electric cars, which give power to the electric motors that run the cars. Until the advancement in the internal combustion engine, electric cars were the most popular cars in the whole world. People used to travel in electric cars because they were the most popular transport in the late 19th century and the earlier decades of the 20th century. When the car manufacturing companies introduced internal combustion engine and less expensive gasoline cars, the demand for electric cars decreased. Another factor, which proved to be a reason for the decrease in interest for electric cars, was the energy crises of late 1970s. In that era, it became very difficult for the automobile manufacturing companies to gain profits by manufactu ring electric cars because of the decreased interest in electric cars, which had resulted due to the energy crises. The demand shifted from electric cars to gasoline and petrol cars because the prices of oil and petroleum were very low in that age as compared to today. However, electric cars have again started gaining popularity among the public not only due to various attractive features but also as the result of increased fuel prices all over the world. Today, those people who can have enough money to buy an electric car, do not want to buy gasoline cars. Some of the world’s most renowned car manufacturing companies such as Honda and Toyota are developing such cars, which are able to attract a large number of people towards electric cars. Features of Electric Cars A number of features make electric cars different from gasoline cars. Some of the most considerable features of electric cars include durability, convenience, much more efficiency as compared to gas engines, up to 500 hundred percent more efficiency than internal combustion engines, regenerative breaking system, and no emission production. There is no emission of fuels from electric cars because electric cars do not use gas at all for any purpose. â€Å"Once electricity is more commonly produced by water or wind, getting clean power to run electric cars will leave an even smaller carbon footprint† (Cultrona, n.d.). Compared to the internal comb

Anomaly Detection Scheme for Prevention of Online Attacks Dissertation

Anomaly Detection Scheme for Prevention of Online Attacks - Dissertation Example The time parameter reflects any deviation from the normal (duration taken) in disseminating information and receiving of the feedback. The efficiency of communication is therefore slowed down and this cripples the activities of an institution. Hacking of the internet system distorts the original information that was fed and may bring about a jam. All these are prevented by use of highly advanced and sophisticated modern devices that quickly sense and produce signals to notify the comptroller (Chiang, 2004). Data analysis must be undertaken to confirm and ensure only the vital information is online and accessed by the target population. The systems are made in a way that they are able to identify the geographical location of an attacker who can then be easily trailed, and legal action may be taken. The coming attacks may also be blocked by an automated program in the system. Updating should always be done to facilitate prompt detection of attacks. This ensures the system remains at pa ce with any new technological changes. When all security measures are considered, the privacy of an institution remains secured. They remain at the disposal of the authorized authorities. Transmission of information must be sufficient at the shortest time possible. According to Chiang (2004), visualization of system level is done to integrate technology with the systems hardware, software or both. This ensures protection by offering an opportunity to study and analyze visual patterns that indicate any possible attack. Sensors are used to detect and send an alert signal inform of graphs on a screen. Multiple attacks are easily displayed and tracked down from their sources. This calls for a quick action in order to protect the data which includes resetting of the connection. All the forecasting and analysis is done in a data warehouse. This method ensures a quick and smooth action is taken to counteract any attack at the shortest time possible. Selection of heterogeneous threshold and conduct of a proper correlation analysis ensures systems are well set to accommodate large amounts of data and detect any slight attacks at any moment. A web of links is made that connects the major system to several others. A threshold value is also set which sounds an alarm when exceeded. The ease of detection of attacks becomes easier since either of them signals the main server (Chiang, 2004). An internal program is installed to ensure the system is able to detect any foreign data and differentiate self from non-self before sending a signal. The system becomes protected from collapsing and is encompassed with appropriate buffer zones to ensure the best possible results are obtained. Anomaly refers to deviation from the normal way in which information systems operate. This compromises the confidentiality and security of information contained within the system. Any delay in detection and streamlining back to normal may result to great negative impacts. Computers should therefore be protected from any form of attack by installation of a specialized and highly sensitive detector. This is called a detection scheme. It is backed up by additional security features which limit access to specific individuals and from a central point. The system is well cushioned and security guaranteed. Most institutions trust the viability of this security measure.

Accessibility and usability: Web technologies

Accessibility and usability: Web technologies Abstract: The relationship between accessibility and usability can be a contentious issue especially with the advent of new web technologies. Does accessibility have an adverse effect on usability and vice versa and is this in anyway affected by new web technologies? With the advent of new web technologies it is thought by some that the two supposedly bipolar methodologies of web design and evaluation contradict one another even more. In order to determine if this is in fact true this paper will look at the effect of new web technologies on accessibility and usability and the current practices in each of these areas. This paper considers various views on this topic, compares definitions and methodologies and concludes that even when using new web technologies, embracing both sets of practices and recognizing their points of similarity, it is still possible, with considered and judicious use of new web technologies to make a web design that is both usable and accessible. 1. Introduction Some accessibility practitioners believe that by applying new web technologies to a web design, that because of the added level of complexity, they create another barrier to disabled people (Everett 2006). Some usability practitioners believe that by enforcing accessibility practices that the interactivity will in some way suffer (Koch 2002). In terms of new web technologies is this still the case. Is there any merit in these beliefs? Can common ground be found to achieve the some kind of balance? There appears to be a lack of clarity of what constitutes a usable web site and misunderstanding of what constitutes a truly accessible website. The aim of this paper is to discuss the relationship between usability and accessibility by firstly looking at the differences between them and where they overlap. We will then need to understand current thinking on the relationship between accessibility and usability and how it is affected by current web technologies. Will Web Standards and new web technologies have an effect on accessibility and usability? With the advent of Web standards (Featherstone et al. The Web Standards Project 1998) and updated web accessibility guidelines (Henry et al. W3C 2008) it has become easier for developers to create sites that are more usable and accessible. This paper will also investigate technologies such as AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)(Garrett 2005), and whether this will have any further effect on the relationship between accessibility and usability 2. Definitions and methodologies 2.1 New web technologies (Web 2.0) The concept of Web2.0 began with a conference brainstorming session. Members noted that far from being unviable after 2001, when many online businesses collapsed, the web was more important than ever, with exciting new applications and sites appearing regularly (OReilly 2002). Web 2.0 websites are characterized by their rich and interactive content. This is in stark contrast to the static HTML. By using scripting technologies such as JavaScript an AJAX (Garrett 2005) it is now possible to create web-based applications that resemble desktop applications with the advantage of being able to access them from almost anywhere. Through the use of scripting libraries it is now possible to add interactive desktop-like interface items to web pages and provide the ability to allow users to make changes to current content. Core characteristics of Web 2.0 web sites are (OReilly 2002): Web Services, not packaged software (Web applications) User control over data sources that become more comprehensive the more people use them (Wikis) Users trusted as co-developers (Wikis, blogs) Harnessing collective intelligence Software available to almost any device (Mobile Apps) Lightweight user interfaces and development models With all of these new technologies and coding techniques, what effect do they have on the relationship between accessibility and usability? Web 2.0 has the potential to enhance usability due to the added ability to create a more rich and interactive environment for the website user. However with all of these new technologies, can they be interpreted by assistive technologies used by disabled users? Have disabled users been considered? Will methodologies such as design and evaluation need to change? 2.2 Accessibility The web gives people with disabilities the ability to do things that they would be unable to do via any other avenue. The web offers them freedom and independence. However, all of these possibilities are removed if a web site is not created in an accessible way. Essentially accessibility can be defined as access for everyone no matter what disability they suffer from (Berners-Lee, via Henry W3C 2009). Other have a more flexible approach such as Clark (2002) where he suggests that allowances of for disabled users should be made to make a website accessible. Another term used in connection with Accessibility is Universal Design, which incorporates elements of usability with the goal of making websites or any product as usable as possible by as many people as possible without requiring adapted or specialized design. (Mace 2008) The guidelines by which most accessibility practitioners develop and evaluate websites is Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 which are updated standards developed by The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These are written to accommodate new technologies and provide better and more comprehensive help for developers and designers when trying to make websites accessible. These standards consist of 12 guidelines that are organized under 4 principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. For each guideline, there are testable success criteria, which are at three levels of priority: A, AA, and AAA with all A guidelines having the highest priority (Caldwell et al. W3C 2008). The four principles of the WCAG 2.0 guidelines can be explained as follows (Caldwell et al. W3C 2008): Perceivable Web content should be made available to any or all of the senses sight, hearing, and/or touch Operable Interface objects such as forms, controls, and navigation must be operable independent of the input method Understandable The sites content, information and interface must be understandable to the target audience Robust Sites can be used reliably by a wide variety of user agents such as web browsers, mobile devices and assistive technologies The W3C also lists various methods for evaluating websites for accessibility to determine their compliance with WCAG (Abou-Zahra et al. W3C WAI 2008). Various methods including preliminary reviews, manual and automated evaluation tools, are used to determine compliance. When developing websites whether with new technologies or not it is recommended that Web Standards coding practices should be used to attain conformance with WCAG 2.0. Web standards are technologies and practices established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), along with other groups and standards bodies for creating and interpreting web-based content. By making use of these technologies it is possible to create web content that benefit a greater number of users and at the same time making this content usable in the long-term regardless of technology changes (Featherstone et al. WASP 2006). The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has developed an Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (ARIA) in order to make rich internet content more accessible for people with disabilities (Henry et al. W3C 2009). This suite is currently not fully supported in all user agents (browsers) and AJAX libraries (Henry et al. W3C 2009). Will updated accessibility practices be able to enhance or be incorporated into usability practices? 2.3 Usability The generally accepted definition for usability in ISO 9241 states: the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use Usability is defined by five quality components (Nielsen 2003): Learnability: Ease with which a basic task can be completed at the first attempt. Efficiency: The speed with which a task is performed Memorability: The ease with which an interface will be remembered. Errors: The number and severity of errors Satisfaction: The level of enjoyment or pleasure when using an interface An extension of usability is the term User-Centered Design (UCD) (Preece et al. 2006), where users are involved throughout the lifecycle of website developments by using structured methodologies in order to determine and meet all the needs of the target user (Usability.gov 2009). Some of the techniques used include (Usability.gov 2009): Usability testing Representative users are observed while attempting to complete set tasks. Notes on the observations of user behavior and comments are made. Card sorting Participants arrange and even label cards representing site content into logical groups and categories to inform the information architecture of a site design. Individual interviews Individual participants are interviewed typically for 30 minutes to an hour either in person, by telephone, or by any means available which allows conversation. These interviews can be formal or informal and do not involve observation. Contextual interview or field studies Contextual interviews are similar to user testing because the users are observed, however they are not given a set of task but are rather observed in there natural environment. Observers also take notes. Surveys These are used to obtain data from large groups of people in a relatively short time and are normally used to gather user requirements. They can also be used for summative usability evaluation. Focus groups These are usually a discussion among eight to twelve current users or potential users or stakeholders of your site conducted by an experienced moderator. Focus groups typically lasts approximately two hours and covers a range of topics that are decided on beforehand. Task analysis Is used to determine the typical tasks that users perform to achieve a particular goal. Work patterns are studied and broken down to provide a list of tasks and the order in which they are performed. Prototypes Are representations of your website/application shown to users in order to inform the design and determine any major defects before proceeding with further development. These can range from paper drawings (low-fidelity) to near complete products (high-fidelity). Expert evaluations Experts are asked to evaluate sites for usability employing various methods such as heuristic evaluation where sites are evaluated against a set of usability principles. Other methods such as Cognitive walkthroughs and pluralistic evaluation are used (Preece et al. 2006). Will usability practices need to include accessibility practices in order to include people with disabilities or will doing this minimize usability of web products? 3. Relationship 3.1 Would disabled users also benefit if usability practitioners considered accessibility guidelines as part of the efficiency and satisfaction of a site? By analyzing the definitions for accessibility and usability to understand their relationship to one another we can see that accessibility focuses on the making allowances to improve the experience for a particular group of users whereas usability focuses on the effectiveness, satisfaction and efficiency in achieving a specified goal of a particular user when using a website. We can see here that the goals are similar albeit with a slight difference in focus. Disabled users can be considered a group of users with varying needs however; in many cases they are not considered when websites are being built (Disability Rights Commission 2004). If a site is not accessible to a user it will obviously not be an enjoyable or effective experience (Clark 2002). With usability the target audience is determined by means of usability techniques such as questionnaires, surveys and focus groups (Preece et al. 2006). However in many cases accessibility practitioners do not attempt to determine the level of use by a particular disability group for a specified website (Chandrashekar et al. 2006). Some work has been done in this area, however the uptake has not been as expected (Sloan 2006). In addition when websites are developed the focus of the accessibility effort is placed on the needs of blind users without bearing in mind the needs of other user groups such as those with colour-blindness or low vision. This is mainly due to a lack of awareness of what disability groups exist, besides blind users, and the varying difficulties encountered by these people. The WCAG 2.0 guidelines attempt to cover these areas but without being able to see these users encounter problems there is little impact and therefore less motivation to cater for these users. From this we can deduce that disabled users should be included as a potential target group and this should be determined by incorporating usability techniques into web accessibility practices. 3.2 Should both sets of guidelines and principles be adopted by both sets of practitioners or should a single Universal set of guidelines be used? If we compare the most commonly used guidelines of both parties we can see that there are similarities. Usability practitioners commonly make use of Nielsens usability heuristics to perform expert evaluations (Nielsen 1994): Visibility of system status Information should be given to the user via appropriate and reasonably timed feedback Match between system and the real world Language and terms that are familiar to the target audience should be used. Information should be presented naturally and logically. User control and freedom If a user makes a mistake they must be able to exit the function easily or undo the action without being confronted by confusing and unnecessary screens or dialogs. Consistency and standards The system should be consistent in terms of words to indicate actions, navigation and the system should use conventions that the user is accustomed to. Error prevention Always attempt to prevent the error in the design instead of providing good error messages Recognition rather than recall System elements, actions and objects should always be visible or easy to retrieve in order to alleviate the need for recall of previous actions or instructions. Flexibility and efficiency of use The system should be flexible enough to accommodate experienced and inexperienced users. The system should be configurable to allow access to frequently used actions. Aesthetic and minimalist design Only important and relevant information should be displayed in dialogues. Irrelevant or unnecessary information will detract or diminish the visibility of important information. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors Messages and suggested solutions to problems should be written in language that is plain, precise and constructive. Help and documentation If necessary, documentation should be focused, concise, concrete and easy to locate Now let us expand on the four principles of the WCAG 2.0 accessibility guidelines mentioned in section 2.1(WCAG 2008) and point out any similarities between these and Nielsens heuristics. Perceivable Web content should be made available to any or all of the senses sight, hearing, and/or touch. Usability guidelines for Visibility of System Status, Recognition rather than recall (Nielsen 1994) will fail for the disabled user if the items in the site are not perceivable. Operable Interface objects such as forms, controls, and navigation must be operable independent of the input method User control and freedom and Flexibility and efficiency of use (Nielsen 1994) guidelines are not satisfied if they are not operable. If a site is very complex or unattractive it can be difficult to operate therefore it should make use of Aesthetic and minimalist design (Nielsen 1994). A site cannot be operated if it does not apply Consistency and standards (Nielsen 1994). Understandable The sites content, information and interface must be understandable to the target audience User control and freedom, Consistency and standards, Error prevention (Nielsen 1994) cannot occur if the content is not understandable. Help and documentation (Nielsen 1994) is necessary to improve understanding. It also not possible to Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors (Nielsen 1994) if the site cannot be understood. Robust Sites can be used reliably by a wide variety of user agents such as web browsers, mobile devices and assistive technologies. In many cases minimalist design (Nielsen 1994) of a website will allow for web standards-based coding techniques to be employed which will allow it to be used on a variety of devices. Also be easier to follow platform conventions in terms of Consistency and standards (Nielsen 1994). As we can see there is an overlap between the two sets of principles. This overlap in principles could be the reason that Thatcher et al. (2003) where he suggests that accessibility issues are a type of usability problem hence accessibility is a subset of usability. Conversely Universal usability as conceptualized by Shneiderman (2003) where usability problems are thought of as a subset of accessibility problems, which expands the scope of usability to include disabled users in usability evaluations. However it is suggested the relationship between accessibility and usability isnt simply a case of applying a universal approach but that issues also be grouped into categories (Petrie et al. 2007). These being: Problems that only disabled users experience are referred to as pure accessibility problems Problems that only able-bodied users experience are referred to as pure usability problems Problems that both groups of users experience are referred to as universal usability problems The use of a universal set of guidelines is a good starting point however they will need to be refined to include the various accessibility and usability problems encountered by disabled and able-bodied users. 3.3 Should accessibility professionals employ usability practices? Usability practitioners employ numerous methods to determine the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of a project whereas accessibility practitioners will use various techniques and methods to achieve compliance with a set of guidelines. User testing is used by both sets of practitioners, more so by usability practitioners (Chandrashekar et al. 2006). However the difference being that usability practitioners will use this method early on and throughout the design process (Preece et al. 2006 p412). Accessibility practitioners will employ this method at the end of the project. Both groups make use of design guidelines (section 3.2). However guidelines are possibly not the most effective way of evaluating accessibility or usability as they are to be used as guidance but cannot by their nature guarantee the desired results. There are similarities between the accessibility and usability principles with accessibility guidelines being more technical in nature (Kelly et al. 2007), as they require websites to present a particular level of coding. However there are a number of non-technical accessibility guidelines. It is often thought that by making use of accessibility guidelines or universal design techniques that a site will be accessible by all. However this is not necessarily the case (Petrie 2007). Usability guidelines can also present problems (Spool 2002). As with the use of any guidelines they can conflict with one another, they can be misinterpreted and misapplied and they do not guarantee results. In practice accessibility experts will evaluate web sites against guidelines as opposed to user testing. However this has also been found to not be the most effective way of making a website accessible as shown by Disability Rights Commission (DRC) investigation, into website accessibility for disabled people. The study found that designers could not be expected to understand and repair the problems that disabled users experience when visiting a website. To overcome this problem the report suggests that disabled users should be directly involved in the development process (Disability Rights Commission 2004). Guidelines are important from a technical standpoint however it is also important to recognize that the guidelines cannot accommodate all users all of the time. The areas where the guidelines are not practical or important need to be clearly identified and alternate methods need to be identified in order to achieve accessibility (Kelly et al. 2007). Since the publication of the WCAG 2.0 in 2008, however, there are a variety of success criteria and methods suggested that could be used to achieve accessibility (Henry 2008). This being the case guidelines for measuring accessibility is still used predominantly because of the difference in cost between an expert evaluation and user testing and the availability of participants. It is often difficult to get a broad spectrum of users with varying disabilities and therefore accessibility practitioners inevitably end up repeatedly utilizing the same participants for disabled user testing. The reason cost is an issue is due to the fact that accessibility is not built into the project from the beginning and that many do not view it as being of great importance as the number of disabled users is thought to be proportionately very low in comparison with non-disabled users. However there is a strong business case for including disabled users. Christopherson (2007) states: The combined spending power of the 10 million people with a disability in the UK amounts to  £80 billion. There are 6 million people in the UK with dyslexia, with severe cases numbering around 4 million. Many users do not class themselves as disabled even though they may often suffer from disabilities that arent physically manifested such as age related issues, colour-blindness or cognitive difficulties. Some websites do not cater for older devices. By not including disabled users fully may exclude many users from a website which could mean a significant loss in revenue. In many cases accessibility testing is normally regarded as something that can be quickly done at the end of a project in order to comply with the legal obligations of a project. This approach to web accessibility is very shortsighted and potentially costly. If accessibility problems are encountered at the end of a project they can be very difficult to rectify after the fact. As is now recognized in the usability field, it is more efficient and cost effective to include usability evaluation from the beginning and throughout a project. This should also the case for accessibility evaluation as promoted by Henry (2007) in his book Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design. The main chapters deal with: The importance of building accessibility at the beginning and throughout the project Including disabled users and not relying only on standards and guidelines Tips on how to deal with disabled users It is better to involve disabled users throughout the lifespan of a project rather than relying on guidelines alone. By involving disabled users practitioners may be able to determine accessibility issues and usability issues which may have been otherwise missed in usability testing (Petrie 2007 pp 405). Accessibility professionals should not adopt usability principles if they are only going to rely on guidelines. However the usability practice of including actual users in evaluation and design from the start and throughout a project should be adopted. 3.4 What effect do new technologies have on usability? As stated earlier (section 2.1) new web technologies can enhance usability. Is this statement true? Does the ability to add more interactivity to a website improve the usability? According to Nielsen (2007) Web 2.0 technologies add more complexity to a website where it is sometimes not necessary and divert design resources. In his report he found amongst other things that: Internet applications were too complex Community content has too few users on the Internet Features merged from different websites (Mashups) can cause branding confusion Application type websites will benefit most from the use Web 2.0 technologies. Most other websites have very few repeated actions thus not requiring the use of this technology. Therefore as Nielsen (2007) states that efficiency is not as important as simplicity and that modest use of Web 2.0 technologies can be of benefit, however the benefits of advanced features have little effect in improving the users experience. If used modestly new technologies can be beneficial for certain types of user experience such as web applications. 3.5 What effect does new technologies have on accessibility? In a study by Hailpern et al. (2009) it was found that Web 2.0 applications force blind users to adapt to an inaccessible use model, although the evolution of technologies such as WAI-ARIA (section 2.3) and AJAX (section 2.3) may change this in the future. Some believe that Web 2.0 will make it more difficult to create accessible websites. Christopherson via Everett (2006) states that if accessibility is not kept in mind there is a greater chance that Web 2.0 will cause problems for disabled users. Basically Web 2.0 adds a further level of complexity, both in terms of accessibility and usability and this will need to be considered throughout the design process if these technologies are going to be used. 4. Conclusion To make sites that are usable and accessible we will need to change our thinking of usability. Is your site still usable if sighted people can fully and conveniently use it but it is a frustrating exercise for a blind person? (Clark 2003) In understanding the concept of an accessible site we have to understand what an accessible site is. A disabled persons experience of a website does not have to be identical to that of an able-bodied person. If accessibility features are simple and well written they should be unnoticed (Clark 2002). Clark (2002) reiterates, Equality is a misnomer. Equivalency is the goal. As can be seen from the above discussion there is an overlap between the definitions and methodologies employed by accessibility and usability practitioners and that there is scope for accessibility guidelines to be employed by usability practitioners and vice versa. However this is not simply a case of making a universal set of guidelines, as firstly accessibility and usability issues cannot be universally grouped and that there are distinct groups of accessibility issues. Secondly the use solely of guidelines is fraught with controversy and do not necessarily guarantee that a site will be accessible or usable. Involving users both disabled and able-bodied throughout the project lifecycle is the most effective approach in achieving the most usable and accessible product. Involving disabled users is also makes good business sense. Web 2.0 technologies do have an effect on the relationship between accessibility and usability. For them to not have a negative effect they need to be used with discretion always bearing in mind that they add a level of complexity for both able-bodied and disabled users. Therefore we can conclude that that by embracing the techniques and methodologies and recognizing points of similarity between usability and accessibility practices, and with modest and careful, considered use of new web technologies a web design can be made both usable and accessible. References Abou-Zahra, S (ed) (2008) Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility: Overview. Worldwide Web Consortium, Web Accessibility Initiative. Available at: http://www.w3.org/WAI/eval/Overview.html. Accessed 7 December 2009. Caldwell, B, Cooper, M, Reid, LG Vanderheiden, G (2008) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Available at: http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/REC-WCAG20-20081211/. Accessed 7 December 2009. Christopherson, R (2007) Making the business case for accessibility. AbilityNet. Available at: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/webbusinesscase. Accessed 7 December 2009. Chandrashekar, S, Fels, D, Stockman, T, Benedyk, R. (2006) Using think aloud protocol with blind users: A case for inclusive usability evaluation methods. Proceedings of the 8th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on computers and accessibility, Portland, Oregon Clark, J (2002) Building Accessible Websites. New Riders. Available at: http://joeclark.org/book/. Accessed 7 December 2009. Disability Rights Commission (2004) The web: access and inclusion for disabled people. Available at: http://joeclark.org/dossiers/DRC-GB.html. Accessed 7 December 2009. Everett, C (2006) Web 2.0: A step backwards for accessibility? ZDNet.co.uk. Available at: http://resources.zdnet.co.uk/articles/0,1000001991,39284428,00.htm. Accessed 7 December 2009. Featherstone, D. Gustavson, A. Sims, G (1998) Working together for standards The Web Standards Project. Available at: http://www.webstandards.org. Accessed 7 December 2009. Garrett, JJ (2005) Ajax: A New Approach to Web Applications. Adaptive Path. http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/essays/archives/000385.php. Accessed 7 December 2009. Hailpern, J, Guarino-Reid, L, Boardman, R, Annam, S (2009) Web 2.0: blind to an accessible new world. Proceedings of the 18th international Conference on World Wide Web (Madrid, Spain, April 20 24, 2009). WWW 09. ACM, New York, NY. Henry, SL (2009) W3C: Accessibility. Worldwide Web Consortium. Available at: http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility. Accessed 7 December 2009. Henry, SL (2007) Just Ask: Integrating Accessibility Throughout Design. Madison, WI. Available at: http://www.uiAccess.com/JustAsk/. Accessed 7 December 2009.

Affirmative Action Will Build a Strong Nation Essay -- affirmative act

Affirmative Action Will Build a Strong Nation Affirmative Action: often upon hearing this word, one will start thinking about quotas and reverse discrimination. However, contrary to this misconception, affirmative action is actually a policy that dictates that employers attempt to find diverse employees by exploring untraditional sources of labor. The goal of affirmative action is to create a work force that mirrors the population of the nation both in gender and in ethnicity (Hanmer 8,10). Affirmative action is necessary to give all Americans an opportunity to be successful and to counteract the discrimination that still exists in modern society. Affirmative action is not only morally justifiable, but it is also socially and economically preferable in order to improve our society. The United States’ government first implemented affirmative action to overcome some of the clear differences in living conditions between people of different genders and races. Unfortunately, these differences still exist and eliminating affirm ative action now would be premature for our nation. Affirmative action is essential to compensate for the fact that women and minorities receive fewer opportunities to succeed. Even after laws were passed to end institutionalized racism, the white males who owned the businesses and held the best jobs before continued to own the businesses and hold the best jobs. While legal equality may have been achieved, the nation was nowhere near having true social equality. As President Lyndon B. Johnson stated when he first started affirmative action, â€Å"This is the next and the more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek not just freedom but opportunity. We seek not just legal equity but human abi... ...., William. â€Å"Give Affirmative Action Time to Act.† AAD Project. 1 Dec. 2000. University of California Santa Barbara, Department of English. 19 Feb. 2002 http://aad.english.ucsb.edu/docs/darity.html>. Hanmer, Trudy J. Affirmative Action: Opportunity for All?. Hillside, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1993. Mask, Susan. â€Å"Countering the Myths: A Proponent’s Point of View.† University of Iowa, Office of Affirmative Action. 25 Feb. 2002 http://www.uiowa.edu/~oaa/counteri.htm>. Plous, Scott. â€Å"Ten Myths About Affirmative Action.† Journal of Social Issues. 52.4 (1996): 25-31. Pressley, Sue Anne. â€Å"Texas Campus Attracts Fewer Minorities.† Washington Post. 28 Aug. 1997, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/affirm/stories/ aa082897.htm>. Supplier Diversity. Nike. 17 Mar. 2002. http://www.nikebiz.com/diversity/supplier.shtml>.