Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Thinking outside the Building by Kanter

Thinking outside the Building by Kanter The fluctuating market often demands changes in a company, so that it stays successful. Some businesses are world known organizations that have seen rough times but managed to adjust to the world and the economy. Some changes took place several years ago but the major one was accomplished through innovation and is rather recent.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on â€Å"Thinking outside the Building† by Kanter specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An article â€Å"Thinking outside the Building† by Kanter talks about specific adjustments that took place, increasing the role of innovation and a more customer oriented work technique. The employers have also changed some of the management that would provide a shift from hardware to software focus. The technologies were upgraded that made work more efficient and much faster. A great part of the need to change came with the culture and the public demands. The new technology that gets improved very often dictates how the company will work within its own culture, as well as with the public. The studies have shown that there is a deep relationship between a business and the customer. The more satisfied a person is, the better their response leading to higher input. As such, communication between people providing a specific service plays a key role in loyalty and recommendations. The solution is for businesses to get involved with the customers, think further by adjusting to the needs and giving specifically what is being wanted. A lot rests on the way a business is done and any change in the products will influence the sensitive and fragile relationship between the production company and the consumer. There has to be a steady management of the materials that are used in the company, constant making sure that all the required products and materials that are needed for the business are in place and the monitoring of the quality of the production (Kanter, 2010). â€Å"The Must-Haves for Growth: Entrepreneurial Spirit and Focus on Core Competencies† by Chaifez talks about core competencies in business. The first important point is they must be defined correctly while the second one deals will staying down to earth and keeping â€Å"an entrepreneurial value†, even after large development. The sustainability in operations management is the making sure that the products and services are properly delivered to the customers. There also has to be a constant development and bettering of products and services, as to best adjust to the changing market and economy, as well as the demands. It is very important because the success and future of the business depend on it.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The efficiency and quality of the products and services of the company is what determines their pos ition on the market and the future outcomes. For operations management, economical sustainability is one of the key components, as they have to calculate the future matters of the company and find ways to increase their prosperity. They have to work on the assignment of duties, distribution of roles and responsibilities and the resource and capacity management. When looking at economics, there are few things to have in mind. Different cities and regions have unique and specific economies. The system of trade and relations between businesses are guided by the public, their beliefs and understanding of the government and the market. By staying entrepreneurial, the connection will not be lost (Chaifetz, 2010). It is clear that innovation and the involvement of employees will keep the company connected to the public. An interest in personal and public success will reflect in the business and increase profits. References Chaifetz, R. (2010). The Must-Haves for Growth: Entrepreneurial Spi rit and Focus on Core Competencies. American journal of Business. Web. Kanter, R. (2010). Thinking Outside the Buidling. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/03/column-think-outside-the-building

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Nietzsches Idea of Eternal Return

Nietzsche's Idea of Eternal Return The idea of eternal return, or eternal recurrence, has existed in various forms since antiquity. Put simply, its the theory that existence recurs in an infinite cycle as energy and matter transform over time. In ancient Greece, the Stoics believed that the universe went through repeating stages of transformation similar to those found in the wheel of time of Hinduism and Buddhism. Such ideas of cyclical time later fell out of fashion, especially in the West, with the rise of Christianity. One notable exception is found in the work of Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19th-century German thinker who was known for his unconventional approach to philosophy. One of Nietzsches most famous ideas is that of eternal recurrence, which appears in the penultimate section of his book The Gay Science. Eternal Recurrence The Gay Science is one of Nietzsches most personal works, collecting not only his philosophical reflections but also a number of poems, aphorisms, and songs. The idea of eternal recurrence- which Nietzsche presents as a sort of thought experiment- appears in Aphorism 341, The Greatest Weight: What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence- even this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned upside down again and again, and you with it, speck of dust! Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him: You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine. If this thought gained possession of you, it would change you as you are or perhaps crush you. The question in each and every thing, Do you desire this once more and innumerable times more? would lie upon your actions as the greatest weight. Or how well disposed would you have to become to yourself and to life  Nietzsche reported that this thought came to him suddenly one day in August 1881 while he was taking a walk along a lake in Switzerland. After introducing the idea at the end of The Gay Science, he made it one of the fundamental concepts of his next work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Zarathustra, the prophet-like figure who proclaims Nietzsche’s teachings in this volume, is at first reluctant to articulate the idea, even to himself. Eventually, though, he proclaims that eternal recurrence is a joyful truth, one that should be embraced by anyone who lives life to the fullest. Oddly enough, eternal recurrence doesnt figure too prominently in any of the works Nietzsche published after Thus Spoke Zarathustra. However, there is a section dedicated to the idea in The Will to Power, a collection of notes published by Nietzsche’s sister Elizabeth in 1901. In the passage, Nietzsche seems to seriously entertain the possibility that the doctrine is literally true. It is significant, however, that the philosopher never insists on the ideas literal truth in any of his other published writings. Rather, he presents eternal recurrence as a sort of thought experiment, a test of ones attitude toward life. Nietzsche’s Philosophy Nietzsches philosophy is concerned with questions about freedom, action, and will. In presenting the idea of eternal recurrence, he asks us not to take the idea as truth but to ask ourselves what we would do if the idea were true. He assumes that our first reaction would be utter despair: the human condition is tragic; life contains much suffering; the thought that one must relive it all an infinite number of times seems terrible. But then he imagines a different reaction. Suppose we could welcome the news, embrace it as something that we desire? That, says Nietzsche, would be the ultimate expression of a life-affirming attitude: to want this life, with all its pain and boredom and frustration, again and again. This thought connects with the dominant theme of Book IV of The Gay Science, which is the importance of being a â€Å"yea-sayer,† a life-affirmer, and of embracing amor fati (love of one’s fate). This is also how the idea is presented in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Zarathustra’s being able to embrace eternal recurrence is the ultimate expression of his love for life and his desire to remain â€Å"faithful to the earth.† Perhaps this would be the response of the ÃÅ"bermnesch or Overman who Zarathustra anticipates as a higher kind of human being. The contrast here is with religions like Christianity, which see this world as inferior, this life as a mere preparation for a better life in paradise. Eternal recurrence thus offers a notion of immortality counter to the one proposed by Christianity.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Education - Assignment Example Secondly, the college application process is something that students can be taught and student’s aid are available from different sources Yes it is meaningful and easily understandable by all the stakeholders that for students to continue with their college education they have to know more about college, they should know about the college application process, and they need to be sponsored Yes, because high school courses that prepare students for college education have always been in existence. Secondly, students are usually taught in high school how to write up college application and they are even informed the sources of college aid or scholarships. The program is known as College Success and it is set to run in the any years to come. The program mainly seeks to offer guidance, counseling, and mentorship for students before and after enrollment in colleges to ensure that they continue with their college education and graduate from

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Dissertation proposal either in marketing, Finance or internantional Essay

Dissertation proposal either in marketing, Finance or internantional. business MBA level - Essay Example The typical questions that come in mind are whether such factors have a significant impact in enhancing the sales of the company or not. If yes, then would it be beneficial for the companies to give more focus towards their products packaging and placement of their products on shelves in retail stores. For exploring these questions, there is a need to conduct a research, which may provide guidelines to the companies and retailers regarding the packaging and shelf positioning of products. Planned purchases do not constitute all sales; as a matter of fact, a significant portion of total sales is composed of impulse buying which shows inevitable variation with respect to factors such as packaging and shelf-positioning. Consequences: In the absence of such a research, the marketers will certainly be at a loss. They will not be able to gain an insight into the relationship of factors such as packaging and shelf positioning with Impulse buying, thereby obstructing their ability to manipulate these factors to their own advantage, which could otherwise lead to increased sale. The research paper selected as the base paper of this research is ‘Unplanned Buying and In-Store Stimuli in Supermarkets’, Managerial and Decision Economics, Vol. 11, No. 2. (May, 1990), pg. 111-121 by Abratt, R. and D.G. Stephen (1990). ‘Impulse buying’ can be described as any purchase which a shopper makes but does not plan in advance and nowadays, a major junk of consumer purchases are being made without advance or prior planning (Hawkin Stern, 1962). Moreover, Hawkin also argued that Impulse buying, despite certain connotations attached to it, has become an efficient and sensible way of buying goods and the incidence of impulse buying are growing. Impulse buying has been seen to be at work mostly in the case of FMCGs. Unplanned purchasing occurs in many types of retail outlets; however, it is typically

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Inheritance Of Tools Essay Example for Free

Inheritance Of Tools Essay Glessing 1 The Passing Down of Tools Inheriting tools allows my family to pass on generations of hard work, detail, and precision. I am the recipient of the huge, black, Severson drill press given to me by my great grand father, who came over from Germany in 1902. I do not know if you have ever seen a Severson drill press, but the craftsmanship is something to be proud of. Everything is hand crafted, pulleys, gears, and even the key that tightens the chuck. My grandfather who inherited this drill press from his father just passed it down to me. I can remember endless hours watching my grandfather working with the press, drilling holes in decoy bodies or just doing odd jobs for the neighbors. He always told me the sang keep your eye on the metal and not on the bit because its not the bit that your name Glessing 2 is on its the product that the bit makes. This sang often times has run through my mind when I think of my grandfather but, never more so when he was in the hospital last year dieing of lung cancer. I remember that Monday just like yesterday. I was sitting behind the drill press fixing a wheel bushing on the neighbors Toro lawn mower. It was a ugly, red, piece of junk, but all the time my grandfathers sang keep echoing in my head its your name on that job. I then hustled to finish boring the wheel to one half-inch diameter and began inserting the long brass sleeve into the wheel when the phone rang. I answered it was my grandmother, she sounded concerned, she quietly asked, May I speak with your father. This was a rather new development because it was never my grandmother who called asking for my father it was always my grandfather looking for a hunting buddy or someone to help him work on his old, rusted, pink, 1958 Cadillac. I soon felt chills running down my spine I immediately shut off the huge press as it ground to a halt I heard my dad say Glessing 3 oh no! I had no idea what was going on could this be a fatal heart attack, or maybe a simple engine problem in his Cadillac that my grandfather was too stubborn to convey to my father. My grandfather has had many past health problems but the majority of them were heart related. I soon disregarded the conversation since sometimes my dad tended to flip out at very small minute things. I had to get this  lawnmower done for the neighbor since his lawn resembled a green alpha field after a huge windstorm. I started up the old black press with a clank and a bang the huge wheel that drove the chuck had broken. The teeth spun off the gears like butter off of a hot ear of corn. I was terrified I thought how am I going to be able to fix this. Luckily just like in the story Inheritance of Tools, by Mr. Sanders, my father had taught me many skills: including welding, machining and cabinetry. Although my skills are much different than that of Mr. Sanders stories they have the same basic concept, learning a skill from a father or grandfather. Glessing 4 I then began to disassemble the huge nut that holds on the main pulley of the huge gear driven set up. Luckily, the pulley teeth were going to be salvageable with a little filling, as for the pulley, it needed extensive welding. I then turned around and sprinted for the large white three-story farmhouse that had been in the family for eighty years. I was very interested to see if my father was going to go fishing like he had planned earlier that day or if he was going to help my grandfather work on his car. He calmly said, Your grandfather isnt well. I jokingly said what another clogged artery. Since the new joke in our family was which one of grandpas arteries is going to plug up next. My grandfather had a horrible eating problem. He ate eggs and bacon for breakfast fried chicken for lunch and usually meat loaf for dinner, my favorite. My father laughed I think to lighten the mood for what he had in store to tell me. He said, No his voice stern but yet quite. I said, then what is wrong with him. My father repeated the most devastating word to me, he has lung cancer and the doctor Glessing 5 has given him two weeks to live. I can relate this feeling to that of the story ËÅ"Inheritance of tools Mr. Sanders was informed of his fathers death after he had used the very tools his father had handed down to him. I felt the same way, my grandfather was not dead, which I was very grateful, but he was next to dead. The very powerful untouchable man I watched make decoys, fix neighbors projects and be the inspiration of a good sang was not going to be here anymore. That was what was the hardest for me as I think it was also for Mr. Sanders in ËÅ"Inheritance of tools. The fact that the man you looked up to the man  that taught you everything was going to be gone. I had many things flash through my mind but after everything was over, and the horrible prognosis infiltrated my mind, I actually was very angry. ËÅ"Why does god need to take my grandfather now I shouted to whom ever could hear. Sanders and I did what I feel was the best thing anyone can do; carry on the tradition and legacy of your loved one. Whether it is helping others, making goose decoys or in Sanders Glessing 6 case showing his son how to hammer a nail. I feel even repeating the old sang, often used by my grandfather when I was young, You can not appreciate some things until you are older, helps carry on the tradition of the big black Severson drill press and all the knowledge that goes with it. I shook off the news of my grandfathers terminal diagnosis and I lumbered back out to the shed and began to weld. I pictured my grandfather there welding away on the same pulley as I was, since there were previous welds on the same faded black pulley. I then thought to myself of another old seemingly senseless sang my grandfather had told me about welding and life in general. He said its not what you see on the outside of the pulley its what gets inside that counts. I have tried to understand that sang for many months now and it reminds me just like sanders black and blue thumb reminded him of his father. I wish my grandfather was still alive today and I would ask him what that means, but since he is not I will try to answer it the best I can. I now think my grandfather was trying to instill in me, when Glessing 7 I was young was that of hard work, precision, and most of all to treat people as you would like to be treated. American Society is so judge mental of clothes and jewelry th at we rarely see what is inside, we only see, as my grandfather said, what can be ground off. Glessing 8 Sanders, Scott. Our Lives Our Worlds a Thematic Reader.Ed. Richard M. Shaw, et.al. Orlando: Harcourt, 2001. 5-12.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Jesus and Socrates Would Have Difficulty Surviving in America’s Public

Those at the plinth of the socioeconomic hierarchy face both structural constraints and functional impediments, especially people of color. The structural constraints imply socio-historical position of servitude, racial segregation and discrimination, ghettoization, distorted unemployment rates, and inferior health care funneled by deplorable education. The behavioral impediments on upward mobility connote the dwindling of the Protestant ethic an angle taken by Booker T. Washington and many other black Americans. Nonetheless, both categories can be marked as systematic obstacles. In my research paper, I focus on all components of the aforementioned dilemmas, particularly that pertaining to the black or minority experience in the American public education system. In doing so, I will prove that there is no reform or positive revision in America’s public education system. All of the previous listed problems are representative of a vicious cycle born from the lack of qualit y education; moreover, when discussing poor education in America, we are directly speaking to the educational crises of poor colored people – distinctively, blacks and Latinos. To put it clearly, the crux is K-12 public education in America is nowhere near as good as it should be, and it is predominantly the poor who bear the brunt of educational shortcomings. Chiefly, we ought to acknowledge that structures and functional dilemmas are inseparable, that institutions and values coexist as a dyadic function. â€Å"Minorities are more prone to attend high-poverty schools – that is, public schools where greater than seventy-five percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and are less likely to graduate from high school and subsequently atten... ...nt: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything. New York: Penguin Group USA, 2009. Print. Robinson, Ken. Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative. Oxford: Capstone, 2001. Print. â€Å"The Schott Foundation - 50 State Black Boys Report.† The Schott Foundation - 50 State Black Boys Report. Web. 07 May 2012. . Smith, Dane, and Shawn Lewis. African American Boys: ‘Too Important to Fai’' http://www.growthandjustice.org. 23 Sept. 2011. Web. 7 May 2012. Washington, Harriet A. Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial times to the Present. New York: Anchor, 2008. Print. West, Cornel. Race Matters. Boston: Beacon, 1993. Print. Whitman, Mark. Removing a Badge of Slavery: The Record of Brown v. Board of Education. Princeton, NJ: Markus Wiener Pub. 1993. Print.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Personal Professional Development Essay

In this section of the report I will explain the importance of continual self  development and implement my own personal development plan (PDP) in line with my organisations objectives. To achieve this I will review the requirements of my employer and its clients and review my own personal needs and determine the skills and knowledge I will need to meet them. I will assess the gaps in my current skills and knowledge in line with the organisational objectives. I will identify my personal learning objectives and start filling those gaps and propose the actions for achieving these objectives. My PDP will be SMART and include measures for success, resources required and target dates for review and completion where appropriate. Continuous self-development is a process in which people take responsibility for their own learning. Self-development can be defined as Maintaining and continuing to improve and develop knowledge and competencies which can improve your performance in the workplace. Developing specific qualities and skills Advancing your full potential as a person by been proactive According to Pedlar et al, (2007) they believe that â€Å"Self-development is personal development, with the person taking primary responsibility for their own learning and for choosing the means to achieve this. Ultimately, it is about increasing your capacity and willingness to take control over and be responsible for events†(p30). As demonstrated by Pedlar et al. (2007) self development is about an individual been proactive and developing their learning capacity by empowering themselves to take control of their own learning and be responsible for it. Another important factor linked to self-development is Developing Greater Self-Awareness. Goleman suggests that self-awareness involves: Emotional self awareness: recognising your emotions and the impact they have on your life. Accurate self-assessment: identifying your strengths and limitations. Self-confidence: knowing yourself worth and capabilities. By improving self awareness we can create opportunities for a better work  life balance , become aware of our emotions, and improve our ability to respond to change. These qualities will enhance the performance of a manager and is important to include these elements when developing a PDP. For continual self-development to take place an individual has to determine how and by what means is required to achieve continual self-development in achieving organisational objectives. According to Martin (2005) â€Å"An organisation is a group of individuals and as individuals develop, so do the organisations that employ them† Martin (2005) suggests Organisations give importance to continual self-development because it is effective for organisations in terms of achieving organisational objectives if the employees develop then so does the organisation. It is important that the business plan objectives of the organisation are taken into consideration when building a Personal Development Plan, as any personal development should complement the organisation’s plans. If people don’t continually self-develop and perform to meet organisational objectives the organisation does not develop and perform to met the organisational objectives. The organisation can become stagnant and fail to achieve the overall strategic company outcome to be financially viable and show a profit. It is important to continually self-develop so an individual can succeed in maintaining their position within the organisation but also to progress and achieve organisational objectives. An example of continual self-development in achieving organisational objectives is to maintain organisational legislation for instance the Health and Safety law. If the individual in the organisation who is responsible for the health and safety law does not comply with the health and safety rules, it could increase the chance that individuals may be hurt. It could also increase the chance that the organisation could be fined for health and safety violations, or that the individual responsible for this role could be suspended or fired for putting the organisation and its employees at unnecessary risk. An example of my continual self-development in achieving  organisational objectives is to continually ensure I am current and up to date with my knowledge of funding eligibility, which is governed by the Skills funding Agency (SFA). If I do not develop my understanding of new legislation set by the SFA the company can become at risk of not meeting the set contractual requirements. This can have a detrimental effect on the company which could lead to loss of revenue or loss of contracts which in turn could result in staff becoming unemployed. To summarise, the performance of employees is directly linked to organisational performance hence the achievement of organisational objectives. The performance of employees can be improved through the continuous self-development process which clarifies the importance of continual self development within an organisation. Personal development plans (PDPs) provide a powerful and flexible way to link employee’s professional and personal development with the development of the organisation. My job role within Intertrain is the National contracts & compliance manager intertrain’s organisational chart is presented in appendix 1 to demonstrate my management role within the organisation. To be able to assess and plan for personal professional development a process needs to take place. It is important in learning new skills or developing new competencies that they are planned and structured. I will use Kolb’s learning cycle as the structure for my PDP, this will implemented to assess and reflect on my current experiences and skills. This will then in turn allow me to review and identify the development opportunities and then test them out and reflect what has been learnt in meeting organisational objectives.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Production Operation Assignment

Assignment 6: PRICING a) Computation of Economic Value of an offering Mercedes Benz is launching its luxury SUV (called the CDL class) in a market dominated by Lexus GL. The CDL class uses diesel and obtains 25 miles per gallon. The Lexus model, priced at $48000, uses premium gasolene and obtains 20 miles per gallon. Both the models need to be serviced annually but the CDL being a diesel engine requires annual service that is costlier by $100. The life of a diesel engine is typically longer – hence the residual value of a 10 year old CDL is estimated to be $1600 higher than the Lexus. Assume (i) the average cost of premium gasolene to be $3. 0 per gallon (ii) the average cost of diesel to be $3. 25 per gallon (ii) the average customer drives 12000 miles per year and (iii) there is no time discount. What should be the price of the CDL such that the economic value of Benz CDL over Lexus GL (during a 10 year use horizon by a customer) is completely appropriated by Mercedes Benz? The economic value of CDL: Price of substitute=48000 Cost saving=(12000/20*3-12000/25*3. 25-100)=140 Revenue enhancing=residual value=1600+residual value of GL Use horizon=10 EV of CDL=48000+140*10+1600+residual value of GL=51000+residual value of GL The economic value of GL: Price of substitute=XCost saving=(12000/25*3. 25-12000/20*3+100)=-140 Revenue enhancing=residual value=residual value of GL Use horizon=10 EV of GL=X+(-140)*10+ residual value of GL=X-1400+residual value of GL To make (51000+residual value) equal (X-1400+residual value of GL) X should be 52400 So the price of CDL should be lower than 52400 dollars such that the EV of CDL is higher than GL. b) Breakeven Analysis Nokia has decided to manufacture a special edition cellphone called HiRide for the teen market next year that will be sold with Sprint’s wireless service. For this phone, Nokia’s variable manufacturing cost is $35 per phone.Fixed manufacturing costs amount to $20 million and advertising cos ts are expected at $6 million. Nokia will sell HiRide to retailers and pay its own salesmen a commission of $8 per phone sold to the retailers. The retail price (i. e. , price paid by the end customer) of the product is $120 and retail margin typically average about 10%. (i) What is the price at which Nokia sells to retailers? Assume that the price is X, thus: X*(1+10%)=120 X=$109 (ii) What is Nokia’s contribution per unit sales for HiRide? Contribution per unit= P-VC=109-(35+8)=$66 (iii) What is Nokia’s breakeven volume?BE volume=FC/contribution per unit=? (20000000+6000000)/66=393939. 4? 393940 (iv) Nokia’s actual sales in Year 1 turned out to be 375000 units. Since the product did not break even, Nokia’s product manager decided to reduce the commission offered to its salesmen in Year 2. Provided the sales volume, price, and other fixed costs remain the same as in Year 1, how much should be the new commission so that HiRide breaks even in Year 2? Assume that it is X, thus: The new contribution per unit would be 109-(35+X), which equals 74-X BE volume =375000=FC/ new contribution per unit=26000000/(74-X) So X =4. 76$

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Greeks & Binge Drinking Essays - Fraternities And Sororities

Greeks & Binge Drinking Essays - Fraternities And Sororities Greeks & Binge Drinking Greeks and Binge Drinking Greek life has always had its problems with underage and binge drinking. Though, lately it seems like the number of problems and even deaths due to binge drinking has been on the rise. To try curbing these problems, the Pan-Hellenic council, which is the governing body of all sororities on CMUs campus, has decided to drastically change one of their alcohol policies. This change has come in the form of article 12 which states, that no sorority or sorority member may partake in any party at a fraternity house, were alcohol is present. On the other hand, fraternities here at CMU are not showing the same support for article twelve that sororities have. With this mixed reaction for article 12 it is going to be hard to instill and enforce the rule to fraternity and sorority members. First, lets take a look at CMUs past alcohol policies that fraternities and sororities had to abide by. According to, Central Michigans web site on alcohol awareness; fraternities have had a consistent alcohol policy that has stayed the same since they have been registered organizations on CMUs campus. Fraternities are allowed to drink in their houses, and have parties with alcohol present. The only restrictions that they have is that they are not allowed to have full keg barrels in their houses, and they must provide a beer check at all their parties (1). A beer check is a place were sorority and fraternity members, who are attending the party, may check in their beer with a sober brother for safe keeping. The check can come in the form of a number of things. It may be a cooler filled with ice, or even a full sized refrigerator. On the other hand, Sororities had a much different alcohol policy in the past. All sorority houses are dry, which means that they are always drug and alcoho l free. This rule still remains in effect and is strictly enforced. Also, sorority members were allowed to drink at fraternity houses, as long as two sobers were present from the sorority to give rides to any intoxicated members (1). This is the area where the drastic change has occurred. During the spring semester of 2000, the Pan Hellenic council voted into effect a rule that changed the way sorority and fraternity social events will take place forever here at CMU. They passed article twelve, which prevents sorority members from consuming alcohol in a Fraternity house. This law was passed to try and decrease the amount of under age and binge drinking done by sorority members, due to the recent heat that Fraternities and Sororities have been receiving from the media because of binge drinking. Binge drinking is becoming increasingly popular on all college campuses throughout the country, and is causing major problems for college students. According to a study done by Dr. Henry Wechsler at the Harvard school of public health, forty four percent of college students are binge drinkers. Among that forty four percent, fraternity and sorority members are four times more likely to become binge drinkers compared to other students. (Wechsler 3). The reason why sororities want to crack down on binge drinking is because it causes a number of serious problems for college students. For example, frequent binge drinkers are sixteen time more likely than non-binge drinkers to miss class, get behind in their school work, engage in unplanned sexual activity, not use protection while having sex, get in trouble with campus police, damage property, or to get hurt or injured (Wechsler 5). As you can see, binge drinking can quickly ruin a students college career or their life. Even though article twelve was put into effect to help sorority women, most fraternity men are not happy with the rule. Ty Burnett, president of the IFC, which is the governing body for fraternities here at CMU stated I dont like to admit this, but the truth of the matter is that a lot of guys join fraternities just for the drunken parties with sorority members. When you take this aspect away from them, then they see no other reason to be involved in a fraternity. As sad as this may sound

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Didelphodon - Facts and Figures

Didelphodon - Facts and Figures Name: Didelphodon (Greek for opossum tooth); pronounced die-DELL-foe-don Habitat: Swamps, lakes and rivers of North America Historical Period: Late Cretaceous (70-65 million years ago) Size and Weight: About one foot long and a few pounds Diet: Insects and small animals; possibly omnivorous Distinguishing Characteristics: Opossum-like teeth; semi-aquatic lifestyle; short, powerful jaws About Didelphodon Throughout the history of life on earth, marsupials have been mostly confined to two continents: Australia (where the vast majority of pouched mammals live today) and Cenozoic South America. However, one family of marsupialsthe pint-sized opossumshave prospered in North America for tens of millions of years, and are represented today by dozens of species. Didelphodon (Greek for opossum tooth), which lived in late Cretaceous North America alongside the last of the dinosaurs, is one of the earliest opossum ancestors yet known; as far as we can tell, this Mesozoic mammal wasnt significantly different from its modern descendants, burrowing underground during the day and hunting for insects, snails and possibly the hatchlings of prehistoric turtles at night. One of the odd things about Didelphodon is that it was apparently suited to a semi-aquatic lifestyle: the recently discovered skeleton of a nearly intact specimen, recovered near a Triceratops individual, reveals a sleek, otter-like body equipped with a Tasmanian Devil-like head and strong jaws, which may have been used to feast on mollusks in lakes and rivers, as well as insects, plants, and pretty much anything that moved. However, one shouldnt take Didelphodons guest appearances on animated TV documentaries too literally: in one episode of Walking with Dinosaurs, this tiny mammal is depicted unsuccessfully raiding a clutch of Tyrannosaurus Rex eggs, and an installment of Prehistoric Planet shows Didelphodon scavenging the carcass of a juvenile Torosaurus!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Pelagic food-web in the Southern Ocean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pelagic food-web in the Southern Ocean - Essay Example Autotrophs are grazed by herbivores that in turn are consumed by carnivores. A number of trophic levels form the food web with primary producers at first level, the second level comprising herbivores, third level comprising carnivores and the next level comprising carnivores that eat carnivores. Pelagic food web exchanges take place in the water column. The primary producers of the food web are phytoplanktons which are consumed / grazed by the herbivores zooplanktons which are in turn consumed by filter feeding planktivores or piscivores – carnivores or eating fish that eat other types of animals. In pelagic food web omnivory is common with organisms obtaining food from one or two trophic levels. For example, salmon eats the planktivores juvenile fish but also eats zooplanktons that are euphausiids (Marine Biology). The pelagic food chain is comprised of a diversity of organisms including bacteria, heterotrophic and autotrophic nano and microplanktonic organism. The presence of microbial forms in Antarctic waters is underestimated due to the dogma that the region features a short and simple food web that are not accounted due to technical limitations. However, a research on the food web indicates an abundant distribution of heterotrophic ciliates and flagellates in polar waters with the presence of microbial assemblage that inhabit the water column and sea ice. Estimates of grazing point out that they are the important consumers of the Antarctic food web. Though seasonality is not accounted, heterotrophic nano and microplankton are formed after an autotrophic bloom and reach a maximum biomass during summer (Ross, R.M., Hofmann, E.E. & Quetin, L.B. 1996 p.155). The ecosystem in southern ocean is highly influenced by factors like climate, ocean currents and ice. The amount of ice cover results in a competition between species of the primary producers which in turns affects the competition among zooplankton species that