Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Prison Architecture Discuss The Evolution Of Corrections

Prison Architecture: Discuss the Evolution of Prison Architecture and how it has evolved throughout the history of corrections. Be sure to include information about security methods and techniques. Also discuss how different structures may be therapeutic. From underground cells to electronic monitoring systems, these are the ways prisons evolved over the centuries to keep society, correctional officers, in prisoners safe. One of the first notable prisons, the Mamertine Prison, was located in Rome and build around 640 B.C. by Ancus Marcius. The Roman Catholic Church contributed immensely to the evolution roman prisons between 4th century to the Renaissance. Prisoners were housed in large rooms above the sewers while they await their punishment. These rooms were crude sordid dungeons contaminated with human waste from those sewers. The prisoners were punished by means of corporal and capital punishments either by death, branding, or become banished to another country. A garrote, or metal collar, was fixed to a column within the dungeon and used to detain and torture the prisoner by tightening, resulting in strangulation. Those who violated Cannon Law were housed in Monasteries and Abbie’s, but for those who committed the worst of crime were confined in underground rooms permanently. These permanent rooms were meant to rehabilitate the prisoner through isolation and prayer. This was the beginni ng transition from physical punishment to prison design, or solitary confinement.Show MoreRelatedThe And Incarceration Of The American Prison System3791 Words   |  16 Pages The American prison finds its origin in Europe. Like most things American we have adopted and adapted many of our beliefs and customs from our mother land. The punishment of confinement was rare and unheard of in America before Eighteenth century. The English concept of prison and incarceration did not even take root until the late Eighteenth Century (Hirsch, 1992). Now, American’s cannot claim that they invented prisons or the concept of confining criminal offenders within facilities that keepRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesforms for a new millennium? Postmodernism as a philosophy: the ultimate challenge to organization theory? Reflective organization theory: symbols, meanings and interpretations Reflexive organization theory: critical theory and psychoanalysis The evolution of management as reflected through the lens of modernist organization theory Perspectives and challenges 2 54 100 148 198 242 282 330 382 432 . . Contents Preface List of figures List of tables Acknowledgements xiii xvii xix xx Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesDifferences Important Areas of Self-Awareness 61 Emotional Intelligence 62 Values 65 Ethical Decision Making and Values 72 Cognitive Style 74 Attitudes Toward Change 76 Core Self-Evaluation 79 SKILL ANALYSIS 84 Cases Involving Self-Awareness 84 Communist Prison Camp 84 Computerized Exam 85 Decision Dilemmas 86 SKILL PRACTICE 89 Exercises for Improving Self-Awareness Through Self-Disclosure 89 Through the Looking Glass 89 Diagnosing Managerial Characteristics 90 An Exercise for Identifying Aspects of PersonalRead MoreSales and Marketing for Financial Institutions80443 Words   |  322 Pagesthat the total study commitment time for this subject will be approximately 120 hours. This includes: reading subject notes and any required readings (e.g. articles and textbook chapters) completing learning activities in the subject notes (e.g. ‘Discuss this’, ‘Apply your knowledge’ and ‘Review your progress’) listening to any pre-recorded lectures/presentations undertaking relevant research activities preparing for and undertaking assessment activities. Note: Students should review due dates forRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pages777: From Design and Development to Production and Sales 81 AMP of Canada (A) 105 AMP of Canada (B) (see handout provided by instructor) AMP of Canada (C) (see handout provided by instructor) Lipton Canada 118 Riverview Children s Hospital 124 The Evolution of Project Management at Quixtar 145 3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT CULTURES 151 Como Tool and Die (A) 153 Como Tool and Die (B) 157 Apache Metals, Inc. 160 Haller Specialty Manufacturing 162 The NF3 Project: Managing Cultural Differences 163 AnRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pages4 Market and environmental analysis 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 Learning objectives Introduction: the changing business environment (or the new marketing reality) Analysing the environment The nature of the marketing environment The evolution of environmental analysis The political, economic, social and technological environments Coming to terms with the industry and market breakpoints Coming to terms with the very different future: the implications for marketing planning Approaches to

Monday, December 23, 2019

A Whisper Of Aids By Mary Fisher Essay - 1182 Words

Mary Fisher, the HIV-positive daughter of the well off and effective Republican reserve raiser Max Fisher, remained before the group to tell the gathering of people: In the event that you trust you are sheltered, you are in risk (McGee). She communicated this message in the scandalous discourse astutely titled, A Whisper of AIDS, that she persuasively conveyed amid the 1992 Republican National Tradition Address on August nineteenth in Houston, TX. Fisher talked in a way that built up her nearness and told the regard and full focus of her crowd. In this talk, Fisher utilized the expository requests of ethos, logos, and tenderness to shape her morally solid and extremely compelling reaction to the logical circumstance. Simply being her identity gave Fisher a tremendous measure of believability, setting up ethos from the minute she started talking. She spoke to the demographic that individuals thought to be pardoned from AIDS, above succumbing to its staggering impacts. This is not amazing in the present day, for as per Dr. Julie Gerberding, executive of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,...the face of AIDS has changed from being fundamentally an infection of caucasian men, to an illness of individuals of all hues and both sexes (Oprah). However, at the time, in 1992, Fisher stunned individuals as a well off, upper-working class white mother from a legitimate family that was HIV-positive. She utilized herself to embody to individuals that regardless ofShow MoreRelatedA Whisper Of Aids, By Mary Fisher1774 Words   |  8 Pages Introduction Mary Fisher, an American political activist, author, and artist, has survived a fatal disease, and who lives to support those who suffer the mutual virus known as H.I.V. or Human Immunodeficiency Virus. She spreads awareness of the outbreak through the use of speeches, campaigns, and volunteer opportunities. Her most famous speech, which defined her as a political icon, was titled â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS†. The speech was delivered at the Republican National Convention, on August 19, 1992Read MoreA Whisper Of Aids, By Mary Fisher1866 Words   |  8 PagesLET MY STORY GROW LOUDER UNTIL AIDS ARE NO MORE: The relevance of A Whisper of AIDS to all generations Mary Fisher tested positive for HIV in 1991. The daughter of Max Fisher, a powerful and wealthy republican, she wasn t what most people pictured when they thought about HIV/AIDS. As such, when Fisher took the stage in 1992 and spoke out against the treatment of her disease at the Republican National Convention. She accepted the task of introducing HIV/AIDS to an audience who had previously beenRead MoreA Whisper Of Aids, By Mary Fisher1369 Words   |  6 PagesLET MY STORY GROW LOUDER UNTIL AIDS ARE NO MORE: In this paper, I will dispute that in Mary Fisher s A Whisper of AIDS speech, the use of pathos and ethos assists in her demand to end the ignorance, prejudice and silence surrounding HIV/AIDS. I will discuss how she replaces the face of AIDS with her own, allowing the conservative crowd to connect with HIV/AIDS. Fisher approaches the speech as an epidemic speech; heavily relying on ethos and pathos she created compassion and connection to anRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Fisher A Whisper Of Aids1190 Words   |  5 PagesCarriers of the viruses of HIV and AIDS have been silenced for far too long. It is time to speak out. In Mary Fisher’s speech â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS† she helps her audience to understand that the topic of HIV and AIDS should no longer be silenced. Fisher stood before an audience of her peers and used many forms of persuasion available to her in order to evoke a positive significant response from her audience. Mary Fisher was born in Louisville, Kentucky on April 6, 1948. She spent her early years inRead MoreAnalysis Of A Whisper Of Aids By Mary Fisher1083 Words   |  5 Pagesvirus. Mary Fisher was one of a few individuals that accepted the cruelty of the virus, only by accepting what HIV is, she was then able to challenge the virus. In order to awaken the society about the reality of AIDS, Mary Fisher’s speech, â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS† would send a message of challenge towards the virus and a sense of unity for humans. By balancing three different persuasive appeals: ethos, logos and pathos, Fisher would be able to connect to a variety of audience. The message that Fisher wantedRead MoreMary Fisher- a Whisper of Aids Essay1775 Words   |  8 PagesSyndrome (AIDS) epidemic in America was a huge crisis during the 1900s. Not knowing the true nature of AIDS, the society and policy makers simply alienated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive population. The stigma of AI DS exacerbated existing problems of prejudice and social inequity. However, Mary Fisher’s inspiring speech cleverly titled, â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS,† effectively promoted awareness of HIV and AIDS throughout the United States, and brought a change to a public policy on AIDS relatedRead MoreSummary Of A Whisper Of Aids By Mary Fisher1077 Words   |  5 Pagesoutcast yourself if you had AIDS/HIV? In â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS† by Activist Mary Fisher, she speaks out against people who discriminate against others diagnosed with AIDS. She presents this speech to educate others about how to prevent AIDS. In 1992, AIDS was a worldwide epidemic that affect millions of people. Over 202,520 people were affected between 1988-1992. Most people believed AIDS/HIV was a disease for prostitutes and intravenous drug abusers due to misconceptions. Mary uses repetition, dictionRead MoreAnalysis Of A Whisper Of Aids By Mary Fisher1099 Words   |  5 Pagesno one was safe from the H IV virus. Mary Fisher was one of few individuals that accepted the cruelty of the virus, but only by accepting what HIV is, she was able to challenge the virus. In order to awaken the society about the reality of AIDS, Mary Fisher’s speech, â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS† would send a message of challenge towards the virus and unite the humans to fight against AIDS. By balancing three different persuasive appeals; ethos, logos, and pathos, Fisher would be able to connect with her audienceRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Fisher Speech Whisper Of Aids 1018 Words   |  5 Pagestoday I would like to write on Mary Fisher speech titled â€Å"Whisper of AIDS†. First I would like to give brief background information on Mary Fisher. Known as an artist, author, advocate, and founder of family AIDS network. As an AIDS patient herself while working for the Republican Party, she delivered her speech in 1992 in front of the whole nation. During that same year, she funded the family AI DS network. Throughout the years, she was committed to work with AIDS patience in Africa and continuedRead MoreMary Fisher s Speech : A Whisper Of Aids886 Words   |  4 PagesMary Fisher’s speech entitled â€Å"A Whisper of Aids,† is an appeal to the emotional and political moods of the Republican National Conference on August 19, 1992. In this speech she talks about her disease, but unlike most people, who become depressed when they learn about contracting the disease, Mary Fisher stands up and fights for everyone who has AIDS as well as bringing the statics of HIV and AIDS to light. Mary Fisher’s speech can be analyzed from three different standpoints: structure, delivery

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Value Chain Analysis-Army Recruiting Company Free Essays

Value Chain Analysis: Army Recruiting Company Foundation for Business intelligence Before he passed away in 1999, satirical novelist, Joseph Heller, wrote in his book Catch-22, â€Å"I had examined myself pretty thoroughly and discovered that I was unfit for military service† (Heller, 282). While in this instance, the individual was missing a leg and therefore not eligible for service, this quote has been used at times by those that have a fear or misunderstanding of the United States Armed Forces. Despite this, there is a requirement to maintain the volume of Soldiers within the United States Army and that recruiting companies develop a desire to join within the communities where they are located. We will write a custom essay sample on Value Chain Analysis-Army Recruiting Company or any similar topic only for you Order Now Understanding the Companies valued processes allows for analysis of what operations are already being performed well and what areas can be improved to increase desire to join. As an Army Recruiting Commander it is my job to ensure that the Company I lead is producing the best product for our customers. It is described as customers because there are two entities that this company serves. The more obvious of the two is the United States Government. We receive a mission for the year, as to the Government’s goals for the quantity and quality of new enlistments to the United States Army. While it is important to this customer to receive a certain number of these enlistments at various phase lines through the year, the type of enlistment is just as vital to customer satisfaction. For best results, the enlistee should not only show educational aptitude, but also be a malleable or trainable product before they arrive to Basic Training. This customer’s requirements for success require that the company provides them an on time, quality product, in determined quantities. The other customer that this Company serves is in fact those very people that are enlisting to serve Customer Number One. Less than one half of one percent of the American population has chosen to serve in the Army during the past decade (Miles, 3). Though this number is likely to remain low, growing pressure from competing Department of Defense Agencies such as the U. S. Navy or National Guard, requires us to illustrate to the customer exactly why they should choose us as a provider. Where Customer Number One requires a high tempo turn over for their product, it is more important to this customer that service meets their specific timeline. Some customers need to begin their Army Career as soon as possible due to financial or familial responsibilities. Others have requirements to complete, such as graduating from high school or college, therefore requiring a suspended leave date. In addition to a customized timeline, it is important to understand the specific reasons why they would choose to enlist in the first place. Understanding this allows the Company to tailor the right package of benefits and job selection that meets the customers desires and replaces the need to seek opportunities with other Department of Defense Agencies. In order to meet the requirements of the Companies two customers, there are certain activities that must be accomplished. Though there are other processes that support the Company’s operations, the critical activities for mission success are marketing and research, prospecting, input management, and output management. These activities are necessary to complete services for both sets of customers and are continuously being completed. It is generally likely that many of these activities are being conducted simultaneously in order to reach final goal of a quality Soldier prepared to ship to Basic Training with a customized package of job and benefits. It is said that the first rule of sales is that people must like and trust you (Klivans, 1). Though we typically try to distance Military Recruiting from sales, this principal still applies. For many people there is a negative connotation when considering the Armed Forces as a career choice for themselves or those that they influence. Generally, this is due to lack of knowledge of what the Army or other Department of Defense Agencies is like aside from aggrandized portrayals of violence from movies, television, and news. In order to combat this ignorance, the Company has become very successful at utilizing marketing within the local area. We effectively utilize advertising and public affair in order to engage the population and inform them about the military, its benefits, and the opportunities that are available. More than 43 percent of the recruiters for the entirety of Department of Defense within the area belong to my Company. Due to this, we are able to conduct branding operations across a larger swath of area than the other services. Participation in schools and providing branded materials for on the spot dialogue or future appointments at a recruiting center allows the company to diverge potential applicants away from other services increasing company production. Finally, utilization of friendly influencers such as, coaches, guidance councilors, and church leaders adds to our value as they provide the message about the Army’s worth without the supposed bias. These marketing and branding activities lay the framework for mission success and market domination, but prospecting is where the literal rubber meets the road. As with the marketing, the number of recruiters in the area allows for a larger area to be covered and more school visits per day, but its knowing where and how to target potential applicants that allow for greater success. Company recruiters conduct no less than four school engagements and multiple days either calling or visiting qualified leads identified from responses to our area marketing. Each phase line, which is generally about a month, we utilize historical data to identify key â€Å"must win† zip codes. By looking back at the last two years of recruiting data, we identify these key areas where enlistments are more likely to come from as well as what time of the year is generally the best to prospect in these areas. The analysis of historical data also helps with understanding the approach that should be utilized when discussing a potential enlistment. We utilize this to understand when to offer the action and adventure of the Combat Services or money for college and medical degree programs. This alone plays a significant part in our success and claiming more than 40 percent of the total market share of all enlistments in our key areas. At this point we should have satisfied all of the requirements for customer number two. They are given the red-carpet treatment and provided with the specialized bonuses, job placement, and Basic training dates that meets their aptitude and preferences. They then become the input for fulfilling the obligation to Customer Number One. Though each enlistee has the customized packet and has general satisfaction from the process, it is still possible to have an enlistee change their mind about shipping and is taken as a loss. The acceptable standard for loss rate from the United States Army Recruiting Command is ten percent with no losses inside of 35 days (USAREC, 7). Losses that occur are generally due to pregnancy, police record, drug use, or loss of influencer support. To combat losses, Future Soldier Leaders are assigned and conduct weekly training with the enlistees. During the training these leaders provide enlistees with information and training necessary to become successful at Basic Training and in their military careers. At the end of each training the enlistees are given a safety brief to remind them of potential risks to shipping and what mistakes will cost them. This action has reduced the loss rate of the Company to approximately eight percent with significant reductions in pregnancy, drug use, and police record losses. However, loss of influencer support continues to be the primary reason for loss and generally result in a loss being taken well inside of the thirty day window. Losses taken before ship date due hurt the overall effectiveness rating of the Company. What also becomes a challenge is getting the enlistee to ship on time to basic training. The most important part of getting an applicant out the door is time flow management. There is an expectation that the Company can enlist a Soldier, prepare him or her for basic training, and get them out to their unit in a few weeks. Currently, the average â€Å"flash to bang,† amount of time between initial contacts during prospecting to shipping to Basic Training, is just under 50 days. Though this is above the standard timeline for stated Command policies, this timeline is faster than all other recruiting Companies in this area. Issues that extend the flash to bang timeline typically are contract renegotiations for individuals that are unsatisfied in their specialized package. Also, individuals that fail to complete school requirements at the expected graduation time require an extension to their original ship date. In order to increase the success of the Company it is important to understand not only the areas where success is being achieved but what items can be adjusted to maximize efforts as well. For instance, though having a higher recruiter share allows for us to cover a larger area during the marketing and prospecting phases, the Marine Corps and Air Force manage to recruit a significant number of high aptitude Seniors even in our â€Å"must win† zip codes. Both services supply one specialized message and target specifically those individuals looking for careers in technology and engineering. Providing more focus on Army careers in STEM, (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) is needed to lessen efforts by other services. Also, adjustments need to be made during the input management phase in order to diminish losses inside of 30 days to include more involvement with enlistee influencers to ensure no loss of support. Finally, contract renegotiations should be kept to a minimum. Ensuring that a thorough understanding of our customers motivators and fully address in initial package and limiting renegotiations that would extend Flash to Bang timeline are needed steps. Engendering support to join the United States Army will continue to be a daunting task. In order to make certain continued satisfaction from the two customer groups requires understanding of working processes and potential areas to improve. Through utilization of higher recruiter numbers to cover larger area, developing good marketing and prospecting processes, ensuring proper training and management through Basic Training ship date and applying fixes to deficient areas, the Army Recruiting Company can continue to meet the demands from our customers. Works Cited Heller, Joseph. Catch-22. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1961. Print Kilvans, David. â€Å"The First Rule of Sales. † Ezine Articles. N. P. , 03 October 2007. Web. 02 March 2013. . Miles, Donna. â€Å"Survey Shows Growing Gap Between Civilians, Military. † American Forces Press Service. Department of Defense, 28 November 2011. Web. 02 March 2013. . USAREC Regulation 601-95. (2002). Delayed Entry and Delayed Training Program. Washington DC. Department of the Army. 12 August 2002. PDF File. How to cite Value Chain Analysis-Army Recruiting Company, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Visit to Women Shelter free essay sample

As a part of community service program organized by my high school, I together with my other three friends had the opportunity to visit a women’s shelter home. Our task was to make the women in the shelter home aware primary health care. The program required us to teach the women about basic health and hygiene related topics like cleanliness, food and nutrition, and safe motherhood. We visited the women’s shelter home called â€Å"SAATHI† (meaning â€Å"friend†). Though I had been to orphanages before with my family and friends, it was my first visit to the women’s shelter home, so I did not have any idea about the likely situation there. We were quite eager to visit the home, so we set the date and time of the visit between us. The day finally arrived. We reached the place where the shelter home was located. As I along with three other friends first entered the shelter home in a chilly morning, I saw a group of about eight women busy making some beads and at the same time basking in the sun. Most of the women were in their early 20s and few were in their early 30s. Some children were playing with a brown dog. As soon as the women noticed us, they all glimpsed at us, but did not show any welcoming expression. I had the impression that they were surprised and did not like the visit of strangers. They looked diffident. The supervisor of the home, who was with us during our visit, told us that there were about four more women inside and she would ask them to come outside their rooms so that we could see the remaining women. She did not come back for about 15 minutes. Then she appeared with a frown on her face. â€Å"They are very shy of visitors. So, they are hesitant to come outside† she said to us. Since we lacked the skill and experience to evoke their response, we felt awkward for sometime. Hoping that the women would feel comfortable to talk to us, we diverted our attention to the children and talked to them. We talked about their books and their homework, and played with them. After an hour of stalemate, some women gradually came forward and expressed their desire to talk to us. In the beginning we asked them their names and which parts of the country they came from. We also helped them finish the beads they were making. As the day went on the women started getting friendlier with us. They were frank and open with us and were now eagerly speaking. But all I did not know was that the stories that they were about to tell me would then change my life forever. As I was talking with Dolma, a cheerful woman with a short and thin body,I was curious to know why she was there in a shelter home. Though I had learnt from books and media that every woman in the home had her specific reasons for being there, I wanted to know exactly what specific problem Dolma had. As she laid there breastfeeding her toddler, I asked her about her husband. He left us. † She said. â€Å"As soon as our son was born, he left home and did not return. † â€Å"Then, what happened? † â€Å"Well, after a few months, he suddenly came back. † With curious eyes, I looked at her, expecting a positive response. But to my dismay, I was wrong. â€Å"He did not come back alone. He brought a new wife. † I was sho cked and I did not know what to say, so I remained completely silent. Then, she went on to complete her story. â€Å"Then, he told me to leave the house along with my son. Not having any other alternatives, I moved out and went back to my brother’s house. For a few months, I stayed there but I did not want to burden his family. It was hard for him as he was the sole breadwinner of the house with a meagre income. So, I decided to move to Kathmandu, hoping to find a small job to support myself and my son. But since I lacked any education or any income generating skills, I ended up here. It’s already been a year now. † I was dumbfounded. I had often read such stories in books and newspapers but here I was, hearing it from a person who had herself endured such a situation. Hearing Dolma talk to me, some women nearby approached us. Slowly, they were coming forward to share their stories. Some wiped their tears as they told their stories. â€Å"I was kicked out of the family because I could not bear a son. † â€Å"My husband died when I was 18. When we were married I was 15. My in-laws blamed me for my husband’s death. They accused me of being a bad omen to the family. They would not let me eat any food and make me sleep in the cow shed. † â€Å"My husband and his family constantly harassed me for bringing less dowry (a custom in South Asia where during a marriage, a bride’s family has to gift the groom’s family with money and properties). So I ran away to escape the torture. † As sorrowful as their stories were, so impressive were their courage and determination to make the most of their lives even after such adversities. â€Å"I want to learn some tailoring skills and one day open up my own tailoring shop. Then I can send my son to a good private school. † said Dolma. Like her, many of the women there have been striving to learn various income generating skills so that they could live independent and dignified lives. Many others wanted to go to school to complete their education in order to lead meaningful lives for themselves and their children. That day has truly changed my life for the better. I have learned to be a more stronger and confident person. I try and overcome my problems with a stong determination and thank god for the wonderful oppurtunities he has given me. I was so glad to see women with so much obstacles in life can move on in their life with so much ease and comfort leaving every pain behind. It is

Friday, November 29, 2019

Societal change Essays - Social Status, Gender Studies,

Societal change A common point of debate is the direction of society: is it moving in a positive or negative direction. While an argument could be made in either direction, the evidence would favor a movement in a positive direction. Overall, society is improving as the current progression of society reflects a positive change and positive progress through an increase in the quality of life and health of society, increased equality, and improved communication and collaboration. A major factor of societal change is the improved quality of life and health that society enjoys. At our fingertips are search engines that can provide answers and instructions regarding nearly any task we may desire to do or better understand. One only must go as far as Youtube to find a self-help tutorial for nearly any task. Society is supported by a healthcare system that, while certainly flawed, has actively removed formerly lethal threats from society such as polio, plague, smallpox, and scarlet fever. Improvement to quality of life is further shown by the infrastructure that is in place to enable almost anyone to have ready access to water, waste disposal, and a food supply far beyond anything that has been seen in history. It can readily be pointed out that none of these factors are perfect. Not every single person has access to clean water or has been vaccinated against deadly diseases. However, the presence of the potential is a clear indication of the positive direction so ciety is moving. It is certainly not at a utopian state, but the direction is certainly a positive one. Another positive step society is taken can be found in the realm of equality. Only 150 years ago it would have been impossible to find a country where women shared the right to vote alongside men. It was only nearly 100 years ago that this right was first obtained in the United States. When compared with the past, society did a terrible job of taking steps for gender equality and it has only been in recent history that the gap has begun to close. This same progress can be seen in the legal eradication of slavery around the world. While illegal slavery is still in existence, progress is being made to allow people of every birth, color, creed, or race to participate in elections, own property, run for office, and be a respected member of society. Again, this is not perfect progress. Discrimination still exists based on any factor that can be dreamed up, but again, this is a manifestation from those that are behind the curve, rather than a reflection upon society as a whole. Society its elf is progressing forward to bring greater equality for all. Perhaps the most powerful example of societal positive progress can be found in the subtle realm of communication and collaboration. It was common for humans to collaborate in the past, villages would support each other, clubs would gather based on their common interest. Those events are still able to happen today, but they were limited by their location. Now, because of websites like Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, and the countless forums that exist, those with mutual interests can come together from around the world and find common ground, unlike in the past where you needed to enjoy what those around you enjoyed or you would face social isolation. This sense of community, acceptance, and encouragement is certainly a step forward for society. A similar spirit of collaboration can be seen with websites such as GoFundMe, where complete strangers can learn about and help a cause. Lastly, websites such as Stackexchange show most perfectly the spirit of collaboration and communication thr ough answering questions, providing hours of coding work for free, and offering helpful tips, all in the spirit of collaboration and communication. This spirit is becoming stronger in society and shows the encouraging progresses that has been achieved. It is possible to argue that it has allowed for collaboration of hate as well, which is true. Online bullying certainly exists. There are tragic examples of large sums of people ganging up to ridicule, mock, or humiliate others on a level that was not previously possible. But for each of these instances, there are another

Monday, November 25, 2019

History of the Apple Macintosh

History of the Apple Macintosh In December of 1983, Apple Computers ran its famous 1984 Macintosh television commercial on a small unknown station solely to make the commercial eligible for awards. The commercial cost $1.5 million and only ran once in 1983, but news and talk shows everywhere replayed it, making TV history. The next month, Apple Computer ran the same ad during the Super Bowl and millions of viewers saw their first glimpse of the Macintosh computer. The commercial was directed by Ridley Scott, and the Orwellian scene depicted the IBM world being destroyed by a new machine called the Macintosh. Could we expect anything less from a company that was once run by the former president of Pepsi-Cola?  Steve Jobs, co-founder of  Apple Computers  had been trying to hire Pepsis John Sculley since early 1983. While he eventually succeeded, Jobs soon discovered that he did not get along with Sculley who, after becoming CEO of Apple Computers, ended up booting him off Apple’s Lisa project. The Lisa was the first consumer computer with a graphical user interface or GUI. Steve Jobs and the Macintosh Computer Jobs then switched over to managing the Apple Macintosh project that was started by Jeff Raskin. Jobs was determined that the new Macintosh was going to have a graphical user interface like the Lisa, but at a considerably lower cost. The early Mac team members (1979) consisted of Jeff Raskin, Brian Howard, Marc LeBrun, Burrell Smith, Joanna Hoffman and Bud Tribble. Others began working working on the Mac at later dates. Seventy-four days after the introduction of the Macintosh, the company was only able to sell 50,000 units. At the time, Apple refused to license the OS or the hardware, the 128k memory was not enough and the onboard floppy drive was difficult to use. The Macintosh did have Lisas user friendly GUI, but was missing some of the more powerful features of the Lisa, such as multitasking and the 1 MB of memory. Jobs compensated by making sure developers created software for the new Macintosh, Jobs figured that software was the way to win the consumer over and in 1985, the Macintosh computer line received a big sales boost with the introduction of the LaserWriter printer and Aldus PageMaker, which made home desktop publishing possible. That was also the year that the original founders of Apple left the company. Power Struggle at Apple Computers Steve Wozniak  returned to college and Steve Jobs was fired as his difficulties with John Sculley came to a head. Jobs had decided to regain control of the company from Sculley by scheduling a business meeting in China for Sculley and so that Jobs could carry out a corporate takeover while Sculley was absent. Word of Jobs true motives reached Sculley before the China trip and he confronted Jobs and asked Apples Board of Directors to vote on the issue. Everyone voted for Sculley and so, in lieu of being fired, Jobs quit. Jobs later rejoined Apple in 1996 and has happily worked there ever since. Sculley was eventually replaced as CEO of Apple.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Alzheimer’s Disease Biological Causes

Alzheimers Disease Biological Causes Alzheimer’s disease is driven by two processes: extracellular deposits of beta amyloid and intracellular accumulation of tau protein.[9] â€Å"It is characterized by accumulation of amyloid-ÃŽ ² peptide, generated by proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by ÃŽ ²- and ÃŽ ³-secretase.†[10p554] The APP gene provides instructions for making APP. This protein is found in many tissues and organs including the brain and the spinal cord. It plays a role in cell growth, formation of new synapses, differentiation of neurons, cell adhesion, calcium metabolism, and protein trafficking.[10] The length of APP varies between 695 to 770 amino acids. Protein breakdown generates AÃŽ ², a 39- to 42-amino acid peptide. This form is the primary component of amyloid plaques found in the brains of AD.[10] APP may be processed via a non-amyloidogenic pathway that prevents AÃŽ ² formation or through a toxic, amyloidgenic pathway, resulting in AÃŽ ² plaque formation. In the non-amyloidogenic pathway, APP is processed in peripheral cells. In this pathway, APP is cleaved by an enzyme called ÃŽ ±-secretase followed by ÃŽ ³-secretase. These are integral membrane proteins where cleavage by ÃŽ ±-secretase occurs within the AÃŽ ² domain. Cleavage by ÃŽ ±-secretase prevents AÃŽ ² formation and releases the extracellular secreted APP ÃŽ ± fragment.[11] Research shows that secreted APP ÃŽ ± protects neurons, regulates stem cell production, plays a role in brain development, and promotes the formation of synapses and cell adhesion. The remaining C-terminal fragment of APP then undergoes either lysosome degradation or ÃŽ ³-secretase cleavage, which generates p3 and the APP intracellular domain.[11] In the amyloidogenic pathway, APP is primarily processed in neuronal cells. Within this pathway, APP is cleaved by ÃŽ ²-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 ( BACE1 ), followed by ÃŽ ³-secretase. BACE1 initiates the production of the toxic AÃŽ ² that plays a crucial role ea rly in the pathogenesis of AD.[11] Cleavage of APP by BACE1 releases the extracellular secreted APP ÃŽ ² fragment which is thought to assist with axon pruning and cell death.[12] BACE1 cuts APP to produce a membrane-bound C-terminal fragment C99 that is further processed by ÃŽ ³-secretase to generate AÃŽ ². The site of ÃŽ ³-secretase cleavage within the transmembrane domain of APP can vary and determines the type of AÃŽ ² that is produced, AÃŽ ² 39-42. Once produced, AÃŽ ² is usually secreted into the extracellular space via exocytosis.[12] AÃŽ ² is a major component of plaques that are found in both intracellular and extracellular locations. AÃŽ ² 42 is considered to be one of the main causes of these plaques because it clumps together more quickly than other isoforms, forming clusters and fibrils.[10] In individuals with AD, elevated concentrations of AÃŽ ² plaques can lead to many cellular dysfunctions. The presence of AÃŽ ² plaques alone is not enough to diagnose AD since ma ny people without cognitive decline have plaques. Tau is a protein in the microtubule-associated protein family. It has several physiological functions in healthy axons including microtubule assembly and stability, vesicle transport, neuronal outgrowth and neuronal polarity. This protein consists of 352 to 441 amino acids and presents in various isoforms in the brain.[10] In AD, tau protein is hyperphosphorylated, causing disruption in microtubule transport and loss of neuronal transmission. Tau phosphorylation is the addition of phosphate to a tau protein through regulation of tau kinases. In humans, the tau gene is positioned on chromosome 17. In a normal brain, there are two to three moles of phosphate per one mole of tau, indicating that this amount of phosphorylation is necessary for tau to perform its normal biological functions. When tau becomes hyperphosphorylated, the ratio of phosphate to tau increases three to four fold compared to normal phosphorylation levels. This incr eased amount of phosphate alters the function of tau, making it insoluble and lacking affinity for microtubules. This leads to the degradation of the microtubules and neuronal cell death.[10]