The Problem of Workplace Stress

All About Fracking or Hydrofracking

All About Fracking or Hydrofracking Fracking, or hydrofracking, which is short for hydraulic fracturing, is a common but controversial practice among companies that drill underground for oil and natural gas. In fracking, drillers inject millions of gallons of water, sand, salts and chemicals- all too often toxic chemicals and human carcinogens such as benzene- into shale deposits or other sub-surface rock formations at extremely high pressure, to fracture the rock and extract the raw fuel. The purpose of fracking is to create fissures in underground rock formations, thereby increasing the flow of oil or natural gas and making it easier for workers to extract those fossil fuels. How Common Is Fracking? The fracking process is used to boost production at 90 percent of all oil and gas wells in the United States, according to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, and fracking is increasingly common in other countries as well. Although fracking most often occurs when a well is new, companies fracture many wells repeatedly in an effort to extract as much valuable oil or natural gas as possible and to maximize the return on their investment in a profitable site. The Dangers of Fracking Fracking poses serious dangers to both human health and the environment. The three biggest problems with fracking are: Fracking leaves behind a toxic sludge (called drill cuttings)  that companies and communities must find some way to manage. Safely disposing of the sludge created by fracking is an ongoing challenge.Somewhere between 20 percent and 40 percent of the toxic chemicals used in the fracking process remain stranded underground where they can, and often do, contaminate drinking water, soil and other parts of the environment that support plant, animal and human life.Methane from fracture wells can leak into groundwater, creating a serious risk of explosion and contaminating drinking water supplies so severely that some homeowners have been able to set fire to the mixture of water and gas coming out of their faucets. Methane also can cause asphyxiation. There isnt much research on the health effects of drinking water contaminated by methane, however, and the EPA doesnt regulate methane as a contaminant in public water systems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a least nine different chemicals commonly used in fracking are injected into oil and gas wells at concentrations that pose a threat to human health. Fracking also poses other hazards, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, which warns that besides contaminating drinking water with toxic and carcinogenic chemicals, fracking could trigger earthquakes, poison livestock, and overburden wastewater systems. Why Concerns About Fracking are Increasing Americans get half their drinking water from underground sources. Accelerated gas drilling and hydrofracking in recent years has fueled public concern about well-water contamination by methane, fracking fluids and produced water, the wastewater extracted from wells after the shale has been fractured. So its no wonder people are increasingly concerned about the risks of fracking, which is becoming more widespread as gas exploration and drilling expands. Gas extracted from shale currently accounts [in 2011] for about 15 percent of natural gas produced in the United States. The Energy Information Administration estimates it will make up almost half of the nation’s natural-gas production by 2035. In 2005, President George W. Bush exempted oil and gas companies from federal regulations designed to protect U.S. drinking water, and most state oil and gas regulatory agencies don’t require companies to report the volumes or names of the chemicals they use in the fracking process, chemicals such as benzene, chloride, toluene and sulfates. The result, according to the nonprofit Oil and Gas Accountability Project, is that one of the nations dirtiest industries is also one of its least regulated, and enjoys an exclusive right to inject toxic fluids directly into good quality groundwater without oversight. Congressional Study Confirms Fracking Uses Hazardous Chemicals In 2011, congressional Democrats released the results of an investigation showing that oil and gas companies injected hundreds of millions of gallons of hazardous or carcinogenic chemicals into wells in more than 13 states from 2005 to 2009. The investigation was initiated by the House Energy and Commerce Committee in 2010, when the Democrats controlled the U.S. House of Representatives. The report also faulted companies for secrecy and for sometimes â€Å"injecting fluids containing chemicals that they themselves cannot identify.† The investigation also found that 14 of the most active hydraulic fracturing companies in the United States used 866 million gallons of hydraulic fracturing products, not including the water that makes up the bulk of all fracking fluid. More than 650 of the products contained chemicals that are known or possible human carcinogens, which are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act or listed as hazardous air pollutants, according to the report. Scientists Find Methane in Drinking Water A peer-reviewed study conducted by scientists at Duke University and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in May 2011 linked natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing to a pattern of drinking-water contamination so severe that faucets in some areas can be lit on fire. After testing 68 private groundwater wells across five counties in northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York, the Duke University researchers found that the amount of flammable methane gas in wells used for drinking water increased to dangerous levels when those water sources were close to natural-gas wells. They also found that the type of gas detected at high levels in the water was the same type of gas that energy companies were extracting from shale and rock deposits thousands of feet underground. The strong implication is that natural gas may be seeping through either natural or man-made faults or fractures, or leaking from cracks in the gas wells themselves. â€Å"We found measurable amounts of methane in 85 percent of the samples, but levels were 17 times higher on average in wells located within a kilometer of active hydrofracking sites,† said Stephen Osborn, postdoctoral research associate at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment. Water wells farther from the gas wells contained lower levels of methane and had a different isotopic fingerprint. The Duke study found no evidence of contamination from chemicals in the fracking fluids that are injected into gas wells to help break up shale deposits, or from produced water.

Human Resource Management (case study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resource Management (case study) - Essay Example Moreover, the furniture will be standardized and customer’s requirements will not be met because it can probably increase the cost. However, the company is not in a position to cope up with any unplanned change because it can’t afford any changes in the production process and the design of product due to the excessive cost of implementing the changes. Question 2: Based on your evaluation of the strategy approached by each organization what would be the most likely HR strategy? Answer: The working conditions and job descriptions will be fixed and rigid. The job descriptions will cover clearly defined tasks and responsibilities with no room for flexibility. The job duties will give little or no room for career progression to the employees because the tasks will require specialization in one specific area and the employees will not be able to learn new skills and abilities. The chances for training and development are extremely limited because the furniture is manufactured on basic standards which don’t require updating the skills. As a result, the performance appraisal will be done on efficiency and effectiveness of the employees. In other words, the employees will be evaluated on the quantity of items produced irrespective of quality. The wages of front line employees will be based on number of items produced each hour and bonus/rewards can be expected on overproduction. The salary structure of the employees will be competitive and company will pay at/below the industry standards. Efforts will be made to recruit cheap labors and the jobs of highly paid workers will be unsecured so that cost can be minimized and the supervisors will ensure that labor productivity is enhanced and employees don’t sit idle. Overall, a short term profit making approach is adopted. Question 3: Is this approach of linking Porter’s competitive strategy to HR strategy has its limitations? Evaluate what you consider these limitations can be. Answer: the porter’s competitive strategy is very generic and its approach is very limited and narrow. Porter says that the company should follow only one strategy at a time so that it doesn’t lose focus. On one hand, Benchill & Sons uses tight cost control to reduce prices but on the other hand, it needs to change its policies with the changing trends in the market and the economy. For e.g. the company can go for technological advancement or may be it can purchase raw materials form cheap countries like china or India, in order to reduce cost. However, this approach is very practical for non-profit organizations because their sources are limited but for benevolent owners this approach is not good for the reputation of the company. On the other hand, for profit making companies, the background of entrepreneur, the nature of industry, competitors, buying patterns of customers, technology and minimum standards set by ISO are important factors to consider before adopting any competit ive strategy. The best employment practice is to ensure better utilization of resources while not exploiting the workers, maintaining a fair quality standard and using relationship marketing approach to ensure repeat sales in order to beat the competitors. SPEKE FURNISHINGS Question 1: evaluate which of the Porter’

Communication with the media Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communication with the media - Assignment Example Anticipatory contact helps to defend an organization from negative publicity (Pedersen, Miloch, & Laucella, 2007). During the interview and anticipatory contact, the sports manager should first review the positive side of the player. For example, the manager may analyze the awards and trophies that the player has helped the team to win. The manager should then go ahead and point out the positive personality of that player before mentioning the mistake that the player made. However, the sports manager should maintain a positive attitude towards the player even when mentioning the mistake (Stoldt, Dittmore, & Branvold, 2006). For example, he may argue that the player is trying his best to change the behavior with the help of others. At the end of the session, the manager should once again point out the good side of the player and what he has helped the team to achieve. In the case of the three new players, the sports manager should release this information using a press release, media guides, and fact sheets. Media guides and fact sheets contain all the relevant information about an organization that may be given out to the media (L’Etang, 2013). The press release, on the other hand, is a short article containing two to five statements about a certain event. In this case, the press release of the team will inform the public about the names of the new players and the reason for hiring them to work for the team. When releasing the press release, that is when the sports manager may give out fact sheets and media kits to media persons who attend the event and are interested in knowing more about the team (Stoldt, Dittmore, & Branvold, 2006). In the third case about superstar players who have achieved notable goals, the organization should use conferences and interviews. A conference is an event where the whole team attends an interview with the aim of relaying certain information to the public

Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engles - Essay Example The Marxist conflict theory views capitalist production as an essential element of class struggle. A social class consists of individuals grouped in relation to their ability to produce wealth and in their shared relationship to those that own the production methods. â€Å"For Marx and Engels the class struggle between the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class) is the great lever of modern social change† (Knox, 1988: 160). The three classes Marx identified based on their income source, labour, capitalist and landowner status are today known as the low classes, labour and capitalist. This theory of class distinction is criticized by some who do not term class by means of ownership or the methods of wealth creation but with regard to lifestyle and prestige. However, this point of view seems very hollow when considering that a mere two percent of the world’s population possess enough wealth to subsist comfortably on the revenue it provides while the vast majority are employed by others or survive via welfare benefits. (Marx & Engels, 1958) Marx theorized that the conversion of minds and social structures to communism would end the divisions between social class in addition erasing the tyrannical line that divides governmental authority and society. There would be no need for political institutions or private property. Social justice would not have to be legislated because the antagonistic obstruction to social accord Marx believes stems from an individual’s ego and ‘one-sided development’ would be all but eliminated. (Marx & Engels, 1958). Marxism theorizes that as capitalism persists, it exacerbates the misery level for working class individuals. Marxist theory envisions the future of society as free of capitalism, replaced by the collective utopia brought about by communism. This was thought to be the natural course of mankind in which Marx had drawn-up the blueprint (Hunt, 1974: 212).

Green Supply Chain Management In Manufacturing Industry Environmental Sciences Essay

Green Supply Chain Management In Manufacturing Industry Environmental Sciences Essay In this section, this chapter will be continued to discuss about the previous chapter which is focus on green supply chain management (GSCM) in manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, this chapter will review on an overview and definition of green supply chain management, barriers of implementation of green supply chain management, factors that influence of the operation of green supply chain management and benefits of green supply chain management. 2.1 Overview and Definition of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) In business today, the environment has become a critical issue in manufacturing industry and it has been increasing in consciousness of the environment in the last few decades. Nowadays, people are aware of the worlds environmental problems such as toxic substance usage, decreasing in non-replenish resources and global warning. This problem if no deal with well it has the potential to lead to the extinction of mankind on earth. To promote these environmental problems, government has to organize relevant campaigns to public. As a result, there have several organizations start to apply green principles to their industry. For example the organizations will use environmental friendly raw material, using recycle papers for packaging and reduce the usage of petroleum power during implement operations. According to Sheu et al (2005), with increase in environmental concerns during the past decade, a consensus is growing that environmental pollution issues accompanying industrial development should be addressed together with supply chain management thereby contributing to green supply chain management (GSCM). Green supply chain management it has roots in environment management and supply chain management literature. Adding the green component to supply chain management involves addressing the influence and relationships between supply chain management and the natural environment. Besides that, green supply chain management also defines as integrating environmental thinking into supply chain management including material sourcing and selection, product design, manufacturing processes and delivery of the final product to the customers as well as end-of-life management of the product after its useful life. In addition, green supply chain management is a concept that is gaining popularity in the South East Asian region. For many organizations in this region it is a way to demonstrate their sincere commitment to sustainability (Bacallan, 2000). Furthermore, many realize that customers and other stakeholders do not always distinguish between a company and its suppliers. If an organization has environmental liabilities, stakeholders may often hold the lead company in a particular supply chain responsible for the adverse environmental impacts of all organizations within a specific supply chain for a particular product. Rao and Holt (2005), reported that green supply chain management also can promote efficiency and synergy among business partners and their lead corporations and helps to enhance environmental performance such as minimize waste and achieve cost saving. Meanwhile, the most far- reaching approach of environmental management is to create value through greening the supply chain (van Hoek, 1999). Figure 1: Functional model of an organizational supply chain with environmentally influential practices ( Sarkis, p.400) As illustrated by figure 1, the green supply chain model shows the various points where wastes occur and opportunities exist to limit waste by reuse, recycling and remanufacturing. In a green manufacturing environment, the supply chain decisions include the possibility that a process can use certain renewable materials, the ability to utilize reusable or remanufactured materials and the reduction of wastes. This diagram is typical for a single organization. According to Sarkis (p.399) states that environmentally friendly innovations may best be utilized during the manufacturing stage of the supply chain, as this part is the most internally focused and the organization can more directly see the benefits of implementing environmentally friendly process. On the other hand, green supply chain management also involves conventional supply chain management practices which are integrated manufacturing process wherein raw materials are manufactured into final products then delivered to customers via distribution, retail or both. (Beamon, 1999). However green supply chain management has ranged from green purchasing to integrated supply chains flowing from supplier to manufacturer, customer and reverse logistics which is closing the loop as defined by supply chain management literature. (Zhu and Sarkis, 2004). Characteristics Conventional SCM Green SCM Objectives and values Economic Economic and ecological Ecological optimization High ecological impacts Integrated approach Low ecological impacts Supplier selection criteria Price switching suppliers quickly Short term relationships Ecological aspects (and price) Long term relationships Cost pressure and prices High cost pressure Low prices High cost pressure High prices Speed and flexibility High Low Table 1: Differences between the conventional and green supply chain management Based on table 1, we can differences between the conventional and green supply chain management. Overview on this table showed that green supply chain management can provide highly innovative and an efficiency environmental management to manufacturing industry whether on supplier selection, prices, speed and other characteristics. 2.2 Activities in green supply chain management Green supply chain management (GSCM) is defined as green procurement+ green manufacturing+ green distribution+ reverse logistics. Green supply chain management is an idea used to minimize waste such as energy, solid and hazardous wastes, natural resource and environment pollution along supply chain. Inventory Inventory (Material) Defects (Product) Manufacturer Customer Production Supplier End of life products Plant Reuse/ Recycle/ Refurbish Reuse/ Recycle/ Re- Assembly Materials Products Reuse/ Recycle Materials Waste Figure 2: Activities in green supply chain management Green Procurement Green procurement is an environmental purchasing with involve the reduction, reuse and recycling of materials in the process of purchasing. The procurement decision is very important because it will impact the green supply chain during purchase of materials. Besides that, it is also a solution for environmentally concerned and is a concept of selection of products and services that can minimize environmental impact and eliminate waste. As an example during implement of green procurement, manufacturers will purchase materials only from green partners and consider supplier who acquire ISO 14000 and OHSAS 18000. Green Manufacturing Green manufacturing is a production processes which use materials with low environmental impacts, highly efficient and minimize waste or pollution. Green manufacturing is a very important area in green operations, because it can lead to minimum energy and resource, provides a lower raw materials costs and reduced environmental impacts. For detects materials, usually manufacturers will reuse, recycle or reassembly it before produce to product. It can help organization to minimize of waste. Green Distribution Green distribution also is an important operational that will affect the green supply chain. Green distribution consists of 2 components are green packaging and green logistics. Size, shape and materials of packaging are very vital because it can impact on distribution due to affect on the transport characteristics of the products. Better packaging is along with rearranged loading patterns, can reduce materials usage, reduce the amount of handling required and increase space utilization in the warehouse. When implement of green distribution, manufacturers will use green packaging materials, adopt returnable packaging methods, deliver directly to customer site and distribute products together rather than in smaller batches. Reverse Logistics Reverse logistics is a last part of activities in green supply chain management. Reverse logistics is the process of returning the end of life product from end user back to the supplier. The supplier can plant, reuse, recycle and refurbish the material. These activities also include collection, selection, re-processing, redistribution and disposal. According to Rogers and Tibben-Lembke (1999), a well managed reverse logistics program can result in savings in inventory carrying transportation and waste disposal costs as well as improving customer service. 2.3 The barriers of implementation of green supply chain management With increasing pressures of environmental impacts, manufacturing industry faced many barriers or problem to implement of their product or services. So those, organization need to find out the barriers which impede organization to implementation of green supply chain management. According to Perron (2005), there are 3 barriers of organization to implementation of green supply chain management. Attitude and perceptions barriers Attitude and perceptions is one of the barriers for organization to implementation of green supply chain management. To implementation of green supply chain management, top management plays an important role in organization because it can affect the development in organization. For example, for top management who have bad attitude it can influence the relationships organization with supplier or customer during they make decision making. Information related barriers The second barriers that faced by manufacturing industry is information related. There have some organization are often lack of awareness and information about how to implement green supply chain management. Besides that, they may not be aware of what is going wrong and not understand the environmental impacts of activities in organization. Other than that, lack of exposure also is another barrier that faced by manufacturing industry because they dun have any information related with green supply chain management had been taken by other organization. Technical barriers Technical also is a barriers that impede organization to adopt green supply chain management. Some organization is usually cannot get a state of the art information about new technology, materials, operations and processes. Besides this, lack of technical expertise of employees also is a major barrier because they unable to fulfill the design for environment requirements. 2.4 The factors influence of the operation of green supply chain management Green supply chain management is an effective motivated to improve the efficiency and effectively of environmental management, but there have some factors that influence of the operation of green supply chain management. The main factors that influence of the operation of green supply chain management are market and competitor. Nowadays, the competitive among organization is very high because have so many organization was develop in Malaysia. So that, organization needs to make them standing out with other organization and to give a good impress for customers. Being environmental friendly also is one of the ways to differences them from the competitors. Besides that, the role of the government involves in green supply chain management has been getting increasing attention. In the United States, there have a large number of government agency controlling guide line, regulation and law. These agency and organization are responsible for either similar or different issues such as pollution, chemical waste and product material. For an example, one of the government agencies is Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Environmental Protection Agency is a government organization established to protect human health and the environment. The focus on EPA is developing the best practices of green supply chain management and bringing awareness of those practices through guidebooks and manuals. (US EPA, 2000). Last factor that can influence of operation of green supply chain is decision making. Decision making involves a wide range of knowledge because it includes many factors such as environment, commercial performance, the benefits of a lot of behavior subjects and others. According to Nagurne (2003), the members decision behaviors of green supply chain are utilized the network model to set up the corresponding multiple goals decision model and provided the corresponding algorithm on the problems that asked. Manufacturer also needs to make decision when choosing supplier because collaborative relationships between manufacturers and supplier is very important to organization to implementation of green supply chain management. 2.5 The benefits of green supply chain management The benefits of green supply chain management are can provide a lower environmental load, achieve cost savings and reduce pollution to manufacturing industry. The principle of green supply chain can be applied to all departments in the organization and the effects of green supply chain management are can be develop to all area, both tangibly and intangibly. According to Stevels (2002), the benefits of green supply chain to different roles of supply chain including environment and society in terms of different categories such as material, immaterial and emotion. Benefit for Benefit category Environment Supplier Producer Customer Society Material Lower environmental load Lower cost price Lower cost Lower cost of ownership Less consumption of resources Immaterial Overcoming prejudice and cynicism Less rejects Easier to manufacture Convenience, fun Better compliance Emotion Motivation of stockholders Better image Better image Feel good, Quality of life Industry in on the right (green) track Table 2: The benefit matrix for green supply chain cooperation Based on table 2, it showed that for material, green supply chain management helps lower environment load for environment, lower cost price for supplier, lower cost for producer, lower cost of ownership for customer and less consumption of resources for society. On the other hand for immaterial, green supply chain management helps overcoming prejudice and cynicism for environment, less rejects for supplier, easier to manufacture for producer, convenience and fun for customer and can provide a better compliance for society. The last one is for emotion, green supply chain management helps motivation of stockholder to environment, better image for supplier and producer, feel good and quality of life for customer and makes industry in on the right track. As a result of this table show that different categories of material, immaterial and emotion can provide a benefit for environment, supplier, producer, customer and society. 2.6 Environmental Management Systems Environmental management systems is a strategic management approaches that define how an organization will address the impacts on the natural environment and how the organization using environmental management system to challenge their supplier networks to become more environmentally sustainable. (Bansal and Hunter, 2003; Darnall, 2006). Besides that Sarkis (2001) reported that the operational capabilities necessary to adopt an environmental management system may also assist an organizations efforts to reduce its environmental impacts throughout its supply chain. 2.61 Relationship between environmental management system (EMS) and green supply chain management (GSCM) Relationship between environmental management system and green supply chain management has potentially complementary and it is important for an organizations environmental sustainability because they will provide the definition and establish sustainability among network of organization together. As a result, relationship of e environmental management system and green supply chain management can to minimize impact to the natural environment, reduce waste, increase profits and achieve environmental sustainability goals for all manufacturing industry in Malaysia. 2.62 ISO 14001 ISO 14001 is an international standard requirement for an environmental management system which can be employed by an organization to measure, reduce the environment impact of activities, products and service and its can improve the environmental performance continually. To implement this certification requirement, company can demonstrate their commitment to environment and profit from the guidance the standard provides on more effective environmental management. Below are some benefits to an organization in adopting of ISO 14001: Enhanced image Reduced risk of environmental incidents Improved relationships with customers, government and the general public Better use of energy and resources Achieve cost savings Compliance with environmental rules and regulations Enhanced workplace health and safety Access to markets or company that demand ISO 14001 certification

A Philosophical View of Animal Rights :: Philosophy Animal Rights Equality Essays

A Philosophical View of Animal Rights Should animals be harmed to benefit mankind? This pressing question has been around for at least the past two centuries. During the early nineteenth century, animal experiments emerged as an important method of science and, in fact, marked the birth of experimental physiology and neuroscience as we currently know it. There were, however, guidelines that existed even back then which restricted the conditions of experimentation. These early rules protected the animals, in the sense that all procedures performed were done so with as little pain as possible and solely to investigate new truths. Adopting the animals? perspectives, they would probably not agree that these types of regulations were much protection, considering the unwanted pain that they felt first followed by what would ultimately be their death. But, this is exactly the ethical issue at hand. For the most part, animal rights are debated in regards to two issues: 1) whether animals have the ability to rationalize or g o through a logical thought process and 2) whether or not animals are able to experience pain. However, ?it will not do simply to cite differences between humans and animals in order to provide a rational basis for excluding animals from the scope of our moral deliberations? (Rollin 7). This, Bernard Rollin claims, would be silly. He says that to do this is comparable to a person with a full head of hair excluding all bald men from his moral deliberations simply because they are bald. The true ethical question involved is, ?do these differences serve to justify a moral difference (Rollin 7). Also, which differences between humans and non-humans are significant enough to be considered in determining the non-human?s fate? Over the years, many differences have been proposed. Some theorize that rights depend upon the ability to possess interest, which in turn depend upon the ability to form verbal formulations, for example. If this were so, then it would rule out the possibility of rights for most animals, with maybe the exception of some primates. But, as Rodd states, ?beings incapable of possessing genuine rights might possess moral status in virtue of other qualities, such as the capacity for suffering? (Rodd 4). So, it is easily seen how many views have accumulated over time. The task of determining animal rights has also come into the context of examining these inherent differences on qualitative and quantitative levels.

A Piece of Peace Essay

The terrorist attacks on September 11th affected more than just the lives of those in people who were the direct victims of the attacks. An entire nation was victimized and the whole nation grieved for those who suffered in New York City. As the attacks occurred I sat in my high school English class and while the teacher taught I day dreamed. It was a typical Tuesday morning and to be truthful I did not ever hear her the first time she explained the tragic events that had taken place just moments ago. I heard the word â€Å"terrorists† and the fragments of statements like â€Å"hundreds died this morning when†. Then, I could only hear my heart beat in my ears. I watched my teacher turn on the TV. She flipped through several stations. I don’t remember what I saw but I can remember what I heard. It was the sound of people crying. Over the next few months, as a nation, we followed the story as did the world. I can remember President Bush attempting to comfort the United States and telling us America would be going to war for reasons that weren’t clear to me then and certainly aren’t clear to me now. Somewhere between the night of September 10th, when I was plotting how I was going to avoid school the next morning and the night of September 11th, I grew up. When I look back on that time in my life I am left with a single haunting thought – It is the pursuit of peace which leads to destruction. Even today, years after the terrorist attacks, people still talk about how that day changed everything. I agree, in some ways. It changed me and I became something new. It changed my family. It changed how American view other Americans and how we view the rest of the world. Americans have since the birth of the nation believed that their way was the best way. Americans were shocked to find out that people hated them enough to want to kill them. September 11th forced America’s to reflect on the military, social, and political actions of America and how they effected people of other countries. Perhaps American’s are not always in the right. For example, President Bush I gave weapons to the Afghan people to win a war against Russia. When the Afghan people defeated the Russian, Afghanistan was completely destroy. American promised them they will help rebuild but they did not. That is why the terrorist were able to come into the country and making a terrorist breeding ground. I don’t think that September 11th effects the way Americans conduct their lives daily. People who say it does are feeling the pressure of guilt. Society says we must not forget, and as Americans say we won’t. As a nation the citizens learned that there is a fine line between terrorist and freedom fighter- we are just afraid to admit it and seem unamerican. Those men who ran planes into building, killed Americans and killed themselves wanted only one thing – peace. They wanted freedom from the western world and choose to die. Just as we wanted independence from England centuries ago. In looking for peace they destroyed lives, families, and shook the protected ground the United States sat on. It made the country stronger but not smarter. I am anxious over the global discord and the cultural ignorance that seems to grow between the United States and the rest of the world. The problems in Iraq foretell and may spark future clashes with a number of civilizations in the future. Just recently I drove home from work and I flipped through different radio stations. I caught the end of Bob Dylan’s â€Å"The Times They Are A-Changing†. It’s funny because that is my mom’s favorite song and I had forgotten it existed. I still can hear her sing, â€Å"Come gather ’round people Wherever you roam / And admit that the waters Around you have grown /For the times they are a-changin’†, while she tinkered around in the kitchen way before anyone else got up. I don’t know that I ever really listened to the words before. Dylan knew and my mom knew things I was just beginning to. Dylan and my mom knew â€Å"there’s a battle outside And it is ragin’† and September 11th did shake our â€Å"windows† and rattled our â€Å"walls†. As a nation it’s citizens have no right to â€Å"criticize What we [you] can’t understand† and our â€Å" sons and [y]our daughters Are beyond our [your] command† (Dylan). Our soldiers fight a war for reasons no one really knows for America that would rather criticize them then help in country that does not seem to want peace. Dylan sings about the injustice in war and that we should not be afraid to speak our minds: Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won’t come again And don’t speak too soon For the wheel’s still in spin And there’s no tellin’ who That it’s namin’. For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin’. (Dylan) Bush wants peace but for his own reasons and through those reasons American soldiers are dying, and so are the Iraqi people. It is ironic that while those terrorists die nobly but ur soldiers die in such a cruel way. McKay writes in his poem, â€Å"If We Must Die,† that people should not die for nothing or by doing nothing. That death is inevitable, especially in war, but all people must fight for the things we want in this world and hold on to life and liberty as long as we can: O kinsmen we must meet the common foe! Though far outnumbered let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! (Claude McKay) In the summer of 2001 I was lying in my hammock and I could see a butterfly in my backyard. I remember as a child learning that caterpillars itch and go into cocoons to find peace from that. Change in a way is a form of destruction. To be able to be someone new people have to give up their old selves and move past who they used to bee. When a child develops into an adult, he must give up his toys, his childhood beliefs like believing in Santa Claus. His childhood fantasies must be destroyed if he is to move on. In the years that followed September 11th I could feel myself â€Å"adapt to my new surroundings† (White Line 2). White, through the use of nature explores the scary nature of change: I have to shed my skin again Adapt to my new surroundings become another version of myself. The change within me does not happen overnight but through the evolution of my life (White) I was filled with American’s sense of patriotism and unity. The new American was like â€Å"the first fish that grew tiny legs† (White Line 8). Christine White’s poem, â€Å"Molting† reminded me that it was not just me that grew up, the United States did too. White’s point of view is that change is not a bad thing and is inevitable. Nearly every person around the country joined together as one united entity to pay tribute and homage to all the fallen heroes. There was a sense of harmony and peace. In way I think America, even those the terrorist attacks were tragic, knew that such an event was needed if we were going to â€Å"shed our [my] skin† (White Line 1) and become a stronger nation. As time goes by and my bad memories fade I remember America in it’s full glory. Watching the cumulative effect of humanity shining through the fire and smoke. I remember how many people spoke about the importance of peace and understanding. I wonder if there can be peace if Americans are divide both support and protest our soldiers in Iraq. The war over there caused a war here between Americans. It is the protesters protest protesters on both sides of the issues – each wanting peace in their own way. People who do not want our soldiers fighting in Iraq believe that they would be peace if America stopped butting into everyone’s business. People who are for the war in Iraq believe peace will only come after the destruction of all terrorists. In the end these protesters (on both sides) are destroying the morale and lives of people fighting in the Iraq war and are disgracing the memories of those that died. The price of peace is extremely high especially because Americans do not know if we can ever have it. I do know that â€Å"The line it is drawn The curse it is cast / The slow one now Will later be fast / As the present now Will later be past† (Dylan). I do know that America must hold her ground against the terrorists. Americans will not be tyrannized and forced to live like cowards. Even when we face â€Å"the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! † (McKay Line 14). The American fight for freedom and peace has also managed to destroy our economy. Oil prices increased, the value of the American dollar decreased, and the stock market bottomed out. When Clinton was President the stock market was well over 10,000 after 9/11 it drop well under 8000. President Bush spent the Clinton Surplus on military, and it is just now in 2006 that the stock has become stabilized. I think that our economy will emerge from this disaster and become strong once again like it was before the attacks. In the pursuit of peace and destruction, people in Americans have finally understood their place in society and were back â€Å"in the sun† (White Line 10). Not as a not as a bystanders but an active and willing participants. Americans realize that there needs to be a great deal of change and those changes have started. American citizens encourage our â€Å"senators, congressmen Please heed the call / Don’t stand in the doorway Don’t block up the hall† (Dylan). And governmental officials are making changes. I think our nation needs to help a new generation of people realize that aftermath of that day when humans lives were lost and America’s unique humanity and independence was demonstrated. This generation’s hearts were opened and turned around in the wake of airplane crashes. On September 11, 2001 many people lost their lives because men were seeking their own personal peace. Daily our soldiers are destroyed one by one for the goal of peace. The American economy struggles because of the war for peace against terrorism. Americans fight Americans over whether we should be in Iraq or not which tears apart soldiers’ pride. Before that Tuesday in September, I never thought about life and death. I never considered the consequences of war and the denial of freedoms. Now that I am older, I realize that September 11, 2001 was not just pivotal point for me but America itself. Not since Pearl Harbor had the United States been unexpectedly attacked on it’s own land. Just as families pulled together so did the United States as a whole. As a nation we cried together and we healed together. To actually witness the attacks was life changing but to be part of the healing process was life affirming.

Top 10 Tech Tools for Grades K-5

Top 10 Tech Tools for Grades K-5 For many of us, its hard to keep up-to-date with the all of the latest tech toolsthat teachers are using in their classrooms. But, this ever-changing technology is changing the way students learn and the way that teachers teach. Here are the top 10 tech tools to try in your classroom. 1. Classroom Website A classroom website is a great way to keep connected with your students and parents. While it may take some time to set up, it also has some great benefits. It keeps you organized, it saves you time, it allows you to stay connected with parents, it helps students develop their technological skills, and thats just to name a few!   2. Digital Note-Taking Fourth and fifth graders will love the opportunity to take their notes digitally. Students can get creative and take notes that best suites their learning style. They can draw pictures, take pictures, type in whichever way works for them. They can also be easily shared and children and you will never have to hear the excuse that they lost their notes because they are always accessible. 3. Digital Portfolio Students can have access to all of their work in one place. This can be via the cloud or the schools server, whichever you prefer. This will allow you, as well as your students to access it from anywhere that they desire, school, home, a friends house, etc. Its changing the way student portfolios are, and teachers are loving them. 4. Email Email has been around for quite some time now, but it is still a tech tool that is utilized daily. Its a powerful tool that helps with communication and children as young as second grade can use it. 5.   Dropbox Dropbox is a digital way of being able to review documents (assignments) and grading them. You can access it from any device with WiFi, and students can submit there homework to you through the app. It would be a great app for a paperless classroom setting. 6. Google Apps Many classrooms have been using Google apps. This is a free application that gives you access to basic tools like drawing, spreadsheets, and word processing. It also has features where students can have a digital portfolio. 7. Journals Most elementary school classrooms have students journal. Two great digital tools are  My Journal  and  Penzu.These sites are a great alternative to the basic handwritten journals that most students use. 8. Online Quizzes Online quizzes have become quite popular among elementary school classrooms. Sites like Kahoot and Mind-n-Mettle are among the favorites, along with digital flash card programs like  Quizlet  and  Study Blue. 9. Social Media Social media is much more than just posting about what food you just ate. It has the power to connect you with other teachers, and help your students learn and connect with their peers. Websites such as ePals, Edmodo and Skype connects students with other classrooms all across the nation and world. Students get to learn different languages and understand other cultures. Teachers can use websites such as Schoology and Pinterest, where teachers can connect with fellow educators and share lesson plans and teaching materials. Social media can be a very powerful tool in education for you, as well as your students. 10. Video Conference Long gone are the days that parents say that they can not make it to a conference. Technology has made it so easy for us, that now (even if you are in another state) will have no excuse to miss a parent/teacher conference again. All parents have to do is use their Face-time on their Smartphone or get sent a link via the internet to virtually meet online. Face-to-face conferencing may soon be coming to end.

Cola Wars Continue - Coke and Pepsi in 2010 Essays - Coca-Cola

Cola Wars Continue - Coke and Pepsi in 2010 Essays - Coca-Cola Cola Wars Continue - Coke and Pepsi in 2010 Analysis Coke and Pepsi are companies that operated in a "carbonated soft drink (CSD) industry" (p.1). However, they have been introducing more of non-CSD drinks and becoming an overall beverage industry. In order to further analyze the industry, Michael Porter's five forces framework, competitive strategies and resources and capabilities helps determine the attractiveness of the overall industry. Carbonated Soft drink industry analysis Threat of new entry Threat of new entrants is low since the industry has already developed a high barrier that is difficult for new arrivals to enter or survive. The major companies in this market are Coke and Pepsi that have made huge and risky capital investment throughout the years. One of the spendings was towards marketing campaigns for advertisements, rebranding, sponsorships, and promotion in their brand that created a strong brand loyalty for buyers to rely on and prefer over new arrivals (p. 9-10). As well as, it is difficult for new entrants to gain buyers access, so entrants should think of a way to get their products on the self- space, because running a successful business is highly depends on how much sales they can generate. New entrants need have their product to be innovative in order to enter in the industry because Coke and Pepsi already established a strong uniqueness. Therefore, the threat of new entrants is re latively low for CSD industry. Bargaining power of buyers: Buyers of CSD industry is the retail channels such as are supermarkets, vending machines, fountain outlets, mass merchandisers, and more (p.4). These buyers have medium to high power in the industry because some of these buyers contribute for huge part of the revenue for Coke and Pepsi. For supermarkets, they generate $12 billion of CSD products in U.S., with that high amount, it causes huge demand from CSD companies to display their products. Yet there is strong self-space pressure since retailers only want to stock their self with popular brands. So buyers have the options to switch and try other brands (p.4). Therefore, the bargaining power of buyers is medium to high in CSD industry. Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers in CSD are concentrated, sweeteners, and packaging. Commodities like coloring, caffeine, citric acid, caramel, natural flavors, and metal cans are standardized materials with no differentiation so they can be easily available in the market (p.5). As metal cans turn out to be very attractive and friendly packaging materials, Coke and Pepsi became the largest consumers of metal cans. To name few cans supplier are Rexam, Ball, and Crown Cork ning power of suppliers are low (p.5) . Threat of substitutes There are many substitute products at that time, which includes milk, coffee, bottled water, juice, tea, wine, sports drinks, and more. There were some health issues from drinking CSD, like obesity and "high fructose corn syrup as unnatural" (p.9), causing some of the substitute products to have few benefits compared to drinks from Coke and Pepsi. This causes buyers to purchase healthier alternative drink, thus decreasing in sales for Coke and Pepsi. So both companies changed the ingredient from corn syrup to natural sugar in drinks, which had lower health issue (p.9-10). Consumers are buyers' private label drinks, which is a cheaper price compared to Coke and Pepsi (p.10). As a result, threat of substitutes is high for CSD industry. Competitive rivalry There are two major players in CSD industry are Coke and Pepsi. The competitive rivalry is high because both companies could receive any updated information about any external or internal changes being made from their rivals. For instance when both companies introduce new flavours. Coke presented Fanta and sprite while Pepsi launched Mountain Dew (p.6). With that both companies have spent amount of time and money in advertising and promoting which most of the massages indicates the superiority of their own brand over other (p.7). Also both coke and Pepsi were

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