Supply Chain of Adidas

The adidas Group has outsourced most of its production. We work with more than 1,200 independent factories from around the world that manufacture our products in 63 countries. The most dominant sourcing locations are: China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Our supply chain is global and multi-layered, with many different types of business partners, some of who are directly contracted factories, and others who are not. In 2011, the top five countries per region by number of supplier sites were: * The Americas: United States, Brazil, Canada, Argentina and Mexico * Asia: China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Japan EMEA: Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Turkey and Spain Our influence in terms of social and environmental compliance is linked to the strength of our partnerships, and is often proportional to the scale and stability of the orders placed with our suppliers. DIFFERENT SOURCING RELATIONSHIPS Direct sourcing model The adidas Group holds direct contractual relationships with its core suppliers who are centrally supervised by Global Operations.Global Operations manages product development, commercialisation, distribution, and supervision of the manufacture of apparel, footwear and accessories for the adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-adidas Golf segments. These suppliers produce the predominant share of the total sourcing volume of the Group. Indirect sourcing model The other part of our product volume is sourced by agents or is made under licence. Agents place orders with their preferred suppliers. Licensees may either place orders directly with their suppliers or use agents as intermediaries.Our indirect supply chain complements our direct sourcing by meeting specific requirements that cannot be serviced through Global Operations. Local market production In order to quickly seize short-term opportunities in their local markets, to satisfy a niche market requirement, or in some cases to react to certain trade regulations, adidas Group subsidiaries may also source f rom local suppliers that are not overseen by Global Operations; these suppliers do require our authorisation for production.The adidas Group is one of the very few companies in the industry that has fully disclosed its global supplier list, and that list can be downloaded from this website. TYPES OF SUPPLIERS Our suppliers fall into five broad categories: * Main suppliers. They have a direct contractual relationship with the adidas Group for the supply of products, whether for export or domestic market consumption. * Subcontractors. These are factories that have been subcontracted by our suppliers to perform manufacturing operations the main suppliers are not capable of doing in their own facility. * Material and other service providers.These suppliers may not have a direct business relationship with the adidas Group, but supply goods and services to our main suppliers. * Licensees. Independent companies which manage the design, production and distribution of specific products, unde r licence to the adidas Group. In 2011, the adidas Group worked with 44 licensees whose suppliers sourced products from 269 factories in 45 countries. * Agents. Independent companies that act as intermediaries to source product manufacturing, manage the manufacturing processes, and sell finished products to the Group. * Adidas Supply Chain * Threat of Substitute Products or Services

Case Study Importance of Accounting Standards Essay

The importance of accounting standards A PricewaterhouseCoopers Case Study Introduction PricewaterhouseCoopers was created in July 1998 by the merger of two firms – Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand – each with historical roots going back some 150 years and originating in London. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the world’s largest professional services organization, helps its clients build value, manage risk and improve their performance. Drawing on the talents of more than 140,000 people in 152 countries, it provides a full range of business advisory services to leading global, national and local companies and to public institutions. These services include audit, accounting and tax advice; management, information technology and human resource consulting; financial advisory services including mergers & acquisitions, business recovery, project finance and litigation support; business process outsourcing services; and legal services through a global network of affiliated law firms. Five things you didn’t know about PricewaterhouseCoopers 1. To meet their growth targets they need to hire 1,000 people a week across the world. 2. They will be the largest professional services firm in critically important emerging markets: Russia and the Former Soviet Union, India, China, Singapore, Malaysia and Latin America. 3. The high technology practice will yield revenues in excess of $1 billion with over 2,500 technology clients. 4. Work with Financial Services clients will represent more than 20% of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ international revenues. 5. They are already investing $200 million a year in new technology. A global enterprise The new, combined organization is the result of the continuing growth in the international economy. Companies are seeking to re-define themselves to thrive in the market-place where mergers and acquisitions are increasingly important and many companies now operate without geographical boundaries. A large-scale global enterprise such as PricewaterhouseCoopers needs a solid infrastructure to meet its clients’ expectations. One element is a powerful  database developed by PricewaterhouseCoopers that shares ‘best practice’ information with all its offices around the world. PricewaterhouseCoopers is also harnessing all available technology to ensure any of their advisers can work with their clients anywhere in the world, allowing them to be fully effective in serving the clients’ needs immediately. They offer businesses around the world both a wider range of services and a more integrated service than has ever been possible. This service also provides a soluti on to business problems of a scale and complexity that are greater than ever before. An integrated team approach They provide a fully integrated team to tackle a company’s diverse problems. At PricewaterhouseCoopers, there are six service lines or departments which cover different areas of specialization. They are: Assurance & Business Advisory Services Management Consulting Services Tax & Legal Services Financial Advisory Services Global Human Resource Solutions Business Process Outsourcing. PricewaterhouseCoopers may work on one of these areas and find that the client requires help and solutions to issues in other areas. They are able to provide an integrated team of experts to give advice and offer a range of possible solutions. The first and largest of these service lines, the Assurance & Business Advisory Service is now considered in more depth. ABAS – Assurance & Business Advisory Services At PricewaterhouseCoopers the global practice they call ‘ABAS’ provides a broad range of services which fulfill three core business needs: 1. Assurance – They conduct audits and provide assurance to clients on the financial performance and operations of their businesses. 2. Global Risk Management Solutions – They help clients to manage their business risks and thereby improve financial performance. 3. Transaction Services – They offer advice to clients about their significant transactions such as mergers & acquisitions activity. Some of the most exciting organizations from the  world of banking, commerce and government come to them for advice. The client list is dominated by household names, with particular strengths in communications, financial services, retail, energy and manufacturing sectors. Assurance Assurance is the largest part of the UK practice for PricewaterhouseCoopers and generates income from a combination of audit and business advisory assignments. In addition to an audit, many clients require business advisory services. For example, they may provide advice on joint ventures or mergers, helping companies to ‘float’ their company on the Stock Exchange or assess whether the technology or systems in place provide an accurate means of reporting the financial data. Auditing In order that shareholders and other interested parties can make informed judgments as to the financial health of a company, it is a legal requirement that all companies have their financial facts and figures checked. This is known as an audit and must be performed by an independent registered firm of auditors. The auditors use guidance from the Accounting Standards Board to state whether in their opinion the financial information presented by the company is a ‘true and fair’ representation of that company’s financial health. The primary reporting responsibility of the auditors is, however, to the shareholders, not to the company’s directors. It is interesting to note the difference between ‘true and fair’ and 100% accurate. It is not the role of the auditors to check every individual transaction performed by a company and therefore the auditors cannot state that the figures are 100% correct, merely that, in their opinion, they are ‘true and fair’. Legislation and regulation of companies The accounts of a company are designed to show both the performance and its current financial position. All company accounts in this country need to be produced in accordance with: 1. The Companies Act, 1985 for UK, for Pakistan Companies ordinance 1984 and 2. Accounting Standards: Statement of Standard Accounting Practice (SSAPs) Financial Reporting Standards (FRSs). In essence these standards set out: What information should be included in a company’s accounts How this information should be presented. The Companies Act / Ordinance, decrees that companies must produce accounts for publication. The Accounting Standards Committee devised SSAPs. In 1991 the Committee was replaced by the Accounting Standards Board, which develops FRSs. The Board is gradually replacing SSAPs with FRSs, which are issued when the Board identifies a need. These two sets of standards encourage greater clarity so that the reader can fully understand the information represented. Accounting standards FRSs are expected as business becomes more complex. How these different standards are applied varies with the type of business conducted by a company. As for any company the shareholders’ interests must be protected. The following examples of SSAPs and FRSs demonstrate the consideration that must be given in drawing up financial accounts in order that interested individuals, such as financial analysts, can clearly judge a company’s performance and position. Key standards will be considered in this and the following section. SSAP 12 Accounting for depreciation Companies invest in assets (such as machinery) in order to produce goods or services to sell. These are known as fixed assets. In the case of the gas or oil industry, an oil rig is a fixed asset – the company must own an oil rig to supply oil or gas. All companies have some form of fixed assets although the dependence on these assets varies with the type of business. Another example could be machinery for manufacturing a car, or a building in which employees work. In this example, Global Oil has built an oil rig for  £50m. In its balance sheet, cash will be reduced by  £50m and fixed assets will increase by  £50m. In 20 years time (the ‘economic life’), the company knows that the oil rig will need to be replaced. By the 20th year, the value of the oil rig in the company’s balance sheet will be zero. Thus, the value of the oil rig will reduce each year by a set amount ( £2.5m in this example). This is known as depreciation and the annual depreciation figure is shown in the profit and loss account. SSAP 12 states that the economic life of a  fixed asset should be reviewed regularly and should be stated in the notes to the accounts, together with how the rate of depreciation was determined. FRS 11 Impairment of fixed assets and goodwill FRS 11 is a new standard and deals with any loss in value to a fixed asset, for example through damage or downturn in the economy. This is known as impairment. For example, if a pipeline from Global Oil’s oil rig is damaged, the supply of oil or gas is reduced or stopped until repairs are made. Thus the ability of the oil rig to produce oil or gas is less than expected and the fixed asset’s value is reduced. Global Oil must therefore make a general reduction in the value of the asset and charge the loss to the profit and loss account. FRS 11 states that all companies must reassess the value of their fixed assets on a regular basis to establish whether the figure in the balance sheet is a ‘fair value’. FRS 1 Cash flow statements There are three main statements in a company’s annual report and accounts – the profit and loss account, the balance sheet and the cash flow statement. For example, while Global Oil may be highly profitable, without any cash it will be unable to pay its employees or suppliers. Clearly, when Global Oil sells oil to its customers, it needs to ensure it receives prompt payment. Cash is the lifeblood of a business and it is therefore important for a company to issue a cash flow statement. FRS 1 sets out the format and contents of a company’s cash flow statement. Accounting standards continued†¦ FRS 3 Reporting financial performance This is a highly complicated standard. Essentially FRS 3 serves to make sure the information presented in a set of accounts is clear. Companies must issue a report stating the financial performance for review by its shareholders. Consistency and ease of understanding these reports allows the reader to compare the data for similar companies. This would allow a potential investor to compare competing oil or gas companies before deciding which company’s shares to buy. In this example of Global Oil, there are three subsidiaries: International Gas, International Oil and International Petrochemicals. Each of these different companies or subsidiaries must also produce their own set of accounts as should the parent company, Global Oil. FRS 3 states how a company must set out the financial reports and accounts, the type of information that should be provided and where it should be categorized in the company statement of accounts. FRS 3 Exceptional items FRS 3 consists of several other sections including a note on ‘exceptional items’. These are one-off situations and may result in either a profit or loss to the company. These are included in a separate section in the profit and loss account. The reasons for incurring an exceptional item are various. Examples include the general costs involved in splitting up or de-merging a utility company, such as telecommunications or gas, into their separate components. In this case study, Global Oil decided to move its head office to Edinburgh. As this move is not expected to happen regularly in the normal course of business, the cost is regarded as an exceptional cost. Although this cost is included in the profit and loss account, it is clearly marked as exceptional so that shareholders realize that a marginal reduction in profit is not a result of a reduction in revenues. FRS 3 also states that exceptional charges must be shown separately in the profit and loss account and detailed in the notes to financial statements. SSAP 25 Segmental reporting Segmental information gives a breakdown of the different industrial sectors in which a company is involved and allows the reader of the accounts a much better understanding of where the money is made within the different parts of the company. This information may also be provided on a geographical basis if this is relevant. This standard is mostly applicable to the biggest public limited companies or if the company has a banking or insurance division. So for Global Oil, the financial information should detail the amount of business generated in oil refining, gas and petrochemicals. It should also provide information on the different geographic areas in which it operates. SSAP 25 states that the annual report and accounts for a company needs to provide a geographical and industrial breakdown of the following information: Turnover Operating profit and loss Net assets. SSAP 9 Stocks and long-term contracts Stock is an asset on the balance sheet and is essentially the product that a company will sell. In the case of Global Oil, its stock is oil and gas. SSAP 9 deals with how to value this stock on the balance sheet. Typically the value on the balance sheet would be the cost to produce and refine the oil into a marketable state. However, if the price of oil drops to a value below these production costs, then Global Oil cannot sell the oil at a profit. In these circumstances, the value of the oil stocks on the balance sheet must be reduced to the sale price minus all transaction costs. This is known as the net realizable value. SSAP 9 states that a company must value its stock at whichever is the lower value – the cost to produce versus the net realizable value. Conclusion The example of Global Oil demonstrates the financial reporting standards that must be considered when preparing a company’s accounts. More standards are expected as the complexities of business transactions grow and accounting practice adapts to keep up with these changes. Such changes already observed in business are the use of derivatives and financial ‘instruments’. At PricewaterhouseCoopers, the ABAS teams are experts in their field of knowledge and exercise their judgment in interpreting how these standards apply to different companies. The implementation of the standards can vary according to the type of industry and even between companies in the same industrial sector. In order to ensure the best possible interpretation, the ABAS teams need to have a good understanding of the client’s business and industry sector.

Bela Bartok (1881-1945) Hungarian Composer

As the tensions of war grew in Europe particularly in the Nazi-subjugated countries, the urge in Bartok to flee Hungary was overwhelming. The first thing he did was send his manuscripts out of Hungary and in 1940 he and his wife made their journey towards America, leaving their son Bela jr. , in Hungary. Though Bartok sought refuge in the United States and gained citizenship in 1945, he did not regard his journey as an exile, but rather an emigration.One of the pleasures that Bartok found in the United States was his privilege to study a compilation of the folk music of Serbia and Croatia at the prestigious Columbia University in New York City. During that time, there spread rumors that Bartok and his family were terribly destitute. However, this was not true for although they were not living a well-off life, he and his family lived decently. When Bela Bartok was diagnosed with leukemia, his hospital fees were shouldered by the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers.A nd in a gesture of goodwill, the conductor Serge Koussevitzky was convinced to have his foundation perform a Bartok piece through the conductor Fritz Reiner, and the culmination was the Concerto for Orchestra. IN 1944, Bartok wrote a solo violin sonata for the violinist Yehudi Menuhin, and last two concertos finished by Tibor Serly his Hungarian compatriot. Bartok’s works before his death in 1945 were branded as â€Å"the spirit of the times†. This and countless other bodies acclaimed his accomplishments and works. A large majority of his works was entered in several orchestral repertoires, and virtually all of them remained.Bartok not only left a Hungarian legacy but also, his contemporaries became proud of belonging in the same era as Bartok’s. Bela Bartok passed away peacefully on the 26th of September, 1945 in a hospital in New York. By his side was his wife Ditta Bartok and Bela jr. His remains were buried in New York’s Woodlawn Cemetery but were tra nsferred back to his native Hungary four decades later in 1988. Reference: Unitarian Universalist Historical Society (UUHS. (n. d. ). Bela Bartok. Retrieved June 24, 2007, from http://www25. uua. org/uuhs/duub/articles/belabartok. html

Comprehensive Examination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Comprehensive Examination - Research Paper Example This is achieved through good leadership which is aimed at promoting a positive culture within a learning institution. Being elected as a leader of a school that is experiencing a problem of a negative culture and rigidity to change, there is dire need to develop actions for change. This paper presents a report on ways through which the problems faced by the school can be dealt with through cultivation of positive change among teachers, students, administrators, parents and the community. The report includes supporting literature, a research approach and recommendations for change upon which actions for change are based. Objectives 1. To provide supporting literature on problems in learning institutions, the underlying theories and effective measures for change 2. To investigate the actual problem within the institution as a basis for designing relevant measures for change 3. To develop a school improvement program that will develop a change of culture within the institution 4. ... Resistance to change in schools is effectively dealt with through proper leadership. Additionally, all stakeholders of an educational institution must be involved in implementing the change. Rigidity to change, toxic environments and negative culture are the major problems that schools face (Taj & Iqbal, 2012; Ansell, Reckhow & Kelly, 2009). Therefore change can only be achieved if these problems are solved. More specifically problems such as lack of proper communication, poor student behaviors and lack of support from parents and the community are more challenging to schools because they derail the achievement of objectives and goals. For this reason it is argued that parents and the community at large should be involved in promoting good behavior among learners so that they would be more focused on their educational goals. The cultivation of good behavior among students is achieved through guidance and support from the family, teachers and the community (Rhodes & Brundrett, 2009). This prevents problems among students such as early pregnancy, drug use and abuse and school dropouts. When such problems are characteristic of a learning institution they must be addressed as top priority because they are major contributors of a toxic environment within the institution. It is through change that problems within schools such as lack of effective and well-designed student programs can be solved (Caldwell, 2008). Positive change within schools also contributes to the prevention of low performance among learners (Payne, 2007; Law, Walker & Dimmock, 2007). Moreover, it is argued that the ability of teachers, students, parents and school administrators to implement change and a positive culture determines the overall performance of

Selecting and Implementing Strategies of Instruction Essay

Selecting and Implementing Strategies of Instruction - Essay Example When it comes to the national level the government should ensure that all the teachers rendering their services should have achieved and qualified with the right specifications as teachers and that they meet all the conditions expected by the system. This should be verified by the teachers providing legal documents to prove they have met the conditions of the job. There should be a body dealing with all this and it should be a process. The teacher should be assessed by a qualified staff before been given the job in order to confirm practically that they deserve or do not deserve the job. There should be some rules that govern the teachers that before they teach a certain level they should have acquired some specifications or maybe have some experience. This process should be a requirement before securing the job as a teacher and the reason unto why caution is needed in this area is because of the sensitivity of education. This is an area that touches on almost all the aspects of life for example health and agriculture and these areas need proper care when handling them. Basically we can say education is a fundamental thing in a society so it should be taken seriously. The certification of teachers will make sure that the country produces qualified people in the society with good values and will eliminate unqualified personnel from misleading the students.Teaching is not a random job (Peter,

Ogallala Aquifer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Ogallala Aquifer - Assignment Example This has resulted to unfavorable economic realities which include reduced agricultural production, reduced revenue, lower tax revenues and also a reduction in the availability of community services (Kabbes 84). Reduced agricultural production can be attributed to increased irrigation cost as a result of the decline in the water levels of the Aquifer. Pumping the reduced water level is capital-intensive bearing in mind that the farmers in the region depend on natural gas to pump water. This, therefore, has increased the cost of irrigation. The increased cost of irrigation as a result of the declining water level has resulted to small profit margins for the Texas Panhandle producers (Kabbes 84). As a result of the decreased profits in agricultural production in the Texas Panhandle region, farmers have opted to practice non-irrigated farming, conservation tillage, precision irrigation systems, as well as different crop selection. They have adopted an alternative of cotton farming since it requires less water. This has had a positive impact since cotton farming has turned out to be profitable, from the fact that it requires far less irrigation water as compared to corn and alfalfa. The reduced production costs have produced an increased economic return, leading to an increase in the acreage for cotton (Kabbes 85). Reduced groundwater has also resulted in a decrease in the economic activities members of the public engage in. With increased cost of production, a number of farmers have been pushed out of the farming business, rendering them jobless. This has created a double effect of them having to rely on the working group, meaning limited contribution in the economy. The reduction in the water levels of the Aquifer has also produced environmental impacts, with the most prominent one being land subsidence. The intensity of increased water pumping has resulted in land subsidence of vast areas. The land subsidence can permanently reduce the aquifer’s storage

Misrepresentation-Contract Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Misrepresentation-Contract Law - Essay Example In Moore v. Landaeur [1921], we find adherence to S 13 of the SOGA, concerning tins of fruit and Beale v. Taylor [1967], involving a car that turned out to be a collection of soldered vehicles. Also in S14 of the SOGA the goods are to be of satisfactory quality. Examples are Grant v. Australian knitting mills [1936], itchy underpants and Wilson v. Rickett, Cockerall & Co. [1954], exploding coal. S14 deals with instances where goods are useable but have some form or defect. Examples include Rogers v. Parish and Another v. Parish (Scarborough) LTD. And Another [1987], where the court of Appeal held that a series of defects in a Range Rover made it unmerchantable (not satisfactory quality) even though it was fit to drive. S14 (2a) states: goods are of satisfactory quality if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory taking into account of any description of the goods, the price (if relevant) and all the circumstances.

Research paper on Milton's Paradise Lost Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

On Milton's Paradise Lost - Research Paper Example In this sense, the book and the author direct that freewill is not free at all, as it should be interpreted in a literal sense, but is instead a will that remains arbitral based on who you ask. This is shown clearly with illustrations from then authority of the king in puritan times, as well as the application of freewill in following God’s will. The section that draws up the arbitral sense of freewill is drawn and illustrated by the use of strong words that go to the extent to show then following freewill in the sense of being godly is not all free. This is because it is imposition of God’s will upon man, which in the first place is meant for to occur and is part of a design by God to be in power. As a result, there is no way that man exercises freewill in any way as all aspects of will are manipulated by God by design and by default, from the moment that one commences exercising it (Barfoot 176). In addition, the book stats that man’s exertion of freewill is by no means free as it is an act of obedience to God begging the question how freewill is meant to be freewill and how it is independent of God and His power, as well as how it should be defined. The definition of the term freewill in the book remains wanting in that it does not show a distinct definition that can be applied for the purpose of identification of the action that man engages out of sheer freewill. Instead, the whole ordeal of defining what freewill is turned into a means of showing how God works to exert freewill and how freewill is supposed to manifest itself for the glory of God. This is because the book shows that almost every aspect of freewill, including its practice, is for the glory of God, as none of it remains directly under the control of man at any given time. With this in mind, the book describes the application of freewill in antics used to ensure obedience and devotion to a high authority. It is in this case that freewill is brought out at as a challenge to God’s authority as it requires a clear definition and distinction between the ways to obedience and devotion without the use of the above-mentioned default and manipulation by God. This is not clarified in the book, but instead shows the Adam and Eve scene in separation, where there are the words saying that God towards thee has done his part do thine (Bizik 70). This part is a clear illustration of freewill at work, where God gives man freewill, by creating it in the first place and allowing the two to choose between the choices, they were given. The above illustrates that there is no way that freewill is existent, and that it is merely a convenience for human rights forums. The translation of the above statement, therefore, is that God is the master of all, and that there is no way that man has freewill as even the choices given to Adam and Eve are only bound by the will of God and His need for devotion and obedience by man towards Him. It is because of this that manâ€⠄¢s will is not free as man’s will is subjected to God’s direction thus the mental faculties of man are not independent or free of the influence. Instead, man’s freewill is subordinate to God’s will and command, as well as system of beliefs and institutions

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so Term Paper

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so - Term Paper Example have heard a lot of medical professionals who talks about the positive effects of meditation therapy or counseling over the health progress of a sick person. Upon reflecting what these people are trying to convey, I have realized that it is by having a positive attitude and outlook in life that enables a sick person to easily recover from his/her illnesses as compared to another person who has developed a negative outlook in life. There are many situations that can prove that there is neither good nor bad and that the way we think makes something good or bad. We have always been told that cigarette smoking could lead to the development of cancer. Despite all the scientific evidences that can prove this idea right, we can still find a lot of medical practitioners who are chain smokers. Is it really difficult to quit smoking? Is cigarette smoking the only way to control work-related stress? Of course, we all know that the answer is â€Å"NO†. Have you ever wondered why most of these medical professionals find it very difficult for them to quit smoking whereas there are some people without medical background who could easily resist the temptation of smoking? If cigarette smoking is really addicting, how come there are some people who smoke but can anytime control their mind and convince themselves not to smoke? It is given that each person is subject to either internal and/or environmental stressor. Although stressor is always present in our daily life, each individual has their own strategy on how they choose to manage stress. In the book entitled â€Å"Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century†, it was mentioned that mediation as a form of therapy is effective in terms of converting negative emotions such as the feeling of stress into a positive one (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn, & Hammer, 2009, p. 130). This explanation mentioned in the book clearly suggests that it is how a person thinks that makes something either good or bad. Perhaps, some of

Woolf's biography, and the movie The Hours Essay

Woolf's biography, and the movie The Hours - Essay Example the latter, Woolf’s separate creation of the short story ‘The New Dress’ likewise presents Mabel, who through looking-glass suddenly sees the excruciating reality of her extreme sense of dissatisfaction or the seemingly spellbound misery in being severely insecure toward the society’s judgment of the way she dresses. ‘The Hours’ explores this theme of coping with a psychological challenge in an attempt to retain the sanity as Julian Moore portrays the pregnant Laura Brown who appears to feel cursed with her state of unhappiness upon married life after the World War II despite living the American dream. She finds huge relevance in reading the story of Mrs. Dalloway in her prevailing situation and consequently abandons her family -- a form of escape she deems as urgent necessity. At this point, while V. Woolf via Nicole Kidman’s portrayal is trapped in the 1920’s setting of her English home which depicts much of her manner of trying to stay alive for husband Leonard, L. Brown in the same way endeavors to survive with the established norm. When she no longer could bear it however, her decision to turn her back to such dreary existence is a means to leave an ensuing madness that has already initiated the tendency to disrupt in her as it does to Woolf who, at the end of the film, commits suicide by drowning herself at the River Ouse in 1941 to perhaps let the flowing waters dissolve all her personal intolerable maddening. Equivalently, Clarissa Vaughan through Meryl Streep in the movie can be readily likened to Mrs. Dalloway herself and friend poet-writer Richard would address Vaughan as such for the striking semblances between their lives. This is in reference to the party Mrs. Dalloway is to host come evening which parallels the social attitude of Vaughan with her serious preparations in considering to put up a gathering that aims to celebrate her gay friend’s reception of a career achievement award. If the reading film viewer happens to acquire a

Barclays Bank Retail Banking Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Barclays Bank Retail Banking Strategy - Essay Example Some of these are helpful for every firm in the industry and are called opportunities, while others bring bad news for everyone and are regarded as threats. Besides these forces in the external environment, a particular firm may have internal strengths such as the skill and experience of its staff, or weaknesses such as frequent labor disputes because of lack of clearly defined polices for staff and workers. In sum the fortunes of the firm are dependent on how well its management deals with business opportunities and threats, while using the strengths of the firm to take advantage of the opportunities and minimize the effect of the threats through clever planning and strategic implementation of its vision for the company. This is what is called strategic management- or the planning and implementation to achieve its desired plans in the marketplace in the face of these internal and external forces. The legal, political, sociological, economic and other environments may pose a number o f challenges that must be overcome by the business if it is to survive and prosper in the marketplace. Barclays Bank PLC is one of the key players in the worldwide banking industry as well as in India and this paper will discuss how successfully it has managed to meet the challenges faced by the banking sector in India. II. Overview of the Banking Sector in India The major Indian banks can be classified under three categories in terms of ownership:(1) Public sector banks such as State Bank of India, the Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Canara Bank; (2) Private sector banks such as ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank; and (3) Foreign Banks such as Citibank, Barclays Bank of India and Standard Chartered Bank. By December 2008, there were 28 public sector banks, 29 private sector banks and 30 foreign banks, in addition to other regional and cooperative entities. The banking sector in India is one that is full of intense competition. Lately the banking sector, which had been hit by the worldwide 2007-2008 economic recession, has been in recovery mode and efforts are still being made to put the sector back on track. The recessionary trend saw a decrease in the percentage of consumer lending from 29.9 percent in 2007 to just 17.1 percent in 2008. The major contractions were seen in the autos, housing, personal loans and consumer durables sectors. III. Supervision and Control As in most nations of the world, the outlook on monetary policy and regulation of the financial system lies with the Central Bank. In India, this is the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In keeping with the special functions of a central banking institution, it is also the issuer of local currency as well as the manager of foreign currency reserves and regulations in India. In the same fashion, the Securities and Exchange Board of India is the regulatory body that monitors stock market transactions and compliance with the rules. India also has an Insurance Regulatory & Development Authori ty like the FDIC in the USA that is responsible for protecting the interests of the policyholders. Â   IV. The State of the Retail Banking Sector in India Retail banking has been the major hub of activity in recent years. The banks have classified their customers into three major groups- consumer, small business and corporate. It has been acknowledged that the progress of retail banking would most likely rest of four pillars: innovative offerings, distribution optimization, quality of management and shared system/back-office. Barclays has adopted an innovative strategy upon its entry into India in 2008. Banking today can be characterized by the different products that are being dealt with, such as investment banking, asset management or debt management, or by the type of customer dealing, such as Wealth Management

Gender difference Essay Example for Free

Gender difference Essay The article I read is â€Å"‘Health is not a man’s domain’: lay accounts of gender difference in life-expectancy in Russia†. The authors, Ilkka Pietila and Marja Rytkonen, examined the meaning of health to Russian lay people, conducting interview with 29 people aged 15-81. They concluded that the role of the individual in healthy responsibility is very weak, with a stronger emphasis on societal and governmental influence. They also found that in relation to gender, gender roles and relations are static with few alternatives despite social changes. This study was prompted by the large gender gap in life-expectancy in Russia. In 2006, the average life expectancy was 59 years for Russian men but 72 years for Russian women. Pietila and Rytkonen wanted to see if this gap was caused by gender perceptions of health and/or each other or by something else. The theoretical basis for this research is a process Frankel and Davison call ‘lay epidemiology’, which states that â€Å"individuals interpret health risks through the routine observation and discussion of cases of illness and death in personal networks and the public arena, as well as from formal and informal evidence arising from other sources, such as television and magazines (p. 071). The researchers discerned â€Å"four types of explanations: essential/naturalist explanations (biological and psychological differences), explanations related to social roles, explanations related to social change and explanations related to health behavior† (p. 1075). They also found that these explanations often centered around one health behavior: heavy drinking. This article is a great because of its discussion the masculinity behind drinking, as well as the cultural aspects yet how the women tended to see drinking as more of a health hazard then the men who participate in it. The phenomenon of the gender gap and the cultural aspects of drinking add unique curveballs to solving the health crisis in Russia today. An article like this one is very important because it illustrates factors that need to be considered when coming up with a public health policy for Russia. For example, this findings of this research would support the argument that prohibition would not work in reducing alcoholism in Russia; alcohol’s cultural significance is too strong for such a policy to have any ‘lay’ support. The article also noted its limitations. The authors only interviewed subjects in St. Petersburg, which is one of the more Westernized cities in Russia and is more likely to have an higher educated and socioeconomic population compared with the majority of Russia. The authors conceded that this population dynamic may have skewed the results. They also admit that their research sample was small (only 29 people interviewed), although they did their best to have a variety of ages and occupations within these people. One excellent point in the researcher’s methodology is the use of native-Russian speakers to conduct the interviews, and having men interview men and women interview women. The use of native speakers would allow for the nuances of language and communication to be picked up. The gender separation also nullifies the possibility that gender biases would have taken place during the interviews.

Impact of the Internet on Political and Social Change

Impact of the Internet on Political and Social Change Placing the rise of the World-Wide Web in its historical context, assess the extent to which the Internet has been a force for positive social or political change. Word count: 996 words This essay deals with the extent to which the rise of the internet has been a force for positive social or political change when placed in its historical context. Considering the factors that have been influential on social change, it will then go on to assess the extent to which there has been an impact on political change. In addition to this, it will outline the counter arguments that oppose the positive development of the of the world-wide web, and assess the extent to which positive social and political change has been established.Then it will draw conclusions to evaluate the true extent to which the rise of the world-wide web has been a force for positive social and political change or to what extent the process has been hindered. Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee is a British computer scientist who is credited with writing, at the time, his own private program for storing information that went on to form the main structure of the World Wide Web. As the source (Tim Berners-Lee, 2012 ) reads in 1989, he proposed a global hypertext project, to be known as the World Wide Web; it was to be designed to allow people to collaborate by combining their knowledge in a web of hypertext documents. He wrote the first Web server and the first client, a hypertext browser-editor and advocated to ensure that CERN would agree to make the underlying code available on a royalty-free basis, for ever. Two of the most significant impacts that the world-wide web has had in terms of being a force for social change is in the form of connections and communications. These networks are not a tool for concealment of identities, but alternatively, exhibition of a real person. There is a close connection between virtual networks and networks in society, meaning sociability is easily adaptable between reality and virtuality. (Castells, 1997) As Tyler (2002, pp.196) writes the internet allows people to more easily work from their home, to form and sustain friendships, romantic attachments and to manage bank accounts. They are also essential in enhancing initiatives to promote political and social-issue-based discussions with others in their communities from home, and to pursue other social connections. Academics have been hugely influential in providing evidence that the world wide web indeed enhances this sociability (Castells, 1997), (Rainie Wellman, 2012). Academic research into this has presented a positive correlation between the conitued use of the internet with indicators of personal happiness. Another impact that the rise of the world-wide web has had on social change is that it has increased the ability for all sized businesses to advertise. This means that regardless of its size every business can still play a role in shaping society whether thats by making us aspire to be something or making us want something. (Kumar, V., Gupta, S. 2016, pp. 302) reference Jaishri and Shruti (2006) by stating, Digital advertising has an ability to move markets and minds, products and perceptions. It builds a relationship between customers and brands. The world-wide web has also developed into a place where political change has occoured. As Kenski, K. and Stroud, N.J. (2006, pp. 174) identified, results they obtained from the National Annenberg Election Survey, studying the relationships of access online and relative exposure to information surrounding presidential campaigns and political value and engagement. Political efficacy is a determinant of political behaviour-without feelings of competency and beliefs that ones actions are consequential; one has little incentive to participate in politics. (Kenski, K. and Stroud, N.J. 2006, pp. 174) During the American presidential election, the social media site Twitter was used frequently by the two main candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. They shaped the perceptions of the people of America via the use of tweets against the other party to obtain popularity using powerful rhetoric. As (Graham et al., 2013, pp. 694-695) writes politicians who use Twitter regularly tap into the intimacy Twitter fosters. Additionally, social network sites develop reciprocal relationships (Graham, 2013) due to engagement through public input on political dilemmas. The rise of freedom and independence, has enabled the growth of the world wide web for mass communication and self-promotion purposes, politically and socially. (Rainie, and Barry Wellman, 2012). While the world-wide web has been a force for both postive social and political change, it has also become influential in a negative way too. The world wide web is addictive and this often means that people find themselves spending vast periods of time online. As Shotten, M. (1991, pp. 219 ) writes many early Internet users were computer hackers, who were characterized as preferring the machine to people. Often social outcasts, they turned first to the computer and then to the internet in lieu of people. Another reason why the rise of the internet has caused a negative impact in terms of political and societal change is people nowadays are more likely to make final decisions based off of what they see online rather than what their common knowledge tells them to. Digital technologies dont produce effects by themsleves, but instead form the platform from which these social and political effects can come about by altering the communication capacity. One significant societal change is the impact seen on communications and connections on an exponential level, enabling people and businesses to establish a physical presence. Additionally, political change can be seen through an increase in social media usage surrounding political events, through which participation and interaction with voters allows the candidates to assert power and mediate perceptions. Although, contrasting ideas such as the addictiveness of the internet, argue that the rise of the world-wide web has also been a force for change in a detrimental way with it being the cause of factors such as social outcasts and the damaging of peoples intellectual abilities. However, the rise of the world-wide web has most certianly had more of a positive impact than a negative impact on both pol itical and societal change. References: Graham, T., Broersma, M., Hazelhoff, K. and van t Haar, G. (2013) between broadcasting political messages and interacting with voters, Information, Communication Society, 16(5), pp. 692-716 Kenski, K. and Stroud, N.J. (2006) Connections between Internet use and political efficacy, knowledge, and participation, Journal of Broadcasting Electronic Media, 50(2), pp. 173-192. Kumar, V. and Gupta, S. (2016) Conceptualizing the evolution and future of advertising, Journal of Advertising, 45(3), pp. 302-317 Shotten, M. (1991). The costs and benefits of computer addiction. Behavior and Information Technology, 10, pp. 219-230 Columbia University Press (2012) Tim Berners-Lee. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition,. Available at: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?sid=68ad9a68-9b77-40f1-ac06-702a6564089d%40sessionmgr4006vid=5hid=4205bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=39047085db=lfh (Accessed: 12 December 2016). Tyler, T.R. (2002) Is the Internet changing social life? It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same, Journal of Social Issues, 58(1), pp. 195-205. Castells, M. (1997) The information age: Economy, society and culture: V. 2: Power of identity. 2nd edn. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers. Rainie, L. and Wellman, B. (2012) Networked: The new social operating system. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

Design Proposal for Smartphone Technology

Design Proposal for Smartphone Technology HUMAN MOBILE Your personal invisible communication platform The goal of this project is to propose an innovative and futuristic design of new era mobile smartphone. It is been suggested that the whole device will be implanted to the human body. The aim of the following analysis and key points are the correct choice of the right materials for the task, with focus on the biocompatibility and the practicality of them. Due to the introduction of the smartphone as we know it nowadays, our daily routine has considerably improved. With a device that fits in a pocket, it is possible to communicate instantaneously with anyone that has an internet connection everywhere on the planet, use it as a precise navigator while a couple of years ago it could only be done with a separated device, make payments through i-banking and not wasting valuable time during the day to deal with common banking transactions and the list goes on and on. It is not unreasonable to say that a strong bond is developed between the user and the mobile phone. People are rarely separated from their mobile phones and use them consistently. The constant use and dependence to the mobile phone can lead to several problems which are: the requirement of carrying the device permanently, the limited battery life although the progress made the need of carrying a charger or a power bank and finally, there is the probability of theft (especially if it is a high value device) leading to the exposure of private data. The introduced design can provide total privacy, a fabulous experience in video streaming through a contact lens and leaves the word charging back to history. 3.1. Problem scope Human Mobile is a series of the micro-devices implanted into the human body, through signal transmittance from each component to achieve several functions. There are many problems to take in consideration, which are: Each device should have a relatively long life span. Reduce potential radiation. Excellent thermal diffusivity. Bio-compatibility. In conventional mobile phones, replacement the rate of the old generation by the recent one is frequent, human mobile focus on providing customer privacy and latest technology. All the devices will be implanted in the human body, so the product must be designed with a long life span. Radiation is a potential problem that many people care about, due to fact that high amounts of radiation can provoke cancerogenesis. All devices should have an excellent thermal diffusivity allowing quick heat evacuation to reduce the possibility of the devices overheat that can lead to an explosion. The most significant problem is to secure the bio-compatibility of all the parts. Nobody wants to implant an instrument in the body that can cause health issues even though it is convenient. The above parameters will affect the selection of materials. All materials must meet the conditions mentioned above. 3.2. Design requirement The human mobile consists of five main components: an ultra-thin micro Bluetooth speaker implant in the ear; a photo visual processor, in the shape of a contact lens, making it easy to put on and take off; a pressure sensor, that acts as a keyboard and mouse; a circuit board containing microchip, acting as the brain of the human mobile, responsible for transmitting signals between the processor and the outer world, it will be implanted in arms; a battery to provide electricity current, it will be implanted under the foot. All these devices will be covered by a radiation-reducing coating material, at the same time; the coating material must also have excellent thermal diffusivity. 2.2.1. Ultra-thin micro Bluetooth speaker Micro Bluetooth is implanted behind the ear, it should be as thin as possible, and the level of sounds should be lower than normal Bluetooth speaker, because high volume noises will harm the ear. 2.2.2. Photovisual processor The Photo visual processor is a contact-lens like processor, a micro OLED screen included in to provide digital photo during use, the digital photo connects with the processor sensor, and the customer enjoys an experience of touch-screen everywhere. The processor must be comfortable to the eyeballs. 2.2.3. Pressure sensor A pressure sensor implanted in the fingertip, with a microchip attached as well and according to the change of pressure from the fingertip, the pressure sensor catches the signal and the microchip process it then sends the signal to the visual processor. The sensor should be as tiny as possible to implant in the fingertip. 2.2.4. CPU This is the most important part of the human mobile; normally a CPU is occupying quite a large size when implanted it in the human body, so the implanting position must be a seldom used area, like arms or legs. At the same time, the CPU board should be relatively flexible to resist and absorb hits and shocks from the external environment. The size of it should be as small as possible. 2.2.5 Battery A battery is needed to provide current to each component. The battery must be able to provide adequate current, and at the same time to generate current as well. A piezoelectric battery is chosen; it can generate current by compression. The battery will be implanted under the foot, so people can generate current by walking. 2.2.6 Coatings The coating material is used to cover every facility that is implanted in the human body. It must be bio-compatible and non-toxic. Moreover, during the selection of the coating material, a radiation-reduced material is preferred. 3.3. Design description When customer using human mobile, the CPU will send/receive signals at first, and then transmit these signals into voice/visual form to micro speaker/visual processor. When the user would like to reply at messages, he can easily use his finger tip to type messages through a lighten keyboard provided by the visual processor. Also more entertainment purpose functions can be achieved by these facilities. For human-mobile design, a combination of cost efficiency, electrical properties, thermal expansion and density are crucial. Biocompatibility for each material is not particularly included because the electrical component will be coated with a biocompatible coating. All of those considerations were put together for an Ashby diagram to be constructed. To reduce the price for implanted surgery, the price for each material is constraint to be no more than 25à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¤/kg while the density has its limit below 10g/cm3. Various materials from each group were selected for six major parts of the design based on the diagram in Figure 1. Figure 1. Ashby Diagram 4.1Microprocessor Every device has a brain to control its functions. It builds-up from four main parts into one, known as microprocessor. These parts are: transistor, resistor, capacitor, and diode. According to WhatIs.com (2015), transistor is a device that controls the flow of current and voltage, acts as a switch on/off gate for electronic signals. Conductive materials like metal will easily transfer the electrical flow without control, while isolator materials like plastic will transmit neither current nor voltage. Semiconductor is the perfect material that able to transport the electrical flow and control it[1]. Radio-electronic.com (n, d) listed some of semiconductor materials that are widely used in electronic devices. Germanium is on the top list, and placed on the second but is the most used for electronic devices [2]. Even though the charge carrier mobility is less than germanium, it offers a lot easier manufacturing process, exists as the second most abundant elements on earth, hence more efficient cost for production [3]. The second component is the resistor. Resistor has a specific and unchanging resistance that will limit the flow of electrons through the circuit [4]. The different point between a resistor and a transistor is that the fist only consumes the power but cannot generate it like transistor, thence it is a passive component. Materials used for making a resistor can be divided into two parts, the wire and the core. The wire usually made from carbon, metal alloy (nickel-alloy), metal oxide or foil. Meanwhile, the core often made from ceramic, fiberglass, or carbon [5]. To store the electrical charge of electronic devices, capacitor is used. Capacitor is made from conductive and dielectric material. Dielectric material is a non-conductive substance that determines the properties of capacitor. SCHOOT (2014) stated, glass ceramic is a pore free material which able to assist high dielectric strength and provide a high storage density. It is very suitable to be applied as a capacitor, especially if manufactured in nano-sized crystalline structure [6]. Finally, the last component that controls the microprocessor is the diode. It functions as a controller of which direction the current flow, prevents damage to the circuit due to back flow or electromotive force, and consist of cathode and anode [7]. It also provides time lag to stabilize the power within the circuit. Diodes usually are made from semiconductor materials like silicon. Electrons in P-type and N-type of silicon attracted with each other, they tend to build up until it prevents the free movement of any further electron [8]. To increase the conductivity of the circuit, copper or gold are deposited by electroplating process [9]. For this design, the materials chosen for the microprocessor are silicon for both transistor and diode, fibreglass for the substrate of resistor and nickel alloy for its wire and glass ceramic for the capacitor. Properties of selected materials are summarized in table 1. 4.2 Battery To provide electricity for the component to work, efficient battery which provide enough energy needs to be chosen. Considering biocompatibility of the component, green energy were chosen for the design. One of the options is piezoelectric a material. Piezoelectric can be defined any material, which converts kinetic energy into electricity. The atoms inside the piezoelectric crystal are arranged in an unsymmetrical way but however their charges are balanced [10]. Applying mechanical force into the crystal will disturb the arrangement and misplace the atoms, creating net electrical charges. Utilizing its feature, a piezoelectric device can supply self-sufficient energy system. Piezoelectric materials can be found in either natural or synthetic. Natural crystals which exhibits this characteristics are quartz, topaz, and Rochelle salt (potassium sodium tartrate)[10]. Synthetic ceramic materials with a perovskite crystalline structure are materials such as Lead Zirconia Titanate (PZT) or more environmental friendly lead-free piezoceramic. One example of lead-free piezoceramic material that shows big potential is Potasium Sodium Niobate (KNN). Figure 2. How Piezoelectricity Works[10] KNN based piezoceramic shows competitive value of dielectric constant (driven charge per unit force applied in the parallel/perpendicular direction) for about 9.01-13.81 F/m (10-9) compared to PZT 15.3-16.59 F/m (10-9)[11]. From medical aspect, bone can be categorized as piezoelectric material because apatite-collagen relationship can be assumed like p-n junctions[12]. Cytotoxities of KNN have also been evaluated and viability of mouse fibroblast cultured for 24 h were respectively 84%, which means the ion dissolution relatively controllable[12]. Alternative material, for example quartz or the synthetic version of it is fused silica, which has high purity silicon. It has been used for many medical instruments due to its inert properties and biocompatible with humans body[13]. Comparing between KNN and quartz, it is more costly efficient and superior properties to use quartz than KNN. Table 1. Properties for electrical material Materials Density/ gcm-3 Thermal expansion coefficient/ strainoC-1 Electrical resistivity/ ohm.cm Dielectric strength/ MVm-1 Quartz 2.20 0.48 0.52 3.16e24 1e26 25 40 Glass ceramic 9658 2.52 8.72 9.07 3.16e19 3.16e20 38 40 Silicon 2.33 2 3.2 1e6 1e10 5 12 Graphite 2.23 7 7.59 276 348 Copper C15100 8.94 16.8 16.9 1.91 2.04 Germanium 5.32 5.9 1e5 5e7 16 Gold 19.3 14.2 2.44 KNN 4.1 6.5 8e6 5e8 1.3 4.3 Speaker OLED As for a speaker used in the human mobile, the ultra-thin speakers were chosen. Piezoelectric speakers are chose for the reason they are much thinner than the speakers normally used in mobile phones [14]-[16]. In the design of human mobile, we used a kind of piezoelectric speakers with a good sound quality and with a thickness of 0.9-mm. This kind of ultra-thin speaker mentioned in this design has already been successfully used in slim mobile phones nowadays. The ultra-thin piezoelectric speakers are made up of 4 sections, single-layer piezoceramics, shim materials, an elastic polymer and frame, as the picture shown below. Figure 3. Piezoelectric Speaker Figure 4. OLED 4 layers Both sides of the speakers are covered by a silver electrode. Zirconnia and ceramics with an advantage in thickness is used as the piezoceramics layer [17]. Copper is used as the shim material and the surfaces of the copper are covered by the piezoceramics. This kind of section is used to construct a bimorph transducer. PTT film is placed between the 0.9-mm-thick frame and shim, and the bimorph transducer was then attached to the frame. In the selection of materials, the most important aspects we have to consider about are the thickness, density, thermal expansion coefficient, and electrical resistivity. An adhesive is used in the construction to connect all the materials together, and an ultra-thin speaker is created by arranging in a concentric circle . OLED is used in the construction of human mobile. Its principle is that through the smallest details of chemical structure or processing make the devices lighten and display. The construction of OLED is made up of 4 sections, cathode, emissive and conductive layer, anode, and substrate. The following picture shows us the details of an OLED. According to the application, though there are many options for each layer, we choose the materials with better properties and lower price. We choose high density porous polyethylene (HDPE) as anode [18], for the reason of its high density, and for the material selection of cathode, often calcium which satisfies the conditions under the construction of OLED. The anode, of course, must be transparent so that the emitted photons can exit the device. As consider the human mobile is a flexible device [19] so we choose Polyethylene as the materials of emissive and conductive layer. When we talk about materials selection, we talk about how does this product works, what is this products function, what requirements we need to meet, what materials we choose. Table 2. Properties of the materials used in speakers Materials Density/ Kgm-3 Thermal expansion coefficient/ strainoC-1 Electrical resistivity/ ohm.cm Dielectric strength/ MVm-1 Zirconia 5.99e3-6.11e3 7.8-8.1 1e17-3.16e18 4-6 Copper 8.94e3-8.95e3 16.8-16.9 1.91-2.04 PTT 1.3e3-1.33e3 138-142 1.43e22-8.4e22 31.4-32.6 Aluminum 3.94e3-3.96e3 7.7-8.5 1e19-3.16e20 10-21 Table 3. Properties of the materials used in OLED Materials Density/ Kgm-3 Thermal expansion coefficient/ strainoC-1 Electrical resistivity/ ohm.cm Dielectric strength/ MVm-1 HDPE 920-1.24e3 176-184 2.37e23-2.13e24 24.4-29.9 Calcium 3.05e3-3.15e3 11.4-14 Polyethylene 134-160 111-123 6.31e21-4.26e22 LDPE 16-20 190-220 1e21-1e23 4-6 4.5. Pressure sensor system The pressure sensor system is used to measure the pressure parameters which are being tested, which have been divided into two parts. The first part is the main part, pressure sensor, which is made of silicon (a traditional material for sensor) aim for receiving force signal. The second part is a small microchip which process signal and send it to the CPU. The material of the second part is same as the main microchips. The whole pressure sensor system acts as a mouse to achieve the anywhere touch-screen function through visual processing lens signal. 4.6. Coating materials A coating material is used for protection. Because our products need to be implant into human the body, we need an absolutely safe coating to prevent harmful accident happening. The coating must meet the standards which are: bio-compatibility, very slow or no degradation, and good surface properties. So, a choice of three kinds of materials has been made for the customer. First of all is bio glass 8625. Secondly, a hydrophilic coating suitable for vascular implants and finally silicone. These three materials both have a long-life, comfort surface and minimized radiation, and both of them are bio-compatible. When we decide to market a product, several critical factors should be considered: The competition from other peers Define the ideal customer The unique selling proposition Testing Media campaigns Our aim is to design a human mobile, according to research. No one has invented this human mobile. Once we designed human mobile, there is no direct competition from other peers, but we should inform the customer what are the differences between our product and a conventional mobile phone, and what kinds of benefits can a customer get from this product. The cell phone in nowadays has many different functions, it is difficult to let customer accept our product. People may think we already have iPhone, why should we implant a mobile in our body. Thats why we need to define our customer, we cannot assume that all customers will accept the idea behind our product, but we can focus to a specific customer. Our product is based on convey message, GPS, WIFI and personal ID verification. Nowadays, young people are interested in new technology, and they text each other every day anytime, and are permanently connected to WIFI. So they may be curious and would like to try this new product. Moreover, they may think it is cool to implant a mobile phone into their body. The cost of the product is 689 £, which is not cheap, but nowadays, the young people would like to pay for that even they cannot afford it. The iPhone is the example. There are two main factors in unique selling propositionà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã… ¡ Benefit commitment. We need to tell the customer to know what the specific functions of our product are, and what actual benefit they can get. Unique. We need to emphasise our special function that our peers dont have. This will be achieved through the advertising and news conference. Only new and unique can attract customers eye. The product must be carefully tested due to fact that it is implanted in the human body for several years. Lab test can be done to simulate the human body conditions. Also to have more prompt results and not to wait years to observe a change, more aggressive conditions can be applied during the testing. This will help define the limits of the materials and map eventual regions of the components that are more susceptible to damage than others and therefore require more frequent inspection and monitoring. 5. As a new product, the marketing questionnaire is necessary. Is it the fastest and easiest way to know the customer would accept our product or not, and which kind of people would like to buy our product. Furthermore, we can adjust and improve our product according to the feedback from the questionnaire. Media campaigns are necessary part of marketing; advertisement and news conferences are the best way to promote our product. But it requires a significant budget. However, the profit will excess what we paid for the marketing campaign. As regarding the cost, according to materials we selected, and profits that a company is required to make, the cost of our product is 689 £. The price includes the price of materials (the price of the materials are based on RS component website [20]), manufacturing and labour cost. Surgery fees are included. Also, as a new product, we dont want the price of our product excess the existing successful product, like iPhones and Samsung Galaxy series. The average price of the iPhone and Samsung is  £700. So the price we are offering it makes the customer think about what kind of features he can get with same amount of money. References [1] WhatIs.com, (2015). What is transistor? Definition from WhatIs.com. [online] Available at: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/transistor [accessed 7 March 2017] [2] Radio-electronics.com, (n,d). Semiconductor Materials | Types Groups Classifications | List. [online] Available at: http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/ data/semicond/semiconductor/semiconductor-materials-types-list.php [Accessed 7 March 2017] [3] Reference, (2017). Why is silicon used to make computer chips?. [online] Available at: https://www.reference.com/history/silicon-used-make-computer-chips-d8e1def4a26f18e6 [Accessed 7 March 2017] [4] Learn.sparkfun.com, (2009). Resistors. [online] Available at : https://learn. sparkfun.com/tutorials/resistors [Accessed 7 March 2017] [5] Resistorguide.com, (2012). Resistor materials  » Resistor Guide. [online] Available at: http://www.resistorguide.com/materials/ [Accessed 7 March 2017] [6] Us.schott.com, (2014). SCHOTT POWERAMICà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Glass-Ceramics: A New Class of Dielectrics for High Voltage Capacitors | SCHOTT North America. [online] Available at: http://www.us.schott.com/english/news/press.html?NID=us548 [Accessed 7 March 2017] [7] Bbc.co.uk, (2014). BBC GCSE Bitesize: Diodes. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/design/electronics/componentsrev6.shtml [Accessed 7 March 2017] [8] Learnabout-electronics.org, (2017). Introduction to Diodes. [online] Available at:http://www.learnabout-electronics.org/Semiconductors/diodes_20.php[Acces-sed 7 March 2017] [9] Hodgin, Rick. (2009). From sand to hand: How a CPU is made. [online] Geek.com. Available at: http://www.geek.com/chips/from-sand-to-hand-how-a-cpu-is-made-832492/ [Accessed 7 March 2017] [10] Woodford, Chris. (2016). Piezoelectricity. [online] Explainthatstuff.com. Available at: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/piezoelectricity.html [Accessed 8 March 2017] [11] Sharma, Anshul ; Kumar, Rajeev ; Vaish, Rahul ; Chauhan, Vishal S. Ferroelectrics, 04 April 2015, Vol.478(1), p.140-156 [12] Rajabi, Amir Hossein ; Jaffe, Michael ; Arinzeh, Treena Livingston. Acta Biomaterialia, 15 September 2015, Vol.24, pp.12-23 [13] Davis, S. D. ; Gibbons, D. F. ; Martin, R. L. ; Levitt, S. R. ; Smith, J. ; Harrington, R. V. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, September 1972, Vol.6(5), pp.425-449 [14] G. Arlt, H. Dederichs and R. Herbiet, 90 °-domain wall relaxation in tetragonally distorted ferroelectric ceramics, Ferroelectrics, vol. 74, pp. 37-53, 1987. [15] L. E. Cross, Ferroelectric Ceramics. eds. N. Setter and E. Colla, Basel, Switzerland: Birkhauser, 1993, pp. 1-85 [16] A. G. Luchaninov, A. V. Shilnikov, L. A. Shuvalov, and I. JU. Shipkova, The domain processes and piezoeffect in polycrystalline ferroelectrics, Ferroelectrics, vol. 98, pp. 123-126, 1989. [17] H. Kawai, Y. Sasaki, T. Inoue, T. Inoi, and S. Takahashi, High-power transformer employing piezoelectric ceramics, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys, vol. 35, pp. 5015-5017, Sept. 1996. [18] Yang, Y. et al.Efficient blue polymer light-emitting diodes from a series of soluble poly(paraphenylene)s.J. Appl. Phys. 79, No. 2 (1996) pp. 934-939 [19] Gustaffson, G. at al, Nature, 357 (1992) pp. 477-479 [20] http://uk.rs-online.com/web/ [Accessed 9 March 2017]

Trigonometry :: essays research papers

Trigonometry Trigonometry uses the fact that ratios of pairs of sides of triangles are functions of the angles. The basis for mensuration of triangles is the right- angled triangle. The term trigonometry means literally the measurement of triangles. Trigonometry is a branch of mathematics that developed from simple measurements. A theorem is the most important result in all of elementary mathematics. It was the motivation for a wealth of advanced mathematics, such as Fermat's Last Theorem and the theory of Hilbert space. The Pythagorean Theorem asserts that for a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. There are many ways to prove the Pythagorean Theorem. A particularly simple one is the scaling relationship for areas of similar figures. Did Pythagoras derive the Pythagorean Theorem or did he piece it together by studying ancient cultures; Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China? What did these ancient cultures know about the theorem? Where was the theorem used in their societies? In "Geometry and Algebra in Ancient Civilizations", the author discusses who originally derived the Pythagorean Theorem. He quotes Proclos, a commentator of Euclid's elements, "if we listen to those who wish to recount the ancient history we may find some who refer this theorem to Pythagoras, and say that he sacrificed an ox in honor of his discovery". If this statement is considered as a statement of fact, it is extremely improbable, for Pythagoras was opposed to the sacrifice of animals, especially cattle. If the saying is considered as just a legend, it is easy to explain how such a legend might have come into existence. Perhaps the original form of the legend said something like he who discovered the famous figure sacrificed a bull in honor of his discovery. Van der Waerden goes on to comment that he believes the original discoverer was a priest, before the time of Babylonian texts, who was allowed to sacrifice animals and also was a mathematician. This question can never be answered, but evidence that societies used the theorem before the time of Pythagoras can be found. The Theorem is useful in everyday life. For example, at a certain time of day, the sun's rays cast a three foot shadow off a four foot flag pole. Knowing these two lengths, and the fact that the pole forms a ninety degree angle with the ground, the distance from the end of the shadow to the top of the pole can be found without measuring. The first step is to substitute the given data

A Worn Path Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"A Worn Path†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A Worn Path† is, in my opinion, a very good story. It tells of an old black woman and the struggles she’s had to deal with throughout her life. The author names the woman Phoenix after a mythological bird that died and then came back to life through its ashes which makes it immortal. The author makes the woman â€Å"immortal† because she continues to have something to live for, her grandson, whom she apparently considers her biggest gift.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author never says exactly how often the woman makes the journey, but we know she’s made it before because the attendants knew who she was when she came in the building. It is a very long trip because the hunter even said that he only goes into town when he is sick, and tells Ph...

Secret Life of Bees Book Report

Some girls grow up without a mother, but they don’t know how lucky they are that they don’t have to live with the feeling of guilt and remorse that Lilly Owens has to live with everyday. Everyday, since the age of four, Lilly has to deal with the regret of killing her own mother, Deborah. On December 3, 1954, in the small town outside of Sylvan, South Carolina, a normal day turned tragic. Deborah Owens was trying to escape from home with Lilly in her hands, hoping to abandon her abusive husband, T. Ray. [pic] The situation turned physical when T. Ray tried stopping Deborah from leaving.Lilly saw that her beloved mother was in need of help. In an effort to aid her, she retrieved the gun. Lilly picked it up and BANG! The noise exploded, and ended Deborah’s life. The whole town found out about how Deborah Owens died and looked at Lilly a different way. She was neglected by her father, and teased by several schoolmates. Her father continuously told her how her mother was leaving Lilly that devastating night. Although she refused to believe T. Ray’s accusation, Lilly felt unloved by everyone: her father, her friends, and even, at times, her deceased mother.Her only friend was her black maid, Rosaleen. After getting into trouble, she and Rosaleen, ran away. Lilly tried to find the true story of what happened that night her mother died. R. I. P. Deborah Owens, December 3, 1954. Mother of Lilly Owens, wife of Terrence (T. Ray) Owens. In 1964, the Civil Rights Movement allowed for African Americans to speak up against injustices and demand equality. Although this movement allowed for African Americans to vote, they had a lot of trouble doing so. [pic] In The Secret Life of Bees, Rosaleen, Lilly’s black maid, decided to vote for the first time.Two white southerners stopped Rosaleen in her path, and began taunting her. After spitting â€Å"snuff† on their shoes, Rosaleen was beaten up and demanded to apologize. Rosaleen refused to apologize, landing her in jail with stitches and several injuries from the white men. Although the Civil rights acts tried to give equality to African Americans, many white’s refused to acknowledge these new laws. The South was known for outbursts from white people, who tried to hinder African American’s search for equality. The 1960s was a time for change, whether our nation was ready or not.

Nutritious Food Essay

For good health, we need a balanced diet that gives us different nutrients in the amount our body needs. We must eat a variety of food because different foods have different combinations of nutrients. Therefore, nutritious food is needed in our food pyramid. Nutritious food is defined as food ingestion with the purpose of obtaining of them the nutrients that the body needs to preserve the health. Examples of nutritious foods are vegetables and fruits. They are rich in vitamins. Eating nutritious food is important from the day we are born. Foods all contain nutrients that provide us not only with energy, but also with the substances that build our bones and muscles. Not getting enough of one nutrient may cause a variety of problems, including stunning our growth. Next, maintaining function is also not important without eating nutritious food. In our daily lives, we use energy to think, walk, breathe and perform any other action. The energy comes from two places: fat reserves in the body or our daily food intake. If we don’t eat nutritious food, we will find that we are storing more unnecessary fat and we will fell sluggish or weak. We will not stay healthy if we do not eat nutritious food. Diets that don’t include enough vitamins and minerals can cause people to have severe mood swings. People may become energetic and easily excitable when they have too much caffeine and sugar, and crash later after their body quickly metabolises the simple carbohydrates. Furthermore, diets that are too dependent on preservative-laden food, sweets or fast food usually don’t include enough fiber. This can lead to constipation and stomach pain. Unbalanced diets that include too much acidic food can result in ulcers, which cause severe stomach pain. In conclusion, nutritious food is important to us. We must practise healthy eating habits, for instance, eating nutritious food in the right amount to ensure a healthy body.

Thailand Culture

FULBRIGHTER’S INTRODUCTION TO THAILAND: ? ADVICE AND COMMENTARY Text: Scott McNabb, College of Education, The University of Iowa ? Commentary: Porntip Kanjananiyot, Executive Director,? Thailand-U. S. Educational Foundation (Fulbright) The following essay has been written to provide orientation thoughts for American scholars who are embarking on a Fulbright assignment in Thailand. I hope that it will provide insights that will help Fulbrighters to understand, appreciate, and engage fully with their academic colleagues and other Thais they will encounter.It is not meant only as a â€Å"survival† guide; our hopes are far greater than that. It is written to help individuals maximize the cross-cultural gift that they have been given—to live and work among the Thai people for a significant period of time. This essay is based on my 19 trips to Thailand which span the period 1968 to 2011, from Peace Corps teaching at Thammasat University through two Fulbrights and multi ple other teaching, evaluation and research trips.I have taught International Education and qualitative research classes at The University of Iowa since 1979. In this essay, I will indulge in the kind of generalizations I never allow my students to make. In my classes, I encourage my students to think tentatively and carefully about cross-cultural issues, and make few if any broad conclusions. Here, in the interests of encouraging discussion and giving usable advice, I will risk making general comments about Thai culture. This essay, then, is written less as an academic piece than as a kind of user’s manual. I have asked my colleague and friend Porntip Kanjananiyot to provide commentary from her perspective of being deeply engaged in Thai-American educational exchange work for a number of years. Porntip is currently the Executive Director of the Fulbright program in Thailand. We hope that our discussion back and forth will provide additional insights. ?This article includes a dvice on language learning, behavior to help you engage in Thai culture, and some responses to issues that you may well encounter with your Thai colleagues and other Thais whom you get to know. ?Opening Advice and Questions?In general, the more â€Å"out there† you can be—learning the language, trying all kinds of food, engaging with all kinds of people (monks, market people, academics, and so on), learning to joke Thai-style (including making jokes about yourself), taking unwarranted compliments without resisting them too much, and so on—the more you will learn about and appreciate various aspects of the â€Å"Thai view of the world. † The â€Å"authentic† Thailand is surprisingly close physically to the â€Å"tourist† Thailand—it’s just under a bridge or around a corner or down an alley where tourists typically don’ venture. . . r it’s on full display before most tourists typically wake up, like watching the mon ks make their early morning rounds. Within a relatively short walk from Khaosan Road, the backpacker mecca in Bangkok, there are amulet markets near Thammasat University that are rarely visited by foreigners, where one can venture deeply into the spiritual beliefs of the Thai people. Don’t be afraid to wander (within reason) wherever your curiosity takes you. If you are actively searching for something, cultivating the â€Å"treasure hunt mind,† you may well find what you are searching for, or something equally interesting.Or your quest may bring additional questions about the initial â€Å"treasure† you were seeking. For example, if you go to the amulet market in search of a small statue of the Hindu deity Hanuman, you will certainly find many other intriguing deities along the way—all of whom demonstrate incorporation of the Hindu religious figures, and Mahayana Buddhism, in Thai Buddhism. Why is Ganesh so popular in Thailand? Or Kwan Yin (Yao Mae Kuan Im)? With whom are the various deities popular? In many ways, Fulbrighters can benefit from the outlook and skills that qualitative researchers develop; that of the participant observer. You are taking part in the culture that you are trying to understand. PORNTIP COMMENTS: Go out to meet people and you will find that Thai people generally welcome foreigners. Smile with them and show your interest in what they are doing, they will be even friendlier! Learning Thai ?Learn certain basic Thai phrases. Now! Your colleagues may well speak excellent English, but once you are out in the markets, you will need to speak some Thai.Plus, it’s fun. Develop a specific working vocabulary in Thai. Figure out what phrases you will need on a daily basis and ask a Thai friend to drill you on the pronunciation and tones until they are second nature. This vocabulary should include greetings, directions, numbers, and foods, among other things. ?Yes, clear pronunciation and tones are important. But they can be overemphasized. Speak with conviction. If you speak tentatively, your phrases will tend to go up at the end, like the inflection we use in English, which will confuse your Thai listener.Speak with your limited vocabulary with an air of confidence and the receiver will have a far better chance of understanding you. They will think that you know more than you actually do, but that’s O. K. You can learn to accept their over-the-top compliments gracefully. Also, your Thai need not be perfect to be understood. We have much to learn from the Thais as â€Å"reviewers† of our mispronunciations and tonal goof-ups, patience we could use in similar interactions at home. The Thais go way past half-way to try to figure out what you are trying to communicate.The fact that you are trying to speak their language is also a clear indication of your cross-cultural sincerity. Thais will often be impressed with your progress because they spend years studying English in scho ol without a great deal of success. Acting things out helps, too. This also works on the cultural level of â€Å"sanuk†Ã¢â‚¬â€you are having fun (and the joke is sort of on you) trying to communicate a specific idea. And when you succeed, it is a cause for joint celebration! Learn these phrases right now:? Kaw bia song kuat (Please bring me two beers) Kaw cowpot moo jon nung (Please bring me a plate of fried rice with pork)? Kaw cowneo maamuang song jon (Please bring me two plates of mango with sticky rice) Some basic food to order: guy young (friend chicken) cowpat moo (fried rice with pork) tom ka guy (coconut soup with chicken) pat thai guy (fried noodles with bean sprouts and chicken) kwitdeo sen yai nua sot (beef noodle soup) kow naa bed (duck with sauce over rice) ky jiow (Thai-style omelet) kao moo dang (pork with red sauce over rice) dom young gung (spicy shrimp soup). PORNTIP COMMENTS: One way to learn the Thai language could be through food as Thai people love to o ffer food. When observing that their foreign guests enjoy it, the Thais could feel even more comfortable to talk with them†¦ and naturally, urge the foreigners to have more food! ?Thais also enjoy listening to foreigners speaking Thai†¦. even just a few words because they think the Thai language is very difficult so they feel really impressed. Don't feel embarrassed if you make mistakes and your Thai friends start laughing. They know the challenges you have to face with the tones.Their laughs simply mean your pronunciation is ‘narak' (cute). Thai people have patience to listen and try to understand Americans when speaking Thai. American Fulbrighters being in Thailand will be more aware how difficult it is for Thais when they are in the US as quite a number of Americans may not have similar patience. Engaging Thais ?If you want to get below the surface with your Thai friends, engage them on their own terms; choose topics where they can teach you about aspects of Thai culture. Pursue whatever aspects of Thai culture, religion, history (spirit houses?The Sukhothai period? Some aspects of Buddhism like meditation? ). The point is that you will be in their cultural ballpark. They will appreciate your genuine interest, and this will give you an entree into the Thais’ enormous cultural generosity. They will help you meet interesting people, plan field trips, and so on. Just give them the chance. On one of my Fulbright assignments, I was teaching in Nakorn Prathom. I mentioned to a teacher that I would like to visit Praviharn—the controversial Cambodian wat located on the Thai-Cambodian border—on my last weekend with them.My Thai friend had never been there before, either. Despite the initial negative reactions from some of the other faculty (It’s too far—the trip will take too long; it’s too hot. . . ), she organized what was a memorable venture to the famous temple. It was a wonderful culminating event for m y time with my Thai colleagues—many of whom wound up going and enjoying the trip despite their initial protestations. PORNTIP COMMENTS: ?Thai people are really hospitable so they could go out of their way to please you. Ask to see their reaction first and wait to see their next move.If they are quiet, it could mean they can't accommodate your request. Inconsistencies in Thai Culture ?When you are operating in someone else’s culture, inconsistencies seem to abound. This is partly due to the fact that in our own culture, we are too close to things to see what â€Å"don’t make sense,† and our initial observations are relatively superficial in Thailand (you know the most during your first two weeks here; then it starts getting much more complicated), and that, at least in my view, there ARE things that don’t seem consistent here. But of course, that is true in all cultures. Take Thai Massage ?Thai culture in general steers around confrontations; in the ir view the key in human relations is harmony. The focus is on working things out without anger and keeping a cool heart† (Jai Yen) in all social situations. Thais are raised to make others feel welcome, relaxed, and â€Å"sanuk† (happy). In the West, of course, our fundamental goal is to make OURSELVES satisfied. Simply put, we are more individually oriented, the Thais more communally oriented. So you might think that when it came to massage, the Thais would offer massage that is soothing, relaxing, comforting. Ha!Thai massage aggressively confronts the muscles that are stiff or bunched up with elbows and knuckles and knees—boring in on them until they give up their tightness and relax. Sometimes it hurts. O. K. , often it hurts. Where is all this Thai non-confrontation, avoidance of pain and making the other guy feel good? It goes out the window, as far as I can tell. This feels more like American no pain-no gain to me. Of course, it works. But along the way, t he attacks on muscle bundles and the stretches are not all that sanuk (fun, in this context). Of course, the pain is meted out with typical Thai humor and grace. Jep Mai? † (they ask with a chortle). â€Å"Jep Maack† (It hurts a lot) I respond, to more chortles. Yes, no pain no gain. ?The Case of Luang Paw Koon? In general, Thai Buddhist monks live a highly disciplined life. They must live by a total of 224 precepts, which provide strict behavioral rules. Like religious groups in all cultures, a few stray in terms of relationships with women and other sins and are tossed out of their temples. But for the most part scandals are rare and monks are respected for their discipline, dignity and wisdom.? Luang Paw Koon is one of the most popular monks in the country.You often see his picture in the northeast part of Thailand, and frequently in the taxis in Bangkok, many of whose drivers are from the northeast. ?What the pictures show is a smiling monk deliberately flaunting Bu ddhist conventions, puffing on a cheroot or overtly handling money. He is seated in a squatting position like a northeastern farmer, not cross-legged like a monk. He speaks in the common language of farmers, not in â€Å"proper† Thai.? Why is he so popular? Some Thais respect his rebellion, while still demonstrating the key Buddhist tenets of poverty, integrity, honesty and generosity.Funds given to him are known to go directly to the projects they are given for, most often schools and hospitals. No middlemen. No corruption. I think that is the message of the picture with Luang Paw Koon handling money—â€Å"Your donations are safe with me. I will get your donations to their proper destinations. † Consistency with the principals of a monk’s life? Yes and no. Unconventional? Absolutely. Effective in terms of charity work? This certainly seems to be the case. And a great case for bending the social rules to serve a higher cause. Maybe we all love rebels.PORN TIP COMMENTS:? Treat the inconsistencies as surprises and enjoy the learning experiences! Short Takes– ? Watch Thai TV Watch the soap operas, the variety shows, the shows on the monarchy. Ask lots of questions. Before you criticize, think about The Bachelor and Fox News and Two and a Half Men and other stellar representations of our own culture. Thai soap operas present cultural melodramas where actors confront each other and act in ways one would never see in polite Thai society with its emphasis on decorum and harmony. Is it just entertainment?Cultural wish fulfillment? Ask your friends. ?In general, when things don’t seem to make sense, ask. Find good friends who are absolutely â€Å"culturally-insult proof,† who know that your questions may be clumsy and politically incorrect but that your intentions—to understand things a bit better—are pure. These are the people to ask potentially sensitive questions about the â€Å"Red Shirts† and the â€Å"Yellow Shirts†, and about the monarchy. PORNTIP COMMENTS: ?Soap operas could better your Thai while helping you understand that many times, they don't reflect the ‘real' Thai culture.It could be misleading if viewers take it literally to think that Thai women always go after guys, love screaming and yelling plus slapping others' faces. The way they dress to work is far from being professional either†¦.. as if they went to an evening party even. It may be good to understand that the Thais value ‘riab roi' and being very proper (far too formal at times). Perhaps Thai soap is something Thais quietly think the society could loosen up a bit. Be discreet when discussing or asking questions about Monarchy as there are lese majeste charges which could be complicated for you to understand fully.The conflicts that seem to separate ‘yellow shirts' and ‘red shirts' are not easy to understand either. The suggestion to find a ‘culturally-insult pro of' friend sounds great to get to know more about the monarchy and political conflicts. Small Bits of Advice? Take a zillion showers and guzzle water by the gallon. Keep your body temperature down and your internal system happy. When you feel culture shock coming on, retreat. Take some down time. Listen to your iPod. Watch a favorite movie (it is undoubtedly pirated here). No one should try to tackle a foreign culture 24/7.You will burn out. It’s hot here. And humid. Incredibly humid. And you are constantly on stage. I can’t do one more impromptu speech, explaining who I am and why I am here. It can be exhausting. O. K. , it will be exhausting. Every moment you spend working on your Thai is a move in the right direction culturally. Even the process of learning Thai with your Thai friends has all kinds of cultural learning possibilities.? Take notes of your observations—not for Facebook or to Tweet about so much as for your own record of cultural discovery.Youâ €™ll be able to see how far you have come by the end of your Thai adventure.? Remember that part of your job as a Fulbrighter is to play the role of cultural ambassador, representing your country with integrity here and portraying Thailand with fairness and accuracy to your friends back home. ?Learn to bargain. Again, it’s not so much about the result, which is pretty much predetermined, as it is about your participation in the process, and HOW you participate (with a smile and acting out things—â€Å"Oh, man, you’re killing me here! †). Be a good sport Accept the Thais’ overwhelming generosity.They are happy to have you here. We are conditioned to be suspicious of others’ generosity, and it’s a tough assumption to get over.? Sometimes conversations are just exercises in enjoyable social banter, without a â€Å"punch line. † You talk about the weather, family, where you are going. . . just for the sake of the pleasant conve rsation. In our culture, we are used to seeking the â€Å"point. † ? Develop a short introduction in Thai that explains who you are and why you are here in Thailand. Saying that you are an â€Å"achjan† (a teacher/professor) explains a lot.This will be very helpful, so that people know who you are, how long you will be here, and so on. It puts everyone at ease. ?Never divide up the bill at the restaurant. The most senior person will â€Å"liang. † It’s the Thai cultural law. Hierarchies define the nature of power in relationships in Thailand; royalty over commoners, men over women (women cannot be ordained as monks in Thailand), and age over youth. By the way, the best way to reciprocate in terms of food is to buy candy or fruit to share with your Thai colleagues on your trips together. This is perfectly acceptable, and appreciated.Never assume that your English is being understood by your students. Slow down. Ask them lots of questions. Be patient; Thai students are used to lecture-style classrooms. Tell stories. Keep them with you (on topic). Try to relate your topics to Thailand, Thai applications of things, even if it is a stretch. Joke around a bit. Show that you can â€Å"take† a joke—tell one on yourself. Lighten up and the Thais will appreciate it and your communication will be far better. Over-serious classrooms are over-rated. Always share what you are eating. (That can’t be over-emphasized. Wherever you are living, establish your own little village; people you see and fuss over every day, like the noodle folks, the flower lady, the 7-11 folks, and your favorite night market vendors. The substance of the conversation is not the issue, it’s the attention. Simply remarking on the sweetness of the oranges (waan maach! ) or commenting on the heat (always safe) is fine. With just a bit of friendly banter it becomes â€Å"your neighborhood,† a little like Norm walking into â€Å"Cheers. † I have found these simple, smiling conversations are a source of â€Å"friendly energy† I can enjoy every day.Banter begets banter which makes you feel more at home. Get in shape! Many Thai temples are located on the top of hills. And just maintaining your energy levels in this heat takes some oomph. You don’t have to be a Buddhist to appreciate and learn from various aspects of this religion. Remember, the Buddha said that you should only apply the aspects of Buddhism to your life until after you have experimented with them and they seem to make sense to you personally. There is no pressure to believe in an overarching philosophy; just a big, broad display of spiritual and practical ideas to experiment with and learn from.Sort of like the experience of living in Thailand itself. PORNTIP COMMENTS:? Even though the more senior Thais will buy you meals almost every time, you may wish to offer to do it in return once in a while. It might not work but that generous offer will be appreciated. Buying some kanoms or some little gifts to give to the more senior and friends would be a nice gesture to show your thoughtfulness. Thai students love learning by listening so storytelling is the good way to attract their attention and it's fun while keeping them focused and remember what they've heard.It could be difficult to have some deep discussions with quite a number of Thais but don't lose hope. Sometimes, it's just because of the language. Other times it could be because Thai people aren't used to expressing their ideas extensively unless they feel very close to the persons. Having discussions with Thais regularly will also help Thais think and interact faster too. Enjoy learning about Buddhism in a practical way†¦.. by understanding ‘the middle path’, it helps you ponder upon ways to balance your life. Learning how to meditate would simply lead you to have some peaceful moments.