The Hog Problem Case Study Integrated Logistics free essay sample

The hog slaughtering plant located in Brendon, Manitoba has the capacity to slaughter 2. 5 million hogs per year, around 50,000 per week and 10,000 per day. Hogs arrive at the slaughter plant from all over Manitoba and certain parts of Saskatchewan via truck. Every farm is located within a different distance from the slaughter facility and delivery lead times vary from as low as half an hour to as high as three and a half hours. Farms vary in size, which impacts the lot sizes for each respective farm. This variation in size subsequently affects the loading/unloading time span, which vary from one and half hour to four and half hours. The number of farms does not necessary pose a logistics problem for the plant’s Logistics Manager. Through careful analysis, the main issues for the slaughtering plant have been identified as fleet routing and scheduling. Due to a variation of lead times over the year, the plant struggles with the task of determining optimum fleet size and composition. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hog Problem Case Study: Integrated Logistics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The problem basically consists of finding the optimum set of routes that represent the lowest possible total cost and/or total travel time. The plant is dealing with the repositioning of trucks to serve its supply demand and determining a number of transportation units that optimally balance supply requirements against the cost of maintaining the transportation units. In order to increase truck utilization and achieve better performance, the plant has to adequately and efficiently ensure the scheduling of a steady supply of hogs. My decision is to recommend that the slaughter plant outsource its logistics to a qualified third party logistics supplier. Table of Contents Executive Summary2 PART 1 ISSUE IDENTIFICATION4 Time Constraints4 Truck Utilization4 Dependency on Farmers Delivery5 Lead Time Fluctuation5 PART 2- ENVIRONMENTAL AND ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS5 PART 3 ALTERNATIVES AND OPTIONS7 Alternative 1 – Utilize Owned Fleet7 Alternative 2 – Utilize Third Party Logistics Provider8 Alternative 3 –Integrated Logistics/Operational Solution8 PART 4 RECOMMENDATION AND IMPLEMENTATION9 Recommendation9 Contingency Plan10 Implementation10 PART 5 MONITOR AND CONTROL11 PART 6 CONCLUSION MANAGEMENT PLAN11 ? PART 1 ISSUE IDENTIFICATION Through careful analysis, the main issues for the slaughtering plant have been identified as fleet routing and scheduling. Due to a variation of lead times over the year, the plant struggles with the task of determining optimum fleet size and composition. The problem basically consists of finding the optimum set of routes that represent the lowest possible total cost and/or total travel time. The plant is dealing with the repositioning of trucks to serve its supply demand and determining a number of transportation units that optimally balance supply requirements against the cost of maintaining the transportation units. In order to increase truck utilization and achieve better performance, the plant has to adequately and efficiently ensure the scheduling of a steady supply of hogs. These strategic logistical problems are symptoms of the following underlining complex issues faced by the plant. Time Constraints Nature: StrategicTiming: Short Term and Long Time The slaughtering operation at the plant runs from 7am to 5pm. Live hogs are received between 7am and midnight. There are also restrictions on pick-up times. In addition, loading operations at the suppliers’ premises run from 7a. m. to 9 p. m. This has implications for the number of pens, and the way inventory is managed on a daily basis. Truck Utilization Nature: StrategicTiming: Short Term and Long Time One load of hogs has to be transported from its pick-up location (farms) to its delivery location (plant). From the plant a truck is sent empty to its next farm destination. A truck visits only one farm on any given trip. When a truck arrives at a location early, or if the farmer is too busy to load the hogs, then the truck has to wait until the loader becomes available. These waiting times severely delay trucks and thus increase the cost of transportation and extend the lead times. Moreover, the trucks inefficient utilization have negative affects on the fixed cost of owned vehicles. ? Dependency on Farmers Delivery Nature: TacticalTiming: Short Term Approximately 25% of the shipments to the plant arrive in farmer-owned trucks. These shipments vary in size from 50 to 200 hogs. The farmer’s scheduled delivery affects the overall hogs supply, and the plant is heavily dependent on the farmers schedule accuracy. Lead Time Fluctuation Nature: TacticalTiming: Short Term Lead time varies significantly, which affects the inventory cycle. The plant has to set a safety stock that will protect the production against stock outs, vehicle breakdowns, weather related delays and the shortage of supply from farmers and hogs barns. PART 2- ENVIRONMENTAL AND ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS The hog slaughtering plant located in Brendon, Manitoba has the capacity to slaughter 2. 5 million hogs per year, around 50,000 per week and 10,000 per day. Hogs arrive at the slaughter plant from all over Manitoba and certain parts of Saskatchewan by trucks. Every farm is located within a different distance from the slaughter facility and delivery lead times vary from as low as half an hour to as high as three and a half hours. Farms vary in size, which impacts the lot sizes for each respective farm. This variation in size subsequently affects the loading/unloading time span, which vary from one and half hour to four and half hours. The following tables identifies the variances between lot sizes, distance from different farms and respective transit time from each farm. AreaAnnual Hog Supply from This Ares (100’s)Average DistanceAverage One-Way Transit Time From Area to Plant A – Brandon local10025 km30 min B – Brandon regional 10075 km1. 0 hour C – Portage la Prairie 100150 km2. 0 hours D – Winnipeg 450200 km2. 5 hours E – Morris 450250 km3. 0 hours F – Steinbach 450300 km3. 5 hours G – Teulon 150250 km3. 0 hours H – Arborg 100300 km3. 5 hours I – Dauphin 100150 km2. 0 hours J – Roblin 100200 km2. 5 hours K – Saskatchewan SE100150 km2. 0 hours L – Saskatchewan SW100250 km3. 0 hours M – Saskatchewan NE100250 km3. 0 hours N – Saskatchewan NW100300 km3. 5 hours Total2500 The number of farms does not necessary pose a logistics problem for the plant’s Logistics Manager. The main issues are the location and size of the various operations, which requires the Logistics Manager to know exactly where and when to arrange pickup for hog shipments. Hogs are processed for slaughter either in finishing barns or in farrow-to-finish operations and each barn holds approximately 2,000 hogs, which require on average 16 weeks to reach marketable weight. Three batches of 2,000 hogs are processes annually at each barn, which represents approximately 6,000 hogs a year. Nearly 80% of the hogs on the market come from finishing operations compared to only 20% from smaller operations. Manitoba Pork Marketing is a producer-controlled marketing agency, which maintains assembly yards for small farms that are not able to produce enough hogs to fill a full truckload. In addition, Manitoba Pork Marketing collects hogs from these various small farms to enable the fulfilling of complete truckload shipments to be delivered to the slaughter plant in Manitoba. The slaughter plant enters into agreements with either the farrow-to-finish farmers or Manitoba Pork Marketing. Every shipment is received from a single point of origin, which may consist of a single barn in a finishing operation, a single farrow-to-finish farm or an assemble yard. Roughly 25% of the shipments arrive in farmer owned trucks, which vary in lot size between 50 to 200 hogs per shipment, and 75% shipments arrive from other arrangements made by the plant. The data within the following table represents the average number of hogs and size of shipments that arrive in farmer owned trucks versus shipments that are arranged by the Logistics Manager.

The Power and the Glory of the Roman Empire Essays

The Power and the Glory of the Roman Empire Essays The Power and the Glory of the Roman Empire Paper The Power and the Glory of the Roman Empire Paper I am greatly marveled by the wonderful pictures and information the article tackles on certain details of the Roman world where textbooks normally take for granted. Such examples mentioned in the article, covers what Romans do in their leisure time and details on the structure of the city, which then leads to how its leaders turned Rome to be one of the richest, and most powerful metropolises the world has ever witnessed. It is a good thing that the author started on the foundation of the topic by defining the terminologies and then interconnecting it with other issues. The author presented such information of Rome, its culture, its magnificent blueprint of the city and the other aspects of certain power and strategies manipulated by its leaders, with such creativity that a normal textbook lack. Thus, making it more interesting to read alongside its pictures that reassure us of the glory of the whole Roman Empire. The article is supported by additional information like the formation of the calendar, Marcus Licinius Crassus and the city of Pompey. As I read the part about Pompey, I cant help but imagine it happening before my eyes and be heartbroken by the whole event and at same time, I marvel at the remains of this city. The information unearthed in this city adds to what there was in a Roman town back then. How such work of art also serves as public signs. The actual seeds and pollens seen here tell us what people were eating, another is the minerals in paint and vegetable dyes in scraps of cloth, which reveals about their trade patterns. Another is how Pompeii carries out traffic flow, when examined; the researchers concluded that Romans had one-way streets and no left turn intersections. And lastly, the article describes how such locations played a major role in history, where struggles of order were played out. Combining all these information, I believe that technology also helped in the way of saving these artifacts and also digging carefully and efficiently. For a couple of decades now the leaders of Europe have been struggling to implement a revolutionary and furiously controversial concept: a single European currency. Governments have fallen, fists have flown, and bitter curses have been exchanged in a variety of Romance and Germanic languages over this visionary idea. So explosive are the politics of the proposed Euro that the notion of a single coinage for so many different peoples is an impossible dream. I strongly disagree with T. R. Reids statement, I believe that such revolutionary concept is possible, for there was a time when the Roman Empire has a single currency, a single code and a single Emperor. Rome had a signal achievement in the sheer art of governing. Just like how the Greeks tried and tested all kinds of governing concepts and given us descriptions about it, the Romans, already experienced such revolution. The only roadblock to making this concept come alive is arguments that governments raise about, may it be for their own benefit or their defeat. As Rome is best known to be the most rich and powerful metropolis that the world has witnessed then, there is an assurance to such concept. As a student is drowsed by the unending textbooks and definitions, I believe that this article will alleviate such problem and aid a student in their quest for knowledge. Such information is discussed with illustrations, with pride and excitement that you cant help but be attracted more to the Roman Empire. In this article I believe just the same that a student will be able to put together all the facts that they have learned, link it with the textbook and this additional information and great illustrations on the city of Rome which technology has structured out for us. The article focuses on events that caused certain turnabouts, and also gives us a timeline of the 1st Emperor-Augustus up to Constantine. I say this with zest because I myself have been attracted to such wonder.

Petición de asilo en EE.UU. y permiso de trabajo

Peticià ³n de asilo en EE.UU. y permiso de trabajo En Estados Unidos, el permiso de trabajo a los solicitantes de asilo, como regla general, no se concede durante la tramitacià ³n de la solicitud, aunque es posible una excepcià ³n a esta norma. Adems, si el asilo se aprueba ya se puede trabajar inmediatamente y no es necesario solicitarlo, aunque sà ­ es conveniente tener un documento para probar ese derecho ante los empresarios. En este artà ­culo adems de explicar la relacià ³n entre asilo y trabajo se informa sobre las nuevas directrices sobre solicitud de asilo y se recuerdan las principales obligaciones y derechos de las personas a quienes se les concede la solicitud y tienen, por tanto, calidad de asilados. Puntos clave: Asilo y permiso de trabajo en EE.UU. Regla general: Mientras se tramita la solicitud de asilo no hay derecho a un permiso de trabajo.Excepcià ³n a la regla: Puede solicitarse el permiso de trabajo si desde la presentacià ³n de la solicitud de asilo han pasado ms de 150 dà ­as, excluyendo los dà ­as de stop the watch y todavà ­a no hay resolucià ³n.  ¿Se puede solicitar un permiso de trabajo cuando se est tramitando una peticià ³n de asilo? La regla general es que el solicitante de asilo  no tiene derecho a trabajar legalmente en Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, si se cumplen al mismo tiempo las siguientes dos circunstancias se puede aplicar por un permiso de trabajo, conocido en inglà ©s como EAD: Cuando han transcurrido 150 dà ­as desde la fecha que se ha presentado la aplicacià ³n completa de asilo ante el USCIS o ante una corte de inmigracià ³n.Todavà ­a el oficial de asilo o el juez de inmigracià ³n no se han pronunciado sobre el caso.   Sin embargo, hay que tener en cuenta que ese transcurrir de dà ­as puede ser detenido por las autoridades migratorias siempre y cuando sea por causas atribuibles al solicitante. Es lo que se conoce como parar el reloj (stop the watch, en inglà ©s). Esta parada en el cà ³mputo de dà ­as puede deberse a mà ºltiples  razones como por ejemplo que el solicitante pida ms tiempo para obtener documentacià ³n,para buscar abogado, que no se presente a una cita, o renuncia vista rpida (expedited hearing) en determinadas circunstancias. Adems, el reloj se para una vez que el juez ha sentenciado negando el asilo. Si hay apelacià ³n, mientras dura à ©sta no se puede aplicar para permiso de trabajo. La decisià ³n de parar el reloj le corresponde en exclusiva a la administracià ³n. En la prctica esto significa que puede ser muy difà ­cil que se computen los 150 dà ­as y, por lo tanto, que se obtenga un permiso de trabajo. Adems, una vez que se para el reloj es difà ­cil volver a poner en marcha. Si no se tiene claro cuntos dà ­as han sido computados, se puede verificar llamando al telà ©fono automatizado de las Cortes de Inmigracià ³n marcando al 1-800-898-7180. En todo caso lo que hay que entender es que no se tiene derecho a un permiso de trabajo por el simple hecho de que hayan transcurridos 150 dà ­as desde que se presentà ³ la solicitud de asilo. No obstante, si reà ºne las circunstancias para solicitar el permiso de trabajo, entonces se puede aplicar rellenando la planilla I-765 prestando especial atencià ³n a la casilla nà ºmero 16. Adems, hay que tener en cuenta que el EAD no se aprobar por al menos 30 dà ­as. Con lo que la suma de los 150 ms los 30 hace que tenga que transcurrir un mà ­nimo de 180 desde la presentacià ³n de la aplicacià ³n. Adems, en algunos estados  se considera PRUCOL a los solicitantes de asilo y, a consecuencia de ello, podrà ­an tener acceso a algunos beneficios sociales. El permiso de trabajo con solicitud de asilo aprobada Lo cierto es que se puede trabajar desde ya, sin necesidad de ms documentos. No obstante, por cuestiones prcticas los asilados prefieren contar con un permiso de trabajo para poder probarle a un empleador que se puede trabajar legalmente en Estados Unidos. Otra razà ³n es para tener un I.D. emitido por las autoridades americanas, que facilita muchas gestiones de todo tipo. Si no les ha llegado uno con la aprobacià ³n, pueden optar por cualquiera de las opciones siguientes: Si el asilo ha sido concedido por un juez: solicitarlo gratuitamente rellenando la planilla I-765 y adjuntar la orden judicial en la que se reconoce el estatus de refugiado. Otra opcià ³n es hacer una cita para visitar unas oficinas del USCIS a travà ©s del servicio de InfoPass. Llevar el dà ­a seà ±alado la orden judicial. Adems, si el asilo ha sido concedido por el USCIS: contactar con la oficina que le ha concedido el asilo y pedirlo. El oficial de llevà ³ el caso procesa automticamente esta peticià ³n y se recibir en breve. Una vez que se tiene el permiso de trabajo se puede buscar empleo. Lo ms comà ºn es encontrarlo a travà ©s de familiares y amigos pero tambià ©n se puede recurrir a grandes bases de datos de ofertas de trabajo. Otros beneficios una vez que el asilo ha sido concedido Una vez que la solicitud de asilo es aprobada, el asilado puede disfrutar de ms beneficio adems del derecho a trabajar legalmente en Estados Unidos. Los principales son los siguientes: Se puede solicitar un Nà ºmero del Seguro Social.Si se necesita ayuda econà ³mica, mà ©dica, para aprender inglà ©s o para informarse de cà ³mo conseguir un trabajo contactar con la Oficina del Asentamiento de Refugiados (ORR, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) o marcar al 1-800-354-0365. Allà ­ orientarn a quà © clase de beneficios puede optar.Puede solicitarse la condicià ³n de asilados derivados para su esposo, esposa o hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os. Todos ellos tienen que haber sido nombrados en la peticià ³n original de asilo.Se puede solicitar permiso para viajar fuera de Estados Unidos. Se trata de un Documento de Viaje de Refugiado y para obtenerlo hay que rellenar la planilla I-131 antes de viajar fuera del paà ­s. Tiene validez por un aà ±o.Despuà ©s de un aà ±o es posible solicitar un permiso de residencia o green card mediante un ajuste de estatus. La planilla a rellenar es la I-485. El cà ³mputo del aà ±o se inicia a partir de la fecha en la que el asilo es aprobado. Obligaciones principales de los asilados Cuando se le aprueba a un extranjero su solicitud de asilo, à ©ste contrae una serie de obligaciones, destacando: Obligacià ³n de notificar al Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) todos los cambios de domicilio permanentes en los diez dà ­as siguientes a producirse la mudanza. En el caso de que el asilado es  varà ³n y tenga una edad comprendida entre los 18 y los 26 aà ±os est obligado a registrarse para los Servicios Selectivos. Si no lo hace puede que en el futuro se le nieguen beneficios migratorios. Por ejemplo, los asilados con el paso del tiempo pueden convertirse en residentes permanentes y despuà ©s en ciudadanos americanos por naturalizacià ³n. Sin embargo, la peticià ³n de naturalizacià ³n puede rechazarse si el solicitante no se ha registrado para los Servicios Selectivos cuando tenà ­a la obligacià ³n de hacerlo. Nueva regulacià ³n sobre asilo y cà ³mo protegerse ante fraudes Por directiva del presidente Donald Trump del 9 de noviembre de 2019 las personas que crucen ilegalmente la frontera que separa Mà ©xico de Estados Unidos no pueden bajo ningà ºn caso solicitar asilo. Temporalmente, esta orden est suspendida por orden de un juez federal esperando una resolucià ³n final sobre su aplicacià ³n o revocacià ³n. Segà ºn la orden de Trump, se prevà © que las personas que son agarradas tras cruzar ilegalmente la frontera sern dirigidas a un puerto de entrada para ser procesadas y ahà ­ se decidir quà © se hace con ellas. Solamente aquellas personas que puedan demostrar miedo razonable de ser perseguidas o torturadas si son regresadas a sus paà ­ses podrà ­an solicitar el alivio de suspensià ³n de la deportacià ³n, conocido en inglà ©s como withholding of removal, pero no asilo. Por otra parte, es muy importante evitar ser và ­ctima de un fraude si se ha solicitado asilo. Cabe destacar que as reglas sobre empleo son las explicadas en este artà ­culo. El solicitante no deberà ­a dejarse influenciar por las opiniones de otras personas que dicen que sà ­ se puede trabajar desde el momento en que se presenta la solicitud. Eso era asà ­ hace aà ±os. Pero la ley ha cambiado y ya no es asà ­. Para asegurarse de conocer lo bsico se recomienda tomar este test de respuestas mà ºltiples sobre el asilo y encontrar asà ­ respuesta a tus dudas e inquietudes.  ¿Cà ³mo encontrar asistencia legal a bajo costo o gratuita? Si el solicitante no puede pagar a un abogado, numerosas organizaciones brindan asesorà ­a legal a solicitantes de asilo gratis o a bajo costo. Lo importante es elegir a una organizacià ³n especialista en asilo y de excelente reputacià ³n. Este artà ­culo es solo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Business to business marketing final exam questions Term Paper

Business to business marketing final exam questions - Term Paper Example (B) Business marketing is also known as business to business marketing. The characteristics of business marketing have been described below. Organizations in business marketing target fewer customers who are geographically concentrated and have limited accounting for the majority of the sales of the organizations. The organizations in business marketing adopt longer decision cycle as the organizations always try to maintain strong relationship with their potential business clients for a longer period of time. In this type of marketing, the business organizations strongly depend upon the personal selling process comparing to several mass media advertising or promotional strategy. The promotional cost in this business marketing process is quite lower comparing to the traditional consumer marketing process. The organizations in business marketing process used to focus on more rigid product standards for the potential business clients as it is important for the organizations to maintain an effective long term relationship with the business clients. ... at are used by the managers of a firm to monitor and control the execution of several activities by the employees within the organizations and the consequence of the execution. (B) Financial, internal business process, customer, and learning and growth are the four perspectives of application of the balance scorecard. It is always important for the organizations to identify several relevant high level financial measures in the business marketing strategy development6 model. Application of balance scorecard will help the organization to influence the shareholders of the organization and improve the financial stability. Customers or clients are the key growth drivers for an organization. It is highly important for the organization to develop effective relationship with business clients in order to enhance the developed business marketing strategy. Considering the perspective of internal business process can help the organizations to improve their business marketing strategies. It will help them to develop more unique business operation process and develop strong relationship with several external and internal stakeholders. Considering the perspective of learning and growth under the balance scorecard will help the organization to develop more unique business marketing strategies in near future to foster the growth rate. Several leading organizations used to review and monitor the executed strategy. It is true that the organizations need to develop effective internal business operation process in order to maintain the sustainability in business operation processes. Effective and valuable strategies will help the organizations to gain potential competitive advantages. On the other hand, monitoring the performance of developed strategies can help the organizations to

Cases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cases - Essay Example Teleconferences are held for teaching the staff that facilitates the employees to increase their selling activities. E Bay shares a massive data of suppliers and customers on the site globally. As the information technology industry tends to modify itself due to technological developments, e Bay has successfully coped up by integrating technological advances. The differentiation factor is made necessary to put up a massive potential as it contains research and development. In order to cope up with the future development of e Bay’s strategic capabilities, the development of standards, software and protocols is required. Moreover, the development of strategic alliance is also essential. E-bay must dominate the technological advances and maintain current competencies as well as construct new ones. The hiring procedure must train and grant rewards for the best staff. 2 Case 2 The western countries associated with the beer brewing industry are languishing as compared to the East, w here the brewing industry is rapidly increasing. As Europe has the largest demand for the brewing industry as well as figures of largest beer consumption per person. The figures for global beer production for the market are approx 2.5 million tons per year. As the beer industry and wine industry is increasing its revenues, the spirit industry is dilapidated. From the year 1993 to 1999, the figures for beer production has raised by 12 %. Moreover, the high beer consumption countries in Europe are Czechoslovakia, Ireland and Germany. However, there is a trend for developing flavored beers. These flavored drinks are popular among the teenage group as they consume flavored alcoholic soft drinks. Moreover, trends in the context of environmental issues consist of government involvement for beers come in bottles as government charge for cans. Furthermore, government is also trying to eliminate underage drinking that may cause violence. In addition, there are trends in terms of mergers of c orporate organizations. For instance, GroIsh, Heineken, Interbrew, Scottish and Newcastle Interbrew should launch product development because the people are becoming more health conscious. A product launch named as a ‘low calorie beer’ will be a good option for the consumers. Heineken can expand the variety of flavored beers and low calorie beers in order to compete in an international market. They can gain the attention of young generations by merging with Pepsi or coca cola. In this way, both companies can boost their sales, as the strength of purchasing power will make an impact on a single brand with two manufacturers. Heineken can also participate in sports events by sponsoring athletes to gain exposure to the public. GroIsh have to advance their manufacturing process and equipments. Moreover, they must stop the methods for outsourcing in order to eliminate cost to improve the distribution and transportation processes. Scottish and Newcastle mush emphasize to deliv er improved quality on the brand along with the inclusion of ingredients and advantages. They can spend on research and development for distribution and technology. 3 Case 3 The Virgin group is constructed on various mixtures of businesses. It has involved itself in every business i.e. around 00 businesses. The founder of Virgin was Sir Richard Branson who started it in 1970. The Virgin brand name was considered as the most essential

Homelessness Essay Example for Free

Homelessness Essay Homelessness is defined as the situation where one has no decent place to stay mostly because they cannot afford it. Homeless families are those who lack permanent places to live in and instead have to live in shelters, motels, cars, campgrounds or with family members or friends. The extent of homelessness varies with varying factors in the US for instance the geographical location, gender and age. (Levinson D, 2004). Homelessness in the USA is a social or rather a national problem that has been increasing over the years. Giving the exact or accurate figures of homeless people in the US is a difficult task as it tends to be a temporary problem. Again, the approach used to count the homeless people is using the service providers who deal with them paving way for miscounting as not all homeless people would use such facilities. According to a research by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty in 2007 there were approximately 3. 5million people in America out of which 1. 35 were children. The population affected by poverty is diverse in the sense that it incorporates single adults, adults with children as well as the homeless youth. (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008). This paper will focus on the nature, scope and population affected by homelessness in the US; it will also highlight the possible solutions to the problem. As David in ‘Encyclopedia of homelessness’ noted one way of estimating the extent of family homelessness in the US was to establish the number of homeless people who were from homeless families. It was established that over 41% of the homeless people came from homeless families. (Levinson D, 2004). The National Coalition for the Homeless estimated that in 2003 the number of children below 18 years was 39% of the total homeless population 42% of which were children below five years of age. In terms of gender, the proportion of the males versus females varied when varying factors were put into account. For the single adults without children males were more than females at 65% but for those with children the proportion was lower at 35%. The number of homeless people with children has been increasing over the years in both the rural as well as the urban areas. (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008). The history of homelessness in the US dates back to the period before the American Revolution and is therefore not a recent phenomenon. This was triggered by the need to seek better employment opportunities in places far from homes. The issue however came to the public domain in the 1980’s and the federal, state as well as local governments channeled finances to resolve the problem. (Rossi P, 1991). These efforts included the establishment of shelters and housing programs but the problem persisted precipitating the adoption of another model to address the issue. It became apparent that the homeless needed the provision of supportive programs and the housed ‘homeless’ would be treated as tenants in their permanent housing. (Levinson D, 2004). As various scholars have established the major cause for homelessness in the US is poverty which makes houses unaffordable to many who can barely afford the necessities of life let alone the expensive houses. (Ploeg J and Scholte E, 1997). Such people cannot afford food, health care, education and child care. Despite the fact that over the years the economy has been growing and it is expected that people’s standards would improve this has not been attained in a uniform manner. Low income earners have faced the music as their pays have remained relatively low and this situation is made worse by the fact that their jobs offer minimal or no benefits. (Burt R, 1999). Their wages have either remained stagnant or have been falling all attributed to the fact that the bargaining power of the labor unions has reduced and the value of the minimum wages eroded. Temporary or part time jobs, increased globalization and a reduction of jobs in the manufacturing sector also contribute to reduced wages. Reduced wages make housing unaffordable to many as housing costs more than the minimum wage. Proof that the reduced wages play a significant role in perpetuating homelessness in the US can be seen in the high numbers of fulltime employed worker living in shelters. (Levinson D, 2004). A reduction in federal assistance to the poor has also led to aggravated poverty rates which lead to homelessness. Programs that initially assisted the poor for instance the Food Stamps and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families have been reduced and the poor have to feel the full weight of all the costs they need to meet. (Levinson D, 2004). Lack of housing assistance programs also makes the problem of homelessness intense. Low cost housing units introduced were ineffective in realizing the intended goal of assisting the needy. Some were converted to expensive apartments and the poor were left unassisted. A stronger economy sees the prices of housing rise making them unaffordable to many poor people. Levinson D, 2004). There were also minimal house assisted units against a massive number of poor people and many had to stay on long waiting lists. As people wait to be placed on the low cost housing units they had to look for places to live in. Other factors that trigger homelessness include the lack of affordable health care which sees people with an added cost to meet. Domestic violence also leads to homelessness especially when battered unemployed women run away from their battering and bread winner husbands. Mental illness also plays a role in influencing homelessness in the US. Statistics have it that over 15% of the total homeless population suffers from some form of mental illness. Some suffer from chronic or persistent mental illnesses or disorders. (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008). Natural calamities are also to blame for homelessness in America. A good illustration is the hurricane Katrina and Rita which saw the destruction of over 300000 homes. (Mathison S and Ross E, 2008). Since the problem of homelessness is caused by many factors, no single solution would suffice to whip it out. It is important to adopt both proactive as well as reactive approaches. Proactive measures would be geared to preventing homelessness while the reactive measures would be resolving the problem after its occurrence. It would be vital to ensure that the minimum wage is uplifted so that even the low income earners have a higher amount of money at their disposal. The government ought to renew its commitment in providing low cost housing units. Educational programs among the homeless would place them at a better position in seeking for employment opportunities in the very competitive job market. This way the vicious circle of homelessness would be reduced. The government can also adopt measures that would ensure increased job opportunities as unemployment triggers homelessness. The adoption of community based programs for instance transitional housing as well as emergency shelter only offers temporary solutions and permanent solutions are vital. Since the homeless face many problems ranging from insecurity, inadequate health food supplies and medical care facilities their provision would be effective. (Wiecha L, Dwyer T and Dunn-Strohecker, M, 1991). The government at the various levels must see to it that the homeless gain accessibility to quality health as well as enough and nutritional food. The young children especially those below five years of age must be treated with the specialty they deserve. (Backner I and Bassouk E, 1997). Appropriate strategies must also be enforced to allow those suffering from mental illnesses that can be effectively treated from home gain access to housing as they form a sizable number of the homeless population. Programs to reduce alcohol and drug abuse would also be appropriate in the eradication of homelessness in the US. (Whitt C. 1994).

education quality :: essays research papers

Why focus on quality? Although some of the international treaties, by specifying the need to provide education on human rights, reproductive health, sports and gender awareness, touched on educational quality,2 they were generally silent about how well education systems could and should be expected to perform in meeting these objectives. This remained true as recently as 2000, when the United Nations Millennium Declaration’s commitment to achieve UPE by 2015 was directly and simply set out without explicit reference to quality (see Box 1.1). Thus, in placing the emphasis upon assuring access for all, these instruments mainly focused on the quantitative aspects of education policy. It seems highly likely, however, that the achievement of universal participation in education will be fundamentally dependent upon the quality of education available. For example, how well pupils are taught and how much they learn, can have a crucial impact on how long they stay in school and how regularly they attend. Furthermore, whether parents send their children to school at all is likely to depend on judgements they make about the quality of teaching and learning provided – upon whether attending school is worth the time and cost for their children and for themselves. The instrumental roles of schooling – helping individuals achieve their own economic and social and cultural objectives and helping society to be better protected, better served by its leaders and more equitable in important ways – will be strengthened if education is of higher quality.3 Schooling helps children develop creatively and emotionally and acquire the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes necessary for responsible, active and productive citizenship. How well education achieves these outcomes

Gemstone and Diamond Mining Through the Years

Gemstones have been a symbol of wealth from the ancient times up to the present. These stones with their own characteristic, unique and special properties have always been associated to beauty too. Popular and famous persons throughout history, especially those from the noble family have used gemstone to adorn not only themselves but their dwellings as well. In the United States, mining of these stones has been for recreational activity only for collectors and hobbyists since 1935 (Gemstones Production, USGS). Nevertheless, as the value of gemstones inflated, large scale mining operations have been initiated. In this paper, we would explore the world of gemstones; what truly fits the word gemstone, how are they classified and the methods of mining.GemstonesThe word â€Å"gem† actually came from the Latin word gemma, which means â€Å"bud† (Microsoft Encarta). It is a very fitting name since gems seem to bud out of the earth’s crust like flowers in a garden. Gem o r gemstone means any mineral or organic material that can be used to decorate one’s body, for display or can be considered an object of art due to its unique properties it possesses such as beauty, rarity and durability. Colored and diamond gemstones are subcategories of gemstones. Basically, colored gemstones are all other stones except diamond such as amber, coral and shell (Olson 32.1).On the other hand, natural gemstones are minerals, stones or any organic matter that can be cut, polished, or treated for use as jewelry or other personal ornament (Gemstones Terms, USGS). Gemstones can be further classified as precious or semiprecious gemstones. Precious gemstones have beauty, durability and rarity, while semiprecious gemstones have only one to two of these characteristics (Gemstones Terms, USGS). Diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, topaz and opal are classified as precious gemstones while others are treated as semiprecious (Gemstones Terms, USGS). Since gemstones are rare, they are not plentiful and these stones do not form ores like other mining products. They tend to be scattered throughout a large body of rock or can be crystals found on small cavities of rocks (Gemstones Environment, USGS).Gemstones are primarily found from Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oregon and Arizona (Gemstones Specialist 64). However, most gem diamond reserves are not found in the United States. Diamonds are usually mined from Southern Africa, Russia, and Western Australia (Gemstones Specialist 65). The very first used as jewelry were amber, amethyst, coral, diamond, emerald, garnet, jade, lapis lazuli, pearl, rock crystal, ruby, serpentine and turquoise (Olson 32.1).In the US, the commercial gemstone industry consists of individuals and companies that mine gemstones or harvest shell and pearls, firms that manufacture synthetic gemstones and individuals and companies that cut natural and synthetic gemstones (Olson 32.1). Worldwide, the industry is only composed of two sectors: diamond mining and marketing and the production and sale of colored gemstones (Olson 32.3).Throughout the year, few of the diamonds mined are of gem quality; much of them are of near-gem and industrial in quality. Gem quality diamonds display high standards of excellence in quality and can be sold as jewelry. Clarity of such diamonds is from flawless through to visible inclusions. On the other hand, near-gem quality represents diamonds that fall between gem and industrial quality and thus can be used for either purpose.   Clarity of this set is from visible inclusions to industrial. Lastly, industrial quality diamonds are of low quality and cannot be used as jewelry or adornment. These diamonds are suitable only for industrial use such as dentist’s drills and earthmoving equipment (Mining Diamonds).Diamonds are formed beneath the earth’s surface and required tremendous pressure and temperature. Like diamonds, most gems are crystals forme d by cooling hot gases, solutions, and melts. As the earth’s soil surface weathers and erodes, and rivers forcefully flow through, gemstones may be exposed and be unearthed where one can even simply bend over the riverbank and pick them up (Microsoft Encarta).MiningOne of the two primary industries of early civilization is mining. Like agriculture, it is one of humankind’s earliest endeavors (Introduction to Mining 1). In 3400, Egyptians in Sinai did the first ever-recorded mining where they have found turquoise (Introduction to Mining 7). Usually, gemstones are excavated at the surface. However, through the years, underground mining especially for diamonds have been developed. Unlike surface mining, underground mining is more complicated and expensive. It involves the efficiency, safety and permanence underground (Introduction to Mining 11).Mining is the process of obtaining useful minerals from the earth’s crust. Its process requires excavations in underground mines and surface excavations in open pit or open cut mines. Thus, it involves physical removal of rock and earth to acquire gems and other important minerals. (Microsoft Encarta). Mining consists of four stages. These stages are prospecting or search for mineral deposits, exploration or the work included in evaluating the extent of economic value of the deposit, innovation or the work of preparing access to the deposit so that the minerals can be extorted from it and exploitation which is the process of extracting the minerals (Microsoft Encarta).Methods of MiningThere are several methods of mining. For gemstones, they are usually obtained on rivers and shores. However, there are also other ways of obtaining them in large scale mining operations. Exploitation methods can be classified into two categories based on setting which are surface and underground mining. Surface mining operations consists of mechanical excavation techniques such as open pit and open cast or strip mining. T here are also aqueous methods such as placer mining and solution mining. On the other hand, underground mining is usually categorized into unsupported, supported and caving methods (Introduction to Mining 11).Placer mining involves excavating loose or alluvial such as sand and gravel. The sought after gems are separated from the sand or gravel by a series of screens, jigs and sluices. This type of mining is usually used for diamonds and rubies (Microsoft Encarta). At present, surface mining involves production of blastholes 3-15 inches in diameter by rotary or percussion drills for the placement of explosives in order to remove consolidated rock. The explosives are then inserted and detonated. The material then is loaded and hauled for transport (Introduction to Mining 15).Diamond MiningDiamonds are mined by pipe or alluvial methods. In pipe mining, extraction of diamonds is done from volcanic pipes. Unlike other gems, diamonds are usually found underground and on volcanic rocks and lands. In diamond pipe mining, large areas are exploited wherein an average of 250 tons of volcanic rock is mined just to produce a one-carat gem quality polished diamond (Mining Diamonds). Due to this intricate and costly process, diamonds are really rare and precious. Diamond pipe mines are composed of kimberlite material called blue ground. At the start, kimberlite is dug from the surface by rough opencast mining. Nevertheless, as the surface deposits are exhausted, pipe mining is employed by sinking shafts into the ground at the edge of pipes and tunnels are driven into the deeper parts of the pipes. By doing so, diamond-bearing rock is excavated and is then transported for screening (Mining Diamonds).Another method of diamond mining is alluvial mining. In this method, diamonds are extracted from riverbeds or ocean beaches. It is true that diamonds are made inside volcanic pipes and lands, however, millions of years allowed that some of the diamonds formed are weathered out of the volcanic pipes and carried to great distances by rivers and oceans. Thus, the process of alluvial mining involves building a wall that holds back the surf. About 25 meters of sand is demolished aside to reach the diamond-containing level in the ocean and riverbeds. The diamond-containing sand is then acquired and transported to screening plants (Mining Diamonds).In screening plants, diamonds with kimberlite are cleaned and purified. Separation of the diamonds from the kimberlite ore involves a process much like the panning of gold. The kimberlite ore is put into large funnels along with a heavy fluid and is then, mixed in a rotating manner. Since diamonds are heavier than the other materials from which it is mined, they sink into the bottom of the funnels and spill out. After this process, the diamond is almost free from other waste (Mining for Diamonds).Diamonds can then be washed on shaking grease-covered tables. Uncut diamonds then adhere to the grease while the other fragmen ts of waste ore are vibrated past and are discharged to tailings pile. The tables are then scraped for diamonds in the grease and then are boiled to melt the grease and separate the diamonds (Microsoft Encarta). Finally, these diamonds are separated into different grades or quality as industrial, gemstone or near-gem grades.After-Mining OperationsRough uncut diamonds do not actually look attractive. Such diamonds are needed to be cut and polished before anyone can see their beauty and relevance in personal adornment and jewelry. The process of cutting and polishing originated in India where Indian natives discovered a way to make rough diamonds glisten by simply grinding another diamond against it (Mining Diamonds). Diamonds are known for their hardness, no material has ever been found which is capable of cutting diamond until the Indians found out that diamonds could actually be cut and polished by diamonds. The process of cutting and polishing typically lasts for several hours to several months. After which, the diamond will turn out lighter for at least half of its original weight (Mining Diamonds).Diamonds are first carefully examined before cutting. Diamonds are popularly cut into round brilliant since this shape gives the greatest possible brilliance with the minimal weight loss. Cutting uses an instrument similar to grinders. This cutting instrument is made of a paper-thin metal disc coated with diamond dust revolving at a fast speed. Lasers can also cut diamonds nowadays. The corners of the diamonds are then rounded by grinding another diamond producing some dust that can later be used in polishing. Diamonds are then polished to make them sparkle brighter. The diamond dust from the cutting is placed on a turntable made of iron and oiled. The cut diamond is then grinded against the turntable until it sparkles beautifully (Mining Diamonds).ConclusionGemstones are treasures not only of powerful people but also of mighty and ancient civilizations. As human kind became civilized, gemstones such as diamonds and sapphires became symbols of prosperity and elegance. Their crystalline structure, the rarity, and the arduous process of mining them have lived up to their symbolism throughout the years and continue to do so.Works Citedâ€Å"Gemstones Environment.† 18 June 1997. United States Geological Surveys, USGS. 30 April 2008 < http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gemstones/environment.html>.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Gemstones Production.† 18 June 1997. United States Geological Surveys, USGS. 30 April 2008 < http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gemstones/production.html>.â€Å"Gemstones Terms.† 18 June 1997. United States Geological Surveys, USGS. 30 April 2008 < http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gemstones/terms.html>.â€Å"Gemstones†. Gemstones Specialist (703) 648-7721, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996. USGS. 30 April 2008 .â€Å"Introduction to Mining.† 30 April 2008. .â€Å"Mining.† Microsoft Encarta 2007. 1993-2006 Microsoft Corpora tion. CD-ROM.â€Å"Mining Diamonds†. 30 April 2008 .â€Å"Mining for Diamonds.† 30 April 2008 .Olson, Donald. â€Å"Gemstones.† USGS 2000 Yearbook. USGS. 30 April 2008

How advertising and commercials influence my life Essay

Advertising and commercials have, no doubt, a strong influence in my purchasing behavior. They influence the clothes I wear, the food I eat and the places to go for a night out. Adverts in the television and magazines are expressive of models wearing different designs of clothing outfits. Such outfits make the models look admirable. This brings the feeling in me that if the clothes look good, then they must make me feel good. Due to this reason, I am compelled to purchase such clothes. Most of my friends and I have our eating habits greatly influenced by advertising and commercials. With the many adverts on hamburgers, hotdogs, and pizzas among other, most of my friends are always out to the pizza inn during class breaks. Despite the many claims by opponents of frequent use of fast foods, my heart is always impressed by the deliciousness portrayed on the adverts, a factor that inevitably forces me into purchasing such foods and drinks. Where to go for a night out is mainly influenced by commercials and advertising. This is because such adverts are indicative of the type of entertainment to expect and above all the entertainers to meet. Just to be appreciated is the fact that I like to go out with a preset mind of fulfillment. This is why advertising has no doubt a crucial role to play in dictating the best place to hang out. Therefore, advertising and commercials bring invaluable influence to my purchasing and spending behavior. Such marketing practices have indeed dominated my psychology.

Specific Symbols Used by James Joyce in Eveline Essay Example

Specific Symbols Used by James Joyce in Eveline Essay Example Specific Symbols Used by James Joyce in Eveline Paper Specific Symbols Used by James Joyce in Eveline Paper Even though Beeline is a very short story, James Joyce n to only successfully portrays her dilemma and inner conflicts but he also lets the read ere feel his times difficulties in Dublin. He does not tell these things to reader directly but he chi shoes the words so appropriately and he depicts the characters so successfully that despite the e first impression they make on the reader, these symbols refer to different meanings. Firstly, Beeline is not just an ordinary character who is in a dilemma whether t o stay or to go but also she is a representative of all women under patriarchy (Change 01). She is a young girl who has a lot of responsibilities, especially after her mothers last w sis from her to keep the home together as long as she could Joyce 33). She is doing all the chores on her own; besides, she also works at the Stores to earn money for the expenses of the house. However, she gets no appreciation from her father, he even takes her money. When we look at the condition of Dublin in that period it can be seen easily that not only Evelyn e, but also other women experience similar hardships in their lives. Wall expresses his ideas a out the reason of this situation as following: Economic deprivation drove millions abroad. For those who remained, pope arty was widespread, jobs few and precarious, salaries meager, and opportunities for a advancement rare (33). Most girls in economically depressed Ireland, facing long delays in marrying a ND perhaps eventual spinsterhood, had to work in the home, in family enterprises, or at o outside jobs (37). We can conclude that Beeline is one of the victims of Dublin life. But she is the e lucky one who has an opportunity to escape from Dubbings patriarchal society and her d mommies life. However, she is so deeply attached to this domestic life that, even the slightest t things change her mind about going with Frank. When she is sitting at home, looking at the familiar objects (Joyce 32), she feels upset due to the possibility that she would never r see again these familiar objects from which she had never dreamed of being divided (Joyce 3 2). Beeline remembers how nice her father could be sometimes even though he almost a Sways behaves rude towards her. On the other hand, she thinks Frank would save her. He w loud give her life, perhaps love, too (Joyce 35). But it is understand from Beelines words the t male figures have an enormous effect on even the most important decision of her life. She does not want to go because she feels sorry to leave her father alone in his Old ages whereas s he thinks Could she still draw back after all he had for her? (Joyce 35). She attaches less imp rattan to what she really wants than she cares about men in her life. Another thing that is not directly told but is symbolized through the character paralysis. Paralysis means being unable to function or act. He [Joyce] said Du blinders was a lookings in which the Irish people could see themselves and their paralysis (wall 31 In those times people of Ireland lives poor, dull and unproductive lives but the eye did not make an effort to change their current situations. Jockeys description of Beeline at the e end Of the story shows us this paralysis. She set her white face to him, passive, like a heel Pleas animal. Her eyes gave no sign of love or farewell or recognition (Joyce 37). She does n to act, stays motionless, like a paralyzed person and cannot escape from her dusty house and probably turns back to her immobile position sitting at the window. Change states Nun able to choose action over paralysis, she condemns herself to the prison of her distilled little e brown house, eschewing the freedom of potentially good air for the hard life (103). The male characters in the story symbolism different meanings. For instance ,t he father of Beeline is another representative of Edibleness and Dublin life like Beeline, a symbol of that green isle [Dublin] (Florid). He is usually drunk, behaves rude to his child Rene and does not care about her family at all. He also symbolizes Beelines past. In contrast to the father, the other male character Frank symbolizes the future and a happy life for Beeline. He is a way for her to escape from her miserable life and a chance to get married and to gag n a respectable life since she thinks that being married leads people would treat her with respect t (Joyce 33). Beside of these important symbols represented by characters, there are the r minor symbols in Beeline. For instance, dust(Joyce 32), symbolizes the dusty air o f Dublin. According to Change it also represents a familiar sense that makes Beeline feel secure and comfort in contrast to Godard of Buenos Aries (102). As we can understand, B menus Aries is another symbol whose meaning is good air; in other words, good life. To sum up, Beeline by James Joyce is a story of a young girl and her dilemma between staying or leaving. However, Jockeys writing skills do not let the story tell only about this poor girl. His descriptions and usage of words are so masterful that they symbolism many different meanings in the stow, and when the readers get these hidden mean inns, they feel like they are in the story.

Ornitholestes - Facts and Figures

Ornitholestes - Facts and Figures Name: Ornitholestes (Greek for bird robber); pronounced OR-nith-oh-LEST-eez Habitat: Forests of western North America Historical Period: Late Jurassic (155-145 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 5 feet long and 25 pounds Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Slender build; long hind legs About Ornitholestes Discovered in 1903, Ornitholestes was given its name (Greek for bird robber) by the famous naturalist Henry F. Osborn before paleontologists had grappled with the evolutionary origin of birds. Its certainly possible that this slender theropod preyed on the proto-birds of the late Jurassic period, but since birds didnt really come into their own until the late Cretaceous, its more likely that Ornitholestes feasted on small lizards and the carrion left over by larger carnivores. Whatever the case, theres not much fossil evidence to support either supposition: unlike the situation with its close cousins Coelophysis and Compsognathus, remains of Ornitholestes are few and far between, necessitating a large amount of guesswork. Ornitholestes reputation as a bird-eater has much in common with Oviraptors reputation as an egg-stealer: these were inferences drawn on the basis of insufficient knowledge (and in the case of Ornitholestes, the myth was perpetuated by a famous painting by Charles R. Knight depicting this dinosaur preparing to eat a captured Archaeopteryx). Theres still a lot of speculation about Ornitholestes: one paleontologist suggests that this dinosaur snatched fish out of lakes and rivers, another maintains that (if Ornitholestes had hunted in packs) it might have been capable of taking down plant-eating dinosaurs as big as Camptosaurus, and yet a third believes that Ornitholestes may have hunted by night, in a deliberate attempt to avoid (and outfox) its fellow theropod Coelurus.

Don't really have one Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Don't really have one - Essay Example All of this also happened to a man who is known to history as Frederick Douglass, the first black man to appear on a presidential ticket. In his early narrative Frederick Douglass: Life of an American Slave, the author details his early life and education in such a way that he illustrates both the dehumanizing effects of slavery as well as those factors that operated to inspire him to ‘become a man’ rather than remaining in the role of a slave. Douglass’s narrative begins with his earliest knowledge about himself, which is far less than most people’s knowledge and highlights the degree to which black people were considered beasts of the field. Douglass sadly informs the reader that he is uncertain of his age or the day he was born and, although his mother died when he was seven years old, he was relatively unaffected by the news as he had been separated from her since infancy. â€Å"Never having enjoyed, to any considerable extent, her soothing presence, her tender and watchful care, I received the tidings of [my mother’s] death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger† (Ch. 1). In highlighting this unnatural separation of mother and child, Douglass also points out that he never knew who his father was although there had been some rumors that he was a white man. However, the important element of these early chapters is the way in which the slave is creat ed from birth, separated from his family to destroy any natural human feelings of attachment and support and cruelly treated to keep him always in fear. By the time he was seven, he had learned of the death of his mother, watched his aunt brutally whipped and had taken his own place at work in the fields. He describes the life of the slave, illustrating its bestial level of survival existence and the types of behaviors they were expected to exhibit when they were in the presence of their masters. A turning point in the book