Technological Frontier Essays - Digital Media, Technology, Computing

Technological Frontier Technological Frontier America has been a country full of optimism, perseverance, and freedom of ideas and beliefs. The frontier- a mental or physical area where much remains to be done- is a belief that has and still propels and influences America today. The technological frontier is probably the most influenced by the frontier belief. There is always room for better in technology. The technological advancements in the past 50 years outnumber the amount advancements from the beginning of time up to 50 years ago. Technological advancements have made it easier to for humans to live and adapt to their universe. Technology has expanded exponentially from the beginning of time until the 90's. In the 90's technological advancements have taken off at a higher exponential rate. For every frontier that appears to be complete, a new frontier has opened up and is unsolved. The frontier consists of branches that have branches themselves, resembling a tree. The frontier is far from ending, if there is an ending. During this rapid technological advancement period where we are trying to fulfill that long-term, near perfect technology, there have been short-term constraints in technology that have and will continue to open new branches in technology. Engineers have been trained to discover new technologies that enhance human life by designing new products and things that make life easier and safer for everyone. Engineers are obligated to use their skills, intelligence and apply their knowledge to promote human welfare. An example of this has been the advancement of communications. Instead of sending a letter to a family member or loved one by pony express, now one can send mail in just seconds through e-mail. This technological advancement makes it easier and better to communicate that is satisfying to humans. These advancements in the long term will have small constraints, but in the short term there're broader constraints and limits. Email about five years ago could only be accessed through internet service providers such as: AOL, Prodigy, CompuServe, TexasNet, and institution accounts. Now email can be retrieved and sent over the internet without having these big name internet service providers. There are now services like Yahoo, Hotmail, Rocketmail, and Juno that offer free email accounts over the web for any one. Within the past few years, technology has allowed email users to send voice and video emails, which was impossible before. Email still has delays ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes when you send your email over the internet. Ideally, these delays still represents a very fast relay suitable for all practical purposes in email. Email can have more of a real time relay in the future. There is also the possibility of your email not reaching its destination, which we all have experienced at one time. Now we see less and less of our email not reaching our destination with the improvements of transmission lines. Higher bandwidths in these transmission lines allow for higher memory capabilities in our email. Email in the long run will be near a more real time instantaneous speed with the capability of higher memory. The frontier myth can be seen from the beginning technological advancement of communications. In 1837, while working independently from one another Samuel F. B. Morse and the two British engineers Sir William Cook and Sir Charles Wheatstone developed a method of sending an electronic message over a distance of several miles almost instantaneously. The implications of this development were enormous. For the first time in history, human beings had the means to overcome the obstacles imposed upon communications by vast distances. A "Virtual world" of human communications had just been born that was much smaller and could potentially be much more closely knit together than the "real" world. Though the concept of virtual place and time would not become part of the terminology of human thinking for almost another 150 years, the foundations were laid with this invention. It is significant that during this same period we were making rapid progress in conquering distance and time in the real world with advances in the steam engines, which powered ships and railroad locomotives. America's telegraph network grew up with and was often found alongside the rapidly developing network of railroad lines that began to tie the various corners of our nation together. The frontier myth influenced the expansion of communications into another frontier, telecommunications. While working on a device to enable hearing impaired individuals to hear sound in 1877, Alexander Bell developed a communications device that was to eventually be introduced into almost every American home and become available to nearly everyone worldwide. The

How to Turn Down a Job Offer with Professionalism

How to Turn Down a Job Offer with Professionalism When you’re on the job hunt, your focus is so fully on getting to that job offer: all of your energy goes into making yourself into the ideal candidate, and making sure that the hiring manager knows how very ideal you are. But what happens if you get to that point and the job just isn’t right for you? 1. Reasons to Turn Down a Job Offer2. When to Turn Down a Job Offer3. How to Turn Down   a Job Offer4. What Not to Do When You Turn Down a Job OfferReasons to Turn Down   a Job Offer1. You couldn’t come to an agreement on compensation.Sometimes, negotiation just doesn’t go the way you want it to go, and you just can’t compromise any further.2. The job wasn’t what you thought it would be when you applied.Maybe that 40s:â€Å"I don’t think this job is the best fit for me right now.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’ve decided to accept another offer.† If you do this, you don’t need to say where, but it would be helpful for the compan y to know if their top candidates are bailing because other places are offering more comprehensive benefits, better hours, etc. No matter what, be diplomatic.Reiteration of appreciationRemember, you want the company to feel like you’re the one that got away, not the close call they had with a monster.Nice closingThe same kind of closing you use for any standard business communication applies here. Regards, best wishes, thanks again, sincerely, and similar ones all work. No melodrama, just easy and respectful closure.Here’s a sample offer rejection letter you can use for reference if you find yourself in this position.Dear Scooter,Thank you very much for offering me the position of Senior Swamp Correspondent. After careful deliberation, I’ve decided to accept another position that’s more in line with my experience and my goals. I really appreciate your time and consideration, though, as well as the chance to meet your excellent colleagues Fozzie and Gonzo. I know your team will continue to achieve great things in TV production, and I look forward to hearing about your continued success.Best wishes, KermitThere are also other examples and templates online that you can use, like here and here. The most important thing is to write what feels right for you- it should be in your voice, but if you find yourself at a loss for what to say, you can stick to these guidelines and dash off a perfectly nice rejection note.The level of formality may vary, depending on a) how formal the company is (which you’ll have a sense of from your interview and interactions with the company), and b) how well you know the person receiving the note. Err on the side of formality, but if a textbook form letter just doesn’t feel right, just make sure to hit the six points above, and keep the tone light and professional.What NOT to Do When You Turn Down a Job OfferWhile you’re crafting your â€Å"it’s not you, it’s me† note , there are some pitfalls to keep in mind as well. Don’t even consider the following:Using powerfully negative words like â€Å"reject.†It just sounds harsh, so†¦find a nicer way to phrase things, like, â€Å"opting to pursue other opportunities† or â€Å"will not be able to accept your offer at this time.†Taking a hostile tone.If you didn’t get along with anyone along the way, or discovered that you really don’t like the company, this is not the place to vent that. No sarcasm, snide remarks, or profanity.Posting about it on social media.It’s just poor form†¦and if you put a company on blast after they offer you a job, you could do some heavy damage to your own reputation.Talking smack about the company or anyone you spoke to throughout the process.If you met with someone really obnoxious during your interview process, now is not the time to talk about it. If you have any grievances, same deal. Just be thankful you got away unscathed, and be nice as you’re walking out the door.You’re breaking off a potential relationship here, but instead of disappearing into the comfortable anonymity of a dating app, you’re talking to people in an industry where you (presumably) want to keep working. You have to acknowledge the offer and also that you will not be accepting it. It’s not that hard, I promise! The awkwardness and unpleasantness that would result from just ignoring an open offer (and potentially wasting the time of someone following up on it) are just not the way to conduct yourself in a professional way.With these tools, you’re ready to take the difficult step of cutting loose from the hiring process. It can be a difficult decision, but again- if the job isn’t right for you or you have better opportunities, there’s no need to draw it out. Be quick, be nice, and be firm†¦and you’re out and ready to move on to the next opportunity.

Chemistry Study Tips

Chemistry Study Tips Studying chemistry can be stressful and feel overwhelming. There is no magic formula for learning chemistry, but you can develop an effective strategy for success. Whether youre in middle school, high school or college, these simple steps will get you on the right track. Basically it involves not getting behind, doing your own work, and not psyching yourself out: Dont procrastinate!Cramming does not equal learning. If you wait until the night before a test to start studying you will suffer, your grades will suffer, etc. Chemistry problems take time to work. Chemistry concepts take time to master.Dont ProcrastinateIts worth repeating! In chemistry you build from one concept onto the next. You need a solid knowledge base to progress.Try Flash CardsHey, they are used in elementary and primary school because FLASHCARDS WORK. Some of the information gets learned while making the cards and the rest can be learned during practice. You get to switch around the order in which you view topics, which is something most notebooks dont provide. Get some index cards and give it a try!Try a HighlighterUse it judiciously. The goal is not to turn your book or notes fluorescent. Most texts already have important concepts in bold typeface. Unless your teacher is very unusual, he or she will almost always mention likely test questions, answers, and concepts. High light them! Some teachers take questions from a test bank, but those who write their own are usually keeping a mental tally of concepts while teaching. Use MnemonicsWhat you are doing here is taking the first letters of words in a sequence you are trying to memorize and making a phrase from them to serve as a memory aid. Example: the sequence of the first few elements in the periodic table H, He, Li, Be, B, C, N, O, F, Ne could be (well, the one that came to my mind was actually dirty, which is easier to remember) Hi Henry, Lookin Big, Bad, Certainly Nasty, Old Friend - Not! Ok, it isnt great literature. One popular mnemonic device is for metric prefixes: Kilo- Hecto- Deca- Meter (liter, gram) deci- centi- milli- Kangaroos Hopping Down Mountains Drinking Chocolate Milk. Also, such phrases are even easier to memorize if you put them to music.  Work the ProblemsYou work through the example problem in the book or in class just fine. Great! That doesnt mean you understand how to apply the formulas when the conditions or wording changes. Its vital to work problems. I know it seems like a good idea to divide problem sets with classmates or to put down answers from the back of the book when youre short on time, but you truly need to work those problems to practice the skills you need for tests and beyond. Know Your TextDo you have a glossary? Answers to problems in the back? Self-quizzes? Appendices full of useful information? Find that out sooner rather than later. Learn your way around your text. Use the glossary. You cant communicate about a subject without learning the terminology.

Statistics (Term paper) Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Statistics ( ) - Term Paper Example 32.2%) of the patients belong to the age group â€Å"25-40†, 83 (26.3%) of the patients belong to the age group â€Å"40-55† and 36 (11.4%) of the patients belong to the age group â€Å">=55†. Interpretation: From the above table (Table No.3), it is observed that 168 (53.2%) of the patients had filling as procedure of diagnosis, 25 (7.9%) of the patients had â€Å"fit or prepare crown† as procedure of diagnosis, 41 (13%) of the patients had â€Å"root canal therapy† as procedure of diagnosis and 82 (25.9%) of the patients had â€Å"extraction† as procedure of diagnosis. Interpretation: From the above table (Table No.4) it is observed that 266 (84.2%) of the patients had reported success of the anaesthesia in killing pain and 50 (15.8%) of the patients had reported failure of the anaesthesia in killing pain. The pain level was divided into three groups based on the intensity of the pain. Pain levels 0, 1 and 2 were coded as â€Å"Low†, pain levels 3,4,5 and 6 were coded as â€Å"Medium† and pain level 7,8, 9 and 10 were coded as â€Å"High†. Interpretation: From the above table (Table No.5) it is observed that 184 (58.2%) of the patients had low pain, 70 (22.2%) of the patients had medium pain and 62 (19.6%) of the patients suffered from high pain. From the above chi square analysis table (Table No.7), since the chi square observed value (243.342) is much greater than the expected value (5.99) with probability less than 0.01 (

Mandatory Mediation in Common and Civil Law Countries Essay

Mandatory Mediation in Common and Civil Law Countries - Essay Example Common law system countries use mandatory mediation more prevalently than civil law countries who proceed with considerable caution. The process of litigation is a complex process, which is usually avoided by many people. The civil justice system in the UK is already exhausted of cases, which have not been resolved because of various legal justifications. This negatively impacts on the involved parties because of the increase in the cost of the various court cases as time elapses. Mediation can reform the civil justice system of the UK because it ensures there is efficiency in the dispensation of justice. Consequently, savings are made and time management is upheld.In this respect, the aggrieved parties are satisfied with the mediation dispute resolutions. The mutual satisfaction of the concerned parties is never achieved in a trial setting. The introduction of mandatory mediation in civil cases aims at reducing the backlog of unresolved cases in courts of law. Mandatory mediation is a demonized element in many legal jurisdictions, although it does not affect the delivery of justice to the parties in the civil cases. Darbas (2010) asserts that the cost of mandatory intervention justifies the use of this method in the resolution of many cases. It is a better method compared to the trial because in the trial of a case, the judges can give a subjective ruling, which must be accepted. In mandatory mediation cases are resolved in an amicable manner without favor.

Children’s Functional Health Pattern Essay Example for Free

Children’s Functional Health Pattern Essay Toddlers believe rules are absolute and behave out of fear of punishment. The toddler will respond with good behavior for positive feedback. These  values and beliefs are learned. Preschoolers frequently express their values by stating who or what they like or what they want to be when they grow up. Preschoolers receive modeling of values from involved adults, peers, as they develop their morality. School-Age children’s values come from religion, cultural, and parental values influences. These factors shape a child’s moral development, and concept of right and wrong. School-age children are able to make decisions related to moral and ethical issues. Parents may cater to their toddler when they are misbehaving, giving them more attention when they are bad than when they are good. This make the toddler believe that behaving badly gets their parents attention. Parents need to remember to reward good behavior, and to emphasize rewards for acceptable behavior and minimizing attention for unwanted behavior. Parents may not have firm and established rules, making it confusing for the toddler to distinguish right from wrong. Peers or inappropriate content on television can negatively influence preschooler’s values and beliefs. Parents may have a poor morals and value system themselves, inadvertently teaching their preschoolers the same behaviors. School-age children may bend to peer pressure to gain the acceptance of their peers. School-Age children may cheat due a desire to win, or pressure from their parents and peers to be great. Short Answer Questions Address the following based on the above assessment findings. Expected answers will be 1-2 paragraphs in length. Cite and reference outside sources used. 1) Compare and contrast identified similarities as well as differences in  expected assessment across the childhood age groups. Across the stages of development from toddler up to school age children there is a significant difference in the amount of guidance needed and the amount independence required. The differences are evident when examining how each developmental phase interacts and responds within each health assessment pattern. Toddler and preschool children need more structure and routine, whether it’s brushing their teeth or bedtime rituals. School-aged children, on the other hand, require more independence and trust in decisions while still being guided and reassured as the develop their own sense of identity. There are similarities as amongst the age groups as well, such as all of the children moving towards a state of autonomy and the ability to express themselves adequately and be heard by either their parents, their peers, or both. Additionally, all of the different age groups have the need for a structured and healthy home environment in order to grow and develop. 2) Summarize how a nurse would handle physical assessments, examinations, education, and communication differently with children versus adults. Consider spirituality and cultural differences in your answer. When the nurse is caring for a child, the nurse must remember that they are essentially caring for the child and the parent (Jarvis, 2012). For a nurse, the assessment, examination and interaction with a child patient offers its own set of challenges and requires a different approach from that of an adult. When dealing the toddler and preschooler, the nurse should visit with the parent first, letting the child size the nurse up. The nurse can assess child on how they interact and react to the parent and the nurse. This allows the child to see that the caregiver has accepted and trusts the nurse. For the toddler and the preschooler, the parent will be providing most, if not all of the health history. When beginning the physical assessment on the child, move slow and approach them slowly while seeming happy and unthreatening. The nurse should allow the child to hold instruments, like a stethoscope, during the physical exam to help them feel like they are involved in their own care. Having parents there add security and support for children, and also can help with the ease of assessing the  child without them realizing that they are being assessed. With children of each stage of development, the nurse must be cognizant of verbal and non-verbal cues provided by the child. The nurse should be mindful that there could be cultural and/or spiritual considerations to take into account, like when undressing a child of the opposite sex. The nurse needs to ensure that the caregiver and the child feel comfortable. With both children and adults, assessment should start with least invasive and progress leaving most invasive last. School-Age children should be assed like either children or adults depending on their developmental age. Adult assessment can be more direct than that of a child. Ask adults open ended questions, listen to their complaints, and educate as needed. References Current Nursing. (2012). Theory of Psychosocial Development: Erik H. Erikson. Retrieved From http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/theory_of_psychosocial_development.html Edelman, C., Kudzma, E., Mandle, C. (2010). Health Promotion throughout the Life Span [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books /9780323056625 Jarvis, C. (2012). Physical Examination and Health Assessment [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/978-1-4377-0151-7

Terror in Small-Town, USA :: Example Personal Narratives

Terror in Small-Town, USA Situated between the lush green rolling hills, is Small-Town, USA. It was election day, and looking forward to a visit to the ice cream shop, I accompanied my grandfather as he drove the ten-mile journey to town. Country life offered little excitement, but that day an air of uneasiness replaced the usual contentment one felt while passing aged buildings, their drabness contrasted sharply by a few colorful, modern improvements. Having spent the first ten years of my life here, it was easy to detect any change in the town's mood. I pondered the worried expression on the faces of the few people we saw on the streets. It seemed everyone was in a hurry. There were not the usual groups gathered to exchange local gossip. Most noticeable was the absence of children. As my grandfather's dilapidated Ford approached the town's only traffic light, we were greeted-not by flashing red, yellow or green--but by uniformed National Guardsmen armed with guns and appearing much out of place in such placid surroundings. As our vehicle slowed to a stop, I was aghast as I saw before me a huge machine gun, pointed in our direction. A young guardsman walked briskly to the car and explained, almost apologetically, "Sorry Sir, but we'll have to search your car. Just routine procedure." As the car was being searched, we learned the reason for such drastic precautionary measures. A man whom we knew and who was a candidate for the sheriff's office, had been brutally murdered in the presence of his wife and daughter. It was rumored that the opposing party was responsible for the fatal shotgun blast, and other rumors stated that explosives would be brought into town to bomb the courthouse. As this unbelievable information was being given, I sat petrified, trying to convince myself that this was the same town where, only yesterday, old men in dirty overalls lounged around the courthouse, spitting tobacco and discussing the forthcoming election. Dogs and children had romped freely on the sidewalks, while women browsed in the stores for hours without buying anything. Strangely, all this had changed overnight, and the preconceptions I had about our peaceful country and the glorious right to vote were beginning to sound as a sour note.

Proposal for Reparations of African Americans Essay

Due to the fact that many African-Americans cannot trace their genealogy back more than three generations, It would be extremely difficult to distinguish between those who are descended from Freemen and those descended from Slaves. Therefore, although it should have some impact on reparations, we must take into account those who cannot trace their genealogy( approximately 3/4th of African- Americans). We also must remember that in essence, no African-Americans were completely free. Many blacks, Freeman and Slaves alike were lynched, falsely imprisoned, raped, murdered, and subject to sub-human treatment. It is almost impossible to estimate the economic hardship caused by slavery and the aftermath that followed. To this day the African-American family still suffers from the aftermath of slavery. We see it in the form of Poverty, under-education, Discrimination, and Black on Black crime. Consider that Blacks are seriously under-represented in many of our nations top fields. Less than .05 percent of African-Americans are CEO’s in corporate America. Blacks are also a rarity in Law, Medicine, and higher education, What follows is my estimation of the reparations needed. 1st generation descendant of slave: 500,000 of Freeman: 350,000 2nd generation descendant of slave: 350,000 of Freeman: 225,000 3rd generation descendant of slave: 225,000 of Freeman: 180,000 4th generation descendant of slave : 180,000 of Freeman: 120,000 5th generation descendant of slave: 120,000 of Freeman: 90,000 6th generation descendant of slave: 90,000 of Freeman: 60,000 7th generation descendant of slave: 60,000 of Freeman: 30,000. Additional Moneys. Family member lynched: 60,000 per family Family member raped by slave master: 20,000 Family member falsely imprisoned: 6,000 It is important to note that in the event that it cannot be determined whether a family descended from Freemen or Slaves, an average should be taken from the two. Also, in the event that a generation has no living survivors, that money shall not be awarded and is not subject to inheritance. As for Moneys for family menders lynched, raped, or falsely imprisoned, this must be a direct result of slavery and most be proven beyond a preponderance of the evidence. Therefore, each state shall appoint a committee of six members, at least three of them being African-Americans. These committees will be responsible for investigating all claims on an individual basis and awarding money. If, for example, a member of the 3rd generation starts a claim and dies before the moneys are awarded than that money shall be subject to inheritance. The committee will have a period of five years to investigate and award all moneys. In the event that a family wants to appeal their award or lack there of, their claims shall be directed to the State supreme court. The court will have three years to render decisions on all claims. In order to ensure the financial stability of the United States, these payments shall be made over a period of 15 yrs. However, in the case of persons who have been awarded moneys and are over the age of 55, they will have the option of taking a discounted lump sum of 40% of the moneys owed.

Macbeth Hallucinations

Desires of the Subconscious In the tragedy, Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses motifs as a way to portray several different underlined themes of his work. Of the numerous themes, one in particular is applied throughout the entire story, this motif being hallucinations. Even while mans conscious is actively thinking, his subconscious is also thinking. It is thinking about the true desires of ones heart. The subconscious also thinks about guilt and what it wants to forget about. These two ideas of the subconscious come alive in this tragedy through hallucinations.In the beginning of the tragedy, Macbeth receives a prophecy that he will become king. His aspiration for becoming king clouds his conscience. He desires to become king so much that he and Lady Macbeth create a plan to murder Duncan and take his power. While they are carrying out the plan, Macbeth sees something in front of him. This is further shown in the quote, â€Å"Is this a dagger which I see before me. the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have not, and yet I see thee still.Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight, or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from a heat-oppressed brain? † (2. 1. 33-39) This hallucination is particularly interesting. At this point in the tragedy, Macbeth is having second thoughts about murdering Duncan. As he hallucinates of a bloody dagger pointing towards Duncan’s room, it shows the reader that he is yearning to become king so badly that he would murder for it. Though the reader doesn’t see this from Macbeth’s exterior emotions, it is depicted through his subconscious.In the next act, Macbeth kills his best friend, Banquo, because he is becoming suspicious of the murder. Shakespeare shows Macbeth growing guilty of this act through another illusion in the quote, â€Å" If I stand here, I saw him†¦ Blood hath been shed ere now, i’ th’ olden time, Ere humane sta tue purged the gentle weal; Ay, and since too, murders have been performed Too terrible for the ear. The time has been and there an end. But now they rise again With twenty mortal murders on their crowns And push us from our stools. This is more strange Than such a murder is. (3. 4. 89-99) As the story continues, Macbeth feels more and more guilt building up on him. This guilt persuades his subconscious to form a mirage of Banquo, arriving to dinner with him. This shows the reader that Macbeth is feeling overwhelming guiltiness. As Lady Macbeth played a large role in the murders of Duncan, Banquo and Macduff’s family, she is also being plagued with guilt. This is shown when she is sleep walking in the following quote, â€Å"Here's the smell of blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.Oh, oh, oh! † (5. 1. 49-51) In this quote, the blood that Lady Macbeth sees on her hands represents guilt. The hands represent her mind. Therefore, Lady Ma cbeth can’t disguise her guilt in anyway so much as to say that all of the perfumes of Arabia cannot overpower the guilt she feels. Shakespeare uses the motif of hallucinations to illustrate the theme that what man hallucinates is what man either wants to see or what he wants to forget about. This is shown in Macbeth before the murder of Duncan, after the murder of Banquo and at the end of the book.

The Need to Care for the Environment Essays

The Need to Care for the Environment Essays The Need to Care for the Environment Paper The Need to Care for the Environment Paper Whether the issue is air pollution, endangered species, re-cycling, or clean water, all environmental scientists, educators, and policy-makers agree that the key to public understanding is public education. Without a thorough understanding of the problems facing the planet in terms of its fragile environment, humanity is on a collision course with disaster. It is not enough to warn people, impose economic sanctions, and establish strict regulations. People must understand why they should recycle, how they can take care of their waste, and what they can do to lessen their own individual impact on the earth. It is also essential that environmental education be appropriate and applicable to the person doing the learning. Too often, environmental education focuses on a topic far removed from the reality of the student. A child living in the mountains can have all the concern in the world for the manatee or the blue whale and be completely unaware of the forest degradation going on in her own mountain backyard. Likewise a Brentwood student can be vitally concerned about the nuclear waste dumps in the desert but still mindlessly damage her own unique environment. In order for environmental education to be truly effective it must be both relevant and applicable. Such awareness may be the only truly viable option that exists that can make a difference in saving or renewing the earths rapidly diminishing natural resources. Such education must be fully integrated so that the student can understand the interrelatedness of all aspects of the environment, including her role within it. Once a person understands that all life on earth, not just human life, is dependent on the health and protection of the environment, it is no longer possible to dismiss the planet as a nothing more than an object designed to meet human needs and desires. The most valuable time to begin such environmental education and awareness is with teenagers while they have not yet lost their sense of connection to all that surrounds them. In order to best communicate the importance of the environment and the need to care for it as vigilantly as human beings care for themselves, students must begin to learn at an early age to respect the earth, its environment and all of its inhabitants. The environment is not some abstract concept. That lesson must continue to be taught and learned throughout life in order to facilitate meaningful change. Each individual must understand the consequences of her actions on the surrounding environment, whether it is in a rural area or city. Teenagers are, admittedly, creatures of self-interest but certainly there can be no greater service to oneself than the assurance that there is clean air to breathe, fresh water to drink, healthy food to eat or sanitary housing. The foundation and encouragement of that self-interest is education. Beginning in the first years of school, children are taught the processes of life on this planet. Even very young kids can easily understand that a strong plant cannot grow in unhealthy soil or that trash does not simply disappear. There can be no more valuable lesson than how to not poison oneself through unthinking or greed-based actions. Active recycling is genuinely a better lesson than algebra and living more simply in the midst of a consumer-driven society is undeniably more useful than memorizing the dates of battles long since fought. Environmental education can and does make a difference and is a valuable ideal for the future.

Change Detection Techniques of Remote Sensing Imageries

Change Detection Techniques of Remote Sensing Imageries 1.1 Introduction Over the past years, academics have suggested enormous numbers of change detection techniques of remote sensing imageries and classified them from a different point of views [ 28 ]. These techniques depend on the assumption of spatial independence among pixels. This assumption is valid only for low, medium and high-resolution images but insufficient for VHR images [ 1 ]. This chapter presents the concept, implementation, and assessment of seven change detection techniques using low, medium and high-resolution ORSI. The rest of this chapter is organized into eight sections. Section 3.2 presents a brief description of the study areas. Section 3.3 describes the dataset characteristics of the study areas (Sharm El-Sheikh city and Mahalla al-kubra city – Egypt). Section 3.4 presents the pre-processing performed on the image dataset before change detection process. Section 3.5 provides the accuracy assessment measures used for evaluation of the change detectio n process. Section 3.6 illustrates the concepts of the selected seven change detection techniques . These techniques are post-classification, direct multi-date classification (DMDC), image differencing (ID), image rationing (IR), image symmetric relative difference (ISRD), change vector analysis (CVA), and principal component differencing (PCD). Section 3.7 presents the experimental work. It explains the Implementation and accuracy assessment of applying the selected change detection techniques on an image dataset of Sharm El-Sheikh city- Egypt. Section 3.8 presents the application of â€Å"post-classification† change detection technique on an image dataset of El-Mahalla El-kubra City-Egypt to detect the urban expansion over the agricultural area through the period from 2010 to 2015. Finally, section 3.9 gives the chapter summary. 1.2 The study areas In this chapter, two study areas are selected for the application of the selected change detection techniques. The first area is a part of Sharm el-Sheikh city. It is located on the southern landfill of the Sinai Peninsula, in the South Sinai Governorate, Egypt, on the coastal bar along the Red Sea as shown in figure (3.1). Its population is approximately 73,000 as of 2015 [ 62 ]. Sharm El Sheikh is the administrative hub of Egypt’s South Sinai Governorate, which includes the smaller coastal towns of Dahab and Nuweiba as well as the mountainous interior, St. Catherine and Mount Sinai. Today the city is a holiday resort and significant center for tourism in Egypt. The selected area is about 12.5 Km 2 . The second study area is a village belongs to El Mahalla El Kubra city. El Mahalla El Kubra is a large industrial and agricultural city in Egypt, located in the middle of the Nile Delta on the western bank of the Damietta Branch tributary, as shown in figure (3.2). The city is known for its textile industry. It is the largest city of the Gharbia Governorate and the second largest in the Nile Delta [ 63 ]. The selected area is about 38 Km 2 . 1.3 Images datasets of the study areas In this chapter, two datasets are used. The first dataset consists of two images of Sham el-Sheikh city acquired by Landsat 7 at 2000 and 2010 respectively as shown in figure (3.3). Area of the image lies between Lat. 28 0 37.0091 N, Lon. 34 17 56.3381 E and Lat.   27 57 20.8804 N, Lon. 34 24 43.6080 E. Table (3.1) summarizes the characteristic of these images. Table (3.1 )   Characteristic of Sham el-Sheikh dataset No Spatial resolution Radiometric resolution Number of bands Acquisition date Size [pixels] Area [km 2 ] Width Height 1 30 m 8 bits 3 2000 382 364 12.5143 2 30 m 8 bits 3 2010 382 364 12.5143 (a) (b) Fig (3.3 ) Dataset of Sharm el-Sheikh city- Egypt acquired by Landsat 7 at (a) image acquired at 2000 and the (b) image acquired at 2010. Figure (3.4) illustrates the second dataset of a village belongs to EL Mahalla al-Kubra city in Egypt. It consists of two images acquired in 2010 and 2015. It is taken by El-Shayal Smart web online Software that could acquire Satellite images from Google Earth. The image area lies between Lat. 30 57 46.9032 N, Lon. 31 14 35.4776E and Lat. 30 54 47.00 N, Lon. 31 18 19.98. Table (3.2) summarizes the characteristic of this dataset. (a) (b) Fig ( 3.4 ) Dataset of EL mahalla al-kubra city- Egypt ( Google Earth) (a) image acquired at 2010 and (b) image acquired at 2015. Table (3.2 )   Characteristic of EL mahalla al-kubra dataset No Spatial resolution Radiometric resolution Number of bands Acquisition date Size [pixels] Area [km 2 ] Width Height 1 6 m 8 bits 3 2010 1056 1007 38.2821 2 6 m 8 bits 3 2015 1056 1007 38.2821 1.4 Image Pre-processing for Change Detection Before change detection process, it is usually necessary to carry out the radiometric correction and image registration for the dataset used [ 64 ].   In sections 3.4.1and 3.4.2, the concept of radiometric and image registration are described. The execution of preprocessing on the dataset used is given in section 3.7.2. 1.4.1 Radiometric correction Radiometric conditions are influenced by many factors such as different imaging seasons or dates, different solar altitudes, different view angles, different meteorologic conditions and different cover areas of cloud, rain or snow etc. It may affect the accuracy of most change detection techniques. Radiometric correction is performed to remove or reduce the inconsistency between the values surveyed by sensors and the spe ctral reflectivity and spectral radiation brightness of the objects, which encompasses absolute radiometric correction and relative radiometric correction [ 26 ]. Absolute radiometric correction It mainly rectifies the radiation distortion that is irrelevant to the radiation features of the object surface and is caused by the state of sensors, solar illumination, and dispersion and absorption of atmospheric etc. The typical methods mainly consist of adjusting the radiation value to the standard value with the transmission code of atmospheric radiation, adjusting the radiation value to the standard value with spectral curves in the lab, adjusting the radiation value to the standard value with dark object and transmission code of radiation, rectifying the scene by removing the dark objects and so on. Due to the fact that it is expensive and impractical to survey the atmospheric parameter and ground objects of the current data, and almost impossible to survey that of the histor ical data, it is difficult to implement absolute radiometric correction in most situations in reality. Relative radiometric correction In a relative radiometric correction, an image is regarded as a reference image. Then adjust the radiation features of another image to make it match with the former one. Main methods consist of correction by histogram regularization and correction with fixed object. This kind of correction can remove or reduce the effects of atmosphere, sensor, and other noises. In addition, it has a simple algorithm. So it has been widely used. The radiation algorithms that are most frequently used at present in the preprocessing of change detection mainly consists of image regression method, pseudo-invariant features,   dark set and bright set normalization, no-change set radiometric normalization, histogram matching, second simulation of the satellite signal in the solar spectrum and so on. It should be pointed that radiometric correction isn’t n ecessary for all change detection methods. Although some scholars hold that radiometric corrections are necessary for multi-sensor land cover change analysis Leonardo studies at 2006 have shown that if the obtained spectral signal comes from the images to be classified, it is unnecessary to conduct atmospheric correction before the change detection of post-classification comparison. For those change detection algorithms based on feature, object comparison, radiometric correction is often unnecessary [ 64 ]. 1.4.2 Image registration Precise registration to the multi-temporal imageries is essential for numerous change detection techniques. The importance of precise spatial registration of multi-temporal imagery is understandable because generally spurious results of change detection will be formed if there is misregistration. If great registration accuracy isn’t available, a great deal of false change area in the scene will be caused by image displacement. It is commonly approved that the geometrical registration accuracy of the sub-pixel level is recognized. It can be seen that the geometrical registration accuracy of the sub-pixel level is necessary to change detection. However, it is doubtful whether this result is suitable for all registration data sources and all detected objects and if suitable how much it is. Another problem is whether this result has no influence on all change detection techniques and applications and if there is any influence how much it is. These Problems are worth to be studied further. On the other hand, it is difficult to implement high accuracy registration between multi-temporal especially multi-sensor remote sensing images due to many factors, such as imaging models, imaging angles and conditions, curvature and rotation of the earth and so on. Especially in the mountainous region and urban area, general image registration methods are ineffective and orthorectification is needed. Although geometrical registration of h igh accuracy is necessary to techniques used for low, medium and high resolution (like image differencing techniques and post-classification), it is unnecessary for all change detection t. For the feature-based change detection methods like object-based change detection method, the so-called buffer detection procedure can be employed to associate the extracted objects or features and in this manner, the harsh prerequisite of perfect registration can be escaped [ 65 ]. However, these methods neglect the key problem of the distinction between radiometric and semantic changes. So, it does not address the problem of change detection from a general perspective. It just focuses on specific applications relevant to the end user [ 1 ]. 1.5 Accuracy Assessment used for Change Detection Process evaluation The accuracy of change detection depends on many factors, including precise geometric registration and calibration or normalization, availability and quality of ground reference data, t he complexity of landscape and environment, methods or algorithms used, the analyst’s skills and experience, and time and cost restrictions.   Authors in [ 66 ] summarized the main errors in change detection including errors in data (e.g. image resolution, accuracy of location and image quality), errors caused by pre-processing (the accuracy of geometric correction and radiometric correction), errors caused by change detection methods and processes (e.g. classification and data extraction error), errors in field survey (e.g. accuracy of ground reference) and errors caused by post-processing. Accuracy assessment techniques in change detection originate from those of remote sensing images classification. It is natural to extend the accuracy assessment techniques for processing single time image to that of bi-temporal or multi-temporal images. Among various assessment techniques, the most efficient and widely-used is the error matrix [ 26 ]. It describes the comparison or cr oss-tabulation of the classified land cover to the actual land cover revealed by the sample sites results in an error matrix as demonstrated in the table (3.3). It can be called a confusion matrix, contingency table [ 67 ], evaluation matrix [ 68 ] or misclassification matrix [ 69 ]. Different measures and statistics can be derived from the values in an error matrix. These measures are used to evaluate the change detection process. These measures are overall accuracy, procedures accuracy and user accuracy [ 70 ]. Overall accuracy of the change map It presents the ratio of the total number of correctly classified pixels to the total number of pixels in the matrix. This figure is normally expressed as a percentage. It can be expressed as follows: The overall accuracy =   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (3.1) User’s accuracy (column accuracy) It is a measure of the reliability of change map generated fro m a CD process. It is a statistic that can tell the user of the map what percentage of a class corresponds to the ground-truthed class. It is calculated by dividing the number of correct pixels for a class by the total pixels assigned to that class. The user accuracy =   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (3.2) Producer’s accuracy (raw accuracy) It is a measure of the accuracy of a particular classification scheme. It shows what percentage of a particular ground class was correctly classified. It is calculated by dividing the number of correct pixels for a class by the actual number of ground truth pixels for that class. The procedure accuracy =   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (3.3) Table ( 3 . 3 ) Change error matrix or confusion matrix. Classified land cover Actual land cover Class1 = change Class2 = no change Class1 = change Correct False Class2 = no change False Correct 1.6 Concepts of the selected change detection techniques Seven LULC change detection techniques are selected to be implemented on our dataset. These techniques are post-classification, direct multi-date classification ( DMDC ), image differencing (ID), image rationing (IR), image symmetric relative difference (ISRD), change vector analysis (CVA), and principal component differencing (PCD). Image differencing Itis based on the subtraction of two spatially registered imageries, pixel by pixel, as follows: ID =X i (t 2 ) – X i (t 1 )  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (3.4) Where: X represents the multispectral images with I (number of bands) acquired at two different times t 1 and t 2 . The pixel s of changed area are predictable to be scattered in the two ends of the histogram of the resulting image (change map), and the no changed area is grouped around zero as shown in figure (3.5). This simple manner easily infers the resulting image; conversely, it is vital to properly describe the thresholds to perceive the change from non-change regions [ 71 ] . Image Rationing It is similar to image differencing method. The only difference between them is the replacement of the differencing images by rationed images [ 71 ].

Unit 2 Bus Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 2 Bus - Assignment Example This is useful in enhancing a student’s problem solving skills and allows them to engage in relevant and related discussions with classmates and professors (Ronstadt, 2004). For the purpose of paper I will write on the additional insight gained in relation to Hill and Jones book, specifically analyzing a case study. According to Hill & Jones, a case study offers a suitable way to examine how a companys past policy and configuration influence it in the present and to chart the critical incidents in its history that is, the events that were the most unusual or the most vital for its development into the company it is at present (2013). Some of the events have to do with its naissance, how it makes new product market decisions, and its initial products. It could also revolve around how it developed and chose functional strong points to pursue. Its shifts in its main lines of business and entrance into new businesses are also important milestones to consider. Identifying the companys internal strengths and weaknesses is also important because once the historical outline is completed; one can commence to the SWOT analysis. It is necessary to use all the incidents that have been charted to come up with an report of the companys strengths and weaknesses as they have unfolded historically (Ronstadt, 2004). An important aspect of case analysis is to examine each of the value creation functions of the company, and identify the functions in which the company is currently strong and currently weak. Some companies might be weak in promotion; some might be strong in research and development. A case analysis makes lists of these strengths and weaknesses (Hill & Jones, 2013). A case analysis also makes use of financial ratios for the purpose of financial analysis. According to Hill and Jones, a quality case analysis is that which offers a well thought analysis of the