Thursday, November 28, 2019

4 Ways to Handle Missing Images on a Website ... #Beginner-Friendly

If you have a website where you add content frequently, there is a possibility that over time, some of your websites images will go missing. This post will help you handle missing images to avoid negatively impacting your sites user experience.Why might images go missing on your website? There can be several reasons for this:It is possible that images are deleted from their original locationOver time, images may have been renamed or moved to a different locationImages may also become corrupt, which prevents them from displaying correctly on the browserThey may undergo changes in permissions: for instance, viewing may be restricted to a certain number of users What missing images look like in web browsersAn example of a missing image in Chrome (on the right)Although each browser handles things slightly differently, browsers generally show some type of broken image icon.Beyond just generally looking bad, this broken image can also mess up the layout of your page because the broken imag e icon is usually smaller than your original image.If the missing image was the background of an element, the structure of the page should not be altered. However, a missing background image could lead to reduced contrast or visibility of foreground text and other elements, thereby leading to inconvenience for the visitor and hurting your websites accessibility.Four ways to better handle missing images on your websiteWhile you probably never intended to include missing images in your websites content, it will almost certainly happen at some point or another due to the reasons listed above.To help mitigate the negative consequences of that happening, there are a few different strategies that you can employ, which Ill cover below.1. Use alt  and  title attributes in the img tagOne big problem with missing images is that the reader has no idea what the missing image was supposed to communicate, which can lead to problems with comprehension on your site. A simple fix for this is to make use of the image attributes for alt text and title.Image alt text has two main functions:It displays if the image is missing (like the example shown above) or if a users browser is set to not display images.If someone is visually impaired and using a screen reader, the screen reader will read the alt text aloud.So even if the visitor cant see your picture, they can still know exactly what it was meant to communicate if you use descriptive alt text.In addition to adding image alt text, you should put relevant text in the title  attribute, too. If one hovers over an image, their browser will show the text within the title  attribute in a tooltip. In most cases, both these attributes will have the same textual content.To add or edit the title attribute and image alt text on WordPress, you can use the  Attachment Details sidebar in the WordPress Media Library:2. Use the  onerror attribute in the img tagBeyond adding text, another thing that you might want to do is show a pl aceholder image in case an image goes missing. To do that, you can use a one-line solution which you can implement in the HTML for your image with the  onerror  attribute.img src="original-image.jpg" onerror="this.onerror=null;this.src='default-image.jpg';" In case the original image is inaccessible and throws an error, the code within theonerror attribute changes the src  tag of the image with the location of the default image.This method only works for regular images in your content and will  not work for background images.If youre using WordPress, youll need to manually add the  onerror  attribute using the code editing functionality of the WordPress editor:Classic editor use the  Text  tab.Block editor (AKA Gutenberg) use the drop-down in the top right to access the  Code Editor.To use this code, replace  default-image.jpg  with the link to the actual image that you want to use (e.g. a default placeholder image).3. Use a third-party serviceSome image optimization services have an option to serve a default image in case an image is missing.For instance, ImageKit  has a simple solution for serving default images in case the original image does not exist. This works a lot like the onerror  attribute method from above.With ImageKit, the  di-  parameter lets you specify a placeholder image that will be delivered in case the original image is not available.However, unlike the  onerror  attribute, youll add the  di-  parameter directly to the image  src="". Heres what it looks like:!-- Specifying the default image to be displayed in the URL -- img src="https://ik.imagekit.io/demo/img/tr:di-default-image.jpg/original-image.jpg" / Like the  onerror  attribute, this will  not work for background images, though.A third-party service can also help you prevent missing images in the first place by helping you deliver images more reliably. For example, the Optimole WordPress image optimization plugin serves images through its own content delivery network (CDN), which might be more reliable than your hosting server.4. Serve default image through your server for missing imagesLet us now look at a solution that could potentially replace any image with a default image using your sites .htaccess file.This method will only work if you host and serve images from your own server (that is, you arent using a third-party image optimization service that serves images for you).This method is a bit more advanced, so we dont recommend doing this unless you have some technical knowledge.Essentially, you need to:Create a   .htaccess file on the root directory of your web server, if it does not exist already.Check for image r equests, which typically end with the image file extension (you may add more extensions if required).Serve a default image if the requested file does not exist.âš  Ã¯ ¸  Whenever you edit your sites htaccess file, you should always make a backup first.Heres an example of the code snippet that youll need to add to your .htaccess file. Replace  /default-image.jpg  with the actual URL to the placeholder image that you want to use:RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} .(gif|jpe?g|png)$ [NC] RewriteRule .* /default-image.jpg [L] If youre not sure how to edit your  .htaccess  file, you can follow the steps in our guide on how to prevent hotlinking of images.Final thoughtsThough you never set out to have missing images on your site, they can still happen for a variety of reasons. The four approaches above can help make sure your sites visitors still have a good experience even if they do encounter missing images.No matter what, you should always add image alt text and a title. Beyond making sure theres fallback text, this also makes your site more accessible to visually impaired visitors, which is a good thing by itself.Then, you can also consider using the  onerror attribute to specify a fallback image. Some third-party image optimization services like ImageKit also let you specify a fallback image in a similar way.Or, if you feel comfortable editing your sites  .htaccess file, you can specify a global placeholder image for missing images at the server level. Again, we dont recommend this method to complete beginners, though.Beyond these specific methods, you should also follow some best practices to minimize the chances that visitors encounter missing images in the first place. Best practices likeChecking your posts regularly and cleaning up images that do not exist.Checking if you moved any images or group of images to a different location on your server.Using relative paths to images on your server.Checking if the web server has the right permissions to view the image.Do you have any other questions about how to fix missing images on your website? Let us know in the comments and well try to help! Missing images on your #WordPress #website? Here's how to handle them better

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Should I Waive My Right to Review Recommendation Letters

Should I Waive My Right to Review Recommendation Letters SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Short answer: yes. Long answer: there's no need to worry about checking "yes" and waiving your right to see your letters of recommendation on the FERPA waiver section of your college applications. This article will explain exactly what FERPA is, why you're being asked to waive it, and how it impacts your letters of recommendations. To be honest, the FERPA waiver willprobably be the easiest part of filling out your college applications! What is FERPA? The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), otherwise known as the Buckley Amendment, was passed to protect the privacy of students' educational records. It gives parents and students who are 18 years and older the right to access their records. It also requires that parents or eligible students give permission before their information is released to a third party, except in special circumstances like transferring schools or a health emergency. Since most students who enroll in college are 18 or older, FERPA gives them the right to request access to their letters of recommendation, wherever they might be stored along with the rest of theirapplication materials. I like to picture all the applications of years past stored somewhere like the Hall of Prophecies in Harry Potter, except the endless shelves are filled with files instead of shiny glass orbs. There'sonecaveat to your FERPA-given right of access: youcan only access yourrecommendation letters after you've gotten your admission letter of acceptance and chosen to enrollin a college. If youwere rejected from or chose not to go to a certain school, then youwon't be able to get yourhands on those letters. Note how I said that FERPA gives youthe right to access your letters of recommendation AFTER youenroll at a college. It really doesn't have anything to do with getting to read your letters before your recommenders send them. Some recommenders will let you see them, while others will keep them confidential. The general assumption around reference letters is that they are confidential - this seems more honest in the eyes of admissions officers. Whether or not you see the letters before they're sent is not really what FERPA's about, when you get down to the specifics of it. On the Common Application (or whatever application you're using), you'll be asked whether or not you want to waive your right to access your rec letters. Read on for a preview of what you'll see. Harry Potter and the Chamber of College Applications Waiver of Access (FERPA) on the Common Application Once you add a college to your Common Application, you'll see a tab show up to invite your recommender(s). Before you send those invites, you'll be prompted to read about your waiver of access and select a response.This is what you'll see: "Waiver of Access (FERPA) Under the terms of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), you can review letters of recommendation and accompanying forms after you enroll at a postsecondary institution and only if that institution saves the documents post-enrollment. Why should you consider waiving your right of access? Waiving your right lets colleges know that you will never try to read your recommendations. That in turn reassures colleges that your recommenders have provided support that is candid and truthful. While you are free to respond as you wish, if you choose not to waive your right, some recommenders may decline your request, and some colleges may disregard letters submitted on your behalf. Remember, even if you retain your right of access, you still won't be able to view any recommendations until after you have been admitted to and enrolled in a college. In other words, FERPA does not give you the right to inspect recommendations before they are sent to your colleges. After you make your selection, you will be able to invite your counselor and recommenders. Once you make the first invitation, you will not be able to change your response to the waiver question. To ensure that you fully understand the implications of your selection, we urge you not to answer the waiver question until you have consulted with your guidance counselor or another school official. For more information on FERPA follow this link: ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html" Source: The Common Application Sounds like serious stuff. In reality, it's pretty straightforward. FERPA lets you request access to your recommendation letters after getting in and enrolling in a school. By that point, months after you've applied, done the requisite period ofnervous waiting, received the thick envelope and decided on a school, you probably aren't thinking about cracking into your admissions file to read exactly what Mr. Smith said about you back in December of senior year. You got in, so the rec letters had to have been pretty complimentary. Again, note that FERPA does not give you the right to see your letters of recommendations before they are sent. In the academic world, recommendation letters tend to be kept confidential. Your teacher or counselor may show you the letter and ask for your feedback or revisions, but this depends on the person. Even if you're burning with curiosity, you shouldn't pressure your recommenders to show you the letter. It could indicate that you don't trust them to provide you with a strong letter - and, if that's the case, you shouldn't choose them in the first place! Since you can only respond to the waiver question on the Common App once, let's go over exactly why it's a good idea to waive access. "Waive" goodbye to FERPA - you don't need it this time. Why It's a Good Idea to Waive Your FERPA Right As I mentioned above, the typical expectation for letters of recommendation in college admissions is that they are keptconfidential. Admissions officers give most weight to letters that provide an honest and qualified assessment of the applicant. If you don't waive your FERPA right, you could accidentally signal to admissions officers that you don't trust your recommender or that the recommendation is less candid or genuine. Your recommender might also get the subtle message that you don't trust him or her. The knowledge that you'll see the letter at some point in the future might cause your recommender to write a more generic letter, and thus be less powerful and effective in support of your candidacy. You won't be penalized for your response, but it's risky to check "no" since you don't know how admissions officers or your recommenders will interpret it. If you still feel uneasy about waiving your FERPA right, keep reading. In the next section, I'll explain why there's no need to worry about your recommendation letters, even if you never get the chance to read them. Keep your recommenders inside the circle of trust. No Need to Worry About Recommendation Letters... Perhaps easier said than done, but you really shouldn't stress about your letters of recommendation. Your teachers and counselor are there to help you - in fact, it's literally their job. They want to advocate for you and help you further your education. When you ask for a recommendation, you should ask your teachers if they can provide you with astrong letter of support. If they seem hesitant at all, then thank them for their time and ask somebody else. As long as you're thoughtful about choosing people with whom you have good relationships and who can write an insightful letter about you, then you don't have to worry about leaving the rest up to them. Apart from choosing recommenders who know you well, you can also have some say into shaping what goes into the letter. Most schools will give you a "brag sheet" where you can remind your recommenders of your interests, motivations, and goals. You and your parents can describe some significant experiences you've had or challenges you've overcome to help your recommenders make the strongest letter they can. So even if the letter stays confidential, you'll still have some sense of what likely went into it. At this point, hopefully you have a better sense of what the FERPA waiver is all about and why it's in your best interest to go ahead and agree to the waiver. Or maybe you've scrolled down to this point, thinking "too long; didn't read." Either way, you're in luck! Below are the key points I wanted to make, distilled into bullet points for your reading pleasure. Key Points About the FERPA Waiver The FERPA waiver only waives your right to access your recommendation letters after you've been accepted to and enrolled in a college. It's common practice for recommendation letters to be kept confidential in admissions procedures. Your recommenders may still let you see their letters before they send them - that's totally up to them. As long as you're thoughtful about choosing recommenders who are supportive and know you well (and help them out with a detailed brag sheet), you can rest easy knowing your recommenders want to support you and help you get into college. The FERPA waiver is probably the easiest part of your application. Just go ahead and click yes! What's Next? While the FERPA waiver's easy, the rest of your application can get a bit more complicated. Read all about how to build a versatile college application that showcases your strengths and makes you stand out among the competition. Is it that time of year when you're thinking about requesting letters of recommendation? This article breaks down how to request a letter of recommendation, step by step (coming soon). Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Market Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Market Research - Assignment Example n relation among the government of Brazil and other nations and international organizations supports the possibility of having exports and imports hence international trade. There has been a recorded growth of domestic economy as a result of trade enhancement by the government. Relative political stability has been experienced in the region for the past few years. This gives hope for a more stable economy now and in the future. The fact that passengers vehicle are imported in larger numbers compared to other parts, it would be an advantage exporting motor vehicle parts and complete motor vehicles. The other advantage includes partnership in importation which is favorable for the trade on cars with them. An overview of the economic situation was provided Global EDGE business review (2012) and there are regulations and codes of trade which must be followed while trading in Brazil. There is also a global review on operational modes in the country. The codes include civil agreements as related to the judicial system. The module on the other hand provides information about business opportunities in the country. These factors have effects on the cost of carrying out business in the country. This relates to taxes and levies including Amazon rainforest information. Has developing countries and still developing hence faces challenges. It has natural resources which are typically underutilized. It records as one of the first test growing economies in the world. Other emerging technologies have been embraced by the nation where information technology is the order of the day. There has been offshore drilling which supplement oil supply in the nation. The government runs half of this as half is done by the private sector. A poor infrastructure is one of the challenges faced by the country. Corruption is also eating up the economy as lack of technology in some sectors take center stage. Preference of local companies discourages investments. Taxations levied on imports kills

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Final exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Final exam - Assignment Example The people in power do not have to be favored by the laws in the community, but the laws should support all. A community that practices justice and instills knowledge to its citizens will prosper, unlike a community, which does not. Knowledge is the key to good and outstanding leadership because knowledge carries with it all the right virtues. Protagoras is very communitarian and anti-individual. He argues in the case of justice that to live together we must act politically, respect others, realize our compulsion to others and act justly. The harmony of all this things will only be achieved by education. Political and social skills need to be taught to uphold justice and ethics. If a city decides an issue to be just and okay, then the facts are just and fine for it, so long as it reserves the opinions. Cicero in his time focused mostly on defending the Roman Republic. Democracy is seen in a community when justice is agreed upon jointly. Protagoras responds by giving a lengthy speech about the creation of the world. He states that indeed virtue is teachable since political systems believe that all citizens can have virtue. Likewise, criminal justice systems are based on the view that citizens can be reformed or taught to be virtuous. It is hard to be good, but it is also impossible to be good all the time. This is because human beings are forced to behave badly by some circumstances in life. This situation implies to ignorance as shown by Protagoras. He states that the only evil is a lack of knowledge and behave badly while knowing what is good. Protagoras has accepted that wisdom, restraint, justice, courage and sanctity all mean virtue and morality are other names for knowledge. This means that virtue can be taught. Platos’ philosophical ideas about justice were intelligible, static matter, accessible to the mind and not to the senses. His ideas provide the lone dependable standard for knowledge and good judgment. A person

Monday, November 18, 2019

Are laws that protect us from our own dangerous behaviors (such seat Essay

Are laws that protect us from our own dangerous behaviors (such seat belt or helmet) morally acceptable - Essay Example Controversies over the laws which are basically designed for protecting people from dangerous behavior are problems of paternalism. Paternalism is interference in people’s freedom though it is for their own good. It is like a father making decisions for his kids instead of letting the kids make decisions for them, considering one important thing that father knows best. Wide range and variety of laws, practices and actions are taken into account which is under the principles of paternalism. More like a doctor or physician deciding what is best for his patients and the laws which are designed to restrict the use of cocaine, marijuana, heroin and other drugs. Such plans also include compulsory retirement plans, mandatory seatbelt laws which are designed to protect one’s interest whether they are liked by the people or people detest them. All these paternalistic practices are common, but the question is whether these practices are morally accepted or not. There is conflict of two important values attached with paternalism which include the value is taken into account for protecting and also promoting well being of others, along with the value which is associated with the freedom of persons which make their lead their life according to their wish and choice. When the people are ready to act in certain ways oppose to their own well being and security , an important question arises that are the laws justified which interfere in people’s private choices and matters. This is what leads to the problem of paternalism. There is a majority who would agree that paternalism becomes a justified thing when it is about a person who has limited and also impaired freedom of choices whether the cause of this is limited cognitive capacities or even the ignorance of facts, effects of a disease, influence of drugs and another reason can be due to coercion. Paternalism varies depending on the person, their emotional stability and behavior along with the capacity to understand and know what is best for them. According to many moral philosophers, a competent and a knowledgeable person should be allowed to make decisions freely and they should not be over ridden, though they are for their own person’s good. There was a case voiced by John Stuart Mill who was a British philosopher during the nineteenth century, according to him the only reason due to implement and make laws for the citizens and people of civilized community is to prevent problems and harm to others. Will of one’s own being is not enough physically and even morally. The laws are made for a collective society and laws which are beneficial and important for protecting the society over all. According to Mill, it was important to provide freedom as it is important and crucial for people’s individual personality development. Along with that people should be given a free hand for making choices they wish and like even if the choices are not the best ones. All these individual choices creates ability for people to make decisions and their decision making power will only improve their practices and experiences. Another important view which he holds was that individuals are the best judge for

Friday, November 15, 2019

Causes of Unemployment in the 1980s

Causes of Unemployment in the 1980s Why did mass unemployment return to Britain during the 1980s  and 1990s? What were the implications for the unemployed? Introduction Margaret Thatcher came to power following the infamous ‘winter of discontent’ in 1978-9. Once in power the Tory Government’s debates were largely concerned with a free market economy versus the welfare state. Margaret Thatcher was influenced by the thought of the American Charles Murray (1984) who believed that current welfare provision was untenable, it undermined the work ethic and encouraged a culture of dependency. This idea was soon taken on board by the government who had already introduced measures that would roll back the welfare state and control spending. They did this by introducing marketing concepts and business strategies into policy making. They also began an intense process of privatization because it was thought that public ownership of companies, and the public sector in general undermined market forces. Giddens (2001) says that: †¦the momentum of Thatcherism in economic matters was maintained by the privatising of public companies†¦..(this)..is held to reintroduce healthy economic competition in place of unwieldy and ineffective public bureaucracies, reduce public expenditure and end political interference in managerial decisions (Giddens, 2001:434). This paper will look the post-war welfare state and the high employment levels of the 1950s and ‘60s. It will then look at the rising unemployment of the 1970s and the Conservative Government’s introduction of market principles, their roll-back of the welfare state, and the increased privatization of the public sector. Finally it will consider why mass unemployment returned to Britain during the 1980s and 1990s. The paper will also look at how changes in the benefits system as well as changes in employment law affected those at the lower end of society. Post-War Welfare Reform From the 1930s onwards governments were heavily influenced by what is known as Keynesian economics, that is an economic system based on the thought of the economist John Milton Keynes. Keynes held that the surplus that arose in times of plenty would support leaner economic times so that everyone in society benefited. Post-War welfare reform was basically a war on poverty and was based on a vision of full employment and a social contract between the Government and the members of society each of whom had equal responsibility for their welfare. The system grew out of the thinking of the economist John Milton Keynes. This was known as universal welfare provision and it meant that the state was involved at all levels of people’s lieves (Moore, 2002)..National Insurance was introduced in 1908 and was intended to give aid during periods of unemployment and to provide medical treatment in return for contributions that were deducted from people’s wages. Further Acts were introduced in 1945 and 1946. Beveridge argued that they gave insufficient cover and were not available to enough people so he extended them for more claimants and more conditions. The new amendments meant that National Insurance covered as many people and conditions as possible it was meant to be fully comprehensive and base d on flat rate contributions, i.e. everyone paid the same. In 1948 the Government introduced National Assistance.. National Assistance was seen as a benefit of being a UK citizen. When this was introduced Beveridge believed that payments under this scheme would be small and also that the demand for them would decrease as the health of the nation (with the instigation of the National Health Service in 1948) increased. National Assistance was based on the needs and means of individual claimants and was thus a means tested benefit (Moore, 2002). The post-war government also introduced a system of benefits for couples with children in the Family Allowances Act of 1945, this later (1975) became known as Child Benefit which replaced family allowance and tax benefits for families with children. It was payable to all families for each child. One of the problems faced by Government after the introduction of the Health Service was that it was completely free and as people received better treatment and their health improved they required more and better health treatments. This was contrary to what government had envisioned and was proving increasingly more expensive. By the 1950s the Government were forced to introduce some charges for dentistry, spectacles and prescriptions to ease the burden this placed on the tax system (Marsh et al, 2000).. Employment at this time was relatively high but the demands on the system had been a lot higher than the government had anticipated, and tax revenues were not sufficient to continue meeting the full cost. The Welfare state and the economic thinking behind it were seen as being able to reconcile the needs of economic growth with the needs and aspirations of the working population. Under this system it was argued that economic activity could be managed by government borrowing and spend ing based on rises and dips in economic development which could be ironed out to ensure continuous high employment and economic growth. Problems with Welfarism As Britain rebuilt its economy after the war this seemed credible, there was lots of employment. Employment was at such a high peak that there were more jobs to go round than there were people to do them and in 1948 the Government introduced the Immigration Act to encourage people from the commonwealth to come to Britain and work. In Post-War Britain the major political parties were in general agreement over the use of Keynesian economics this agreement involved: A commitment to full employment and an extensive welfare programme; the existence of a mixed economy, with a significant role for the public sector; and the use of Keynesian Demand-management techniques to steer the economy†¦the experiences of war had been critical in cementing the collectivist consensus-it was thought that government had the capacity to realise wider social objectives on which most agreed (Hayes, 1994:58). During the 1950s and the early 1960s employment was high and in 1959 the then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was telling the country that they had never had it so good. Between 1948 and 1966 the unemployment rate was estimated at 2% of the population.[1] This did not last and by the mid 1960s concerns about the future of full employment were aired. Harold Wilson and the Labour Governments came to power in 1964 and unemployment began to rise, by the end of their office in 1970 unemployment had reached half a million. Labour and Conservative governments struggled to control rising rates of unemployment during the 1970s which were now pushing the million mark. The post-war welfare state claimed to be based upon the idea of universal provision. That is to say that everyone in a certain category would receive a given benefit rather than having to prove their entitlement by means testing. In reality even in the early days of the welfare state few provisions were truly universal because mo st of them were means tested (Moore et al, 2002). Post-War politicians believed at the time that they could eradicate poverty. Poverty, it is argued, stems from the idea that modern society produces people who are victims, the unemployed, the disabled, and those who suffer from long term illness. The duty of the state is to look after such people (Giddens, 2001). Many commentators however are of the opinion that the welfare state failed to deliver its promises. Alcock (1994) has argued that while the post-war welfare state may not have been successful it had attempted to bring about equality in society. He maintains that the Conservative Government that was in power from 1979-1997 arguably actively pursued policies that created greater inequalities. New Right Thinking and the Thatcher Government In Thatcher’s Government discourse revolved around the notion that the introduction of market mechanisms would result in a more equitable system benefiting all. There was a firm belief that market principles should be applied in all areas of policy making. Thus Geoffrey Howe stated that government policy was: †¦built on the emerging analysis of previous decades by taking markets as the key tool for disengaging the state from its political over-strength. Markets to determine the value of labour. Markets to determine prices and investment. Markets to allocate resources. Markets to offer incentives and rewards†¦markets to build prosperity.[2] Conservative and New Right thinking does not subscribe to the victims approach but believes that each individual is largely responsible for their own welfare. This approach is not really new, it dates back to the Elizabethan Poor Laws and especially to the reforms of that law in the 1830s. it argues that state services are not efficient and that welfare should be provided through the market, the family and charity. Thatcher’s Government believed in encouraging people to think for themselves. Given their views on markets the Government wanted to extend the scope of private enterprise in the economy and to introduce market principles into the public sector. Thatcher’s Government saw the health service as a drain on resources. Since its inception it had lurched from one catastrophe to another (Moore, 2002). In the 1980s the Government decided it might be more efficient if the Health Services were run according to business principles. They split it into two-purchasers and p roviders. Local authorities had a duty to find out local health needs and to purchase those from local hospitals and community health services. This was considered the best way of allocating Government resources because free markets were considered to be self organising and should therefore increase productivity and improve care while at the same time being cost efficient. Benefits Under the Conservatives The Government took a radical approach to benefit because they believed that the system had become wasteful and bureaucratic and actually discouraged people from working. Their aims were to cut back the bureaucracy, spend less on social security and target the most needy. This meant that under the Conservatives the eligibility criteria for social security and family credit was raised The 1980 Act tightened existing legislation and most earnings related supplementary benefits were abolished. 1986 Social Security Act introduced Income Support, intended for those with no entitlement to unemployment benefit, later partly replaced with jobseekers allowance, family credit and the social fund. This replaced the allowances which were given to help with bills or purchasing household necessities. The social fund was distributed at the discretion of DHSS staff. It was made as a loan which had to be repaid. The Government also changed the pensions scheme and introduced pensions that were paid at different rates according to what a person had earned SERPs. Child Benefit which was introduced by Labour in 1977 was frozen in the mid 80s to save money. Housing Benefit was also reduced and means tested. Under the Conservatives the wages of those at the lower end of the labour market began to fall at such a rate that eventually some people were earning less than they would have received had they been on benefits. This state of affairs had begun when Edward Heath was in power, and under him the Government introduced benefits such as the Family Credit system to subsidise wages (Deakin, 1994). Essentially family credit subsidized employers because it allowed them to pay lower and lower rates for the same job. This kind of policy making was reminiscent of the Poor Law where the poor were required to work for the poor relief that they received. This led to a distinction between the deserving and undeserving poor. In present day New Right thinking the undeserving poor are those on the dole who appear not to be actively seeking work, and young single mothers. The drop in pay was exacerbated under the Thatcher which eradicated the 1946 Fair Wages Resolution and Wages Councils that were desig ned to wipe out low pay (Hayes, 1994). As Gennard and Judge(2002) have noted, during the years of the Thatcher Government the bargaining power of employers was increased and it became less likely that any settlement would favour the interests of employees over that of an employer (by 1991 strikes had fallen to 369)[3]. Leat (2001) argues that during that time there was a reduction in legal protection for employees, less restriction on the freedom of employers, a reduction in trade union power, and thereby the interests of employees. The state under the Conservatives was operating to protect the interests of those who owned businesses, and as Marx argued these interests were protected in favour of the interests of the working class. The Conservative Government was on the side of the entrepreneurs and property owners and demonstrated their allegiance to the moneyed classes through tax incentives. For high earners income tax was reduced from 83% to 40%, corporation tax was reduced by 17% from 52 to 35% and the threshold on capital gains tax was raised. The effect of this was an increase in the balance of payments deficit and huge increases in the material inequalities in society (Hayes, 1994). This view is supported by Alcock (1994) who argues that the Conservative policies which lowered taxes and int roduced changes into social care and the benefits system resulted in greater unemployment, a rise in the number of homeless people, and a general growth in social inequality. Unemployment The world bank and the international monetary fund were seen as forward looking institutions in the 1950s. They had no input into government policy and they had no control over a country’s economic policies (George, S. 1999). By the late nineteen seventies Keynesian economic policies were no longer working largely due to the abolition of capital controls. Rising unemployment and inflation were matched by a corresponding drop in the market (Stigliz 2002). An unfettered market and increasing privatisation results in trade and market monopolies that disadvantage the consumer. Unemployment and social suffering are the result if there are not adequate safety nets. When economic downswings or depressions occur In 1976 there was an International Monetary fund crisis which meant that monetary restrictions had been imposed on the state and Britain’s welfare state was seen as problematic. During the nineteen eighties twenty nine percent of all tax relief was obtained by one percent of the population. A single person who earned half the national average saw their taxes go up by seven percent. Those earning ten times the average salary received tax reductions of twenty nine percent (George, 1999). The Conservatives launched a huge programme of privatisation. As a result of government efforts to privatise, between 1987 and 1994 the number of people employed in the public sector went from seven million to five million most of those jobs that were illiminated were unionised jobs. Between 1971 and 1981 the number of people in blue collar occupations went from 62% to 56% for men and 43 to 36% for women. Also in 1981 there were 700,000 fewer men in manufacturing work than there had been ten years previously (Giddens, 2001).Between 1985 and 1986 unemployment reached a peak and in both years it was estimated that 11.8% of the population were out of work (Sweeney and Macmahon, 1 998). The figures began to fall by the end of the 80s and in 1990 had dropped to 5.8% (ibid). They peaked again to 10.8% in January 1992 some of this is attributable to the increasing privatization under John Major, particularly when British Rail was privatized and sold off. It needs to be acknowledged that these statistics are not always reliable they are seasonally adjusted to take account of changes in the labour market. In some areas there was a tendency for people to be involved in informal paid work However, Pahl (1984) found that the unemployed in the Isle of Sheppey were no more likely to do this than those in formal employment. Between 1979 and 1987 the Government changed the way in which unemployment figures were calculated no fewer than 19 times. Most of which were intended to remove people from the unemployment register. The Conservatives introduced what became known as the New Vocationalism whereby youth training schemes and work placement opportunities were introduced. These were usually low level jobs or jobs that had no future but appeared to lower the unemployment figures, at least for a time. In 1988 young people under the age of 18 were no longer eligible for benefit which resulted in 90,000 being taken off the register. Nickell (2003) contends that since 1979 increased unemployment coupled with a rise in benefit payments and earnings that are index linked to prices rather than wages, resulted in a massive increase in the number of people in the UK who are living in relative poverty.[4] Between 1983 and 1990 when the two studies were undertaken the number of people living in poverty rose from 7.5 million to 11 million and those living in severe poverty (lacking more than 7 essential items eg. Heat, new clothes) from 2.6 to 3.5 million (Mack and Lansley, 1992). Hills (1998) work found that between 1979 and 1995 average incomes increased by 40% for the richest tenth of the population while the poorest tenth, after housing costs had a drop of 8%/. Hills also found that more than 80% of those who earned less than half the national average were non-pensioners. The New Right and New Labour In 1997 the Conservative Government was voted out. New Labour came into power and its New Deal promised a hand up not a hand out. The introduction of market forces by the Conservatives had the effect of excluding some people from mainstream society and led to the setting up by the present Government of the Social Exclusion Unit in 1997. The New Deal was designed to get people off welfare and back into work, often, regardless of their circumstances. The present Government have continued to build on the policies introduced by the Conservatives and it is here that theorists maintain there is a new consensus. Means testing has not only continued but increased Job seekers allowance is dependent on a person actively seeking work and Job Centres now have the powers to stop a person’s benefits if they are not seen to be pro-active in finding a job. Conclusion During the late 1990s there has been a further shift in employment. Marx saw the spread of factories and the concentration of the working class within those factories, in the second half of the twentieth century, however, he had not envisaged vast changes in the occupational structures of western society. While the proportion of manual workers has declined from 75% of the workforce to well below 50% there has also been a corresponding 25% growth in the number of non-manual and service workers. Since the advent of New Labour we have also witnessed a large increase in the number of private sector service jobs (Holborn and Langley, 2002).[5]There has also been a rise in the number of professionals in the workforce, during the 1990s this rose to 10% of the whole workforce, a number of these are married women who may have returned to their profession after a period away (Abbott and Wallace, 1997). Reeves argues that what Thatcher wanted to do was to alter social attitudes towards work and welfare and in this she succeeded (Reeves, 2004).[6] Bibliography Abbott, P and Wallace, C (1997) An Introduction to Sociology, Feminist Perspectives Routledge, London. Alcock, P. 1994 â€Å"Back to the Future: Victorian Values for the 21st Century† in Murray, C. 1994 Underclass: The Crisis Deepens London, IEA Alderson, P. 2000. Young Childrens Rights exploring beliefs, principles and practice. London, Jessica Kinglsey Ambrose, P. 2004. â€Å"Force, Fraud,or Good Will†Poverty (118 Summer) 2004 http://www.childpoverty.org.uk Beveridge, William (1944). Full Employment in a Free Society. London: Allen and Unwin Bilton et al. 1996. 3rd ed. Introducing Sociology. London, Macmillan. Blyton, P. and Turnbull, P. 1994. The Dynamics of Employee Relations. Basingstoke, Macmillan Breaking the Cycle http://www.socialexclusionunit.gov.uk Butler, A. 1993 â€Å"The end of post war consensus† Political Quarterly Vol 64 No. 4 pp 435-446 Deakin, N. 1994 The Politics of Welfare Hemel Hempstead, Harvester Wheatsheaf Evans,m E. 2004 Thather and Thatcherism London Routledge Gennard and Judge, 2002 3rd ed. Employee Relations London, CIPD Giddens, 2001. 4th ed. Sociology. Cambridge, Polity Press Giddens, A. et al 1994. The Polity Reader in Social Theory. Cambridge, Polity Press. Hall, S. and Gleben, B. eds. Formations of Modernity. Cambridge, Polity Press in association with the Open University Press. Haralambos,M. Holborn, M. and Heald, R.2000. 5th ed. Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. London, Harper Collins. Hayes, M 2004 The New Right in Britain: An Introduction to Theory and Practice London, Pluto Press Held,G.ed.1993. Prospects for Democracy. Cambridge, Polity Press. Hills, J.1998 Income and Wealth: the latest evidence. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Leat, M. 2001 Exploring Employee Relations. Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann Marsh, Keating and Eyre et al 2000 2nd ed. Sociology: Making Sense of Society Essex, Pearson Education Moore, S. Scourfield, P. Sinclair, S. Burch, S. and Wendon, B. 3rd ed. 2002 Social Welfare Alive Cheltenham, Nelson Thornes. Olssen, M. 2000 â€Å"Ethical liberalism, education and the New Right† Journal of Educational Policy Vol 15No. 5 2000 pps 481-508 Perrons, D. 2004. Globalisation and Social Change: People and Places in a Divided World. London, Taylor and Francis. Reeves, New Statesman Sept 27, 2004 v133 i4707 p42(4) reporting on the Labour Conference Sears, M 2001 â€Å"Welfare with or without the state: British Pluralists, American Progressives, and the Conditions of Social Justice† The European Legacy Vol 6 No. 2 pp. 201-213 2001 Walsh, I ed. 2000 Sociology: Making Sense of Society. Edinburgh, Prentice Hall. 1 Footnotes [1] Haralambos and Holborn 2000 [2] Geoffrey Howe The Guardian 1989 quoted in Hayes 1994:63 [3] Gennard and Judge ibid. [4] http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp0579.pdf Nickell, S. RES conference paper April 2003 [5] Figures adapted from p.8 2002 [6] Reeves New Statesman 27/9/04

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Endangered Species Legislation Essay -- CITES, Endangered Species Act

The latter half of the twentieth century was host to the greatest and most widespread advancements in environmental awareness in human history. It was during this time that people began to consider the effects of their polluting cars and their wasteful habits. People began to realize that something must be done to curb humans’ negative impacts on their surroundings and thus the environmental movement was born. One of the most important factors that resulted from this expansion of environmental consciousness occurring over the last several decades has been the protection of endangered species. Much has been done in the legal world to ensure the continued longevity of our planet’s diversity, including two major policies: CITES and the Endangered Species Act. Each of these policies has approached the welfare of endangered species in a different way, with varying degrees of success. Each strategy will be summarized and analyzed, beginning with the CITES treaty, as it was enacted before the Endangered Species Act. However, before examining the function and effectiveness of each strategy, it is important to understand the history behind each one of them. In 1966, Congress passed the Endangered Species Preservation Act, a piece of legislation designed to provide limited protection to a list of native animal species. The Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Defense were responsible for the protection of these species and the preservation of their habitats. It also allotted land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help maintain these natural habitats. In 1969, the Act was amended because further protection was necessary. With the threat of worldwide extinction, the amendment called for an international meeting and cha... ...es rather than the officials that manage them, but all things considered, these two policies go a long way to improving the problem of human-caused extinction. Works Cited Doremus, Holly, and Joel E. Pagel. "Why Listing May Be Forever: Perspectives on Delisting Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act." Conservation Biology, Vol. 15, No. 5 (Oct. 2001): 1258-68. Hemley, Ginette. "CITES: How Useful a Tool For Wildlife Conservation?" Wildlife Society Bulletin, Vol. 23, No. 4, Changes and Challenges in the Wildlife Profession (Winter, 1995): 635-39. "History and Evolution of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Including its Relationship to CITES." Fish and Wildlife Service. 1 May 2008. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2 Dec. 2008 . Reibstein, Rick. "Endangered Species Act." CAS GE 521, Boston, MA. 19 Nov. 2008. Endangered Species Legislation Essay -- CITES, Endangered Species Act The latter half of the twentieth century was host to the greatest and most widespread advancements in environmental awareness in human history. It was during this time that people began to consider the effects of their polluting cars and their wasteful habits. People began to realize that something must be done to curb humans’ negative impacts on their surroundings and thus the environmental movement was born. One of the most important factors that resulted from this expansion of environmental consciousness occurring over the last several decades has been the protection of endangered species. Much has been done in the legal world to ensure the continued longevity of our planet’s diversity, including two major policies: CITES and the Endangered Species Act. Each of these policies has approached the welfare of endangered species in a different way, with varying degrees of success. Each strategy will be summarized and analyzed, beginning with the CITES treaty, as it was enacted before the Endangered Species Act. However, before examining the function and effectiveness of each strategy, it is important to understand the history behind each one of them. In 1966, Congress passed the Endangered Species Preservation Act, a piece of legislation designed to provide limited protection to a list of native animal species. The Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Defense were responsible for the protection of these species and the preservation of their habitats. It also allotted land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help maintain these natural habitats. In 1969, the Act was amended because further protection was necessary. With the threat of worldwide extinction, the amendment called for an international meeting and cha... ...es rather than the officials that manage them, but all things considered, these two policies go a long way to improving the problem of human-caused extinction. Works Cited Doremus, Holly, and Joel E. Pagel. "Why Listing May Be Forever: Perspectives on Delisting Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act." Conservation Biology, Vol. 15, No. 5 (Oct. 2001): 1258-68. Hemley, Ginette. "CITES: How Useful a Tool For Wildlife Conservation?" Wildlife Society Bulletin, Vol. 23, No. 4, Changes and Challenges in the Wildlife Profession (Winter, 1995): 635-39. "History and Evolution of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Including its Relationship to CITES." Fish and Wildlife Service. 1 May 2008. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2 Dec. 2008 . Reibstein, Rick. "Endangered Species Act." CAS GE 521, Boston, MA. 19 Nov. 2008.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Calcium Carbonate and Ca2+ Ions

Experiment. EDTA Titration of Ca2+ in an unknown solution Experiment. EDTA Titration of Ca2+ in an unknown water sample Modified 9/2012 Objective: The most common multivalent metal ions in natural waters are Ca2+ and Mg2+. In this experiment, you will find the total concentration of calcium ions that can react with EDTA with the assumptions that EDTA reacts 1:1 with metal (Ca2+) ions. Equipment 250-mL Erlenmeyer flask (3) 50-mL Buret Ring-stand and hardware Desiccator 400-mL Beaker 500-mL Vol. flask 250-mL Vol. flask 1. 0-mL Vol Pipette 100-mL Grad cylinder Hot plate Safety and Waste DisposalChemicals Buffer (pH 10): Add 142 mL of 28 wt % aqueous NH3 to 17. 5 g of NH4Cl and dilute to 250 mL with water. Eriochrome black T indicator: Dissolve 0. 2 g of the solid indicator in 15 mL of triethanolamine plus 5 mL of absolute ethanol. 50 wt % NaOH: Dissolve 100 g of NaOH in 100 g of H2O in a 250-mL plastic bottle. Store tightly capped. When you remove solution with a pipet, try not to distu rb the solid Na2CO3 precipitate. Discussion: Hard water is due to metal ions (minerals) that are dissolved in the ground water. These minerals include Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe3+, SO42-, and HCO3-.Generally hard water arises because rainwater moves through limestone, CaCO3 underground that occurs in our area to the aquifer. This is why we measure hardness in terms of CaCO3. The concentration of the Ca2+ ions is greater than the concentration of any other metal ion in our water. The determination of water hardness is routinely used to measure the quality of water that the general public uses. Originally, water hardness was defined as the measure of the capacity of the water to precipitate soap. Hard water is not a health hazard since the main chemical in hard water is calcium.People regularly take calcium supplements. In fact, hard water can be a source of necessary minerals (calcium and magnesium) that is necessary for good health. Indeed, the National Academy of Science go so far as stating t hat that consuming extremely hard water could be a major contributor of calcium and magnesium to the diet. The problem with hard water is that it cause soap scum, clog pipes and clog boilers. Soap scum is formed when the calcium ion binds with the soap. This causes an insoluble compound that precipitates to form the scum you see.Soap actually softens hard water by removing the Ca2+ ions from the water. When hard water is heated, CaCO3 precipitates out, which then clogs pipes and industrial boilers. This leads to malfunction or damage and is expensive to remove. There are two types of water hardness, temporary and permanent. Temporary hardness is due to the bicarbonate ion, HCO3-, being present in the water. This type of hardness can be removed by boiling the water to expel the CO2, as indicated by the following equation: HCO3- (aq) ? H2O (l) + CO2 (g). Because bicarbonate can be removed it is classified as temporary hardness.Permanent hardness is due to the presence of the ions Ca2+ , Mg+2, Fe3+ and SO4-2. Because boiling cannot eliminate this type of hardness, the water is said to be permanently hard. The table below shows the degree of hardness of the water in terms of its calcium carbonate concentration in ppm and grains. Hardness rating Soft Medium Hard Hard Very Hard Concentration of Calcium Carbonate (mg/L or ppm) 0 < 75 75 to < 150 150 to < 300 300 and greater Concentration of Calcium Carbonate (grains/US gallon) 0 to < 5. 2 5. 2 to < 10. 5 10. 5 to < 21 21 and greaterPermanent hardness is usually determined by titrating it with a standard solution of ethylenediamminetetraacetic acid, EDTA. The EDTA is a complexing, or chelating agent used to capture the metal ions. This causes water to soften, but the metal ions however, are not removed from the water. EDTA simply binds the metal ions so that the ions do not precipitate to form soap scum. EDTA is a versatile chelating agent. A chelating agent is a substance whose molecules can form several bonds to a si ngle metal ion. Chelating agents are multidentate ligands.A ligand is a substance that binds with a metal ion to form a complex ion. Multi-dentate ligands are many clawed, holding onto the metal ion to form a very stable complex. EDTA can form four or six bonds with a metal ion. It is frequently used in soaps and detergents because it forms complexes with calcium and magnesium ions. The ions in hard water are bound to the EDTA and cannot interfere with the cleaning action of the soap or detergent. EDTA is also used in foods. Certain enzymes are responsible for food spoilage. EDTA is used to remove metal ions from these enzymes.It is used to promote color retention in dried bananas, beans, chick peas, canned clams, pecan pie filling, frozen potatoes and canned shrimp. It is used to improve flavor retention in canned carbonated beverages, beer, salad dressings, mayonnaise, margarine, and sauces. It inhibits rancidity in salad dressings, mayonnaise, sauces and salad spreads. In this la b you will be asked to determine the total permanent hardness. EDTA grabs all the metal ions in the water, not just the Ca2+ ions. This gives us a value that is not truly the concentration of Ca2+ ions.This causes an experimental error of about 1%, which is acceptable due to the â€Å"fuzzy† endpoints in this type of titration. Erio-T indicator or Eriochrome Black-T indicator is used in this titration. When it is chelated or acidifies, it produces a Pink-Red solution. When it is not chelated and under basic conditions it is Blue. The three pictures show the end point in this titration. There is a 1-drop difference of 0. 01 M EDTA between the first and second pictures and between the second and third pictures. Two or three seconds were allowed for colors in the second and third pictures to develop after adding the additional drop.In each case the solution was thoroughly mixed. This color change from wine red to violet to blue is due to the compact nature of the complex. Experi ment. EDTA Titration of Ca2+ in an unknown solution PROCEDURE Modified 9/2012 1. Dry Na2H2EDTA. 2H2O (FM 372. 24) at 80 ° C for 1 h and cool in the desiccator. Accurately weigh out ~ 0. 6 g and dissolve it with heating in 400 mL of water in a beaker. Cool to room temperature pour into a 500-mL volumetric flask. , mix and dilute to the mark. 2. You should practice finding the end point several times by adding a little tap water in a clean beaker and titrating with EDTA.Save a solution at the end point to use as a color comparison for other titrations. 3. Pipet a 1-mL sample of unknown into a 250-mL flask and fill to the mark with deionized water. Mix thoroughly. From this 250-mL stock solution draw 4, 50mL aliquot samples and place each aliquot in 250mL Erlenmeyer flasks. To each sample, add 3 mL of pH 10 buffer and 6 drops of Eriochrome black T indicator. To the first 50-ml solution, titrate with EDTA from a 50-mL buret and note when the color changes from wine red to blue. 4. Rep eat the titration with the next three samples to find an accurate value of the total Ca2+ concentration.Perform a blank titration with 50 mL of distilled water and subtract the value of the blank from each result. 5. Upon completion of the experiment, discard all solution in a chemical waste bottle and wash out the glassware. Be sure to dry your buret in the upside down position.Calculations – Analysis: Analyte Ca2+The reaction of Ca2+ ions with H2EDTA2- takes place with a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio: Ca2+ + EDTA2- ? At the end point of the titration, 1-equivalent of Ca2+ reacts with one equivalent of H2EDTA2-. 1 eqv Ca2+ = 1 eqv H2EDTA2-; equivalent Ca2+ = [H2EDTA2-] †¢ Vol EDTA CaH2EDTA. Recall that the analyte (we call this unknown solution) was prepared by taking exactly 1-mL of the unknown solution and diluting in a 250-mL volumetric flask (we will call this the stock solution) 50-mL aliquot (call this the analyte) of this solution was then titrated against EDTA. Note that the analyte concentration is equal to the stock solution concentration. The mass Ca2+ in 1 mL aliquot unknown: Mass of Ca2+ in 50mL Sample = â€Å"H 2EDTA2? $ †¢ â€Å"Vol EDTA $ = mol H 2EDTA2- = mol Ca2+in 50mL Analyte # % # % Mass of Ca2+ in 1mL of unknown = mol Ca2+ ? 250mL aliquot Ca2+ __ g Ca2+ ? 50mL Analyte mol ? ? Dilution Factor Atomic mass Ca Mass of Ca2+ in 1 L solution: Mass Ca2+ in 1 L = mass Ca2+ in 1 mL Aliquot †¢ 1000 mL 1 mL Concentration of unknown by percent (m:v), parts per hundred (m:v) and Molarity (M): Mass Ca in 1mL aliquot Vol aliquot solution used % Ca2+ m:v = †¢ 100 ppm Ca2+ m:v = Mass Ca in 1mL aliquot Vol aliquot solution used †¢ 106 Molarity Ca2+ = mass Ca2+ in 1mL †¢ 1 mol Ca __g Ca ? ? ? molar mass Ca †¢ 1 Volume in L of unknown Aliquot used Mass in grams of calcium carbonate unknown in 1L solution: Mass CaCO 3 in 1-L = mass ppt (g) †¢ 1 mol CaC 2O 4 †¢ H 2O __ g CaC 2O 4 †¢ H 2O ? molar mass Ca C O †¢ H O 2 4 2 †¢ 1 mol CaCO 3 1 mol CaC 2O 4 †¢ H 2O 1 mol CaCO 3 Vol in L of aliquot ? ? ? ? Molar mass CaCO 3 †¢ __ g CaCO 3 †¢ 1L Dilution Factor Statistical Analysis – 1. Report the mean, medium, standard deviations (s), relative standard deviation (RSD), variance (s2) and the 95% confidence interval for your results. 2. 3. 4. Apply the student’s t test at the 95% confidence interval Apply a Q-test to any suspected result. Confidence interval = x + ts n 5. Compare the results of this experiment to the previous experiment, Gravimetric determination of Ca. Apply the Comparison of Means with Student’s t, Case2 (p76) Comparing Replicate Measurements. Do the two methods agree within the 95% confidence interval? â‚ ¬ Test for Outlier Apply a Grubb’s Test and Q-Test for any suspected outliers at 95 % level. See page 83 of text for critical values for 95% confidence.If your results show an anomalous data then use the Q-test to determine if the result should be rejected. Q= (Suspected Value – Nearest Value) (Suspected Value – Furthest Value) G calc = | Questionable value – x| s Table of Data, Results and Statistical Analysis: Calcium Raw Data 1. Unknown number 2 Mass of EDTA used 3 Concentration of EDTA 4 Volume of Unknown Ca2+ Solution 5 Volume EDTA during titration 6 Volume EDTA for blank trials 7 Q-Test (95%) of any outlier Analysis and Results 8 Mass of calcium in 1-mL aliquot (Average) 9 Mass of calcium in 1-L solution (Average) 10 Conc. of calcium, %, ppm (m:v) and Molarity (Average) 11 Mass of calcium carbonate in 1-L (Average) Statistical Analysis 12 Averages and Standard deviations of all results 13 Variance, RSD and CV of all results 14 95% Confidence interval 15 ttable and tcalc for replicate measurementsDiscussionThe goal of this experiment was to determine the â€Å"hardness† of the unknown sample by calculating the concentration of calcium ions in an analyte sol ution. Correcting for dilution factors, the concentration of calcium in the unknown in g/L is to be determined and compared to analysis for calcium by EDTA titration. Statistical analysis is applied to the results. A discussion of this experiment should include the accuracy and precision of this experiment compared to the EDTA titration method. An analysis of a comparison of replicated measurement is performed and discussed. Table of results should include Include in your summary table the following: i) Moles of Ca2+ in the unknown and the average equivalent value. ii) Concentration of [Ca2+ ] in the unknown in molarity, ppm and g/L iv) Mean, standard deviations, RSD and CV for each of the above concentration units. v) Student’s t at the 95% confidence interval vi) Application of a G and Q-test to any suspected result at the 95% level. vii) ttable, tcalc, Conclusion on comparison of replicated measurements.Experiment. EDTA Titration of Ca2+ in an unknown solution Modified 9/2 012 Sample data table. Sample Unknown # ______ Mass Na2EDTA, (g) Molarity Na2EDTA, (M) Vol. unknown, (ml) Buret Volinitial, (ml) Buret Volfinal, (ml) Volume EDTA used, (ml) Vol EDTA for blank, (ml) Corrected Col EDTA, (ml) Trial 1 Mass Ca2+ in 1 ml aliquot (g) Mass Ca2+ in 1-L solution (g) Concentration Ca (%) Concentration Ca (ppm) Molarity Ca2+, unknown (M) Mass calcium carbonate in 1L Q and G Test for Outliner CaCO3 (g/L), unknown Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Average Std dev Variance RSD , CV 95% CL Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Blank Student’s t Analysis: Comparing replicate measurements Analysis A: CaCO3 (g/L) 1 2 3 4 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Avg Avg X1bar – X2bar Sqrt ((n1*n2)/(n1+n2)) (xi-x1)^2 deg freedom Spooled Expt 2 Expt 3 Ex2 (Xi-Xbar)^2 Ex3 (Xi-Xbar)^2 T calc t table Conclusion T calc ? T table, at 95%, two result are (not) considered to be different EDTA Titration of Ca2+ in an unknown solution. # 1 2 CRITERIA (Tentative point distribution – m ay change depending on experiment) Quiz / Homework [NONE} Introduction and ProceduresA. IntroductionObjective of Expt.Background information.Math relationship used in study.B. ProceduresOutline of procedures in Expt.Flow chart pictorial of procedures. Procedural changes.Information (data) to be recorded during experiment. (to be presented in Table form. )Safety and disposal information. This portion of the report should be turned in before the start of lab class (prelab discussion). Data, Observe. , Results and Calc.C. Data and ObservationData in table form. & detailed observations written in the table. All data entry should contain the proper number of significant figures and units. Data should always be recorded in an organize fashion.Balance chemical equations; all chemical reaction which occurred during an experiment should be written in this section. Then it should also be written in the discussion portion of the report. This portion of the report should be turned in before you leave the laboratory.Calculations & ResultsD. CalculationsSample calculation shown with Excel spreadsheet available with formulas shownStatistical analysis of data and result. Avg, Std dev, RSD, CVE. ResultsSummary of Result(s) in table form. In this section accuracy of results is very important as well as detailed calculation showing how the result was obtain. â€Å"Unknown† will also be included in this section. Discussion / Conclusions and Post-Lab QuestionsF. Discussion (Talking points)What is your final result in this experiment. Are the four trials consistent with each other? If not what would account for the inconsistencies? How did the results in this experimental result compare to the result in experiment 2? Is your result for the amount of calcium carbonate in your unknown within the range of 10 – 25 g/L? Elaborate on this. What is the average amount of calcium in tap water, how much more higher is this unknown compared to the average content in tap water (e xpress in %).G. ConclusionSummary of the goal of the experiment and how that goal was achieved in the experiment. H. Post-lab questions or Editorial commentWhat did you learn in this experiment? What skills in lab practice did you develop through this expt? This portion (Calculation and Discussion) is turned in at the beginning of class of the due-date Overall Presentation (of lab notebook)Lab technique during experiment; example are, class preparation, safety glasses precautions and leaving the laboratory clean.Report presentation: examples are the headings of each report that includes name, title, lab partner, date and section #, witness signature. Legibility of report. Is the report easy to read or is important information jotted down by small print in the corners of the lab report. The overall impression is important. Lab TechniqueSafety: wear goggles, handle chemicals with caution, proper handling of lab equipmentLeave lab clean and tidy

Friday, November 8, 2019

Scott Berkun on Writers’ Laziness

Scott Berkun on Writers’ Laziness Scott Berkun on Writers’ Laziness Hard work is one of the many things that authors and startups have in common. We know we should expect it, and always think ourselves ready to embrace it, but the truth is that we’re constantly looking for a shortcut. With countless get-rich-quick schemes, myths, or even documented success-stories out there, it is easy to lose oneself in the dream and never really pursue it.To break free of the dream, we’ve invited one of the most famous myth-busters out there to share his thoughts with us. Scott Berkun is a bestselling author of 6 books and renowned speaker on creativity and innovation. Scott has a simple message for authors, which we all need to hear: â€Å"stop being lazy†.You spend a lot of time myth-busting. What is the No. 1 myth you come across to do with writing? Why do you think this myth is perpetuated? Everyone believes there’s a way around the work. People are genuinely mystified when they describe a hard part of it, hoping for a cure, and I te ll them, yes, I feel the same thing, the difference is I keep going. You can’t run a marathon without running many miles first. There are tricks here and there but they only help if you do the work, the tricks don’t eliminate the work.We’re all prone to dreams and that’s a good thing if we don’t confuse them with reality. Sadly many of us do. Myths about life will always be popular because people confuse dreams with reality, that having a dream is enough. There is no dream of writing a novel or changing the world that comes about without sacrifices. Many people use dreams just as something to talk about and never something they really want to do.You answer a lot of questions from new writers. Which are the most common things these writers get stuck on? What are the causes of these problems?Laziness. It usually comes down to laziness, which sounds mean but it’s totally true. I’m not that famous and even if I were, there are far easier places to get coaching on writing from than an author. It’s an old field you know, with plenty of courses, books and coaches waiting to be used. Generally it’s the dreaming thing again. People who are serious will ask serious questions. Instead of â€Å"How do I start?†, which is answered by opening a word processor and typing, they ask â€Å"I’ve written a draft and want to make it easy for friends to critique it. Suggestions?† It’s a very different question that starts by explaining the asker has already put some sweat in.You first self-published back in 2011 - light-years away in the self-publishing world - what are the most exciting developments you are looking at right now in this space?It gets better every year. Even now the quality is so good most people can’t tell the difference, especially for digital books. I see many boutique publishes cropping up that are challenging the old models, and treating authors differently, which is fun to see.You recently wrote that many publishers are â€Å"stuck in an antiquated notion of their value†. In five years time, what do you think will the core value of a publisher? The core value remains the same - sell great books to people and help authors make great books. I just hope they’ll take more advantage of modern tools and ideas in what they do. They’re still catching up to social media, still catching up to how to use Facebook, still catching up to blogging. There’s a new generation of editors that are rising in influence and as they do publishers will change with them. What you folks are doing at Reedsy, and other shops like Booktrope, it is fascinating to watch - unlike big publishers you have no legacy to hold you back and can dive in with fresh ideas on how it’s all supposed to work.But many publishers are asleep at how the romance of getting published has changed. The technological advantage is almost entirely gone, or worse, is a liability because they’re stuck on ideas from the 1980s. Anyone can publish a book today and if they are talented they can publish good books faster and cheaper than a publisher can. Every publishing exec should, on their own, self-publish a book and compare with what their company does. They’ll see how easy it is to replicate what publishers do with freelancers. Many still haven’t done this simple exercise and there’s no excuse for it.There is a romantic notion that marketing shouldn’t be a writer’s job. Is there a place for introvert writers in today’s landscape - those who don’t necessarily like to engage with their audience and cultivate their fan base?The romantic notion is mostly an invention as writers and artists throughout history largely had to hustle to survive, or they wrote for reasons other than fame (a notion often unheard of today). Being an introvert doesn’t mean you can’t cultivate a fan bas e. Social media, blogs and mailing lists makes it easy for someone who writes to use writing as their primary way to interact. It doesn’t have to be personal, but if you want more fans you have to give them something to be fans about. If you don’t want to engage your own audience how can you expect to create or maintain one? You’d either need to be wealthy enough to pay someone to do if for you, or incredibly lucky to find a following without it.Follow Scott and Reedsy on Twitter: @berkun and @ReedsyHQDo you agree that struggling authors’ main problem is laziness? What do you do to keep writing and engaging with your audience?

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

John is the Man essays

John is the Man essays Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, has had many achievements in his life, but life wasn't always good. Growing up in a poor trailer park in Warren Mich. He failed out of ninth grade, which led to him dropping out of high school. He tried to go back but couldn't do it, he just wanted to rap and to be a star one day. Over the years he freestyle in some local clubs and participated in some competitions. It wasn't until 1997 that he was recognized, he won the Wake Up Show Freestyle Performer of the Year from L.A. Djs Sway and Tech and earned second place in Rap Sheet magazine's Rap Olympics, an annual freestyle rap competition. Then in 1998 he released The Slim Shady LP, his first known record. Slim Shady is the evil side of me, the sarcastic foul-mouthed side of me, Eminem says during and interview with the Source. In 2000 he released his second cd, The Marshall Mathers LP. Eminem has been known as one of the most provocative, controversial rappers in contemporary pop music. A l ot of people think he can get away with this because he is the first legitimate white rapper. I'm white in a music started by black people. I'm not ignorant to the culture and I'm not trying to take anything away from the culture, he said in his defense. But no one has a choice where they grew up or what color they are. If you're a kid or a ghetto kid you have no control over your circumstance. The only control you have is to get out of your situation or stay in it. There have been several attempts to keep Eminem from playing certain shows in his tour, because they think that his lyrics violate harassment categorically on the basis of sexual orientation and sex within the state or school. Don't take everything I say literally, Eminem said shortly after the album's debut, when furor over his lyrics mounted. I might say some things that are kinda left field, but that doesn't mean that every single thing I say, I mean. I may tend to push a lot of buttons and ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Business Management College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business Management College - Essay Example In contrast to the statement under discussion, I feel that man has a very strong urge to maximize. If it was not so then the world we are living in today, would had been a much different and under developed place to be in. The crux of all this can be derived from the fact that growth of business, multiplicity of business - man starts with one and keeps on maximizing the product numbers and range to grow higher and higher etc. is not possible without the man's inherent nature to maximize. The industry is replete with examples of businesses being started as local businesses and then becoming national and finally global. Man is always looking for avenues of expansion. We keep expanding and maximizing. Our society or the consumer at large has always wanted to maximize its satisfaction. The role of business is to create avenues and give options so that this desire can be fulfilled in the best possible way. By doing so the goal of maximizing profits by the production and sale of products and services that in turn maximizes the satisfaction of the society at large gets fulfilled too. Without maximization the implications on the business would have been such that there would have been a dramatically poor growth of the world and its economy. The thought of the world we are living in now would have meant a very bizarre scenario without any sign of reality. It would have been treated as a dream, which would never ever become true. The vast and rapid changes that have overwhelmed us over the years are the fruit of the nature of maximization inherent in man. Because of the nature of maximization in man, we are confident that the entire global economy and business scenario is destined to see escalating growth in future. Due to the man's nature of maximizing the business that is being done all over is real and not a mere vision. Today the issue of diversification is a hot subject in the business circuit. What is diversification Through it the different businesses try to expand their business. What is expansion It is - the will to maximize. Then can a statement like "It is not in man's nature to maximize" be true No matter what the product is, diversification has always been in the agenda. For example those who are selling chocolates are diversifying in the field of biscuits and other related or unrelated products. Those who are selling magazines wish to launch targeted new editions. They try to offer demographic selectivity to the customers. Apart from their regular issues they try to take out demographic editions like - editions for the affluent readers, for health conscious people, for those who love traveling, for 60 plus people etc. These are just the examples of two products opting for maximization of their products and naturally their profits. There are thousands of products in the market. Every busin ess is adopting some or the other agenda of expansion. Hence using the path of maximization everyone is trying to maximize the positive implications of their businesses. Apart from diversification, innovation is also becoming a buzzword. According to Hegde and Krishna (1993. p. 40) "Yet another example of maximizing opportunity to "innovate and excel" has been that of two men who indeed strove to "electrify" our world of today - the German, Werner Von Siemens who created the electric generator and the American, Thomas

Friday, November 1, 2019

Consumer behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Consumer behaviour - Essay Example Despite some lingering negative issues, the number of people shopping online continues to grow as more and more people become familiar with the process and the convenience of being able to shop for just about any item they want – from homes to house wares and everything in between – at any time of the day or night that works best for them and regardless of whether what they’re wearing (or not wearing) is presentable to the public to be found at the local shopping center. While there remain certain products that consumers prefer to purchase at retail ‘brick and mortar’ outlets and several issues concerning taxes, security and information mining to be overcome, the concept of purchasing online is definitely a growing trend worth investigating. From the retailer’s perspective, the theories and fundamentals of shopping remains much the same in the online environment as it does in the brick and mortar environment. However, there are some significant factors to take into consideration in order to continue attracting and retaining customers who frequently have many more options online than offline in which to purchase their goods. To begin with, the internet provides an immediate benefit in efficient time consumption as the consumer can, with a few clicks of his mouse, compare prices, investigate product information and receive previous customer recommendations. This greater flexibility was noted in the literature as early as 1997 (Alba et al) when internet sales, still in their infancy, amounted to less than half of all retail sales in the country. According to Ruthkowski (2000, cited in Changchit et al, 2005), in response to growing trends in consumer behavior that continue to turn to the internet as a source of not o nly information, but shopping venues, the number of available hosts on the internet, denoting the range of shopping venues, has risen from 1.7 million in 1993 to