West European Studies Essay Example for Free

West European Studies Essay 1. The three-fold divisions of learning by Augustine were: ? Physical- he related it to the working of nature, and posited that there was a cause to all things- the principle of cause-effect. ? Education- the acquisition of knowledge followed some rules, i. e. the methodology of science and procedures used in scientific studies and systematic experimentations ? Practice- Augustine argued that life had some meaning and an end, which people sought in their daily lives through actions and practicing of ideologies and principles. 2. The seven liberal arts outlined by Martianus Capella were: a) The Trivium which comprised of;   Grammar Rhetoric   Logic/dialectic b) The Quadrivium which included; Arithmetic   Geometry   Music   Astronomy Grammar taught one how to write words and understand their meaning. Music signified the cardinal virtues of temperance, prudence, fortitude and justice. Logic was necessary to help individuals distinguish right from wrong so as to avoid evil deeds. Rhetoric was the art of effective use of language to speak eloquently. Geometry was useful in measuring space, distance such as fields and cities. Arithmetic was significant as it aided in assigning numerical values- counting objects. Lastly, astronomy was used to foretell luck or misfortune- it was an essential art in predicting the future. 3. According to St. Augustine, pagan learning was reliant on logic and skeptical criticism of scripture. It appealed to observable evidence and to those things that are physically provable. St. Augustine taught that Christians should shun those elements, which undermined their faith by challenging beliefs that could not be substantiated with physical evidence, e. g. the existence of God. By appealing to logic, therefore, pagan learning dismissed the spiritual aspect of life to which Christianity was intimately connected. Nonetheless, he recognized the significant of logic and reason in a Christian’s life. He observed that the scripture was given by God’s inspiration for correction and reproof of character. Thus, to understand its teachings, believers ought to examine its contents critically to make correct interpretations. At the same time, logic reflected the logical and orderliness of God’s nature, represented by the order he perfected in His creation. Similarly, logical reasoning makes a significant contribution to the ordering of life in the world. Without logic, there would be chaos and conflicts among men. Reason appeals to the common sense that compels people to observe basic rules and obligations. 4. Hugh of St. Victor outlined four types of philosophy in his quaternary of the arts. The first three are concerned with human character, as they shape people into better mortal beings. They include: ? Truth, which is derived from theoretical philosophy- through abstract reasoning and contemplations that leads to insights about acceptable principles Practical philosophy which leads to good virtues that guides human conduct ? Mechanical philosophy which reliefs men from physical burdens ? Logic enables men to make clear and realistic conclusions concerning the preceding three philosophies. 5. The seven mechanical arts as defined by Hugh of St. Victor are: ? Fabric- it is necessary as man is essentially naked, lacking in the fur that is endowed to wild animals ? Armaments- necessitated due to man’s innate weakness for his lack of defensive mechanisms such as the teeth and claws of animals. Commerce- it is necessary to reconcile the world’s nations that have become divided by selfish aspirations. It leads to international relations and diplomacy that calms wars, enhances peaceful negotiations and achieves the greatest good of individual possessions.   Agriculture- it is a compensation of hard labor, what Hugh called the ‘brow’s sweat’ that goes back to Adam’s time, when the ground was cursed such that he had to sweat for a living.   Hunting was a skill necessary to help man get food by preying on wild animals Theatrics- the sooth the mind through laughter, and by providing relaxation and refreshment to a tired spirit; probably after a day’s work. 6. The four senses of scripture of St. Gregory the Great are: literal sense, allegorical sense, moral/tropological sense and the anagogical sense. a) Literal sense- it reveals the plain facts about events or things. For instance, the creation of Adam as explained in the Book of Genesis is a literal understanding of scripture, since the events happened just the way they are stated. b) Allegorical sense- it goes beyond what is plainly stated, to arrive at a meaning that is both metaphorical and symbolic. For instance, the creation of Eve from Adam’s rib symbolizes the subordinate role that a woman plays in her relation to man. This is exemplified in the family unit where the man is the head of the household. Similarly, it symbolizes the significance of marriage, since a woman, with her one rib taken from Adam, is considered incomplete. Consequently, she must seek completeness by uniting with her source- Adam/man. c) Moral sense- it derives from the Greek word â€Å"trepein,† which means ‘to turn. ’ In scriptural interpretation, it refers to the act of ‘turning’ ideas, principles and divine teachings into deeds. It is reflected in an individual’s life through good deeds to all people. In the scripture, the parables of Jesus were reflections on the moral conduct of men. For instance, the parable about the Good Samaritan represents real life situations where Christians are called upon to help those in need, and not to be like the uncaring Levite who walked past the robbed man on his way to Jericho. d) Anagogical sense- it refers to the interpretation of scripture teaching within the wider context of eternity. It attaches a universal meaning to divine concepts, which transcends all boundaries of space and time. For instance, the reference to the Lord’s feast in Mathew 22 signifies the eternal happiness to be enjoyed by the save in heaven. Likewise, the new Jerusalem refers to God’s City, the kingdom that shall reign forever after the second coming.

Summary of Danielle Steels Granny Dan :: essays research papers

Granny Dan Written By Danielle Steel, 1999, Delacorte Press (fiction, historical) I came upon this book one day while rifling through my mother’s yawn-inducing adult paperbacks, due to a lack of recent visits to the library. They were the kind of books that are thick, fine print, and usually about some unhappy beautiful heroine who finds true love through a turbulent 700 pages. Then I came across Granny Dan. It was hardcover, a mere 223 pages, and had no close-up shot of a gun, or broken glass, or some other imagery in that vein. So, I did the obvious thing, I opened it up and began to read. Granny Dan was a magical grandmother, who enjoyed roller skating in her kitchen, singing to her family in Russian, and mostly just loving her family in her own little ways. But when she passed away, no one knew anything about her past, which she’d spoken little of. When cleaning out her house after her death, her granddaughter is sent a small brown box, containing all the secrets of Granny Dan’s life, secrets just bursting to be understood. The box contained very few things, a pair of satin toe ballet shoes, a gold locket, and letters tied together. Granny Dan suddenly becomes more than just an endearing grandmother, she becomes Danina Petroskova, the great ballerina. Learning more of Danina’s past, her granddaughter slowly begins to unravel the mystery surrounding her life. As a young girl, Danina’s father and brothers gave her up to a ballet school in St. Petersburg, Russia, because so many men would not know how to raise the motherless girl. For years, Danina devoted her life to ballet, she did not know the outside world. While other girls fell in love and began to ruin their focus for training, Danina only ate, slept, and danced, it was a monastic life, enduring gruelling hours of training with her teacher, Madame Markova. By the age of seventeen, Danina was a prima, and from her performances, she was soon recognized by the Czar and Czarina, members of the royal family. As time went on, she became a favourite of the Imperial family, especially the sickly Czarevitch, Alexei. (The Czar is basically the equivalent of the king, the Czarina, the queen, and the Czarevitch, the prince. Alexei’s family, the Imperial family, were real) Many shattering events occur to Danina, from losing precious brothers to war, to falling in love with Alexei’s (the Czarevitch) doctor, Nikolai Obrajensky.

How does Coleridge tell the story in part 1 of Rime of the Ancient Mariner? Essay

As part 1 is the first of all parts in Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner, we are introduced to the characters in the poem and Coleridge establishes the setting of the poem. ‘It is an ancient Mariner†¦he stoppeth one of three. ’ The impersonal pronoun of ‘it’ suggests that this Mariner may not be human, however there is a change in pronoun with ‘he’, implying a liminal state of the Mariner; he is somewhere in between being supernatural and mortality, reinforced by the word, ‘ancient’. Coleridge’s use of archaic language is used to take the reader back in time to a bygone era, as well as acting as an indicator of setting. The Wedding Guest describes the Mariner in an other-worldly way, having a ‘long grey beard and glittering eye’; both the beard and the singular glittering eye possess connotations of wizardry and reinforce the idea that the Mariner may be a supernatural being. Coleridge creates a number of contrasts between the 1st and 2nd stanzas. The 2nd stanza is used to represent a ‘normal’ world, a world that the Mariner can never be a part of. In the stanza, ‘the Bridegroom’s doors are opened wide’, the word, ‘wide’, is juxtaposed by the Mariner’s unnatural obstruction to the Guest in the previous stanza, as well as to the potential story of the wedding. There is also a contrast between the tones of the stanzas, the atmosphere in the 1st stanza is particularly eerie, but we are presented with an upbeat tone and pace in the 2nd stanza, demonstrated through Coleridge’s use of internal rhyme, ‘the guests are met, the feast is set’. The festive imagery emphasises the upbeat nature of the stanza, ‘feast’, and ‘merry’. The 3rd and 4th stanzas are used by Coleridge to illustrate the extent of power that the Mariner has over the Guest. The Mariner ‘holds him with his skinny hand’, here, the Mariner has been able to physically obtain him against his will. The Mariner fails to answer the Guest’s question in the 1st stanza and begins, ‘there was a ship,’ here, this particular narrative gap creates suspense, adding to the poem’s tension. The Guest is unhappy and conveys his pain and anger through imperative sentence structure, ‘hold off! unhand me. ’ The structural device of exclamation also emphasises the pain felt by the Guest. We see Coleridge’s use of repetition in the 4th stanza, ‘he holds him with his glittering eye’, but this time instead of the Mariner’s hand; it’s his singular eye that is compelling the Guest to listen against his own will, suggesting that the Mariner possesses supernatural powers. The simile used by Coleridge, ‘listens like a three years child’, helps to highlight the true extent of the Guest’s vulnerability now that the Mariner has successfully transfixed him and ‘hath his will’, despite the fact that the Guest previously had more control over the Mariner; ‘his hand dropt he. ’ The Mariner’s begins his ‘rime’ in the 6th and 7th stanzas positively, using internal rhyme to create an upbeat rhythm and a more positive mood after the previous eerie stanzas, ‘the ship was cheered, the harbour cleared’. The imagery of security is what they are moving away from, creating a sense of foreboding. The sound created by the internal rhyme almost sounds crafted, helping to reflect the Mariner’s sense of familiarity with these objects associated with his home, ‘kirk’, ‘hill’, and the ‘light-house top’. The Mariner’s familiarity is emphasised by the anaphora, ‘before’. Coleridge uses further internal rhyme, ‘he shone bright, and on the right’, in order to maintain the positive mood and the upbeat rhythm. Coleridge also personifies the sun, perhaps to foreshadow the immense power of the sun that appears later on in the Mariner’s story. The consistent movement of the personified sun helps to indicate the passing of time within the story being told by the Mariner. The 8th, 9th and 10th stanzas act as a narrative break to the Mariner’s story, reminding the reader that a story within a story is being told. The story is interrupted by ‘the Wedding-Guest here beat[ing] his breast’; the animalistic imagery reflects the Guest’s primitive instincts to flee the Mariner’s grip, as well as his general frustration. This action from the Guest is in response to ‘the loud bassoon,’ creating a contrast between the mystical elements of the Mariner and the celebratory and festive event that the Guest is trying to be a part of. We see what the Guest is missing out on, ‘the bride†¦red as a rose is she’, although this simile is seemingly conventional, with closer inspection we are able to see that the bride is fully red, not just her lips, reflecting her full vibrancy, contrasted with the Mariner’s ‘skinny hand’. The wedding almost acts as a narrative backdrop; it demonstrates the joyous occasion that both the Guest and the Mariner are not a part of and serves to spotlight the tragic story that’s being told by the Mariner. Coleridge’s use of repetition, ‘he beat his breast’, is suggestive of the Mariner’s hypnotic ways and the guest’s continuous attempts to escape the grip of the Mariner. In the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th stanzas, the Mariner heavily depicts the weather and the environment. The capitalisation of ‘Storm’ is used to create a visual representation, and his use of personification, ‘he’, reflects the storm’s severity and power. He reinforces this idea by using predatory language, ‘his o’ertaking wings†¦chased us’, the storm is presented as some sort of dark, higher power. In the 12th stanza, Coleridge deviates from the traditional folk-ballad form, demonstrating the chaos at this particular point, as well as the Mariner’s heightened emotions. Coleridge reinforces the storm’s aggression through the use of onomatopoeic language, ‘roared’ and ‘blast’. In the 13th stanza, Coleridge returns to the traditional ballad structure to mark a sense of restored order now that the storm has stopped. ‘And now there came both mist and snow, and it grew wondrous cold’, the use of present tense, ‘now’, allows a shock for the reader, building tension. The use of assonance, ‘wondrous cold’, and short clauses forces the reader to pause and slow down, hindering the pace of the stanza, and therefore creating a contrast between the previous fast-moving and chaotic stanzas. The simile, ‘ice†¦as green as emerald’, marks the beginning of the Mariner and his ship’s problems; the green ice is peculiar and mysterious and hints at the supernatural. The Mariner describes the effects of the snow, ‘the snowy clifts did send a dismal sheen’, as ‘dismal’ possesses connotations with misery, and ‘sheen’ with impaired vision, the grouping of them creates a sense that there is no escape and no life wherever they are. These conditions are then emphasised through the personification of ice, ‘it cracked and growled, and roared and howled’, and the onomatopoeic language helps to show the possibly fatal effects of the ice. The anaphora, ‘the ice’, as well as the repetition reinforce this idea, and illustrate the true amount of ice they are surrounded by. In the final stanzas, we see the emergence of the Albatross, ‘at length did cross an Albatross, thorough the fog it came. ’ The capitalisation of ‘Albatross’ reflects his importance, as he is the only form of life that the ship can see. He emerges as a good omen from the ‘fog’, the fog having connotations of mystery and darkness, symbolising a newfound sense of hope, as the bird is like a gift sent from God. The religious lexical fields, ‘God’s name’, ‘hail’, ‘Christian soul’, reflect the Mariner’s gratitude towards God who he believes is responsible for the Albatross’ appearance. The internal rhyme, ‘cross’ and ‘Albatross’, conveys the uplifted mood of the Mariner now that the Albatross has apparently rescued their ship, ‘the ice did split’ and ‘a good south wind sprung up behind’. Further internal rhyme reinforces the upbeat mood of the Mariner, ‘the Albatross did follow, and every day, for food or play’, he is presented as almost anthropomorphic; he’s like an angel. The semantic fields about goodness and religion suggest that Coleridge’s poem is coming to an end, or at least leading in a different direction. Indeed, the story is quite upbeat until the mention of ‘moon-shine’, as moon often signifies near or distant change, a sense of foreboding is created. Perhaps the Guest realises this too, as the hyphen may represent another attempt to get away from the Mariner, or the Guest’s realisation that the Mariner is disturbed, ‘Why look’st thou so? †Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬Å"With my cross-bow I shot the Albatross’. The enjambment in the line helps to emphasise both the reader and the Guest’s honest reaction of shock. Coleridge ends part 1 with a cliff-hanger in order to create suspense in the poem, as well as a sense of mystery.

Essay on Alcohol - 813 Words

Alcohol The topic alcohol brings many things to mind. In my immediate family the only people that drink any type of alcohol are my mother and father. When my dad comes home from work he usually has a beer for a little relaxation and my mom has a glass of wine for dinner. I feel that they are moderate drinkers and I also feel that it sets a good example for my brother and I. If we hadnt gone over this topic in class I would never have known what type of drinkers they were. Now that I think of it I have one relative who has not always lived the good life. If I was writing this paper 8 years ago my aunt Ann would be drinking very heavily right now. Thats because she was an Alcoholic. She was in very bad shape for a while until†¦show more content†¦I definitely dont want that to happen. No one in my family smokes but I do have friends who do. I keep telling my friends how its going to kill them but they dont listen. They keep giving me answers like you have to die sometime or Im not sick right now so who cares. I tell them that their family and friends care but they just ignore me. I know that I need to stay away from cigarettes and cigars because I play sports like golf and I love to ride my bike. If I started to smoke it would decrease my performance of whatever I was doing. That wouldnt be smart because if I ran track the effects of my smoking could cause me to lose a race. Another effect it would have would have on my life is my breath and clothes would smell of smoke and that might make it hard to get a date. Also you said that smoking detererates and the voice box and pops the alveoli in your lungs. That would mean there is a chance of me loosing my voice. If I couldnt talk then I would probably go insane. Mental Health 2 If everyone had perfect mental health the world would be very different. There would be no need for mental hospitals, psychologists, and nurses to take care of the mentally handicapped. Many people give weird or dirty looks at mentally challenged people like they werent even human. But they are human just like you and me. I know this because I have an aunt that suffers from Down Syndrome. She lives inShow MoreRelatedAlcohol : Alcohol And Alcohol Essay836 Words   |  4 Pagestopic for class is alcohol. Alcohol is defined as â€Å"Chemically, a compound characterized by the presence of a hydroxyl group; in common usage, a beverage made from fermented fruits, vegetables, or grains and containing ethanol.† (From the book pg GL-1) Ethanol is defined as â€Å"A specific alcohol compound (C2H5OH) formed from the fermentation of dietary carbohydrates and used in a variety of alcoholic beverages.† (From the book pg GL-4) Definition of proof is â€Å"A me asure of the alcohol content of a liquid;Read MoreAlcohol And Its Effects On Alcohol1403 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract Alcohol has long been a subject of controversy. Long before man understood the indications and contraindications of alcohol there has been laws against this drug. Classifying alcohol as a drug may not be suited for a majority of the population because people like to partake in drinking. Imbibing in alcohol is a tradition in many parts of the country. We use alcohol for celebrations, traditions, socialization and combining food flavors with specific alcohols. Forgetting that too much canRead MoreAlcohol Benefits And Harmfulness : Alcohol995 Words   |  4 PagesAlcohol Benefits and Harmfulness According to one of the BBC news, â€Å"A car travelling at high speed driven by a suspected drunk driver has crashed into a crowd of spectators during a university parade in the US state of Oklahoma, killing four people and injuring 44 others, police say.† Drunk driving is that the driver operated a motor vehicle unconsciously on account of excessive ethanol intake and it’s easily to cause an accident. Hence, as a growing number of adults have involved in severely drunkRead MoreAlcohol : Alcohol And Alcohol3289 Words   |  14 PagesEnglish 12 January 28, 2015 Alcohol Issues Alcohol is a drink that has been used differently around the world. Alcohol not only plays a role in religion in the present, it also plays a role in the past. Alcohol has been made with honey and juice for thousands of years. There was a type of alcohol that was made in early China around 7000 B.C. In India, there was alcohol called sura and this was used between 2000 and 3000 B.C. and this beverage was made from condensed rice. Alcohol could also be made fromRead MoreAlcohol At Sporting Events And Alcohol2088 Words   |  9 Pagessporting events and alcohol are intertwined. Social drinking has always been a part of the sporting spectrum, whether at a tailgate party, sports bar, professional stadium or arena, and even at home. Collegiate sporting events are no exception to this popular pastime. However, alcohol is not available at every NCAA sporting event. According to Mitchell (2015), only 25% of FBS colleges allow the sale of alcohol at sporting events. Obviously, the main conc ern for not allowing alcohol at sporting eventsRead MoreAlcohol Abuse And Alcohol Use Disorder Essay1665 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol Use Disorder, most commonly known as Alcohol Abuse or Alcohol Dependence, is widely known as problem that occurs with individuals who consumes an enormous amount of alcohol on a regular basis often in a single use. The individual is consumed with the thought of drinking most of the time and often feel as though they need it to continue with living their daily lives, even though, they are not really living at all because the enormous amount of alcohol causes a dysfunction for their dailyRead MoreAlcohol : Alcohol And Alcohol3289 Words   |  14 PagesEnglish 12 January 28, 2015 Alcohol Issues Alcohol is a drink that has been used differently around the world. Alcohol not only plays a role in religion in the present, it also plays a role in the past. Alcohol has been made with honey and juice for thousands of years. There was a type of alcohol that was made in early China around 7000 B.C. In India, there was alcohol called sura and this was used between 2000 and 3000 B.C. and this beverage was made from condensed rice. Alcohol could also be made fromRead MoreAlcohol Articles On Alcohol And Alcohol848 Words   |  4 Pages Alcohol articles (CT-1) above alcohol article said about how alcohol made up of and it’s effect. How people become addict with it. Why people using alcohol and how it affects our community. (CT-2) In my opinion I believe the authors of the article were saying that due to the misuse of alcohol teenagers, high school student and college students were dying a lots due to car accident. Author try to said that if reader is alcohol abuse than they should their habitsRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol On Alcohol Abuse Essay1115 Words   |  5 Pages Dependance on alcohol has been around ever since its creation and records of writing existed. From Biblical commandments clearly restricting the drink due to its destructive and addictive nature to the celebrities on tv screens and music devices glorifying the substance, alcohol has always been part of various cultures. Being the number one drug problem in the U.S with over 12 million people reportedly being alcoholics and of those 7 million being binge drinkers between the ages 12-20, it comesRead MoreThe Reaction Of The Alcohols1511 Words   |  7 Pages The alcohols 1-propanol and 2-pentanol were converted into alkyl halides through a certain series of steps. The first step was reflux, and the purpose of reflux is to add energy to the solution and not lose any solution to evaporation. This energy helps initiate the acid-catalyzed dehydration reaction and also promotes rearrangement. The next step was distillation, which functioned to separate liquids based on boiling points. The distillation utilizes boiling points to separate the alkyl halide

Brick Wall Strategies for Finding Your Ancestors

When it comes to family trees things are rarely straightforward. Families often disappear between one census and the next; records are lost or destroyed through mishandling, fire, war, and flood; and sometimes the facts you do find just dont make sense. When your family history research hits a dead-end, organize your facts and try one of these popular brick wall-busting tactics. Review What You Already Have I know. It seems basic. But I cant stress enough how many brick walls are breached with information that the researcher already has tucked away in notes, files, boxes or on the computer. Information that you found a few years ago may include names, dates or other details that now provide clues given new facts that youve since uncovered. Organizing your files and reviewing your information and evidence may uncover just the clue youre looking for. Go Back to the Original Source Many of us are guilty when transcribing information or recording notes of only including the information we deem important at the time. You may have kept the names and dates from that old census record, but did you also keep track of other information such as years of marriage and country of parents origin? Did you record the names of the neighbors? Or, perhaps, you misread a name or misinterpreted a relationship? If you havent already, be sure to go back to the original records, making complete copies and transcriptions and recording all clues - however unimportant they may seem right now. Broaden Your Search When youre stuck on a particular ancestor, a good strategy is to extend your search to family members and neighbors. When you cant find a birth record for your ancestor that lists his/her parents, maybe you can locate one for a sibling. Or, when youve lost a family between census years, try looking for their neighbors. You may be able to identify a migration pattern, or a mis-indexed census entry that way. Often referred to as cluster genealogy, this research process can often get you past tough brick walls. Question and Verify Many brick walls are built from incorrect data. In other words, your sources may be leading you in the wrong direction through their inaccuracy. Published sources often contain transcription errors, while even original documents may contain misinformation, whether purposefully or accidentally given. Try to find at least three records to verify any facts that you already know and judge the quality of your data based on the weight of the evidence. Check Name Variations Your brick wall may just be something as simple as looking for the wrong name. Variations of last names can make research complicated, but be sure to check all spelling options. Soundex is a first step, but you cant count on it entirely — some name variations can actually result in different soundex codes. Not only can the surnames be different, but the given name may be different as well. Ive found records recorded under initials, middle names, nicknames, etc. Get creative with name spellings and variations and cover all the possibilities. Learn Your Boundaries Even though you know that your ancestor lived on the same farm, you may still be looking in the wrong jurisdiction for your ancestor. Town, county, state, and even country boundaries have changed over time as populations grew or political authority changed hands. Records were also not always registered in the locality where your ancestors lived. In Pennsylvania, for example, births and deaths can be registered in any county, and many of my Cambria county ancestors records were actually located in neighboring Clearfield county because they lived closer to that county seat and found it a more convenient trip. So, bone up on your historical geography and you just may find a new route around your brick wall. Ask for Help Fresh eyes can often see beyond brick walls, so try bouncing your theories off other researchers. Post a query to a Web site or mailing list which focuses on the locality in which the family lived, check with members of the local historical or genealogical society, or just talk through it with someone else who loves family history research. Be sure to include what you already know, as well as what youd like to know and which tactics youve already tried.

Key Metrics And Key Performance Indicators - 939 Words

As data becomes abundant in today’s world, it is too difficult to track every single metric on a daily or weekly basis. Therefore, the best approach to provide insights and locate certain pertinent bits of data is to use a dashboard. The dashboard serves to show all of the key metrics you would like to track and their changes since the last review all in one place. Dashboards should be simple and easy to read in seconds. Dashboards that display the best metrics and key performance indicators in the best manner should serve to drive actions and decisions. (Kaushik 2010.) However, dashboards can often be created ineffectively for a number of reasons. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to creating the dashboard as the metrics to track vary by industry, company, and even division within companies. Kaushik in his first book on analytics provides a number of guidelines to follow in order to create a dashboard that is effective and easily understood. (Kaushik 2010.) The first guideline is to always to use benchmarks to compare against your reported numbers. A number without context is just a number. It doesn’t provide the analyst with any insight because they do not know if this is high, low, average, typical of the industry, a new high, etc. Benchmarks can be used to provide context to these numbers, whether created to demonstrate the number against the company’s previous numbers or against the industries numbers or even both. (Kaushik 2010.) The second guidelineShow MoreRelatedKey Performance Indicators Of A Metric883 Words   |  4 PagesKey Terms A metric is a quantifiable measure organizations use to identify, track, monitor and assess the success of human resource or business methods. A more simple definition: metrics are numbers that indicate how well a company is performing. Business analysts use metrics to compare the performance of different companies. Metric dashboards are used to provide a quick view of key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to a strategic objective or business process. A metric dashboard is anRead MorePerformance Measurement in Logistics Operations1440 Words   |  6 Pagesdiapason of performances required by the current emulous environment, performance measurement and monitoring, as a subject, has been arousing growing interest in various scopes, especially in the field of logistics operations. Explicit performance measurements provide a common groundwork for decision-making in companies. For performance measurement in Logistics operations, Key Performance Indicators are applied. â€Å"Key Performance Indicators, also known as KPI or Key Success Indicators (KSI), helpRead MoreExecutive Web Based Executive Information System1614 Words   |  7 PagesExecutive Dashboard is a web-based Executive Information System (EIS) where the organisation is used to proactively view critical metrics, identify trends, raise questions, and devise new management strategies. The Executive dashboard is also called as Strategic dashboard which will typically provide the KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) that a company’s executive team track on a periodically. A strategic dashboard should provide the executive team with a high-level overview of the state of theRead MoreFeatures Of An Effective Executive Dashboard Essay1488 Words   |  6 PagesExecutive dashboard: An executive dashboard is a computer interface that displays the key performance indicators that corporate officers need to effectively run an enterprise In information technology, the term dashboard refers to a graphical user interface (GUI) that organizes and presents information in a format that is easy to read and interpret. An effective executive dashboard serves as a starting point from which a corporate executive can get a sense of the big picture before digging deeperRead MoreAnalyzing The Alignment Of It Assets Into Business Essay1618 Words   |  7 Pageson key points from our Report, we identified three main business objectives that can be achieved by adoption of IoT (The Internet of Things) in our existing product categories. Three business objectives are improving product performance, enhancing post-sale service and support, and diversifying revenue stream. Schryen argues that internal value is created when changes in IS capabilities occur, while competitive value is c reated when IT support service innovation and enhance market performance (SchryenRead MoreDescription Of An Executive Dashboard1145 Words   |  5 Pagesgraphical user interface that organizes information and presents it in an easy to read format. A useful dashboard gives the executive a sense of the bigger picture of the organization. A dashboard incorporates the trinity mindset to achieve optimal performance. The customer s behavior, outcomes, and experience will help the executive adopt client based innovations. Thus, the developer must understand the audience, type, and frequency of the application to help develop a relevant dashboard useful in monitoringRead MoreKey Performance Indicators ( Kpis )872 Words   |  4 PagesAs you know, in our current business environment, most companies have finite resources and budget but they share a common objective which is â€Å"to do more with less† and stay â€Å"nimble†. Extracting key insight from business data is crucia l for management to formulate strategy to drive improvement in our organization to counter competition as the industry evolves. In addition, having the information at the â€Å"right time† to departments and individuals will motivate the employees to act on this informationRead MoreThe Kraft Company s Key Performance Indicators And How The Index Align With The Company1203 Words   |  5 PagesKey Performance Indicators (KPI) Organizations set strategic goals and objectives for their business. 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This paper will examine 5 metrics used to measure innovationRead MoreDescription Of An Executive Dashboard Essay966 Words   |  4 Pagespresents data in a format that can be easily understood. Dashboard defines the right success metrics and put together a bunch of charts and graphs on a single page. Dashboards help organizations to get on the same page and speed decision- making because everyone is looking at the same thing. Executive Dashboard An executive dashboard is a graphical user interface that shows the key performance indicators that executives, managers and directors need to effectively function an organization. It is also

Solution for Air Pollution Free Essays

2 March, 2008 The Solution for Air Pollution Society as a whole faces many environmental problems, and as a result, environmental awareness tends to be a pressing issue. Every day, people recycle cans, glass bottles, and newspapers. Many people buy bottled water, or own filters for their tap water, as a health precaution from the pollutants in normal everyday drinking water. We will write a custom essay sample on Solution for Air Pollution or any similar topic only for you Order Now Air pollution is perhaps the biggest environmental issue the Earth is facing. Automobiles are responsible for a notable amount of the air pollution problem. Of course, on the other hand so are factories. If the fight against air pollution were to be taken to a higher level, putting pressure on factories that produce air pollution will have a greater effect than focusing on automobiles. The solution for problems caused by automobiles can only be taken to the level of removing vehicles off the road that cause excessive pollution. A campaign to promote car-pooling, and the use of public transportation could be started up, but those types of promotions do not get enough support. Clearly, factories should be targeted for the best results. The environmental policies that the government regulates for factories or other companies who produce air pollution must be made stricter. Factories are causing enormous amounts of air pollution, the air in most metropolitan areas is filled with pollutants, and passing laws that are more strictly enforced could have a positive effect on the situation. Air pollution can be simply defined as â€Å"all the substances that are exhausted into the atmosphere that do not normally make up the air. There are numerous types of these pollutants in the air, but carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides are, by far, the most common. Such particles are expelled daily by leniently controlled factories through the continuous outpour of smoke. The primary process that creates air pollution is oxidation, which is simply defined as burning. This process has been going on for centuries, beginning when man first became aware of a very useful cooking tool, what is now known as fire. As technology advanced, major industries developed and began to use fires as a source of energy for power plants and the disposal of garbage. Air pollution has long been a factor with the issue of protecting the environment. For example, in the nineteenth century, people in London, England complained about the foggy weather that was created by the smoke from burning coals in the homes of people, as well as places of business. In December of 1952, the worst air pollution disaster ever recorded also occurred in London. Nicknamed the â€Å"killer smog,† this disaster occurred because of a temperature inversion, which is when warmer temperatures get hotter as they get further from the earth’s surface rather than cooler as they usually do. In this particular event, a cool front also moved in below the warm air, which caused more people than usual to burn coal, which is high in sulfur. Because of the warm air that had risen, the smoke from the fireplaces had nowhere to rise and was being pushed back down. This string of events produced the â€Å"killer smog† which led to the deaths of more than four thousand people. Because of this one horrific event, scientists became more aware of the effects that air pollution can have on a population, which has led to more in-depth studies. The same type of pollution, though in much more extreme cases, can be seen in cities today. The modern name for the foggy weather that these people were seeing is now referred to as smog. It is composed of mainly ground level ozone, which is caused by toxins in the air. These toxins are released mainly through the exhaust systems of automobiles and from factories. There are two main causes of air pollution: automobiles and factories. The dangerous effects that these two cause can be primarily attributed to burning, or more specifically, oxidation. When a substance is burned, it releases harmful byproducts that are emitted into the air and thereby become pollutants. The greater majority of citizens drive automobiles, and they are vital in everyday life for the purpose of transportation. There are many practical, cost-effective measures that can be taken to reduce the emissions of air pollutants, including the adoption of energy conservation measures and switching to natural gas. Many existing Clean Air Act programs, such as the acid rain program, and the ground-level ozone smog programs, if properly implemented, will do much to reduce the concentration of fine particles by controlling the pollutants. These give a hopeful outlook that the air pollution problem can cease to exist in the severe form that it now does, and with the support of not only governmental agencies and non-profit organizations, but also the help of everyday citizens, the problem can be overcome in no time. The air that people breathe everyday is critical to the very existence of not only civilization, but also the entire Earth; therefore, taking care of it should be a priority to everyone that inhabits it. A commitment needs to be made by all. It is not necessary for everyone to be radical protesters against factories and automobile manufacturers, but if everyone were to get involved, even in the slightest way, such as carpooling to work, the air that is inhaled by all as a matter of survival would be increasingly cleaner. The air pollution created by these factories is dangerous to the environment and to the health of people everywhere. â€Å"Industrial air pollution is the greatest threat to air quality in the United States. The factories themselves must not be treated as criminals in this matter; their intent is not to harm the environment, but to provide a product. They must be treated as fairly as possible, while still accomplishing the goal of cleaner air. Although this will be a long process, the end result of cleaner air and a cleaner environment will prove to be well worth the time, money and effort spent. References used: http://www. epa. gov/ http://www. yale. edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1986/6/86. 06. 04. x. html#a http://www-personal. umich. edu/~murty/techhype2/node16. html http://search. cancer. org/search? client=amcancersite=amcanceroutput=xml_no_dtdproxystylesheet=amcancerq=air+pollution http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=873954 http://wrc. iewatershed. com/index. php? pagename=education_forest_02 http://www. ncstormwater. org/pages/workbook_pollution_solutions. html How to cite Solution for Air Pollution, Papers