261 OConnor and A Good Man Is Hard to Find Professor Ramos Blog

261 OConnor and A Good Man Is Hard to Find Flannery OConnor (1925 1964) Quick Write Flannery OConnor (1925 1964) A Good Man Is Hard to Find (1955) 50s Music 1950s Highway Sign in the Southern United States

Lets Just Prosecute to the FULL extent of the Law.

Lets Just Prosecute to the FULL extent of the Law. Lets Just Prosecute to the FULL extent of the Law. Lets Just Prosecute to the FULL extent of the Law. By Maeve Maddox Philip Dragonetti writes: Another word that drives me up the wall is fullestas in: Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Would someone please tell me how the fullest extent of the law is greater than the full extent of the law? I agree with Philip that full is sufficient when speaking of the extent of the law. Thats not to say that fullest extent is always superfluous. For example: â€Å"I live every day to its fullest extent and I dont sweat the small stuff.† Olivia Newton-John Taking shelter in the dead is death itself, and only taking all the risk of life to the fullest extent is living.† Rabindranath Tagore The use of fullest in these examples is acceptable because the extent to which life can be lived depends upon external factors such as health and opportunity. The law, on the other hand, is determinate. The extent is set. You may prosecute someone to the full extent of the law. The superlative form fullest is not required. By now the expression the fullest extent of the law has taken on the character of a clichà ©. It is annoyingly imprecise, but its probably not going to go away. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Based in" and "based out of"Acronym vs. Initialism50 Synonyms for â€Å"Villain†

Problematical Aspects Encountered When Using The English Language Essay

Problematical Aspects Encountered When Using The English Language - Essay Example English grammar also recognizes the importance of the â€Å"aspect†, which is considered to be â€Å"a cover term for those properties of a sequence that constitute the temporal structure of the event denoted by the verb and its arguments† (ibid.). In his â€Å"Translating English Perfect Tenses into Arabic† study, Hassan A.H. Gadalla develops the idea of Kerstens, Ruys & Zwarts (1996–2001), that the English language contains four tense forms (past, present, future, future-in-the-past or conditional) and that for every one of these tenses there exist four â€Å"aspectual references† (simple, progressive, perfect and perfect progressive). Either one of the verbal tenses can, therefore, admit an aspect, in order to express a certain idea regarding the moment in which the presented action occurs. According to the previous definitions and ideas, the use of the English tenses and aspects is primarily influenced by the speaker’s intention regarding the framing of time that he wishes to offer to his communicational sentence. Furthermore, this essay will develop the appropriate theories and real situations in order to exemplify the usage of the English Perfect Tenses, in both English native communication and in translation. Considering these aspects regarding time value in an action and discussing the issues that may occur is vital for the appropriate transmission of the message, since English grammar offers a wide range of examples and situations in which the knowledge, and therefore the correct usage of aspects and tenses tends to have a great impact on the communication activity. Moreover, when translating from English to other languages, an adequate understanding of the linguistic phenomena such as transferring the modal aspects or perfect expressions into a language with different grammar and tenses usage probably is the most important part of the process.

How to Learn Meditation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How to Learn Meditation - Essay Example There are different types of meditation depending on school and country, but it is possible to learn the basic skills which are common. Like any technique, meditation requires knowledge of theory and regular practice. So first it is necessary to choose a comfortable place for meditation. It has to be friendly and familiar location; there is no need to go outside if you are planning to meditate for the first time. Through meditation on the beach seems like a wonderful idea, it is better to do it later being more adept. Your own room where everything is familiar and where you won`t be bothered is a perfect place. It is possible to sit on the floor or on a special carpet or on the chair.  The second step is choosing a right posture. Two main conditions of a good posture and effective meditation are straight spine and comfort. If you feel relaxed sitting on a floor with your legs crossed then it`s a perfect posture. It `s also possible to take a cushion as it will make sitting less dif ficult. Someone will rather sit on a chair. Your spine must resemble a straight line from the top of the head down to the floor. Yet the posture must not be too comfortable to the point that it will make you fall asleep and you must be able to hold your body weight yourself. Step number four is finding the right music. It is much more comfortable to meditate with appropriate audio when you are doing it for the first time. Calm Indian melodies, binaural rhythms, mantras are those tested sounds which are easy to find on the Internet now. These sounds help to reduce any mental chatter that is going on in your head. Choose the audio that will last for about 10-15 minutes and will not end abruptly. Focusing on your breath is a next and one of the most important steps on your way to becoming a master of meditation. Breathing is the key to concentration and relaxation so you need to be attentive and not neglect to learn to breathe however awkward it may sound.

Analyze Alternative Exchange Rate Regimes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyze Alternative Exchange Rate Regimes - Essay Example Flexible exchange rate constantly moves back and forth. Most of the country of the world keeps US dollars as a reserve currency against their own money. When we mean flexible exchange rate of a country’s currency, we denote its value with reference to US dollar. Change of international value of the dollar will affect the exchange rate of country’s currency against the dollar. There is no perfect model (Wray, 2011) to predict the movement of international value of US dollar. There is no perfect model that can predict exchange rate of a country’s currency against US Dollar. Flexible exchange rate has advantages; independent monitory policy, promotes economic development, promotes international trade, and increases international liquidity. Government operating with flexible exchange rate does not undertake responsibility of currency conversion. Government does not need to fear that it will run out of foreign currency reserves. In case of using flexible exchange rate monitory policy of the country is not limited or affected by the economic conditions of other country. Thus, it promotes economic development leading to full employment. Since, government does not control the exchange rate, restriction on international trade is removed which contributes to free moving of capital among countries. Flexible exchange rate removes the necessity of keeping foreign exchange reserves thus, increases international liquidity of the currency. In a fixed exchange rate system, the currency has a target rate based on other currency or basket of other currencies (Wray, 2011). This is how government is controlling value between two currencies. If the government let the currency float it can trigger domestic inflation. Government will be printing paper money, and its monitory policy will be affected, as well as the job market. When export and import elasticity is extremely low (Wray, 2011),

Force Plate Design And Use Health And Social Care Essay

Force Plate Design And Use Health And Social Care Essay Force plates are a powerful tool for examining the kinetic characteristics of an athletes movement. The plates offer a large variety of information about the external forces involved, but have very specific characteristics that define the potential quality of collected data. Through proper understanding of these qualities, and sound use of calibration, filtering, and sampling procedures, the user can ensure that the error disguising the signal of interest is minimized. Thus, the collected data is at its highest possible quality, and inference about the athlete in question is strongest. This paper deals with the aforementioned topics related to force plate design and use, including a section describing an example laboratory set-up. Keywords: force plate, filtering, sampling, data collection, kinetic Introduction Force is the entity that results in movement- it can be understood as a push, or pull, or simply, a tendency to distort a material. Measurement of force can allow a coach or sport scientist to quantitatively understand an athletes execution of a skill, or to assess an athletes physical progress. For example, assessment of the external forces applied to the ground by an athlete in a vertical jump provide a very good picture of the explosive abilities of an athlete, as well a very good indicator of the progress of those abilities if measured at multiple time points in a training program. Force plates and other force measurement devices are widely used to assess the external forces generated by athletes. Force plates in particular measure external ground reaction forces in up to three planes -vertical, anterior-posterior, and medial lateral. This data provides a picture of the interaction within an athlete-ground system, something extremely difficult to do without a force plate. It is important to distinguish between kinetic and kinematic analysis. Kinematics is related to movement, what is visually observable, e.g. positions velocities and directions, while kinetics refers to what causes the movement to occur (i.e. torques and forces), and is not directly observable. Force plates allow one to see the kinetic characteristics of a skill, and thus the forces that cause the precise execution of that skill. Force Plate Design and Use Force plates measure external forces based on the principles of Newtons third law- that an object exerting a force on another object has a simultaneous force exerted upon it that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the original force exerted. Thus, the force plate measures ground reaction force (GRF). GRF is the force the ground exerts as a reaction (equal, opposite, and simultaneous) to the forces applied to the ground or other object by the athletes body (see Figure 1). This principle allows the researcher to determine the forces exerted by an athlete while in contact with the force plate. In a vertical jump for example, the athletes body mass and propulsion forces from the jump exert a push on the plate, causing a tendency of the plate to distort. This tendency is measured as GRF. The kinetic information obtained from force plate data then provides an understanding of the kinematic characteristics through a derivation of Newtons second law that the force on a body is directly proportional to the mass of the body and the acceleration of the body, represented by the equation force = mass X acceleration. Given that the forces can be measured by a force plate, and the mass of the athlete is known, a very good understanding of the kinematic characteristics of the skill can be obtained through calculation of the acceleration of the athlete using the aforementioned equation. Five important pieces of information can be obtained from a modern full featured force plate: force in the X, Y, and Z directions, the center of pressure, and moment (torque) around each of the axes. Each of these variables shows a picture of the forces exerted by an object (i.e. a limb) on the force plate. This data allows the investigator to determine a multitude of measures. For example, force plates have been used to study the take-off forces in pole vault technique (3) and the forces involved in the second pull in weightlifters (7); as it stands, the uses for force plates are numerous. Before analysis and use of the collected data, processing of the analog signal must occur. Figure 2 shows the complete flow of the force plate data, from the initial analog signal output (continuous voltage) from the force plate, to the final digital input signal leading into the final analysis. Force is applied to the force plate, which changes the excitation charge sent through the force plate in proportion to the force applied. That new charge is sent to an amplifier. Analog signal processing (some kind of filtering or smoothing of the signal) can occur. After the signal has been amplified, the current goes to a data acquisition device, where it enters an analog-digital converter which converts the continuous analog signal to a discrete digital signal. The newly-converted digital data is recorded as evenly spaced samples, and more processing of the digital signal can occur. It is at this point that the recorded digital signal can be analyzed. Load Cells Forces must be measured through indirect means, through a force transducer. A force transducer functions toconvert physical states into electrical signals (21). The load cells in a force plate transduce the force applied to the plate into a measureable electrical voltage and current. There are a variety of load cell types. Two commonly used load cells in force plates are piezoelectric transducers and strain-gauge load cells. Both types of load cells receive an excitation voltage input, and output an different electrical current which is proportional to the load experienced by the cell (based on Ohms Law: current = voltage / resistance) (1). The operation of each differs in a few distinct ways. Piezoelectric cells operate based on the fact that when a piezoelectric material has a force applied to it, a charge appears on the face of the material; This charge is proportional to the force applied. Recording of the resultant voltage allows calculation of the applied force. The strain gauge load cells operate on the fact that changes in electrical current occur when a metal or semiconductor is deformed (1, 19). A thin sheet of metal or semiconductor material is bonded to a metal object, which provides a solid structural device on which to apply the force. Deformations in the device and the bonded sheet result in changes of the electrical resistance of the bonded sheet, thus modifying the current that moves through the bonded sheet. Monitoring of these changes allow for calculation of the force applied to the device. A common form of the strain gauge is the shear beam load cell (1, 19). One end of the beam is anchored to a stable platform, while the other is extended so that it can receive a load. A foil sheet or semiconductor is bonded to the beam, and an electrical current is run through the sheet. Force applied at the end of the beam (perpendicular to the plane of the sheet) causes deformation of the beam, resulting in electrical resistance changes across the sheet bonded to the beam. This results in a different electrical current and allows measurement of the applied force. Shear beam load cells have the advantage of a high force capacity and accurate measurement, which can make them a good candidate for use in force plates. A typical tri-planar force plate is constructed with four three-component load cells (14). Each three-component cell measures force in the X, Y and Z direction, and the placement of the load cells allow for calculation of center of pressure, center of force and torque about the axes. The four load cells are arranged in each of the four quadrants of the force plate, evenly spaced from each other and from the edges. Moment about the axes, center of pressure and center of force can be calculated based from measurements from data from individual load cells and their respective locations on the forceplate. Typically, the forces that are transduced from force plates are summed from measurements from individual force transducers on the plate. For example, in a force plate with four load cells, one in each corner, vertical ground reaction force is calculated from the sum of the forces measured on each cell. Likewise, in a force plate that is capable of anterior-posterior measurement or medial-lateral forces, the forces of interest are the summed composed of the total of the load cells of the plate. Sampling Monitoring the changes in force applied to the force plate requires sampling at regular intervals. Sampling frequencies of 500 to 2000 hertz (Hz) have been noted in the more recent sport science literature, however a sampling frequency of 1000 Hz is perhaps most common (14). While substantial research has examined sampling frequency in a wide variety of applications (engineering, for example), substantially less has been done to examine sampling frequency in sport science, although several authors have evaluated the variability of vertical jump performance data with different sampling frequencies. Vanrenterghem, et al. (24) found that sampling frequencies of above 100 Hz were adequate and Hori, et al. (10) found that sampling at about 200 Hz was accurate enough for accurate measurement. Contrary to the previous authors, Street, et al. (23) found that sampling rates of less than 1080 Hz could lead to an underestimation of jump height (calculated via the impulse method) by up to 4.4%. Other authors have recommended a sampling frequency of 500 Hz or 1000 Hz in force plate research to ensure accuracy, especially when impact is involved (2). Sampling frequencies must be high enough to ensure accuracy of measurement and reduction of signal aliasing (where the recorded digital signal fails to accurately show the original signal due to inadequate sampling). The Nyquist Theorum suggests that the absolute minimum sampling frequency is two times the frequency of interest. Bartlett (2) recommends a sampling frequency of at least 500 Hz, however 1000 Hz is a common choice for force plate capture of human motion (14). High sampling frequency is especially important when creating force-time curves in the early time segments of the curve. For example, some performance monitoring testing evaluates forces applied in the first 50ms of application of force in the isometric mid-thigh pull (12). At a sampling frequency of only 200 ms, if one were to construct a force-time curve, only 11 data points could be used for constructing this 50ms long curve. While a polynomial function could be applied to the 11 data points, a greater degree of accuracy for the curve will be obtained with a frequency of 500 Hz or 1000 Hz, because there would be 26 and 51 data points, respectively, from which to construct a curve. Signal Amplification and Conditioning Data collected from the force plate is not useable until amplification and signal processing occurs. Typically, analog signals (the raw voltage values) from the force plate are amplified and sent to an analog to digital (AD) converter (14). The AD converter then converts the analog voltage signal into a scaled digital signal, a signal that is able to be processed by computer software. Custom software developed in programs like LabVIEWTM (National Instruments, Austin, TX, USA) or Matlab (Mathworks Incorporated, Natick, MA, USA) can perform signal processing to clean up some of the noise from the data for use. Other methods exist for smoothing data that can be done in spreadsheet software such as Microsoft ExcelTM (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA). Many force plates come with proprietary software with filtering and smoothing methods included. Through the collection process, amplification and A/D conversion, there are a number of electrical noise sources that may contaminate the data (5). A number of methods exist for filtering the noise in the signal, in order to best isolate and identify the signal of interest. This filtering can be done on either the analog or digital signal, or both. A low-pass filter eliminates frequencies above a certain level defined in the method, while a high-pass filter eliminates frequencies below a designated level. As noise often occurs at higher frequencies, a low pass filter is able to eliminate much of the noise in the signal. Sometimes it is necessary to restrict the data collected to within a range of frequencies, during which time a band-pass filter can be used. Other times it is necessary to eliminate a certain range of frequencies from a signal; a notch filter will be able to accomplish that task. There are a multitude of signal processors and conditioners that are used in digital signal processing. Three common methods of reducing signal noise are Butterworth filters, splines and frequency domain techniques, such as Fourier Analysis (5). Yet another method is a moving average, which is relatively simple to calculate in Excel. Each of these methods operates differently, and provided that the optimal filter is applied to a signal, the end result is the same: the signal is less choppy and smoother, thus data is cleaner and easier to analyze (for more detailed information, the reader is directed toward Bartlett (2), Challis (5)) and Street, et al. (23). The general recommendation for filter choice is the one that most effectively and accurately isolates the signal of interest. Calibration Force plate calibration is necessary to establish a regression equation to calculate ground reaction forces from output voltage, as well as to ensure accuracy of data obtained from testing. Because force plates only provide an output voltage, a calibration equation must be used to calculate what the ground reaction forces actually are. Unfortunately, often little is done by researchers to address the proper calibration of force plates (9). While calibration of some of the testable variables of the force plate can be difficult, calibration is absolutely necessary given the immense error that can be introduced even with small errors in calibration (9). The general idea behind calibration is that a range of known forces is applied to the force plate to see the resultant voltage given by the load cells, allowing the creation of a regression equation (1). For the Z-direction, a common method of calibration is to place a range of dead weights of known mass on top of the force plate, which allows the researcher to calibrate based on the resulting output voltage of the known mass. Calibration of the horizontal forces, torque and center of pressure can be a more difficult endeavor. However, researchers have proposed methods of calibration that are possible in the laboratory environment, such as a pulley system for X- and Y-direction calibration as proposed by Hall, et al. (9). In the pulley system, a regression equation is built from the output voltages with progressively higher (horizontally) applied loads. A pendulum system for dynamic calibration designed by Fairburn, et al. (6) is also a possibility for more advanced calibration. In-laboratory testing would allow a laboratory to avoid the potentially expensive calibration that is done by the force plate companies and private metricians. Technical Information of Note Force plate technical reports typically contain a data table with information about some or all of the following: linearity, hysteresis, crosstalk, and/or natural frequency. Each of these items provides valuable information about the characteristics of the force plate, as each affects the data obtained from it. Refer to Table 1 for recommended ranges. Linearity Linearity is the maximum deviation of collected force plate data from a straight line (2). Perfect linearity is ideal, but is not necessarily a requirement for accurate data collection and analysis, as it can be calibrated for by applying a higher order polynomial to the data points(2). Linearity can be expressed as: ( Where y=maximum deviation from linearity, and Y=full scale deflection (8). Full scale deflection refers to the voltage output with the highest load within the limit of the force plate. Dividing deviation from linearity by the highest voltage achieved gives a relative measure of linearity, and allows comparison to a standard. Hysteresis Hysteresis is the difference in output values seen during the loading and unloading of a material (2). This is a quality that should also be minimized, as many force plate measurements involve both a loading and unloading component (see Figure 3). For example, large hysteresis in a load cell might over-estimate the forces in the eccentric portion of a squat, while correctly estimating the forces during the concentric portion. Hysteresis is sometimes seen as a result of a mechanical lag in deformity return to normal shape occurring during loading of the force transducers. Hysteresis can be calculated with the equation: ) Where XL = output voltage for a given load during loading, XU = output voltage for the same given load during unloading, and Z =full scale deflection (2). Cross-Talk Many force plates measure forces in multiple planes; the components required to measure the different directions generally have at least a minor amount of cross-talk. Cross-talk refers to the interference of force in one component direction with the measurement of force by a component in another direction (2). It is important that this quality is minimized, so that forces from one plane are not measured on another, thus falsely attributing forces to an incorrect source. Bartlett (2) stated that less than 3% of full-scale deflection is preferable. Natural Frequency Maximum Frequency Ratio When struck, every object has a frequency at which it will tend to vibrate, (5). Force plates, as they are constructed of multiple materials, sometimes have multiple natural frequencies. Force plate manufacturers often report the natural frequency of the force plate when set up according to manufacturer specifications. This natural frequency should be significantly higher than that of the measurement, as it greatly increases the ease of isolating the measurement signal from the plate vibration. Force plates generally have high natural frequencies to aid in the ease of isolation through filtering. For example, the Kistler Type 9281E Triplanar force plate has a natural frequency of 1000 Hz (Kistler Group, Winterthur, Switzerland). The high natural frequency of this force plate is high enough to measure the impact activities of sports, which can surpass 100 Hz (2). The ratio of frequency of the measured skill to natural frequency (Maximum Frequency Ratio) should be less or equal to 0.2, so that the information of interest in the signal can be effectively isolated from the natural frequency of the plate. Minimizing Error The possibility of inaccurate measurements must be minimized if accurate conclusions are to be drawn. Certain steps can be taken to reduce the possibility of error, although even the most optimal setup will have at least a small amount of error. First and foremost, if a user does not know how to properly use the force plate and the software associated with it, the largest source of error may be the user himself. In this article, it is emphasized that with a proper education and the right information, the reader of this paper should be able to understand the basics of using a force platform, thus severely reducing potential for user error. Adherence to the recommendations by Bartlett (2) will also serve to ensure accuracy of the data collected by the plate. Any deviance of the force plate characteristics outside of the recommendations increases the risk of inaccuracy. For example, Lees and Lake (14) and Hall, et al. (9) showed how cross-talk of even 1% could introduce a large amount of error in certain gait measurements. Calibration should occur over a range of loads, from unloaded to above the highest expected load, within the manufacturer-specified loads of the force plate (if the expected loads are outside of the range, then a new plate with greater load range is necessary). For example, in an isometric pull, where measurements of vertical ground reaction force can exceed 7000 N or more (4), the force plate should be calibrated in the Z-axis with loads ranging from 0kg to more than 700kg. For horizontal calibration, a pulley system, like the one designed by Hall, et al. (9) would suffice. Dynamic calibration can be a bit more tricky, requiring expensive equipment or complex methodology. This can be done by major force plate companies or by private metricians. It is also extremely important to install and adjust force plates based on manufacturer recommendations. Manufacturer-reported technical data about the force plate (e.g. hysteresis, linearity) are measured and determined under set conditions. Recommendations for where the force plate is installed, the type of flooring installed on and which floor level it is installed on must all be followed. A level surface for installation is required. Should the conditions during use deviate from those specified by the manufacturer, there is the possibility that those reported qualities (linearity, hysteresis) are no longer accurate. Even with an ideal setup, there remain other sources for error. Other such sources of error are thermal noise, chemical noise, and electrical interference. Thermal noise is associated with the temperature of the device in use. Part of the reason for allowing a device to warm up is so that thermal noise is allowed to stabilize, as rising component temperatures result in changing electrical noise. Chemical noise is random noise that exists everywhere, and comes from variations in temperature, humidity, pressure and other sources. Electrical noise results from devices around the testing area that use electricity, such as lighting and equipment. Electrical noise is at 60 Hz and progressively weaker at its harmonics- 120 Hz, 180 Hz, etc. For example, if a force platform is placed in a room that has fluorescent lights, air conditioning/heat, and the building is located near power lines, electrical noise may be a substantial source of interference. In all devices, the measured value is the result of the true score plus error. While one can attempt to eliminate as much error as possible, there will always be a degree of error in the collected data. It is up to the tester to eliminate and reduce as many sources of error as possible, and a theoretical judgment as to how much error in the collection is acceptable. Our Laboratory Equipment and Processing While our laboratory uses tri-directional force plates, the majority of force plates we use are unidirectional, and measure only in the vertical direction (See Figure 4 for a photo). Although it is a drawback to only allow collection in the vertical direction, the plates offer a substantial reduction in cost over other plates offered by KistlerTM or AMTITM, for example. Furthermore, a number of studies have demonstrated that vertical forces and vertically- oriented skills have strong relationships to explosiveness and speed in sporting movements, thus measurement of vertical forces is of substantial importance (12, 20, 22, 25). In addition, we use force plates (0.914 x 0.46 m; 3 x 1.5; Rice Lake Weighing Systems, Rice Lake, WI) situated side-by-side to allow for collection of unilateral force data. For bilateral data collection, the forces from each force plate are summed. Each plate sits on a level concrete pad that is on the ground floor of the laboratory, to reduce contamination o f data from extraneous sources. Each force plate in the Sport Science laboratory is attached to Transducer Techniques TM0-2 amplifier and conditioner module (Transducer Techniques, Temecula, CA, USA). The amplifier provides both the excitation signal (the initial current going to the strain gage load cell) and amplification of the analog signal. In addition, the module provides an analog low-pass filter at 16 Hz. In between the amplifier/conditioner and the A/D converter is a shielded connector block. The BNC-2110 (National Instruments, Austin, TX, USA) accepts the analog signal and conveys the signal to the A/D converter. The block then connects to a DAQCard-6063E (National Instruments, Austin TX, USA). The DAQCard-6063E converts the analog signal to a digital signal. The digitized signal is then analyzed with custom software developed in LabVIEWTM (National Instruments, Austin TX, USA). The custom software weve developed in LabVIEWTM samples the analog signal at 1000hz. The custom software has been set up to save the digital signal file and filter the digitized signal using a 4th order low-pass Butterworth filter at 100 Hz. From there, the signal can be analyzed for whatever variables are of interest. Refer to Kraska, et al. (12) for examples of measures of interest for static and countermovement jumps, and Leary, et al. (13) for examples of measures of interest in the isometric mid-thigh pull. The Data Collection Process Calibration of our force plates is performed immediately before the data collection process, which ensures that the calibration equation used in data analysis is established under similar environmental conditions as the data collection as well as avoids a potential shift of voltage output over time. Prior to calibration, force plates, amplifiers, A/D converters and computers are all turned on so that all of the collection equipment can warm up (thus stabilizing thermal and instrumentation noise). After this warm up period, the force plates are calibrated using loads from 0 kg to 350kg or 500kg, depending on the specific use of the plate (either jumps or isometric pulls). The plates are progressively loaded in 25kg increments, with the output voltage recorded each time. A linear regression equation is then applied to the calibration load data set in Microsoft Excel. This regression equation is saved, and used in the custom LabVIEWTM program during analysis. Conclusion A full understanding of a testing device and its characteristics are an integral part of accuracy, validity and reliability of testing. The force plate is a rather complex device. The complexities of the device and its peripherals allow the user to collect a large variety of high-quality data for analysis that are difficult to obtain via other means. While it is somewhat difficult to master use of the device, the plethora of information that can be obtained from a force plate makes the endeavor more than worthwhile.

National Sovereignty, Oppressive Government, and the US Role in the Wor

National Sovereignty, Oppressive Government, and the US Role in the World Introduction The American attack against Afghanistan that was triggered by the September 11th tragedy once again raised the question of US role in the world. The current military intervention also touched the issue of the major factors, defining the course of US international policy. In the globalized world today the ratio of â€Å"soft power† (the ability to attract through cultural and ideological appeal) to â€Å"hard power† (a country’s economic and military ability to buy and coerce) used in solving international conflicts is constantly increasing (Nye 2). However, military campaigns still provide a way out of deepening international crises. Should America, then, engage in indiscriminate humanitarian interventions, advancing its ideas of democracy, human rights and liberty, or should it be militarily concerned only with international affairs that have a direct bearing on US vital national interests? In my paper I argue that the US violation of a country’s sovereignty should come only after a careful consideration and deep investigation of the reasons behind an international conflict. Moreover, all interventions should be based on specific achievable end-goals and strategies. Also, US military campaigns’ rationale should suit America’s vital national self-interest, as I define it later. Several reasons support such an international policy: First, in the long run the negative effects of a military international intervention, even if against oppressive governments, could actually outweigh the positive ones. Moreover, coercive policy could, in fact, aggravate a conflict by providing grounds for long lasting hostility, aggression, or ev... ...osnia and Kosovo. The Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies v. 25,( 2000): p. 489-510 Nye, Joseph S. Jr., Redefining the National interest. Foreign Affairs, (July/August 1999): p. 22+ Rule, James B., On evils abroad and America’s new world order. Dissent v. 46, no3 (1999): p. 50 – 57 Smith, Tony, Morality and the use of force in a unipolar world: the â€Å"Wilsonian moment†?. Eyhics and International Affairs v. 14, (2000): p. 11-22 < http://www.cceia.org/lib_volume14.html> Tarzi, Shah M., The threat of the use of force in American post-cold war policy in the Third World. Journal of Third World Studies v. 18, no1, (2001): p. 39-64 The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Cost Study Project

Male Refractory Period

The male refractory period consists of a time period following orgasm that must pass before experiencing another orgasm. An orgasm is a series of muscular contractions of the pelvic floor muscles occurring at the peak of sexual arousal (Crooks and Baur, 2008). Only men have a refractory period, whereas women who can have multiple orgasms. Speculation about why men have a refractory period has to do with some kind of neurological inhibitory mechanism that is kicked in after ejaculation.This essay will discuss the male refractory period and why this happens along with my own opinion on why men’s and women’s sexual response vary from one another. This waiting period is when the body restores its energy before it can once again become aroused. There are different explanations to why males experience this; one speculation is directed towards a neurological inhibitory mechanism activated by ejaculation. Researchers believed that certain chemical pathways between the midbrain and the hypothalamus were the root to this inhibition problem.To test this, they used rats as their subject and destroyed a pathway in the brainstem, known as the ventral medial lemniscus. In another group, they surgically eliminated three additional areas in the rats. Results concluded that the elimination of the ventral medial lemniscus had a dramatic effect on refractory periods (175). The male refractory period is one of the most significant differences in sexual responses between sexes.I think the reason why males have this cycle and why women can experience multiple orgasms comes down to reproduction and our genetic makeup. The biological objective of an erection is injecting sperm into an ovulating woman in order to reproduce. Therefore, once ejaculation they need time to build up there sperm count to achieve a greater fertility rate. I also believe women can have multiple orgasms because it makes the muscles contract throughout the body, especially in the vagina and uterus.T hus, helping the sperm reach the uterus and into the fallopian tubes. However, everything comes down to biological engineering. In conclusion, everyone’s sexual response is different. Some women have orgasms and others don’t. Research has shown that an area in the brain is the reason behind not being able to climax within a short period of time like women can. I believe these differences exist because of reproduction success.

Finance Assignment Essays

Finance Assignment Essays Finance Assignment Essay Finance Assignment Essay 1 Question 1 (16 points) Carol Inc is considering the following three prices to charge customers for each of the candy packets they produce: i) $2. 20 ii) $2. 00 iii) $1. 70 The relevant data for decision-making is below: Fixed Costs = $1200 Variable Costs = $0. 50 per unit Calculate the following: a) The Breakeven Point for each price level b) Using price of $2. 20 what would be the new breakeven point if (1) fixed costs decreased to $1000 all else remaining the same, (2) Variable costs increased to $0. 75 all else remaining the same. Draw a graph to represent scenario (1) and (2) comparing with the original data for price of $2. 20. [Total of two graphs] Question 2 (12 points) Greater Manufacturing is evaluating two different operating structures which are described below. The firm has annual interest expense of $250, common shares outstanding of 1,000, and a tax rate of 40 percent. (a) For each operating structure, calculate (a1) EBIT and EPS at 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 units. (a2) the degree of operating leverage (DOL) and degree of total leverage (DTL) using 20,000 units as a base sales level. a3) the operating breakeven point in units. (b) Which operating structure has greater operating leverage and business risk? (c) If Greater Manufacturing projects sales of 20,000 units, which operating structure is recommended? 2 Question 3 (14 points) Table 13. 1 a) Assuming a 40 percent tax rate, what is the financial breakeven point for each plan? (See Table 13. 1) b) What is the degree of financial leverage at a bas e level EBIT of $120,000 for both financing plans? The firm has a 40 percent tax rate. (See Table 13. ) c) What is the EPS under Financing Plan 1, if the firm projects EBIT of $200,000 and has a tax rate of 40 percent? (See Table 13. 1) d) At about what EBIT level should the financial manager be indifferent to either plan? (See Table 13. 1) e) Which plan has a higher degree of financial leverage and financial risk? (See Table 13. 1) Question 4 (12 points) A firm has had the indicated earnings per share over the last three years: (a) If the firms dividend policy was based on a constant payout ratio of 50 percent, determine the annual dividend for each year. b) If the firms dividend policy was based on a fixed dollar payout policy of 50 cents per share plus an extra dividend equal to 75 percent of earnings per share above $1. 00, determine the annual dividend for each year. Question 5 (12 points) Mongoose Company has released the following information. (a) What are Mongoose Companyâ⠂¬â„¢s current earnings per share? (b) What is Mongoose Company’s current P/E ratio? 3 (c) Mongoose Company wants to use half of its earnings either to pay shareholders dividends or to repurchase shares for inclusion in the firms employee stock ownership plan. : If the firm pays a cash dividend, what will be the dividend per share received by existing shareholders? (d) Instead of paying the cash dividend, what if the firm uses half of its earnings to pay $55 per share to repurchase the shares, what will be the firms new EPS? What should be the firms new share price? (e) Compare the impact of a stock dividend and stock repurchase on shareholder wealth. Question 6 (12 points) Farrah Inc. ’s accounts receivable totaled $451,000 on January 30, 2003. An aging summary of receivables at this date follows: The firm extends 30-day credit terms to all its credit customers. a) Prepare an aging schedule for Farrah Inc.. (b) Evaluate the firms collection performance. Question 7 (6 points) Penelope Production Plant uses 2,400 units of a product per year on a continuous basis. The product carrying costs are $60 per year and ordering costs are $250 per order. It takes 20 days to receive a shipment after an order is placed and the firm requires a safe ty stock of 8 days of usage in inventory. (a) Calculate the economic order quantity (round up to the nearest whole unit. (b) Calculate the total cost per year to order and carry this item. c) Their supplier has notified the company that if they increase their order quantity by 58 units they will give the company a discount. Calculate the dollar discount that the company will have to give Penelope Production Plant to result in a net benefit to the company. 4 Question 8 (6 points) Hubbards is analyzing the performance of its cash management. On average, the firm holds inventory 65 days, pays its suppliers in 35 days, and collects its receivables in 15 days. The firm has a current annual outlay of $1,960,000 on operating cycle investments. Hubbards currently pays 10 percent for its negotiated financing. Assume a 360 day year. ) (a) Calculate the firms cash conversion cycle. (b) Calculate the firms operating cycle. (c) Calculate the daily expenditure and the firms annual savings if the operating cycle is reduced by 15 days. Question 9 (14 points) Table 15. 2 The company earns 5 percent on current assets and 15 percent on fixed assets. The firms current liabilities cost 7 percent to maintain and the average annual cost of long-term funds is 20 percent. a) The firms initial net working capital is ________. [Numerical Answer] b) The firms initial annual profits on total assets are ________. Numerical Answer] c) If the firm was to shift $3,000 of current assets to fixed assets, the firms net working capital would ________, the annual profits on total assets would ________, and the risk of technical insolvency would ________, respectively. [Choose either the word increase or decrease for each blank] d) If the firm was to shift $7,000 of fixed assets to current assets, the firms net working capital would ________, the annual profits on total assets would ________, and the risk of not being able to meet current obligations would ________, respectively. Choose either the word increase or decrease for each blank] e) If the firm was to shift $2,000 of current liabilities to long-term funds, the firms net working capital would ________, the annual cost of financing would ________, and the risk of technical insolvency would ________, respectively. [Choose either the word increase or decrease for each blank] f) The firm would like to increase its current ratio. This goal would be accomplished most profitably by ________. 5 Question 10 (8 points) Batik is analyzing the credit terms of each of three suppliers, A, B, and C. a) Determine the approximate cost of giving up the cash discount. (b) Assuming the firm needs short-term financing, recommend whether or not the firm should give up the cash discount or borrow from the bank at 10 percent annual interest. Evaluate each supplier separately. Question 11 (6 points) Mahogany Company is in the process of negotiating a line of credit with two local banks. The prime rate is currently 8 percent. The terms follow: (a) Calculate the effective interest rate of both banks. (b) Recommend which banks line of credit Mahogany Company should accept. Question 12 (8 points) Sky Blue Inc. urchased a new machine on October 20th, 2003 for $1,000,000 on credit. The supplier has offered AA terms of 2/10, net 45. The current interest rate the bank is offering is 16 percent. (a) Compute the cost of giving up cash discount. (b) Should the firm take or give up the cash discount? (c) What is the effective rate of interest if the firm decides to take the cash discount by borrowing money on a discount basis? 6 Question 13 (10 points) Farm and Garden is considering obtaining funding through advances against receivables. Total annual credit sales are $600,000, terms are net 30 days, and payment is made on the average of 30 days. Hally National Bank will advance funds under a pledging arrangement for 13 percent annual interest. On average, 75 percent of credit sales will be accepted as collateral. Coder Financial offers factoring on a nonrecourse basis for a 1 percent factoring commission, charging 1. 5 percent per month on advances and requiring a 15 percent factors reserve. Under this plan, the firm would factor all accounts and close its credit and collections department, saving $10,000 per year. (a) What is the effective interest rate and the average amount of funds available under pledging and under factoring? b) Which plan do you recommend? Why? Question 14 (16 points) Richmond Co. is considering two capital structures. The key information follows. Assume a 40 percent tax rate and expected EBIT of $50,000. (a) Calculate two EBIT-EPS coordinates for each of the structures. (b) Indicate over what EBIT range, if any, each structure is preferred. Bonus Question (4 points) Maryland House has just sold an iss ue of 30-day commercial paper with a face value of $5,000,000. The firm has just received $4,958,000. What is the effective annual interest rate on the commercial paper? 7

HRM Term Paper on ADA Essays (643 words) - Law, Free Essays

HRM Term Paper on ADA Essays (643 words) - Law, Free Essays HRM Term Paper on ADA Introduction On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law with the intent to make the American workplace more accessible to people with disabilities. It was signed by former president George H.W Bush, who said ?I know there may have been concerns that the ADA may be too vague or too costly, or may lead endlessly to litigation. But I want to reassure you right now that my administration and the United States Congress have carefully crafted this Act. We've all been determined to ensure that it gives flexibility, particularly in terms of the timetable of implementation; and we've been committed to containing the costs that may be incurred.... Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal. According to the most recent text of the ADA, which was amended in 2008, the definition of disability is ?a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment? (www.ada.gov). This further protects individuals with disabilities in recruitment, screening, hiring, promotions, layoffs and termination, and any other terms or conditions of employment. Private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions are covered in the act. In addition, the ADA applies to all aspects of participation in society, including employment, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. The ADA prepares employees by providing appropriate information and personnel training on the provisions of the ADA, its relevance to the functioning of the organization as a whole, and the responsibilities of specific personnel. The ADA is also undergoing continuous review and interpreta tion in the courts. Many people have set themselves up as experts on the ADA. They believe that they are experts on how to remove architectural barriers, how to build a ramp or refit a bathroom to comply with ADA standards. Unfortunately in too many cases, the so-called experts do not know about the ADA standards and their errors have been costly to people who relied on their help. There are no certificates or licenses for the ADA and those who claim that they are certified or licensed ADA experts are not telling the truth. The best advice is to consult your local Center for Independent Living and use reputable architects and builders who are familiar with ADA architectural standards and requirements. This is the best way to prevent a costly and lengthy lawsuit. Brief History The ADA is the most comprehensive federal civil rights legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Passed by the United States Congress in 1990, the ADA addresses the barriers and discrimination that people with disabilities have traditionally faced. The legislature covers access to employment, state and local government programs and services, access to places of public accommodations, transportation, non-profits service providers and telecommunications. The ADA has been amended several times since its passage in 1990, with the most recent amendment in 2008, which became effective on January 1st, 2009. Purpose of the ADA The purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act is ?to provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities; to provide clear, strong, consistent, enforceable standards addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities; to ensure that the Federal Government plays a central role in enforcing the standards established on behalf of individuals with disabilities; and to invoke the sweep of congressional authority, including the power to enforce the fourteenth amendment and to regulate commerce, in order to address the major areas of discrimination faced day-to-day by people with disabilities.? (www.ada.gov/pubs)

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Essay Example The essay "Embryonic Stem Cell Research" talks about the embryonic stem cells which have two unique properties including their ability to grow and differentiate as well as to replicate infinitely. The ability of ES cells to self-renew indefinitely is the main reason why it is used in treatments for regenerative medicine and tissue replacement after either an injury or disease. Other than its curative essence, the ES cell is beneficial in studying early developments in human as an in vitro technique in toxicology testing.Varying conviction between religion and science in regards to Human life’s inception has yielded to uncalled for controversy more so in embryonic stem cell research. Hence, prompting some contended the controversy is about annihilating human embryos for it is by far from ES cell research. Even the staunch dissenters have shown some support and approval towards other stem cells research methods like in vitro fertilization clinics and adult stem cell. Some also s ay that creating and destroying embryos for curing diseases through IVF clinics is not justifiable than the ES cell research. Modern scientific technologies have pushed beyond the domains of morality and this has led to the dilemma in the bodies governing the implementation and policymaking. This controversy reminds us of recombinant DNA and in vitro fertilization. Christianity includes various Orthodox, Catholicism, and Protestant churches which lack a unanimous definitive statement on when life begins and when an embryo becomes a person.

MATH PROJECT Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MATH PROJECT - Term Paper Example In this work the cross-section of a gutter has been optimized to contain maximum water with a fixed amount (length) of the material of construction. A gutter is to be made of plastic to catch water at the edge of a roof. Naturally the manufactures would like to have a design of a gutter that hold maximum of water with a given amount of material required to fabricate the gutter. Now the problem is what should be the shape of the cross section of the gutter. This appears to be a problem of maxima and minima. Looking at the suggested cross – sections the problem reduces to minimizing the periphery of the gutter cross section for a given area of the cross-section, this is because, while the periphery is made of the construction material (here plastic) the cross-section hold the water. Let us assume that the length of material (here plastic) is ‘l’ and this is folded to make different cross – sections for the gutter with area ‘A’. Now for a given area ‘A’, the length of the material ‘L’ should be minimized or for a given length of the material ‘L’, the cross-sectional area ‘A’ should be maximum. In this analysis, four shapes will be considered – Triangular cross - section, Rectangular Cross –section, Semicircular cross – section and circular cross –