KFC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

KFC - Essay Example This is essential in the company's operation as consistency and reliability of its products are at stake. Consistent processes across the company's outlets ensured that each of the branches is operating at a predefined standard. Also, the image of the company which is already instilled in the company's market should be met by all the outlets. All of the above measures are instrumental to KFC's success. 2. At first, Loy made a mistake in the strategies that he employed to conquer the Japanese market. This was evidenced by the huge losses he incurred during KFC's operation of its first restaurant in Osaka. However, as he got to know the Japanese market, he proved to be effective. Loy was able to identify a target market which is the group of trendy Japanese. This new market required fresh marketing strategies. It called for the modification of the product line, place, promotion and pricing. Fortunately, Loy had essentially adopted strategies which were just appropriate for his target market. Loy's strategies involved offering products which appealed more to the Japanese market.

Information System Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 14000 words

Information System Security - Essay Example 31): Computer systems thus have to be constantly available, secure and accurate. To ensure this, adequate and effective risk management practices must be in place – that is, risk management must be effectively integrated into an organization’s existing security model, having readily available solutions for security threats and being ever vigilant for novel security threats as they develop. The purpose of this study is to identify the role of risk management as part of the security model of modern information systems. To address this objective, the researcher primarily undertook a comprehensive review of related literature. The gained knowledge is then applied to a case study to illustrate the potential value of the area under investigation. For ensuring system security, an organisation ought to implement an efficient security model and carry out certain analyses and implementation steps. This Question will research how Risk management is defined in the literature and of which components it consists of. In addressing risk management, the role of risk analysis is investigated as an important tool in analysing the shortcomings of an organisation’s security system. It will then identify the different methods available to organisations to implement a sound risk management paradigm. For the identification of the risks faced by modern information systems, the researcher identified and presented the most common risks and threats a modern information system faces today and how they have developed over time. The study investigated several external and internal risks and the technologies used by people who pose threats. The researcher proceeds with a detailed analysis of the available technologies for risk reduction in information systems. Dutta & McCrohan (2002) assert that commercial operations have always been wrought with security problems, and over the years, several ways of responding to these issues have evolved. The increasing popularity

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Essay Example for Free

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Essay Introduction: The Beginning of the â€Å"Continental Drift Theory† In the middle of the eighteenth century, James Hutton proposed a theory, uniformitarianism; â€Å"the present is the key to the past†. It held that processes such as geologic forces- gradual and catastrophic-occurring in the present were the same that operated in the past. (Matt Rosenberg, 2004) This theory coincides with the theory of Continental Drift that was first proposed by Abraham Ortelius in December 1596, who suggested that North, South America, Africa and Eurasia were once connected but had been torn apart by earthquakes and floods. He also discovered that the coasts of the eastern part of South America and the western coasts of Africa fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and this fit becomes especially prominent as the edges of the continental shelves have similar shapes and thus, appear to be once fitted together. (Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2) The similarity of southern continents’ geological formations had led Roberto Mantovani to speculate that all continents had once been a supercontinent and was smaller in its volume than it is now. Through volcanic activity, fissures are created in the crust causing this continent to break apart. However, this theory, known as the Expanding Earth Theory has since been proven incorrect. The Theory of Continental Drift In 1912, The Theory of Continental Drift was intensively developed by Alfred Wegener, who claimed that the world was made up of a single gigantic supercontinent named Pangea since the Permian period, 250 million years ago. It began forming at the beginning of the Carboniferous period, 365 million years ago, when Gondwana collided into Laurussia producing the Appalachian mountain belt in eastern North America and closing in Paleo-Tethys Ocean and modern landmass became exposed to air. Alexander Du Toit then suggested that 145-200 million years ago, in the middle Jurassic Period, Pangea started breaking up into two smaller supercontinents, Laurasia in the northern hemisphere and Gondwana in the southern hemisphere, with Tethys Sea and North Atlantic Ocean separating the two supercontinents. The late Jurassic era began the formation of the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada mountains. In the Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago, the two supercontinents then began fragmenting into the present seven continents. (USGS, 2012) The Tethys Sea that lay between the two landmasses was subducted beneath Eurasia, forming the lower Atlantic Ocean. Eventually, it disappeared. (Nelson Thomas, 2007) (Figure 2) Wegener proposed that continents were moving at about one yard per century and supported this theory with several points of evidence. Evidence supporting the Theory of Continental Drift (Alfred Wegener and Du Toit) Alfred Wegener matched up coastlines, and he realized that by fitting the continental shelves together, cratons formed a contiguous pattern across the boundary of South America and Africa. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013) He realized that mountain ranges that ended at one coastline seemed to begin again on another such as ancient mountains in South Africa that align with the mountains in near Buenos Aires in Argentina. (Sant, Joseph, 2012) He discovered earthworms of the family Megascolecina, who are unlikely to be long-distance migrators, were found in soils of all the Gondwanaland continents. (kangarooistan, 2009) This identical species could not have arisen on different continents without some variations. (WiseGeek, 2010) Fossil remains of a prehistoric reptile known as the Mesosaurus had been uncovered on both sides of the South Atlantic coasts, yet the creature was unable to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. ( Lois Van Wagner, 2013) Fossils of the land reptile, Lystrosaurus were discovered in South America, Africa and Antarctica. (Sant, Joseph, 2012). He also discovered the fossil plant Glossopteris was distributed throughout India, South America, Southern Africa, Australia and Antarctica. (USGS, 2012)(Figure 3) Alexander Du Toit traveled to Brazil and Argentina where he found similarities in the fossils and rock strata to those found in South Africa such as the fossilized remains of Mesosaurus in fresh water deposits, dune deposits capped by basalt flows, tillite and coal beds. Similar layers of rock were formed in Antarctica, Australia, South America, Africa and India. (Figure 4) Widespread distribution of Permo-Carboniferous glacial sediments in South America, Africa, Madagascar, Arabia, India, Antarctica and Australia and striations that indicated glacial flow away from the equator and towards the poles were discovered and supported the theory of Continental Drift which proposed that southern continents were once located over the South Pole region and covered by ice sheets. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013) (Figure 4) He also discovered a base layer of shale scratched by glaciers and covered by layers of tillite in South Africa, a continent of a tropical equatorial climate. Tillites and varves dating back to 2 billion years ago, were found in Canada and India, indicating glaciation on a worldwide scale. Such tillites were found on all major continents except Antarctica, which has been the most extensive glacial continent in earth’s history. (kangarooistan, 2009) Additionally, fossils of tropical plants in the form of coal deposits were found in Antarctica which implies that Antarctica had to be closer to the Equator. (USGS, 2012) This study of changes in climate taken on the scale of the entire history of Earth is known as paleoclimatology. Sediments of rifting have proved the drifting apart of Pangea. The rifting that formed the South Atlantic Ocean began late in the Mesozoic Period when Africa and South America began to pull apart. Water from the south then flowed in over time, thus forming the evaporites now found along the coastlines there. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013)(Figure 5) However, Wegener believed that only the continents were moving and they plowed through the rocks of the ocean basins. (Colliers Encyclopedia, 1996) Harold Jeffreys then argued that it is impossible for continents to break through solid rock without breaking apart. (USGS, 2012) Wegener also claimed that the centrifugal force of the spinning planet had forced the continents sideways, parallel to the equator; tidal pull from the sun and moon had caused lateral movement. (Sant, Joseph, 2012) His orders of magnitude were too weak. Thus, his theory was dismissed. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013) Further development and support of the â€Å"Continental Drift Theory† in the 1960s After World War 2, the U.S. Office of Naval Research intensified efforts in ocean-floor mapping, leading to the discovery of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to be part of a continous system of mid-oceanic ridges on all ocean floors, prompting Harry H. Hess to suggest the theory of sea-floor spreading. The oldest fossils found in ocean sediments were only 180 million years old and little sediment were accumulated on the ocean floor. Thus, he suggested that seafloors were no more than a few hundred million years old, significantly younger than continental land due to hot magma rising from volcanically active mid-oceanic ridges, spreading sideways, cooling on the seafloor’s surface due to cooler temperatures of the sea, solidifying to create new seafloor, thereby pushing the tectonic plates apart. (Edmond A. Mathez, 2000) The realization that the shape of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Atlantic Coast are strikingly similar substantiated the claim that the continents had been joined together at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) (Figure 6) The cause of the continental drift that Wegener was unable to explain had been further researched on by Arthur Holmes who claimed that the movement of continents was the result of convection currents driven by the thermal convection in the heat of the interior of the Earth, namely the mantle. The heat source of the mantle comes from radioactivity decay in the core. (Figure 7) At constructive plate boundaries, molten basalt flows out on either side of the ridge and cools with the iron particles in the basalt aligning with the earth’s magnetic field which reverses direction every few hundred thousand years. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013) Due to magma cooling, the polarity of rocks will be recorded at the time it was formed. (Figure 8.1) In 1950, researchers of paleomagnetism discovered that there were alternating regions of normal and reversed magnetic directions symmetrically disposed on both sides of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge –magnetic stripping. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) Harry H. Hess’ theory was thus proven by the magnetic anomalies in the oceanic crust. (Nelson Thomas, 2007) (Figure 8.2) It was also discovered that the youngest rocks were closest to the mid-oceanic Ridge and the oldest rocks were near the coasts of the continents. When scientists began collecting magnetic data for North America and Europe, they discovered the north pole seemed to be moving about over time. (ALLA, 2009) However, when data from other continents was collected for the same time frames, it showed different polar locations, thus supporting that continents were moving about. The Theory of Plate Tectonics The theory of plate tectonics held that the Earth’s lithosphere, the Earth’s crust and the uppermost mantle, is broken into seven macro-plates and about twelve smaller ones, averaging 50 miles in width. (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Geological Survey, 2007) Any plate may consist of both oceanic crust and continental crust. (Colliers Encyclopedia, 1996) (Figure 9) It suggests that the ocean floor began to spread at constructive plate boundaries, and continents, existing on â€Å"plates†, moved due to convection currents in the mantle and constant sea-floor spreading. (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2011). They drag and move plates above them due to rising magma spreading out beneath the earth’s crust. As two oceanic plates move apart, magma from the underlying asthenosphere mantle wells up from oceanic ridges and becomes rigid enough to join the lithosphere of the plates on either side of the plate boundary, creating new seafloor and eventually, an oc ean is opened up. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) (Figure 10) Examples are the Atlantic Ocean formed between South America and Africa. New rock is created by volcanism at mid-oceanic ridges and returned to the Earth’s mantle at oceanic trenches where the denser plate is subducted under the other, forcing the earth’s crust back into the mantle. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) This process is known as the ridge push and slab-pull. (Figure 11) Different plate tectonics movement and subsequent tectonic activities Transform plate movement causing earthquakes: Seismic waves disrupting the continents in the form of earthquakes are due to the great amount of stress and energy built up by the friction of the moving plates, especially during transform plate movement, where plates slide past each other in a grinding, shearing manner and form tear faults (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2011). (Figure 12.1) There is gradual bending of rocks before the ductile limit of rocks is exceeded, causing the plates to lock and the fault to break, leading to sudden release of stored energy, causing earthquakes. (Nelson Thomas, 2007 ) An example is the strike-slip fault, San Andreas Fault in California. (Figure 12.2) (WiseGeek, 2010) Oceanic and Oceanic convergent plate movement: Other evidence of plate tectonics movement are most of the world’s active volcanoes located along or near the boundaries between shifting plates known as plate-boundary volcanoes. (J. Tuzo Wilson, 1996) When two oceanic plates collided, the denser plate will subduct under the other, forming a deep oceanic trench and form magma through hydration or decompression melting. The magma being less dense than the surrounding mantle, rises and escapes to the sea-floor through cracks in the earth’s crust, forming submarine volcanoes that rise above water to form a chain of volcanic islands known as island arcs, such as the Japan Islands. (Figure 13) Examples would be the Pacific Plate subducting underneath the North American Plate creating the Kuril Trench and the Japan Trench that can be found along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Many volcanoes such as Mount St. Helens, Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Pinatubo in the Phillipines are located along the perimeter of the Pacific Ocean Basin where boundaries of several plates such as the Nazca and the Cocos Plate are found, forming the Ring of Fire. (Fraser Cain, 2009) (Figure 14) Volcanoes formed not due to tectonic activities: 5 per cent of the world’s volcanoes are formed at isolated â€Å"hot spots† and many intra-plate volcanoes form roughly linear chains along the middle of oceanic plates. (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2011)Examples are the Yellowstone National park and Hawaiian Islands, an intra-plate volcanic chain developed by the Pacific plate passing over a deep, stationary â€Å"hot spot†, located 60 km beneath the present-day position of the Island of Hawaii. Heat from this hotspot produced a constant source of basaltic magma by partly melting the overriding Pacific Plate. This magma rises through the mantle to erupt onto the seafloor, forming an active seamount. Over time, countless eruptions caused the seamount to grow until it finally emerges above sea level to form island volcanoes. The continuing plate movement eventually carries the island volcano away from the hotspot, cutting it off from the â€Å"hot spot† and creating another island volcano. This cycle is repeated, forming the Hawaiian Islands. (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Geological Survey, 2007) (Figure 15) Continental and Continental convergent plate movement: Continental fold mountain ranges are evidence of two continental plates that are thick and buoyant thus, preventing both plates from subducting. Instead, the two plates collide into each other forming fold mountain ranges in a process known as orogenesis. An example is the high elevation of the Tibetan plateau, fringed to the south by the Himalayas as the edges of the Indian and Eurasia plate buckle, uplift, fold and deform. Mt. Everest is the highest summit on Earth, yet Yellowband limestone that was originally part of the shallow seals of the Tethys Ocean was found on Mount Everest at a height of 8462m. (Figure 16) Oceanic and Continental convergent plate movement: Mountains are formed when oceanic crust is subducted under a continental crust, resulting in melting of rock, thus volcanic activity and causing the continental crust to deform, rise and buckle upwards under compressional forces. Examples are the Andes Mountain, the Chile-Peru Trench and the uplift of the Rockies and Appalachians in the past. (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2007) The Table Mountains was formed approximately 250 million years ago, due to the Pacific plate subducting under the North American plate, (Mary Ann Resendes, 2012) thus creating the Sierra Nevada foothills, subsequently creating the Cape of Good Hope as the ocean erodes the soft sandstone of Table Mountains on the coast. (National Geographic, 1996) Other tectonic activities such as the Wadati-Benioff zones, that are earthquake zones parallel to oceanic trenches are also formed at such subduction zones and inclined from 40 to 60 degrees from the horizontal, extending several hundred kilometres into the mantle. (Figure 17) Continental and Continental divergent plate movement: When two continental crusts are pulled apart due to tensional forces, the area sinks and forms a rift valley and sea such as the East African Rift Valley and the Red Sea that runs from the Jordan Valley and into East Africa, already dotted with volcanoes such as Hermon. This is due to the area being stretched, causing the crustal material to thin, weaken and sink due to lowered density. (Figure 18) Isostasy Also, isostasy takes place wherever a large amount of weight such as the fold mountain ranges created from plate tectonics movements is formed or glaciers, pushes down the Earth’s crust and creates a small dent. Isostasy also takes place at divergent plate boundaries when a large amount of weight is removed from an area, causing that portion of the Earth’s crust to rise. Therefore, equilibrium in the earth’s crust is achieved such that forces elevating landmasses balances those tending to depress landmasses. (Learning Network, 1998) (Figure 19)

Genesis Computers: Project Management and Cost Control

Genesis Computers: Project Management and Cost Control Executive Summary Genesis is engaged in supply of PCs to the home market and in development of software. During the past year, project costs of the company have tended to go beyond projections and have become a matter of grave concern. The project management team has been given the task of analysing the situation and devising measures to control costs. This report contains a detailed analysis of the problems facing the company and provides recommendations to bring project costs under control. It is structured into separate sections and after beginning with a small introductory write up, takes up the various factors involved in project cost control, along with recommended measures and suggestions. 1. Introduction Genesis Computers is in the business of selling and maintaining personal computers for home use. The company also develops software solutions for its clients. The customers of the company buy PCs, as well as bespoke software. Clients can be segregated into customers who buy computers, customers who buy software and those who buy both. All customers are provided with free warranty periods for both hardware and software. Many of them prefer to enter into annual maintenance contracts at the end of the warranty period. In consonance with customer expectations, Genesis sells only branded computers. In addition to PCs, some customers also need printers and scanners, which the company provides. As the market of the company is limited to customers who need PCs for home use, the number of computers sold to individual clients remains restricted. Some clients who run small businesses from their homes occasionally place larger orders, along with bespoke software. The company is experiencing overruns in project costs. Cost escalations are occurring regularly in both hardware and software components, with resultant erosions in profitability, delays in project completion and decrease in customer satisfaction. It has now become imperative to ensure that cost budgets are maintained and customer expectations with regard to quality and delivery met appropriately. It is the objective of this assignment to investigate the reasons for cost overruns and develop appropriate measures to control identified problems. Consideration has to be given to the small size of the company. The recommendations should thus be simple, logical and convenient to implement. 2. Cost Overruns Measures to control project costs need to account not only for the costs incurred for procurement of hardware and development of software, but also for those incurred for maintenance and rework during the warranty period. Apart from these expenses, project costs need to incorporate all direct or indirect expenses attributable to the project. As warranty costs for hardware are protected by back to back arrangements with hardware vendors, this assignment will focus on the other cost elements involved in project execution. Cost control must necessarily be a multi disciplinary exercise. This fact needs to be conveyed to all departmental heads and their cooperation obtained. It needs to be recognised that cost reduction exercises that happen without the full cooperation of all departments will probably be stillborn and doomed to failure. a. Estimation and Quotations: In many cases the genesis (!) of cost overruns lies in improper preparation of estimates and quotations. Preparation of estimates is often the preserve of sales and marketing functions. The sales department in Genesis reports directly to the CEO and its eagerness to clinch deals occasionally results in inadequate cost estimation and low quotations. It is recommended that the estimating exercise be converted into a multidisciplinary function for an initial period of six months. During this period managers from projects, procurement, software development, finance and sales departments should take part in the estimation function. Managers drafted for this exercise will need to be informed of the urgency of the exercise, the necessity of carrying out detailed estimation exercises and the need for speed in preparing estimates. It must be ensured that sales response times do not get diluted due to the necessity of carrying out estimation exercises. It is also essential to ensure that the p rocedure for estimation be in line with the methodology used by the company for preparing project budgets. The estimation exercise, while incorporating direct and indirect costs, must provide for accurate forecasting of time required for software development. It needs to be emphasised that most software development costs are functions of time and labour and the underestimation of time is a causal factor behind preparation of incorrect estimates and subsequent overruns. b. Budgeting: The budgeting exercise takes place only after receipt of the order; with budgets sometimes being very different from original estimates. It is important to prepare the budget, de novo, after receipt of the order on the basis of the order specifications for hardware and software. The hardware requirements and prices agreed upon need to be checked with procurement prices to ensure the presence of determined margins. A software development process consists of specific steps e.g. analysis of software, elements, architecture, implementation, testing, documentation, training, support and maintenance. The budgeting process must necessarily account for the time required for separate processes, incorporation of buffers and slacks, application of accurate costing rates and incorporation of other direct and applicable indirect costs, including the apportionment of overheads. c. Supply Chain Management: Efficient control of costs relating to the hardware component in projects will be best served by improving the supply chain management of the machines, peripherals and accessories, traded by the company. Most projects contain both software and hardware elements. As such, they also have a delivery time framework that is in consonance with software development time. This factor, fortunately, provides enough time to the purchase department for procurement of hardware, even after receipt of the order. Genesis must take advantage of this slack in hardware procurement time to ensure minimum stocking and reduced inventory levels. The project managers need to coordinate with the staff of the procurement department and the vendors, thereby ensuring that while low inventories do not lead to delays in receipt of material, ordered supplies are received â€Å"just in time† to ensure timely delivery. Introduction of this practice will lead to reduction in inventory, freeing of inventory car rying costs, more careful buying and sharper project execution practices. d. Project Monitoring and Execution: Improvement in any aspect of project management; be it cost, delivery or quality, essentially starts with project managers. Each order, as soon as it is signed, must be allotted to a suitable project manager. The choice of project managers is important in order to ensure that chosen managers are competent enough to handle allotted projects and moreover, have enough time to devote to the execution of their projects. Overloading project managers or allotting projects to unsuitable managers is the surest way to invite problems in project execution. Improper project management can lead to costs going over budget or to late deliveries, with problems getting compounded when large number of projects come up for parallel execution. There are three basic dimensions to successful project management, control of time, scope and cost. These dimensions work like three sides of a triangle, with a change in any one parameter affecting the other two. Research shows that less than 10 percent of all projects are delivered to their original cost and schedule estimates. One reason associated with this failure rate lies in the tracking of effort and cost – estimates should be tracked over time comparing planned to actual outcomes.(McManus, 2006) Project managers must control the scope and time of the project and ensure that they comply with originally laid out plans. It is generally seen that this approach, if implemented sincerely solves many of the problems that lead to cost overruns. Project managers are responsible for a number of issues, the main ones being planning, designing objectives, controlling risk, estimating and allocating resources, organising work, acquiring resources, assigning and directing activities, controlling execution, monitoring and analysing progress, implementing route corrections, ensuring compliance with cost, time, quality and delivery norms and managing issues. Execution of many software projects also involves the utilisation of outside experts who are paid in line with the time expended by them while working on the project. Outside experts need to be monitored with more care because of their distant location and other commitments. Specific attention needs to be given to monitoring the various phases of different projects. If estimation and budgeting are done with a fair degree of comprehensiveness and accuracy, proper monitoring and route corrections procedures help greatly in keeping projects on track. Project monitoring involves a number of variables. It is recommended, in the first instance, that all mangers use standard software like MS Project to monitor and control projects. In addition to use of standard project monitoring tools, monthly financial reviews also help in controlling project costs. It is recommended that these financial reviews should be regularly held and attended by project managers, finance personnel and the CEO. The focus of these reviews should be on cost and time overruns. These reviews will help enormously, not just in locating reasons for overruns but also in quantifying the costs that remain to be incurred. It is imperative that reporting of costing data, at this stage, should draw only upon the information available within the existing finance function. Changes in systems relating to collecting and recording of costing data should be looked at only after the present recommendations are implemented and followed, for at least one year. It would be premature to do otherwise. 3. Closing Review and Conclusion: The conclusion of any project must necessarily be accompanied by a detailed closing review focussing on time, scope, cost, and customer satisfaction. The review should deal not just with negative variances but also with areas where good project execution practices have been able to achieve savings in time and costs. This will enable project managers to focus and localise practices that have worked favourably during project implementation. The project management team must use these completed reviews as major information sources for designing project cost control measures. They must draw from the lessons learnt and conclusions reached to prepare a detailed manual outlining company practices for monitoring and controlling project costs. The CEO and the finance department should keep the issue of project cost control alive during the year and design a reward system for staff responsible for executing very successful projects. It is suggested that these measures be implemented immediately and quarterly reviews be held thereafter to assess their effectiveness in achieving project cost control. Bibliography Ho, M, 2005, Managing Project Quality: Cost, Control and Justification, DM Review, Retrieved December 23, 2006 from www.dmreview.com/article_sub.cfm?articleID=1040055 Hormozi, A. M., Dube, L. F. (1999). Establishing Project Control: Schedule, Cost, and Quality. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 64(4), 32. Relkin, J, 2006, 10 ways to effectively estimate and control project costs, Tech Republic, Retrieved December 23, 2006 from articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878-6078705.html

Disneys Effect on Society and Culture Essay -- essays papers

Disneys Effect on Society and Culture For nearly seven decades Corporate Disney has dazzled its audiences; generation after generation have been entertained through avenues ranging from movies to elaborate theme parks. While many find this massive establishment to be a significant part of American culture and welcome the Disney spirit with open arms, one man in particular looks past the hype and into his own theory of the Disney Corporation. Carl Hiaasen, a journalist for the Miami Herald, paints a witty and sarcastic portrait in this nonfiction account of a company. Hiaasen critizises the company for manifesting evil, enveloping perfection to a sickening extent, and who’s sole purpose is to inhale as much money as feasibly possible. The book opens with Times Square-an area home to many things: MTV, Morgan Stanley, the worlds largest Mariot Hotel, the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, and Peep Land, as well as the glittering new Disney Store. Hiaasen provides an interesting perspective, claiming Disney is out to â€Å"vanquish sleaze in its unholiest fountainhead, Times Square.†(2) While to some this intrusion of the new Disney Store is obtrusive, to many it is the beginning of a turn around for this otherwise less than clean, corrupt area within our society called Times Square. Hiaasen continues his bleak opinion of the company by claiming, â€Å"Disney is so good at being good that it manifests an evil†¦...

Feminism and Gibsons Neuromancer :: Feminism Feminist Women Criticism

Today many women are stereotyped in their jobs and social roles as defined by society as a whole. William Gibson's Neuromancer where one woman is used for specific reasons. The female character, Molly, is used for sex and her body is used for other sexual performances. In this book we find numerous examples of how she is being used sexually and how she must act in her job to survive. The author uses horrific examples that are related to how some women are treated today. The feminist approach is used throughout this book because of how the character Molly is being treated. In the second chapter of the book Molly is known as a "Working Girl", which means prostitute. Here in this chapter we find the first example of how Molly is being used for sex. "His head throbbed, but the brittleness in his neck seemed to retreat. He raised himself on one elbow, rolled sank back against the foam, pulling her down, licking her breasts, small hard nipples sliding wet across his cheek. He found the zip on the leather jeans and tugged it down"(Gibson32-33). This scene occurs right after Case's surgery. You might ask, the question, Is being used for sex really part of her job? Or was she attracted to work with Case? That could be a major confusion when reading this book. Something very similar to the scene just described also occurs in Chapter 11. The character Riveria performs a piece that he calls "The Doll." He imagines Molly's body as he wants it to be. A line from the book states "Then the torso formed as Riviera caressed it into being, white, headless, and perfect, sheened with the faintest gloss of sweat"(140). This ungodly performance can make any woman sick to her stomach. It is hard to believe one man's behavior could be that stereotypical as he regards a woman. Unfortunately, in today's society that is something that is not unusual. Women are represented as developing different qualities to be successful in their jobs. In this book Molly is known as highly dominant and very knowledgeable in what she does. Not only in just this book, but in real life situations women have to demonstrate these strong characteristics to be recognized for their hard work. Other women have to have these qualities just to be noticed. In this book Molly has to be this way so she can protect herself from men, and she also has to have these qualities so she will be recognized for her hard work.

Control System- Pressure Regulator

A type or certain group of elements that function together as a unified whole, is a system. This widened description thus gives some meaning to control systems as a whole. By re-establishing the basic principles and functions worked out, a system's limit can be extended to include little or more characteristics just as long as each singular variable contributes in a way to the particular system activity. This explains that the system does not halt interaction to other systems or peripherals. In the process industry, the term control system is sometimes normally used to specify a process, and the apparatus basically required to run the process. The system is tested with various actions so it will conform to a standard, these include; load, commands and disturbances which cause it to respond in some individual manner. A system is best made so that it will respond positively. In order for a system to act in the way prescribed is to control the system. The basic concept of comparing the measured and prescribed system performance, and then taking any action to change the process thereby minimizing errors, is called negative feedback. The system can vice-versa be called a closed-loop control system, or a negative feedback control system. To make a system automated it should be mechanized. To create the maintenance of a constant value in a control, is not the major primary objective of control; once the prescribed behavior is achieved, the control function is fulfilled. Although the use of control measure is in most cases involved with mechanical equipment, they can also be used in fields such as (e.g. in the social, biological or in different other systems). The science of achieving control, by using or not using feedback, is the method of control theory. This is applicable to system control in general. Most control systems have evolved by the practice of trial and error, for the critical design of system controls with the need for extensive analysis of two factors, the control devices and the process. 2.0 TYPES OF REGULATORS- 2.1 SIMPLE PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM (SELF OPERATED REGULATOR): For a typical uncontrolled system, let us say it is required for it to provide a standard pressure, P, at a given measure and that the discharge, Q2, provides for an external system, which, its need for this fluid varies. At a given time interval, the external system regulates valve No. 2 to comply with the needed specifications. The curves given in Fig 1.0 FIG 1.1 Shows the way in which it alters the process of the pressure. In earlier results in time, t1, some initial stable condition exists where, Q1 and Q 2 are of the same and the process pressure is significantly at the aimed equivalent. A level change occurs at, Q1 when time is at, t1, this reduces the fluid mass between the valves. This is followed mainly by a drop in the process pressure. For a system which is uncontrolled the pressure decline will continue until the drop over valve No. 1 is enough again to build equal flows and a new constant state functioning condition is gained. The procedure can be controlled; i.e. the suitable needed pressure can be managed if the significant rise in Q1 were gotten by increasing the opening of valve No. 1. A typical way of doing this is given in Fig 1.1. FIG 1.3 The response for the process pressure is sent to a spring opposed diaphragm that gives free way for the pressure to manoeuvre the valve. In a working mode, the contraction in the spring will be set so that at some constant state working condition the required process pressure, acting on the diaphragm section, this balances the force that the spring carries. The aimed process pressure is known as a set point. Changes from the set point which is caused by load variation will be controlled because as the process pressure differs, the matching force given back to the diaphragm will regulate the valve position to reduce the pressure variance to a certain range of value around the set point. The careful control of the pressure will rely on how big a flow change the regulator will be able to carry out for a minimal amount of pressure. The regulator flow change to process pressure change is the gain of the regulator and this will rely on the diaphragm area, the valve size, stiffness of the spring, and the general pressure drop over it. The corrective activity done by the regulator is proportional to the change of the process from its set point. Such an element is called the proportional or proportional mode, control. When using the proportional control, the corrective action can only carry on when some different outlines exist. The final pressure change needed to completely stroke the regulator is known as the proportional band and it shows around what limits the regulator can control. FIG 1.4 illustrates where the process measurement supplies the whole valve actuating force, this is known as self-operated regulators. FIG 1.5 The above demonstrates a self operated regulators made for the control of temperature, flow and level. The operation method is practically the same with the pressure regulator. They are widely used in various applications of specialty in the industrial field. 3.0 PILOT OPERATED PRESSURE REGULATOR: This regulator uses a little pilot valve assembly to aide in actuating the main valve. Generally the pilot operated pressure regulator shown in Fig 1.6 FIG 1.6 when in operation, the process pressure works on the lower side of the main diaphragm which is similar to the self operated regulator. The pilot also quantifies the process pressure and, upstream pressure as power source, changes the loading on the top side of the main diaphragm. The diaphragm serves as an amplifier, generally bearing a gain from process to loading pressure of 10 to 20 psi per psi. This is because of both feed back path ways one through the direct one and the other through the pilot, the regulators demonstrate a more complex control action than the simple proportional mode. The pilot operated regulator are available for all the four major process variables; flow, pressure level and temperature even though the direct acting path is left out in some cases. With the pilot operated regulator it is generally easier to achieve a greater regulator gain. Both the self and pilot operated regulators share similar attributes that have, in many cases, brought about some restraints. In some instances like if the fluid is corrosive, loaded with contaminants or of very high temperature, apparent issues may arise. Essentially at most one of the diaphragm casings, should, be able, to hold the maximum process pressure. The most possibly vital deficiency, from, the basis that static and dynamic elements of any specific form of process; i.e., level, pressure, etc. can differ respectively from one installation to the other so the choice of the amount of gain to be designed into a regulator without causing any sort of system instability, is made a very tasking procedure. It means that the regulator can not be altered to suit the characteristics of the process to which it has been applied. This Fig 1.7 is the block diagram of a pilot operated regulator FIG 1.7 3.1 INSTRUMENT CONTROL: The pressure control system illustrated in Fig 1.8 FIG 1.8 it surpasses all the limits considerably attached to the self and pilot operated regulators. It generally contains three detachable hardware pieces: the process controller, the control valve, and the valve actuator. Other controllers such as this stands for one of an entire family of peripherals generally referred to as instruments. The process fluid touches only the control valve and its sensing element. This is a small part which has no orifice and could get contaminated. They can be made from several types of materials to achieve high standard against corrosion and temperature. An external source for pneumatic power is used for working parts in the controller to provide clean, dry instrument air. The air supply is regulated so that the pressure is at a standard rate and that the controller and actuator are made to work with a standard pressure signal level, free of the process fluid pressure. A regular standard pressure supply is within 20 psig with a usual ranging of signal within 2 to 15 psig. They are ready for use with numerous sensing element and they give the significance of the process which is being controlled. They are commonly known as indicative controllers. To minimize trial and error the set point is normally calibrated to generally prevent subsequent start ups. The Fig 1.8 is like most pneumatic controller models, it has two levels with an adjustable measure of response and amplification around both levels. The input variable moves an end of a beam which holds the air flow through a nozzle. The pressure of the nozzle is sensitive to the point of the beam itself. The pressure of the nozzle performs on the top diaphragm of a pressure equal valve assembly that is the second amplifier level. As a result of the huge valve ports it is has the capacity to give an extreme flow progression to the actuator which works as a power amplifier. The pressure is given back to the amplifiers which moves the nozzle beams in a direction which opposes the sensing effect. Element motion ( i.e. negative feedback ). The three way valve behaves as a pressure divider and its regulation decides what amount of feedback should be consumed. Leaving the dynamics out, the controller can be seen as having a high gain movement path with a regulated gain response path. It provides only proportional control mode but its area of reach can be freely adjusted over a vast range by means of the pressure divider. The purpose of the integral mode is to remove any steady state process deviation and the reason for the deviation mode is to give an improved transient control. These modes improve the flexibility of the controller. 4.0 COMPUTER CONTROL- The reason for central control is to bring to a particular location, adequate information and hardware to allow an operator to control the plant variances, which are product yield and quality, and to manage the automated control of process variances, which are flow and temperature. In order for all duties to be carried out by the operator must have a sound knowledge of process variances, but how they should be. The adequate values for the process variances will differ as operating circumstances may be affected by things such as contamination, variations in reactants, load, changes in the products wanted or quality. The set points calculation can be made from the plant requirements and information about the plant operating elements. The early use of digital computers for process controls was for plant performance calculation the whole system works in an automated form sampling of transmitter signals. The optimizing of control and direct digital controls in Fig 1.9 FIG 1.9 Illustration of the hierarchy control as given in FIG 2.0 LLOYD, SHELSON, G AND ANDERSON, GERALD, D. 1971. Industrial Control Process. An Introduction to Hardware .1st edn. Marshaltown, Iowa: Fisher Controls Co. pp. 83-92. 5.0 CONTROL ELEMENTS- 5.1 BASIC ELEMENT: Any system can be broken down into various divisions for understanding it's rather important to consider two levels of dub divisions. The first are those components in a control loop that are manufactured, tested, purchased and even design as standalone pieces of equipments. 5.2 MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF PHYSICAL DEVICES: The mathematical representation of physical devices can be done with the use of the fundamental physical laws which include Ohm's Law Newton's Laws, flow equations, conservation of mass and energy, etc. The use of impedance is often but not always helpful when deriving a mathematical model when a system is dynamic there is a circumstance which is forcing the change. This force is always some kind of potential energy .When a change occurs that is the dynamic system which is a movement known as flux. This flux generally depends on the physical characteristics of the system. Some forms of flux are shown in Table 1.0. TABLE 1.0 Impedance shows the mathematical relationship between potential and flux, it is the ratio of an increase change in potential to an increase change in flux. EQUATION. 1 LLOYD, SHELSON, G AND ANDERSON, GERALD, D. 1971. Industrial Control Process. Basic Elements.1st edn. Marshaltown, Iowa: Fisher Controls Co. pp. 93-94. 6.0 PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM The performance of a process control system is calculated by considering the system's output to the set point. The difference between both amounts is error or system deviation .The response of a regulatory system, for a step increase in load. Many standard words are defined in the schematic and several of them are used to describe the mistakes which might occur. It is obvious that no certain way such as settling time, maximum value of transient deviation, steady- state deviation gives a measure of system performance. Different approaches methods have been used for the error index. A tank which has several sources of flow as given in Fig 2.1 can be easily described by using block diagrams and flow components. For easy understanding lets say Pc = constant. The equation for flow is: PRESSURE PROCESS STEADY FLOW (FIG 2.1) In order to illustrate the nature of a process control system consider Fig 2.2 for the control equipment has a valve, diaphragm, actuator, and a locally mounted PI measuring controller FIG 2.2 LLOYD, SHELSON, G AND ANDERSON, GERALD, D. 1971. Industrial Control Process. Process Dynamics .1st edn. Marshaltown, Iowa: Fisher Controls Co. pp. 202-204. 7.0 ACCURACY AND SENSITIVITY 7.1 ACCURACY â€Å"In general, the greatest accuracy-closest regulation-is obtained with the largest diaphragm and shortest range which will give the required control pressure. For example, a control pressure of 40 psig can be obtained with any of the three ranges in model RP-1065-A and with two of the three ranges in model RP-1066-A. Closest regulation can be expected with the 5 – 50 psi range of model RP-1066-A (size 10 diaphragm). See table for â€Å"Accuracy of Regulation.† Unbalanced port areas are not considered in the values tabulated. Small amounts of unbalance are present in single-seated 1/2†³ â€Å"A† valves and in semi-balanced double seated valves 2†³ through 4†³. Under conditions of high pressure drop, the forces opposing valve closure will influence selection of the regulator model (diaphragm size). See â€Å"Accuracy of Regulation† tabulation for actual port area unbalance† FIG 2.3 [WWW] http://www.skilenvironmental.com/documents/160_RP1065A_1066A.pdf In addition what changes can made to the diaphragm area, spring rate, orifice size, and inlet pressure, the regulator accuracy can be enhanced by simply putting a pitot tube. Internal to the regulator, the pitot tube joins the diaphragm cover with a low-pressure, high velocity region inside the regulator body. The pressure in the area will be lower than P2 when it goes downstream. By using a pitot tube to calculate the lower pressure, the regulator change in its response to any change in P2. The pitot tube tricks the regulator. 7.2 SENSITIVITY The principle of operation and loading, actuating, and control components are in all designs. Many regulators use simple wire coil springs to control the downstream pressure. Numerous size springs are used to allow regulation of the secondary pressure around a target range. The needed pressure is at the centre one-third of the rated outlet pressure range. In the lower end of the pressure range, the spring loses some sensitivity; at the high end, the spring close to it maximum capacity. Regulators can use diaphragm or piston to detect or sense downstream pressure. Diaphragms are more sensitive to pressure variations and react quicker. They can operate where sensitive pressure settings are needed (lower than 0.04 psi). Pistons generally are more rugged and give a larger effective sensing area in a particular size regulator. The functional difference between general-purpose and precision regulators is the degree of control accuracy of the output pressure. Output pressure accuracy is gotten by the droop due to flow changes (regulator characteristics). [WWW] http://machinedesign.com/article/pneumatic-pressure-regulators-1115 8.0 FEEDBACK This section will develop the performance limitations imposed by a particular load when a conventional flow control valve is utilized in the valve-actuator component. It will then show that the load versus flow characteristic of the forward loop can be modified very advantageously. Various techniques utilized in the past for this purpose, such as controlled actuator by-pass leakage and structural feedback, are compared with a new technique called dynamic pressure feedback (D.P.F.). The analytical work is fortified by reports of actual tests of a representative system. The electrohydraulic position servo can be represented by the block diagram shown in Fig 2.4. This diagram separates the valve-actuator integration from the hydraulic and structural compliance of the actuator. The diagram also represents the particular load case under discussion. The analysis of servo stability and performance is affected by the choice of position feedback location. Output position can be measured at the actuator or at the load. If the feedback is from the actuator position, the analytical task is made more difficult. However, it is apparent from the block diagram that the quantities Xp and X0 react in a proportional manner to inertia forces. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, that the two cases should yield similar results. This discussion will be based on selection of feedback intelligence from the load position, X0, due to the relative simplicity of analysis. However, a careful comparison of this simpler case with the more difficult to analyse case of actuator feedback position has been carried out. An analogue computer was utilized for this comparison. The results of the study confirmed that the two cases are really very similar in dynamic performance achievable. The use of actuator position feedback suffers some comparative penalty statically with respect to error introduced by external (load disturbance) forces.† [WWW] http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet;jsessionid=6464D27CC3E73FAFE7C6220F352B4F85?contentType=Article&Filename=/published/emeraldfulltextarticle/pdf/1270320604.pdf FIG 2.4 [WWW]http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet;jsessionid=6464D27CC3E73FAFE7C6220F352B4F85?contentType=Article&Filename=/published/emeraldfulltextarticle/pdf/1270320604.pdf 9.0 PRESSURE MEASUREMENT â€Å"Fluid pressure can be defined as the measure of force per-unit-area exerted by a fluid, acting perpendicularly to any surface it contacts (a fluid can be either a gas or a liquid, fluid and liquid are not synonymous). The standard SI unit for pressure measurement is the Pascal (Pa) which is equivalent to one Newton per square meter (N/m2) or the KiloPascal (kPa) where 1 kPa = 1000 Pa. In the English system, pressure is usually expressed in pounds per square inch (psi). Pressure can be expressed in many different units including in terms of a height of a column of liquid. CONVERSION UNITS FOR COMMON UNITS OF PRESSURE (TABLE 2) PRESSURE TERMS RELATIONSHIP (FIG 2.5) Table lists commonly used units of pressure measurement and the conversion between the units. Pressure measurements can be divided into three different categories: absolute pressure, gage pressure and differential pressure. Absolute pressure refers to the absolute value of the force per-unit-area exerted on a surface by a fluid. Therefore the absolute pressure is the difference between the pressure at a given point in a fluid and the absolute zero of pressure or a perfect vacuum. Gage pressure is the measurement of the difference between the absolute pressure and the local atmospheric pressure. Local atmospheric pressure can vary depending on ambient temperature, altitude and local weather conditions. The U.S. standard atmospheric pressure at sea level and 59à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½F (20à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) is 14.696 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) or 101.325 kPa absolute (abs). When referring to pressure measurement, it is critical to specify what reference the pressure is related to. In the English system of units, measurement relating the pressure to a reference is accomplished by specifying pressure in terms of pounds per square inch absolute (psia) or pounds per square inch gage (psig). For other units of measure it is important to specify gage or absolute. The abbreviation .abs' refers to an absolute measurement. A gage pressure by convention is always positive. A .negative' gage pressure is defined as vacuum. Vacuum is the measurement of the amount by which the local atmospheric pressure exceeds the absolute pressure. A perfect vacuum is zero absolute pressure. Fig 2.5 shows the relationship between absolute, gage pressure and vacuum. Differential pressure is simply the measurement of one unknown pressure with reference to another unknown pressure. The pressure measured is the difference between the two unknown pressures. This type of pressure measurement is commonly used to measure the pressure drop in a fluid system. Since a differential pressure is a measure of one pressure referenced to another, it is not necessary to specify a pressure reference. For the English system of units this could simply be psi and for the SI system it could be kPa. In addition to the three types of pressure measurement, there are different types of fluid systems and fluid pressures. There are two types of fluid systems; static systems and dynamic systems. As the names imply, a static system is one in which the fluid is at rest and a dynamic system is on in which the fluid is moving†. [WWW] http://www.scribd.com/doc/2339144/Understanding-Pressure-and-Pressure-Measurement 10.0 CONTROLLERS The major use of controllers is to detect errors in the variables and to create error correction messages that which is caused by the error. To complete this task the controller design must have an adjustable set point that can be comparison to the process variable. The error that is given is sent as a response for needed action to be carried out. The block diagram is given in Fig . The input could be as an input from the transmitter, which happens in the situation involving a receiver-controller. A three mode controller transfer function likely should be as given in the equation , the static gain has been resolved in two perspectives ; K is the nominal output and input spans and this would normally n=be unity for a receiver controller, and Kc is an adjustable measurement known as proportional gain. EQUATION. 2 The three modes stated above give the derivative, integral, and proportional modes respectively. FIG 2.6 Simpler controller designs employing one or two modes are often used. The basic combinations are P- Proportional only I- Integral only PI- proportional plus integral PD proportional plus derivative PID proportional plus integral plus derivative The transfer function may be derived from EQUATION. 2 by eliminating the appropriate terms. In the self operated regulator the actuator, controller and sensor are normally the same thing and with the same element. The controller has no other than the set point and has fixed gain and practically no adjustments. The transfer function is taken as: EQUATION. 3 Considering an example with a regulator with a set point of 5 psig and a flow capacity of 0.6, a temperature of 60 degree (Fahrenheit) and a pressure of 5 psig. The off set flow capacity will be 20 percent. The density can be determined with the use of the equation of state of a perfect gas as shown below: CALCULATION .1 LLOYD, SHELSON, G AND ANDERSON, GERALD, D. 1971. Industrial Control Process. Control Components .1st edn. Marshaltown, Iowa: Fisher Controls Co. pp. 115 – 148. 11.0 INPUT AND OUTPUT â€Å"This simple valve model has three states: OPEN, WORKING, and CLOSED. As the valve is the only component of the pressure-regulator that has state, the composite device, likewise, has only three states: [OPEN], [WORKING], and [CLOSED]. Suppose the input pressure is decreasing and the pressure-regulator is in state [WORKING], then dXFp = +, which causes A, the cross-sectional area available for flow to increase. This raises the possibility that A