Processing the Crime Scene and Establishing Identity Essay

Processing the Crime Scene and Establishing Identity - Essay Example The second step which is examine usually supplements or adds to the initial observation of the crime scene technician. This step comprises of collecting evidences, analyzing the exit and entry points, and sizing up the general layout of the entire crime scene. Photographing is the third step in assessing a crime scene, where evidences as well as general views of the location is taken on film; so that a pictorial review can be done to evaluate how the area of crime actually looks like. Next is the sketch – where a rough draft or drawing is done by the crime scene technician to indicate the actual layout of the crime scene and the location of the bodies including the murder weapon and any other evidences related to the case. Last but not the least in the examination of a crime scene is the process. This stage entails the crime scene technician to collect all evidences, testimonial and physical.

Fiery Nationalism Essay Example for Free

Fiery Nationalism Essay For more than five centuries it has been, and remains, the world’s â€Å"most powerful idea†. Nationalism is a key characteristic of traditional global politics. Despite its strength however, nationalism is not as dominant a political identity as it once was. Nationalism had existed throughout human civilization; it became a major political movement, in large part because of centuries of imperialism. As countries expanded their borders through warfare and colonialism, the map of the world was completely redrawn. Geographic lines were shifted to create political entities based on the â€Å"winners† and â€Å"losers† of conflicts rather than based on ethnic lines of indigenous populations. Nationalism is a doctrine invented in Europe at the beginning of the nineteenth century. It pretends to supply a criterion for the determination of the unit of population proper to enjoy a government exclusively its own, for the legitimate exercise of power in the state, and for the right organization of a society of states. Briefly, the doctrine holds that humanity is naturally divided into nations, that nations are known by certain characteristics which can be ascertained, and that the only legitimate type of government is national self-government. Another definitions of nationalism are: devotion and loyalty to one’s own nation; excessive patriotism; the desire for national advancement or independence; the policy or doctrine of asserting interest of one’s own nation, viewed as separate from the interest of other nations or the common interest of all nations. Referring to the period 1900-1920, the positive part about nationalism as a political movement was that it allowed them to come together and overthrow imperialism. By the beginning of the twentieth century, nationalist movements threatened to tear apart the established empires and the world order the empires had created. On the other hand, the negative part was that it led to colonial wars for independence and civil wars within countries comprised of multiple nations. The problem for nationalist was that it was often difficult to determine exactly where some ethnics group began and others ended, which led to conflict between nationalities living together within a country. It’s true that imperialism and militarism were factors in WWI, but both were byproducts of nationalist governments. The alliance system also would not have caused war if it were not for nationalism. Serbian seeking to gain territory at Austria-Hungary’s expense, and members of a secret society collaborated together to kill the Austrian heir to the throne. This was the spark plug, nationalism, for the war. Nationalist-driven violence was certainly nothing new in the Balkans and what was left of the Ottoman Empire, so it was somewhat surprising that a politically motivated assassination in the region could lead to such large-scale warfare. No one thought it would take much longer than six months to wrap up, because each believed its alliance was clearly superior to other. Instead, the violence dragged into one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. From the period 1921-1945, the Interwar years from 1919 to 1939, it is a period that the conflict was not ended. Nationalism was negative. The frustrated nationalism created by the Treaty of Versailles, the social effects of the Great Depression and ongoing investment in military technology were the road for the next war WWII. In 1929, the Wall Street Market crash and hit Germany hard because the economy was built on mostly loans from America and was dependent on trade, so when the loans needed to be paid and there was no trade, Germany’s industrialism stopped; German workers were laid off, banks failed so saving and accounts were wiped out, inflation made it difficult to purchases necessities. Hitler decided that he needed to do everything at a political level, so that he will be seen as a legitimate leader and not someone associated with violence and bad things; he wanted to highlight the failings of other political parties. Hitler’s inflamed sense of nationalism encouraged him to share his beliefs and values with his fellow countrymen. His strong dependence on his beliefs gave him the reassurance he needed to do whatever he could to further his cause, no matter what people thought about him. Depression really took hold of Germany, and Germany had to repay the debt created by the Young Plan; Hitler tried to defeat the Young plan and this campaign made him a political force throughout the country; in his campaigning he turned down his Jewish hatred and promised to get rid of Communists and â€Å"other enemies† and to reunite Germany and other German speaking parts of Europe. Extremist were losing popularity because stability was returning; German Nationalist party made him respectable asking for him to help campaign against the Young plan’s repayment arrangements; Nazi party won 18.3% of the vote in September 1930. German nationalism made German citizens sympathize with one another, and the thought of more or worse poverty because of the repayments to America worried them all. Hitler, although not the most popular politician in the works at the time, definitely was able to wiggle his foot in the door because of the small amount of doubt in the minds of the people. Hitler was trying to create a sense of nationalism in German people, to the point where they felt they were better than any person of any other race. By creating a clear separation, Hitler was able to set the German’s apart from others living in the same area. Hitler felt that the only way Germany would return to order was through the Nazi regime. By combining Chancellor and President, he ensured that he would be at the head of the government and could spread his fiery nationalism to his people. German citizens may not marry or have sex with Jews in order to keep the blood pure (punishment of hard labor); Jews are not allowed to employ female German citizens under 45 as domestic workers (punishment of imprisonment or hard labor). Hitler really began to try to drive a wedge between Germans and Jews so that nationalism was felt very differently by the two different groups. In encouraging the nationalism and superiority in the German citizens, he made them feel better and feel against the Jews. Hitler formally ends obedience to the Treaty of Versailles; German warplanes attack a Spanish town, and this becomes the first air bombardment of an undefended town in history. Hitler outlines plans for a future war, confiding in his general of his intent to destroy Czechoslovakia; this was the beginning of Hitler’s process of beginning war. Nationalism flexes its muscles here, as the Germans show their new might in their air force and their defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, hereby raising confidence of the German people in their own government and fear of Germany for other countries. The German people were ready for a war. They believed because their leader had taught them to, that the only way to improve their situation was to fight for it. Nationalism prepared them for a war, and not only were they ready for the act, but they were ready to accept the consequences. Their need for stability as a country transcended other needs, and they were ready to do what it took to achieve their goals. WWII was the result of Fascism, and fascism involved nationalism. It is about returning one’s nation glory days. Hitler and Mussolini both sought to take lands that they felt were those of their nation. Hitler wanted the land Germany had lost in war, and much more. Some of the most horrific parts of WWII, such as Holocaust, were direct products of nationalism. Jews were considered to be a different nation by Germans and thus, the government tried to eliminate them, along with others who they felt were not real Germans. From the period 1946-1999 people have been promised self-determination and were frustrated when the political leaders they trusted to deliver it had failed to do so. This period nationalism was in some part positive. This time they would fight for independence and create their own identities through civil war, political revolutions, and migration. With ongoing nationalistic-driven, postcolonial, and identity-related violence marking almost every region of the world and a â€Å"cold war† prevailing on a global level, the structure for the latter half of the twentieth century was established. The Cold war was an ideological conflict in which is side use its growing military technology and alliances systems to stop the spread of the opposing ideology. Because no one wanted a nuclear holocaust, the superpowers relied on others (proxies) to engage in battles for them. The process of decolonization was the final death toll of the imperial system that structured the world until the mid-twentieth century. And because it took place in the midst of a Cold war rivalry with two superpowers vying for ideological control, the process was fraught with violence. Nationalist sought independence from foreign domination. The most violent example how the Cold war affected decolonization was the civil war in Vietnam. The fifteen-year military conflict funded by the United States, the USSR and the PRC showed the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America what decolonization could lead to during the competitive Cold War, and it certainly was not independence. Arab nationalism rose up against centuries of Western imperialism; Islam took on Judaism and Christianity; and ethnic and religious groups fought over territory each claimed legal and history rights to. Also we see, Africa nationalist movement demanded independence some came peacefully, other not. Ghana was a peaceful transition under Kwame Nkrumah, and for Kenya was a violent transition under Jomo Kenyatta. India had been a British colony for many years, the movement led by Mohandas Gandhi pushed for independence, he used a peaceful way not violent- methods to get independence. In conclusion, in my opinion, nationalism has been a positive force, but it has also brought despair and destruction to the world. One side of positive nationalism: which I defined as the proper love of one’s country and the respect which is due to every culture and nation. The other side, the negative nationalism: an unhealthy form of nationalism, which teaches contempt for other nations or cultures and seeks to advance the well-being of one’s own nation at the expense of others.

Gustave Courbets Reclining Nude Essay -- Courbet Painting Art Nude Es

Gustave Courbet's Reclining Nude In the Philadelphia Museum of Art are five paintings by Gustave Courbet; of all of these I found Reclining Nude (1868, Oil on canvas, The Louis & Stern Collection, 63-81-20) the most interesting. It depicts a nude woman lying on the beach beneath a billowing canopy. A dark, but tranquil sea is in the background. The sky is dark as if the final rays of the sun were disappearing over the horizon. There are a few clouds in the sky, they are dark but not threatening. The picture is very dark in general and there is no obvious light source. The edges of the painting are so dark it is impossible to tell what the nude reclines against. A very dim light falls on the woman, who lies on her right side. The upper half of her torso is twisted to her left and her hips and legs face the viewer. Her right leg is bent slightly so her calf is beneath her straightened left leg. The woman is not as thin as classical nudes, her hips are somewhat broad and her thighs are slightly heavy. Her arms are crossed languidly over her head. Because her arms are crossed over her head, her face is almost completely in the shadows; this shadowing covers the detail of her face in such a way that she could be almost anyone. She gazes wistfully at the ground to her left. The woman is rendered very softly and is in a very sensuous pose. This picture would have been found scandalous for its sexual overtones as was Courbet's La Demoiselles au bord de la Seine. A scarlet cloth lies in front of her; it has a very rumpled look which has sexual implications. The vacant, wistful look and the languid crossing of her arms suggests that she is thinking of a lover who has just left her. The car... ...f vision one is more able to appreciate Courbet's careful attention to the curves and anatomy of the woman's body, as well as his eye for small detail such as the two tiny boats on the horizon. While many critics of Courbet's time could not understand his choice of subject matter, they could appreciate his execution of the subject matter. Gustave Courbet's subject matter may not have been understood or considered proper in his day, but now they are considered to be more acceptable. One, whether of the past or present, must appreciate his technical abilities; his mastery of line, form, and balance. Though his lack of color is disappointing, the picture in itself is very pleasing to look at because it is such a tran- quil, restful scene. While Courbet was not totally appreciated in his day, he is in these times considered to be an excellent artist. Gustave Courbet's Reclining Nude Essay -- Courbet Painting Art Nude Es Gustave Courbet's Reclining Nude In the Philadelphia Museum of Art are five paintings by Gustave Courbet; of all of these I found Reclining Nude (1868, Oil on canvas, The Louis & Stern Collection, 63-81-20) the most interesting. It depicts a nude woman lying on the beach beneath a billowing canopy. A dark, but tranquil sea is in the background. The sky is dark as if the final rays of the sun were disappearing over the horizon. There are a few clouds in the sky, they are dark but not threatening. The picture is very dark in general and there is no obvious light source. The edges of the painting are so dark it is impossible to tell what the nude reclines against. A very dim light falls on the woman, who lies on her right side. The upper half of her torso is twisted to her left and her hips and legs face the viewer. Her right leg is bent slightly so her calf is beneath her straightened left leg. The woman is not as thin as classical nudes, her hips are somewhat broad and her thighs are slightly heavy. Her arms are crossed languidly over her head. Because her arms are crossed over her head, her face is almost completely in the shadows; this shadowing covers the detail of her face in such a way that she could be almost anyone. She gazes wistfully at the ground to her left. The woman is rendered very softly and is in a very sensuous pose. This picture would have been found scandalous for its sexual overtones as was Courbet's La Demoiselles au bord de la Seine. A scarlet cloth lies in front of her; it has a very rumpled look which has sexual implications. The vacant, wistful look and the languid crossing of her arms suggests that she is thinking of a lover who has just left her. The car... ...f vision one is more able to appreciate Courbet's careful attention to the curves and anatomy of the woman's body, as well as his eye for small detail such as the two tiny boats on the horizon. While many critics of Courbet's time could not understand his choice of subject matter, they could appreciate his execution of the subject matter. Gustave Courbet's subject matter may not have been understood or considered proper in his day, but now they are considered to be more acceptable. One, whether of the past or present, must appreciate his technical abilities; his mastery of line, form, and balance. Though his lack of color is disappointing, the picture in itself is very pleasing to look at because it is such a tran- quil, restful scene. While Courbet was not totally appreciated in his day, he is in these times considered to be an excellent artist.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. is ranked as the as the world†s second largest PC chipmaker with a market share of just 17%, far behind Intel Corp. with 81% of the market (Buckman and Williams 2001, 1). However, in 2000 AMD†s sales jumped 63% to $4.6 billion, producing $983 million in net income and its first profitable year since 1995 (Streetwalker 2001, 1). AMD owns engineering, manufacturing, warehousing and administrative facilities where it produces not only PC chips but also microprocessors, memory circuits, logic circuits, flash memory devices, telecommunication products and embedded processors (Moody†s 2000, 2520). The company†s headquarters and research and development site are located in Sunnyvale, CA, while the wafer manufacturing plants are located in Austin, TX and Dresden, Germany. The test and assembly facilities are located in Bangkok, Thailand and Penang, Malaysia. The company has also established production at the Singapore†s test and assembly facility as well as an analysis and design plant in Suzhou, China. In addition, a new plant in Japan, a joint venture of AMD and Fujitsu, called AMD Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd. or FASB, will begin operations in the first half of 2001 (Dum 2000, 2). AMD, like many technological multinational enterprises (MNE), prefers to locate its factories and assembly plants in technology clusters in stable and democratic countries. However, AMD knows that East Asia is one of the best places for setting up factories because of cheap wages, stable countries, proximity to suppliers and potentially large markets. In fact, six out of AMD†s nine facilities are located in East Asia and employ approximately 5,600 people. The company†s consolidated global position produces a very interesting case. This paper will analyze AMD†s international operations, competitors, alliances, legal problems, and its relationship with stakeholders. In addition, the recent meltdown in high-tech stocks and the reduction of PC sales are provoking the semiconductor industry to diversify its business. This analysis will consider the consequences of this problem and the resulting changes in AMD†s corporate business strategies. The personal computer microprocessor market is considered a quasi-monopolistic market in which the largest corporate buyers such as Dell Computer Corp., Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett Packard Co. and IBM Corp buy almost solely from Intel Corp. (Mathew 2001, 1). For this reason, AMD has had difficulty introducing its microprocessors into the market. For example, in January 1994, AMD and Compaq Computers Corp. formed an alliance in which AMD Am486 microprocessors would power Compaq computers (AMD 2001, 2). Between 1994 and 2001 AMD was not able to convince another large PC vendor to buy its microprocessors. However, in January 2001 AMD got its first contract with a major PC vendor, Micron Electronics Inc., to supply the Athlon microprocessor for the Micro Electronics† ClientPro product line (Konicki 2001, 2). In the same month, AMD also contracted to supply and introduce its first version of the Duron microprocessor for laptops to NEC Corp., Japan (Duron chips for laptops†¦ 2001, 1) In addition, while Intel launched the Pentium IV at the end of 2000, AMD took advantage of the transition from Pentium III to IV to try to convince several of the largest corporate buyers, which were comparing the new Intel†s Pentium IV and AMD†s Athlon, to switch to AMD†s Athlon microprocessors. Although AMD could not change any of the corporate buyers† minds, the company did prove that the Athlon microprocessor is faster, more reliable and cheaper than Intel†s Pentium IV (Letters 2001, 3). This failure was frustrating for AMD, but this is the price a firm has to pay when attempting to enter a competitor†s market. Clearly, Intel has the first-in advantage, although AMD has a better quality portfolio with a cheaper price. However, sooner or later this trend must change because Intel†s marketing cannot hide this reality. Some laboratories have tested both AMD Athlon and Intel Pentium IV and have concluded that while Intel†s Pentium IV is not worth what it costs, AMD†s Athlon costs what it is worth. Thus, AMD does not have to attract customers by resorting to rebates and discount programs, as Intel has to do. Another weapon Intel has is to cut processor prices. In any case, Intel does not want to lose any market share, and AMD wants to get more, so the rivalry and price war will certainly continue this year. They both know that in competitive markets, a market share lost by one company is a market share gained by the competitor. As a result, both companies are preparing to compete with one another. In fact, both AMD and Intel have increased their capital spending for 2001 by about 20% to $1 billion and $7.5 billion respectively, although PC sales growth is expected to slip to 16.6% worldwide, down from 18.8% in 2000 (Hannon 2001, 1). AMD realized that it must diversify in order to maintain its growth rate. The AMD and Fujitsu Ltd. venture, FASB, which includes joint technological development and production of flash memory for cellular handsets, is one way to diversify. Together AMD and Fujitsu have 30% market share of the flash memories sold for cell phones. However, in the short-term FASB will not be able to supply enough flash cards to get a larger percentage of the handset market because of capacity limitations. Therefore, in the year 2000 Fujitsu converted several of its own plants to serve strictly as factories for the joint venture. FASB is also pushing as hard as it can to begin production in its new mega plant in Japan, if possible before June 2001. The main competitor in this market is again Intel, which has about 60% of the market share, so another price war may soon begin (Dum 2000, 2). Customers neither want to depend on only one supplier nor to contribute to Intel market dominance. They want to reduce the risk of insufficient supply of chips that occurred last year. Siemens is now buying flash-memory chips from both FASB and Intel (Accord is set†¦ 2001, 1). Besides Siemens, Sun Microsystems Inc. also decided to buy microprocessors from both AMD and Intel for its Cobalt server (Robertson 2001, 3). In this market war neither AMD nor Intel have ever been very interested in making collaborating. However, AMD has developed other collaborations with many related companies:  · In 1987 AMD and Monolithic Memories Inc. agreed to merge.  · As mentioned earlier, in 1993 AMD started a joint venture with Fujitsu Ltd., Japan.  · AMD collaborated with LSI Logic Corp. and Texas Instruments Inc. to create integrated solutions for digital base band processors (Dum 2000, 2).  · AMD, Dupont Inc., Motorola and Micron Technology Inc. are involved in a joint venture in Texas in which they research and develop photomask technology for future generation semiconductors (Chappell 2000, 1).  · On February 14, 2001 AMD, stated that it will license technology to about 100 companies including Cisco Systems Inc., Nvidia Corp. and Fujitsu Ltd. The licenses do not charge a cash fee, but they swap intellectual property (New AMD system†¦ 2001, 1).  · AMD and Motorola have a strategic alliance to research the copper interconnect technology field.  · At present, AMD is looking for a partner to build in 2004 its first 300-mm factory costing about $4 billion (Advanced Micro is seeking†¦ 2001, 1). The usual warfare between AMD and Intel never seems to change, but analysts expect both firms to begin to collaborate soon. The small semiconductor players are now creating partnerships to improve their positions in the market. In fact, the microprocessor industry accounts for a lot of different technologies that no one company can have in-house (Dum 2000, 3) In the last quarter of 2000, sales of Duron, AMD†s low-cost processor, were not as strong because a chipset used with the microprocessor was not readily available. Therefore, AMD decided to plan for the future and began a two-year multimillion-dollar global SAP project to provide a just-in-time (JIT) inventory program. In addition, SAP tools such as financial, supply chain, production, logistics and e-business software, would give AMD and its suppliers and customers day to day information regarding the chipmaker†s production and supply chain. This project would benefit all three parties (AMD, suppliers and customers) by avoiding upturns and downturns in demand and supply (Konicki 2001, 2). As a technological sector firm, AMD is also deeply involved with the latest technology. For example, the company†s internal website provides employees plenty of information not only for learning purposes but also for safety purposes, such as radiation control, chemical issues, hazardous energy control and waste management issues. In each of the company†s local sites, the firm uses the latest technology in both the production area and in the corporate offices. Although in 1976 AMD and Intel signed a patent cross-license agreement, in the late 80s AMD initiated several arbitration actions against Intel (AMD 2001, 1). The reasons for these arbitrations were Intel†s quasi-monopolistic dominance of the microprocessor market and its unfair market behavior, as fact confirmed by many other companies. The most tedious arbitration action finished in February 1994 after five years of court disputes. The judge finally ruled against Intel and awarded AMD full rights to produce and sell the entire Am386 family of microprocessors (AMD 2001, 2). Besides another court case against Intel in 1994, AMD has never been in court again. Nevertheless, AMD continues to complain about Intel†s market behavior. For example, Intel pressured IBM to backtrack a notebook microprocessor order that IBM had already booked with AMD (Mathew 2001, 2). As a result, AMD lost the contract. The Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) program provides a safe work place for employees, protects the environment, prevents damage to property, enhances employee morale and assures compliance with applicable laws and regulations worldwide. The program is disseminated from the main team to all AMD†s local sites. Then, local sites apply this information and provide different services to the stakeholders surrounding each site (AMD 1999, 1). Another task of the EHS department is to obtain the (ISO) 14001 certification from the International Organization for Standardization. By the end of 1999, AMD†s Bangkok facility had already been certified. All other AMD manufacturing facilities are expecting to achieve this certification before the end of 2001. The (ISO) 14001 certification develops standard methodology to recognize, identify, evaluate and control hazards in the workplace. The emphasis of this effort is intended to internalize those standards throughout the firm because they have not existed in the past. These standards are one way to improve the moral and physical well being of the workforce. The safety and health policy focuses on reducing occupational injury and illness rates company-wide. To achieve this goal, each local facility must establish:  · Engineering controls and tests such as leak detection, air monitoring and fire detection systems.  · Emergency preparedness plans to learn what to do in case of fire, hazardous material release, earthquake and other natural disasters. .  · Education empowerment at all personnel levels through the internal website and seminars. Moreover, AMD offers additional services in different sites such as:  · The Employee Development Center (EDC) in Bangkok, Thailand and Penang, China which has exercise rooms, fitness programs and relaxation rooms.  · The Repetitive Motion Injury (RMI) in Sunnyvale, CA specializes in adjusting the furniture and equipment to the needs of each individual at his or her workstation (AMD 1999, 17). The safety and health policy has had excellent results considering that in recent years less than three injury and illness cases out of every 100 employees have been reported. In the globalization era, AMD has to adapt to different cultural environments and incorporate different cultures in the organization. AMD operates in four continents, so its work force is a mix of people, cultures and customs. One can find an American working in a Singapore assembly plant or a Bolivian working in a factory in Dresden, Germany. This diversity creates an atmosphere of synergy and creativity that encourages every employee to do his or her best. The mix of cultures also facilitates the international communication between AMD†s locations, suppliers and customers. Under the universal employment policy and procedures that govern AMD†s practices worldwide, discrimination is not welcomed. Job applicants do not need to be concerned about age, color, ancestry, disability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or national origin (AMD 1999, 1). AMD also cares about employee morale and respect for individuals as well as individual†s values. The environmental policy is an important part of AMD†s EHS program performance. The firm focuses on multimedia pollution prevention and resource conservation. In the last couple of years the firm has not only reduced the amount of hazardous waste generation, electricity use and water consumption but also has enhanced a successful reuse and recycling program. To illustrate, in 1999, at the Dresden factory, its own energy center was able to generate more than 100% of the power the factory consumed. At the same time, the Dresden water recycling plant recycled 20% of the consumed water (AMD 1999, 10). Because of these and many other environmental accomplishments, AMD†s local sites have received several awards. The state of California has awarded AMD headquarters for its commitment to solid waste reduction and recycling programs for five consecutive years. The city of Austin, TX awarded AMD for its excellent compliance with wastewater treatment regulations. AMD†s globalization emphasis has made it possible to begin building supply chain environmental management. To accomplish this project, the AMD EHS department evaluates the worldwide chemical suppliers† EHS program and collects this information to select and evaluate existing suppliers. As AMD evaluates its suppliers, third-party firms also evaluate and audit AMD local sites. Six of the firm†s local sites that have been inspected, usually by local government environmental agencies, have not received any citations or violations. However, AMD headquarters has been inspected 13 times between 1996 and 1999. This location has received five citations related to labeling of hazardous waste. Two other sites that were inspected and received citations were the Suzhou assembly plant because of two releases of diesel fuel and the Dresden plant because of a phosphoric acid release (AMD 1999, 9-18). AMD resolved all issues to the satisfaction of the regulatory agencies without any fines. AMD has been committed to the communities in which it operates. The firm has also been a responsible and good neighbor that has involved the local communities in its corporate contribution programs. Some of the most important contributions done in 1999 directly by the AMD headquarters were; first, a cash gift of one percent of pretax profits to nonprofit agencies and schools that serve the communities where AMD operates and second, $1 million to the Taiwanese government because of the September 21st earthquake. On the other hand, each site contributes to its own community in different ways. For example, in 1999 AMD†s Bangkok site donated 200 computers to the community and cash to the Red Cross of Thailand to support a project that helps mothers with the AIDS virus. AMD Sunnyvale donated $600,000 to organizations and schools in the Sunnyvale area. In addition to financial donations, AMD†s workforce also participates in volunteer opportunities. Some examples are AMD†s Penang employees† blood donations to the Blood Bank Hospital of Penang and AMD†s Dresden EHS personnel factory tours and the monitoring of ecological projects with local schools (AMD 1999, 10-18). This analysis has attempted to prove that AMD has an efficient mechanism to run a global business. The firm not only was able to become a profitable company in the fourth quarter of 2000 but also proved that it can gain more market share from all the markets in which it does business. Moreover, AMD has been a good neighbor to the communities in which it functions, satisfying many stakeholders† desires. AMD†s positive overall performance assures the company a bright path for future growth in the global economy.

Coco Chanel’s Influence on the Apparel Industry Essay

Coco Chanel’s influence in the fashion industry began over a century ago during the 1920’s. Chanel embraced the essence of the â€Å"Roaring Twenties† which was all about becoming â€Å"someone† and separating yourself from the old and beginning a new life. Chanel focused on the newly found needs and desires of women and designed her fashion around what women had wanted. Not only did Coco Chanel pave the way for modern fashion, she also created innovative ideas using fabrics that were traditionally used for menswear. These fabrics were incredibly durable which allowed Chanel to construct new designs with less fabric than what would have been traditionally used. One of the major fabrics that Chanel included in her lines again and again was wool jersey. This fabric is comfortable and easy fitting, but at that time, had not been considered suitable for fashionable clothing. This was an incredible influence that Chanel had in the fashion industry because she s howed the world that wool jersey’s can be used in fashionable clothing. Coco Chanel also had created a modern spin on embroidery for women’s clothing. Instead of using more fabric, such as lace, Chanel decided to decorate the clothing using beading and embroidery. Coco Chanel also frequently accessorized her clothing with multiple strands of pearls, quilted handbags, sling-back ivory pumps with black toes and of course, her combination of jewels with sportswear. All of these accessories are still used to accentuate Chanel’s clothing present day and have also set Coco Chanel’s clothing apart from the rest from the very start. Chanel also changed the way women’s clothing looked on women. Prior to the innovation of Coco Chanel, a women’s body was split into two halves—upper and lower. Chanel modified this and found continuity and symmetry throughout the entire torso. Chanel is also known for â€Å"letting go of the waistline† and created the style which we currently see in fashion. This in itself shows how Coco Chanel has changed the fashion industry forever. Chanel created the â€Å"flapper look†, which we all think of when we think of the Roaring Twenties. The â€Å"flapper look† was defined by its masculine influence, which incredibly popular throughout the 1920’s. Coco Chanel became an icon in the 1920’s, and every woman wanted to be just like her. Coco Chanel became very slender and long, which caused all of her clients to lose weight. This is how the â€Å"boyish frame† of women’s bodies became popular in the 1920’s. Coco Chanel also cut off all of her long hair to create a classic bob. This caused Coco Chanel to look even more boyish. All of her clients soon adopted the hairstyle themselves, which caused Chanel to also have been responsible for the popularity of the bobbed haircut of the 1920’s. Because Chanel paved the way in the physical appearance of women throughout the Roaring Twenties, Coco Chanel designed her dresses to be fitted for slimness and length, included with a dropped waistline. Chanel’s biggest influence in the fashion industry is how she drastically changed the length of skirts worn by women in the early 1920’s. Shortly after the introduction of shorter skirts, Chanel developed the ever so popular â€Å"little black dress†. This became an essential garment for every woman to own, in the past, and present day. The development and introduction of the little black dress into society had the most powerful impact than any other garment ever introduced. This gave women a go-to outfit for all times, whether it was for work, a dinner, or a more casual look. The Chanel style hasn’t changed since the designer began designing clothing. Currently, the Chanel style still holds the traditional and classic â€Å"French chic† with a menswear feel through texture and fabric. The innovative ideas of the late Coco Chanel has paved the way not only through modern fashion, but has also created what we now consider a â€Å"classic† look. This can be seen as true because the Chanel look is the perfect go-to and will never go out of style. The classic Chanel style has been in style for over 100 years, which shows how influential the designer was. Chanel’s style are still relevant today with women all over the world purchasing the â€Å"little black dress† and tweed suits, which Chanel made famous. Chanel impacted the apparel industry in the most powerful way  possible—she defined the classic look, which will never go out of style. This shows how Coco Chanel has not only influenced the world of fashion, but that she is one of the most influential people in the fashion industry. It has been well over a century since her introduction in the fashion industry, and her name still lives on—stronger than ever.

Acf Case O.M. Scott Sons Company Essays

Acf Case O.M. Scott Sons Company Essays Acf Case O.M. Scott Sons Company Paper Acf Case O.M. Scott Sons Company Paper Estimating Funds Requirements Short-Term Sources of Funds Subject:O. M. Scott Sons Company Problem:Should the O. M. Scott company keep with its Trust Receipt Plan in order to maintain 25% growth rate. Options: 1. Sell receivables to a third party at a discount rate to receive cash. 2. Issue preferred equity to help finance retailers in holding higher Inventory levels 3. Reduce growth rate to a sustainable Recommendation: In order to maintain the 25% growth, we need to first of all, abandon the trust receipt plan which causes sales growth rate to drop ever since implementation. we need to adopt alternative 1 (selling receivables) in order to reduce the cash cycle and free up some cash to meet our short term liabilities. Our external fund needed exceeds the maximum allowed line of credit of 12. 5 million according to the performa for March 1962, which means that we have to also incorporate alternative 2 which is to issue equity to cover for extra fund outside of the limit. Analysis: O. M. Scott Sons (Scott) is a lawn-care company that has its operations centered in Ohio. The company has successful established a customer base and has a positive outlook for future operations. Their goal for future years is to maintain a growth of 25% for sales and income, however, we believe that this is not plausible because receivables are not being collected at a rate that supports the growth in sales. This is the main source of the problem for the company is not getting paid for its inventory until they have been sold by the dealers. This places significant financial strain on the company, as it is responsible for obtaining the finances necessary in order to maintain the inventory levels at each of its 10,000 dealers. Starting with an analysis of the inventory period, we see a poor trend. Logically, the inventory period has also gone from bad to worst. Also alarming are the company’s accounts receivable turnover ratios, decreasing by 72% and its accounts receivable period going up by 253% from 1957 to 1961. What is most interesting is that these numbers were fairly stable prior to 1960, the year the O. M. Scott Sons Co. started implementing its Trust Receipt Plan. Pushing further, the ROA reflects a poor corporate ability to extract value from its assets, as the numbers are getting worst from year to year. The operating cycle was 106. 7 days in 1957, growing by 126% to 241. 3 days by 1961, demonstrating poor management efficiency. The cash cycle was extended by 100 days during the same period, which is not the direction in which you want cash flow to go. The cash cycle needs to be shorter in order to allow cash to flow into the company sooner, easing the financial strain on the company. Regarding profitability, the company’s net income over sales ratio was in an upward trend from ‘57 till ‘59 but dropped as soon as Scott implemented the Trust Receipt Plan. Higher operating expenses as well as interest expenses have had a non negligible impact on bottom line results. The ROE in 1961 is of 13. 53%, down from 19. 98% in 1959, demonstrating that the shareholder’s return is alarmingly going down. To dig deeper into the recent ROE results, we did a Dupont analysis and were able to relate the drop in return to the longer receivables collection and higher inventory levels. In turn, higher inventory levels grossed up total assets and dropped the ROA. A free cash flow model was constructed to further prove our point that the Trust Receipt Plan is not successfully claiming receivables from Scott’s dealers. By looking at the numbers in 1959 and 1960, we see that free cash flow in the company decreased by 72% after the implementation of the Trust Receipt Plan. This further proves our idea that the Trust Receipt Plan is not successful in bringing cash into the company. Despite these negative outcomes from the trust receipt plan, sales have been improving ever since the implementation. This is due to the fact that the trust receipt plan requires trustees to carry enough inventory to match seasonal peak demands as well as the full array of Scott and Son’s products. However, this growth in sales have been dropping ever since the implementation. The market for Scott and Son’s products is estimated to be $100 million yet sales in 1961 reached on $43 million. So the drop in sales growth cannot be explained by a saturated market. It can only be attributed to the trust receipt plan. Based on our analysis, we believe that in order to keep up with the projected 25% growth in sales the O. M. Scott Co. has to abandon its Trust Receipt Plan. There few things that we noticed that can improved with some change to the current plan, below is an analysis of the alternatives we suggested. Alternative 1 An alternative for Scott is to sell its receivables to a third party such as a bank. After implementing the Trust Receipt Plan in 1960, accounts receivables nearly tripled, increasing from $5,788,400 to $15,749,700. Due to this increase, Scott will need to hire additional labour to ensure the collection of their receivables. From, we can clearly see that the Trust Receipt Plan significantly slowed down the collection process for Scott. Scott is able to collect 75% of its receivables in the month it is due, therefore it only needs to sell the rest of the 25% to obtain cash that is equivalent to 100% of its accounts receivables. It is likely that the bank will only buy the receivables from Scott at a discounted rate, from internet research, we found that this is usually a 20% discount. This means that Scott will receive 20% instead of the full 25% of the receivables that they sell. However, when taking into consideration the time value of money, as ell as the 3% of receivables that Scott is unable to collect, obtaining 95% of the receivables by selling it to the bank seems to be the better option. Also, by selling their receivables, Scott will no longer need to implement methods such as hiring more staff to collect late receivables. By selling its receivables, Scott will immediately shorten its cash cycle, as accounts receivable period will only be 30 days. This brings the cash cycle to 23. 1 days, and the operating cycle to 89. 4 days. Alternative 2 A second alternative is to issue preferred equity in the open market. Preferred equity would be preferable because we assume that the market is not perfectly efficient and does not follow the irrelevance of financing construct according to Modigliani and Miller. Because equity prices are going down, existing shareholder`s benefit more from issuing equity such as preferred shares. Raising equity would help finance the dealers in holding higher levels of inventory, which was the initial problem being targeted by the Trust Receipt Plan. The raised amount of equity could also be used to reduce the high debt level and also reducing the high interest payments. This method would take pressure off the repayment timeline imposed by bank debt. Repayment to shareholders can be done on an longer schedule and dividend payments are also optional, compared to interest payments that are not. The problem with this alternative is that shareholder`s will not want to further dilute their profits while not having dividend payouts as tax deductible items. Another reason to raise equity is that our calculations of external fund needs for March 1962 is calculated to be $16. 4 million, $3. 8 million more than the maximum allowed line of credit of $12. 5 million. Alternative 3 After conducting a proforma forecast for the next four quarters, from Dec. 1961 to Sept. 1962, growing at a 25% rate for Sales and Net Income, we noticed that Scott and Sons’ short-term fund needed is not feasible, $12 million cannot cover $16. 4 million that is needed, and that Subordinated debt also exceeds that of the allowed maximum limit, 12million exceeds $11. 135 million that was calculated (Appendix: Equity Working Capital). Thus Scott and Sons’ will not be able to cover the EFN needed in March when sales peak, consequently, we must reduce the demand of EFN through reduction of the targeted growth rate of 25%. Through analyzing Scott’s Balance Sheet, we performed a Dupont analysis, it showed us that a worse situation as the trust plan and financial target of 25% have been implemented. For example, assets turnovers have been reducing from 1. 2840 top 1. 2071 and assets turnover period lengthened from 284 to 304 day (Appendix: Ratios). As Scott and Sons’ business process have been worsening lately, we strongly suggest the firm to stop growing at a farfetched rate of 25%. However, the sales and net income were indeed growing, but at a marginal diminishing fashion. Both sales growth and income growth showed us that the firm has been experience lower growth rate in Net Income and Sales in comparison to the prior period (Appendix: Growth in Accounts). As a result, ROA, ROE and turnover ratios also reflected that profit margin and turnover periods are getting worse in relative terms( Appendix: Dupont Analysis Ratios). As the peak season getting closer, even though income and sales are growing, we still believe that the low profitability certainly needs to be improved by lowering operating expenses and to create a cost effective process in shipping methods EOQ. In summary, with the violation of bank’s covenant and the lack of external fund, Scott will have to grow at sustainable 18. 27% (Appendix: Sustainable Growth Rate) and improve internal business processes to reach a higher level of profit margin, which brings us to the conclusion that 25% growth rate needs to be adjusted in a realistic manner towards better state of business. Conclusion In order to maintain the 25% growth, we need to first of all, abandon the trust receipt plan which causes sales growth rate to drop ever since implementation. e need to adopt alternative 1 (selling receivables) in order to reduce the cash cycle and free up some cash to meet our short term liabilities. Our external fund needed exceeds the maximum allowed line of credit of 12. 5 million according to the performa for March 1962, which means that we have to also incorporate alternative 2 which is to issue equity to cover for extra fund outside of the limit. We will not go with alternative 3 and redu ce growth rate because by capping growth to a sustainable rate, we are also reducing our income. Appendix | | |1957 |1958 |1959 |1960 |1961 | | |1 |Current Ratio |Current Assets/Current |2. 1273 |2. 4821 |1. 9712 |4. 2999 |3. 5864 |getting better | | | |Liabilities | | | | | | | |2 |Quick Ratio |(current assets Inv. )/C. |1. 2245 |1. 5799 |1. 0217 |3. 5346 |2. 8840 |getting better | | | |L. | | | | | | |3 |T. A. Turnover |(operating revenue/avg. |2. 1037 |2. 0360 |1. 4058 |1. 2840 |1. 2071 |getting worse | | | Period |total Assets) | | | | | | | | | | |173. 8 |182. 5 |260. 7 |284. 3 |304. 2 | | |4 |ROA |NI/Total Assets |0. 0508 |0. 784 |0. 0683 |0. 0597 |0. 0439 |getting worse | |5 |Net Profit Margin|NI/operating revenue |0. 0242 |0. 0385 |0. 0486 |0. 0465 |0. 0364 |getting worse | |6 |ROE |NI/Equity |0. 1927 |0. 2768 |0. 2945 |0. 2030 |0. 1679 |getting worse | |7 |Equity Multiplier|Total Assets/ Total shares|3. 7910 |3. 5308 |4. 3107 |3. 4014 |3. 8201 | | |8 |ROE |Profit margin * Assets |0. 1927 |0. 2768 |0. 945 |0. 2030 |0. 1679 |getting a lot | | | |Turnover * equity | | | | | |worse | | | |multiplier | | | | | | | Operating cycle | | |1957 |1958 |1959 |1960 |1961 | |INV Turnover |COGS/ Av INV |6. 62347 |5. 59640 |3. 44899 |7. 7069 |6. 14108 | |Inv Period |365/ INV turnover |55. 10709 |65. 22054 |105. 828 |46. 97139 |59. 4358 | |AR Turnover |Credit Sales/Av AR |7. 07420 |4. 99311 |5. 28016 |2. 43791 |2. 00647 | |AR Period |365/AR Turnover |51. 59591 |73. 10076 |69. 1266 |149. 7182 |181. 911 | |AP Turnover |COGS/AV AP |10. 06029 |8. 86100 |5. 82568 |10. 89817 |5. 0258 | |AP Period |365/AP Turnover |36. 28125 |41. 19172 |62. 6535 |33. 49185 |66. 3325 | | | | | | | | | |Operating cycle |Inventory period + A/R period |106. 703 |138. 32131 |174. 955 |196. 6896 |241. 347 | |Cash cycle |operating cycle A/P period |70. 42175 |97. 12959 |112. 301 |163. 1977 |175. 014 | Free Cash Flow |1957 |1958 |1959 |1960 |1961 | |EBIT |1094. 6 |2165. 5 |3567. 3 |4541. 8 |4368. 1 | |1-Taxes |0. 5 |0. 5 |0. 5 |0. 5 |0. 5 | |Depreciation/Amortization |263. 2 |185. 9 |377. 6 |584. 2 |589. 6 | |Change in CA |- |3784. |5219. 7 |7474. 7 |6552. 6 | |Change in CL | |1154. 1 |3619 |-2250. 5 |2844. 7 | |Change in NWC | |2630 |1600. 7 |9725. 2 |3707. 9 | |Capex | |186 |4925. 1 |638. 8 |366. 8 | |Free Cash Flow | |-1547. 5 |-4364. 55 |-7508. 9 |-1301. 05 | Sustainable Growth Rate | |Earing per share |Dividend |NI |ROE on Beginning Equity |Sustainable Growth | | |0. 99 |0. 099 | $ 2,109. 90 | | | |Retention Rate |0. 99-0. 099 = |0. 891 | $ 10,291. 68 |20. 501% |18. 266% | 1962 March Equity Working Capital Current Assets | | | |$ 28,324 | |Current Liabilities | | |$10,138 | | |LT Debt | | |$ 12,000 | | |Total Debt | | |$22,138 | $ 22,138 | |Equity working Capital | | | |$ 6,186 | | | | | | | |Maximum allowed parent company debt |300% |x |$6,186 |$ 18,558 | | | | | | | |Subordinated Debts Allowed |0. 6 |x | $ 18,558 | $ 11,135 | Ratios Dupont Analysis [pic] QuarterlyPr oforma[pic] Growth in Accounts [pic]

Biography of Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft

Biography of Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft Bill Gates (born Oct. 28, 1955) is the principal co-founder of Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest personal-computer software company and one of the largest and most influential technology companies in the world. Since he stepped down as chairman of Microsoft Corp., he has focused on and contributed billions of dollars to several charities, especially the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, the worlds largest private charitable foundation. Fast Facts: Bill Gates Known For: Co-founder of MicrosoftAlso Known As: William Henry Gates IIIBorn: Oct. 28, 1955  in Seattle,  WashingtonParents: William H. Gates Sr., Mary MaxwellPublished Software: MS-DOSSpouse: Melinda French GatesChildren: Jennifer, Rory, PhoebeNotable Quote: I think its fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool weve ever created. Theyre tools of communication, theyre tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user. Early Life Bill Gates (full name: William Henry Gates III) was born on Oct. 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, the son of William H. Gates Sr., an attorney, and Mary Maxwell, a businesswoman and bank executive who served  on the University of Washington Board of Regents from 1975 to 1993. He has two sisters. Gates wrote his first  software  program at 13 and in high school  was part of a group, which also included childhood friend Paul Allen, that computerized their school’s payroll system and developed Traf-O-Data, a traffic-counting system that they sold to local governments. Gates and Allen wanted to start their own company immediately, but Gates parents wanted him to finish high school and go on to college, hoping he eventually would become a lawyer. In 1975 Gates, then a sophomore at  Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, joined Allen, who was working as a programmer for Honeywell near Boston, to write software for the first  microcomputers, later called PCs. They started by adapting  BASIC, a popular programming language for large computers. Starting Microsoft With the success of this project, Gates left Harvard during his junior year and, with Allen, moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, planning to develop software for the newly emerging personal computer market. In 1975 they started what Allen named Micro-Soft by combining micro from microcomputers and soft from software. The hyphen later was dropped. In 1979, they moved the company to Bellevue, Washington, just east of Seattle. Microsoft became famous for its computer operating systems and killer business deals. In 1980, Gates and Allen licensed an  operating system  called  MS-DOS  to IBM, at the time the worlds largest computer maker, for its first microcomputer, the  IBM PC. They were smart enough to retain the right to license the operating system to other companies, which eventually made them a fortune. Finding Success By 1983, the year Allen left the company for health reasons, Microsofts reach had become global with offices in Great Britain and Japan and 30% of the worlds computers running on its software. A few years earlier, Gates had developed a partnership with Apple to work on some shared projects. Gates soon realized that Apples graphics interface, which displayed text and images on the screen and was driven by a mouse, appealed to the average user more than Microsofts text-and-keyboard-driven MS-DOS system. He launched an ad campaign claiming that Microsoft was developing an operating system that would use a graphic interface similar to Apples products. Called Windows, it would be compatible with all MS-DOS system software. The announcement was a bluff- Microsoft had no such program under development- but it was sheer genius as a marketing tactic: It would encourage people using MS-DOS to wait for new Windows software releases instead of changing to another system, such as Apples Macintosh. In November 1985, nearly two years after his announcement, Gates and Microsoft launched Windows.  Then, in 1989, Microsoft launched Microsoft Office, which bundled office applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel into one system. Perils of Success All the while, Gates was defending Microsoft against lawsuits and Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice investigations of claims charging unfair dealings with computer manufacturers. Yet the innovation continued. Windows 95 was launched in 1995 and in 2001 Microsoft debuted the original Xbox gaming system. Microsoft appeared untouchable. In 2000, Gates stepped down as Microsoft CEO and was succeeded by Harvard friend and longtime Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer. Gates assumed the new role of chief software architect. In 2008 Gates left his daily job at Microsoft but retained his position as board chairman until 2014, when he stepped down as chairman but retained a board seat and began serving as technology adviser. Marriage and Family On Jan. 1, 1994, Gates married Melinda French, who has an MBA and a bachelors degree in computer science and met him while she was working at Microsoft. They have three children- Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe- and live in Xanadu 2.0,  a  66,000-square-foot mansion overlooking Lake Washington  in  Medina, Washington. Philanthropy Gates and his wife founded the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation with the mission of improving the quality of life for people around the world, primarily in the areas of global health and learning. Their initiatives have ranged from funding tuition for 20,000 college students to installing 47,000 computers in 11,000 libraries in all 50 states. In 2005, Bill and Melinda Gates and rock star Bono were named Time magazine persons of the year for their charitable work. According to the foundations website, in 2019, the foundation had made nearly $65 million in grants by mid-April to recipients around the world. The foundation is led by CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. Legacy Back when Bill Gates and Paul Allen announced their  intention to put a computer in every home and on every desktop, most people scoffed. Until then, only the government and large corporations could afford computers. But within only a few decades, Gates and Microsoft had indeed brought computer power to the people. Gates also has had an impact on millions of people throughout the world with his charitable efforts, especially with the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, and he has made large personal donations to a number of educational institutions. Sources About Bill. Gatesnotes.com.Bill Gates: American Computer Programmer, Businessman, and Philanthropist. Encyclopedia Britannica.Bill Gates Biography: Entrepreneur, Philanthropist. Biography.com.Awarded Grants. Gatesfoundation.org.

World War II and Operation Vengeance

World War II and Operation Vengeance During the Pacific conflict in World War II, American forces conceived a plan to get rid of Japanese commander Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Date Conflict Operation Vengeance was conducted on April 18, 1943, during World War II (1939-1945). Forces Commanders Allies Admiral William Bull Halsey16 Lockheed P-38G Lightnings Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto2 G4M Betty bombers, 6 A6M Zero fighters Background On April 14, 1943, Fleet Radio Unit Pacific intercepted message NTF131755 as part of project Magic. Having broken the Japanese naval codes, US Navy cryptanalysts decoded the message and found that it provided specific details for an inspection trip that the Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, intended to make to the Solomon Islands. This information was passed to Commander Ed Layton, the intelligence officer for the Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Meeting with Layton, Nimitz debated whether to act on the information as he was concerned that it might lead the Japanese to conclude that their codes had been broken. He was also concerned that if Yamamoto was dead, he might be replaced with a more gifted commander. After much discussion, it was decided a suitable cover story could be devised to alleviate concerns regarding the first issue, while Layton, who had known Yamamoto before the war, stressed that he was the best the Japanese had. Deciding to move forward with intercepting Yamamotos flight, Nimitz received clearance from the White House to move forward. Planning As Yamamoto was viewed as the architect of the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt instructed Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox to give the mission the highest priority. Consulting with Admiral William Bull Halsey, Commander South Pacific Forces and South Pacific Area, Nimitz ordered planning to move forward. Based on the intercepted information, it was known that on April 18 Yamamoto would be flying from Rabaul, New Britain to Ballale Airfield on an island near Bougainville. Though only 400 miles from Allied bases on Guadalcanal, the distance presented a problem as American aircraft would need to fly a 600-mile roundabout course to the intercept to avoid detection, making the total flight 1,000 miles. This precluded the use of the Navy and Marine Corps F4F Wildcats or F4U Corsairs. As a result, the mission was assigned to the US Armys 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, Thirteenth Air Force which flew P-38G Lightnings. Equipped with two drop tanks, the P-38G was capable of reaching Bougainville, executing the mission, and returning to base. Overseen by the squadrons commander, Major John W. Mitchell, planning moved forward with the assistance of Marine Lieutenant Colonel Luther S. Moore. At Mitchells request, Moore had the 339ths aircraft fitted with ships compasses to aid in navigation. Utilizing the departure and arrival times contained in the intercepted message, Mitchell devised a precise flight plan that called for his fighters to intercept Yamamotos flight at 9:35 AM as it began its descent to Ballale. Knowing that Yamamotos aircraft was to be escorted by six A6M Zero fighters, Mitchell intended to use eighteen aircraft for the mission. While four aircraft were tasked as the killer group, the remainder was to climb to 18,000 feet to serve as top cover to deal with enemy fighters arriving on scene after the attack. Though the mission was to be conducted by the 339th, ten of the pilots were drawn from other squadrons in the 347th Fighter Group. Briefing his men, Mitchell provided a cover story that the intelligence had been provided by a coastwatcher who saw a high ranking officer boarding an aircraft in Rabaul. Downing Yamamoto Departing Guadalcanal at 7:25 AM on April 18, Mitchell quickly lost two aircraft from his killer group due to mechanical issues. Replacing them from his cover group, he led the squadron west out over the water before turning north towards Bougainville. Flying at no higher than 50 feet and in radio silence to avoid detection, the 339th arrived at the intercept point a minute early. Earlier that morning, despite the warnings of local commanders who feared an ambush, Yamamotos flight departed Rabaul. Proceeding over Bougainville, his G4M Betty and that of his chief of staff, were covered by two groups of three Zeros (Map). Spotting the flight, Mitchells squadron began to climb and he ordered the killer group, consisting of Captain Thomas Lanphier, First Lieutenant Rex Barber, Lieutenant Besby Holmes, and Lieutenant Raymond Hine to attack. Dropping their tanks, Lanphier and Barber turned parallel to the Japanese and began to climb. Holmes, whose tanks failed to release, turned back out to sea followed by his wingman. As Lanphier and Barber climbed, one group of Zeros dove to attack. While Lanphier turned left to engage the enemy fighters, Barber banked hard right and came in behind the Bettys. Opening fire on one (Yamamotos aircraft), he hit it several times causing it to roll violently to the left and plummet into the jungle below. He then turned towards the water seeking the second Betty. He found it near Moila Point being attacked by Holmes and Hines. Joining in the attack, they forced it to crash land in the water. Coming under attack from the escorts, they were aided by Mitchell and the rest of the flight. With fuel levels reaching a critical level, Mitchell ordered his men to break off the action and return to Guadalcanal. All of the aircraft returned except Hines which was lost in action and Holmes who was forced to land in the Russell Islands due to a lack of fuel. Aftermath A success, Operation Vengeance saw the American fighters down both Japanese bombers, killing 19, including Yamamoto. In exchange, the 339th lost Hines and one aircraft. Searching the jungle, the Japanese found Yamamotos body near the crash site. Thrown clear of the wreckage, he had been hit twice in the fighting. Cremated at nearby Buin, his ashes were returned to Japan aboard the battleship Musashi. He was replaced by Admiral Mineichi Koga. Several controversies quickly brewed following the mission. Despite the security attached to the mission and the Magic program, operational details soon leaked out. This began with Lanphier announcing upon landing that I got Yamamoto! This breach of security led to a second controversy over who actually shot down Yamamoto. Lanphier claimed that after engaging the fighters he banked around and shot a wing off the lead Betty. This led to an initial belief that three bombers had been downed. Though given credit, other members of the 339th were skeptical. Though Mitchell and the members of the killer group were initially recommended for the Medal of Honor, this was downgraded to the Navy Cross in the wake of the security issues. Debate continued over credit for the kill. When it was ascertained that only two bombers were downed, Lanphier and Barber were each given half kills for Yamamotos plane. Though Lanphier later claimed full credit in an unpublished manuscript, the testimony of the lone Japanese survivor of the battle and the work of other scholars supports Barbers claim. Selected Sources World War II Database: Operation VengeanceUS Naval Institute: Operation Vengeance

Human Surroundings influence the buildings Essay

Human Surroundings influence the buildings - Essay Example It will develop a requirement for evaluation technique that enables the aim of sustainable progress to be inferred into building and construction goals and will reveal how this can be applied in briefing as well as design procedure of buildings. This part explains the fact that critical mission of architecture is to function in support of humans - to introduce itself amid individuals and the innate environment within which they find themselves, to eliminate the gross environmental stress from their shoulders. It further observes the different phases of the environment which buildings manage for human surroundings. Every country has a characteristic of its architecture for which it is well-known. Architecture is not merely an expression of the manufacturing expertise of a people, but as well a vision into their traditions as well as thoughts. This part highlights the different architectural features in different countries with special focus on United Kingdom and China. UK’s structural design is a blend of different architectural styles. It ranges from Roman techniques to the modern method of the 21st century. China is among the earliest civilization that has founded an exclusive, Chinese culture. In the present day socialist, China’s involvements to architecture, for instance, it’s Great Wall, gardens, as well as sanctuaries, are a major aspect of Chinese structural design. This part discusses the importance of geographical location of buildings. It is important to consider the location because weather has an effect on construction progressively and destructively. The blend of ultraviolet radiance, oxygen along with water makes materials to degrade, although various materials are additionally susceptible as compared to others. Atmospheric contamination expands these consequences. Weathering of building materials is the reason for material loss as well as structural deteriorating. Steel, which is a key source of structural

Criminal Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal Behavior - Essay Example An investigation of male and female criminal activity will see a shift in female behavior that has been influenced by social and cultural pressures, and a narrowing of the gap between male and female perpetrators. Recent decades have seen an increasing prevalence of female criminals and the crimes that they commit have become more violent. During the 10-year period from 1986 to 1997 the adult male correctional population increased by 67 percent, while the women's population increased by 100 percent (Demographic trends, 2008). Still, crime is an activity that is dominated by males as 5 percent of them are under some form of correctional supervision in the US compared with only 1 percent of the female population. However, female crimes have become more violent in nature. In 1989, 13 percent of the crimes committed by females were violent in nature, but that number had increased to 17 percent by 2002 (US Department of Justice, 2004). In addition, in the year 2000 women constituted 6.7 percent of the total state and federal prison population, and that number had increased to 7.2 percent in 2007 (US Department of Justice, 2008). Data from a variety of sources verifies that women have become more a ctive in crime in a more violent fashion. The contrast between male and female crime and the shift in demographics in recent years can help give an indication of the motivations that underlie criminal activity. Emotion has a far lesser impact on a man's decision to commit a crime than it does for a female. When men commit a crime it is often the result of learned behavior that has been the result of social interaction. Ramoutar & Farrington (2006) report that, "According to social learning theory, if individuals have ample opportunity to observe aggressive or violent behaviour, this will increase the chance that they will learn to value violence and incorporate it into their behavioural repertoire" (p.562). These behaviour patterns are learned from parents, family members, social networks, and promoted through the culture of the popular media. The male dominated society has traditionally tolerated male violence and males are responding to the motivation of perpetuating the existing social norms (Women's Aid, 2005, p.7). Soc ial and cultural norms are at the foundation of the difference in male and female demographics in regards to the types of crimes committed. Women commit violent acts as a means of reacting to their socially repressed status, while males commit violent acts as a learned behavior and minimizes the act based on society's acceptance of male domination. While social learning is a factor that impacts a male's decision to commit a crime, it is also a factor that discourages women from criminal activity. Social control theory further states that "human beings have a natural tendency to engage in antisocial behavior, irrespective of gender" and that strong community, family, workplace, and social ties all contribute to a person's reluctance to engage in criminal activity (Li & MacKenzie, 2003, p.279). According to Corbett (2007) there are significant "informal pressures and sanctions placed on women by family to conform to appropriate gender prescribed behaviours that discourage deviance" (p.258). Women have traditionally been perceived as the 'weaker sex' and sheltered from the male dominated activities associated with

Alchol and beverages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alchol and beverages - Essay Example As far as it is within the limit, it is permitted. MADD is on the side of moderate alcohol consumption and does not insist on a ‘no’ to alcohol according to their philosophy. The organization bases its philosophy on statistical data in Traffic Safety Annual Assessment of alcohol impaired driving fatalities. Based on the fatality rates, it is clear that the philosophy of the organization as revealed in its mission statement is valid and inevitable. The organization highlights on the innocent victims of the crime, especially school children and attempts to support them. For instance, a statistical data highlighted to support their philosophy is â€Å"In 2007, an estimated 12,998 people died in alcohol-impaired traffic crashes†¦Three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lives† as put on their web site. I cannot neglect the fact that the organization’s philosophy on drunk driving has made me rethink my business philosophy. As an individual I sympathise with their philosophy and agree that things are to be put in their place when it comes to drunk driving. However, as a professional, I have a challenge to find a balance between doing justice to my business ethics and playing responsible to the

Wal-Mart Stores Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wal-Mart Stores - Research Paper Example The perpetual inventory system, according to Buckfelder (2010) requires advanced technology such that a company should have the POS system or aided by the presence of RFID (radio frequency identification) checkers allowing the sale of the products to be recorded immediately.  The use of RFID checkers is introduced by the company in 2003 in its efforts to overhaul the world’s supply chain.   According to Chim (2003), RFID is expensive (costing about 30 cents per electronic tag) and Wal-Mart is expected to throw in a lot of investment for this inventory system.   However, Chim believes that there are more considerable paybacks that could be gained by Wal-Mart in return for its costs.   RFID, according to him is a system that makes inventory management more efficient by allowing manufacturers to trail the flow of goods.   Advantages of REID to Wal-Mart, according to Chim (2003), is the substantial cost savings of about 6 % to 7% that would amount to $1.2 to $1.3 billion (using the 2002 financial figures as basis) This savings would come from costs associated from transporting, storing and keeping track of goods that has been estimated at 10% of overall sales.   Kang, P. (2006) reported benefits gained by Wal-Mart in sales growth are due to significant inventory reduction, among others. The effectiveness of the Wal-Mart Inventory system could also be measured by its inventory turnover that means the relative amount of the cost of goods sold to inventory. It is also an indication of the effectiveness of inventory management.... Advantages of REID to Wal-Mart, according to Chim (2003), is the substantial cost savings of about 6 % to 7% that would amount to $1.2 to $1.3 billion (using the 2002 financial figures as basis) This savings would come from costs associated from transporting, storing and keeping track of goods that has been estimated at 10% of overall sales. Kang, P. (2006) reported benefits gained by Wal-Mart in sales growth are due to significant inventory reduction, among others. The effectiveness of Wal-Mart Inventory system could also be measured by its inventory turnover that means the relative amount of the cost of goods sold to inventory. It is also an indication of the effectiveness of inventory management as it shows of the number of times the inventory is created and bought by customers at a specified time. It is computed by getting the cost of goods sold divided by inventory. The inventory turn over of Wal-Mart for 5 years is presented below: In million $ 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 Revenue 408,214.0 404,374.0 377,023.0 348,368.0 312,101.0 Cost of goods sold 304,657.0 304,056.0 284,137.0 263,979.0 237,649.0 Inventory 33,160.0 34,500.0 35,159.0 33,685.0 31,910.0 Inventory turn- over 9.18 8.81 8.08 7.83 7.44 Source of financial data: msn.com. (2010) Wal Mart Stores, Inc. Financial Statement. As compared to the benchmark of competitors in the industry that is 7.9 %, Wal-Mart has a higher turn-over ratio that emphasizes efficiency in turning inventories into cash faster (msn.com. 2010). It is observed that the inventory level of Wal-Mart gets lower over the five years operations and at the same time, its inventory turn over gets higher. Disadvantages.

The rights and obligations of parties involved in marine salvage under Essay

The rights and obligations of parties involved in marine salvage under the admiralty law - Essay Example The oil ship Rusty Floater was moored alongside Old Bucket in the process of feeding oil to the latter when a gale blew and,though moderate,was enough to break the forward quay moorings of Old Bucket.It came so sudden that there was no time to disconnect the oil supply pipeline. Old Bucket broke free from the oil feeder ship and proceeded to drift into port, threatening to collide with other vessels anchored at the marina. At this, the crew of a tugboat in the area sprung into action. The tugboat master, who is experienced in oil spill control at sea, concentrated on Rusty Floater and helped disconnect its oil pipeline properly, while his crew cast tow ropes at Old Bucket to hold her steady. The operation succeeded such that Old Bucket did not harm other vessels and the oil feeder ship Rusty Floater was prevented from spilling bunker oil into the sea. When the danger was over, the tug towed Old Bucket to another berth, while the master of Rusty Floater signed an LOF 2000 agreement wi th a SCOPIC clause with the tugboat owner.In signing the LOF (Lloyd's Open Forum) 2000 contract with a SCOPIC clause, the owners of Rusty Floater basically signified their agreement to provide an award to the tug for the salvage of their vessel. As a form of salvage contract, LOF 2000 defines the services rendered by the rescuer and the rights and obligations of the parties, such as what proportion of the salved values of the vessel would be awarded. In the instant case, the LOF 2000 contract probably specified the parties' agreement that the salvage operation was a low-value case that nonetheless became critical because of the threat to the environment (Bishop, 2000). The addition of the SCOPIC clause in the contract indicates the parties' agreement to an amount of award appropriate to this "low-value" threat. The SCOPIC clause in the LOF 2000 contract also means that the parties agreed to a two-tier remuneration system: full tariff rates if all the tug's salvage equipment were rea sonably engaged or used at some stage of the operation, but only 50 percent if these equipment were mobilised but not used. In effect, the signing of LOF 2000 with a SCOPIC clause between the masters of Rusty Floater and the tug guarantees a successful salvage claim against the oil feeder ship. There was no mention if the owners of Old Bucket signed the same agreement but if they did, the tug owner is due for two potentially successful salvage claims against both Rusty Floater and Old Bucket. The salvage claim against Old Bucket derives its strength from admiralty law provisions dictating that there is such a claim if a vessel requires assistance as result of an incident to try to minimize the extent of its losses and, in this case, prevent a possible collision with other moored vessels. From the oil carrier Rusty Floater, the tug owner deserves an even higher salvage award because his action served to prevent pollution and damage to the

Assignment2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment2 - Research Paper Example Most importantly, there are popular people in the world who get a lot of attention thus the whole society as a whole seeks to follow and fodder for their information. The term media in the simplest and most basic sense refers to the avenue where information is shared or passed from one source to the recipient. In the recent past, there have been changes, modifications, advancements and improvements in the fields and sectors of technology therefore the definition of media has changed. Accordingly, there has been the concept and notion of social media which encompasses avenues such as you tube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram where information is passed and shared uncensored and an unedited. This paper will thus look at the extent to which the media inclusive of the social media could influence the behavior of the teenage girls (Martin & Bush, 2000). In principle, this article and text will discuss and look into the exact ways in which the media affects behaviors of girls. In form of a hypothesis, this paper will explore how the media affects dress codes and fashion patterns or inclinations of teenage girls. Fashion also encompasses and covers the way in which a celebrity or a popular person poses to represent themselves and the background identity as a whole. A practical case and instance is the way Britney Spears did pose in magazines in 1999, the implication it had on the teen girls and what that instance or posing could influence and impact the behavior of girls. Tentatively, this research paper will be exploratory in nature, stemming from the fact that it does not have any static hypothesis which would be sought to be confirmed or disapproved. In principle, the research paper will be free-flowing and self-guiding, therefore the conclusion that would be made would be informed by facts and figures obtained in the course of the research paper. Given the nature of this research and study it would be proper to obtain first-hand information from the

The rights and obligations of parties involved in marine salvage under Essay

The rights and obligations of parties involved in marine salvage under the admiralty law - Essay Example The oil ship Rusty Floater was moored alongside Old Bucket in the process of feeding oil to the latter when a gale blew and,though moderate,was enough to break the forward quay moorings of Old Bucket.It came so sudden that there was no time to disconnect the oil supply pipeline. Old Bucket broke free from the oil feeder ship and proceeded to drift into port, threatening to collide with other vessels anchored at the marina. At this, the crew of a tugboat in the area sprung into action. The tugboat master, who is experienced in oil spill control at sea, concentrated on Rusty Floater and helped disconnect its oil pipeline properly, while his crew cast tow ropes at Old Bucket to hold her steady. The operation succeeded such that Old Bucket did not harm other vessels and the oil feeder ship Rusty Floater was prevented from spilling bunker oil into the sea. When the danger was over, the tug towed Old Bucket to another berth, while the master of Rusty Floater signed an LOF 2000 agreement wi th a SCOPIC clause with the tugboat owner.In signing the LOF (Lloyd's Open Forum) 2000 contract with a SCOPIC clause, the owners of Rusty Floater basically signified their agreement to provide an award to the tug for the salvage of their vessel. As a form of salvage contract, LOF 2000 defines the services rendered by the rescuer and the rights and obligations of the parties, such as what proportion of the salved values of the vessel would be awarded. In the instant case, the LOF 2000 contract probably specified the parties' agreement that the salvage operation was a low-value case that nonetheless became critical because of the threat to the environment (Bishop, 2000). The addition of the SCOPIC clause in the contract indicates the parties' agreement to an amount of award appropriate to this "low-value" threat. The SCOPIC clause in the LOF 2000 contract also means that the parties agreed to a two-tier remuneration system: full tariff rates if all the tug's salvage equipment were rea sonably engaged or used at some stage of the operation, but only 50 percent if these equipment were mobilised but not used. In effect, the signing of LOF 2000 with a SCOPIC clause between the masters of Rusty Floater and the tug guarantees a successful salvage claim against the oil feeder ship. There was no mention if the owners of Old Bucket signed the same agreement but if they did, the tug owner is due for two potentially successful salvage claims against both Rusty Floater and Old Bucket. The salvage claim against Old Bucket derives its strength from admiralty law provisions dictating that there is such a claim if a vessel requires assistance as result of an incident to try to minimize the extent of its losses and, in this case, prevent a possible collision with other moored vessels. From the oil carrier Rusty Floater, the tug owner deserves an even higher salvage award because his action served to prevent pollution and damage to the

Adaptive and Assistive Technologies Research Paper

Adaptive and Assistive Technologies - Research Paper Example Technologies such as software and hardware can promote computer access for individuals with disabilities and diverse backgrounds. Assistive and adaptive technology resolutions may comprise readily available, undemanding modifications, for example, a specified blend of hardware and software such as those required for Braille or voice output, or utilizing built-in access appliances on regular computers. In addition, developments in technology give novel alternatives for people with disabilities and diverse backgrounds to take part in and complete assignments. Assistive and adaptive technologies also assist several learners to connect with others, access information, and share in manners that may not be possible without them. It is significant for all instructors to utilize assistive and adaptive technologies that permit all learners to reach their capabilities (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2005). This paper will look at a research that is focused on improving cognitive functioning and memory i n adult learners. Question A The instructional setting is online course delivery. The research concentrates on enhancing cognitive functioning and memory in adult learners. The target population for this instructional unit is made up of returning students that are over the age of 24, who have a gap in their education between secondary and postsecondary enrollment. These individuals are seeking to enhance their abilities to foster their all round performance within a learning environment. Students participating in the instructional unit can read and write and have a general education level background at the post-secondary level. In addition, all individuals must be currently enrolled in an online learning environment. Also, individuals should have basic level technological skills including the ability to utilize the Internet. Individuals must also have the capacity to identify numbers and basic images that are effortlessly recognizable by the student population when displayed on a co mputer screen. No additional knowledge or skills are required to successfully accomplish the instructional unit. Question B IPhone and Mp3 players The Iphone and Mp3 players are significant tools for learners with different categories of disabilities. There are a number of applications that can be downloaded or installed into the Iphone which learners can have at all times. These devices may be utilized by learners at their desks. These can be of significance to learners who want to correspond with others. An Mp3 player is also convenient for these learners (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2005).

The Four Most Important Financial Statements Essay Example for Free

The Four Most Important Financial Statements Essay What are the four most important financial statements? Briefly describe each Much success in today’s business world is tied in with numbers in the form of accounting and financial statements. Being able to understand and properly read these statements is a critical component in truly knowing a business and properly assessing its overall financial performance. Financial reporting is the issuance of written documents in the form of the financial statements by the companies to the shareholders, stakeholders and other interested parties. The objective of these financial statements is to provide information about the reporting entitys financial performance and position that is useful to the wide range of users for assessing the stewardship of the entitys management and for making economic decisions. To be useful, this information must be represented faithfully, should be complete, prudent and free from material errors at least. The purpose of imposing regulations on accounting practices and setting standards is to fulfil the objectives of financial statements. In the accounting world there are several financial statements but the four main financial statements that are universally understood and prepared for most publically traded companies and many small and medium sized businesses are the income statement, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows, and the statement of retained earnings (sometimes referred to as shareholders’ equity). A fundamental ability to properly interpret the information these statements contain allows internal and external users to make a wide array of decisions affecting company operations and decisions on whether or not to invest. Users of financial statements look to the income statement to learn and assess a company’s performance over a set period of time, often a month or a year. This statement depicts the company’s revenues and expenses with the difference reflecting the net income (or loss) resulting from the firm’s business activities. The revenue will be broken down by the category from which it derived with expenses broken down in a similar fashion. Those most interested in a company’s income include shareholders, potential investors, banks (for the purpose of assessing past performance and potential loan risk), creditors, and executives charged with ensuring profitability for the business. The complexity of an income statement will vary based on that of the company from whence it derives and the depth of its business activities (www.accountingcoach.com). In larger corporations an accrual basis of  accounting is commonly used where revenues are recorded when the money is actually earned, as opposed to cash being received. Income Statement A firms revenues, gains, expenses and losses are listed on the income statement. Revenue is money earned from a company’s normal business operations. The expenses on the income statement are the costs associated with earning the revenue. When a company sells one of its assets, it can experience a capital gain or loss. Revenues minus expenses, plus gains minus losses, equal net income or net loss. The dollar amount of net income listed on the income statement is also found on the cash flow statement under the operating activities section. Balance Sheet The balance sheet includes the elements of the accounting equation: assets equal liabilities plus shareholders’ equity. The assets on a balance sheet are classified as either current or fixed assets. Current assets are the most liquid, meaning they easily convert to cash. Fixed assets are long-termed assets. Similar to assets, liabilities are also classified as current or long-term. Current liabilities include money owed to creditors in less than a year. Long-term liabilities are due in one year or later. Shareholders’ equity is the total amount of equity in the firm. The shareholders’ equity section of the balance sheet is explained in further detail on the statement of shareholders’ equity. Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement shows the amount of cash within a company. Items that affect the cash balance are listed on the statement. The first section of the cash flow statement is operating activities, which shows the cash flowing in and out of the company in relation to its business operation. The operating activities section also includes net income and the change in dollars of certain accounts listed on the balance sheet. The next section, investing activities, shows cash the company received and spent on a companys capital investments. The financing activities section shows the inflows and outflows of cash related to the company’s issued financial securities, which is also listed on the balance sheet and statement of shareholders equity. Statement of Shareholders’ Equity This statement shows the changes in the shareholders’ equity account. The first line item is the beginning balance for common stock. The amount of newly issued common stock is added to the beginning balance to get the ending balance. The same goes for preferred stocks. Listed next is the beginning balance to retained earnings, which is also listed on the balance sheet. The net income listed on the income statement is added to the beginning retained earnings balance and the amount of dividends paid out to shareholders is subtracted to get the ending balance. The ending balance for common and preferred stock and the ending balance for retained earnings is added together to get the total of the shareholders’ equity.

L-Shaped Array for Multi-frequency Interferometry Telescope

L-Shaped Array for Multi-frequency Interferometry Telescope Abstract An array of eight antennas with different configuration, more precisely an L-shaped array has been built for the Multi-frequency Interferometry Telescope for Radio Astronomy (MITRA) project. It consists of quite newly designed Dual Polarised Log Periodic Dipole Antennas (DPLPDA). The first stage of the project was to test the existing array of DPLPDA antennas in a parallelconfiguration in the North South direction and to bring forward different improvements. Also, comparision of data was done with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) at Durban RSA where a similar array was constructed. Next, UV coverage of different arrays were simulated. After that, the DPLPDA were constructed.After setting up the array, the antenna response of each antenna was tested and the results obtained was interpreted. The final test was to test the complete array after combining all the antennas. CHAPTER 1 Introduction and Overview 1.1Introduction 1.1.1Radio Astronomy Radio astronomy is the study of celestial objects that emit radio waves.In the 1930’s, Karl Jansky (1905-1950), working for the Bell Laboratories, was trying to determine the origin of the source of noise interfering with radio voice transmissions. He built a steerable antenna designed to receive radio waves at a frequency of 20.5 MHz. From the observations, he found that the period of the earth’s rotation relative to the radio source was 23 hours and 56 minutes instead of 24 hours. Hence, he concluded that the source was follwing sidereal time. He also observed that the strongest radiation was coming from the centre of our Milky Way galaxy.Inspired by Jansky’s work, Grote Reber (1911-2002) built a parabolic radio telescope of diameter 9m in his back yard, in 1937. After several trials, Reber successfully detected radio emission from the Milky Way, in 1938, confirming Janskys discovery. This led to the discovery of a range of celestial objects, such as radio gala xies, quasars, and pulsars with radio emission with various types of antennas. [1] 1.1.2.1 Radio Interferometry Radio interferometry are arrays of radio antennas that are used inastronomicalobservations simultaneously to simulate singletelescopesof very largeapertures and are used to make measurements of fine angular detail in the radio emission. Radio interferometry enable measurement of the position of radio sources with accuracy to allow identification of other objects detected in the electromagnetic spectrum. Michelson and Pease made the discovery of the interferometric techniques in 1921. They were able to obtain sufficiently fine angular resolution to measure the diameters of some of the nearer stars such as Arcturus and Betelgeuse. [2] 1.1.2.2 Aperture Synthesis Aperture Synthesis or Synthesis Imaging is a type of interferometry that correlates radio signals obtained from a collection of telescopes or antennas to produce images. These images have the same angular resolution as that of the size of a single and a much larger telescope or antenna. Aperture synthesis was first discovered by Sir Martin Ryle (27 September 1918 – 14 October 1984) and coworkers from the Radio Astronomy Group at Cambridge University at radio wavelengths. In 1974, Martin Ryle was the first astronomer awarded a Nobel Prize. [3] Very Long Baseline Interferometry(VLBI) also makes use of radio interferometric techniques. TypicallyVLBIrefers to experiments that do not process their data in real time, but record it for latercorrelation to produce the resulting image. It achieves ultra-high angular resolution and is a multi-disciplinary technique. VLBIis used in measuring pulsar parallaxes andproper motion, resolving the cores of radio galaxies and fets from supermassive black holes, among others. [14] Some of the commonly used radio interferometers are: the Very Large Array (VLA) in Socorro, New Mexico,USA; It consists of 27 radio antennas, each of diameter 25 metres, along three arms of a Y-shaped configuration spread over three 21 kilometres tracks providing 351 baselines. [4] the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN), operated by Jordrell Bank Observatory; It is an array of 7 radio telescopes spread across Britain with separation up to 217 kilometres operating at frequencies between 151 MHz and 24 GHz. [5] the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) in Narrabri, NSW, Australia. The telescope is an array of six identical 22 metres diameter dishes with five movable dishes along a 3 kilometres railway track and the sixth one is 3 kilometres west at the end of the main track. The maximum baseline length is 2.7 kilometres and the observing frequencies are from 300 MHz to 8 GHz.[6] the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Narayangaon,Pune, India. It consists of 30 steerable parabolic dish each of diameter 45 metres opertaing at six different frequency bands and where 14 dishes are arranged in a central square and remaining 6 in a three arm Y-shaped array giving a baseline of about 25 Kilometres . [7] Some of the new radio interferometers are: Low Frequency Array (LoFAR) in north of Exloo, the Netherlands (core) and neighbouring countries It is a phased-array of radio telescopes of about 25,000 small antennas in at 48 larger stations where 40 of these stations are distributed across the north of Netherlands, five stations in Germany, and one each in Great Britain, France and Sweden and has a low requency range from 10-240 MHz. [8] Figure 1: The LoFAR Array Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in llano de Chajnantar Observatory, Atacama Desert,Chile It consists of sixty six 12 metres and 7 metres diameter radio telescopes observing at wavelengths of 0.3 to 9.6 millimetres . [9] Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Murchison Radio Astronomy Observatory, Western Australia It consists of 2048 dual-polarization dipole antennas, each a 44 array of dipoles and operates at low radio frequencies, 80-300 MHz, with a processed bandwidth of 30.72 MHz for both linear polarisations, and consists of 128 aperture arrays (known as tiles) distributed over approximately 3- kilometres diameter area. [10] Figure 2: MWA Antenna tiles KAT7 MeerKAT in Northern Cape, South Africa Figure 3: Aerial View of KAT7 KAT-7 consist of 7 dishes of 12 metres in diameter each a Prime Focus Reflecting Telescopes having a minimum baseline of 26 meters and maximum baseline of 185 metres and have a frequency range of 1200 MHz – 1950 MHz. KAT-7 is an engineering prototype for the MeerKAT. KAT-7 is the world’s first radio telescope array with fiberglass dishes. . MeerKAT, which is still under construction and is slated for completion in 2016 , will consist of 64 dishes of 13.5 meters in diameter having a minimum baseline of 29 metres and maximum baseline of 20 kilometres and it will operate at frequency ranging from 580MHz – 1.75 GHz and 8 – 15 Ghz.[11,12] e- MERLIN is an enhanced and upgraded array of the old MERLIN array.The e- MERLIN instrument is a high resolution radio interferometer connected by a new optical fibre network to Jodrell Bank Observatory. This new system gives rise to a massive increase in sensitivity and observational capabilities.[13] Figure 4: e-MERLIN array European VLBI Netwok (EVN) is an interferometric array of radio telescopes spread across Europe which also includes stations in far-East Asia , South Africa and Puerto Rico that conducts high resolution radio astronomical observations of radio sources. It is the most sensitive VLBI array in the world. It was formed in 1980 and the administering body now comprises 14 institutes[15].TheEVNalso routinely joins other networks, such as theVery Long Baseline Array (VLBA)and the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN), to become a globalVLBIarray. The VLBA is spread throughout Mauna Kea , Hawaii and St Croix. It typically consists of 10 VLA radio antennas and as result it has a maximum baseline exceeding 8000 Km[16]. Some of the future African based new radio interferometers are: African VLBI Network (AVN) Multi-Frequency Interferometry Telescope for Radio Astronomy (MITRA) 1.1.3 MITRA (Multi-frequency Interferometry Telescope for Radio Astronomy) 1.1 The MITRA is an international radio astronomy project which aims to do extremly wide field of imaging with heterogenius non coplanar arrays. The acronym of MITRA means â€Å"friend† in Sanskrit. It is a low frequency array telescope jointly started by Girish Kumar Beeharry from University of Mauritius (UOM) nd Stuart David Macpherson and Gary Peter Janse Van Vuuren from the Durban University of Technolagy (DUT) in South Africa. The project is being simultaneously implemented at the Mauritius Radio Telescope (MRT), located at Bras D’Eau Mauritius, site and at the DUT campus site. The projects will then be expanded to the different SKA Africa partner countries and eventually to other African countries. Data from each country will be combined to form an international aperture synthesis telescope using the techniques of Very Large Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). It is a sensitive high resolution multifrequency dual polarity instrument in the range of 200 to 800 MHz. The instrument chosen for this purpose are Dual Polarized Log Periodic Dipole Antennas (DPLPDA)[17]. 1.1.4 African Long Baseline Interferometry Network (AVN) The African Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network (AVN) is an array of radio telescopes throughout Africa. It is planned to form part of the existing global VLBI networks . It will be associated with the European VLBI Network (EVN ). The latteris a consortium of major radio astronomy institutes in Europe and China (Schilizzi). It has member and associated radio telescopes in Europe, China, South Africa (Hartebeesthoek0, Japan(Kashima) and Puerto Rico (Arecibo). The EVN is capable of providing an excellent angular resolution(from 5 to 0.15 milliarc seconds depending on observing frequency) and high sensitivity for VLBI observations. One of the main technological drivers has been the availability of telecommunication antennas all over Africa. Part of the scheme is to modify the existing dishes, of about at least 30 m in diameter, into radio telescopes. All these telescopes will be linked together, and to radio telescopes in South Africa, forming the African VLBI Network. This, in t urn, would be connected to radio telescopes and arrays in Europe and elsewhere in the world, including North and South America, Asia and Australia. The conversion of a Ghana located dish into a radio telescopes has already been begun.The AVN’s plans to convert three more dishes in Kenya, Zambia and Madagascar. It also aims to build four new radio telescopes in Namibia, Botswana, Mauritius and Mozambique. [19] 1.1.5 Electronic Multi Beam Radio Astronomy ConcEpt(EMBRACE) and African European Radio Astronomy Aperture Array (AERA3 ) The EMBRACE demonstrates the technical and scientific potential of the aperture array concept using a phased array station with the essential SKA. There are two stations, one in NanÃ’Â «ay, France and the other one at the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) in the Netherlands. These two stations are prototype arrays for the SKA MFAA. It consists of an antenna array organized in tiles of dual polarization antennas. A large number of antenna tiles forms the collecting area. The signals from the radiating elements of the antenna from each tile are amplified and the initial analogue RF beam forming is applied. Generally, an EMBRACE is designed for a frequency range of 400-1500 MHz of single polarization, a collecting area of 100 m2 , system temperature of 100 K and has two fields of view with 8 digital beams . The idea of having multiple independent beams gives rise to the AERA3 because EMBRACE considers only two beams. AERA3 is similar to EMBRACE but this new aperture array will have a greater collecting area with will be approximately 2000 m2 varying with a frequency range of 400-1500 MHz with full polarization, two fields of view with 64 digital beams, system temperature of 50 K and bandwidth of less than 500 MHz. AERA3 will be used for intensity mapping, surveys of the whole sky and search for pulsars.[20,21] Figure 5: Embrace at Nancay, Paris 1.1.6 The Square Kilometre array (SKA) The SKA will be a revolutionary radio telescope made of hundred of thousands of receptors. They will be linked together, forming a total collecting area of approximately one square kilometre. It will be the largest and most sensitive radio telescope ever built. It will be able to survey the sky faster than present instruments. In 2006, the African consortium and Australia were both shortlisted as potential sites fot building the SKA. In the 25th May 2012, the SKA organisation announced that SKA would be shared between the African consortium and Australia on a 2:1 ratio basis. The African consortium would be undertaking the construction of the high and mid frequency arrays. The Australian would be in charge of the low frequency aperture array. The SKA consists of two phases where Phase 1 is the construction of about 10% of the SKA. It will make use of the existing infrastructure and telescopes already being built by the two countries. That is, the South Africas precursor array the 64-dish MeerKAT telescope and the Australias 36-dish SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP). Additionally, there will be 50low-frequency 1.5 metre high antenna stations, 60mid-frequency 15 metre dishes built in Australia. Finally, 190mid-frequency 15 metres dishes will be built in South Africa. Phase 2 is the extension to a baseline of 3,000 Km or more in South Arica and African partners countries. These are namely, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia. Also, a total of about three thousand dishes, with the highest concentration in the Northern Cape, South Africa, and some dishes in the other consortium countries will be built. In Australia, the telescope will extend over a baseline of200 km. It will operate with a frequency coverage from 70 MHz to 30 GHz. The SKA will use aperture synthesis, over a distance of more than 3000km to simulate a single giant radio telescope capable of extremely high sensitivity and angular resolution. The SKA will be able to observe the black holes, stars, galaxies and detect black holes[11,22,23,24]. Figure 6: SKA overview 1.1.7 The Log Periodic Dipole Antenna A log periodic antenna, also referred to as a log periodic array, is an antenna that can operate on a wide frequency band. It was à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst built in 1958 by Dwight Isbell at the University of Illinois, United States of America. LPDA is a directional antenna which possesses constant electrical characteristics such as gain, impedance and front-to-back ratio over the wide range of frequencies. It varies periodically with the logarithmic. The antenna consists of a series of linear elements also known as dipoles and the individual elements connect with a transmission or feed line such as coaxial cable. Each element is placed in an alternating configuration leading to a phase shift of 180o (Ï€ radians). [25] 1.2 Aim The aim of this project is to construct a front-end system for radio astronomical observations in the frequency range 200 MHz to 800 MHz using the Dual Polarised Log Periodic Dipole Antenna model with bandwidth 200 MHz to 800 MHz. The front end system will consist of an L-shaped array of antennas. This L shaped array is the start of a matrix of an eight by eight antennas. It will be used as a prototype for Intensity mapping for large scale neutral hydrogen (HI) mapping. Several improvements to the existing antennas will be made and applied to new array configuration. Also along with the array, a shielded box will be constructed for electronic purposes. This work focuses on the longer baseline sparse mid frequency aperture array (MFAA), in contrast to the dense aperture arrays like EMBRACE and the future AERA3.