Answers Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Answers - Coursework Example Partnership with several big brands and acquiring several potential outlets. Effective business expansion strategy. Effective employee strength. Significant reputation among the target customers. Weaknesses Major of the outlets are located only in UK, therefore, they are failing to capitalize on the potential global opportunities. Due to this, they are lacking to achieve the advantages of economies of scale. Only provide Italian style foods and major of the brand names are not known to people. Inadequate food sector than other existing competitors. Lack of change process adoption. Limited presence in global market place. Depending on one supplier. Opportunities Product diversification strategy and implementation of internet cafe in business process. Further 450-500 store expansion in both international and domestic market within 2015. Future international business expansion plan due to the economic development of several countries. Change of social trends to hang around in a coffee b ar for several purposes. Threats Huge competitive market place due to the presence of potential organizations, such as Costa, Starbucks, Subway, Greggs and Bakers Oven. Fluctuating currency exchange rate in global market. Economic downturn and low disposable income of middle class people and political instability. High bargaining power of suppliers and high price of coffee can affect the business output. If people change their trends in near future, such as from coffee consumption to tea, then it will affect the overall industry. Answer 2 UK coffee and sandwich market is significantly growing due to the presence of several leading branded coffee and sandwich chains. Caffe Nero Group Ltd. is one of the popular coffee chains in UK. The organization is popular for its high quality coffee and effective fresh food items. The organization has followed Italian style in its product differentiation strategy. However, in terms of segmentation strategy, the organization has implemented Demogra phic and Geographic segmentation. In terms of Geographic segmentation, the organization has majorly focused on the people of UK. It is the social trend of UK people to consume coffee products, such as cold coffee, regular coffee from the coffee chains. Moreover, the organization has, established their stores in major cities in UK in order to achieve potential target customer base. However, the organization has understood the geographical potentiality of places and established the stores according to the trends. In terms of demographic segmentation, the organization has classified its target customers in three groups, such as income, age and gender. It is evident that, women are the maximum users of coffee shop comparing to the male users. Therefore, the organization has targeted the ladies to achieve growth. The target customers are aged between 35 and 55. Busy office goers are the major target customers Caffe Nero. Finally, the organization has targeted people of high income group as they are the potential customers of coffee and sandwich shops. Answer 3 This part will propose a marketing mix strategy to Caffe Nero for further improvement. Marketing mix strategy consists of product, price, place and promotional marketing strategy. Product The major product of the organization is coffee. Due to this, everybody knows that, Caffe Nero is a coffee house and serves fresh foods, pasta, sandwiches and parties. In UK the organization

Information and communication technologies Essay Example for Free

Information and communication technologies Essay Even though the ICT sector is itself worth between 6-8% of the EU’s GDP in the last few years, ICTs are much more important than that figure suggests, as they are central for the current situation and development of much more spheres of contemporary society as a whole and of national economies in Europe in particular. Today ICTs play a crucial role in: improving competitiveness throughout the economy in the face of globalisation, by boosting innovation, creativity and efficiency; scientific and technological development in various areas (including medicine and physics); modernising sectors as diverse as education, security, energy and transport, and making Europe’s public sector more efficient; tackling social challenges and improving quality of life and meeting the challenge of an ageing society. The EU policy framework for the information society and media i2010- also promotes a European Information Society for all citizens[2]. Actions implemented under this i2010 priority aim to ensure that the benefits of the information society can be enjoyed by everyone (e-Inclusion). Areas of eInclusion policy, as defined in i2010, are: ageing, eAccessibility, broadband gap (overcoming the so called â€Å"digital divide†), inclusive eGovernment, digital literacy and culture. Actions under this priority also aim to encourage provision of better public services (eGovernment and eHealth). Here are the main spheres where ICTs have even bigger potential and are expected to develop in the short run: Growth and Competitiveness ICT is a driver for productivity. The gains from ICT stem directly from investment in ICT, a fast growing and innovative ICT sector, and indirectly from improvements in business processes through wider use of these technologies across the economy. According to a study[3], the overall contribution to labour productivity growth from ICT investments and from technical progress in the production of ICT goods and services accounted for about 40% of EU labour productivity growth over the second half of the 1990s, compared with 60% in the US. The ICT sector, as a whole, performs fairly well in comparison with the US in terms of size (10% of GDP in the US against 8% in the EU, and also in productivity and employment creation), but less so in terms of contribution to RD (in the US, ICT account for 30% of RD). However, in these developments the EU has suffered from lower and delayed investments in ICT and, possibly, a less efficient use of ICT. Using Information and Communication Technologies can also further be used to manage finite natural resources and energy consumption much more efficiently, so that improving environmental protection without holding back economic development[4]. Convergence More and more, convergence of technologies, infrastructure and applications is developing to provide consumers with an access to a great diversity of attractive services and rich media and content on a wide range of devices. Availability of content and services is becoming critical as the market moves to a phase where value-added services and content are key to revenue growth. The policy focus for 2010 will probably be the creation of a favourable environment that stimulates the competitive deployment of new converging services. Broadband networks EU countries are global leader in high-speed internet. The number of fixed broadband internet connections in the EU keeps growing: 14 million more in 2008, reaching over 114 million in total. Denmark and the Netherlands are world leaders in broadband, with take up over 35% of population. They lead, along with Sweden, Finland, the UK, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and France, the US, which was at 25% in July 2008. This has produced a critical mass and there is already evidence that markets for high-quality content and service development are taking off. Furthermore, new developments in wireless broadband have made spectrum availability crucial to new services and applications, and the efficient management of spectrum key to further broadband developments. Finally, the enhancement of interoperability and security are essential to and increase consumers’ choice and facilitate take-up. In the beginning of 2009 1 billion euro has been earmarked by the European Commission to help rural areas[5] get online, bring new jobs and help businesses grow. Competitiveness, job creation and protection, sustainable development, spatial balance and fighting the digital divide are the main goals that the broadband internet access could achieve. Contents and information society services Convergence is creating a promising range of opportunities for the development of content and information society services making the most of ICT. The challenge for the single information space is to create the appropriate environment that will meet both business and consumer expectations while promoting the European content industry. This requires a competitive environment, where interoperability allows cross-platform competition and usage. This also requires a clear European regulatory framework with respect to content regulation and a secure environment for the distribution of digital content. Ensuring consumer acceptance pass by offering access to a great variety of flexible content and services adapted to user needs. Improving security and privacy as well as minor protection and media literacy are needed to allow European citizens to benefit fully from these content and services. Innovation and research In order Europe to catch-up with the levels of productivity growth of other regions of the world, it should strengthen innovation and concentrate these efforts in those sectors, like the ICT, where the value added is the highest. A pre-requisite is to increase investment in research: at present the EU devotes only 18% of research expenditure to ICT whereas the leading OECD countries allocate more than 30%[6]. In absolute amounts, Europe’s investment in ICT research is only two thirds of that of Japan and one third of that seen in the USA. Research and development is making technology simpler to use, more available and affordable; providing new ICT-based solutions that are trusted, reliable, and adaptable to users’ contexts and preferences. However, research alone is not sufficient as it needs be consolidated by organisational innovation. ICT must be widely adopted and supported by adequate reorganisation of business processes and by a skilled workforce. Businesses in the EU are increasingly adopting advanced ICT and are engaging in on-line transactions but are lagging behind in the adoption of integrated business applications (particularly the European small and medium enterprises). Skills and work The development of the ICT sector and the wide-spread diffusion and use of ICT in the economy and in the society bring opportunities for new employment and more creative and fulfilling jobs. Changing needs for ICT and e-Business skills (e-Skills) in the future heavily depend on innovation and the introduction of new technologies. The greatest challenge is to assess forward-looking innovations and understand what new skills will be needed, to be able to anticipate and manage changes and be effective, quick and efficient in creating new, innovative jobs. e-Business Though nearly all enterprises are connected to the internet, a large section of the business community is only beginning to exploit the potential of ICT. E-commerce is expected to continue to grow rapidly. More efforts are needed to improve business processes in European enterprises and fully integrate ICT providing new opportunities to reduce their costs and improve performance. Factors which will contribute to increase e-Business include promotion of take-up of e-business solutions and best practices security, addressing privacy and security concerns, availability of content and new services, increase automation of business processes, acceptance of payment for content and services, e-invoicing and e-procurement. Public services Public services are at the heart of the European social model, playing a key role in growth, innovation and cohesion. There is increasing evidence that a better exploitation of ICT through combined improvement of facilities, working processes and skills can significantly enhance public service’s organisation provision. However, the potential remains unfulfilled due to technical, legal or organisational obstacles. For example, government services are widely available online but the demand is not sufficient and efficiency gains from back-office reorganisation are still largely underexploited. Specific challenges relate to friendly user-centric services, back-office streamlining, interoperability of key infrastructures and facilities, identity management, or privacy and trust. e-Inclusion Increasing impact of ICT on social inclusion and participation creates new opportunities. Significant progress on ICT penetration across all EU regions and socio-demographic groups helps to decrease disparities. However, some specific challenges concern accessibility of ICT equipment and user-friendly interfaces, digital literacy or improved confidence and support for ICT use. Some important concerns are â€Å"design for all† of ICT equipment; human mediation and support for e-services; intuitive use of affordable value-added e-content and services accessible; and efficient solutions for threats to privacy, security and harmful content threats. Quality of life and environment ICT have a direct impact on the environment but also indirect social and economic consequences as a result of its application. ICT positive impact on the environment includes environmental modelling (forecasting), the miniaturisation of devices (which reduces the resources needed for manufacture and distribution), micro/nano technology and embedded systems which improve disaster management, and reduce the environmental impact of farming and fishing. ICT also enables a less resource-intensive production, thereby reducing the environmental impact of economic activities. e-Work contributes to environmental sustainability as travelling to work is reduced. Innovative transport planning systems can ease traffic congestion and optimise transport capacity. ICT can also contribute to quality of life by delivering more efficient and more effective public services and goods to individuals which in turn can improve their life chances. ICT support for comprehensive life-long learning policies (through e-learning, digital competence actions) can enable all individuals to adapt and keep the pace with the continuous social, economic and technological changes. Climate and energy policy The combined climate and energy policy is central at the EU’s political programme. Its aism are to bring about alternative ways of running our daily lives so that Europe can continue to create growth and jobs while leading the global effort to tackle climate change and energy efficiency. Europe faces three main challenges in this field tackling climate change, guaranteeing secure, sustainable and competitive energy, and making the European economy a model for sustainable development in the 21st century[7]. The resolve of the European Council[8] to transform Europe into a low-carbon, high energy efficiency economy means that the continued growth of the European economy, essential to achieve full employment and inclusion, needs to be decoupled from energy consumption. The current trends are unsustainable. Indeed, if nothing were to change, final energy consumption in the EU is predicted to increase up to 25% by 2012, with a substantial rise in greenhouse gas emissions. ICTs have an important role to play in reducing the energy intensity and increasing the energy efficiency of the economy, in other words, in reducing emissions and contributing to sustainable growth. In addition to that, ICTs will not only improve energy efficiency and combat climate change but will also stimulate the development of a large leading-edge market for ICT enabled energy-efficiency technologies that can foster the competitiveness of European industry and create new business opportunities.

computer history :: essays research papers

Every aspect of our life in this day and age involves technology. At the forefront of the trend is an advanced machine called the computer. Everywhere you turn, you see some facet of its work. Computers link together almost all government and economic fractions of our world with silicon chips and electrical signals. The list of tasks it can perform is amazing. With intricate parts and super fast circuitry, computers are a complex technological wonder. Its history is interesting but its evolution is amazing. From garage size monster machines to 5 pound 3 inch-thick laptops, the computer shapes today’s world. When you say the world â€Å"computer,† most people think of the desktop machine you can play games on and print out your favorite pictures. Early computers however were far different from today’s machines. They were first designed only for simple mathematical problems. Most five-dollar calculators at Wal-Mart could outperform any of the first computers. The first truly digital computer weighed 60,000 pounds. It contained 27,000 vacuum tubes, 4,000 of which had to be replaced every month. Computers since then have gotten smaller and more efficient, resulting in today’s machines. The evolution of computers has come a long way. Think of how important the Internet is. Everyday when you’re taking roll, you’re using the Internet to send your information to the main office. The government uses the Internet to keep in contact with its officials in Middle Eastern countries. Everyday thousands of business transactions are made on the Internet. E-mail has become a major form of communication. Millions of teenagers get online everyday to talk with each other. Kids can interactive with educational websites. All these simple things couldn’t be performed without the Internet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The future for computers has never looked brighter. Imagine a computer that could read your thought waves and respond to exactly what you thought at the exact time you thought it. Virtual reality computer systems could be used to train military pilots, soldiers, and officers. But on another note, an increase in technology would be just another asset on a terrorists list.

Caring :: essays research papers

Since I was a little girl, I have been giving care to others. It started when I was nine years old. My grandmother, who was a heavy smoker, developed cancer and became very sick.. It got to the point where she received home hospice care because nothing more could be done for her in the hospitals. â€Å"Hospice is a specialized type of medical care for people who have advanced or life-limiting illness. This care is provided by a team of individuals who care for patients and families in their homes† (1). It basically provides the patient with care in the comfort of their home. A hospital bed was set up in our home where she spent her last days. She was hooked up to an I.V. where she would receive daily doses of morphine, a strong drug ment to ease the pain of the terminally ill. I would check on her frequently, and even learned how to program the machine that released her morphine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Soon after my grandmother died, my mom started getting sick. When she was born, she was born with a heart condition. Her heart had a â€Å"hole† in it and it was positioned wrong in her chest. In fact, it was said by doctors that because of her abnormal heart condition, she wouldn’t live past the age of six. She was also partially blind in her left eye, which restricted her from driving. As she got older and older, her heart grew weaker and weaker. At the age of 35 years old, she had a pacemaker surgically implanted in her chest. A pacemaker is a battery-powered case that assists the heart in beating. An incision is made and a pocket is formed in the area overlying the muscle on the outside of the chest wall. â€Å"Most are placed to prevent the heart from going to slow. This happens because there is no cell in the heart that will beat fast enough to maintain proper function or because the electrical pathway, which allows impulses to spread to the necessary parts of the heart muscle is damaged.†(2). Eventually, even the pacemaker didn’t help. Her heart couldn’t handle the aging process, and it became more and more difficult for her to do simple, everyday activities. Even walking became a chore. I would do my part by helping out at home with the daily chores and push her around in her wheelchair whenever we went places.

Lead In Drinking Water

Lead is a naturally occurring element present in the earth's crust. It is one of the most harmful environmental pollutants.   It has become difficult to control because of its wide usage. Over the years it is being used in gasoline, house paint and plumbing fixtures. Lead shows adverse effects when it builds up in the body. There are many ways in which humans are exposed to lead: through deteriorating paint, household dust, bare soil, air, drinking water, food, ceramics, home remedies, hair dyes and other cosmetics.Much of this lead is of microscopic size, invisible to the naked eye. In 1978, the federal government banned lead-based paint from housing. Though the amount of lead that is released into the environment each year has been greatly reduced by less use of leaded gas, starting in the mid-70s. Laws forbidding use of lead in house paint (1978) and lead in plumbing solder (1986) have helped as well. Still, lead can be a problem, especially in older homes.As a highly toxic meta l contaminant in drinking water, with public health threat lead received attention over the years. However, the old lead painted houses are the primary source of lead contamination. Water has a combination of things in it, when it reaches home for household purposes. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in the United States 1 out of every 11 children has a dangerous level of lead in the bloodstream. The elevated blood-lead levels can be due to the drinking water contaminated with lead, in spite of water being the rare primary source.Although there is no â€Å"safe† level of lead in water, the EPA has estimated that on average up to 20% of a child's total lead exposure can potentially be attributed to lead-contaminated water. Lead poisoning is dangerous for anyone of any age, but children are particularly vulnerable because of  the effects of lead poisoning on development. According to EPA, lead dosage that would have little effect on an adult can harm a small child.   Lead in drinking water can be a problem for infants whose diet consists of liquids-such as baby formula and juices mixed with water. Lead can be easily and more rapidly absorbed by children compared to the adults.Lead can cause a variety of adverse health effects when people are exposed to it at levels above the action level even for relatively short periods of time. The effects are the same whether it is breathed or swallowed. Very low levels of lead poisoning can cause reduced IQs‚ learning disabilities and behavioral problems such as hypertension and reduced attention span in children, and often these effects are life long and irreversible. Pregnant women and young children are at the greatest risk even with short-term, low level exposures. Overexposure to lead over time can have severe health effects that can last a lifetime.   Lead poisoning can cause damage to brain, kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells. Children's brains and nervous systems ar e more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead, so they can have behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity), damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth, hearing problems and headaches.Because children are most vulnerable to adverse health effects from lead exposure, the adequacy of controls over lead in water supplies serving schools and child care facilities is particularly important. In adults it can cause reproductive problems, high blood pressure, digestive problems, nerve disorders, memory and concentration problems, muscle and joint pain.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC), Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (LPPP) in conjunction with the Office of Refugee Resettlement developed the Lead Poisoning Prevention in Newly Arrived Refugee Children tool kit in response to the increasing number of refugee children entering in the United States and subsequently developing elevated blood lead levels. CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Preven tion Program is committed to the Healthy People goal of eliminating elevated blood lead levels in children by 2010. CDC continues to assist state and local childhood lead poisoning prevention programs, to provide a scientific basis for policy decisions, and to ensure that health issues are addressed in decisions about housing and the environment.Other studies have shown that the intrusion of lead into the lens of the eye may cause protein conformational changes that decrease lens transparency. Now NIEHS grantee Howard Hu and colleagues at Harvard University have uncovered what could be another adverse health effect with global implications: cataracts. The researchers found that participants with high tibial lead were more than 2.5 times as likely to develop cataracts as men with low tibial lead (bone lead is a measure of long-term lead exposure). Blood lead levels, which are more indicative of short-term lead exposure, were not significantly associated with increased risk of catarac t development.The contamination occurs when the water is once out from the treatment plants to the individual residences.   The service lines that direct the water, certain types of plumbing materials, such as lead pipes, lead solder, brass faucets and some water meter components are responsible for the leaching of lead into drinking water. Hot water can cause the lead to leach out from lead-soldered copper pipes. The longer that water stays in pipes, the greater the exposure to lead.  Stray electrical currents from improperly grounded electrical outlets or equipment also may increase the level of lead in drinking water.Though the, Congress in1986 banned the use of solder containing more that 0.2% lead and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes, and other plumbing materials the risk of lead contamination is not completely removed as â€Å"lead-free† plumbing may contain up to 8 percent lead. Lead in the air comes from industrial emissions. Lead deposits in soils ar ound roadways and streets from past emissions by automobiles using leaded gas, together with paint chips and lead paint dust. Lead may be found in some imported candies, medicines, dishes, toys, jewelry, and plastics.Under Safe Drinking Water Act law passed by Congress in 1974, EPA determined safe levels of chemicals in drinking water which do or may cause health problems. These non-enforceable levels, based solely on possible health risks and exposure, are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals. The MCLG for lead has been set at zero because EPA believes this level of protection would not cause any of the potential health problemsResponsibility for ensuring safe drinking water is shared by EPA, the states, and, most importantly, local water systems. In general, EPA sets standards to protect drinking water quality and to ensure the proper operation and maintenance of public water systems.   EPA also oversees state implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act and applicable regula tions where states have assumed primary responsibility for enforcement.The states ensure that local water systems meet EPA and state requirements, provide technical assistance, and take enforcement action, as necessary. In addition, the states collect information on the results of drinking water monitoring, among other things, and report the information to EPA. At the local level, public water systems operate and maintain their facilities in accordance with federal and state requirements, periodically test the drinking water to ensure that it meets quality standards, install needed treatments, and report required information to the states.Water system cannot directly detect and remove the lead contamination in drinking water as corrosion occurs in household lead pipes. To control lead and copper in drinking water, EPA implemented a regulation known as LCR (Lead and Copper Rule) or 1991 Rule in July 1991. The main aim of this program is to monitor the drinking water for the contamina tion and to educate the public to take precautions to protect their health when lead concentration (15 ppb) and copper concentration (0. 3 ppm) in water exceed their action level.The LCR even replace lead service lines used to carry water from the street to the home when elevated lead levels are continued even after anti-corrosion treatment. It is compulsory that that all public water supplies should abide these regulations to meet National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. EPA regulations require that child care centers operating their own water supplies test all drinking outlets for lead. The Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for lead is 0 ppb, the EPA action level for lead in drinking water is 15 ppb. GSA requires that corrective actions be taken when lead concentrations in drinking water exceed the 15 ppb action level.  EPA played a major key role in distributing a list of banned coolers and publishing and distributing guidance on detecting and remediating lead contamination in school drinking water supplies when the Congress banned the manufacture and sale of water coolers that were not lead-free under the Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988. In addition to it EPA ordered required states to establish programs to assist local agencies in testing and correcting for lead in water supplies in schools and child care facilities.In March 2005, EPA announced a Drinking Water Lead Reduction Plan to improve and clarify specific areas of the rule and the agency’s guidance materials. EPA proposed regulatory changes to the LCR in the following areas:Treatment Processes: To require that utilities notify states prior to changes in treatment so that states can provide direction or require additional monitoring. EPA will also revise existing guidance to help utilities maintain corrosion control while making treatment changes. Customer Awareness: To require that water utilities notify occupants of the results of any testing that occurs within a home or facility. EPA will also seek changes to allow states and utilities to provide customers with utility-specific advice on tap flushing to reduce lead levels.Lead Service Line Management: To ensure that service lines that test below the action level are re-evaluated after any major changes to treatment which could affect corrosion control.Lead in Schools: The agency will update and expand 1994 guidance on testing for lead in school drinking water. EPA will emphasize partnerships with other federal agencies, utilities and schools to protect children from lead in drinking water.Although EPA in cooperation with NSF International, state, and water industry officials succeeded in reducing lead levels by testing the water by lead rule. According to NSF, the extent to which lead leaches from products containing lead is not directly proportional to the level of lead used in any one alloy contained in the product. NSF identified several factors that contribute to the level of leaching, including the cor rosiveness of the water, lead content, the extent of the leaded surface area, and the process used to manufacture the product.Lead contamination in water can not be detected normally because one cannot see, taste, or smell lead dissolved in water, Individuals who suspect the contamination of lead in their house, the only way to be sure of the amount of lead in their household water is to have it tested by a certified lab where water will be analyzed using the EPA's sampling and analysis procedures. While collecting water for analysis one should be sure to have a â€Å"first draw sample and a â€Å"fully flushed† sample. The first draw sample should be collected after water has sat undisturbed for at least six hours. The first draw sample should have the highest level of lead.The fully flushed sample should be collected after the water has been running from the tap for several minutes, at least until the water becomes noticeably cooler. This two-sample procedure indicates whe ther flushing the tap can reduce the lead to safe levels. Water testing is especially important for apartment dwellers, because flushing may not be effective in high-rise buildings with lead-soldered central piping.According to the Toxics Release Inventory, from 1987 to 1993 a total of nearly 144 million lbs of lead compounds were released to land and water by lead and copper smelting industries. When released to land, lead binds to soils and does not migrate to ground water. In water, it binds to sediments. It does not accumulate in fish, but does in some shellfish, such as musselsOne can temporarily reduce lead hazards by taking actions like repairing damaged painted surfaces and planting grass to cover soil with high lead levels. Appropriate precautions should be taken to prevent the contamination using specialized cleaning techniques that are effective in removing lead-contaminated dust. Cleaning should be done time to time in addition to a final cleanup at the end of the job. T hese actions (called â€Å"interim controls†) are not permanent solutions and will not eliminate all risks of exposure.Peeling, chipping, chalking, or cracking lead-based paint is a hazard and needs immediate attention Lead from paint chips, and lead dust, both cause serious hazards. Lead dust can form when lead-based paint is dry scraped, dry sanded, or heated. Dust also forms when painted surfaces bump or rub together. Lead chips and dust can get on surfaces and objects that people touch. Settled lead dust can reenter the air when people vacuum, sweep, or walk through it.There are many ways to reduce lead exposure at home specially for children. Precautions should be taken to keep children away from chipping, peeling and flaking paint. Children should wash their hands before meals, snacks, nap time and bedtime and the areas where children play as dust-free as possible. Care should be taken to give clean pacifiers for infants to suck. Pacifiers often and pin them on a short ribbon to the child's shirt and children’s clothes clean by changing frequently. Stuffed animals and toys should be washed regularly.Lead contaminated water can be avoided to some extent by following simple measures. Hard water can actually offer some protection against lead contamination because mineral build-up on the inside of pipes reduces contact between water and the lead or solder.  Use only lead-free materials in all plumbing repairs or new faucets and pipes. Homes with plastic drinking water lines, which are glued rather than soldered, should not have problems with lead contamination from pipes. Before using water for drinking or cooking, run the cold water for a minute until it is as cold as it can get.   This will flush out the water that has been sitting around for awhile so lead concentration won't be as high.   Also, use only cold water for drinking and cooking since hot water dissolves lead more quickly than cold water.Some precaution can be taken to prev ent ourselves from continuous exposure. When renovating homes, Do not use a belt-sander, propane torch, heat gun, dry scraper, or dry sandpaper to remove lead-based paint. These actions create large amounts of lead dust and fumes. Federal law requires that contractors provide lead information to residents before renovating pre-1978 housing. Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have paint that contains lead (called lead-based paint). Landlords have to disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before leases take effect.Some of the activities that should be done to prevent lead contamination are:Create aerator (screen) cleaning maintenance schedule and clean debris from all accessible aerators frequently. Use only cold water for food and beverage preparation as hot will dissolve lead more quickly. Instruct the users to run the water before drinking. Regularly flush the piping system in the building. The degree to which flushing helps reduce lea d levels can also vary depending upon the age and condition of the plumbing and the corrosiveness of the water.Bottled water can be an expensive alternative but might be warranted if you expect or are aware of widespread contamination and flushing is not an option. If you use bottled water, be aware that it is not regulated by EPA but rather by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Reverse osmosis units are commercially available and can be effective in removing lead. Since these devices also tend to make the water corrosive, they should only be used when placed at water outlets. Electrical current may accelerate the corrosion of lead in piping materials. Existing wires already grounded to the water pipes can possibly be removed by a qualified electrician, and replaced by an alternative grounding system.Apart from the efforts of EPA and associated bodies, as general public we too have some responsibility in educating people towards the adverse effects of the lead contaminated water . We should discourage people from using materials that induce lead into the environment. Care should be taken that industrial effluents are not released into the water streams and any such incidence should be reported to the concerning authority.Reference:http://www.awwa.org/Advocacy/pressroom/lead.cfm

Me, Myself and Madness Essay

What is madness? Madness cannot be categorized into one definition, nor can it be simplified into one specific action. In Hamlet, Hamlet, prince of Denmark, is consumed by madness and is alternately driven to his own death. Despite the fact that many people believe that Hamlet’s mad behavior was planned and controlled. It is arguable that his madness was not feigned, and he was actually insane. Hamlet was drove into madness by the demonic possession of the ghost of Hamlet, the deep grudge he had for his mother Gerturde, and the craving for revenge he had for the death of his father In act 1, scene 4, Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus are confronted by the ghost that has been roaming around the outskirts of the castle. Hamlet sees, and recognizes that the ghost that has been haunting his home is none other than the spitting image of his father, the late king Hamlet, who was inconspicuously murdered by his own brother Claudius, who later becomes king of Denmark, instead of Hamlet. The ghost calls out for Hamlet to follow him alone into the woods. Hamlet’s perseverance led him to believe that the ghost of his father had the answers that he desperately needed, and for that, Hamlet decided to follow him alone. Horatio (warning Hamlet against following his father’s ghost) gravely warned Hamlet that if he follows the ghost, it might â€Å"deprive your soverereignty of reason and draw you into madness.† In other words, Hamlet’s madness began when he became possessed (both body and mind) by the ghost of his father to bring about his evil deeds. In this case, Hamlet lost his mind when he erased himself from his own brain and replaced it with his father’s commandments. In addition, Hamlet’s madness was also driven by a deep grudge he had for his mother Gerturde. After the death of Hamlet’s father, Gerturde remarried within a month, to his brother Claudius. Hamlet shows provocation at Gerturde for happily marrying so soon. And to add insult to injury, it was to his uncle, of all people. Hamlet questions the faithfulness his mother has towards him,  and later doubts the love Ophellia has for him. For this reason, Hamlet displays resentment, not only towards his mother, but to Ophellia, who was uninvolved in the tragic death of his father, and the sudden remarriage of his mother to his uncle. In act 3, scene 1, Hamlet and Ophellia are having an emotional conversation with each other. Hamlet screams to Ophellia â€Å"get thee to a nunn’ry, why would tho be a breeder of sinners.† For this reason, Hamlet yells â€Å"get thee to a nunn’ry† several times because he exhorts ophellia to become a nun, so that way, she may never breed sinners, like him. Even tho he offends Ophellia by saying this, the insult is more intentionally made for his mother Gerturde. The lack of faithfulness his mother has causes the vulgar behavior he has towards Ophellia, which henceforth progresses Hamlet’s madness.

A Combination of Liberal Arts and Christianity Essay

Two ways of thought and life are combined to make one learning environment. Liberal arts and Christianity seem like two separate concepts to most, but together they create a harmonious setting for an individual to grow in a multitude of ways. A Liberal Arts College creates a life long thinker that becomes adaptable to society using their knowledge to make decisions. In Holmes pg 35 he says, â€Å" Liberal education is an open invitation to join the human race and become more fully human. Its goals are to read and write and thereby think independently, and appreciation of lasting values coupled with the ability to make sound value judgements and live by them, a critical appreciation of the past and responsible creative participation in the future.† We are educated from kindergarden to 12th grade to learn the fundamentals of all subjects with hopes to impact the society as an educated citizen. This hope is continued if we choose to further our education in college with a specifi c emphasis on a major. Like many students with a major, Christians are faithful students that use the Bible to guide their daily lives, but to the rest of the world they can be viewed as sheltered and limited to their beliefs. This causes a hindering on effectiveness that Christian have in the community and a misunderstanding of the validity of their thoughts. in Holmes pg 6 he supports this thought by saying,† Unless we understand the thought and value-patterns of our day, as well as those of biblical revelation and the Christian community, and unless we speak fluently the language of our contemporaries, we tragically limit our effectiveness.â€Å" With a Christian College education is heightened by integrating literarary works, theories, and concepts to Christian commitment, moral, and faith making a collaboration of endless possibilities. This creates a well rounded opportunity for students to learn at a college with the strengths of both liberal arts and Christianity called a Christian College. We are not limited to any one way of thinking. As people we want to explore and question the how, what, where, and why’s of the world. The Christian College does not limit the ability of self perception or thought, but encourages the process. Using liberal arts to educate the Christian learner and further their insight in the world is a primary purpose of a Christian College. As stated in Holmes pg 8 â€Å"†¦integration of faith and learning remains the distinctive task of the Christion liberal arts college.† The worldview of Christianity should not be  limited to ones home, but incooperated throughout a persons education to further equipt them for a future that will continue to challenge and question their abilities. In support of this thought, On page 36 Holmes writes on the ever lasting benefits of education,† If the person, including what she becomes in this life, has an eternal destiny, then what I become in the process of education lives on forever†¦ Christian liberal arts education has an eternity in view.† For most, being a student is only a fragment of a lifetime. That is why the importance of receiving a well rounded education that a Christian College has to offer is essential to establish a foundation of education to apply to the remaining years of our lives. Learning with a purpose to become a reflective being, and value being, and a responsible agent will prepare an individual to step into the world and make educated, reasonable, and moral decisions. A reflective beings have a passion to learn, ask, and wonder which leads us to analyze and come up with our own thoughts of possibilities. Reflectiveness sometimes leads us to have a birds eye view of a thought as a whole as opposed to thinking in a narrow, closed minded way. Causing us to become more critical thinkers and nurture our natural inquisitions. Holmes states, â€Å" â€Å"To teach a person to read and write is to teach him to think for himself, to develop more fully the possession of his God-given powers. He becomes in fact, not just in possibility, a reflective, thinking being.† Next, as value being takes a worldview of everything important to them and acts on those thoughts and feelings for direction. In a Chirstian College we see those values as what God has created in the the reflection of Him, us. Actions we take have effects and the choices of those actions can not be learned by reading a book, but the foundations of values can guide a person towards a better outcome. Last, there is the need to be a responsible agent. As Christians we are accountable for our actions and are governed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Decisions of right and wrong are presented daily, but as a Christian going to a Christian College we are taught the principles of reasoning through education and guided with the righteous path God has called us to live. The world is filled with possibilities and opportunity, but it is the people we become with the help of a Christian College, that steers us on the road to a life of reflection, value, and responsibility. A Christian College provides a basis in creating a holistic person by incooperating faith with a liberal  arts education. To see life as one picture rather than a million tiny pieces in a puzzle can create a smoother transition from college to the real world. Often students face the delema of just figuring it out. There is no how to manual or direction guide of life. As Christians we look to the bible for answers and get the general idea of what should be done with digging into our faith, but the is an element of critical thinking that must be applied. That kind of thinking is learned though a Christian College. â€Å" If a person, including what she becomes in life, has an eternal destiny, then what I become in the process of education lives forever†¦Christian liberal arts education has an eternity in view.†(Holmes 36) No one person or book can teach us the do and don’ts in life, but a well round education can prepare us for a life of constant decisions and obst acle to overcome.