Legal, Safety, and Regulatory Requirements Essay

Abstract The workplace can be a very dynamic place; there are so many different people with all kinds of personalities. Because there are so many different personalities, there are different needs of safety which can create obstacles in the organization. This is where the Human Resource Department comes into play, they make sure that the needs of all employees are met and that they are working in a safe environment. Litigation has taken the place of common sense and compassion within organizations over the past years. Litigation has become a main priority and the Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and also the Department of Homeland Security all have been regulating this. Although some may disagree that litigation has created a more structured work environment, there are a lot that would say it has. Litigation has balanced out the differences in the workplace. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission There once was a time when common sense and compassion were used to decide what to do with issues, but now that there are laws put in place to ensure that legal, safety, and regulatory requirements are obeyed there are less issues. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is one of those regulations. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces federal laws which make it illegal for any organization to discriminate against someone applying for the position or someone who is already an employee for reasons like their race, gender, color of skin, age, disability, or religion. (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2011) This also ensures that a person who is claiming that they were discriminated against is not discriminated for that. These laws are applied to any type of work situations, like harassments, wages/benefits, hiring/firing, promotions, or any type of training. If a company discriminates based on any of these assumptions they will be investigated and possibly prosecuted if found guilty. (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2011) Department of Labor Department of Labor is another one that focuses on employee-related regulations. The Department of Labor  enforces well over 180 laws; these laws regulate many activities that go on in the work environment. The Fair Labor Standards Act is one of these laws and it ensures that employees that are working overtime are paid fairly. (United States Department of Labor, 2011) Another federal law that the Department of Labor regulates is the Occupational Safety and Health Act which ensures that private industries are regulated on a regular basis and they must be approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Act state programs. This is only two acts that ensure litigation for the Department of Labor, but there are many more. (United States Department of Labor, 2011) American with Disabilities Act Another law that was passed to regulate legal and safety requirements was the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This law was passed by congress to ensure that nobody with a disability regardless of what kind of disability it may be cannot be discriminated against simply for that reason. The disability has to be further evaluated before any decisions are made. (U.S. Department of Justice, 2011) If the applicant has a disability such as abuse form a substance or their vision is impaired, but can be corrected with prescribed lenses than they cannot be discriminated against. In 2008 former President George W. Bush passed the American Disability Act of 2008 which made the protection of disabled workers a little broader. (U.S. Department of Justice, 2011) U.S. Department of Homeland Security The U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulates our nation and makes sure that all threats are taken seriously and handled properly. They have a goal which entails that the federal agency must make sure that environmental justice is a top priority. (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2011) Conclusion I personally feel that all of these laws are set in place to ensure that all work related issues are handled without any favor. Before any of these laws it was he said she said, there was a lot of discrimination against people, so most of the time decisions were not made fairly. Human Resources have to regulate all of these laws, they deal with all of the issues in an organization and they handle them all based on federal laws. All problems  are evaluated and decided based on litigation, not by common sense or compassion because one person’s view on common sense or compassion may not be fair or just. References: United States Department of Labor, (2011). Rulemaking and Regulations. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from http://www.dol.gov/asp/regs/rulemaking.htm U.S. Department of Homeland Security, (2011). About. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from http://www.dhs.gov/files/prepresprecovery.shtm U.S. Department of Justice, (2011). ADA Regulations and Technical Assistance Materials. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://www.ada.gov/publicat.htm#Anchor-14210 U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, (2011). Overview. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/index.cfm

Jung: Psychology and Religion Essay

Jung is accurate in his assessment that religion, to many, is a very personal thing. Despite the fact religious organization comprise of many millions of people, a religious experience in not exclusively a collective experience. To most people, religion remains a personal experience that is encoded and decoded in the psyche as well as the spirit. From this, derives the numerous interpretations of what should be an exclusive singular item: the bible. After all, if something is the word of God, then there should only be one religion that derives from it. The notion of taking bits and pieces from the bible, accepting what is acceptable, disregarding what are not acceptable or re-inventing variants of interpretation is absurd on a number of levels. Yet, this is commonplace when it comes to the numerous religions that exist. What occurs, essentially, is that a leader of a religion develops what he or she feels is the truth (often this notion of what is true is arrived at, at the exclusion of any other interpretation of truth) and presented to a collective whole that constitutes the remaining followers of that particular branch of religion. In speaking of religion, I must make it clear from the start what I mean by the term†¦Religion is a careful and scrupulous observation of†¦a dynamic effect†¦not caused by an act of will. (Jung 8) In other words, there is a great deal of assimilation involved with an individual’s being drawn into the world of organized and institutional religion. Since religion exists, oftentimes, as a large omnipresent shadow that envelopes people and, in short order, Jung: Psychology and Religion Pg 2 indoctrinates them. To that regard, there is no true act of will present in terms of the actual acceptance. Yes, there may appear to be an appearance of an act of will, a conscious decision, but the reality is that the true act of will designed to accept the tenants or lifestyle of a religion are in fact, manufactured by external forces. This is about as far from an actual act of will as possible, although it has the perception of being a legitimate, personal act of will. Jung outlines this in his assessment that many time people will cling to a religion as a means of escaping what is some sort of neurosis, also known as psychic forces that seek to harm or undermine the free will (thought) of an individual. Jung goes to show that people are subject to a wide variety of neurotic repressions of varying degrees of severity. While people accept these neurotic feelings as something that is part of them, they feel that the root of all neurosis come from an external source and therefore require another external source in order to alleviate the neurotic feelings that they may be experiencing. The existence of such cases does something to explain why people are afraid of becoming conscious of themselves. There really is something behind the screen. (one never knows) so people are content to consider the external factors outside their very consciousness (Jung 17) This is where the tragic irony of accepting religion as a substitute for therapy. In other words, people seem to be drawn to a source of knowledge in the form of a status quo conclusion. In order to reach the enlightenment they feel will alleviate all their Jung: Psychology and Religion Pg 3 problems in life, they become willing to accept an external force that will provide them with the security they seek. Many times, this security comes in the form of an organized religion, a commonly popular and safe method that they may be able to accept along with so many other people. This is not to say there is something inherently wrong with religion as much as it is an observation of the fact people will accept the role of organized religion as a means of providing the elements that are missing in their life as well as providing an established security from an external force. The notion of external force is highly important here. People have a tendency not to look inward for support. They are always looking for an external source and, many times, that external source is the world of organized religion. While religions have been the source of great good in the world, there is not the omnipresent solution to people’s problems. To a great degree, Jung’s criticism hedges on the fact that people have a tendency to overreach in their expectations of what religion can offer them. This is outlined extensively through Jung’s work in order to drive such a point home. This does not mean, however, that there will always be an open ended commitment to religion and faith in terms of organized religion’s ability to grasp a hold on the psyche of an individual nor does it mean the individual will forever hold on to the religious institution as a crutch. Protestantism, having pulled down so many walls carefully erected by the Church immediately began to experience the disintegrating and schismatic effect of individual revelation. As soon as the dogmatic fence was broken down and ritual lost its authority, nab had to face his inner experience without the protection and guidance of dogma and ritual. (Jung 21) Jung: Psychology and Religion Pg 4 To that regard, there will be an eventually fusion (on some people’s part) to where rational intellect may take over if religion is not able to overtake the deficiencies of institutional religion when it comes to saving people from neurosis or problems of the psyches. Of course, not everything is the proverbial â€Å"one hundred percent† and rational intellect does not automatically provide a cure for any deficiencies. To leave one form of bondage for another is not freedom. Jung contends this in his discourse on rationality. Jung addressed this problem as well and extrapolates on the limits of rationality in the following: It is a psychological rule that when an archetype has lost its metaphysical boundaries, it becomes identified with the conscious mind of the individual, which it influences and refashions in its own form. And since an archetype always possesses certain numinosity, the integration of the numen generally produces an inflation of the subject. (Jung 315) What Jung states here is significant in the manner in which he points out the fact that when what is metaphysical or supernatural loses its significance to its competition: rational reason.

Technology for Youth – Boon or Bane

Technolgy has revolutionized the human existence. Much of the progress that mankind has made in different fields right from the stone age to the modern age is due to the progress made in the field of science and technology. Not only material progress but also the mental outlook of man has been influenced by it. It has made man's life happier and more comfortable. Agriculture, business, transport, communication and medicine to name a few are all highly indebted to the wonders, science has produced. We have become scientifically more advanced from our ancestors.This is because the world has undergone a tremendous change because of the rapid strides made by the science and technology. Anything, which has advantages, has disadvantages also and this holds truth in case of technology as well. Nowadays, if we have to reserve a seat in a railway comportment we need not go to the railway booking counter, we can do this just through the Internet by E-Reservation system. Similarly, if we have t o send a message to anyone, instead of sending a conventional letter we can send an e-mail.Telephones and mobile phones are so commonly being used by us that it has become difficult now to image life without them. All this, I feel, is enough for us to realize that technology has entered into our day-to-day life. Electricity is one of the greatest wonders of modern science. The growth of fast modes of transport and communication has changed the world into global village. In the field of agriculture, science and technology has helped in increasing the crop production and improving quality.Science has enabled man to diagnose and treat many dangerous diseases. Information technology and computers have revolutionized our life-styles. But, the boon of science, in many cases, has been turned into bane because of its misuse. Science has posed a threat to the very existence of mankind with weapons-nuclear, biological, atomic, chemical etc. Cyber crime is the latest addition to crimes' list. Misapplication of science has brought mankind to the path of destruction. We should use science to get its blessings and not misuse it to make it a curse.Advantages : Internet provides one of the greatest benefits when it is used to provide educational opportunities for students based on their abilities and interests. Any lesson can become more motivating, exciting, and memorable for a student when it is aided with audio-video information from the internet. Brain research shows that individuals remember events and facts in more detail for a longer period of time if there are emotions involved in the initial learning experience.Therefore the Internet can increase the emotional impact of lessons and make learning interesting, fun and meaningful to students. When students gain experience learning for the pure joy of learning, their emotional interest, intrinsic motivation, and hunger for knowledge also increases The internet is a powerful resource for learning as well as an efficient m eans of communication. E-mail, chatting etc. have given a new way to discuss, impart and spread education through internet communication.Its use in education provides a number of specific learning benefits like independent learning, development of research skills, access to resources etc. The internet is a huge bank of learning material. It keeps on expanding the resources available to students beyond the standard print materials found in school libraries. It gives students access to the latest reports on government and non-government websites which include research material, scientific and artistic resources in museums and art galleries and other organisations with information applicable to student learning.One of the main advantages of the internet is that it a time-efficient tool for teachers which has the possibility of curriculum development by incorporating internet-based activities into mainstream literacy programs and bringing diversity to their teaching strategies. Disadvan tages : Risky chatting in chat rooms dedicated to teenagers another problem area. Paedophiles often frequent chat rooms where they know children and teens will spend much of their time. A real life meeting with such might lead to abduction, rape, torture or even murderPast studies have shown a change in social trend where teenagers are rejecting real relationships and friendships for cyber relationships. This can have several unforeseen implications. Internet has increasingly become a way to escape problems or relieve negative mood, which is not a good solution. Traditional methods of dealing with such problems are proper, effective and reliable way. Though the Internet is a treasure of information but not all of it is beneficial for the betterment of the society. Some information like a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a pipe bomb can lead to serious consequences both for the culprit and the public.The Internet also exposes children with inaccurate information from unreliable s ites and confuses students by exposing them to con world of Advertisers who have one aim and that is to sell their products. This leads to misinterpretation of facts and unwise judgements. Not everything on Internet is accurate or legit. The answer to ‘Whether technology is Boon or Bane is Debatable' and just like all the other advancements in technology, we have to accept the two sides of the same coin. The Technogy can and will be used for good or bad.

War on Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

War on Drugs - Essay Example Some policies have created conflicting issues because they are not clear; hence making war on drug polices a difficult social policy in the contemporary society. Therefore, the international community has made significant efforts towards identifying and prompting human rights through helping the minorities, oppressed people, disadvantaged and encouraging the government to initiate the protection of human rights across the globe. The issues of war on drugs have led to various effects globally. The authors including Malinowska-Sempruch, Hoover and Alexandrova provide various approaches towards unintended consequences of the war on drugs. They attempt to reveal the way war on drug policies has led to HIV epidemic in Russia, Ukraine and many other countries. The UN conventions implemented the international drug polices, but some of them have contributed to the hindrance towards confronting issues of health epidemics. The authors report that the â€Å"unforeseen consequence in the age of HIV† in countries where drug use is high plays a significant role in spread of HIV (Malinowska-Sempruch, Hoover and Alexandrova, 2003: 196). The impact of law enforcement towards reducing illegal drug measures are seen unnecessary because they contribute to health issues; thus violating human rights. â€Å"The warning signs of massive dual drug and HIV epidemics in Russia and Ukraine have been apparent since the late 1990s. Few observers, though, ever thought that HIV would reach catastrophic levels so quickly. â€Å"(Malinowska-Sempruch, Hoover and Alexandrova, 2003: 204) The international community should play a leading role towards identifying and promoting human rights across the globe (Malinowska-Sempruch, Hoover and Alexandrova, 2003: 194). Various agencies of the international community should work together towards helping the minority, oppressed and the

The First American Railroad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The First American Railroad - Essay Example Mining and transport of mining products to factories and industries presented a very big challenge to the transport industry. This prompted engineers to think of a way to hold the wheels of horse drawn carts from sinking under the weight of mine ores. The first American railroad was inaugurated in 7 October 1826 in a small town called Quincy in Massachusetts. According to a report by Granite Railway Company (GRC), â€Å"On the morning of October 7, 1826, at Quincy, the first railroad in America was opened, and under the direction of a young engineer by the name of Gridley Bryant, the first cars drawn by horses passed over it, carrying huge blocks of granite from the Bunker Hill Quarry to a wharf on the Neponset River, a distance of two and three-quarters miles† (GRC 1). This first rails were made of wood held together with wooden struts. After continued use, these wooden rails began to buckle under the weight of the cars thus strips of iron were added on top. Not all these developments would have been possible without the invaluable contribution of engineer Gridley Bryant. Without him, it would not have been possible to transport mined granite ore from Bunker Hill quarry. Although the iron strips could prolong the lifespan of the wooden rails, it greatly reduced the lifespan of the roller wheels. In the middle of 18th century, iron wheels were introduced and hence the problem shifted to making stronger rails. By the end of 18th century, all iron rails became a reality. The completion of the railroad in Quincy just marked the beginning of robust development of railroads. Loco motions were later invented and this led to opening of new railroads. Baltimore-Ohio railroad opened on 1830 and was later extended to Maryland. Mohawk-Hudson opened in late 1828. Baltimore-Ohio railroad is arguably the first commercial railroad in America after Granite railways in Quincy. Although it first used horse drawn commercial cars, the horses were

Shakespearean Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shakespearean Drama - Essay Example If she truly disagreed in getting married, Shakespeare would have written something to the effect of "thee shall be hang'd on Sunday first". As she could not openly state her opinion, and she never says anything nice, it can be assumed that she actually agrees to the marriage by saying she will be at the hanging. Wealthy young girls were never at public events. In Scene One of Act II, Katharina goes after her sister after being taunted that she likes Hortensio. She ties her sister up in order to make her confess in telling her who all her suitors are. Bianca resists. What is interesting here is that Baptista protects Bianca and tells her to "go ply thy needle". It is the first and only time Bianca is to do an activity of "ideal womanhood". Katherina responds expressing jealousy, fear, loneliness, humiliation†¦. "What will you not suffer me! Nay, now I see She is your treasure, she must have a husband; I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day; And for your love to her lead apes in hell. Talk not to me: I will go sit and weep Till I can find occasion of revenge." Bianca seems the perfect bride to be, but she shames the family. Her tutors are her suitors in disguise. Luciento changes places with Tranio. They make up such a sham that Bianca signs the marriage contract with Tranio. Luciento goes to Baptista and tells him, he is now married with his daughter. Shakespeare is criticizing the conflict of arranged marriages and love marriage. He is also questioning what is the ideal of womanhood. Though Bianca is outwardly the more peaceful of the two; and she is her father's favorite, there is a transformation that questions who has the happier marriage. Their father comments in Act V. (Baptista) "Another dowry to another daughter, For she is changed, as she had never been." Katherina also changes. The techniques are to shock the audience. In reality, Shakespeare is questioning the arranged marriage; the chattel contracts; the fact that a wife is a little bit higher than a man's horse. Women in the upper classes got married when they were 12 to 14 years old. What could they do without any life's experience. In the play, we see an inn keeper, servants, and the widow with the two girls. Either they got married young or they went to Convents. Katherina is more honest in nature than Bianca. She has been left to her own vices too long. She is lonely, highly intelligent, jealous of her sister and angry. Shakespeare writes the play from the male point of view. He is showing how men treat women in society. Shakespeare tries to add the women's side as well. When Petruchio negotiates the dowry with Baptista, he says "†¦.where two raging fires meet together they do consume the thing that feeds their fury, though little fire grows great with little wind, yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all: So I to her and so she yields to me; For I am rough and woo not like a babe." He is essentially saying that he is not afraid of her emotions nor character and that they will meet equal grounds. He is also saying that he is pleased with what he sees. He will teach her to control the fire in her and he will learn to control his fear. Baptista agrees if Petruchia gets his daughter's love, they can get married. Petruchio enjoys the first encounter with Katrina. She lets him know that she is still young and cannot bear. "Not such jade as you, if me you mean" (Act II) Fine, I will wait. They both are enjoying

Genetic Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Genetic Engineering - Essay Example Also known as gene modification, genetic engineering refers to the manipulation of genes. This technology involves removing a gene from one organism and inserting it into another organism. The removed genes are often put into yeast cells or bacteria to enable scientists study the protein or gene it produces more easily. The technology can be used to find cures to deadly diseases and enable people to live happy lives without being worried about having AIDS or any other deadly diseases. However, genetic engineering can lead to ethical issues such as unfairness, â€Å"Playing God†, or programming a human being. The most significant beneficial impact of genetic engineering is gene therapy. Gene therapy refers to the medical treatment of a disease by fixing or replacing imperfect genes or introducing curative genes to fight the disease. Despite the debate about genetic engineering, the laws in most countries seem to uphold genetic engineering research and development by permitting genetically engineered organisms to be patented. These patents give scientists domination over their genetically engineered species. Regardless, we must not linger and see the impacts genetic engineering will have on the earth. We must form informed opinions, advocate government regulation and anticipate that a whatever path this technology takes us, is an affirmative step towards enhanced environmental sustainability, reduced animal torment, and overall considerate regard for the earth and its valuable life.

Helth, Safety and Environment in the Petroleum Industry Research Paper

Helth, Safety and Environment in the Petroleum Industry - Research Paper Example Contextually, petroleum organisations are currently learnt as well aware about its importance for economic developments as well as the requirements for reduction of environmental and safety risks in the workplace through numerous measures. Acknowledging, understanding and implying appropriate measures of those risks in timely manner are also crucial for petroleum organisations in order to ensure safety of the employees and the community members. By promoting training facilities as well, petroleum organisations can enhance the knowledge of staffs about better and efficient utilisation of the equipments and tools. The experience of staffs about various good practices in the workplace can also be quite beneficial for ensuring safety and avoiding accidents to a larger extent. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Overview of Petroleum Industry 5 Health, Safety and Environment in Petroleum Industry 6 Health Issues in Petroleum Industry 7 Safety Issues in Petroleum Industry 8 Environ mental Issues of Petroleum Industry 9 Major Contributions of Oil and Gas Industry toward Heath, Safety and Environment 9 Recommendations 11 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction In petroleum industry maintaining a healthy and safe environment is regarded to be quite essential, not only because of intrinsic protection risks but also due to absolute quarantine of hazardous materials associated in every oil and gas organization. Since petroleum industry is experiencing a rapid development within the context of current phenomenon, it is quite likely to face possible health and safety problems along with environmental risks in upcoming days owing to its expansion, both in terms of production and organisational size (Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand, 2011). Considering these aspects, the discussion will concentrate on health, safety and environmental issues associated with the petroleum industry. Thereby, the objective of the discussion will be to apprais e different articles and literatures from a generalized perspective illustrating the requirement of safety performances in the oil and gas sector. The discussion will also consider different factors causing such risks to recommend on the safe operations of equipment and tools utilized in the petroleum industry internationally. Overview of Petroleum Industry Petroleum industry is often considered to be one of major sources for income generation that in turn attempts to render greater support for enhancing the economic condition of a nation. In the international context, petroleum industry represents a significant percentage of the aggregate power consumption. For instance, in the year 1995, the petroleum industry accounted for the consumption of almost 63% of global power supply in comparison to coal mining, nuclear energy and hydroelectric energy which represented only 27%, 7% and 3% respectively of worldwide energy generation (International Association of Oil & Gas Products, 1997). Consequently, after the increase in global economic prosperity, the world’s demand for oil consumption has been augmenting with rapidity. For instance, in the year 2002, the international usage of oil and gas amounted to almost 220 cubic feet a day which is further expected to increase rapidly in the near future.

Summary about the book Boston tea party Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary about the book Boston tea party - Essay Example The story talks about how the United States of America walked its way into the top of the western hemisphere and settled in a country that has become the most powerful nation in the world. Philbrick explained in this book that the issue of race, religion and violence has always taken center stage in American polity. Nathaniel Philbrck uses the account of William Bradford and Benjamin Church to describe the story of the Mayflower. The book is the story of a ship and its journey on a large and stormy sea into a land that nothing much was known about. Mayflower talks about how the Pilgrims came to settle in New England, the risky ocean crossing that they embarked upon and the sharing of the first Thanksgiving. He gives the true story of the Pilgrims and their tragic but heroic experience at the ocean. Philbrick described how a group of Pilgrims endured the raging of the storms in order to find a very suitable place to worship. The Mayflower ship clumsily moved through winds and storms f or sixty-five days. According to Philbrick, â€Å"For sixty-five days, the Mayflower had blundered her way through storms and headwinds, her bottom a shaggy pelt of seaweed and barnacles, her leaky decks spewing salt water onto her passengers’ devoted heads.† (3). There were 102 humans and 2 dogs in the ship and Phulbrick explained that they were not the usual group of colonists that people are familiar with. They were neither noblemen or servants, but a group of men, women and children who were ready to sacrifice their lives in order to have the assurance that they could worship their God as they pleased. The arguments that the Pilgrims put forward for embarking on such a deadly voyage was that God was in support of their emigration to America (Philbrick 259). Philbrick dedicated a chapter to Thanksgiving with a good account of the events of the feast that lasted for days. The people that took part in the Thanksgiving feast were 100 Pokanoket Indians and 50 colonists. Philbrick noted that the Pilgrims did not originally arrive at Plymouth Rock as people have been made to believe. They first arrived at an Indian graveyard, the Pokanoket tribe had been hit by a strange plague that weakened majority of their population and they did not have the strength to fight against the Pilgrims. The Pokanoket tribe had no other choice than to make peace with the Pilgrims. It is clear from the description of Philbrick that the Thanksgiving feast did not take place in November, but by the end of September or October. There is a possibility that the men that took part in the Thanksgiving feast went fowling for their Thanksgiving feast. The Thanksgiving feast that took place at the fall gave the Americans a glimmer of hope as the events that took place during this period gave signs that things would turn out for their good (Philbrick 104-108). The book talks about how the Pilgrims or people that could be described as religious refugees landed in Plymouth Harbor du ring a period of catastrophe for the Native Americans. The Native Americans had to struggle with an alien disease that was brought into their lands by the European fishermen and this drastically reduced their population. Philbrick talked about the relationship between the Pilgrims and the Wampanaoags. The Pilgrims were led by the belligerent military officer, Miles Standish while the Wampanaoags were led by the enigmatic and scheming Chief Massasoit. The Wampanaoags were

Black People and James Baldwin Essay Example for Free

Black People and James Baldwin Essay In Toni Morrison’s â€Å"Recitatif,† the story is about two girls, Twyla and Roberta. They grow up in an orphanage because their mothers could not care for them. Morrison makes it clear the girls come from different ethnic backgrounds but never states which one is black or white. At one point in the story Twyla comments, â€Å"We looked like salt and pepper. † I grew frustrated with the story and had to read it several times. I could never determine who was black and white and the lesson I learned should have been it doesn’t really matter. The story begins with Twyla’s mother dropping her off at the orphanage. She meets Roberta and they become best friends. The bond they share occurs because they were not considered real orphans. They were abandoned kids unlike the other children whose parents had died. One of the last times the girls see each other was the day of a visitation. On that night, Twyla’s mother was wearing â€Å"those tight green slacks that made her butt stick out. † Many people have labeled blacks as having larger butts. She could have been black, she could have been a heavy white woman with a large butt, or a Hispanic woman like me. But I automatically stereotyped and went with Twyla has to be black. During the visitation Roberta’s mother â€Å"had brought chicken legs. † Twyla notices Roberta does not eat the chicken legs. I always thought black people liked chicken more than white people which means Roberta was white since she did not eat the chicken. Or maybe she just wasn’t hungry. Shortly after that visitation Roberta’s mother came to take her home, leaving the girls devastated. They see each other several times throughout the years. At their first meeting, Roberta was rude and distant because she was high. Roberta tells Twyla she is on the way to see Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix was an infamous black guitarist. I thought at this point Roberta has to be black. However Hendrix’s band was interracial with a diverse audience. Roberta could have been white due to the diverse audience. I am a huge Hendrix fan and I am not black so why would I think Roberta is. Twelve years later they meet again at a grocery store. Roberta married a rich man and was extremely friendly to Twyla. Twyla cannot hold back her emotions and asks Roberta about the last time they saw each other. Roberta shrugs it off, â€Å"Oh, Twyla, you know how it was in those days: black—white. You know how everything was. † I can relate to this. In 1980, the Cuban Mariel Boat Lifts came over bring thousands of Cubans. I am Cuban but I was born here. Kids I had known since kindergarten treated me as if I just come over on the boats. It had a lasting effect on me and matured me beyond my years. The third time they meet is at the school where their children attend. Roberta and other mothers were picketing because they did not want their kids to be segregated. This led to a fight severing any last chance of a friendship for them as it would not be resolved until Twyla and Roberta meet for a final time. As the story ends I do not get a sense of closure. The question of which girl is white or black remains unanswered. It opened my eyes and made me question how prejudice I really am. I try to not stereotype as a result of what I went through as a child but I found myself doing just that. I can understand why Morrison wrote the way she. I am not sure what her goal was overall but to me it seemed as if she were teaching me about prejudices. â€Å"Recitatif† challenged me to not judge either girl by their race but accept them for who they are. In the end, what difference did it really make about the girls’ races? The story is about how their friendship develops and then deteriorates. Nothing more; nothing less.

Traffic Lights Microprocessor

Traffic Lights Microprocessor Microprocessor: A microprocessor is defined as the digital electronic component embedded with transistors on a single semiconductor integrated circuit. One or more than one microprocessors typically serve as a central processing unit in a computer system. Microprocessor Components: Basic Components: The following are the basic components of the microprocessor: Registers: A register is a storage element which is composed of an array of flip-flops. A 1-bit register can store 1 bit and a 32-bit register can hold 32 bits and so on. A register has two inputs: Data input Clock input. Multiplexers: A multiplexer is used as an input selector. A multiplexer has 1 output, a control input and other data inputs. If the control signal is 0, the 0th input is moved to the output. If the control signal is 7 then the 7th input is moved to the output. A multiplexer with N control signal bits can support 2N inputs. For example, a multiplexer with 3 control signals can support 2pow(3) = 8 inputs. A 4 input Multiplexer with 2 control signal wires An 8 input Multiplexer with 3 control signal wires A 16 input Multiplexer with 4 control wires Program Counter The Program Counter is a register structure which contains the address pointer value of the current instruction. For each cycle the value at the pointer is read into the instruction decoder and the program counter is updated to point to the next instruction. Instruction Decoder: The Instruction Decoder performs the function that it reads the next instruction in from memory and sends the component pieces of that instruction to the necessary destinations. They are of two types: RISC Instruction Decoder The RISC instruction decoder is a simple device because RISC instruction words areof fixed length and the positions of the fields are fixed. We can decode an instruction, therefore, by simply separating the machine word into small parts using wire slices. CISC Instruction Decoder A CISC decoder is set up as a state machine. The machine reads the opcode field to determine the type of instruction and address of the other data values. The instruction word is read in part by part and decisions are made at each stage to determine how the remainder of the instruction word will be read. Register File A register file is a set of registers and a decoder. The register file requires an address and a data input. The other components required are memory unit, ALU, FPU stands for floating point unit and control unit. Microcontroller: A microcontroller (also microcomputer, MCU or  µC) is a small computer on a single integrated circuit consisting internally of a relatively simple CPU, clock, timers, I/O ports and memory. Program memory in the form of NOR flash or OTP ROM is also often included on chip, as well as a typically small amount of RAM. Microcontrollers are designed for small or dedicated applications. Differences Between Microprocessor And Microcontroller: Microprocessor = CPU Microcontroller = CPU+ peripherals + memory Peripherals = ports + clock + timers + ADC converters +LCD drivers Memory = SRAM +EEPROM+ EPROM + flash A microcontroller has a combination of all the above explained attributes whereas a microprocessor is only a CPU. Examples of microprocessors are 8085 and 8086. The following is the pin diagram of 8086 microprocessor: Examples of microcontrollers are 8254, 8279, 8255, 8259. Microprocessor Based Control Of Traffic Lights INTRODUCTION Now almost all the traffic light systems operate on a timing mechanism that changes the lights after a given time interval. An automated traffic light system senses the presence or absence of vehicles and reacts accordingly. An automated or intelligent traffic system detects traffic in many different ways. Current traffic systems react to motion to trigger the light changes. When the infrared object detector picks up the presence of a vehicle, a switch causes the lights to change. In order to accomplish this, algorithms are used to govern the actions of the traffic system. The traffic signal system consists of three important parts. The first part is the controller, which represents the brain of the traffic system. It consists of a computer that controls the selection and timing of traffic movements in accordance to the varying demands of traffic signal as registered to the controller unit by sensors. The second part is the signal visualization or in simple words is signal face. Sign al faces are part of a signal head provided for controlling traffic in a single direction and consist of one or more signal sections. These usually comprise of solid red, yellow and green lights. The third part is the detector or sensor. The sensor or detector is a device to indicate the presence of vehicles. One of the technologies, which are used today, consists of wire loops placed in the pavement at intersections. They are activated by the change of electrical inductance caused by a vehicle passing over or standing over the wire loop. Experimental Arrangement: In order to implement the Intelligent Traffic Signal Simulator, one needs to setup and assemble the hardware components and write a program to control the intelligent traffic signal simulator. The layout of the Intelligent Traffic Signal Simulator is displayed in Figure 1. The blocks, which are labeled N1, N2, N3, E1, E2, E3, S1 and W1 are the infrared object detectors. Hardware components: The traffic light system consists of four important components: the controller which is taken as brain to the system, the sensors which detect the presence of vehicles, the light emitting diodes (LED) which act as the actuator and the countdown timers which is displayed in Lab VIEW. BASIC STAMP 2 (BS2) is used as the microcontroller of the traffic signal. The BS2, which needs to be plugged to the Board of Education (BoE), is directly attached to the computer in order to program it. The wiring for the output and input signals is done from this board. Figure 2 shows the Board of Education to which a 9V DC power is supplied. There is also a DB9 connector, that is connected to the COM port of computer using RS-232 serial cable, for BS2 programming and serial communication during run-time. Next to the BS2, there is a breadboard. The breadboard has many strips of copper, which run underneath the board in a horizontal fashion. These strips connect the sockets to each other. As for the infra red object detector, SHARP GP2D15 is used. The sensor task is to detect the presence of vehicles. It is functioning continuously by giving a logic 0 when there are no vehicles and logic 1 when there are vehicles present. Therefore, they can detect the length of the queue depending on where they are placed. Each detector has a JST connector housing slot and three crimped wires to use in the JST connector. The connectors are plugged into the appropriate housing slot and into the detector. The light emitting diodes are used in order to show the traffic light changing according to the program. The LED light will change according to output by the microcontroller. In each lane, there are three LEDs according to traffic lights colors which consist of red, yellow and green. Moreover, two inverters were used in order to connect the output of green and red LEDs together. Therefore, when the green LED is ON then the red LED will be OFF and vice-versa. Figure 3 shows the connection of the input and output ports to sensors and LEDs. The BS2 microcontroller has 16 Input and Output ports. The ports were divided into 8 input and 8 output ports. The output ports, which are from P0 to P7, give either logic 0 or 1 to the LEDs. The input ports, which are from P8 to P15, receive input signal from the sensors. Software simulation: After the hardware had been setup, a program written in the BASIC programming language in the BASIC STAMP editor is downloaded into the microcontroller. The simulation of the algorithm of the traffic signal system was done using MATLAB software. The countdown timer interfacing according to the traffic system using Lab VIEW software is created using the BNC Adapter and the Data Acquisition Card (DAQ) device. The Lab VIEW programming is done in the diagram using graphical source code. In the block diagram the program runs from left to right. If the green light in the traffic model does not illuminate, the system goes into default since there is no input into the system. The signal from the sensor is acquired through the DAQ, which is connected, to the computer. Using 8085 to Design: The hardware of the system consists of two parts. The first part is Microprocessor based system with 8085. Microprocessor as CPU and the peripheral devices like EPROM, RAM, Keyboard Display Controller 8279, Programmable as Peripheral Interface 8255, 26 pin parallel port connector, 21 keys Hexa key pad and six number of seven segment LEDs. The second part is the traffic light controller interface board, which consist of 36 LEDs in which 20 LEDs are used for vehicle traffic and they are connected to 20 port lines of 8255 through Buffer. Remaining LEDs are used for pedestrian traffic. The traffic light interface board is connected to Main board using 26 core flat cables to 26-pin Port connector. The LEDs can be switched ON/OFF in the specified sequence by the Microprocessor. Result and Conclusion: The traffic signal operation will start by the traffic lights illuminating in red for 1 second in all directions. Then the traffic signals will start illuminating in the clockwise direction of the magnet compass. This means that it will start operating in the North lane, then East lane, then South lane, then West lane and goes back to North lane.