Industrial Waste Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Industrial Waste - Essay Example Both criminals and legitimate entrepreneurs sense handsome profits from this excess of hazardous waste, from steering a flow of harmful substances along the path of least resistance toward what they hope will be a final resting place. "I'd slash my wrists if I didn't think that there is enough greed in the world to find someone to take Philadelphia's trash," said one official of that city (Perks, 1986). All too often, however, the waste ends up in poor communities, migrating within the United States from the industrial Northeast to the more rural South; or in Great Britain, from England to Wales. Similarly, on the world stage, hazardous waste from the industrialised nations frequently has a one-way ticket to the developing world. Some Africans have even equated the traffic in toxic waste to the slave trade, although the direction has been reversed: the toxic substances that the industrialised world wishes to discard now flow to the developing world. More than 3 million tons of wastes were shipped from the industrialised world to less-developed nations between 1986 and 1988, according to the environmental organisation Greenpeace (Portney, 1991). Sometimes the deals were made with the approval of governments, sometimes not. The amounts of money to be earned from waste imports were so large that despite the health and environmental risks, some impoverished nations felt they could not refuse to enter this trade. The West African nation of Guinea-Bissau, for example, hoped to make $120 million a year, more than its total annual budget, by agreeing to store industrial wastes from other countries, until public protest over the hazards involved forced the government to back out. A series of odysseys in the late 1980s first drew worldwide attention to the issue of waste exports. Ships laden with hazardous wastes were refused admittance by country after country and, with their cargoes of poison still aboard, sent back to roam the seas. The gravest danger to less developed countries, however, stems not from vagabond ships carrying deadly cargo, but from the legal, routine shipments of "recyclable" wastes: mercury residue, lead-acid batteries, and other refuse from which valuable materials are extracted by low-paid Third World laborers and then reprocessed or sold for reuse. This extraction often takes place in plants filled with choking fumes and lead dust, where workplace safety rules and enforcement are far less stringent than those in the First World. Both the workers and the people living near these factories are threatened as a consequence of this legal recycling trade. According to industry estimates, at least 70 million automobile batteries were discarded in the United States each year during the 1990s, a figure that translates to roughly 70 million gallons of sulfuric acid and more than a billion pounds of lead. Although the United States has one of the world's safest and most sophisticated systems for recycling its used batteries, anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of them end up dumped unceremoniously by the side of a road, thrown away with the regular garbage or just left in a garage and forgotten. Of the 80 percent or more that are recycled, a substantial number are sent overseas, where they are smashed apart, melted down in lead smelters like those in Brazil and poured into

Analysis of Gerrit van Honthorsts Painting, Musical Group on a Balcony

Analysis of Gerrit van Honthorst's Painting, Musical Group on a Balcony The Dutch painter Gerrit van Honthorst was known in Rome as Gherardo delle Notti (Gerard of the Night Scenes) for his striking use of a single light source to illuminate a dark scene. He was successful in bringing Caravaggio’s lighting techniques with him to the North, influencing many painters, including Rembrandt. But his painting â€Å"Musical Group on a Balcony† is a departure from his customarily dark depictions. This piece was the first Dutch illusionistic ceiling, which Honthorst painted for his own home in Utrecht. Honthorst’s use of perspective, bright yet simple composition, and lighthearted subject matter are representative of the pastoral life that many Renaissance artists celebrated. Seeing the painting mounted on the ceiling in The Getty instead of looking at it straight-on from a computer screen helped me to understand Honthorst’s accomplishment of perspective. Its position on the ceiling forces us to look up at it, and we have a sense of being removed from the jovial scene above us. We are reminded of Marlowe’s poem â€Å"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love,† as the speaker imagines himself and his lover removed from their immediate world, admiring a pastoral scene: â€Å"And we will sit upon the rocks,/ Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks.† The group high above us on the balcony could be the very â€Å"melodious birds† about which Marlowe’s shepherd speaks. Just as we are onlookers of the merry musical group, they look upon us as well, inviting us to join in their merry-making. A man stands with his arms around his lover, as though singing â€Å"Come live with me, and be my love.† The entire group seems to be saying t... ...nd to its earthly, pastoral feel. The Humanist movement encouraged the flourishing and the rediscovery of art, and the way many Renaissance artists chose to do this was to depict life in a bucolic, natural setting. The pastoral life was held up as an ideal and carefree living situation, and the musical group on the balcony fits this perfectly. The composition of the painting is very simple and light; not a lot is going on in this scene, characterizing the carefree country life. Honthorst’s delightful painting captures the essence of an ideal moment in the Renaissance life. Just as the speaker in Marlowe’s poem invites his lover to discover with him all the pleasures that a pastoral life can offer, the group on the balcony urges us to join them in their merry-making. Both entreaties are effective in evoking the sweet and simple music of a carefree life.

Information Systems Strategic Planning Essay

Situational analysis is defined as a methodical compilation and assessment of past and current economical, political, social, and technological data. This has an objective of assessing the organizations PEST and SWOT analysis, and also identification of internal and external forces that may affect the company’s performance and choosing of strategies. Market opportunity analysis is the utilization of forecasting techniques to the market factors that may influence the demand a product. It is also defined as formal ordered effort to recognize future situations which can be utilized to gain competitive advantage. Several techniques ranging from simple extrapolation complex technological forecasting and decision support systems can be used in market analysis. The purpose of market opportunity analysis is to determine is there is sufficient demand for the envisioned product or service and to establish if he product or service can be offered on profitable basis in the market as argued by Boar (2010). The function of market opportunity analysis is to synchronize the operations of the company with the goals and objectives in order to gain competitive advantage. Task Information Systems is an organization with twenty three years experience whose business is the provision of strategic information systems for organizations, the company offers several Information and Communication technology based services such as M. I. S. / I. T. Department Management and Technical Project Management, Information Technology consultancy, network design, tailor made software, web development and user Training. A customer market opportunity analysis at Task information systems involves analysis on the firm’s priorities if they are in agreement with the organizations goals and objectives. The company intents to be a world class player in the information systems market , however, its objective is to provide information systems to fifty companies in two years. An analysis reveals that the goal and the objectives may not be in agreement since to be a world class player requires offering services to more customers in a year, not just fifty in two years. The company needs to clearly segregate customers, so as to be understandable on the criterion of determining the fifty companies to be served in two years. An analysis on the flexibility of the company in terms of willingness to tailor services to suit the needs of the customers, involves working with customers to design and redesign products. An analysis of the firm’s strengths reveals that the company has good community customers, moreover Task information Systems is relatively flexible organization which can be attested by its strategy on customer satisfaction. Another important concept on market opportunity analysis is on the products offered by the company, if they can be supported over a long duration of time for a number of targeted customers. The company offers M. I. S. / I. T. Department Management and Technical Project Management, Information Technology consultancy, network design, tailor made software, web development and user Training among several other services, this can be compared with the available knowledge base and expertise. The analysis reveals that the company is promising more than it can deliver to the satisfaction of customers, since if it is to offer all the advertised services the workforce would be overwhelmed. An analysis on ways in which the organization can make better, more productive use of the information to which is already in its domain to create effective customer satisfaction and relations, reveals that the company has the opportunity of faster information,that allows business with no boundary limit in terms of potential customers, furthermore the organization has positioned itself to deal with the latest innovations in the market. Task information utilizes the latest innovations such as Search Engine Positioning, NetObjects Fusion, Sonicwall, ZoneAlarm, and Kerio Firewalls this therefore reveals that the company is dynamic and stands to benefit from its strong capacity to consolidate on various innovations. On analysis of the existing policies, procedures and practices governing the management and utilization of information throughout the organization, reveals that information utilization in the organization is not centralized and there exists no centralized management structure, this reveals therefore that the company lacks good managers with good leadership skills, which may affect customer experience and relations. An analysis on the opportunities available for Task information systems, which can be utilized to gain competitive advantage include deregulation allows the company to advance into new markets hence more customers, in addition, the company can utilize the opportunity of faster information allows business with no boundary limit, this is because most of the services, offered by the firm are internet based, therefore the company can reach several clients at a time. Another present opportunity is in the strategies utilized by the organization to gain a market niche, the company utilizes added value, customer satisfaction, training, aggressive marketing, e-commerce and lower cost, in order to increase the customer base and gain competitive advantage. Conclusion To gain competitive advantage therefore, Task information systems has to focus on effectively identifying and meeting the unmet/underserved customer needs, and eliminate barriers that block some/all potential customers, while at the same time innovating opportunities that enhance the customers’ experience. The strategic moves to be taken are value chain which is a set of value creating activities within the company. This includes trapped value which is concerned with efficiency, accessibility and customer empowerment. New value involves personalization, extension, community-building, collaboration while horizontal plays improve functional operations to satisfy customer experience, in addition the company should adopt vertical plays which in concerned with improving industry specific business activities. Importance of gap analysis, determining weakness in other organizations Determining weakness in other organization is very important to assist the organization in deciding upon marketing strategies and tactics, knowing the weakness of the competitors is beneficial in understanding how to exploit those weaknesses while marketing the products of the company and pointing out the strengths of the company to the customers. Determining weaknesses of competitors is also important to assist the organization to avoid those weaknesses, and avoid actions and situations that may lead to the same weaknesses.

Physician Assisted Suicide Should Be Legal - 1996 Words

Brittany Hollar Ms. Jonte English III Period 5 10 April 2016 Physician Assisted Suicide Currently, in Vermont, California, Oregon, Washington,and New Mexico, lethal medication is being given to terminally Ill patients to end their lives. There are several reasons why assisted suicide is illegal in the majority of states, such as the demand for suicide due to a patient s excruciating pain, misinterpreted life expectancies and diagnoses, poor medical coverage by insurance companies, and the financial interests of the patients families. On the other hand, some suggest various reasons why assisted suicide should be legal. The legal status of physician assisted suicide, as a hotly debated topic, teeters on both sides of legality in varying†¦show more content†¦This has a capability of administering a constant delivery of a drug into the body. Sudden pain can be ceased instantly by the patients PCA. Barriers to effective pain management exist. These barriers include: religious belief, poor practice by doctors, patient fear, and incorrect doses of medication. The issues of the barriers are being addressed with great efforts to remove them. Removing these barriers is the answer to full pain management on the opposing side to physician assisted suicide (Balch, Waters 7). The majority of patients requesting assisted suicide due to pain decided against suicide after their pain was treated properly. â€Å"...the availability of assisted suicide may lead to a decrease in or failure to increase the availability of pain management†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Harned 515). Terminally ill patients sometimes have misinterpreted life expectancies or even experience unexpected healing. Sharyn MacKay, a forty-six year old diagnosed with a kidney tumor, was told the cancer had spread and was incurable. Her doctors believed that chemotherapy would only add a few weeks to her life. However, MacKay strongly believed that she could win her battle against cancer. Three months later, after prayer and determination, her tumor had disappeared. Another example of this healing involves a man named John Pattison, aged twenty-one. In 1974, he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer and was not expected to live more than six months. HeShow MoreRelatedShould Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal?901 Words   |  4 PagesWhen society ponders over the idea of physician-assisted suicide, they most likely feel that the act itself would compare to murdering someone. Who really has the authority to say what is right or wrong when a loved one wants to end their life because of a term inal illness or a severe physical disability? Should Physician-assisted suicide be Legal in California to make it a euthanasia state like Oregon ? In the article titled â€Å"Nicest Lawmaker Touts Assisted Suicide,† by Clea Benson published The BakersfieldRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Be Legal1578 Words   |  7 Pagesmeasures. One of the alternative options is Physician-Assisted Suicide; defined as the voluntary termination of one’s own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician (â€Å"Physician-assisted†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). In layman’s terms it means that a physician administers medications to the patients to use on their own terms, and it’s entirely up to the patient whether or not to ingest the medication. I know Physician-Assisted Suicide is a practical solution to terminally illRead MoreShould Physician-assisted Suicide Be Legal? 1473 Words   |  6 Pages Should physician-assist ed suicide be legal? This debated subject has no right or wrong answer. Assisting someone in death has a felony murder conviction in some cases. There are a few different ways of being charged, but there are certain circumstances. There are many reasons why I am for it and of course, I have reasons against it. When you have a loved one in a vegetative state, does the family say yes or no to â€Å"pulling the plug?† Is it not the same as assisting a person in death? AnotherRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Be Legal1325 Words   |  6 PagesThe topic of physician-assisted suicide has become very controversial because of the ethical questions. The physical state of health of the patient, the patient’s personal life, and even the financial pressure of the patient are all factors to consider when contemplating whether or not to legalize this controversial cause of death. Physician-assisted suicide regarding medical ethics states that a physician cannot lega lly give any patient a lethal injection to end their life, but they can take theRead MoreShould Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal?761 Words   |  4 Pages We Should be in Favor of Physician-assisted Suicide In a momentous decision released February 6, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Physician-assisted suicide will be legal in Canada within 12 months. This deci-sion has caused a myriad of controversy. Opponents of physician-assisted suicide argue that the constitution recognizes the sanctity of life and no one has the right to end the life of another person’s. Supporters, on the other hand, argue that patients who experience constantRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Be Legal935 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscusses the ethics of physician-assisted suicide. In the process of physician-assisted suicide, a doctor purposefully provides a terminally ill patient with the means to take their own life. This is often confused with active euthanasia; however, they are not the same thing. In euthanasia, the doctor administers the lethal drug to the patient, but in physician-assisted suicide, the patient must take the lethal drugs themselves. There is much debate over physician-assisted suicide today. Some peopleRead MoreShould Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal?847 Words   |  4 PagesShould-Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal In Every State When it comes to the topic of, should physician-assisted suicide be legal in every state, most of us will readily agree that it should be up to a terminally ill person to make that decision. Whereas some are convinced that it is inhumane, others maintain that it is a person’s decision to end their own life. I agree that physician-assisted suicide should be legal in every state because in most cases, people that are terminally ill should haveRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Be Legal1494 Words   |  6 PagesPhysician Assisted Suicide A tough issue on the rise in the United States is whether or not Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) should be legal. Physician Assisted Suicide allows a physician to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to a patient to end their life. However, the patient has to take the drugs on their own. PAS would be only offered to those suffering from a terminal illness with less than six months to live. The way these patients go about treating and or living with a terminal illnessRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Not Be Legal2017 Words   |  9 PagesEnglish 100 Melody Kowach Say No to Physician Assisted Suicide Has anyone ever heard of the term Assisted suicide? The term assisted suicide â€Å" is suicide committed with the aid of another person, who is usually a physician. It usually is called physician assisted suicide because a doctor is providing information on committing suicide with lethal doses of drugs (Assisted). There are many people with a terminal illness considering assisted suicide. Assisted Suicide is legal in five states which is OregonRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Be Legal1223 Words   |  5 Pagespractice of physician assisted suicide. This would allow terminally ill patients, many of whom have cancer, to make the difficult decision to end their lives peacefully. Doctors are able to simply write their patient a prescription, designed to end a person’s life in a non-painful way. Doctors and medical personnel have struggled with this topic, exploring the various consequences and benefits that come with making assisted suicide legal. Currently, physicia n assisted suicide has been made legal across