Global Warming and the Effects Essay

Global warming refers to the heating of the air near the earth’s surface and oceans and this problem was first noted to happen in the 1950s period. Today the issue of global warming is one of the most widely discussed as it has serious implications to our environment. Global warming is as a consequence of human activities and its main contributor is the high level of greenhouse gases that are emitted to the atmosphere. One of these gases is methane, nitrogen dioxide, water vapors and carbon dioxide (CO2), which are emitted when fossil fuels such natural gas, oil, diesel and coal are burned. The issue of global warming has risen to the levels of concern today and days cannot pass without it being mentioned. If its effects are not mitigated the world will become an inhabitable place. The effects of global warming are many ranging from rise in global temperatures, forests destruction, melting and retreat of ice glaciers and thawing of snow that covers the mountains and destruction of the coastal ecosystems. This is what this research paper will basically focus on. It will discuss in depth the causes of global warming how these effects impact our society. This research paper is structured as follows; it starts with a brief introduction of what global warming is, its origin and how it has developed overtime, some examples of where it has already occurred will be given and then the conclusion. At the very end there is also a list of all the works cited, properly formatted in accordance with the MLA formatting style. Most people according to Weart (13) use the term global warming to mean climatic change but this is not true. The former is as a result of human activities and changes in the solar system but later is any change in the state of the average climate in terms of precipitation and weather over an extended period of time. The first effects of global warming were first noted in the mid 19th century and according to various reports given by different researchers, global warming results due to unchecked human activities. The world has experienced and witnessed changes in ice formation and melting not mentioning the abrupt rise in global temperatures. Though weather variations are something that is as old as mankind, its recent changes have awakened the conscience of men. Although there are periods when temperatures are a bit hot, there was unusual rise in temperatures in the period between 1980s and 1990s. This problem has continued up to the 21st century. â€Å"In terms of global average near the surface air temperature, the year 1998 was the warmest in the instrumental record and the nine warmest years in that record have occurred since 1990† (Houghton 2). The Graph below Shows How Global Temperature Has Increased Over Time Due to Global Warming. Gotten from http://globalwarming-awareness2007-arshad. com/global-warming-graphs. shtml The rise in the rates at which hurricanes, tornadoes and the general blowing of strong wind is also attributed to global warming. These effects were experienced in Western Europe especially in England in the late 1980s. No single human being can claim not to have contributed to the global warming as in one way or the other one must have been involved in cooking using fossil fuels and in transport. These are the major contributors of global warming because they increase the amount of carbon dioxide gas which is in the atmosphere. (Natural Resources Defense Council). The problem with greenhouse gases is that they trap hot air that is trying to escape from the ocean and earths’ surface something that has serious consequences. Carbon dioxide behaves like a blanket and a mirror. It traps hot air and sends it back to the ground thus there is a lot of water evaporation on the oceans thereby increasing humidity in the air. Also this humidity also behaves like CO2 which traps hot air thus making the air in the atmosphere even warmer (Haughton 12) Most of the global effects we are witnessing today were predicted long time ago by scientists for example the world meteorological organization (WMO) issued a warning in 2003 that there will be increase in weather changes and the examples that it gave were tornadoes, hurricanes and heat waves. Today these tornadoes are like the order of the day and are the effects of global warming. According to scientists, when ice glaciers melts, that water flows to the oceans which in turn floods and the problem that results is that even when there is a small storm water is blown to the earths’ surface. Human activities that contribute to global warming dates back to the Industrial Revolution period when labor became mechanized. Those machines used fossil fuels such as coal which emits large amount of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The current human activities are contributing largely to the global warming that human activities of the 19th century although the current global warming effects are not just as a result of these current activities but is as a result of human activities extended over time. According to a report that was produced by the World Meteorological Organization, the period from early 1990s up to 2007 has registered the highest degrees in terms of global temperature. The average global temperature for the year 2007 was estimated to be 0. 41oC above the average annual temperature of the 1960s of 14. 00oc Just like there are many environmental variables, the same applies when it comes to human activities which contribute to global warming. As per the IPCC’s fourth assessment report, since 1750, human activities with a very high probability were said to be the cause of global warming. The increase of global warming for the last fifty years has been due to the increase in greenhouses emissions. The Graph Below shows how the Concentration of Greenhouse Gas has increased In the Last 250 Years. It was accessed from http://earthsci. org/education/teacher/basicgeol/global_warm/global_warm. html These gases also destroy the ozone that protects some harmful sun rays from reaching the sun and that is why there are so many cases of cancer in the world. The main source of these gases is the fuels that are used on vehicles, planes and other machines such as generators and water pumps and the fuels that are used in households. What happens is that when sun rays reach the earths’ surface, they heat the surface while the excess heat is radiated back to the atmosphere. These rays are supposed to be lost in the space but because there is a lot of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the sunlight with longer wavelength are trapped by these gases (Silverstein and Nunn 53-54). Now the problem is that it leads to global warming in that these gases behave like mirrors that reflect back sun rays to the earth leading to overheating of the global temperature and this is what is referred by scientists as greenhouse effect. Even the water vapor that results due to overheating of the ocean surfaces is also a greenhouse gas. It is estimated that these vapors contribute 36 to 70 percent of the global warming while carbon dioxide accounts for 9-26 percent while others like methane and ozone contributes about 4-9 percent and 3-7percent respectively. Methane is always present in the earth and so when mining or soil erosion occurs due to human activities; it is exposed to the atmosphere. This methane combines with other gases in the atmosphere and it releases carbon dioxide. Population is another factor that has contributed to the rise in global temperature. There is no direct link of overpopulation to global warming but through an intricate process it contributes. When population increase, it means people will require more food and demand for more food means that more agricultural lands will be cultivated. Scientifically we know that trees help in purifying air by absorbing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere so when vegetation cover is cleared the chances of global warming to result are high as greenhouses gases remain uncontrolled. Also, to some extent green vegetations lead to global warming. When green vegetation rot they release a smelly gas. This gas is methane and is one of those greenhouse gases. Again as people demand more food, they devise ways of increasing food production and one way of doing this is by using animal manure which contains a lot of methane. People are forced to keep animals so as they would get this manure thus indirectly leading to the global warming. As population grows, more energy is needed in the production sectors. Fuel usage increase in the production companies so as to meet the ever increasing demand for products. Population increase mean more transport demands, this leads to an increase in the number of vehicles resulting to more emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Apart from human causes, there are also natural causes of global warming. Sun which is part of the solar system could also contribute to the global warming. If there happens to be output changes in terms of the heat that the sun produces, global temperature could rise. Another natural factor that could contribute is if there happens to be a change in the shape of the orbit that earth as a planet follows. If one point is closer to the sun then, global temperature at that particular period of time could rise. All these causes of global warming lead to several negative consequences. One of these effects is the increase in precipitation. As more and more water evaporates and is trapped in the clouds it then falls as precipitation. When the oceans are heated by the sun, evaporation occurs leading to heavy rain that has negative results for example it leads to floods and soil erosion. (Victor 31-33) Another effect associated with global warming is the thawing of mountain glaciers. In the period between 1550s and 1850s there was a lot of glaciers but this has subsequently decreased over time. It is estimated that the world glaciers with the exception of ice sheets and caps in the Antarctic and Arctic regions has gone down by 50 percent. The reduction of these glaciers has been witnessed in Himalayas Mountains, Alps, Rocky Mountains and Pyrenees. The consequences of melting of these glaciers are many and one of them is flash slides, increase in landslides not mentioning the overflow of the glacial lakes. It also makes some rivers to become seasonal, during summer time they become dry and then gain water during winter. When glaciers melt, water levels in the ocean go up and it destroys the ecological system of the coastal areas because these floods engulf the coastal dry lands. Global temperature interferes with the balance and the length of the seasons. This will affect farmers who sow their seeds in a particular time predicting to be harvested at a particular time. â€Å"Farmers are planting the seeds according to the seasons and rain, but since the rains are getting disturbed and also the climate is getting shifted, the sowing time is difficult to predict, which will lead to poor production hence shortage of food grains† (Global warming, 2008). Marine life is also under extinction threats due to global temperature change. Many marine species have already succumbed to high temperatures in the seas. Penguins which live in coral leafs are the worst affected. Global warming leads to the destruction of the coral reefs and this leads to the interference in penguin’s life cycle resulting to many deaths. Also global warming leads to the retreat of ice in the sea. Though sea water absorbs sun’s heat, this ice reflects back some of the heat. If this ice melts away, sea water will get hot leading to the rise in temperature. According to a report made by the IPCC Fourth Assessment, it was predicted that forest fires will increase in some regions of the world like in the Mediterranean Europe. Global warming has no direct link to the bush fires but the thing is, there will be shortage of rain in those regions thus increasing the chances of forest fires being spread in large scale. When fire burns, carbon dioxide is emitted to the air and since this fire will clear all the remaining vegetations that would absorb some carbon dioxide, a lot of carbon dioxide will be released more than the natural cycle can handle and what will result is global warming due to green house effects. (Natural Resources Defense Council) Global warming also destroys the ozone layer that is in the atmosphere. This layer prevents the harmful sunrays such as ultra violet rays from reaching the earth. These rays lead to increased cases of skin cancer. To conclude this research paper, it is in order to say that global warming leads to the rise of the average global temperatures and have serious consequences on the environment. The main contributor of global warming is human activities although to some extent some natural factors such as alteration of the earth orbit could result to temperature rise. Global changes started to be witnessed in the mid 19th century but of late the effect are many and on the increasing trend. Its many effects have served as an awakening call to many governments to come up with various strategies that could help to reverse the trend. Global warming mostly results from fossil fuels which emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases include; ozone, methane, water vapors and nitrogen dioxide. What these gases do is that they trap hot air that is trying to escape from the ground resulting to overheating of both the ocean and ground surfaces. The effects of global warming are many and includes; rise in temperatures, forest fire outbreaks, thawing and retreat of glaciers, overflowing of rivers and lakes, disruption in the balance of seasons, extinction of some species especially those that live in seas, desertification, coastal lands being engulfed by floods and increase in diseases such as cancer and malaria. Works Cited: Global Warming. Global Warming Awareness. 2008. Accessed on October 30, 2008 from http://www. globalwarming. org. in/global-warming-facts. php Houghton J. Theodore. Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. Cambridge University Press, 2004 Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Global Warming: Consequences. 2008. Available at http://www. nrdc. org/globalWarming/fcons. asp Silverstein, A. and Nunn, L. S. Global Warming. Twenty-First Century Books, 2003 Watson R. The Natural Causes of Global Warming. 2007 http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/300649/the_natural_causes_of_global_ warming. html? cat=47 Weart S. R. The Discovery of Global Warming. Harvard University Press, 2003. Victor, David G. The Collapse of the Kyoto Protocol and the Struggle to Slow Global Warming: And the Struggle to Slow Global Warming. Princeton University Press, 2001

Italy

The setting of the story is mainly in Italy. This is where all the action of the story takes place. Fred is in Italy at the beginning of the war and he joins the Italian army. The city that Fred is stationed in throughout most of the book is Gorizia. Frederic Henry meets a beautiful English nurse named Catherine Barkley near the front between Italy and Austria-Hungary. At first, Henry's relationship with Catherine is an complicated game based on his attempt to seduce her, but when he is wounded and sent to the American hospital where Catherine works, their relationship progresses and they begin a passionate affair. After his recovery in the hospital, Henry returns to the war front. During a massive retreat from the Austrians and Germans, the Italian forces become disordered and chaotic. Henry is forced to shoot an engineer sergeant under his command and in the confusion is arrested by the Italian military police for the crime of not being Italian. Disgusted with the army and facing death at the hands of the battle police, Henry decides he has had enough of war. He dives into the river to escape. After swimming to safety, Henry boards a train and reunites with Catherinenow pregnant with Henry's childin Stresa. With the help of an Italian bartender, they escape to Switzerland and attempt to put the war behind them forever. They spend a happy time together in Switzerland and plan to marry after the baby is born. When Catherine goes into labor things go terribly wrong. The doctor announces that her pelvis is too narrow to deliver the baby. He attempts an unsuccessful Caesarian section, and Catherine dies in childbirth. To Henry, her dead body is like a statue. He walks back to his hotel without finding a way to say good-bye. The overall tone of the book is sad, confused and love. Frederick's actions are determined by his position until he deserts the army. Floating down the river with barely a...

Critical study of the parametric model development process The WritePass Journal

Critical study of the parametric model development process Abstract: Critical study of the parametric model development process Abstract: 1. Introduction2. The Proprietary Model Development Process3. ConclusionsReferencesRelated Abstract: Complex parametric models may consist of many interrelated cost estimating relationships (CERs), as well as other equations, ground rules, assumptions, and variables that describe and define the situation being studied. Models generate estimates based upon certain input parameters, or cost drivers. Parametric models can generally be classified as commercial or company-developed. This review provides practical information about developing, deploying, and maintaining company-developed parametric models. Company-developed models – also referred to as company-owned, in-house, or proprietary models – differ from cost estimating relationships (CERs) because of their higher level of complexity, and the range of costs they estimate. Commercial parametric estimating models, available in the public domain, use generic algorithms and estimating methods which are based on a database that contains a broad spectrum of industry-wide data. Unlike commercial models, company-developed mo dels are designed for the specific estimating needs of an organization or to describe a particular product. A proprietary model offers an alternative to trying to use a commercial model to meet an organization’s unique estimating requirements. JEL classification: C50, C51 Key words: equation, parameter, parametric model, commercial model, proprietary model 1. Introduction A parametric cost model can be viewed as the collection of databases, cost estimating relationships (CERs) [1], cost factors and algorithms, which together are used to estimate the costs of a system and its components. A parametric cost model uses known values to estimate unknown ones. Industry use parametric models to support conceptual estimating, design-to-cost analyses, life-cycle cost estimates, risk analyses, budget planning and analyses. Parametric models can also be used as the basis of a cost estimate in preparation of firm business proposals, or in the independent assessment of cost estimates prepared using a traditional estimating approach. Models generate estimates based upon certain input parameters, or cost drivers. Parameters â€Å"drive the cost† of the end product or service being estimated. Some examples are weight, size, efficiency, quantity, and time. Some models can develop estimates with only a limited set of descriptive program inputs; others, however, require the user to provide many detailed input values before the model can compute a total cost estimate. A model can utilize a mix of estimating methods, and it may allow as inputs estimates from other pricing models (or information systems) or quotes from external sources, such as subcontracts. Several companies implemented commercial parametric estimating hardware models, which can rapidly compute development and design costs, manufacturing costs of prototypes, and production unit/manufacturing support costs. Commercial parametric estimating models use generic algorithms and estimating methods which are based on a database that contains a broad spectrum of industry-wide data. Because this data encompasses many different products, a company working with a commercial parametric model must calibrate it before using it as a base of estimate for proposals submitted to the higher-tier contractors. Calibration tailors the commercial model so it reflects the products, estimating environment, and business culture of that particular company. A proprietary model offers an alternative to trying to use a commercial model to meet an organization’s unique estimating requirements. Proprietary models are developed for an organization’s own product and cost estimating needs and are, in effect, self-calibrated. Proprietary models can be implemented for a variety of estimating purposes, and have a wide range of complexity, completeness, and application. 2. The Proprietary Model Development Process The major activities involved in developing a proprietary model are: Step 1: Identifying the Parametric Model Opportunity One of the most critical steps in the proprietary model development process is the identification of a good opportunity for implementing a parametric model. This involves two points. First, it is important to investigate the feasibility of developing the model, which entails an evaluation of both its technical feasibility and cost effectiveness. Technical feasibility refers to the ability of the model to meet the estimating needs of the organization, and examines whether the organization has the resources to develop the model within a reasonable timeframe. This includes performing a cost-benefit analysis to decide whether a proprietary model would be cost-effective to implement and maintain. All potential benefits should be considered in the cost-benefit analysis; for example, contractors have achieved significant savings in proposal preparation, evaluation, and negotiation through the implementation of proprietary parametric estimating models. Other contractors have achieved additio nal benefits through multiple applications of the same model, such as for design studies, target costing, and contract risk management as well as basic estimating. The second critical point involves gaining the support of internal upper-level (including program) management and key customer management. If the model then meets the acceptance criteria provided by these groups, they agree to support its proper application in subsequent proposals. Little good comes from implementing a proprietary model if there is no internal management buy-in, or no support from the key customers on the estimating technique. Also, the firm’s management will want to understand the results of the feasibility study so it can properly assess the financial investment required to support model development and on-going maintenance activities, such as training, model enhancements, and software corrections. On receiving approval to begin development from internal and external management, the contractor establishes an implementation team to guide the creation of a valid proprietary model. This team should include representatives from the company and key customers. Step 2: Information Systems Needs When implementing a proprietary model, the organization should commit and obtain the necessary resources for information systems development and support activities. Information systems support is required for a variety of functions: defining the formal system requirements needed to support the cost estimating model (e.g., hardware, software, interfaces with other systems); testing the model to ensure it adequately satisfies all end-user requirements; maintaining the integrity of the model throughout its life span by establishing procedures to manage and control all changes (i.e., configuration management); providing software support services once the model is deployed to keep it operational (e.g., corrections, revisions, miscellaneous enhancements). When simpler models are implemented (e.g., spreadsheet models), the degree of support is smaller, but the configuration management and long-term maintenance issues still must be addressed. Step 3: Data Collection and Analysis Historical costs should be used, with the development team ensuring that they are relevant to the firms current operating procedures. In an effort to include as much relevant cost data as possible, analysts normalize it as it is incorporated into the database [2]. They adjust data so it is as homogeneous as possible (e.g., similar in content, time value of money, quantity), and does not contain anomalies. Programmatic, noncost data may also require normalization. The analyst must assess the condition of each program’s data and make appropriate adjustments as required. When developing a model, the team identifies the main characteristics, called the primary cost drivers, that are responsible for, and have the greatest impact on, the product or services cost to be estimated. Step 4: Model Development The development of a proprietary model incorporates many anticipated uses and goals such as estimating/users’ requirements, availability of credible data, life-cycle costs, systems engineering costs, forward pricing rates – and it must integrate these into the parametric estimating approach. The modeling process, in particular, focuses on these tasks: specifying the estimating methods for accomplishing the estimating goals; -identifying the job functions and other elements of cost that will be estimated; defining data input structures; Proprietary models may contain a number of different estimating techniques. Step 5: Calibration and Validation Parametric models are calibrated and validated before they are used to develop estimates for proposals. Since proprietary models are based on an organization’s historical data, they are considered to be self-calibrated. Validation is the process, or act, of demonstrating the proprietary model’s ability to function as a credible estimating tool [3]. Validation ensures: estimating system policies and procedures are established and enforced; key personnel have proper experience and are adequately trained; proper information system controls are established to monitor system development and maintenance activities in order to ensure the model’s continued integrity; the model is a good predictor of costs. Models should be validated and periodically updated to ensure they are based on current, accurate, and complete data, and that they remain good cost predictors. The purpose of validation is the demonstration of a model’s ability to reliably predict costs. This can be done in a number of ways. For example, if a company has sufficient historical data, data points can be withheld from the model building process and then used as test points to assess the model’s estimating accuracy. Unfortunately, data sets available are often extremely small, and withholding a few points from the model’s development may affect the precision of its parameters. This trade-off between accuracy and testability is an issue model developers always consider. When sufficient historical data are not available for testing, accuracy assessments can be performed using other techniques. Another testing methodology compares a commercial program’s final cost to the proprietary model’s estimate of it. However, it may be months, or years, before this approach can be applied to a given program. The model team may use this method when a program is near completion, or is at a point where a meaningful earned value performance index for it can be determined. Step 6: Estimating System Policies and Procedures After validation, the company must modify its estimating system policies and procedures to explain the appropriate use and application of the model for reviewers and company users. In particular, the model’s developers need to document its proper use as a valid bidding tool. Companies should also explain the model’s design, development, and use. For example, the contractor, as part of its support for the follow-on production model and estimating tool, developed a detailed manual containing information about the mechanics of the model, its estimating methodologies, and the timing of updates. The company also amended its Estimating System Manual to include a section on the model, and to refer the reader to the model’s own manual. Step 7: Internal Approval Process Model developers need to assure company representatives that the model relies on the firm’s historical data and, therefore, captures how the company executed similar projects in the past. Any departmental budget allocations produced by the model should reflect the average budgetary split the firm has historically experienced.   Developers should also consider the fact that a model, if approved, might change the way the company anticipates executing an existing (or planned) program (e.g., the project director may need to shift work and modify the budget). This obviously affects the circumstances under which other company personnel would approve the model. A best practice from contractor experience involves the integration of the company representatives into the model implementation team. As an example, when implementing the follow-on production model, the model designers, from the beginning, solicited the participation of key internal representatives. During the development of each module, the team incorporated the inputs of the functional department primarily responsible for executing that portion of the project which the module was designed to estimate. Although the Finance Department led the model building effort, it continuously reviewed its progress with representatives from the Engineering and Manufacturing Departments. These representatives were responsible for coordinating and obtaining any necessary information from their organization, and keeping management informed. Step 8: External Approval Process Although a company may internally approve a model, the customer must also be shown that the estimating approach is valid. The involving of customers in up-front decision facilitates their acceptance of parametric techniques. In seeking acceptance of a proprietary model, the company formed a Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) team [4]. The team’s composition included company representatives from various departments. All team members participated in establishing selection criteria for the model’s database. Based on the selection criteria, the contractor personnel collected actual cost data from many contracts. When using the model for the first time with a buying organization, the CIP team invites the buying organization to the company for a joint review and explanation of the model. Immediately after obtaining funding to develop the model, the developing company discussed it with other contractors, additional government organizations, to ensure widespread support in data collection and model validation. Including customers on the development team does not guarantee a model’s acceptance, of course. It does ensure that the customer has a voice in the model’s design and usage, but the model’s ability to reasonably predict costs is the ultimate basis for acceptance. No person, internal or external to the company, can prove this before final development and testing. Step 9: Model Maintenance Through the development process, the team develops a sense of how often the model needs updating. Maintenance activities include not only the incorporation of new data into the model, but also an evaluation of the mathematical relationships between the technical parameters and the costs the model estimates. Periodic evaluation of the model is required to ensure the estimates are relevant and the contractor is using the most current, accurate, and complete data. New data is contributed as programs mature and, occasionally, from non-company sources. In some situations, the cost modelers develop new CERs, based on a subset of the original database, in order to better match a new estimating requirement. The process of maintaining a model involves keeping an audit trail of the CERs developed, the data points used, and their statistical effectiveness. 3. Conclusions Company-developed parametric models – also known as proprietary models offers an alternative to use a commercial model regarding organization’s own product and cost estimating needs. No company or individual can develop a valid model without the participation of a number of key people which include the customers, all interested company personnel, and government representatives. Some concepts should be considered by all implementation teams as follows: establish a process flow and target development dates to ensure all team members provide their inputs to the models design; consider the costs and benefits of model development; evaluate commercial models as an alternative to proprietary development; remember that the goal is to establish a more efficient and reliable estimating system, not just create a model. References Stuparu D., Vasile T., Stanciu M. The Cost Estimating Relationships (CER’s) modern method for predicting cost, Revista Academiei ForÃ… £elor Terestre, nr. 1/2010. Vasile T., Stuparu D., DÄÆ'niasÄÆ' C.I. Collection and Normalization of Parametric Data, Analele UniversitÄÆ'Ã… £ii din Oradea, Tom XVIII, vol. II, 2009, pp. 703-708. Stewart R.D., Wyskida R.M., Johannes J.D. Cost Estimators Reference Manual, 2nd Edition, New York, Wiley, 1995, pp. 57-67. * * * ceh.nasa.gov/webhelpfiles/Cost_Estimating_Handbook_NASA_2004.htm

Sense of Lost Love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sense of Lost Love - Essay Example The paper will take a linear narrative model, where I will start of the application process, outline the steps in the middle of the body, and end the project at the publishing phase. Section 2: The step By step Tutorial Guide The Pre-production Phase Brief The first step in the pre-production step is gathering the information and equipment or requirements needed for the application. I first of all determined the different forms of playback that will be met by the animation. Some of the delivery formats that I considered include the following: Format Resolution (pixels) Frames per Second HDTV (1080i) 1920 x1080 30 HDTV (720p) 1280 x 720 30 DVD 720 x 480 29.97 Web 480 x 320 24 PowerPoint Video 800 x 600 24-30 CD-ROM 640 x 480 24 Print image (8.5† x 11†) 2550 x 3300 N/A Retrieved from, http://www.frameworkmedia.com/pdfs/animation_process.pdf From the above table, it is clear that different formats differ in resolution requirements. I was also required to have an absolute sch edule time and a working budget range. I had to ensure that I provide a quality product in the scheduled deadline, so my aim was to decide on the design budget range prior to storyboarding. Style sheet This part of the pre-production phase included giving the details of graphic images used in my framework and motion graphic. Among the graphic images used were video footages, photographs, and illustrations to get the real image. Of significance also were PowerPoint presentations and supporting market content, prerecorded voice tracks, written narration scripts, court documents, and interviews with graphic experts to get the exact data required. It was essential to shoot video footage or take extra photographs during this period, specifically for complex procedures or animations that called for a high degree of realism and accuracy. Storyboard After I was through with the graphics details, my next step was to initiate the storyboarding procedure to establish what the actions of the gr aphics and how the animation will appear. I used various forms of storyboards, such as detailed drawings and napkin sketches, putting in mind the central visual elements at different points in the animation. In this context, I used the storyboard during the design and production step to generate all the assets and models essential for the animation. The storyboard was also necessary to ensure that all the necessities are met by the time the final animation is produced. A concept of importance that I considered was to set an approximated budget for my project before storyboarding. I used design decisions in the process to shun specifically difficult and unaffordable shots (frameworkmedia.com). Production Constructing the multimedia framework and applying the process The storyboard is now approved, and therefore the production phase sets in. My 3D dimension workflow and model is founded on Autodesk 3D max, a tool most often used in gaming and visual effects companies globally. During construction, the animation assets are modeled or drawn in a number of dimensions. I created my model from scratch in a 3d max. 3d models from the available CAD data to sped up the construction process. Finally, the 3d models illustrated the topology of the equipment that was finally animated. The degree of detail needed for the model was driven by the final resolution image and how near the camera was to the model and the

Principles of Accounting SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Principles of Accounting SLP - Essay Example At the same time, the consistent communication will enlighten the employees on their effect of choices on the company’s future and on their future. Opportunities for misstatement and fraud exist upon every line item on balance sheet and income statement. Therefore, the finance managers should able to identify the ‘red flags’ and ask the right kind of questions. (Mabry, 2007) The two components of a balance sheet and/or income statement can be used as a â€Å"red flag† to alert of potential fraudulent activity are An in-depth analysis of the ratios of the financial statements can be used to detect the fraudulent activities of the company. A change in ratio over a period of time or over one year should be rational and logical that can be explained properly. Any unusual ratio jump or fluctuations or extreme deviations from the industry average that cannot be explained rationally need to be investigated. This is how the analysis of ratios can be used as a method of fraud detection. (Harrington, 2005) Mabry, B. and Toivonen, S. (2007) "Detecting Financial Statement Fraud: What Every Corporate Manager Needs to Know - Oil & Gas Financial Journal." Oil & Gas Financial Journal- Coverage of Oil and Gas Markets, Companies and Stocks.. Web. 26 Mar. 2011. . Harrington, C. (2005) "Association of Certified Fraud Examiners." Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - Fraud Training & Education. Web. 26 Mar. 2011.

Reflection of the Vision Module Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflection of the Vision Module - Essay Example However, I soon realized that creativity is a funny thing. What sounds wildly creative and imaginative to one person sounds like a mess of silliness to another. Our first mistake as a group was not sorting out our differences from the beginning as to the very nature of the project itself. One idea that was pitched was a creative use of technology that involved newspaper headlines that were projected on a screen. This was my idea. Others in the group wanted a more traditional presentation of ideas through a featured lecturer set-up. Another faction of the group wanted to create a fully realized dramatic presentation complete with singing, poetry and props. We spent much energy and time trying to accommodate everyone’s ideas. There was a lot of conflict at this stage of the project, but that is to be expected. I kept thinking after each meeting that we would soon find something to do that everyone would be happy with, but after a while, I gave up hope. One of the biggest problem s was the fact that several group members refused to do anything that was not part of their original idea. Anything dramatic or any sort of performance was out of the question for these group members. We could not resolve this rift in the group, so we did something that in the end would prove to be unwise. We moved on with a hybrid of ideas that excluded these members. Basically, through frustration, the majority of the group sent a â€Å"like it or lump it† message to the minority that objected to the performance. This caused considerable problems. One is the fact that the few members that were marginalized failed to keep commitments and did not contribute much work towards the final product. This is understandable, but it really harmed our final product. We decided to write a dramatic performance that included technology I was in charge of utilizing. Just before the performance, some members wanted to make last minute changes to the script. There was a falling out among mem bers. Two members of the group sabotaged the performance by drawing the curtain and hiding behind it. Needless to say, the message of our presentation was somewhat lost among the chaos. Reflecting on this group learning activity really has been a thought provoking exercise. It has been a great opportunity to try something new, reflect on the possible mistakes and note how they could be avoided in the future. Themes that came up continually when I was thinking about this experience include group dynamics, group decision making, leadership styles and styles of communication. Reading about how groups form and share ideas has really helped me to better understand how this group learning activity could have been improved. Actually, the learning activity was great, it was the final product that needed to be improved. The idea that groups go through phases such as storming, norming and performing is interesting. Understanding that there will be differences of opinions in a group is powerfu l information that I do not think all of the members of our group understood. Looking back on the experience, too many people took criticism and critique personally, causing the group to stall in the storming phase. We never really established the norms of how the group should work. As a result, the person or people with the stormiest personalities got their way while the soft-spoken members were pushed to the side. Better resolution of the first phase of team formation would have led to a better end

Why is the Walt Disney Company so successful Essay Example for Free

Why is the Walt Disney Company so successful Essay As the process of globalization develops continuously, multinational corporations are much more common nowadays which means intercultural communication has become an important part of daily work in thousands of millions of cross-cultural offices. This thesis will mainly concentrate on discussing and analyzing the Walt Disney Company’s experience of intercultural communication and the useful information we can learn from it so that some misunderstandings and problems can be avoided in some business activities. This thesis will discuss and answer the following questions: 1. What is the Walt Disney Company? 2. What is a cross-cultural working environment like in the Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida? How do the coordinators deal with different employers from different cultures? 3. What happened when Disney first entered French market? What happened when it first entered Japan? What are the cultural reasons behind these different phenomena? 4. Comparing to other multinational corporations like Starbucks and Ikea, what is the advantage of Disney and what can we use for reference from its experience? Some researches have already been done on related subjects such as intercultural communication management, the importance of cross-cultural communication in business, and the effectiveness of intercultural communication in Human Resource area, etc. Based on these researches, however, my view point as a cast member of the Walt Disney World Resort can be creative and objective. Chapter I What is the Walt Disney Company? In this session, a brief introduction of the Walt Disney Company will be given especially the history of its process of globalization when it tried to get into France, Japan and Hongkong China. Chapter â… ¡ College Exchange Program in the Walt Disney World Resort After providing some information of College Exchange Program, I will concentrate on analyzing Disney’s methods of dealing with foreign Cast Members’ culture shock, cultural conflicts, and coordinators’ different training ways according to their different cultural backgrounds. Besides, a survey will be made to collect CPs’ opinions on how to improve the program or how will their future application affect intercultural communication. Chapter â… ¢ How to Deal with the Frustration in France? In this part, I will introduce the history of Disney first entering France and the cultural crisis it came across there. I will illustrate both the efforts and mistakes made by Disney as well. Comparing to the process it first entering Japan, I will try to engage the different cultural backgrounds with these different phenomena. Chapter â… £ Useful References of Disney’s Experience Comparison will be made in this part between Disney and other multinational corporations and some useful references we can get so as to use them to avoid misunderstandings, sometimes even serious problems in business field.